RunTheBall

I have this DVD: [urlhttp://www.huskernation.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=256&idcategory=43[/url] and it is excellent. Huskernation.com

They are also the only team we have yet to beat in the regular season since the formation of the Big 12. Thanks for the painful reminders. You'd think that would be plenty of motivation for us to destroy 'em this year I heard this same line of thought about Oklahoma through most of the 70s. Even when we finally beat them, we turned around and lost the next week to Mizzou and then to Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. Those OU teams were just very talented. Even for the best teams it took a well-played game and a break or two (OU lost 6 fumbles in that 78 game!) to beat them. The same is true of 21st Century Texas. I think we'll beat 'em this year, but because we have approximately equal talent. Both teams will be motivated. It's time for Lincoln to give us the edge. 77 years is a long wait.

1. Texas - Still way ahead of most of the Big 12. We haven't beaten them in Lincoln since 1933. 2. @ Texas A&M - Most experienced, and most dynamic, QB in the conference. Defense has been iffy, though. 3. @ Okie State - They've recruited well, but are reloading. 4. @ Washington - First "tough" game, and a long way from home. Locker can really play. 5. Mizzou - We handled them in Columbia, we should do the same in Lincoln. 6. @ Iowa State - Should be ok if we limit ourselves to 2 or 3 turnovers. Well coached. 7. Kansas - Turner Gill will need a little time, but they'll be disciplined and tough right away. 8. @ Kansas State - Snyder will have decent teams again, but it might take another year or two. 9. Colorado - Have not recruited well and Hawkins could be done by this game, but they seem to get up for the Huskers. 10. Idaho - not a threat. 11. SD State - not a threat. 12. WKU - not a threat.

I really don't make a habit of correcting spelling errors, but Lyell Bremser brings very special memories for me. I spent 1971 in Vietnam and my Dad sent me cassettes of every game. He recorded Lyell Bremser and those cassettes were gold. Guys in my unit who had no knowledge of or allegiance to Nebraska became fans that season, because of Lyell's great style. So please. Is it that hard to know the correct spelling of the greatest Husker broadcaster's name? Lyell Bremser. Not Lyle. Seriously. It's worse than calling the former player Remington.

I'm thinking if we have Henry and Hardrick at RG and RT that we'll have one badazz right side. Two nasty guys like that, side by side, can really spread the attitude across the whole line. Now, if one or two of the rs-frosh have some nastiness about them as well, we'll start to have the kind of line we'd all like to see again. Heck, if we have enough guys with attitudes, maybe Williams will even show some fire. Yoshi has said that the coaches have told him that he will play LT. So my guess would be that Marcel Jones would be RT unless one of the RS freshman step up. Ok. But does Smith move to C or RT? He's always been ahead of both Joneses. I heard a whisper a couple of weeks ago about Smith being tried at C. Does Yoshi at LT make that seem more likely, you think? Or is Smith relegated to backup?

I'm thinking if we have Henry and Hardrick at RG and RT that we'll have one badazz right side. Two nasty guys like that, side by side, can really spread the attitude across the whole line. Now, if one or two of the rs-frosh have some nastiness about them as well, we'll start to have the kind of line we'd all like to see again. Heck, if we have enough guys with attitudes, maybe Williams will even show some fire.

The first quote about offense I heard from Bo was "We want an offense like Florida, only better". I think he meant it, and we will look more like a cross between 'bama and the gators. Bo generally says what he means, so I'll take him at his word.

"...Johnny the Jet Rodgers just tore 'em loose from their shoes." Yeah. Oh Yeah.

I did not know that. My only memory of playing the Golden Gophers was that debacle of a game in 1983 when we could only travel 60 guys, and our backups were winded by halftime. Yeah, I think that 83 game was the death knell of the series. We only played 3 times after that (combined score of those 3 games was 142-7). I loved the score by quarters in 83: 21,21,21,21

Well, crum. It wasn't the 1994 game - Cory Schlesinger scored the first TD of that game on a 14-yard run. I think it was the 1995 game at Colorado, which you were probably meaning, Red. I think that's the right game, but I can't find a youtube video of it at the moment. Ahman's long run was in 95. The long Calvin Jones run was in the 2nd quarter in 92. Carpenter's 51 yard score from Gdowski was in 89 also at Boulder, in a game we lost.

Pederson and Callahan were simply incompetent. Every program has had to deal with that and it's not a big deal, it just makes you lose a few games. Guys like Phillips and Collins are entirely different. They make the program look guilty by association to a lot of people. That kind of association is very hard to overcome. It takes a whole bunch of good people a very long time. So, with all due respect to the horrible jobs done by SP and BC, the evil guys are worse for the program. Of those 2, Collins is just a gangster. An inept gangster apparently, but just a gangster none the less. Phillips, on the other hand, is a mean ugly-spirited excuse for a human being. He has repeatedly brought negative publicity on the program, not through any kind of real criminal activity and not through incompetence, but simply by being a bad person. He has had by far the most negative impact on the football program. It's not even close. I think if you ask most Husker haters over the age of 20 to name the worst thing about the Huskers, Lawrence Phillips will be the knee-jerk answer.

Interesting. Fact - We've played the most non-conference games against Minnesota, trailing the series 20-29-2. They were a good rival for a long time, but we haven't played them in 20 years, and they pretty much suck these days anyway. I could go with a lot of traditional powers: Miami, FSU, Penn State, USC even Alabama. I voted "other" but maybe it is Penn State. We've played them 13 times, we're 6-7 all time and we've played them within the last 10 years. That would be a good series to play again, even for several years. How about a "neutral" game against them someplace like Chicago?

The only negative I see is that it puts us at a preparation disadvantage against Texas, as they have the week of Oct 9th off. Positives: A nationally televised game that otherwise might have been on FSN or even PPV. Exposure is always good. And we should be able to handle the cats. It does spread out the week off , with 5 days extra for KSU and 2 for Texas. I've always thought that was maybe better than just a full week off. The break is at a good time of year, too. Regroup a bit after the nonconference games, fine-tune and even implement systemic changes that might have become necessary as the season has played out. And, a big positive for me, personally, is that it frees up my viewing schedule on Saturday to watch and record more games without having to account for the Huskers. I'll already be basking in the glow of another big win on national TV. I found the KSU scheduling goals interesting. Especially this one: Recall that in 2009 they had 2 FCS games, and it kept them out of a bowl. Even granny Snyder has figured out that that is not a good thing.

Ahhhhh, Husker running backs. The richest position not on the OL. So many choices, so little time ...... My favorite is Jeff Kinney, see the QB thread for the reason why. His performance in the 71 OU game was the definition of determination. On the final drive especially. The best was Mike Rozier. Phillips and Green were close but Rozier just had that extra ... something. Loved I.M. and Redwine just for the names. Loved Roger Craig, and he was certainly the best Pro from Nebraska. And finally, the guy you kids never mention (heck, he was really before my time, too) ... Bobby Reynolds from Grand Island. His sophomore year (1950) he set National records for a soph. No one could tackle him with his Barry Sanders moves. Might have been the best ever if he hadn't blown out a knee early in his junior year.

I just watched that A&M game this week! Man the block on Newcombe's reverse was spectacular. A true earholer! And I agree about Scott running the option. In the 97 Washington game, though, neither of his TD runs were option plays. They were QB keepers all the way, TO's new wizardry put in for that game (that play would be used later in the year, though. I believe for a TD in the Orange Bowl, for example). They had some option look to them, but they were basic single-wing type tailback runs, off tackle. The sort of thing Urban Meyer copied for Tebow. ... and thanks, RedDenver, wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Jerry Tagge was my favorite. 2 MNCs, one of which was while I was in Vietnam. Talk about a link to the real world, man, those Huskers were big stuff. Frazier was the best, probably, not the best passer or the best runner, but the best leader, and the best winner. Really got screwed in the Heisman in 95. Eddie George? please. Turner Gill was the smoothest, and very close to Frazier overall. Better passer, not as hardnosed as a runner. Great leader. Scott Frost was my favorite style. Power and speed and toughness and "I will not lose" attitude. Loved watching him run the ball.

He is Lazari Middleton's brother. FWIW.

Owa will announce at 11:30 am PST on Feb 3rd. Just saw this. Guess we should suck it up and wait.

Haven't seen this anywhere. Sorry If it's old news. Owa will announce on Feb. 3rd.

Gotcha covered, Bob. I think I'll pull out an old game and watch it, just for you! How about 99 Texas A&M? Mike Brown's finest hour!

I know that in the 80s and 90s the option offense dominated Nebraska high school football. It appears (though I've only seen a handful of games in the last 2 years, I do read the local paper) that the spread is slowly gaining a foothold. I wonder if the problem, to some extent, isn't simply the time available to work on the offense. In Texas they have off-season 7 on 7 which has to give those kids a huge advantage over Nebraska kids who basically work on football for 3 or 4 months a year. So you get a kid like Marsh, who may be every bit as athletic as a lot of Texas kids, but he just hasn't had the opportunity to hone his skill that kids like Daniel and Reese had. It'll be interesting to see how Kellogg develops over the next couple of years. And Marsh if that's what he chooses.

I just watched the 1997 Big 12 CCG. I really miss that offense! I noticed that at least 8 offensive starters, including the entire backfield, were Nebraska natives. Now I wonder, what happened? Did Nebraska high school football quit producing quality players? Do Nebraska high schools just not turn out the right "kind" of players? Do they run the "wrong" offenses? How could we go from winning a National Championship with 8 native starters on offense to a horrible pathetic offense with 3 native starters in just 12 years? Where is the disconnect and can it be fixed? Any ideas? I'm truly perplexed by the relative lack of home-grown talent.

In the link that started the thread it mentions moving KSU from 2 Oct to 30 Sep. Would be on 5 days rest but it's after SD State, so might be okay.

BROTHER!!!! College football is the only sport I really follow any more. Saturday, Thursday, Tuesday I watch every game I can. I record 6 or 7 games every Saturday to get me through the week, too. I actually resent any sport that is televised against college football. It usually means one less game for me to pick from. (Exception of Husker volleyball. I watch that if it doesn't interfere with football.) As for this game, for Husker fans who go to games it is probably better to have it on Saturday. Saturday night would be best. I really think this game is too big for Thursday. Mizzou or KSU works on Thursday because they don't have that pizzazz name. "TEXAS" vs "NEBRASKA" doesn't need a special time slot. Just play the game. Fans will find it and watch it.