I cannot be the only one thinking this...

[Count 'Bility]

a 20-0 lead with 7 minutes left and a 20-7 lead with 3 minutes left is not "over" Damn this gets old. Carnes was not getting into this game that couldve flipped on one play. We're not talking abotu 49-7 here.

[huskerscott]

This game was far from a blowout. No way Carnes shouldve seen the field. I wish Nebraska wouldve gone for the throat to make 27-0. If that happened then I believe in getting the backups in. It just boggles my mind that our offense goes into fetal position when it has the lead EARLY in the 4th quarter.

[krill]

Not the most exciting game, but put yourself in the shoes of an Iowa fan or coach. It's completely demoralizing when the same guy gets 4+ yards on almost every carry while your squad can barely produce a 1st down.

[ladyhawke]

Am I the only one absolutely in love with the direction the offense is going?

 

Nope. I like it too. I like drives instead of the big play. We've had the big play sprinkled in there some times this year, but most of our scores have come off solid drives. Totally unlike the past couple of years.

We've become a speedy, and sometimes physical offense. We are multiple. We can be hard to defend when everyone is playing spot on.

It was such a balanced game today. That's how the MSU game was. I would love to see that type of play every game. I, too, am frustrated as to why Bo isn't playing our younger kids in the 4th quarter. The ONLY thing I can think of that might remotely be the reason is that he feels they're not ready but how can they get ready if they are not allowed to play?

[The Big Red Husker]

The most disturbing aspect in this thread for me is that Cody, I can't hit the broad side of the barn, Green would be texting players to leave NU. As one of the most overrated QB's to ever grace a football field, and a guy who was touted and always praised as a team player, this would really leave a bad taste in my mouth.

 

Cody Green will never be a quality QB at the FBS level, and watching him fail will only reinforce transferring is rarely a good move for a college athlete, very few have success....Russel Wilson is one of the exceptions, and mostly because he is an elite athlete which Cody was not, he had size but not much else.

[Enhance]

Mavric, it's obvious you think game-time snaps, regardless of what the back-up QB is doing, doesn't gain the player "anything." In fact, you said that point blank. You're entitled to your opinion, but I completely and fundamentally disagree with that assessment. Practice reps and game reps, in-front of 85,000 fans, are two completely different things. The game is faster, the snaps are more critical and they provide experience. Even if Carnes is simply handing off, he is still required to get the call from the sidelines, line up the players, snap the ball cleanly, watch his footwork and then hand the ball off effectively. It may look simple, but it is extremely easy to screw even that up.

 

You mention all those passing stats for those teams, four of which I think are more talented than we are. You also don't consider how many running plays those backs ups have done, which I'm sure is a lot more than how many passing attempts they have. The point is simple - you gain depth and experience by playing in actual games. Regardless of the situation, game snaps are fundamentally different than practice snaps, and they are much more valuable. I'm not upset that Carnes didn't see time, just disappointed.

[tschu]

I swear to god if we run another toss sweep on 3rd and 1, I'm going to nuts.

 

I HAAAAATE that play call. You have Legate and Burkhead, just quick punch it up the middle or right off the tackle. Don't stretch the play out laterally for no god damn reason.

 

I like that call against this kind of defense with Burkhead. Burkhead is great at reading the D and making the right cut, even if we get a small push. The younger guys only run it well right now if there's a really big hole for them to see, and against better defenses, you're right, it's been proving less effective as the season goes on and teams are ready for it. But it worked fine today against Iowa.

Even with Burkhead, (and especially with Burkhead) it isn't optimal since Burkhead is a North-South runner. Get him any kind of momentum and he will get you your 2 yards. There is aboslutely ZERO reason to make the line try to hold and extend blocks when we could just have rex and legate plow right into the opposing line.

[chickenheart]

I swear to god if we run another toss sweep on 3rd and 1, I'm going to nuts.

 

I HAAAAATE that play call. You have Legate and Burkhead, just quick punch it up the middle or right off the tackle. Don't stretch the play out laterally for no god damn reason.

 

I like that call against this kind of defense with Burkhead. Burkhead is great at reading the D and making the right cut, even if we get a small push. The younger guys only run it well right now if there's a really big hole for them to see, and against better defenses, you're right, it's been proving less effective as the season goes on and teams are ready for it. But it worked fine today against Iowa.

THIS!!! I like that call against this kind of defense with Burkhead. Burkhead is great at reading the D and making the right cut, even if we get a small push. The younger guys only run it well right now if there's a really big hole for them to see, and against better defenses, you're right, it's been proving less effective as the season goes on and teams are ready for it. But it worked fine today against Iowa.

[chickenheart]

Sorry I'm half Texan and Half Redneck...so I can't figure out this Quote, Multiquote, report, and well ok

[tschu]

I swear to god if we run another toss sweep on 3rd and 1, I'm going to nuts.

 

I HAAAAATE that play call. You have Legate and Burkhead, just quick punch it up the middle or right off the tackle. Don't stretch the play out laterally for no god damn reason.

 

I like that call against this kind of defense with Burkhead. Burkhead is great at reading the D and making the right cut, even if we get a small push. The younger guys only run it well right now if there's a really big hole for them to see, and against better defenses, you're right, it's been proving less effective as the season goes on and teams are ready for it. But it worked fine today against Iowa.

THIS!!! I like that call against this kind of defense with Burkhead. Burkhead is great at reading the D and making the right cut, even if we get a small push. The younger guys only run it well right now if there's a really big hole for them to see, and against better defenses, you're right, it's been proving less effective as the season goes on and teams are ready for it. But it worked fine today against Iowa.

Then run a handoff off-tackle. Same idea but WAAAAYYY quicker and allows for a much quicker cut and doesn't let the defense react. Rex's cutback ability is incredible, so let him use it without letting the LBs and DBs react to the play first.

[bshirt]

Mavric, it's obvious you think game-time snaps, regardless of what the back-up QB is doing, doesn't gain the player "anything." In fact, you said that point blank. You're entitled to your opinion, but I completely and fundamentally disagree with that assessment. Practice reps and game reps, in-front of 85,000 fans, are two completely different things. The game is faster, the snaps are more critical and they provide experience. Even if Carnes is simply handing off, he is still required to get the call from the sidelines, line up the players, snap the ball cleanly, watch his footwork and then hand the ball off effectively. It may look simple, but it is extremely easy to screw even that up.

 

You mention all those passing stats for those teams, four of which I think are more talented than we are. You also don't consider how many running plays those backs ups have done, which I'm sure is a lot more than how many passing attempts they have. The point is simple - you gain depth and experience by playing in actual games. Regardless of the situation, game snaps are fundamentally different than practice snaps, and they are much more valuable. I'm not upset that Carnes didn't see time, just disappointed.

 

True enough but there's a huge difference in pressure & action between garbage time and a knife fight with the game on the line. 20 - 7 sure wouldn't have me throwing in backup qbs unless it's down to the final minute or so & with the ball deep on their side of the field.

 

No way is garbage time the same thing but it would take a riverboat gambler to throw in backup qbs with the game in question. I don't blame Bo one single iota for not taking that chance.

 

I agree there's "something" to be gained by playing at garbage time but it's really not much, imo. Obviously the qb position is much, much more critical than any other position, right? That's probably why other back-up position players see more play than Carnes. Playing in that scenario when both teams know the game is done is over-rated imo. Certainly not worthless, but roughly equivalent to getting some more practice reps is my guess. That's all.

 

Now, if we had a mid 90s team where we're streamrolling opponents into the dust then I'm sure Bo or whoever would have our backup qbs playing more. But we're nowhere close to that. We'll just agree to disagree about this one my friend.

 

In summary, if you really, really want lots of backup qb play in the heat of battle you'll first & foremost want a dominate team. It's easy as pie for us fans to demand backup qbs play more but the HCs realize winning is far, far more important.

 

Bo knows the quickest way to get publicly beheaded is to lose a game due to backup qb mistakes. Heh.....Enhance, I know that you know full well what would happen in HuskerNation if that event ever happened.

 

GBR!!

[Radio]

Landomatic, based on what you said in the what did we learn thread, I know at least you agree with me here.

 

Our offense bores the hell out of me. Toss sweep. Iso lead. Toss sweep. Toss Sweep. It literally got to the point where I could call what we were going to run... Toss Sweep.

 

Im ok with it being boring. A win is a win. Just stick with what works.

 

My other problem with our offense is that when we build an good lead (not one that puts the game away, though) like 20 points and go into clock burn mode, we lose any and all fire. Players play to milk clock. It's like no one even cares about getting in the endzone anymore. I'm a bit young to remember, but didn't NU teams of ole run clock AND continue to pile points on at the SAME TIME? CRAZY NOTION!

So

I completely agree with this comment. "Players play to milk clock." Yes, it's fine to go into clock mode, but we absolutely still need to come out with the fire and intensity of trying to put the ball in the endzone. Too many times it looks like we're content with going 3 and out, milking some clock, and not turning the ball over. I'd really like to see this mind set change.

 

[SnowBigRed]

Landomatic, based on what you said in the what did we learn thread, I know at least you agree with me here.

 

Our offense bores the hell out of me. Toss sweep. Iso lead. Toss sweep. Toss Sweep. It literally got to the point where I could call what we were going to run... Toss Sweep.

 

Im ok with it being boring. A win is a win. Just stick with what works.

 

My other problem with our offense is that when we build an good lead (not one that puts the game away, though) like 20 points and go into clock burn mode, we lose any and all fire. Players play to milk clock. It's like no one even cares about getting in the endzone anymore. I'm a bit young to remember, but didn't NU teams of ole run clock AND continue to pile points on at the SAME TIME? CRAZY NOTION!

So

I completely agree with this comment. "Players play to milk clock." Yes, it's fine to go into clock mode, but we absolutely still need to come out with the fire and intensity of trying to put the ball in the endzone. Too many times it looks like we're content with going 3 and out, milking some clock, and not turning the ball over. I'd really like to see this mind set change.

 

 

I agree with this 100%. If the coaches' plan is to milk the clock and head for the bus, what takes more time off the clock? A 3 and out (but taking the play clock to 1 each play), or a 10 play - 80 yard drive? I think we all know the answer to this, plus we might put some more points on the board. 20 pts is not an insurmountable lead. Iowa scored 7, and were one long pass to McNutt away from only being down one score. Now, had NU scored a td in the 4th and made it 27-0, that is demoralizing and Iowa would have had no shot, and these discussions about whether Carnes should have played would actually have merit.

 

With that said, and this is not the point of the OP, I do not think Carnes should have played yesterday. As I said, 20 pts is not a huge lead in today's football. Bo made the right call on that.

[Landomatic]

This thread just cements the fact that people are not happy unless they are unhappy with something.

 

Exactly.

 

Even if we played the most perfect game in the history of cfb (maybe something like a 127 - 0 win) NU fans would still find endless things to bitch, whine & sob about. It's simply our DNA.

 

I don't agree with this. I don't ever remember bitching during the 95 season but I'm bitching now. I think people as you described are the extreme minority. There are also equally as many people who are such homers that no matter how the season goes, all is great with the Huskers in their mind no matter what. Its a bell curve really, with the bulk of the fans being pretty realistic and level headed about things. I do think Nebraska fans have high expectation because we are Nebraska and football is what we are all about. But I don't think those expectations are unrealistic.

 

I think this season was just a letdown overall for that middle part of the bell curve...the vast majority of the people. We had one good win offset by three bad losses. The rest were just games that had pretty much equal parts negative and positive to take away from them. I've seen as many posts about things like how great Rex, David and Dennard played as I've seen about what a snoozer the game was or how T-Mart can't hit the broad side of a wet paper bag even if he's standing inside the bag.

[TJ Alum Husker]

This thread just cements the fact that people are not happy unless they are unhappy with something.

 

Exactly.

 

Even if we played the most perfect game in the history of cfb (maybe something like a 127 - 0 win) NU fans would still find endless things to bitch, whine & sob about. It's simply our DNA.

 

I don't agree with this. I don't ever remember bitching during the 95 season but I'm bitching now. I think people as you described are the extreme minority. There are also equally as many people who are such homers that no matter how the season goes, all is great with the Huskers in their mind no matter what. Its a bell curve really, with the bulk of the fans being pretty realistic and level headed about things. I do think Nebraska fans have high expectation because we are Nebraska and football is what we are all about. But I don't think those expectations are unrealistic.

 

I think this season was just a letdown overall for that middle part of the bell curve...the vast majority of the people. We had one good win offset by three bad losses. The rest were just games that had pretty much equal parts negative and positive to take away from them. I've seen as many posts about things like how great Rex, David and Dennard played as I've seen about what a snoozer the game was or how T-Mart can't hit the broad side of a wet paper bag even if he's standing inside the bag.

if your measuring stick for all teams is the '95 team then you will be complaining an awful lot in the future...that was the best football team of all time. We have had a good year. Not great but good. We don't have the horses yet to be great.