Big Red 40

Newearth i dont agree with much of your post at all! You would really tell Bo to "Go ahead and leave" just because he talked to another team? To me thats very foolish thing to think or say, after all hes done form this program. i also dont really blame him for looking. He has options, and if he doesnt like getting scolded, or over-ruled on staff changes, or whatever, hes gonna look.Especially when he can make the same or more money.Miami isnt that bad of a job either and they wouldnt be non-contenders for long with him there.I think people need to get over the yelling thing too. Watch any major ncca football coach they will all have yelling fits from time to time .Not that big of deal IMO.If he leaves, for whatever reason it will be a very bad thing for this program!

Only bad part is it may be true! And if it is, its more important than anything else that is talked about on this board. If pellini, leaves this program will take a big step backwards and all the talk about whos the 3rd string qb , or whatever will be replaced by, "Why are we losing all these damn games." People are right to be worried!

First off, i hope this isnt true , because if it is we are completely screwed!!Either Gill or Cotton is a HUGE step backwards! As a matter of fact theres nobody available who would be a step up IMO. As far as why he would want to leave, theres so much going on behind the scenes its hard to even guess. Maybe he didnt like his scolding for yelling, maybe he he wants to cut and run before he gets fired for doing it again etc..etc .. etc. Also it was just reported on the AM sportcenter that he will interview with miami!!

Only twice since freshmen became eligible in 1972 has a team won a national championship with a freshman quarterback, redshirt or otherwise: Oklahoma in 1985, when Jamelle Holieway replaced an injured Troy Aikman in the third game, and Miami in 1983, when Bernie Kosar got drilled 28-3 in the opener before running the table. Out of all the great Quarterbacks that have played since then, i never would have guessed these two. Just saying that players , Especially QBs, need a year or two to devolop their full potential,and play at a championship level. Who knows maybe Taylor Martinez will end up as good as Bernie Kosar! LOL

I really dont see a need to panic , fire coaches, or anything drastic like that.Im disapointed in 3 close losses that i thought would could have easily won.The good news is we are very close to a championship quality team. Defense has been solid for the last couple of years, and i think as players mature, and some very good young players get more playing time, it will be as good or better in the future. The offense right now is lacking leadership, and solid playmakers to go to in clutch situations. Right now i dont see one, but Martinez has the talent and could mature into one, and Burkhead is close too. Or maybe one of our talented redshirts, or a member of that VERY good recruiting class will step up and be that guy next year.Osborne didnt win the big one til Tommie Frazier showed up, same will Texas and Vince Young,Tebow at Florida Etc. None of those guys were at their best as a freshman either.

I agree with the O.P. I dont think any of the teams we lost to were clearly superior teams at all. Over the years we have been soundly beaten by better teams, but this year i dont think that was the case.The problem with this team IMO is the lack of a Stud playmaker on Offense.Look at most of the championship teams over the years, and you with find at least one. Usually a QB or RB (Upperclassmen usually too) that you get the ball to when the game is on the line, and they go win it for you. Think Tommie Frazier, Vince Young, Tim Tebow ETC.Nebraska doesnt have that player right now. Burkhead would be the closest i can see, and maybe Taylor will grow into that someday but he isnt now. Players like those erase all the coaching questions too.

If it was all coaching and drills Burkhead would be fumbling all the time too. he rarely does.I agree that Martinez needs some coaching on how to carry the ball.

Dont see how the Huskers can get motivated for this one at all. A few plays away from a Bcs game ,to playing a team we already beat bad, in a game that doesnt matter.Hopefully Bo can do it though, lesser teams win bowl games all the time simply by wanting it more.

The program is not at a crossroad in my opinion. We lost three very close games this year and 2 out of 3 of those teams are top 20. 7 dropped passes instead of 8 and we beat Texas. Maybe 14 penalties instead of 16 A&M is a win too. No interception of Martinez, and a couple throw aways instead of sacks, this team is Undefeated and probably in the National Championship game.I have faith that the errors will be cleaned up as some of our young players mature. One year can make a huge difference in a player. Players win championships! I guess everybody forgot how boring and predictable Osbornes play calling was for many years.We didnt win the big one til Tommie Frazier,Lawrence Phillips, and an offensive line that opened hole you could drive a truck through, etc. showed up. Also must have forgotten the God-awful Callahan years of getting beat by 4 touchdowns, looking totally clueless on defense, and players seemingly giving up on the field. Not scared of the big ten schedule either. Clean up the offense a bit, keep dominating on defense and well be fine.

I agree! If you call the same plays Watson did during the Missouri game, and the blocking isnt there, or Helu fumbles a couple times the result is very different.All 3 losses this year were because of poor execution by the players, not the play calls.Bottom line is if the players run the plays properly (Block well, dont fumble , catch the ball,make good decisions at QB, and keep stupid penalties to a minimum)the OC ,and all the other coaches, look like a heroes. Otherwise people are calling for your head.

The thing that separates Martinez from the other two quarterbacks is his ability to RUN! Why didnt he take off and run on a few of those scrambles? If he wasnt healthy enough to run then Green or Lee gives you a better passer and a better leader.I dont really blame Watson. Hes been here with Callahan when the offense was totally different and had to adapt to new coaches, schemes, and players over the years.Its pretty easy to call plays when you have a dynamic player (Martinez) who can take off and run for a couple touchdowns on his own. Early in the year thats the way it was.What do you do when he cant do that any more.Watson also called the plays when we ran all over Missouri K-state Etc. He also cant control the constant fumbling,stupid penalties,dropped passes, and bad Q-back decisions that cost us 3 games this year!