What Have We Learned???

[Paul in WI]

I learned that it wasn't a fluke that we make good halftime adjustments and wear opposing defenses down in the second half. That bodes very well for direction of this program.

[Husker Richard]

We can dominate an immobile QB.

[robsker]

We learned that when NU is playing both sides of the ball hard and smart, all 4 quarters... well... that NU is pretty good!

 

I think as well the C. Evans, Andrew Green, Daimon Stafford, our entire DL and, especially Will Compton can be quite good. I think for those listed, that today was the best game that any of them have had.

[macroboy]

Dennard is fully healthy and is awesome.

Defense took a big step forward- I think they are starting to find the personnel combos they've been searching for.

Welcome to D1 football Will Compton!!

I really like the offensive play calling and all of the formations. At least 3 times I said "Damn, that was a great call"

The Pelini's are so good at defense. The packages they put together for today were so effective.

Everyone keeps talking about us getting used to the BIG but the BIG also has to get used to Lincoln!!

 

Mobile Qb's still worry me but I think we are in good shape for the Lesbian's division or whatever we are in.

[carcross]

A few things to note from a (MSU) visitor's perspective:

1. Not trying to take anything away from your win today or how you played (you have a very nice team who played very well), but the Spartan team you beat today is not the same team that played earlier in October. As was brought up, playing @OSU, then a big rivalry game against UM, and then another big game against Wisconsin... you can only "get up" so many weeks in a row. Again I say that not to diminish your victory today, but as a warning to not use today's 21 point margin of victory today as a measuring stick to guess how you may fare against other conference foes.

2. I see you rolling against NW next week. It is in Lincoln, and your defense will really neutralize their passing game. Once NW's passing game gets shut down, NW falls apart and you win easily.

3. The following week @ Penn State really decides the division title. Key considerations I see for that game are:

A - Does coming off (what should be) 3-consecutive wins by large margins of victory over inflate players heads?

B - Penn State is an average B1G team. They are good enough that they could beat you at home, but probably not in Lincoln.

C - What effect does playing on the road for the first time since Wisconsin have on your team (and no, the glorified scrimmage at Minnesota doesn't count as a real road game).

If you take care of business, you should win. But Penn State is a tough place to play.

4. You will win in Ann Arbor. Michigan is still a soft team, and the Huskers will take advantage of it.

 

Good luck the rest of the way, it should be interesting how things shake out. In any event, we are glad to have you in the conference and nice game today. You have a great college football atmosphere in Lincoln!

[zoogs]

I will agree with carcross - this cannot be the same Spartan team that took down Wisconsin earlier this month. The level of preparedness from our players and coaches just far exceeded that of the MSU side. Would we have won under different circumstances? I don't know, it depends, but circumstances are everything. It was not a weak team that we beat.

 

I am really, really upbeat about the rest of the season, but just like you guys, it will be hard to keep it up continuously. Plus, I hear if you do for more than six weeks in a row, you should see a doctor.

 

We are primed for a strong finish, but can still drop the ball at any time. It won't be an easy road and MSU is definitely not out of it yet.

 

[The Dude]

We learned that this team is actually capable of making it 4 quarters without turning it into a goddamned slap stick comedy act. I feel like a kid again!

[teachercd]

I will agree with carcross - this cannot be the same Spartan team that took down Wisconsin earlier this month. The level of preparedness from our players and coaches just far exceeded that of the MSU side. Would we have won under different circumstances? I don't know, it depends, but circumstances are everything. It was not a weak team that we beat.

 

I am really, really upbeat about the rest of the season, but just like you guys, it will be hard to keep it up continuously. Plus, I hear if you do for more than six weeks in a row, you should see a doctor.

 

We are primed for a strong finish, but can still drop the ball at any time. It won't be an easy road and MSU is definitely not out of it yet.

 

It was last week and it is the same MSU team. To many people just pretended like that were LSU and Bama combined.

[Paul in WI]

By the same token, this is not the same Nebraska team that lost to Wisconsin, and Wisconsin is not so imposing when they're not in Madison. We've been showing steady improvement as the season progresses, and the CCG is in Indy--not Madison. We still have a lot of work to do on both sides of the ball, but we control our own destiny in the Big Ten. If we keep digging and win out, we're in a BCS game. I think that if you asked any Husker fan before the season if a BCS bowl would mark a successful year, just about anyone would have said yes. I don't think anyone had delusions of winning it all.

 

I like the way an incomplete, rebuilding Nebraska program is already competing in its new conference. Look out once we get it all together.

[NoLongerN]

A few things to note from a (MSU) visitor's perspective:

1. Not trying to take anything away from your win today or how you played (you have a very nice team who played very well), but the Spartan team you beat today is not the same team that played earlier in October. As was brought up, playing @OSU, then a big rivalry game against UM, and then another big game against Wisconsin... you can only "get up" so many weeks in a row. Again I say that not to diminish your victory today, but as a warning to not use today's 21 point margin of victory today as a measuring stick to guess how you may fare against other conference foes.

2. I see you rolling against NW next week. It is in Lincoln, and your defense will really neutralize their passing game. Once NW's passing game gets shut down, NW falls apart and you win easily.

3. The following week @ Penn State really decides the division title. Key considerations I see for that game are:

A - Does coming off (what should be) 3-consecutive wins by large margins of victory over inflate players heads?

B - Penn State is an average B1G team. They are good enough that they could beat you at home, but probably not in Lincoln.

C - What effect does playing on the road for the first time since Wisconsin have on your team (and no, the glorified scrimmage at Minnesota doesn't count as a real road game).

If you take care of business, you should win. But Penn State is a tough place to play.

4. You will win in Ann Arbor. Michigan is still a soft team, and the Huskers will take advantage of it.

 

Good luck the rest of the way, it should be interesting how things shake out. In any event, we are glad to have you in the conference and nice game today. You have a great college football atmosphere in Lincoln!

 

Agree with you. I'll be interested to see how this team does against Iowa if it beats Penn State and Michigan ... to me ... a win against Iowa after beating those two teams meantioned would be similiar to what Michigan State tried to do today.

 

On the other side ... this Husker team probably isn't as bad as the beatdown we took at the hands of the Badgers.

[Treand3]

By the same token, this is not the same Nebraska team that lost to Wisconsin, and Wisconsin is not so imposing when they're not in Madison. We've been showing steady improvement as the season progresses, and the CCG is in Indy--not Madison. We still have a lot of work to do on both sides of the ball, but we control our own destiny in the Big Ten. If we keep digging and win out, we're in a BCS game. I think that if you asked any Husker fan before the season if a BCS bowl would mark a successful year, just about anyone would have said yes. I don't think anyone had delusions of winning it all.

 

I like the way an incomplete, rebuilding Nebraska program is already competing in its new conference. Look out once we get it all together.

 

Great points! Yeah the Wiscy loss hurt, but in the grand scheme of things not all that important. As long as out team improves on a weekly basis, they will be in Indy come December (one game at a time of course). Lastly and you alluded to it, our team's ceiling is higher than just about anyone in the B1G.

 

[Nebula]

1.) That our defense looks one hell of a lot better when the opposing quarterback isn't a dual threat.

 

(I'm not talking about Denard Robinson here, btw. Because he isn't a dual threat. He can only run.)

 

We may have already faced the best quarterbacks we're going to see during our regular season. I think the Blackshirts (and we can call them that now) might suddenly start to resemble the unit we thought we had to start the season.

 

2.) Rex Burkhead. I'm not gonna write anything else.

 

3.) The offensive line is not the infected wound we've been accustomed to over the last few years. These guys are gelling, they're getting more and more physical, and their improvement makes our entire team better by leaps and bounds.

 

4.) Michigan State felt the effects of a tough, physical three week stretch today. They looked gassed early, I think about 14 (slight exaggeration, maybe) of their guys were helped off the field at some point...MSU came into Lincoln looking a little beat up and tired. No excuses, mind you. We manhandled them.

 

5.) #15 on defense? That guy? When he's 100% and has shaken off the rust from not playing, he changes the entire dynamic of the game for an opposing QB. You just can't throw his way. Can...not...do it. He is on lock down mode at this point, and I think that takes considerable pressure off the other three or four db's on the field with him. (Who, by the way, played a hell of a game all the way around as a unit. I'm looking at you in particular, Andrew Green.)

 

6.) If I had to pick a favorite to take the Legends, right here, right now, I would pick Nebraska. That wasn't the case 14 hours ago.

[krc1995]

1) I thought Cousins would pick us apart because of the lack of pressure we have seen in prior weeks. Credit our secondary. Fonzie broke up a lot of passes. I think our defense can be really good against more immobile QB's. Great team defense today.

2) Rex!

3) I was concerned at the half our offense was too one dimensional (I love Rex but he needs a breather once in awhile and you saw him go down in the second half), but good adjustments at half to give TMart the right throws and play action he needed.

4) Sacks and tackles for loss rule! Nice job by EMart and Compton today. Also, thought J. Williams had one of his better games.

5) Abdullah looks a bit shaky and we need to get him going again.

6) Would have liked to have seen Turner more.

[krc1995]

Ameer needs to get over himself and play football. None of that show of pointing to the sky and other crap before the play. Learn from Rex and just play ball

[af4liberty]

Ameer needs to get over himself and play football. None of that show of pointing to the sky and other crap before the play. Learn from Rex and just play ball

 

Pointing to the sky before the kick/punt is a selfish thing?