Will the North rise up?

Some conversations you can absolutely count on hearing. When it comes to Big XII football, you can definitely count on media members and/or message board posters to talk ad nauseam about the South division’s supremacy over the North.

It’s hard to argue against that idea now because since the conference was formed in 1996 since the South has won nine of the 14 Big XII championship games. The last time a North division team won it was 2003 (Kansas State).

However, the question that bears asking is will the pendulum swing back toward the North any time soon? Listening to some people you would think the answer was a resounding “never.” Unfortunately, those same people forget that when the conference was initially formed the North was the superior division. Nebraska was at its zenith in the midst of a 60-3 run with three National Championships in four seasons as well as four undefeated regular seasons in five years. Colorado and Kansas State also had outstanding teams in that stretch and if not for Nebraska, who’s to say they might not have won a National title? Of course, it wouldn’t be the same without Kansas State and Colorado fans living in the world of “if.”

In that same stretch, keep in mind that the South division teams that were strong now were not strong then. Oklahoma was pathetic. Texas was decent but far from what it is now. Texas Tech and Oklahoma State were so-so but not as prominently on the radar as they are now.

So will the balance of power ever shift back to the North? Some people seem convinced that it will never happen. Granted, the South already has a built-in leg up over the North in that you have two brand name programs (Texas and Oklahoma) while the North has one (Nebraska). It’s hard to imagine Kansas State being at that level any time soon. Kansas, Missouri and occasionally Colorado are solid. The one with the best chance of staying power might be Missouri because Columbia lies between two pretty fertile recruiting areas (Kansas City and St. Louis).

Because Texas and Oklahoma are in two fertile and highly coveted recruiting areas, most people seem convinced those programs will stay ahead of the pack. Unfortunately, what those same people forget is that Texas and Oklahoma have always had that recruiting advantage over Nebraska. Yes, that includes the years they both stunk. I just find it laughable how people only talk about those advantages when a team is good.

David McWilliams had the same recruiting advantage at Texas when he was the head coach from 1986-1991. What did that get him? A mediocre 31-26 record. His successor, John Mackovic had the same advantage from 1992-1997. What did that get him? A mediocre 41-28-1 record. Look at Oklahoma. John Blake had the same recruiting advantage from 1996-1998. What was his record? A most impressive 12-22.

Look at USC in a recruiting ground like Los Angeles. That’s about as fertile as it gets. That advantage got Paul Hackett a whopping 19-18 record from 1998-2000. It got Larry Smith a 44-25-3 record from 1987-1992 but not consistent success. Lest we forget it got Ted Tollner a pretty average 26-20 record from 1982-1986.

Granted, it’s hard to imagine Texas, Oklahoma or USC going in the tank barring NCAA sanctions, disastrous coaching changes or other bizarre acts of implosion.

Keep in mind, though, it wasn’t long ago that we could not have imagined Nebraska imploding but it happened. And if it can happen them it can happen now.

Griffin loss a huge blow to Baylor

Nebraska’s next two football opponents might be at Missouri (Oct. 8) and home for Texas Tech (Oct. 10) – two games that could say quite a bit about how the Huskers finish Year Two under head coach Bo Pelini.

However, it was hard not to notice the shockwaves coming out of Waco, Texas, on Sunday night where the Huskers visit Baylor for a matchup on Halloween. No pun intended but the news that emanated from Waco suddenly makes Nebraska’s trip there less scary.

Rivals.com, reported that Baylor sophomore quarterback Robert Griffin III and kick returner Mikail Baker will both miss the rest of the 2009 season due to season-ending knee injuries.

An MRI exam conducted Sunday afternoon revealed Griffin's right knee had an isolated tear in his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The injury occurred during the first quarter of Baylor's 68-13 victory over Northwestern State on Saturday.

Baker, a senior defensive back and return specialist for the Bears, also suffered a season-ending injury during Saturday's contest with what an MRI revealed to be an ACL tear and a tear to his medial and lateral meniscus.

X-rays taken Sunday were negative on backup quarterback Blake Szymanski's shoulder, and an MRI revealed a contusion to his right shoulder. The status of Szymanski, who took a hit on a rush near the goal-line Saturday, is described as "day-to-day" by Baylor's training staff.

Suffice it to say, this is a huge blow to the Bears. As a true freshman in 2008, Griffin earned Big 12 Newcomer of the Year honors. Griffin guided the Bears, who have been enormously overmatched since joining the Big 12 in 1996, to a 4-8 record last season and were off to a 2-1 start this season. One of those defeats last season was a 32-20 setback to Nebraska in Lincoln.

Most Husker fans and media members viewed Baylor as a trap game as it comes one week before a home contest against Oklahoma, which is without its starting quarterback Sam Bradford (broken collar bone suffered in the season-opener). However, the Sooners have more than enough talent to get by most teams. Baylor, on the other hand, does not have that luxury.

With Griffin gone, the Huskers go from slight favorite to significant favorite. Personally, I was never one that thought Baylor was going to be a humungous challenge for Nebraska, but this will definitely make it easier. Keep in kind, the Huskers defeated Baylor with Griffon last season at a time in which Nebraska was still figuring out Pelini’s scheme. Not that the Huskers have perfected his scheme but having allowed just 28 points in four games would suggest they are on their way.

Make no mistake, Griffin is a phenom. I guess we'll find out how much of Baylor's success was due to Griffin, and how much of it was the talent around him. Something tells me it is the former.

Granted, these are not the helpless Bears that we knew in previous years but the threat that Baylor posed to Nebraska was always overstated in my opinion. Nebraska is a better football team. Period. And it's probably not that close. Yes, Griffin is a fine player and he may have had some highlights against the Huskers but unless Nebraska really its thumb up its butt it would not have lost to a Griffin led Baylor team.

True, Baylor is actually a decent team because of Griffin. Why Griffin went to Baylor rather than Texas or OU is beyond me. He would have been a Heisman candidate at one of those schools.

Bring on Mizzu, Texas Tech

OK, so the regular season is one-third in the books with No. 25 Nebraska shutting out Louisiana-Lafeyette 55-0 Saturday on a day that the Huskers sold out their 300th consecutive home game.

The Huskers are 3-1 and a one-point loss away from being 4-0. Any questions of Nebraska’s resilience were answered rather decisively. That is significant for two reasons. For starters, as great of a motivator as Bo Pelini is, it’s still easy to remember the Steve Pederson-Bill Callahan era where one bad loss tended to have a prolonged effect. Pelini’s forceful personality is such that he won’t allow any prolonged slides. Then again, perhaps we should know that by now.

As for Nebraska’s heartbreaking 16-15 loss to No. 11 Virginia Tech, some message board posters wondered if that loss might end up looking bad because the Hokies were 2-1 entering Saturday’s game against No. 9 Miami. Yes, that same Miami team that some mainstream media members (i.e. Lou Holtz) proclaimed as being “back.” Well, a funny thing happened today in Blackburg, Va. It’s called VaTech kicked Miami’s ass from one end of the field to the other in a 31-7 win for the Hokies.

Not to justify Nebraska’s loss, however, that defeat coupled with the Hokies win over Miami might even further illustrate that the Huskers are getting closer.

We will know much more after Oct. 17. For starters, Nebraska faces Missouri on the road for a Thursday night ESPN telecast followed by Texas Tech in Lincoln, Ne. on Oct. 17. When breaking down Nebraska’s preseason schedule, most eyes were on VaTech and Oklahoma. Well, Kansas drew a few eyes too. However, Mizzu and Texas Tech have note despite the fact that the Huskers are a combined 2-7 against those two teams.

That stretch has included defeats of embarrassing proportions such as a 70-10 loss to Texas Tech in 2004 in Lubbock, a 41-6 loss to Missouri in 2007 and 52-17 defeat to the Tigers in 2008.

It was generally assumed that the Huskers will continue their ascension in Pelini’s second year in 2009. Nebraska went 9-4 in Pelini’s first year and would appear to be a solid bet to at least match that record. Nebraska is 3-1 so far but its truest tests still remain.

It was also generally assumed that Texas Tech, which enjoyed an 11-2 season in 2008, would falter after losing numerous players including quarterback Graham Harrell and wide receiver Michael Crabtree. The Red Raiders have already lost as many games as they did last season as they are 2-2 entering Saturday’s home game against New Mexico. However, Texas Tech’s two defeats have been by ten points or less – a 34-24 loss at No. 2 Texas and a 29-28 defeat at resurgent and No. 17 Houston.

It was also generally assumed that Missouri, which went 10-4 in 2008 and 12-2 in 2007 en route to winning Big 12 North titles, will slip after losing quarterback Chase Daniel, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and tight end Chase Kauffman. The Tigers, meanwhile, are 4-0 and like the Huskers have 12 days to prepare for their aforementioned showdown in Columbia. The Tigers most recognizable win has come again a 1-2 Illinois team (37-9). Mizzu also escaped with a road win against Nevada (31-21) on Saturday.

Despite last year’s improvements – and to some degree this year, Nebraska is not good enough to be counting victories just yet. While every win is important, beating Texas Tech and Missouri would be psychological hurdles. Plus, despite those losses in personnel, Gary Pinkel (Missouri) and Mike Leach (Texas Tech) are two flawed but bright offensive minds as coaches.

With Texas Tech, most Husker fans still have the 2004 debacle fresh in their mind. However, Nebraska was a fumbled LeKevin Smith interception away from winning in a 34-31 loss in 2005 and a desparation Joe Ganz interception away from winning in a 37-31 overtime loss in 2008.

With Missouri, they creamed two teams coached by Callahan and another (the 2008 team) still had many Callahan remnants. They also lost to a 2002 Nebraska team that went 7-7 and a 2004 Husker club that went 5-6, making former defensive coordinators Craig Bohl and Kevin Cosgrove look like Charlie McBride.

In that respect, the next two games against Missouri and Texas Tech are similar to say the home game last season against Kansas. The Jayhawks obliterated Nebraska 76-39 in 2007 on the way to a 12-1 season. The Huskers won last year’s game 45-35 but outplayed the Jayhawks to a larger extent than the final score suggests. One KU touchdown came with the game out of reach in the fourth quarter and another was set by a Nate Swift muffed punt near the Huskers 25 yard line.

After the game, Lincoln Journal Star columnist Steve Sipple, whose work I respect greatly, referred to the game as a landmark win. I disagreed with that notion at the time and still do now because in going 8-5 in 2008, the Jayhawks (who beat Nebraska 40-15 in 2005 in Lawrence, Kansas) did not approach their 2007 success.

I viewed the 2008 Nebraska win as psychological not only based on the aforementioned defeats but Nebraska’s ugly 14-8 win in 2004 and its 32-25 overtime win in 2006 in which the Huskers let a 24-7 lead evaporate before prevailing.

Every win is big for the Huskers getting back to prominence but wins over Texas Tech and Missouri would be of the psychological kind.

Celebrating loyalty

300! It’s a good number that denotes a perfect game in bowling. It also represents an elite number for Major League Baseball pitchers as 24 in the history of the game have topped the 300 mark in career wins.

However, Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb., is not about bowling or baseball. It is a venue where fans will sell out the stadium for 300th consecutive game when The Nebraska Cornhuskers host the University of Louisiana-Lafeyette Ragin’-Cajuns.

While the Husker football program appears to be on its way back under second-year head coach Bo Pelini, many streaks have ended since 2001: Consecutive nine-win seasons (33), consecutive winning seasons (40), consecutive seasons of reaching a bowl game (33), consecutive wins over Kansas (36), Iowa State (12), Missouri (27) and Oklahoma State (41). The one streak, however, that has remained intact is the home sellout streak.

Yes, Nebraskans do “stick together in all kinds of weather” as the fight song goes.

I can just hear the elitists, notably on the West and East Coasts right now, “Well, what else is there to do in Nebraska besides eat corn and watch football?” Not that I would typecast everyone on either coast to be elitist but you get the idea.

I have one think to say to those people that espouse such a belief: “You don’t get it. You never have. You never will.” I don’t know if it is because they choose not to get it or are too stupid to get it. Part of the premise stems from the fact that there are no professional sports teams in Nebraska. Pretty weak argument in my mind.

To the state of Nebraska, the Huskers are their NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL team rolled into one — they wouldn’t want it any other way.

Sorry to break this to you but Nebraska has golf courses and movie theaters, just like everywhere else – and yes, that includes California. I ought to know that there are a percentage of those who believe that because I am a UNL grad from 1997 that has lived in Napa, CA, for 31 out of the 37 years I have been alive.

That’s what makes college football in Mid-America refreshing. There is nothing these folks would rather do. They enjoy the simple pleasures. True, they might not have beaches or a bustling night life, but to them, simpler is better. To take it a step further, a prime rib dinner at Misty’s means more than elegant dining.

Huskers did not deserve to win

OK, I am a blogger taking on the personality of our head coach.

There’s two things to point to in No. 19 Nebraska’s heartache of a 16-15 loss to No. 13 Virginia Tech. Well, let’s just say Nebraska went from jubilation to deflation like lickity-split.

For starters, there’s Virginia Tech wide receiver Danny Coale running past Nebraska safety Matt O’Hanlon. Coale caught the ball around the Husker 40-yard line before O’Hanlon hustled to tackle Coale at the 3. Unfortunately, two players later, the Hokies scored the go-ahead touchdown with 21-seconds left in the game.

The Nebraska defense that played so incredibly well throughout the game flat-lined. With VaTech taking over at its own 16, what on Earth is O’Hanlon doing letting a receiver get behind him?

Others would lament other missed opportunities by Nebraska – too many to list – over O’Hanlon taking an angle too flat while cornerback Anthony West appeared to have underneath coverage.

As for the missed opportunities:

-- Going 0-for-5 in the red zone in scoring touchdowns (5-for-6 in total scoring opportunities). Do that against a team that’s your equal or superior, you deserve to get beat.
-- There were four penalties (very legit ones at that) that take Nebraska from first-and-goal at the Hokies 6-yard line. First, Zac Lee’s touchdown to Mike McNeill is waved off for a holding penalty. One play later, Menelik Holt cannot maker a clean catch of Lee’s touchdown pass. Three penalties later, the Huskers are backed up and forced to punt at the 36.
-- There was Curenski Gilleylen running wide open down the right sideline that he has to reach for and fall out of bounds instead of running with so much open field even Mark Mangino could have scored.
In a nutshell, moral victories suck. If head coach Bo Pelini thinks so, then dammitt so should we!

OK, O’Hanlon getting beat deep and the offense faltering inside the red zone. Both are responsible for this loss. It’s not an “either/or” argument. You can’t mention one without the other.

I know the defense gave up a big play late, but this loss has to hang on the offense. Five field goals? It’s one thing to have to settle for a field every once in a while but when you have a top 25 opponent on the ropes you have to put them away. Especially when you are playing in their house, you know they are always going to make a game of it if you don't.

The most discouraging aspect of this loss is that special teams was the area most Husker fans, bloggers, message board posters, etc. feared given VaTech’s tendency to be superior. However, Nebraska played the Hokies even if not superior in special teams.

Granted, there was Dyrell Roberts’ 76-yard return on the opening kickoff that set up Ryan Williams’ touchdown but Niles Paul also gave Nebraska a 55-yard punt return to set up a field goal. Alex Henery also got off a 76-yard punt after a high snap. Adi Kunalac kickoff three touchbacks.

In a nutshell, very painful loss. I thought it was a great overall performance, especially by the defensive front seven, the offensive line and running back Roy Helu (28 carries, 169 yards). I don't fault offensive coordinator Shawn Watson for calling a more conservative game, on the road, with a young QB. However, I really wonder why we don't have a full house backfield for short yardage situations with defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh lead blocking. The red zone is where you have to establish your physical dominance.

The Huskers are getting closer but still need to be better at closing time.

Huskers have what it takes to beat VaTech

Much has been said and written how Saturday’s game between No. 19 Nebraska at No. 14 Virginia Tech represents a moment of truth for both clubs.

Well, since this is a Nebraska blog, we will focus on the significance from the Huskers standpoint. The same two teams met last season in Lincoln, Neb. with the Hokies prevailing 35-30.

You’ve heard the horror stories of the Huskers road struggles in recent seasons.

Since the infamous Black Friday 62-36 loss at Colorado in 2001, the Huskers are 16-25 away from Memorial Stadium (neutral site games included) and 13-21 in non-neutral site games.

That stretch has included its share of decisive losses (two defeats by 40 or more points, six by 30 or more, 11 by 20 or more, and 16 by 10 or more). Very few of the 13 wins have come against quality foes. The Huskers scored come-from-behind wins at Texas A&M in 2002 (38-31) and 2006 (28-27).

Make no mistake, beating VaTech in its backyard would be vital and another sign that the Huskers are headed in the direction of being among the elite in college football.

Again, much has been said and written about things Nebraska needs to do in order to win this Saturday. While all of these things hold some kernel of truth for the Cornhuskers (no pun intended), there are two things this team needs to do in order to win this game, and other games as we go forward.

Just to set the scene, I work as a sports reporter for two small-town weeklies in Napa Valley, CA. One of the schools I covered had a coach named Ian MacMillan, who coached by the motto of “Love and Trust.”

When I think of this week’s Nebraska game, I think of Ian’s motto.

For this Nebraska team to gain that much coveted win against a solid Hokie team, first, the team needs to listen to and trust these coaches. I'm a bit biased, but I think Nebraska has assembled one of the better coaching staffs in the country. While I spent a good seven years wondering from week to week if Nebraska had a team that could "do it," I no longer do with Bo Pelini as the head coach. I have absolute faith in the coaching staff that they will come up with a game plan on both sides of the ball that is extremely capable of winning the game.

I also have complete faith, that if they meet adversity, these coaches are extremely capable of making necessary adjustments in order to win the game. This was something we rarely saw under both Frank Solich and Bill Callahan. I have complete faith in this coaching staff and I believe the players do as well. That is half the battle.

Secondly, and what would be the second part of that battle, is the players simply need to execute what the coaches tell them to do. How many times, no matter who the opponent, or what the game plan, you hear coaches say it was a matter of execution? I have complete faith, that given the nature of our staff and their ability to teach and communicate, that our players will come out Saturday and execute with precision, the plan that they have been given.

I honestly don't care what that plan is, as long as it is executed. Granted, the opponent has a game plan to execute as well but if our team has belief in its coaches, and takes the plan given to them and executes it, there's no doubt in my mind they can beat any team in the country on a given day.

Yes, Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Va., is a tough environment. We can talk all we want about what the Nebraska offense, defense and special teams needs to do. The bottom line is, if the Huskers execute the plan, they will win the damn game.

I think some fans are still having Callahan era hangovers, and there is a tendency everything. I understand this and I was that way last year. However, I've come to the conclusion that Nebraska has a staff worthy of our faith and trust that they will deliver. This does not mean the Huskers will not lose games. It just means, that from week to week, given the talent and coaching staff, I think they are capable of winning every game they play.

I believe that Nebraska’s defense will be good enough, and execute well enough, to hold Virginia Tech to 17 points or thereabouts. Let us not forget, that the Huskers played very basic defensive packages in the first two weeks. I assure you that there will be more stunts and hidden agenda going on this weekend.

We have a Phillip Dillard sighting

Phillip Dillard is off the milk carton – or so it would appear.

Dillard, who is a senior that has not played the first two games of the season, has been working with the No. 1 defensive unit at WILL linebacker as opposed to the MIKE position.

The big question after spring practices was would Dillard get out of the doghouse? Dillard came to Nebraska as one of Bill Callahan’s prized recruits from 2005 class. He saw sporadic action as a true freshman. Dillard gained a redshirt year in 2006 based on sustaining a season-ending injury in 2006. Dillard split time at middle linebacker with Corey McKeon in 2007 but got in with the good graces of Bo Pelini’s staff by losing 40 pounds. Dillard, however, missed the last four games of the regular season and played sparingly in the Gator Bowl.

It was generally assumed by many Husker fans that Dillard would be a starter (or at least in contention for a starting job) when healthy and emerge as a leader. In spring practice, however, Dillard slipped “down there” on the depth chart. At the time, neither Pelini or linebackers coach Mike Ekeler specified how far “down there.” As for why Dillard fell on the depth chart, Ekeler said: “There's some things that we ask. I'll just leave it at that.”

When I heard the most recent news on Dillard I was expecting something like he was leaving the program. One of the reasons for the emphasis on Dillard’s rise is because starters Blake Lawrence (ankle) and Matthew May (stinger) are currently less than full strength.

Even if he was overweight and slow, you'd think Dillard would find his way onto the field. Otherwise, why wouldn't he have just transferred out of Nebraska? I have a feeling that this is very good news for the defense and a nice little wrinkle to throw at Virginia Tech for Saturday’s much-anticipated road game.

I am overjoyed for Dillard and the team. He always seemed like a good kid, and was one of the few to play with passion and heart in 2007. He could really help with the run defense this week which is significant given that the Hokies pride themselves on being a physical running team.

What's being lost in all of this is that Dillard is practicing at the WILL position. That position requires more speed than the MIKE position, which is where Dillard played in the past.

Another thought is that Pelini saw something in film that leads them to believe that Dillard will have a positive impact in that position. He is a senior with 33 games under his belt. He has played some WILL linebacker in the past. He is not going to be intimidated by the atmosphere at Virginia Tech.

Dillard is known to bring a little fire to the game as well but what is so hard to understand? He seems to have done every thing the coaches asked. He has maintained a good attitude and seems to have worked very hard at getting to the weight the coaches wanted. It seems like a no brainer to me. The linebacker play against Arkansas State was not the greatest and for sure needs to be better because VaTech will be a true test.