You play like you practice.

[Caine Mutiny]

I used to be a Bo Pelini supporter. I honestly did. But what is happening to Nebraska has made me draw a line, of who I like better, Bo or Nebraska.. And it was easy to choose Nebraska. Bo Pelini is not the man for the job at Nebraska. Nebraska is so unprepared, that in some games, it looks like we are overmatched. And why? It all boils down to lack of discipline, and unpreparedness, and that all comes from coaching, or lack of coaching. Last weekend, I heard Mike Wilborn, say it himself that Nebraska has a physical advantage over everyone, except for maybe the SEC.. and yet there we were, near the end of the game, praying for a Northwestern miss..

 

We have the talent to beat anyone out there. But we dont, because we are under achievers. And its all because we play weak... We are always unprepared, whether its penalities, or fumbles, or interceptions, or something else, ... And the worse thing is, we as fans have been conditioned to it, by the last nine years of mediocrity, first by Bill and Shawn, and still today by Tim and Bo.. We have to go back to Tom Osbornes way of football.

Tom Osborne's way of football wont get it done today. The game is different. Even in 97 TO was starting to run alot of shotgun spreads. What is the way of football you describe? Even the Wisconsins dont line up play in, play out in I form 2 tights and pound away all day, and TO never did that either. Our offense is fine, and is the least of our issues. I will one thing, that the tempo could be slowed just a little. I think the way we play now the defense gets caught up in a track meet type feel and that it really hurt against Ohio St. Not so much against Wisconsin because they were trying to slow it down.

 

The game is different to you because you have bought into the hype of novelty. People still put on pants one leg at a time, People still eat food and poop.. For that matter, nothing has changed in football either. Running and blocking still dictate who wins..... Who said that Tom always ran plays in the I formation? Tom's first priority was to be the most physical.. Because usually the most physical football team wins.... Not always but usually.

 

That game against Northwestern was a joke.. We could have dominated them, but we played to there level by running a freaking WEAK spread offense... The spread offense was designed for teams like Northwestern..

 

Tom Osbornes offense is alive and well.... Alabama, LSU run Tom Osbornes offense... Its physical and punishing. We run Tim Beck's offense. and we barely win at BIG BAD Northwestern..

[Caine Mutiny]

I used to be a Bo Pelini supporter. I honestly did. But what is happening to Nebraska has made me draw a line, of who I like better, Bo or Nebraska.. And it was easy to choose Nebraska. Bo Pelini is not the man for the job at Nebraska. Nebraska is so unprepared, that in some games, it looks like we are overmatched. And why? It all boils down to lack of discipline, and unpreparedness, and that all comes from coaching, or lack of coaching. Last weekend, I heard Mike Wilborn, say it himself that Nebraska has a physical advantage over everyone, except for maybe the SEC.. and yet there we were, near the end of the game, praying for a Northwestern miss..

 

We have the talent to beat anyone out there. But we dont, because we are under achievers. And its all because we play weak... We are always unprepared, whether its penalities, or fumbles, or interceptions, or something else, ... And the worse thing is, we as fans have been conditioned to it, by the last nine years of mediocrity, first by Bill and Shawn, and still today by Tim and Bo.. We have to go back to Tom Osbornes way of football.

Tom Osborne's way of football wont get it done today. The game is different. Even in 97 TO was starting to run alot of shotgun spreads. What is the way of football you describe? Even the Wisconsins dont line up play in, play out in I form 2 tights and pound away all day, and TO never did that either. Our offense is fine, and is the least of our issues. I will one thing, that the tempo could be slowed just a little. I think the way we play now the defense gets caught up in a track meet type feel and that it really hurt against Ohio St. Not so much against Wisconsin because they were trying to slow it down.

 

The game is different to you because you have bought into the hype of novelty. People still put on pants one leg at a time, People still eat food and poop.. For that matter, nothing has changed in football either. Running and blocking still dictate who wins..... Who said that Tom always ran plays in the I formation? Tom's first priority was to be the most physical.. Because usually the most physical football team wins.... Not always but usually.

 

That game against Northwestern was a joke.. We could have dominated them, but we played to there level by running a freaking WEAK spread offense... The spread offense was designed for teams like Northwestern..

 

Tom Osbornes offense is alive and well.... Alabama, LSU run Tom Osbornes offense... Its physical and punishing. We run Tim Beck's offense. and we barely win at BIG BAD Northwestern..

Teams in the SEC will continue to dominate, because they are the most physical teams out there....and they play like it

[HuskerThor]

I used to be a Bo Pelini supporter. I honestly did. But what is happening to Nebraska has made me draw a line, of who I like better, Bo or Nebraska.. And it was easy to choose Nebraska. Bo Pelini is not the man for the job at Nebraska. Nebraska is so unprepared, that in some games, it looks like we are overmatched. And why? It all boils down to lack of discipline, and unpreparedness, and that all comes from coaching, or lack of coaching. Last weekend, I heard Mike Wilborn, say it himself that Nebraska has a physical advantage over everyone, except for maybe the SEC.. and yet there we were, near the end of the game, praying for a Northwestern miss..

 

We have the talent to beat anyone out there. But we dont, because we are under achievers. And its all because we play weak... We are always unprepared, whether its penalities, or fumbles, or interceptions, or something else, ... And the worse thing is, we as fans have been conditioned to it, by the last nine years of mediocrity, first by Bill and Shawn, and still today by Tim and Bo.. We have to go back to Tom Osbornes way of football.

Tom Osborne's way of football wont get it done today. The game is different. Even in 97 TO was starting to run alot of shotgun spreads. What is the way of football you describe? Even the Wisconsins dont line up play in, play out in I form 2 tights and pound away all day, and TO never did that either. Our offense is fine, and is the least of our issues. I will one thing, that the tempo could be slowed just a little. I think the way we play now the defense gets caught up in a track meet type feel and that it really hurt against Ohio St. Not so much against Wisconsin because they were trying to slow it down.

 

The game is different to you because you have bought into the hype of novelty. People still put on pants one leg at a time, People still eat food and poop.. For that matter, nothing has changed in football either. Running and blocking still dictate who wins..... Who said that Tom always ran plays in the I formation? Tom's first priority was to be the most physical.. Because usually the most physical football team wins.... Not always but usually.

 

That game against Northwestern was a joke.. We could have dominated them, but we played to there level by running a freaking WEAK spread offense... The spread offense was designed for teams like Northwestern..

 

Tom Osbornes offense is alive and well.... Alabama, LSU run Tom Osbornes offense... Its physical and punishing. We run Tim Beck's offense. and we barely win at BIG BAD Northwestern..

 

We could have dominated them? How do you know this? The game was a joke? We won didn't we. Since you think we are a joke and we should dominate, you also think we should get a new coach? So we get this new coach, and the first game we "squeak" out, you will think it is a joke and we should get a new coach again?

 

Brilliant!!

[NoLongerN]

I used to be a Bo Pelini supporter. I honestly did. But what is happening to Nebraska has made me draw a line, of who I like better, Bo or Nebraska.. And it was easy to choose Nebraska. Bo Pelini is not the man for the job at Nebraska. Nebraska is so unprepared, that in some games, it looks like we are overmatched. And why? It all boils down to lack of discipline, and unpreparedness, and that all comes from coaching, or lack of coaching. Last weekend, I heard Mike Wilborn, say it himself that Nebraska has a physical advantage over everyone, except for maybe the SEC.. and yet there we were, near the end of the game, praying for a Northwestern miss..

 

We have the talent to beat anyone out there. But we dont, because we are under achievers. And its all because we play weak... We are always unprepared, whether its penalities, or fumbles, or interceptions, or something else, ... And the worse thing is, we as fans have been conditioned to it, by the last nine years of mediocrity, first by Bill and Shawn, and still today by Tim and Bo.. We have to go back to Tom Osbornes way of football.

 

Good post. Enjoyed the post and sense some of the same things. Still on board here but uncomfortable.

[shyndy]

I used to be a Bo Pelini supporter. I honestly did. But what is happening to Nebraska has made me draw a line, of who I like better, Bo or Nebraska.. And it was easy to choose Nebraska. Bo Pelini is not the man for the job at Nebraska. Nebraska is so unprepared, that in some games, it looks like we are overmatched. And why? It all boils down to lack of discipline, and unpreparedness, and that all comes from coaching, or lack of coaching. Last weekend, I heard Mike Wilborn, say it himself that Nebraska has a physical advantage over everyone, except for maybe the SEC.. and yet there we were, near the end of the game, praying for a Northwestern miss..

 

We have the talent to beat anyone out there. But we dont, because we are under achievers. And its all because we play weak... We are always unprepared, whether its penalities, or fumbles, or interceptions, or something else, ... And the worse thing is, we as fans have been conditioned to it, by the last nine years of mediocrity, first by Bill and Shawn, and still today by Tim and Bo.. We have to go back to Tom Osbornes way of football.

Tom Osborne's way of football wont get it done today. The game is different. Even in 97 TO was starting to run alot of shotgun spreads. What is the way of football you describe? Even the Wisconsins dont line up play in, play out in I form 2 tights and pound away all day, and TO never did that either. Our offense is fine, and is the least of our issues. I will one thing, that the tempo could be slowed just a little. I think the way we play now the defense gets caught up in a track meet type feel and that it really hurt against Ohio St. Not so much against Wisconsin because they were trying to slow it down.

 

The game is different to you because you have bought into the hype of novelty. People still put on pants one leg at a time, People still eat food and poop.. For that matter, nothing has changed in football either. Running and blocking still dictate who wins..... Who said that Tom always ran plays in the I formation? Tom's first priority was to be the most physical.. Because usually the most physical football team wins.... Not always but usually.

 

That game against Northwestern was a joke.. We could have dominated them, but we played to there level by running a freaking WEAK spread offense... The spread offense was designed for teams like Northwestern..

 

Tom Osbornes offense is alive and well.... Alabama, LSU run Tom Osbornes offense... Its physical and punishing. We run Tim Beck's offense. and we barely win at BIG BAD Northwestern..

Really, nothing at all in football has changed?

[Count 'Bility]

I used to be a Bo Pelini supporter. I honestly did. But what is happening to Nebraska has made me draw a line, of who I like better, Bo or Nebraska.. And it was easy to choose Nebraska. Bo Pelini is not the man for the job at Nebraska. Nebraska is so unprepared, that in some games, it looks like we are overmatched. And why? It all boils down to lack of discipline, and unpreparedness, and that all comes from coaching, or lack of coaching. Last weekend, I heard Mike Wilborn, say it himself that Nebraska has a physical advantage over everyone, except for maybe the SEC.. and yet there we were, near the end of the game, praying for a Northwestern miss..

 

We have the talent to beat anyone out there. But we dont, because we are under achievers. And its all because we play weak... We are always unprepared, whether its penalities, or fumbles, or interceptions, or something else, ... And the worse thing is, we as fans have been conditioned to it, by the last nine years of mediocrity, first by Bill and Shawn, and still today by Tim and Bo.. We have to go back to Tom Osbornes way of football.

Tom Osborne's way of football wont get it done today. The game is different. Even in 97 TO was starting to run alot of shotgun spreads. What is the way of football you describe? Even the Wisconsins dont line up play in, play out in I form 2 tights and pound away all day, and TO never did that either. Our offense is fine, and is the least of our issues. I will one thing, that the tempo could be slowed just a little. I think the way we play now the defense gets caught up in a track meet type feel and that it really hurt against Ohio St. Not so much against Wisconsin because they were trying to slow it down.

 

The game is different to you because you have bought into the hype of novelty. People still put on pants one leg at a time, People still eat food and poop.. For that matter, nothing has changed in football either. Running and blocking still dictate who wins..... Who said that Tom always ran plays in the I formation? Tom's first priority was to be the most physical.. Because usually the most physical football team wins.... Not always but usually.

 

That game against Northwestern was a joke.. We could have dominated them, but we played to there level by running a freaking WEAK spread offense... The spread offense was designed for teams like Northwestern..

 

Tom Osbornes offense is alive and well.... Alabama, LSU run Tom Osbornes offense... Its physical and punishing. We run Tim Beck's offense. and we barely win at BIG BAD Northwestern..

Oh my, youre quite delerious. LSU and Bama do NOT run Osborne's offense. Maybe a similar philosophy, but no where close to the same offense. Obviously youre not smart enough to see the details. Osbornes played with straight ahead blocking and "belly" runs, isos powers. The game today is a lot of zone blocking predicated on getting guys one on one in space. Youre seeing a handoff resulting in a 5 yard gain and calling it the same, but it's not.

 

Bottom line is this is our offense. It's very good. Best we've has since probably 2000. May even have to go back to 97. It is NOT the problem. Did they have one of those days against NW? Sure. It happens. But they came alive when they had to. One things for damn sure, Osbornes offense would not have been able to over come a 12 point deficit in 8 minutes. Get off your high horse and get over yourself, and for damn's sake, quite pushing this substance-lacking agenda of yours.

[FriendlyLurker2007]

I dont care for the spread at UNL but...I think it might work well because you can get your play makers on the field faster, which if you do not have a top 10-15 recruiting class every year is a good thing. What I think is the problem is inconsistent play calling, however Tim is a bit new at calling plays I feel so far he has done a good job, sometimes great sometimes ok, and sometimes boneheaded. Unfortunately the defense has not been very good, If we can perform the way we did on the D side like last saturday, we have a decent shot at winning most or all of our conference games. I do believe we need yearly captains, we can fall back onto when things get tough. Anyway, to semi answer the OP's question, I feel it is probably true that you play like you practice, and obviously we need to stop the crazy amount of turnovers, not sure how you do that but hope they can get it fixed. One last thing in my rant...UNLEASH BO!!!

[Count 'Bility]

When this type of system gets perfected you wind up with Oregon. It'll be very fun watching Bama's D against that Oregon offense if the two make it together. Like Bo says, these styles of offense put so much stress on the D in so many ways and really exploit fundamentals like no other type of offense. One missed tackle, gone. Sure Bama and LSU make hay running power alot, but LSU's offense is not that good anyway. Bama tend to spread it out and toss it around a bit more, but with talent like they have, it's pick your poison anyway.

Again, i dont have a problem with our offense.

[BartonHusker]

Tom Osborne's offense may not be ran but his philosophy is still alive. Kansas State, Alabama, LSU, Stanford, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Iowa, etc all believe in the philosophy of being more physical than your opponent and it all starts upfront. Nothing finesse about their squads! Heck even Texas and Kansas is going that direction.

 

It is the style we should be using. Doesn't mean you still can't throw the ball at all. We have adopted the Oregon/Rich-Rod philosophy of offense IMO.

[billdozer15]

This thread was not an attempt to compare Tim Becks offense to T.O.'s offense. I think our offense is a very good one. I think Tom's was a very good one. But neither will work if there isn't some sort of change in how practices are being managed. My guess is that our practices are currently very relaxed in what Bo holds players accountable to. You could take the greatest offense in the world and set expectations for execution at a very low level and that offense would stink. Take what you think is the very worst offense in the world and hold your players to a very high level of accountability on execution and that offense will be successful. This holds true for every facet of football.

 

My guess is if we were able to look at practices we would see alot of disorganization and a general lack of accountability. Thus the team plays like they practice week after week, year after year.

[ADS]

This thread was not an attempt to compare Tim Becks offense to T.O.'s offense. I think our offense is a very good one. I think Tom's was a very good one. But neither will work if there isn't some sort of change in how practices are being managed. My guess is that our practices are currently very relaxed in what Bo holds players accountable to. You could take the greatest offense in the world and set expectations for execution at a very low level and that offense would stink. Take what you think is the very worst offense in the world and hold your players to a very high level of accountability on execution and that offense will be successful. This holds true for every facet of football.

 

My guess is if we were able to look at practices we would see alot of disorganization and a general lack of accountability. Thus the team plays like they practice week after week, year after year.

[Huskerfan1985]

I tend to agree with Zoogies, at this point that the players feel so much pressure and play tight that it leads to these mistakes. Its possible they feel more stress / pressure because they aren't prepared like they should or could be, but none the less the vast majority of the mistakes fall on the players.

 

As for penalties, look at depth. If we had depth at O-line we wouldn't be starting walk-ons, Sirles or Qvale every game. Point being, if player A makes a mistake, you yank him and put someone else in. However, who do you put in on this line to replace Sirles or Rodriguez who cant line up properly at times? O-line has played decent this year, but they leave a lot to be desired. I assume this is the same approach with Stafford at safety who's seems to be good for a PI or PF every game, but who knows, Cassidy basically started for 2 years at safety.

[BigRedBuster]

Let me ask this. The fumbles on kick and punt returns have been lumped into this. Until this game, how many have we had fumbled this year?

[Stickney]

Although I don't agree with Allen Iverson on many topics, I do tend to agree on his infamous "We're talking about practice" rant.

 

 

Bo's teams have for 4+ seasons consistently made the kinds of mistakes that should be "coached" or "practiced" out by the end of fall camp or after week 1.

 

 

Any excuse made about poor practices or needing to solve in practice is a complete indictment of the coaching staff.

 

 

The mistakes made by this team are largely mental. Kudos to the team for rallying back for the win. But they tend to make things far harder than they need to be against mediocre competition.

 

 

Bo is praised for his "passion" and "fire." But the one quality I'd prefer to see is discipline and mental toughness. That is how you begin playing complete games and not sleep walk through 3 quarters.

[junior4949]

Let me ask this. The fumbles on kick and punt returns have been lumped into this. Until this game, how many have we had fumbled this year?

 

Our special teams have for the most part not been very good this year. Maher's numbers are way down on field goal percentage. His punts are either really good or extremely pi$$ poor. Against Ohio State, our kickoff return was just horrible. Ameer would bring it out of the endzone to get to the 12 yardline. It's the little things like a tackle lining up in the backfield twice. It's Reed running into a pulling guard resulting in a blown up fourth down. We've seen what this offense can do when things mesh together in the fourth quarters against Wisconsin and Northwestern. Why can't we play like that for the entire game? Heck, I'd even take two or three quarters. By playing that way for two quarters, we beat UCLA. By playing like that possibly three quarters, we beat Ohio State. It's a lot of little things that add up to big things that's killing us right now. I just think back a few years ago how we had what 8 turnovers against Iowa State thinking then it was an aberration. Then we had the total cluster**ck against Texas which again thinking it was an aberration. Plain and simple, we make too many little mistakes right now which is keeping us from taking the next step. I don't know how to fix it, yet I'm pretty sure firing coaches is not the answer.