Quarterback recruit and first-round baseball draft pick Bubba Starling has entered the building — as in Nebraska’s campus, confirmed an NU spokesperson, according to a Lincoln Journal Star blog entry on Sunday night.
According to a recent Kansas City Star story, Starling wasn't planning to enroll in classes but would workout with the team.
Now the Kansas City Royals, who selected the 6-foot-5, 195-pound multi-sport phenom from Gardner, Kansas, as the No. 5 overall pick in the draft, have until Aug. 15 to sign him.
Starling, whose agent is Scott Boras, could command a signing bonus that tops the $6 million dollar mark.
If recent history means anything, Starling might not be in Lincoln for long. Keep in mind, he is there for voluntary summer workouts but it’s not a given he will enroll in classes. Plus, Nebraska begins its preseason practice schedule Aug. 6.
In 2010, Zach Lee (not to be confused with former Husker quarterback Zac Lee) who signed to play football at LSU but then signed for $5.25 million after being drafted at No. 28 by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In 2009, Donavan Tate was a North Carolina recruit but ,claimed a signing bonus of $6.25 million after being picked third by the San Diego Padres.
Regardless of whether Starling takes the college experience of being a student-athlete for one of the most storied college football programs in the nation or belting Major League fastballs, he will have to withstand high expectations from fans.
On the surface, there might be a glimmer of hope that Starling would choose the Huskers but if I were a betting man, I would lay odds on him signing with the Royals. Keep in mind, the Royals organization is less-than-thrilled with the idea of him being in Lincoln for summer workouts — so there is hope.
However, human nature is such where even the most humble person can get blinded by sudden wealth. The truth of the matter is, Starling has to make a decision on what he loves the most and what he most wants to do. The rational brain suggests to not think of the money until I was pretty sure what direction I was going to go. Then again, I don’t have anyone dangling $5 million dollars in front of me.
One school of thought, no pun intended, is to take the money because you can always go back to college. If Starling plans on banking some of that money into a 401K plan, I’d say by all means take the money and run.
However, if Starling wants to go the Darin Erstad route and play both football and baseball, he will become a Husker. Otherwise, he will become a Royal.
That said, put yourself in Starling’s shoes, you love baseball and someone wants to give you boatloads of coin to do it. How many of you would turn down $7 million to do something you love?
It’s called business. You can hardly blame the young man and if you look at it from another angle it might perfect sense to carry on with what your college plans are. Then, if that hefty signing bonus comes along, then you go with plan B.
Some might say that Starling is using Nebraska as leverage to get a better deal. Perhaps there is an element of truth to that idea because Starling is doing is part taking care of his business as far as becoming a Husker and part of it is letting the Royals know that he is serious about becoming a Husker should they choose to offer him a lowball deal.
The fact is, people use leverage every day and I don't think Starling should have to disregard the leverage he has and should be allowed to use it. I don't view it as NU being used as much as some might.
There might be a negotiating leverage element involved but its also about being as ready to play football as possible if the offer isn't enough to spur him to baseball.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Martinez at a crossroad entering sophomore campaign
No position determined the fate of the Nebraska offense more in 2010 than quarterback. That figures to be the case once again in 2011. Granted, that could be said about any football team at any level but – you get the concept.
In the first ten games of 2010, Husker quarterback Taylor Martinez was a big play waiting to happen. He rushed 887 yards on 112 carries and 12 touchdowns. In the pasing department, he completed 63 of 119 for 1,161 yards, ten touchdowns and three interceptions. After sustaining an ankle injury, however, Martinez became pretty oridinary as he carried 50 times for 79 yards. In the passing department, he completed 44 of 76 for 470 yards, no touchdowns and four interceptions.
Martinez sat out wins over Iowa State and Colorado but also left losses against Texas A&M and Washington, giving way to since transferred Cody Green in relief each time.
Other than since departed offensive coordinator Shawn Watson, Martinez was perhaps the biggest scapeoat in the offense’s struggles in the second half of the season. However, the coaching staff would have been much served to have Martinez sit out and hopefully return in the Big 12 title game, or whenever he reached full health. Putting a less than full strength Martinez on the field was a liability more than an asset.
Martinez’s performance in the second half of the season had may Husker fans wondering if the talented sophomore is truly the right person to lead the offense. One must also realize, however, that with the exception of Tommie Frazier, the great majority of other good college quarterbacks (San Bradford, Tim Tebow, Terrelle Pryor to name a few) as far as recent times go didn’t start shine right out of the gate. Most of them were unknowns outside of their local fanbase until they were juniors or seniors which is when they were finally good enough to start.
As far as the Martinez’s inconsistency goes, I think it’s only something that needs to be developed just like anything else. Many players improve after their first year of starting and while I’m not saying he’s going to be zipping the ball around with pinpoint accurancy like Stanford’s Andrew Luck, he should be better in every aspect of the game over last year.
Where Martinez especially needs to improve is his game management and leadership skills. He has the ability to be a great player, if he can understand the defense better and earn the respect of his comrades. Some people were put off by Martinez’s aloof demeanor but great NFL quarterbacks like Joe Montana and Tom Brady to name a few were the furthest thing from being drill seargants and it didn’t stop them from being all-time greats.
Again, there is plenty of reason to wonder how good Martinez truly is but when he is intact and has opportunities, look out! When the offensive line looks like a sieve and he is injured, Nebraska is in for a long game.
Nebraska’s 20-13 loss to Texas signifies why there is reason to wonder. The worst Texas team in literally years was able to shut Martinez totally down when he was plenty healthy.In that game, Martiez carried 13 times for 21 yards and completed just 4 of 12 passes for 63 yards before getting replaced by Zac Lee.
However, in that game, Nebraska receivers dropped five passes, two would have been for sure touchdowns. If anyone could catch a ball that day, his passing numbers would have been much better and probably would have opened up a lot more running lanes. Could have been a totally different game.
As for the leadership issue, if your quarterback has excellent leadership skills, that’s great but leadership also must come from coaches. They should be able to make the team play well together regardless of whether the quarterback is shy, a jerk or whatever.
You don’t want a jerk as your quarterback, but in college I don’t think he has to be the undisputed leader of the team. I’d rather see him perfom well on the field and keep to himself clean off of it (as long as it doesn’t cause locker room problems) than be a terrific guy who can’t play.
One also has to consider that Martinez became a starter as a freshman, which means even with his dynamite start, he probably would have endured growing pains at some point. Keep in mind, most good starters at good programs don’t start when they’re freshmen or sophomores, they struggle or sit behind someone for 2-3 years a lot of times.
We can only hope Martinez improve in general. Actually, if he can just hold on to the ball, that would be a major improvement. The problem is that if the Huskers don’t fix many of the problems with the offensive line, regardless of how well Martinez plays, the offense will stall.
In the first ten games of 2010, Husker quarterback Taylor Martinez was a big play waiting to happen. He rushed 887 yards on 112 carries and 12 touchdowns. In the pasing department, he completed 63 of 119 for 1,161 yards, ten touchdowns and three interceptions. After sustaining an ankle injury, however, Martinez became pretty oridinary as he carried 50 times for 79 yards. In the passing department, he completed 44 of 76 for 470 yards, no touchdowns and four interceptions.
Martinez sat out wins over Iowa State and Colorado but also left losses against Texas A&M and Washington, giving way to since transferred Cody Green in relief each time.
Other than since departed offensive coordinator Shawn Watson, Martinez was perhaps the biggest scapeoat in the offense’s struggles in the second half of the season. However, the coaching staff would have been much served to have Martinez sit out and hopefully return in the Big 12 title game, or whenever he reached full health. Putting a less than full strength Martinez on the field was a liability more than an asset.
Martinez’s performance in the second half of the season had may Husker fans wondering if the talented sophomore is truly the right person to lead the offense. One must also realize, however, that with the exception of Tommie Frazier, the great majority of other good college quarterbacks (San Bradford, Tim Tebow, Terrelle Pryor to name a few) as far as recent times go didn’t start shine right out of the gate. Most of them were unknowns outside of their local fanbase until they were juniors or seniors which is when they were finally good enough to start.
As far as the Martinez’s inconsistency goes, I think it’s only something that needs to be developed just like anything else. Many players improve after their first year of starting and while I’m not saying he’s going to be zipping the ball around with pinpoint accurancy like Stanford’s Andrew Luck, he should be better in every aspect of the game over last year.
Where Martinez especially needs to improve is his game management and leadership skills. He has the ability to be a great player, if he can understand the defense better and earn the respect of his comrades. Some people were put off by Martinez’s aloof demeanor but great NFL quarterbacks like Joe Montana and Tom Brady to name a few were the furthest thing from being drill seargants and it didn’t stop them from being all-time greats.
Again, there is plenty of reason to wonder how good Martinez truly is but when he is intact and has opportunities, look out! When the offensive line looks like a sieve and he is injured, Nebraska is in for a long game.
Nebraska’s 20-13 loss to Texas signifies why there is reason to wonder. The worst Texas team in literally years was able to shut Martinez totally down when he was plenty healthy.In that game, Martiez carried 13 times for 21 yards and completed just 4 of 12 passes for 63 yards before getting replaced by Zac Lee.
However, in that game, Nebraska receivers dropped five passes, two would have been for sure touchdowns. If anyone could catch a ball that day, his passing numbers would have been much better and probably would have opened up a lot more running lanes. Could have been a totally different game.
As for the leadership issue, if your quarterback has excellent leadership skills, that’s great but leadership also must come from coaches. They should be able to make the team play well together regardless of whether the quarterback is shy, a jerk or whatever.
You don’t want a jerk as your quarterback, but in college I don’t think he has to be the undisputed leader of the team. I’d rather see him perfom well on the field and keep to himself clean off of it (as long as it doesn’t cause locker room problems) than be a terrific guy who can’t play.
One also has to consider that Martinez became a starter as a freshman, which means even with his dynamite start, he probably would have endured growing pains at some point. Keep in mind, most good starters at good programs don’t start when they’re freshmen or sophomores, they struggle or sit behind someone for 2-3 years a lot of times.
We can only hope Martinez improve in general. Actually, if he can just hold on to the ball, that would be a major improvement. The problem is that if the Huskers don’t fix many of the problems with the offensive line, regardless of how well Martinez plays, the offense will stall.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
The Big 10 effect on Nebraska's defense should be very little
Talk of the prospects for the 2011 Nebraska football season and its move to the Big Ten Conference has been centered on the offense as it pertains to first-year coordinator Tim Beck coupled with a hopeful return to health and form of quarterback Taylor Martinez.
While the Huskers have built stout defensive units under head coach Bo Pelini, the Blackshirts face potential adjustments on that side of the ball as well. The Big 12 offenses were spread oriented and while the Big 10 had gradually moved away from the “three yards and a cloud of dust” approach, it is generally believed that Nebraska’s new conference will feature offenses with more of a “Black and Blue” mentality that highlighted a downhill running game.
Since Pelini became the Huskers head coach, he has recruited faster players but how will the Nebraska defense hold up against the Big 10’s bruising running teams?
Just remember how soft they were up the middle last year when Texas and Washington ran quarterbacks Garrett Gilbert and Jake Locker up the middle. Yes the Huskers have big linebackers but also have a smaller defensive line.
However, speed kills on both sides of the ball. Look at the Huskers defense under Tom Osborne until Nebraska started to recruit speed. Look how the slower offensive line in the 80's-90's fared against quicker teams. Size does not equate to wins.
I think you will see teams move to a Nebraska style offense that involves more zone read and elements of spread with a quicker tempo. Teams will need this to keep up with what I hope will be a high octane high scoring offense, provided Martinez stays healthy. This will translate into going away from a three yards and a cloud of dust mentality that many seem to think is the Big Ten. In my mind, Nebraska’s new opponents are not near as “bruising” as portrayed. No knock, but they are not all power with no finesse or speed. They have some good dual threat teams that are similar to what the Huskers have faced.
Lastly, even though teams had good yardage totals on the ground against Nebraka, it were ninth in scoring defense. The only stats that matter are the W-L.
Against the spread-oriented teams, Nebrasa oten played in the Peso defense that was a 4-2-5 alignment. Yes, you probably will see Nebraska line eight defenders near the line of scrimmage with man coverage on the corner and a safety over the top. However, Pelini seems to have a scheme for every offense Nebraska will face, and I don't see them doing well against the Blackshirts. Nebraska has running teams before, but they haven’t faced a Pelini defense before. Advantage Nebraska.
While the Huskers have built stout defensive units under head coach Bo Pelini, the Blackshirts face potential adjustments on that side of the ball as well. The Big 12 offenses were spread oriented and while the Big 10 had gradually moved away from the “three yards and a cloud of dust” approach, it is generally believed that Nebraska’s new conference will feature offenses with more of a “Black and Blue” mentality that highlighted a downhill running game.
Since Pelini became the Huskers head coach, he has recruited faster players but how will the Nebraska defense hold up against the Big 10’s bruising running teams?
Just remember how soft they were up the middle last year when Texas and Washington ran quarterbacks Garrett Gilbert and Jake Locker up the middle. Yes the Huskers have big linebackers but also have a smaller defensive line.
However, speed kills on both sides of the ball. Look at the Huskers defense under Tom Osborne until Nebraska started to recruit speed. Look how the slower offensive line in the 80's-90's fared against quicker teams. Size does not equate to wins.
I think you will see teams move to a Nebraska style offense that involves more zone read and elements of spread with a quicker tempo. Teams will need this to keep up with what I hope will be a high octane high scoring offense, provided Martinez stays healthy. This will translate into going away from a three yards and a cloud of dust mentality that many seem to think is the Big Ten. In my mind, Nebraska’s new opponents are not near as “bruising” as portrayed. No knock, but they are not all power with no finesse or speed. They have some good dual threat teams that are similar to what the Huskers have faced.
Lastly, even though teams had good yardage totals on the ground against Nebraka, it were ninth in scoring defense. The only stats that matter are the W-L.
Against the spread-oriented teams, Nebrasa oten played in the Peso defense that was a 4-2-5 alignment. Yes, you probably will see Nebraska line eight defenders near the line of scrimmage with man coverage on the corner and a safety over the top. However, Pelini seems to have a scheme for every offense Nebraska will face, and I don't see them doing well against the Blackshirts. Nebraska has running teams before, but they haven’t faced a Pelini defense before. Advantage Nebraska.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
What will the Beck offense morph into?
With Shawn Watson long since out of the picture as Nebraska’s offensive coordinator, the question has become, what is the Huskers’ offensive attack going to be based on?
I keep hearing everything from a return to smash mouth football to something out of a science-fiction novel with Mike Leach calling plays via broadband internet connection implanted in new offensive coordinator Tim Beck’s brain.
I don’t care what anyone says, no offensive system is any better than any other. If you develop and execue right it will work. I don’t give a damn if it’s running the option out of the power-I, West Coast Offense, Spread, Wing-T, Veer, whatever.
My hunch is that we will see what we saw during the spring game. That would involve a heavy dose of zone read and true option attack with some spread principles based on what Oregon does. Based on the limited look we got during the spring game, I would venture a guess that we are going to see something similar to the pistol set used by Nevada and variations on that.
I would say that the pistol is kind of a next generation or development of the I-formation which gives you the ability to do the best of both worlds in regards to the zone read and true triple option along with passing out of the shotgun. I like what Nevada has done with that system and would be very happy with that that system at Nebraska.
I also hope the offense has no name. Just line up, move the chains and score more than the other guy.
To be successful, the offense needs to unveil everything (base runs and passes) from the start rather than waiting until conference play to see what part of the offense actually works. Nebraska needs to iron out the kinks against live opponents, not just the scout team. The Huskers can ill-afford to face say a Wisonsin or Ohio State and realize their timig is off too much to run an effective option or suddenly realize the pass patterns look a little different when the cornerback plays bump and run.
When asked what offense the team will be running, Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini says, “We’re going to be multiple” but that doesn’t tell anyone anything. I agree that you have to be able to run and pass with equal efficiency. However, efficiency should not be confused with frequency. It’s about how WELL you do both, not how OFTEN.
The biggest problem with the offense the last two years was that it featured “a little of this and a little of that.” In addition, there were too many competing philosophies. You have a quarterback (Taylor Martinez) who can run an Oregon like spread, an offensive line coach (Barney Cotton) whose background is the old-school triple-option and an offensive coordinator (Shawn Watson) whose offense of choice is the West Coast Offense. That would be like putting a Tea Party conservative, far left liberal and a libertarian in the same room together. Long term, it is not going to work.
There is a segment of Husker fans that would say, “Let’s just get physical and run it down people’s throats like we did in the 90s.” That sounds good but this is not the 90s. Plus, just lining up in the I-Formation and running the football does not automatically make a team physical. The 2001 and 2002 teams ran plenty of option plays but those were hardly physical teams. Conversely, just because a team lines up with four wide receivers does not automatically mean they are finesse. Whatever that means.
The big question about Beck that we truly will not know until Nebraska faces a critcal juncture in a game is, how much of a risk taker will he be? One school of thought suggests that with the liklihood of Pelini fielding a strong defense on a regular basis, Beck doesn’t need to be a risk-taker. I beg to differ because against equal or superior foes you can’t just “play not to lose.” Granted, I don’t want an offensive coordinator going for it on fourth and five at his own 28-yard line. However, if Nebraska is trailing say, Wisconsin 24-21 with 1:30 left in the game and has a third-and-three at the Badger 35, I don’t think that’s a scenario where you call a low risk running play either.
I keep hearing everything from a return to smash mouth football to something out of a science-fiction novel with Mike Leach calling plays via broadband internet connection implanted in new offensive coordinator Tim Beck’s brain.
I don’t care what anyone says, no offensive system is any better than any other. If you develop and execue right it will work. I don’t give a damn if it’s running the option out of the power-I, West Coast Offense, Spread, Wing-T, Veer, whatever.
My hunch is that we will see what we saw during the spring game. That would involve a heavy dose of zone read and true option attack with some spread principles based on what Oregon does. Based on the limited look we got during the spring game, I would venture a guess that we are going to see something similar to the pistol set used by Nevada and variations on that.
I would say that the pistol is kind of a next generation or development of the I-formation which gives you the ability to do the best of both worlds in regards to the zone read and true triple option along with passing out of the shotgun. I like what Nevada has done with that system and would be very happy with that that system at Nebraska.
I also hope the offense has no name. Just line up, move the chains and score more than the other guy.
To be successful, the offense needs to unveil everything (base runs and passes) from the start rather than waiting until conference play to see what part of the offense actually works. Nebraska needs to iron out the kinks against live opponents, not just the scout team. The Huskers can ill-afford to face say a Wisonsin or Ohio State and realize their timig is off too much to run an effective option or suddenly realize the pass patterns look a little different when the cornerback plays bump and run.
When asked what offense the team will be running, Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini says, “We’re going to be multiple” but that doesn’t tell anyone anything. I agree that you have to be able to run and pass with equal efficiency. However, efficiency should not be confused with frequency. It’s about how WELL you do both, not how OFTEN.
The biggest problem with the offense the last two years was that it featured “a little of this and a little of that.” In addition, there were too many competing philosophies. You have a quarterback (Taylor Martinez) who can run an Oregon like spread, an offensive line coach (Barney Cotton) whose background is the old-school triple-option and an offensive coordinator (Shawn Watson) whose offense of choice is the West Coast Offense. That would be like putting a Tea Party conservative, far left liberal and a libertarian in the same room together. Long term, it is not going to work.
There is a segment of Husker fans that would say, “Let’s just get physical and run it down people’s throats like we did in the 90s.” That sounds good but this is not the 90s. Plus, just lining up in the I-Formation and running the football does not automatically make a team physical. The 2001 and 2002 teams ran plenty of option plays but those were hardly physical teams. Conversely, just because a team lines up with four wide receivers does not automatically mean they are finesse. Whatever that means.
The big question about Beck that we truly will not know until Nebraska faces a critcal juncture in a game is, how much of a risk taker will he be? One school of thought suggests that with the liklihood of Pelini fielding a strong defense on a regular basis, Beck doesn’t need to be a risk-taker. I beg to differ because against equal or superior foes you can’t just “play not to lose.” Granted, I don’t want an offensive coordinator going for it on fourth and five at his own 28-yard line. However, if Nebraska is trailing say, Wisconsin 24-21 with 1:30 left in the game and has a third-and-three at the Badger 35, I don’t think that’s a scenario where you call a low risk running play either.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better
Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better. When you enter a football season with gaudy expectations of being a BCS bowl team like Nebraska did a year ago, such a statement is a hard sell.
Nebraska made coaching staff changes for the 2011 season on the heals of finishing 2010 with a thud capped by losing three of its last four games, culiminating with a 19-7 to Washington in the Holiday Bowl. The same Huskies team Nebraska chewed up and spit out 56-21 three months earlier. On the offensive side, out went offensive coordinator Shawn Watson and wide receivers coach Ted Gilmore. Both were Bill Callahan holdovers.
Running backs coach Tim Beck became ofensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Ron Brown slid from tight ends to running backs coach. Offensive line coach Barney Cotton remained the O-Line coach and became the associate head coach. Former Husker offensive lineman John Garrison became tight ends coach annd assistant offensive line coach. With Garrison and Cotton, the Huskers went old school in this move because keep in mind for several years Milt Tenipor and Dan Young were co-offensive line coaches.
The Huskers went through defensive staff changes too as linebackers coach Mike Ekeler became the defensive coordinator at Indiana and defensive backs coach Marvin Sanders resigned. Ross Els replaced Ekeler while Corey Raymond replaced Sanders.
The offensive changes, however, are much more significant because suspect offense alone cost the Huskers consecutive Big 12 title games in a 13-12 defeat to Texas and a 23-20 loss to Oklahoma in 2010.
In 2009, the Husker offense was especially inept as only 18 Div. I-A teams averaged fewer than the Huskers’ 317.2 total yards per game and only seven teams averaged fewer than the 15.9 first downs per game that Nebraska compiled.
The 2010 offensive stats, however, are a little bit skewed because while the Huskers finished 34th in total yards per game, they only averaged 18.4 first downs per contest. To add further perspective, Memphis was dead last at 14.3.
Keep in mind, the first eight games featured a healthy Taylor Martinez at quarterback. Martinez’s speed alone masked a few deficiences from Nebraska’s offense. However, when Martinez became limited phyically by his sprained ankle, his confidence and swagger went South as well. So too did the Husker offense.
The Huskers finished the regular season 10-2. One week later led Oklahoma 17-0 in the Big 12 title game only to lose 23-20. The season was capped off with a giantic thud in losing 19-7 in the Holiday Bowl to Washington, whom the Huskers destroyed 56-21 in September.
Yes, it stunk to end the season that had so much promise with a thud. However, let’s say best case scenario Nebraska beats Oklahome and goes to the Fiesta Bowl to play Connecticut. If that happens, I think there’s a good chance Nebraska runs UConn off the field and goes 12-2. If that happens, there’s probably a good chance Watson is still with Nebraska.
Granted, it was generally believed that the Huskers would blast Washington in the second meeting. However, bowl games are often decided by who is more motivated, in which case the Huskies clearly were and the Huskers were not. Keep in mind, Washington was playing in its first bowl games since 2002 and the Holiday Bowl was not even on Nebraska’s radar in its preseason goals. I don’t Nebraska would have been unmotivated to play UConn.
Rewind to 2007. Nebraska falls to 4-4 just one week after Tom Osborne becomes athletic director. The Husker offense, while inconsistent, was putting up good numbers. The defense, meanwhile, was a sieve. So head coach Bill Callahan and his staff asked Osbore for benchmarks on what it would take for the coaching staff to save its jobs. Osborne said if the team won out and finished 8-4, there’s no question the staff would return. Anything less and the possibilities would range from not at all (4-8 or 5-7) to slim (6-6) to perhaps (7-5).
Let’s say best case scenario, Nebraska wins out and goes 8-4. Then Callahan and his staff return. There’s probably a good chance the Huskers would have maxed out at that point under Callahan.
Let’s face it, sometimes winning can sometimes insulate you from the reality of changes needing to be made. Whereas, finishing last season like the Huskers did left no gray areas that changes needed to be made.
Nebraska made coaching staff changes for the 2011 season on the heals of finishing 2010 with a thud capped by losing three of its last four games, culiminating with a 19-7 to Washington in the Holiday Bowl. The same Huskies team Nebraska chewed up and spit out 56-21 three months earlier. On the offensive side, out went offensive coordinator Shawn Watson and wide receivers coach Ted Gilmore. Both were Bill Callahan holdovers.
Running backs coach Tim Beck became ofensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Ron Brown slid from tight ends to running backs coach. Offensive line coach Barney Cotton remained the O-Line coach and became the associate head coach. Former Husker offensive lineman John Garrison became tight ends coach annd assistant offensive line coach. With Garrison and Cotton, the Huskers went old school in this move because keep in mind for several years Milt Tenipor and Dan Young were co-offensive line coaches.
The Huskers went through defensive staff changes too as linebackers coach Mike Ekeler became the defensive coordinator at Indiana and defensive backs coach Marvin Sanders resigned. Ross Els replaced Ekeler while Corey Raymond replaced Sanders.
The offensive changes, however, are much more significant because suspect offense alone cost the Huskers consecutive Big 12 title games in a 13-12 defeat to Texas and a 23-20 loss to Oklahoma in 2010.
In 2009, the Husker offense was especially inept as only 18 Div. I-A teams averaged fewer than the Huskers’ 317.2 total yards per game and only seven teams averaged fewer than the 15.9 first downs per game that Nebraska compiled.
The 2010 offensive stats, however, are a little bit skewed because while the Huskers finished 34th in total yards per game, they only averaged 18.4 first downs per contest. To add further perspective, Memphis was dead last at 14.3.
Keep in mind, the first eight games featured a healthy Taylor Martinez at quarterback. Martinez’s speed alone masked a few deficiences from Nebraska’s offense. However, when Martinez became limited phyically by his sprained ankle, his confidence and swagger went South as well. So too did the Husker offense.
The Huskers finished the regular season 10-2. One week later led Oklahoma 17-0 in the Big 12 title game only to lose 23-20. The season was capped off with a giantic thud in losing 19-7 in the Holiday Bowl to Washington, whom the Huskers destroyed 56-21 in September.
Yes, it stunk to end the season that had so much promise with a thud. However, let’s say best case scenario Nebraska beats Oklahome and goes to the Fiesta Bowl to play Connecticut. If that happens, I think there’s a good chance Nebraska runs UConn off the field and goes 12-2. If that happens, there’s probably a good chance Watson is still with Nebraska.
Granted, it was generally believed that the Huskers would blast Washington in the second meeting. However, bowl games are often decided by who is more motivated, in which case the Huskies clearly were and the Huskers were not. Keep in mind, Washington was playing in its first bowl games since 2002 and the Holiday Bowl was not even on Nebraska’s radar in its preseason goals. I don’t Nebraska would have been unmotivated to play UConn.
Rewind to 2007. Nebraska falls to 4-4 just one week after Tom Osborne becomes athletic director. The Husker offense, while inconsistent, was putting up good numbers. The defense, meanwhile, was a sieve. So head coach Bill Callahan and his staff asked Osbore for benchmarks on what it would take for the coaching staff to save its jobs. Osborne said if the team won out and finished 8-4, there’s no question the staff would return. Anything less and the possibilities would range from not at all (4-8 or 5-7) to slim (6-6) to perhaps (7-5).
Let’s say best case scenario, Nebraska wins out and goes 8-4. Then Callahan and his staff return. There’s probably a good chance the Huskers would have maxed out at that point under Callahan.
Let’s face it, sometimes winning can sometimes insulate you from the reality of changes needing to be made. Whereas, finishing last season like the Huskers did left no gray areas that changes needed to be made.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Expectations for 2011
Nebraska might have officially joined the Big 10 today – as in July 1. However, they mentally joined the Big 10 last summer. Whether they care to admit it or not is another matter entirely.
So, let’s put aside the arguments about former offensive coordinator Shawn Watson, current offensive coordinator Tim Beck, offensive line cach Barney Cotton, etc. Lets put aside Beck’s offense and all the talk about spread and no-huddle because no one really knows what it’s really going to be like. Let’s talk about expectations.
Bo Pelini’s initial impact as Husker head coach was great in taking Nebraska from a down and out 5-7 season under Bill Callahan in 2007 to a 9-4 campaign in 2008. The Huskers went 10-4 in both 2009 and 2010, therefore not truly taking the next step as a program. Yes, Nebraska is “back” in that it is capable of beating any team on any given day. However, it is not “back” as far as being a bonafide National Championship contender.
Pelini is a very good coach who has breathed much needed life back into the program but his grace period is over. What are realistic expectations for the 2011 Huskers?
It begins with quarterback Taylor Martinez. If he’s physically healthy, he can be dynamite. When he’s hobbled, he’s pretty ordinary. Also, can he take ownership of the offense as a leader?
Watson came under brutal fire from fans and media alike so if the offense does not perform, do you blame Beck’s inexperience or will Pelni have to answer as a head coach? Pelini got a semi-pass on Watson because he was one of only two holdovers from the Bill Callahan era. Since the offense was producing good numbers under the previous regime, Pelini (at the recommendation of athletic director Tom Osborne) kept Watson. Though Pelini said good things publically about Watson, he was not a true Pelini choice like Beck (who has served as the Nebraska running backs coach since Pelini arrived in 2008).
The 2010 season ended on a bad note - the worst season in Pelini’s short tenure especially with the expectations coming into 2010. The fact that Nebraska has a returning starter at quarterback and the Big 10 is not as daunting as say a couple years ago. Hoewever, the schedule will have its landmines. Wisconsin for one. The Ohio State game looks more winnable but the Buckeyes still have some talented players on their roster.
People keep dogging Michigan but mark it down, just like Pelini taking over in 2007 immediately restored the BlackShirts, so will Brady Hoke’s presence be felt at Michigan. Their defense will make marked improvement and with shoelace that game could be a dogfight. The Penn State game could be a tossup as well but the media consensus is that Nebraska is a top-10 team and should be favored to win just about every game.
However, everything hinges on the offensive line and if they see significant improvement. Just a gut feeling but I envision Tennessee-Chattanooga, Fresno State, Washington, Wyoming, Minnesota, Northwestern, Michigan and Iowa being wins. The games against Wisconsin, Ohio State, Michigan State and Penn State I envision could go either way. Michigan and Iowa could be iffy but should be wins.
If Nebraska can split the four toss up games half and half , then a 10-2 season with a probable trip to the big 10 championship is strong possible. Winning the Big 10 Championship game would be an excellent start.
However, if the offensive line implodes like last year, then it could get real ugly such as 8-4 or 7-5. I have a gut feeling this won’t happen.
I don’t have the rose colored glasses on like I did at the beginning of last year. I have been bit too many times before thinking we go with one loss or less for the season. That being said, I think Nebraska should be pretty good.
So, let’s put aside the arguments about former offensive coordinator Shawn Watson, current offensive coordinator Tim Beck, offensive line cach Barney Cotton, etc. Lets put aside Beck’s offense and all the talk about spread and no-huddle because no one really knows what it’s really going to be like. Let’s talk about expectations.
Bo Pelini’s initial impact as Husker head coach was great in taking Nebraska from a down and out 5-7 season under Bill Callahan in 2007 to a 9-4 campaign in 2008. The Huskers went 10-4 in both 2009 and 2010, therefore not truly taking the next step as a program. Yes, Nebraska is “back” in that it is capable of beating any team on any given day. However, it is not “back” as far as being a bonafide National Championship contender.
Pelini is a very good coach who has breathed much needed life back into the program but his grace period is over. What are realistic expectations for the 2011 Huskers?
It begins with quarterback Taylor Martinez. If he’s physically healthy, he can be dynamite. When he’s hobbled, he’s pretty ordinary. Also, can he take ownership of the offense as a leader?
Watson came under brutal fire from fans and media alike so if the offense does not perform, do you blame Beck’s inexperience or will Pelni have to answer as a head coach? Pelini got a semi-pass on Watson because he was one of only two holdovers from the Bill Callahan era. Since the offense was producing good numbers under the previous regime, Pelini (at the recommendation of athletic director Tom Osborne) kept Watson. Though Pelini said good things publically about Watson, he was not a true Pelini choice like Beck (who has served as the Nebraska running backs coach since Pelini arrived in 2008).
The 2010 season ended on a bad note - the worst season in Pelini’s short tenure especially with the expectations coming into 2010. The fact that Nebraska has a returning starter at quarterback and the Big 10 is not as daunting as say a couple years ago. Hoewever, the schedule will have its landmines. Wisconsin for one. The Ohio State game looks more winnable but the Buckeyes still have some talented players on their roster.
People keep dogging Michigan but mark it down, just like Pelini taking over in 2007 immediately restored the BlackShirts, so will Brady Hoke’s presence be felt at Michigan. Their defense will make marked improvement and with shoelace that game could be a dogfight. The Penn State game could be a tossup as well but the media consensus is that Nebraska is a top-10 team and should be favored to win just about every game.
However, everything hinges on the offensive line and if they see significant improvement. Just a gut feeling but I envision Tennessee-Chattanooga, Fresno State, Washington, Wyoming, Minnesota, Northwestern, Michigan and Iowa being wins. The games against Wisconsin, Ohio State, Michigan State and Penn State I envision could go either way. Michigan and Iowa could be iffy but should be wins.
If Nebraska can split the four toss up games half and half , then a 10-2 season with a probable trip to the big 10 championship is strong possible. Winning the Big 10 Championship game would be an excellent start.
However, if the offensive line implodes like last year, then it could get real ugly such as 8-4 or 7-5. I have a gut feeling this won’t happen.
I don’t have the rose colored glasses on like I did at the beginning of last year. I have been bit too many times before thinking we go with one loss or less for the season. That being said, I think Nebraska should be pretty good.
Back in the blogging mix
I am revisitng the Universty of Nebraska football blog that I had established in the offseason between the 2008 and 2009 seasons. My last entry was October 17, 2009.
A lot has happened since that time. The Huskers finished 2009 and 2010 with 10-4 records but the feeling at the end of each season was drastically different. The 2009 campaign finished with a flourish as the Huskers won six of their last seven games. The 2010 season started with great promise at 5-0 and later 9-1, only to end the season with a dud.
So why did I stop blogging? Well, between fixing up a house to move my wife and three kids into, helping manage three toddlers and a full-time job, time simply slipped away.
Well, I am back and giving it another go as Nebraska officially leaves the Big 12 (headed by those unscrupulous Texas Longhorns) and joins the Big 10 (a conference with far more reverence for tradition).
I will try to have 3-5 entries per week.
Enjoy! And Go Big Red!
A lot has happened since that time. The Huskers finished 2009 and 2010 with 10-4 records but the feeling at the end of each season was drastically different. The 2009 campaign finished with a flourish as the Huskers won six of their last seven games. The 2010 season started with great promise at 5-0 and later 9-1, only to end the season with a dud.
So why did I stop blogging? Well, between fixing up a house to move my wife and three kids into, helping manage three toddlers and a full-time job, time simply slipped away.
Well, I am back and giving it another go as Nebraska officially leaves the Big 12 (headed by those unscrupulous Texas Longhorns) and joins the Big 10 (a conference with far more reverence for tradition).
I will try to have 3-5 entries per week.
Enjoy! And Go Big Red!
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