The tools are there? I thought the cupboard was bare and we have no talent because Solich couldn't recruit and that's why we lose to Iowa State and S. Miss. Well that's what 80% of the people in here believe, anyway.I do agree though that the tools are there to play with the big boys though. I've believed it all season. It comes down to coaching and weather or not these guys can get up for a game. Wish we could have bottled some of that intensity from the Missouri game for later use.
“The tools are there” for a win does not negate the fact that the talent is lacking. In all sports, year after year, we see less-talented teams defeat more-talented teams. This almost always means the less talented team must play to its full potential, and the more talented team has to be off its game, but it
does happens.
Can NU defeat the Sooners? Sure, it can happen, even if on paper it doesn’t look possible. The tools
are there – but NU needs to play virtually error-free football, and OU needs a letdown, whether emotional or mental.
But that doesn’t mean that NU is awash in talent. That’s why, on paper, this appears to be a mismatch – OU is far more talented.
With the exception of the Texas Tech game, NU has been in every game. The loses have come from lack of execution – receivers dropping passes, Dailey not making his reads or making the wrong decision, the kickers not connecting on field goals. On the defensive side, while there is a general lack of speed, the real problem seems to be a lack of emotion – as indicated by the Missouri game.
What talent does is give you more room for error – a better chance that if the players have an “off” day, they can still pull it off on sheer athletic ability. And the more talent, the greater the margin of error a team enjoys. NU lacks that – they have to be emotionally into each game, play error-free ball, and avoid silly mistakes.
One of the benefits of the option is the fact that it tends to “equalize” teams when there is a talent disparity. Ball control on offense keeps the ball out of the hands of a more talented team, and reduces their scoring opportunities. That’s why you didn’t often see NU getting blown out – and why, when it had better talent, NU dominated.
But we started to see some blowouts under Solich, even with the use of the option. That’s an indicator that the talent level was dropping.
So, yes, the tools are there to win. The talent, however, is not there such that NU can dominate and win on those occasions when the emotion and execution is not there.
