The Weekly Buzz
There has been a lot going on in just a short amount of time since the game last Saturday. Ndamukong Suh had the national stage and put on the type of performance that football fans should remember for years. With the spotlight, he solidified the reasoning that he'll need a Mack Truck to pick up all his hardware, and received an invitation to New York for the big one. I guess all that awesome defense and conservative offensive play-calling scared off a couple of the skill players this week, but the big boys in the trenches are still on board. You know who's not on board with the offense? Pretty much everyone else, as suggestions to fire Shawn Watson are reaching a high point.
Big 12 Champions! Or not. » For mere moments on Saturday night, Husker fans across the country rejoiced. And the Longhorns bought a steak dinner for their kicker (others would have you believe that officials were the ones purchased). It seems like the game was slanted to favor the BCS pecking order, but more than likely, it was just a couple of bad breaks for the boys in Red. Once the game was over, it was time to sort through the mess. The bill of goods that Mack Brown tried to sell about Colt McCoy, nobody was buying. But the big news was the eruptions of the Pelini brothers in a fervor over the controversial ending. Nobody will know exactly what was said, but one can only surmise the anger these guys had building up.
Suh knew college football » It is very sad to think about the fact that the most dynamic defensive player I've seen has only one more college game left. His full accomplishments are well documented on the official Suh93.com website, but this week was something else as he was awarded the Bronko Nagurski and Rotary Lombardi. He also catapulted himself to a spot in New York City with his domination of ex-likely Heisman winner Colt McCoy.
Fire Shawn Watson! Fire Barney Cotton! Fire Somebody! Fire Anybody, Please! » Many have viewed the evidence. Losing offensive commits. Worst offensive output since 1968. Shawn Watson's Offenses continually ranking in the bottom half of the league. Even worse without Sun Belt Wins. But DO they need to go? Most people think he'll be back next year.
Turner Gill to become coaching opponent? » Ex-Husker player and coach Turner Gill has reportedly been interviewed for the Kansas opening. He has expressed intrest in the job and basically told his players that he would likely take the position if offered.
'Tis the season » Not to be jolly, but to get a lot of stuff. In the spirit of Christmas, here are some fun tidbits. Even though the economy may be down, Bo Pelini still gets a "Christmas" bonus by making the Big 12 Championship game and getting a Holiday Bowl invitation. But he's not the only to get cool stuff. The Husker players, like every other player in bowl games, will be getting some nice schwag, including a Flo TV, Best Buy gift card, a nice watch, and some Tek clothing gear. Who won't be getting unexpected presents this year? The people who purchased a nice TV from Nebraska Furniture Mart. If the Huskers had won, several hundred TVs would have been free to customers who purchased them before the football season began. And just like every Christmas Story there's always a grinch or scrooge. Congress is trying to steal our bowl system from the poor defenseless NCAA and replace it with a playoff! Bah Humbug!
12/11/2009
While they’re at it, Congress should add a rider to put the control and vetting of Div-1A/FBS referees at the NCAA level (instead of at the conference level).
Not only is there a growing disparity in the basic ability of referees from conference to conference (Sun Belt refs for the Alamo Bowl vs. Michigan, anyone?), there’s no transparency, and apparently no such thing as ‘conflict of interest’, as the head of the Big XII referees is a UT alum.
And when you have constant mistakes (like any of them in the SEC that benefited Florida) and reoccurring problems with conflict of interest (the head ref for the Tech game w/us resides in Lubbock, has a business there, and donated money to Tech in the past), the sport is on its way to becoming as crooked as Basketball or Boxing.
Kansas City, MO
12/11/2009
I just don’t think Congress should get involved unless it involves illegal practices. Sure, there are some unfair things, but life’s not fair. Unless they decide to make unfairness illegal, then it’s not any of their business. They only way we can change things in the Big 12 is with our dollars, and I don’t see college football fans not going to games right now. Personally, I would recommend boycotting Big 12 sponsors until something changes to make the playing field more level to the North.
12/11/2009
NU needs a playoff. Since 2001 NU has not enjoyed the reputation that leads to high pre-season rankings. Further, the North does not command any national respect; winning it is not the automatic boost that comes to winning an SEC sub-conference or the B12 South is. Without individual or conference reputation, voters will not favor NU and make playing in the BCS game very difficult, even if undefeated. NU must control its own destiny to succeed on a national level, and is more likely to do that in a playoff situation.
12/12/2009
I would hope Turner Gill gets a better postion at a non-Big 12 team especially in the North were we would have to play his team every year. I like rooting for him to win, but as a coach in the Big 12 North that will be harder to do.
As for Shawn Watson being fired, I’m against that kind of talk. Last year he was an Offesive Wizard and this year he’s the Offensive goat. I think he was put in a hard spot with a young line inexperienced QB’s and injuries including our two best RB’s not counting the number 2 RB being let go prior to the season starting.
I hope he can combine spread and power. Stanford did it with a lot of success.
Just my two cents.
12/14/2009
I am with Peter56 on the fire Watson talk. I think he will be a good OC for us and I sure wouldn’t want to see our offense go back to a one dimensional power/option attack. That was the main reason Solich got fired because he couldn’t recruit players to that kind of offense anymore and power option is all that he knew. Kids that want to play offense in the pro’s know thats QB’s have to be able to throw, receivers have to learn how to run good routes to get open and catch the ball as well as block for the running game and offensive linemen know that pass/pro skills they learn at the college level make them more appealling to the pro’s. The problem with our offense this year wasn’t Watson or the scheme, it was lack of players, ie…no decent receivers, Castille getting dismissed from the team, Burkhead out with injury, Helu playing hurt etc. No offensive scheme works without darn good experienced players.