Northwestern-What will it take to beat them?

[admo]

I don't buy that we don't have the athletes to compete in terms of defense. I'm not saying we're stacked with future NFL talent or anything on the defensive side of the ball right now, but I don't think our problems there are stemming from lack of horses. It's a coaching issue, and they're going to have to address whatever it is prior to the Northwestern game.

i agree with you, i think that the players just arent able to go out and play... they have to many reads and progressions they have to go through while the play is going on before they can react and actually make a play

I agree with yall. I think it would be ok to scrap the containment style rush, the bend-don't-break style of defense, and the part where guys are constantly running in and out before the play because "ooh ooh we saw that on film - we know how to set up our defense".

 

Nah...just be simple. It's friggin football. Not a contact sport, but a collision sport. Get your toughest 7 guys in the box, be more physical then the other team, disrupt as many plays as possible, and shut the running game down - period. Force teams to be one dimensional and go to the air. The secondary should be physical enough and good enough to hold their own by now. I shake my head sometimes bc I just don't think (as good as these running/dual threat QBs are or can be) that they will beat you through the air time after time. They are more than likely to make more mistakes (INT, force throws, fumble in the pocket, take a sack, get rattled, etc) than they will if you keep the process of the current style. Hit a freakin QB a few times (legally) and let him know you are there. Send 5 guys up the gut - put pressure on them OL and QB. If they make plays, then tip your hat to them. But make them beat you through the air the whole game. Dennard, Martinez, Colter, even Braxton Miller - see what they are really like when you shut the run down and the scramble lanes. They will force it - just watch. And as long as you don't just rush 4 guys and think that will do it. Because that only keeps running lanes open on passing plays (its how they take off when they see an opening that kills us). You don't have to send the house, but geez - send 5 to 6 each time and let them figure out how to block the rush, not panic and or get frustrated and force things. Forget draws, screens, play action and getting burned. With 7 to 8 in the box it will get snuffed out. Put the schemes and super playbooks away and get back to playing tough physical football man. Oh, and if your defense gives up 63 or whatever, don't cry about the process and techniques and execution- give those starters the blackshirts at the start of the season for once and let them have some pride and play with pride. They are the Blackshirts whether you think they are or not. Just my thoughts on it.

[JTrain]

Offense: We can put up 30+ on them if Beck learns a little and doesn't put Taylor in position to give away easy INTs. Just play our normal game, establish the run and hit them with play-action. I'd like to see us slow down the pace just a little since the defense sucks this year.

 

Defense: Attack! And play the fastest players we have. We don't have the front seven to play bend-not-break. We bend-then-break. Attack and force bad throws and turnovers. Don't ever let them feel like they are in complete control, like we did with UCLA and OSU. We can win a 31-24 type game.

[zoogs]

I agree with the above. Keep the no-huddle, though, I think - but milk the playclock while you're out there. Prevents substitutions, and maybe even gives Taylor a nice good chance to read the various looks defenses are showing.

[Count 'Bility]

I agree with the above. Keep the no-huddle, though, I think - but milk the playclock while you're out there. Prevents substitutions, and maybe even gives Taylor a nice good chance to read the various looks defenses are showing.

I agree also with keeping the no-huddle, because it's how we roll. We signal in plays with a no-huddle system. Cant change that in the middle of the season. But we do need to be more patient between plays. We have 40 seconds. We dont have to run around like idiots after every play. I know it "stresses" the defense to force that tempo, but I think it stresses our defense just as much. It just gives the game that track meet feel, and I dont think our defense is reacting very well.

[beanman]

Beanman feels that Tonya Harding should be hired to take care of their fast players. Nebraska will then win handily.

[Vizsla1]

Bring back the 95 team. That would work.

[bmaher]

I think the way to best northwestern is to score more points then them.

[Polarhusker]

For Lando to assume the HC duty's.

[sd'sker]

remaining games ranked from most feared to least feared:

 

1. alabama in the mnc

2. oregon in the rose bowl (we will play both the rose bowl and a rare illegal match, a la rocky V, essentially an ad hoc plus one game, if you will. we will play alabama in a parking lot after we call them out as the second best team in the nation, we will lose to them after beating oregon).

3. michigan

4. wiscy in B1G champ.

5. penn st (they are well coached and scrappy)

6. northwestern (we should win after the bye week)

7. msu (we should win, they have a good defense, but no offense)

8. minn. (mobile qb)

9. iowa (we should never lose to them.

[billdozer15]

Northwestern-What will it take to beat them?

 

Aside from a miracle?

 

Start by getting much more aggressive on defense, particularly with the DL. Northwestern has receivers that are pretty much equal to what we have. The difference is they have not one, but two, mobile quarterbacks who can both throw far better than Braxton Miller. I hope I'm wrong, but I honestly think Nebraska is going to get hammered badly in this game.

 

Agreed. At this point the defense is at a tipping point. Another mobile QB is not what they need. I fear another lashing and the wheels coming completely off for this season. If we lose next Saturday I smell 6-6 and we limp into a bowl game praying not to be matched up against another mobile QB.

[EZ-E]

Play the aggressive, attacking style defense that we did in the first 25 minutes of the Ohio State game. Don't need to change anything because they have a different QB. Do that and we win this game in considerable fashion.

[flatwaterfan]

Caught bits of the Northwestern's game against the gophers. Looks like the way to attack them is with a downhill running game. Read option was effective. Would like to see Cross play some as they had trouble tackling the big QB and big RB but that probably won't happen. At any rate attack between the tackles. I didn't get to see much of their offense but I would say make sure you stop Venric Mark first & foremost. Play assignment sound run defense up front.

[Manny Bob]

Saw a Minnesota team make one turnover seconds into the game and allowed scoring runs of 26 and 48 yards - the same running back ran for 182 yds on 20 carries

 

GAME PLAN: Stop Venric Mark, avoid committing dumb-headed fouls and blown assignments, and do not give up the ball - similar to tOSU game plan...hope Huskers can execute.

[huzkerbob]

Nebraska can control the line of scrimmage in that game. Run the ball all game long and it should be a Husker win. Also Colter didn't play much QB vs. Penn St. If they stick with their other guy(don't remember his name) it will be a big help for us.

I can see them moving Colter back to the primary QB just for this game.

 

We will need to completely revamp what we have done so far this season on D. Burn redshirts, get Rose, Santos and Alfalva on the field. Use SJB in the Super D role in 2003 as an OLB to rush and disrupt every play. Maybe even move Stafford up in that role. Get Valentine, Curry and Peat (if in game shape) on the line. Make E Martin an every play DE. Announce Captains for the remainder of the year. Practice full pads, 1's vs 1's until KO. Blitz every down. Even on 2nd and 1. Who cares. Run.

 

Have AA take a knee if the ball goes into the end zone. I have no idea WTH happened to our special teams. Punt out of bounds.

 

Run, run, run. Do not put Martinez in a position that requires his arm to get us out of trouble. If we do throw, do it on first down. I am also sure that they have salivated over the ease of jumping our out routes. How about something as simple as a little out and up route. They will bite and we get 6. It ill also stop them from jumping the route again. Bring back the RB screen Cally and Lucky were masters of this. Use the bubble screen. We get killed by everyone else using it. We need to start. Do what ever it takes, screens, throw back pass, end around, reverses etc to get the ball in the hands of JT and KB in space. I would love to see Enunwa on an end around with the ball and a head full of steam. The collisions would be epic. Give the ball to Cross in meaningful time. Not just the last friggin play of the game. The dude is huge. He is a freight train. Have him, AA and Janovich back there (assuming Rex is still out). Beat them into submission. Power football with play action passes. Run, Run, Run.

 

Put Paps in the box with Joseph. Let him see the whole field. No reason to stand right next to Bo. Someone else can send in plays. One of the beat writers also wrote, make one mistake, sit a play, 2 sit the series etc.... make guys realize you screw up, you sit.

 

Go back to the mantra of the SEALs that I continue to hear so much about from working out with our guys. Dig deep, don't quit on yourself or on your team.

 

Play with passion and fire. Play angry. Play mad. get some. Play a complete four quarters. If they can't stop it, don't.

 

 

Then we can start a new religion, buy ten Ferraris, have a poly-amorous marriage with Jessica Beal and Kate Upton, become a world famous rock/movie star, solve the global gas crisis, all before winning the Nobel Prize in the category of Awesome.

 

Yep, sounds plausible!

[ladyhawke]

Well, how did we do? It's interesting to read this thread now that we've played Northwestern. Here were the top suggestions on how to beat Northwestern. Comment on how you think we did:

 

>Run the ball, run the ball, run the ball:

>Don’t turn the ball over

>Defense needs to play decent, offense needs to take care of the ball

>Put Paps in the box with Joseph

>Don’t quit on yourself or your team

>Play with passion and fire. Play angry. Play mad. get some. Play a complete four quarters.

>Showing up for all four quarters

>Better play calling

>Slow down the tempo offensively

>Don't beat ourselves.

 

 

*By the way, to the naysayers:

>WE ARE NU!!!! (Not Northwestern)

>They did not put 40 points on us.

>We did NOT exit with a loss

>We CAN defend a mobile quarterback

>We CAN win on the road