Tonight at Mizzery

[Husker_x]

I know it's possible I'll eat this tomorrow when I post my recap, but if so, I will do so happily, as I am not one who has much of a problem with admitting when I was wrong.

 

HOWEVER.

 

I sense a lot of jitters and neck-craning around Husker Nation. Maybe not just the boards, but people appear a bit worried, unsettled––hoping that this game couldn't get as ugly as we fear. Some of this is legitimate. After all, it's difficult to predict this game because little is known about Mizzou. And this is why I must say, with all the serenity of a Buddhist monk, that I am not really all that concerned about tonight. The main reason is this, and it hearkens back to days of yore.

 

The Running Game.

 

Yes, yes, I know, our O-line is struggling with the run blocking. But let's take this all together. BOTH teams are struggling on the defensive side of the ball. Nebraska, however, came out last season with a scheme that worked like a charm. Not to mention some of our younger talent in Dillard and Culbert are going to be rushing all over the place with Octo. Then there's special teams. So far this season I've been really impressed with Grix as a returner, Adi as a specialist, and the punting game in general has been pinning'em deep.

 

If you keep going down the line, Mizzery and Nebraska have quite a bit in common (schemes aside). We both struggle on D, we both are pretty darn good on O. That basically leaves the running game, which Nebraska has, and potentially has aplenty. Lucky, Glenn, Castille, Helu. If Nebraska can run the ball against Mizzery's defense––which it has been demonstrated that many teams before have done successfully––we could potentially avoid the shootout, and perhaps even turn it into a blowout. I don't beleive Mizzery has had a real test yet. Illinois aside––a decent Big 10 team––their "high-powered" offense has been tossing it over high school teams, figuratively speaking, and giving up enough to make what should have been woodshed beatings nail-biters instead.

 

They key tonight will be to take the crowd out of it by pounding and pounding and pounding that rock. 80 yard sording drives; make the defense start sucking wind in the second; don't turn the ball over. I've said it before, even if we lose Mizzery will piss it all away, but as for tonight, I really think Nebraska has this one, and maybe by a couple TDs––we'll see.

 

All in all I hope for a good game. If Nebraska can continue the bend but don't break philosophy we could see some mounting frustration in Chase "Tuff as RAin" Daniels, and that could turn into mistakes. But again, my keys are 1) Hold on to the damn ball; 2) Run the damn ball; and 3) Take the damn ball away. Do that, and ye shall win; do it not, and it could be ugly.

 

X

[Kruzu]

Good post and I love the attitude. I'm all with you man, I bag on Lucky a lot, but if our O-line can create some holes we all know what he is capable of doing and running will be key. If we can puat some consistent pressure on Daniels he'll start giving it out like the city mission. GBR!!

[MCAT800]

Well I am worried, and for good reason to.

 

Were on the road, playing a top 20 team, with a porous defense, and a offense that can't seem to play a consistent game.

 

Hope things turn around

GBR!!!!!!!!!

[papersun87]

I agree with you 100% . . . to be safe, I made my "official" prediction 41-31, but in reality I think we could see 41-21 or 41-24 . . . somewhere in that neighborhood. We just need the LBs to pressure Daniel and the RBs to get 4-5 yards consistently.

[TheKiD]

Seriously, the "Mizzery" thing has gotten really old (seem to remember a thread recently where someone had their warning level increased for using the term "cornheads", yet we throw around sCUm, KSUcks, and Mizzery all the time). Was funny the first couple times I saw those wordplays, now it's lame and not what I expect from Husker fans.

 

But, I agree with you.. if we can establish the run tonight it will be huge. I don't know if we will get it done though. Their pass defense is suspect and I am sure that we will take advantage of that. I actually want to establish the pass early and if we can do that, hopefully that will spread out the defense enough so that we can run effectively.

 

The big key is going to be slowing down Mizzou's offense. If we allow them to strike quickly, it's going to be a long game. We will NOT be able to run if we allow them to score quickly, we will be forced into situations where we need to get a "quick answer", and it very well could look like the Ball State game all over again, in that case penalties, turnovers, etc.. will be huge so we will be forced to play a VERY clean game.

[Blackshirt316]

I tend to agree with you, if we can get a POWER running game with Glenn/Helu/Castile and than use Lucky as a COP back we should be able to run on them and open things up on the outside and downfield for Keller and Co. to air it out.

 

Defensively we need to use a lot of nickel and do the joker packages that worked last year, with a few minor tweaks and wrinkles to keep them guessing.

 

 

35-17 NU

[BIGREDIOWAN]

I don't think it comes down to if our offense can get things going I think it comes down to if our defense can slow them down.

[Hunter94]

i think the defense might just play reasonably well, BUT we can't expect the offense to go 3 and out very many times, as that will leave our D guys out on the field way too long. the win or lose on this game rests with the O and using a lot of clock when the have the ball. we know the D is suspect, so it is critical to keep them off the field as much as possible.