Leadership, Accountability, & Toughness

[The Duke]

I have been a follower on HuskerBoard for a while, and a Nebraska fan for over 20 years. I just joined HuskerBoard, so this is my very first post, so bare with me.

 

It is obvious after the Wisconsin debacle that Nebraska football still has many glaring issues and concerns that need to be addressed and fixed before we can even be considered to be approaching the nation’s elite again. There is no question that our overall history still makes us one of the Top 5 teams in the country. However, this last decade Nebraska football has lost its way. We have forgotten who we are, and what made us one of the most dominant and most feared teams in the 70’s, 80’s, & 90’s.

 

At our core Nebraska football is about: LEADERSHIP, ACCOUNTABILITY, & TOUGHNESS.

 

I have complete faith in Bo Pelini. He has won 9 or 10 games in each of the four years that he has been here, and thus we have also been to a bowl game each of those four years. The man has been a winner everywhere he has coached, and I have faith that he will get this program back to the top. We cannot forget that it took Osborne over 20 years before he finally won his 1^st National Championship. If Bo continues to win 9 or 10 games every year I will be happy.

 

My biggest complaint I have with Bo, and I think this has had the most profound effect on the team, is in the way he selects new captains for every single game. This team needs leadership. The players need to hold themselves accountable when things don’t go right in a game. I wish Bo would take a look at this current policy and really consider choosing whom he & the coaches thought are the best 3 or 4 leaders on the team, and name them Team Captains for the entire season! Example: Rex Burkhead.

 

The next issue that Nebraska must figure out is: What is our IDENTITY on offense?

I am ok with us being Multiple. Heck, Tom Osborne believed in being multiple and having 12 to 15 different formations. But many times during a game we would run the same play from different formations, which is very confusing for a defense. Now that Callahan & Watson are gone….(thank God) I think things are on the right track now that Tim Beck is our offensive coordinator. I am thrilled that we are slowly brining back the Power Off-Tackle runs, the Power Iso, the Toss Sweeps, and yes the Triple & Speed Options. But the Wisconsin game was proof that we still look like we are calling plays from a grab bag. In the first quarter the power running game and the option game were working well, and it was helping Taylor with the Play-Action Passes. Why we started doing drop back passes from the Pistol formation the rest of the game still baffles me? So again, what is our IDENTITY?

 

I think Nebraska is perfect fit in the Big Ten, and while the Wisconsin game was a huge let down I am confident that Bo, Carl, and the rest of the Husker coaching staff will get Nebraska back to where it wants to be. But we need ACCOUNTABILITY & LEADERSHIP…not just from Bo, but more importantly from the players. So it is my opinion that if we bring back naming season long Team Captains and then finding a true identity on offense and sticking to that identity that the dominant Nebraska program we all crave will return sooner than we think.

 

What say you fellow Husker fans?

[knapplc]

 

What say you fellow Husker fans?

 

I say as much as that game sucked, it's still one game against the unquestioned best team in the conference at night in their stadium with a new offensive scheme and a sophomore quarterback. I say I have no idea what happened to the defense, but that's Bo's forte so if there's a side of the ball that should be easiest to fix, it's there.

 

I say the people piling on what is turning out to be a questionable quarterback are venting more than doing anything constructive, and no amount of character assassination of a member of our team is going to make him play better. I say there's a difference between legitimately griping about a guy's play on the field and cracking on the person.

 

I say I think I'm in the minority in those opinions, too. Which is sad.

[bshirt]

I think Beck simply panicked due to our defense getting run over. He threw our "identity" in the garbage and tried to change us into Texas Tech. It was a disaster.

 

We weren't going to win no matter what we did on offense but that decision made it a whole lot worse.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

Great first post! Welcome to huskerboard.com and I look forward to seeing you around. I agree with everything you said and I truly believe Bo is the right man for the job. What I don't want to have happen is us go through another coaching change especially when there is no reason for it. I think Bo needs to make some coaching changes, I'm looking at you Barney, Els, and Raymond. We aren't that far off from turning the corner, we just can't seem to get there and it doesn't help that almost everytime we get in a HUGE game we seem to screw the pooch, so-to-speak.

[The Duke]

No doubt knapplc, Wisconsin is certainly the best team in the Big Ten. What is sad is that they beat us with our old formula: a physical & punishing running game, which set up smart play-action passes. The only thing they were missing from our old formula was the option game. I was very impressed with Wisconsin last night, and their QB Wilson is the real deal.

 

I think we will get back to that style of offense eventually, and when we do, the future match ups between the Huskers & the Badgers are going to be some great games to watch.

 

We just need to establish an identity on offense first.

[The Duke]

Great first post! Welcome to huskerboard.com and I look forward to seeing you around. I agree with everything you said and I truly believe Bo is the right man for the job. What I don't want to have happen is us go through another coaching change especially when there is no reason for it. I think Bo needs to make some coaching changes, I'm looking at you Barney, Els, and Raymond. We aren't that far off from turning the corner, we just can't seem to get there and it doesn't help that almost everytime we get in a HUGE game we seem to screw the pooch, so-to-speak.

 

 

Thanks BIGREDIOWAN! I look forward to seeing you around also. I have followed huskerboard.com for a long time now, and after last night's game I was like "ok I need to join in on the conversation."

[huskerdan64]

I have been a follower on HuskerBoard for a while, and a Nebraska fan for over 20 years. I just joined HuskerBoard, so this is my very first post, so bare with me.

 

It is obvious after the Wisconsin debacle that Nebraska football still has many glaring issues and concerns that need to be addressed and fixed before we can even be considered to be approaching the nation’s elite again. There is no question that our overall history still makes us one of the Top 5 teams in the country. However, this last decade Nebraska football has lost its way. We have forgotten who we are, and what made us one of the most dominant and most feared teams in the 70’s, 80’s, & 90’s.

 

At our core Nebraska football is about: LEADERSHIP, ACCOUNTABILITY, & TOUGHNESS.

 

I have complete faith in Bo Pelini. He has won 9 or 10 games in each of the four years that he has been here, and thus we have also been to a bowl game each of those four years. The man has been a winner everywhere he has coached, and I have faith that he will get this program back to the top. We cannot forget that it took Osborne over 20 years before he finally won his 1^st National Championship. If Bo continues to win 9 or 10 games every year I will be happy.

 

My biggest complaint I have with Bo, and I think this has had the most profound effect on the team, is in the way he selects new captains for every single game. This team needs leadership. The players need to hold themselves accountable when things don’t go right in a game. I wish Bo would take a look at this current policy and really consider choosing whom he & the coaches thought are the best 3 or 4 leaders on the team, and name them Team Captains for the entire season! Example: Rex Burkhead.

 

The next issue that Nebraska must figure out is: What is our IDENTITY on offense?

I am ok with us being Multiple. Heck, Tom Osborne believed in being multiple and having 12 to 15 different formations. But many times during a game we would run the same play from different formations, which is very confusing for a defense. Now that Callahan & Watson are gone….(thank God) I think things are on the right track now that Tim Beck is our offensive coordinator. I am thrilled that we are slowly brining back the Power Off-Tackle runs, the Power Iso, the Toss Sweeps, and yes the Triple & Speed Options. But the Wisconsin game was proof that we still look like we are calling plays from a grab bag. In the first quarter the power running game and the option game were working well, and it was helping Taylor with the Play-Action Passes. Why we started doing drop back passes from the Pistol formation the rest of the game still baffles me? So again, what is our IDENTITY?

 

I think Nebraska is perfect fit in the Big Ten, and while the Wisconsin game was a huge let down I am confident that Bo, Carl, and the rest of the Husker coaching staff will get Nebraska back to where it wants to be. But we need ACCOUNTABILITY & LEADERSHIP…not just from Bo, but more importantly from the players. So it is my opinion that if we bring back naming season long Team Captains and then finding a true identity on offense and sticking to that identity that the dominant Nebraska program we all crave will return sooner than we think.

 

What say you fellow Husker fans?

Agree with you 100% especially the part about the players holding themselves accountable for their actions on the field. I remember one shot of the defense sitting on the bench with their heeads hung, no fire no one trying to provide a spark. The coaches can only do so much from their its on the players.

[The Duke]

I have been a follower on HuskerBoard for a while, and a Nebraska fan for over 20 years. I just joined HuskerBoard, so this is my very first post, so bare with me.

 

It is obvious after the Wisconsin debacle that Nebraska football still has many glaring issues and concerns that need to be addressed and fixed before we can even be considered to be approaching the nation’s elite again. There is no question that our overall history still makes us one of the Top 5 teams in the country. However, this last decade Nebraska football has lost its way. We have forgotten who we are, and what made us one of the most dominant and most feared teams in the 70’s, 80’s, & 90’s.

 

At our core Nebraska football is about: LEADERSHIP, ACCOUNTABILITY, & TOUGHNESS.

 

I have complete faith in Bo Pelini. He has won 9 or 10 games in each of the four years that he has been here, and thus we have also been to a bowl game each of those four years. The man has been a winner everywhere he has coached, and I have faith that he will get this program back to the top. We cannot forget that it took Osborne over 20 years before he finally won his 1^st National Championship. If Bo continues to win 9 or 10 games every year I will be happy.

 

My biggest complaint I have with Bo, and I think this has had the most profound effect on the team, is in the way he selects new captains for every single game. This team needs leadership. The players need to hold themselves accountable when things don’t go right in a game. I wish Bo would take a look at this current policy and really consider choosing whom he & the coaches thought are the best 3 or 4 leaders on the team, and name them Team Captains for the entire season! Example: Rex Burkhead.

 

The next issue that Nebraska must figure out is: What is our IDENTITY on offense?

I am ok with us being Multiple. Heck, Tom Osborne believed in being multiple and having 12 to 15 different formations. But many times during a game we would run the same play from different formations, which is very confusing for a defense. Now that Callahan & Watson are gone….(thank God) I think things are on the right track now that Tim Beck is our offensive coordinator. I am thrilled that we are slowly brining back the Power Off-Tackle runs, the Power Iso, the Toss Sweeps, and yes the Triple & Speed Options. But the Wisconsin game was proof that we still look like we are calling plays from a grab bag. In the first quarter the power running game and the option game were working well, and it was helping Taylor with the Play-Action Passes. Why we started doing drop back passes from the Pistol formation the rest of the game still baffles me? So again, what is our IDENTITY?

 

I think Nebraska is perfect fit in the Big Ten, and while the Wisconsin game was a huge let down I am confident that Bo, Carl, and the rest of the Husker coaching staff will get Nebraska back to where it wants to be. But we need ACCOUNTABILITY & LEADERSHIP…not just from Bo, but more importantly from the players. So it is my opinion that if we bring back naming season long Team Captains and then finding a true identity on offense and sticking to that identity that the dominant Nebraska program we all crave will return sooner than we think.

 

What say you fellow Husker fans?

Agree with you 100% especially the part about the players holding themselves accountable for their actions on the field. I remember one shot of the defense sitting on the bench with their heeads hung, no fire no one trying to provide a spark. The coaches can only do so much from their its on the players.

 

Exactly! The other night on Big Red Wrap-Up Jason Peter said that back in the 90's the defensive line's philosophy towards the secondary was "we don't need you." And what he meant by that is that no matter what the coaching scheme was, no matter if someone in the secondary was out of position, that D-Line was going to put the team on it's back and do whatever they could to get a victory. We need that kind of leadership from the players again.

[Igetbored216]

Yes, Wisconsin is for sure the best team in the conference, but that's not saying much. The Big 10 isn't very good this year. Very, very average. Hopefully Wisconsin doesn't find themselves in the championship game because they will most likely face LSU or Alabama and are going to get embarrassed.

 

I think if the coordinators kept with their gameplan they used in the beginning stages of the game, it would have been alot closer in score and Nebraska would have had a real chance to win. But totally pushing the run game aside and not pressuring Wilson was a mistake and the final score reflects this.

[Badger_HB]

Yes, Wisconsin is for sure the best team in the conference, but that's not saying much. The Big 10 isn't very good this year. Very, very average. Hopefully Wisconsin doesn't find themselves in the championship game because they will most likely face LSU or Alabama and are going to get embarrassed.

 

I think if the coordinators kept with their gameplan they used in the beginning stages of the game, it would have been alot closer in score and Nebraska would have had a real chance to win. But totally pushing the run game aside and not pressuring Wilson was a mistake and the final score reflects this.

They won't. The winner of LSU/Alabama (provided they go undefeated) and Oklahoma (again, undefeated) will make it.

[krc1995]

Yes, Wisconsin is for sure the best team in the conference, but that's not saying much. The Big 10 isn't very good this year. Very, very average. Hopefully Wisconsin doesn't find themselves in the championship game because they will most likely face LSU or Alabama and are going to get embarrassed.

 

I think if the coordinators kept with their gameplan they used in the beginning stages of the game, it would have been alot closer in score and Nebraska would have had a real chance to win. But totally pushing the run game aside and not pressuring Wilson was a mistake and the final score reflects this.

They won't. The winner of LSU/Alabama (provided they go undefeated) and Oklahoma (again, undefeated) will make it.

I laugh at everyone talking about who's going to play for the NC. It's the first week of October for chrissake

[Badger_HB]

 

I laugh at everyone talking about who's going to play for the NC. It's the first week of October for chrissake

Agreed, but it keeps us busy during the week.

[The Dude]

Fonzie's Facebook status from today was encouraging:

 

I take blame for our secondary because I suppose to be a leader since I'm a senior so I'm letting u know You will c a change kome Saturday #believedat

[HUSKERCR]

For what it's worth, to me this looked like a team loss.

The offense, defense, special teams and coaching were lame most of the game.

Poor/sloppy play, bad coaching decisions, missed FGs, etc.

 

It happens. Remember Missouri in 2008?

 

I'm more interested in the character of the team and staff in

implementing corrections and moving on.

 

I think we'll be OK.

[True2tRA]

Wisconsin > Nebraska