This quote is what stood out to me. The ability to fix this issue is the difference between a 8-4/9-3 season, a honorary mention in the press and a low top 25 ranking.
Pelini responded, “We started off really well. You always want to start well, but it almost played against us. We played fast. After we got going, we simply let down. I knew we were going to be walking into a hornet’s nest the way their game the week before was. We led them 10-0 and just kind of let them back in the game. Early, there were a lot of self-imposed things: missed tackles, bust a coverage, and the next thing you it’s 10-7, they have momentum and the place is getting juice.”
Top tier programs do not let down. They do not let teams back in. They stomp them into submission, impose their will and take care of business. This is the same crap, year after year after year. Just this year, Wyoming, UCLA and Minnie......
If you can not keep the kids focused and up, their is a problem on the sidelines. You see it from the "confused" look on the staff, the body language of the players and the "who cares" attitude after a bad play. No one in anyones face for missing a catch, a tackle, a coverage or a block. Dudes need to get up in each others grill. IIRC, Enunwa said the same thing that the guys need to start calling each other out and holding them accountable. Just today, RKIII and TA mentioning keeping the guys fired up this week. How the hell can this be week 8, these guys have been playing for years, the staff has been involved in coaching for years and they are still "letting down"?