Nexus

Had a good convo with my Dad earlier today and told him that we have yet to put together THE perfect game this year against a worthy BCS team where both sides of the ball are playing lights out.

By perfect, I mean playing up to and even beyond our capabilities on both sides of the ball. Limiting mental miscues (penalties, play clock management, etc.)

Assuming that we play for the Big XII Championship, it would be great to see THE perfect game come together against Texas and spoiling their shot at the National Title as well as having a chance to play in a BCS bowl.

After seeing the offense show some life yesterday, I couldn't help but be optimistic about the direction we're headed going into the final 2 games of the regular season.

If Nebraska does win out the rest of this season, it would go down as one of the strangest yet bittersweet seasons in the history of our program.

What are your thoughts?

Wanna get away?

Touché

– Defensive coordinator Carl Pelini said he talked with coach Bo Pelini immediately after the game about getting some rest in practice this week for the NU defense. Carl Pelini said he thought the Huskers looked "a little tired" after playing 87 snaps a week ago in their 10-3 win over Oklahoma. The Blackshirts were on the field for another 70 snaps against KU. By shortening practices, Pelini said he thought the Huskers could freshen up in time for Kansas State's Saturday night visit.

http://www.omaha.com/article/20091114/BIGR...960/0/FRONTPAGE

"It's fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A"

"I just shat myself"

Let's have fun with this.

Anytime we play against a run & gun type of QB, our defense is usually in for a long day. Case in point:

Taylor

Sheffield

Reesing

I'm always on the edge of my seat. Our secondary has been known to blow big plays against those types of QB's.

Nonetheless though, I'm happy that our "O" stepped it up today.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/g..._20091107_OK@NE

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) - Bob Stoops is great friends with Nebraska coach Bo Pelini and even let Pelini's brother stay at his house for an extended period while they worked together at Kansas State.

 

He grew up admiring from afar the rivalry the Cornhuskers had with Oklahoma, where he'd eventually be hired as the head coach.

 

But would he like to see the Huskers re-establish themselves as the marquee team in the Big 12 North?

 

"I'd rather they didn't," Stoops said with a chuckle Tuesday.

 

The Battle of the Big Reds has been a bit unbalanced lately and Stoops likes it that way. While Nebraska has been rebuilding, Stoops has been able to win four straight games in the series and keep the No. 20 Sooners (5-3, 3-1 Big 12) among the nation's top teams headed into Saturday night's game with the Huskers.

 

Instead of the rivalry determining the conference champion - as it did 31 times in 36 years in the Big Eight - and even a national championship, the game has had less panache in recent years. There was the series' second "Game of the Century" in 2000 and the teams met for the Big 12 title in 2006, but it's been nothing like the days of Barry Switzer vs. Tom Osborne in the 1970s and '80s.

 

This time, both teams are just trying to make up ground in the divisional standings. It's the fourth straight time Nebraska (5-3, 2-2) enters the rivalry unranked and, before that, Oklahoma was outside the Top 25 for six of eight meetings in the 1990s.

 

Pelini said he is "worried about 2009 right now."

 

"They've played for a long time and any time you've played for a long time and the games were meaningful, there's going to be a different air to the game," Pelini said. "A lot of people take it seriously, obviously, and we're looking forward to it."

 

Some of today's players have a feel for the rivalry, although they're more familiar with the 2000 and 2001 games than with those further back. Sooners cornerback Dominique Franks, whose uncle played for the Sooners, recalled watching recent rivalry games on television.

 

"It was amazing," Franks said. "With all the athletes they've had and the OU athletes, it's always been a great rivalry and I don't expect anything less for this game."

 

"It's a big one, the Battle of the Big Reds," he added. "You don't have to say too much after you say Oklahoma vs. Nebraska."

 

Stoops tries to make sure his players know the context of the game. As he does with other traditional rivals, he showed clips to the team about the history of the series.

 

"I always have had, playing Nebraska here for a long time, great respect for them. An amazing tradition and history," Stoops said. "I always want our freshmen, sophomores, guys that haven't been around that long to have a true understanding of the whole tradition, history and pride of that program.

 

"I've always felt that way. Playing them has always been tough."

 

All the history will be brought up at a reunion Friday night in Lincoln. Switzer, Osborne and some of their best players - including Heisman Trophy winners Steve Owens, Johnny Rodgers, Billy Sims, Mike Rozier, Eric Crouch and Jason White - will eat dinner together and then be introduced at halftime of Saturday night's game.

 

Oklahoma held a similar reunion last year for players from the 1971 "Game of the Century."

 

"It's a great rivalry. I'm proud to be a part of it," said Nebraska defensive tackle Jared Crick, who grew up watching the rivalry in Cozad, Neb. "I can't really think about it too much going into this week but it's in the back of my mind `Hey, this is Oklahoma. If we beat them, we get bragging rights."'

 

Oklahoma won 62-28 last year in Pelini's debut in the rivalry. Franks intercepted Joe Ganz's first pass and returned it for a touchdown, and Oklahoma opened a 28-0 lead in the first 5 1/2 minutes. The Sooners' final point total was their highest ever in the series.

 

"I just think it really took everything out of them. Just the first play of the game having a pick-6, that'll discourage any offense," Franks said. "It seemed like we jumped on them real early and just took the life out of them."

 

Whether he likes it or not, Stoops said he expects Nebraska to rise again. He knows the Pelini family well from their days in Youngstown, Ohio.

 

"I just know Bo and his attention to detail, his understanding of all parts of the game, that he'll continue to do a very good job there at Nebraska and continue to build the program," Stoops said.

http://journalstar.com/entertainment/artic...1cc4c002e0.html

Fans of "The Big Bang Theory" know that Penny, the female lead in the hit CBS comedy, is from Nebraska.

 

Monday, the state and the football team will be front and center in an episode called "The Cornhusker Vortex."

 

In it, Penny (played by Kaley Cuoco) invites some guy friends over to watch the Huskers play on TV.

 

Not wanting to be left out, Penny's boyfriend, the geeky Leonard (Johnny Galecki), agrees to watch the game, too, even though he knows nothing about football.

 

He receives a tutorial on the fine points of the game from his just-as-geeky roommate Sheldon (Jim Parsons).

 

According to David Fitzgibbon, manager of broadcast services at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, CBS called for permission to use the university name, logos and paraphernalia in the show.

 

Penny is seen wearing Husker T-shirts, while Leonard dons a No. 10 football jersey.

 

Fitzgibbon said the university often receives requests like this - more than you would believe - from TV and film studios, but the answer rarely is "yes."

 

"We say 'no' when the whole idea is to make fun of Nebraska or perpetuate a stereotype," Fitzgibbon said.

 

That was the case a couple of years ago for the Zooey Deschanel movie "The Good Life." The film was about a young man whose one wish was to move away from a football-obsessed town in Nebraska. It wasn't a reach to guess it was Lincoln.

 

"We look pretty closely at what they want to do ... to see how we fit, and how we will be seen," Fitzgibbon said.

 

As Nebraskans know, when it comes to Hollywood, our image usually is not good, with references to football, corn or both.

 

Lincoln took a hit earlier this summer in an episode of "Leverage," the con-person drama on TNT.

 

Written by Albert Kim, who I'm guessing never set foot here, the episode, "The Tap Out Job," made Lincoln look like a small, hick town, with its habitants eating gravy-soaked, chicken-fried steak and thinking every black man plays for the football team.

 

So it goes.

 

Fitzgibbon said university officials like "The Big Bang Theory," noting that Cuoco's Penny is a bombshell, but not the typical dumb, blond bombshell.

 

As to why Penny's character is from Nebraska? Just because. A CBS spokesperson said none of the producers has a connection to the state.

 

Fitzgibbon said he believes Bo Pelini's Huskers probably have a lot to do with why she is from Nebraska. Monday's episode is an example of it.

 

"The Nebraska football program is known very much nationwide," he said.

As hard as it is to swallow today's loss, I agree with robsker.

At the same time, I also understand the pessimism expressed in here as well.

It's unfortunate that the offense is suffering a midseason meltdown.

If there was ever a time when a program needed a "pick-me-up" from its fans, NOW is the time from here on out.

There is still a lot of ball left to play before we decide to write this season off as fans.

Hang in there Husker Nation. We've survived the Callahan era. Surely we can manage this one too?

I hope Suh continues to elevate his level of play throughout the rest of the season. Voters would be remiss not to invite him to NY for the ceremonies at the very least.

Bottom line: Suh is a GRIDIRON GRAPPLER.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports...bc/6678971.html

LINCOLN, Neb. — Cody Green is a bit conflicted.

 

The freshman wants to win the Nebraska starting quarterback's job for Saturday's game against Iowa State.

 

But he knows the opportunity comes at the expense of his friend and current starter Zac Lee, who has been ripped and booed by fans for his ineffectiveness.

 

“With me being close to Zac, I feel sorry for him tremendously,” Green said. “I wish I could take some of the pain off him just because I don't want that feeling for anybody, really. A whole state jumps on somebody's bandwagon one minute and jumps right off the next.”

 

Green's bandwagon is loading up fast this week.

 

A year ago at this time, the 6-foot-4, 220-pounder was leading Dayton (Texas) High to a state runner-up finish and was ranked among the top 10 quarterback prospects in the country by major recruiting services.

 

He picked Nebraska over Texas A&M and Texas Tech, and he enrolled in January so he could get a jump on learning the offense in spring practice. It was a good decision, and offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said he would have no qualms starting Green if he proves best in practice.

 

“I don't ever put boundaries on a kid,” Watson said. “Cody is just one of those guys who needs time. He's a lot better than he was four or five weeks ago.”

 

Credit for that, Green said, goes as much to Lee as to Watson.

 

Lee befriended Green and took him under his wing last winter. Green said he owes the junior a debt of gratitude for helping him acclimate and giving him pointers.

 

“I've learned how to manage the offense and when to take shots and when not to, just to be a complete quarterback,” Green said.

 

The fact Green is in position to start is more an indictment of Lee than a statement about how Green has played so far.

 

Green came in for one series in the third quarter in last week's 31-10 loss to Texas Tech and was called for delay of game before taking his third snap. He returned for the last two possessions of the fourth quarter, throwing a touchdown pass to Khiry Cooper and getting intercepted.

 

Pelini said Green “didn't grade out exceptionally well” during film review. But with Nebraska in need of a spark, Green is getting a long look this week.

 

“It's the one thing that any competitor or a second-string competitor dreams of, that one chance to go out there and show what you can do,” Green said. “Right now, it's that time.”

 

Lee struggled the first three quarters at Missouri on Oct. 8 before he threw three fourth-quarter touchdown passes in a 27-12 come-from-behind win.

 

He couldn't build off the strong finish. Only one of the eight drives he led against Texas Tech resulted in points. He took four sacks, a couple self-inflicted because of indecisiveness, and he missed open receivers. Only two of his 16 completions went for more than 10 yards.

 

“For whatever reason, we didn't have breakout plays,” Lee said. “That's just the black and white of it. We didn't have plays we needed to make. I'm the guy up front. That's just how it is.”

 

The boos came as he made his exit early in the fourth quarter. The Huskers were trailing 24-3, and he badly overthrew Niles Paul in the corner of the end zone on fourth-and-goal from the Texas Tech 14.

 

Lee said he didn't hear the boos and acknowledged that he tries to shield himself from fan and media negativity.

 

“It's tough,” he said, “but you've got to do it for your own sanity.”

 

Pelini said Lee unfairly has become the poster child for all that ails the Huskers' offense.

 

“He feels like the whole state of Nebraska is against him,” Pelini said. “That would affect anybody. You fight through it, you persevere and take an ‘I'll-show-you' attitude. It's disappointing when people boo, but that's human nature.”

 

The fans' reaction to Lee has given Green an up-close look at the realities of the quarterback business.

 

“When a starter isn't doing so hot, everyone wants the backup,” he said. “It's going to be vice versa if I'm the starter and Zac's the backup. I mess up, everybody's going to want Zac.”

 

Blasphemer!!

 

Good post!

Remember when CU punched us in the mouth in 2001? Remember how USC continues to lose to an unranked crappy team each year? We got punched in the mouth last Saturday by a team a lot of people expected us to beat. It happens quite often. How many Ohio State fans expected to get punched in the mouth last Saturday? It's football. Sometimes one team shows up ready to play while the other one doesn't. Nebraska didn't show up emotionally ready to play. Whether that's on the coaches or the players were beginning to believe the hype, I don't know. However, I bet we see the most inspired team to date this season show up this Saturday!

Preach!!

our beloved coach T.O. lost 7 consecutive bowl games from '87-'93?

Furthermore, he retired with a losing record of 12-13 in bowl games.

Those stats however get overshadowed by his 3 National Titles in his final 4 years as HC of Nebraska.

Just wanted to throw that out there for perspective since Husker Nation seems to be in panic-mode this week.

Sure, we've got a long way to go, but even in our "Glory Days" we fussed about not winning games we should've won.

Embrace the journey, win or lose.