Odd Fact.

[throwing bones]

"I thought the Wyoming game last year was more telling. First game of the year. At home. Big expectations and a lot to prove. A team loaded with veterans. Bo Pelini already on the hotseat."

Offensively sure, hence the 37 points scored with 530 yards of total offense, but on D? Not a chance.

 

[knapplc]

So, late 4th quarter when Wyoming has just scored to pull within three, 1:32 on the clock and all Nebraska needs is one first down to ice the game, where was that offense?

I'll tell you where. Gaining six yards on three runs, then punting the ball and praying the defense can bail them out.

With the game on the line, that offense loaded with veterans should have been able to grind out ten measly yards. So let's not start making caveats about that game - it wasn't pretty no matter how you slice it.

 

[papersun87]

^I remember reading the post-game quotes after the UCLA debacle . . . everyone just kind of shrugged their shoulders and mumbled an "I dunno what happened . . ." Man, what I would've given for some tears, some rage, some SOMETHING from anybody after that game.

 

[Redux]

So, late 4th quarter when Wyoming has just scored to pull within three, 1:32 on the clock and all Nebraska needs is one first down to ice the game, where was that offense?I'll tell you where. Gaining six yards on three runs, then punting the ball and praying the defense can bail them out.With the game on the line, that offense loaded with veterans should have been able to grind out ten measly yards. So let's not start making caveats about that game - it wasn't pretty no matter how you slice it.

Not saying youre wrong, but their D was playing with some real motivation. But yeah a first down shouldve been attainable.

 

[knapplc]

So, late 4th quarter when Wyoming has just scored to pull within three, 1:32 on the clock and all Nebraska needs is one first down to ice the game, where was that offense?I'll tell you where. Gaining six yards on three runs, then punting the ball and praying the defense can bail them out.With the game on the line, that offense loaded with veterans should have been able to grind out ten measly yards. So let's not start making caveats about that game - it wasn't pretty no matter how you slice it.

Not saying youre wrong, but their D was playing with some real motivation. But yeah a first down shouldve been attainable.

It doesn't matter if it's a team that finished 5-7, often their motivation eclipses ours.

That's the problem.

 

[Scratchtown]

So, late 4th quarter when Wyoming has just scored to pull within three, 1:32 on the clock and all Nebraska needs is one first down to ice the game, where was that offense?I'll tell you where. Gaining six yards on three runs, then punting the ball and praying the defense can bail them out.With the game on the line, that offense loaded with veterans should have been able to grind out ten measly yards. So let's not start making caveats about that game - it wasn't pretty no matter how you slice it.

Not saying youre wrong, but their D was playing with some real motivation. But yeah a first down shouldve been attainable.

It doesn't matter if it's a team that finished 5-7, often their motivation eclipses ours.

That's the problem.

I agree with this and the excuse "Oh it's Nebraska" doesn't fly anymore.

To clarify, we used to get everyone's best shot because we were "Nebraska". Not anymore. At least not on the level it used to be. I still don't blame Bo, but kids, I coach HS ball and saying "it's the coaches job to get the players up for the game"....um yes and no.

It's a two way street, if the kids don't play their part in getting excited for A GAME, then you don't have the right kids. No matter what you do.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

"I thought the Wyoming game last year was more telling. First game of the year. At home. Big expectations and a lot to prove. A team loaded with veterans. Bo Pelini already on the hotseat."

Offensively sure, hence the 37 points scored with 530 yards of total offense, but on D? Not a chance.

Our defense had its share of juniors and seniors, but they went on to get outplayed by younger guys. Enough veterans. Not enough leadership.

 

[BigRedBuster]

I thought the Wyoming game last year was more telling. First game of the year. At home. Big expectations and a lot to prove. A team loaded with veterans. Bo Pelini already on the hotseat. And after the game, when players were asked about the spotty performance, and a Wyoming team that seemed to want the game more, the Huskers admitted the team just didn't have it's head in the game and couldn't get motivated.

Quick question.....

Can you list for me the long list of veterans we had on the two deep for the front 7 on defense in that game?

Thanks in advance......

 

[cg_8]

"I thought the Wyoming game last year was more telling. First game of the year. At home. Big expectations and a lot to prove. A team loaded with veterans. Bo Pelini already on the hotseat."

Offensively sure, hence the 37 points scored with 530 yards of total offense, but on D? Not a chance.

Our defense had its share of juniors and seniors, but they went on to get outplayed by younger guys. Enough veterans. Not enough leadership.

WHAT?!?

Santos and Anderson were the only LB's that played the year before. AND Anderson was out for part of the season. Santos was a freshman.

 

[NUinID]

Spoken like someone that never played or coached the game.

In all seriousness though, it is very hard to get motivated to play a team 2x in a year, and it is really tough when team A killed team B the first time around and is now playing them in a fairly meaningless game the second time.


Playing a team 2x in a season almost never happened up until CC games. I can only think of one time that a TO coached team had that happen in 78 playing OU 2x. The second time in the Orange Bowl NU scored really late to make the game look closer than it was. It really wasn't that close.

If you want to say that BP's teams take some opponents lightly, I will agree with that.

As far as not caring or having pride, or not enough respect for themselves to keep fighting I disagree with. Sometimes it really is like in the movie the "Replacements". Its like "quicksand" the harder you try the worse it gets. I know as fans we don't like that explanation, but as someone who coached for 20 years, I know it happens a lot more than we like to admit.

College football players are guaranteed 12 games per year, they get 14 if they have a good season. 12 - 14 times per year they can't get excited to play football, regardless of who the opponent is? Hogwash.

Well apparently it happens. And it happens to a lot of teams OTHER than Nebraska. This is one of those things again that is not Bo Pelini problem as much as some cornholers want it to be. It's a COLLEGE KID problem.

Now, the jist of Knapp's point is that it seems to happen here more than most places right now. Cant argue with that. And it needs fixed. But that's an issue that's not going to go away completely. Even the almighty Osborne teams of the 90's had some games where they didnt appear to be taking the opponent as seriously as others, or just didnt seem to play as well and look as dominant as they shouldve..

Sure it happens to other teams we just pay way more attention to NU than other teams. OSU in Urban's first year won by the skin of their teeth like four times to teams that had no business being on the field with them . I watch Cal and Purdue play them deep into the 4th quarter.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

You're right. The offense was highly experienced at the skill positions. The defense was pretty decimated. But given how poorly the defense had played the year before, some of us thought having the hungry young guys step in might actually be an improvement. Especially in terms of motivation. Wyoming was a wake-up call. UCLA and South Dakota State were five alarm fires. At which point it didn't seem to be so much about the personnel as the defensive system itself: highly predictible, easy to exploit and not inclined to make adjustments (it didn't work much better the previous year with a more Jr./Sr. laden team).

Point was simply that Wyoming seemed to want the game more than Nebraska on both sides of the ball. And afterwards, players admitted the team wasn't very focused or jacked up....for the opening game of the season. At home.

 

[hskrfan4life]

You're right. The offense was highly experienced at the skill positions. The defense was pretty decimated. But given how poorly the defense had played the year before, some of us thought having the hungry young guys step in might actually be an improvement. Especially in terms of motivation. Wyoming was a wake-up call. UCLA and South Dakota State were five alarm fires. At which point it didn't seem to be so much about the personnel as the defensive system itself: highly predictible, easy to exploit and not inclined to make adjustments (it didn't work much better the previous year with a more Jr./Sr. laden team).

Point was simply that Wyoming seemed to want the game more than Nebraska on both sides of the ball. And afterwards, players admitted the team wasn't very focused or jacked up....for the opening game of the season. At home.

There should be no reason that they shouldn't be focused for that game. It was the opening game as you said! There is no reason... When this happens or the coaches can see something that could come out as flat or not jacked up, its our coaches job to stop it before they get to the field, and if it does they need to adjust and make sure they don't stay flat for 60 minutes.

 

[Scratchtown]

You're right. The offense was highly experienced at the skill positions. The defense was pretty decimated. But given how poorly the defense had played the year before, some of us thought having the hungry young guys step in might actually be an improvement. Especially in terms of motivation. Wyoming was a wake-up call. UCLA and South Dakota State were five alarm fires. At which point it didn't seem to be so much about the personnel as the defensive system itself: highly predictible, easy to exploit and not inclined to make adjustments (it didn't work much better the previous year with a more Jr./Sr. laden team).

Point was simply that Wyoming seemed to want the game more than Nebraska on both sides of the ball. And afterwards, players admitted the team wasn't very focused or jacked up....for the opening game of the season. At home.

There should be no reason that they shouldn't be focused for that game. It was the opening game as you said! There is no reason... When this happens or the coaches can see something that could come out as flat or not jacked up, its our coaches job to stop it before they get to the field, and if it does they need to adjust and make sure they don't stay flat for 60 minutes.

I said this earlier today. Some of you need to understand that this whole "getting jacked up" is a two way street. The players have to do their part too. I don't disagree that the coaches need to stop any flat attitudes but seriously, why does a kid play football if he doesn't love the game and get jacked to smash someone other than a teammate like they do all week in practice.

So, after typing that, it leads me to wonder if there isn't something too that. If these kids are flat, and unmotivated, is it because they are always being told what they are doing "wrong" in practice? Either way, I think both sides could be at fault equally.

 

[cg_8]

Also, there's a HUGE difference between being "jack up" or "motivated" and "knowing what the f*ck you're doing".

How many first time starters did we have on that defense against Wyoming?

"Oh, but why didn't we play a simple version of our D?"

We did.

But against a Shotgun Spread with 4 Wide each play? We dominated against that type of offense in the Big XII. The defensive system works, when you have an experienced MIKE and an experienced DLine. That wasn't the case against Wyoming. Gregory's first game (transfer). Valentine's first game(RS freshman). Santos' first game (at MIKE). Banderas' first game (true freshman). Gerry's first game (freshman). That's 4 positions in the front 7 that are playing their first game in their role within the D. There's going to be mistakes. That even discounts that our front 7 for that game was mostly DE DL DL DE CB MIKE CB.

You can be as motivated as you possibly can be, but motivation can only take you so far. Understanding what you have to do is a HUGE part of this game. There's no doubt in my mind that those young guys were motivated. They just were a step behind in their roles compared to a 3 year starting QB who was accurate the whole game.

But guess what. Throughout the season we adjusted. We worked around ways to get Gregory to play a bigger role in the D. Santos was a starter at WILL. Rose starter at MIKE. They got a couple games under their belts and it seemed to click. They still made mistakes, but every defense does.

I have a really good feeling about our D this year. The way we utilize Gregory will be fun to watch. They've also actually played in games, that's pretty huge.

 

[NUinID]

Also, there's a HUGE difference between being "jack up" or "motivated" and "knowing what the f*ck you're doing".

How many first time starters did we have on that defense against Wyoming?

"Oh, but why didn't we play a simple version of our D?"

We did.

But against a Shotgun Spread with 4 Wide each play? We dominated against that type of offense in the Big XII. The defensive system works, when you have an experienced MIKE and an experienced DLine. That wasn't the case against Wyoming. Gregory's first game (transfer). Valentine's first game(RS freshman). Santos' first game (at MIKE). Banderas' first game (true freshman). Gerry's first game (freshman). That's 4 positions in the front 7 that are playing their first game in their role within the D. There's going to be mistakes. That even discounts that our front 7 for that game was mostly DE DL DL DE CB MIKE CB.

You can be as motivated as you possibly can be, but motivation can only take you so far. Understanding what you have to do is a HUGE part of this game. There's no doubt in my mind that those young guys were motivated. They just were a step behind in their roles compared to a 3 year starting QB who was accurate the whole game.

But guess what. Throughout the season we adjusted. We worked around ways to get Gregory to play a bigger role in the D. Santos was a starter at WILL. Rose starter at MIKE. They got a couple games under their belts and it seemed to click. They still made mistakes, but every defense does.

I have a really good feeling about our D this year. The way we utilize Gregory will be fun to watch. They've also actually played in games, that's pretty huge.

Wow, this is way too logical. I to have a good feeling about our defense this fall, I really only worry about depth on the d-line.