**** What Did We Learn ****

[The Maudfather]

We're just not a very good football team and Bo Pelini's commitment to nepotism made him look like a complete and total fool in prime time television.

Our defense is soft, but of course, I didn't learn that tonight. I've known it since UCLA.

We're soft because only 2 seasons removed from a "soft" conference. We're 10-3 in our second year in a new conference against a bunch of new opponents and played for a championship. But yes, I agree, we are a bit soft yet.

We're not soft because we're 2 seasons removed from a "soft" conference. In fact, had we played in that "soft" conference, we'd be lucky to be bowl eligible this year.

 

The more likely scenario as to why our defense is so bad is because of poor recruiting. Those 08 and 09 classes are killing us right now.

[knapplc]

Disagree. That game was more heartbreaking, but even today it's one of the greatest sources of pride for Nebraska fans. 30 years from now, fans are going to want to remove this game from the records like a wrinkly tattoo that your friend-nemesis tricked you into getting after slipping you some roofies.

 

Disagree all you want. In the aftermath of that loss, people wanted Osborne fired, they were down on the program, and this state was in a funk for a year. People will forget about this loss soon enough. It's just another of many for Pelini. But that 1983 loss stuck with people for a long time. It was different.

[zoogs]

This is the relevance of recency talking. Just because we hurt now doesn't mean this loss is any bellwether of the program, just like the Texas loss in 2009 and the Oklahoma loss in 2010 weren't.

 

+1. Thanks for being a voice of reason. Again, we may have lost all three CCGs we've made in the past four years...but there haven't been a lot of times recently where we could say we were an annual favorite to make it. Baby steps.

 

We need to replace Els as Special Teams coach.

 

I can get on board with that. Our returns game has had issues this year. Els needs a lot of time to commit to being the best RC he can be. Someone else can handle the ST duties.

 

I will also say, a big change maybe could be made at DC. I like Pap though and he has value to this staff. He's a good, energetic recruiter. But if we can get someone who is both a good recruiter and can handle the DC role better, then I'm all for it. Take a bit of the load off Bo's shoulders instead of just being an understudy.

[The Dude]

The NFL hates Suh, can't we just have him back?

[Epic-Nemesis]

I learned that the winning team found something that worked and was willing to STICK WITH IT until it was stopped. It never was stopped and they kept doing it until the game was over.

[Manny Bob]

Had that tOSU feeling after the interception TD return, putting Wisky up 14-0. The team looked lost, the swagger was immediately gone. This team was woefully underprepared for a UW team that you knew wanted revenge...not only that, but to rub the Huskers nose in it. And then some. This has to be on the coaching staff, no doubt about it. They should have been preparing these kids for Armageddon, but instead they were playing beach blanket bingo in shorts and no pads. OK. Whatever.

Whichever bowl the Huskers go to will be interesting. Will the team bounce back? Will the coaching staff give some play time to next year's starters? Will the coaching staff introduce a few new plays? Will the players come out flat and be crushed? Let's see how the coaching staff responds and motivates these kids now. If the players can't put up a valiant effort in the face of this adversity, then we will know more about the coaching staff.

Lastly, these are all now Pelini's recruits - is that correct? Including the ones on the d-line and db positions?

[irafreak]

I learned our defense is so bad it can give up 20 yard per carry to a back!!!!!!!!

[clyde40]

I mean let's be honest here... look at Notre Dame and where they are in comparison to the Huskers and then look at the Head Coaches and their length of time on the job!? Now you tell me wth we are where we are at this point and they are no.1 and playing for a NC at this point?

How many years has Brian Kelly been a head coach?

[walksalone]

I also learned it's gonna be a long month waiting for the Gator/Outback/Capital One/Holiday Bowl...

[zoogs]

Lastly, these are all now Pelini's recruits - is that correct? Including the ones on the d-line and db positions?

 

Well, yes. But what we're seeing here is the "gap" hitting full effect. Bo's first couple of classes were not great, and those guys are now the upperclass foundation of the team. So we have some holes and some reasons for them. Some of the more recent recruiting classes are setting us up for a good future, provided we continue to improve on the recruiting front.

[AFhusker]

Ok, yeah. That's actually a really good example. That game and this game are, in my opinion, the worst losses in the history of the program. At least that I can think of right now.

 

This could have been a huge turning point in the direction of our program. And it probably will be, just not in the direction we wanted.

This is the relevance of recency talking. Just because we hurt now doesn't mean this loss is any bellwether of the program, just like the Texas loss in 2009 and the Oklahoma loss in 2010 weren't.

 

How would the UT and OU losses hurt the program? We still could sell that we were an up and coming team with Suh and Co making Bo look like a better coach than he really is. Now he's been exposed and there are more questions about this program now than answers. Whether people want to admit it or not, there is no hiding that Bo has some serious issues that need to be taken care of. But he's lucky that he will have one of the easiest schedules in the country next year with 8 home games.

 

This CCG was wrapped up for him with a bow playing the 3rd best team in that division and probably the 7th overall best team and he was embarrassed by a 7-5 team. With UM and tOSU recruiting like they are, if he couldn't win the CCG this year, then the question is when will he? Because it's only going to get harder from here.

[mquerry]

I still can't believe the difficulties the coaching staff had with in-game adjustments this year. I was at the UCLA game and watched them get beat repeatedly on that dang swing pass to the back out of the backfield. Every time they ran it, it was like the defense was seeing it for the first time in the game. They couldn't make an adjustment to counter it. Tonight was no different. They ran the ball wide, had success, and stuck with it. We didn't adjust. Finally, when the game was out of reach, Wisky started to run the ball up the gut, and still no one could stop them. On offense, they had the formation where the ends stayed in their stance and the rest of the line and LBs were standing up. We couldn't make any adjustments with the O-line or call any type of screen pass to counter it.

 

It seems like in the big games, Pelini practices up one single portion for the game and anything else thrown at them completely leaves them baffled. Then you hear it in the post-game....."they threw some things at us we didn't expect......we didn't execute......we were out-coached........." when is enough enough Pelini? Get some experienced staff members around you.

[The Maudfather]

I also learned that I will not bother wasting my money on another ticket until there is some sort of progress.

[Hercules]

Disagree. That game was more heartbreaking, but even today it's one of the greatest sources of pride for Nebraska fans. 30 years from now, fans are going to want to remove this game from the records like a wrinkly tattoo that your friend-nemesis tricked you into getting after slipping you some roofies.

 

Disagree all you want. In the aftermath of that loss, people wanted Osborne fired, they were down on the program, and this state was in a funk for a year. People will forget about this loss soon enough. It's just another of many for Pelini. But that 1983 loss stuck with people for a long time. It was different.

 

People aren't going to forget about this loss soon. You don't get humiliated like that in a conference championship game and forget about it. I'm not saying this is the worst loss ever, but it is really, really bad.

[Maxconvert]

Can't remember a worse loss in my lifetime. 2008 OU was a rough one, but I knew going into the game that they were a great team and that we were adjusting to a new coaching staff. This, however, being year 5 of the Pelini regime with a defense full of upperclassmen stings worse than the 09 Texas game.

 

Neither can I. Unfortunately you are exactly correct--year 5 of the Pelini Project and this is what we do on national TV against an unranked team?? And don't try telling me about Osborne and patience, Osborne wasn't getting the wheels blown off his team by mediocre Iowa State or Kansas squads. I don't recall Osborne taking on a 7-5 team and losing by more than 10 points or so. Yeah you can fire Ross Els, but does anyone think Ross Els is the reason we suffered the worst loss in our history tonight??