My Immediate Reaction to this football game

[EZ-E]

Huskerboard,

 

As crazy as it sounds, this game is not as bad as it looks on the surface. Some may call me a sunshine pumper for that comment, but please listen to my reasoning for saying this.

 

First, I did enjoy my trip to Madison. I do have a serious problem with how I was treated by about 35% of the people that I was greeted by and I can assure you that if they came to Lincoln they would certainly not be treated the way I was at points this weekend.

 

What I saw tonight was a very inexperienced team that made very simple, but huge mistakes both offensively and defensively. That Wisconsin team is very good, but they certainly are not that much better than we are. Whenever you go on the road and play the 7th best football team in the nation and turn the football over 3 times and committ stupid penalties you are going to lose. There was a point in that first half where I didn't know how they were going to stop our offense. We sustained some good drives in that first half.

 

There is absolutely no indictment to make on the coaches we have here at NU or the players that are currently in our program. We have all of the pieces in place to get to where we want to be. There is only one that I would recommend doing away with. We also have a lot of young talent on our football team. Tonight happened because we played very poorly and they played very well. I want a chance to play these guys again. I really don't know if anyone in the Big Ten will beat them though. But I would really like the chance for our guys to prove they are not that much better than we are.

 

I would describe Russell Wilson's game as very smooth. He doesn't have these peaks where he just does something that makes you say he is a first round draft pick, but he doesn't have the valleys that make you want to never see him play football again. He will never put his team in a bad spot with a poor decision.

 

If I had to pinpoint one area of our team that I am dissappointed in it is the secondary. We have some great young players in our secondary. We really do. But at this point in time, in my personal opinion they are playing as a bunch of individuals and not one unit. That is what needs to change. Everyone back there needs to work in conjunction. That has not happened. Give me 4-5 guys that can do that over the biggest stars in the world who can't any day. Until they learn to work as a unit we will continue to have issues there.

 

What angers me is the unreasonable expectations from some husker fans and stupid sayings that just dont always make sense. Personally, I really do hope for a National Championship every year and in my mind until that first loss I never think there is a football team in the world that could be my Huskers. The saying I am talking about are ones like "taking what the defense gives you" has become a swear word amongst NU fans. I really dislike this "sky is falling" mentality that quite a few of us have adapted. It really discourages me as an avid fan. I am not saying that I dislike objective opinions, I am saying I am tired of the solution to everything being firing a football coach, or "recruiting better players," or "switching back to the option." These, among others are reasons why I am going to take a break from reading the board. If you have a question, or want to talk Husker football, my phone number is 7123106256. Feel free to text me at any reasonable time. I will talk Husker football with you all day and would really enjoy to.

 

I still do see this team winning 9-10 football games. But our project continues unfortunately. We are about 1-2 years away from being very good. I will be back after Halloween when we are 3-1 in conference play. Games like this, and times like this after the game are what really tries all of HuskerNation; coaches, players, and fans alike. Lets stick together.

[EZ-E]

One more thing, what happened tonight does not legitamize any of the "Big and Mighty Big Ten" claims that we have heard for the last year or so. If we don't commit turnovers and stupid penalties we will be able to play with and beat any team that is left on our schedule.

[zoogs]

Spot on in every aspect, EZ. Have a good trip home.

[3rd and long]

One more thing, what happened tonight does not legitamize any of the "Big and Mighty Big Ten" claims that we have heard for the last year or so. If we don't commit turnovers and stupid penalties we will be able to play with and beat any team that is left on our schedule.

 

Very true, but WHEN do we stop committing stupid penalties and turnovers. Haven't we been saying these exact words for the last three or four years? I believe we can and should beat everybody left on our schedule, but at some point we have to start to put a more polished product on the field and actually be a team that doesn't commit turnover after turnover and penalty after penalty.

[junior4949]

While I agree that we can beat everyone left on our schedule, it's because they aren't very good. For everyone harping on Martinez and his throws, I urge them to watch the Michigan vs. Notre Dame game. Shoe Lace should have had about 5-7 INT's if Notre Dame's secondary would have just turned around and looked for the ball because he underthrew his receiver nearly every time.

[Husker_x]

lol, okay, we'll pull together and see you back after Halloween, I guess.

 

I've heard the year or two away story a few times already. Thanks, it's a good one. I've got a better one, though. In year four a Husker coach went into Madison, Wisconsin with the alleged #8 team in the country. He walked out with a 48-17 loss, an absolute blowout on national primetime television, continuing a streak of such failures in such games. After promoting a coordinator on a failed offensive staff, the same quarterback who is now legendary in his inability to hold onto or pass a football put on a four quarter clinic on how to mishandle one. The new wrinkle this year is the dispirited defense is also failing. The secondary went from NFL talent to store manikins in one season with nothing in between.

 

In year four.

 

Sorry, the sunshine pump is out of order.

[Husker66]

lol, okay, we'll pull together and see you back after Halloween, I guess.

 

I've heard the year or two away story a few times already. Thanks, it's a good one. I've got a better one, though. In year four a Husker coach went into Madison, Wisconsin with the alleged #8 team in the country. He walked out with a 48-17 loss, an absolute blowout on national primetime television, continuing a streak of such failures in such games. After promoting a coordinator on a failed offensive staff, the same quarterback who is now legendary in his inability to hold onto or pass a football put on a four quarter clinic on how to mishandle one. The new wrinkle this year is the dispirited defense is also failing. The secondary went from NFL talent to store manikins in one season with nothing in between.

 

In year four.

 

Sorry, the sunshine pump is out of order.

 

+100

[NUance]

If I had to pinpoint one area of our team that I am dissappointed in it is the secondary. We have some great young players in our secondary. We really do. But at this point in time, in my personal opinion they are playing as a bunch of individuals and not one unit. That is what needs to change. Everyone back there needs to work in conjunction. That has not happened. Give me 4-5 guys that can do that over the biggest stars in the world who can't any day. Until they learn to work as a unit we will continue to have issues there.

I'm a bit surprised by our secondary's poor play. Sure, we lost several guys from last year. A couple of them NFL caliber. I guess I just assumed the Pelinis would work their magic in the secondary. I didn't see much magic last night. But maybe that's why we've been playing different guys back there every game now. Still haven't found a coverage squad that can play as a unit.

[zoogs]

Still, we can't panic and start falling off the bandwagon. "Let's stick together" - I agree with those sentiments.

 

It was a crushing loss, but this team might surprise you. I don't think this team is going to melt down like 2007, but some fan support couldn't hurt, either!

 

 

[Coqui]

As an Ohio State fan, I've said here numerous times (and most didn't take me seriously) Playing at night in Madison was going to be incredibly tough. It is very hard to beat the Badgers at home in a night game.

 

That being said, barring some unforeseen miracle or some immaculate epiphany by Ohio State quarterbacks, there's going to be no issue defeating the Buckeyes next week. There will be a shock with Boom Herron returning, you're going to see a more potent rushing attack. However, it's not going to be enough until one of our QBs can prove they can pass the ball efficiently.

[BigAppleBucky]

Huskerboard,

 

1. . . . I do have a serious problem with how I was treated by about 35% of the people that I was greeted by and I can assure you that if they came to Lincoln they would certainly not be treated the way I was at points this weekend.

 

2. . . . That Wisconsin team is very good, but they certainly are not that much better than we are.

 

3. . . . I still do see this (Nebraska) team winning 9-10 football games. . .

 

I've described myself as shocked by last night's result. I expected a one or two score game.

 

1. Sorry to read that. One of the women in the group I go to NYC bars and watch games with has a good friend who graduated from Michigan. We give her the A-hole chant and then sit down and watch the game and drink with her. Just don't do high fives.

 

2. 11 players on defense, 11 players on special teams and 10 players on offense are about equal across the two teams, but Russell Wilson is special. We've never had the likes of him at Wisconsin. Not sure he's big enough for the pros, but he certainly has the arm and the head for Sundays.

 

3. Yep. Barring injuries you do.

 

 

It's beginning to look like Michigan is your main competition in the western division. Hoke seems to have righted their defense which was truly horrible (and, to be fair, injury riddled) last season.

 

Good luck against the Buckeyes.

[The Dude]

Good posts EZ-E and Husker_x. I agree with both of them, if that makes any sense.

[huskered17]

I thought we went away from the running game to soon, once Martinez started hitting some passes. We were moving the ball on the ground with Burkhead,and maybe should have kept it up until they slowed it down again. Relying on Martinez to keep his surprising early success in his passing going, instead of using it when they started crowding the line again, was asking for trouble.

Michigan's qb isn't any better at passing, even with the their new coach trying to make him a pocket passer, but he still seems to let him do what he does best, run the ball. Thats seems to have been taken away a lot from Martinez, with our new offense.

We got beat by a better team last night. Say what you will, turnovers are part of the game. The Huskers will see Wis again, if the defense is fixed when they visit Michigan.

 

GBR!!!

[teachercd]

1. The idea that there is next year and next year and so on is legit but at the same time you have to do things this year too.

2. If some of these younger guys don't start getting more reps, which I think they should, you are going to see some guys leaving.

[robsker]

One more thing, what happened tonight does not legitamize any of the "Big and Mighty Big Ten" claims that we have heard for the last year or so. If we don't commit turnovers and stupid penalties we will be able to play with and beat any team that is left on our schedule.

 

Please....

 

 

NU consistently is under-prepared and is constantly unfocused --- and plays consistently un-focused football, with poor fundamentals and are really poorly coached. How does this manifest itself? In dropped passes, missed blocks, blown coverages, fumbles, interceptions... and mental lapses on the part of players and also the team simply freaking out and playing too tight. These are the very things you cits as your "if only these things did not happen"

 

Well sure, if only these turnovers and mental mistakes and penalties did not happen we might win. Sure! But they happen every week.

 

It is not that the B10 is so awesome... it is that NU is so bad.

 

Fear Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State and Northwestern --- no none of them are awesome --- but all are better coached, better prepared to play than us, and all of them have a better chance of beating us than we do of beating them (or are about even with us). We will not lose them all, but we will lose most of them. I repeat, this is not because these teams are so good --- but because NU is so bad.

 

When I say NU is so bad, I refer to the problems with fundamentals, with coverage assignments, with blocking assignments, with fumbles, with penalties, with losing focus and sleep-walking on the field, with lack of fire, lack of passion, playing seemingly too tight, with a QB who is asked to do what he cannot do, with interceptions, poor QB fundamentals, etc... It is coaching... for the most part, that results in this. Theoretically, it can all change and get better --- proper coaching can fix most of these problems (not all, but most) --- it is just that there is no evidence that this staff can fix things --- they caused these things... it is their job to fix them. In the interim, NU will field again and again what it has fielded these past few years --- an unfocused team ready to implode.

 

No, our struggles in the B10 are because of NU. Not the B10. We have been the #3,4 or 5 team most years in the B12... rarely, rarely competing against the conference elite and that is how NU would have been if they were in the B10 too. Until NU coaching gets better... much better... the future will be like the past... posters will lament "if not for our penalties/fumbles/interceptions... we would have won" and each week, with rare exceptions, they will be right --- if it were not for these mistakes we would have won --- only we make these mistakes every week (against solid competition) and we did not win.