Much of the focus of Saturday's football matchup between No. 8 Nebraska and No. 7 Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium is centered around the historical significance of the Huskers making their Big Ten debut.
With the Big Ten now containing 12 teams, the conference has two divisions (Leaders and Legends). Most people favor Wisconsin to win the Leaders and Nebraska to win the Legends so this could be the first of two meetings if all goes according to plan.
Everyone from Las Vegas oddsmakers, media and message board posters have picked the Badgers to win Saturday's game. Wisconsin is a 10 point favorite as of late Thursday night.
Wisconsin's status as the favorite is understandable for three reasons: a) They are playing at home and Camp Randall Stadium is a notoriously hostile environment for visiting teams and b) the Badgers have beaten their first four opponents by a combined score of 204-34 and c) while Nebraska is 4-0 like Wisconsin they have outscored their opponents by a combined 171-88.
However, there are a few advantages that Nebraska has that very few people have taken into account.
At quarterback, Wisconsin would appear to have the edge with senior Russell Wilson over Nebraska sophomore Taylor Martinez. Wilson transfered from North Carolina State, where he played football and baseball and was the ACC Rookie of the Year. Wilson has been nothing short of spectacular in completing 69 of 91 passes for 1,136 yards, 11 touchdowns and one interception. He has also rushed 16 times for 108 yards and a score.
Martinez's passing numbers have not been spectacular as he has completed 43 of 85 tosses for 647 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. On the rushing side, he has 471 yards on 63 carries and seven touchdowns. Most importantly, his decision making and leadership, while not perfect, have improved.
While Wilson is more experienced and has the statistical advantage, in an odd sort of way, Martinez has an advantage because of his experience as starting quarterback in big games. Being the starting quarterback at Nebraska alone makes for a trial by fire because of the legacy the program has at that position such as Turner Gill, Tommie Frazier, Scott Frost and Eric Crouch. When you start as a freshman (especially quarterback) at Nebraska, you are instantly under a microscope.
Yes, Wilson shined at NC State but you simply cannot compare the pressure that a Wolfpack quarterback faces versus that of a Nebraska signal-caller. Being Wisconsin's starting QB comes with its challenges but for Wilson they haven't come in the first four games.
Martinez, meanwhile has played in four network-televised games against ranked opponents, with one being the Big 12 Conference Championship game last season.
Another edge that bodes well for Nebraska is that while the Badgers have bee very impressive on defense, the times opposing offenses have been successful is against Wisconsin's speed on the edge. Well, lack of would be a better description.
The Badgers will undoubtedly try to stack the line of scrimmage and dare Martinez to beat them with his arm. However, that does not mean that the Huskers will run the ball less. It will probably mean more sweeps, options and horizontal passes to make Wisconsin defend horizontally as well as vertically.
It also means we will likely see running back Rex Burkhead run more thann his share of Wildcat plays like last week against Wyoming.
Switching gears, while the Nebraska defense came in celebrated and hyped, the Huskers have been shockingly mediocre on that side of the ball. However, t should also be pointed out that defensive tackle Jared Crick, linebacker LaVonte David and cornerback Alfonzo Dennard have not been on the field at the same time all season. Crick sat out last week's 38-14 win over Wyoming with a concussion. Dennard returned to the lineup last week after nursing a quad injury for the first three games.
All three are expected to be in the lineup Saturday, which means Nebraska has playmakers at every level of its defense.
That means head coach Bo Pelini will not be as limited in how much of his scheme he can use. Therefore, he can throw more confusing looks with all three players in the lineup.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Entering Saturday's matchup, both Nebraska and Wisconsin have flaws
There is only one spot in the AP rankings that separates No. 8 Nebraska and No. 7 Wisconsin in Saturday's matchup at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. However, if you listen to oddsmakers, message board posters and selected media types, one would think the two programs are very far apart.
The Badgers have been installed as an 11-point favorite to beat Nebraska. Wisconsin's status as the favorite is understandable for three reasons: a) They are playing at home and Camp Randall Stadium is a notoriously hostile environment for visiting teams and b) the Badgers have beaten their first four opponents by a combined score of 204-34 and c) while Nebraska is 4-0 like Wisconsin they have outscored their opponents by a combined 171-88.
Not that I profess to being betting expert but part of the premise for establishing point spreads is not necessarily about who oddsmakers believe is going to win and which bet are people most likely to take. Common sense says Wisconsin for the above reasons.
Wisconsin State Journal columnist Tom Oates wrote a refreshing piece of journalism in his Sunday column. He pointed out that Wisconsin is 4-0, winning by 34, 35, 42 and 49 points "against a group of hand-picked opponents that fell far short of expectations.
Oates notes that UNLV is rebuilding, Oregon State is experiencing a rare down year, Northern Illinois was a disappointment and South Dakota was out of its league.
In his Sunday column, Oates asks a couple questions even Nebraska fans wonder about: So did UW pound on some patsies or is it as good as its lopsided scores would indicate? More important, were the Badgers tested enough to prepare them for the Cornhuskers?
"We've definitely played a lot of good teams so far, just nobody at the level of Nebraska," Badgers defensive tackle Patrick Butrym said. "We need to just pick up the way we're playing overall. Everybody deals with that coming out of the non-conference schedule. It just needs to happen. I think we're ready for that because we've done this before."
Oates also added that More from Oates "if there's cause for optimism, it is that UW dominated its opponents like it should have. The starters rarely played in the fourth quarter, but in the first three quarters the Badgers' scoring margin was a telling 166-20.
Still, just enough problems surfaced along the way -- not rushing well early in games, missing tackles on defense, forcing few turnovers, committing too many penalties -- that the Badgers know they'll have to improve to beat the Cornhuskers, who knocked off Wyoming 38-14 on Saturday to improve to 4-0.
At which point I would add let's evaluate the competition each team has faced. OK, both have faced a D-I AA team. Nebraska beat UT-Chatanooga 40-7 and Wisconsin beat South Dakota 59-10. As for the Div. I-A schools both have faced. Nebraska has beaten Fresno State (42-29), Washington (51-38) and Wyoming (38-14). Wisconsin defeated UNLV (51-17), Oregon State (35-0) and Northern Illinois (49-7). Let's also keep in perspective that Oregon State lost 29-28 to Div. I-AA Sacramento State at home. Wisconsin's opponents are a combined 5-10. Nebraska's foes are a combined 10-6.
The truth of the matter is point spreads, predictions, etc. are a lot of conjecture and hyperbole but while the Badgers are a talented team offensively, they are hard to read however as they've played four of the worst teams in college football. UNLV just got whipped by 27 points by Southern Utah. Northern Illinois is obviously a practice game for any major conference team. The level of competition goes way up this week and the Huskers having played better competition have scored 42,45,51 and 38 points while not even playing very well.
I don't think Nebraska's defensive line is as dominant as people thought in the preseason and the secondary is a youth problem. You can prepare and motivate, but if you don't have the horses, there is only so much you can do. I'm more concerned with the Husker offense as an unknown. The good news is that the offense has moved the ball the last two weeks without being as reliant on the big play. The problem is Nebraska has a quartterback in Taylor Martinez whose decision making has improved but is still a work-in-progress primarily because he is a sophomore.
As for Wisconsin's offense, it features a big and bulky offensive line. The Badgers line averages 6-foot-5, 325-pounds per man but I still mantain that Wisconsin is likely to try generating its yards by spreading the Huskers out as opposed to say two or three tight ends.
The big question mark is whether or not the Husker offense can move the ball against a good defense, and they haven't really played one yet. Generally, by the fifth game, a team knows its identity. Nebraska isn't going to pull a shut down secondary out of a hat, and the pressure the front four applies is harried and un-controlled and is the kind of thing mobile quarterbacks like Russell Wilson eat up with that inexperience in the secondary. If Nebraska wins, there will be a lot of patient defense, pocket-containing pressure, and a fourth quarter where the offense is toss-sweep right and toss-sweep left getting 6-7 yards a pop.
Nebraska's biggest advantage in this game is the fact that Wisconsin's starters have only played three quarters in each of their four games. Of course, that advantage won't matter if the Badgers are ahead by three touchdowns entering the fourth quarter but if its a close game or if Nebraska is ahead -- advantage Huskers because they are better conditioned.
The Badgers have been installed as an 11-point favorite to beat Nebraska. Wisconsin's status as the favorite is understandable for three reasons: a) They are playing at home and Camp Randall Stadium is a notoriously hostile environment for visiting teams and b) the Badgers have beaten their first four opponents by a combined score of 204-34 and c) while Nebraska is 4-0 like Wisconsin they have outscored their opponents by a combined 171-88.
Not that I profess to being betting expert but part of the premise for establishing point spreads is not necessarily about who oddsmakers believe is going to win and which bet are people most likely to take. Common sense says Wisconsin for the above reasons.
Wisconsin State Journal columnist Tom Oates wrote a refreshing piece of journalism in his Sunday column. He pointed out that Wisconsin is 4-0, winning by 34, 35, 42 and 49 points "against a group of hand-picked opponents that fell far short of expectations.
Oates notes that UNLV is rebuilding, Oregon State is experiencing a rare down year, Northern Illinois was a disappointment and South Dakota was out of its league.
In his Sunday column, Oates asks a couple questions even Nebraska fans wonder about: So did UW pound on some patsies or is it as good as its lopsided scores would indicate? More important, were the Badgers tested enough to prepare them for the Cornhuskers?
"We've definitely played a lot of good teams so far, just nobody at the level of Nebraska," Badgers defensive tackle Patrick Butrym said. "We need to just pick up the way we're playing overall. Everybody deals with that coming out of the non-conference schedule. It just needs to happen. I think we're ready for that because we've done this before."
Oates also added that More from Oates "if there's cause for optimism, it is that UW dominated its opponents like it should have. The starters rarely played in the fourth quarter, but in the first three quarters the Badgers' scoring margin was a telling 166-20.
Still, just enough problems surfaced along the way -- not rushing well early in games, missing tackles on defense, forcing few turnovers, committing too many penalties -- that the Badgers know they'll have to improve to beat the Cornhuskers, who knocked off Wyoming 38-14 on Saturday to improve to 4-0.
At which point I would add let's evaluate the competition each team has faced. OK, both have faced a D-I AA team. Nebraska beat UT-Chatanooga 40-7 and Wisconsin beat South Dakota 59-10. As for the Div. I-A schools both have faced. Nebraska has beaten Fresno State (42-29), Washington (51-38) and Wyoming (38-14). Wisconsin defeated UNLV (51-17), Oregon State (35-0) and Northern Illinois (49-7). Let's also keep in perspective that Oregon State lost 29-28 to Div. I-AA Sacramento State at home. Wisconsin's opponents are a combined 5-10. Nebraska's foes are a combined 10-6.
The truth of the matter is point spreads, predictions, etc. are a lot of conjecture and hyperbole but while the Badgers are a talented team offensively, they are hard to read however as they've played four of the worst teams in college football. UNLV just got whipped by 27 points by Southern Utah. Northern Illinois is obviously a practice game for any major conference team. The level of competition goes way up this week and the Huskers having played better competition have scored 42,45,51 and 38 points while not even playing very well.
I don't think Nebraska's defensive line is as dominant as people thought in the preseason and the secondary is a youth problem. You can prepare and motivate, but if you don't have the horses, there is only so much you can do. I'm more concerned with the Husker offense as an unknown. The good news is that the offense has moved the ball the last two weeks without being as reliant on the big play. The problem is Nebraska has a quartterback in Taylor Martinez whose decision making has improved but is still a work-in-progress primarily because he is a sophomore.
As for Wisconsin's offense, it features a big and bulky offensive line. The Badgers line averages 6-foot-5, 325-pounds per man but I still mantain that Wisconsin is likely to try generating its yards by spreading the Huskers out as opposed to say two or three tight ends.
The big question mark is whether or not the Husker offense can move the ball against a good defense, and they haven't really played one yet. Generally, by the fifth game, a team knows its identity. Nebraska isn't going to pull a shut down secondary out of a hat, and the pressure the front four applies is harried and un-controlled and is the kind of thing mobile quarterbacks like Russell Wilson eat up with that inexperience in the secondary. If Nebraska wins, there will be a lot of patient defense, pocket-containing pressure, and a fourth quarter where the offense is toss-sweep right and toss-sweep left getting 6-7 yards a pop.
Nebraska's biggest advantage in this game is the fact that Wisconsin's starters have only played three quarters in each of their four games. Of course, that advantage won't matter if the Badgers are ahead by three touchdowns entering the fourth quarter but if its a close game or if Nebraska is ahead -- advantage Huskers because they are better conditioned.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Tuneups are over, time for Big Ten play
Four up, four down for the No. 9 ranked Nebraska football team. The Huskers wrapped up the nonleague part of their slate with a 38-14 road win at Wyoming. Up next, the much anticipated Big Ten opener against the No. 6 rated Wisconsin Badgers in Madison, Wisc. Just my gut feeling but the Badgers, who rolled to a 59-10 win over South Dakota, are likely to be a slight favorite over Nebraska.
Though the Huskers clinged to a 14-7 halftime lead on Saturday, they were never in serious danger of losing as their depth and talent advantage wore down the Cowboys. The score very easily could have been 45-14 but Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini opted to take a knee in the final minute even though the Huskers had first-and-goal at the Wyoming 2. The Cowboys didn't do themselves any favors by committing seven penalties for 68 yards, 30 of which came on Nebraska's first drive of the second half, but the truth of the matter is the Huskers were the better team.
For the second time in as many weeks, the Husker offense take a quantum leap forward. This time thanks to running back Rex Burkhead's 170 yards rushing on 15 carries and two scores. Burkhead pounded the Cowboys into submission for most of the game. When Wyoming cut the lead too 31-14 midway through the fourth quarter, the Huskers turned to the speedy trio of true reshman running backs (Ameer Abdullah, Braylon Heard and Aaron Green). Abdullah had three carries for 36 yards. Green added 19 yards on three carries while Heard added 33 yards on nine yards including a touchdown. That power and speed approach to the running game is very akin to a hard throwing pitcher that can also change speeds.
While it is generally assumed that Nebraska will go as far as quarterback Taylor Martinez will take, Burkhead, however, might just be the hub of the offense's wheel because his reliability supplies the foundation for the offense.
Speaking of Martinez, his maturity is somewhat similar to a basketball player that has sacrificed scoring to become a more complete player to supply things like passing, reboundig and defense. Martinez's numbers Saturday look pedestrian on the surface. He was 12 of 21 for 157 yards, one touchdown and no interception as a passer. As a runner, he carred 12 times for 37 yards and a score. While Martinez is far from a finished product, his decision-making continues to improve and the fact that Nebraska can win a game without the benefit of Martinez lighting up the stat sheet is a huge plus because that was not the case last season.
Defensively, the Huskers were are from perfect in yielding 310 yards of total offense and 14 points but that's a huge improvement over the previous two games when they gave up over 28 points and 400 yards of total offense in each game. The Blackshirts are a far cry from the 2009 defense but on Saturday they also had to go without defensve tackle Jared Crick (concussion) and welcomed back cornerback Alfonzo Dennard to the lineup.
Though Wyoming quarterback Brett Smith completed just 17 of 33 passes for 166 yards, the Huskers had too many busted coverages that a better team would have capitalized on.
The Huskers got a lot of different players into the game so what does Saturday's win mean for the trip to Madison? Well, nothing really because every game is its own entity. The whole argument of "Well, if they play that way next week, they'll get beat" or "If they play that way next week they'll win" does not carry any weight.
Wisconsin has looked more impressive than the Huskers. As Pelini said in his potgame press conference, "There are no great teams." Nebraska does not need a perfect game to beat the Badgers but it needs to be on point more than it has all season.
Though the Huskers clinged to a 14-7 halftime lead on Saturday, they were never in serious danger of losing as their depth and talent advantage wore down the Cowboys. The score very easily could have been 45-14 but Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini opted to take a knee in the final minute even though the Huskers had first-and-goal at the Wyoming 2. The Cowboys didn't do themselves any favors by committing seven penalties for 68 yards, 30 of which came on Nebraska's first drive of the second half, but the truth of the matter is the Huskers were the better team.
For the second time in as many weeks, the Husker offense take a quantum leap forward. This time thanks to running back Rex Burkhead's 170 yards rushing on 15 carries and two scores. Burkhead pounded the Cowboys into submission for most of the game. When Wyoming cut the lead too 31-14 midway through the fourth quarter, the Huskers turned to the speedy trio of true reshman running backs (Ameer Abdullah, Braylon Heard and Aaron Green). Abdullah had three carries for 36 yards. Green added 19 yards on three carries while Heard added 33 yards on nine yards including a touchdown. That power and speed approach to the running game is very akin to a hard throwing pitcher that can also change speeds.
While it is generally assumed that Nebraska will go as far as quarterback Taylor Martinez will take, Burkhead, however, might just be the hub of the offense's wheel because his reliability supplies the foundation for the offense.
Speaking of Martinez, his maturity is somewhat similar to a basketball player that has sacrificed scoring to become a more complete player to supply things like passing, reboundig and defense. Martinez's numbers Saturday look pedestrian on the surface. He was 12 of 21 for 157 yards, one touchdown and no interception as a passer. As a runner, he carred 12 times for 37 yards and a score. While Martinez is far from a finished product, his decision-making continues to improve and the fact that Nebraska can win a game without the benefit of Martinez lighting up the stat sheet is a huge plus because that was not the case last season.
Defensively, the Huskers were are from perfect in yielding 310 yards of total offense and 14 points but that's a huge improvement over the previous two games when they gave up over 28 points and 400 yards of total offense in each game. The Blackshirts are a far cry from the 2009 defense but on Saturday they also had to go without defensve tackle Jared Crick (concussion) and welcomed back cornerback Alfonzo Dennard to the lineup.
Though Wyoming quarterback Brett Smith completed just 17 of 33 passes for 166 yards, the Huskers had too many busted coverages that a better team would have capitalized on.
The Huskers got a lot of different players into the game so what does Saturday's win mean for the trip to Madison? Well, nothing really because every game is its own entity. The whole argument of "Well, if they play that way next week, they'll get beat" or "If they play that way next week they'll win" does not carry any weight.
Wisconsin has looked more impressive than the Huskers. As Pelini said in his potgame press conference, "There are no great teams." Nebraska does not need a perfect game to beat the Badgers but it needs to be on point more than it has all season.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Dennard in, Crick out, Blackshirts need to rebound
The No. 9 ranked Nebraska defense entered the 2011 season highly touted but so far has lived down to its advanced billing. Though the Huskers are 3-0 and have a head coach who is considered one of the best defensive minds in college football, Nebraska's defense ranks 61st nationally in rushing defense, 66th in scoring defense, 67th in total defense and 78th in pass defense. Not numbers that are normally associated with a Bo Pelini defense.
As the Huskers head into Wyoming (also 3-0), the have a confounding dynamic on defense with cornerback Alfonzo Dennard an defensive tackle Jared Crick, both considered among the elite in the nation at their position. Pelini told Nebraska media members that cover the team daily that Dennard would in fact start after having sat out the forst three games wiith a quad injury. Dennard's return will certainly be a welcome site considering that his replacement (sophomore Andrew Green) has had a baptism by fire from opponents.
Crick, meanwhile, is listed as questionable with what is believed to be a concussion that he sustained near the end of Nebraska's 51-38 win over Washington Saturday.
Crick has not practiced this week.
"I don't know the terms and all those things," Pelini said. "He got dinged."
No one will ever accuse Pelini of being forthright about injuries. In fairness to Pelini, however, many coaches have that tendency. If Crick does not play, that will mean Terrence Moore, Chase Rome and Thadius Randle get much more playing time.
The question is, should either one play considering that Nebraska has its Big Ten conference opener at No. 6 Wisconsin looming on Oct. 1? You could make the argument that the Huskers win Saurday's game even if neither one plays but there are no absolutes.
If Crick indeed suffered any kind of concussion, he absolutley needs to sit this one out. Not to be self-righteous but we are talking about a young man's life versus a football game.
As for Dennard, his absence is a huge reason why the defense has played so poorly this year, at least by Pelini era standards. Since Dennard appears to be at least near full strength as the coaches indicate then he at least needs to get some playing time Saturday but no more than necessary.
Granted, Dennard (a senior) is a veteran player so it's not like he has forgotten how to play football but he at least needs to get into game shape. Wisconsin is not an opponent that you use just to shake off rust. Yes bringing Dennard back this week presents a risk because if he re-injures himself the statement becomes, "You shouldn't have rushed him back." However, the outcome of a decision does not make it good or bad. It's the reason behind it.
While the Husker defense has been below par at times, it's not 2007 Kevin Cosgrove material that ranked 112th in the nation. With a bright defensive mind like Pelini, however, the belief is that the defense will right the ship to some degree. How much? Who knows?
Nebraska's defense could use a shot in the arm but with Dennard in and Crick possibly out that's one step forward and one step backward. The Husker defense, however, needs a bounceback week after two straight games of yielding 400 plus yards of total offense. Nebraska does not have to pitch a shoutout but another game of 25 plus points and 400 plus yards won't cut it no matter who does or does not play.
As the Huskers head into Wyoming (also 3-0), the have a confounding dynamic on defense with cornerback Alfonzo Dennard an defensive tackle Jared Crick, both considered among the elite in the nation at their position. Pelini told Nebraska media members that cover the team daily that Dennard would in fact start after having sat out the forst three games wiith a quad injury. Dennard's return will certainly be a welcome site considering that his replacement (sophomore Andrew Green) has had a baptism by fire from opponents.
Crick, meanwhile, is listed as questionable with what is believed to be a concussion that he sustained near the end of Nebraska's 51-38 win over Washington Saturday.
Crick has not practiced this week.
"I don't know the terms and all those things," Pelini said. "He got dinged."
No one will ever accuse Pelini of being forthright about injuries. In fairness to Pelini, however, many coaches have that tendency. If Crick does not play, that will mean Terrence Moore, Chase Rome and Thadius Randle get much more playing time.
The question is, should either one play considering that Nebraska has its Big Ten conference opener at No. 6 Wisconsin looming on Oct. 1? You could make the argument that the Huskers win Saurday's game even if neither one plays but there are no absolutes.
If Crick indeed suffered any kind of concussion, he absolutley needs to sit this one out. Not to be self-righteous but we are talking about a young man's life versus a football game.
As for Dennard, his absence is a huge reason why the defense has played so poorly this year, at least by Pelini era standards. Since Dennard appears to be at least near full strength as the coaches indicate then he at least needs to get some playing time Saturday but no more than necessary.
Granted, Dennard (a senior) is a veteran player so it's not like he has forgotten how to play football but he at least needs to get into game shape. Wisconsin is not an opponent that you use just to shake off rust. Yes bringing Dennard back this week presents a risk because if he re-injures himself the statement becomes, "You shouldn't have rushed him back." However, the outcome of a decision does not make it good or bad. It's the reason behind it.
While the Husker defense has been below par at times, it's not 2007 Kevin Cosgrove material that ranked 112th in the nation. With a bright defensive mind like Pelini, however, the belief is that the defense will right the ship to some degree. How much? Who knows?
Nebraska's defense could use a shot in the arm but with Dennard in and Crick possibly out that's one step forward and one step backward. The Husker defense, however, needs a bounceback week after two straight games of yielding 400 plus yards of total offense. Nebraska does not have to pitch a shoutout but another game of 25 plus points and 400 plus yards won't cut it no matter who does or does not play.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Husker improvement needs to stay on course
Through the first three games of the regular season, most Nebraska fans and mainstream media types that cover the team daily have been reluctant to tab the 3-0 and No. 9 rated Huskers an upper-tier team mainly because Nebraska has not been overly impressive in any of its three wins.
The general belief has been, "well, if they don't improve, they will for sure lose to Wisconsin." The Huskers, however, have to beat 3-0 Wyoming in Laramie, Wy. Satuday before they worry about their Oct. 1 visit to No. 6 Wisconsin. The Cowboys are a scrappy bunch and could be more of a test than most people think.
The Huskers have shown a lot of improvement on the offensive side of the ball, and the defense has gotten stops when needed, but up to this point, the team is nowhere near where it needs to be. The irony behind that scenario is that suspect offense alone prevented Nebraska from winning the Big 12 title in each of the previous two seasons while the defense did the hheavy lifting. It was generally assumed that if Nebraska's offense could be middle-of-the-road at worst, the defense would remain stellar and the team would become a BCS Bowl Game level outfit.
Saturday represents the Huskers last nonconference tuneup before Big 10 play begins and if the team has visions of being a serious player in the BCS Bowl picture, the improvement needs to continue.
In Saturday's 51-38 win over Washington, quarterback Taylor Martinez might not have had an overly impressive game in terms of his statistics. He completed just 10 of 21 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns but no interceptions. He ran 17 times for 83 yards and a score. Point being, Matinez's numbers were not Heisman trophy material but his decision making was much better in that he did not take the unnecessary risks he took last season. That maturation will need to continue as the Huskers will face better defenses.
When Martinez allows impact players like Rex Burkhead, Kenny Bell, Jamal Turner, Aaron Green, Braylon Heard, Kyler Reed and Quincy Enunwa to make big plays, it will become easier for Martiez himself to make big plays.
Even more important, Nebraska's young offensive line also showed significant signs of maturity against a Washington defensive front that is much better than what Fresno State or Chattanooga had to offer. That improvement too cannot just be a one time thing.
First-year offensive coordinator Tim Beck also seemed to take a big step forward in his role, which is significant because of how the offense had stretches of ineptitude the last two years. If the recent success continues against Wyoming, the hope for a championship season will be that much more legitimate.
Especially if the defense can iron out its issues.
Getting starting cornerback Alfonzo Dennard back in the lineup would be a huge help. Since emerging as an impact player in 2009, his importance cannot be understated when he is in the lineup. Dennard has missed the first three games with a quad injury and that loss has been glaring.
Ciante Evans has played well for a true sophomore, and Andrew Green has filled in admirably in Dennard's absence, but the defense as a whole has missed Dennard's prescence because teams have routinely picked on Green.
Since Dennard has the ability to blanket the opposing team's top receiver, it will allow for more safety help toward Evans' side of the field and also committ more safeties near the line of scrimmage to stop the run. The return of Dennard and his shut-down-half-of-the-field ability will allow the defense to give Evans a little more help on the other side and put more guys in the box to defend against the run, which will result in an improvement in both pass and run defense.
Since Dennard is a game-time decision as of Wednesday, the Huskers need to be prepared to go another game without him.
The defensive line, which was supposed to be the team strength, has been a disappointment and the linebackers have not filled holes with authority. There has also been a lack of pressure on quarterbacks and lack of takeaways, something that Bo Pelini defenses have had a knack for doing.
Nebraska does not necessarily have to pitch a shutout but another week of 28-plus points and 400-plus yards allowed won't cut it.
While Wyoming can be a pesky club for ranked opponents, the truth of the matter is Nebraska has a huge talent advantage and should win by three touchhdowns or more. However, with the Wisconsin game lurking one week later, Saturday represents the dreaded "trap game" label.
Translation, Nebraska cannot have South Dakota State revisited. Remember last year when the Huskers won 17-3 over SDSU with a lackluster performance? That won't do this week.
The general belief has been, "well, if they don't improve, they will for sure lose to Wisconsin." The Huskers, however, have to beat 3-0 Wyoming in Laramie, Wy. Satuday before they worry about their Oct. 1 visit to No. 6 Wisconsin. The Cowboys are a scrappy bunch and could be more of a test than most people think.
The Huskers have shown a lot of improvement on the offensive side of the ball, and the defense has gotten stops when needed, but up to this point, the team is nowhere near where it needs to be. The irony behind that scenario is that suspect offense alone prevented Nebraska from winning the Big 12 title in each of the previous two seasons while the defense did the hheavy lifting. It was generally assumed that if Nebraska's offense could be middle-of-the-road at worst, the defense would remain stellar and the team would become a BCS Bowl Game level outfit.
Saturday represents the Huskers last nonconference tuneup before Big 10 play begins and if the team has visions of being a serious player in the BCS Bowl picture, the improvement needs to continue.
In Saturday's 51-38 win over Washington, quarterback Taylor Martinez might not have had an overly impressive game in terms of his statistics. He completed just 10 of 21 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns but no interceptions. He ran 17 times for 83 yards and a score. Point being, Matinez's numbers were not Heisman trophy material but his decision making was much better in that he did not take the unnecessary risks he took last season. That maturation will need to continue as the Huskers will face better defenses.
When Martinez allows impact players like Rex Burkhead, Kenny Bell, Jamal Turner, Aaron Green, Braylon Heard, Kyler Reed and Quincy Enunwa to make big plays, it will become easier for Martiez himself to make big plays.
Even more important, Nebraska's young offensive line also showed significant signs of maturity against a Washington defensive front that is much better than what Fresno State or Chattanooga had to offer. That improvement too cannot just be a one time thing.
First-year offensive coordinator Tim Beck also seemed to take a big step forward in his role, which is significant because of how the offense had stretches of ineptitude the last two years. If the recent success continues against Wyoming, the hope for a championship season will be that much more legitimate.
Especially if the defense can iron out its issues.
Getting starting cornerback Alfonzo Dennard back in the lineup would be a huge help. Since emerging as an impact player in 2009, his importance cannot be understated when he is in the lineup. Dennard has missed the first three games with a quad injury and that loss has been glaring.
Ciante Evans has played well for a true sophomore, and Andrew Green has filled in admirably in Dennard's absence, but the defense as a whole has missed Dennard's prescence because teams have routinely picked on Green.
Since Dennard has the ability to blanket the opposing team's top receiver, it will allow for more safety help toward Evans' side of the field and also committ more safeties near the line of scrimmage to stop the run. The return of Dennard and his shut-down-half-of-the-field ability will allow the defense to give Evans a little more help on the other side and put more guys in the box to defend against the run, which will result in an improvement in both pass and run defense.
Since Dennard is a game-time decision as of Wednesday, the Huskers need to be prepared to go another game without him.
The defensive line, which was supposed to be the team strength, has been a disappointment and the linebackers have not filled holes with authority. There has also been a lack of pressure on quarterbacks and lack of takeaways, something that Bo Pelini defenses have had a knack for doing.
Nebraska does not necessarily have to pitch a shutout but another week of 28-plus points and 400-plus yards allowed won't cut it.
While Wyoming can be a pesky club for ranked opponents, the truth of the matter is Nebraska has a huge talent advantage and should win by three touchhdowns or more. However, with the Wisconsin game lurking one week later, Saturday represents the dreaded "trap game" label.
Translation, Nebraska cannot have South Dakota State revisited. Remember last year when the Huskers won 17-3 over SDSU with a lackluster performance? That won't do this week.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Huskers improving unlike most of its Big Ten foes
As much as we love to bristle at the coach-speak "one game at a time" idea, any sports season truly is about winning one game at a time. However, just for a day, I will stray from that idealogy as it pertains to the No. 9 ranked Nebraska football team as it heads on the road to take on Wyoming.
The Huskers are 3-0 after Saturday's 51-38 win over Washington, not a particularly overwhelming 3-0 record but it's 3-0 nonetheless. The Cowboys represent Nebraska's final nonleague tuneup before turning its attention to Big 10 opponents.
Throughout the offseason, most people tabbed Nebraska as the favorite to win the Legends division that also includes Michigan State, Iowa, Michigan, Northwestern and Minnesota. The Leaders division contains Wisconsin, Ohio State, Penn State, Illinois, Purdue and Indiana. Wisconsin, which is currently the No. 6 ranked team in the nation, is considered the favorite out of that division.
The dynmanic about two division conferences is such that you have 12 teams, 12 regular season games and eight conference games. Teams play division opponents once every year while out of division opponents are rotated every two years. For example, Nebraska will play Wisconsin and Ohio State from the Leaders Division the next two years. The Huskers will play Penn State every year as the natural crossover game but in 2013 and 2014 Illinois and Purdue replace Wisconsin and Ohio State.
Since Nebraska did not draw what most people predicted as the lower third of the Leaders Division (Indiana, Purdue and Illinois), the perception was "Gee whizz, the Big Ten did Nebraska no favors in its first season." While rankings are often subjective, the feeling among many media members (specifically mainstream media members that cover the Huskers on a daily basis) is that Nebraska's No. 9 ranking is too high. However, as inconsistent as the Huskers have been to date, the only one of their remaining opponents that is playing at a higher level than Nebraska at the present time is Wisconsin, whom the Huskers visit on Oct. 1. While the Badgers would likely be favored against the Huskers, that game is far from out of reach.
Could other opponents not named Wisconsin be potholes on the Husker slate? Certainly. Michigan, whom the Huskers travel to face on Nov. 19, could definitely pose a threat in large part because of quarterback Dennard Robinson.
Michigan State was supposed to be Nebraska's biggest threat in the Legends division but the Spartans looked God-awful in a 31-13 loss to Notre Dame Saturday. Iowa rallied to beat Pittsburgh 31-27 but still looks suspect. Northwestern lost to a winless army squad. Minnesota is rebuilding -- as usual. Ohio State and Penn State are struggling against any competant competition.
Point being, Nebraska may have its flaws but compared to the rest of the teams on their slate (Wisconsin and Michigan notwithstanding) the Huskers are at least improving.
The Huskers are 3-0 after Saturday's 51-38 win over Washington, not a particularly overwhelming 3-0 record but it's 3-0 nonetheless. The Cowboys represent Nebraska's final nonleague tuneup before turning its attention to Big 10 opponents.
Throughout the offseason, most people tabbed Nebraska as the favorite to win the Legends division that also includes Michigan State, Iowa, Michigan, Northwestern and Minnesota. The Leaders division contains Wisconsin, Ohio State, Penn State, Illinois, Purdue and Indiana. Wisconsin, which is currently the No. 6 ranked team in the nation, is considered the favorite out of that division.
The dynmanic about two division conferences is such that you have 12 teams, 12 regular season games and eight conference games. Teams play division opponents once every year while out of division opponents are rotated every two years. For example, Nebraska will play Wisconsin and Ohio State from the Leaders Division the next two years. The Huskers will play Penn State every year as the natural crossover game but in 2013 and 2014 Illinois and Purdue replace Wisconsin and Ohio State.
Since Nebraska did not draw what most people predicted as the lower third of the Leaders Division (Indiana, Purdue and Illinois), the perception was "Gee whizz, the Big Ten did Nebraska no favors in its first season." While rankings are often subjective, the feeling among many media members (specifically mainstream media members that cover the Huskers on a daily basis) is that Nebraska's No. 9 ranking is too high. However, as inconsistent as the Huskers have been to date, the only one of their remaining opponents that is playing at a higher level than Nebraska at the present time is Wisconsin, whom the Huskers visit on Oct. 1. While the Badgers would likely be favored against the Huskers, that game is far from out of reach.
Could other opponents not named Wisconsin be potholes on the Husker slate? Certainly. Michigan, whom the Huskers travel to face on Nov. 19, could definitely pose a threat in large part because of quarterback Dennard Robinson.
Michigan State was supposed to be Nebraska's biggest threat in the Legends division but the Spartans looked God-awful in a 31-13 loss to Notre Dame Saturday. Iowa rallied to beat Pittsburgh 31-27 but still looks suspect. Northwestern lost to a winless army squad. Minnesota is rebuilding -- as usual. Ohio State and Penn State are struggling against any competant competition.
Point being, Nebraska may have its flaws but compared to the rest of the teams on their slate (Wisconsin and Michigan notwithstanding) the Huskers are at least improving.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Huskers still a work in progress
While it was disturbing to see No. 11 Nebraska make Saturday's 51-38 closer than it needed to be, the pluses definitely outweighed the minuses.
The Huskers led 20-17 at halftime and then opened the floodgates by taking a 44-17 lead early in the fourth quarter only to let the Huskies back in the game. Nebraska was never in danger of losing the game mind you but for the second time in as many weeks the defense lost its edge. Washington amassed 420 yards of offense and even more more disturbing Nebraska allowed to covert 7 of 14 third downs.
Granted, the loss of cornerback Alfonzo Dennard with a quad injury is a glaring one. His replacement (sophomore Andrew Green) got picked on all day. One would think Green will get better but he is not yet ready for primetime, all the more reason the Huskers really need Dennard healthy this season
You cannot expect Nebraska to have the kind of production in the back end when you have lost four NFL-caliber players (Prince Amukamara, Dejon Gomes, Eric Hagg (with Dennard still out due to injury.) While Ciante Evans, Green, Josh Mitchell, Daimion Stafford and other youngsters s are taking their licks (and their shots from opposing quarterbacks), it is incumbent on the front seven to generate pressure – particularly the front four.
In general the defensive line (especially defensive tackle Baker Steinkuher) played better than in last week's 42-29 win over Fresno State by getting more pressure on Keith Price than they did on Derek Carr but the fact that the defense did not capitalize on the offense's momentum is rather alarming.
The Huskers are going to need more quarters like the third when they head to Madison, Wisconsin, to play the Badgers.
Speaking of the offense, that unit enjoyed a definite growth spurt. Sure there were big plays but there were also drives. Nebraska had four scoring drives of seven or more plays, including a 10 play march late in the third that was capped with another Brett Maher field goal. So much for the concern over losing alex Henery as Maher is now 7 for 7.
The offensive line certainly deserves ample praise, especially walk-on Seung Hoon Choi and Tyler Moore. Nebraska put up 464 yards of total offense (404 rushing) as for the first time this season first-year coordinator Tim Beck used one play to set up another. On the game's opening play, with the defense thinking run, quarterback Taylor Martinez lofted a 50-yard completion to Kenny Bell to the Washington 3. On the next play, Martinez completed a touchdown pass to fullbak Tyler Legate on a bootleg.
As for Martinez, his passing numbers weren't pretty in completing 10 of 21 for 155 yards but he made much better decisions and protected the ball much better. Martinez will never be an NFL caliber passer or media friendly but he appears to be growing into his role.
It was also encouraging that when the offense had to run the ball to seal the win, they did. Running back Rex Burkhead rushed 22 times for 120 yards and two scores but most importantly, freshmen running backs Braylon Heard and Aaron Green supplied some good relief off the bench.
It wasn't pretty but overall an improvement over Fresno State.
The Huskers led 20-17 at halftime and then opened the floodgates by taking a 44-17 lead early in the fourth quarter only to let the Huskies back in the game. Nebraska was never in danger of losing the game mind you but for the second time in as many weeks the defense lost its edge. Washington amassed 420 yards of offense and even more more disturbing Nebraska allowed to covert 7 of 14 third downs.
Granted, the loss of cornerback Alfonzo Dennard with a quad injury is a glaring one. His replacement (sophomore Andrew Green) got picked on all day. One would think Green will get better but he is not yet ready for primetime, all the more reason the Huskers really need Dennard healthy this season
You cannot expect Nebraska to have the kind of production in the back end when you have lost four NFL-caliber players (Prince Amukamara, Dejon Gomes, Eric Hagg (with Dennard still out due to injury.) While Ciante Evans, Green, Josh Mitchell, Daimion Stafford and other youngsters s are taking their licks (and their shots from opposing quarterbacks), it is incumbent on the front seven to generate pressure – particularly the front four.
In general the defensive line (especially defensive tackle Baker Steinkuher) played better than in last week's 42-29 win over Fresno State by getting more pressure on Keith Price than they did on Derek Carr but the fact that the defense did not capitalize on the offense's momentum is rather alarming.
The Huskers are going to need more quarters like the third when they head to Madison, Wisconsin, to play the Badgers.
Speaking of the offense, that unit enjoyed a definite growth spurt. Sure there were big plays but there were also drives. Nebraska had four scoring drives of seven or more plays, including a 10 play march late in the third that was capped with another Brett Maher field goal. So much for the concern over losing alex Henery as Maher is now 7 for 7.
The offensive line certainly deserves ample praise, especially walk-on Seung Hoon Choi and Tyler Moore. Nebraska put up 464 yards of total offense (404 rushing) as for the first time this season first-year coordinator Tim Beck used one play to set up another. On the game's opening play, with the defense thinking run, quarterback Taylor Martinez lofted a 50-yard completion to Kenny Bell to the Washington 3. On the next play, Martinez completed a touchdown pass to fullbak Tyler Legate on a bootleg.
As for Martinez, his passing numbers weren't pretty in completing 10 of 21 for 155 yards but he made much better decisions and protected the ball much better. Martinez will never be an NFL caliber passer or media friendly but he appears to be growing into his role.
It was also encouraging that when the offense had to run the ball to seal the win, they did. Running back Rex Burkhead rushed 22 times for 120 yards and two scores but most importantly, freshmen running backs Braylon Heard and Aaron Green supplied some good relief off the bench.
It wasn't pretty but overall an improvement over Fresno State.
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