Youth on Defense

[lo country]

From tv, the mistakes appeared to be more inability to tackle in space and the continued belief that rushing 4 against 6 will somehow result in getting to the QB.

The young guys played well in my opinion. From a future standpoint, with actual coaching, these guys could be very well. It should also be noted that in the 2nd half, our offense deciding not to show, really hurt the ability of the D to a) catch their wind and b) get coached about making adjustments (this of course if the staff even had an idea of how to adjust

Bo's reliance on man scheme with only 4 rushers is going to be his undoing IMO.

 

[huskerinAZ]

Collins, Maurice, Valentine, Moss, McMullen and Gregary should play most of the game. ,

Gerry, Banderas, Rose, and Afalava(whenever he gets back) should be play most of the game.

They might be young, but in 3 years we should be unstoppable when Frost takes over.

+1 I need a smile.

I like your thought process

Well I'm not finished. Because I'd then play Armstrong, Newby, and every other freshmen and sophomore I could find on offense. 3 years from now. Unstoppable.

Cant disagree with you on that one either!!!!!!!! Im all for it. TM is what he is......we've had it for 4 years now and it hasn't changed and still frustrates me to death. Get Armstrong some "significant" playing time this year and it will put us ahead of the game for the years to come. I never felt "it" with TM at QB.........he isn't terrible but he isn't gonna put the team on his shoulders and make "it" happen. I really like the small bit I saw of Tommie last week.......SO nice to see a QB that actually KNOWS how to run an option play! And newby has that spark too.........I say get them some playing time, because it's pretty clear, the team that is starting this year is not going anywhere anyway.......get those young players some time!

 

[Hayseed]

What I saw was UCLA players taking the game seriously and giving double effort once they were down 21-3. If we had hit them back just as hard instead of running Beck's sissy offense it might have made a difference. Maybe it's just me but putting Martinez in the pocket to pass or running those option draws from 7 yards behind the line and trying to dance between the defenders is a stupid way to run an offense unless you're playing a team that's half as good as you. I saw E. Carolina running the same offense with the sideways passes and they were awesome against Vandy. Maybe we could schedule Vanderbilt every week? Do these coaches even know how to run the ball?

 

[Norhusker]

Despite the second half implosion of the defense I like them better than last year. At least the youth shows signs of potential. The bumbling stumbling offense is what caught me by surprise. They were supposed to be sooo good this year. What a letdown. With the up and down roller coaster the last few years I feel mentally tired watching our team. Bo was good enough to keep giving him a chance to develop as a HC. This year he needs to show us something. Time is running out. Also our national perception is in approaching that of Callahan. It is just a slower descent. Like a death from a 1000 cuts.

 

[lo country]

But coaches don't have 3 missed tackles in one play........players do.........the same players that made those tackles in the first quarter and a half. They were there in position to make tackles on those running plays and just didn't. So yeah......coaching calls had alot to do with todays meltdown, especially on offense to me.......but missed tackles are COMPLETELY on the players......and there was plenty of them in the last half of the game.

Yes..that ugly missed tackle bug came back today very clearly..in way too many instances.

Yeah it did.......and they looks SO solid the first part of the game. And then that sack was missed right before the half and the missed tackles came back with a vengence.

The bold part is the key. And IMO, the key to all of our blowout losses.

In recent memory, the roughing the punter at Michicken, the hail mary against Carolina at the half, the AA fumble against UGA, Braxton Miller's first TD last year, this scramble and throw for a first. This team is mentally weak. They get a "kick in the nuts" type play like those above and they fold. They can't seem to shake this. It is almost as if it happens and collectively they say "here we go again". The comebacks show resilience, but we still seem unable to over come those type of "you've got to be kidding me" plays.

 

[lo country]

Collins, Maurice, Valentine, Moss, McMullen and Gregary should play most of the game. ,

Gerry, Banderas, Rose, and Afalava(whenever he gets back) should be play most of the game.

They might be young, but in 3 years we should be unstoppable when Frost takes over.

+1 I need a smile.

I like your thought process

Well I'm not finished. Because I'd then play Armstrong, Newby, and every other freshmen and sophomore I could find on offense. 3 years from now. Unstoppable.

Cant disagree with you on that one either!!!!!!!! Im all for it. TM is what he is......we've had it for 4 years now and it hasn't changed and still frustrates me to death. Get Armstrong some "significant" playing time this year and it will put us ahead of the game for the years to come. I never felt "it" with TM at QB.........he isn't terrible but he isn't gonna put the team on his shoulders and make "it" happen. I really like the small bit I saw of Tommie last week.......SO nice to see a QB that actually KNOWS how to run an option play! And newby has that spark too.........I say get them some playing time, because it's pretty clear, the team that is starting this year is not going anywhere anyway.......get those young players some time!

Martinez is a good, fast runner. he is not the QB that will get us or any other team to the next level. he plays well above his abilities IMO. BUT I still think he is injured. I do not remember him being so tentative except for 2010 with the ankle sprain. He ran very timid today. If he can't run, he is no longer a threat IMO.

 

[NebraskaHarry]

Let me add another thing... Sam Burch or Tyler Wullenwaber are not better than Jordan Westerkamp. Burch should not be playing ahead of Westerkamp. I see four WR's I really like so far. Enunwa, Bell, Turner and Westerkamp.

 

[lo country]

What I saw was UCLA players taking the game seriously and giving double effort once they were down 21-3. If we had hit them back just as hard instead of running Beck's sissy offense it might have made a difference. Maybe it's just me but putting Martinez in the pocket to pass or running those option draws from 7 yards behind the line and trying to dance between the defenders is a stupid way to run an offense unless you're playing a team that's half as good as you. I saw E. Carolina running the same offense with the sideways passes and they were awesome against Vandy. Maybe we could schedule Vanderbilt every week? Do these coaches even know how to run the ball?

Vandy is giving the Gamecocks a run. They would kick our a$$

 

[huskerinAZ]

What I saw was UCLA players taking the game seriously and giving double effort once they were down 21-3. If we had hit them back just as hard instead of running Beck's sissy offense it might have made a difference. Maybe it's just me but putting Martinez in the pocket to pass or running those option draws from 7 yards behind the line and trying to dance between the defenders is a stupid way to run an offense unless you're playing a team that's half as good as you. I saw E. Carolina running the same offense with the sideways passes and they were awesome against Vandy. Maybe we could schedule Vanderbilt every week? Do these coaches even know how to run the ball?

I don't know if our coaches know how to run the ball but I know we have some running backs on our team that know how to do it......maybe the coaches should consult them?

 

[huskerinAZ]

But coaches don't have 3 missed tackles in one play........players do.........the same players that made those tackles in the first quarter and a half. They were there in position to make tackles on those running plays and just didn't. So yeah......coaching calls had alot to do with todays meltdown, especially on offense to me.......but missed tackles are COMPLETELY on the players......and there was plenty of them in the last half of the game.

Yes..that ugly missed tackle bug came back today very clearly..in way too many instances.

Yeah it did.......and they looks SO solid the first part of the game. And then that sack was missed right before the half and the missed tackles came back with a vengence.

The bold part is the key. And IMO, the key to all of our blowout losses.

In recent memory, the roughing the punter at Michicken, the hail mary against Carolina at the half, the AA fumble against UGA, Braxton Miller's first TD last year, this scramble and throw for a first. This team is mentally weak. They get a "kick in the nuts" type play like those above and they fold. They can't seem to shake this. It is almost as if it happens and collectively they say "here we go again". The comebacks show resilience, but we still seem unable to over come those type of "you've got to be kidding me" plays.

I commented on this in another thread. Bo teams, for whatever reason, seem to be VERY mentally weak......and I don't mean stupid......I mean WEAK. No one on that field will step up when needed and no one can make a play.......they just melt. That is the difference between good athletic players and GREAT players.......its the guts and the heart that make players great......and we don't seem to have any players that have that "it" factor.......at least not ones that are on the field.

 

[lo country]

But coaches don't have 3 missed tackles in one play........players do.........the same players that made those tackles in the first quarter and a half. They were there in position to make tackles on those running plays and just didn't. So yeah......coaching calls had alot to do with todays meltdown, especially on offense to me.......but missed tackles are COMPLETELY on the players......and there was plenty of them in the last half of the game.

Yes..that ugly missed tackle bug came back today very clearly..in way too many instances.

Yeah it did.......and they looks SO solid the first part of the game. And then that sack was missed right before the half and the missed tackles came back with a vengence.

The bold part is the key. And IMO, the key to all of our blowout losses.

In recent memory, the roughing the punter at Michicken, the hail mary against Carolina at the half, the AA fumble against UGA, Braxton Miller's first TD last year, this scramble and throw for a first. This team is mentally weak. They get a "kick in the nuts" type play like those above and they fold. They can't seem to shake this. It is almost as if it happens and collectively they say "here we go again". The comebacks show resilience, but we still seem unable to over come those type of "you've got to be kidding me" plays.

I commented on this in another thread. Bo teams, for whatever reason, seem to be VERY mentally weak......and I don't mean stupid......I mean WEAK. No one on that field will step up when needed and no one can make a play.......they just melt. That is the difference between good athletic players and GREAT players.......its the guts and the heart that make players great......and we don't seem to have any players that have that "it" factor.......at least not ones that are on the field.

I agree. I do think Newby, Bando, Gerry, Armstrong have the it factor. They play with some swagger. They are also freshman and in Bo's seniority laden system possibly feel (IMO) that they have not earned a right to speak up. I did see AA talking to the D, but no one else. No guys firing the others up, no getting into each others face etc..... No fire. Mentally weak...........

 

[Glendower]

But coaches don't have 3 missed tackles in one play........players do.........the same players that made those tackles in the first quarter and a half. They were there in position to make tackles on those running plays and just didn't. So yeah......coaching calls had alot to do with todays meltdown, especially on offense to me.......but missed tackles are COMPLETELY on the players......and there was plenty of them in the last half of the game.

Are you kidding me? So nebraska just happens to recruit the only players in the country that can't tackle? Coaches and the way they run practice have nothing to do with it? It's just the players who all happen to have been incompetent tacklers for the past several years?

 

[Corn Train]

We aren't the only team out there who plays freshmen and sophomores, fun to think that but no. It doesn't matter who we play right now, nothing can overcome our shorthanded sideline professionals

 

[huskerinAZ]

But coaches don't have 3 missed tackles in one play........players do.........the same players that made those tackles in the first quarter and a half. They were there in position to make tackles on those running plays and just didn't. So yeah......coaching calls had alot to do with todays meltdown, especially on offense to me.......but missed tackles are COMPLETELY on the players......and there was plenty of them in the last half of the game.

Are you kidding me? So nebraska just happens to recruit the only players in the country that can't tackle? Coaches and the way they run practice have nothing to do with it? It's just the players who all happen to have been incompetent tacklers for the past several years?

LOL.......if you are a highly recruited player coming out of HS and have to be taught how to "tackle".........there is an issue LOL Cracks me up........."the coaches aren't teaching them them how to tackle" LMAO Then I guess that would be on the coaches if they are a high rated HS recruit but have to be taught how to break down and tackle someone.........my bad LOL I though most scholarship players learned how to tackle in pop warner when they were 8........should be past the teaching point for the most part by the time they are 19 or 20 in my mind. Sorry I just find it funny that bad tackling gets put on the college coaching staff.........the players need to take some responsibility for it.........just like playing with not heart or guts........that should have to be taught at the top college level

 

[Fuzzy]

I was at the game, but have to confess, I'm not a huge "who is on the field and who made what play" over all. I'll take my binoculars and focus on one or two players off an on, but not a big picture kind of guy.

A lot of us on here have been hollering to let the young bucks play and we'll take their learning mistakes. I saw some flashes, especially early, of great, old school blackshirt defense. But it did seem to me that the young guys didn't get the playing time they did the first two games. Is that accurate?

If so, should we have let them play more?

If not, discounting bad coaching, is some of the breakdown we saw today due to young guys just not adjusting as the UCLA offense adjusted?

I'd so like to believe that today's meltdown was at least partially a youth related phenomenon.

If it was youth related, then the tale of today's performance will be told several games later into the year...if they can bounce back and learn.

There was a phrase that was being thrown around today during the game. Growing pains. Games like this teach those young defensive guys that value of finishing a game. Playing 4 quarters of football, not just 2 or 3.

But I expected more out of our veterans.