Pelini needs to put his mark on defense again

[Count 'Bility]

There's no way in hell the Wisconsin was not prepping for the ccg game 3 weeks in advance when they knew they were in it. Not trying to spin it into an excuse but it's pretty obvious to me anyway that they were pointing to that game for a while.

Also rematches are tough mentally for the team that wins the first. You have a tendancy to let of the gas a tad while youre opponent is comin in with their hair on fire. Plus, we had that 6 week marathon of heartstoppers that once we got through it and back to the title game, it seemed like we let out a giant exhale but couldtn start breathing again. It was pretty much a perfect storm that reared it's ugly head in the form of a sick-to-my-stomach feeling the first time that Wisconsin freshman went weaving down the field for a 50+ yard score on the 4th or 5th play of the game.

 

[TAKODA]

The entire CCG was a crap show from the very beginning. It wasn't just on Pelini and the coaching staff, the defense just wasn't making plays at all. Evans getting embarrassed by Ball, Stafford and Smith continually taking bad angles.

They were also facing a Wisconsin team that was feeling slighted and mad at how they had lost their last few games. They came to play, and when the first bad play happened for Nebraska, things snowballed like they have happened to do since we've joined the Big Ten.

Dont forget the constant onslaught of trick plays and formations that Wisconsin immediately poured on that sent the defensive mindset into such a spinning overload that there was no chance for recovery.

He did the same thing w/ his defense - standing 4 on the line make our offense look pretty inept for the majority of the game. Taylor's pick 6, etc. Both sides of the ball were pathetic. Brett took our staff to the shed on both sides of the ball. Its rare you see a team get out-coached as much as our staff did that game. They players certainly didn't execute - but I give more credit to the Wisconsin staff than I place blame on our players.

To this very day I do not understand why we didn't just run up the gut until their linemen got back into stance. It was a very bad day at the office for everyone that day.

 

[kchusker_chris]

There's no way in hell the Wisconsin was not prepping for the ccg game 3 weeks in advance when they knew they were in it. Not trying to spin it into an excuse but it's pretty obvious to me anyway that they were pointing to that game for a while.

Also rematches are tough mentally for the team that wins the first. You have a tendancy to let of the gas a tad while youre opponent is comin in with their hair on fire. Plus, we had that 6 week marathon of heartstoppers that once we got through it and back to the title game, it seemed like we let out a giant exhale but couldtn start breathing again. It was pretty much a perfect storm that reared it's ugly head in the form of a sick-to-my-stomach feeling the first time that Wisconsin freshman went weaving down the field for a 50+ yard score on the 4th or 5th play of the game.

and sadly - perhaps one of the best plays in the last 10-15 years of Husker football happened during that game. so every top 10 list for the next 15 years is going to end up with a discussion on the a$$-kicking we received.

 

[Count 'Bility]

There's no way in hell the Wisconsin was not prepping for the ccg game 3 weeks in advance when they knew they were in it. Not trying to spin it into an excuse but it's pretty obvious to me anyway that they were pointing to that game for a while.

Also rematches are tough mentally for the team that wins the first. You have a tendancy to let of the gas a tad while youre opponent is comin in with their hair on fire. Plus, we had that 6 week marathon of heartstoppers that once we got through it and back to the title game, it seemed like we let out a giant exhale but couldtn start breathing again. It was pretty much a perfect storm that reared it's ugly head in the form of a sick-to-my-stomach feeling the first time that Wisconsin freshman went weaving down the field for a 50+ yard score on the 4th or 5th play of the game.

and sadly - perhaps one of the best plays in the last 10-15 years of Husker football happened during that game. so every top 10 list for the next 15 years is going to end up with a discussion on the a$$-kicking we received.

You know what was really sad about that play?

We stopped Wisconsin 3 and out on the next possession and at that point I thought we had 'em. I thought we'd settled down and got the bullsh#t out of our system early. We then took the ball and marched right back down the field, but then had to settle for a field goal, and then, that's when all holy hell broke loose.

 

[Creighton Duke]

There's no way in hell the Wisconsin was not prepping for the ccg game 3 weeks in advance when they knew they were in it. Not trying to spin it into an excuse but it's pretty obvious to me anyway that they were pointing to that game for a while.

Also rematches are tough mentally for the team that wins the first. You have a tendancy to let of the gas a tad while youre opponent is comin in with their hair on fire. Plus, we had that 6 week marathon of heartstoppers that once we got through it and back to the title game, it seemed like we let out a giant exhale but couldtn start breathing again. It was pretty much a perfect storm that reared it's ugly head in the form of a sick-to-my-stomach feeling the first time that Wisconsin freshman went weaving down the field for a 50+ yard score on the 4th or 5th play of the game.

and sadly - perhaps one of the best plays in the last 10-15 years of Husker football happened during that game. so every top 10 list for the next 15 years is going to end up with a discussion on the a$$-kicking we received.

You know what was really sad about that play?

We stopped Wisconsin 3 and out on the next possession and at that point I thought we had 'em. I thought we'd settled down and got the bullsh#t out of our system early. We then took the ball and marched right back down the field, but then had to settle for a field goal, and then, that's when all holy hell broke loose.

I'd argue two of the best plays in the last 10-15 years happened in that game. Martinez's run and Bell's block.

 

[zoogs]

Dont forget the constant onslaught of trick plays and formations that Wisconsin immediately poured on that sent the defensive mindset into such a spinning overload that there was no chance for recovery.

No chance? I don't know, I think we should expect our defense to be able to handle some trick plays and formations. Extremely disappointing that they didn't, and not a no chance circumstance. Guys didn't make plays.

 

[Count 'Bility]

Dont forget the constant onslaught of trick plays and formations that Wisconsin immediately poured on that sent the defensive mindset into such a spinning overload that there was no chance for recovery.

No chance? I don't know, I think we should expect our defense to be able to handle some trick plays and formations. Extremely disappointing that they didn't, and not a no chance circumstance. Guys didn't make plays.

It was constant though. They didnt quit throwin the goofy sh#t at us till it was 50-something to 10. Yes, you would think they would be able to handle such a thing better, but, has anyone ever had to deal with such ridiculous amount of trickery? Wisconsin it seemed was dishing something completely off-kilter every play. By the time our defense settled in, the game was already decided.

 

[zoogs]

Ridiculous amount of trickery?

I still don't know if I would call it that. I think I'd just call it being outcoached. Scheme wise, dominated silly by the Wisky plan of attack. Although you could also say we had a good scheme out there but consistently couldn't make the plays happen. I don't know, if that happens I would call into question just how good that scheme was.

Every game, every offense wants to outscheme the defense, keep them on their heels. When they manage to do it with brutal success, that's just losing the coaching battle.

 

[Count 'Bility]

Ridiculous amount of trickery?

I still don't know if I would call it that. I think I'd just call it being outcoached. Scheme wise, dominated silly by the Wisky plan of attack. Although you could also say we had a good scheme out there but consistently couldn't make the plays happen. I don't know, if that happens I would call into question just how good that scheme was.

Every game, every offense wants to outscheme the defense, keep them on their heels. When they manage to do it with brutal success, that's just losing the coaching battle.

Yes, there was about a 2-3 possession span there when the game got out of hand (think it went from 14-10 to 35-10) when they were doing something funky on what seemed every play. Maybe my hopes are still for the best, but it just seemed to be an onslaught of stuff our guys had no idea was coming and had no way in hell of preparing for it. Outcoaching? Yes, definitely. That's what coaching is. But how do you adjust to something you never seen before when by the time you do get the hang of it, theyre moving on to the next bag of tricks.

 

[flatwaterfan]

Defense will get a lot of attention this spring due to the youth. I hope he simplifies things a bit so that the kids can play fast. I know he has said he intends to 'simplfy' it with a different presentation/way of teaching, but I actually think they should cut the schemes down if it's too much.

I know they have said they want some of these kids to learn multiple positions, but I don't think that's the greatest idea for young players....my 2 cents I guess.

 

[NUinID]

Back on Wisky II are we. My 2 cents, the team was just plain worn out. The win out philosophy of the team after the OSU loss was fulfilled and the team just couldn't get up for another big game. I know you say, but how? I don't know how. But I coached 20+ years of FB and have seen it happen many times. Heck it happened when I was playing. We won our conference title by beating our school rival for all the marbles. Going into the game we were picked to lose by everyone. We killed them 34-14. Next week we lose in the 1st round of the playoffs to a team that shouldn't even have been within 2 tds of us. We just couldn't get up to play again. Football is a very emotional game and a game driven by momentum. Everything went right for Wishy right away and they never looked back.

 

[Hoosker]

Back on Wisky II are we. My 2 cents, the team was just plain worn out. The win out philosophy of the team after the OSU loss was fulfilled and the team just couldn't get up for another big game. I know you say, but how? I don't know how. But I coached 20+ years of FB and have seen it happen many times. Heck it happened when I was playing. We won our conference title by beating our school rival for all the marbles. Going into the game we were picked to lose by everyone. We killed them 34-14. Next week we lose in the 1st round of the playoffs to a team that shouldn't even have been within 2 tds of us. We just couldn't get up to play again. Football is a very emotional game and a game driven by momentum. Everything went right for Wishy right away and they never looked back.

this

 

[Thanks_Tom RR]

Back on Wisky II are we. My 2 cents, the team was just plain worn out. The win out philosophy of the team after the OSU loss was fulfilled and the team just couldn't get up for another big game. I know you say, but how? I don't know how. But I coached 20+ years of FB and have seen it happen many times. Heck it happened when I was playing. We won our conference title by beating our school rival for all the marbles. Going into the game we were picked to lose by everyone. We killed them 34-14. Next week we lose in the 1st round of the playoffs to a team that shouldn't even have been within 2 tds of us. We just couldn't get up to play again. Football is a very emotional game and a game driven by momentum. Everything went right for Wishy right away and they never looked back.

+1. Fast-forward a month later, and they had a Georgia team that was yards way from playing for a NC on the ropes in the third quarter but just couldn't close it out. Obviously, the extra time preparing for the bowl game helped, coaching-wise, but also for the players to recharge and refocus.

 

[LumberJackSker]

i was hoping we were all past the loss in the CCG now i'm mad about it all over again damn it :steam :steam :steam :steam :steam

 

[Jeremy]

The stuff Wisky was doing wasn't THAT flukey. A jet sweep is a jet sweep, whatever formation they were in. Several times, they could only have 3 eligible receivers, and a RB taking the snap. Gee, Pelini, you think they're gonna run? We should've went bump and run on the TE's, and send the other 9 from the outside in. Instead we sit and read, and then take horrible angles. Same with their DT's - QB sneak for 5 or more yards over and over until they line up over the ball, and we take that element away from them. I agree we weren't emotionally in it, though - we looked pretty flat for a lot of the game.