State of Nebraska Football

[mwj98]

Ok....now that we are midway through the season I thought I would take this time to apologize to my beloved Huskers. I, for many years have been spoiled with power football and dominating defenses. After so long, you come to expect it. However, in light of recent events (i.e. callahan era), I have to take a step back and grasp reality. In other words, we aren't there yet. No matter how badly I want this team to dominate, we simply aren't there. I was hoping with all the hype of these so called "5-star" athletes, if we could get the right coach in place, we could be a force to be reckoned with. I was wrong. Something that is painfully obvious is the fact that we turned into a finesse team offensively, and a read and react team defensively. Agree or not, that is what happened under the last staff. Now, we are an attacking defense, or at least we try to be, but we don't have that type of athlete. So it will take us a little bit of time to change that.

 

On offense, I have gotten really tired of all this damn passing. These quick passes to the sideline and hoping are receivers can create space scares the crap out of me. I am just waiting for some corner to jump the route and take it the other way. Watson is a good coordinator, but we need more smash mouth. I am sorry, that is what we need to do. Get back to basics. Lucky is a good back. Not a power back, but a good back. We have guys who can catch the ball out of the backfield. Looks good on paper, but what ever happened to backs who could run downhill??? Do we have fullbacks??? I swear, give me a decent qb who can pass occassionally, and a solid o-line, I'll get you 8-9 wins. Period. You don't need to have all-americans across the o-line, just some guys who can lean on you and have good feet.

 

 

Defensively, we busts assignments all day long. That's ok, I can deal with that. If the effort is there, I can handle busts. Glenn struggled yesterday. We all know that. Pelini will correct his mistakes. I just can't help but think how much better we look on defense in comparison to last year. Yes, I am willing to admit that I have been very hard on this team. I have piled on just like everyone else. I have played and watched football for many years, and what I see is a stark comparison to last year. Remember running the 3-3-5 against tech?? Now the guys are flying around, albeit, out of position sometimes, but flying around. So with that being said, I would rather have folks flying to the ball as opposed to reading and then reacting. Again, just my thoughts.

 

 

I have seen posts where people are "ashamed" to be husker fans. Or, "this team is undisciplined", and a lot of other bs. You all are entitled to your opinion. But I would challenge you all with this.......with the ENTIRE nation bashing us week end and week out and the tremendous challenges the program has faced over the past 5 years (i.e. streaks ending, defense crumbling), can't we just take the positive, move on???? Trust me, some of those players read this board. Haven't they been beaten up enough?? If I could, I would strap it up one more time for the big red machine. But, the only way I can show my support is through donations, flying the colors and standing up for the team even in the face of adversity. Just be patient with the staff and the players. Trust me, we will get this train back on track. In the meantime, do your best to show our team support.

 

As of today, I will no longer bash the team via posts. I will get frustrated, but no more bashing from me. I am done. I will constructively criticize. But to say someone is an idiot, or personally attack them I think is counterproductive. Too many armchair qb's who have never played football at this level.

 

Take a look around the nation. There are busts, missed tackles and penalties everywhere. Why are we so different?

 

 

Again, my thoughts.

[trouble]

Good post, but I personally kind of enjoy the type of offense we run. There are a bit too many screens but if they work, then they work I guess. Ive never once been hard and down on this team, even if they do scare the crap out of me sometimes. I love my Huskers and will always take the positives, every team has its down years, its just our time.

[Hunter94]

just like the political climate has "changed" (God help us all).......so has the game of football. it is now all about the spread or variations of it, which even with average players, can be hard to contain or stop.

 

there are not many pure running programs left, for several reasons, one being you can just stack the box and pretty much shut it down, as defensive players have become faster and more reactive up front.

 

you have to go with what works, or be a dinosaur....and we all know what happened to them. so, if you are enamored with the past power running game, get over it, it has gone the way of the spotted owl.

 

it takes a different type of athlete to play the game now, more speed, more versatility, pass catching ability, etc. yes, it still takes an effective O line, but their are quite a few teams that have this and without the skill guys in space to make plays, they end up just being average football teams.

 

the game is changing, the play calling and formations are much more wide open and offenses are scoring lots of points. straight ahead power football is dead........the game has evolved.

[mickijc_20]

nebraska is learning how to win again

[hskerprid]

just like the political climate has "changed" (God help us all).......so has the game of football. it is now all about the spread or variations of it, which even with average players, can be hard to contain or stop.

 

there are not many pure running programs left, for several reasons, one being you can just stack the box and pretty much shut it down, as defensive players have become faster and more reactive up front.

 

you have to go with what works, or be a dinosaur....and we all know what happened to them. so, if you are enamored with the past power running game, get over it, it has gone the way of the spotted owl.

 

it takes a different type of athlete to play the game now, more speed, more versatility, pass catching ability, etc. yes, it still takes an effective O line, but their are quite a few teams that have this and without the skill guys in space to make plays, they end up just being average football teams.

 

the game is changing, the play calling and formations are much more wide open and offenses are scoring lots of points. straight ahead power football is dead........the game has evolved.

It seems to me that the national pundits were saying the same thing about the option attack a few years back. Look at G Tech now 6-2. Power football will never die, the "power" will evolve, but don't kid yourself for one minute that a power running attack won't give any "elite" defense fits.

[bbhusker]

Ok....now that we are midway through the season I thought I would take this time to apologize to my beloved Huskers. I, for many years have been spoiled with power football and dominating defenses. After so long, you come to expect it. However, in light of recent events (i.e. callahan era), I have to take a step back and grasp reality. In other words, we aren't there yet. No matter how badly I want this team to dominate, we simply aren't there. I was hoping with all the hype of these so called "5-star" athletes, if we could get the right coach in place, we could be a force to be reckoned with. I was wrong. Something that is painfully obvious is the fact that we turned into a finesse team offensively, and a read and react team defensively. Agree or not, that is what happened under the last staff. Now, we are an attacking defense, or at least we try to be, but we don't have that type of athlete. So it will take us a little bit of time to change that.

 

On offense, I have gotten really tired of all this damn passing. These quick passes to the sideline and hoping are receivers can create space scares the crap out of me. I am just waiting for some corner to jump the route and take it the other way. Watson is a good coordinator, but we need more smash mouth. I am sorry, that is what we need to do. Get back to basics. Lucky is a good back. Not a power back, but a good back. We have guys who can catch the ball out of the backfield. Looks good on paper, but what ever happened to backs who could run downhill??? Do we have fullbacks??? I swear, give me a decent qb who can pass occassionally, and a solid o-line, I'll get you 8-9 wins. Period. You don't need to have all-americans across the o-line, just some guys who can lean on you and have good feet.

 

 

Defensively, we busts assignments all day long. That's ok, I can deal with that. If the effort is there, I can handle busts. Glenn struggled yesterday. We all know that. Pelini will correct his mistakes. I just can't help but think how much better we look on defense in comparison to last year. Yes, I am willing to admit that I have been very hard on this team. I have piled on just like everyone else. I have played and watched football for many years, and what I see is a stark comparison to last year. Remember running the 3-3-5 against tech?? Now the guys are flying around, albeit, out of position sometimes, but flying around. So with that being said, I would rather have folks flying to the ball as opposed to reading and then reacting. Again, just my thoughts.

 

 

I have seen posts where people are "ashamed" to be husker fans. Or, "this team is undisciplined", and a lot of other bs. You all are entitled to your opinion. But I would challenge you all with this.......with the ENTIRE nation bashing us week end and week out and the tremendous challenges the program has faced over the past 5 years (i.e. streaks ending, defense crumbling), can't we just take the positive, move on???? Trust me, some of those players read this board. Haven't they been beaten up enough?? If I could, I would strap it up one more time for the big red machine. But, the only way I can show my support is through donations, flying the colors and standing up for the team even in the face of adversity. Just be patient with the staff and the players. Trust me, we will get this train back on track. In the meantime, do your best to show our team support.

 

As of today, I will no longer bash the team via posts. I will get frustrated, but no more bashing from me. I am done. I will constructively criticize. But to say someone is an idiot, or personally attack them I think is counterproductive. Too many armchair qb's who have never played football at this level.

 

Take a look around the nation. There are busts, missed tackles and penalties everywhere. Why are we so different?

 

 

Again, my thoughts.

 

Great post. I think that eventually we will get back to being a power running team when the game calls for it. I was very hard on Watson at the beginning of the season but he has gotten better. The most promising thing that I have seen from our coaches is that they have learned to play to our players' strengths. Something the last staff could never do, square peg into round hole scenerio. I really look for a huge improvement next year from this team and staff, and the return of the BLACKSHIRTS. GBR!!!!!

[Husker_x]

 

the game is changing, the play calling and formations are much more wide open and offenses are scoring lots of points. straight ahead power football is dead........the game has evolved.

 

The option game is a numbers game. Unless defenses have evolved to include more players than the offense has on the field, with enough speed it's still viable. Georgia Tech in Johnson's first season is doing pretty well––they got more wins than we do, anyway.

 

I can only wonder, though, in this day of namby-pamby dunk and dive screen passing what would happen if a truly malicious power game were to appear somewhere. Part of me thinks that defenses today are even LESS equipped to deal with the pounding the Nebraska of old would give them.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

I think we are going in the right direction and moving the ball and controlling the clock and that's what you need to do as a football team.

[HuskerTrucker]

All this "damn passing" is all the offense we have been putting out there...there is no run game. For now your stuck with a Husker team that throws the ball...

 

The Defense is a work in progress...we knew that was the case BEFORE the season. They are undisciplined, as shown by all the penalties.

 

Special teams is a concern...our punting game sucks lately.

[huzkerbob]

I was very hard on Watson at the beginning of the season but he has gotten better.

 

Is it possible that the TEAM is the one who has gotten better? All the Watson bashing was unfounded earlier this season, and will be again the next time the offense has an "off" day.

[huskered17]

I think we are going in the right direction and moving the ball and controlling the clock and that's what you need to do as a football team.

 

 

 

GBR!!!

[huskerjack23]

All this "damn passing" is all the offense we have been putting out there...there is no run game. For now your stuck with a Husker team that throws the ball...

 

The Defense is a work in progress...we knew that was the case BEFORE the season. They are undisciplined, as shown by all the penalties.

 

Special teams is a concern...our punting game sucks lately.

exactly...the power run game is dead...at nebraska. we can be balanced. we can force our will. but, 5 yards and a cloud of dust left the barn with dan alexander and correll buckhalter.

 

here's my philosophy, and it's probably bo's too. have a dominating, aggressive defense with an emphasis on takeaways with a balanced offense that has a dominating TOP (run or pass) and scores.

 

THE DEFENSE COMES FIRST WITH BO. stop complaining about the offense when it's perfectly capable of going over 450 yards total. why does it matter if it's run-heavy?

[melscott62]

I think you will see us focus more on running in coming years. I am happy to see that the coaches are playing to the current players strengths

[SkullandBones]

Watson and Bo have abandoned nothing, they are using the assets they have in situations that allow the greatest potential for success. And here lately the O has been pretty damned effective, it's just solid coaching and play calling. There is always going to be a time and place for the power game. There is always going to be a time when you need two or three yards, line up, look the defense in the eye and say 'we're going to run this down your throat and there isn't a goddmn thing you can do about it.' Right now we don't really have that option, but trust me will.....

 

BTW, call it 'dinking and dunking' or whatever you want, but if it's piling up yards and points, who really gives a sh!t.

[IlliniHusker]

I'm most impressed about 2 changes this year -

 

1) The offensive coaches (Watson) are willing to change their approach to fit the skill of the EXISTING players instead of forcing a "system" onto the players. This approach hasn't happened in the prior 4 yrs. After trying to "pound the rock" with 3 good backs and a vetern O-Line, the staff decided we were more effective by spreading the receivers and going with our "true" stength; not what we hoped the strength would be.

 

2) Our defense tries to attack the other team and the defense actually makes adjustments at half time!

 

What a breath of fresh air.

 

Go Big Red.