RE: Three players worth watching this spring•Mar 16th, 2012
Hey Austin, I read your post and I agree with just about everyone you've included. Some random thoughts on your list: 2) Right now, I'd say Abdullah has a slight edge on Green. I'm sort of more interested in Green's trajectory given his apparent dissatisfaction at times last year, but either …more »
RE: Terry Joseph meets the media•Mar 15th, 2012
If you're into first impressions, Joseph certainly made a good one on me. He's not just paying lip service when he says he's a people person.
RE: A Brief History of Husker Recruiting: 1990-99•Feb 9th, 2012
I'd also like to take a moment to thank everyone for their comments on this and the previous post. These numbers need to be poked and prodded and I look forward to working with them more as we wade deeper into the offseason. I guess at this point, I'm a 20th …more »
RE: A Brief History of Husker Recruiting: 1990-99•Feb 9th, 2012
Nick, The median for the coaches from 1990-2012 is as follows: Osborne: 16.5 Solich: 20.7 Callahan: 16.5 Pelini: 25 Ron, You could, and probably should, make that argument. What we're really looking at here is how each recruiting class was perceived at the time of signing and, as we know, the …more »
RE: A Brief History of Husker Recruiting: 1990-99•Feb 9th, 2012
Dave, You are correct. Osborne, as represented above, does benefit from being measured at the pinnacle of his career based simply on the limitations of the data. That said, I'm reasonably confident that Osborne's average class rank wouldn't have dropped significantly based on his classes of the 1980s. I can't prove …more »
RE: A Brief History of Husker Recruiting: 1990-99•Feb 9th, 2012
Just to add a little context to some of those final numbers above: Michigan had an average class rank of 4th between 1990-1997. Over that span the Wolverines had one undefeated season, one national championship ('97), two Heisman winners, went 2-1 in the Rose Bowl, 5-3 in bowl games overall, and …more »
RE: Fyfe an intriguing prospect at QB•Jan 26th, 2012
For those talking about Rutgers recruits, here's a pretty good recap (featuring both Lambert and Fuller) on where they stand: http://www.maxpreps.com/news/5fQSrQmyXEuVK6DJvwU_Iw/greg-schiano-leaves--whats-next-for-rutgers-recruiting.htm
RE: Fyfe an intriguing prospect at QB•Jan 25th, 2012
Bill, I might agree with you there. I debated for a while over whether or not Fyfe's speed would be an issue as a hypothetical WR. But when I said I could see potentially see him there I was thinking a possession type guy who might be an intriguing third or …more »
RE: Turning the page to 2012•Jan 3rd, 2012
Big D, I agree with you and (on defense at least) it's nothing more than a hunch. The offense should obviously improve based on a) the talent level they have returning and b) Tim Beck having a full season's worth of mistakes and successes to draw from. To me, the Huskers …more »
RE: Turning the page to 2012•Jan 3rd, 2012
Nebraska does not, at least on defense. Pelini has less to work with in 2012 on defense than he did when he showed up in 2008. Point taken.
RE: Defending Against Kirk Cousins•Oct 28th, 2011
Good stuff. It reminds me a lot of the '09 Big 12 championship game. Unflappable QB who you can't let be comfortable. Some numbers: Cousins has started 32 games and is 22-10 as a starter. He's thrown 24 INTs over his career, 50% of which have come in 31% of his …more »
RE: The one game season•Oct 27th, 2011
Stephen Johnson, Then I'm confused as well. I never even mentioned Martinez once in post. Nebraska needs to run the ball because they win when the run the ball successfully. Most teams do but under Pelini its been a particularly good indicator of the Huskers' success. What about that is critical …more »
RE: OSU Players Unimpressed with Nebraska•Oct 8th, 2011
Love this post, Tom. I'm perfectly fine if, in comparison to the Big Ten road trips these opposing teams are used to, Nebraska becomes the eerily empty place on the plains. Maybe it'll boost the home field advantage a bit, teams don't want to be here, it's the longest in-conference road …more »
RE: Rivalry Crowdsourcing•Sep 29th, 2011
Mitch, Technically, yes, it is a trident but everybody - the school itself, the local chamber of commerce, Nike - refers to it as a pitchfork. And I call it a rocketfork for the ridiculous clip art they added behind it. We may all be wrong, but we're all united in …more »
RE: Rivalry Crowdsourcing•Sep 28th, 2011
ruggerhusker, Mizzou and Nebraska used to play for the Victory Bell.
RE: Rivalry Crowdsourcing•Sep 28th, 2011
Jason, Well, that's the problem. They could've named this the Corn Bowl and everybody would've been happy and then they could play for the pitchfork (or the corn bowl/"all the ears"). But, the game already has a name and if we're sticking with this whole heroes thing, what would a hero …more »
RE: Wyoming by Night•Sep 26th, 2011
Greg, Pretty amazing, right? There were a couple of more pictures of Devaney at Wyoming in the program. I'll have to post them.
RE: Martinez Grows Up As Huskers Pull Away From Fresno State•Sep 11th, 2011
I too would've guessed that Nebraska would pile up sacks against the Fresno St. line based on the injuries and inexperience they had coming in but give credit to Pat Hill & Co. After giving up 6 sacks against Cal, it was pretty clear that they came up with an offensive …more »
RE: A Six-Pack of Predictions for UT-Chattanooga•Aug 30th, 2011
Stephen, It is a conservative estimate based on 3 factors: 1) I think the offense is going to be running in about 3rd gear most of the game. 2) I need to see how this offense is a "better fit" for Martinez before I can really assess his progress. 3) I'm …more »
RE: What We Know Now•Aug 30th, 2011
I might be forgetting some old-timers but I'd say that Connealy is the patron saint of the 308 but will likely be replaced by Crick after this season. I get the sense via Twitter that Crick is a bit of a hip-hop head. I don't get that sense from the giant …more »
RE: What We Know Now•Aug 30th, 2011
Adam31, The 308 is what we Western Nebraskans wear on our eyeblack (i.e. the area code for just about everything west of Grand Island a.k.a. outstate Nebraska or - more or less- Congressional District 3). Based on population alone, players from The 308 are very rare and always lauded here at …more »
RE: Position Battle Buzz - Defense•Aug 25th, 2011
TexasHusker, I didn't happen to see Martin on there but it doesn't surprise me too much. Carl Pelini said last week that Martin had done well in the transition to DE but still struggled at time sin the 3-point stance after playing his entire career without a hand on the ground. …more »
RE: Three Concerns for Nebraska Entering the 2011 Season•Aug 24th, 2011
Good stuff. I'd throw RFr Trevor Roach in there at backup LB too. Everyone's bigger/stronger/faster at this point in camp but Carl Pelini seemed pretty high on him last week. I've also heard rumblings that Cassidy might get the occasional chance to move down in special situations provided Smith and Stafford …more »
RE: Football Outsiders Nebraska Preview•Jul 8th, 2011
James/OU7, Great conversation. And I'm not surprised in the least that its you two having it. I gotta think Oklahoma has a plan and I'd love to know what it is. When the conference merry-go-round started to spin last summer I know a lot of Nebraska fans were thinking "Where's Oklahoma …more »
RE: The Most Famous Gloves in the History of Nebraska Football•Jun 24th, 2011
Toad, Please point out to me where I said I hated the gloves in the above story. (Note: It's not in the fifth paragraph where I said the gloves were cool.) Just to give you the facts behind your preconceived notions of me: I'm 31, I like Oregon's uniforms, I typically …more »
RE: Fashion and football identity•Apr 21st, 2011
PE, I can talk about this stuff until I'm out of breath, so bear with me throughout the day. Nebraska did go to the wide stripe in 2002 (as well as going all-white on the road). It was one of Pederson's first big moves and that alone is enough to make …more »
RE: Finish Strong•Mar 17th, 2011
I have had turf toe. It sounds pretty meager but it's excruciating. Injuries certainly influenced those numbers but I can't help but think there was something else at play as well.
RE: The Omaha Questions•Mar 16th, 2011
I was at the somber Sunday press conference where Alberts and Chancellor Christensen first met with the local media and you could tell then, before many of the rallies or boosters had made their feelings known, that this wasn't going to be an easy process. And I see both sides of …more »
RE: A Story about Ron Brown and fumbling•Feb 22nd, 2011
It definitely did. And Ron Brown had my full attention too. He's an impressive coach. Most impressive to me was that it appeared to me that his intensity level over those few days with a mix of high schoolers seemed no different from what it would've been with the actual team …more »
RE: The Elite Eight•Jan 19th, 2011
BoiseHusker, Correct. The default limitation for the Stassen calculation is for teams that have competed in a minimum of 30 percent of the years over the entire span. Boise State has competed in only 18 percent. You can also limit the list to current I-A teams which eliminates the Yale, Princeton, …more »
RE: The Elite Eight•Jan 18th, 2011
Andy, Nope. Not too far off. Sorry to make you do the math. I think if I post the answer here it'll appear far enough down the page. NU averaged 8.4 wins over the past decade.
RE: A B1G Mistake?•Dec 15th, 2010
GBR, Not petty. That's a good catch. I'm an excellent typist but a terrible speller. (Not true, it was just a typo.)
RE: Pelini a candidate in Miami?•Dec 9th, 2010
Aaron, I would be too but just pursuing it ignites a firestorm in Nebraska. After the way the end of this season went as far as off the field stuff, you'd think that would be the last thing he'd want. This says something, I'm just not sure what. Are we dealing …more »
RE: After the Magic is gone•Nov 23rd, 2010
The Wildcat works as a change up, and it was somewhat baffling in its total absence against A&M, but I don't think it's valid as a significant part of the game Friday. It's too transparent. Burkhead has yet to throw a pass out of that formation, which could be a nice …more »
RE: Survive and Advance•Nov 7th, 2010
Glad that Ag. & Mech won. Somehow I feel like it balanced out how tough that trip is going to be and how tough it would've been perceived if the Aggies were sitting there last in the South. (But that's actually Texas.)
RE: The Big Play Explosion•Nov 2nd, 2010
Yards per play isn't a shallow statistic. It's also not the only way to do things, but I fail to see how being explosive could be a bad thing. Two of the best teams in school and likely college football history are also the two teams with the best YPP at …more »
RE: The Big Play Explosion•Nov 2nd, 2010
I don't think getting big plays necessarily means that the offense is getting lucky rather than executing. Neither Helu or Burkhead are what you'd call breakaway, big play guys. Martinez is and Nebraska's doing most of its big play damage on the ground. They've got 27 total running plays of 20+ …more »
RE: Puncturing the Home-Road Myth•Oct 25th, 2010
As someone who has pushed the home-road thing lately--and as Dutch notes, the stats are alarming--let me officially say I wouldn't really prefer a road game here. The greater truth of the home field advantage still holds sway over recent trends, but there seems to be enough evidence surrounding the lack …more »
RE: Vegas still favors Huskers•Oct 25th, 2010
Welcome Mizzou fans and thanks for the constructive comments. Psychology is almost impossible to assess. Husker fans never would've thought Nebraska would come out as flat or play as poorly as they did after a year of Texas angst, myself included. Even the Horns fans I talked to weren't very happy …more »
RE: Vegas still favors Huskers•Oct 25th, 2010
Beating Missouri doesn't quite guarantee a Big 12 title spot. That was the reason to actually root for the Tigers to lose on Saturday. After next Saturday's game, Missouri is just as likely to win out as Nebraska is, perhaps more likely (they've already been to A&M and I wouldn't want …more »
RE: Vegas still favors Huskers•Oct 25th, 2010
Agree on both counts. I felt like Nebraska lost a psychological edge when Texas lost to UCLA but gained one when Mizzou beat OU. The message is simple here: One game playoff to stay alive for a BCS bowl and its at your place.
RE: The Easy Road•Oct 24th, 2010
Greg, I agree with you on the instant frustration angle, but I don't think it's a false premise. Truth is, I don't know what the answer is but Memorial Stadium seems different to me. People are edgier, snake-bitten perhaps from the last decade or so.
RE: Comedy of Errors Dooms Nebraska Against Texas•Oct 17th, 2010
To the Texas fans: You can say whatever you want. The numbers speak for themselves and you guys just plain beat us. Refs, drops, coaching calls, doesn't matter. Texas won...again. It's painful, but I'm disappointed we won't be schedule again. Not out of any revenge scenario, but because the Horns have …more »
RE: Close win likely better than a blowout•Sep 27th, 2010
As usual, I'm with you, James. Taking a look at the national landscape, even in light of last night's struggle, and I still feel Nebraska's up there among the nation's elite this season. The schedule is there and the balance (offense-defense) is there. Seeing Texas struggle with the zone read was …more »
RE: Requiem for the Sleeve•Sep 9th, 2010
I can live without the pants stripe on the white pants, but I never liked the way it looked on the red. As for the sleeves, I actually prefer a stripe to a number but these are truncated stripes. Just lines, really that are more of a hint at the stripes …more »
RE: The WAC is Back in Lincoln•Sep 7th, 2010
I was more impressed with Boise than I was Tech. The Broncos pretty much dominated up front which brings up the bigger question: What will this win be worth at the end of the year? It's billed now as a coming out party but, as I detailed last summer,, Virginia Tech …more »
RE: Big 10 Media Days Offer Clues to Conference Alignment•Aug 3rd, 2010
Let me amend my last comment. A good year for Iowa really won't do much considering this alignment business is supposed to be done in the next 4 to 5 weeks. That said, the Hawkeyes best case is also their head to head record against Penn State. Iowa is 8-5 against …more »
RE: Big 10 Media Days Offer Clues to Conference Alignment•Aug 3rd, 2010
Scootmandu, Despite what Delaney said yesterday regarding the time frame for evaluation, most of the alignments I've seen seem to rely just as heavily on a longer term perception as well. Despite what the records suggest, most people will still value Penn State and Michigan as a slight notch above Wisconsin. …more »
RE: Big 10 Media Days Offer Clues to Conference Alignment•Aug 3rd, 2010
I agree with most here regarding Michigan and Ohio State being split. At this point, I think Delaney's very much in "nothing's off the table" mode. As for rivals, I know you don't simply appoint a real rival but if the Big 10 does end up going to a designated cross …more »
RE: Oh, right...the quarterbacks•Jul 21st, 2010
If you're going to sway me on the 2 QBs thing, you'll have to use something other than Frazier/Berringer. That wasn't a 2QB=0 situation. Wasn't even close. Frazier was the starter, Berringer the back-up. Now, both of them happened to be good and Frazier happened to get hurt which lead to …more »
RE: Your NCAA Football 11 Nebraska Cornhuskers•Jul 14th, 2010
Having played a couple games, I can finally offer some feedback. jamesmoore: Agreed. The playbook is boring. I was hoping we'd at least get the Burkhead-led Wildcat but I guess one game running the set wasn't likely enough to go on. And I know you can customize everything, but for some …more »
RE: Here's a Story About Waiting While You Wait•Jul 7th, 2010
Did it have a cover, spine and retail for $24.95? Yes on all fronts, therefore book. In all honesty, you're right, it barely qualifies. A real college football book I can recommend? "Saturday's America" by Dan Jenkins. While nothing more than a collection of Jenkins work for SI it still as …more »
RE: The End of "NU"?•Jul 2nd, 2010
I refuse to give it up. It's right there in the song. Dear old Nebraska U. Of course nobody actually ever says "Nebraska University" but nobody says "Colorado University" either. CU, however, is pretty ubiquitous. NU? Not so much. In fact, I don't think I've ever actually used it in conversation. …more »
RE: On the field, I might miss Texas•Jun 16th, 2010
Pete, I had a similar experience in '07. Nebraska was bad and I had prepared myself for the worst but I had a great time with the Texas fans. Say what you want about the school, but as a state Texas is good place to have a good time.
RE: Terrorist Texas "Saves" the Big 12?•Jun 15th, 2010
Dr. Jim, You're right. Texas has not just a right but an obligation to do what they think is best for their institution just like Nebraska did. I think the shock emanating from Nebraska is how many institutions aren't willing or able to do the same. Was that NU up until …more »
RE: Terrorist Texas "Saves" the Big 12?•Jun 14th, 2010
Well said. I had my qualms about ditching the Big 12. Not any more. I'm PROUD Nebraska called the Texas bluff. I'm PROUD that they were seemingly the only school willing and (maybe able) to tell the Longhorns brass something they don't hear very often: "No."
RE: A Done Deal?•Jun 10th, 2010
Don't expect that we'll get much comment out of Bo Pelini other than: "We'll play whoever they tell us to play," but I would love to hear his thoughts on how this changes that recruiting strategy. Took a quick look at the 2010 rosters in the Big 10. Combined, Ohio State, …more »
RE: The scale of villainy•Jun 8th, 2010
Matt, I agree with you. There's nothing villainous about it from our perspective, but I doubt it will get played that way in Lawrence or Manhattan. Nebraska has it's reasons for looking to the Big 10, but in terms of ammunition for opposing fans this is a pretty ample source especially …more »
RE: Nebraska might go to the Big 10. Will the famed traveling fans follow?•May 4th, 2010
Good conversation today. Thanks to everyone for their comments. Here's some further food for thought. Of the 25 teams Nebraska has faced most over their history, 5 of those most frequent opponents are Big 10 teams. Nebraska has played Minnesota more times than they've played Oklahoma State. They've played Iowa, Indiana, …more »
RE: Nebraska might go to the Big 10. Will the famed traveling fans follow?•May 4th, 2010
Sdolan, Your guess is wrong. I wrote and blogged about Nebraska football all through the Callahan era so you can see exactly where I came down on him through various periods of his tenure if you're so inclined. I'll summarize it for you: Didn't welcome his arrival, but I gave him …more »
RE: Nebraska might go to the Big 10. Will the famed traveling fans follow?•May 4th, 2010
Sdolan, Sorry to infuriate you but I'm with you. I want nothing more than for nothing to change. I like the Big 12. I want the chance to avenge a decade's worth of painful losses to Texas. I want to keep playing Kansas and Missouri. I'm just about the biggest "traditionalist" …more »
RE: A Change in Base?•Mar 30th, 2010
With a name like Pelini, I probably would've called this new set the "Lira." More melodic.
RE: The Competition Advantage•Mar 24th, 2010
Welcome back Boz. Would you rather we quote Nebraska writers re: Oklahoma? If I wanted to know about Texas football wouldn't the American-Statesman, and their staff of writers covering the team, be a good place to start? Something concerns me about your comment, Boz. I'm getting the sense that you're ready …more »
RE: Can Pelini cure October woes?•Mar 11th, 2010
Boz, I don't think ANY Nebraska fan thinks the North is anywhere near as strong as the South. There. It's been commented on. That said, I'm not sure how it relates to Nebraska last year or next year in regards to the absolute value of "how good" they were/are. Do you …more »
RE: Relive '09 in less than 10 minutes•Jan 20th, 2010
GFW/XFactor, I assure you, it's not the case. I don't plagiarize. Never have, never will. It's merely a coincidence. I wrote this post last night at approximately 6pm and scheduled it to run this morning. Anyone on our staff can back me up on that. Here's our Twitter post from when …more »
RE: Husker fan seeking team he doesn't hate for tonight's title game•Jan 7th, 2010
One more angle that just occurred to me. There's a "best defense in the country" angle here too. You can't ignore Florida and we won't have anything close to a direct comparison there, but we'll have one with Alabama after tonight.
RE: Husker fan seeking team he doesn't hate for tonight's title game•Jan 7th, 2010
nu-isu-fan, Can't speak for the media overall, but Ivan Maisel wrote an excellent piece about how Suh's dominating performance raised a bunch of questions about Texas' o-line heading into the title game. Ultimately I think this is a big advantage for Texas. After Nebraska took them to the wire and 'Bama …more »
RE: Bo says Nebraska's back. Now what?•Jan 6th, 2010
bnahusker, I didn't see that comment out of Stoops, but it PERFECTLY describes the feeling I had following the game. It felt like Big Boy football.
RE: Yup, that defense was good•Dec 17th, 2009
Dwayne, I agree with you: scoring defense is the ultimate, bare bones measure of defensive tenacity. It's the stat that shows up directly on the scoreboard and I, personally, value it more. That said, total yards has always been the old standby for measuring a defense. I sorted by that simply …more »
RE: Why Cody Green should start the Holiday Bowl•Dec 16th, 2009
Mel Kiper didn't trademark "upside", did he? When you're talking about Cody Green I think it's a valid way to describe him. His best football should be in front of him. Also, I'm not convinced that Lee does give Nebraska a better chance to win this game. I'm not convinced because …more »
RE: Recruiting waters get choppier as high profile recruits abandon ship•Dec 12th, 2009
dilusional, I disagree. This team was one second from a Big 12 title with a horrid offense. If it had been simply bad, who knows what would've happened? In terms of offense, we're basically in Blackshirts '07 territory: they can't possibly be worse. As for the defense itself, I'll be shocked …more »
RE: Screen!•Dec 3rd, 2009
I'm not buying any conspiracy theories with this offense, but I will say this: We haven't seen any trick plays yet this season.
RE: Eight Turnovers Leave Huskers Out in the Cold•Oct 25th, 2009
Austin, You're exactly right and that was actually my first thought after Lee's final INT. Nebraska cost themselves a lot of wiggle room yesterday. A win, given the remaining schedules for the North teams, would've put a stranglehold on the division. Now the Huskers are gonna have to slug it out. …more »
RE: Eight Turnovers Leave Huskers Out in the Cold•Oct 25th, 2009
Well said DT. On Friday I mentioned that gray area that we all occupy when talking about college athletics. (They're kids!) I get it. But if you're not willing to think critically about things--be it Husker football, your shopping list, or how much life insurance to buy--what's the point of thinking …more »
RE: Eight Turnovers Leave Huskers Out in the Cold•Oct 24th, 2009
NU's only playmaker on offense is playing at about 65% right now. Beyond Helu, nobody on Nebraska truly scares you as a defense. I don't know how you fix that. Lee had a deceptively "good" game. His completion percentage was high but I still saw the same problem with his play: …more »
RE: Eight Turnovers Leave Huskers Out in the Cold•Oct 24th, 2009
WyHuskerFan, I believe 8 turnovers ties a school record and the -8 turnover margin sets a school record. Nebraska was -7 against Mizzou in '68.
RE: Why Green is Not Automatically the Choice•Oct 23rd, 2009
I really don't know who should play. On a more theoretical level, I see three advantages for Green: 1) At this point, simplifying the offense out of necessity for Green seems like a good thing. If he can only run 20 plays confidently, then we run 20 plays. 2) The game …more »
RE: The Sky Is Not Falling•Oct 19th, 2009
All very true statements without even using "all our goals are still intact." Well done, Steve. Here's what was really exposed on Saturday: The Huskers, and Pelini, are still learning. After Mizzou--and all the Suh pub and rankings boosts--it looked like NU might be able to put together a VERY special …more »
RE: With Burkhead down Watson's load gets heavier•Oct 15th, 2009
Dave, Nobody censored your comments. When you include a URL the Spam filter puts it on hold and I didn't see the comment to approve it until just now. It's up, now I'll address it. Nowhere did I say we should get rid of Watson. I wouldn't even call the post …more »
RE: With Burkhead down Watson's load gets heavier•Oct 14th, 2009
WyHuskerFan, Darren and I were just discussing this earlier today. The bit that gets lost in translation from college to the pros with the WCO IS playing to your strengths. In the NFL, where the talent is great across the board and relatively constant it makes sense to find a weakness …more »
RE: With Burkhead down Watson's load gets heavier•Oct 14th, 2009
Huskerdeck, I agree with you regarding Castille, but his dismissal changed the look of this season. Even if he wasn't great he would've ate up some carries being competent. Nebrascal, You may be right. It might be as simple as that, but Helu's numbers don't necessarily bear that out. He HAS …more »
RE: Mike Leach Lacking Something•Oct 13th, 2009
The coaching profession has gotten less interesting by the decade. Leach at least does his best to combat that.
RE: CBSSports.com BlogPoll Ballot #7•Oct 5th, 2009
Interesting quote from Sipple today in the LJS: "In a perfect world, college polls would include only voters who are free on Saturdays to watch multiple games. It's incredible how much you can learn about the national scene by watching games and highlights for nine hours, as opposed to spending nine-plus …more »
RE: Wha' Happened at the Big Recruiting Weekend•Oct 2nd, 2009
What sort of odds could you have gotten backing zero in the "number of commitments will have in the week following Super Sellout 300"? 30-1?
RE: Grading Nebraska at the de facto break•Oct 1st, 2009
Maybe D was a tad harsh as good as Helu has been, but I am really unsure as to whether or not the running game as it looks now--whole lotta Helu--is going to be enough to get it done in the Big 12. It's one of two areas that I think …more »
RE: Is Nebraska Back (Part 2)?•Sep 30th, 2009
Just a note about the validity of statistics at this point in the season. What's important is not that three of NU's opponents came from the Sun Belt--and the negative, built-in stigma that comes with that--but how it compares to the rest of the schedules through four games out there. Has …more »
RE: CBSSports.com BlogPoll Ballot: Week 5•Sep 29th, 2009
Higgs, I can't speak for everyone, but MY enthusiasm comes from this assessment of the three schedules: I would rank Nebraska's close loss at VT ahead of either Missouri's win over Illinois (on a neutral field) or Kansas's win over Southern Miss at home. I'm probably in the minority with that …more »
RE: Huskers Prepare to Take Big Step Forward•Sep 28th, 2009
Man, Steve, don't get me started on this week's polls. (LSU?) With a crazy September in the books, I'm going to have to start from scratch with the BlogPoll this week.
RE: Plan of Attack: Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns•Sep 24th, 2009
Cajun, K-State outgained UL, had a higher YPP average, rushed for nearly 200 yards, won the turnover battle and held a 13 minute advantage in time of possession. Maybe "dominated" was too strong of a term, but that's rarely the box score of a team that lost.
RE: Plan of Attack: Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns•Sep 24th, 2009
Actually, right now, I think Nebraska might be better than LSU. The Tigers have yet to impress me this season, and I know the Huskers are much better offensively. Defensively, their numbers look about the same. But that's not the point. The issue for me is timing, and I don't think …more »
RE: We Are Who We Thought We Were•Sep 20th, 2009
Spiff, Since we were posting comments simultaneously and taking different sides of the argument, I thought I'd chime in again. I don't think Darren, or myself for that matter, was saying or thinking that NU doesn't have talent behind Helu but in this particular game the offensive coaching staff either didn't …more »
RE: We Are Who We Thought We Were•Sep 20th, 2009
I think that about sums it up perfectly. Particularly glaring, at least among the group I watched it with, was that lack of a second option at running back. Helu flat out wore down--which was to be expected--and when Nebraska could've salted things away with maybe one more first down they …more »
RE: Nebraska Continues Sun Belt Dominance•Sep 13th, 2009
Dwayne, Tom Shatel agrees with you. Below is what he wrote on his halftime blog. "5. Barry Turner is not the same guy, not even close. He's hesitant, lost a step. Too bad."
RE: Nebraska Continues Sun Belt Dominance•Sep 12th, 2009
The final numbers weren't bad, but the big gains on the ground worry me a bit. Color me concerned for next Saturday.
RE: Plan of Attack: Arkansas State Red Wolves•Sep 10th, 2009
I don't think they do run against NU. Their RB is probably good enough to make some plays on his own, but he can't do it all himself. Against Alabama, ASU rushed for only 91 yards, the only time they were held below 150 LY. That's why I chose disrupting the …more »
RE: CBSSports.com Preliminary BlogPoll Ballot: Week 2•Sep 8th, 2009
Part of the reason I have the Cowboys so high is personal bias. I expected Okie State to lose outright. That they didn't--while rebounding from an early deficit--impressed me. Another part of the reason is, barring something unforeseen, it feels like a pretty good bet that the top two teams in …more »
RE: CBSSports.com BlogPoll Top 25: Final Preseason Edition•Aug 24th, 2009
Scott, I think the issue truly at hand here is what a preseason poll is "supposed" to be, in as much as it's supposed to be anything other than a conversation starter. You think it should be a straight power poll. Others think it should be predictive of the final rankings …more »
RE: Castille dismissed from the team•Aug 23rd, 2009
Pass protection is going to be a HUGE part of sorting this thing out going forward. That part of it makes me a little nervous.
RE: Finding Fresh Faces•Aug 22nd, 2009
Never thought I would say this, but in light of recent developments it actually would've been nice if Greg Paulus had decided to come to Lincoln. Of course, we don't yet know if he's good or just good enough to win the Syracuse job, but he would've added some depth. To …more »
RE: CBSSports.com BlogPoll Top 25: Preliminary Preseason Edition•Aug 21st, 2009
KW, I like the Tech pick actually. Rumors of their decline this season still feel greatly exaggerated to me and at the end of the season the 25th ranked team is likely to have four losses anyway. Tech won't lose in the nonconference, should be able to beat the bottom half …more »
RE: CBSSports.com BlogPoll Top 25: Preliminary Preseason Edition•Aug 21st, 2009
caveman99, I love Brian Kelly and Cincy does have a good deal of that mojo preseason polls are built on--momentum--but with only one returning starter on defense I'm wary. They're pretty talented on offense but I'm not sure that'll be enough to get them over the hump week after week. I …more »
RE: CBSSports.com BlogPoll Top 25: Preliminary Preseason Edition•Aug 21st, 2009
A comment on a couple of omissions that I forgot to add: 1) I'm not rewarding Notre Dame for a bowl win over Hawaii to end '08, and, in this case, I'm not going to gift them a ranking just because there's no possible way they should lose more than three …more »
RE: What to do with Virginia Tech?•Aug 19th, 2009
Angie, It won't be hard. Just find the people in red and go up and introduce yourself. You will be welcomed, I guarantee it. Otherwise, it looks like Champs Sports Bar in Blacksburg is the base of operations during football season for the Southwest Virginians for Nebraska group. I imagine they'll …more »
RE: Pre-season Drills for Fans: "Would You Rather..."•Aug 14th, 2009
Addendum: Jevan Snead. A returning QB--and a good one at that--is a fairly significant difference between Ole Miss and NU. Probably should've mentioned that, but schedule-wise I think they comparison still works.
RE: Pre-season Drills for Fans: "Would You Rather..."•Aug 14th, 2009
1. OU 2. KU 3. Just give me the damn win! I'm so sick of the "Nebraska and Duke are the only two teams without a Top 20 win" stat that I'd easily give up a loss to KSU or the "upset du juor" Baylor. With a win to hang your …more »
RE: With Spano out, Nebraska suddenly looks pretty Green at QB•Aug 13th, 2009
A lot of this theoretical discussion really depends on just how equal the two qbs actually are at the end of camp in terms of giving NU a chance to win should they enter a game. I think that unless there's a gaping chasm between Green and Washington, Latravis will get …more »
RE: Mathew May: One to Watch•Aug 10th, 2009
May IS the current embodiment of the HUSKERS EDGE documentary that's been showing all week. And, for what it's worth, that Imperial football program has always been a beast. When I was in elementary school, my high school had some relative football success but you never wanted to see Imperial in …more »
RE: Play Ball: Why not put the Big Red in the 'Blatt?•Aug 5th, 2009
caveman99, All valid points and probably just scratching the surface of the logistical nightmare this would be. But I'm more interested in the idea of the game rather than its execution. I think there's something to be said for football without weiner slingers, tv boards, constant stimulation. Sometimes it's good to …more »
RE: Sporting News Panel Gets It Wrong•Jul 31st, 2009
AustinHusker, The list ranks coaches from all sports so that's why Osborne is all the way down at 33. Steve brings up an good point regarding the bowl opponents. It would be interesting to look at the all-time winning percentage for NU's bowl opponents in comparison to some other schools. …more »
RE: Does anyone remember musculature?: The lost history of Hans Husker•Jul 22nd, 2009
Mike, Great work with the links. I think Harrietta--always seemed like a strange name when I saw it on the eBay auction--started going by Harriet when she got all staid and frumpy for that mug portrait. Man, what happened to her?
RE: Your NCAA Football 10 Nebraska Cornhuskers•Jul 19th, 2009
James, The named rosters should be out in a couple of days, but if you want the current rosters that should've been on the game do the following: --Choose Online from Main Menu --Select EA Locker --Select download Roster --Select Enter Online ID, then enter gamer tag: EASCNCAA10 After you get …more »
RE: Your NCAA Football 10 Nebraska Cornhuskers•Jul 17th, 2009
James, Way to make me feel guilty about having a day off and doing nothing else! That's a great suggestion about LSU's playbook. I'll check it out during one of my non-conference cupcake games--gotta keep it real--and I can even justify it because, as you noted, that's where Pelini came from. …more »
RE: Your NCAA Football 10 Nebraska Cornhuskers•Jul 17th, 2009
I did get the updated rosters, but never played with the incorrect ones. Judging from Sipple's piece today on HuskerExtra, sounds like at least Lucky, Potter, and Peterson were still on the game. Any others?
RE: Is Lee Being Underestimated?•Jul 1st, 2009
I comfort myself with this: Of the past two k-less Zac's to start at Nebraska, which one looks better on paper? Granted, paper is rarely good for predicting anything but Lee brings a lot of tools to the table.
RE: There's a new serif in town: Nebraska IS throwing it back•Jun 30th, 2009
Joel, There's something to be said about continuity. Way back in the Internet ether of 2005, I wrote one of my first blogs about, what I termed, the "Helmet Corollary". In retrospect, it's not a particularly good piece and woefully dated, but the gist of it was this: the teams that …more »
RE: There's a new serif in town: Nebraska IS throwing it back•Jun 30th, 2009
HuskerWooWoo, Wings aside--which I prefer over the diamond plating too--I think this is a major uniform upgrade for Oregon. The Ducks are essentially their own category when it comes to uniform design and I can appreciate their "efforts" in that context. I definitely classify them as so outrageous its entertaining. …more »
RE: Winging It: Will Slot Runners Be Back En Vogue at NU?•Jun 22nd, 2009
Marginally related comment on an unrelated sport, but you know what phrase drives me crazy? "Score the basketball." Is this an old-timer's phrase with new found popularity? I don't feel like I ever heard it in, say, 1996 but it has a very Dr. Jack Ramsay feel to it. That said, …more »
RE: Setting Benchmarks for the '09 Blackshirts•Jun 19th, 2009
caveman99, You're probably right. I may have been too forgiving in terms of yards allowed. LY Texas led the conference at 342 YPG and maybe I weighted that too heavily as "a trend upwards". In 2007 OU won the conference giving up 338/g. Kansas had the best total defense that year …more »
RE: What to do with Virginia Tech?•Jun 18th, 2009
HuskerHeat: Meaning, if you were to theoretically assess the difficulty of playing any of the "consensus" top ten teams from the link, I would think playing VT at home is harder than playing either Ole Miss or Ok. State at home, but slightly less difficult than facing LSU, 'Bama, Ohio State, …more »
RE: The Upside of Gravitating to Mediocrity•Jun 17th, 2009
Not to keep going to the well, but one of them most interesting tidbits of info in the new Phil Steele was his adjusted pass efficiency defense rankings. When adjusted for the passing offenses NU faced, Steele had the Huskers ranked 39th in PED. Iowa State finished last.
RE: What to do with Virginia Tech?•Jun 17th, 2009
Alaska Hokie, I think it would be pretty tough to fixate on Nebraska (at home no less) when you know you've got Alabama in week one who will carrier significantly more weight into the '09 season than the Huskers will. Also, there's the matter of conference pride and the fact that …more »
RE: What to do with Virginia Tech?•Jun 17th, 2009
T.L., That's an interesting point: Why didn't LSU return the trip after you guys went there in 07? Is that coming up or did the Tigers just skip it?
RE: What to do with Virginia Tech?•Jun 17th, 2009
Tim, Sorry about that. 2003 was the year VT started #10, finished unranked and 2004 was the year they went the opposite way.
RE: What to do with Virginia Tech?•Jun 16th, 2009
Tom, You're probably right. As an outsider I'm sure I don't have a totally accurate grasp on how much talent is there, but I would definitely list Lane Stadium as one of the ten toughest to play in right now. In fact, it's probably the hardest nonconference environment NU has had …more »
RE: What to do with Virginia Tech?•Jun 16th, 2009
Thanks to the Hokie fans for stopping by. While I may think Virginia Tech is a tad over rated at #5 to start the season that doesn't change the fact that I have a ton of respect for your program and Frank Beamer. And the fans are good too. Every interaction …more »
RE: The Shelf of Shame•Jun 16th, 2009
I submit this t-shirt featuring Herbie in board shorts and sunglasses with an orange occupying the usual football spot under his arm, proudly proclaiming Nebraska the "University of Nebraska at Miami." Nevermind that, in the 80s when this shirt was likely made, Nebraska went 1-3 in Miami. Details.
RE: Turnovers: Has Nebraska been playing from behind the eight ball all this time?•Jun 12th, 2009
Huskerfaithful1, Good comment. (And sorry it took me a while to respond.) I think there's a case to be made for energy and determination. I think there's also a case to be made for talent. Look at the top three teams on the national list: --The top two teams are USC …more »
RE: TV Time: How much is it worth?•Jun 2nd, 2009
VA, Ahhh, yes, the beauty of a game on the radio. Only thing that's better than listening at home is listening in the car (or tractor to go back to the high school days). cvldfg, I know the Boston group that I frequently watch with was shut out in their attempt …more »
RE: What Marketing Tells Us About Expecations•Jun 1st, 2009
For reference: In terms of all-time Win% Mizzou falls in the range of Oregon, Air Force, Purdue, Maryland & Virginia. Win% over the last 30 years: Cal, Baylor, Illinois, Miss. St. & Kansas. Last 10 years: Cal, Virginia & Purdue again, A&M, and NC State. So Purdue might not be a …more »
RE: Phil Steele likes Nebraska. Kansas? Not so much.•Jun 1st, 2009
Bill, I think we're saying the same thing but coming from different directions. I would say NU is worse off offensively "right now" simply because there are so many unknowns, the sort of thing that factors into prediction. Would I be shocked if, at the end of the year, NU had …more »
RE: Phil Steele likes Nebraska. Kansas? Not so much.•May 30th, 2009
Matt, Jerry Jones played at Arkansas so maybe he hates Texas too? This Nebraska season is a tough one for me to predict on paper. On paper, NU is certainly worse off offensively than they were last year. We can confidently assume that NU will get their yards, but the how …more »
RE: Phil Steele likes Nebraska. Kansas? Not so much.•May 30th, 2009
Greg, I would agree with your assessment re: returning offensive starters. It seems like Phil is willing to overlook some of the losses in favor of that ol' 2nd year momentum. In almost any sort of offensive experience measure--returning starters, returning % of yards, etc--NU is going to rank pretty low. …more »
RE: Husker Opponent Records a Measure of Success•May 21st, 2009
bnahusker, For some reason, this gives me some confidence regarding FAU. Remember last year when Schnellenberger said Texas wasn't tough prior to their season opener in Austin? (See here:http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2008/08/howard-schnelle.html) The Longhorns beat the Owls 52-10 and this was in week one when everyone thought Texas would be good, but not necessarily …more »
RE: Watch the blows below the Belt•May 16th, 2009
Sure thing: Nebraska should be wary of Idaho because it's not like a team from the Big Sky hasn't won on the road in the Big 12 before.
RE: Watch the blows below the Belt•May 15th, 2009
moontzu, Louisiana it is then! I didn't think either Louisiana-Lafayette or UL-L were very good options. HF4L, I recall hearing the same sort of thing about scheduling from Osborne. From a ticket holders point of view I don't know if I'd call it "unfair" so much as "unfortunate." Unfortunate because if …more »
RE: Watch the blows below the Belt•May 15th, 2009
moontzu, The University of Denver plays in the Sun Belt, they just don't have football. That's why it's on the map.
RE: Watch the blows below the Belt•May 15th, 2009
Mark, Ok, perennial 7-5 team. The point was that these teams are sort of destined for three or four non-conference losses by the quirks of the scheduling system and that generally caps them out at around .500. Also, after starting 1-5 (including 2 conf. losses), FAU went 4-1 against the rest …more »
RE: Watch the blows below the Belt•May 15th, 2009
HuskerFan4Life, Such is the case for any big time school and scheduling. They're obligated to schedule home games for the $$ but that's about the only upside other than a tally in the win column that nobody respects.
RE: Paulus to Syracuse - That's Just Fine, Thanks•May 15th, 2009
My one regret in this whole Paulus episode? Going with the alliterative "Paulus Opts for the Orange" for our wire link instead of the equally alliterative play on fruit harvesting words "Paulus Picks the Orange." It was a gimme and I missed it.
RE: Asking the right question in the BCS v. Playoff debate•May 13th, 2009
Ontology, I respectfully disagree. I'd say the majority of fans, particularly those outside of Big 12/SEC country, care more about the local goings on than the national scene. It's not that they don't follow it, but I would say most people are in depth with their team and sort of knowledgable …more »
RE: Nebraska: Ndamukong Suh and Some Other Guys?•May 11th, 2009
It seems almost certain (in my mind at least) that Suh will have a worse year statistically this season than he did last season. Go back and read some of the preseason pub from last year and the word you'll see most often preceding Suh's name is "disappointing." It wasn't that …more »
RE: Neighborhood Watch: UNO and IWCC•May 4th, 2009
Couple months ago Tom Luginbill was asked about IWCC and its relation to NU on 1620 the Zone. His response was so positive I wrote it down. Sayeth Tom: "The ability to be able to be nearby, maintain that relationship (with non-qualifiers), it's huge. I think that thing (IWCC football) could …more »
RE: Five Questions the Spring Game Should Answer•Apr 17th, 2009
I was thinking about this earlier in the week: Why don't they just make the first play of EVERY spring game the ceremonial "Runnin' of the Option"? Make it a tradition of sorts. Sure the triple option might not be a part of the current offense, or offenses to come for …more »
RE: A Top 25 Defense? In the Big 12 that's a tall task.•Apr 7th, 2009
Ultimately nothing matters outside of the W, but you can't ignore the correlation between having a strong defense and winning. One typically begets the other. The last five national champions all had Top 10 defenses. Teams ranked 40th in defense typically don't win titles. It doesn't matter where Nebraska ends up …more »
RE: A Top 25 Defense? In the Big 12 that's a tall task.•Apr 7th, 2009
Matt, I agree with your list. I want to to throw Iowa State in there just because their QB is a year older but who knows what they'll do, and I think Kansas is probably in the same range (assuming Briscoe is present...and he will be), maybe even better. I also …more »
RE: Defensive End Depth?•Apr 2nd, 2009
Don't forget that Josh Williams is a member of the Big Guy, Little Number club (#17) which automatically makes him a player. Skill position mindset in a rush end's body (or something close to it). Thorw in Ankrah (rumored to be #9) and I think we got our two starters right …more »
RE: Spring Camp is Here!•Mar 26th, 2009
Apropos of nothing, I really love that photograph. Get that meddling security guard (or whoever it was) out of the lower right and it would be perfect.
RE: QB Scuttlebutt•Mar 19th, 2009
You can add South Carolina's Stephen Garcia to the tricep tattoo list. I knew he had to be on there, just hadn't seen photographic evidence until today.
RE: Turner's Return Key For Husker D•Mar 11th, 2009
Turner's case is an interesting one because he's a known entity. Unlike the QB race, where whatever we get will meet, exceed, or fall below a set of assumptions, we know what we should get out of Turner when healthy. And it should be huge. Any negative deviation from those expectations …more »
RE: Vexing Questions to Consider as We Enter Football Lent•Mar 10th, 2009
Ahhh, the uniform debate...always hotly contested. I'd broach the subject here but it would just turn into a full length post so I'll save it and go with the only quick suggestion I can think of that might appease both parties: A new secondary logo. Think corn. That's gotta be in …more »
RE: Patrick Witt Leaving Nebraska Football Program•Feb 24th, 2009
Husker in IL, Heard that rumor but for what it's worth, Witt reportedly shot down that rumor via text message on the Big Show with Matt Perrault today (AM 590). To quote the text message as read on the air: "Ha, ha...I heard that rumor, too. We don't use any signals …more »
RE: Patrick Witt Leaving Nebraska Football Program•Feb 23rd, 2009
Darren, While I agree with the notion that more competition makes a better winner (of the QB race), I never really thought that we'd keep all the QBs we currently have in Lincoln anyway. That said, I didn't think a defection would happen this early either. Of the four, it was …more »
RE: Inconclusive Evidence: Number Nine, Nashville, New QBs & Night Football•Feb 11th, 2009
You offer 5 scholarships to QBs in hopes that 1 will come. In a normal year, QB signings are always a race scenario--first one in gets the scholarship--as you're rarely looking to take multiple kids at that position.
RE: Inconclusive Evidence: Number Nine, Nashville, New QBs & Night Football•Feb 11th, 2009
As a card carrying member of the BGLN Club-Nebraska Chapter, I had no choice but to love Bernard Thomas unconditionally. How can you knock a guy who chose NU over USC and HAD A GRILLE? Looking back at that picture, he actually looked a lot like the late ODB of Wu-Tang …more »
RE: 2009 Nebraska Football Signing Day Coverage•Feb 4th, 2009
From the rumor mill: Pierre-Paul has yet to sign with USF and may have NU back in the mix according to Big Red Report. Also hearing Wade may be on board with TT.
RE: A Tribute To Marlon Lucky•Jan 21st, 2009
(cont. from above) The problem for Lucky was that we didn't think we were getting a punch the clock guy. We thought we had "a star" and at that time we NEEDED a star. I don't think Lucky had the selfishness or the swagger that we so often see in great …more »
RE: A Tribute To Marlon Lucky•Jan 21st, 2009
As a Lucky fan just seeing the title to this piece got me all fired up this morning. Nice work here. In listening to some of Marlon's postseason interviews I finally sort of "got it": Marlon is a guy with the skills of a star but the demeanor of your average …more »
RE: The Difference Between 5-7 & 9-4 Part 2 - The Defense•Jan 13th, 2009
zE bOp, I'm glad you mentioned that Clemson game because I agree that it felt "like the first time" in a lot of respects for me and the defense as well. That said, I still was (nearly) hiding my eyes every time Harper decided to throw it deep. We saw a …more »
RE: Ndamukong Suh Will Return for Senior Season•Jan 12th, 2009
If yesterday's news that open season on Tebow-gushing would be extended another year was the worst news of the off-season, this is the best. And much more tastefully announced than Tebow too...don't underestimate the "prepared statement" in terms of effectiveness.
RE: Blow Up The BCS•Jan 7th, 2009
If we're not going to improve the way we decide a national champion--which I think was the intended purpose of the BCS--why not go back to the old bowl system? You never hear them say it publicly but you have to think the bowl committee members hate having the selection process …more »
RE: The Difference Between 5-7 & 9-4 Part 1 - The Offense•Jan 7th, 2009
(cont. from above) As for the 3rd and short breakdown, in 2008 NU ran the ball 33 times on 3&S and passed 18 times so it was about 65/35 run to pass. Last year we had 30 runs on 3&S to 26 passes or about 55/45. It may not have seemed …more »
RE: The Difference Between 5-7 & 9-4 Part 1 - The Offense•Jan 7th, 2009
Dywane, Without really digging deep it's tough to say why NU found themselves in more 3rd and longs this season. In terms of the running game the 08 Huskers averaged 5.18 YPC on 1st down against 4.29 LY. They were better this year running the ball on second down as well, …more »
RE: The Coaching Carousel Stops: What Have We Learned?•Dec 24th, 2008
The arrival of Art Briles is interesting on a couple of different fronts: a) For perhaps the first time in Big 12 history, Baylor has to be seriously reckoned with. That's no small achievement. The Bears were everyone's automatic out. Not anymore. Assuming Sherman can succeed at Nebraska South that division …more »
RE: Gill Will Get His Chance•Dec 16th, 2008
That's the plight of being Iowa State: the candidates for whom that would be a destination job are few and far between (and perhaps they fired one of those two short years ago). But would it really be worse for the Cyclones not to take Turner Gill, who looks like the …more »
RE: Would a Gator Bowl Victory Be a Mixed Blessing for Bo Pelini?•Dec 12th, 2008
I'll give you credit Steve, this is something that's been on my mind all season but I've bitten my tongue to keep from expressing my concerns. Two months ago I felt pressure for Pelini to succeed THIS year for all the reasons you mentioned. On paper, Nebraska doesn't look better next …more »
RE: All-Conference Honorees Only Bolster Pelini's 08 Performance•Dec 5th, 2008
HuskerDeck, Sorry about the confusion. I'd agree with sweet D that Paul Johnson has probably had the most impressive first year at a new program but he'd been a head coach, a couple times even, before. As for the other newbies this year? I'd have to do some digging--sounds like a …more »
RE: All-Conference Honorees Only Bolster Pelini's 08 Performance•Dec 4th, 2008
HuskerDeck, Early in October, I took a look at what some currently successful coaches had done in their first year. That included Stoops and Richt who both were moving up from coordinator to HC at the time. You can read it here. To use the same format for Pelini that I …more »
RE: What To Do After a Husker Win•Nov 12th, 2008
Happy Veterans Day, both of you. It always seems insufficient when I say it, but thank you for your service.
RE: Landmark? Maybe Just a Street Sign•Nov 11th, 2008
I agree with Darren in regards to Western Michigan. Right now it probably is the best win of the year and that's remarkable when you consider: a) It was the first game of the season which is always sort of a crap shoot. b) It was Bo's first game as head …more »
RE: Blogpoll Ballot - Week 11•Nov 10th, 2008
The Nittanies loss simply allowed me to rank them where I thought they probably belonged all along: just a step behind the elite of the elite. The Lions would be underdogs on a neutral field against any of the teams above them (and maybe even the three behind them). However, now …more »
RE: Nebraska Downs Kansas, 45-35•Nov 9th, 2008
The stars didn't align and everyone here was either on the road or unavoidably detained so, no live blog unfortunately. But we'll be back. We will be back.
RE: Why We Should All Pray for the Sun Bowl•Nov 7th, 2008
As serious as fumbling inside the five. I really do want to go there and, for the record, I do like looking at the Mexican flag. There's a war going on on that flag--eagle v. serpent--and it's happening on top of a cactus. It's entertaining.
RE: Huskers Will Be Competitive Soon•Nov 5th, 2008
OU, Misty's is a steakhouse in Lincoln and THE traditional hangout for Friday night pregame festivities. http://www.mistyslincoln.com/
RE: Battle of the Idiotic Mascots?•Oct 31st, 2008
A quick historical list of the worst things to happen to the state of Nebraska: 1) Locusts 2) Lil' Red 3) Barry Switzer The first and third items on that list you can't do much about but the second item? We chose that. There were meetings and rough sketches and pitches …more »
RE: Pelini Era Truly Begins With Loss to Texas Tech•Oct 12th, 2008
HuskerDeck, I'm with you there. I was a tad surprised that Pelini didn't go for two. His explanation in the post game was good but I still liked the odds for Nebraska: one play, three yards out, plus a lot of momentum with the way the Huskers marched with the two …more »
RE: Missouri Post-Game Reaction: Trying Hard Not to Be Sick•Oct 5th, 2008
I brought it up on the live blog but I'll mention it here again: for me the most telling part of Nebraska's progress to date was a quote from Pelini as told to Chris Spielman. (This is Ohio State guy to Ohio State guy, so I buy the honesty.) When asked …more »
RE: Hire Lane Kiffin (Seriously?)•Oct 2nd, 2008
Kid you not, at the game Saturday night--after a batted down 3rd and 2 pass--I heard someone yell "Let Watson leave, we'll get Kiffin." In fact, it was the guy right next to me. My best friend so you've at least got him riding shotgun on this bandwagon.
RE: Will Nebraska Ever Throw it Back?•Sep 18th, 2008
Dwayne, Are you talking about the play of one Josh Freeman in his first competition against a real opponent or the fact that KSU wore their purple pants? The horror of the color purple aside, I could've stomached those pants if they'd kept the same thick stripe they have on their …more »
RE: Will Nebraska Ever Throw it Back?•Sep 18th, 2008
Husker Tapes, Great stuff! (I wasn't aware that 'Nebraska' was ever worn on a red jersey.) I think the key here is you have to do it out of celebration not motivation. I think you see a lot of teams wear throwbacks early in the year for this very reason: they …more »
RE: The Weekly Buzz•Sep 13th, 2008
I agree with Ackos here. Reesing's performance last night, against a defense that is faster and loads more physical than Nebraska has been thus far, scared the daylights out of me.
RE: Meet the 3-3-5•Sep 11th, 2008
justmp, I think if you just call their football offices directly and are able to name their mascot they'll offer you straight away. That's recruiting at Delta State.
RE: Meet the 3-3-5•Sep 10th, 2008
Austin, I'd heard something along similar lines, that A&M was one of the first schools to sort of experiment with sets like this.
RE: Big 12 Roundtable: Week 2•Sep 10th, 2008
bnahusker, It hurt a lot. In fact, I even emailed a friend to ask if it was right to do this and he said no but I did it anyway. K-State has beaten the teams they're supposed to beat better than Nebraska has. Of course, Nebraska's played two better teams but …more »
RE: Red Zone Defense is Still Defense•Sep 6th, 2008
Greg, Great point on the offense. I don't love it still five years later. When it hums it's a thing of beauty but when it doesn't Nebraska seems pretty punchless. When the things that normally work don't, where do they turn? I never have a good answer for that question and …more »
RE: Husker Watch Site Report: Kirkland, WA•Sep 4th, 2008
Glenn, In the past at least it looks like Huskers met in Aiken at the Aiken Brewing Co. or Carolina Wings & Rib House in Florence. Might be worth giving either place a call to see if they're still meeting.
RE: Knowing is Half the Battle: A Brief History of SJSU Football•Sep 4th, 2008
Curt, I used Stassen's database for that number. As the Baylor victory happened while the Bears were in the SWC, that was counted as a victory against the SWC not the Big 12. But because the Big 8 "expanded" to add four teams to become the Big 12, any victory San …more »
RE: The Weekly Buzz: Watch These Games•Aug 30th, 2008
Agreed on Glennon. Taylor's shirt status was the best news of this past week for Nebraska fans. Other random thoughts: --I think Mizzou will make mincemeat out of the Illini. Ever had mincemeat? It's terrible. --Really interested to see Michigan-Utah, mostly because the Wolverine offense is, to this point, an enigma …more »
RE: Big 12 Roundtable: Preseason Edition•Aug 25th, 2008
Ralphie Report has their...well...report up: http://www.ralphiereport.com/2008/8/24/600503/big-12-roundtable-preseaso
RE: Big 12 Roundtable: Preseason Edition•Aug 25th, 2008
Mark, Well, I'm not convinced that Kansas will win a game against the Big 12 South this year and at this juncture Missouri is a better team on paper as well. So those are the four most likely losses, would you agree? From there, I think that the games against Colorado …more »
RE: Big 12 Roundtable: Preseason Edition•Aug 25th, 2008
Bring on the Cats has posted their response as well: http://www.bringonthecats.com/2008/8/23/598991/big-12-roundtable-pre-seas
RE: Relatively Speaking, The Wiseguys Like Nebraska•Aug 22nd, 2008
James, I read that piece a few hours ago and the same thing is happening in my NCAA 09 Campus Legend mode. On my game, Nebraska just beat OU to run their record to 9-0! Two different machines, two different time zones, two independent simulations. Couldn't be just a coincidence could …more »
RE: Relatively Speaking, The Wiseguys Like Nebraska•Aug 22nd, 2008
James, Good national take, but I'm taking Clemson out of the hunt. I think they might be 0-1 in a little over a week. Why? Because Julio Jones, Alabama freshman WR, is "the Tiger Woods of college football." It's true. I heard it on the Paul Finebaum show yesterday from a …more »
RE: Relatively Speaking, The Wiseguys Like Nebraska•Aug 21st, 2008
carlin, You're right, Georgia's schedule is all there is to it which is why I'm in the camp that favors predictive polling of the Steele/LVSC variety. Most thinking fans are highly skeptical that Georgia can survive their slate of games which isn't a knock against the the Dawgs, dem's just da …more »
RE: Running Nebraska Through the Eliminator•Aug 19th, 2008
Wanted to mention this in the article but couldn't quite find the room, but it's pretty interesting that of the four traits o' recent champions, the two offensive ones are both passing related. You'd be hard pressed to find a coach in the country who wouldn't tell you the importance of …more »
RE: Rushville's Johnson Fights for Time at ISU•Aug 12th, 2008
Candy, Now that's what I'm talking about. I LOVE that story. Thumb severed, reattached, linebacker at NU, captain. The way it should be.
RE: What Do We Have in Ganz?•Aug 12th, 2008
donfl, Appreciate the comment. In fact it's the reason I wrote "the point here is not to be negative", because that truly wasn't my intention and I don't think I was. Rather, I wanted to point out that there are some questions surrounding Ganz, as there would be anybody with a …more »
RE: What Do We Have in Ganz?•Aug 11th, 2008
I think Ganz real strength lies in what a lot of people have mentioned already: in terms of the off-field, leadership aspects of his role as QB1 there seem to be few nits to pick. Classy guy, says the right things but--and this is crucial--you believe him when he says them, …more »
RE: KSU Makes it Rain on Dem JUCOS•Aug 6th, 2008
I would assume that travel costs for away games don't come out of the recruiting budget.
RE: The Importance of Nebraska's First Three Games•Aug 4th, 2008
In College Football A.A.S. (After Appalachian State), it's not safe to assume a win against anybody, but I'm going to tempt the gods and assume wins against the teams with four letter abbreviations, SJSU and NMSU. (In College Football B.A.S. this was always a safe assumption. Four letters and you're not …more »
RE: Silly Buffs, Cupcakes Are For Contenders•Aug 1st, 2008
Ideally, I'm right there with you. I'd love it if Nebraska (or any other BCS school) never played anyone except other BCS schools. But the reality of the situation is there's little incentive for big time teams to do that because the primary theoretical benefit of, say, playing a Virginia Tech …more »
RE: Nebraska Trivia Thursday•Jul 31st, 2008
Answers #2 & #3: 2. George Flippen was of course the first star gridder at dear old NU. Missouri forfeited the 1892 game against Nebraska because Flippen, a black man, was allowed to play. 3. Seven, but every answer given thus far has been better than the actual answer. …more »
RE: Nebraska Trivia Thursday•Jul 31st, 2008
Sorry DT, it's not the Beer Barrel Polka but I'm glad you brought that song up. I'll have more to say on it next week. /cliffhanger On to answer #1: Devaney sang "Bringing in the Sheaves" with Jeter's mother on the organ. (Knowing Devaney they spiced it up a bit with …more »
RE: A Relatively Short Essay on Why I Now Hate Missouri•Jul 24th, 2008
Mortimer, I'm all for awakening dormant Kansas-Nebraska Act/Missouri Compromise tension. Unfortunately, I don't think I've ever heard anyone other than you cite it as a reason for hating Missouri but if you want to start a movement, I'm on board.
RE: A Relatively Short Essay on Why I Now Hate Missouri•Jul 23rd, 2008
DT, As good as everything else you said was, that last comment may have swayed me. I'll admit to having a keen love for the underdog. As much as people naturally gravitate towards the Hickory Huskers of the world I think my predisposition for the little guy is a bit excessive. …more »
RE: Your NCAA Football 09 Nebraska Cornhuskers•Jul 15th, 2008
Thanks James. I'd love to do a review but because I'll be playing the neutered version on PS2 I doubt that it would be worth much. How about this, if I finally take the plunge and make the upgrade to the PS3 I'll offer my thoughts.
RE: "Hero of the Underground" and What It Means for the Future of Nebraska Football•Jul 10th, 2008
Jeremy, Peter talks a bit about that firestarting nature in the book, claiming that he and Grant Wistrom couldn't wait to "take over leadership of the team" (I'm paraphrasing) in '97 after, in his estimation, the leaders of the '96 team weren't quite the engine-revvers that they'd had in '94 and …more »
RE: Have You Peaked As A Husker Fan?•Jul 9th, 2008
Just to clarify in general (which I should've done in the post), I think the question here is not whether or not you have peaked as a Husker fan in personal fervor. Rather, the question is can it get better for you the fan than it already was in the mid-90's? …more »
RE: Have You Peaked As A Husker Fan?•Jul 9th, 2008
To spin off of DT's ESPN employment quickly: Almost three years ago now a friend and I headed down the street to attend ESPN College Gameday when Florida State visited Boston College. Of course I decided to take my Blackshirts flag--full details of the morning here-- and we scouted out a …more »