This Season Seems Hollow . . .

[knapplc]

Is anyone else having problems understanding what I'm saying in this thread?

[da skers]

why was our defense so hyped during the preseason? i did not see it, but bought into the hype because i wanted to believe so badly.

The D Line was supposed to be the strength of the team, and we were supposed to have All-Americans at all three levels of defense. With Camstache, Crick and Steinkuhler returning intact and Ankrah/Martin taking over at the other DE being largely perceived as addition by subtraction of Pierre Allen, we were all geared up to have a fantastic D Line with quality depth at every position. Add to that Lavonte David coming off a record-setting year and the return of Compton and Fisher, who were both "potential" guys, we were assuming LB would be decent, if not good. Add to that Lockdown Dennard on one side and Ciante Evans, who had shown flashes of brilliance on the other, the prevailing wisdom would be that we would be superlative on one side (Dennard's) and pretty good on the other (Evans'). At Safety we were pretty up in the air, but again the prevailing wisdom was that the other levels of solid play would protect the safeties from exposure, and they would grow into their roles. Instead of all this, we got a porous D Line that contributes to our #117 (out of 120 teams) ranking in Tackles for Loss and the #66 Rushing Defense. Every single team we've played has rushed the ball on us, and most have passed with comfort as well. The debacle of withholding the Blackshirts for more than half the season didn't help this situation, either. There was plenty of potential with this defense. But with a few exceptions, it hasn't come to fruition. With Bo being a "defensive genius," this is pretty hard to stomach for most.

RIGHT ON THE NAIL!! I think we all had a feeling that our offense would need time to get going and would have to rely on our defense to make it manageable.....but never thought we would struggle so late in the season. Yeah, they have improved but still seem to lack that intensity that I thought they would have.

I'm guessing you wouldn't have imagined losing so many D line guys (whom I said were a weakness back last summer) or having as many DBs this year playing hurt or and missing games either. All of this why installing a new defense we're not exactly suited to play at the moment. Its very similar to Bo's first year when we had zero LB's and the wrong type of guys for the defense.

[Eagle1]

Is anyone else having problems understanding what I'm saying in this thread?

Nope

[Enhance]

Nebraska had 331 total yards of offense and 17 points against a defense currently ranked third (again...third) in points allowed per game and eighth in total yards allowed. Why on earth is that concerning? Averaging 3.9 yards per carry against a defense like that isn't great, but it also isn't bad.

 

I think knapplc has a point, AustinHuskr. You're looking at specific information rather than considering extraneous factors. PSU's defense is a top ten defense. I won't go so far to say that the line hasn't looked bad at times this year, but I would go as far to say they've looked more consistent this year than in the last couple of years. The PSU case doesn't support your argument about the OL getting whooped on - PSU is a top defense.

[da skers]

Is anyone else having problems understanding what I'm saying in this thread?

Yes. . .you're a moron.

[AustinHuskr]

Nebraska had 331 total yards of offense and 17 points against a defense currently ranked third (again...third) in points allowed per game and eighth in total yards allowed. Why on earth is that concerning? Averaging 3.9 yards per carry against a defense like that isn't great, but it also isn't bad.

All I was saying is that the OL got whipped at the LOS and I have not seen PSU do that to anyone to that level. And yes, I watched a couple of their games against average teams like NW.

I think knapplc has a point, AustinHuskr. You're looking at specific information rather than considering extraneous factors. PSU's defense is a top ten defense. I won't go so far to say that the line hasn't looked bad at times this year, but I would go as far to say they've looked more consistent this year than in the last couple of years. The PSU case doesn't support your argument about the OL getting whooped on - PSU is a top defense.

Again, go back and watch. Watch Spencer Long and Caputo get beaten time and time again. Sorry - NEBRASKA should have a better showing than that no matter how great the def. is. To me that's symptomatic of other issues - and we saw those issues against Fresno, NW, Wyoming and others. Are you saying they didn't get whupped against NW?

[kchusker_chris]

Is anyone else having problems understanding what I'm saying in this thread?

yeah - i get lost in austinhuskrs delusional spew of BS and by the time i get to your post I'm wandering aimlessly through the thread wondering in what way I should kill myself - gun, rope, or poison. i struggle to gain some strength, pick up my head and keep going. I open another thread with a renewed hope that austinhuskrs hasn't yet found it - but alas...there he is again and I am subjected to another soapbox rant about martinez/pelini.

 

...i think i'll go w/ the gun. i've already experienced slow and painful...i've read through a thread commented on by austinhuskrs.

[junior4949]

The reason this game feels hollow to me is the fact that the Big 10 isn't very good, probably the 4th best conference this year, and we're not even going to make the Big 10 Championship Game. In 09', we played Texas down to the wire and Texas went on to play for a NC. Last year, we played OU down to the wire and should have won that game. They easily won their BCS Bowl. This year, we get to stay home and watch the conference championship game between two mediocre teams. We got completely throttled by a team which we haven't really seen since Bo's first year. Then, we go on to lose to a not so great NW team at home. It just seems like week in and week out this team plays very uninspired. We saw it against the likes of Fresno State, Washington, etc. I've been impressed with our offense with the exception of the OL. The OL has played like one good game. The defense has been a complete disaster. Over 25% of our defensive starters were pegged All Americans. I think our offense could be better next year. Unless there's something I'm not seeing or some guys drastically improve, the defense will be an even bigger disaster next year than this year.

[Chaddyboxer]

Well....the offensive line had a decent game against a very solid PSU defensive line....It is honestly NOT REALISTIC to see a team be consistent (playing excellent ball/flawless execution) game in and game out for 11 games a season without putting on a decent to fair performance. You will have combinations during a game...at times the WR's are playing consistently amazing, while the running game is playing decent and the offensive line is playing poorly. This happens with EVERY team, even the top ones.

 

The point I am trying to make is a lot of people nit-pick...and I find it to be trivial at times....beating a deadhorse you could say...lol. It's going to happen. There are some evident issues on our offense and defense...but the team keeps improving and keeps getting W's.

[Undone]

Is anyone else having problems understanding what I'm saying in this thread?

 

No, not at all.

 

Austin's main problem is not the horrendous negativity. Forums definitely need a balance of opinions - otherwise they'd be extremely boring. His main problem is refusing to dialogue on the strong points that others make contrary to his. To boot, he takes contrary opinions personally to a bizarre and irrational level.

[AustinHuskr]

Is anyone else having problems understanding what I'm saying in this thread?

 

No, not at all.

 

Austin's main problem is not the horrendous negativity. Forums definitely need a balance of opinions - otherwise they'd be extremely boring. His main problem is refusing to dialogue on the strong points that others make contrary to his. To boot, he takes contrary opinions personally to a bizarre and irrational level.

Like what?

[knapplc]

Is anyone else having problems understanding what I'm saying in this thread?

 

No, not at all.

 

Austin's main problem is not the horrendous negativity. Forums definitely need a balance of opinions - otherwise they'd be extremely boring. His main problem is refusing to dialogue on the strong points that others make contrary to his. To boot, he takes contrary opinions personally to a bizarre and irrational level.

Like what?

 

It would have been epic if you would have responded, "YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH ME, MAN!!?!?!?!?!?!"

 

Opportunity lost. C'est la vie.

[Enhance]

All I was saying is that the OL got whipped at the LOS and I have not seen PSU do that to anyone to that level. And yes, I watched a couple of their games against average teams like NW.

I see your point, but I personally don't think that really detracts from anything. They have a good defensive line, and I don't think the unit as a whole played as poorly as you are eluding to.

Again, go back and watch. Watch Spencer Long and Caputo get beaten time and time again. Sorry - NEBRASKA should have a better showing than that no matter how great the def. is. To me that's symptomatic of other issues - and we saw those issues against Fresno, NW, Wyoming and others. Are you saying they didn't get whupped against NW?

Here, I understand your point as well. A couple of things to add though. First, Caputo is an undersized center and this is a fact. From a physical stand point, he has never stood up to larger or greater defensive tackles. The fact that he struggles isn't that crazy to me. Second, you mention Long getting beat time and time again, but I also remember seeing him make some very good plays along the line. Did he have consistent play? No - but I don't think he's playing as bad as you are intentionally or unintentionally eluding too. Furthermore, he's only a sophomore and this is his first year seeing playing time. I've said time and again that offensive linemen really don't hit their stride until they're at least juniors and seniors.

 

Additionally, yes - we are Nebraska. But we also have a coach who I have said time and time again I don't think does a great job (Cotton). Align that with youth and little experience depth and bang - you have some issues. However, you mention several games where you thought the o-line didn't perform great, but there are other games (second half against tOSU, Minnesota game, and MSU game) where the line played pretty consistent football. I'm not saying they didn't struggle in those games you mentioned, but they also didn't play poorly. Overall, I'd give this years offensive line a B average performance.

 

Great? No. Poor? No.

[knapplc]

I think every Husker fan wishes we were farther along in the process of "getting back." But Osborne didn't get us "back" right away, either. Took him a dozen years to vie for his first MNC. Nobody is ready to etch Pelini's name next to Osborne's yet, but the takeaway from this lesson is: Patience.

[sd'sker]

I think every Husker fan wishes we were farther along in the process of "getting back." But Osborne didn't get us "back" right away, either. Took him a dozen years to vie for his first MNC. Nobody is ready to etch Pelini's name next to Osborne's yet, but the takeaway from this lesson is: Patience.

i think it is just frustration from seeing how close we are, and i mean a couple of plays. in 2009, 3 of our losses essentially happened on one play each. last year, we should have won every game we lost. this year, we are sitting at 6-8 in the bcs with a shot at the rose bowl if we do not lose to NW (a good team, no shame in losing to them, just how we lost. we should not have lost that game). with perspective, you can not complain about a 9-10 win season. without perspective, the frustration is insurmountable.