So, after watching the games last night.....

[MichiganDad3]

It's also occuring to me that Michigan State is going to end the season as a legitimate Top 5 with an undisputed rep as the best defense in the nation.

 

Nebraska averaged 5.6 yards a carry against Michigan State, gained nearly 400 total yards, and despite 5 turnovers was only 6 points down entering the fourth quarter.

 

We might be closer to being better than we think.

With a depleted OL and a back up QB

[MichiganDad3]

Although I don't think Beck is very good at this point, most of those great offenses have great QBs. The more I think about it, the more bothered I am about Nebraska's lack of great QBs. In the last 30 years (post-Gill) Nebraska has had three great QBs: Frazier, Frost and Crouch. All of those guys were run-first QBs who fit our system. Frazier would have likely gone to a Florida school if they guaranteed he could play QB. He felt Nebraska was the only place where he could certainly be the quarterback. Crouch and Frost were both Nebraska natives (and Frost even went to Stanford first). So it could be argued that the last time we really wrestled a great quarterback away from anyone in recruiting was in 1979 when Osborne pulled Gill away from Texas and Oklahoma.

 

I know that recruiting star talent, especially at QB, is tough in the Midwest. But we don't necessarily need the next Jameis Winston or Johnny Manziel. Marcus Mariota, Bryce Petty, Teddy Bridgewater, Braxton Miller and Tajh Boyd are all great current college quarterbacks--better, in my opinion, than anyone we've had since Crouch, and maybe since Frazier. I haven't seen that level of play in Tommy Armstrong. I think if Nebraska really wants to take the next step towards being a national title contender, they're going to have to find a way to get a player of that caliber in the recruiting game. It happened over 34 years ago in a living room in Fort Worth, Texas. Let's hope somebody on this staff can make it happen again. And soon.

Don't forget about Jamal Lord & Godowski

[southernoregonhusker]

Florida State and Oklahoma have freshman quarterbacks. Both are miles ahead of ours. Let's stop using his age as an excuse.

Get your head out of the sand. Winston yes, but Knight basically sucked all year and had thr game of his life against Bama. Far as anyone knows he could suck again next year.

 

My head isn't in the sand and my rose colored glasses have been broken. Sure he could suck again. He could also be terrific....again.

[TonyStalloni]

This was certainly an odd year for Husker football. Coming in to the year we knew of D would be green and there would be mistakes early. We also expected the O to carry them till the coaches knocked the rough edges off all those freshmen. The injury gremlin didn't just camp on our door step he moved in and got a mailing address and didn't move out till he left the O descimated. They mentioned during the game on wed that Husker coaches for many games didn't know who would start in the O line till game time warmups were done. A lot of kids played hurt. I think the coaches and kids did a great job and it's a bit shocking they had the success they had. Looking past the fumbles in the MSU game, I was impressed by our kids.

 

As far as other teams freshmen Qbs performing well this year. Their coaches knew those kids would have the reins this year and they were groomed all last winter and through the summer. Few thought Tommy A would have such a key role in our offense this year. Thats probably on our coaches to have him further along in the process than he was I agree. I was watching ESPN last night while the panel of commenters talked about Fla St and Auburn. They mentioned that Fla St had their whole offense in for every game with no major injuries all year. We would have given our left nut to have half the injuries we had this year. Tell me Fla St would be in the natty if Winston had gone down mid season.

[Hooked on Huskers]

Florida State and Oklahoma have freshman quarterbacks. Both are miles ahead of ours. Let's stop using his age as an excuse.

Get your head out of the sand. Winston yes, but Knight basically sucked all year and had thr game of his life against Bama. Far as anyone knows he could suck again next year.

B I N G O.

 

Before Bama, Knight was only 50% completions, merely 471 passing yards, and 5TD/4PICKS ratio. Plus vs. Okie Lite was not Knight's last seconds hero but Belldozer.

 

.......100+ miles per hour but wild pitcher, losing record but occasionally, very rare, perfect game

 

Joe Dailey vs. pretty good Baylor. NU 59 Baylor 27. Dailey: 13-20-0, 342 yds passing, 5 touchdowns (passing). The next game vs. KSU, Dailey: 3-12-1, 116 yds passing, 0 touchdown....... (back to normal). Even worst after KSU (vs. Mizzery), 4-18-1 26 yds passing .

[Redux]

Florida State and Oklahoma have freshman quarterbacks. Both are miles ahead of ours. Let's stop using his age as an excuse.

 

You cant exactly compare a guy who was thrust into action to a guy who won the Heisman.

[lo country]

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Although I don't think Beck is very good at this point, most of those great offenses have great QBs. The more I think about it, the more bothered I am about Nebraska's lack of great QBs. In the last 30 years (post-Gill) Nebraska has had three great QBs: Frazier, Frost and Crouch. All of those guys were run-first QBs who fit our system. Frazier would have likely gone to a Florida school if they guaranteed he could play QB. He felt Nebraska was the only place where he could certainly be the quarterback. Crouch and Frost were both Nebraska natives (and Frost even went to Stanford first). So it could be argued that the last time we really wrestled a great quarterback away from anyone in recruiting was in 1979 when Osborne pulled Gill away from Texas and Oklahoma.

 

I know that recruiting star talent, especially at QB, is tough in the Midwest. But we don't necessarily need the next Jameis Winston or Johnny Manziel. Marcus Mariota, Bryce Petty, Teddy Bridgewater, Braxton Miller and Tajh Boyd are all great current college quarterbacks--better, in my opinion, than anyone we've had since Crouch, and maybe since Frazier. I haven't seen that level of play in Tommy Armstrong. I think if Nebraska really wants to take the next step towards being a national title contender, they're going to have to find a way to get a player of that caliber in the recruiting game. It happened over 34 years ago in a living room in Fort Worth, Texas. Let's hope somebody on this staff can make it happen again. And soon.

Agree with the above as it speaks to QB play. I remember a quote from TO back in the day in which the system then was predicated on the best athlete being the QB. QB "talent" aside, it is hard to argue the like of Gill, Tommie, Crouch, Frost, Lord etc not being one of the most athletic guys on the field. We really miss that. I still think had Crawford came, Frank's story would have been much different.

 

Also agree with the above that we need to find an identity and recruit for that. We need to recruit to what we have, not try and plug guys in and create a "new system". This is where, IMO, we seem to miss. It seems like we have certain plays for certain guys. This year with QB and not as drastic in our RB play. Cross is no outside runner. Yet we try to use him in the same style as AA.

 

My other question, to use Martinez as an example is about Beck. Martinez is very good. I really think this year would have been different with him 100%, but I still don't think he would ever have gotten a conference championship. Same with Beck. He is good (at times), but I do not feel he is good enough to get us where we want to be. I think he is a lesser problem as stated above ie we suck at the basics, but if we fix those we still have the Jeckyll and Hyde O, the head scratching plays and other issues. Fix the basics first and then adjust the O. If it means a new OC, I am fine with that.

[Guy Chamberlin]

We might be closer to being better than we think.

I think we've always been close to being better than we think. There's always been flashes of brilliance. We saw it in the defense in 2009 and 2010. We've seen it in the legs and hands of T Mart, Rex, Ameer, Bell, and Enunwa. We've seen it in the 4th quarter of so many games. We've seen it against Georgia. But there's always been something preventing us from getting over that hump and realizing that potential on a consistent basis. The "hump" is made out of turnovers and inconsistent discipline, among other things perhaps.

 

Oh I agree with this. I just don't believe it's a talent issue or even a playcalling issue as some tend to think. It's a focus and discipline issue.

 

Get rid of some stupid mistakes and big game jitters and we win. When we win, nobody is fretting about our identity.