Concerns about the team

This quick strike O has me concerned as well. We just haver exectued at a high level for 9-12 plays at a time. What if we need to grind out the clock so the other team doesn't get a chance to score after us, even if we score...to keep them from a game winning drive? Against UW we ran it over and over, but still busted long plays, also they aren't near texass athletic ability.

I share your concern. I'm glad our D can shut people down, unlike oregeon.

 
knapplc said:
Hunter, what you're describing (concern over having to make long drives) is exactly what Bo predicates his defense on. Instead of a vicious attack-oriented defense, he plays field position, control of the opponent and short gains. The whole point of that philosophy is that it's far harder to score on long drives than short ones, so we don't play that Charlie McBride "High-Risk/High-Reward" major blitzing style of D.

The best way to defeat that style of defense is to have a solid Offensive Line and to have multiple playmakers. This year, thus far, we have a solid Offensive Line. Thus far, we have multiple playmakers

Texas has athletes on defense without question, but we counter that with Taylor Martinez, Roy Helu, Rex Burkhead, Mike McNeill, Brandon Kinnie, Niles Paul and Kyler Reed. That's a lot of playmakers, six of whom can be on the field at one time. That's where we'll get these guys - they just won't match up with us everywhere.
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+1. Right on the money, knapplc. This ends the argument of long, sustained drives vs quick strike attacks.

At the same time, I understand the concern about what will happen when (notice I didn't say "if") we're forced to sustain a longer drive b/c Texas contains our big play threats. Honestly, there's no doubt we should be concerned about this b/c if Texas' D is able to do against our offense what the Blackshirts do against opposing offenses (force long drives that result if fumbles, INTs, etc), there's definitely a chance the fumblitis will kick into gear. That, or Martinez feels the need to force the issue with his arm, which then results in a couple picks (i.e. SDSU).

 
HuskerJosh said:
Why would you want "sustained scoring drives" when you can score in 3 plays?
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To burn the clock and keep the opposing offense off the field. To wear the opposition defense down. To keep our defense fresh.

Quick drives tend to come against inferior opponents. We have yet to face a defense that can defend the run. So... when Texas hits, we are unlikely to get multiple big plays. A few sure. maybe enough to win. Maybe. But unless we have sustained drives --- sustained balanced drives (with some passing --- and some mid-range passing, stretching the field), then this offense may stall and struggle.

Point being... a great offense is one that can move the chains, has balance and big play potential. When facing a good defense, big plays are at a minimum and so moving the chains and balance are needed. Thus far, we really do not know whether we have an offense that can move the chains and have balance. All we know is that we can get the big play against weak defenses. So... we really know little about the NU offense. Texas will be the best measure to see what the NU O is really about. And yes... we need sustained drives.

 
Not having concerns is a path to defeat. See Alabama.

Texas has had the extra time to work on our offense and Taylor, thinking that their coaches will not have a good game plan to stop him is foolish.

But we have had time to figure out how to attack them too.

This team came back on Oklahoma, a little luck could have beat them I think. Respect them, but no reason to fear them, we have the talent to win this game, so do they. But I think we want it more than they do, again this would truly end their season so to speak.

A lot on the table for both teams, it will be a great game, and I can hardly wait.

Nebraska 17-14.

 
skersfan said:
But I think we want it more than they do, again this would truly end their season so to speak.
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I disagree to some extent. Our team's motivation was 00:01. Their team's motivation is to right their ship and not lose 3 in a row.

I personally expect a very close, low scoring game. Something along the lines of 19-13.

 
The only time I care at all about long sustained drives is in the 4th quarter, if we have the lead. As long as the offense is putting the ball in the endzone, I don't care how they do it.

 
The Dude said:
The only time I care at all about long sustained drives is in the 4th quarter, if we have the lead. As long as the offense is putting the ball in the endzone, I don't care how they do it.
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yeah, who cares if they cannot run much time off the clock if they are scoring. especially with our 'd'.

 
In my opinion I don't see any reason for concern in this game, sustained drives are great if you need them, we haven't so I guess we'll see what happens there but honestly with the holes our o line has been opening up it really shouldn't matter whether we run 1 60 yards run or 30 5 yard runs..I find it funny that we've been playing these "trap games" washington was supposed to have a great shot to beat us, we murdered them and then all of a sudden they're just not that great of a team, same thing with k-state, supposedly had a good chance to "upset the over rated huskers" well guess what, we just hung won by 5 touchdowns, I think we need to start giving our team a little more credit..I know that we, as husker fans, sometimes give ourselves over to a certain amount of paranoia, especially when the long horns are concerned...but, every facet of our offense and defense is playing well, I don't know where the "martinez can't throw" rumor came from but that's crap, same thing with our run D sucking, it's all a bunch of hype and paranoid husker fans. we'll be fine.

 
Chuck_G_23 said:
In my opinion I don't see any reason for concern in this game, sustained drives are great if you need them, we haven't so I guess we'll see what happens there but honestly with the holes our o line has been opening up it really shouldn't matter whether we run 1 60 yards run or 30 5 yard runs..I find it funny that we've been playing these "trap games" washington was supposed to have a great shot to beat us, we murdered them and then all of a sudden they're just not that great of a team, same thing with k-state, supposedly had a good chance to "upset the over rated huskers" well guess what, we just hung won by 5 touchdowns, I think we need to start giving our team a little more credit..I know that we, as husker fans, sometimes give ourselves over to a certain amount of paranoia, especially when the long horns are concerned...but, every facet of our offense and defense is playing well, I don't know where the "martinez can't throw" rumor came from but that's crap, same thing with our run D sucking, it's all a bunch of hype and paranoid husker fans. we'll be fine.
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They weren't really rumors. Statements like that came from how we performed vs WKU's and SDSU's RBs. And the "Martinez can't throw" bit obviously came as a result of his poor showing vs SDSU. Obviously some people take those performances differently than others. What I take from those performances is this:

1. Our defense is improving in several facets each and every game. When we don't execute the fundamentals and follow the game plan, we struggle in certain areas (eg. run defense allowing 100+ yard performances by opposing RBs). But, while we struggle in maybe 1 or 2 facets, we kill opposing offenses in others, which is still good enough to get us the win. And when this D needs to, it absolutely is capable of shutting it down.

2. Martinez' struggles in the passing game when he tries to force passes that aren't there (eg. Idaho and SDSU games). However, he's young and growing with each game, and when he sticks to the game plan and takes what the D allows, he is a very efficient passer who gets us down field and in position to score every time.

 
The only thing iam worried about is mack brown say what you will he will have texas ready to play ,and their gona be playing to mess are season up. Not to mention they did play OK against texas tech who also got beat down by iowa state they put up 50 points on tech I didnt see that comming thoe :dunno

 
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