49

[True2tRA]

The personnel decisions are the red flag. Everything else just seems like the guys aren't executing and some of them don't seem to be all that concerned about when they let their team down.

 

Burning the redshirt off that Stevenson kid seems like another head scratcher so far.

[zoogs]

In the 2nd half, of the first eight second downs we faced, 5 of them were 2nd & 10 or longer.

 

Of the first 7 third downs we faced, 6 of them were 3rd & 8 or longer.

 

Of the first 9 first-and-10 downs -- if I kept track in the right order -- we started with three runs. They went for 1, -3, and -1 yards. Then four straight passes, then another run, then another pass. I didn't keep track all the way. I recall there being good patience shown on the final scoring drive with a mix of run and pass -- of course it felt that way, it worked. The final drive after that was all pass, and it didn't work.

 

There were four passes on 3rd & 3 that I noticed (and 0 runs). One of these was complete, and for a first down. The run was not often there in these situations but the way Tommy was throwing, could they reasonably have expected the pass to be, either?

 

First Half

1st & 10: 11 runs, 6 pass *includes 1st & goal

 

2nd & 1-5: 5 runs, 1 pass

2nd & 6-8: 1 run, 3 pass

2nd & 9-10: 3 runs, 3 pass *includes 2nd & goal

2nd & 11-17: 3 pass

 

3rd & 2: 2 run, 1 pass

3rd & 3: 3 pass

3rd & 4-7: 2 pass

3rd & 9-17: 4 pass

 

2nd & 1-5 was clearly "run time", but it really didn't do much good. It produced a lot of 3rd & "not that short". Maybe this is a credit to Northwestern, whose defensive front did work on the Huskers today.

 

The point in all of this: we faced a good lot of pass-only situations, and still ran 37 times, to resoundingly "meh" effect.

 

This Husker offense does its best damage via the air and also kills itself with mind-boggling incompletions. If we can only call the former and not the latter when we do go pass. I'm not sure that's a possible reality with Tommy.

 

We are living and dying by him. Tommy's improvisation and arm are the only reason Nebraska put up 28 points today. They're also the reason Nebraska yielded a ridiculous 70-yard pick six, as well as left a ton of yards on the field with missed checkdowns and oddly incomplete swing passes.

 

Toss play: obviously I don't keep track of this, but Ozigbo's touchdown was surely one. I think they run it. Maybe they don't run that play or X or Y or Z play enough, or maybe we're simply playing armchair play installer. Either way, *somebody* has to do a better job with getting the run game going.

[EngineeringHusker]

In the first half:

 

Nebraska's starting field position was their own 35 yard line. Exclude the boneheaded decision by Stevenson to run backwards on a kickoff return which started them at their own 9, and their average starting field position in the first half was their own 39 yard line. They had to go about 31 yards, just 3 first downs, in order to get into field goal range for Drew Brown.

 

Instead, we did this:

 

NEB 48: 9 plays, 26 yards: 4 runs, 10 yards, 4 passes, 2 completions, 16 yards--Field Goal

NEB 24: 8 plays, 38 yards: 2 runs, 5 yards, 6 passes, 4 completions, 40 yards--Punt

NEB 45: 3 plays, 7 yards: 1 run, 7 yards, 2 passes, 0 completions, 0 yards--Punt

NEB 37: 3 plays, 8 yards: 2 runs, 8 yards, 1 pass, 0 completions, 0 yards--Punt (This was the drive where Newby got 9 yards on 1st down and then we didn't run it up the middle like any other f'ing team would do on either 2nd or 3rd down)

NW 47: 6 plays, 18 yards: 3 runs, 13 yards, 3 passes, 1 completion, 5 yards--NW Pick Six

NEB 25: 13 plays, 75 yards: 6 runs, 2 yards, 7 passes, 3 completions, 38 yards--Touchdown (This is the drive where we though running outside with Cross was good--it wasn't, we lost 6 yards)

 

Thanks to that wonderful interception, Nebraska gained just 3 points on NW. Northwestern, on the other hand, started their drives on their own 20, which meant that they had to go about 50 yards (5 first downs) in order to get into field goal range. They got ONE FIRST DOWN in those 7 drives. The Huskers allowed Thorsen to scramble on a broken play for 68 yards (pretty much all of NW's first half offense) en route to a TD, but the Huskers got two points back on a safety before allowing Thorsen to again scramble for a big play setting up a FG right before halftime.

 

Northwestern with far worse field position, netted 8 points on Nebraska. That's where the game was lost, because the field position battle was more even in the second half.

 

You simply cannot do f#*k all with such an advantage in field position.

I do not understand why we cannot capitalize on good things such as better field position. It's almost like we don't play as hard in these instances. 99 yards to go or down by at least one score- go hard, catch passes and make plays- the guys can do it. Heaven forbid we use any of this stuff to our advantage. Lord knows how much better we'd look if we could capitalize in these situations.

[Bball1091]

TA throwing the ball over 40 times is way too many. I've seen the OC call some very innovative passing plays. Passing plays I didn't even know existed. However, when he tried to run, they are very basic (exception QB run plays have been somewhat innovative when they are run). When you run very basic run plays where the RB is running straight into the lineman's behind then what do expect. It's almost like they aren't even trying to run the ball effectively. Idk if you want to blame Newby or the OC but it is sad to see.

[shyndy]

We ran the ball 38 times.

 

Why don't we just admit that the problem is not how much we passed or how much we ran, but more so how ineffective we seem to be at both. We seem to fail at the worst times.

 

We also throw the ball in some baffling spots. I don't like the pass on first down, and I don't like the pass on anything 3rd and 3 or less. Flip side of the coin is, Nebraska can only average 2 yards a carry, so Langs is in a tough spot.

 

Tommy had 291 yards passing but still looks very poor at times. Numbers don't tell the whole story there, he made some good choices and some bad ones. That pick six was ridiculously stupid. Still, if Tommy's receivers catch a few more passes the game probably goes the other way. 9 drops by seven receivers is the stat I heard. That's just plain bad.

 

The numbers don't lie in the run game. 38 rushes for 82 yards. This game was lost in that stat right there. More than anywhere else. This team will either decide to get a little more aggresive in the trenches, or they won't. Plain and simple. The coaches gave them more than enough opportunities to establish something on the ground.

he looks bad and makes bad decisions when he is in the pocket trying to make wco reads

[grandpasknee]

I hate these losses like everyone else. I love the run. I have always subscribed to the common wisdom see here all the time "run the ball well, stop the run, win games".

 

At the same time I've had a number of pretty high responsibility jobs, a few of which I had to change the way thing were done. Nobody like the changes, there were awkward times and several people left. Such is life.

 

Mike Riley is our highly paid coach. He has zero need, responsibility, nor apparently desire to listen to a large portion of the fan base, nor does he appear to care for what has worked here in the past. It IS his choice and HIS future. He knows that. He may not fit our desired style of football, but to assume he'd change his ways to meet our desires is foolish. It is his career, success or failure, he should be free to make his choices. I'll support that till such a time as "his way" either gets him replaced, or he succeeds. The only choice I have in the matter it to support the team/players and coaching or not support them. I choose to support the team, while hoping for the success end of the equation occurs before the legitimate need to replace him comes around. As we all know, replacing a coach is no guarantee for a higher degree of success.

[True2tRA]

Sometimes he looks really bad and sometimes he looks really good. I'd be honest and lay blame on him if it were his fault we lost this game. But it's not. Plenty of other issues in this one.

 

Crazy how an offense can possess the ball 18 minutes more than another offense and still lose the game though. The Cornhuskers have to be one of the most baffling teams I've ever watched. The ways we have found to lose football games, not just this year, but for quite a few years now, it's truly strane stuff. It's never just "one thing" either. It seems we find a new way all the time.

 

When you see it with one coaching staff you could directly relate it to the staff, but a whole new staff and we still have the same kind of dumb stuff creeping up. I think we've got some sort of unexplainable lack of football smarts in this team. We just seem to really do some dumb sh#t and we do it at the worst times. It's become a common theme and it's effected every aspect of the game. Offense, defense, special teams, penalities, decison making and situational understanding. You still see a lot of players half assing it out there too. I literally watched Banderas quit on a few plays in the first half before I went on to doing more important sh#t. I mean, the guy just quit playing right in the middle of a play? I'm like.....WTF?

 

I can't allow myself to get to beat up about this stuff anymore. I can't lay it all on the coaches either and maybe I shouldn't have with Bo. We will either find a way to inspire kids to want to do better, or these things will continue.

 

Accountability still seems to be an issue and for me it always will be a problem regardless of the staff. I said it about Bo and I'll say it about Riley if he refuses to make some changes. When the same guys make the same mistakes over and over, or the same players show the same lack of effort day after day, and nobody does anything about it, then it tells you your coaching staff and the core of your football team is weak. Now maybe Riley needs some time to establish a level of accountability in the program and it may be too early to expect it from a bunch of players that are not "his", but my God man, at some point you've got to start looking toward the future and stop letting the same people kill what you're trying to build.

 

Unless of course he doesn't see any issues in this aspect and if that's the case, it's unfortunate for Husker football. Stop f'ing around and start at the heart of the problem.

[Red Five]

[zoogs]

If Turner keeps running Nebraska wins this game and Tommy's bad day looks a lot better on paper -- without changing much in reality.

 

That's how close things are one way or another.

 

As far as running, either there's some dynamite latent running game that the coaches are unable to find, or perhaps with the loss of Ameer and the new, struggling interior OL, it just isn't that good this year.

[Thanks_Tom RR]

Wow! I wish that result would sink into the heads of this coaching staff. Listening to the postgame pressor, you would think we had a good day running the ball.

[Saunders]

If Turner keeps running Nebraska wins this game and Tommy's bad day looks a lot better on paper -- without changing much in reality.

 

That's how close things are one way or another.

 

As far as running, either there's some dynamite latent running game that the coaches are unable to find, or perhaps with the loss of Ameer and the new, struggling interior OL, it just isn't that good this year.

Or we should probably stop running right into the teeth of the D. I don't remember a single toss play this year.

[shyndy]

 

If Turner keeps running Nebraska wins this game and Tommy's bad day looks a lot better on paper -- without changing much in reality.

That's how close things are one way or another.

As far as running, either there's some dynamite latent running game that the coaches are unable to find, or perhaps with the loss of Ameer and the new, struggling interior OL, it just isn't that good this year.

 

Or we should probably stop running right into the teeth of the D. I don't remember a single toss play this year.

we have run like three option plays all year and they all worked great. Basically everything we have run has worked except the stuff from Riley's playbook

[TonyStalloni]

I was at the game today....even after I told myself I wasn't going to another game this year. I saw some things I have never seen a Husker team do. Half assed walking through plays by the defense. Playing....or rather putting in time....without seemingly any passion. No one patting another player on the helmet after a good tackle. Partly because there were so few good tackles. I thought we had a pretty solid crew of receivers but they must have been reading their press clippings because they dropped passes like the ball was radioactive. To me it looks like these players have not bought in to what the coaches are selling. I understand they had to change loyalties mid career. You still play for the love of the game and for the guys you play with. It honestly would not surprise me to see wholesale transfers after the season based on what I saw today.

 

On another note did the tv cameras show Malik Collins after the PF penalty on the last NW drive? It looked to me like the coaches wanted to sub for him and he refused to come off the field. He kept waving off the coaches and the player trying to come in. If thats the case and I could be wrong then that young man needs to run some stairs.

 

To me, today was a total waste of 11 hours. Make that 10 hours. The BBQ meal was pretty good.

[lo country]

I was at the game today....even after I told myself I wasn't going to another game this year. I saw some things I have never seen a Husker team do. Half assed walking through plays by the defense. Playing....or rather putting in time....without seemingly any passion. No one patting another player on the helmet after a good tackle. Partly because there were so few good tackles. I thought we had a pretty solid crew of receivers but they must have been reading their press clippings because they dropped passes like the ball was radioactive. To me it looks like these players have not bought in to what the coaches are selling. I understand they had to change loyalties mid career. You still play for the love of the game and for the guys you play with. It honestly would not surprise me to see wholesale transfers after the season based on what I saw today.

 

On another note did the tv cameras show Malik Collins after the PF penalty on the last NW drive? It looked to me like the coaches wanted to sub for him and he refused to come off the field. He kept waving off the coaches and the player trying to come in. If thats the case and I could be wrong then that young man needs to run some stairs.

 

To me, today was a total waste of 11 hours. Make that 10 hours. The BBQ meal was pretty good.

He'd sit for the next game. If true, that complete BS. If allowed, Riley has lost this team.

[VectorVictor]

We ran the ball 38 times.

 

Why don't we just admit that the problem is not how much we passed or how much we ran, but more so how ineffective we seem to be at both. We seem to fail at the worst times.

 

We also throw the ball in some baffling spots. I don't like the pass on first down, and I don't like the pass on anything 3rd and 3 or less. Flip side of the coin is, Nebraska can only average 2 yards a carry, so Langs is in a tough spot.

 

Tommy had 291 yards passing but still looks very poor at times. Numbers don't tell the whole story there, he made some good choices and some bad ones. That pick six was ridiculously stupid. Still, if Tommy's receivers catch a few more passes the game probably goes the other way. 9 drops by seven receivers is the stat I heard. That's just plain bad.

 

The numbers don't lie in the run game. 38 rushes for 82 yards. This game was lost in that stat right there. More than anywhere else. This team will either decide to get a little more aggresive in the trenches, or they won't. Plain and simple. The coaches gave them more than enough opportunities to establish something on the ground.

 

Try again. The runs were garbage, HB dive runs right into a stacked 9 man box on Northwestern's part. Better posters have already pointed out that NW's MIKE had more tackles this game alone than the past three, as well as the NW DLs, which suggests that the running game plan was uninspired...to say the least.

 

Just 'running the ball' doesn't mean s*** when you're running the same garbage play between the tackles over and over again, aren't running to set up passing plays (or future sweeps/running plays), or you continue to rotate RBs out as if they're all plug-and-play. But by all means, keep on making excuses and defending the coaches' collective incompetence. I'd like to think the kids playing for Nebraska deserve better than a charlatan for a head coach and his cronies.

 

He'd sit for the next game. If true, that complete BS. If allowed, Riley has lost this team.

 

Well, this is rather disconcerting, to say the least. And if it's the later...it's all the more reason that the University needs to cut bait at the end of the season.