CENTEXHUSKER Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Link Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin Nebraska quarterback Zac Lee is bracing for a long afternoon in front of the television set Thursday afternoon. The late-evening kickoff later that day will mean that the Cornhuskers will lounge around the team hotel as they prepare for Missouri in a pivotal North Division opener for both teams. But Lee says he’s willing to try anything – even soap operas and the Oprah Winfrey Show -- to take his mind off the pressure he expects later that night. “I don’t know because I’ve never really done it before,” Lee said. “Usually you’re in a hotel room and there’s football or something like that. I don’t know what’s on daytime Thursday TV. I’m sure we’ll keep ourselves occupied.” The Cornhuskers are hoping to turn around their recent misfortune against Nebraska in the last two seasons. And a big reason is because of the early development of Lee, a junior who is in his first year as a starter. Lee has produced three strong starts in victories over FAU, Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette, passing for at least 213 yards in each of those games as he’s averaged a 76 percent completion percentage. Those triumphs have provided the Cornhuskers with at least the claim of the mythical Sun Belt Conference championship after the first month of the season. He wasn’t quite as fortunate at Virginia Tech, where he struggled through a disappointing 16-15 loss that marks the Cornhuskers’ only blemish this season. Lee completed only 11 of 30 passes for 136 yards in a game where he failed to produce a touchdown and the Cornhuskers relied on five field goals from Alex Henery that weren’t enough to win. Those struggles provided a learning laboratory as Lee prepares for Missouri’s hostile crowd and the Tigers’ speedy defense in his first Big 12 road test as a starter. “You take what you learn from it and move on,” Lee said. “You have to look at it that way and make sure you’re focused just like any other game and keep going with it. Some bad things may happen at some point and you know you have to move on from that as quickly as possible and just refocus yourself.” Lee rebounded from those struggles against Virginia Tech to pass for 238 yards on 15-of-18 passing against Louisiana-Lafayette in his most recent game. “Zac is going into his fifth start,” Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said. “He’s better because of the experience he had at Virginia Tech. He’s learned from it. He’s a good football player and he’ll continue to be a good football player.” Nebraska coaches are careful to say that the demands on Lee won’t be stringent to try to beat the Tigers by himself. “All we ever ask Zac to do is manage our offense,” Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson told the Lincoln Journal-Star. “Be efficient like he was this last game. I just want to see him continue to grow.” His task should be benefitted by the development of Roy Helu Jr., the conference’s leading rusher and Nebraska’s most consistent offensive threat. Helu has averaged 116 yards rushing to rank tied for sixth nationally. That rushing game is bolstered by a passing attack that ranks 33rd nationally. It enables them to become one of only seven teams nationally to rank among the top 40 teams nationally in the four major statistical categories – rushing, passing, total offense and scoring. The Cornhuskers are averaging 440 yards per game, but will be challenged by a speedy, athletic Missouri defense that hasn’t allowed more than 21 points in any game this season. “It might seem vague to the untrained eye, because it seem like we don’t’ really do any particular thing for one game,” center Jacob Hickman said. “One game it will be the pass and the next game it will be the run. We’ve gotten to the point where we understand whatever they give us is what we’re going to take. That provides confidence for the Cornhuskers that they can exploit whatever weakness they can find. “If they are going to load up the box against the run, we’re going to do some passing stuff and vice versa,” Hickman said. “I think we really have an understanding of what the coaches are trying to accomplish on a given play, being it set them up for future plays or whatever it may be. I think everybody is on the same page, which is huge.” When did Missouri suddenly develop a speedy, athletic defense? Quote Link to comment
mattbri17 Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 When did Missouri suddenly develop a speedy, athletic defense? When ESPN asked Missouri "How would you describe your defiense?" and Missouri answered "We're speedy and athletic." I'm guessing it came about something like that. Quote Link to comment
Twodocs Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 I am not clear why they decided to travel Wednesday! They easily could have left Thursday, but they are doing a late check out Thursday. Home in the early am of Friday! Puts them in Lincoln after midnight. And the weather could be a game delaying event as some are predicting lightning. Gabbert will see a high wind and rain for his passes! Quote Link to comment
Enhance Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 When did Missouri suddenly develop a speedy, athletic defense? When ESPN asked Missouri "How would you describe your defiense?" and Missouri answered "We're speedy and athletic." I'm guessing it came about something like that. They might have some speedy and athletic guys, but as a collective whole they're average at best from what we've seen. Granted, my opinion could change come Friday morning. Quote Link to comment
mattbri17 Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 I am not clear why they decided to travel Wednesday! They easily could have left Thursday, but they are doing a late check out Thursday. Home in the early am of Friday! Puts them in Lincoln after midnight. And the weather could be a game delaying event as some are predicting lightning. Gabbert will see a high wind and rain for his passes! What does that have to do with this thread? Quote Link to comment
Twodocs Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 I am not clear why they decided to travel Wednesday! They easily could have left Thursday, but they are doing a late check out Thursday. Home in the early am of Friday! Puts them in Lincoln after midnight. And the weather could be a game delaying event as some are predicting lightning. Gabbert will see a high wind and rain for his passes! What does that have to do with this thread? just that they are going to be sitting around in a motel all day in Columbia as Zac said Quote Link to comment
HuskerBCS Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 I am not clear why they decided to travel Wednesday! They easily could have left Thursday, but they are doing a late check out Thursday. Home in the early am of Friday! Puts them in Lincoln after midnight. And the weather could be a game delaying event as some are predicting lightning. Gabbert will see a high wind and rain for his passes! Um because you always arrive the day before so you can get a walk through in at the stadium. The day of the game is reserved for pregame activities/rest...not walk a through. Quote Link to comment
knapplc Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin The Cornhuskers are hoping to turn around their recent misfortune against Nebraska in the last two seasons. And a big reason is because of the early development of Lee, a junior who is in his first year as a starter Am I the only one who noticed this in the fifth paragraph of Griffin's blog? Quote Link to comment
HuskerfaninOkieland Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 When did Missouri suddenly develop a speedy, athletic defense? When ESPN asked Missouri "How would you describe your defiense?" and Missouri answered "We're speedy and athletic." I'm guessing it came about something like that. They have that "scorpion" defense speedy, athletic Missouri defense that hasn’t allowed more than 21 points in any game this season. I guess our defense not allowing more than 16 pts in any game this season means nothing? Our opponents have combined for 28pts this season. Guess we're not good Quote Link to comment
HuskerfaninOkieland Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin The Cornhuskers are hoping to turn around their recent misfortune against Nebraska in the last two seasons. And a big reason is because of the early development of Lee, a junior who is in his first year as a starter Am I the only one who noticed this in the fifth paragraph of Griffin's blog? I caught it too. Guess we've played like crap against ourselves too Quote Link to comment
Twodocs Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 I am not clear why they decided to travel Wednesday! They easily could have left Thursday, but they are doing a late check out Thursday. Home in the early am of Friday! Puts them in Lincoln after midnight. And the weather could be a game delaying event as some are predicting lightning. Gabbert will see a high wind and rain for his passes! Um because you always arrive the day before so you can get a walk through in at the stadium. The day of the game is reserved for pregame activities/rest...not walk a through. Pelini does not do walk throughs he says he does his walk through in Lincoln before they leave that is what he said for VT! "This and That: The Huskers won’t conduct a walk-through at Virginia Tech’s Lane Stadium on Friday night. “We do all our work here, then we head over to the hotel and start meetings,” Pelini said. ... The Huskers will be staying in Roanoke, Va., which is about 45 minutes from Blacksburg. ... " Before then, the team will hold a walkthrough Friday in Lincoln and then fly to Virgina, Pelini said. Quote Link to comment
CENTEXHUSKER Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin The Cornhuskers are hoping to turn around their recent misfortune against Nebraska in the last two seasons. And a big reason is because of the early development of Lee, a junior who is in his first year as a starter Am I the only one who noticed this in the fifth paragraph of Griffin's blog? Dude needs to mix in a proof-read before throwing out to the world Quote Link to comment
caveman99 Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 I am not clear why they decided to travel Wednesday! They easily could have left Thursday, but they are doing a late check out Thursday. Home in the early am of Friday! Puts them in Lincoln after midnight. And the weather could be a game delaying event as some are predicting lightning. Gabbert will see a high wind and rain for his passes! Um because you always arrive the day before so you can get a walk through in at the stadium. The day of the game is reserved for pregame activities/rest...not walk a through. Pelini does not do walk throughs he says he does his walk through in Lincoln before they leave that is what he said for VT! "This and That: The Huskers won’t conduct a walk-through at Virginia Tech’s Lane Stadium on Friday night. “We do all our work here, then we head over to the hotel and start meetings,” Pelini said. ... The Huskers will be staying in Roanoke, Va., which is about 45 minutes from Blacksburg. ... " Before then, the team will hold a walkthrough Friday in Lincoln and then fly to Virgina, Pelini said. Yeah but they still traveled to VT the day before. I think they have a routine for the team on away trips, getting there the night before seems to be a part of it. Quote Link to comment
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