Game view observations

[BIG ERN]

Still haven't watch the game on TV yet which will bring a few different looks, but wanted to add my 2 cents on what I seen with my eyes last night.

Lets start out with the bad:

• Thad Randle should be 4th string. Period
  
• I don't feel confident in any of the safeties that played last night. Not saying they played horrible, but would have liked to see what C Jacks could have done (maybe even Gerry; I know the position change). Cooper showed some flashes besides a few bad angles. Not sure why H Jackson started
  
• Seemed like anytime we lined up one of the tackles over center the opposite tackle got pushed around and we got gashed up the middle all night
  
• So confused on the play calls all game as well. Didn't stretch the field or keep the D honest with many play action passes
  
• Hopefully Afalava can get healthy soon cuz we will def need him
  
• AND my biggest gripe --- We didn't play Anderson who I think is our best LB. Don't tell me he couldn't have run with that personnel
  

Now that we are beyond that I seen some good things as well:

• Randy Gregory will soon be a force off the edge; Moss and McMullen looked promising too
  
• Valentine is a monster in person, and I liked what I saw. Thought the other DTs played solid as well that came in
  
• SJB has come into his own which will be much needed this year
  
• How about Foltz? Couldn't asked for a better game
  
• Now we all see why Newby wasn't red-shirted. Kid is shifty - Abdullah, Cross and the O line overall good
  

Overall lets not overreact. I think we will learn a lot and play way better against a bad So Miss squad. Hopefully by then we can settle down and take down UCLA at home --- Have to also give credit to Smith who is one damn good QB. Thought they had an overall great game plan taking advantage of our youth on D.

 

[Enhance]

I'm beginning to think the defense's problems have less to do with the players and more to do with the scheme/coaching. In the last three games, Nebraska's defense has given up more than a mile of offense. Think about that.

We have youth, but our inexperience isn't 600 yards of offense bad. Getting pushed around, quarterbacks having too much time to throw the football, secondaries being asked to cover too long and non-existent linebackers have been a theme the last couple of years. Just look at Brett Smith. He'a good quarterback, but we've faced far better with significantly better results. He's not 600 yards of offense against Nebraska good.

I hate to harp on the scheme/coaching, but at this point, I don't trust that our two-gap works unless we have an absolutely dominant interior linemen. I don't think we have the time to wait for that. And I don't think it's too much of an over-reaction at this point just because the same problems from last year have carried over to this year. Last night's defense makes Nebraska a five loss or more team this season if it continues.

 

[Husker from Kansas]

People dont forget that the Huskers were up 31-14 at the begging of the 4th quarter. I think thats were the inexperience kicked in and the players on defense figured it was in the bag and they let up. There was alot of bad last night, but lets not melt down and lets see what the rest of the season has in store for us.

Also take in to account that there is a good possibility that the whole team looked past Wyoming and is/was more focused on UCLA. These kind of games can do a team alot of good sometimes. It grounds them and helps them focus for the rest of the season

 

[Enhance]

People dont forget that the Huskers were up 31-14 at the begging of the 4th quarter. I think thats were the inexperience kicked in and the players on defense figured it was in the bag and they let up. There was alot of bad last night, but lets not melt down and lets see what the rest of the season has in store for us.

Also take in to account that there is a good possibility that the whole team looked past Wyoming and is/was more focused on UCLA. These kind of games can do a team alot of good sometimes. It grounds them and helps them focus for the rest of the season

That could be part of it, but we still gave up 400 yards heading into the fourth quarter. And these aren't new issues. They've been recurring themes for years now. I'm certainly trying to avoid too much over-reaction, and I'm definitely leaving room for this team to improve and show what it's capable of. But, I said that last year after UCLA. I said it the year before after Wisconsin. I believe there's just as much room for criticism, if not more, than for optimism at this point.

 

[NoLongerN]

People dont forget that the Huskers were up 31-14 at the begging of the 4th quarter. I think thats were the inexperience kicked in and the players on defense figured it was in the bag and they let up. There was alot of bad last night, but lets not melt down and lets see what the rest of the season has in store for us.

Also take in to account that there is a good possibility that the whole team looked past Wyoming and is/was more focused on UCLA. These kind of games can do a team alot of good sometimes. It grounds them and helps them focus for the rest of the season

Good stuff. My two cents ... with our past 5 year history ... I don't think anyone on this team should think we are good enough to look past anyone. If they did ... then I'm even more concerned now.

 

[Ric Flair]

I'm beginning to think the defense's problems have less to do with the players and more to do with the scheme/coaching. In the last three games, Nebraska's defense has given up more than a mile of offense. Think about that.

We have youth, but our inexperience isn't 600 yards of offense bad. Getting pushed around, quarterbacks having too much time to throw the football, secondaries being asked to cover too long and non-existent linebackers have been a theme the last couple of years. Just look at Brett Smith. He'a good quarterback, but we've faced far better with significantly better results. He's not 600 yards of offense against Nebraska good.

I hate to harp on the scheme/coaching, but at this point, I don't trust that our two-gap works unless we have an absolutely dominant interior linemen. I don't think we have the time to wait for that. And I don't think it's too much of an over-reaction at this point just because the same problems from last year have carried over to this year. Last night's defense makes Nebraska a five loss or more team this season if it continues.

Agreed. I don't think there are any excuses left. The scheme hasn't worked in the last couple of years and Bo doesn't seem willing or able to change it. And as much attention as is being paid to lack of talent, experience, etc. the elephant in the room is that Pelini and his staff are being badly outcoached several times a season.

 

[BIG ERN]

I'm beginning to think the defense's problems have less to do with the players and more to do with the scheme/coaching. In the last three games, Nebraska's defense has given up more than a mile of offense. Think about that.

We have youth, but our inexperience isn't 600 yards of offense bad. Getting pushed around, quarterbacks having too much time to throw the football, secondaries being asked to cover too long and non-existent linebackers have been a theme the last couple of years. Just look at Brett Smith. He'a good quarterback, but we've faced far better with significantly better results. He's not 600 yards of offense against Nebraska good.

I hate to harp on the scheme/coaching, but at this point, I don't trust that our two-gap works unless we have an absolutely dominant interior linemen. I don't think we have the time to wait for that. And I don't think it's too much of an over-reaction at this point just because the same problems from last year have carried over to this year. Last night's defense makes Nebraska a five loss or more team this season if it continues.

For sure - that is just a ridiculous amount of yards. Wyoming ran a lot of sets, but I felt we over coached which made the young kids even more confused instead of just playing football. Countless times they would look over and get set late not knowing what to do.

 

[Haspula]

I thought Thad played OK. He was getting held a lot. any reason why he should be 4th string?

 

[BIG ERN]

I thought Thad played OK. He was getting held a lot. any reason why he should be 4th string?

Just what I think. Nothing against the guy just never thought he was a good player. I think VV, Curry, and Collins are ahead of him. - More so 4th best DT, maybe 5th if you count Maurice

 

[MichiganDad3]

I'm beginning to think the defense's problems have less to do with the players and more to do with the scheme/coaching. In the last three games, Nebraska's defense has given up more than a mile of offense. Think about that.

We have youth, but our inexperience isn't 600 yards of offense bad. Getting pushed around, quarterbacks having too much time to throw the football, secondaries being asked to cover too long and non-existent linebackers have been a theme the last couple of years. Just look at Brett Smith. He'a good quarterback, but we've faced far better with significantly better results. He's not 600 yards of offense against Nebraska good.

I hate to harp on the scheme/coaching, but at this point, I don't trust that our two-gap works unless we have an absolutely dominant interior linemen. I don't think we have the time to wait for that. And I don't think it's too much of an over-reaction at this point just because the same problems from last year have carried over to this year. Last night's defense makes Nebraska a five loss or more team this season if it continues.

When Bo introduced this scheme it worked great. It is getting less and less effective as other coaches figure out ho to attack it and Bo doesn't adjust.

 

[MichiganDad3]

People dont forget that the Huskers were up 31-14 at the begging of the 4th quarter. I think thats were the inexperience kicked in and the players on defense figured it was in the bag and they let up. There was alot of bad last night, but lets not melt down and lets see what the rest of the season has in store for us.

Also take in to account that there is a good possibility that the whole team looked past Wyoming and is/was more focused on UCLA. These kind of games can do a team alot of good sometimes. It grounds them and helps them focus for the rest of the season

That could be part of it, but we still gave up 400 yards heading into the fourth quarter. And these aren't new issues. They've been recurring themes for years now. I'm certainly trying to avoid too much over-reaction, and I'm definitely leaving room for this team to improve and show what it's capable of. But, I said that last year after UCLA. I said it the year before after Wisconsin. I believe there's just as much room for criticism, if not more, than for optimism at this point.

You should be cautious about over-reacting to a 600 yard game. You should also be cautious about under-reacting to four 600+ yard games in less than a year.

 

[zoogs]

Early in the 4th I thought we were quite close to blowing this one wide open. Things sort of spiraled out of control. It wasn't as if Wyoming was controlling the game. But the 4th quarter got crazy and they got in a position to be a miraculous closing drive away from tying or winning. That's still pretty bad.

But we weren't so far away from putting this game away and not worrying or having these conversations. In that context, I think it's best that the team did get exposed like this. Nothing worse than unmerited overconfidence from an OOC easy win.

 

[skersfan]

I don't think we will have to worry about over confidence on the team or the fan base after last night.

 

[caveman99]

Early in the 4th I thought we were quite close to blowing this one wide open. Things sort of spiraled out of control. It wasn't as if Wyoming was controlling the game. But the 4th quarter got crazy and they got in a position to be a miraculous closing drive away from tying or winning. That's still pretty bad.

But we weren't so far away from putting this game away and not worrying or having these conversations. In that context, I think it's best that the team did get exposed like this. Nothing worse than unmerited overconfidence from an OOC easy win.

This is what I thought also, that bs call against Gregory was the turning point. We were about to get the ball back and the O was in a groove, I figured we would be up 24 soon and get to see Armstrong. Instead they get a bs 1st down and go on to score a TD.