Huskers Prepare to Take Big Step Forward

Great article.  Huskers have a history of laying the wood to QBs who jump ship.  I agree the national media won’t consider it much of an upset win, however it will set the tone for the remaining games.  Our best opportunity to show relevance will be to beat OU (assuming they handle Miami and Texas) in Lincoln or win the conference championship.  Until then we’re just another homely, weak, red-headed stepchild from the north that can’t play with the big boys from the south.

GBR!

Unfortunately, with T. Tech laying eggs against Texas and Houston and Baylor’s QB being out for the year, our only real competition this year will be Mizzou, Kansas (should be Top 20 when we play them), and Oklahoma.

And while it will be great when we win all three games against the Big XII South (wonder when the last time was a North team did that…no, seriously, I’m wondering…), we’ll likely be looked down upon until we get to the Big XII Title Game and ‘surprise’ everyone with an ‘upset’ of Texas. 

Of course, as always, it will be a shock to the talking heads and everyone outside of Nebraska…some things just never change, do they? :)

Should be an interesting week and a half before the game.  Saturday was my first time seeing the Huskers in person this year.  I think they look good and the interesting thing is I don’t think the coaches will have to look hard to see areas for improvement.  Good signs all around.

On a side note, I cant help but comment on the polls as well.  If you look through them you wonder who is doing the voting.  Teams that lost to other teams still ranked higher because they started higher.  Miami ahead of NU because they beat tougher opponents even though they got their heads handed to them but the same team that we dominated in every aspects but the final score.  USC is back to #7 after getting beat by a team that is 2-2 and went 0-forever last year.

It doesn’t make any sense, anyone for a playoff.

Huskers keep winning things will work out.

Polls, Schmolls…  That’s what I always say.  Had we finished against Va Tech, we would have made a jump.  But, we didn’t.  Close helps me feel better about what our team can be, but it means very little (or nothing a week later) to the schmollsters.

Steve said it well.  We all know how important a ‘W’ against MU is, but I doubt it means much on the national (and thus the polls) scene.  If we have a run of four wins in the next four weeks, I’d expect us to inch up a little higher each week.  One loss, and we’re back in the 20 to 30 range.

Matt,

To answer your question, I believe Kansas swept their South opponents in 2007 when they played Va Tech in the Orange Bowl.  If I remember correctly, their only loss was to Mizzou.

We’re more complete at the moment than our division competitors, Kansas and Missouri.  Both have looked solid but Missouri is really hiding that they cannot run the ball effectively and that their offensive line MIGHT be potentially vulnerable to a big push up front.  Anytime you speed the game up to the point that you are trying to keep a game non-assignment/physically oriented it’s that you are trying to hide something.  For any basketball players out there, think a team that full-court zone presses for the entire game.  That squad is trying to hide the fact that it either does not want to play, or cannot play, fundamental, assignment-oriented defense throughout the entire game.  Kansas can’t go vertical.  I really like the matchup of our defensive line against both teams, especially Kansas since the drops and line spacing is not as wide as Missouri.  Both offenses are timing-oriented and I think we’ve got the personnel to be disruptive against both teams. . .

“Of course, NU won’t have to contend with Jason Worilds in Columbia.” Bang on the dot.  No if, and’s, or but’s about that one.  Neither one, Kansas or Missouri, has that kind of push up front, from an individual or the entire front for that matter.  So Mr. Lee can feel pretty comfortable that we will have sufficient time to make progressions.  I don’t consider Virginia Tech an elite program BUT they do play defense, and pretty good at that.  If we can get 170 from Helu Jr. in Blacksburg then I think it’s reasonable for the combo of Helu Jr./Burkhead (can’t wait to see him when he’s No. l IB!!!) should be a force in both matchups.  We will be able to get some good protection and execution on the ground against either of these teams.  Obviously the implication is that we should have a very good chance of controlling down and distance in both contests.  If that comes to pass, then this team will do pretty well in Lawrence and Columbia. . .

Great effort by the guys this past Saturday.  To rebound like that says a lot about them.  Let’s be objective here.  Oklahoma will end up being the best team in the Big 12 South at the end of the year (WAAAAYYYY to many people are writing them off and they will be plenty good come November).  Texas, well, I’ve seen them now 3 times and they can be schemed. Right now, these are the only two teams that are better than us in conference.  This is a young team, it can, and it will be getting much better as the season goes on.  I’m not as worried about going into Columbia after the trip to Blacksburg.  Lane Stadium is a more hostile environment than Columbia, period.  We’ve got real live, in the flesh, game experience in a terrordome-like environment.  Add some redemption to the formula and I like us going into Missouri.  A lot of upside and still a lot of room for improvement to be made. . .

i think both teams KU and MU will try to take away Helu and make Zac beat them.  The problem is that Zac is more than capable of doing just that.  We pose large match up problems for everyone left on our schedule.  Add to that our D-line is arguably the best line these teams will see all year and it bodes well for us. 

I do think that both KU and MU will try to go quick.  Three step and pass or try to work the flats and and the edge to exploit our young backers and stay away from the middle of the line.  Frankly nobody in the big twelve wants to get into a trench battle with our D-line if they can avoid it.  One thing I really liked about the La La game was the backside pressure/pursuit and the solid pursuit and open field tackling on the edge.  Makes me feel very good about our ability to contain the QB, stuff the screen game, and control the flats.  GOign back to the first four games every team as tried to exploit that area of the field on us and every week we’ve gotten better at stopping that.

I think MU is going to be exposed next Thursday in convincing fashion.  I also think we have the talent and coaching to run the table.  I think OU is the only team left capable of really preventing that and I don’t think their O-line will be up to the challenge of Suh and Crew.

I, too, am a bit baffled by the rankings but like most coaches think they don’t mean sh*% right now.  I heark the Iowa coach rip on the polls and said its still too early to judge a team by its first few games.  I know we lost to Va. Tech but for them to be so high and us so low is mind boggling. 

I know it’s a new year and everything but Mizzou has owned us at their place for a while.  This is a game where turnovers MUST set the tone for us and field goals will only help if we have a few touchdowns to go with them.  This is where the ‘D’ earns the Blackshirts.  They need to dominate that offense and win the turnover battle by no less than two. 

Who cares what the media thinks.  This team has to focus on its goals and what it can control.  Big 12 North, Big 12 Championship, and then see how it all plays out. 

I think we can, I think we can, I think we can…We have the ability to win the Big 12 North and make even possibly the Big 12 Championship.  We’re not there yet.  Still a little worried about our defense against short and intermediate passing.  But I definitely think we have more capability to cover against spread teams than we did last year.  I think Helu could have huge games against MU and KU. 

I read something earlier today that I really liked.  Come out with both Helu and Burkhead in the backfield together.  Send Burkhead in motion and get the kid the ball in space.  Plus take some attention away from Helu.  I think we could really exploit some teams with this.

Also, I’m suprised no one has mentioned Meredith.  I was impressed with that kid.  He comes off the ball fast.  I’d like to see more of him, especially against teams like MU and TX Tech; teams that like to get rid of the ball quick.

Oh yeah, and the Polls suck!  But the only one that matters is the one at the end of the year.  Too bad the meaningless polls at the beginning of the year set precedent for the final polls.

I meant win the Big 12 Championship.  Obviously, if we win the north we’ll ‘make’ the Big 12 Championship.

RE: The polls.

I try to listen to Jason Peter on The Spread every afternoon if I can, and he had a good point.  The polls are supposed to reflect who you have beaten, not who you almost beat.  Undoubtedly, we could be knocking on the top 10 if we win that game at Va Tech, but we didn’t.  And we have beaten the Sun Belt with authority.

While I think we are better than Miami, they have beaten more quality opponents, despite their thumping at the hands of Tech.  I think we are better than Houston, but the have two “better” wins than we have.  I think we should start seeing the improvement in our ranking when we starting picking up quality wins.  Beat Mizzou, Oklahoma, and Kansas, and that will be reflected.  Beat Iowa State, Baylor (without Griffin), and K-State, we don’t deserve much credit for those wins.  They don’t really fit the category of quality wins.

Do I think we are better than 23rd or 24th in the country, yes.  Do I think we deserve the ranking we have today?  Probably.  Mizzou, then we can gripe about being underrated.

Kw,

No doubt about Meredith. Outstanding point.  The guy gets to the ball, and has a knack for making plays. . .

The polls will start reflecting reality in a few more games.  There is no way Miami is getting past Oklahoma!  I admire them for putting together a tough schedule, but they are going down.  If we take care of business, we’ll get what we deserve in terms of ranking.  On paper, we are a better team than Mizzou and Kansas and T Tech, but each of those teams have QB’s that are capable of beating you.  Our secondary hasn’t really been tested, and Thenarse and possibly Asante are out.  On the upside, we get more young talented players some pt for next year.  I still like our chances, but none of these games are going to be a walk in the park.

Steve & Kw,

You both deserve this.  I think a lot of people forgot that Meredith was wanted by Oklahoma too. . .

http://bigrednetwork.com/archives/2007/08/cameron_meredith_commits.html

U guys are in for a reality check against mizzou. They are a lot better at almost every position.  Maybe beat ku but not miZzou.

U guys are in for a reality check against mizzou. They are a lot better at almost every position.  Maybe beat ku but not miZzou.