What did we learn? Purdue

Undone said:
Here are several reasons why this game was such a mind-f***: On the one hand, we put up more points than any other team had put up on Purdue's defense so far this year. Penn State scored 35 on them.

Then on the other hand, they scored more points on us than they had put up against any other Power 5 opponent this season. But...O'Connell is a senior that is a legit late first round draft pick.

The bottom line is that when your defense gives up 608 yards you're basically guaranteed to lose the game. I guess we just ran out of good luck on D after Indiana & Rutgers.
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Statistically, we had no business being in a 1 score game. I’m still not sure how we did that. 

 
Husker03 said:
Statistically, we had no business being in a 1 score game. I’m still not sure how we did that. 
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-O’Connell threw a careless INT on the first drive

-Brohm called a silly flea flicker when Purdue was moving the ball early in the 2nd quarter

-Purdue settled for 4 FG attempts, and missed one of those, along with missing a PAT

Purdue only punted 1 time in the game, with only 1 turnover. It’s almost surprising they only scored 43 points, but Busch played them soft and forced Purdue to chew up a lot of clock in order to score. 

 
Sadly, it seemed like our defenders sort of regressed back into their ‘Chin mode’ defensive tactics.  Reminds of the first few games instead on the two preceding ones.  Maybe Busch and Mickey were afraid of a 60 point blowout so they went bend and break slowly.  I’d rather they get more aggressive and attack even harder.  My guess is the staff was a bit surprised by the Neb offenses’ success in scoring.  They didn’t believe they could sustain drives.  Home runs, not base hits. 
 

I realize Purdue QB was the best arm we will face but he is not mobil. Go get him.  
i hope they go back to ‘Busch-whacking’ cause Chin mode won’t work.  

 
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ColoradoHusk said:
And Indiana and Rutgers aren’t good offenses. 
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This.  We didn't magically improve drastically, the competition changed even though we did make some minor changes. The 3 next games are all good rushing offenses and great defenses, very physical.  It will be a huge test of fortitude upcoming.

 
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Undone said:
Here are several reasons why this game was such a mind-f***: On the one hand, we put up more points than any other team had put up on Purdue's defense so far this year. Penn State scored 35 on them.

Then on the other hand, they scored more points on us than they had put up against any other Power 5 opponent this season. But...O'Connell is a senior that is a legit late first round draft pick.

The bottom line is that when your defense gives up 608 yards you're basically guaranteed to lose the game. I guess we just ran out of good luck on D after Indiana & Rutgers.
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Want a total mind f#&%?  Georgia southern put up more points and yards against us than Purdue. 

 
I learned the defense doesn't understand man in zone concept.  so many times they were standing within 3-5 yards of the WR who was stationary.  Then O'connell just hits them.  If you have no other threat go guard the guy and make the QB throw elsewhere.  

 
Bottom line:   This team on Oct 15th is much better than on Aug 28.  There is improvement all over from last year EXCEPT the O line which has not improved at all imo.  I blame talent mostly and that can’t be fixed this year and very doubtful even the next couple years.  
 

Coaching is better now.  I don’t feel like we are being out coached so much.  A few errors but it’s not so blatant.  
 

We need a dozen more really solid players at a few positions (O line, LB and D line and a TE).  Basically the bigger bodies.  
 

Can a great recruiter get that done by spring?  Unlikely as the portal and Juco market is not that loaded.  Maybe 4-5 gets but not a dozen imo.  

 
MyBloodIsRed16 said:
I learned the defense doesn't understand man in zone concept.  so many times they were standing within 3-5 yards of the WR who was stationary.  Then O'connell just hits them.  If you have no other threat go guard the guy and make the QB throw elsewhere.  
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So you think that being in a zone coverage means we should be within 15 yards of a receiver?

Weird.

 
84HuskerLaw said:
Sadly, it seemed like our defenders sort of regressed back into their ‘Chin mode’ defensive tactics.  Reminds of the first few games instead on the two preceding ones.  Maybe Busch and Mickey were afraid of a 60 point blowout so they went bend and break slowly.  I’d rather they get more aggressive and attack even harder.  My guess is the staff was a bit surprised by the Neb offenses’ success in scoring.  They didn’t believe they could sustain drives.  Home runs, not base hits. 
 

I realize Purdue QB was the best arm we will face but he is not mobil. Go get him.  
i hope they go back to ‘Busch-whacking’ cause Chin mode won’t work.  
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I really didn't like our defensive gameplan, it did feel like Chin's. Why was our best pass-rusher back covering a zone rather than trying to take O'Connell's head off? Purdue lacks explosiveness but they're well-coached, well-schemed, and have deadeye for a qb. This is not a team you just try to make nickel-and-dime you down the field,  that's what they're good at doing. They picked-us apart and put together drives that kept our offense off the field. Didn't help obviously that tackling regressed to what we saw under Chin. Damn I wish Robinson hadn't whiffed on O'Connell on that 4th down, if he doesn't we could well have taken the game. Having Reimers out really hurt, dude was on-fire the previous two games. 

We REALLY need to use this time off to work on tackling. The Illinois game could easily get down to whether we're able to tackle Brown. He'll get his but we can't let him run roughshod. Should have Reimers back, should help. Hopefully Newsome is 100%, dude was getting absolutely abused against Purdue. 

 
Illinois is not Purdue.  They present different but formidable challenges but maybe we can matchup a bit better.  Help to get a couple guys healthier.  Maybe Fidone can play some packages to help Palmer.  ?

LB play can be adjusted to stop runs.  I thot D line play was slightly better but Purdue quick passing frustrated pass rushing.  
 

We still must add some new run plays, formations, packages to help slow Ill defense. I don’t know if there is much that can work without figuring out how to create numbers advantages at the point of attack.  Cut backs,  reverses, screens, true draws.  Idk but try something.  

 
84HuskerLaw said:
Illinois is not Purdue.  They present different but formidable challenges but maybe we can matchup a bit better.  Help to get a couple guys healthier.  Maybe Fidone can play some packages to help Palmer.  ?

LB play can be adjusted to stop runs.  I thot D line play was slightly better but Purdue quick passing frustrated pass rushing.  
 

We still must add some new run plays, formations, packages to help slow Ill defense. I don’t know if there is much that can work without figuring out how to create numbers advantages at the point of attack.  Cut backs,  reverses, screens, true draws.  Idk but try something.  
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Fidone is out for the year.  Mickey announced last week they are shutting him down.

Illinois is the most balanced offense in the Big Ten West.  If NU can't stop the run, Illinois will methodically drive down the field.  The one positive with Illinois is that they have struggled inside the red zone, so forcing FG's instead of TD's is going to be important for NU.

 
ColoradoHusk said:
Fidone is out for the year.  Mickey announced last week they are shutting him down.

Illinois is the most balanced offense in the Big Ten West.  If NU can't stop the run, Illinois will methodically drive down the field.  The one positive with Illinois is that they have struggled inside the red zone, so forcing FG's instead of TD's is going to be important for NU.
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Hm. I had hoped they could get 4 games out of Fidone guess not.  
 

Either way, some new packages in the offense can help get a couple drives.  Illinois has a tough D.  
 

I have to think we get a game where the opposing QB has a shaky game.  Who knows.  

 
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