What Did We Learn - Wisconsin Edition

[VectorVictor]

I learned that I had déjà vu all over again when I saw our running QB try to win the game on a pass play in the end zone. Thought I was watching Lord and the 2002 Cornhuskers for a second.

Wisky is going to be our Texass, aren't they?

 

[Nebfanatic]

I learned that I had déjà vu all over again when I saw our running QB try to win the game on a pass play in the end zone. Thought I was watching Lord and the 2002 Cornhuskers for a second.

Wisky is going to be our Texass, aren't they?

nope, Wisconsin is our Wisconsin only because they play in our division. Didn't have that in the big 12

 

[Redux]

Wisky may as well not bother to show up here next year because they will be leaving with a loss that they may not recover from for some time. Mark it.

Forget Oklahoma, forget Texas and their nonsense, forget Colorado, KSU and Mizzou's terrible fans, and forget our fabricated rivalry with Iowa......there is no team I loathe more than Wisconsin. Probably isn't justified, but I really don't care.

 

[Red Five]

We need to win the Freedom trophy, if only to figure out how big it is and build an appropriate spot in the trophy case.

No, we need to win the freedom trophy so that we can smash it with a sledge hammer because it is a fake, contrived, made up trophy.

 

[Red Five]

I was reminded how much close losses in big games sting.

Besides that, this team is pretty much who I thought they were after seeing them for the first 7 games - A bunch of fighters that will claw tooth and nail for every inch on the field. It may not be the prettiest football at times, but at the end of the day they will put in max effort and make you proud watching them.

 

[Nebfanatic]

I was reminded how much close losses in big games sting.

Besides that, this team is pretty much who I thought they were after seeing them for the first 7 games - A bunch of fighters that will claw tooth and nail for every inch on the field. It may not be the prettiest football at times, but at the end of the day they will put in max effort and make you proud watching them.

This team wins games the same way you win games in NCAA 14 when yiu are trying to win a NC with a sun belt team. Not a knock but hey it works. Defense and ball control is the type of formula I like at Nebraska!
And determination. Big ole dose of determination and grit go with that

 

[seaofred92]

This is not to knock Tommy as I think he is one of the better Huskers of the 2000's and obviously 10k yards of offense for a career speaks for itself.

But I learned that we really need an accurate QB that can complete short routes to let our RB's/WR's make plays.

Against a team like Wisconsin, and especially with how banged up our offensive line is, we needed to use the short passing game as an extension of the running game to open up the middle more. RB Flares, Tunnel Screens, Bubble Screens, Drags, TE Option routes, etc.

There are 2 plays in particular that stand out to me in this regard in the last 2 "big" games we have played on the road that make me want to say this.

First play I will bring up is from this past weekend against Wisconsin. 3rd and medium right around midfield on the drive after Wisconsin has scored their first TD. Armstrong is in the gun and Wisconsin brings pressure. Langs makes a great call in that he has 2 WR's running rub routes underneath against man coverage. Brandon Reilly is wide open and if Armstrong hits him Reilly probably goes for 15 yards and puts us on the edge of Brown's FG range. Instead he back-foots the throw unnecessarily and the ball is thrown behind Reilly and falls incomplete. Huskers punt. This was a big missed opportunity to potentially get a scoring response to the Wisconsin TD.

The second play I will bring up some might not remember, and some may not deem relevant, but it is a perfect example of what I mean by needing a QB to be able to complete short throws accurately.

2014 at Michigan State. First and 10 from the Nebraska 20. Just over a minute left in the game and the Huskers are down 5, needing a TD to win. We call a pass and there is decent protection from the line. Ameer Abdullah swings out of the backfield and is WIDE open. Armstrong throws it about a yard too far in front of Ameer and the ball falls incomplete. Even Herbstreit on the broadcast says if he catches it he runs for "at least 20 yards". Tommy obviously makes the great throw down the sideline to Moore on the next play for 43 yards but I still wonder what could have been had the 43 yard catch been preceded by a 20-25 yard catch and run by Ameer.

Nebraska has been able to attract difference makers at WR and RB. The main issue at Nebraska has been that the QB play for the past 8 years has been so erratic that it makes it almost impossible for us to win a big game. Having a QB that can complete roughly 62-65% of the passes he attempts and has the ability to just get the ball out to our receivers and RB's in space will allow this offense to open up tremendously IMO. Until that time comes, enjoy what we have left with Tommy. He's a fun guy to watch and he definitely makes games interesting.

 

[BIGREDIOWAN]

Wisky may as well not bother to show up here next year because they will be leaving with a loss that they may not recover from for some time. Mark it.

Forget Oklahoma, forget Texas and their nonsense, forget Colorado, KSU and Mizzou's terrible fans, and forget our fabricated rivalry with Iowa......there is no team I loathe more than Wisconsin. Probably isn't justified, but I really don't care.

Listen, I hope you're right, but with the personnel we lose after this season, my thoughts are if we win 8 or 9 next season that'll be good. Just replacing a pretty decent Senior QB alone is a tall task.

 

[Cdog923]

As the night went on on Saturday, I found out I was more pissed at the lack of a DPI call than the fact that we lost. The offense played far better than I thought they would, and the defense proved that they belong on the same field as Wisconsin's stout D.

That being said, I don't have a lot of confidence for OSU.

 

[Kernal]

Wisky may as well not bother to show up here next year because they will be leaving with a loss that they may not recover from for some time. Mark it.

Forget Oklahoma, forget Texas and their nonsense, forget Colorado, KSU and Mizzou's terrible fans, and forget our fabricated rivalry with Iowa......there is no team I loathe more than Wisconsin. Probably isn't justified, but I really don't care.

Listen, I hope you're right, but with the personnel we lose after this season, my thoughts are if we win 8 or 9 next season that'll be good. Just replacing a pretty decent Senior QB alone is a tall task.

If we can build up some depth on the O-line and get a good group of starters there I like our chances. Either Tanner Lee or POB should do OK with a decent line in front of them. Tommy would be doing a lot better this year with a better line protecting him and opening up lanes for the run game.

 

[TAKODA]

I'd put this team up in Indy with a 1- or 2- loss conference record and let them take a crack at anybody. Think they'd make a game of it.

I agree Zoogs.

Isn't it your turn to take out the trash? {see post 3, 7 and many others throughout other threads} Common theme is obvious!

 

[Redux]

Wisky may as well not bother to show up here next year because they will be leaving with a loss that they may not recover from for some time. Mark it.

Forget Oklahoma, forget Texas and their nonsense, forget Colorado, KSU and Mizzou's terrible fans, and forget our fabricated rivalry with Iowa......there is no team I loathe more than Wisconsin. Probably isn't justified, but I really don't care.

Listen, I hope you're right, but with the personnel we lose after this season, my thoughts are if we win 8 or 9 next season that'll be good. Just replacing a pretty decent Senior QB alone is a tall task.

If we can build up some depth on the O-line and get a good group of starters there I like our chances. Either Tanner Lee or POB should do OK with a decent line in front of them. Tommy would be doing a lot better this year with a better line protecting him and opening up lanes for the run game.

I'm completely the opposite, I think next season our offense explodes. Our defense should be pretty damn stout too. Our special teams should be less....special.

 

[BIGREDIOWAN]

Wisky may as well not bother to show up here next year because they will be leaving with a loss that they may not recover from for some time. Mark it.

Forget Oklahoma, forget Texas and their nonsense, forget Colorado, KSU and Mizzou's terrible fans, and forget our fabricated rivalry with Iowa......there is no team I loathe more than Wisconsin. Probably isn't justified, but I really don't care.

Listen, I hope you're right, but with the personnel we lose after this season, my thoughts are if we win 8 or 9 next season that'll be good. Just replacing a pretty decent Senior QB alone is a tall task.

If we can build up some depth on the O-line and get a good group of starters there I like our chances. Either Tanner Lee or POB should do OK with a decent line in front of them. Tommy would be doing a lot better this year with a better line protecting him and opening up lanes for the run game.

I'm completely the opposite, I think next season our offense explodes. Our defense should be pretty damn stout too. Our special teams should be less....special.

I really hope so, I'm probably just being cautious and not getting my hopes up on purpose!

 

[zoogs]

I happen to think next season -- unless Tanner Lee turns in a Heisman campaign -- we'll enjoy a weekly quarterback controversy and a work-in-progress offense that also must replace Carter, Westerkamp, Riley Reilly, and Newby.

 

[Mavric]

TA's completion percentage is now worse than his Sophomore year.

The Huskers are currently #117 in the country in completion percentage.