The Duke's Game Day Observations: South Dakota State

[The Duke]

THE DUKE'S GAMEDAY OBSERVATIONS: South Dakota State vs. Nebraska

• Well let's get the bad news out of the way first and just state the obvious...Nebraska's run defense is, in a word atrocious...and that's being kind. However, give South Dakota State's running back Zach Zenner a ton of credit, that young man can play! Not only does he have the size & vision, but then you throw his speed into the mix, and he becomes a very dangerous athlete for any defense to worry about.
  
• Stanley Jean-Baptiste is the real deal, and is the next high quality cornerback to be coached by Pelini.
  
• I realize it was South Dakota State, but the decision by the coaching staff to simplify & cut back the offense did wonders for the team's efficiency this week.
  
• The other thing that helps an offense's efficiency is having a healthy mobile quarterback who can throw. Huge props to both Ron Kellogg & Tommy Armstrong who played spectacular. The future looks very bright Husker fans with Tommy Armstrong.
  
• I've seen my fair share of Nebraska quarterbacks over the last 25 plus years, and I'll be honest I think Tommy Armstrong throws one of the best balls that I've seen from any Husker quarterback...probably since Brooke Berringer.
  
• Solid play-calling by Tim Beck. I loved the mix of zone plays to the boundary and then not being afraid to take shots deep early & often. When you are playing not one, but two backup quarterbacks that takes guts as a play caller no matter who your opponent is. So yesterday was a good bounce back day for Tim Beck.
  
• Defensively---I'm sorry but I think John Papuchis' days on the Nebraska sideline are...and should be numbered. I got the impression that through the middle of the 2nd quarter and into the second half that it seemed like Bo took more authority in calling the defense.
  
• All in all, yesterday was just what Nebraska needed as a program after such a tumultuous week. Great weather, the fans still showed up, a homegrown walk-on senior quarterback plays flawlessly, the future quarterback puts on a show, and most importantly it was a win.
  

What I would like to see in 2 weeks:

1. BYE WEEK: Nebraska's bye week could not have come at a better time. First get Taylor Martinez healthy. Yes, Tommy Armstrong looked good this week, but you shouldn't lose your starting job just to injury. With that said, if Taylor is not 100% healthy...meaning his wheels are back to being blazing fast, then Tommy should get the start against Illinois.
   
2. FIX THE RUN DEFENSE: I don't care how the coaches choose to fix this. Whether its adjusting personnel, simplifying the scheme, completely changing the scheme...whatever...something needs to be fixed for our run defense, so thank God we have a bye week to work on that.
   
3. OFFENSE: Continue the same offensive philosophy heading into future games. It's ok to be multiple...Tom Osborne's teams were multiple. It's ok to slow down & huddle before each play. It's also ok to play no huddle...it does have it's perks when used wisely, but it doesn't have to be at lightning speed like Oregon the whole time. Find a pace where both play-caller and players can perform consistently & confidently.
   
4. PERSPECTIVE: Has this week been hard for Nebraska? Geez is that an understatement. It was probably the toughest week for a Nebraska program since the Lawrence Phillips saga. With that said, the program needs to move on from this week and look on the bright side...we are 3-1, and all of our goals are still in front of us. If our offense plays like it did yesterday, and if we get this defense even somewhat fixed heading into the Illinois game then this season will be ok.
   

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Enjoy the bye week Husker fans...we all need it. In two weeks it's the Fighting Illini' to start Big Ten play. GO HUSKERS!!!

[TheSker]

I got the impression that through the middle of the 2nd quarter and into the second half that it seemed like Bo took more authority in calling the defense.

Yes....noticed this also. A camera showed Pelini in the middle of the defensive huddle on the sideline on at least two different occasions, as well as individually coaching Baptiste, Gerry and Rose.

[NUpolo8]

This "you can't lose your starting job due to injury" is absolute crap. Especially when you consider Taylor de facto won it from Zac Lee due to injury.

 

To say nothing of Crouch over Newcombe, Kapernick over Smith, Ganz over Keller, Gerhig over Pipp, Puig over any current Dodger outfielder, and on and on and on...

 

If that's the main reason/excuse towed out by the staff as to why Taylor starts against Illinois, then quite frankly this staff is lying and deserves to be fired, and I'm a Taylor apologist to a fault.

[lo country]

I got the impression that through the middle of the 2nd quarter and into the second half that it seemed like Bo took more authority in calling the defense.

Yes....noticed this also. A camera showed Pelini in the middle of the defensive huddle on the sideline on at least two different occasions, as well as individually coaching Baptiste, Gerry and Rose.

I think that Bo realizes the D is porous at best and horrific at best. UCLA showed everyone how to beat us last year and teams continue to pull our LB's out with motion and attack the middle with ease. Announcer after announcer has pointed this out. Bo and NU's only hope is to slow this. I feel we are too far gone to stop it, but cutting a teams yrds from 500 to 300 is a start. Our O, if they played like yesterday (ie Beck calls a great game) we should outscore anyone left, BUT D has to at least make opponents work for it.

 

I liked Bo's comments about attitude. It shows that film shows it is not scheme, but attitude and effort (motor). Peter, Wistrom, etc had a motor that wouldn't stop and a kill or be killed mentality. this carried over to both sides of the ball and to all the team. We need this. Unfortunately, it is not something that can be taught or coached IMO. Guys either have it or don't. I am unsure how Bo can get these guys to develop this nasty attitude needed to be able to manhandle their OL opponent, get off the block and plant the ball carrier.

 

Bo's teams in the past have had this. Super D, the Bullocks, SUH, Crick, Assante, Haag etc........ How did he get these guys to play nasty? That is what he needs to find.

 

Coaching the guys on the side, IMO, showed that he realized (finally) Paps does not have the ability to coach on the fly or adjust. Good for us. Just unsure if bo can get this corrected in 2 weeks with little to no help. (Kaz or Joseph maybe?) The saving grace is we have a few "easier" (depends if we crap ourselves again) before NW comes to town.

[lo country]

This "you can't lose your starting job due to injury" is absolute crap. Especially when you consider Taylor de facto won it from Zac Lee due to injury.

 

To say nothing of Crouch over Newcombe, Kapernick over Smith, Ganz over Keller, Gerhig over Pipp, Puig over any current Dodger outfielder, and on and on and on...

 

If that's the main reason/excuse towed out by the staff as to why Taylor starts against Illinois, then quite frankly this staff is lying and deserves to be fired, and I'm a Taylor apologist to a fault.

 

Folks say TA looked good against an inferior SDSU. How about we rest Martinez for the bye and against Illinois. See how TA does against "real" competition. He lights it up, keep with him the following week. Bottom line, he and Stanton are the future. See how he does. From coaches comments last year and this he has "it". I never heard Martinez being described as having "it." Bo is loyal to a fault. I admire that. I really do, but now he has seen TA perform in a game, something IMO he would rather have avoided....

[TheSker]

I got the impression that through the middle of the 2nd quarter and into the second half that it seemed like Bo took more authority in calling the defense.

Yes....noticed this also. A camera showed Pelini in the middle of the defensive huddle on the sideline on at least two different occasions, as well as individually coaching Baptiste, Gerry and Rose.

I think that Bo realizes the D is porous at best and horrific at best. UCLA showed everyone how to beat us last year and teams continue to pull our LB's out with motion and attack the middle with ease. Announcer after announcer has pointed this out. Bo and NU's only hope is to slow this. I feel we are too far gone to stop it, but cutting a teams yrds from 500 to 300 is a start. Our O, if they played like yesterday (ie Beck calls a great game) we should outscore anyone left, BUT D has to at least make opponents work for it.

 

I liked Bo's comments about attitude. It shows that film shows it is not scheme, but attitude and effort (motor). Peter, Wistrom, etc had a motor that wouldn't stop and a kill or be killed mentality. this carried over to both sides of the ball and to all the team. We need this. Unfortunately, it is not something that can be taught or coached IMO. Guys either have it or don't. I am unsure how Bo can get these guys to develop this nasty attitude needed to be able to manhandle their OL opponent, get off the block and plant the ball carrier.

 

Bo's teams in the past have had this. Super D, the Bullocks, SUH, Crick, Assante, Haag etc........ How did he get these guys to play nasty? That is what he needs to find.

 

Coaching the guys on the side, IMO, showed that he realized (finally) Paps does not have the ability to coach on the fly or adjust. Good for us. Just unsure if bo can get this corrected in 2 weeks with little to no help. (Kaz or Joseph maybe?) The saving grace is we have a few "easier" (depends if we crap ourselves again) before NW comes to town.

 

Agreed. I'm not concerned with what the announcers are saying, but at the end of the day it's like Pelini said in his presser.....it's aggressiveness and urgency. Pelini needs to keep a focus on recruiting talent. I think he's done much better the past two seasons in that regard. And I agree with you about the scheme being fine.....let's get that nastiness and aggressiveness.

[Comish]

THE DUKE'S GAMEDAY OBSERVATIONS: South Dakota State vs. Nebraska

1. FIX THE RUN DEFENSE: I don't care how the coaches choose to fix this. Whether its adjusting personnel, simplifying the scheme, completely changing the scheme...whatever...something needs to be fixed for our run defense, so thank God we have a bye week to work on that.
   

 

 

THIS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

ANY or ALL of the above. Whatever it takes.

[Karawithasmile]

This "you can't lose your starting job due to injury" is absolute crap. Especially when you consider Taylor de facto won it from Zac Lee due to injury.

 

To say nothing of Crouch over Newcombe, Kapernick over Smith, Ganz over Keller, Gerhig over Pipp, Puig over any current Dodger outfielder, and on and on and on...

 

If that's the main reason/excuse towed out by the staff as to why Taylor starts against Illinois, then quite frankly this staff is lying and deserves to be fired, and I'm a Taylor apologist to a fault.

 

+1

 

Agree agree agree. At this point, I'd think our coaching staff wants to win - many of their jobs depend on it. With that in mind I'd imagine they'll play the player that gives us the best chance to win. Martinez brings game experience, speed (assuming he's healthy), mostly accurate lateral and short passes, and an occasionally accurate longer ball. He also brings questionable ball security and iffy decision-making when rattled. I'm assuming Martinez also brings the respect of the team, given his seniority and friendships (admittedly, no personal knowledge here).

 

Armstrong brings elusiveness, gorgeous throwing ability, a run threat, and an apparent "x" factor as demonstrated by the decisiveness he showed leading the offense on Saturday. Armstrong also brings some questionable ball security (given his fumble), little game experience, probably less locker room support (guess), and an unknown since we don't really understand how he'll respond to a better defense and more intense lights.

 

RKIII brings accurate and decisive strikes through the air and a deep knowledge of our offense given his age in the program. He also brings no real running threat (though he did tuck it well on Saturday and get what the defense permitted) and there's no upside to playing him for next season.

 

You'd think the coaching staff would be in the best position to evaluate these men and choose accordingly. However, given our defensive problems schematically and the hard-headedness in preaching "execution," I'm not sure about that.....

[GBRrodney]

It seemed like this defense lost passion the second half of the UCLA game. They looked like they were operating at 80 % since then. I hope they still believe in the scheme. As a comparison I watched the Texas v. K St game and the Texas defense was poor at least they played with passion.

[Redux]

This "you can't lose your starting job due to injury" is absolute crap. Especially when you consider Taylor de facto won it from Zac Lee due to injury.

 

To say nothing of Crouch over Newcombe, Kapernick over Smith, Ganz over Keller, Gerhig over Pipp, Puig over any current Dodger outfielder, and on and on and on...

 

If that's the main reason/excuse towed out by the staff as to why Taylor starts against Illinois, then quite frankly this staff is lying and deserves to be fired, and I'm a Taylor apologist to a fault.

 

Taylor beat out Zac Lee because 1) He never got back to 100% healthy and 2) Taylor was the best Qb on the roster

[jmfb]

This "you can't lose your starting job due to injury" is absolute crap. Especially when you consider Taylor de facto won it from Zac Lee due to injury.

 

To say nothing of Crouch over Newcombe, Kapernick over Smith, Ganz over Keller, Gerhig over Pipp, Puig over any current Dodger outfielder, and on and on and on...

 

If that's the main reason/excuse towed out by the staff as to why Taylor starts against Illinois, then quite frankly this staff is lying and deserves to be fired, and I'm a Taylor apologist to a fault.

 

Taylor beat out Zac Lee because 1) He never got back to 100% healthy and 2) Taylor was the best Qb on the roster

Taylor and TA it looks like may be in a very similar situation

[Redux]

This "you can't lose your starting job due to injury" is absolute crap. Especially when you consider Taylor de facto won it from Zac Lee due to injury.

 

To say nothing of Crouch over Newcombe, Kapernick over Smith, Ganz over Keller, Gerhig over Pipp, Puig over any current Dodger outfielder, and on and on and on...

 

If that's the main reason/excuse towed out by the staff as to why Taylor starts against Illinois, then quite frankly this staff is lying and deserves to be fired, and I'm a Taylor apologist to a fault.

 

Taylor beat out Zac Lee because 1) He never got back to 100% healthy and 2) Taylor was the best Qb on the roster

Taylor and TA it looks like may be in a very similar situation

 

Hardly the same. 1) Lee won the role not because he was the best but because he was the oldest QB therefore most familiar with the playbook. He was nowhere near what Taylor is as a Senior. Taylor has tenure, Zac had age, big difference. If anybody seriously believes a healthy Martinez plays backup to a Freshman, youre in for a rough season. Taylor is our QB for the rest of the year.