What do you guys think?

[indianahusker]

I saw this on another board. I didn't write it, so don't roast me for it

 

We're already seeing it after the OSU debacle: blaming the players to excuse the coaches. If you're one of those people blaming the defensive issues on the "talent", ask yourself these questions next time you feel like deflecting blame away from the gameplan:

 

-Were Grixby and Jones "highly recruited"? (Hint: the answer is "yes"; both were either 4 or 5 star depending on the rating service you look at. Bowman was a 5 star. Incidently, 3 out of 4 members of the "untalented" secondary of 2004 were selected on the 1st day of the NFL draft; one in the first round. Currently, all three on on NFL rosters...including 2 starters.)

 

-It's been three years. If you believe Nebraska doesn't have "talent", whose fault is that? Who recruited these players?

 

-Why were these players "talented" enough to hold Texas to 22 points and only 2 field goals in the entire second half but not talented enough to hold Kansas and Oklahoma State to less than 500 yards? What, do the players become less and more talented week-to-week?

 

Finally, if you want to blame the players on defense, you must ask yourself two additional questions:

 

-Have you ever played defense across from a tackle or tight end and been assigned outside containment? If so, have you ever been given this task while being assigned to line up inside shoulder?

 

-Have you ever been assigned to cover a receiver and been aligned 8-10 yards off the ball and then been asked to cover that receiver man-to-man?

 

If you can't answer "yes" to either of those questions, you don't have the experience necessary to determine whether the issues at corner and outside linebacker/defense end are because of scheme or talent.

 

What do you guys think?

[Jadler]

I'm pretty sure that just made a bunch of complaining bandwagoners shut up quickly. Very good post

[DJR313]

Interesting take. I sometimes question the techniques that are taught, but then I see games like against Texas, where they almost completely shut them down in the second half. Then, you have a game like against OSU, where they are a good offensive team, but there were some major lapses and inexcusable breakdowns. Is it bad coaching, bad preparation, or bad execution by players? Who knows, I sure don't. If games like OSU become the norm, than you can believe that there will be pressure to make a change somewhere. Whether it be a position coach or the coordinator. I think that the coaches may have experienced a letdown as well as the players after the Texas game and the fire wasn't there that was there last week all around. I expect a much better performance for the final 3 games down the stretch.

 

The course of this season changed in the second quarter of the Kansas game. It has been up and down ever since.

[Hunter94]

we are not paying the damn coahces 100's of thousands of dollars a year to HAVE a let down...these guys are suppose to be leaders, sports psychologists, motivators and the like....if they are getting out coahced, then thet need to make ADJUSTMENTS........afterall, if they can't figure it out, how the hell can the kids respond to what is being asked of them?

[Benard]

Good Post. There is plenty of talent on this to team to actually have no losses or at the most 1.

[Huskrz65]

Adjustments is the key. I remember calling Nebraska a "second half team" under Coach Osborne. Remember those days? Go in at half kinda struggling then come out at half and just blast them off the field?

[Spartness]

Now that I have calmed down and see the reality of all this, my logical side is my dominant side, not my emotional side. Guys we are almost totally beaten up at the linebacker spots. Grixby just doesn't have the size to be a lock down corner and Jones is not playing like a five star due perhaps because he hasn't completed the learning curb of this defense. (Bowman wasn't that good until the end of last season.) And we don't have Bowman. As a result, our defense is very average at best.

 

On offense our OL is very inconsistent. For 15 to 30 minutes it looks terrific and for the next 30 minutes it looks like the OL from a high school team. Our offense clearly is still deep into the transition period. As a result, we have at best an average team right now. Yes I am a little disappointed we haven't progressed more at this point, but we have to give Callahan a total of five years to turn this thing around. If we have meltdowns like this in year five, then I say we press the panic button. Until then, let's keep cheering our team on and hope for the best.

[skersfan]

Lets not forget that Bowman, Dillard and Octavian are out for the biggest part. McKeon is hurt and still playing. We have 9 games down and those playing are playing with injuries. Depth is the main problem. It is hard to play 100% when you are hurt or are trying to make up for some one that is. These kids live together, they know when some one is short and will try to extend to make up the difference.

 

I have said 5 years since day one. I still feel the same way. Depth is the main problem on both sides of the ball.

[DaveH]

Lets not forget that Bowman, Dillard and Octavian are out for the biggest part. McKeon is hurt and still playing. We have 9 games down and those playing are playing with injuries. Depth is the main problem. It is hard to play 100% when you are hurt or are trying to make up for some one that is. These kids live together, they know when some one is short and will try to extend to make up the difference.

 

I have said 5 years since day one. I still feel the same way. Depth is the main problem on both sides of the ball.

I feel the exact same way. Brandenburgh is playing with a cast and Octavian still has a hamstring issue.

 

Injuries have quietly plagued this linebacking core again this year, which I think some fail to realize. That's not an "excuse", that's just the way it is.

[Touchdown Tommie]

Nice take on the issues the Huskers are dealing with. I agree that the injury bug has seemed to "sneak" up on the LB corps again. As in any sport there has to be consistency across the board.

[huskernumerouno]

It is obvious that the loss last week was not caused by one thing. The trick is to fix as many as you can because given the chance the tigers will try to do the same thing that okie st did. We need to have the adjustments in place and work our system to our advantage not theirs. I know it is easier said than done.

 

GBR GBR

[skers]

i totally agree with the post... we just have to be patient and let the boys play... Sh@$ happens and things didn't work well for us those two games... but we are still in place to win the big 12 north and get another shot at texas. I hate the sunday morning posters that have never played football and think that they know what they're talking about. i have played football and realize the task given to these young men. stay behind them cause you're going to look dumb when you're proved wrong.( we are for real...not quite the 90's)but we'll win 9 this year...you wait and see

[Huskrz65]

[husker rob]

Adjustments is the key. I remember calling Nebraska a "second half team" under Coach Osborne. Remember those days? Go in at half kinda struggling then come out at half and just blast them off the field?

 

Coach Osborne and Coach McBride didnt get that title of a second half team right away. It took years and years to gain that experience. How many coaching changes did NU have over the 25 years the DR Tom was head coach? very little coaching turnover.

 

The seniors on defense have had 3 defensive coordinators.

 

Stop the whinning about the situation and give this staff 2 more years to get settled. as long as the team is improving each year like they have been then it is just a little longer until NU is back.

[Spartness]

Some of us Old Farts remember when some Husker fans complained about Osborne not being that good of a coach and that he couldn't win the big game. Plus there was a share of fans who complained about McBride and his defensive schemes. As much as that OSU game pissed me off, I realize the coaches know a lot more than I do. So it's not fair for me to be that critical of them when I am clearly not a football expert. I don't know if Billy C will turn this program around or not, but I am willing to give him more time to develop this program. Hopefully great things will eventially happen.