The Problem

[Hujan]

Quint Kessenich (sp?) nailed it during the game. Nebraska's problems are these:

 

1) No pass rusher

 

2) Mediocre corners

 

3) No deep threat on offense

 

I hope DPE can address #3 (which is the least of these three problems, IMO). But the other two--lack of an elite pass rusher and mediocre corners--is going to be hard to fix this season. The best I think you can do is try to come up with some exotic blitzs to get QB pressure to account for the lack of a solid pass rusher and to mask the poor corner play.

[alwayshusking]

Number 1 is going to be a problem all season. Unless they pull Alex Davis' redshirt and he happens to be good, we don't have much right now. Freedom is coming along but not there.

 

I thought pulling Davie helped. You have to play with great confidence when you're on the island, and he doesn't have it.

 

Blitz game has been pretty bad so far. We haven't gotten home very much if ever. Banker needs to start showing me a little more going forward.

 

The only good news is that I think with our schedule in the B1G we won't have our flaws exposed that much. Most teams are still fairly limited offensively.

[chamrocck]

Heard this during the game and it's like he took the words out of my mouth. Spot on analysis with some of our major issues. We have done well bringing in some Juco's to help with the defense in recent past. Man we could use a corner who can play right away as well as a pass rusher.

[Danny Bateman]

#1 directly feeds into #2.

 

I don't care if you've got Amukamara, Hagg, Fonzie, Gomes, the Bullocks twins... Hell, even the Brown brothers back there patrolling. If the QB sits comfy in that pocket ALL DAY LONG, he'll pick them apart. I'd imagine the DBS are still adjusting to Banker's coverages from Bo's, which doesn't help anything.

 

Obviously DL depth is terrible right now.

 

I could see #3 being Riley being conservative in his first road game as well. Deep balls are already low percentage plays, and the last thing we needed was to gift wrap turnovers.

[MichiganDad3]

Penalties ... it is tough to win when you have 12 penalties a game

[Redux]

What I heard during the game?

 

1) Nobody cared about the game. Both teams are shells of their former selves balh blah blah.

 

2) Miami has a lot of lightning delays. Most deaths caused by lightning per capita.

 

3) The Muppets are back on TV. Kermit and Miss Piggy broke up.

 

4) Miami fans waste money on banners to get Golden fired.

 

5) Brad Kaaya's Mom is Bye Felicia and the announcers like that movie.

[84HuskerLaw]

I asked in another thread to see if anyone sees the obvious glaring area of subpar play thus far which in my view has caused the two losses and yet can be easily remedied qucikly and help the team play much better the rest of the year! Nobody seems to be discussing it really.

 

The answer is "Special teams". We have played very poorly so far, losing the area of special teams in all three games badly in my opinion. Poor punting. Poor punt returns. Poor punt fielding. Poor field goal kicking. Poor kick off returns. These areas are easily fixed. Perhaps field goal kick are already 'fixed'. Punting will be better if our punter is healthy. Punt fielding was remedied with putting a second man back there but I am sure they had to tell Westy to catch the dam ball and don't let it roll for 30 yards. Kick off returns were mediocre yesterday. We need a hard charging 'slasher' running back kick offs. Punt returns require a shifty quick as a cat runner who can make the first two or three guys miss after the catch. Kick off returns require someone with excellent straight away speed and an almost suicidal charge of the light brigade mentality to run into the on coming wall of defenders and punch through ala the children's "red rover game". You must break through, not dance on kick offs.

If we had won special teams in all three games, we would have won all three games by several touchdowns in my opinion. Field position has been terrible and we have had to go 80 yards into the wind, sun, etc. all three games. This can and will likely change for the better as the season progresses.

[It'sNotAFakeID]

I asked in another thread to see if anyone sees the obvious glaring area of subpar play thus far which in my view has caused the two losses and yet can be easily remedied qucikly and help the team play much better the rest of the year! Nobody seems to be discussing it really.

 

The answer is "Special teams". We have played very poorly so far, losing the area of special teams in all three games badly in my opinion. Poor punting. Poor punt returns. Poor punt fielding. Poor field goal kicking. Poor kick off returns. These areas are easily fixed. Perhaps field goal kick are already 'fixed'. Punting will be better if our punter is healthy. Punt fielding was remedied with putting a second man back there but I am sure they had to tell Westy to catch the dam ball and don't let it roll for 30 yards. Kick off returns were mediocre yesterday. We need a hard charging 'slasher' running back kick offs. Punt returns require a shifty quick as a cat runner who can make the first two or three guys miss after the catch. Kick off returns require someone with excellent straight away speed and an almost suicidal charge of the light brigade mentality to run into the on coming wall of defenders and punch through ala the children's "red rover game". You must break through, not dance on kick offs.

If we had won special teams in all three games, we would have won all three games by several touchdowns in my opinion. Field position has been terrible and we have had to go 80 yards into the wind, sun, etc. all three games. This can and will likely change for the better as the season progresses.

 

I disagree. I don't understand people's angst with special teams.

 

Punting was bad yesterday, and I wonder how much of that was attributed to Foltz's first game back from injury. But we averaged 24 yards on 3 kick returns and the others were touchbacks, there's nothing we can do about that. We had two punt returns and averaged 16.5 yards on those punt returns, which is actually pretty good. Sometimes other punters do good things too, and not everything is returnable--even DPE fair caught punts.

[In the Deed the Glory]

I asked in another thread to see if anyone sees the obvious glaring area of subpar play thus far which in my view has caused the two losses and yet can be easily remedied qucikly and help the team play much better the rest of the year! Nobody seems to be discussing it really.

 

The answer is "Special teams". We have played very poorly so far, losing the area of special teams in all three games badly in my opinion. Poor punting. Poor punt returns. Poor punt fielding. Poor field goal kicking. Poor kick off returns. These areas are easily fixed. Perhaps field goal kick are already 'fixed'. Punting will be better if our punter is healthy. Punt fielding was remedied with putting a second man back there but I am sure they had to tell Westy to catch the dam ball and don't let it roll for 30 yards. Kick off returns were mediocre yesterday. We need a hard charging 'slasher' running back kick offs. Punt returns require a shifty quick as a cat runner who can make the first two or three guys miss after the catch. Kick off returns require someone with excellent straight away speed and an almost suicidal charge of the light brigade mentality to run into the on coming wall of defenders and punch through ala the children's "red rover game". You must break through, not dance on kick offs.

If we had won special teams in all three games, we would have won all three games by several touchdowns in my opinion. Field position has been terrible and we have had to go 80 yards into the wind, sun, etc. all three games. This can and will likely change for the better as the season progresses.

 

You are so wrong it is painful.

 

Nearly every kickoff from us was a touchback, Westy returned punts very well. Kickoff returns weren't bad. Punt coverage was great.

 

This post is ignorant.

[xlbder]

The problem is the 1st half. Let's stop playing those and play two second halves.

[Sargon]

NU is 92nd in net punting, 35.69 ave.

 

Miami game net punting...Miami 41.4, NU 34.4

 

BYU beat NU by 3.7 yards per punt, net.

 

 

Regarding the OP...1 and 2 are big problems. I'd replace the deep threat issue with "catch the _____ing ball"

[zoogs]

Gotta be Foltz's injusry situation. You never know, though. The whole team came out in a funk against Miami. Everything went wrong in every phase of the game for the first couple of drives. Adjusted, battled back, but it easily could have turned out differently. Another score and the game may have been put well out of reach.

[admo]

The problem is the 1st half. Let's stop playing those and play two second halves.

in particular, 2nd quarter

[GBRedneck]

Heard this during the game and it's like he took the words out of my mouth. Spot on analysis with some of our major issues. We have done well bringing in some Juco's to help with the defense in recent past. Man we could use a corner who can play right away as well as a pass rusher.

Agreed. I've given up on these coaches actually coaching. Let's draft some free agents!

[Hunter94]

offensive and defensive line, neither can generate a push........fundamental needs, right here.