Huskers fought to the end

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

 

Journal Star

 

Steven M. Sipple: At least Huskers fought to the end

Sunday, Sep 28, 2008 - 12:41:55 am CDT

 

Progress can be painful.

 

Nebraska didn’t play well for much of the game in losing 35-30 to Virginia Tech on Saturday night. Too many mental mistakes. Too few rushing yards (55). Too many open Tech receivers. Too much time for Tyrod Taylor in the pocket. Too many running lanes for Taylor and company. Just too many issues for the Huskers to overcome. That’s the painful reality for Big Red.

 

Before the late stages of the third quarter started, you would’ve had to look hard to find much tangible progress from Nebraska in its first loss of the season.

 

But late in the third period — that’s when momentum started shifting the Huskers’ way. The Big Red rally was on. Nate Swift brought down the house with an 88-yard punt return for a touchdown, pulling Nebraska within 28-23. Then things really got interesting. The Huskers had the gifted quarterback Taylor stopped for a 2-yard gain on third-and-4 in the final minutes, or so everybody in the Memorial Stadium record crowd of 85,831 thought. Problem was, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was called for a late hit on Taylor. Suh did hit the kid late.

 

“To get that call, that late in the game, it’s heartbreaking,” Nebraska linebacker Cody Glenn said.

 

To make matters worse, the Husker sideline erupted in anger. Bo Pelini erupted. Flags flew. Unsportsmanlike conduct was called. Tack on another 15 yards.

 

“I have to be smarter than that,” said Pelini, Nebraska’s first-year head coach.

 

Virginia Tech marched down and proceeded to score a touchdown with 2:28 left to make it 35-23. Game over, right?

 

Not quite.

 

Nebraska kept coming. Kept pushing. Kept scrambling. The Huskers scored a touchdown with 1:32 left to pull to 35-30. Then they forced a three-and-out and were making one last push downfield, but Todd Peterson fumbled as time ran out.

 

Yep, progress can be excruciatingly painful.

 

Think back to last season, when Nebraska would get punched in the mouth and wilt into a corner. Not this time. The Huskers fell behind 28-10 midway through the third quarter. But NU shoved back. It kept brawling to the end. Yes, that’s progress.

 

Think back to the offseason, when I so often heard Nebraska fans say they just wanted to see a Husker team that always kept fighting. Big Red faithful wanted to cheer for a team that always played hard and smart. Well, fans got half of their wishes Saturday.

 

Nebraska played hard, but not necessarily smart, or especially well.

 

“We lost the football game, and now it’s time to go to work,” Pelini said. “We made a ton of mistakes.”

 

This wasn’t exactly the type of performance Nebraska (3-1) had in mind as a primer for Missouri (4-0) next Saturday night. Of particular concern was Tech’s success in the passing game. Taylor had thrown for a total of 199 yards in three previous games this season. But Saturday, the sophomore was 9-for-15 for 171 yards while rushing 15 times for 87 yards and a touchdown.

 

Virginia Tech, which entered the night ranked 112th nationally with an average of 271.8 yards per game, racked up 377 against Nebraska. That doesn’t necessarily bode well as Nebraska prepares to face Mizzou, which entered the weekend leading the nation with its average of 595.5 yards per game. After Missouri, NU will take on a Texas Tech squad averaging 572.8 yards to rank third.

 

Yes, time for Nebraska to go back to work.

 

Give Virginia Tech credit. We saw the effectiveness of Beamer ball unfold before our eyes as Tech put on a special-teams clinic much of the night. A blocked punt for a safety. Four field goals. Key returns by Victor “Macho” Harris. The gamut.

 

Virginia Tech was the cleaner team — no turnovers compared to two for Nebraska.

 

Harris set the tone with a big punt return and interception in the first quarter. Tech eventually pushed to a 28-10 lead and seemed in control.

 

Alas, Nebraska fought back.

 

Yes, that’s progress, as painful as it felt for Nebraska.

 

Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.

 

[Reebsker]

It would be great if the coaches could somehow bottle up the intensity that has been displayed at the end of the games and give it to the team for the first half. Just looked like they were totally flat to start the game.

[SkullandBones]

It'd be great if they could get organized on offense in the first half. There were so many times they barely even got the snap off in time, let alone execute. They just looked completely confused. I don't know if Watson needs to move to the sidelines or what, but they need to get that fixed.

[lilred]

Sadly, this is the type of game we needed to win. If it had been Missouri we had played and we kept it that close, then I would agree that it would have been significant progress.

[admo]

Pretty accurrate article. Numerous people were saying those things on this board. Which makes it even more strange why there are so many arguements about what the W-L record will be.

 

One game at a time is perfectly sane in my opinion. Once the season is over, it's over. Then it'll be back to the W-L record predictions for next season and "I said it here first!!! CU thumps NU!!! 6-6 yo i'm realistic!!!! No way!!! I've been saying 7-5!!! Oh yeah well quit drinking kool-aid, you kool-aid drinker!!!! oh yeah!! YEAH!!!!

 

And even though it was a bitter loss (everyone here picked the Huskers to win in the prediction contest) here's a thought - give VT CREDIT. And then be thankful the Huskers didnt give up on each other or the coaches or blaming the crowd noise.

 

GBR!

[hack]

 

Journal Star

 

Steven M. Sipple: At least Huskers fought to the end

Sunday, Sep 28, 2008 - 12:41:55 am CDT

 

sipple preaches to the masses!

 

 

dead on. nebraska was in that game to the very end. the screwed-up and missed assignments, but they didn't quit.

 

that's what i want in a team. that's what i got last week.

 

we will win again. hopefully, this saturday.

 

keep the faith, bruthas!

[UGAHusker]

As much as it pains me to actually say it, as long as we play with the intensity that I saw throughout that game, and expecially into the fourth quarter, I will be satisfied with the season's outcome. I mean, even 6-6 isn't bad in a conference with 3 teams in the top 5 and 6 top 25 teams. The Big XII hasn't been this good in YEARS. As cro-magnon as it sounds, think about how many times play was stopped to cart some hurt Hokie player off the field. Not only were we hitting, but we kept hitting until the end. With a little bit of time to catch up on technique and maintaing focus we'll be ready to take the Big XII sooner rather than later.

 

Something else to keep in mind too. Oklahoma only finished 7-5 in a much weaker Big XII during Stoops' first year. Year 2? National Champs.

[Drowning_in_the_Sea_of_Red]

Think back to last season, when Nebraska would get punched in the mouth and wilt into a corner. Not this time. The Huskers fell behind 28-10 midway through the third quarter. But NU shoved back. It kept brawling to the end. Yes, that’s progress.

 

Think back to the offseason, when I so often heard Nebraska fans say they just wanted to see a Husker team that always kept fighting. Big Red faithful wanted to cheer for a team that always played hard and smart. Well, fans got half of their wishes Saturday.

That is absolutely dead-f'ing-on.

 

How many of the people here jumping off of cliffs are the same ones that said that exact same thing this summer?

[Huskerhead1976]

After the last couple years of lay down and die it wouldnt bother me one bit for them to loose out the rest of the year but continue to fight hard till the bitter end.

 

 

Getting the tenacity and heart back are the hardest things to get back after the last couple years.

[zE bOp]

To those who are still 'like ttly heartbroken dude' over the VT loss, I offer up this list of names for your careful consideration: USC, GA, FL, WI, OhioSU/KU(a few weeks back)...

Sure, I'm sad/pissed we lost since we probably deserved that game as much as VT, but we fought 'til the bitter end, showed alot of heart, had

some flashes of very good play.

Look, we had a couple of long scoring drives of like 4 plays was it? Gashed their vaunted special tms. for an 88 yd td rtn, had some...cont...

[zE bOp]

...cont...solid

D-line play FTMP, aaand, well, maybe that's about it!

We DID get more of an idea about our beloved Huskers: we're a slightly above average team is all. Yeah, I know, acceptence is a BEE-OTCH!

Hopefully we'll get better, upset a team or two and have a decent season.

'I just can't quit you Big Red!'

 

Keep the FAITH.

 

Keep it REAL.

 

zE oUt