We never had a shot-My take from North Stadium

I was at the game and for some odd reason I actually went back and tortured myself by watching it on my Tivo as well... did anyone else notice that it seemed like at the snap our LB's weren't reading holes, but instead it almost looked like they were automaticaly going to a predetermined spot?

 
We need to do something big and fast with our defense!!!! I don't care what year they are if they are better f'ing play 'em!!!! I want to see the best guys out there.............not the Ruud's who have a family history and are a Senior. McKeon I love your personality, but you just don't have it unfortunately. :hmmph

 
Dillard and Lance were getting more playing time at the end... but who wants to bet that it's Ruud and McKeon starting next week

 
To be honest, even though I was disappointed, I can't blame the defensive line all that much. Considering it's their first year, I'm not expecting miracles. But Ruud and McKeon should be leading by example, and they just made the situation worse. While I think the players should have done better, Carroll also proved that night you can take a freshman center and make him dominate.

This was a problem with fundamentals, and most people can see it. Cosgrove's idea of tackling, where you go to strip the ball first and go to put them down after, is heroically flawed which we can all see now. His ability to not adjust no matter what happens in game is becoming legendary. Enough people, including boosters, know enough about football to know that the defense coaching is laughable right now, and if Calahan doesn't shake the coaching up on that side soon, then his own job will be in jeopardy. Friend or not, I see Cosgrove leaving... or I see Calahan leaving a bit later if that doesn't happen.

 
EbylHusker said:
So here are my questions (I agree with the OP, btw):

I don't think all athletes are created equal, but I also don't think each university's training program (strength, speed, endurance, technique, etc is what I'm talking about there) is created equal.

So what do people think is the difference between our athletes and USC's?

For me, I don't think we have the same caliber of athletes for the most part, but we shouldn't yet either. It takes time to rebuild a program so you can recruit decent numbers of those "marquee" players. I think we'll see increasing numbers of those players start to come in over the next few years.

But is there any chance our training program is not quite where it should be? It's an honest question, I really have no clue about the state of our program with respect to that. All I know is we have traditionally had a very good training program.
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I wonder if their athletes have a better head start. IN other words, there high schools are better off. Most of there players are from So. cal, thus there is great competition they have gotten accustomed to. Just a thought. Only a true insider would know I think. I also think we still don't have enough quality players in our program.

 
Eric the Red said:
EbylHusker said:
So here are my questions (I agree with the OP, btw):

I don't think all athletes are created equal, but I also don't think each university's training program (strength, speed, endurance, technique, etc is what I'm talking about there) is created equal.

So what do people think is the difference between our athletes and USC's?

For me, I don't think we have the same caliber of athletes for the most part, but we shouldn't yet either. It takes time to rebuild a program so you can recruit decent numbers of those "marquee" players. I think we'll see increasing numbers of those players start to come in over the next few years.

But is there any chance our training program is not quite where it should be? It's an honest question, I really have no clue about the state of our program with respect to that. All I know is we have traditionally had a very good training program.
Click to expand...

I wonder if their athletes have a better head start. IN other words, there high schools are better off. Most of there players are from So. cal, thus there is great competition they have gotten accustomed to. Just a thought. Only a true insider would know I think. I also think we still don't have enough quality players in our program.
Click to expand...
I think it goes back to that they are building depth with freshman and sophmores, so when those kids become starters they have had significant playing experience. Look at our backups... Ricky Thenarse will most likely start next year and has gotten hardly any real time on defense in meaningful situations. Anthony Blue has been praised by coaches as someone how has picked things up quick and is ahead of any freshman they've seen, but yet I would bet he will be a special teams guy and only get time in mop up duty. Offensivly I find it hard to believe that guys like Holt, Will Henry, Chris Brooks, and even Niles Paul can't compete on the same level as Dan Erickson??? It's like what Eric said their kids have a "head start"

 
the comments after the game always make sense as to why they beat us. But then if you just wait several games you will see some halfassed rival of theirs beat them. And then all these "Reasons" for getting bitchslapped don't seem to have prevented some other team from doing exactly what we decided was beyond our capabilities, at this stage of our development!

We say we dont have the talent and in a month pineli sp? has them hurting opponents.

We bring in new talent and then wont play them because we have this superduper complex 547 bells n whistles sytem they must master... and yet our running game is still simply "predictable"!!

We say new guys cant start and then other teams find ways to make stars out of their new talent.

And on and on.. so I wonder if simpler isn't better if simpler gets accomplished!

Where is the KILLER / MAKE EM PAY for beating us defensive attitude???

So USC has killer receivers? Make them know that they may get the catch but the landing will be on our bayonnet ! If you are getting blown out anyway... send them home hurting! Not by dirty play but by vicious play!

Seems to me we have way too much complexity and it kills our intensity!!!!

And in a few weeks some B team will make USC sweat! But we will have the satisfaction of knowing we loose with superior complexity. So thats nice.

 
DaveH said:
If there's one guy who's opinion I value, it's Eric.
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First of all, I got now joy out of how lopsided the victory was. I don't like to see my buddies lose like that. I got no thrill seeing that score run up the way it did.

I thought if we played well we would score in the 30's but not this! I also knew we could lose. I also know anything can happen. Anything did happen. Some were expecting the "anything" to be an upset, but the "anything" was a blowout.

Two main points I want to make:

1. Matthew Zemer of CollegeFootballNews.Com said, "Nothing Callahan was going to do would change the ultimate outcome"

2. The talent level at SC is extremely high.

Two weeks ago two former defensive players from the 03' and 04' USC NC teams spent the weekend at my house. These guys have four NC rings between them, and they said they were amazed at this year's talent. They said it was better depth than when they were there.I have said all year this SC team was loaded. Now do you believe me? I also mentioned our conditioning was better and I was almost laughed off the board. Now do you believe me?

Remember how Michael Jordan made jump shots look easy. Then you realized it looked easy because he was that good. Well, this SC team is going to make a lot of good teams look good. Nebraska is not as bad as this game made you look.

Remember your Outland Award winning nose guard Glover? He could blow up a offensive line single handedly. Well, Cedric Ellis is that kind of guy also. He didn't play against you last year he was hurt. Your O-line wasn't that bad, the D-line you faced was that the good. The two interceptions were caused by defensive end Kyle Moore, the only person on the defense that didn't start last year.

Keller played much better against us this year than in 05' and your O-line protected him better than ASU's did in 05' even though our Defense is better this year than in 05'. I thought Keller played better than Booty, and Booty didn't have people in his face all night.

Your defensive backs played much better also. Grixby was not the same. Much improved. Our WRs stunk. Dropped passes all night. Some of that was good coverage from you Huskers.

Your D-line collapsed and your linebackers disappeared. Thats where the game was lost on your side of the ball. But, keep in mind you had to replace your entire D-line and our O-line is better than last year even with the loss of Ryan Kalil. This was a huge mismatch!

And yes we got every lucky bounce of the football. We could have lost three fumbles.

GBR next week, I can now pull for you 100% now this game is over.

 
Thanks for the kind words Tarheel...............your right. This team is loaded and they have the talent to get it done. However if they lose to UCLA or some other team in the Pac10 I'm holding you personally responsible!!!! :lol: Your right on the defensive line and linebackers disappearing!!!!

 
I'd have loved to add some insight to this thread, but Eric, you more and less nailed it. From the south endzone where I was, it was extremely scary to watch the holes open up on the first two USC runs. While I didn't give up after the first USC drive, it was sobering and clear that at the very least, it would be a long night. A couple of points . . . .

1. Every time we lose, by however much we lose, fairweather fans want everyone fired. Tell me how that helps any of Husker Nation and I will jump right on there with all of the sour grapes.

2. USC was and is a superior team to Nebraska last night and last year. We will only be their equal when we get another chance to prove it. Realistically, that would be in a BCS bowl game. I think we are still 2-3 years off.

3. The true indicator of the ability of this team will be the COACHING and the ATTITUDES that surface as a result of this game. These defensive coaches are not fools. They know there are multiple problems. They will have ideas for proper adjustments. The question is, will the kids respond to it in a timely and positive fashion?

 
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