Ohio State: What Did We Learn?

BoNeyard said:
Fighting through an ankle sprain and a broken jaw to play is heroic and warrior mindset if you are a player like Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Trevor Lawrence in college, where the team actually needs you and you play well and are a huge piece to the team winning. But when you're more accountable for most of the team losses and the majority of the fans are ready to move on from you, playing through those injuries comes across as an eye roller. He's not great when he's healthy, her certainly isn't good when he's hurt. 

Some people may really like that he played through those injuries and it shows his dedication and heart and determination for Nebraska football and sure, I applaud that too, but we are at a point where it isn't about feeling good, we need wins and need to start winning within this program and Adrian Martinez healthy isn't that guy and Adrian Martinez hurt is certainly not that guy. It's frustrating that our head coach would continue to stick with a guy that is clearly not 100% in health and further spotlights the concern that there has been absolutely zero quarterback development within the team. With that lack of development or at least lack of confidence in that development, how are we supposed to feel optimistic about the positions future?
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So Martinez has surgery and ends his season.

And we roll with Smothers.

At that point, you're happy? I feel like the anger would just shift to Smothers for losses, and people would start demanding we play Haarberg.

 
My son made me take him to game so I had a different perspective today.  It didn’t change what I’ve been thinking all along.  It actually made it worse for me.

Offense 

Manning and Toure are wide open off the route break constantly.  Their QB holds the ball so long that the zones pick the receivers up.  The QB also never takes the on the zone read play.  If he’s not going to ever keep it they should run the play.

I wish I understood the RB rotation.

Defense

Our pass rush is weak.  We might have the best group of LBs in the conference in my opinion.

Special teams

Kicking….wow

General

AM doesn’t make the plays.  1/11 on 3rd down is embarrassing.  It was all big plays today.

This team is a consistent QB from 7-8 wins.   AM needs to move on and not come back next year.

 
runningblind said:
Very convenient he comes clean on these right now, when a losing season is guaranteed.

Where are all the "no way he'd play with a broken jaw!" folks at?
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TBH, I would not ever expect a guy with a broken jaw to play football. Me thinks whatever the injury really is that it’s now being overstated. I’ve no doubts about Adrian’s heart and toughness but you don’t play this sport with a “broken” jaw. Possibly some sort of hairline fracture but not “broken”. jmo

 
knapplc said:
So Martinez has surgery and ends his season.

And we roll with Smothers.

At that point, you're happy? I feel like the anger would just shift to Smothers for losses, and people would start demanding we play Haarberg.
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Well now that there is officially no bowl game on the line, Martinez and his coaches most certainly should strongly support it and let him get surgery and keep his health. Absolutely zero reason for him to further injure himself or those injuries for a useless 2 games, that could damage it in  way that it becomes a lifetime problem. That is not worth it at this point.

So yes, start Smothers vs Wisconsin and Iowa, or play Haarberg, I don't care at this point, because now it has to be about the future. So take the QB you think is going to be playing next year and play him now, let him get that game experience. And I will be far more understandable when a freshman or sophmore makes mistakes in game as opposed to a 4 year starting Senior. 

 
knapplc said:
So Martinez has surgery and ends his season.

And we roll with Smothers.

At that point, you're happy? I feel like the anger would just shift to Smothers for losses, and people would start demanding we play Haarberg.
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At least give Smothers a chance to earn an L.  That's where I'm at at this point.

 
gobiggergoredder said:
My son made me take him to game so I had a different perspective today.  It didn’t change what I’ve been thinking all along.  It actually made it worse for me.

Offense 

Manning and Toure are wide open off the route break constantly.  Their QB holds the ball so long that the zones pick the receivers up.  The QB also never takes the on the zone read play.  If he’s not going to ever keep it they should run the play.

I wish I understood the RB rotation.

Defense

Our pass rush is weak.  We might have the best group of LBs in the conference in my opinion.

Special teams

Kicking….wow

General

AM doesn’t make the plays.  1/11 on 3rd down is embarrassing.  It was all big plays today.

This team is a consistent QB from 7-8 wins.   AM needs to move on and not come back next year.
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"I wish I understood the RB rotation."

Morrison wasn't available today due to a family issue. Johnson was limited late do to injury thus the cause for Stepp coming in. 

 
Learned that there is definitely no question anymore that the kicker is also a head case definitely don't want to see him on the team going forward. Thankfully he's gone after this year.

 
Hammerhead said:
I considered going with "Did We Learn Anything?" for the title, but I don't want to break the format.  Honestly, it doesn't feel like we did learn anything today.  This has been the Huskers' MO all season long against opponents with a pulse: the defense keeps us competitive but gets gassed and gives up just what the other team needs to beat us, the offense has a few big plays here and there but spends most of the game spinning its wheels, and special teams... yeah.  I don't need to say anything more about that.

I think I said something similar in another WDWL thread here: this team has heart, but heart ain't enough.
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So why start this thread if you already know what we learned?

 
BoNeyard said:
Well now that there is officially no bowl game on the line, Martinez and his coaches most certainly should strongly support it and let him get surgery and keep his health. Absolutely zero reason for him to further injure himself or those injuries for a useless 2 games, that could damage it in  way that it becomes a lifetime problem. That is not worth it at this point.

So yes, start Smothers vs Wisconsin and Iowa, or play Haarberg, I don't care at this point, because now it has to be about the future. So take the QB you think is going to be playing next year and play him now, let him get that game experience. And I will be far more understandable when a freshman or sophmore makes mistakes in game as opposed to a 4 year starting Senior. 
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I agree with your first paragraph. No reason to keep playing him if he's hurt. Frost should tell him he's benched anyway so he may as well have the surgery.

I believe the coaches have been doing the bold this whole season. I think Martinez is expected to come back and that's why they play him.

 
So the coach plays a guy with a high ankle sprain (mobility) and a broken jaw (leery of gettin hit) and thinks that is smart, safe, best option to win.....Throws it out now as an excuse?  This why we have lost....And we still have Verduzco stealing money from the school.  And AM playing broken up was/is selfish.  His best attribute is his mobility and running.....And now that's gone. What a sh1t show

 
ndobney said:
Learned that there is definitely no question anymore that the kicker is also a head case definitely don't want to see him on the team going forward. Thankfully he's gone after this year.
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You're going to have to be more specific than that. Every kicker on our roster has had trouble this year.

 
knapplc said:
I agree with your first paragraph. No reason to keep playing him if he's hurt. Frost should tell him he's benched anyway so he may as well have the surgery.

I believe the coaches have been doing the bold this whole season. I think Martinez is expected to come back and that's why they play him.
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Please man, Nebraska lost another close game where they shoulda coulda won, please don't ruin my Saturday any further.

 
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