why was the ucla game the breaking point for so many?

[TGHusker]

It goes back to the CCG for me. That was just an awful, awful game. Bo is clearly a better coach than Callahan, but given the context of that game, I can't think of any one of Callahan's losses that hurt more. We were snickered at before that game. We became a punchline after.

 

UCLA this year was a chance to show that something has changed. It hasn't changed and it gets harder as time goes by to think that Bo really will turn a corner.

Agree. I grave concerns about the preseason hype after the Wy game - scoring explosion O and athletic D. Wy exposed the fraud, UCLA capitalized on it. Many of us at the OKLA Cornhusker club voiced that we saw a 4 L season or worse coming after the Wy game. I can no longer take the hype. I said in previous posts that I was holding judgement until UCLA - well it was the same ol same old - big game, big opportunity to get to the next level against a quality team and we lay another egg - rotten to the core. Questions: Why do we not have a senior dominated team - lack of development? I want the best players on the field but shouldn't that be Jrs and Snrs who have been developed - we have a lot of inexperience on D and it shows. What is the team mindset? How does one give up 38 unanswered points and not have the name Kansas? Is it possible we lose to PSU, MICH, MSU, Min, NW, and even Iowa & Purdue? I don't see much evidence that we are sure winners against any of them if Bo cannot motivate the team. The team wasn't motivated in that 2nd half - I wondered what happened in the locker room at half time.

I commend Bo for getting us above the BC years - but even with the talent we have I don't see us breaking the top 10 or having a crack at a title (or just getting back into the Top 25) due to coaching issues - inexperience coaches, game management, lack of adjustments, and player development. Bo's mouth, dissing both the fans and Tommie, have given the boasters wt power who want Bo gone the needed ammo to get it done.

[Nebraska option]

The way Nebraska is losing games and falling apart is awful

[craigsker]

I also admit the UCLA game was the breaking point for me too. It's how they lost and just another in a long list of losses in big games to ranked teams.

[MichiganDad3]

Maybe Watson wasn't the problem for the lack of adjustments on offense a few years ago?

[irafreak]

why was the ucla game the breaking point for so many fans? not the first time we have been blown out, and some could argue this was not even close to the worst.

 

by all accounts, ucla is a pretty good team and we are young.

 

my guess would be it is because of how we lost. we were up 21-3 and should have easily won. we could have just ran the ball and played base defense and won soundly.

 

we are tired of seeing the collapses, but bo also knows how to give us just enough hope to make us believe things are fixed. that is what makes it so rough. also, the offense failed, and that was supposed to be the saving grace of our team.

 

however, i really started this post because zoogies alluded to this topic and i wanted to hear his thoughts.

 

finally, the ucla loss hurt and is demoralizing, but i still think bo could be out guy. we have talent, now we need time.

Pretty much this right here in bold....not the first time and so early in the season...all the talk about progress and most of us tried to wipe the slate clean for this season....but it looks like a re-run so I've just kinda lost hope in this season and if Bo isn't able to make some offseason coaching changes, I won't feel good about next year. I mean we heard all last season that we need talent. Well what's the excuse? Young talent? This staff is the real issue so how can I get excited for the rest of the season when I can't see us improving with the same staff...you know the whole definition of insanity thing...thank God the chiefs hired a competent coach or this would be a depressing football season....

[Hunter94]

I think Bo said we missed tackle, after tackle, after tackle.....how does that happen? got to be some adjustment we made or didn't make....

a total collapse just doesn't happen...

[AFhusker]

Maybe Watson wasn't the problem for the lack of adjustments on offense a few years ago?

 

Watson left because he didn't want TMart as his qb, he knew he was too limited. But Bo pretty much told him that TMart was the qb and that he had to deal with it, so Shawn went to Louisville and is doing fine.

[Husker66]

6 years. things seemingly getting worse at so many levels. every coach has "their" game. I just think this was it...TO had his(1976 astro bluebonnet bowl for you youngins'-he won and kept his job)Callahan had his, solich had his, I think bo has had his....there's just a point when the cards just fall...its just tired and over. I think a lot of people are just done with it.

[Hunter94]

Maybe Watson wasn't the problem for the lack of adjustments on offense a few years ago?

 

Watson left because he didn't want TMart as his qb, he knew he was too limited. But Bo pretty much told him that TMart was the qb and that he had to deal with it, so Shawn went to Louisville and is doing fine.

 

no, Wats was a mess...but he was right about TM being one dimensional.

[RedPhoenix]

6 years. things seemingly getting worse at so many levels. every coach has "their" game. I just think this was it...TO had his(1976 astro bluebonnet bowl for you youngins'-he won and kept his job)Callahan had his, solich had his, I think bo has had his....there's just a point when the cards just fall...its just tired and over. I think a lot of people are just done with it.

 

I think Bo has a chance to right the ship, but I don't think he will pull it off. I think we see at least one or two more implosions this season. And I don't think he will make the one change I think will help us the most.

[The Dude]

Maybe Watson wasn't the problem for the lack of adjustments on offense a few years ago?

 

Watson left because he didn't want TMart as his qb, he knew he was too limited. But Bo pretty much told him that TMart was the qb and that he had to deal with it, so Shawn went to Louisville and is doing fine.

What a difference having one of the best QBs in the nation makes.

[RedPhoenix]

It's the same principle, really. All these arguments against OCs are the same, regurgitated stuff, and never that valid. I'm waiting for the "I can't believe he didn't call that play more."

 

Every single offense seeks to attack where the defense isn't. If you don't think the intricate attack Tom Osborne ran didn't do that, I think you would be mistaken. Yeah, it leaned on being way better than every other team and the power game that it could establish with ease, but there's a reason we had all these options and playactions: to keep the defense on their heels and hit them in places they aren't ready to defend.

 

I don't understand why in the world anybody would want to play right into the teeth of a defense's strengths. Maybe you'd be satisfied by how much more masculine that offense is. Probably wouldn't like the results, though.

 

Hitting the defense where they aren't is the entire philosophy of option football. If defense goes here, you keep it, if defense goes here, you pitch it. Rinse repeat, add fullback and PA and you're done!