Absolutely devastating

[JTrain]

I'm completely in shock. It's going to take some time to reflect on this game but right now I'm sick to my stomach. I'm too sick to be too angry right now, but what a horrible way to piss away a game. We should have won that game 22-10. If I had to say right now this would rank as one of the four most devastating losses I've ever seen. It's up there with 02 Texas, 06 Texas and dare I say even the 94 Orange Bowl against FSU.

 

Here are a few thoughts from this game. Please, I know everybody is pissed off or sad or shocked or sick right now, but the last thing we need is to start fighting over the reasons why we lost. If you disagree with me, I respect your opinion. I'll be glad to discuss it, for a bit anyways, before we all try to put this sh**ty disaster of an ending behind us because that's all we can do. I really felt like we could go into the OU game 8-0 and it hurts to have that hope dashed in this fashion, but what can we do. So here are my thoughts.

 

1. First drive of the game, they get the big kick return and then we hold them to 3rd and 20. Pelini dials up a corner blitz (Hagg) which usually means man coverage. We show it too early (as we often do) and Tech looks to the sideline for an audible. They audible the slot receiver to a deep corner route, an easy call, expecting him to be in man with O'Hanlon. Our defense looks to the sideline to see if we want to counter, but we stay with the original play. Tyrod knows right where he's going with it and makes a solid pass for a first down. That was a mistake by our coaching staff and we paid for it. That's the difference between giving up a touchdown and a tough 47-yard FG attempt. That's a 4 or 7 point difference.

 

2. Trust me, I have never been a "put Cody Green in" guy, in fact I wanted him to redshirt. But it is tough to win any game when your quarterback is completing 30% of his passes. I feel like we should have let Zac sit down. Even if it was for a series or two. Something wasn't right in his mind because he was missing everything in the second half. Even the completions were not pretty. For those who will say, "Green doesn't know much of the playbook" you're right, but Watson had essentially simplified to four or five plays in the second half because of how shaky Zac was out there. With Green, at least you have a legitimate threat to break a long run on the zone read play. And Green could have run the five play playbook just fine. Lee was completely off for whatever reason and just couldn't find it.

 

3. 4th and 1 around the VT 45, a first down wins the game. I refuse to call this a horrible call on Bo's part to punt, because you have to like our chances of forcing them to go 90 yards with no timeouts. But god damn, in retrospect, if we could have pounded out that one yard, that's it. Ballgame. Would have been a gutsy call but I wish I could see how it would have turned out.

 

4. The long pass that set up the final touchdown was an absolute travesty. Never ever ever should that have happened, even under a Cosgrove defense. One minute left, they have no timeouts and 60+ yard to go, the ONE thing you can't do is let someone behind you. It looked like a cover 2 zone, which would be an absolutely horrible call in that situation. Or it was a cover 3 and West simply had the most monumental brain fart in the history of football. Either way, I will not get over that play for a long, long, long time. Our defense played so well for 95% of the game... then to give it up on that play, it's heartbreaking. Honestly, I hope it was a blown assignment more than a horrible playcall, because if the playcall is to blame, I've lost a lot of faith in Bo's playcalling. That was the most painful play in many years for Husker football.

 

5. Then when it looked like all hope was lost, we get a sack on Tyrod and suddenly they're out around the 11 with no timeouts. Hope sneaks back in. Then the most unbelievable play I have seen. Suh had his jersey as he threw. Prince was three inches from knocking it down. Absolutely unreal.

 

Absolutely brutal, guys. This is going to sting for a few weeks. It's going to be an awfully bittersweet celebration of 300 next week. But what can we do? BTW, great games Roy Jr. and Henery.

[J_2_THA_BONE]

I agree on all accounts. Well said. Wish I could think straight long enough to type it all out but you did it for me. Thank you.

[HuskerInLostWages]

going to have to agree with you here on everything. I'm tired of the sting thinking we have the game over and then BAM someone screws up and we lose because of it.

[Red Storm Brewing]

Was it just me or did Suh look TOO hesitant on the rush on the TD throw. They are taught if they aren't gonna get to the QB to get their hands up, but Suh sat at the LOS for 3/4 of that play. Would have been nice to see our defensive "leader" to unleash hell on Tyrod on that play not just coming after him the last 1/4 of the play.

[J_2_THA_BONE]

BTW JTrain your avatar picture is what I looked like after the game was over. I even scared my Mom a little bit I was so upset. LOL now I'm like in sad stage. Next is acceptance...

[Arctikus]

I agree with you completely. *sigh* I'm just soo torn after this, where was Zac Lee, what happend to his throwing threat(30%!)? URGH! I just am so sick after watching this.

 

 

 

*sigh* GBR.

[J_2_THA_BONE]

Was it just me or did Suh look TOO hesitant on the rush on the TD throw. They are taught if they aren't gonna get to the QB to get their hands up, but Suh sat at the LOS for 3/4 of that play. Would have been nice to see our defensive "leader" to unleash hell on Tyrod on that play not just coming after him the last 1/4 of the play.

Yeah I noticed him hesitate too but the fact that he completed that pass with Suh on him and Prince had damn near perfect coverage makes me think fate is real and we weren't meant to win.

[DCHusker]

Was it just me or did Suh look TOO hesitant on the rush on the TD throw. They are taught if they aren't gonna get to the QB to get their hands up, but Suh sat at the LOS for 3/4 of that play. Would have been nice to see our defensive "leader" to unleash hell on Tyrod on that play not just coming after him the last 1/4 of the play.

 

That was just the way they decided to play him the whole game, contain him in the pocket, make him throw passes, and get hands up in his passing lanes...it was effective all day....and it took a nearly miraculous throw and catch to beat us on that last play...

[Apathy]

Was it just me or did Suh look TOO hesitant on the rush on the TD throw. They are taught if they aren't gonna get to the QB to get their hands up, but Suh sat at the LOS for 3/4 of that play. Would have been nice to see our defensive "leader" to unleash hell on Tyrod on that play not just coming after him the last 1/4 of the play.

 

It just wasn't on that last TD pass but the whole freaking game. You're a defensive lineman and you're suppose to rip the QB's head off and they didn't play like they wanted too and it was downright disgusting. ATTACK THE QUARTERBACK......DON'T DANCE WITH THEM

[irafreak]

Agreed. It's tough how many busted plays have been happening these two years. Can you point the finger at bo or are the kids just that screwed up from the last staff? Don't know. I can see the Cody Green argument as silly as it initially sounded. Helu was gashing them for big chunks. Green would've been a nice compliment to that. Thought Lee looked poised in the first half...what happened at half time. Did he not expect to win? As soon as we had the lead...he couldn't hit anything.

 

Yeah...maybe from now on, Bo will just pound the rock! Go grab that 4th down.

 

It's just frustrating to constantly watch other teams beat big teams and we can't seem to pull out a game that was in our back pocket after the opening series. Should've won by 3 or 4 scores. We had our shots. After watching Roy run today...just let him loose on the Big 12.

 

Oh and I'm sure you meant the 02 texas game since the 03 was a masacre. But yeah...right below the 94 nt loss to fsu.

[T_O_Bull]

We played and we could have, should have won.

In my 37 years as a Husker fan I've had losses that we're like daggers to my heart. Todays loss ranks right up there for me and many of us. The difference between this loss and what I feel is the hardest loss ever is that we are still moving in the right direction. We went into a hostile stadium and got beat by a great retun on the first play of the game. Congrats to VT they took advantage of two situations, the first series and the last.

This game is the kind of game that ages young players, you didn't get beat today Huskers you just ended up with fewer points.

T_O_B

[DCHusker]

Was it just me or did Suh look TOO hesitant on the rush on the TD throw. They are taught if they aren't gonna get to the QB to get their hands up, but Suh sat at the LOS for 3/4 of that play. Would have been nice to see our defensive "leader" to unleash hell on Tyrod on that play not just coming after him the last 1/4 of the play.

 

It just wasn't on that last TD pass but the whole freaking game. You're a defensive lineman and you're suppose to rip the QB's head off and they didn't play like they wanted too and it was downright disgusting. ATTACK THE QUARTERBACK......DON'T DANCE WITH THEM

 

I'll disagree with that....we knew going in that the DL's responsibility was going to be to keep Taylor in the pocket and make him throw and specifically not to force him outside the pocket...that "dancing" worked all day...

[ogalhskr]

I have to think this is a lot like the loss against Tech last year. Look how we came out of that game! I have to think that they will build from it and get better!!!!!!!!!!!!

[EbylHusker]

Tough loss, but in the end VT found a way to win and we didn't. If we'd put even one of those FG's into the endzone, we'd have almost certainly won. We could what if for the entire week (and I'm sure a lot will), but in the end VT found a way to win. Grats to them. Hopefully the team will learn from it and move on.

[The Maudfather]

This loss is going to lead me to the black makeup and razors....

 

I seriously still feel like sh#t. We out played them the whole game. f#*k my life.