Much of the focus of Saturday's football matchup between No. 8 Nebraska and No. 7 Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium is centered around the historical significance of the Huskers making their Big Ten debut.
With the Big Ten now containing 12 teams, the conference has two divisions (Leaders and Legends). Most people favor Wisconsin to win the Leaders and Nebraska to win the Legends so this could be the first of two meetings if all goes according to plan.
Everyone from Las Vegas oddsmakers, media and message board posters have picked the Badgers to win Saturday's game. Wisconsin is a 10 point favorite as of late Thursday night.
Wisconsin's status as the favorite is understandable for three reasons: a) They are playing at home and Camp Randall Stadium is a notoriously hostile environment for visiting teams and b) the Badgers have beaten their first four opponents by a combined score of 204-34 and c) while Nebraska is 4-0 like Wisconsin they have outscored their opponents by a combined 171-88.
However, there are a few advantages that Nebraska has that very few people have taken into account.
At quarterback, Wisconsin would appear to have the edge with senior Russell Wilson over Nebraska sophomore Taylor Martinez. Wilson transfered from North Carolina State, where he played football and baseball and was the ACC Rookie of the Year. Wilson has been nothing short of spectacular in completing 69 of 91 passes for 1,136 yards, 11 touchdowns and one interception. He has also rushed 16 times for 108 yards and a score.
Martinez's passing numbers have not been spectacular as he has completed 43 of 85 tosses for 647 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. On the rushing side, he has 471 yards on 63 carries and seven touchdowns. Most importantly, his decision making and leadership, while not perfect, have improved.
While Wilson is more experienced and has the statistical advantage, in an odd sort of way, Martinez has an advantage because of his experience as starting quarterback in big games. Being the starting quarterback at Nebraska alone makes for a trial by fire because of the legacy the program has at that position such as Turner Gill, Tommie Frazier, Scott Frost and Eric Crouch. When you start as a freshman (especially quarterback) at Nebraska, you are instantly under a microscope.
Yes, Wilson shined at NC State but you simply cannot compare the pressure that a Wolfpack quarterback faces versus that of a Nebraska signal-caller. Being Wisconsin's starting QB comes with its challenges but for Wilson they haven't come in the first four games.
Martinez, meanwhile has played in four network-televised games against ranked opponents, with one being the Big 12 Conference Championship game last season.
Another edge that bodes well for Nebraska is that while the Badgers have bee very impressive on defense, the times opposing offenses have been successful is against Wisconsin's speed on the edge. Well, lack of would be a better description.
The Badgers will undoubtedly try to stack the line of scrimmage and dare Martinez to beat them with his arm. However, that does not mean that the Huskers will run the ball less. It will probably mean more sweeps, options and horizontal passes to make Wisconsin defend horizontally as well as vertically.
It also means we will likely see running back Rex Burkhead run more thann his share of Wildcat plays like last week against Wyoming.
Switching gears, while the Nebraska defense came in celebrated and hyped, the Huskers have been shockingly mediocre on that side of the ball. However, t should also be pointed out that defensive tackle Jared Crick, linebacker LaVonte David and cornerback Alfonzo Dennard have not been on the field at the same time all season. Crick sat out last week's 38-14 win over Wyoming with a concussion. Dennard returned to the lineup last week after nursing a quad injury for the first three games.
All three are expected to be in the lineup Saturday, which means Nebraska has playmakers at every level of its defense.
That means head coach Bo Pelini will not be as limited in how much of his scheme he can use. Therefore, he can throw more confusing looks with all three players in the lineup.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Entering Saturday's matchup, both Nebraska and Wisconsin have flaws
There is only one spot in the AP rankings that separates No. 8 Nebraska and No. 7 Wisconsin in Saturday's matchup at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. However, if you listen to oddsmakers, message board posters and selected media types, one would think the two programs are very far apart.
The Badgers have been installed as an 11-point favorite to beat Nebraska. Wisconsin's status as the favorite is understandable for three reasons: a) They are playing at home and Camp Randall Stadium is a notoriously hostile environment for visiting teams and b) the Badgers have beaten their first four opponents by a combined score of 204-34 and c) while Nebraska is 4-0 like Wisconsin they have outscored their opponents by a combined 171-88.
Not that I profess to being betting expert but part of the premise for establishing point spreads is not necessarily about who oddsmakers believe is going to win and which bet are people most likely to take. Common sense says Wisconsin for the above reasons.
Wisconsin State Journal columnist Tom Oates wrote a refreshing piece of journalism in his Sunday column. He pointed out that Wisconsin is 4-0, winning by 34, 35, 42 and 49 points "against a group of hand-picked opponents that fell far short of expectations.
Oates notes that UNLV is rebuilding, Oregon State is experiencing a rare down year, Northern Illinois was a disappointment and South Dakota was out of its league.
In his Sunday column, Oates asks a couple questions even Nebraska fans wonder about: So did UW pound on some patsies or is it as good as its lopsided scores would indicate? More important, were the Badgers tested enough to prepare them for the Cornhuskers?
"We've definitely played a lot of good teams so far, just nobody at the level of Nebraska," Badgers defensive tackle Patrick Butrym said. "We need to just pick up the way we're playing overall. Everybody deals with that coming out of the non-conference schedule. It just needs to happen. I think we're ready for that because we've done this before."
Oates also added that More from Oates "if there's cause for optimism, it is that UW dominated its opponents like it should have. The starters rarely played in the fourth quarter, but in the first three quarters the Badgers' scoring margin was a telling 166-20.
Still, just enough problems surfaced along the way -- not rushing well early in games, missing tackles on defense, forcing few turnovers, committing too many penalties -- that the Badgers know they'll have to improve to beat the Cornhuskers, who knocked off Wyoming 38-14 on Saturday to improve to 4-0.
At which point I would add let's evaluate the competition each team has faced. OK, both have faced a D-I AA team. Nebraska beat UT-Chatanooga 40-7 and Wisconsin beat South Dakota 59-10. As for the Div. I-A schools both have faced. Nebraska has beaten Fresno State (42-29), Washington (51-38) and Wyoming (38-14). Wisconsin defeated UNLV (51-17), Oregon State (35-0) and Northern Illinois (49-7). Let's also keep in perspective that Oregon State lost 29-28 to Div. I-AA Sacramento State at home. Wisconsin's opponents are a combined 5-10. Nebraska's foes are a combined 10-6.
The truth of the matter is point spreads, predictions, etc. are a lot of conjecture and hyperbole but while the Badgers are a talented team offensively, they are hard to read however as they've played four of the worst teams in college football. UNLV just got whipped by 27 points by Southern Utah. Northern Illinois is obviously a practice game for any major conference team. The level of competition goes way up this week and the Huskers having played better competition have scored 42,45,51 and 38 points while not even playing very well.
I don't think Nebraska's defensive line is as dominant as people thought in the preseason and the secondary is a youth problem. You can prepare and motivate, but if you don't have the horses, there is only so much you can do. I'm more concerned with the Husker offense as an unknown. The good news is that the offense has moved the ball the last two weeks without being as reliant on the big play. The problem is Nebraska has a quartterback in Taylor Martinez whose decision making has improved but is still a work-in-progress primarily because he is a sophomore.
As for Wisconsin's offense, it features a big and bulky offensive line. The Badgers line averages 6-foot-5, 325-pounds per man but I still mantain that Wisconsin is likely to try generating its yards by spreading the Huskers out as opposed to say two or three tight ends.
The big question mark is whether or not the Husker offense can move the ball against a good defense, and they haven't really played one yet. Generally, by the fifth game, a team knows its identity. Nebraska isn't going to pull a shut down secondary out of a hat, and the pressure the front four applies is harried and un-controlled and is the kind of thing mobile quarterbacks like Russell Wilson eat up with that inexperience in the secondary. If Nebraska wins, there will be a lot of patient defense, pocket-containing pressure, and a fourth quarter where the offense is toss-sweep right and toss-sweep left getting 6-7 yards a pop.
Nebraska's biggest advantage in this game is the fact that Wisconsin's starters have only played three quarters in each of their four games. Of course, that advantage won't matter if the Badgers are ahead by three touchdowns entering the fourth quarter but if its a close game or if Nebraska is ahead -- advantage Huskers because they are better conditioned.
The Badgers have been installed as an 11-point favorite to beat Nebraska. Wisconsin's status as the favorite is understandable for three reasons: a) They are playing at home and Camp Randall Stadium is a notoriously hostile environment for visiting teams and b) the Badgers have beaten their first four opponents by a combined score of 204-34 and c) while Nebraska is 4-0 like Wisconsin they have outscored their opponents by a combined 171-88.
Not that I profess to being betting expert but part of the premise for establishing point spreads is not necessarily about who oddsmakers believe is going to win and which bet are people most likely to take. Common sense says Wisconsin for the above reasons.
Wisconsin State Journal columnist Tom Oates wrote a refreshing piece of journalism in his Sunday column. He pointed out that Wisconsin is 4-0, winning by 34, 35, 42 and 49 points "against a group of hand-picked opponents that fell far short of expectations.
Oates notes that UNLV is rebuilding, Oregon State is experiencing a rare down year, Northern Illinois was a disappointment and South Dakota was out of its league.
In his Sunday column, Oates asks a couple questions even Nebraska fans wonder about: So did UW pound on some patsies or is it as good as its lopsided scores would indicate? More important, were the Badgers tested enough to prepare them for the Cornhuskers?
"We've definitely played a lot of good teams so far, just nobody at the level of Nebraska," Badgers defensive tackle Patrick Butrym said. "We need to just pick up the way we're playing overall. Everybody deals with that coming out of the non-conference schedule. It just needs to happen. I think we're ready for that because we've done this before."
Oates also added that More from Oates "if there's cause for optimism, it is that UW dominated its opponents like it should have. The starters rarely played in the fourth quarter, but in the first three quarters the Badgers' scoring margin was a telling 166-20.
Still, just enough problems surfaced along the way -- not rushing well early in games, missing tackles on defense, forcing few turnovers, committing too many penalties -- that the Badgers know they'll have to improve to beat the Cornhuskers, who knocked off Wyoming 38-14 on Saturday to improve to 4-0.
At which point I would add let's evaluate the competition each team has faced. OK, both have faced a D-I AA team. Nebraska beat UT-Chatanooga 40-7 and Wisconsin beat South Dakota 59-10. As for the Div. I-A schools both have faced. Nebraska has beaten Fresno State (42-29), Washington (51-38) and Wyoming (38-14). Wisconsin defeated UNLV (51-17), Oregon State (35-0) and Northern Illinois (49-7). Let's also keep in perspective that Oregon State lost 29-28 to Div. I-AA Sacramento State at home. Wisconsin's opponents are a combined 5-10. Nebraska's foes are a combined 10-6.
The truth of the matter is point spreads, predictions, etc. are a lot of conjecture and hyperbole but while the Badgers are a talented team offensively, they are hard to read however as they've played four of the worst teams in college football. UNLV just got whipped by 27 points by Southern Utah. Northern Illinois is obviously a practice game for any major conference team. The level of competition goes way up this week and the Huskers having played better competition have scored 42,45,51 and 38 points while not even playing very well.
I don't think Nebraska's defensive line is as dominant as people thought in the preseason and the secondary is a youth problem. You can prepare and motivate, but if you don't have the horses, there is only so much you can do. I'm more concerned with the Husker offense as an unknown. The good news is that the offense has moved the ball the last two weeks without being as reliant on the big play. The problem is Nebraska has a quartterback in Taylor Martinez whose decision making has improved but is still a work-in-progress primarily because he is a sophomore.
As for Wisconsin's offense, it features a big and bulky offensive line. The Badgers line averages 6-foot-5, 325-pounds per man but I still mantain that Wisconsin is likely to try generating its yards by spreading the Huskers out as opposed to say two or three tight ends.
The big question mark is whether or not the Husker offense can move the ball against a good defense, and they haven't really played one yet. Generally, by the fifth game, a team knows its identity. Nebraska isn't going to pull a shut down secondary out of a hat, and the pressure the front four applies is harried and un-controlled and is the kind of thing mobile quarterbacks like Russell Wilson eat up with that inexperience in the secondary. If Nebraska wins, there will be a lot of patient defense, pocket-containing pressure, and a fourth quarter where the offense is toss-sweep right and toss-sweep left getting 6-7 yards a pop.
Nebraska's biggest advantage in this game is the fact that Wisconsin's starters have only played three quarters in each of their four games. Of course, that advantage won't matter if the Badgers are ahead by three touchdowns entering the fourth quarter but if its a close game or if Nebraska is ahead -- advantage Huskers because they are better conditioned.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Tuneups are over, time for Big Ten play
Four up, four down for the No. 9 ranked Nebraska football team. The Huskers wrapped up the nonleague part of their slate with a 38-14 road win at Wyoming. Up next, the much anticipated Big Ten opener against the No. 6 rated Wisconsin Badgers in Madison, Wisc. Just my gut feeling but the Badgers, who rolled to a 59-10 win over South Dakota, are likely to be a slight favorite over Nebraska.
Though the Huskers clinged to a 14-7 halftime lead on Saturday, they were never in serious danger of losing as their depth and talent advantage wore down the Cowboys. The score very easily could have been 45-14 but Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini opted to take a knee in the final minute even though the Huskers had first-and-goal at the Wyoming 2. The Cowboys didn't do themselves any favors by committing seven penalties for 68 yards, 30 of which came on Nebraska's first drive of the second half, but the truth of the matter is the Huskers were the better team.
For the second time in as many weeks, the Husker offense take a quantum leap forward. This time thanks to running back Rex Burkhead's 170 yards rushing on 15 carries and two scores. Burkhead pounded the Cowboys into submission for most of the game. When Wyoming cut the lead too 31-14 midway through the fourth quarter, the Huskers turned to the speedy trio of true reshman running backs (Ameer Abdullah, Braylon Heard and Aaron Green). Abdullah had three carries for 36 yards. Green added 19 yards on three carries while Heard added 33 yards on nine yards including a touchdown. That power and speed approach to the running game is very akin to a hard throwing pitcher that can also change speeds.
While it is generally assumed that Nebraska will go as far as quarterback Taylor Martinez will take, Burkhead, however, might just be the hub of the offense's wheel because his reliability supplies the foundation for the offense.
Speaking of Martinez, his maturity is somewhat similar to a basketball player that has sacrificed scoring to become a more complete player to supply things like passing, reboundig and defense. Martinez's numbers Saturday look pedestrian on the surface. He was 12 of 21 for 157 yards, one touchdown and no interception as a passer. As a runner, he carred 12 times for 37 yards and a score. While Martinez is far from a finished product, his decision-making continues to improve and the fact that Nebraska can win a game without the benefit of Martinez lighting up the stat sheet is a huge plus because that was not the case last season.
Defensively, the Huskers were are from perfect in yielding 310 yards of total offense and 14 points but that's a huge improvement over the previous two games when they gave up over 28 points and 400 yards of total offense in each game. The Blackshirts are a far cry from the 2009 defense but on Saturday they also had to go without defensve tackle Jared Crick (concussion) and welcomed back cornerback Alfonzo Dennard to the lineup.
Though Wyoming quarterback Brett Smith completed just 17 of 33 passes for 166 yards, the Huskers had too many busted coverages that a better team would have capitalized on.
The Huskers got a lot of different players into the game so what does Saturday's win mean for the trip to Madison? Well, nothing really because every game is its own entity. The whole argument of "Well, if they play that way next week, they'll get beat" or "If they play that way next week they'll win" does not carry any weight.
Wisconsin has looked more impressive than the Huskers. As Pelini said in his potgame press conference, "There are no great teams." Nebraska does not need a perfect game to beat the Badgers but it needs to be on point more than it has all season.
Though the Huskers clinged to a 14-7 halftime lead on Saturday, they were never in serious danger of losing as their depth and talent advantage wore down the Cowboys. The score very easily could have been 45-14 but Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini opted to take a knee in the final minute even though the Huskers had first-and-goal at the Wyoming 2. The Cowboys didn't do themselves any favors by committing seven penalties for 68 yards, 30 of which came on Nebraska's first drive of the second half, but the truth of the matter is the Huskers were the better team.
For the second time in as many weeks, the Husker offense take a quantum leap forward. This time thanks to running back Rex Burkhead's 170 yards rushing on 15 carries and two scores. Burkhead pounded the Cowboys into submission for most of the game. When Wyoming cut the lead too 31-14 midway through the fourth quarter, the Huskers turned to the speedy trio of true reshman running backs (Ameer Abdullah, Braylon Heard and Aaron Green). Abdullah had three carries for 36 yards. Green added 19 yards on three carries while Heard added 33 yards on nine yards including a touchdown. That power and speed approach to the running game is very akin to a hard throwing pitcher that can also change speeds.
While it is generally assumed that Nebraska will go as far as quarterback Taylor Martinez will take, Burkhead, however, might just be the hub of the offense's wheel because his reliability supplies the foundation for the offense.
Speaking of Martinez, his maturity is somewhat similar to a basketball player that has sacrificed scoring to become a more complete player to supply things like passing, reboundig and defense. Martinez's numbers Saturday look pedestrian on the surface. He was 12 of 21 for 157 yards, one touchdown and no interception as a passer. As a runner, he carred 12 times for 37 yards and a score. While Martinez is far from a finished product, his decision-making continues to improve and the fact that Nebraska can win a game without the benefit of Martinez lighting up the stat sheet is a huge plus because that was not the case last season.
Defensively, the Huskers were are from perfect in yielding 310 yards of total offense and 14 points but that's a huge improvement over the previous two games when they gave up over 28 points and 400 yards of total offense in each game. The Blackshirts are a far cry from the 2009 defense but on Saturday they also had to go without defensve tackle Jared Crick (concussion) and welcomed back cornerback Alfonzo Dennard to the lineup.
Though Wyoming quarterback Brett Smith completed just 17 of 33 passes for 166 yards, the Huskers had too many busted coverages that a better team would have capitalized on.
The Huskers got a lot of different players into the game so what does Saturday's win mean for the trip to Madison? Well, nothing really because every game is its own entity. The whole argument of "Well, if they play that way next week, they'll get beat" or "If they play that way next week they'll win" does not carry any weight.
Wisconsin has looked more impressive than the Huskers. As Pelini said in his potgame press conference, "There are no great teams." Nebraska does not need a perfect game to beat the Badgers but it needs to be on point more than it has all season.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Dennard in, Crick out, Blackshirts need to rebound
The No. 9 ranked Nebraska defense entered the 2011 season highly touted but so far has lived down to its advanced billing. Though the Huskers are 3-0 and have a head coach who is considered one of the best defensive minds in college football, Nebraska's defense ranks 61st nationally in rushing defense, 66th in scoring defense, 67th in total defense and 78th in pass defense. Not numbers that are normally associated with a Bo Pelini defense.
As the Huskers head into Wyoming (also 3-0), the have a confounding dynamic on defense with cornerback Alfonzo Dennard an defensive tackle Jared Crick, both considered among the elite in the nation at their position. Pelini told Nebraska media members that cover the team daily that Dennard would in fact start after having sat out the forst three games wiith a quad injury. Dennard's return will certainly be a welcome site considering that his replacement (sophomore Andrew Green) has had a baptism by fire from opponents.
Crick, meanwhile, is listed as questionable with what is believed to be a concussion that he sustained near the end of Nebraska's 51-38 win over Washington Saturday.
Crick has not practiced this week.
"I don't know the terms and all those things," Pelini said. "He got dinged."
No one will ever accuse Pelini of being forthright about injuries. In fairness to Pelini, however, many coaches have that tendency. If Crick does not play, that will mean Terrence Moore, Chase Rome and Thadius Randle get much more playing time.
The question is, should either one play considering that Nebraska has its Big Ten conference opener at No. 6 Wisconsin looming on Oct. 1? You could make the argument that the Huskers win Saurday's game even if neither one plays but there are no absolutes.
If Crick indeed suffered any kind of concussion, he absolutley needs to sit this one out. Not to be self-righteous but we are talking about a young man's life versus a football game.
As for Dennard, his absence is a huge reason why the defense has played so poorly this year, at least by Pelini era standards. Since Dennard appears to be at least near full strength as the coaches indicate then he at least needs to get some playing time Saturday but no more than necessary.
Granted, Dennard (a senior) is a veteran player so it's not like he has forgotten how to play football but he at least needs to get into game shape. Wisconsin is not an opponent that you use just to shake off rust. Yes bringing Dennard back this week presents a risk because if he re-injures himself the statement becomes, "You shouldn't have rushed him back." However, the outcome of a decision does not make it good or bad. It's the reason behind it.
While the Husker defense has been below par at times, it's not 2007 Kevin Cosgrove material that ranked 112th in the nation. With a bright defensive mind like Pelini, however, the belief is that the defense will right the ship to some degree. How much? Who knows?
Nebraska's defense could use a shot in the arm but with Dennard in and Crick possibly out that's one step forward and one step backward. The Husker defense, however, needs a bounceback week after two straight games of yielding 400 plus yards of total offense. Nebraska does not have to pitch a shoutout but another game of 25 plus points and 400 plus yards won't cut it no matter who does or does not play.
As the Huskers head into Wyoming (also 3-0), the have a confounding dynamic on defense with cornerback Alfonzo Dennard an defensive tackle Jared Crick, both considered among the elite in the nation at their position. Pelini told Nebraska media members that cover the team daily that Dennard would in fact start after having sat out the forst three games wiith a quad injury. Dennard's return will certainly be a welcome site considering that his replacement (sophomore Andrew Green) has had a baptism by fire from opponents.
Crick, meanwhile, is listed as questionable with what is believed to be a concussion that he sustained near the end of Nebraska's 51-38 win over Washington Saturday.
Crick has not practiced this week.
"I don't know the terms and all those things," Pelini said. "He got dinged."
No one will ever accuse Pelini of being forthright about injuries. In fairness to Pelini, however, many coaches have that tendency. If Crick does not play, that will mean Terrence Moore, Chase Rome and Thadius Randle get much more playing time.
The question is, should either one play considering that Nebraska has its Big Ten conference opener at No. 6 Wisconsin looming on Oct. 1? You could make the argument that the Huskers win Saurday's game even if neither one plays but there are no absolutes.
If Crick indeed suffered any kind of concussion, he absolutley needs to sit this one out. Not to be self-righteous but we are talking about a young man's life versus a football game.
As for Dennard, his absence is a huge reason why the defense has played so poorly this year, at least by Pelini era standards. Since Dennard appears to be at least near full strength as the coaches indicate then he at least needs to get some playing time Saturday but no more than necessary.
Granted, Dennard (a senior) is a veteran player so it's not like he has forgotten how to play football but he at least needs to get into game shape. Wisconsin is not an opponent that you use just to shake off rust. Yes bringing Dennard back this week presents a risk because if he re-injures himself the statement becomes, "You shouldn't have rushed him back." However, the outcome of a decision does not make it good or bad. It's the reason behind it.
While the Husker defense has been below par at times, it's not 2007 Kevin Cosgrove material that ranked 112th in the nation. With a bright defensive mind like Pelini, however, the belief is that the defense will right the ship to some degree. How much? Who knows?
Nebraska's defense could use a shot in the arm but with Dennard in and Crick possibly out that's one step forward and one step backward. The Husker defense, however, needs a bounceback week after two straight games of yielding 400 plus yards of total offense. Nebraska does not have to pitch a shoutout but another game of 25 plus points and 400 plus yards won't cut it no matter who does or does not play.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Husker improvement needs to stay on course
Through the first three games of the regular season, most Nebraska fans and mainstream media types that cover the team daily have been reluctant to tab the 3-0 and No. 9 rated Huskers an upper-tier team mainly because Nebraska has not been overly impressive in any of its three wins.
The general belief has been, "well, if they don't improve, they will for sure lose to Wisconsin." The Huskers, however, have to beat 3-0 Wyoming in Laramie, Wy. Satuday before they worry about their Oct. 1 visit to No. 6 Wisconsin. The Cowboys are a scrappy bunch and could be more of a test than most people think.
The Huskers have shown a lot of improvement on the offensive side of the ball, and the defense has gotten stops when needed, but up to this point, the team is nowhere near where it needs to be. The irony behind that scenario is that suspect offense alone prevented Nebraska from winning the Big 12 title in each of the previous two seasons while the defense did the hheavy lifting. It was generally assumed that if Nebraska's offense could be middle-of-the-road at worst, the defense would remain stellar and the team would become a BCS Bowl Game level outfit.
Saturday represents the Huskers last nonconference tuneup before Big 10 play begins and if the team has visions of being a serious player in the BCS Bowl picture, the improvement needs to continue.
In Saturday's 51-38 win over Washington, quarterback Taylor Martinez might not have had an overly impressive game in terms of his statistics. He completed just 10 of 21 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns but no interceptions. He ran 17 times for 83 yards and a score. Point being, Matinez's numbers were not Heisman trophy material but his decision making was much better in that he did not take the unnecessary risks he took last season. That maturation will need to continue as the Huskers will face better defenses.
When Martinez allows impact players like Rex Burkhead, Kenny Bell, Jamal Turner, Aaron Green, Braylon Heard, Kyler Reed and Quincy Enunwa to make big plays, it will become easier for Martiez himself to make big plays.
Even more important, Nebraska's young offensive line also showed significant signs of maturity against a Washington defensive front that is much better than what Fresno State or Chattanooga had to offer. That improvement too cannot just be a one time thing.
First-year offensive coordinator Tim Beck also seemed to take a big step forward in his role, which is significant because of how the offense had stretches of ineptitude the last two years. If the recent success continues against Wyoming, the hope for a championship season will be that much more legitimate.
Especially if the defense can iron out its issues.
Getting starting cornerback Alfonzo Dennard back in the lineup would be a huge help. Since emerging as an impact player in 2009, his importance cannot be understated when he is in the lineup. Dennard has missed the first three games with a quad injury and that loss has been glaring.
Ciante Evans has played well for a true sophomore, and Andrew Green has filled in admirably in Dennard's absence, but the defense as a whole has missed Dennard's prescence because teams have routinely picked on Green.
Since Dennard has the ability to blanket the opposing team's top receiver, it will allow for more safety help toward Evans' side of the field and also committ more safeties near the line of scrimmage to stop the run. The return of Dennard and his shut-down-half-of-the-field ability will allow the defense to give Evans a little more help on the other side and put more guys in the box to defend against the run, which will result in an improvement in both pass and run defense.
Since Dennard is a game-time decision as of Wednesday, the Huskers need to be prepared to go another game without him.
The defensive line, which was supposed to be the team strength, has been a disappointment and the linebackers have not filled holes with authority. There has also been a lack of pressure on quarterbacks and lack of takeaways, something that Bo Pelini defenses have had a knack for doing.
Nebraska does not necessarily have to pitch a shutout but another week of 28-plus points and 400-plus yards allowed won't cut it.
While Wyoming can be a pesky club for ranked opponents, the truth of the matter is Nebraska has a huge talent advantage and should win by three touchhdowns or more. However, with the Wisconsin game lurking one week later, Saturday represents the dreaded "trap game" label.
Translation, Nebraska cannot have South Dakota State revisited. Remember last year when the Huskers won 17-3 over SDSU with a lackluster performance? That won't do this week.
The general belief has been, "well, if they don't improve, they will for sure lose to Wisconsin." The Huskers, however, have to beat 3-0 Wyoming in Laramie, Wy. Satuday before they worry about their Oct. 1 visit to No. 6 Wisconsin. The Cowboys are a scrappy bunch and could be more of a test than most people think.
The Huskers have shown a lot of improvement on the offensive side of the ball, and the defense has gotten stops when needed, but up to this point, the team is nowhere near where it needs to be. The irony behind that scenario is that suspect offense alone prevented Nebraska from winning the Big 12 title in each of the previous two seasons while the defense did the hheavy lifting. It was generally assumed that if Nebraska's offense could be middle-of-the-road at worst, the defense would remain stellar and the team would become a BCS Bowl Game level outfit.
Saturday represents the Huskers last nonconference tuneup before Big 10 play begins and if the team has visions of being a serious player in the BCS Bowl picture, the improvement needs to continue.
In Saturday's 51-38 win over Washington, quarterback Taylor Martinez might not have had an overly impressive game in terms of his statistics. He completed just 10 of 21 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns but no interceptions. He ran 17 times for 83 yards and a score. Point being, Matinez's numbers were not Heisman trophy material but his decision making was much better in that he did not take the unnecessary risks he took last season. That maturation will need to continue as the Huskers will face better defenses.
When Martinez allows impact players like Rex Burkhead, Kenny Bell, Jamal Turner, Aaron Green, Braylon Heard, Kyler Reed and Quincy Enunwa to make big plays, it will become easier for Martiez himself to make big plays.
Even more important, Nebraska's young offensive line also showed significant signs of maturity against a Washington defensive front that is much better than what Fresno State or Chattanooga had to offer. That improvement too cannot just be a one time thing.
First-year offensive coordinator Tim Beck also seemed to take a big step forward in his role, which is significant because of how the offense had stretches of ineptitude the last two years. If the recent success continues against Wyoming, the hope for a championship season will be that much more legitimate.
Especially if the defense can iron out its issues.
Getting starting cornerback Alfonzo Dennard back in the lineup would be a huge help. Since emerging as an impact player in 2009, his importance cannot be understated when he is in the lineup. Dennard has missed the first three games with a quad injury and that loss has been glaring.
Ciante Evans has played well for a true sophomore, and Andrew Green has filled in admirably in Dennard's absence, but the defense as a whole has missed Dennard's prescence because teams have routinely picked on Green.
Since Dennard has the ability to blanket the opposing team's top receiver, it will allow for more safety help toward Evans' side of the field and also committ more safeties near the line of scrimmage to stop the run. The return of Dennard and his shut-down-half-of-the-field ability will allow the defense to give Evans a little more help on the other side and put more guys in the box to defend against the run, which will result in an improvement in both pass and run defense.
Since Dennard is a game-time decision as of Wednesday, the Huskers need to be prepared to go another game without him.
The defensive line, which was supposed to be the team strength, has been a disappointment and the linebackers have not filled holes with authority. There has also been a lack of pressure on quarterbacks and lack of takeaways, something that Bo Pelini defenses have had a knack for doing.
Nebraska does not necessarily have to pitch a shutout but another week of 28-plus points and 400-plus yards allowed won't cut it.
While Wyoming can be a pesky club for ranked opponents, the truth of the matter is Nebraska has a huge talent advantage and should win by three touchhdowns or more. However, with the Wisconsin game lurking one week later, Saturday represents the dreaded "trap game" label.
Translation, Nebraska cannot have South Dakota State revisited. Remember last year when the Huskers won 17-3 over SDSU with a lackluster performance? That won't do this week.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Huskers improving unlike most of its Big Ten foes
As much as we love to bristle at the coach-speak "one game at a time" idea, any sports season truly is about winning one game at a time. However, just for a day, I will stray from that idealogy as it pertains to the No. 9 ranked Nebraska football team as it heads on the road to take on Wyoming.
The Huskers are 3-0 after Saturday's 51-38 win over Washington, not a particularly overwhelming 3-0 record but it's 3-0 nonetheless. The Cowboys represent Nebraska's final nonleague tuneup before turning its attention to Big 10 opponents.
Throughout the offseason, most people tabbed Nebraska as the favorite to win the Legends division that also includes Michigan State, Iowa, Michigan, Northwestern and Minnesota. The Leaders division contains Wisconsin, Ohio State, Penn State, Illinois, Purdue and Indiana. Wisconsin, which is currently the No. 6 ranked team in the nation, is considered the favorite out of that division.
The dynmanic about two division conferences is such that you have 12 teams, 12 regular season games and eight conference games. Teams play division opponents once every year while out of division opponents are rotated every two years. For example, Nebraska will play Wisconsin and Ohio State from the Leaders Division the next two years. The Huskers will play Penn State every year as the natural crossover game but in 2013 and 2014 Illinois and Purdue replace Wisconsin and Ohio State.
Since Nebraska did not draw what most people predicted as the lower third of the Leaders Division (Indiana, Purdue and Illinois), the perception was "Gee whizz, the Big Ten did Nebraska no favors in its first season." While rankings are often subjective, the feeling among many media members (specifically mainstream media members that cover the Huskers on a daily basis) is that Nebraska's No. 9 ranking is too high. However, as inconsistent as the Huskers have been to date, the only one of their remaining opponents that is playing at a higher level than Nebraska at the present time is Wisconsin, whom the Huskers visit on Oct. 1. While the Badgers would likely be favored against the Huskers, that game is far from out of reach.
Could other opponents not named Wisconsin be potholes on the Husker slate? Certainly. Michigan, whom the Huskers travel to face on Nov. 19, could definitely pose a threat in large part because of quarterback Dennard Robinson.
Michigan State was supposed to be Nebraska's biggest threat in the Legends division but the Spartans looked God-awful in a 31-13 loss to Notre Dame Saturday. Iowa rallied to beat Pittsburgh 31-27 but still looks suspect. Northwestern lost to a winless army squad. Minnesota is rebuilding -- as usual. Ohio State and Penn State are struggling against any competant competition.
Point being, Nebraska may have its flaws but compared to the rest of the teams on their slate (Wisconsin and Michigan notwithstanding) the Huskers are at least improving.
The Huskers are 3-0 after Saturday's 51-38 win over Washington, not a particularly overwhelming 3-0 record but it's 3-0 nonetheless. The Cowboys represent Nebraska's final nonleague tuneup before turning its attention to Big 10 opponents.
Throughout the offseason, most people tabbed Nebraska as the favorite to win the Legends division that also includes Michigan State, Iowa, Michigan, Northwestern and Minnesota. The Leaders division contains Wisconsin, Ohio State, Penn State, Illinois, Purdue and Indiana. Wisconsin, which is currently the No. 6 ranked team in the nation, is considered the favorite out of that division.
The dynmanic about two division conferences is such that you have 12 teams, 12 regular season games and eight conference games. Teams play division opponents once every year while out of division opponents are rotated every two years. For example, Nebraska will play Wisconsin and Ohio State from the Leaders Division the next two years. The Huskers will play Penn State every year as the natural crossover game but in 2013 and 2014 Illinois and Purdue replace Wisconsin and Ohio State.
Since Nebraska did not draw what most people predicted as the lower third of the Leaders Division (Indiana, Purdue and Illinois), the perception was "Gee whizz, the Big Ten did Nebraska no favors in its first season." While rankings are often subjective, the feeling among many media members (specifically mainstream media members that cover the Huskers on a daily basis) is that Nebraska's No. 9 ranking is too high. However, as inconsistent as the Huskers have been to date, the only one of their remaining opponents that is playing at a higher level than Nebraska at the present time is Wisconsin, whom the Huskers visit on Oct. 1. While the Badgers would likely be favored against the Huskers, that game is far from out of reach.
Could other opponents not named Wisconsin be potholes on the Husker slate? Certainly. Michigan, whom the Huskers travel to face on Nov. 19, could definitely pose a threat in large part because of quarterback Dennard Robinson.
Michigan State was supposed to be Nebraska's biggest threat in the Legends division but the Spartans looked God-awful in a 31-13 loss to Notre Dame Saturday. Iowa rallied to beat Pittsburgh 31-27 but still looks suspect. Northwestern lost to a winless army squad. Minnesota is rebuilding -- as usual. Ohio State and Penn State are struggling against any competant competition.
Point being, Nebraska may have its flaws but compared to the rest of the teams on their slate (Wisconsin and Michigan notwithstanding) the Huskers are at least improving.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Huskers still a work in progress
While it was disturbing to see No. 11 Nebraska make Saturday's 51-38 closer than it needed to be, the pluses definitely outweighed the minuses.
The Huskers led 20-17 at halftime and then opened the floodgates by taking a 44-17 lead early in the fourth quarter only to let the Huskies back in the game. Nebraska was never in danger of losing the game mind you but for the second time in as many weeks the defense lost its edge. Washington amassed 420 yards of offense and even more more disturbing Nebraska allowed to covert 7 of 14 third downs.
Granted, the loss of cornerback Alfonzo Dennard with a quad injury is a glaring one. His replacement (sophomore Andrew Green) got picked on all day. One would think Green will get better but he is not yet ready for primetime, all the more reason the Huskers really need Dennard healthy this season
You cannot expect Nebraska to have the kind of production in the back end when you have lost four NFL-caliber players (Prince Amukamara, Dejon Gomes, Eric Hagg (with Dennard still out due to injury.) While Ciante Evans, Green, Josh Mitchell, Daimion Stafford and other youngsters s are taking their licks (and their shots from opposing quarterbacks), it is incumbent on the front seven to generate pressure – particularly the front four.
In general the defensive line (especially defensive tackle Baker Steinkuher) played better than in last week's 42-29 win over Fresno State by getting more pressure on Keith Price than they did on Derek Carr but the fact that the defense did not capitalize on the offense's momentum is rather alarming.
The Huskers are going to need more quarters like the third when they head to Madison, Wisconsin, to play the Badgers.
Speaking of the offense, that unit enjoyed a definite growth spurt. Sure there were big plays but there were also drives. Nebraska had four scoring drives of seven or more plays, including a 10 play march late in the third that was capped with another Brett Maher field goal. So much for the concern over losing alex Henery as Maher is now 7 for 7.
The offensive line certainly deserves ample praise, especially walk-on Seung Hoon Choi and Tyler Moore. Nebraska put up 464 yards of total offense (404 rushing) as for the first time this season first-year coordinator Tim Beck used one play to set up another. On the game's opening play, with the defense thinking run, quarterback Taylor Martinez lofted a 50-yard completion to Kenny Bell to the Washington 3. On the next play, Martinez completed a touchdown pass to fullbak Tyler Legate on a bootleg.
As for Martinez, his passing numbers weren't pretty in completing 10 of 21 for 155 yards but he made much better decisions and protected the ball much better. Martinez will never be an NFL caliber passer or media friendly but he appears to be growing into his role.
It was also encouraging that when the offense had to run the ball to seal the win, they did. Running back Rex Burkhead rushed 22 times for 120 yards and two scores but most importantly, freshmen running backs Braylon Heard and Aaron Green supplied some good relief off the bench.
It wasn't pretty but overall an improvement over Fresno State.
The Huskers led 20-17 at halftime and then opened the floodgates by taking a 44-17 lead early in the fourth quarter only to let the Huskies back in the game. Nebraska was never in danger of losing the game mind you but for the second time in as many weeks the defense lost its edge. Washington amassed 420 yards of offense and even more more disturbing Nebraska allowed to covert 7 of 14 third downs.
Granted, the loss of cornerback Alfonzo Dennard with a quad injury is a glaring one. His replacement (sophomore Andrew Green) got picked on all day. One would think Green will get better but he is not yet ready for primetime, all the more reason the Huskers really need Dennard healthy this season
You cannot expect Nebraska to have the kind of production in the back end when you have lost four NFL-caliber players (Prince Amukamara, Dejon Gomes, Eric Hagg (with Dennard still out due to injury.) While Ciante Evans, Green, Josh Mitchell, Daimion Stafford and other youngsters s are taking their licks (and their shots from opposing quarterbacks), it is incumbent on the front seven to generate pressure – particularly the front four.
In general the defensive line (especially defensive tackle Baker Steinkuher) played better than in last week's 42-29 win over Fresno State by getting more pressure on Keith Price than they did on Derek Carr but the fact that the defense did not capitalize on the offense's momentum is rather alarming.
The Huskers are going to need more quarters like the third when they head to Madison, Wisconsin, to play the Badgers.
Speaking of the offense, that unit enjoyed a definite growth spurt. Sure there were big plays but there were also drives. Nebraska had four scoring drives of seven or more plays, including a 10 play march late in the third that was capped with another Brett Maher field goal. So much for the concern over losing alex Henery as Maher is now 7 for 7.
The offensive line certainly deserves ample praise, especially walk-on Seung Hoon Choi and Tyler Moore. Nebraska put up 464 yards of total offense (404 rushing) as for the first time this season first-year coordinator Tim Beck used one play to set up another. On the game's opening play, with the defense thinking run, quarterback Taylor Martinez lofted a 50-yard completion to Kenny Bell to the Washington 3. On the next play, Martinez completed a touchdown pass to fullbak Tyler Legate on a bootleg.
As for Martinez, his passing numbers weren't pretty in completing 10 of 21 for 155 yards but he made much better decisions and protected the ball much better. Martinez will never be an NFL caliber passer or media friendly but he appears to be growing into his role.
It was also encouraging that when the offense had to run the ball to seal the win, they did. Running back Rex Burkhead rushed 22 times for 120 yards and two scores but most importantly, freshmen running backs Braylon Heard and Aaron Green supplied some good relief off the bench.
It wasn't pretty but overall an improvement over Fresno State.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Unlike the Holiday Bowl, Saturday's game will have Nebraska's attention
Nebraska and Washington meet for Round 3 in Lincoln, NE, on Saturday. Or as they say in baseball as a three-game series wraps up, it's the rubber match.
The two meetings last year between the two teams were the confluence of extemes. On Sept. 18 in Seattle, Nebraska chewed up the Huskies and spit them out. Quarterback Taylor Martinez had 139 yards rushing on 19 carries and scored two touchdowns. The Husker defense was equally dominant as the Blackshirts intercepted Jake Locker (who complete just 4 of 20 passes) twice. Nebraska rolled to a 56-21 win and catapulted to No. 6 in the rankings, leading most people to believe the Huskers were a darkhorse National Championship contender.
Nebraska, however, struggled down the stretch as the offense became a shadow of what it was early in the season, mostly due to Martinez's ankle injury. Nebraska was 10-2 in the regular season but a 23-20 loss to Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game relegated the Huskers to a second straight Holiday Bowl appearance, where they trounced Arizona 33-0 one year earlier. Washington had to win its last three regular season games just to finish 6-6 and become bowl eligible.
Washington was a better team at the end of the regular season than it was when the two teams met in Seattle while Nebraska had regressed since that time. While most people were predicting a much closer game, those same people figured Nebraska would still win by two touchdowns or more.
However, a strange thing happened, Washington won 19-7 but dominated much more than the final score suggested. The Huskers had no answer at all for running back Chris Polk, who rushed for 177 yards on 34 carries and one touchdown. Incidently, Polk is back and if that's not bad enough facing him comes one week after the Blackshirts were gouged by Fresno state's Robbie Rouse for 169 yards rushing.
Even worse than the loss, the Huskers appeared very apathetic about playing in the game even though they said all of the right things leading up to the contest. Perhaps we should have seen it coming because bowl games are often decided by which team is more motivated to be there. Nebraska entered last season with goals being: Beat Texas. Win the Big 12 North. Win the Big 12 Title Game. Get to a BCS Bowl Game. They achieved only one out of four. Considering the Huskers lofty preseason goals going awry coupled with playing a team they had already crushed and it's understandable why the team put up a listless effort.
On the other hand, Washington had not been to a bowl game since 2002 and had a winless season in 2008, the year before current head coach Steve Sarkisian arrived, so even the lowest end bowl game was an exiting proposition. Considering that the Huskies had their doors blown off by Nebraska in the earlier meeting, they were largely being told the second matchup would not be much different. Couple that with the fact that Washington entered the game having won its last three regular season games and its understandable why the team entered the Holiday Bowl feeling the need to prove the doubters wrong.
The dynamics are a lot different this time. Granted, there is one common denominator to each tea's 2011 season, they both struggled to put away a WAC team at home. Fresno State put a scare into the Huskers before Nebraska prevailed 42-29. Washington, meanwhile, blted to a 21-0 first quarter lead before holding off Hawaii 40-32. Both teams also opened the season against a Div. I-AA team. Despite an uneven offensive performance, the Huskers were not threatened as they defeated Tennesee-Chattanooga 40-7. Washington, meanwhile, struggled to beat Eastern Washington 30-27.
So what does all of this mean for Saturday? Nebraska has been tabbed a 21 point favorite and is the No. 11 ranked team in the nation. While the Huskers are considered the favorite to win the Big Legends division, this season has more of an "under the radar" feel than last season. Couple that with the fact that the Husker defense, which has been the team's calling card since Bo Pelini became the head coach, looked suspect last week against Fresno State. OK, it wasn't 2007 Kevin Cosgrove but substandard nonetheless.
A Pelini coached defense won't have two bad efforts in a row, right? Probably not but one thing is for certain, unlike the Holiday Bowl, this matchup will have Nebraska's attention. Which bodes well.
The two meetings last year between the two teams were the confluence of extemes. On Sept. 18 in Seattle, Nebraska chewed up the Huskies and spit them out. Quarterback Taylor Martinez had 139 yards rushing on 19 carries and scored two touchdowns. The Husker defense was equally dominant as the Blackshirts intercepted Jake Locker (who complete just 4 of 20 passes) twice. Nebraska rolled to a 56-21 win and catapulted to No. 6 in the rankings, leading most people to believe the Huskers were a darkhorse National Championship contender.
Nebraska, however, struggled down the stretch as the offense became a shadow of what it was early in the season, mostly due to Martinez's ankle injury. Nebraska was 10-2 in the regular season but a 23-20 loss to Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game relegated the Huskers to a second straight Holiday Bowl appearance, where they trounced Arizona 33-0 one year earlier. Washington had to win its last three regular season games just to finish 6-6 and become bowl eligible.
Washington was a better team at the end of the regular season than it was when the two teams met in Seattle while Nebraska had regressed since that time. While most people were predicting a much closer game, those same people figured Nebraska would still win by two touchdowns or more.
However, a strange thing happened, Washington won 19-7 but dominated much more than the final score suggested. The Huskers had no answer at all for running back Chris Polk, who rushed for 177 yards on 34 carries and one touchdown. Incidently, Polk is back and if that's not bad enough facing him comes one week after the Blackshirts were gouged by Fresno state's Robbie Rouse for 169 yards rushing.
Even worse than the loss, the Huskers appeared very apathetic about playing in the game even though they said all of the right things leading up to the contest. Perhaps we should have seen it coming because bowl games are often decided by which team is more motivated to be there. Nebraska entered last season with goals being: Beat Texas. Win the Big 12 North. Win the Big 12 Title Game. Get to a BCS Bowl Game. They achieved only one out of four. Considering the Huskers lofty preseason goals going awry coupled with playing a team they had already crushed and it's understandable why the team put up a listless effort.
On the other hand, Washington had not been to a bowl game since 2002 and had a winless season in 2008, the year before current head coach Steve Sarkisian arrived, so even the lowest end bowl game was an exiting proposition. Considering that the Huskies had their doors blown off by Nebraska in the earlier meeting, they were largely being told the second matchup would not be much different. Couple that with the fact that Washington entered the game having won its last three regular season games and its understandable why the team entered the Holiday Bowl feeling the need to prove the doubters wrong.
The dynamics are a lot different this time. Granted, there is one common denominator to each tea's 2011 season, they both struggled to put away a WAC team at home. Fresno State put a scare into the Huskers before Nebraska prevailed 42-29. Washington, meanwhile, blted to a 21-0 first quarter lead before holding off Hawaii 40-32. Both teams also opened the season against a Div. I-AA team. Despite an uneven offensive performance, the Huskers were not threatened as they defeated Tennesee-Chattanooga 40-7. Washington, meanwhile, struggled to beat Eastern Washington 30-27.
So what does all of this mean for Saturday? Nebraska has been tabbed a 21 point favorite and is the No. 11 ranked team in the nation. While the Huskers are considered the favorite to win the Big Legends division, this season has more of an "under the radar" feel than last season. Couple that with the fact that the Husker defense, which has been the team's calling card since Bo Pelini became the head coach, looked suspect last week against Fresno State. OK, it wasn't 2007 Kevin Cosgrove but substandard nonetheless.
A Pelini coached defense won't have two bad efforts in a row, right? Probably not but one thing is for certain, unlike the Holiday Bowl, this matchup will have Nebraska's attention. Which bodes well.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Evaluating solely on margin of victory is shallow
As the No. 11 ranked Nebraska football team prepares to host Washington Saturday, Husker head coach Bo Pelini made a statement in his weekly press conference that truly resonated:
"There's consternation around here if you don't win 50-0 every week, that's just part of the deal. If I start worrying about what the public thinks I'll end up in a rubber room."
While that statement might apply to only a segment of Husker fans, it certainly has a heavy grain of truth. Take for example, the Huskers first two wins, 40-7 over Tennessee-Chattanooga and 42-29 over Fresno State. The common denominator in both games was a feast or famine offense that made some big plays but also had some plays go backward. With the UTC win, some Husker fans saw anything less than a 55-0 win as a disappointment. The truth of the matter is, if starting quarterback Taylor Martinez plays the entire game Nebraka probably wins 55-0 but why have starters risk injury in a blowout just to pad the score?
Consternation about the Fresno State win is much more understandable but not because of the 13-point margin of victory against a team where the Huskers were favored by 28 points. The disturbing part was how the supposedly vaunted defense got pushed around. Had Nebraska won say 31-17, had a similar offensive process but a much more stout defense there would probaly not be the level of consternation.
Honestly, margin of victory is an extremely shallow way of evaluating a game. Just as examples: In 2004, Nebraska opened with a 56-17 win over Western Illinois. In 2006, the Huskers opened with a 49-10 win over Louisiana Tech and in 2007 Nebraska opened with a 52-9 win over Nevada. All three games had a similar margin of victory but in the LA Tech and Nevada wins, Nebraska played near flawless whereas in the 2004 win, the Huskers had six turnovers and that was a problem that never got fixed.
There are literally two types of Husker fans. There is the kind that demands greatness and expects to see them at the same level as the mid 1990s when the team won three National Championships in four years. They except nothing else and will not wait for it to happen. They figure Nebraska has the resources and fan base to be near the level of the 90s and it needs to happen now. They also expect the Huskers to dominate at nearly every position and if one area of the football team is lax, they are adamantly angry about this and demand coaching fires, change in personal, and claim it a failure. They defend their perfectionist ideas by saying that they will not lower expectations of the program and they expect things that are holding us back to get corrected now. In essence, they also view teams like Alabama and Oklahoma and their success, and feel like Nebraska is a failure for not holding onto to that success it once had.
Then there Husker fans who are apathetic and have low expectations. They still want similar success as the 1990s but view the landscape of college football differently in the past decade. They see the diminshing success over the years of he likes of Notre Dame, USC and Florida State and realize that the Huskers can't hold a certain level of success indefinitely. If things dont go well, they are willing to work with urrent coaches and players to improve. They are willing to accept things as they are as long as the program is moving in that direction. They are willing to wait for success and many times are concerned with the type of program that is run along with winning.
They have more of a realist mentality. They view the other the aforementioned Husker fan as too emotional, unable to realize parity in this landscape, and unable to chill out. They want similar success, but feel that patience is key to that success. They also realize development of players take time and are willing to watch a player mature over time before giving up on him, whereas the other camp expects great things from certain recruits immediately, as they have seen other recruits impact teams that fast.
"There's consternation around here if you don't win 50-0 every week, that's just part of the deal. If I start worrying about what the public thinks I'll end up in a rubber room."
While that statement might apply to only a segment of Husker fans, it certainly has a heavy grain of truth. Take for example, the Huskers first two wins, 40-7 over Tennessee-Chattanooga and 42-29 over Fresno State. The common denominator in both games was a feast or famine offense that made some big plays but also had some plays go backward. With the UTC win, some Husker fans saw anything less than a 55-0 win as a disappointment. The truth of the matter is, if starting quarterback Taylor Martinez plays the entire game Nebraka probably wins 55-0 but why have starters risk injury in a blowout just to pad the score?
Consternation about the Fresno State win is much more understandable but not because of the 13-point margin of victory against a team where the Huskers were favored by 28 points. The disturbing part was how the supposedly vaunted defense got pushed around. Had Nebraska won say 31-17, had a similar offensive process but a much more stout defense there would probaly not be the level of consternation.
Honestly, margin of victory is an extremely shallow way of evaluating a game. Just as examples: In 2004, Nebraska opened with a 56-17 win over Western Illinois. In 2006, the Huskers opened with a 49-10 win over Louisiana Tech and in 2007 Nebraska opened with a 52-9 win over Nevada. All three games had a similar margin of victory but in the LA Tech and Nevada wins, Nebraska played near flawless whereas in the 2004 win, the Huskers had six turnovers and that was a problem that never got fixed.
There are literally two types of Husker fans. There is the kind that demands greatness and expects to see them at the same level as the mid 1990s when the team won three National Championships in four years. They except nothing else and will not wait for it to happen. They figure Nebraska has the resources and fan base to be near the level of the 90s and it needs to happen now. They also expect the Huskers to dominate at nearly every position and if one area of the football team is lax, they are adamantly angry about this and demand coaching fires, change in personal, and claim it a failure. They defend their perfectionist ideas by saying that they will not lower expectations of the program and they expect things that are holding us back to get corrected now. In essence, they also view teams like Alabama and Oklahoma and their success, and feel like Nebraska is a failure for not holding onto to that success it once had.
Then there Husker fans who are apathetic and have low expectations. They still want similar success as the 1990s but view the landscape of college football differently in the past decade. They see the diminshing success over the years of he likes of Notre Dame, USC and Florida State and realize that the Huskers can't hold a certain level of success indefinitely. If things dont go well, they are willing to work with urrent coaches and players to improve. They are willing to accept things as they are as long as the program is moving in that direction. They are willing to wait for success and many times are concerned with the type of program that is run along with winning.
They have more of a realist mentality. They view the other the aforementioned Husker fan as too emotional, unable to realize parity in this landscape, and unable to chill out. They want similar success, but feel that patience is key to that success. They also realize development of players take time and are willing to watch a player mature over time before giving up on him, whereas the other camp expects great things from certain recruits immediately, as they have seen other recruits impact teams that fast.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Light bulb goes on late for Husker offense but defense suspect in win over Bulldogs
After the No. 10 ranked Nebraska football team's 40-7 win over Tennessee-Chattanooga, much of the angst over the Huskers performance centered around the offense. The Huskers gained 364 yards of total offense (239 rushing, 135 passing) but those stats were somewhat skewed because 99 came on two plays (a 47-yard run by quarterback Taylor Martinez and a 252-yard run by running back Rex Burkhead).
As for the Huskers 42-29 win over Fresno State, yes the offense was still choppy at times but that's to be expected considering the collective youth of the offense and the fact that Nebraska is breaking in a new offensive coordinator (Tim Beck). The Huskers amassed 438 yards of offense (232 rushing, 219 passing).
Much like the win over UTC, the Husker offense had a home run or strikeout element. Martinez had a 57-yard run and also had pass completions of 42 yards to Kenny Bell, 53 yards to Kyler Reed and 42 yads to Jamal Turner. That's 194 yards on four plays. However, when it matter most, Nebraska's offense pulled its weight, which can't be said very often the past two seasons. Fresno State cut the Nebraska lead to 35-29 on Kevin Goessling's 37-yard foeld goal with 5:24 left in the game. The Huskers took over and Burkhead carried six times for 34 yards then Martinez scored on a 46-yard run to seal the win. Game. Set. Match. Drive home safely.
The disturbing aspect of Nebraska's game against the Bulldogs, however, is the defensive performance. Fresno State, which like Nebraska has a young offensive line, blew open serious holes in the running game and gave quarterback Derek Carr more than ample time to throw. The Bulldogs rushed for 190 yards (169 from Robbie Rouse on 36 carries). Carr completed 20-of-41 passes for 254 yards. Granted, the Husker secondary is still without starting cornerback Alfonso Dennard, who most believe is one of the best (if not the very best) in the nation at his position. However, the Huskers did not sack Carr once and only pressured him when they blitzed. That's significant because Nebraska (while occasionally dials up blitzes) prefers to rely on the front four to get pressure and for good reason when you have elite defensive linemen like Jared Crick, Cameron Meredith and Baker Steinkuhler.
What was even more disturbing was the resistance against the run that Nebraska showed. Well, lack thereof would be a better description. The Bulldogs opened some huge holes for Rouse. Yes, he is a talented running back who did a good job of following his blocks but that performance evoked memories of Nebraska's 19-7 loss to Washington. Incidentally, that same team comes to Lincoln next week. That performance, however, was at least understandable because at that point in the season the defense felt the burden over the offense's ineptitude. While the 2011 edition of the Nebraska offense is still a work in progress, it is defenitely better than the one that ended the 2010 season. Well, better to the point where they don't lead the world in terrible offense.
The most disturbing aspect of the defense's effort Saturday is the fact that since Bo Pelini took over as the Huskers head coach, he has established a culture of developing players. Yes, some years the talent is better than others but the culture has been such that, you lose one player, the next guy is ready.
While anyone can have a bad game, the Husker defensive performance in the Holiday Bowl and Saturday (that's two of the last three games they've taken the field if you're scoring at home) is that considering the Huskers are in the Big 10 conference that becomes significant. While spread offenses in the Big 10 have become much more mainstream than influential media types believe, it is still a conference much more likely to line up in the I-formation ad run right into the teeth of defenses (as Fresno State often did Saturday) than the Huskers former conference (the Big 12) that is a sinking ship. However, that's another story for another time.
As for the Huskers 42-29 win over Fresno State, yes the offense was still choppy at times but that's to be expected considering the collective youth of the offense and the fact that Nebraska is breaking in a new offensive coordinator (Tim Beck). The Huskers amassed 438 yards of offense (232 rushing, 219 passing).
Much like the win over UTC, the Husker offense had a home run or strikeout element. Martinez had a 57-yard run and also had pass completions of 42 yards to Kenny Bell, 53 yards to Kyler Reed and 42 yads to Jamal Turner. That's 194 yards on four plays. However, when it matter most, Nebraska's offense pulled its weight, which can't be said very often the past two seasons. Fresno State cut the Nebraska lead to 35-29 on Kevin Goessling's 37-yard foeld goal with 5:24 left in the game. The Huskers took over and Burkhead carried six times for 34 yards then Martinez scored on a 46-yard run to seal the win. Game. Set. Match. Drive home safely.
The disturbing aspect of Nebraska's game against the Bulldogs, however, is the defensive performance. Fresno State, which like Nebraska has a young offensive line, blew open serious holes in the running game and gave quarterback Derek Carr more than ample time to throw. The Bulldogs rushed for 190 yards (169 from Robbie Rouse on 36 carries). Carr completed 20-of-41 passes for 254 yards. Granted, the Husker secondary is still without starting cornerback Alfonso Dennard, who most believe is one of the best (if not the very best) in the nation at his position. However, the Huskers did not sack Carr once and only pressured him when they blitzed. That's significant because Nebraska (while occasionally dials up blitzes) prefers to rely on the front four to get pressure and for good reason when you have elite defensive linemen like Jared Crick, Cameron Meredith and Baker Steinkuhler.
What was even more disturbing was the resistance against the run that Nebraska showed. Well, lack thereof would be a better description. The Bulldogs opened some huge holes for Rouse. Yes, he is a talented running back who did a good job of following his blocks but that performance evoked memories of Nebraska's 19-7 loss to Washington. Incidentally, that same team comes to Lincoln next week. That performance, however, was at least understandable because at that point in the season the defense felt the burden over the offense's ineptitude. While the 2011 edition of the Nebraska offense is still a work in progress, it is defenitely better than the one that ended the 2010 season. Well, better to the point where they don't lead the world in terrible offense.
The most disturbing aspect of the defense's effort Saturday is the fact that since Bo Pelini took over as the Huskers head coach, he has established a culture of developing players. Yes, some years the talent is better than others but the culture has been such that, you lose one player, the next guy is ready.
While anyone can have a bad game, the Husker defensive performance in the Holiday Bowl and Saturday (that's two of the last three games they've taken the field if you're scoring at home) is that considering the Huskers are in the Big 10 conference that becomes significant. While spread offenses in the Big 10 have become much more mainstream than influential media types believe, it is still a conference much more likely to line up in the I-formation ad run right into the teeth of defenses (as Fresno State often did Saturday) than the Huskers former conference (the Big 12) that is a sinking ship. However, that's another story for another time.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Fresno State coach full of bravado but not much else
Fresno State head coach Pat Hill is definitely a refreshing personality in a profession that features many dud-like sayings like "one game at a time" or "if we don't make mistakes, we'll win." All of that jazz.
Hill brings his Bulldogs into Lincoln, Nebraska Saturday for a matchup against the No. 10 rated Cornhuskers. Much has been made of Hill's infamous statement years ago of "we'll play anyone, anywhere, anytime." So much so that Hill has been lauded to the point where people point out that in an age where more and more coaches are afraid to take non-conference risks out of fear they might ruin their shot at a .500 season and a precious bowl bid, Hill spits in the face of that strategy and wants to take on any team that will have him. Hill does it because he has to do it. Let's face it, how much respect is a team from the Western Athletic Conference going to get by going in beaten in that conference. On the other hand, conferences like the SEC, Big 12, Big 10, Pac 12 and so on are loaded with tests so how can one blame those coaches for scheduling "easy games."
OK, I get the idea of praising Hill for having a personality many coaches do not have. Yes, he is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise timid coaching environment. However, has his way been successful? That depends on your idea of success.
Fresno State is 16-17 against BCS Conference opponents since 2001, which is more wins than any other non-BCS school during that time. More applicable to gamblers, though, is Hill’s "against the spread" record against those schools, which is 23-10. OK, that's fine. Puff your chest with this "anywhere, anytime" stuff all you want but beat them. If you're satisfied with simply losing by less than Las Vegas bookies thought you would, why take the field?
So, given the tremendous against the spread success against stronger competition, the same has to be true of the Bulldogs in WAC play, right? His record against the WAC is 75-36. He has never been below 4-4 but never above 6-2.
Fresno State has won just one WAC title (a share in 1999) since Hill took over in 1997. The problem seems to be that Hill puts so much emphasis on the “big games” — most of which come on the road at places hundreds or thousands of miles away — that his players often suffer a letdown when they get into winnable conference games.
In 2001, Fresno State had early season wins against Colorado, Oregon State and Wisconsin that allowed them to jump to No. 8 in the rankings. The tough schedule caught up with them. They lost to Boise State and Hawaii early in WAC play.
In 2004, the Bulldogs scored a big win at 13th-ranked Kansas State was followed quickly by losses to Louisiana Tech, UTEP and Boise State. Fresno State finished 10-3 overall.
In 2005, the Bulldogs started 8-1 and almost won at USC, losing 50-42. That was the same USC team that lost to Texas in the BCS Title Game. While the narrow loss put them on the national map, losses in winnable games against Nevada and Louisiana Tech ended all hopes of a conference championship.
So, has Hill’s strategy been successful? True, his program is more relevant than before his tenure but it should be dually noted that Boise State and Hawaii have both made it to BCS bowls out of the WAC by taking a different approach. Fresno State’s best bowl game during that time is hard to even figure out. The MPC Computers Bowl? The New Mexico Bowl?
Yes, Hill routinely gets his teams up to play against big-time opponents and he routinely fails at preventing a hangover effect in the following conference games. True, Hill could care less what you, I or the man on the moon think. He’s going to keep scheduling the toughest possible opponents at the toughest venues in the country.
Look, there's a lot to like about Hill even more than his refreshing personality that media types and fans espouse. Under Hill's leadership, Fresno State has greatly improved the academic performance of its football players. During Hill's tenure the team has produced (as of 2005) 65 Academic All-WAC players, compared to a total of nine in the entire history of the program before Hill's arrival.
His Bulldog teams have reached a bowl game in eight of the last nine seasons to being on national television as much as any team this decade, the Bulldog program is regularly recognized for its success. That success transcends to the classroom, where once again the Fresno State team has posted a very strong Academic Progress Rate score. Fresno State's APR score ranks fourth in the western United States among public institutions, and second among California public schools.
As for how Hill's approach plays into the concern of Husker fans that post on message boards and call talk radio, well, let's just say that a segment of Nebraska fans were less than impressed with the team's 40-7 win over Tennessee-Chattanooga. Of course, those same perspective-lacking schnooks fail to realize that had starting quarterback Taylor Martinez played the entire game AND if starting cornerback Alfonzo Dennard played, the Huskers probably win 56-0. Then again, it is more prudent to play backups in a blowout game. Seriously, for you "statement win" wonks, is 56-0 THAT much more impressive than 40-7? Secondly why play Dennard if you win the game without him anyhow?
Nebraska is favored by 24.5 points. Fresno State lost 36-21 last week to the California Golden Bears at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The Bulldogs led 7-0 in the first quarter and 19-14 at halftime. Midway through the fourth quarter it was 36-14. So, the Bulldogs started strong and faded as the game progressed.
I expect them to learn their lesson and play hard for all four quarters this week. Nebraska will also learn from their mistakes, mainly in communications between players on the field, and post an even stronger effort at Memorial Stadium than last week.
The Bulldogs will bark and show their teeth, but I don’t believe they’ll bite enough of the Huskers to score more than 20 points. Huskers will win say 38-14.
Hill brings his Bulldogs into Lincoln, Nebraska Saturday for a matchup against the No. 10 rated Cornhuskers. Much has been made of Hill's infamous statement years ago of "we'll play anyone, anywhere, anytime." So much so that Hill has been lauded to the point where people point out that in an age where more and more coaches are afraid to take non-conference risks out of fear they might ruin their shot at a .500 season and a precious bowl bid, Hill spits in the face of that strategy and wants to take on any team that will have him. Hill does it because he has to do it. Let's face it, how much respect is a team from the Western Athletic Conference going to get by going in beaten in that conference. On the other hand, conferences like the SEC, Big 12, Big 10, Pac 12 and so on are loaded with tests so how can one blame those coaches for scheduling "easy games."
OK, I get the idea of praising Hill for having a personality many coaches do not have. Yes, he is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise timid coaching environment. However, has his way been successful? That depends on your idea of success.
Fresno State is 16-17 against BCS Conference opponents since 2001, which is more wins than any other non-BCS school during that time. More applicable to gamblers, though, is Hill’s "against the spread" record against those schools, which is 23-10. OK, that's fine. Puff your chest with this "anywhere, anytime" stuff all you want but beat them. If you're satisfied with simply losing by less than Las Vegas bookies thought you would, why take the field?
So, given the tremendous against the spread success against stronger competition, the same has to be true of the Bulldogs in WAC play, right? His record against the WAC is 75-36. He has never been below 4-4 but never above 6-2.
Fresno State has won just one WAC title (a share in 1999) since Hill took over in 1997. The problem seems to be that Hill puts so much emphasis on the “big games” — most of which come on the road at places hundreds or thousands of miles away — that his players often suffer a letdown when they get into winnable conference games.
In 2001, Fresno State had early season wins against Colorado, Oregon State and Wisconsin that allowed them to jump to No. 8 in the rankings. The tough schedule caught up with them. They lost to Boise State and Hawaii early in WAC play.
In 2004, the Bulldogs scored a big win at 13th-ranked Kansas State was followed quickly by losses to Louisiana Tech, UTEP and Boise State. Fresno State finished 10-3 overall.
In 2005, the Bulldogs started 8-1 and almost won at USC, losing 50-42. That was the same USC team that lost to Texas in the BCS Title Game. While the narrow loss put them on the national map, losses in winnable games against Nevada and Louisiana Tech ended all hopes of a conference championship.
So, has Hill’s strategy been successful? True, his program is more relevant than before his tenure but it should be dually noted that Boise State and Hawaii have both made it to BCS bowls out of the WAC by taking a different approach. Fresno State’s best bowl game during that time is hard to even figure out. The MPC Computers Bowl? The New Mexico Bowl?
Yes, Hill routinely gets his teams up to play against big-time opponents and he routinely fails at preventing a hangover effect in the following conference games. True, Hill could care less what you, I or the man on the moon think. He’s going to keep scheduling the toughest possible opponents at the toughest venues in the country.
Look, there's a lot to like about Hill even more than his refreshing personality that media types and fans espouse. Under Hill's leadership, Fresno State has greatly improved the academic performance of its football players. During Hill's tenure the team has produced (as of 2005) 65 Academic All-WAC players, compared to a total of nine in the entire history of the program before Hill's arrival.
His Bulldog teams have reached a bowl game in eight of the last nine seasons to being on national television as much as any team this decade, the Bulldog program is regularly recognized for its success. That success transcends to the classroom, where once again the Fresno State team has posted a very strong Academic Progress Rate score. Fresno State's APR score ranks fourth in the western United States among public institutions, and second among California public schools.
As for how Hill's approach plays into the concern of Husker fans that post on message boards and call talk radio, well, let's just say that a segment of Nebraska fans were less than impressed with the team's 40-7 win over Tennessee-Chattanooga. Of course, those same perspective-lacking schnooks fail to realize that had starting quarterback Taylor Martinez played the entire game AND if starting cornerback Alfonzo Dennard played, the Huskers probably win 56-0. Then again, it is more prudent to play backups in a blowout game. Seriously, for you "statement win" wonks, is 56-0 THAT much more impressive than 40-7? Secondly why play Dennard if you win the game without him anyhow?
Nebraska is favored by 24.5 points. Fresno State lost 36-21 last week to the California Golden Bears at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The Bulldogs led 7-0 in the first quarter and 19-14 at halftime. Midway through the fourth quarter it was 36-14. So, the Bulldogs started strong and faded as the game progressed.
I expect them to learn their lesson and play hard for all four quarters this week. Nebraska will also learn from their mistakes, mainly in communications between players on the field, and post an even stronger effort at Memorial Stadium than last week.
The Bulldogs will bark and show their teeth, but I don’t believe they’ll bite enough of the Huskers to score more than 20 points. Huskers will win say 38-14.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Husker fans need to stop obsessing of Martinez's passing
For all of his great attributes as a runner when healthy, the frequent criticism of Nebraska sophomore quarterback Taylor Martinez are "He can't pass" or "His throwing motion is lousy."
True, Martinez will never be Tom Brady but even those who expect him to reach even the passing accuracy levels of recent former Husker quarterbacks Zac Taylor (2005-2006) or Joe Ganz (2008) are going to be sorely disappointed. Granted, Martinez is still very young and growing into his role as a passer but he hasn't really ever shown serious potential as a pocket passer or someone who can progress through four or five reads. He's never going to be throwing the pretty fade for a corner of the endzone touchdown and nor will he be expert a fitting a pass between an underneath linebacker and an over the top safety on a post route.
The promising thing about new offensive coordinator Tim Beck's scheme, at least based on what we heard throughout the offseason, is that these things shouldn't be as big of a weakness. What the offense should do is maximize Martinez's strengths, which are blinding straight-line speed and some experience with running an up-tempo, spread-option scheme.
For those who want Martinez to become Joe Montana, the Huskers don't need him to be a pinpoint passer, if the offense can get the defense to equally fear runs up the middle, options to the boundary, or screen passes to the likes of Kenny Bell or Ameer Abdullah. That's how Chip Kelly does it in Oregon. He makes defenses try to defend horizontally and vertically, while trying to catch their breath and make adjustments with minimal time against a no-huddle offense. If Martinez can get to the level of say Oregon's Darren James or Texas's Vince Young, rather than expecting he will become an NFL-caliber quarterback, that'll be fine.
Here are Nebraska quarterback statistics since 2004:
2004 - Joe Dailey - 2025 yds, 49.4%, 6.53 yds/att, 17 TDs, 19 INTs
2005 - Zac Taylor - 2653 yds, 55.1%, 6.17 yds/att, 19 TDs, 12 INTs
2006 - Zac Taylor - 3197 yds, 59.6%, 8.18 yds/att, 26 TDs, 8 INTs
2007 - Sam Keller - 2422 yds, 63.1 %, 7.45 yds/att, 14 TDs, 10 INTs
2007 - Joe Ganz - 1435 yds, 58.6%, 9.44 yds/att, 16 TDs, 7 INTs
2008 - Joe Ganz - 3568 yds, 67.9%, 8.50 yds/att, 25 TDs, 11 INTs
2009 - Zac Lee - 2143 yds, 58.6%, 7.10 yds/att, 14 TDs, 10 INTs
2010 - Taylor Martinez - 1631 yds, 59.2%, 8.32 yds/att, 10 TDs, 7 INTs
All quarterbacks listed from 2004-2009 combined for 575 rushing yards while Martinez had 965 on his own in 2010.
Other than Ganz in 2008 (67.9%), which of those years was any of the guys on this list a "more accurate passer" than Martinez last year? Obviously his yardage and touchdowns are down because he plays in a totally different offense but Keller was the only other one to really exceed Martinez's percentage last year and no one did it in their first year as a starter. Keep in mind, Keller started at Arizona State before transferring. In addition, we all remember how much help Martinez got from his wide receivers last year.
I'm not going to argue that Martinez gets any style points for how he looks in the pocket but he is serviceable as a passer. As for this business of throwing motion, people didn't like Phillip Rivers throwing motion either but that's turned out all right for him with the Sa Diego Chargers. Bernie Kosar nearly won a Heisman Trophy and started for years in the NFL throwing side-arm so I don't get hung up on how the delivery looks.
I'd like to see Martinez work through his progressions a little more as well but when he pulled the ball down and ran against Tennessee-Chattanooga, he got a first down more often than not.
True, Martinez will never be Tom Brady but even those who expect him to reach even the passing accuracy levels of recent former Husker quarterbacks Zac Taylor (2005-2006) or Joe Ganz (2008) are going to be sorely disappointed. Granted, Martinez is still very young and growing into his role as a passer but he hasn't really ever shown serious potential as a pocket passer or someone who can progress through four or five reads. He's never going to be throwing the pretty fade for a corner of the endzone touchdown and nor will he be expert a fitting a pass between an underneath linebacker and an over the top safety on a post route.
The promising thing about new offensive coordinator Tim Beck's scheme, at least based on what we heard throughout the offseason, is that these things shouldn't be as big of a weakness. What the offense should do is maximize Martinez's strengths, which are blinding straight-line speed and some experience with running an up-tempo, spread-option scheme.
For those who want Martinez to become Joe Montana, the Huskers don't need him to be a pinpoint passer, if the offense can get the defense to equally fear runs up the middle, options to the boundary, or screen passes to the likes of Kenny Bell or Ameer Abdullah. That's how Chip Kelly does it in Oregon. He makes defenses try to defend horizontally and vertically, while trying to catch their breath and make adjustments with minimal time against a no-huddle offense. If Martinez can get to the level of say Oregon's Darren James or Texas's Vince Young, rather than expecting he will become an NFL-caliber quarterback, that'll be fine.
Here are Nebraska quarterback statistics since 2004:
2004 - Joe Dailey - 2025 yds, 49.4%, 6.53 yds/att, 17 TDs, 19 INTs
2005 - Zac Taylor - 2653 yds, 55.1%, 6.17 yds/att, 19 TDs, 12 INTs
2006 - Zac Taylor - 3197 yds, 59.6%, 8.18 yds/att, 26 TDs, 8 INTs
2007 - Sam Keller - 2422 yds, 63.1 %, 7.45 yds/att, 14 TDs, 10 INTs
2007 - Joe Ganz - 1435 yds, 58.6%, 9.44 yds/att, 16 TDs, 7 INTs
2008 - Joe Ganz - 3568 yds, 67.9%, 8.50 yds/att, 25 TDs, 11 INTs
2009 - Zac Lee - 2143 yds, 58.6%, 7.10 yds/att, 14 TDs, 10 INTs
2010 - Taylor Martinez - 1631 yds, 59.2%, 8.32 yds/att, 10 TDs, 7 INTs
All quarterbacks listed from 2004-2009 combined for 575 rushing yards while Martinez had 965 on his own in 2010.
Other than Ganz in 2008 (67.9%), which of those years was any of the guys on this list a "more accurate passer" than Martinez last year? Obviously his yardage and touchdowns are down because he plays in a totally different offense but Keller was the only other one to really exceed Martinez's percentage last year and no one did it in their first year as a starter. Keep in mind, Keller started at Arizona State before transferring. In addition, we all remember how much help Martinez got from his wide receivers last year.
I'm not going to argue that Martinez gets any style points for how he looks in the pocket but he is serviceable as a passer. As for this business of throwing motion, people didn't like Phillip Rivers throwing motion either but that's turned out all right for him with the Sa Diego Chargers. Bernie Kosar nearly won a Heisman Trophy and started for years in the NFL throwing side-arm so I don't get hung up on how the delivery looks.
I'd like to see Martinez work through his progressions a little more as well but when he pulled the ball down and ran against Tennessee-Chattanooga, he got a first down more often than not.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Huskers not alone in needing to iron out rough edges
The perfectionist Nebraska football fan would like to have seen the Huskers season-opening 40-7 win over Tennessee-Chattanooga have a lot fewer rough edges.
However, there are a few things that miss the point about that argument. For openers, if quarterbck Taylor Martinez plays the entire game, Nebraska probably wins 54-7 but in a lopsided game it is much more prudent to get the second and third teamers some much need playing time. If you hadn't watched the game, you would have immediately thought the Huskers were a powerhouse but a 40-7 win is nothing to complain about whether it's Game #1 or Game #10. Consider what else took place around the naton. No. 2 Alabama beat a Kent State team that is probably just as weak as UT-Chattanooga 48-7. No. 6 Florida State was a 34-0 winner over Louisiand-Monroe, an opponent just as weak as Kent State and UT-Chattanooga. No. 18 Ohio State beat Akron 42-0. Not that big of a deal considering Akron is consistently one of the worst teams in the nation.
The point is that other teams had their problems Saturday, too, and we haven't begun to mention reigning National Champion Auburn needing a miracle to beat Utah State 42-38. While we're at it, let's mention Sacramento State going into Oregon State and winning 29-28. Sac State, people! Div. I-AA Sac State. Oklahoma is the top-ranked team in the nation and played like it n beating Tulsa 47-14 but keep in mind led the Sooners 17-0 in the Big 12 title game only to lose 23-20.
The truth of the matter is, nobody is a juggernaut. Yes, the Huskers need to learn to develop consistency, but there is no team that resembles the 1995 Huskers let alone say, the 2004 USC Trojans or the 2001 Miami Hurricanes out there. Yes, Nebraska has a long way to go, but the Huskers can get better.
True, there were some impressive performances around the Top 25 ike No. 11 Wisconsin rolling UNLV 51-17. In some circles, Wisconsin is consdered the favorite to win the Big Ten conference and they certainly played like it Thursday. The Huskers have three more nonconference games (Fresno State, Washington and Wyoming) before vsitng Wisconsin on Oct. 1. Fresno State lost to a pretty meidocre (and frequently overrated) California team 36-21 but a garbage time touchdown made that game closer than it appeared. Washington narrowly escaped at home with a 30-27 win over Div. I-AA Eastern Washington. Wyoming also narrowly beat Div. I-AA Weber State 35-32.
Point being, the Huskers have a month to clean up their mistakes before the aforementioned road trip to Madison, Wisc. so there is no need to panic.
True, the Huskers' season-opener was more ragged than you would have liked, especially on offense as the timing and spacing in the backfield seemed surprisingly bad on several occasions. However, I didn't see anything that priactice and time shouldn't overcome. The young offensive line needs to come together -- and very quickly at that. They had a few good moments but to many not so good.
No need to worry yet. Let's see how much the Huskers get cleaned up this week and what they put on the field Saturday against a Fresno State program that has had a history of knocking off college football's giants.
However, there are a few things that miss the point about that argument. For openers, if quarterbck Taylor Martinez plays the entire game, Nebraska probably wins 54-7 but in a lopsided game it is much more prudent to get the second and third teamers some much need playing time. If you hadn't watched the game, you would have immediately thought the Huskers were a powerhouse but a 40-7 win is nothing to complain about whether it's Game #1 or Game #10. Consider what else took place around the naton. No. 2 Alabama beat a Kent State team that is probably just as weak as UT-Chattanooga 48-7. No. 6 Florida State was a 34-0 winner over Louisiand-Monroe, an opponent just as weak as Kent State and UT-Chattanooga. No. 18 Ohio State beat Akron 42-0. Not that big of a deal considering Akron is consistently one of the worst teams in the nation.
The point is that other teams had their problems Saturday, too, and we haven't begun to mention reigning National Champion Auburn needing a miracle to beat Utah State 42-38. While we're at it, let's mention Sacramento State going into Oregon State and winning 29-28. Sac State, people! Div. I-AA Sac State. Oklahoma is the top-ranked team in the nation and played like it n beating Tulsa 47-14 but keep in mind led the Sooners 17-0 in the Big 12 title game only to lose 23-20.
The truth of the matter is, nobody is a juggernaut. Yes, the Huskers need to learn to develop consistency, but there is no team that resembles the 1995 Huskers let alone say, the 2004 USC Trojans or the 2001 Miami Hurricanes out there. Yes, Nebraska has a long way to go, but the Huskers can get better.
True, there were some impressive performances around the Top 25 ike No. 11 Wisconsin rolling UNLV 51-17. In some circles, Wisconsin is consdered the favorite to win the Big Ten conference and they certainly played like it Thursday. The Huskers have three more nonconference games (Fresno State, Washington and Wyoming) before vsitng Wisconsin on Oct. 1. Fresno State lost to a pretty meidocre (and frequently overrated) California team 36-21 but a garbage time touchdown made that game closer than it appeared. Washington narrowly escaped at home with a 30-27 win over Div. I-AA Eastern Washington. Wyoming also narrowly beat Div. I-AA Weber State 35-32.
Point being, the Huskers have a month to clean up their mistakes before the aforementioned road trip to Madison, Wisc. so there is no need to panic.
True, the Huskers' season-opener was more ragged than you would have liked, especially on offense as the timing and spacing in the backfield seemed surprisingly bad on several occasions. However, I didn't see anything that priactice and time shouldn't overcome. The young offensive line needs to come together -- and very quickly at that. They had a few good moments but to many not so good.
No need to worry yet. Let's see how much the Huskers get cleaned up this week and what they put on the field Saturday against a Fresno State program that has had a history of knocking off college football's giants.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Season opener tells little but important signs nonetheless
The 2011 college football season is here and not a moment too soon. As stated here on Wine Country Husker throughout the week, No. 10 Nebraska's 40-7 win over UT-Chattanooga is a game where you view the process more so than the result. Let's face it, if Nebraska beats, say, Wisconsin 10-7 and turns the ball over five times you won't care about the result.
Against a middle-of-the-road Div. I-AA team like the Mocs, however, the process tends to matter more. So what do we take out of Game # 1?
-- Quarterback Taylor Martinez looks to be back to full speed and I liked that he threw some passes away instead of enduring a sack. One of the things Nebraska fans were waiting with baited breath to see was whether Martinez would be back to something resembling the T-Magic of last season. In that sense, he didn’t disappoint, with touchdown runs of 43 and 47 yards. In offensive coordinator Tim Beck's first game in his new role, Martinez showed himself to be healthy enough to have Nebraska’s offense centered around him.
Whether that is a good or bad thing is a question that will divide opinion among Husker fans.
Days before the game, head coach Bo Pelini promised Nebraska’s new offense would be a combination of old-school NU football and the modern day spread. There was a lot of option football being played, warming the cockles of the experienced members of Nebraska’s fan base (say 35 or older).
Nebraska’s inability to consistently run the ball right at Chattanooga, however, will rankle that same fan base. As an example, Nebraska had the ball first and goal at the six-yard line and could not get in the end zone. We're talking UT-Chattanooga, not the UT Volunteers.
The truth of the matter is, a 40-7 rout may make things look good but Nebraska appears to still lack the ability to simply line up and run over teams (especially teams Nebraska has a clear athletic superiority over). That has to be cause for concern.
From what we saw of the Beck offense as opposed to former coordinator Shawn Watson, Nebraska’s offense will include a lot of option, a lot of quick passes and a lot of getting the ball to playmakers and letting them go. However, there were plenty of times where it was clear that not everyone was on the same page. On many occasions, players would run into each other in the backfield, or one player would look for another to see no one there. Against a team like Chattanooga, those types of miscues didn’t make a difference. Against a sturdier opponent, those mistakes could be fatal.
The offensive line, however, play improved as the game went along, and I thought Spencer Long looked pretty good and Andrew Rodriguez might be Nebraska's most phsicl offensive lineman.
Two of Nebraska’s biggest struggles in 2010 were fumbles and penalties. The fumbles were still an issue, although that had more to do with getting used to Tim Beck’s new high-tempo offense than anything else but Nebraska only committed three penalties for 33 yards, and one was an incredibly soft roughing the passer call on defensive end Josh Williams.
One particular bone of contention from last year was the play clock issue, which Saturday appeared to be a thing of the past. The new offense gives Martinez enough time to survey the defense, change a play and snap the ball before the play clock is even close to expiring. Gone seem to be the days of Memorial Stadium groaning in exasperation when a timeout is burned due to the play clock running down.
On the defensive side, Nebraska's line, as expeted looks deep and solid. Defensive end Cameron Meredith looks like he might have a breakout season, and defensive tackle Jared Crick was as advertised.
The linebacker play of LaVonte David and Trevor Roach looked great, and I thought Alonzo Whaley did a nice job too.
The secondary played without the servies of Alfonzo Dennard, who is out with a quad injury. As expected, his replacement (Andrew Green) had his peaks and valleys but the experience of Saturday will hopefuly be a huge difference. The biggest bright spot in the secondary, however, was cornerback Austin Stafford looks like he is going to be a stud. Stafford made tackles against the run and pass with authority.
Let's not forget the kicking game. Junior kicker and punter Brett Maher did his best to put the Alex Henery ghosts to rest in his first game as a starter. His first of four field goals was from 50 yards, into the teeth of a howling wind, with plenty of distance to spare. Maher also punted admirably, getting good height and distance even in a tough wind, and getting one punt downed inside the 10.
Going into the season, most observers (including yours truly) thought Nebraska would have a drop-off in production from the kicking game in 2011. After Maher’s performance, it appears that worry may have been unfounded.
So what does this mean in the big picture?
Ultimately, it’s not fair to judge Beck too harshly after the first game. Yes, it was rough in spots. Martinez doesn’t look all that comfortable running the option. Yes, receivers still dropped passes at an alarming rate but there was also a lot of youth that got game experience. The three freshman running backs (Ameer Abdullah, Aaron Green and Braylon Heard) all looked very good in their appearances. Jamal Turner, in limited playing time, still electrified the crowd and showed his incredible promise.
So there does appear to be a lot of parts in place for Nebraska’s offense to be successful. But, as a year ago, ultimately that success will revolve around the performance of Taylor Martinez.
Against a middle-of-the-road Div. I-AA team like the Mocs, however, the process tends to matter more. So what do we take out of Game # 1?
-- Quarterback Taylor Martinez looks to be back to full speed and I liked that he threw some passes away instead of enduring a sack. One of the things Nebraska fans were waiting with baited breath to see was whether Martinez would be back to something resembling the T-Magic of last season. In that sense, he didn’t disappoint, with touchdown runs of 43 and 47 yards. In offensive coordinator Tim Beck's first game in his new role, Martinez showed himself to be healthy enough to have Nebraska’s offense centered around him.
Whether that is a good or bad thing is a question that will divide opinion among Husker fans.
Days before the game, head coach Bo Pelini promised Nebraska’s new offense would be a combination of old-school NU football and the modern day spread. There was a lot of option football being played, warming the cockles of the experienced members of Nebraska’s fan base (say 35 or older).
Nebraska’s inability to consistently run the ball right at Chattanooga, however, will rankle that same fan base. As an example, Nebraska had the ball first and goal at the six-yard line and could not get in the end zone. We're talking UT-Chattanooga, not the UT Volunteers.
The truth of the matter is, a 40-7 rout may make things look good but Nebraska appears to still lack the ability to simply line up and run over teams (especially teams Nebraska has a clear athletic superiority over). That has to be cause for concern.
From what we saw of the Beck offense as opposed to former coordinator Shawn Watson, Nebraska’s offense will include a lot of option, a lot of quick passes and a lot of getting the ball to playmakers and letting them go. However, there were plenty of times where it was clear that not everyone was on the same page. On many occasions, players would run into each other in the backfield, or one player would look for another to see no one there. Against a team like Chattanooga, those types of miscues didn’t make a difference. Against a sturdier opponent, those mistakes could be fatal.
The offensive line, however, play improved as the game went along, and I thought Spencer Long looked pretty good and Andrew Rodriguez might be Nebraska's most phsicl offensive lineman.
Two of Nebraska’s biggest struggles in 2010 were fumbles and penalties. The fumbles were still an issue, although that had more to do with getting used to Tim Beck’s new high-tempo offense than anything else but Nebraska only committed three penalties for 33 yards, and one was an incredibly soft roughing the passer call on defensive end Josh Williams.
One particular bone of contention from last year was the play clock issue, which Saturday appeared to be a thing of the past. The new offense gives Martinez enough time to survey the defense, change a play and snap the ball before the play clock is even close to expiring. Gone seem to be the days of Memorial Stadium groaning in exasperation when a timeout is burned due to the play clock running down.
On the defensive side, Nebraska's line, as expeted looks deep and solid. Defensive end Cameron Meredith looks like he might have a breakout season, and defensive tackle Jared Crick was as advertised.
The linebacker play of LaVonte David and Trevor Roach looked great, and I thought Alonzo Whaley did a nice job too.
The secondary played without the servies of Alfonzo Dennard, who is out with a quad injury. As expected, his replacement (Andrew Green) had his peaks and valleys but the experience of Saturday will hopefuly be a huge difference. The biggest bright spot in the secondary, however, was cornerback Austin Stafford looks like he is going to be a stud. Stafford made tackles against the run and pass with authority.
Let's not forget the kicking game. Junior kicker and punter Brett Maher did his best to put the Alex Henery ghosts to rest in his first game as a starter. His first of four field goals was from 50 yards, into the teeth of a howling wind, with plenty of distance to spare. Maher also punted admirably, getting good height and distance even in a tough wind, and getting one punt downed inside the 10.
Going into the season, most observers (including yours truly) thought Nebraska would have a drop-off in production from the kicking game in 2011. After Maher’s performance, it appears that worry may have been unfounded.
So what does this mean in the big picture?
Ultimately, it’s not fair to judge Beck too harshly after the first game. Yes, it was rough in spots. Martinez doesn’t look all that comfortable running the option. Yes, receivers still dropped passes at an alarming rate but there was also a lot of youth that got game experience. The three freshman running backs (Ameer Abdullah, Aaron Green and Braylon Heard) all looked very good in their appearances. Jamal Turner, in limited playing time, still electrified the crowd and showed his incredible promise.
So there does appear to be a lot of parts in place for Nebraska’s offense to be successful. But, as a year ago, ultimately that success will revolve around the performance of Taylor Martinez.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Season-ending humble pie should prevent letdown
On paper, there is no reason to believe that Saturday's game involving No. 10 Nebraska taking on Tennessee-Chattanooga should be close. The Huskers open as a 34.5 point favorite.
Though manly fans may bristle at "coach speak," especially involving one team being a heavy favorite to beat the other, momentum can often be fragile because if you let an underdog hang around long enough, the liklihood of an upset increases.
The last time Nebraska faced a Football Championship Subdivision team, they had to endure some teeth-nashing moments in a 17-3 win over South Dakota State.
"I would hope that we never take anybody lightly," coach Bo Pelini said in an Associated Press story Friday morning. "We just didn't play well against South Dakota State last year, especially on offense. I don't know if our guys took them lightly. I don't know about that game, but we will be prepared on Saturday."
Much like South Dakota State, Chattanooga is a middle-of-the road ballclub. The Mocs have gone 6-5 the past two years and are picked to finish fourth in the Southern Conference. Games like Saturday are often referred to as "bodybag games" because Chattanooga scheduled the game for the $475,000 paycheck, but no big underdog can resist imagining the unthinkable happening.
However, when a big name program hosts an FCS school, the game many people frequently refer to is the 2006 matchup when Appalachian State of the Southern Conference beat Michigan in one of the greatest upsets in college football history.
Most people fail to realize, however, that Appalachian State was one of, if not perhaps the best, FCS team in the country that year. The problem with using the past to predict the future is that the "one size fits all" approach is not how the world works. Every game is its own entity and has different circumstances surrounding it.
Entering last year's game aforementioned game in Lincoln, South Dakota State had entered the contest with losses to Delaware and Illinois State. Nebraska was ranked No. 6 in the country and coming off a 56-21 win at Washington. In hindsight (which is always 20-20), the Huskers perhaps had reason to enter the game feeling full of themselves.
Turned out, the Huskers were ripe for a letdown as they struggled to a 17-3 win. Keep in mind, SDSU had two touchdowns called by because of penalties.
The Jackrabbits appeared to score the game's first touchdown, but a video review showed the ball carrier didn't cross the goal line. Down 14 points in the fourth quarter, the Jacks ran back an interception 66 yards for an apparent touchdown, but a penalty nullified the play.
For this game, however, the Huskers have no reason at all to feel full of themselves despite their No. 10 ranking. You know the saying, "You're only as good as your last game." Well, the last time Nebraska took the field they only did so in body in their 19-7 Holiday Bowl loss to Washington. That defeat capped a 10-4 season in which the Huskers closed with three losses in four games.
Looking ahead? Could happen this week but it won't.
Though manly fans may bristle at "coach speak," especially involving one team being a heavy favorite to beat the other, momentum can often be fragile because if you let an underdog hang around long enough, the liklihood of an upset increases.
The last time Nebraska faced a Football Championship Subdivision team, they had to endure some teeth-nashing moments in a 17-3 win over South Dakota State.
"I would hope that we never take anybody lightly," coach Bo Pelini said in an Associated Press story Friday morning. "We just didn't play well against South Dakota State last year, especially on offense. I don't know if our guys took them lightly. I don't know about that game, but we will be prepared on Saturday."
Much like South Dakota State, Chattanooga is a middle-of-the road ballclub. The Mocs have gone 6-5 the past two years and are picked to finish fourth in the Southern Conference. Games like Saturday are often referred to as "bodybag games" because Chattanooga scheduled the game for the $475,000 paycheck, but no big underdog can resist imagining the unthinkable happening.
However, when a big name program hosts an FCS school, the game many people frequently refer to is the 2006 matchup when Appalachian State of the Southern Conference beat Michigan in one of the greatest upsets in college football history.
Most people fail to realize, however, that Appalachian State was one of, if not perhaps the best, FCS team in the country that year. The problem with using the past to predict the future is that the "one size fits all" approach is not how the world works. Every game is its own entity and has different circumstances surrounding it.
Entering last year's game aforementioned game in Lincoln, South Dakota State had entered the contest with losses to Delaware and Illinois State. Nebraska was ranked No. 6 in the country and coming off a 56-21 win at Washington. In hindsight (which is always 20-20), the Huskers perhaps had reason to enter the game feeling full of themselves.
Turned out, the Huskers were ripe for a letdown as they struggled to a 17-3 win. Keep in mind, SDSU had two touchdowns called by because of penalties.
The Jackrabbits appeared to score the game's first touchdown, but a video review showed the ball carrier didn't cross the goal line. Down 14 points in the fourth quarter, the Jacks ran back an interception 66 yards for an apparent touchdown, but a penalty nullified the play.
For this game, however, the Huskers have no reason at all to feel full of themselves despite their No. 10 ranking. You know the saying, "You're only as good as your last game." Well, the last time Nebraska took the field they only did so in body in their 19-7 Holiday Bowl loss to Washington. That defeat capped a 10-4 season in which the Huskers closed with three losses in four games.
Looking ahead? Could happen this week but it won't.
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