@TTech '09: what happened?

[buckeye7]

looking at the Huskers' 2009 results, this game stands out as an anomaly (in terms of margin of victory). can anyone tell me more about what happened?

 

did NU have a lot of penalties and mistakes that day, or did TT just simply play better than NU did?

 

the next week, Nebraska imploded at home against I-State. were people here calling for Pellini's head on these boards?

[Bradr]

Well, they had a 50+ yard fumble recovery touchdown. That didn't help.

 

Tech also has (had?) a very methodical controlled passing game that can tear a secondary to shreds. While the numbers don't show it, I remember being a the game and feeling pretty helpless against the short pass. They owned our secondary pretty good that game. Also mixed it up with some runs that kept us off guard.

 

On the other side of things that was at the time our offense was fulling breaking into its stride of offensive mediocrity.

 

I think the general consensus after tempers cooled down was that the IA State game was a complete anomaly. Look up the youtube video. It was almost comedic watching that game.

[jimindallas]

Yeah, Leach schooled us. I trust the Pelini's would have adapted over time. Course' that is a dead issue now.

Iowa State loss= 8 turnovers( 3 inside Iowa State 5 yard line.)

I don't remember any calls for Bo's head after these games, but others probably have better memories.

[redblooded]

We did hold them to their lowest yardage total of the season, just made too many mistakes to keep them out of the endzone and our offense gave them a freebie.

 

We had no offense last year, it was beyond horrible. So no, nobody was angry at Pelini (hes been here 2 years and our defense went from ranked in the 100s to #1 scoring in 2 years), but our OC took a ton of heat all season. Since he's still here I think it was somewhat subconsciously decided that we'd all chalk it up to injuries and pray that we have our offense reappear this season. The bowl game helped a TON in that regard, otherwise it would have been a long off season for Watson most likely since the media seem to basically start asking all the questions you'd find from everyone ragging on coachs from the message boards.

[Nexus]

It just wasn't our game. Even though we held TTU to their lowest offensive total since I can't remember when, but it was a long time (early 2000's?). Needless to say TTU had our number that day.

[I See Red People]

NU had terrible luck to start the 09 TTU game. I think there was a tipped ball on their first drive that was caught and taken for many yards. Our secondary started second guessing themselves and that was the ball game.

 

ISU game was basically an epic lottery win for the cyclones. The only scenario which would allow them to win happened. I don't recall people calling for Bo's head, as it was blatantly obvious that the offense had fumblitis. It was the day that the whole entire state and all of husker nation was doing this ->

[Joe_5700]

I think everyone thought Nebraska was just expected to win against TT and the team came out flat. TT has had Nebraska's number ever since Leach has been coaching there. If I recall correctly didn't TT go up 14-0 like really quickly? It just seemed like we were down from the get go in that one. TT was just the better team that day.

[junior4949]

We played incredibly flat against TT. In fact, it was the most uninspired I saw our team play the entire season. It was almost like none of the team even wanted to be on the field that day.

[ADS]

Those two weeks really showed how inept our offense truly was (besides the texas/ou game). Texas Tech has had our number since 2004, but Iowa State has never had our number and never will. When your offense turns the ball over 8 times, I think 4 or 5 inside the red zone of course your goin to have a tough go about things. But then you watch the games the very next month and you see why Pelini is the coach for us. He picked this team up, got them motivated to finish out strong and make a statement on national television.

[whateveritis1224]

Sheffield played lights out. The numbers aren't there but every time we'd get them into a third and more than 10 situation, Sheffield would dodge out of the way of the rush and throw a perfect strike that was just out of reach of our DBs. Seemed like it happened every time in that situation, just really frustrating.

 

Then after our lone touchdown, they did it again. We just flat out couldn't get them off of the field.

[Saunders]

Pretty much what everyone here has stated. Plus, our Offense sucking bad made short fields for TT, hence the higher score, but low yardage.

[irafreak]

What you have to understand is just 2 years ago this team was 5-7 with poor discipline and zero confidence. This was midseason of year 2 and Bo was still trying to get these kids to focus, believe, and play hard week in and out. We came out flat. A fluke catch that would've forced a punt on the first drive followed by a backwards pass returned for a TD (while our players stood and watched) as we were driving inside Tech territory quickly shut that game down.

 

But yes Iowa state was 8 turnovers...I mean Niles Paul streaking down the sideline alone just drops the ball on his way into the endzone...that was what fumble 3, 4, 5? I forget...

[DualThreat_CantThrow]

The way to beat TTech under Mike Leach was to play offense and keep their offense off the field.

[ADS]

The way to beat TTech under Mike Leach was to play offense and keep their offense off the field.

See Bo's first year 2008, shouldve beat them.

[deedsker15]

the fumble that was returned for a touchdown by tech sums up the game...it was a screen pass to niles paul...the ball was thrown about a yard behind the quarterback...and when paul didn't catch it he simply took off running toward the endzone like the play was over...nobody on our team attempted to pick up the ball...we had several people with a chance...and the tech game grabbed the ball and hauled it all the way for a touchdown...think it was a 65 or 70 yards return