As the No. 11 ranked Nebraska football team prepares to host Washington Saturday, Husker head coach Bo Pelini made a statement in his weekly press conference that truly resonated:
"There's consternation around here if you don't win 50-0 every week, that's just part of the deal. If I start worrying about what the public thinks I'll end up in a rubber room."
While that statement might apply to only a segment of Husker fans, it certainly has a heavy grain of truth. Take for example, the Huskers first two wins, 40-7 over Tennessee-Chattanooga and 42-29 over Fresno State. The common denominator in both games was a feast or famine offense that made some big plays but also had some plays go backward. With the UTC win, some Husker fans saw anything less than a 55-0 win as a disappointment. The truth of the matter is, if starting quarterback Taylor Martinez plays the entire game Nebraka probably wins 55-0 but why have starters risk injury in a blowout just to pad the score?
Consternation about the Fresno State win is much more understandable but not because of the 13-point margin of victory against a team where the Huskers were favored by 28 points. The disturbing part was how the supposedly vaunted defense got pushed around. Had Nebraska won say 31-17, had a similar offensive process but a much more stout defense there would probaly not be the level of consternation.
Honestly, margin of victory is an extremely shallow way of evaluating a game. Just as examples: In 2004, Nebraska opened with a 56-17 win over Western Illinois. In 2006, the Huskers opened with a 49-10 win over Louisiana Tech and in 2007 Nebraska opened with a 52-9 win over Nevada. All three games had a similar margin of victory but in the LA Tech and Nevada wins, Nebraska played near flawless whereas in the 2004 win, the Huskers had six turnovers and that was a problem that never got fixed.
There are literally two types of Husker fans. There is the kind that demands greatness and expects to see them at the same level as the mid 1990s when the team won three National Championships in four years. They except nothing else and will not wait for it to happen. They figure Nebraska has the resources and fan base to be near the level of the 90s and it needs to happen now. They also expect the Huskers to dominate at nearly every position and if one area of the football team is lax, they are adamantly angry about this and demand coaching fires, change in personal, and claim it a failure. They defend their perfectionist ideas by saying that they will not lower expectations of the program and they expect things that are holding us back to get corrected now. In essence, they also view teams like Alabama and Oklahoma and their success, and feel like Nebraska is a failure for not holding onto to that success it once had.
Then there Husker fans who are apathetic and have low expectations. They still want similar success as the 1990s but view the landscape of college football differently in the past decade. They see the diminshing success over the years of he likes of Notre Dame, USC and Florida State and realize that the Huskers can't hold a certain level of success indefinitely. If things dont go well, they are willing to work with urrent coaches and players to improve. They are willing to accept things as they are as long as the program is moving in that direction. They are willing to wait for success and many times are concerned with the type of program that is run along with winning.
They have more of a realist mentality. They view the other the aforementioned Husker fan as too emotional, unable to realize parity in this landscape, and unable to chill out. They want similar success, but feel that patience is key to that success. They also realize development of players take time and are willing to watch a player mature over time before giving up on him, whereas the other camp expects great things from certain recruits immediately, as they have seen other recruits impact teams that fast.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Light bulb goes on late for Husker offense but defense suspect in win over Bulldogs
After the No. 10 ranked Nebraska football team's 40-7 win over Tennessee-Chattanooga, much of the angst over the Huskers performance centered around the offense. The Huskers gained 364 yards of total offense (239 rushing, 135 passing) but those stats were somewhat skewed because 99 came on two plays (a 47-yard run by quarterback Taylor Martinez and a 252-yard run by running back Rex Burkhead).
As for the Huskers 42-29 win over Fresno State, yes the offense was still choppy at times but that's to be expected considering the collective youth of the offense and the fact that Nebraska is breaking in a new offensive coordinator (Tim Beck). The Huskers amassed 438 yards of offense (232 rushing, 219 passing).
Much like the win over UTC, the Husker offense had a home run or strikeout element. Martinez had a 57-yard run and also had pass completions of 42 yards to Kenny Bell, 53 yards to Kyler Reed and 42 yads to Jamal Turner. That's 194 yards on four plays. However, when it matter most, Nebraska's offense pulled its weight, which can't be said very often the past two seasons. Fresno State cut the Nebraska lead to 35-29 on Kevin Goessling's 37-yard foeld goal with 5:24 left in the game. The Huskers took over and Burkhead carried six times for 34 yards then Martinez scored on a 46-yard run to seal the win. Game. Set. Match. Drive home safely.
The disturbing aspect of Nebraska's game against the Bulldogs, however, is the defensive performance. Fresno State, which like Nebraska has a young offensive line, blew open serious holes in the running game and gave quarterback Derek Carr more than ample time to throw. The Bulldogs rushed for 190 yards (169 from Robbie Rouse on 36 carries). Carr completed 20-of-41 passes for 254 yards. Granted, the Husker secondary is still without starting cornerback Alfonso Dennard, who most believe is one of the best (if not the very best) in the nation at his position. However, the Huskers did not sack Carr once and only pressured him when they blitzed. That's significant because Nebraska (while occasionally dials up blitzes) prefers to rely on the front four to get pressure and for good reason when you have elite defensive linemen like Jared Crick, Cameron Meredith and Baker Steinkuhler.
What was even more disturbing was the resistance against the run that Nebraska showed. Well, lack thereof would be a better description. The Bulldogs opened some huge holes for Rouse. Yes, he is a talented running back who did a good job of following his blocks but that performance evoked memories of Nebraska's 19-7 loss to Washington. Incidentally, that same team comes to Lincoln next week. That performance, however, was at least understandable because at that point in the season the defense felt the burden over the offense's ineptitude. While the 2011 edition of the Nebraska offense is still a work in progress, it is defenitely better than the one that ended the 2010 season. Well, better to the point where they don't lead the world in terrible offense.
The most disturbing aspect of the defense's effort Saturday is the fact that since Bo Pelini took over as the Huskers head coach, he has established a culture of developing players. Yes, some years the talent is better than others but the culture has been such that, you lose one player, the next guy is ready.
While anyone can have a bad game, the Husker defensive performance in the Holiday Bowl and Saturday (that's two of the last three games they've taken the field if you're scoring at home) is that considering the Huskers are in the Big 10 conference that becomes significant. While spread offenses in the Big 10 have become much more mainstream than influential media types believe, it is still a conference much more likely to line up in the I-formation ad run right into the teeth of defenses (as Fresno State often did Saturday) than the Huskers former conference (the Big 12) that is a sinking ship. However, that's another story for another time.
As for the Huskers 42-29 win over Fresno State, yes the offense was still choppy at times but that's to be expected considering the collective youth of the offense and the fact that Nebraska is breaking in a new offensive coordinator (Tim Beck). The Huskers amassed 438 yards of offense (232 rushing, 219 passing).
Much like the win over UTC, the Husker offense had a home run or strikeout element. Martinez had a 57-yard run and also had pass completions of 42 yards to Kenny Bell, 53 yards to Kyler Reed and 42 yads to Jamal Turner. That's 194 yards on four plays. However, when it matter most, Nebraska's offense pulled its weight, which can't be said very often the past two seasons. Fresno State cut the Nebraska lead to 35-29 on Kevin Goessling's 37-yard foeld goal with 5:24 left in the game. The Huskers took over and Burkhead carried six times for 34 yards then Martinez scored on a 46-yard run to seal the win. Game. Set. Match. Drive home safely.
The disturbing aspect of Nebraska's game against the Bulldogs, however, is the defensive performance. Fresno State, which like Nebraska has a young offensive line, blew open serious holes in the running game and gave quarterback Derek Carr more than ample time to throw. The Bulldogs rushed for 190 yards (169 from Robbie Rouse on 36 carries). Carr completed 20-of-41 passes for 254 yards. Granted, the Husker secondary is still without starting cornerback Alfonso Dennard, who most believe is one of the best (if not the very best) in the nation at his position. However, the Huskers did not sack Carr once and only pressured him when they blitzed. That's significant because Nebraska (while occasionally dials up blitzes) prefers to rely on the front four to get pressure and for good reason when you have elite defensive linemen like Jared Crick, Cameron Meredith and Baker Steinkuhler.
What was even more disturbing was the resistance against the run that Nebraska showed. Well, lack thereof would be a better description. The Bulldogs opened some huge holes for Rouse. Yes, he is a talented running back who did a good job of following his blocks but that performance evoked memories of Nebraska's 19-7 loss to Washington. Incidentally, that same team comes to Lincoln next week. That performance, however, was at least understandable because at that point in the season the defense felt the burden over the offense's ineptitude. While the 2011 edition of the Nebraska offense is still a work in progress, it is defenitely better than the one that ended the 2010 season. Well, better to the point where they don't lead the world in terrible offense.
The most disturbing aspect of the defense's effort Saturday is the fact that since Bo Pelini took over as the Huskers head coach, he has established a culture of developing players. Yes, some years the talent is better than others but the culture has been such that, you lose one player, the next guy is ready.
While anyone can have a bad game, the Husker defensive performance in the Holiday Bowl and Saturday (that's two of the last three games they've taken the field if you're scoring at home) is that considering the Huskers are in the Big 10 conference that becomes significant. While spread offenses in the Big 10 have become much more mainstream than influential media types believe, it is still a conference much more likely to line up in the I-formation ad run right into the teeth of defenses (as Fresno State often did Saturday) than the Huskers former conference (the Big 12) that is a sinking ship. However, that's another story for another time.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Fresno State coach full of bravado but not much else
Fresno State head coach Pat Hill is definitely a refreshing personality in a profession that features many dud-like sayings like "one game at a time" or "if we don't make mistakes, we'll win." All of that jazz.
Hill brings his Bulldogs into Lincoln, Nebraska Saturday for a matchup against the No. 10 rated Cornhuskers. Much has been made of Hill's infamous statement years ago of "we'll play anyone, anywhere, anytime." So much so that Hill has been lauded to the point where people point out that in an age where more and more coaches are afraid to take non-conference risks out of fear they might ruin their shot at a .500 season and a precious bowl bid, Hill spits in the face of that strategy and wants to take on any team that will have him. Hill does it because he has to do it. Let's face it, how much respect is a team from the Western Athletic Conference going to get by going in beaten in that conference. On the other hand, conferences like the SEC, Big 12, Big 10, Pac 12 and so on are loaded with tests so how can one blame those coaches for scheduling "easy games."
OK, I get the idea of praising Hill for having a personality many coaches do not have. Yes, he is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise timid coaching environment. However, has his way been successful? That depends on your idea of success.
Fresno State is 16-17 against BCS Conference opponents since 2001, which is more wins than any other non-BCS school during that time. More applicable to gamblers, though, is Hill’s "against the spread" record against those schools, which is 23-10. OK, that's fine. Puff your chest with this "anywhere, anytime" stuff all you want but beat them. If you're satisfied with simply losing by less than Las Vegas bookies thought you would, why take the field?
So, given the tremendous against the spread success against stronger competition, the same has to be true of the Bulldogs in WAC play, right? His record against the WAC is 75-36. He has never been below 4-4 but never above 6-2.
Fresno State has won just one WAC title (a share in 1999) since Hill took over in 1997. The problem seems to be that Hill puts so much emphasis on the “big games” — most of which come on the road at places hundreds or thousands of miles away — that his players often suffer a letdown when they get into winnable conference games.
In 2001, Fresno State had early season wins against Colorado, Oregon State and Wisconsin that allowed them to jump to No. 8 in the rankings. The tough schedule caught up with them. They lost to Boise State and Hawaii early in WAC play.
In 2004, the Bulldogs scored a big win at 13th-ranked Kansas State was followed quickly by losses to Louisiana Tech, UTEP and Boise State. Fresno State finished 10-3 overall.
In 2005, the Bulldogs started 8-1 and almost won at USC, losing 50-42. That was the same USC team that lost to Texas in the BCS Title Game. While the narrow loss put them on the national map, losses in winnable games against Nevada and Louisiana Tech ended all hopes of a conference championship.
So, has Hill’s strategy been successful? True, his program is more relevant than before his tenure but it should be dually noted that Boise State and Hawaii have both made it to BCS bowls out of the WAC by taking a different approach. Fresno State’s best bowl game during that time is hard to even figure out. The MPC Computers Bowl? The New Mexico Bowl?
Yes, Hill routinely gets his teams up to play against big-time opponents and he routinely fails at preventing a hangover effect in the following conference games. True, Hill could care less what you, I or the man on the moon think. He’s going to keep scheduling the toughest possible opponents at the toughest venues in the country.
Look, there's a lot to like about Hill even more than his refreshing personality that media types and fans espouse. Under Hill's leadership, Fresno State has greatly improved the academic performance of its football players. During Hill's tenure the team has produced (as of 2005) 65 Academic All-WAC players, compared to a total of nine in the entire history of the program before Hill's arrival.
His Bulldog teams have reached a bowl game in eight of the last nine seasons to being on national television as much as any team this decade, the Bulldog program is regularly recognized for its success. That success transcends to the classroom, where once again the Fresno State team has posted a very strong Academic Progress Rate score. Fresno State's APR score ranks fourth in the western United States among public institutions, and second among California public schools.
As for how Hill's approach plays into the concern of Husker fans that post on message boards and call talk radio, well, let's just say that a segment of Nebraska fans were less than impressed with the team's 40-7 win over Tennessee-Chattanooga. Of course, those same perspective-lacking schnooks fail to realize that had starting quarterback Taylor Martinez played the entire game AND if starting cornerback Alfonzo Dennard played, the Huskers probably win 56-0. Then again, it is more prudent to play backups in a blowout game. Seriously, for you "statement win" wonks, is 56-0 THAT much more impressive than 40-7? Secondly why play Dennard if you win the game without him anyhow?
Nebraska is favored by 24.5 points. Fresno State lost 36-21 last week to the California Golden Bears at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The Bulldogs led 7-0 in the first quarter and 19-14 at halftime. Midway through the fourth quarter it was 36-14. So, the Bulldogs started strong and faded as the game progressed.
I expect them to learn their lesson and play hard for all four quarters this week. Nebraska will also learn from their mistakes, mainly in communications between players on the field, and post an even stronger effort at Memorial Stadium than last week.
The Bulldogs will bark and show their teeth, but I don’t believe they’ll bite enough of the Huskers to score more than 20 points. Huskers will win say 38-14.
Hill brings his Bulldogs into Lincoln, Nebraska Saturday for a matchup against the No. 10 rated Cornhuskers. Much has been made of Hill's infamous statement years ago of "we'll play anyone, anywhere, anytime." So much so that Hill has been lauded to the point where people point out that in an age where more and more coaches are afraid to take non-conference risks out of fear they might ruin their shot at a .500 season and a precious bowl bid, Hill spits in the face of that strategy and wants to take on any team that will have him. Hill does it because he has to do it. Let's face it, how much respect is a team from the Western Athletic Conference going to get by going in beaten in that conference. On the other hand, conferences like the SEC, Big 12, Big 10, Pac 12 and so on are loaded with tests so how can one blame those coaches for scheduling "easy games."
OK, I get the idea of praising Hill for having a personality many coaches do not have. Yes, he is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise timid coaching environment. However, has his way been successful? That depends on your idea of success.
Fresno State is 16-17 against BCS Conference opponents since 2001, which is more wins than any other non-BCS school during that time. More applicable to gamblers, though, is Hill’s "against the spread" record against those schools, which is 23-10. OK, that's fine. Puff your chest with this "anywhere, anytime" stuff all you want but beat them. If you're satisfied with simply losing by less than Las Vegas bookies thought you would, why take the field?
So, given the tremendous against the spread success against stronger competition, the same has to be true of the Bulldogs in WAC play, right? His record against the WAC is 75-36. He has never been below 4-4 but never above 6-2.
Fresno State has won just one WAC title (a share in 1999) since Hill took over in 1997. The problem seems to be that Hill puts so much emphasis on the “big games” — most of which come on the road at places hundreds or thousands of miles away — that his players often suffer a letdown when they get into winnable conference games.
In 2001, Fresno State had early season wins against Colorado, Oregon State and Wisconsin that allowed them to jump to No. 8 in the rankings. The tough schedule caught up with them. They lost to Boise State and Hawaii early in WAC play.
In 2004, the Bulldogs scored a big win at 13th-ranked Kansas State was followed quickly by losses to Louisiana Tech, UTEP and Boise State. Fresno State finished 10-3 overall.
In 2005, the Bulldogs started 8-1 and almost won at USC, losing 50-42. That was the same USC team that lost to Texas in the BCS Title Game. While the narrow loss put them on the national map, losses in winnable games against Nevada and Louisiana Tech ended all hopes of a conference championship.
So, has Hill’s strategy been successful? True, his program is more relevant than before his tenure but it should be dually noted that Boise State and Hawaii have both made it to BCS bowls out of the WAC by taking a different approach. Fresno State’s best bowl game during that time is hard to even figure out. The MPC Computers Bowl? The New Mexico Bowl?
Yes, Hill routinely gets his teams up to play against big-time opponents and he routinely fails at preventing a hangover effect in the following conference games. True, Hill could care less what you, I or the man on the moon think. He’s going to keep scheduling the toughest possible opponents at the toughest venues in the country.
Look, there's a lot to like about Hill even more than his refreshing personality that media types and fans espouse. Under Hill's leadership, Fresno State has greatly improved the academic performance of its football players. During Hill's tenure the team has produced (as of 2005) 65 Academic All-WAC players, compared to a total of nine in the entire history of the program before Hill's arrival.
His Bulldog teams have reached a bowl game in eight of the last nine seasons to being on national television as much as any team this decade, the Bulldog program is regularly recognized for its success. That success transcends to the classroom, where once again the Fresno State team has posted a very strong Academic Progress Rate score. Fresno State's APR score ranks fourth in the western United States among public institutions, and second among California public schools.
As for how Hill's approach plays into the concern of Husker fans that post on message boards and call talk radio, well, let's just say that a segment of Nebraska fans were less than impressed with the team's 40-7 win over Tennessee-Chattanooga. Of course, those same perspective-lacking schnooks fail to realize that had starting quarterback Taylor Martinez played the entire game AND if starting cornerback Alfonzo Dennard played, the Huskers probably win 56-0. Then again, it is more prudent to play backups in a blowout game. Seriously, for you "statement win" wonks, is 56-0 THAT much more impressive than 40-7? Secondly why play Dennard if you win the game without him anyhow?
Nebraska is favored by 24.5 points. Fresno State lost 36-21 last week to the California Golden Bears at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The Bulldogs led 7-0 in the first quarter and 19-14 at halftime. Midway through the fourth quarter it was 36-14. So, the Bulldogs started strong and faded as the game progressed.
I expect them to learn their lesson and play hard for all four quarters this week. Nebraska will also learn from their mistakes, mainly in communications between players on the field, and post an even stronger effort at Memorial Stadium than last week.
The Bulldogs will bark and show their teeth, but I don’t believe they’ll bite enough of the Huskers to score more than 20 points. Huskers will win say 38-14.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Husker fans need to stop obsessing of Martinez's passing
For all of his great attributes as a runner when healthy, the frequent criticism of Nebraska sophomore quarterback Taylor Martinez are "He can't pass" or "His throwing motion is lousy."
True, Martinez will never be Tom Brady but even those who expect him to reach even the passing accuracy levels of recent former Husker quarterbacks Zac Taylor (2005-2006) or Joe Ganz (2008) are going to be sorely disappointed. Granted, Martinez is still very young and growing into his role as a passer but he hasn't really ever shown serious potential as a pocket passer or someone who can progress through four or five reads. He's never going to be throwing the pretty fade for a corner of the endzone touchdown and nor will he be expert a fitting a pass between an underneath linebacker and an over the top safety on a post route.
The promising thing about new offensive coordinator Tim Beck's scheme, at least based on what we heard throughout the offseason, is that these things shouldn't be as big of a weakness. What the offense should do is maximize Martinez's strengths, which are blinding straight-line speed and some experience with running an up-tempo, spread-option scheme.
For those who want Martinez to become Joe Montana, the Huskers don't need him to be a pinpoint passer, if the offense can get the defense to equally fear runs up the middle, options to the boundary, or screen passes to the likes of Kenny Bell or Ameer Abdullah. That's how Chip Kelly does it in Oregon. He makes defenses try to defend horizontally and vertically, while trying to catch their breath and make adjustments with minimal time against a no-huddle offense. If Martinez can get to the level of say Oregon's Darren James or Texas's Vince Young, rather than expecting he will become an NFL-caliber quarterback, that'll be fine.
Here are Nebraska quarterback statistics since 2004:
2004 - Joe Dailey - 2025 yds, 49.4%, 6.53 yds/att, 17 TDs, 19 INTs
2005 - Zac Taylor - 2653 yds, 55.1%, 6.17 yds/att, 19 TDs, 12 INTs
2006 - Zac Taylor - 3197 yds, 59.6%, 8.18 yds/att, 26 TDs, 8 INTs
2007 - Sam Keller - 2422 yds, 63.1 %, 7.45 yds/att, 14 TDs, 10 INTs
2007 - Joe Ganz - 1435 yds, 58.6%, 9.44 yds/att, 16 TDs, 7 INTs
2008 - Joe Ganz - 3568 yds, 67.9%, 8.50 yds/att, 25 TDs, 11 INTs
2009 - Zac Lee - 2143 yds, 58.6%, 7.10 yds/att, 14 TDs, 10 INTs
2010 - Taylor Martinez - 1631 yds, 59.2%, 8.32 yds/att, 10 TDs, 7 INTs
All quarterbacks listed from 2004-2009 combined for 575 rushing yards while Martinez had 965 on his own in 2010.
Other than Ganz in 2008 (67.9%), which of those years was any of the guys on this list a "more accurate passer" than Martinez last year? Obviously his yardage and touchdowns are down because he plays in a totally different offense but Keller was the only other one to really exceed Martinez's percentage last year and no one did it in their first year as a starter. Keep in mind, Keller started at Arizona State before transferring. In addition, we all remember how much help Martinez got from his wide receivers last year.
I'm not going to argue that Martinez gets any style points for how he looks in the pocket but he is serviceable as a passer. As for this business of throwing motion, people didn't like Phillip Rivers throwing motion either but that's turned out all right for him with the Sa Diego Chargers. Bernie Kosar nearly won a Heisman Trophy and started for years in the NFL throwing side-arm so I don't get hung up on how the delivery looks.
I'd like to see Martinez work through his progressions a little more as well but when he pulled the ball down and ran against Tennessee-Chattanooga, he got a first down more often than not.
True, Martinez will never be Tom Brady but even those who expect him to reach even the passing accuracy levels of recent former Husker quarterbacks Zac Taylor (2005-2006) or Joe Ganz (2008) are going to be sorely disappointed. Granted, Martinez is still very young and growing into his role as a passer but he hasn't really ever shown serious potential as a pocket passer or someone who can progress through four or five reads. He's never going to be throwing the pretty fade for a corner of the endzone touchdown and nor will he be expert a fitting a pass between an underneath linebacker and an over the top safety on a post route.
The promising thing about new offensive coordinator Tim Beck's scheme, at least based on what we heard throughout the offseason, is that these things shouldn't be as big of a weakness. What the offense should do is maximize Martinez's strengths, which are blinding straight-line speed and some experience with running an up-tempo, spread-option scheme.
For those who want Martinez to become Joe Montana, the Huskers don't need him to be a pinpoint passer, if the offense can get the defense to equally fear runs up the middle, options to the boundary, or screen passes to the likes of Kenny Bell or Ameer Abdullah. That's how Chip Kelly does it in Oregon. He makes defenses try to defend horizontally and vertically, while trying to catch their breath and make adjustments with minimal time against a no-huddle offense. If Martinez can get to the level of say Oregon's Darren James or Texas's Vince Young, rather than expecting he will become an NFL-caliber quarterback, that'll be fine.
Here are Nebraska quarterback statistics since 2004:
2004 - Joe Dailey - 2025 yds, 49.4%, 6.53 yds/att, 17 TDs, 19 INTs
2005 - Zac Taylor - 2653 yds, 55.1%, 6.17 yds/att, 19 TDs, 12 INTs
2006 - Zac Taylor - 3197 yds, 59.6%, 8.18 yds/att, 26 TDs, 8 INTs
2007 - Sam Keller - 2422 yds, 63.1 %, 7.45 yds/att, 14 TDs, 10 INTs
2007 - Joe Ganz - 1435 yds, 58.6%, 9.44 yds/att, 16 TDs, 7 INTs
2008 - Joe Ganz - 3568 yds, 67.9%, 8.50 yds/att, 25 TDs, 11 INTs
2009 - Zac Lee - 2143 yds, 58.6%, 7.10 yds/att, 14 TDs, 10 INTs
2010 - Taylor Martinez - 1631 yds, 59.2%, 8.32 yds/att, 10 TDs, 7 INTs
All quarterbacks listed from 2004-2009 combined for 575 rushing yards while Martinez had 965 on his own in 2010.
Other than Ganz in 2008 (67.9%), which of those years was any of the guys on this list a "more accurate passer" than Martinez last year? Obviously his yardage and touchdowns are down because he plays in a totally different offense but Keller was the only other one to really exceed Martinez's percentage last year and no one did it in their first year as a starter. Keep in mind, Keller started at Arizona State before transferring. In addition, we all remember how much help Martinez got from his wide receivers last year.
I'm not going to argue that Martinez gets any style points for how he looks in the pocket but he is serviceable as a passer. As for this business of throwing motion, people didn't like Phillip Rivers throwing motion either but that's turned out all right for him with the Sa Diego Chargers. Bernie Kosar nearly won a Heisman Trophy and started for years in the NFL throwing side-arm so I don't get hung up on how the delivery looks.
I'd like to see Martinez work through his progressions a little more as well but when he pulled the ball down and ran against Tennessee-Chattanooga, he got a first down more often than not.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Huskers not alone in needing to iron out rough edges
The perfectionist Nebraska football fan would like to have seen the Huskers season-opening 40-7 win over Tennessee-Chattanooga have a lot fewer rough edges.
However, there are a few things that miss the point about that argument. For openers, if quarterbck Taylor Martinez plays the entire game, Nebraska probably wins 54-7 but in a lopsided game it is much more prudent to get the second and third teamers some much need playing time. If you hadn't watched the game, you would have immediately thought the Huskers were a powerhouse but a 40-7 win is nothing to complain about whether it's Game #1 or Game #10. Consider what else took place around the naton. No. 2 Alabama beat a Kent State team that is probably just as weak as UT-Chattanooga 48-7. No. 6 Florida State was a 34-0 winner over Louisiand-Monroe, an opponent just as weak as Kent State and UT-Chattanooga. No. 18 Ohio State beat Akron 42-0. Not that big of a deal considering Akron is consistently one of the worst teams in the nation.
The point is that other teams had their problems Saturday, too, and we haven't begun to mention reigning National Champion Auburn needing a miracle to beat Utah State 42-38. While we're at it, let's mention Sacramento State going into Oregon State and winning 29-28. Sac State, people! Div. I-AA Sac State. Oklahoma is the top-ranked team in the nation and played like it n beating Tulsa 47-14 but keep in mind led the Sooners 17-0 in the Big 12 title game only to lose 23-20.
The truth of the matter is, nobody is a juggernaut. Yes, the Huskers need to learn to develop consistency, but there is no team that resembles the 1995 Huskers let alone say, the 2004 USC Trojans or the 2001 Miami Hurricanes out there. Yes, Nebraska has a long way to go, but the Huskers can get better.
True, there were some impressive performances around the Top 25 ike No. 11 Wisconsin rolling UNLV 51-17. In some circles, Wisconsin is consdered the favorite to win the Big Ten conference and they certainly played like it Thursday. The Huskers have three more nonconference games (Fresno State, Washington and Wyoming) before vsitng Wisconsin on Oct. 1. Fresno State lost to a pretty meidocre (and frequently overrated) California team 36-21 but a garbage time touchdown made that game closer than it appeared. Washington narrowly escaped at home with a 30-27 win over Div. I-AA Eastern Washington. Wyoming also narrowly beat Div. I-AA Weber State 35-32.
Point being, the Huskers have a month to clean up their mistakes before the aforementioned road trip to Madison, Wisc. so there is no need to panic.
True, the Huskers' season-opener was more ragged than you would have liked, especially on offense as the timing and spacing in the backfield seemed surprisingly bad on several occasions. However, I didn't see anything that priactice and time shouldn't overcome. The young offensive line needs to come together -- and very quickly at that. They had a few good moments but to many not so good.
No need to worry yet. Let's see how much the Huskers get cleaned up this week and what they put on the field Saturday against a Fresno State program that has had a history of knocking off college football's giants.
However, there are a few things that miss the point about that argument. For openers, if quarterbck Taylor Martinez plays the entire game, Nebraska probably wins 54-7 but in a lopsided game it is much more prudent to get the second and third teamers some much need playing time. If you hadn't watched the game, you would have immediately thought the Huskers were a powerhouse but a 40-7 win is nothing to complain about whether it's Game #1 or Game #10. Consider what else took place around the naton. No. 2 Alabama beat a Kent State team that is probably just as weak as UT-Chattanooga 48-7. No. 6 Florida State was a 34-0 winner over Louisiand-Monroe, an opponent just as weak as Kent State and UT-Chattanooga. No. 18 Ohio State beat Akron 42-0. Not that big of a deal considering Akron is consistently one of the worst teams in the nation.
The point is that other teams had their problems Saturday, too, and we haven't begun to mention reigning National Champion Auburn needing a miracle to beat Utah State 42-38. While we're at it, let's mention Sacramento State going into Oregon State and winning 29-28. Sac State, people! Div. I-AA Sac State. Oklahoma is the top-ranked team in the nation and played like it n beating Tulsa 47-14 but keep in mind led the Sooners 17-0 in the Big 12 title game only to lose 23-20.
The truth of the matter is, nobody is a juggernaut. Yes, the Huskers need to learn to develop consistency, but there is no team that resembles the 1995 Huskers let alone say, the 2004 USC Trojans or the 2001 Miami Hurricanes out there. Yes, Nebraska has a long way to go, but the Huskers can get better.
True, there were some impressive performances around the Top 25 ike No. 11 Wisconsin rolling UNLV 51-17. In some circles, Wisconsin is consdered the favorite to win the Big Ten conference and they certainly played like it Thursday. The Huskers have three more nonconference games (Fresno State, Washington and Wyoming) before vsitng Wisconsin on Oct. 1. Fresno State lost to a pretty meidocre (and frequently overrated) California team 36-21 but a garbage time touchdown made that game closer than it appeared. Washington narrowly escaped at home with a 30-27 win over Div. I-AA Eastern Washington. Wyoming also narrowly beat Div. I-AA Weber State 35-32.
Point being, the Huskers have a month to clean up their mistakes before the aforementioned road trip to Madison, Wisc. so there is no need to panic.
True, the Huskers' season-opener was more ragged than you would have liked, especially on offense as the timing and spacing in the backfield seemed surprisingly bad on several occasions. However, I didn't see anything that priactice and time shouldn't overcome. The young offensive line needs to come together -- and very quickly at that. They had a few good moments but to many not so good.
No need to worry yet. Let's see how much the Huskers get cleaned up this week and what they put on the field Saturday against a Fresno State program that has had a history of knocking off college football's giants.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Season opener tells little but important signs nonetheless
The 2011 college football season is here and not a moment too soon. As stated here on Wine Country Husker throughout the week, No. 10 Nebraska's 40-7 win over UT-Chattanooga is a game where you view the process more so than the result. Let's face it, if Nebraska beats, say, Wisconsin 10-7 and turns the ball over five times you won't care about the result.
Against a middle-of-the-road Div. I-AA team like the Mocs, however, the process tends to matter more. So what do we take out of Game # 1?
-- Quarterback Taylor Martinez looks to be back to full speed and I liked that he threw some passes away instead of enduring a sack. One of the things Nebraska fans were waiting with baited breath to see was whether Martinez would be back to something resembling the T-Magic of last season. In that sense, he didn’t disappoint, with touchdown runs of 43 and 47 yards. In offensive coordinator Tim Beck's first game in his new role, Martinez showed himself to be healthy enough to have Nebraska’s offense centered around him.
Whether that is a good or bad thing is a question that will divide opinion among Husker fans.
Days before the game, head coach Bo Pelini promised Nebraska’s new offense would be a combination of old-school NU football and the modern day spread. There was a lot of option football being played, warming the cockles of the experienced members of Nebraska’s fan base (say 35 or older).
Nebraska’s inability to consistently run the ball right at Chattanooga, however, will rankle that same fan base. As an example, Nebraska had the ball first and goal at the six-yard line and could not get in the end zone. We're talking UT-Chattanooga, not the UT Volunteers.
The truth of the matter is, a 40-7 rout may make things look good but Nebraska appears to still lack the ability to simply line up and run over teams (especially teams Nebraska has a clear athletic superiority over). That has to be cause for concern.
From what we saw of the Beck offense as opposed to former coordinator Shawn Watson, Nebraska’s offense will include a lot of option, a lot of quick passes and a lot of getting the ball to playmakers and letting them go. However, there were plenty of times where it was clear that not everyone was on the same page. On many occasions, players would run into each other in the backfield, or one player would look for another to see no one there. Against a team like Chattanooga, those types of miscues didn’t make a difference. Against a sturdier opponent, those mistakes could be fatal.
The offensive line, however, play improved as the game went along, and I thought Spencer Long looked pretty good and Andrew Rodriguez might be Nebraska's most phsicl offensive lineman.
Two of Nebraska’s biggest struggles in 2010 were fumbles and penalties. The fumbles were still an issue, although that had more to do with getting used to Tim Beck’s new high-tempo offense than anything else but Nebraska only committed three penalties for 33 yards, and one was an incredibly soft roughing the passer call on defensive end Josh Williams.
One particular bone of contention from last year was the play clock issue, which Saturday appeared to be a thing of the past. The new offense gives Martinez enough time to survey the defense, change a play and snap the ball before the play clock is even close to expiring. Gone seem to be the days of Memorial Stadium groaning in exasperation when a timeout is burned due to the play clock running down.
On the defensive side, Nebraska's line, as expeted looks deep and solid. Defensive end Cameron Meredith looks like he might have a breakout season, and defensive tackle Jared Crick was as advertised.
The linebacker play of LaVonte David and Trevor Roach looked great, and I thought Alonzo Whaley did a nice job too.
The secondary played without the servies of Alfonzo Dennard, who is out with a quad injury. As expected, his replacement (Andrew Green) had his peaks and valleys but the experience of Saturday will hopefuly be a huge difference. The biggest bright spot in the secondary, however, was cornerback Austin Stafford looks like he is going to be a stud. Stafford made tackles against the run and pass with authority.
Let's not forget the kicking game. Junior kicker and punter Brett Maher did his best to put the Alex Henery ghosts to rest in his first game as a starter. His first of four field goals was from 50 yards, into the teeth of a howling wind, with plenty of distance to spare. Maher also punted admirably, getting good height and distance even in a tough wind, and getting one punt downed inside the 10.
Going into the season, most observers (including yours truly) thought Nebraska would have a drop-off in production from the kicking game in 2011. After Maher’s performance, it appears that worry may have been unfounded.
So what does this mean in the big picture?
Ultimately, it’s not fair to judge Beck too harshly after the first game. Yes, it was rough in spots. Martinez doesn’t look all that comfortable running the option. Yes, receivers still dropped passes at an alarming rate but there was also a lot of youth that got game experience. The three freshman running backs (Ameer Abdullah, Aaron Green and Braylon Heard) all looked very good in their appearances. Jamal Turner, in limited playing time, still electrified the crowd and showed his incredible promise.
So there does appear to be a lot of parts in place for Nebraska’s offense to be successful. But, as a year ago, ultimately that success will revolve around the performance of Taylor Martinez.
Against a middle-of-the-road Div. I-AA team like the Mocs, however, the process tends to matter more. So what do we take out of Game # 1?
-- Quarterback Taylor Martinez looks to be back to full speed and I liked that he threw some passes away instead of enduring a sack. One of the things Nebraska fans were waiting with baited breath to see was whether Martinez would be back to something resembling the T-Magic of last season. In that sense, he didn’t disappoint, with touchdown runs of 43 and 47 yards. In offensive coordinator Tim Beck's first game in his new role, Martinez showed himself to be healthy enough to have Nebraska’s offense centered around him.
Whether that is a good or bad thing is a question that will divide opinion among Husker fans.
Days before the game, head coach Bo Pelini promised Nebraska’s new offense would be a combination of old-school NU football and the modern day spread. There was a lot of option football being played, warming the cockles of the experienced members of Nebraska’s fan base (say 35 or older).
Nebraska’s inability to consistently run the ball right at Chattanooga, however, will rankle that same fan base. As an example, Nebraska had the ball first and goal at the six-yard line and could not get in the end zone. We're talking UT-Chattanooga, not the UT Volunteers.
The truth of the matter is, a 40-7 rout may make things look good but Nebraska appears to still lack the ability to simply line up and run over teams (especially teams Nebraska has a clear athletic superiority over). That has to be cause for concern.
From what we saw of the Beck offense as opposed to former coordinator Shawn Watson, Nebraska’s offense will include a lot of option, a lot of quick passes and a lot of getting the ball to playmakers and letting them go. However, there were plenty of times where it was clear that not everyone was on the same page. On many occasions, players would run into each other in the backfield, or one player would look for another to see no one there. Against a team like Chattanooga, those types of miscues didn’t make a difference. Against a sturdier opponent, those mistakes could be fatal.
The offensive line, however, play improved as the game went along, and I thought Spencer Long looked pretty good and Andrew Rodriguez might be Nebraska's most phsicl offensive lineman.
Two of Nebraska’s biggest struggles in 2010 were fumbles and penalties. The fumbles were still an issue, although that had more to do with getting used to Tim Beck’s new high-tempo offense than anything else but Nebraska only committed three penalties for 33 yards, and one was an incredibly soft roughing the passer call on defensive end Josh Williams.
One particular bone of contention from last year was the play clock issue, which Saturday appeared to be a thing of the past. The new offense gives Martinez enough time to survey the defense, change a play and snap the ball before the play clock is even close to expiring. Gone seem to be the days of Memorial Stadium groaning in exasperation when a timeout is burned due to the play clock running down.
On the defensive side, Nebraska's line, as expeted looks deep and solid. Defensive end Cameron Meredith looks like he might have a breakout season, and defensive tackle Jared Crick was as advertised.
The linebacker play of LaVonte David and Trevor Roach looked great, and I thought Alonzo Whaley did a nice job too.
The secondary played without the servies of Alfonzo Dennard, who is out with a quad injury. As expected, his replacement (Andrew Green) had his peaks and valleys but the experience of Saturday will hopefuly be a huge difference. The biggest bright spot in the secondary, however, was cornerback Austin Stafford looks like he is going to be a stud. Stafford made tackles against the run and pass with authority.
Let's not forget the kicking game. Junior kicker and punter Brett Maher did his best to put the Alex Henery ghosts to rest in his first game as a starter. His first of four field goals was from 50 yards, into the teeth of a howling wind, with plenty of distance to spare. Maher also punted admirably, getting good height and distance even in a tough wind, and getting one punt downed inside the 10.
Going into the season, most observers (including yours truly) thought Nebraska would have a drop-off in production from the kicking game in 2011. After Maher’s performance, it appears that worry may have been unfounded.
So what does this mean in the big picture?
Ultimately, it’s not fair to judge Beck too harshly after the first game. Yes, it was rough in spots. Martinez doesn’t look all that comfortable running the option. Yes, receivers still dropped passes at an alarming rate but there was also a lot of youth that got game experience. The three freshman running backs (Ameer Abdullah, Aaron Green and Braylon Heard) all looked very good in their appearances. Jamal Turner, in limited playing time, still electrified the crowd and showed his incredible promise.
So there does appear to be a lot of parts in place for Nebraska’s offense to be successful. But, as a year ago, ultimately that success will revolve around the performance of Taylor Martinez.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Season-ending humble pie should prevent letdown
On paper, there is no reason to believe that Saturday's game involving No. 10 Nebraska taking on Tennessee-Chattanooga should be close. The Huskers open as a 34.5 point favorite.
Though manly fans may bristle at "coach speak," especially involving one team being a heavy favorite to beat the other, momentum can often be fragile because if you let an underdog hang around long enough, the liklihood of an upset increases.
The last time Nebraska faced a Football Championship Subdivision team, they had to endure some teeth-nashing moments in a 17-3 win over South Dakota State.
"I would hope that we never take anybody lightly," coach Bo Pelini said in an Associated Press story Friday morning. "We just didn't play well against South Dakota State last year, especially on offense. I don't know if our guys took them lightly. I don't know about that game, but we will be prepared on Saturday."
Much like South Dakota State, Chattanooga is a middle-of-the road ballclub. The Mocs have gone 6-5 the past two years and are picked to finish fourth in the Southern Conference. Games like Saturday are often referred to as "bodybag games" because Chattanooga scheduled the game for the $475,000 paycheck, but no big underdog can resist imagining the unthinkable happening.
However, when a big name program hosts an FCS school, the game many people frequently refer to is the 2006 matchup when Appalachian State of the Southern Conference beat Michigan in one of the greatest upsets in college football history.
Most people fail to realize, however, that Appalachian State was one of, if not perhaps the best, FCS team in the country that year. The problem with using the past to predict the future is that the "one size fits all" approach is not how the world works. Every game is its own entity and has different circumstances surrounding it.
Entering last year's game aforementioned game in Lincoln, South Dakota State had entered the contest with losses to Delaware and Illinois State. Nebraska was ranked No. 6 in the country and coming off a 56-21 win at Washington. In hindsight (which is always 20-20), the Huskers perhaps had reason to enter the game feeling full of themselves.
Turned out, the Huskers were ripe for a letdown as they struggled to a 17-3 win. Keep in mind, SDSU had two touchdowns called by because of penalties.
The Jackrabbits appeared to score the game's first touchdown, but a video review showed the ball carrier didn't cross the goal line. Down 14 points in the fourth quarter, the Jacks ran back an interception 66 yards for an apparent touchdown, but a penalty nullified the play.
For this game, however, the Huskers have no reason at all to feel full of themselves despite their No. 10 ranking. You know the saying, "You're only as good as your last game." Well, the last time Nebraska took the field they only did so in body in their 19-7 Holiday Bowl loss to Washington. That defeat capped a 10-4 season in which the Huskers closed with three losses in four games.
Looking ahead? Could happen this week but it won't.
Though manly fans may bristle at "coach speak," especially involving one team being a heavy favorite to beat the other, momentum can often be fragile because if you let an underdog hang around long enough, the liklihood of an upset increases.
The last time Nebraska faced a Football Championship Subdivision team, they had to endure some teeth-nashing moments in a 17-3 win over South Dakota State.
"I would hope that we never take anybody lightly," coach Bo Pelini said in an Associated Press story Friday morning. "We just didn't play well against South Dakota State last year, especially on offense. I don't know if our guys took them lightly. I don't know about that game, but we will be prepared on Saturday."
Much like South Dakota State, Chattanooga is a middle-of-the road ballclub. The Mocs have gone 6-5 the past two years and are picked to finish fourth in the Southern Conference. Games like Saturday are often referred to as "bodybag games" because Chattanooga scheduled the game for the $475,000 paycheck, but no big underdog can resist imagining the unthinkable happening.
However, when a big name program hosts an FCS school, the game many people frequently refer to is the 2006 matchup when Appalachian State of the Southern Conference beat Michigan in one of the greatest upsets in college football history.
Most people fail to realize, however, that Appalachian State was one of, if not perhaps the best, FCS team in the country that year. The problem with using the past to predict the future is that the "one size fits all" approach is not how the world works. Every game is its own entity and has different circumstances surrounding it.
Entering last year's game aforementioned game in Lincoln, South Dakota State had entered the contest with losses to Delaware and Illinois State. Nebraska was ranked No. 6 in the country and coming off a 56-21 win at Washington. In hindsight (which is always 20-20), the Huskers perhaps had reason to enter the game feeling full of themselves.
Turned out, the Huskers were ripe for a letdown as they struggled to a 17-3 win. Keep in mind, SDSU had two touchdowns called by because of penalties.
The Jackrabbits appeared to score the game's first touchdown, but a video review showed the ball carrier didn't cross the goal line. Down 14 points in the fourth quarter, the Jacks ran back an interception 66 yards for an apparent touchdown, but a penalty nullified the play.
For this game, however, the Huskers have no reason at all to feel full of themselves despite their No. 10 ranking. You know the saying, "You're only as good as your last game." Well, the last time Nebraska took the field they only did so in body in their 19-7 Holiday Bowl loss to Washington. That defeat capped a 10-4 season in which the Huskers closed with three losses in four games.
Looking ahead? Could happen this week but it won't.
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