What did we learn: Ohio State

A lot of people aren't happy with the outcome and I agree that I'm not.  Tomorrow, we'll have a great practice and a lot of people will say "he always says that".  This is the wrong attitude.  Of course a win would have been better. Obviously.  But, we need to compare ourselves to where we were yesterday, not where another team is today.  We're improving, we're getting there and there will be a bunch of heartbreaks along the way.  I believe in this staff and I believe we will become Nebraska again.  GBR.

 
Nebfanatic said:
Read my edit. I'm sure he was punting it to the right spots in practice too but when game time rolled around :dunno  Lightborne has shown to be so unreliable in games his major spot was taken by a walkon. I get your point and again I'm not that upset about the call, but you have to admit it was a bit questionable in hindsight
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In hindsight I like the call even more. Frost was trying something bold to try and win the game. The onsides kick didn’t event cost the team anything, because the defense stopped Ohio State on the ensuing drive.  The onsides kick didn’t lose NU the game yesterday. If anything it was dropped passes by Spielman and Ozigbo in the 3rd quarter that doomed the offense and the team. 

 
In reality, both players and staff are have some blame in our losses. And accolades in the winning.  Frost is on year 3 as a HC.  Coaching in arguably, one of the tougher conferences in FBS.  With some very big name coaches in Harbaugh, Urbs, and some well respected in Chryst, Franklin, Dantonio, Ferentz,, Brohm, Fitzgerald  etc......Slightly different than the AAC conference......There is going to be a learning curve in this transition for him and his staff.   I do think yesterdays game shows the B1G will have to adjust to our O.  I think we are a player or two from really being good.  (OL needs to improve). However, in the same note, I think our D might have to adjust (read adjust not wholesale change) to the B1G.  It could be lack of depth/talent that hurts us, but I'd like to see us have better packages against teams jumbo packages on short yardage or goal line.  Maybe evaluate the base 3-4 unless we can get a monster NT or 3.  In Chins defense, hard at all 3 levels if 3-4 can't get pressure on QB.

Yesterday, we showed what NU will be capable of in the not so distant future.  OSU, after a bye has only lost 2 games.  They only had 4 wins that were closer than 2 TD's....Now they have 5.  That's not bad for a team fighting for a playoff spot and coached by arguably one of the best coaches in the business.  But again, Urbs has been a HC for how many years?  Has won national championships and recruits in the top 5.....Every year.  I'll take it considering how bad we've been beaten the past two outings....

We are getting there.  BUT improvements (growth) in staff and players is needed to regularly compete at the level the staff, team and fans want.

 
I learned that this offense is fun to watch and the wrinkles that they are able to come up with are awesome.

Favorite play was after running the swing pass out to the edge a few times, they gave the same look but instead of Allen blocking he went out for a pass. That edge defender completely thought he had avoided Allen only to have him running down the sidelines with the ball. If there is one play alone that gives me confidence in the direction of the team, it's that one. This staff can scheme with the best of their profession.

 
The most promising thing I see is that special teams is our worst area and the easiest to fix. Take away those screw ups and lack of production, it's a different game.

 
spurs1990 said:
I learned that this offense is fun to watch and the wrinkles that they are able to come up with are awesome.

Favorite play was after running the swing pass out to the edge a few times, they gave the same look but instead of Allen blocking he went out for a pass. That edge defender completely thought he had avoided Allen only to have him running down the sidelines with the ball. If there is one play alone that gives me confidence in the direction of the team, it's that one. This staff can scheme with the best of their profession.
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That is one thing that has become more and more apparent as the season has gone on.  I think the thing Frost is counting on is that the offense will get to an even higher level when they get better players all across the offense.  When I make my comments about more talent on offense is related to the offensive line and the overall depth at the skill positions.  That will enable the offense to become more consistent and not have the lulls which we saw in the 2nd half yesterday.  Once the offense gets more consistent, that will lead to blowout victories over lesser teams and competitive games against teams with equal levels of talent.

 
ColoradoHusk said:
In hindsight I like the call even more. Frost was trying something bold to try and win the game. The onsides kick didn’t event cost the team anything, because the defense stopped Ohio State on the ensuing drive.  The onsides kick didn’t lose NU the game yesterday. If anything it was dropped passes by Spielman and Ozigbo in the 3rd quarter that doomed the offense and the team. 
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The timing of the kick was a great decision.  They just don’t have the kicker to pull it off.

And 3Q overall was pretty bad.  That’s the difference in the game.

 
StPaulHusker said:
The timing of the kick was a great decision.  They just don’t have the kicker to pull it off.

And 3Q overall was pretty bad.  That’s the difference in the game.
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Agree that the 3Q was the difference in the game.  That's when Ohio State's talent decided to play harder and smarter, took over, and went up by 2 scores.  Unfortunately, NU didn't have the horses to play better in the 3rd.  

 
ColoradoHusk said:
In hindsight I like the call even more. Frost was trying something bold to try and win the game. The onsides kick didn’t event cost the team anything, because the defense stopped Ohio State on the ensuing drive.  The onsides kick didn’t lose NU the game yesterday. If anything it was dropped passes by Spielman and Ozigbo in the 3rd quarter that doomed the offense and the team. 
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Or poorly thrown bullets to close receivers. Martinez still has work to do with touch. But they're ALL reasons for losses, not just one thing or another.

 
Hayseed said:
Or poorly thrown bullets to close receivers. Martinez still has work to do with touch. But they're ALL reasons for losses, not just one thing or another.
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The Ozigbo pass/drop is a tough play.  Martinez has to throw that ball hard to get it in a tight window.  It might have been a hair ahead of Ozigbo, but Oz did get his hands on it.  That play is where Washington's injury yesterday really hurt.  Ideally, he's in during that play and he makes that catch.

I agree that there are multiple things for the losses, and they happen during all points of the game.  A couple of missed plays cost the team dearly in the 3rd quarter yesterday.

 
ColoradoHusk said:
In hindsight I like the call even more. Frost was trying something bold to try and win the game. The onsides kick didn’t event cost the team anything, because the defense stopped Ohio State on the ensuing drive.  The onsides kick didn’t lose NU the game yesterday. If anything it was dropped passes by Spielman and Ozigbo in the 3rd quarter that doomed the offense and the team. 
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Never alluded that it did, just was trying to say Lightborn isn't exactly cut out for that kick, and that doesn't make him a bad player. It doesn't make Frost a bad coach for trusting in his player either. But if Riley makes that call he gets killed in here for it for multiple reasons. The coach doesn't deserve all of the blame, but maybe they deserve some. Not that I'm blaming them for anything. I just personally didn't love the call strictly basef off of personel. I don't think it really hurt us. I don't think its indicative of any issue with Frost. I just wouldn't have done it and I think Frost should take a little of the heat along with Lightborne for putting him in that position. You said originally how is it the coaches fault. Thats what started all of this. That specific play is as much the coach as the players fault imo, but thats ok.

 
Nebfanatic said:
Never alluded that it did, just was trying to say Lightborn isn't exactly cut out for that kick, and that doesn't make him a bad player. It doesn't make Frost a bad coach for trusting in his player either. But if Riley makes that call he gets killed in here for it for multiple reasons. The coach doesn't deserve all of the blame, but maybe they deserve some. Not that I'm blaming them for anything. I just personally didn't love the call strictly basef off of personel. I don't think it really hurt us. I don't think its indicative of any issue with Frost. I just wouldn't have done it and I think Frost should take a little of the heat along with Lightborne for putting him in that position. You said originally how is it the coaches fault. Thats what started all of this. That specific play is as much the coach as the players fault imo, but thats ok.
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We were actually in a really good position (5 v. 3) to get the kick but of course even if Lightbourn hadn't tripped the ball still has to be kicked accurately which I'm sure is hard for an onside.

 
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Moiraine said:
We were actually in a really good position (5 v. 3) to get the kick but of course even if Lightbourn hadn't tripped the ball still has to be kicked accurately which I'm sure is hard for an onside.
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Honestly I don't even know how accurate the kick has to be.  In film study, if NU noticed that Ohio State's front line on the kickoff were bailing out early to get down field and block, then all the kicker has to do is get it 10-15 yards down the field and keep it in bounds.  NU wouldn't have called the onside kick if they thought Ohio State's front line would maintain their area until they saw the kick go over their heads.

 
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