Notes from practice

[Foppa]

Bowman, you'll recall, did not wear his Blackshirt on Tuesday. Nobody followed his lead on Wednesday; all others were wearing Blackshirts.

i really wish they would

 

They voted him captain, you think they would follow his lead.

The rest of them are a bunch of gutless punks then!!!!! Your captain is trying to set an example and then you do that. They don't deserve to be on the field!!!

I agree. If you claim to be a blackshirt, then giving up 49 at home should mean automatic removal of blackshirt.

The fact that Bowman is alone makes me sick.

 

I agree...he is obviously trying to make a statement, get his guys fired up, yet no one cares?!? How was he abandoned and now alone??? This is the guy who played balls to the wall vs. Meechicken, saved the day and won the game, is now a Captain...and now he's being ignored. This is a complete travesty. The guy is so completely not a true Nebraskan, played at New Mexico and from Alaska, but yet he is my Nebraska...the guy I want on my team every day. This is just stupid.

[huskerstag]

I'm not too concerned about the full pads vs. half pads isssue. I'd be surprised to find out most teams practice in full pads during the season. We only went full pads once a week in high school. Just because there was half pads doesn't mean there isn't hitting going on.

 

However, the Bowman thing makes me sick too. I can't believe that the other seniors on this defense wouldn't follow his lead. Ruud, of all people, should know what it means to wear a blackshirt. I'm afraid that the defense has taken on Cosgrove's attitude that it wasn't that bad of a game, just a few mental breakdowns and they don't have anything to be ashamed of. Until the defense takes a long look at themselves and their effort, they won't improve. They'll just get indignant and defensive - as we've seen their coordinator do.

 

I know it's foolish to fire someone in the middle of the season and I'm not advocating that. But just to appease the "who would you get to replace him" crowd - I'll throw a few names out there.

 

Kevin Steele - former linebackers/defensive backs coach at NU (who remembers the real blackshirts), currently DC at FSU? We could maybe get him here...

 

Mike Minter/Mike Brown - Minter is already retired, Brown might be after his latest knee injury. Both were blackshirts when the blackshirts were feared. Brown was described by his coach as a defensive coordinator with a helmet on. When Minter played here, he was helping guys get lined up correctly as a true freshman. Admittedly, Brown is a really long shot, but possible nonetheless.

 

Grant Wistrom/Jason Peter/Christian Peter/Trev Alberts - I don't know if I'd make any of these guys a DC, but putting them on the staff would put someone who remembers the real blackshirts back in the mix. They wouldn't tolerate the effort that was put forth last Saturday, or the effort we've seen for the last few years.

 

I think Callahan can coach a team and put a quality offense on the field. I was worried about Cos when the season started - it'll take a tremendous effort for the rest of the way before I have any confidence in our defense again.

[DaveH]

Former players != awesome coaches.

 

USC goes 1 day per week in full pads, typically. Not always

LSU goes at least twice a week in full pads.

[Foppa]

Former players != awesome coaches.

 

USC goes 1 day per week in full pads, typically. Not always

LSU goes at least twice a week in full pads.

 

And LSU has the best defense in the land. Go figure.

[nebraskanative]

Rudd/McKeon and others probably wore their blackshirts because they were afraid if they didn't keep them they might not ever get them back.............and you know I wish that was the case

[DJR313]

Kevin Steele - former linebackers/defensive backs coach at NU (who remembers the real blackshirts), currently DC at FSU? We could maybe get him here...

 

Kevin Steele is Saban's DC at Alabama.

[KS HUSKER]

Excellent point. You know damn good and well that's what those two are thinking! I just can't understand Ruud. He knows what it takes to wear those Blackshirts and to not follow with what Bowman did absolutley makes me sick. I'm not upset because Ruud and MeKeon are below average LB's. Number one, I'm just confused as to why Coz does not get the "Playmakers" on the field, we know who they are......get 'em out there! Number two, to think that Ruud and MeKeon walked onto the practice field with their Blackshirts on and Bowman coming out with his still in his locker just floors me.

[HuskerJosh82]

Some are scared that they might not get there Blackshirts back.

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

Bowman has and will continue to have my utmost respect. His statement (turning in his Blackshirt) to the coaches and players says volumes about his character and work ethics. I hope he makes the rest of the Pinkshirts look like ass and makes em feel guilty. It's a shame none of the other so called "Blackshits" (misspelling intentional) take note of what their captain is trying to accomplish and follow his lead.

 

Kick some ass and take some names Bowman!!

[BIGREDIOWAN]

I think our team should go in pads full contact twice a week. Maybe Mondays and Wednesdays and then Tuesday, Thursday, and Fridays go just helmets and go through the plays. It doesn't help our guys when they don't have contact throughout the week. It makes you weaker in the long run. When I played ball we had pads on 4 days a week and were hitting all the time. Sure we had a few more injuries, but we were tough as hell. If everyone is worried so much about injuries as in if this guy gets hurt or that guy gets hurt we are in trouble as one guy is not going to win the game for you because the team has to do it.

[Husker_x]

Yeah...this is starting to really worry me now. Bowman is a captain, and has battled back from two knee injuries. He single handedly won the Michigan and Wake Forest games, and now when he does something to lead the black skirts in the right direction, they let him hang out to dry. I really hope that Ruud and McKeon are both benched against ball St. They don't have what it takes to lead the team. And since they can't tackle, they aren't much good on defense either. 0 intagibles + 0 talent=0 playing time.

 

And from what I understand we've got some LBs beneath them who have some speed and some mustard on their hits. I'll take'm. And I agree with the general consensus of this thread. I wouldn't doubt for a second that the only reason the other 11 guys kept their Blackskirts is because they're afraid more capable athletes would take them for good.

 

How unfortunate. Let's see if Coz has the balls to do what needs to be done this week. Get Ruud and McKeon off the field before they tarnish Nebraska permenantly.

[I Bleed RED]

Former players != awesome coaches.

 

USC goes 1 day per week in full pads, typically. Not always

LSU goes at least twice a week in full pads.

 

Exactly! And full pads doesn't mean 1 vs 1. It means scout offense vs. 1st team defense. And 1st offense vs. scout D with no tackling on WR and QB's. The biggest issue is getting the defense in full contact 1-2 times a week. Callahan is still coaching like a NFL coach....how'd that work out for him????

[mjmartin1970]

Well, let's say the average starter on an NFL player has 4 years of HS, 4 years of college, and about 4 years of NFL experience (NFL experience where it is there FULL TIME JOB!!!). The average college starter probably has 4 years of HS, and 2.5 years of college. Hmmmmm.... that is almost twice the experience, and probably more when you consider the 4 years in the NFL is full time.

 

NFL TEAMS GO HALF PADS BECAUSE IF A PLAYER DOESN'T KNOW THE FUNDAMENTALS BY THAT TIME THEY AREN'T THERE!!!!!

 

As indicated by our running game and defense we obviously still lack a lot of fundamentals.

 

Please, please, please, let's quit scheming ourselves to death. Do what we do, and DO IT WELL!!! With maybe a little wrinkle thrown in here and there for the other team to worry about. When you are thinking on defense, by the time you've thought about what to do, the guy is already by you.

[Coach Tuz]

http://www.journalstar.com/blog/huskers.php

 

Extra padding

The subject of Nebraska practicing in full pads this week continued on Wednesday.

 

Bill Callahan said the team has responded well to its two full-pads workouts this week. Will he continue to do that this season?

 

"We'll see," Callahan said. "We'll evaluate that as we move through the schedule."

 

Callahan defended his position of normally going half pads for most in-season practices.

 

"When you're in half pads, you can get just as much done," Callahan said. "Every pro team in the NFL practices in (half pads)."

 

Until Tuesday, Nebraska had not practiced in full pads since fall camp.

 

The pads topic has been a hot one this week in light of Saturday's game against USC, when missed tackles and sloppy tackling was a problem.

 

"Everybody needs to know that when you go half pads, the only thing that you really don't get is the full scrimmage aspect," Callahan said. "I don't think every team can go out and scrimmage every day, or else you're going to lose half your roster.

 

"This is a little bit different than baseball where you can go out and play games every day and get better. In football, you only have a week in between games, and practice time becomes vital."

 

Also, defensive end Zach Potter and cornerback Zack Bowman sat out practice. Potter is day to day with an unspecified injury. He was seen hobbling off the field following Tuesday's practice. Bowman has a hamstring injury.

 

Bowman, you'll recall, did not wear his Blackshirt on Tuesday. Nobody followed his lead on Wednesday; all others were wearing Blackshirts.

You know what the practice of years ago still will work today. If we have all this talent sitting around waiting in the wings because they proved to be a product we could use, then use them when necessary. If they continue to tackle like crap we will lose more games because of these idiotic phrases, well everyone else does it that way. Well we pride ourselves on being unique, so let's start acting like it and get back to a winning tradition. Practice them hard and make them hungry all week, so that instead of hitting each other during the week they can take out some real pain on the opponent. And if you cant use the proper technique when tackling yank their butts out of there and put in someone else that will.

[Glendower]

http://www.journalstar.com/blog/huskers.php

 

Extra padding

The subject of Nebraska practicing in full pads this week continued on Wednesday.

 

Bill Callahan said the team has responded well to its two full-pads workouts this week. Will he continue to do that this season?

 

"We'll see," Callahan said. "We'll evaluate that as we move through the schedule."

 

Callahan defended his position of normally going half pads for most in-season practices.

 

"When you're in half pads, you can get just as much done," Callahan said. "Every pro team in the NFL practices in (half pads)."

 

Until Tuesday, Nebraska had not practiced in full pads since fall camp.

 

The pads topic has been a hot one this week in light of Saturday's game against USC, when missed tackles and sloppy tackling was a problem.

 

"Everybody needs to know that when you go half pads, the only thing that you really don't get is the full scrimmage aspect," Callahan said. "I don't think every team can go out and scrimmage every day, or else you're going to lose half your roster.

 

"This is a little bit different than baseball where you can go out and play games every day and get better. In football, you only have a week in between games, and practice time becomes vital."

 

Also, defensive end Zach Potter and cornerback Zack Bowman sat out practice. Potter is day to day with an unspecified injury. He was seen hobbling off the field following Tuesday's practice. Bowman has a hamstring injury.

 

Bowman, you'll recall, did not wear his Blackshirt on Tuesday. Nobody followed his lead on Wednesday; all others were wearing Blackshirts.

 

I've brought up Jason Peter's comments about this already-- these guys, he says, are not pros and can't be treated like pros. They *have* to practice hitting and getting hit to re-learn fundamentals. Sure, you say, they should have learned these things in high school. I'm sure most of us played in high school against people who were on the same or a very similar physical level. Then there are the people who will play Div I football. We played against a guy who walked on at UNL and NEVER saw playing time. He was like a difference species on the field. He was virtually unstoppable on offense and murdered people on defense, yet he never got to play an UN. You think he learned good fundamentals? I *had* to learn to tackle right because I couldn't, under normal circumstances, run into someone and knock them flat-- this guy could. Just think about what kind of monsters the starters were in HS! But when they get here, they haven't had the same sort of fundamentals hammered into them because they could basically glide through a high school game. Then cally treats them like they were pros and were used to working against people who are on their level. I'm with JP on this one-- these fundamental skills are not as well ingrained in them as they should be at this point. They have to practice against peers so that when they're in an automatic state during a game they fall back on those, not the "skills" they learned while practicing against people in half-pads.

 

I think that full-pad practices will eventually make a big difference.