Can the defense sharpen its teeth?

While Nebraska was decent defensively in 2011, it was not the authoritative bunch that was on display in 2009 and to a lesser extent 2010. Part of that dropoff can be attributed to the season-ending injury to defensive tackle Jared Crick (torn pectoral muscle) in Week 5.

However, the Husker defense was having issues even before Crick was put on the shelf for the season. There were bright spots, most notably in a 24-3 win over Michigan State and the second half dominance that fueled a 34-27 come-from-behind win over Ohio State in addition to the unit’s outstanding effort in a 20-7 win over Iowa.

Nebraska did finish pretty well (Top 40) statistically but for much of the 2011 campaign, the Huskers were a pretty average club. Nebraska finished 37th in total defense and 42nd in scoring defense. The Huskers finished tied for 18th in passing defense and 34th in pass efficiency defense.

However, the Huskers were tied for 72nd in interceptions (with 10), tied for 84th in sacks (21), and 64th in rushing defense. Nebraska also finished with a minus-1 turnover margin with 18 takeaways and had 19 giveaways. This tells me they need to get far more pressure on opposing teams quarterbacks to force mistakes that lead to turnovers, and to increase sack numbers.

In Bo Pelini’s four seasons as head coach, there have been some dominant defensive players such as Ndamukong Suh, LaVonte David, Alfonzo Dennard, Prince Amukamara, Dejon Gomes, Phillip Dillard and Larry Asante. Only David was not on the roster for the Huskers 2009 defense that allowed only 10 points per game, best in the nation.

The defense was probably the best in the Big 12 in 2010, but a keen eye could see chinks in the armor. They had difficulty stopping a mobile quarterback. They relied too much on their potent, if inconsistent, offense to create plays.

In 2011, with Carl Pelini as defensive coordinator, Nebraska’s defense failed the team when they needed them most. Wisconsin and Michigan made the Husker defense look awful. In the Capital One Bowl loss to South Carolina, the Husker defense failed at crucial times. Despite losing key pieces like Crick, David and Dennard, 2012 has the potential to be a very good year for the defense.

Of course, some would see the coaching staff changes as a negative because change normally takes time to adapt.

After defensive coordinator Carl Pelini took the head coaching job at Florida Atlantic, Bo Pelini promoted John Papuchis from defensive line coach to defensive coordinator. He also hired Rick Kaczenski from Iowa to replace Papuchis on the defensive line. Kaczenski brought with him an impressive resume that included All-Americans during his time as defensive line coach for the Hawkeyes.

After Husker defensive backs coach Corey Raymond accepted the same position at alma mater LSU, Pelini scooped Terry Joseph from Tennessee to replace him. Joseph, cousin of former Husker Mickey Joseph, coached a stellar Volunteer defensive backfield for three years.

True, it takes time to get used coaches and their approach but these changes might be the shot in the arm the Huskers need. Kaczenski and Joseph inherit some pretty solid depth at their respective positions.

There is no Crick, David or Dennard but instead of leaning heavily on All-Americans, the Huskers will need to rely on each other and the scheme. However, it never hurts to have a game-changer.

Nebraska Will Repay the Favor to Wisconsin

Taylor Martinez is looking to perform better vs Wisconsin in 2012.

Almost exactly a year after Nebraska was humiliated in front of a national audience in their Big Ten opener, Taylor Martinez and the Cornhuskers will be better prepared to face a Wisconsin team without standout quarterback Russell Wilson and a defense not as talented or salty as they were in 2011. They will still have to stop running back Montee Ball, but, without a deep threat and somebody to throw it and take the pressure off the running backs, Nebraska will sell out and blitz over and over again.

The beating might not be as bad as the wood the Badgers laid to the Huskers in Madison in 2011, but it will be bad. Nebraska's defense will show up in a big way, Rex Burkhead will have over 150 yards rushing, and the Huskers will win by more than three touchdowns to start off their second season in the Big Ten with a bang.

Taylor Martinez Will Complete More Than 65% of His Passes

Taylor Martinez will fix this throwing motion
Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Let's face it. Taylor Martinez's throwing motion reminds you more of Tim Tebow than it does any other quarterback in college of the NFL. If anything, this prediction is the hardest of all to imagine. The guy just doesn't throw very well or with any sort of accuracy.

There is good news, though. Martinez is dedicated to keeping his starting job. We know this because he spent his spring break not schmoozing with girlfriend and Nebraska volleyball player Lauren Cook but in California with a throwing expert (by the way, what's up with Nebraska football and volleyball players dating? I just heard Roy Helu and Dani Mancuso are getting married).

The best news on the planet for Taylor Martinez: the Nebraska running game will take pressure off him in the pocket. With Rex Burkhead, Ameer Abdullah, and Aaron Green forming a formidable backfield, Martinez will have more time to sit back and go through his reads on play action and straight passing plays. As he does this, he will make more throws on target and will complete 65% of his passes in 2012.

Rex Burkhead Will Win the Heisman Trophy

Rex Burkhead will run all the way to New York in 2012.
Eric Francis/Getty Images

Sexy Rexy.

He's Rexy and He Knows It. Heard the songs? If not, look them up on YouTube.

They are about Nebraska running back Rex Burkhead. My favorite line comes from "Sexy Rexy": "Calves defined like dictionaries, breaks through tackles on his carries."

In early odds, Burkhead is at 20-1 to win the Heisman Trophy. If you ask Nebraska fans, or anybody in the Big Ten footprint, that is far too low. Burkhead is the unquestioned leader of the team. He is the most popular player in Nebraska football since Brook Berringer. He is as much of an unstoppable machine on the field as he is a charismatic, humble man off it. Burkhead is what legends are made of at Nebraska, and the Heisman Trophy will be his crowning achievement.

What can Burkhead do on the field? Well he averaged 4.8 yards per carry and just over 104 yards per game in 2011. That's not bad. He will have to do better than that to have national recognition, though. His 21 catches for 177 yards and two touchdowns are nice. However, more than anything, he will need sophomores Ameer Abdullah and Aaron Green to step up and spell him when the time arises.

He will need big, and I mean BIG, performances in national games. He will need to run roughshod over Wisconsin and Michigan. He will need to will the team to victory.

More than anything, though, he needs the team to win. Nebraska needs to win the Big Ten Legends Division. He then needs to pull an Ndamukong Suh from the 2009 Big 12 Championship Game and just tear apart whoever Nebraska plays in the 2012 Big Ten Championship Game.

Nebraska can do that. They have the talent. Rex can as well.

Nebraska Will Win the Big Ten

This Trophy Will be in Lincoln in December.

Nebraska sort of stumbled their way through the 2011 football season. They were beaten badly by Wisconsin and Michigan and upset at home by Northwestern. They managed to overwhelm Michigan State and Iowa and also hung on at Penn State. Throughout the season, though, it felt as though they couldn't get their feet under them. In 2012, that won't be the case.

Nebraska's offense won't be forced in so many down-and-distance situations as they were in 2011 as a deep, talented offensive line will keep a Taylor Martinez and Rex Burkhead-led attack moving. Martinez has a new throwing motion that will help him improve on his 57% accuracy, a bevy of speedy, talented receivers to throw to, and the always steady Burkhead behind him. In short, this will be the best and most balanced offense Nebraska has seen since 1999.

The defense is going to come together and obliterate opposing offenses. Blitzes will come from every angle, the defensive line will push offensive lines back into their quarterbacks, and running backs will find no lanes to run. In short, this will be a defense to be feared.

The schedule doesn't do them any favors, but there is no team outside of Michigan as talented as they were in 2011. The Huskers get the Wolverines at home the last weekend in October. They welcome Wisconsin, Penn State, and Minnesota to Lincoln as well. They will have to battle past Ohio State and Northwestern on the road in consecutive games.

The Huskers won't have to win every game on their schedule to win the Legends Division, but they must avoid trip-ups in Evanston, East Lansing, and Iowa City to advance to the Championship Game. The good news is Nebraska will win the games they need to and will not lose to anybody they shouldn't. On December 1, the Nebraska Cornhuskers will beat the winner of the Leaders Division and will claim their first Conference Championship since 1999.

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Keep ReadingNebraska returns a majority of their starters on defense, but they will have a new defensive coordinator in John Papuchis who replaced Carl Pelini after he departed for FAU. Papuchis has instantly become the youngest defensive coordinator in the Big Ten and it'll be interesting to see how the players respond to the energetic coach.

He’s been on the Nebraska staff since 2008 and worked with the defensive ends and special teams before replacing Pelini. The defensive schemes should remain the same for the most part, but with a new guy calling the shots, it will be something that bears watching.

Spring optimism must be taken with caution

“There’s something in the air in Lincoln. It might just be the hope of spring. But the Nebraska football team, from fifth-year coach Bo Pelini on down, is convinced it’s more transformative than that.

Defensive end Cameron Meredith, on the third day of spring practices in preparation for his senior season, said, “We’re all vibing on it.”

But what is it?

“There’s a lot of confidence,” Meredith said, “but it’s not just confidence. It’s the reasons we have to be confident.”

The Huskers believe they’re a smarter team than the 2011 squad that went 9-4 overall, had a disappointing third-place division finish in its first season in the Big Ten and lost 30-13 to South Carolina in the Capital One Bowl. They say they’re more together, too. Pelini says they’re deeper and already
showing signs of being better prepared, and he includes himself in the latter area.

Those were some of the words spoken in a recent Sporting News story as the Nebraska football team prepares for the 2012 campaign. If there is one thing I have learned about spring football is that if you are not optimistic now, when will you ever be? However, such optimism should always be taken with caution.

I remember now former defensive coordinator Carl Pelini (now the Florida Atlantic head coach) saying last year that the defense was so far ahead of any other defense he has had. Pelini added that they were beyond the basics and working a lot on different packages, and we all know how that turned out. I find it somewhat interesting that they are going back to the basics now that head coach Bo Pelini seems back to being more involved with the defense even though John Papuchus is the defensive coordinator by title.

I like what I’m hearing but I want to actually see it on the field. About that bowl game against South Carolina, Nebraska had a 13-9 lead, lost two turnovers, both of which more than likely would have been touchdowns and Brett Maher missed a field goal. If they put those points up on the board, the Huskers go into halftime with a 21 point lead. Coulda. Shoulda. Woulda. But didn’t. And the Northwestern game (28-25 home loss), that’s what happens when your team doesn’t take an opponent seriously.

There’s usually one or two teams every season where it is blatantly obvious that the Huskers didn’t really prepare. I think Pelini is a very good coach and despite what a segment of Husker fans think, the seat he is as on isn’t even warm let alone hot. While Pelini has done a fine job pulling the program from the wreckage known as the Bill Callahan era, at some point the Huskers need to take that proverbial next step and become a BCS bowl team. Winning a national championship would be outstanding but let’s focus on winning the division first, then the Big 10 title and if the BCS bowl game is there at the end, great.

I can’t honestly see Nebraska winning a national championship this year either but I definitely think a division and Big 10 title are within reach. The out of conference slate is not particularly strong and Wisconsin, Michigan, and Penn State all come to Lincoln. Theoretically that leaves Ohio State and
Michigan State as the two potential road losses. The Huskers going 11-1 is possible but 9-3 again
as more likely. The biggest key will be to see what happens when this team faces adversity in 2012. It’s not that the Huskers gave up when facing adversity but they had a tendency to self-destruct.

I think many people forget how young this team was two years ago and how little depth there was at every position. Let’s also remember how many systems and offensive coordinators they have had. Last year was the learning curve in Tim Beck’s first season. Most of us knew that the defense was going to struggle, they were put together to stop the spread not a power game. They didn’t attack; they waited for the play to come to them.

I really have no clue how to predict next season though. I can’t quantify how much impact playing in a new conference, against 11 new teams had on the outcome last season, or the performance of the offense/defense. Nebraska might have had defense better than the 2010 version had we still been in the Big 12. Who knows? If I put too much weight into last season, I see 8-4 going into the bowl as a real possibility. If I don’t put as much stock in it, and assume we are going to have a major jump in our second year if for no other reason than we'll be better prepared going into games then I’m seeing 10-2 out there.

I like the skill positions and like the offense as a whole if they can come together as a team. Quarterback Taylor Martinez has to be effective, he’s in his third year. Rex Burkhead is Rex Burkhead. The freshman running backs behind him are now into their second year. We had some guys last year we didn’t hear from on defense, who I think will send a loud message this year like Eric Martin, Meredith, Damion Stafford, Will Compton, and Andrew Green. That’s a pretty solid six.

There were three great players last year on defense but I see us having 6-7 very good players going in this year. No one shines, but overall maybe a little more potential.

Final thoughts before the Capital One Bowl

The moment of truth is almost here for the Capital One Bowl. It’s either tinkle or get off the pot.


No. 21 Nebraska (9-3) meets No, 10 South Carolina (10-2) in the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 2. Though it is time for good old fashioned football we still have time for some final thoughts before ringing in the New Year.

Husker fans remember the last time their team took on a squad coached by Steve Spurrier was the 1996 Fiesta Bowl as Nebraska crushed the Spurrier-coached Florida Gators 62-24 for the National Championship. However, that game will zero bearing on the outcome of Jan. 2, 2012. For all of his success as a college head coach (196-75-2 overall record), Spurrier’s teams have had a checkered history in bowl games going 7-10 while Nebraska’s Bo Pelini is 3-1 with the one loss coming in last year’s Holiday Bowl 19-7 to Washington.

The extra time to prepare certainly plays into Pelini’s hands especially since Nebraska is essentially running a new system. That extra preparation will be crucial because if the Huskers young offensive line gets overwhelmed early and has to abandon the running game, it will be a long day. The biggest key to the game and will probably be a requirement for Nebraska to win is to rush for 200 yards. South Carolina is second in the nation in pass defense but 44th against the run (135.9 yards per game). Nebraska averages 223.9 yards per game (good for 13th in the nation).

Defensively, both teams are in the same boat in that they both head into the game having lost their coordinator. Carl Pelini (older brother of Bo) is now the head coach at Florida Atlantis. Defensive line coach John Papuchis has since been elevated to replace Carl Pelini. For South Carolina their defensive coordinator and assistant head coach, Ellis Johnson, has since been hired to become the new head coach at Southern Mississippi. Lorenzo Ward has since replaced Johnson. Ward was the defensive coordinator by title but Johnson actually ran the defense.

However, since Pelini is a defensive oriented coach and Spurrier is offensive oriented, this scenario will seem to affect Nebraska less. The Huskers, however, will have their challenges even though South Carolina lost star running back Marcus Lattimore for the season with a serious knee injury in Game Seven. The Gamecock offensive line has done a serviceable job run blocking, but their pass protection is a question of “what gives” because it has been suspect but so too has the Husker pass rush. Nebraska, however, at least needs to generate enough pressure to make quarterback Connor Shaw throw a fraction of a second too soon.

While in theory special teams is one-third of the game just like offense or defense, this is where the Huskers have an advantage and if they are to become victorious, the edge needs to manifest itself. The Huskers are ranked sixth in kickoff returns, 23rd in net punting and 60th in punt returns. South Carolina is ranked 70th in punt returns, 72nd in kickoff returns and 93rd in net punting. They do not necessarily need returns for touchdowns but a few extra yards on a return or a great punt can be the difference between being within field-goal range or having to kick the ball away on fourth down. Sometimes, it is little things like field position that can give the edge to one team.

The field goal kicking game also falls into Nebraska’s favor as Brett Maher has made 19 of 22 field goals for the Cornhuskers, and his only misses on the season came from 50 yards or further. South Carolina’s Jay Wooten is 7-for-10 with three misses between 40 and 49 yards.

The TV analysts might say that South Carolina has the speed advantage but I’m not as certain. Keep in mind, Pelini has been recruiting speed since he became Nebraska’s head coach in 2008.



I think the Huskers motivation will definitely be better than last year’s bowl game. Could it be worse? Just a matter of do they make the necessary plays to win? As I stated on a previous blog entry, win or lose, I don't look at the season as a huge success but it's about "how do want the season to be defined?" You know as well as I do, you remember your last one the best. What makes college football different from say the NFL is that if you win your bowl game (even you are 8-5 like say Texas) you can still go into the offseason feeling good on some level. Whereas in the NFL, if you go 14-2 and lose in Round One the season suddenly becomes a major failure.

I think it comes down to the type of game - if NU never trails by more than seven, I think they'll be able to wear down South Carolina.

Give me a lunch-pale coach over a CEO anyday

In Tuesday night’s edition of the Lincoln Journal Star, columnist Steve Sipple chronicled how Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini insists he is not looking elsewhere despite rumors the last two seasons to head coaching jobs at Miami, Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State.


Sipple also addressed the notion of can Pelini continue to grow as a CEO despite always being so heavily involved on the defensive side of the ball.

“I think that's crazy,” he shot back, refuting Sipple’s stance. He noted South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier’s heavy involvement with the Gamecocks’ offense. There obviously is a long list of head coaches who also serve as coordinators.

Even with John Papuchis being hired as defensive coordinator to replace Carl Pelini, who has since become the Florida Atlantic head coach, rest assured that Bo Pelini will continue to be the straw that stirs the drink for the Husker defense. Keep in mind, there is a large segment of Nebraska fans clamoring for Pelini to make a splash hire with dismissed Arizona head coach Mike Stoops. The fact that Pelini hired Papuchis instead of Stoops created a perception that Pelini would prefer to hire a “yes man” rather than someone who is his equal.

Pelini seems to have the respect of his players and coaches, not to mention athletic director Tom Osborne. So, he must be doing something right. Pelini relied too much on now former offensive coordinator Shawn Watson early-on and learned a hard lesson, hire your own people. Now, he has a lucrative contract, has his own staff, and has at least nine wins each of four years. Hopefully, the Huskers can get No. 10 on Monday in the Capital One Bowl against South Carolina.



Pelini hasn’t done himself many favors in dealing with the media, often choosing the approach of secracy and suspicion and that also goes for fan interaction. His horizons are still too narrow in the PR arena.



Overall, he has been a partial success (39-15 in four years as Nebraska’s head coach), even without any championships but, that needs to change for the long haul. A long term contract would still be appropriate in my opinion to cement his effort here. I think that Pelini has his principles and priorities firmly in place. Sometimes, they just don’t coincide with the fans’ need for information. I doubt Pelini will change much there.



If Watson had done his job in the first place, Pelini would have been fine. The offensive failures have pushed Pelini to expand his horizons, which has been good for him and the team.



The idea that Pelini looks to hire “yes” people, however, is somewhat laughable. Where is the proof in that? Are you saying Papuchis never is allowed to have any personal input, and just says “anything you want, coach.” And current offensive coordinator Tim Beck apparently doesn’t really call the plays?



Newsflash. Any head coach will staff his program with assistants who share the head coach’s visions and wishes. When they don’t, you end up with a Watson situation, where the coach has a vision for an offense that differs from the offensive coordinator’s vision.



I’ve seen nothing in Papuchis’ resume to hint that he’s not ready to step up to be the defensive coordinator. Likewise, isn’t Rick Kaczenski an experienced defensive line coach with a proven record of success in the Big 10?



Always something to complain about, I guess.



Pelini was also confronted with making some disciplinary decisions and he “gathered all the facts available” and made some decisions regarding player involvement in bowl activities. This year as well as last year.



The final point I would make is, Osborne doesn’t seem to have any problems or questions with the manner in which Pelini is managing his program. Given that, I have to acquiesce to Osborne’s coaching experience (offensive minded) and decision making.



Besides, the term CEO sort of conjures up this image of a man in a three piece suit too afraid to get it soiled and wrinkled by placing a shoulder into a blocking sled. Rolls eyes and thinks. Heaven forbid that Pelini give up his baseball cap and sweats. I like that lunch pail attitude and work ethic that Pelini brings and is instilling into the team.

Pelini right on Twitter ban

When Nebraska wide receiver Brandon Kinnie told an Omaha based sports radio show (Unsportsmanlike Conduct) on Wednesday that head coach Bo Pelini has banned Nebraska football players from using Twitter in the coming weeks, I could only think of one thing.


When I was a 22-year old college kid at the University of Nebraska, our idea of text messaging or tweeting was passing a note in class or sliding it underneath someone’s door.

That time frame Kinnie is referring to happens to coincide with the two-week break Nebraska has remaining before the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 2 against South Carolina.

Pelini’s actions came just a few days after a rough Sunday, Dec. 11 for Nebraska. In a 36-hour span, three Huskers were cited for various crimes.

Junior defensive end Eric Martin and junior fullback Collin McDermott were cited for leaving the scene of an accident in separate offenses. Senior center Mike Caputo was cited on the suspicion of DUI.

Pelini has not made any comments about any of the crimes or the Twitter ban.

While the ban from Twitter will not likely affect the Huskers’ play negatively, it surely will lessen the connection some fans feel with certain players but that can’t be at all bad because it's too easy to say something you shouldn’t have said. Once it's out there it's out there. Teenage kids say a lot of things without thinking them through completely. Heck, there’s plenty of 50-year olds that say things without thinking them through.

The way the world works twitter isn't much different then calling up reporters, a team has enough trouble controlling the message without trying to deal with what players say. As much as I don’t agree with everything as far as how Pelini controls the message I understand, it is how any big time organization works.
This is not a heavy handed move by Pelini, although some may interpret it that way. This is a difficult problem. Twitter is a distraction, and I am 100 percent behind Pelini taking this stance on it. Players’ general awareness about tweeting is absurdly low.

The cynics would say that Pelini is old school in the mold of Woody Hayes or Bear Bryant and that such a move would negatively effect recruiting. Part of that cynicism stems from the at time brusque relationship Pelini has had with members of the local media that covers the team regularly. Keep in mind, another root of the fans angst toward Pelini is that he has yet to name a defensive coordinator in the wake losing older brother Carl Pelini, who was recently named the head coach at Florida Atlantic. Though Bo Pelini has said that he has a pretty good idea of what he’s going to do. I can interperet that message in one of two ways. The first is “name the damn replacement and move on” or “the deal is not done until the ink is on the paper.”

OK, I can do without Pelini’s secrecy on injuries but the twitter ban I completely support. There are so many ways twitter will just make people look bad. Twitter is great for college kids...if you're not under the microscope like that. Unfortunately, they are.

The argument of banning twitter while preparing for a bowl game being a bad move is a very weak argument. Let’s face it, last season Nebraska laid a big, fat egg in its 19-7 Holiday Bowl loss to Washington. They need to be focused.

Plus, if recruits care more about twitter than playing football, there's another program down the road.
Personally I think twitter is a total waste. If you have friends you need to say something to, text or call them. If you don't have anything worth sharing with a specific friend, what makes you think anyone else cares? And if you're following the twitters of people you don't really know, you probably need to get a life.

Husker coaching staff has one less Pelini

To no surprise, the Nebraska football coaching staff will have one less Pelini entering its Jan. 2 Capital Bowl matchup against South Carolina.
Florida Atlantic’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved the hiring of Nebraska defensive coordinator Carl Pelini (brother of Husker head coach Bo Pelini) as the Owls next head coach on Monday morning. The 46-year old Pelini was formally introduced at a press conference.
Pelini will be the second football coach in FAU history, taking over for Howard Schnellenberger, who coached the final game of his career on Saturday.
According to OwlAccess.com, Pelini will receive a five-year contract with a base salary of $450,000 with the possibility to make more with incentives, such as: Winning the Sun Belt championship and receiving a BCS bowl game invitation: $50,000.00. Winning the conference championship and receiving a non-BCS bowl game invitation: $20,000.00. Receiving an at-large bowl game invitation: $10,000.00. Earning a Top 10 final college coaches’ poll national ranking $25,000.00 and winning the National Coach of the Year Award: $25,000.00.
The question, of course, becomes who replaces Carl Pelini and how soon? The main candidates that are being publicly bandied about are John Papuchis (current Husker defensive line coach/special teams coordinator/recruiting coordinator) along with recently deposed Arizona head coach and long-time Pelini family friend Mike Stoops.
It’s not a given that Bo Pelini will hire either but let’s say for the sake of discussion, do you hire a proven commodity or someone you feel like is a prospect who can grow into the job?
Stoops, who is the brother of Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops, comes with a resume having held assistant coaching positions at Iowa, Kansas State and Oklahoma. He went 41-50 in his time as the Wildcats head coach before being fired after a 1-5 start in 2011.
Hiring Stoops would also be a defense mechanism from newly hired Ohio State coach Urban Meyer from hiring Stoops.
Bo Pelini openly backed Stoops after he was fired. Would Bo bring Mike aboard like Bob brought Bo aboard at OU after former Nebraska AD Steve Pederson hired Bill Callahan over Pelini? The Stoops/Pelini family friendship is well-documented but being a good friend does not always equal being a good co-worker. Plus, Stoops is not likely to come cheap and it’s athletic director Tom Osborne (not Bo Pelini) controlling the purse-string. And would Stoops view Nebraska as a weigh station job to eventually become a head coach again?

Papuchis has been a valuable member of Pelini’s staff since 2008 and could potentially grow into the job but the days of coaching staffs staying together for 20 plus years are a thing of the past.
The inexperience aspect would not necessarily be an issue since Papuchis has worn many different hats for Pelini. Plus, Osborne wasn’t born with three national championship rings. Everybody is an up-and-comer at some point in their career.
I think there is a lot of young talent that rises through the coaching ranks. Every big name coach out there was a no name coach at one point. Remember, Kevin Cosgrove was a “proven” defensive coordinator. Bo Pelini when hired by Frank Solich was an “up-and-comer”.
There are no guarantees with any potential hire.
Bo just needs to get the right guy…Anyone who would even get a look from Nebraska is going to be a proven quantity even if he isn’t a media headliner. The big question is do you get a guy who is more recruiter than coach or coach than recruiter?
That’s not an either/or answer. Both are true.

Mike Stoops would be a great catch if Carl Pelini bolts

The notion of “I can neither confirm nor deny it” is essentially like a “non-denial-denial.”


There is nothing publically official from the University of Nebraska or Florida Atlantic but all signs point toward Husker defensive coordinator Carl Pelini (brother of Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini) heading to become Florida Atlantic’s head coach to replace the retiring Howard Schnellenberger.

The Owls went 1-10 this past season which could be good or bad. The former because expectations would not through the roof and Florida is a very fertile recruiting area. Therefore winning four games next year would be considered a great success.
The next question becomes who replaces Carl Pelini? Current Husker assistant John Papuchis? He has been a vital member of Bo Pelini's staff since coming to Lincoln four years ago. He currently wears many hats for the program, including defensive line coach, special-teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator.

Mike Stoops? The recently deposed Arizona head coach would be a splashy hire plus, the Pelini and Stoops families are lifelong friends from Youngstown, Ohio. Plus, it has been rumored that newly appointed Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer might make a play for Stoops in which case Nebraska hiring him would be a defense mechanism as much as anything.

Another subplot, remember in 2003 when Frank Solich was fired and then Husker defensive coordinator Bo Pelini was named interim head coach for the Huskers’ Alamo Bowl win? Most people then were clamoring for him to be the head coach. Then athletic director Steve Pederson hired Bill Callahan, who then chose not to retain Bo Pelini. Not long after that, Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops (Mike Stoops’ brother) hired Bo Pelini as the Sooners defensive coordinator. Would Bo Pelini do the same with Mike Stoops? I think it’s a definite maybe or better.

Perhaps Indiana defensive coordinator Mike Ekeler? Probably the least likely scenario. Ekeler was Pelini’s linebackers coach from 2008-2010 before leaving Nebraska to become the Hoosier defensive coordinator. That was a capacity Ekeler wanted but knew was unlikely to get at Nebraska as long as Carl Pelini was there. The Hoosiers, however, rank at or near the bottom in many national defensive categories. To be fair, it’s not as if Indiana is ever loaded with high end football players. Plus, would Bo Pelini bring him back one year after having left?

Mike Stoops would definitely be a great catch assuming Carl Pelini leaves. The question is, would Mike Stoops stay long term or would he desire to be a head coach again someday?
Stability is something every program desires but Bo Pelini is a young coach (43) and there will be a few changes here and there until it sorts itself out. It’s not about changing to change or keeping to be consistent. Every situation is a little different but if you get the right guys that get things done and work well together at the right place and time with the right attitude and mentality you keep them. There are ways to do that. Right now they need to find and keep the right guys. If your team doesn’t play well, has letdowns or the process isn’t working you have to look at ways to get from Point A to Point B. That’s what this is about. There’s more to it than football and that’s another part of what it’s about. Culture and mentality. There’s a lot to address and this is a good move. This is a team with talent, it's a matter of culture and getting them to respond and reach their potential.
Of course, there is the whole matter of Nebraska has yet to approach Mike Stoops because there is still nothing concrete about Carl Pelini moving onward. However, Stoops would be a great catch.

Husker defense needs to stick to its roots

The Blackshirts have entered the building. Well, re-entered s more like it. Nebraska defensive coordinator Carl Pelini held up a black practice jersey in the locker room after the Huskers 24-3 win over Michigan, and according to a few players, told them they'd be receiving them this week.


The story of the 2011 season has been, where has the Nebraska Blackshirts defense gone?

Through the first seven games of the season, Nebraska’s defense had been a liability. The Blackshirts had allowed teams with mediocre offenses to move the ball down the field on them. Fans had to know that this type of play defensively would not last the entire season as long as Bo Pelini is the head coach.

Omaha World Herald columnist Sam McKewon perhaps made the most astute observation of why the Husker defense finally performed the way fans had grown accustomed to since the Pelini Bros. came aboard in 2008.

In his column, McKewon stated they stuck to a scheme Nebraska knows inside and out, even if it's not a perfect match for the league's personnel.

They kept their safeties — Austin Cassidy and Daimion Stafford — protective of the deep middle. They trusted Lance Thorell and Ciante Evans to play in the box even when the Spartans rolled out power sets. They allowed linebackers Lavonte David and Will Compton to flow confidently and aggressively to the ball. The Huskers gave up a little in the run defense, but they guessed right that the Spartans wouldn't stick with it. They haven't stuck with it all year.

Basically, the Huskers decided to stop worrying about adjusting from the Big 12 to the Big 10. Instead of you adjusting to the opponent, make the opponent adjust to you.
On Saturday against Michigan State, Nebraska put together a perfect defensive scheme to stop the Spartans' offense. Nebraska held Michigan State’s all-time leading receiver, B.J. Cunningham to no catches and sacked senior quarterback Kirk Cousins four times.

Nebraska’s defense has moved up to No. 29 nationally in total defense.
Instead of lining up in their defensive stance, the defensive lineman moved around the line of scrimmage so that the offense did not know where they were coming from. This defense allowed the Blackshirts to put pressure on Cousins all day long.
The second part of the defense that stood out was the play of the Nebraska linebackers.

Throughout the season, Nebraska had lined up with three linebackers and David was the only linebacker who consistently made plays. On Saturday, Nebraska used two linebackers and five defensive backs. Was it a return to the “Peso” defense Nebraska used last season? Not exactly, but it was effective. As a result, linebacker Will Compton had his best game of his career at Nebraska. Compton continuously made calls for the defense pointing out what play Michigan State was running. He ended the game with seven tackles, one tackle for a loss and two quarterback hurries. If Compton continues to play at this level, Nebraska will have two of the best linebackers in the Big Ten Conference in David and Compton.
With Nebraska’s power running game taking time off the clock and wearing down opposing defenses, the Blackshirts will need to uphold their part of the game plan in order for the Cornhuskers to continue to win games. If the Blackshirts play as they did against Michigan State in their remaining games, Nebraska will be a tough team to beat in the Big Ten Conference.
Next week, Nebraska plays Northwestern in Lincoln. If the Blackshirts are able to shut down Northwestern’s star quarterback, Dan Persa, it will tell a lot about this team and their defense.
All year we've mostly seen the secondary and linebackers running poorly executed man coverage, with the corners and safeties routinely a step behind receivers. It was all the same crap that was killing us back in the Kevin Cosgrove days. The perks of zone coverage, the ballhawking and picks, not to mention gang tackling, was gone. Now suddenly the matchup zone comes back against MSU and works to perfection. Instead of having guys in single coverage a step back, we had several guys in on every pass play. Of course it helped that Cousins never tested the seams much and MSU didn't try to run it up the gut, but where has the matchup zone been all year? And can it work against mobile quarterbacks?

Sure it can. It all depends how the front seven tackles.
Can it work against Michigan? Depends on how the front seven tackle. If anything, zone defenses should work better against a running quarterback because you've got most of your back seven watching the QB. In man, most of the back seven has their back to the QB as they're chasing around their designated offensive player all over the field. If he starts to take off, then you'll get multiple defenders coming up to stop him, in man coverage you may just have one guy who sees the QB coming upfield since everyone else is following their man around.
As for Cousins there were coverage sacks but the line and linebackers got more pressure than any time this season. Especially Eric Martin and to a lesser extent Baker Steinkuhler. I think Cousins looked rushed at times, but a lot of the time he had time but the secondary and linebackers locked down well and forced him to try to scramble, which didn't end up well for him since he's not the fastest guy. Going forward I think the matchup zone is the way to go against Dennard Robinson.