Couple of Thoughts about the South Dakota State Game

[EZ-E]

I have not gotten to see a game live yet this year minus the Washington game, but I did in fact watch the replay today.

 

1) They came to play, and we did not. At times we had our TE running a different play than the rest of the offense and our OT was pass blocking when we were handing the ball off to Roy; this leads me to believe we lacked focus. I don't think that we ever matched their intensity either. They played with a chip on their shoulders, if they play that way the whole year they will win a ton of games in their league. They were prepared, and we were not. I had heard that Bo watched a total of 43 minutes of film. Well.. there you have it. I hate to say it, but like Bo himself said on the radio: "We got out-coached." He also took responsibility for this one as he did after the ISU game last year and we all know what happened after that game last year.

 

2) Our linebackers still looked confused on a certain handful of plays. On the long run SDSU had where the guy went from about the 5 to the 40, in my opinion it was just the perfect offensive call against the perfect defense to run it. We had one linebacker on the field at the time, and Lavonte once again got caught in the wrong gap. Good offensive play call.

 

3) Ball security. Not another word.

 

4) I for one believe that our defense played well in the second half. I still wish that we were better at stopping the run, but maybe Bo just has not "unleashed the beast" quite yet. Like I have said Bo never shows more than he has to. I think we will see him release the demon at KSU.

 

5) I will never tell anyone to stop talking about rankings on here because this is a message board. This is the place for people to talk about that stuff. But what I am thinking about at the moment is us. We have some things that we need to get fixed on our football team.

 

6) Going completely contrary to #5, there are quite a few other teams that need to get things figured out. OU has played it very close with three teams, two of which are mid-majors and the other one being a Little East team with a first year coach. They really have had no business winning a few of those games that they have won. In relation to us, watching this game I never had a doubt that we would not win it.

 

A game like this is just what this team needs heading into conference play. I good kick in the ass telling them that they can indeed be beaten by a team that is not even half as good or talented as them if they don't come to play football. Refering back to point #1 Bo took responsibility for the loss to ISU, and he took responsibility for the poor performance on Saturday. Look what happened when he took responsibility for that loss. We went on to win some pretty big games and came up a second short of a conference title. I see very simular results after this one, execpt a win in the conference championship game against the winner of the Red River Rivalry.

[huskernumerouno]

Good points all around.

[typ3kal]

I have not gotten to see a game live yet this year minus the Washington game, but I did in fact watch the replay today.

 

1) They came to play, and we did not. At times we had our TE running a different play than the rest of the offense and our OT was pass blocking when we were handing the ball off to Roy; this leads me to believe we lacked focus. I don't think that we ever matched their intensity either. They played with a chip on their shoulders, if they play that way the whole year they will win a ton of games in their league. They were prepared, and we were not. I had heard that Bo watched a total of 43 minutes of film. Well.. there you have it. I hate to say it, but like Bo himself said on the radio: "We got out-coached." He also took responsibility for this one as he did after the ISU game last year and we all know what happened after that game last year.

 

2) Our linebackers still looked confused on a certain handful of plays. On the long run SDSU had where the guy went from about the 5 to the 40, in my opinion it was just the perfect offensive call against the perfect defense to run it. We had one linebacker on the field at the time, and Lavonte once again got caught in the wrong gap. Good offensive play call.

 

3) Ball security. Not another word.

 

4) I for one believe that our defense played well in the second half. I still wish that we were better at stopping the run, but maybe Bo just has not "unleashed the beast" quite yet. Like I have said Bo never shows more than he has to. I think we will see him release the demon at KSU.

 

5) I will never tell anyone to stop talking about rankings on here because this is a message board. This is the place for people to talk about that stuff. But what I am thinking about at the moment is us. We have some things that we need to get fixed on our football team.

 

6) Going completely contrary to #5, there are quite a few other teams that need to get things figured out. OU has played it very close with three teams, two of which are mid-majors and the other one being a Little East team with a first year coach. They really have had no business winning a few of those games that they have won. In relation to us, watching this game I never had a doubt that we would not win it.

 

A game like this is just what this team needs heading into conference play. I good kick in the ass telling them that they can indeed be beaten by a team that is not even half as good or talented as them if they don't come to play football. Refering back to point #1 Bo took responsibility for the loss to ISU, and he took responsibility for the poor performance on Saturday. Look what happened when he took responsibility for that loss. We went on to win some pretty big games and came up a second short of a conference title. I see very simular results after this one, execpt a win in the conference championship game against the winner of the Red River Rivalry.

 

I think the South will be a 3 way tie again this year. Texas, OU, and OSU. I think OSU will turn some heads and play us in the CCG

[EZ-E]

Oh, just one individual note that I would like to point out. It seems that Ricky Thenarse is sometimes so worried about laying a huge hit that he forgets he could go make a play on the football. The particular play that I am using as an example is the one on the long passing play late in the game. I think he actually slowed down so he could lay a huge hit. I would have liked to see him mantain his speed and make a play to either catch or swat the ball away.

[typ3kal]

Oh, just one individual note that I would like to point out. It seems that Ricky Thenarse is sometimes so worried about laying a huge hit that he forgets he could go make a play on the football. The particular play that I am using as an example is the one on the long passing play late in the game. I think he actually slowed down so he could lay a huge hit. I would have liked to see him mantain his speed and make a play to either catch or swat the ball away.

 

 

Ricky is more of a thugsker than a team player. He isn't the best football player mentally. He makes a lot of mistakes and likes to get in people's faces literally, (see the face mask call from earlier this year). At least he didn't get a personal the last two games. Thenarse scares me as much as Niles does for making bonehead mistakes, they're just on opposite ends of the ball.

[zoogs]

A thugsker? That's really harsh, just because of his background? He may play too passionately, rather than smartly, but I think that's a low blow...

[HUSKER 37]

It's better to be a Husker than a Huskee..

 

Ooops..Wrong week

[whateveritis1224]

With Thenarse it could be because he isn't comfortable with his ball skills and would rather go for the safe play in tackling the guy over giving up the long touchdown. We've always known that Thenarse went and laid the wood on people ever since he was a freshman on the kick-off coverage team. Wouldn't be surprised if a light gets turned on and he starts playing nearly to the level O'Hanlon was playing at last year (Matty was playing absolutely lights out since after Iowa St.).

 

It's great to see him playing after the ACL tear last year, and to be part of a D-Backfield that already has 10 ints through 4 games and has been talked about as being one of the best ever at Nebraska is something special.

[bshirt]

Great post EZ-E.

 

I sure hope you're right about our run defense (Bo can unleash it at anytime) as it spooks me to death. Our offense...oh boy.....we've got problems. You're right in that it totally cancels any over-confidence problems in a big time hurry.

[NUance]

Thenarse has the physical tools to play on Sundays. Not just big hits, but speed and reaction time. Sure, he got a bad rap before last year due to being out of position sometimes. But Ricky seems to be playing MUCH better coverage this year, after a year of tutelage on the D. And he brings the wood like no other player we got. WRs keep an eye out for him when they go over the top. We could use more Blackshirts like Thenarse.

[RazzinGTO]

Great post EZ-E - I completely agree. I think the thing that scares me the most is how contrite Bo was after the game, although this could be because he seems to be taking this games performance completely on himself.

[huskered17]

Sounds like they got the Iowa St type game out of their systems, for this year. Now their ready!!!

 

 

GBR!!!

[ADS]

Being at them game really showed that this team really wasnt emotionally vested in this game. It was their night off, as Bo stated. We will be fine, Pelini always has this team amped to play after a bye week. We didnt get exposed, we had no intensity, it just looked going through the motions for our players.

[SkerMin8r]

Great post EZ-E - I completely agree. I think the thing that scares me the most is how contrite Bo was after the game, although this could be because he seems to be taking this games performance completely on himself.

 

 

And see...that's the thing that is encouraging to me. I can respect a man that can step up and admit his mistakes, move on, and learn from them. Remember folks, Bo is still only in his 3rd year as a head coach. He's got a lot to learn yet too.

 

That said, I think this can serve as a wake up call to the entire team (coaches included).

 

Also, I'm reminded of games during the glory years where our Huskers were expected to roll but struggled due to lack of focus/preparedness. In fact, there really are too many to mention.

[308_Husker]

I remember that Thenarse play.. I couldn't believe that he didn't make a play on the ball. That thing was in the air for what seemed like an eternity and he was right there to pick it.