Pat Forde: 40 Scheduling Observations (#23 Nebraska)

[blessed2bahusker]

I agree, but our offense was not this scoring juggernaut that some seem to think they were, now if Taylor is 100% this year like his freshman year, and they let him go, we might see that.

 

But when we faced a tough defense, we struggled some.

Actually our offense was a scoring juggernaut if turnovers weren't getting in the way. IF. I realize that is a big IF, but I believe that is what most knowledgeable fans are resting their hopes on. That and to a slightly lesser extent a lot of returning, proven experience. But if you take away even half of our turnovers last year we are looking at a top five offense. As Dirk's turnover article pointed out exceptionally well it was an enormous improbabilty that we could have so much offensive success despite our plague of turnovers. I for one think this will be addressed this year. There is "talk" out there that the necessary steps are being taken. Words are wind but one can hope, right?

[knapplc]

I don't understand the focus on the offense. The offense isn't the problem (although turnovers ARE a problem). But even with that crazy amount of turnovers we scored more than enough and racked up more than enough yards against even the good teams.

 

Against Top 30 (top 25% of FBS) Total Defense teams we averaged 431 yards and 29 points per game. That includes playing on the road against Michigan State, ranked 4th in Total Defense & 9th in Scoring, where we racked up 28 points and 473 yards. We shredded that defense, and that was a nation's best defense. At their home.

 

In our four losses we scored an average of 33 points and amassed an average of 450 yards of offense. That is WAY more than enough to have won every single one of those games. We scored 30 or more points in each of our losses. We lost those games by an average of 21 points.

 

This offense, despite its problems, churned out points and yards galore against every team we faced but two - Michigan and Iowa. Michigan had a pretty good defense. Give them credit, they slowed us down quite a bit. Iowa was the gale-force wind game and we just didn't play well. Still, we won both games.

 

In fact, we won four of the six games where we faced a defense in the top 30 in either Total Defense or Scoring Defense, (sometimes both).

 

If you're amassing 400+ yards no matter the opponent (which we did in 12 of 14 games) and you're scoring 30 or more points regardless of opponent (which we did in 10 of 14 games), it's pretty safe to say your offense is a scoring juggernaut.

[Count 'Bility]

We may have even racked up our average against Michigan had Beck not went into prevent mode after Dennard went out. When it became clearly obvious that Bellomy was not going to lead Michigan to any sort of decent scoring, our offense really mellowed out. And yes, that wind in Iowa City was ridiculous. Ron Brown said after the game it was even affecting shotgun snaps and tosses, which is absurd.

 

Taylor and Co also made one of the nations top teams' defense look silly for 3 quarters (Georgia), so no, offense if not even an issue.

[ChrisBenedict]

What if the Huskers go 10-2.... those two losses coming in blow out fashion.... to say UCLA and Mich... and we don't make the CCG? Would Bo be on the hot seat?

No way. I am sick of this "Win now, or get out," attitude. Pelini leads us to 9 or 10 wins every season. That is still a good season.

Don't forget, this is the mentality that led to firing Solich and hiring that abomination Callahan... both terrible moves.

[ADS]

We may have even racked up our average against Michigan had Beck not went into prevent mode after Dennard went out. When it became clearly obvious that Bellomy was not going to lead Michigan to any sort of decent scoring, our offense really mellowed out. And yes, that wind in Iowa City was ridiculous. Ron Brown said after the game it was even affecting shotgun snaps and tosses, which is absurd.

 

Taylor and Co also made one of the nations top teams' defense look silly for 3 quarters (Georgia), so no, offense if not even an issue.

Re-watched that game the other weekend, it was mamzing to me how much movement our OL was getting against UGA's DL. I know Jenkins was out, but his backup was supposed to be better than him. And Ameer ran so hard, there were a couple of plays were he ran through Ogletree.

[StPaulHusker]

I don't understand the focus on the offense. The offense isn't the problem (although turnovers ARE a problem). But even with that crazy amount of turnovers we scored more than enough and racked up more than enough yards against even the good teams.

 

Against Top 30 (top 25% of FBS) Total Defense teams we averaged 431 yards and 29 points per game. That includes playing on the road against Michigan State, ranked 4th in Total Defense & 9th in Scoring, where we racked up 28 points and 473 yards. We shredded that defense, and that was a nation's best defense. At their home.

 

In our four losses we scored an average of 33 points and amassed an average of 450 yards of offense. That is WAY more than enough to have won every single one of those games. We scored 30 or more points in each of our losses. We lost those games by an average of 21 points.

 

This offense, despite its problems, churned out points and yards galore against every team we faced but two - Michigan and Iowa. Michigan had a pretty good defense. Give them credit, they slowed us down quite a bit. Iowa was the gale-force wind game and we just didn't play well. Still, we won both games.

 

In fact, we won four of the six games where we faced a defense in the top 30 in either Total Defense or Scoring Defense, (sometimes both).

 

If you're amassing 400+ yards no matter the opponent (which we did in 12 of 14 games) and you're scoring 30 or more points regardless of opponent (which we did in 10 of 14 games), it's pretty safe to say your offense is a scoring juggernaut.

I agree with you here. 30+ points in CFB should get you a win if you have even a middle of the road defense. Which we didn't and that is why we lost.

[blessed2bahusker]

We may have even racked up our average against Michigan had Beck not went into prevent mode after Dennard went out. When it became clearly obvious that Bellomy was not going to lead Michigan to any sort of decent scoring, our offense really mellowed out. And yes, that wind in Iowa City was ridiculous. Ron Brown said after the game it was even affecting shotgun snaps and tosses, which is absurd.

 

Taylor and Co also made one of the nations top teams' defense look silly for 3 quarters (Georgia), so no, offense if not even an issue.

Re-watched that game the other weekend, it was mamzing to me how much movement our OL was getting against UGA's DL. I know Jenkins was out, but his backup was supposed to be better than him. And Ameer ran so hard, there were a couple of plays were he ran through Ogletree.

Yep. I just watched a couple weeks ago also. We were the better, more physical team for 3 quarters period...... and then the AA fumbles and we just lost something. Would have taken a big lead. Man we were so close.

[ADS]

We may have even racked up our average against Michigan had Beck not went into prevent mode after Dennard went out. When it became clearly obvious that Bellomy was not going to lead Michigan to any sort of decent scoring, our offense really mellowed out. And yes, that wind in Iowa City was ridiculous. Ron Brown said after the game it was even affecting shotgun snaps and tosses, which is absurd.

 

Taylor and Co also made one of the nations top teams' defense look silly for 3 quarters (Georgia), so no, offense if not even an issue.

Re-watched that game the other weekend, it was mamzing to me how much movement our OL was getting against UGA's DL. I know Jenkins was out, but his backup was supposed to be better than him. And Ameer ran so hard, there were a couple of plays were he ran through Ogletree.

Yep. I just watched a couple weeks ago also. We were the better, more physical team for 3 quarters period...... and then the AA fumbles and we just lost something. Would have taken a big lead. Man we were so close.

I still don't think that was a fumble, but that was the moment we lost our momentum and UGA never looked back.