JTrain
All-Conference
I'm completely in shock. It's going to take some time to reflect on this game but right now I'm sick to my stomach. I'm too sick to be too angry right now, but what a horrible way to piss away a game. We should have won that game 22-10. If I had to say right now this would rank as one of the four most devastating losses I've ever seen. It's up there with 02 Texas, 06 Texas and dare I say even the 94 Orange Bowl against FSU.
Here are a few thoughts from this game. Please, I know everybody is pissed off or sad or shocked or sick right now, but the last thing we need is to start fighting over the reasons why we lost. If you disagree with me, I respect your opinion. I'll be glad to discuss it, for a bit anyways, before we all try to put this sh**ty disaster of an ending behind us because that's all we can do. I really felt like we could go into the OU game 8-0 and it hurts to have that hope dashed in this fashion, but what can we do. So here are my thoughts.
1. First drive of the game, they get the big kick return and then we hold them to 3rd and 20. Pelini dials up a corner blitz (Hagg) which usually means man coverage. We show it too early (as we often do) and Tech looks to the sideline for an audible. They audible the slot receiver to a deep corner route, an easy call, expecting him to be in man with O'Hanlon. Our defense looks to the sideline to see if we want to counter, but we stay with the original play. Tyrod knows right where he's going with it and makes a solid pass for a first down. That was a mistake by our coaching staff and we paid for it. That's the difference between giving up a touchdown and a tough 47-yard FG attempt. That's a 4 or 7 point difference.
2. Trust me, I have never been a "put Cody Green in" guy, in fact I wanted him to redshirt. But it is tough to win any game when your quarterback is completing 30% of his passes. I feel like we should have let Zac sit down. Even if it was for a series or two. Something wasn't right in his mind because he was missing everything in the second half. Even the completions were not pretty. For those who will say, "Green doesn't know much of the playbook" you're right, but Watson had essentially simplified to four or five plays in the second half because of how shaky Zac was out there. With Green, at least you have a legitimate threat to break a long run on the zone read play. And Green could have run the five play playbook just fine. Lee was completely off for whatever reason and just couldn't find it.
3. 4th and 1 around the VT 45, a first down wins the game. I refuse to call this a horrible call on Bo's part to punt, because you have to like our chances of forcing them to go 90 yards with no timeouts. But dagnabit, in retrospect, if we could have pounded out that one yard, that's it. Ballgame. Would have been a gutsy call but I wish I could see how it would have turned out.
4. The long pass that set up the final touchdown was an absolute travesty. Never ever ever should that have happened, even under a Cosgrove defense. One minute left, they have no timeouts and 60+ yard to go, the ONE thing you can't do is let someone behind you. It looked like a cover 2 zone, which would be an absolutely horrible call in that situation. Or it was a cover 3 and West simply had the most monumental brain fart in the history of football. Either way, I will not get over that play for a long, long, long time. Our defense played so well for 95% of the game... then to give it up on that play, it's heartbreaking. Honestly, I hope it was a blown assignment more than a horrible playcall, because if the playcall is to blame, I've lost a lot of faith in Bo's playcalling. That was the most painful play in many years for Husker football.
5. Then when it looked like all hope was lost, we get a sack on Tyrod and suddenly they're out around the 11 with no timeouts. Hope sneaks back in. Then the most unbelievable play I have seen. Suh had his jersey as he threw. Prince was three inches from knocking it down. Absolutely unreal.
Absolutely brutal, guys. This is going to sting for a few weeks. It's going to be an awfully bittersweet celebration of 300 next week. But what can we do? :dunno BTW, great games Roy Jr. and Henery.
Here are a few thoughts from this game. Please, I know everybody is pissed off or sad or shocked or sick right now, but the last thing we need is to start fighting over the reasons why we lost. If you disagree with me, I respect your opinion. I'll be glad to discuss it, for a bit anyways, before we all try to put this sh**ty disaster of an ending behind us because that's all we can do. I really felt like we could go into the OU game 8-0 and it hurts to have that hope dashed in this fashion, but what can we do. So here are my thoughts.
1. First drive of the game, they get the big kick return and then we hold them to 3rd and 20. Pelini dials up a corner blitz (Hagg) which usually means man coverage. We show it too early (as we often do) and Tech looks to the sideline for an audible. They audible the slot receiver to a deep corner route, an easy call, expecting him to be in man with O'Hanlon. Our defense looks to the sideline to see if we want to counter, but we stay with the original play. Tyrod knows right where he's going with it and makes a solid pass for a first down. That was a mistake by our coaching staff and we paid for it. That's the difference between giving up a touchdown and a tough 47-yard FG attempt. That's a 4 or 7 point difference.
2. Trust me, I have never been a "put Cody Green in" guy, in fact I wanted him to redshirt. But it is tough to win any game when your quarterback is completing 30% of his passes. I feel like we should have let Zac sit down. Even if it was for a series or two. Something wasn't right in his mind because he was missing everything in the second half. Even the completions were not pretty. For those who will say, "Green doesn't know much of the playbook" you're right, but Watson had essentially simplified to four or five plays in the second half because of how shaky Zac was out there. With Green, at least you have a legitimate threat to break a long run on the zone read play. And Green could have run the five play playbook just fine. Lee was completely off for whatever reason and just couldn't find it.
3. 4th and 1 around the VT 45, a first down wins the game. I refuse to call this a horrible call on Bo's part to punt, because you have to like our chances of forcing them to go 90 yards with no timeouts. But dagnabit, in retrospect, if we could have pounded out that one yard, that's it. Ballgame. Would have been a gutsy call but I wish I could see how it would have turned out.
4. The long pass that set up the final touchdown was an absolute travesty. Never ever ever should that have happened, even under a Cosgrove defense. One minute left, they have no timeouts and 60+ yard to go, the ONE thing you can't do is let someone behind you. It looked like a cover 2 zone, which would be an absolutely horrible call in that situation. Or it was a cover 3 and West simply had the most monumental brain fart in the history of football. Either way, I will not get over that play for a long, long, long time. Our defense played so well for 95% of the game... then to give it up on that play, it's heartbreaking. Honestly, I hope it was a blown assignment more than a horrible playcall, because if the playcall is to blame, I've lost a lot of faith in Bo's playcalling. That was the most painful play in many years for Husker football.
5. Then when it looked like all hope was lost, we get a sack on Tyrod and suddenly they're out around the 11 with no timeouts. Hope sneaks back in. Then the most unbelievable play I have seen. Suh had his jersey as he threw. Prince was three inches from knocking it down. Absolutely unreal.
Absolutely brutal, guys. This is going to sting for a few weeks. It's going to be an awfully bittersweet celebration of 300 next week. But what can we do? :dunno BTW, great games Roy Jr. and Henery.
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