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Blackshirts unveil new wrinkles
BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
Sunday, Oct 08, 2006 - 01:09:00 am CDT
AMES, Iowa — Andrew Shanle came out of the locker room smiling. He didn’t stop smiling, either, as he talked about a few new wrinkles the Nebraska defense tossed Iowa State’s way.
Andrew, had you personally blitzed on any play this season?
“No,” the senior free safety said as he continued to smile.
The happiness, of course, was in part because Nebraska had just defeated Iowa State 28-14 on Saturday night in a key Big 12 Conference North Division game at Jack Trice Stadium.
There was particular euphoria for a much-maligned defense that redeemed itself in a big way after last week’s performance against Kansas. The Jayhawks compiled 574 yards in Nebraska’s overtime victory, causing alarm among the Big Red masses.
But defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove and the Blackshirts greatly slowed a potentially dangerous Iowa State offense by showing some new things.
For instance, a dime defense, featuring true freshman Ricky Thenarse and junior Bryan Wilson, as extra defensive backs. Also, some more blitzes.
That, in particular, was why Shanle was smiling. He was instrumental in three key safety blitzes in the second half, as the Huskers seemed to befuddle Iowa State.
The dime package, a first this season, helped Nebraska stop two Iowa State drives. On the first, ISU receiver Todd Blythe nearly caught a pass to convert on third-and-29, but he was ruled out-of-bounds. On the second, Thenarse batted away a Bret Meyer pass on third-and-15 from the Nebraska 22-yard line, a play on which NU blitzed.
“We’re developing those guys,” Cosgrove said of the extra defensive backs. “I wasn’t going to throw them on the field until they were ready. I thought they were ready this week.”
Overall, Nebraska limited the Cyclones to 315 total yards. Meyer threw for 262 yards, going 18-of-39.
“Great plan,” Shanle said. “The defense was completely prepared for recognizing sets and anticipating what routes we were going to get out of certain formations. We just did a great job.”
Nebraska started by shutting down the Iowa State running game and keeping the fleet Meyer contained. Meyer gained 17 yards on a draw play that set up Iowa State’s first touchdown, a 1-yard sneak by Meyer early in the second quarter.
But otherwise, Meyer, who was pressured more as the game progressed, didn’t hurt Nebraska with his feet. He ran 13 times for 26 yards, and Iowa State was held to 53 yards rushing.
“He was running around like a chicken with his head cut off,” Nebraska linebacker Corey McKeon said. “If he was going to tuck the ball and run, he was going to do it on the outside. He wasn’t going to cut it up the middle.”
Nebraska sacked Meyer just once, that by Barry Cryer on Iowa State’s second series of the game. But the Huskers pressured him numerous times, officially tallying five hurries.
“Our front did a very good job,” Cosgrove said. “The whole front played very well.”
Cryer also had a batted ball the play after his sack. On Iowa State’s final series of the first half, Ndamukong Suh dragged down Meyer for a 2-yard loss on a second-and-15 draw play. It forced a punt and set up Zac Taylor’s 27-yard touchdown pass to Maurice Purify right before halftime.
Iowa State had only four first downs in the first half, with three coming on their lone touchdown drive. The Cyclones drove to the Nebraska 29 to begin the second half, but an offensive pass-interference penalty on Blythe pushed ISU back to the Nebraska 44.
McKeon tackled Meyer for a 4-yard loss on an option play, and the Cyclones eventually punted.
Iowa State, though, got the ball back after recovering a Taylor fumble at the Nebraska 14. Meyer kept for a gain of 3 yards, but then threw two incomplete passes — the second of which Shanle forced by blitzing Meyer. Iowa State wasn’t successful on a fake field goal, and the Cyclones seemed deflated after that.
The Cyclones punted after four plays on their next possession, and their next series ended when Cortney Grixby snagged an interception on an overthrown deep ball by Meyer. Iowa State drove to the Nebraska 37 and 22 on two late series, but both drives stalled on fourth-and-15 incompletions.
Not until Nebraska scored again for a 28-7 lead did Iowa State put together a long drive, capped by a meaningless Blythe TD reception with six seconds left.
By that point, memories of last week’s performance had quickly faded for the Blackshirts.
“We just wanted to finish things better than we did last week,” said linebacker Bo Ruud, who led NU with nine tackles. “We really wanted to grind it out and play a tough four quarters.
“I think we did that. I’m proud of our defense.”
Blackshirts unveil new wrinkles
BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
Sunday, Oct 08, 2006 - 01:09:00 am CDT
AMES, Iowa — Andrew Shanle came out of the locker room smiling. He didn’t stop smiling, either, as he talked about a few new wrinkles the Nebraska defense tossed Iowa State’s way.
Andrew, had you personally blitzed on any play this season?
“No,” the senior free safety said as he continued to smile.
The happiness, of course, was in part because Nebraska had just defeated Iowa State 28-14 on Saturday night in a key Big 12 Conference North Division game at Jack Trice Stadium.
There was particular euphoria for a much-maligned defense that redeemed itself in a big way after last week’s performance against Kansas. The Jayhawks compiled 574 yards in Nebraska’s overtime victory, causing alarm among the Big Red masses.
But defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove and the Blackshirts greatly slowed a potentially dangerous Iowa State offense by showing some new things.
For instance, a dime defense, featuring true freshman Ricky Thenarse and junior Bryan Wilson, as extra defensive backs. Also, some more blitzes.
That, in particular, was why Shanle was smiling. He was instrumental in three key safety blitzes in the second half, as the Huskers seemed to befuddle Iowa State.
The dime package, a first this season, helped Nebraska stop two Iowa State drives. On the first, ISU receiver Todd Blythe nearly caught a pass to convert on third-and-29, but he was ruled out-of-bounds. On the second, Thenarse batted away a Bret Meyer pass on third-and-15 from the Nebraska 22-yard line, a play on which NU blitzed.
“We’re developing those guys,” Cosgrove said of the extra defensive backs. “I wasn’t going to throw them on the field until they were ready. I thought they were ready this week.”
Overall, Nebraska limited the Cyclones to 315 total yards. Meyer threw for 262 yards, going 18-of-39.
“Great plan,” Shanle said. “The defense was completely prepared for recognizing sets and anticipating what routes we were going to get out of certain formations. We just did a great job.”
Nebraska started by shutting down the Iowa State running game and keeping the fleet Meyer contained. Meyer gained 17 yards on a draw play that set up Iowa State’s first touchdown, a 1-yard sneak by Meyer early in the second quarter.
But otherwise, Meyer, who was pressured more as the game progressed, didn’t hurt Nebraska with his feet. He ran 13 times for 26 yards, and Iowa State was held to 53 yards rushing.
“He was running around like a chicken with his head cut off,” Nebraska linebacker Corey McKeon said. “If he was going to tuck the ball and run, he was going to do it on the outside. He wasn’t going to cut it up the middle.”
Nebraska sacked Meyer just once, that by Barry Cryer on Iowa State’s second series of the game. But the Huskers pressured him numerous times, officially tallying five hurries.
“Our front did a very good job,” Cosgrove said. “The whole front played very well.”
Cryer also had a batted ball the play after his sack. On Iowa State’s final series of the first half, Ndamukong Suh dragged down Meyer for a 2-yard loss on a second-and-15 draw play. It forced a punt and set up Zac Taylor’s 27-yard touchdown pass to Maurice Purify right before halftime.
Iowa State had only four first downs in the first half, with three coming on their lone touchdown drive. The Cyclones drove to the Nebraska 29 to begin the second half, but an offensive pass-interference penalty on Blythe pushed ISU back to the Nebraska 44.
McKeon tackled Meyer for a 4-yard loss on an option play, and the Cyclones eventually punted.
Iowa State, though, got the ball back after recovering a Taylor fumble at the Nebraska 14. Meyer kept for a gain of 3 yards, but then threw two incomplete passes — the second of which Shanle forced by blitzing Meyer. Iowa State wasn’t successful on a fake field goal, and the Cyclones seemed deflated after that.
The Cyclones punted after four plays on their next possession, and their next series ended when Cortney Grixby snagged an interception on an overthrown deep ball by Meyer. Iowa State drove to the Nebraska 37 and 22 on two late series, but both drives stalled on fourth-and-15 incompletions.
Not until Nebraska scored again for a 28-7 lead did Iowa State put together a long drive, capped by a meaningless Blythe TD reception with six seconds left.
By that point, memories of last week’s performance had quickly faded for the Blackshirts.
“We just wanted to finish things better than we did last week,” said linebacker Bo Ruud, who led NU with nine tackles. “We really wanted to grind it out and play a tough four quarters.
“I think we did that. I’m proud of our defense.”
