Husker win more of a relief than a thrill

The term “big win” can often be overused and while No. 22 Nebraska’s come-from-behind 30-27 win over Wisconsin does not mean the Huskers are out of the woods, it gets them out of the frying pan at least for the moment.

Let’s face it, in Nebraska’s other “prove you’re for real” game this year, the Huskers whiffed on the road with a 36-30 loss at UCLA. Yes, Nebraska bounced back with wins over lesser foes (42-13 over Arkansas State ad 73-7 over Idaho State). Yes, Wisconsin is not the same outfit that won the Big Ten Conference last season but if the Huskers lost this game – forget the hits they would have taken in the national media. They would have taken a ton of hits from the local mainstream media, which despite head coach Bo Pelini’s uneasiness with constant attention is a pretty forgiving group. We’re not the Philadelphia Inquirer here.  

The game started about as inauspiciously for the Huskers as a game could, which makes the win that much more significant because under Pelini the team has generally responded well to adversity after a tough loss but within games when momentum goes South the Huskers have had a tough time recovering.

Most importantly, while Nebraska has many other hurdles, winning this game against a decent but still shaky Wisconsin club would have dented their path to a Big Ten title pretty severely. In a nutshell, the downside of a loss was greater than the upside of a win.

The first three Husker offensive possessions netted three fumbles and nary a first down. The Nebraska offense, however, stayed the course in gaining 440 yards of total offense (259 rushing, 181 passing). Quarterback Taylor Martinez went 17 of 29 for 181 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He underthrew a few too many passes but unlike last year’s 48-17 loss to the Badgers in Madison, he stayed within himself and did not force unnecessary throws. The Huskers also averaged 6.0 yards per rush against a Wisconsin club that entered the game 14^th against the run.

The problem, however, was that the Huskers had two turnovers that gave the Badgers the ball inside the Nebraska 30, setting up easy touchdowns. Without those miscues, Nebraska wins 30-14 but the truth of the matter is the Huskers made those mistakes, which need to be addressed.

Defensively, this game is a prime example of why the statistic “points against” is not always reflective of the defense. When you give an offense the ball after a turnover twice on the opponents’ side of the 30, there’s something wrong if they don’t score. That’s like a pitcher coming out of the bullpen with runners at second and third and less than two outs.

The Husker defense took more than its share of punches to the chin after the aforementioned loss to UCLA in which they gave up 653 yards, second most in school history. However, on Saturday, the Nebraska defense came up large. Granted, this matchup screamed “advantage Nebraska.” The Badgers no longer have Russell Wilson at quarterback, which means they are much easier to defend. Load the line of scrimmage to stop Montee Ball and dare immobile quarterbacks Joel Stave and Danny O’Brien to beat you.

The Huskers were equal to the task in allowing 56 yards rushing on 41 carries. Ball had 90 yards on 32 carries. As a team, Wisconsin gained 295 yards on 69 plays. The only criticism I have of Pelini as a defensive mind, where he is very bright, is that sometimes he tries so hard to outscheme opponents that the Huskers waste time outs and often do not get lined up properly rather than take the approach of “here we come, good luck stopping us.”

Special teams ended up being a key point of the game. Wisconsin’s Jack Russell missed an extra point, which meant the best the Badgers could do with a field goal on their last drive was to tie the game as opposed to take the lead. Stanley Jean-Bapiste’s bonehead roughing the kicker penalty on fourth-and-18 led to a Wisconsin touchdown. What was even more frustrating was that he took a bad angle. The pluses, however, outweighed the minuses with Ameer Abdullah’s 83 yard kickoff return. Brett Maher also had six touchbacks and averaged 46.7 yards per punt.

What does this mean? By the numbers, it just means Nebraska is 4-1 instead of 3-2. The Big Ten remains wide open as a trip to Columbus, Ohio, awaits against a flawed (gee there’s a common denominator in the Big Ten) but much improved Ohio State club. The Buckeyes went into East Lansing, Michigan, and beat a Michigan State club that some were touting the best in the Big Ten before the season.

Nebraska, however, cannot get behind 20-3 in the Horseshoe like it did against Wisconsin. Urban Meyer coached teams are not likely to blow such leads.  

 

Huskers need to take Step One to win Big Ten

No. 22 Nebraska and Wisconsin enter Saturday’s primetime telecast in Lincoln with 3-1 records but the public vibe around the former is more positive than regarding the latter.

 

Nebraska had what amounted to controlled scrimmage in a 73-7 win over Idaho State (an FCS school). Running back Rex Burkhead returned to the Husker lineup after not having played since the regular season opener because of a knee injury. 

Wisconsin beat UTEP 37-26 at home but running back Montee Ball, a Heisman Trophy finalist last season, left the game with a head injury. The Badgers trailed 6-2 after the first quarter but put up 21 second quarter points to lead 23-9 at halftime. UTEP did not go quietly, pulling to within four in the fourth quarter before Wisconsin put the game away.

The game is significant because it is the conference opener for both clubs. Last season, the Huskers were greeted rudely in the Big Ten debut in Madison, Wisc., as the Badgers blasted Nebraska 48-17. While both clubs are 3-1, Nebraska’s three wins have been decisive while Wisconsin’s have been by 11 points or less. Both clubs are looking to silence critics for different reasons.

The Nebraska rush offense against the Wisconsin rush defense is a strength vs. strength battle. The Husker offense is sixth in the nation in rushing yards per game while the Badger run defense ranks 14^th in rushing yards per game allowed. While teams should never get away from what they do well, Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez leads the Big Ten in passer efficiency. Could this be a game where “pass sets up run” more than “run sets up pass?” If Martinez can continue to be on target as he has been for much of the first four games with the exception of the second half of the Huskers 36-30 loss at UCLA, he can force the Badgers defense to respect the pass and open more space for Nebraska’s rushing attack.

While Ball has been cleared to play, with or without the Badgers star running back, Wisconsin has a dangerous running attack and considering Nebraska’s defense has been susceptible to the run in averaging 177 yards per game. Granted, that number is skewed in two ways (31 yards against Idaho State and 344 against UCLA) but when your defense averages 177 yards given up on the ground that is a serious indictment of one’s ability to stop the run.

Last season, Wisconsin’s offense beat Nebraska any which way it wanted with Ball gaining 151 of the team’s 231 yards rushing. On the passing side, Badger quarterback Russell Wilson went 14 of 20 for 255 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. The good news is that Wilson has a job that requires him to work on Sundays as the starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks.

The Badgers have had a tough time replacing Wilson. Danny O’Brien started the season but has since lost his job to Joel Stave, who went 12-17 for 210 yards against UTEP.

Wisconsin has been in turmoil this season, firing its offensive line coach and changing quarterbacks. The Badgers likely need this win, in some ways, more than Nebraska.

Further, the scenario sets up poorly for Nebraska. Wisconsin comes in as a 13-point underdog, which should be a good thing for the Huskers but in the Bo Pelini era, Nebraska’s has struggled when put in this position.

Ultimately, not having Wilson could be Wisconsin’s undoing in this game.

 

Let the speculation continue on Osborne successor

In the wake of Tom Osborne announcing his retirement as University of Nebraska athletic director, the speculation of who will be Osborne’s replacement has begun in earnest.

You might replace Osborne in body but his impact and legacy will never be replaced. As a head coach from 1973-1997, Osborne compiled a 255-49-3 overall record, piloting Nebraska to three National championships. As an athletic director from 2007-present, he restored trust and order to a fractured fan base, oversaw various facility upgrades and steered Nebraska’s move into a more stable conference, the Big Ten. While the conference has taken its hits because of the mediocrity on the field, it does have more stability and reverence for tradition than the Big 12.

University Chancellor Harvey Pearlman has said that he will go on a “national search” to find Osborne’s replacement. That statement is significant because there are three people within the athletic department, Jeff Jamrog (assistant athletic director for football), Paul Myers (associate athletic director of development), and Jamie Williams (associate athletic director of leadership and diversity initiatives) that are also believed to be potential successors to Osborne.

Jamrog is a former walk on (three year letter winner) that compiled 66 tackles, 13 for a loss and eight sacks as a senior. Myers has a sentimental favorite notion in him. It was Meyers’ brief departure from the department in October that added a significant subplot to the Steve Pederson saga, and it was his return only four weeks later that was met with jubilance by some major donors. Now, some of those contributors are in tune that Meyers would be a fine choice to follow Osborne as Nebraska’s AD.

Williams is a former Husker tight end who also spent 11 seasons in the NFL, one of which he contributed to the San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl championship team in 1989.

The Omaha World Herald theorized various other potential possibilities. There’s Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione, who has always expressed a fondness for Nebraska and Osborne. Perhaps going to the Big Ten and washing his hands of Texas politics will be an appealing motivator.

There is also Iowa State AD Jamie Pollard, who even though he operates on a limited budget has made some good coaching hires. He also has Big Ten ties, having been deputy athletic director for three years at Wisconsin.

There is also Arkansas AD Jeff Long, who was also previously an associate D at Michigan. Long has had to calm some rocky seas at Arkansas, most notably the troubled behavior of former head coach Bobby Petrino.

There is also former Arizona AD Greg Byrne, who is the son of former Nebraska AD Bill Byrne. The younger Byrne is considered to have rising stock in the Pac 12 as well as nationally. However, the name carries baggage with Nebraska fans. While Bill Byrne’s legacy is more appreciate now after Husker fans endured Pederson, Byrne was also a polarizing figure in his own right.

There is also Louisville AD Tom Jurich, who has had a solid 15-year run with the Cardinals but maybe he is ready for a career move considering the murky future of the Big East.

There is also Florida State AD Randy Spetman, who is a native of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Spetman has become widely respected but considering the acrimonious departure of legendary coach Bobby Bowden, Spetman has made enemies in Tallahassee.

University of Nebraska-Omaha AD Trev Alberts might be a possibility. Though Huskers fans have fond memories of him as an All-American linebacker, he has drawn a lot of criticism for his role in UN dropping football and wrestling. Even though those decisions were made at a higher level that perception will be hard for Alberts to overcome.

Based on past experience, Osborne will push for the in-house candidate like he did in hand-picking Frank Solich to be his successor. Osborne also gave a Pederson a strong recommendation as AD. When Osborne he replaced the deposed Pederson in 2007, he dismissed Bill Callahan at the end of the season as football head coach and hired then former Husker defensive coordinator Bo Pelini. When Osborne dismissed Mike Anderson as Husker baseball coach, he hired Nebraska legend Darin Erstad. The only head coaching hire Osborne made that did not involve Nebraska ties was Tim Miles as men’s basketball head coach to replace Doc Sadler.

Pearlman might be publically saying he will conduct a national search but you can bet Osborne will strongly recommend Jamrog, Meyers or Williams. I just don’t see Dr. Tom handing the keys to his Rolls Royce to somebody without spending a lot of time with the person first.

However, national searches or in-house hires come with no guarantees and before anyone rants about “keeping it in the family,” just remember that after Bill Byrne left as Nebraska athletic director in 2002 for Texas A&M, many Nebraskans viewed Pederson as the ideal hire. Pederson had 2 ½ years of experience as Nebraska’s Associate Athletic Director as well as Director of Football Operations. Plus, he was a North Platte, Neb., native.

At the time, the hire made sense but would have known that five years later he would become the most loathed man in the state. If anything, he made Nebraskans long for the Byrne era.

It’s just so hard to tell what you’re getting, as everything seemed to point in the right direction for us, but just happened to be in the wrong direction. I’m no Pederson fan or apologist by any means, but he worked right under our own roof for so long, yet we didn’t really know the guy as well as we thought.

Most people will point to Pederson’s firing of Frank Solich and subsequent hiring of Callahan as the beginning of his demise which is true to a degree but it was not the ultimate reason why he got fired. Pederson’s management style as it pertained to those working under him as well as his arrogance with the Husker fan base was the reason he got fired. Pederson probably would have survived the Callahan hire if not for his poor management skills.

 

 

Osborne's legacy crosses multiple generations

There are certain things in life that have a “you can’t mention one without the other,” feeling: Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, John Stockton and Karl Malone, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Paul “Bear” Bryant and Alabama. I could go on all night but I won’t.

 

While we’re at it, include Tom Osborne and Nebraska. When the calendar hits January 1, 2013, Osborne will no longer have an active role in Nebraska athletics.

 

Osborne put together one of the most successful coaching runs in college football history before serving in Congress and taking the reins as Nebraska’s athletic director five years ago, is retiring. The 75-year-old Osborne announced at a news conference Wednesday that he would step down Jan. 1, though he will stay for an additional six months to assist in the transition to a new athletic director.

“At some point, whether you’re able to function or not, just the perception that you're getting old can get in the way,” Osborne said. “I don’t want to be one of those guys everybody is walking around wringing their hands trying to figure out what are we going to do with him? That happens sometimes.”

Osborne, who had double-bypass heart surgery in 1985, said he has no health issues that led to his decision.

“I’m probably healthier today than when I was a member of Congress. That takes a big toll on you,” he said.

Osborne’s on the field legacy alone makes him great but even though his stoic sideline demeanor told otherwise, he was a true competitor. Osborne's tenure as Nebraska's football coach, and later as its athletic director, defines multiple entire generations of Husker fans.

 

As a head coach, his record speaks for itself. He was 255-49-3, an .853 winning percentage. He won conference titles and multiple national titles. He was the conference coach of the year, the national coach of the year, he was the coach of the decade (1990s), and he is in the Hall of Fame.

 

There are many defining moments in his career. The first came in the 1984 Orange Bowl against Miami. The Huskers, who were unbeaten entering the game against one-loss Miami, rallied from a 31-17 deficit to pull within 31-30. Osborne could have kicked the extra point, tied the game and been National Champions. Instead, Osborne went for the two-point conversion and the lead. However, quarterback Turner Gill’s pass was knocked away. Granted, that play happened in the pre-overtime era but most every coach today would kick the extra point and play for overtime with no guarantee of winning or losing. Whereas Osborne (though viewed as conservative) took the approach of “to be a competitor is to play for the win.

 

Fast forward a decade later when Nebraska was consistently winning nine games a year but also losing seven straight bowl games. The same Husker fans that think he can do no wrong now wanted him run out of town on a rail. Then, from 1993-1997, Nebraska went 60-3 record and three national titles from 1993-1997. Even more than winning it was “the process” that included academic support, offseason training, nutrition, accountability, sports psychology and nationwide recruiting.  

 

As a coach, Osborne went out on top, winning three national titles in his last four seasons before retiring in 1997. Osborne may have left coaching but he served his country in the House of Representatives only to later return to athletics. In 2007, the Husker football program was not only struggling on the field but there was an obvious lack of trust with then athletic director Steve Pederson. Chancellor Harvey Perlman then fired Pederson and hired Osborne, who was like the family patriarch that you could turn to in difficult times.

 

Osborne later fired Bill Callahan after a 5-7 season and hired Bo Pelini. While Husker fans are getting restless now that the team has yet to go from good to great under Pelini, simply being good appeared light years away. Osborne and Chancellor Perlman then steered the entire program in a bold new direction with the choice to join the Big Ten conference. Those are massive, legacy building, choices. Could anyone else have navigated Nebraska to those points? Who else had the credibility?

 

Unlike other legends such as Bowden and the late Joe Paterno, Osborne exited the stage before things began to languish. He didn't want people “wringing their hands” over what to do with him. Of all the aspects of leadership, knowing how and when to exit might be the hardest for people to do.

 

It’s easy to wonder what might have happened if Osborne had stayed in coaching just a bit longer. Could he have won at the same rate and therefore eclipsed the victory counts of his contemporaries like Bowden and Paterno? It’s impossible to know but considering how both exited with some amount of acrimony, it's easy to appreciate Osborne’s choice.

 

The same could be said of his decision as the athletic director. Though Osborne is still fully capable of doing the job, maybe it’s better that he steps away before his body or mind fails him. Who will succeed him? What will their legacy become?

That remains to be seen but no one can doubt Osborne’s legacy.

 

 

No overstating importance of Saturday tilt with Wisconsin

The nonconference season is over, which means beginning this week, the rubber meets the road for the Nebraska football team beginning Saturday when the No. 22 ranked Huskers host Wisconsin.

Both clubs are 3-1, each losing to Pac 12 teams. Nebraska lost 36-30 to UCLA while the Badgers lost 10-7 at Oregon State, which defeated UCLA 27-20. Both clubs have three wins over lesser clubs. The Huskers, however, have won more decisively. Nebraska has wins over Southern Mississippi (49-20), Arkansas State (42-13) and Idaho State (73-7). Wisconsin has defeated Northern Iowa (26-21), Utah State (16-14) and UTEP (37-26).

The term “big game” can be an overstatement but for Nebraska the importance of this game simply cannot be overstated. The Huskers have visions and goals of winning their first conference title since 1999. Not beating a scuffling but maybe still decent Badger club at home would be a bad sign.

These two clubs met last season in Madison, Wisc., where the Badgers greeted Nebraska rudely in their Big Ten debut with a 48-17 shellacking on national television. This game will also be on national television with the Huskers looking to return the favor. While it is human nature to think about revenge, the Huskers also have to walk a thin line in not getting preoccupied so much that they lose sight of the task at hand.

Wisconsin is not nearly the team Nebraska played last year and the Huskers have a huge home field edge, so if all goes well, they could come out with a win. While winning this game is only Step #1 in the process of winning the Big Ten crown, a loss would hurt the season badly.

The only way the Huskers are going to re-establish their brand is to look good on some national telecasts against still competition. A big win over Idaho State was fun but it did nothing to re-establish us among the nation's college football elite. Unfortunately, Nebraska has laid a number of eggs on national TV lately. It's time to reverse that trend.

After four games we really don't know what Nebraska has. The Huskers pasted three bad teams and gave up 653 yards to a UCLA team that is probably an 8-4/9-3 type of club. There is no way Nebraska should lose this game simply based on what we've seen from Wisconsin so far. While the Huskers may have question marks you can at least look at them and say "well, there's a pretty good team."

This is the single most important game on Nebraska's schedule. You simply can't lose at home to a Wisconsin team that is nowhere near last year's level and then face going to Columbus, Ohio with a realistic chance of starting conference play at 0-2. No room for error the rest of the season if that were to happen.

The revenge aspect is overblown. It’s for fans and media to dwell on, but rarely has much to do with what actually happens on the field.

 

Nonconference apetizers over, on to main course

Cynics may despise games like this because from a competition point of view, Nebraska’s 73-7 win over Idaho State does nothing for the Huskers. Well, it’ll bring out the cynics that question the motivation for scheduling teams like Idaho State.

Unfortunately, those people miss the point. Teams will get their challenges in conference play and Nebraska is no different. So why not have games like this to build a big lead early and get the backups meaningful snaps they won’t get in close games. Also, Idaho State got a $600,000 payday that will help them continue fielding athletic programs.

The Huskers accomplished their goals of win decisively, allow the reserves some playing time, and survive without significant injuries. Sometimes when you play a lesser opponent, you can play down to your competition. Running back Rex Burkhead barely broke a sweat but shook off some rust and the defense had a chance to give some young replacements much needed snaps before Wisconsin comes to Lincoln next Saturday night. The season appetizers are over and now we are on to the main course of Big Ten play.

On to conference play after a 3-1 start. The loss to UCLA still stings, especially since the Bruins were handled at home today by Oregon St. At least we are not Iowa losing at home to Central Michigan or Illinois who got bombed in Champaign by Louisiana Tech. The Huskers have perhaps the best offense in the B1G. If the defense can step up their play, the Huskers have as good a shot as anyone to lay claim to their first ever Big Ten crown. Next week we have a shot at some redemption for the blowout loss in Madison. Here's hoping it's the first step toward a Legends Division title.

Idaho State no threat but Huskers need big win to get backups time

On the surface, Nebraska’s home game on Saturday against Idaho State is the quintessential body bag game. Or, to put it another way, it’s the final tuneup before the team opens Big Ten competition on Sept. 29 at home against Wisconsin.

The Huskers need a convincing win not necessarily because beating Idaho State by 30, 40 or 50 points proves anything but more so to give backups quality playing time. Getting practice reps are one thing but one way to show coaches you are worthy of being considered for more playing time is to produce in a game.

Nebraska also has some other meaningful goals for this game. Running back Rex Burkhead, who was considered a darkhorse for the Heisman Trophy before the season, returns after a two-game absence. Well, essential three since Burkhead compiled 68 yards and a touchdown on three carries before leaving the season-opener against Southern Mississippi with a sprained ligament in his left knee. If nothing else, this game will be good for Burkhead to re-establish a rhythm before the Wisconsin game. Ameer Abdullah has filled in very capably in carrying 61 times for 367 yards and four touchdowns.

With Burkhead back in the fold and Abdullah proving to be more than capable of filling a void, where does Braylon Heard fit into the equation? The sophomore was heralded as the future of the Huskers’ rushing attack but after being lost in a star-studded depth chart, he was briefly switched to defensive back before returning to running back in time to reap increased touches due to Burkhead’s injury. Heard has averaged 6.8 yards per carry in three games. However, even though Heard has become a viable weapon, his place in the offense becomes unclear. If nothing else, Nebraska might have the most depth at running back than any team in the Big Ten.

On the defensive side, no sooner does Nebraska have a bounceback performance from its 36-30 loss to UCLA to a 42-13 win over Arkansas State do other concerns surface. UCLA’s spread attack exposed the lack of speed and tackling troubles in the open field for the Huskers defense.

To infuse more speed on defense, coordinator John Papuchis increased playing time for junior college transfer linebacker Zaire Anderson. However, Anderson has since been sidelined for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. Nebraska’s linebacking corps is now looking even thinner and will likely rely more on newcomer David Santos and senior Sean Fisher, who was a disappointment in 2011.

Granted, some years the talent on the field will be better than others but personnel has nothing to do with making fundamental tackles, where the Huskers were far better last week and that trend needs to continue. 

How Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini carries himself also bears watching one week after leaving the stadium in an ambulance at halftime. Pelini complained of not feeling well in the first half and was seen by ESPN camera crews having his pulse checked by a member of the Nebraska athletic medicine staff. Pelini continued to coach through the end of the second quarter but there was no word of his symptoms. Nebraska defensive coordinator John Papuchis led the team onto the field for the third quarter and shared head coaching duties with offensive coordinator Tim Beck.

 

Pelini was later released from the hospital and said in a statement released through the athletic department that he underwent precautionary tests that “checked out just fine.”

Perhaps Pelini did indeed undergo tests for precautionary reasons but do mild flu-like symptoms do not require a trainer taking your pulse and being taken by ambulance to the hospital? While Pelini has his shortfalls as a head coach, you certainly can’t question his devotion to the team. It will be interesting to see if he is a little more reserved and calm on the sidelines this Saturday.

Steele predicts Huskers to go 8-0 in Big 10 and meet Purdue in title game

There are four kinds of Nebraska fans: 1) The Kool-Aid sippers, 2) The unless we have mid-1990s success, the season is a joke crowd, 3) The realists, and 4) The Debbie Downers.

Anyone who follows the preseason magazines knows that Phil Steele over the years has been the most accurate. As flawed as the Huskers have been, Steele predicts they will go undefeated in Big Ten competition and meet Purdue in the conference title game.  

The good news for Nebraska is that no other team in the conference has been setting the world ablaze. Purdue is flying under the radar right now and getting overlooked. They appear to have a really good team and a few folks in the media are starting to catch on to them.


http://www.philsteele.com/miscpages/...Standings.html

With Ohio State and Penn State both on NCAA probation, it was generally assumed that Wisconsin, which won the Big Ten conference last season, would have a clear path to the Leaders Division title. Though the Badgers are 2-1, it is a shaky 2-1 with close wins over Northern Iowa (26-21) and Utah State (16-14) to go along with a road loss at Oregon State (10-7). Purdue has been much more impressive in defeating Eastern Kentucky (48-6) and Eastern Michigan (54-16) to go along with a close loss to No. 22 Notre Dame (20-17). Keep in mind, Purdue hosts Wisconsin on Oct. 13.

Considering Ohio State and Penn state being on probation couple with Wisconsin looking vulnerable, 4-4 could win the Leaders.

As for Nebraska, the offense has looked much better, which bodes well because with the exception of Michigan State, none of the defenses look scary. On the offensive side, no one else other than Michigan or Ohio State is anything to write home about.

Before the season began, the Big Ten was viewed as a conference that did not have a dominant team like the SEC (Alabama or LSU), Big 12 (Oklahoma) or Pac 12 (USC or Oregon). Instead, the Big Ten was seen as a conference that had a bunch of good but not great clubs clustered together like Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan State and Nebraska. Records aside, Wisconsin has performed significantly under what was expected. The rest have performed slightly under what was expected. Michigan’s 41-14 loss to Alabama may end up not being so bad, considering how the top-rated Crimson Tide is rolling. Everyone knew Michigan State’s offense would need to gain experience, and its defense is still very tough.

Nebraska was not expected to lose to UCLA (but that might be because UCLA is be better than expected) and its other opponents don’t give much to go on in evaluating Nebraska. Ohio State has won all three, but has struggled at times. Purdue has probably played better than expected.

The bottom line is I don’t think anything dramatic enough has happened yet to completely rewrite the pre-season expectations, especially to predict Nebraska, or any other team, to go undefeated in conference.

I think that 8-0 is possible, but that is more a function of the overall weakness of the conference this year. I think that the Huskers have a very good chance to take care of business at home this year, including against Michigan. Right now, Nebraska should be favored to beat Wisconsin. The Badgers have looked like a paper tiger so far and the Huskers are going to be fully motivated to pay them back for last year after losing 48-17 in Madison. Michigan is definitely a decent team, but the Alabama game shows that they still have vulnerabilities to exploit, particularly with a strong running game.

Before last weekend, I would have ranked Nebraska’s chances at OSU and MSU at south of 50% for both games. Having watched both games this weekend, I’d now say the Huskers have a 50/50 shot in both games. I will say that Notre Dame does look like a legitimate top ten team to me (much as it pains me to say it) so that MSU loss may look better as the season develops.

As winnable as every game appears to be, however, the Huskers tendency of inconsistent play makes them just as likely (if not more so) to go 8-4 as it is 11-1

Don't be surprised if the Husker defense continues to rebound

One bounce back performance does not constitute all being well in the world just yet but after surrendering the second most yards in a game (653 in a 36-30 loss at UCLA) in school history, Nebraska fans were collectively beside themselves with worry about the status of the defense.

And for good reason because in last week’s 42-13 over Arkansas State, the Huskers were facing a spread-oriented offense similar in some ways to UCLA’s unit, which added further fuel to the worries but the Husker defense responded.

Arkansas State’s first touchdown didn’t come until the third quarter, and it was the Red Wolves’ defense that scored it. Tackling technique looked significantly better and Nebraska seemed better able to pursue sideline-to-sideline and defend against the misdirection.

Nebraska ended up surrendering 285 total yards and no offensive touchdowns, which should provide a little comfort to the Husker fans moving forward.

Against a hurry-up offense like Arkansas State, making changes on the fly is a challenge for any defense but Nebraska has struggled throughout the season getting defensive play calls in from the sideline. In each half, Nebraska continued its trend of burning time outs on defense when it couldn't get properly lined up.

The Red Wolves may be one of the hardest teams to align properly for defensively, given the speed with which they play and with the number of new players (notably Zaire Anderson and David Santos) that saw the field on defense, some communication issues were to be expected. However, it is an area Nebraska needs to clean up as the season progresses.

In response to the struggles against UCLA, Huskers head coach Bo Pelini made a number of personnel changes, giving time to players like Anderson, Mohammed Seisay and Santos.

The changes seemed to pay dividends. Overall, the defense showed remarkable improvement from the week before. Of course, some of that had to do with playing Arkansas State at home instead of UCLA on the road but some of it had to do with the athletes on the field. Let’s face it, you can talk about schemes all you want but quality athletes take care of schemes, not the other way around.

Perhaps the play that best showed the change was in the third quarter, when Anderson was able to beat Arkansas State quarterback Ryan Aplin to the corner and shut down a running play. It was Nebraska’s inability to make those stops against UCLA that contributed to the Blackshirts’ nightmare in Pasadena.

Bend, but don’t break is the approach we have come to expect from Pelini’s defense. While it was disturbing to see UCLA bend Nebraska like a yoga instructor, the defense actually does have hope for holding their end of the deal.

Yes, the Huskers are No. 111 in rushing yards allowed (226 yards per game) and No. 25 in passing yardage allowed (174 yards per game) but stats can also be skewed this early in the season.

Nebraska has allowed only five offensive touchdowns (four were in the UCLA game) and the Huskers have played red-zone defense 14 times and have allowed two touchdowns and five field goals.

I honestly believe that Nebraska offensive coordinator Tim Beck tried to “out hurry” UCLA and got caught. This is why UCLA ran over 90 plays. Well, that and some missed tackles but the defense kept points away from the Bruins in 7 of 11 trips into the red zone. Two of the trips resulted in field goals, and two missed field goals. I think a team that allowed those type of yards and plays, but only surrendered 34 offensive points, did not break.

I’m still waiting until after the Ohio State game to decide what kind of defense the Huskers have this year, but I do believe this defense is good enough that the offense isn’t going to have to score 35-plus points to win games.

 

 

With Pelini ailing, Huskers respond

Husker players like running back Rex Burkhead and linebacker Will Compton preached before the season that it was equally important for players to become leaders as it is head coach Bo Pelini.

Short of going inside the huddle or locker-room, there is no true way to ascertain how effective player leadership came into play in the Huskers 42-13 home win over Arkansas State. However, considering Nebraska’s trend of faltering under adversity, seeing the team finish the victory after Pelini was taken by ambulance to a hospital while team was in the midst of its victory was encouraging.

Pelini complained of not feeling well in the first half and was seen by ESPN camera crews having his pulse checked by a member of the Nebraska athletic medicine staff. Pelini continued to coach through the end of the second quarter but there was no word of his symptoms. Nebraska defensive coordinator John Papuchis led the team onto the field for the third quarter and shared head coaching duties with offensive coordinator Tim Beck.

Pelini was later released from the hospital and said in a statement released through the athletic department that he underwent precautionary tests that “checked out just fine” and that he planned to work Sunday.

With Pelini failing to show after halftime, Papuchis fired up the defense in the third quarter as the offense was playing give-away and the Huskers put away a scrappy Arkansas State squad that managed just six offensive points. In fact, without the turnovers, the Huskers could well have blown them away 56-3. To highlight the job the defense did in the second half, the Red wolves ran just 25 plays, after 44 plays in the first half and 98 in their game last week. It helped that the offense controlled the clock in the second half, and managed some lengthy drives to tire an already suspect Arkansas State defense. Granted, this same opponent was throttled by Oregon and is not nearly as good as UCLA, but after the demoralizing 36-30 defeat last week to the Bruins, the Huskers needed a solid win and a confidence builder for the defense.

The offense did about all they needed to do in the first half with quarterback Taylor Martinez going 8 of 8 passing while running back Ameer Abdullah rushing for 81 yards. Meanwhile, wide receiver Kenny Bell conjured up memories of Irving Fryar with two acrobatic touchdown grabs. Fellow wide receiver Quincy Enunwa was unstoppable and the Nebraska offensive line got a good push. The third quarter, however, was quite forgettable as the Huskers committed three turnovers within a span of five minutes. That kind of sloppy play against an overmatched defense won’t cut it against a better club.

Martinez played well and his line checks were much more successful and reflected far more poise than seven days ago. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to go 13 for 14 passing and 10 for 13 on third down conversions (another big improvement over last week). Abdullah got a career high 30 touches and 167 yards and Braylon Heard saw action running and catching as well. Imani Cross continues to impress. The stiff-arm he gave on a 44-yard run in the fourth quarter was impressive. The experience these three running backs are getting with Burkhead out with a knee injury is invaluable and I’m sure it will pay dividends as entering Big 10 play. I also liked the play calls with all three of them in the game at the same time.

Arkansas State managed 101 yards and seven first downs in the opening quarter but finished with just 286 after netting only 89 yards total in the second half. The Red Wolves also helped the defense with multiple miscues (turnovers, penalties and dropped passes) which allowed the defense to gradually figure out the high paced attack.

The Husker defense is still vulnerable to the swing pass or anything quick outside. They also bite on all misdirection, and struggle to get back in the play. Nebraska caught an early break when Arkansas State curiously went for it on fourth down and eight at midfield on their opening drive and did not convert. The short field helped the Husker offense nab an early lead.

I was pleased with the intensity the defense began to demonstrate, especially in the second quarter, as the hitting and gang tackling missing so badly thus far this season began to appear. As the game wore on, the defense got better and Arkansas State got more desperate. To face three turnovers in the third quarter and not give ground was a key to the game. Eric Martin is awful hard on quarterbacks.

Zaire Anderson made a difference on the field with his speed as he gets to the ballcarrier when others have not. Cornerback Mohammed Seisay and linebacker David Santos also made their debuts and contributed. The defensive line seemed to benefit from Joe Carter and Kevin Williams, but Cameron Meredith continues to struggle and can't seem to catch anyone. The safety play was a highlight as Damion Stafford delivered the best hits (as well as a couple of whiffs) and P.J. Smith led the team in tackles and got the first interception of the season. We really need more of these if we are to be successful. The defensive adjustments seemed to work pretty well, but we probably won't know for sure until the Huskers play more solid competition. At least in this game, they sacked a quarterback who hadn't been sacked yet this season.

There isn't much to say about special teams except that Brett Maher seemed to have found his missing punting shoe as he nailed 2 punts averaging 57.5 yards and the kickoff teams managed decent coverage. Even if the ball missed Abdullah on the punt, he shouldn't have been that close to the ball anyway. We caught a couple of breaks on Arkansas State penalties that forced re-kicks and much improved field position.

All in all, a solid bounce-back win against a gritty opponent that the Huskers dominated. Another tune-up awaits next week against a very poor Idaho State team in which the goal may be to win and not get anybody else hurt. The Legends Division of the Big 10 is very winnable and all the Huskers need is to demonstrate more consistency on both sides of the ball. Nebraska significant offensive firepower and if the defense can effectively utilize the swift newcomers, the Huskers have a real shot at the title.

Huskers need a bounceback performance

While every game is important, chances are very few would have circled Saturday’s game for Nebraska against Arkansas State as a pivotal contest but that’s exactly the position the Huskers are in after Saturday’s 36-30 loss at UCLA.

Sun Belt teams very seldom inspire fear but the Red Wolves are hardly a pushover and while the Huskers looked a long way from being a BCS bowl team last week, they need to win this one to keep those hopes even remotely alive.

Arkansas State might not have a roster littered with guys that will play on Sundays but head coach Gus Malzahn, who is Auburn’s former offensive coordinator, is a very good offensive mind. The Red Wolves gained up 530 yards on Oregon in a 56-34 Week 1 loss. Granted, many of those yards came after the Ducks raced to a 29-0 lead after one quarter but Nebraska’s defense had its own troubles in giving up the most total offensive yards in school history (632) against UCLA. That futility exceeded even the nightmare 2007 season under then defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove.

Arkansas State isn’t going to sniff a BCS bowl this season, but the Huskers had visions of such before the season. The loss to UCLA, however, dropped Nebraska out of the Top 25 and there’s no guarantee the Huskers return to the Top 25 even with a decisive win Saturday but lose this game and doubts will continue to fester.

 

Offensively, the Red Wolves have a talented quarterback-running back combination with Ryan Aplin and David Oku, who is not known for his power, but he can go the distance whenever he touches it. Oku has 211 yards and a touchdown on 37 carries. While Oku is not in the class of UCLA’s Jordan Franklin, who had a 200-plus yard rushing day against the Huskers, he can cause problems.

The Red Wolves won’t throw it deep a whole lot, but their short passes can be problematic. You won’t find them huddling up, and they don’t allow defenders to rest for a second. Nebraska’s pass rush has been absent the first two games.

For Nebraska on offense, running back Rex Burkhead is listed as questionable with a knee injury, in which case the onus falls on quarterback Taylor Martinez. The junior signal-caller has thrown for 533 yards, five touchdowns and one interception so far this season. He looks like a completely different passer in the pocket, and his 100-plus rushing yards in Week Two show that he can still move.

The Huskers enter the contest as a 24-point favorite but after their performance last week it’s hard to imagine them winning that decisively but the Huskers have normally rebounded well under head coach Bo Pelini after poor performances.

 

 

UCLA loss bad but Huskers can't backslide

It only took until Week No. 2 but the Nebraska football team’s season is already at a crossroad after its 36-30 road loss to UCLA on Saturday.

It was not only a defeat that could give the Bruins a much needed boost in a town where USC has reigned supreme the last dozen or so years but a loss that raised questions on Nebraska’s end.

Granted, beating an improved but, still to this point, middle of the road Pac 12 team would not have suddenly made Nebraska elite but losing the game begged the question of the Huskers being no closer to a program in select company than when head coach Bo Pelini arrived in Lincoln in December 2007 after Bill Callahan was fired. In fact, the loss only sounded alarm bells of being further away from elite status.

The Huskers still have their public goals of winning a Big Ten title alive and as shaky as most of the conference looks it can still happen. Seriously, don’t laugh. However, if the Husker defense couldn’t slow down Jordan Franklin and Brett Hundley what makes you think they will slow down Wisconsin running back Montee Ball and Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller?

The good news is that for all of Pelini’s shortcomings as a head coach, and more seem to be surfacing as time progresses, Nebraska has bounced back well after losses under Pelini. The Huskers are 10-4 under Pelini after a defeat. Nebraska hosts Arkansas State and Idaho State the next two weeks. The Huskers enter the Arkansas State game as a 24-point favorite but considering their performance against UCLA it’s hard to envision a scenario of the Huskers winning that decisively.

We have heard rumors of personnel changes such as getting younger and faster players like David Santos and Zaire Anderson on the field. After all, Will Compton can only do so much. There is even a possibility of going from a 4-3 to a 3-4 with the departure of defensive tackle Chase Rome.

Pelini told reporters after practice Wednesday that Rome’s “personal goals and personal perception of where he should be on this football team doesn't match the team goals.”

 

Rome's departure comes after the Cornhuskers' defensive line played poorly in a loss at UCLA on Saturday. Defensive coaches said early in the week that personnel changes were being considered at several positions. Rome, who is a sophomore from Columbia, Mo., had four tackles in the first two games.

 

The next two weeks on the surface are winnable before entering the Big 10 opener at home against Wisconsin. Arkansas State, which competes in the Sun Belt, is 1-1 with a 57-34 loss at No. 5 Oregon and a 33-28 win over Memphis. Arkansas State, however, has a potent offense led by quarterback Ryan Aplin. It should also be pointed out that all 34 of Arkansas State’s points against Oregon came after the Ducks fashioned a 29-0 lead after one quarter. Idaho State, which competes in the Big Sky Conference has lost to Air Force (49-21) and defeated Black Hills State (38-3).

 

Husker fans and media alike, including this corner, have had doubts surface. While there is not much Nebraska will do over the next two weeks to regenerate belief, the Huskers can ill-afford to stub their toe, win or lose, the next two weeks.

Husker change must start with attitude

As I reflect on the two games Nebraska has had so far, I see what everyone else is seeing. I see a swiss-cheese defense, a suspect offensive line, a quarterback trying to break away from two years of heavy scrutiny and a team steamrolling toward another four loss season -- or worse.

It got me thinking about the Huskers and how they seem to lack that particular instinct. The team I watched seemed robotic, listless and borderline....dare I say...scared.

I'm usually the first to voice my opinion about former players from the mid-90's spouting off about the good old days and how THEY used to do it and how it should be now. The one thing that is indisputable is the fear they put into other teams. They had a nasty streak. They were the fighter you didn't want to get into the ring with but this team is nothing like that.

This team can land punches but does it have a knockout punch? Does it have the mentality to go four full rounds with the heavyweights? Right now, I say no. Last year, same thing. I see a squad that can push around the teams they are supposed to beat but occasionally get "Buster Douglas-ed" by the likes of Northwestern. And this isn't just about UCLA. This is a disturbing pattern. We are seeing a carbon copy of the same team (with a few subtle changes) year after year.

So what's missing and what will it take to get it? This team looks the part coming out of the tunnel but as soon as the music fades, they seem to wander off, especially in the big games. Texas, Oklahoma, Northwestern, South Carolina, UCLA, Washington. Many games the Huskers should have won and where the great teams are separated from the good teams. Then there are the blowouts. Wisconsin and Michigan come to mind. The unexplained lopsided back alley butt kickings that should never happen to this team. In all of those games, and over the past few years, the light seemed to go out of their eyes. When they were against the ropes, they ducked and covered instead of fighting back. Bring up Ohio State all you want, but without Braxton Miller, that game goes in the loss column.

I think this team has talent and a good head coach. But this team lacks fight and leaders with that instinct. How we get it is another problem. It has to come from somewhere. But where?

 

 

 

Loss to Bruins a red flag on Husker path to greatness

Nebraska fans (well, a segment anyhow) are certainly notorious for their “sky is falling” mentality but Saturday’s 36-30 road loss to an improved but still not great UCLA club is definitely cause for concern as questioning whether the Huskers will be elite any time soon.

Well, at least this year they didn’t until October to lose one they were “not supposed to lose.” Heck, it even happened in September on the road as opposed to home like the 9-7 loss to Iowa State in 2009, the 20-13 loss to Texas in 2010 and the 28-25 defeat to Northwestern in 2011. I guess Nebraska outdid itself this time.

UCLA definitely earned the win, no ifs, ands, or buts but losing this game is a blow to the Huskers. Would winning the game have suddenly made them elite? No. However, losing this game distances them from becoming elite any time soon.

In the first half, the Nebraska offense was looking like the one we saw against Southern Mississippi in a 49-20 season opening win, then UCLA made adjustments, and the Huskers didn't. Nebraska abandoned the run and became very one dimensional. Even though Taylor Martinez is improved in his mechanics, he is still not the best option to simply throw it around. Going away from Ameer Abdullah wasn't the right move, in my opinion, but with how the offensive line started to play (very 2011-esque), maybe it was the right decision. It was a hit and miss game for offensive coordinator Tim Beck.

The defense played very undisciplined. In fact, I wouldn’t hand out Blackshirts until Christmas, if I handed them out at all. Does the phrase “finish tackles” mean anything? Not to mention the phrase “make adjustments?” I can't believe how many times we saw UCLA use that wheel route/hook screen, and it worked every time. There were too many blown coverages. The defensive line didn't get any push, and the linebackers kept missing tackles.

The special teams performance was up and down. I think Brett Maher's confidence is shaken this season, he almost got it back with the 54 yarder, but then missing another simple 37 yarder later just crushed it again. The coverage was better this game, that's for sure.

I also think there was a lack of effort and heart from the players. That shouldn't be the case, there were arguably more Husker fans than Bruin fans in the stadium, and this was as good as any road game to come out fiery and inspired. The team fell flat in that area. Some players showed a lot of heart, especially linebacker Will Compton but even with all the effort in the world, the fundamentally unsound play on both sides of the ball will get you beat.

So while I think the players are lacking in talent (can we please just get some speed on the defense?), I think a lot of this comes down to coaching. All these fundamentals problems can be fixed with proper coaching. I'm starting to have serious doubts about this staff with the amount of talent we've pulled in with the last couple recruiting classes, sometimes it feels like 4-star talent with 2-star coaching.

I'd like to chalk this game up as an aberration, move on, and come out strong the rest of the season but two games in, the defense has serious questions, the defensive line specifically, the offense is on and off, and the special teams are struggling.  

I refuse to accept consistent 9-4 seasons, because I know they can be better than that.