WHAT IF?? Alternative Husker History

knapplc said:
Two things I remember about that game (which have nothing to do with this conversation) are the circus catches the TT receivers made over and over. Fingertips on the ball? Catch. Blanket coverage? Catch. One of the only times that happened to that defense.

The other thing I remember was the TT Guard (whose name I forget) who really slowed Suh down. One of the very few players to single-handedly have such a huge effect on Suh. Kept their QB comfortable in the pocket most of the game.
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The fun thing about that game is that it showed the future concerns Bo would have with his defense. It was really good and it put a lot on the offense to have the right plays/formations/packages to exploit it or a superior talented player/running QB that can't be schemed away. TT QB was a backup and "Sticks" made us look foolish. It was a symptom of a larger problem that would turn into a flood gate late into his tenure. Mike Leach doesn't care about how well you run fit and pass off coverage, if you are predictable in coverage he has you beat. 

Them came Gilbert Grape  :hookerhorns  magically finding legs (starting the trend of less mobile QB's finding a running game when facing us) in '10, Wisky using motion to destroy our fits for almost a decade (408), and back at LSU, getting ripped up for gaudy numbers in an environment that has gone completely away from the pro-set NFL (where his system was made in the fire and was usually most successful) type league that he feasted on (QB graveyard) and everyone and their dog run RPO's and highly value flexibility in their play calling. 

 
deedsker said:
The fun thing about that game is that it showed the future concerns Bo would have with his defense. It was really good and it put a lot on the offense to have the right plays/formations/packages to exploit it or a superior talented player/running QB that can't be schemed away. TT QB was a backup and "Sticks" made us look foolish. It was a symptom of a larger problem that would turn into a flood gate late into his tenure. Mike Leach doesn't care about how well you run fit and pass off coverage, if you are predictable in coverage he has you beat. 

Them came Gilbert Grape  :hookerhorns  magically finding legs (starting the trend of less mobile QB's finding a running game when facing us) in '10, Wisky using motion to destroy our fits for almost a decade (408), and back at LSU, getting ripped up for gaudy numbers in an environment that has gone completely away from the pro-set NFL (where his system was made in the fire and was usually most successful) type league that he feasted on (QB graveyard) and everyone and their dog run RPO's and highly value flexibility in their play calling. 
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Yes. And this is why Pelini is sitting home paying his mortgage off his his Nebraska coaching stint and not leading the next generation of coaches. He figured out how to defend the first wave of air raid offense. And those offenses adjusted, and he couldn't.

2009 and 2010 Pelini defenses were stupid elite. Past that, they were dinosaurs.

 
TGHusker said:
I want to address this one.  Most of us probably cannot remember who might have been available to coach Nebraska if Tom had left.   If Tom left, would it had been Colorado who would have had the great run through the 80s and 90s or would that have been a steeper hill to climb as they had less history - not having the Devaney years prior to build off of.  

My speculation is that Tom would have been looked at as 'that coach that follows a legend' who is set up to fail.  He would have been Frank 1.0.   Tom goes off to Colorado and then the next great coach comes in without the pressure of the legend on top of him - kind of like where Matt Rhule is at now. Much easier to follow a Scott Frost than a Tom Osborne.  Nebraska unfortunately has had too many coaches with the Osborne shadow on them - all trying to get out from underneath it.  I think we've finally broken the 'Osborne Curse' if you will.  The curse of following a legend.  That is why I have hope in Rhule's take it slow, and build methodically approach. 

Back to the original "What If" - I can't remember who might have been available back in 1977 if Tom had left. 

Perhaps Bobby Bowden - however he went to FSU the year before.  Too late 

Lou Holtz:  Went to Arkansas in 1977

Danny Ford - became interim HC of Clemson in 78 and went on the win the NC vs Nebraska in 81
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Would it have been Warren Powers?  :dunno  

I don't know but wasn't he on Osburn's staff before going to Missoura?  Or was Waren Powers on Devaney's staff with him?.  I wish I knew.  But I think that's whou might have taken Coach Tom Osborne job if he had left in the 70's.  He did fairly well against Nebraska in a few games. Thoughts?

 
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knapplc said:
Yes. And this is why Pelini is sitting home paying his mortgage off his his Nebraska coaching stint and not leading the next generation of coaches. He figured out how to defend the first wave of air raid offense. And those offenses adjusted, and he couldn't.

2009 and 2010 Pelini defenses were stupid elite. Past that, they were dinosaurs.
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I don’t think he ever had an answer for air raid. Air raid has become more meta and that is why Pelini is at home with a paid off mortgage. 09 TT stands out because despite the lack of production we couldn’t stop a backup qb from finding his groove. Looks like he didn’t even get to start the next week as Taylor Potts came back. 08 Missouri ran him out of the yard and when their OC left they didn’t promote well within. We held VT in check two years in a row only to lose to a playmaker at Qb who was fine with being “contained”. Despite getting past OSU in 10, it took a full offensive and special teams game to get past the Dana Holgorsen lead air raid. With hindsight, it appears he had answers for “spread” passing attacks, but not the air raid concepts that now attack teams with lots of motion and man breakers.

Bo had good quarters defense, but that is a concept ripe for the picking by and good QB. We have progressed to split field defense that disguises well, but has run deficiencies. This is why we see Isaiah Pacheco get plenty of reps on the most efficient team in the world. The fullback disappeared so the H-back could thrive. Being able to exploit the weakness is the key and when you don’t want to pretend to change, you are already beat.

 
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admo said:
Would it have been Warren Powers?  :dunno  

I don't know but wasn't he on Osburn's staff before going to Missoura?  Or was Waren Powers on Devaney's staff with him?.  I wish I knew.  But I think that's whou might have taken Coach Tom Osborne job if he had left in the 70's.  He did fairly well against Nebraska in a few games. Thoughts?
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Very well could have been.  It is his Mo team that upset Tom's 78 team that got that first victory over OU.  Neb played Mo the week after, the last game of the season and Mo wins.  It kept us from the NC and the Orange  Bowl made that unforgiveable REMATCH wt OU in the Orange Bowl - which we lost.   Bad way to end the season wt 2 loses after being #1



#1.

 
Cdog923 said:
Something I always say, and firmly believe, when this topic comes up: if Nebraska win's the national title in '93, we don't win it in '94. 
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Having grown up watching the VCR tape on loop of Unfinished Business of the 94 season, I have always agreed with this. I think the determination and work ethic from the offseason was from having the previous national title taken from their hands. Without it, I think 94 is just another really good team that may not have had the right juice to finish off someone here or there.

 
deedsker said:
Having grown up watching the VCR tape on loop of Unfinished Business of the 94 season, I have always agreed with this. I think the determination and work ethic from the offseason was from having the previous national title taken from their hands. Without it, I think 94 is just another really good team that may not have had the right juice to finish off someone here or there.
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They sure had to fight for it - with Tommie's blood clot, and Brook's injury.   Yet, there was a lot of grit on that team even without the previous NC being taken from them.  Yes, I have that same Unfinished Business VCR tape - while that was a motivation - those teams from 93-97 were all just different than previous Husker teams. Meaner, more determined and didn't back down from anyone or challenge.  I still think even if the 93 team had won the NC, there was enough pride in 'our time now' for the 94 team to aim at back to back. 

 
TGHusker said:
They sure had to fight for it - with Tommie's blood clot, and Brook's injury.   Yet, there was a lot of grit on that team even without the previous NC being taken from them.  Yes, I have that same Unfinished Business VCR tape - while that was a motivation - those teams from 93-97 were all just different than previous Husker teams. Meaner, more determined and didn't back down from anyone or challenge.  I still think even if the 93 team had won the NC, there was enough pride in 'our time now' for the 94 team to aim at back to back. 
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I think the one that sticks out is the Wyoming game with Matt Turman coming in while down. This is a slip up that if they had won in 93, I don't think the overall buy in in the offseason happens to get over that hump. Wyoming wasn't great, but they found the right set of circumstances that sinks potential champions every year (injuries, turnovers, missed chances). It had to have took an extra level of team effort to back a third string QB and drag the team over the finish line. I think of 2013 Michigan State, 2012 Oregon, 2011 Oklahoma State, 2008 Texas/Oklahoma/Tech, 2006 Louisville, 2002 Georgia, 2000 Oregon/Oregon State/Washington. It only takes one game for an otherwise great team to be beaten and removed from the race based on what else happens in the country.

 
deedsker said:
I think the one that sticks out is the Wyoming game with Matt Turman coming in while down. This is a slip up that if they had won in 93, I don't think the overall buy in in the offseason happens to get over that hump. Wyoming wasn't great, but they found the right set of circumstances that sinks potential champions every year (injuries, turnovers, missed chances). It had to have took an extra level of team effort to back a third string QB and drag the team over the finish line. I think of 2013 Michigan State, 2012 Oregon, 2011 Oklahoma State, 2008 Texas/Oklahoma/Tech, 2006 Louisville, 2002 Georgia, 2000 Oregon/Oregon State/Washington. It only takes one game for an otherwise great team to be beaten and removed from the race based on what else happens in the country.
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Wasn’t Thurman’s game against KU or KSU?  I know we went plain vanilla on offense and the D did a good job of controlling their side of the ball to help the O. 

 
Lorewarn said:
What if the people of Nebraska didn't elect silly leaders.
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