Northwestern: What Did We Learn?

[Scarlet]

I learned that if this team takes care of business against Purdue and Minnesota that they're going to f#&% up at least two of the four remaining teams everyone had written off as losses as recently as last week.  

 

The option is still lethal and it's more than a "wrinkle".  

 

Culp may have benefited from this game as much as anyone.  Easy extra points sure but even these were an adventure earlier in the year. 

 

Duval's strength and conditioning seems to be paying off in areas other than what we all focus on: o-line push.  The d-line is starting to collapse the pocket and team speed is much better.  Walk-ons like Reimer are flying.

 

Teams either get better or worse.  Momentum and confidence are building.  If the current trajectory continues this team is going to be a tough out for anyone left on the schedule.  Remember the quitters saying this team wouldn't win another game after each loss this season?  I do.  They'll be back in force if we lose to Michigan but that doesn't negate the progress being made 

 

You have to believe this team isn't going to be satisfied with just this win.  Those heartbreaking losses sometimes can propel a team to take the next step up.  Or they quit.   I'm not seeing the latter.

 

Frost isn't going anywhere.  Alberts is a football guy.  He can see what this is supposed to look like, and what it is going to look like, far better than any internet jockey can, calling for Frost's head one game into the season.

[Nebraska55fan]

This team has the potential to be very good when it stays out of its own way

When on offense the line of scrimmage was reestablished on the Northwestern side of the ball. LARGE holes for the backs to run through. 

HCSF worked with the line on 2 very simple things- pad level and aggression and it worked really well. Hats off to him and them. 

Very Solid play everywhere else.

Martinez is improving, yipped 2 deep open throws- he had time. 

Loved no turnovers- only a handful of penalties.

The guy in charge of fan experience did a great job- that end of 3rd quarter thing was fun. 

GREAT game for our recruits to see.

Cherry on top was all the deep kickoffs, consistent PATs and an 80 yard punt as a cherry on top

Seemed like OLD times- where you just sit back and enjoy our boys put an a$$ whooping on someone. 

[runningblind]

8 hours ago, Hilltop said:

I learned there is still a lot of reason for hope from this staff... What a fun game to watch!

 

I also learned the eye roll emojis would save us a lot of responses on HB.  GBR!

Might be the best response all night.  Can we get the eye roll back @Mavric? Maybe save us these threads all getting taken over by arguments between two people.

[Xmas32]

15 minutes ago, runningblind said:

Might be the best response all night.  Can we get the eye roll back @Mavric? Maybe save us these threads all getting taken over by arguments between two people.

Eye roll was great, also didn't mind the negative rep point thing we did, would be cool if it was like Reddit where enough downvotes would hide a comment.

[rdg25]

Congratulations, well done.

[Hagg]

As to the topic title, during and following this game I learned that the players respect the coaching staff enough to respond.  Not just some of the players, but pretty much every one of them on all squads.  It was a special week of practice, I gather from news accounts of Scott Frost's words.  And this game was the result.  That can't happen without full commitment by the players, and they seem to have done that this past week in particular.

[FrantzHardySwag]

Rahmir and Yant really complement each other. I like that combo moving forward. You have to stick with that OL moving forward. Prior to last night I thought 5 wins, with 6 happening if we catch a lot of breaks. Now I feel like we should take care of business against Purdue, Minny, Wiscy and even take down one of Mich, OSU, Iowa. Most optimistic I've been in a while. Memorial will be absolutely lit next weekend...

[Hagg]

2 minutes ago, rdg25 said:

Congratulations, well done.

 

Thank you.  The 'Cats will of course bounce back.  Great program with great coaches and players.

[Mavric]

 

[Mavric]

 

[Nebraska55fan]

LOTS of our fans stayed.  Even during other wins people would start drifting out at halftime, lots in the early- mid fourth quarter. LOTS in our area stuck it out to the very final gun. We will leave early often, but stayed to savor a dominant and well played game- like the days of old. 

 

Quarterback Adrian Martinez

On the light show and the night game:

“It was nothing short of amazing. I’ve had a few night games here in my career, I’ve played a lot of games, and that was a special environment right there. I remember telling someone on the sideline: He said, ‘why are there so many people here still?’ and I said ‘well, one, there’s a pride thing, there’s a lot of people still in the stands. Two, I know there’s going to be a great light show in the fourth quarter.’ It was awesome.”

https://hailvarsity.com/football/nebraska-players-react-to-56-7-win-over-northwestern/?fbclid=IwAR0n-jpsyqFgCwTiDDvvFVJg-LzNGqPrbGlJ8ZDOOsrpqdEKs_sfKTOWjIk

[3rd and long]

I only saw the fourth quarter, but I was happy  to see us actually fielding punts. 
 

Was it that way all game long?
 

[Jeremy]

I knew Northwestern was down, but holy cow. It also didn't help that they were throwing the ball so much to stop the clock. Good on Scott for calling off the dogs early, brought back some of those old Osborne days feelings. More option, please.

 

Michigan is obviously a tough squad. But we HAVE to beat Purdue, Minnesota, and FINALLY get the Wisconsin monkey off our back. Then give iowa everything we got. We NEED a bowl game. Post-season practices, post-season exposure, fan excitement, momentum going into next year. Scott seems to be coaching for his football life, and that's good, because if this program is EVER going to get back at all, it's gotta start pretty soon. 

[Mavric]

 

[Nebraska55fan]

6 minutes ago, 3rd and long said:

I only saw the fourth quarter, but I was happy  to see us actually fielding punts. 
 

Was it that way all game long?
 

All fair catches- no run backs. One was a pretty tough catch- saved us about 20 yards of field position

 

Martin