If we lose the bowl game, it won't be the defense's fault

Sir Alexander Henery said:
Our defenses get tired because the Offense can't stay on the field long enough to give them a break, because the O-line can't allow our skill guys to make plays consistently, and like any defense, they get tired as the game goes on.
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I haven't liked many of the posts you've made so far, but I completely have your back on this one.

Not so much with any specific aims at firing Barney, but to agree that our offensive line's ability level is ridiculously disproportionate to that of our skill players on offense.

Don't agree? Going to try to point out that we're #1 in the conference in rushing? Look at the points Sir Alex is making - they're completely accurate. On Saturday night, we had an almost 100% healthy foursome of backs with Burkhead, Abdullah, Heard, and Cross. Unbelievable talent there. And Taylor can break any play loose for 6 if his line gives him a chance. They didn't on Saturday.

I said this immediately following the game...look how many series started with a 5 yard loss on 1st down because they blitzed and our line crumbled. I know our boys are giving 100%, and I love 'em...but that's on our O-line. I seriously believe that for this offense to score less than 35 points in EVERY conference game we play to be dangerously close to failure.

 
Yup it's barney fault for every failure of the team this year. this bashing was old before but now.

Bo has taken responsibility for the loses this year.

 
Undone said:
Sir Alexander Henery said:
Our defenses get tired because the Offense can't stay on the field long enough to give them a break, because the O-line can't allow our skill guys to make plays consistently, and like any defense, they get tired as the game goes on.
Click to expand...
I haven't liked many of the posts you've made so far, but I completely have your back on this one.

Not so much with any specific aims at firing Barney, but to agree that our offensive line's ability level is ridiculously disproportionate to that of our skill players on offense.

Don't agree? Going to try to point out that we're #1 in the conference in rushing? Look at the points Sir Alex is making - they're completely accurate. On Saturday night, we had an almost 100% healthy foursome of backs with Burkhead, Abdullah, Heard, and Cross. Unbelievable talent there. And Taylor can break any play loose for 6 if his line gives him a chance. They didn't on Saturday.

I said this immediately following the game...look how many series started with a 5 yard loss on 1st down because they blitzed and our line crumbled. I know our boys are giving 100%, and I love 'em...but that's on our O-line. I seriously believe that for this offense to score less than 35 points in EVERY conference game we play to be dangerously close to failure.
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I'm sure he feels so much better about that.

 
skersfan said:
Nah BRI I don't drink, ride my bicycle too much for that stuff. Long day in the saddle today.

I just want us to start being Nebraska again. I do not mean MNC, s just playing like Nebraska, win or lose. I feel so sorry for these kids, and the fans that support them. It seems like a cruel joke sometimes. They try so hard, work so hard and then to be what appeared totally unprepared for what happened last week is beyond me. We hired Bo because he knew defense. He would return the Black Shirts of Nebraska. He has not done that in any way shape or form.

Oh well it is time for me to stop my ranting on this subject.
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It's funny how cycling does that... I also stopped drinking completely after I got into racing. Do you do any racing in USAC events?

I think getting rid of Bo and Co. will set us back several years with absolutely no guarantee that we will see 10 wins ever again. The current staff needs time to gel as well as learn. We will have a 2009 Oklahoma season or 2 that we will have to weather as well. It will happen and could have happened this year if luck was not on our side. In time though, I think our patience with the staff will pay off.

 
Bo has taken responsibility for the loses this year.
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And you'd expect anything less? He's the head coach. It's his job to take responsibility, because he's the only person that's ultimately responsible. That's not some noble attribute of Bo.

 
Undone said:
Sir Alexander Henery said:
Our defenses get tired because the Offense can't stay on the field long enough to give them a break, because the O-line can't allow our skill guys to make plays consistently, and like any defense, they get tired as the game goes on.
Click to expand...
I haven't liked many of the posts you've made so far, but I completely have your back on this one.

Not so much with any specific aims at firing Barney, but to agree that our offensive line's ability level is ridiculously disproportionate to that of our skill players on offense.

Don't agree? Going to try to point out that we're #1 in the conference in rushing? Look at the points Sir Alex is making - they're completely accurate. On Saturday night, we had an almost 100% healthy foursome of backs with Burkhead, Abdullah, Heard, and Cross. Unbelievable talent there. And Taylor can break any play loose for 6 if his line gives him a chance. They didn't on Saturday.

I said this immediately following the game...look how many series started with a 5 yard loss on 1st down because they blitzed and our line crumbled. I know our boys are giving 100%, and I love 'em...but that's on our O-line. I seriously believe that for this offense to score less than 35 points in EVERY conference game we play to be dangerously close to failure.
Click to expand...
We lost Justin Jackson a week before this game. You cannot tell me losing a badass Center like that doesn't have an effect on the line's performance.

Listen, I'm no huge fan of Barney Cotton, especially these past few years. But it's not the offensive line's fault this year. Barney (or Garrison, or Stai) have done yeoman's work on this unit.

Let's look at this another way. If the line is the problem, we should have clear indications that they're not getting it done in big games. In our three losses, Nebraska's offensive line earned:

UCLA

Rushing Yards: 260 (653 total yards)

Points: 30

TOP: 22:20

Ohio State

Rushing Yards: 223

Points: 38

TOP: 31:52

Wisconsin

Rushing Yards: 282

Points: 31

TOP: 30:15

The glaring stat there is TOP in the UCLA game - but the thing about that is, we were scoring so quickly, we didn't have a chance to hold the ball very long. And you can throw Beck (or Martinez, if he audibled) under the bus for the UCLA game because we were earning 7+ yards per rush, but we got pass-happy in the second half.

Now let's look at what the defense gave up in those games:

UCLA

Rushing Yards: 344 (653 total yards)

Points: 36

TOP: 37:40

Ohio State

Rushing Yards: 371 (498 total yards)

Points: 63 (fifth most points allowed ever)

TOP: 28:08

Wisconsin

Rushing Yards: 539 (school record for rushing yards allowed) (640 total yards)

Points: 70 (second-most points allowed ever)

TOP: 29:45

In all three games, the offense scored more than enough points to win. We held TOP in two games, meaning if our opponents were going to beat us they'd have to do it in less time than the offense had. In each game our D Line gave up more rushing yards than our O Line earned, and in each game the rushing yards we earned were more than adequate.

These losses, quite simply, cannot be blamed on the offense. We had one turnover in the UCLA game. We had three in the OSU game and two against Wiscy, and in each game the defense failed to force a turnover. Of note, two of the three turnovers against OSU were INTs thrown when we were down by double digits, after the defense surrendered a double-digit lead.

No logical argument can be made in any of these games that the offense lost us the game.

 
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I would disagree with the people claiming that our OL was completely awful. Our run-blocking was very good this year in a league that is loaded at linebacker. Our OL was very good at times run blocking. A kid who next year may end up being our second best back again ran for what? Almost 1k???

Having said that, I would agree that pass blocking this year left something to be desired. Some of the play by our WRs in games even masked a lot of the pass blocking issues we have had.

 
knapplc said:
We lost Justin Jackson a week before this game. You cannot tell me losing a badass Center like that doesn't have an effect on the line's performance.
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And I won't tell you that. I completely agree about the absence of Jackson.

knapplc said:
No logical argument can be made in any of these games that the offense lost us the game.
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I think it's fair to point out that this all very, very subjective. Is 17 points enough to win a game? 25? 30? 40? That's completely subjective, and no battle of internet royale is going to definitively settle it.

I want to point out that for myself, I went out of my way to not throw Barney under the bus specifically, but to point out that our line play doesn't exactly match that of our skill player ability level. Nothing's perfect, I get that.

But we were anemic against the blitz in the CCG, and it played a roll. It caused us to give the ball back to their quick-scoring offense in the first half. I argue that that was a significant factor. Not the biggest factor, but it was a factor.

 
The only reason that offense was quick-scoring was because the defense was porous as a sieve.

I'll agree that the offense has problems and I'll agree that the line specifically could/should be better. But when we're talking "problems this team has," defense is the first and foremost problem, every time.

The absurdity of this thread title warranted a response. There's simply no way to make an assertion like this and not have it laughed off the table.

 
Again, we had five different running backs averaging more than 5 yards a carry. Offensive line gets some credit for that.

Martinez could have used more time to pass. But he upped his percentage to 62%. I give his receivers a lot of credit for that, but the O line did alright.

I would have liked to see more sustained drives featuring smashmouth between the tackles running and some pinpoint passing to keep the defenses honest as we tire them out on the way to a 38 - 7 drubbing but, you know, who wouldn't.

Other side of the coin: the Husker defense keeps the Husker offense off the field, then hands them two, three and four touchdown deficits to overcome. It's impressive we overcame all that we did.

 
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