Keys to the Game (Arizona)

With the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl just hours away, here's what the Huskers need to do to win their 2nd consecutive bowl game under Bo Pelini:

Nebraska needs to...
*Find an offense early.
Although it'd be nice to see the Huskers show a huge offensive explosion since that's all they've heard about the last month, it is unlikely. It is unlikely to be huge, but just some sort of offense early could keep the game out of reach. The defense has proved how great they can be, give them a lead to work with.

*Figure out there quarterback situation.
Both Lee and Green will play today. And after the game, the quarterback picture may be even more cloudy than when the game started. However, one of them has the prime opportunity to show they can lead this team in the future. Will it happen? In a few hours we'll know.

*Show their heart.
After a disappointing finish to the Big 12 Championship game, the Holiday Bowl doesn't seem like much to play for. However, this game can have a huge impact on exposure and recruiting. The Seniors need to finish strong and show their hearts for the future of this program.

Nebraska needs to control...
*The line of scrimmage.
Both sides of the ball need to dominate. The Husker D-Line shouldn't have too much of a problem, but Arizona has a powerful front 4 on defense. The Huskers need to show they can run early and set up a defense. That starts with the O-Line.

*The red zone.
Too many times this season have the Huskers drove the ball down and settled for a field goal. Against both VT and Texas, they had the defense to win the games, but couldn't score a single touchdown. If they expect to win now, or in the future, they need to get into the end zone, not through the uprights

*The turnovers.
Again, on both sides. Turnovers can kill an already struggling offense. However, turnovers can boost a struggling offense if you give them the short field to work their "magic." The Husker defense has shown they can take the ball away all year, so just keep it up.

Predictions
*Cody Green will score on the ground.
Sure, it may just be a 1 or 2 yard run. However, I think he will show something on his legs in this game. Hopefully, he will create a dual threat that haunts the Wildcats

*Cody Green will be the quarterback of the future after this game.
The race will still be tight after this game and into the offseason. However, Green has superior athletic skills and just needs an offseason with Pelini and Watson to show he's the quarterback of the new decade.

*Nebraska will win by 10 points.
The offense will click (at least a little bit) and the defense will dominate. The game will be pretty close, but not too much of a nail biter. Nothing like the Big 12 Championship. The Huskers win 24-14.

All-Decade Team

As 2009 is coming to an end, there have been considerable amounts of All-Decade lists. I decided to look at the Nebraska teams of the 2000's and come up with the Nebraska All-Decade Team. Here's what I got:

Offense

*Quarterback: Eric Crouch (1998-2001)
Although he only played 2 seasons in the new millennium, in 2000 and 2001, he led the Cornhuskers to a 21-4 record as QB (35-7 total), including a National Championship berth. He received the Heisman in 2001, along with the Walter Camp and Davey O'Brien Award. He finished his senior season with over 1,000 rushing and passing each, and 25 total TDs. He finished his career with 7,915 total yards.
Honorable Mention: Joe Ganz, Zac Taylor

*I-back: Dahrran Diedrick (1999-2002)
Since the turn of the century, the Huskers have turned to more of a run-by-committee offense. Dahrran Diedrick racked up 2,523 yards from 2000 to 2003, and 24 touchdowns. He did all of this while splitting a lot of carries with quarterbacks (Eric Crouch and Jammal Lord).
Honorable Mention: Cory Ross, Brandon Jackson, Marlon Lucky

*Fullback: Judd Davies (2000-2003)
Davies led the way for some great Nebraska rushers, such as Dan Alexander, Dahrran Diedrick, Cory Ross, and Josh Davis, as long with quarterbacks Eric Crouch and Jammal Lord. Davies totaled 703 yards and 14 TDs on the ground. He was an academic All-American as well.

*Wide Receiver: Nate Swift (2005-2008)
Swift led his team in receptions and yards two of his four seasons. In his senior season, he had 63 catches for 941 yards and 10 TDs. His career numbers were 166 catches for 2,476 yards and 22 TDs. He was also an explosive punt returner, including a huge TD vs. Virginia Tech as a senior

*Wide Receiver: Maurice Purify (2006-2007)
Purify was JC Transfer, but in just two years, he had 1,444 yards and 16 TD grabs. His defining moment was a fade route catch from Zac Taylor to solidify a Nebraska comeback-from-behind victory to put them in the 2006 Big 12 Championship game. He currently plays for the CIncinnati Bengals
Honorable Mention: Todd Peterson, Wilson Thomas

*Tight End: Matt Herian (2002-2004, 2006)
Herian had a promising early career, where he led the team in catches, yards, and touchdowns in his sophomore campaign. Unfortunately, he broke his leg and was forced to miss the 2005 season. He amassed a total of 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns in his four years of playing.
Honorable Mention: Tracy Winstrom, Mike McNeill

*Offensive Tackle: Matt Slauson (2005-2008)
Slauson played both tackle and guard for the Huskers. He played two years at each position, and ended up being drafted by the New York Jets in the 2009 NFL Draft.

*Offensive Guard: Toniu Finoti (1998-2001)
Finoti finished with a career record of 379 pancakes and was an Outland Trophy finalist in 2001. He was drafted in the second round by the San Diego Chargers
Honorable Mention: Carl Nicks

*Center: Dominic Raiola (1997-2000)
He became the first freshman starter since 1991 and centered some great run-happy offenses. He was selected as an All-American in 2000.
Honorable Mention: Jacob Hickman

*Offensive Guard: Russ Hochstein (1997-2000)
Hochstein is another multiple-position offensive lineman. He showed his versatility at Nebraska and in the NFL, as he played all 3 OL positions for multiple clubs, including the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots.

*Offensive Tackle: Lydon Murtha (2005-2008)
Murtha started his final two seasons at Nebraska and was the main protector of quarterbacks Sam Keller and Joe Ganz. He was also drafted in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Defense

Defensive End: Adam Carricker (2003-2006)
In four years, Carricker totaled 134 tackles in four seasons, despite multiple ankle injuries. He also had 20 career sacks. As a blackshirt, he was selected Defensive MVP of the Huskers two consecutive seasons, and was honored as Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year and a First-Team selection.

Defensive Tackle: Ndamukong Suh (2006-2009)
Suh came on defensively his junior and senior season, leading his team in tackles both seasons. Suh had 76 tackles his junior season and 82 tackles his senior season (not including the Holiday Bowl game). He also finished with 12 sacks, including 4.5 in the Big 12 Championship Game. Suh won the 2009 Defensive Player of the Year, Nagurski Trophy, Lombardi Award, Bill Willis Trophy, Outland Trophy, and Chuck Bednarik Award. He also finished 4th in the Heisman race.

Defensive Tackle: Le Kevin Smith (2002-2005)
Smith finished his career with 161 tackles including 34 for a loss, which was (at the time) second most in Nebraska history for a defensive lineman. He had 9 sacks, an INT, and 3 blocked kicks.
Honorable Mention: Ryon Bingham

Defensive End: Chris Kelsay (1999-2002)
In his 3 seasons of the decade (2000, 2001, and 2002), Kelsay had 118 tackles and 12.5 sacks. He was a two-time 2nd Team All-Big 12 pick and was drafted in the 2003 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills.
Honorable Mention: Barry Turner, Pierre Allen, Zach Potter

Linebacker: Barrett Ruud (2001-2004)
In four seasons, Ruud had an amazing 432 tackles. He led (or tied) his team in tackles 3 of the 4 years he played. He was honorable mention, 3rd team, and a 1st team All-Big 12 Selection, as well as 3rd team All-America. He was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2005 NFL Draft.

Linebacker: Stewart Bradley (2003-2006)
Bradley amassed 175 tackles, 4 fumble recoveries, 3 forced fumbles, and an INT for a touchdown in a career where he started for 3 seasons.

Linebacker: Corey McKeon (2004-2007)
McKeon only saw significant action in 3 of his 4 seasons as a Husker but still notched 240 total tackles. He led 2005 Huskers in tackles and was in the top 3 in tackles his junior and season seasons. He also had 4 career INTs, 3 forced fumbles, and 3 fumble recoveries
Honorable Mention: Bo Ruud, Carlos Polk, Phillip Dillard, Randy Stella

Cornerback: Fabian Washington (2002-2004)
As a 3 year starter, he totaled 137 tackles, 11 INTs, and 2 forced fumbles. Washington was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the first round after leaving Nebraska early.

Safety: Josh Bullocks (2002-2004)
Bullocks had 151 tackles in just 28 games, including 13 INT (an astounding 10 in 2003). He was a semi-finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award in 2003 as well.

Safety: Daniel Bullocks (2002-2005)
In his four years, Daniel (Josh's twin brother) has 226 tackles and was a senior co-captain in 2005. He started 22 games and had 8 INTs. He was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.
Honorable Mention: Larry Asante, Demorrio Williams

Cornerback: Keyeo Craver (1998-2001)
In the two seasons of this decade, Craver had 116 tackles (finishing in the top 4 both seasons). He also had 3 INTs, a forced fumble, and 2.5 sacks. He has spent time in the NFL and CFL.
Honorable Mention: DeJuan Groce

Special Teams

Place Kicker: Josh Brown (1999-2002)
Brown is currently 3rd in scoring in Nebraska history (behind his brother Kris and Eric Crouch). He was a 1st team All-Big 12 Selection his senior season where he was 14-18 on FGs and perfect on PATs.
Honorable Mention: Alex Henery

Punter: Kyle Larson (2000-2003)
After walking on and redshirting, Larson went on to start for 3 years, where he was named an All-American by AFCA. In 2003, he set a Nebraska record by averaging 45.1 yds on 66 punts (although it was later broken).
Honorable Mention: Sam Koch

Kick/Punt Returner: DeJuan Groce (1999-2002)
Groce played cornerback for the Huskers and returned kicks. In 2002, he had 4 punt return touchdowns, including an 89-yarder. He averaged 17.0 yards a return. He also had a punt return for a touchdown his junior season.
Honorable Mention: Nate Swift

Suh Falls Short

Despite huge accolades from multiple sportswriters and commentators, Ndamukong Suh fell short of the Heisman. Mark Ingram of Alabama received just enough votes to edge out Toby Gerhart for the Heisman Trophy Saturday night. It's tough to criticize people for voting Ingram because of his success running the ball and carrying Alabama's offense to the BCS Championship game. However, Toby Gerhart had some phenomenal numbers, including a beastly 26 touchdown runs. He led the nation in most statistical categories. The Heisman Trophy has turned into a different award than what it was originally attended for. It definitely showed Saturday night.

Call me biased, but Ndamukong Suh showed day in and day out that he was the best player in the nation. The trophy is supposed to go to the "most outstanding player," and it is tough to say anybody was better than Suh. He led his teams in tackles and is in the top 5 in the nation in sacks. He almost single handily stopped Texas' high powered offense. Had that second run off the clock and the Huskers were going to a BCS Bowl game, would the results have changed? Ingram got his votes for a couple of reasons, and undoubtedly, his team's success was one of the major reasons.

Another huge advantage that Ingram (and actually Gerhart) had besides the offensive bias was location. Let's break the region into 6 major categories for simplicity:
West Coast (obvious)
Midwest (obvious)
Southwest (Texas area)
Southeast (Louisiana up through the Carolinas)
East Coast (obvious)

Gerhart would take the voters from the west (even though you could argue that the West gets shafted by the East Coast bias). Ingram likely takes the southeast, such as states like Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, and maybe even Florida. The only player Ingram needed to battle was Tim Tebow. However, Tebow had pretty much a decent year, and I'd venture to say hardly any voters (even in Florida) chose him over Ingram. Ingram, then, likely took the East Coast as well. Being the most heavily populated areas in the nation, he probably won because of this bias alone. All the while, McCoy and Suh battled for the desolate midwest. Not only did Suh cause McCoy to almost lose the Big 12 two weeks ago, but he forced many uneasy voters to put him down rather than McCoy. The whole system has turned political. You win regions, not the nation. It's sad to see that the award isn't truly going to the right player.

Suh For Heisman

On Monday, Ndamukong Suh was officially invited to New York for the Heisman Presentation. Although his run for Heisman has been extraordinary, the outlook and general consensus is he deserves to win, but probably won't. According to this source, he has the most first place votes and points (as of 12/9), but still projected to finish 3rd behind Ingram and Gerhart. Since Ingram and Gerhart have both put up great numbers, I am not going to focus on why they shouldn't win the trophy. Instead, I will focus on why Ndamukong Suh does deserve the Heisman.

We'll start with my first graphic



Here is just simply the tackle breakdown for each game for the Huskers this season. I only included Ndamukong Suh along with the other 3 members of the front 4 (Jared Crick, Pierre Allen, and Barry Turner), and the leading linebacker Phillip Dillard. I will explain later why I only choose these other four players.

As you can see, there are 6 games where Ndamukong Suh was "below average" on tackles. (Note: 2 of the games he had 6 tackles, which I deemed as "equal" to his 6.3 tackles per game.) Of those 6 games, 1 was a non conference game against a Sun Belt opponent, so I threw it out of consideration. Therefore, Suh had 5 "below average" games vs. Big 12 teams, those games were Texas Tech, Baylor, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado. Remember, we're just talking tackles here.

Now we'll look at our second graphic:



Here is a representation of tackles above and below the average by the other players. As you can see, there is a significant amount of "above average" performances by Crick, Allen, Turner, and Dillard during these 5 games.

Why does this happen? As a defensive linemen, you have two primary jobs. During running plays, you want to clog the offensive line. There shouldn't be any holes for the backs to run through. What does this allow? It allows for linebackers to make the plays. In high school, our linebackers coach called it "scraping" to the ball. As you can tell by both graphics, Phillip Dillard (Nebraska's leading linebacker) had increases in tackles (on average) in games where Suh was often being double or triple teamed. The second job of defensive lineman is to get pass pressure (which we will go over later).

Now let's break it down, game by game:
Texas Tech: Suh's Stats: 4 tackles (2.3 tackles below average), 2 TFL, 4 QB Hurries
Comments: Sure Suh was below average on tackles, but half of his tackles were for a loss. Suh had 4 QB Hurries on the day and injured Taylor Potts late in the game. Potts would miss time after this game.

Baylor: Suh's Stats: 5 tackles (1.3 tackles below average), 2.5 TFL, 1 QB Hurry
Comments: Suh was just over a tackle below average but produced half of his tackles for a loss (again). Also, he had a QB hurry. More importantly, Jared Crick, the other defensive tackle, had a career best 5 sacks, and 13 total tackles in this game. Crick's ability to produce sacks had a lot to do with Suh's constant double/triple teams and the amount of time he was chop blocked.

Oklahoma: Suh's Stats: 4 tackles (2.3 tackles below average), 3 QB Hurries
Comments: Suh was below average on tackles (even though all four tackles were solo tackles), in a game where Landry Jones threw the ball 58 times. Jones contributed his interceptions to mental errors and pressure. He threw 5 INTs.

Kansas: Suh's Stats: 3 tackles (3.3 tackles below average) 2 QB Hurries
Comments: Suh was below average in tackles. Again, however, you must look at his supporting cast. Allen, Turner, and Dillard all had more tackles than average. Also, Todd Reesing threw the ball 41 times against the Huskers.

Colorado: Suh's Stats: 5 tackles (1.3 tackles below average), 1 TFL, 1 Sack, 2 QB Hurries
Comments: Suh was hardly below average, producing just 1.3 less tackles, but forcing a 17 yard sack that single handily put the Buffaloes out of field goal position. He added two more QB hurries on a night where the Buffs threw 3 INTs.

Lastly, it is important to remember Suh's dominant performances in the other games of the year. Specifically in 4 Big 12 games, Ndamukong Suh was able to change the course of the game. Let's take a look at those four games:
Missouri: In the spotlight, Suh started getting National Recognition. He had 6 tackles, but had a 6 yard sack and forced fumble on one play. Also, on the same play, he hobbled starting QB Blaine Gabbert. Later, Gabbert threw an INT to Suh, which set up a 4th quarter victory for the Huskers. Named Walter Camp Defensive Player of the Week.

Iowa State: In an embarrassing game for the Nebraska offense, Suh racked up 8 tackles, including a 6 yard sack. He had 3 more QB hurries, and he blocked an extra point and a field goal. He kept the sputtering and turnover-prone Huskers in the game.

Kansas State: In an effort to win the Big 12 North, the Huskers allowed just 3 points to KSU. Suh had 9 tackles (only one tackle behind the leader Larry Asante). However, he produced 1.5 sacks and had a QB hurry.

Texas: This is the game where Suh got truly recognized. Too little too late, probably. In a mammoth game, he produced 4.5 sacks and 2 more QB hurries. He tossed Heisman frontrunner Colt McCoy around like a rag doll. He finished with 12 total tackles and 7 TFL for a total of -22 yards.


If you are looking for the best player in college football, you've found him. His name is Ndamukong Suh. He is truly the most dominant force on the football field, whether it be this year, or in the last 30 years. He's got a truly unique (one-of-a-kind, literally) skill set. He's quick, he's strong, he's smart, and he's savvy. No player can impact a game like he can. Teams have to go out of their way to scheme against him, and it doesn't work. If it does work to shut him down, Suh's team mates get the resulting spotlight. If Suh doesn't win the Heisman, the award is a travesty.

Texas 13, Nebraska 12

Ughhhh.  Nebraska surely didn't deserve to win the game offensively.  With just a measly 106 total yards and 5 first downs, they did almost nothing to prove they deserved a BCS berth.  However, I'd like to apologize to all TCU fans because we let you down.  We had a shot to put you in the BCS Championship game and we made some huge mistakes late in the game.  Two things we did learn Saturday night, however: Nebraska's defense is greater than Texas' offense, and Ndamukong Suh is the best player in the nation. Let's review the keys of the game:

Nebraska needs to...

*Minimize their mistakes.

They did, too, for the first 3.9 quarters.  Until a costly kicking out of bounds penalty and a 15-yard personal foul penalty.  Nebraska forced the turnovers, forced the Texas mistakes, but also turned the ball over 3 times.

*Play loose.

Tough to tell.  They seemed to have played conservative on offense, but maybe that was masked by the great defensive effort by Texas.  They did go down field, and that resulted in multiple interceptions.  However, the D wasn't tense, as they dominated Heisman frontrunner and Big-12 Offensive Player of the Year, Colt McCoy.

*Establish the run.

Definitely not.  Nebraska couldn't establish a run, therefore they couldn't pass the ball either.  There were decent runs, but no good runs throughout the game.

Nebraska needs to control...

*Field position.

Alex Henery didn't have his best punting game.  However, Texas fair caught the ball inside their own 20 twice and started on the 1 after a kickoff.  On the other side, Niles Paul had some big returns to set up good field position, and a field goal.

*Jordan Shipley.

Shipley didn't score.  But he had two big catches against the Huskers.  One came when Texas was inside their own 2 on 3rd down.  On the last drive, he had a big catch and got horse-collar tackled to give Texas another 15 yards.  He ended with 7 catches for 71 yards.

*The clock.

Texas won the clock battle 32:00 to 28:00.  The fact that Nebraska had the ball that long with just 5 first downs is astounding.  They did shorten the game, and they did keep Texas to just 13 points.  You couldn't ask for more on defense.

Predictions

*McCoy will throw an INT in the first half.

Try two.  The Huskers forced McCoy to make some bad throws and simply made great defensive plays on two of the three INTs.  McCoy's early struggles kept Nebraska in the game, and his last INT set up a Nebraska lead with less than 2 min left.

*Niles Paul will make a play.

And he did.  He had two huge special teams plays, including a 42 yard punt return to the Texas 10 yard line.  Too bad the Huskers couldn't convert it into a touchdown, instead they brought the game within one point.

*The game will be close.

It came down to the last second, literally.  Texas had a hash-marked 46 yard field goal.  It was no gimme, and they almost didn't even get the opportunity.  Ndamukong Suh had an astounding 4.5 sacks and 7 TFL, even while getting double teamed and held the entire game.

Keys to the Game (Texas)

Mel Kiper, Jr. gave Nebraska a 5% chance of winning, and McShay gave them just 1% of a chance.  Everyone in the sports world has Texas in the BCS Championship game vs. Florida/Alabama.  However, the Cornhuskers aren't going to just roll over and give Texas the National Championship berth.  Here are the keys to the game, if Nebraska expects to pull out an upset:

Nebraska needs to...

*Minimize every mistake.

No turnovers, no missed opportunities (red zone TDs, field goals, takeaways).  I don't want to look back on the game on think "What if"

*Play loose.

Although they need to play better than they have all season, Nebraska cannot tighten up.  They are the underdogs, relish that.  If the Huskers come out loose and play how they know they can, they've got a shot.

*Establish a run.

Texas has had a phenomenal run defense (minus last week vs. Texas A&M).  The 'Horns will probably make Zac Lee beat them in the air, but in order for Lee to do this, Helu, Jr. and Burkhead need to get some tough yards early on.

Nebraska needs to control...

*Field position.

Alex Henery is as good as anyone at putting the ball inside the opponent's 10-yard line.  If Texas' offense has to consistently go 90+ yards to get 6 points, the Husker D will be able to force some punts and turnovers.

*Jordan Shipley.

By far Texas' biggest threat.  Colt McCoy can beat the Huskers but Shipley can outrun and outjuke everyone.  Make the other Longhorns beat Nebraska and minimize Shipley's touches/opportunities

*The clock.

Shorten the game.  Nebraska needs to get first downs and the keep the chains moving.  This will allow Texas' offense to watch a lot of the game, rather than scoring a bunch.  Nebraska's offense hasn't been able to put up points against Big 12 teams, so they need to minimize the opponent's offensive production

Predictions

*McCoy will throw an INT in the first half.

This is key to Nebraska's chances.  If McCoy can make a mistake or two early, the Huskers need to capitalize.

*Niles Paul will make a play.

Look for a long gain, long return, or touchdown from Nebraska's biggest playmaker.  If their is a player other than the RBs that can burn Texas, it's Paul.

*The game will be close.

I'm not going to put a score on the game, or even a winner.  Nebraska is playing for everything, which gives them a psychological edge.  The game will be a lot closer than anybody expects.

Some Husker Awards

The All-Big 12 team was announced on Monday.  Here's how the Huskers fared:

2009 Defensive Player of the Year

DL - Ndamukong Suh

2009 All-Big 12 First Team

DL - Ndamukong Suh (unanimous)

DL - Jared Crick

DB - Prince Amukamara

DB - Larry Asante

2009 All-Big 12 Second Team

RB - Roy Helu, Jr.

PK - Alex Henery

LB - Phillip Dillard

Honorable Mentions:

Defensive Newcomer: Dejon Gomes

DB - Dejon Gomes

DB - Eric Hagg

P - Alex Henery

OL - Jacob Hickman

TE - Mike McNeill

DB - Matt O'Hanlon

WR - Niles Paul

DL - Barry Turner

Analysis:  

Snubs:

*Pierre Allen: Plenty of people talk about Nebraska's front four.  The 4th front four member didn't even get an honorable mention

*Alex Henery:  Maybe I'm biased.  But this Cornhusker could be the best kicker to come out of Nebraska (yes, even better than Josh and Kris).  He constantly puts punts inside the 20 and is (well, was) pretty automatic from inside 50 yards.  He deserved 1st team PK and 2nd team P.

*Matt O'Hanlon: Deserved a 2nd team pick for sure.  O'Hanlon was key in producing turnovers (including 3 in a huge game vs. OU) and had a huge TD last week vs. the Buffs.

*O-Lineman: Outside of Jacob Hickman, no other Husker O-lineman even got an honorable mention.  I understand they didn't deserved any 1st or 2nd pick, but not even a mention either?

*Rex Burkhead: This may be a stretch because of his extended absence due to injury, but I would push for Burkhead to have received an honorable mention as well.

Disappointments

*Niles Paul: At the beginning of the year, Paul was Nebraska's lone wide receiving threat.  He hasn't really asserted himself.  There have been flashes of great things (4th quarter vs. Missouri, Colorado punt return), but there have been low points (ISU).  Maybe the inconsistent quarterback threat has contributed to his lower than expected numbers.

*Linebackers: Nebraska has produced some amazing linebackers (Alberts, Polk, Ruuds) over the years, but they were basically unmentioned this year (outside of Dillard).  Again, these guys are young, but the focus of Nebraska's D is the front four and the DBs, not the LBs.

*O-Line: The running game was shaking in the middle part of the season.  This probably has to do with the lack of depth and injuries.  However, the O-Line was underachieving, and too many times have I seen QB hurries and TFL.

Future

The thing that sticks out the most is the amount of young players.  Of the 1st team members, half of them will be back next year (2/4) and two-thirds of the 2nd team (2/3).  Also, of the honorable mention, over half are non-Seniors (5/8).  This makes the future look bright for the already achieving Huskers.

Nebraska 28, Colorado 20

Nebraska won an ugly season finale and starts the post season with a 5 game winning streak.  The Huskers gave up more yards and points then they probably wanted, but got a touchdown in all three facets of the game (offense, defense, special teams).  In other words, they did what they had to do to win the game.  As long as they keep winning, the ugliness is okay.  Next week will be a huge test and if the Huskers can pull out an upset, they'll automatically qualify for a BCS Bowl.

Let's review the keys:

Nebraska needs to...

*Play calm

NU didn't let their emotions get the best of them too often and responded well defensively when CU was threatening to score late in the 3rd quarter, forcing back-to-back scoreless drives after allowing the Buffs to get to their red zone.

*Stop Rodney Stewart

"Speedy" had 110 yards, but no scores.  The Huskers could've done better, but they surely could've done worse.  Also, he had just 1 reception for 6 yards.

*Run, then pass

Exactly what the Huskers need to do the rest of the season.  The Huskers needed a huge drive when up just 7 in the 4th quarter.  What did they do?  They ran the ball down the Colorado defense's throat, and threw just once for a huge 3rd down conversion.  Also, the lone TD throw by Lee was set up by a play action pass

Nebraska needs to control...

*The Colorado Offensive Line

Not exactly.  There were key plays (such as Suh's 17 yard sack) that the Huskers dominated at the line.  However, there were hardly an other TFL and Colorado's run offense got too many yards up front.

*The crowd

I was there.  The crowd had no effect on the game.  This was partly due to Nebraska's play and a lot to do with the amount of red in Folsom Field.  There was roughly 20 to 25% Husker fans, and when the ball was in their end zone, Husker fans were loud.

*Their turnovers

Roy Helu, Jr. did have a fumble that ultimately didn't hurt the Huskers, but it could have.  Colorado could've tied the game up with a short field.  Luckily, the couldn't convert and the Huskers didn't look back.  Zac Lee was conservative, but he made no mistakes and you can't fault him for that.

Predictions

*Zac Lee will throw 2 or more touchdown passes

Wrong.  Lee did have a beautiful throw to Ben Cotton for a TD, but missed another opportunity earlier.  When the time mattered, the Huskers executed on the ground instead.

*Rex Burkhead's load will be heavier

Right.  Rex was arguably the player of the game for the Huskers.  He did an awesome job running between the tackles and gives the Huskers a two-headed running attack, finally.  Rex had his first 100 yard game, had a TD, and didn't fumble.

*Nebraska 30, Colorado 10

Wrong.  Nebraska looked to keep it close to my prediction until a dismal 57 yard Hail Mary TD on the last play of the game.  But, 28-20 was a better indication of the game compared to 28-14 anyways.  The Huskers didn't deserve to win by 20, 14, or even 10 points.

For the future:

Nebraska did a great job of running the ball.  Texas should, and probably will, make Zac Lee beat them.  Burkhead and Helu, Jr. are great running backs and can play tough against almost any defense in the nation.  The Husker defense has been giving up more yards as of late, and can't afford to keep giving up those yards against a high powered offense like Texas'.  It'd be nice to see Lee go downfield more often with deeper throws.  The slant routes to Paul and Kinnie were open and they need to use these plays early vs. Texas and go down field later on.

Keys to the Game (Colorado Edition)

I'm in Denver right now visiting family and will be attending the game tomorrow in Boulder.  Here are my keys to the game:

Nebraska needs to...

*Play calm

If things start going tough, don't get down and just grind through it.  It's actually something Nebraska is pretty good at (see Missouri).  Don't try to play outside of yourselves like they tried last year.

*Stop Rodney Stewart

Stewart is arguably Colorado's greatest weapon.  He can burn any defense in the nation, even Nebraska's.

*Run, then pass

Just like last week, running the ball early will set up play-action attack that is a more reliable offense than going downfield.

Nebraska needs to control...

*The Colorado Offensive Line

Rodney Stewart can't run without an O-Line and Nebraska's D-Line shouldn't have a problem controlling upfront.  However, last week, Nebraska gave up some big yards and stopped them from scoring points.  It'd be nice to see the Huskers stiffen up and give up less yards

*The crowd

It's an away, rivalry game.  There will be plenty of Huskers, but many more Buffalo fans.  If the Huskers can get an early lead and force some turnovers, the crowd will deflate

*Their turnovers

Last year, they shot themselves in the foot vs. Colorado by botching a fake field goal for a touchdown.  Luckily, they rebounded and pulled out a win.  If they aren't careful and turn it over (see Iowa State), they can lose to a subpar team.

Predictions

*Zac Lee will throw 2 touchdowns or more

Look for Lee to throw some TDs, whether it be down field or play action.  The Buffs will stack the box in the red zone and force Lee to beat them, not Helu, Jr.

*Rex Burkhead's load will be heavier

He looked decent coming back, but the Huskers need to get him some touches to increase his abilities for the Big XII Championship game and a bowl game.  Helu, Jr. will get plenty of touches and probably a score or two, but Burkhead's abilities need to be tailored.

*Nebraska 30, Colorado 10

The game will be close in the first quarter, but pretty much away by halftime.  The Buffs won't be able to overcome a great Nebraska defense and make up the gap in the 2nd half.  Colorado's TD will come on a big play, however.

Nebraska 17, Kansas State 3

Nebraska scored 17 straight points to clinch a berth to the Big XII Championship vs. Texas, on December 5th.  The Husker defense didn't play exception, but played well in the one category that truly matters, points.  Nebraska forced a couple turnovers and missed field goals that took the pressure off the offense.  Let's review the keys:

Nebraska needs to...

*Keep running wild with Roy Helu, Jr.

He didn't exactly run "wild," but he ended up with a solid 95 yards and a touchdown.  Seemed ineffective early running, but the play action passes were huge in Nebraska's early game drives.  Those passes were set up by Helu, Jr.

*Get KSU off the field on offense

Nebraska definitely obtained this goal in the first half.  They led in TOP almost 19 min to 11 min.  The second half brought it closer, but KSU couldn't score points while possessing the ball.  Nebraska had a slight TOP edge in the whole game, 31:30-28:30.

*Get an early interception

They didn't get their interception until the 2nd quarter, but it was a big one.  Zac Lee had thrown one in the red zone, and the Huskers responded by getting pressure and forcing a bad pass, which Larry Asante intercepted.  Overall, the Huskers kept Grant Gregory to just 11-31 for 126 yard with 0 TD's and a pick.

Nebraska needs to control...

*KSU offense

Nebraska definitely controlled the passing game, but there were wide open misses by KSU.  It's difficult to tell if this was because of pressure or bad execution by KSU.  They shot themselves in the foot a bunch, and the Huskers got a huge penalty edge.  Overall, you can't complain about giving up 3 points.

*The KSU defensive line

The Huskers had just 101 total yards of rushing offense, so there was definitely room for improvement by the Husker O-Line.  And there were a couple sacks given up, including a 14 yard sack that set up a 3rd and goal, which resulted in an INT.  Nebraska got just one first down in four drives when trying to run the clock down, too.

*Their play within the red zone

They got 2 touchdowns and 1 field goal in the red zone, which is a good ratio of scores to FG's.  However, a huge sack forced an INT on 3rd and goal, which could've ended up hurting the Huskers later.  Fortunately, it didn't come back to hurt them.

Predictions...

*Kansas State will out-clock the Huskers

Wrong.  Nebraska had the edge in the stats category.  However, the second half and 4th quarter belonged to the Wildcats, who were in Nebraska territory much of the 2nd half.  It didn't matter because the Huskers bent but didn't break.

*Niles Paul will get increased touches/opportunities.

Wrong.  He didn't finish with a quiet 4 catches for 82 yards.  His biggest contribution was a long 47 yard catch on a 3rd and 1 Play-Action pass, arguably the play of the game offensively.  The Huskers finally went to my favorite game plan, the Play Action to Mike McNeill.

*Nebraska 27, KSU 13

I'm pretty impressed with my prediction.  I gave each team too many points but had the difference correct.  Also, I predicted Nebraska would be closer near half but not need to win it in the 4th quarter, which is exactly what happened.  The most promising part of the game Saturday, was Nebraska's ability to go down the field in 1.5 min to start the half and go up 14.

For the future:

I'd like to see the same offensive game plan.  Zac had a bunch of organized roll outs and Play Action passes.  He hit 7 different receivers, including my favorite, Mike McNeill.  The D was a little shaky at times and gave up a bunch of yards.  However, if they keep teams off the scoreboard, I'm ultimately happy.  It was nice seeing Rex Burkhead in there.  Look for increased production and load come next week and the Big XII Championship.

Its sort of surreal that Nebraska is one win away from a BCS game!  If the Huskers can pull off an upset over the hot Longhorns in a few weeks, Husker fans will be packing their bags for a huge January BCS bowl game.

Keys to the Game: Kansas State Edition

Well, the Cornhuskers face off with K-State on National Television come roughly 6 hours.  Winner takes the Big XII North, no strings attached.  Here's Nebraska's keys to the game:

Nebraska needs to:

*Keep running wild with Roy Helu, Jr.

Helu, Jr. has done a fabulous job the last two weeks to take the pressure off the quarterback to make big plays.  He has 100+ yards in both the victories vs. Oklahoma and Kansas.  He needs to carry the ball 20+ times for 100+ yards and at least a score to open the playbook up a bit

*Get KSU off the field on offense

I would be willing to bet that KSU's game plan is to hold onto the ball and clock as long as possible.  It's a smart strategy, the Husker offense has struggled and if you could limit the amount of opportunities they have, they'll score little.  The D needs to get some early stops and the O needs to prove it can move the football.

*Get an early interception

This will continue to KSU to rely on Daniel Thomas to run the ball on a stingy run defense.  If Grant Gregory doesn't have the confidence to go linearly with the ball, Nebraska can stop the one-sided offense of KSU.

Nebraska needs to control...

*KSU offense

Set the tone early.  Don't let the KSU pocket move to the outside.  Kansas did a great job of moving Todd Reesing out of the pocket.  Ndamukong Suh only had two tackles and the whole Nebraska D only registered one sack.  Look for Pelini (both of them) to have answers to this strategy.

*The KSU defensive line

The Husker O-Line finally came back to life last week.  Hopefully, they can keep it up.  If so, it'd be nice to get two 100 yard rushers and 3 rushing TDs.  Or at least enough of a rushing attack that it sets up play action dumps to Mike McNeill or bombs to Niles Paul.

*Their play within the red zone

The Cornhuskers have struggled in the red zone this season.  Against Oklahoma it could've cost them the game.  If the Huskers get into the red zone, they need to score EVERY time.  And they need touchdowns, not field goals.

Predictions

*Kansas State will out-clock the Huskers

Hopefully the time difference won't be significant, but I think the Wildcats will have more time of possession than the Huskers.  I'd be okay with being wrong with this prediction.

*Niles Paul will get increased touches/opportunities

Paul is, by far, the most explosive weapon the Huskers have.  Helu, Jr. is close, but when Paul gets into the open, he is close to unstoppable (barring he doesn't fumble without getting hit).  Look for Paul to get increased touches, balls thrown deep, reverses, screens, punt/kick returns.

*Nebraska 27, KSU 13

A little closer than the score, but Nebraska won't have to win it in the 4th quarter.  It'll 13-7 at halftime, and the Huskers will grind the 3rd quarter out and make the lead insurmountable.

Good Luck Cornhuskers, bring us the North Title!

Kansas Analysis

Nebraska 31, Kansas 17 - The score may not completely portray that the Huskers actually had to come back with just 7 min left in the game.  The Huskers grinded the ball.  What a difference a healthy Roy Helu, Jr. makes the Nebraska offense.  Zac Lee got the start (best option) and was able to manage the offense like he did in the non conference, non-BCS opponents against a Big 12 foe.

Roy Helu, Jr. had a big workload like he did earlier this season.  He pretty much cleared up Husker fans' minds that his shoulder is 100%.  His final stat-line was 28 carries for 156 yards and 2 TDs (he actually had a 3rd TD when he jumped on a fumble in the endzone).  Definitely the Nebraska player of the game.

Don't look now, but Zac Lee is slowly getting his confidence back.  He went 13-21 for 196 yards.  What was impressive was his throws downfield to Niles Paul, who had 154 of Lee's 196 yards.  Also, Mike McNeill finally got back into the picture with 4 receptions, tied for most grabs, with Paul.  Lee also showed he could run the ball when he took off down the field for a 34 yard scamper.  He ended up with 53 total yards rushing.

The defense looked a little more vulnerable than they normally have.  With that being said, 17 points is nothing to be worried about allowing.  The Husker defense is still the same defense.  Mark Mangino and the Kansas coaching staff tried something another foe hasn't, they moved the pocket.  Todd Reesing does well outside the tackle-box and gave Kansas an offensive shot vs. the Husker defense.  The Huskers still forced a turnover in the red zone and kept Briscoe/Meier to just one touchdown.  Look for other teams to try to get outside the pocket because the Husker D-line collapses a drop-back pocket.  Also, look for Carl Pelini and the Nebraska staff to implement more outside blitzes, such as the one sack the Huskers got on the night from the corner blitz.

Overall, the Huskers have put themselves in a winner-take-all game Saturday on National TV vs. Kansas State.  If they win, they'll have a showdown in December vs. Texas, putting themselves one (upset) win away from a BCS bowl game.  Nebraska had a rocky stretch with upsetting losses to Texas Tech and Iowa State, but have appeared to gain confidence at the right time.  Saturday should be an exciting day.

Some scary statistics

I wish I could claim I did the research for the subsequent information, but I did not.  All of this comes from the this article.

Here's a recap of the offensive statistics:

In the last month, Nebraska's offense is 0-44 on scoring a touchdown when starting in their own territory.  They are 3-44 on scoring any points (3 field goals)

Overall, against all BCS teams, Nebraska's offense has gone 2-68 on scoring a touchdown when starting in their own territory (interestingly, both came in the 4th quarter vs. Missouri).  The next closest BCS team is 5 (Vanderbilt).  Even my school, Washington State University, has scored touchdowns 6 times from their own territory (and they a dismal squad of "football" players).

These numbers certainly are alarming.  However, the defense is almost the exact opposite!  11 of the 12 Big 12 teams have allowed a conference foe to cross midfield and score a touchdown in each contest.  Nebraska is the outlier, the Blackshirts haven't allowed an offensive touchdown drive of over 50 yards 3 times (Missouri, Baylor, Oklahoma).

Ultimately, the Huskers are still in the race.  They can turn the offense around, and I promise you Husker fans, it will happen soon. 

Nebraska 10, Oklahoma 3

Nebraska overcomes a lack of offense and compensates with a great defensive performance.  Although the Huskers only produced 180 yards of offense, they were able to produce 5 turnovers, including an interception return to the 1 yard line to set up the lone touchdown of the game.  Let's review the Keys of the Game:

Nebraska needs to...

*Produce some offense

I'm not saying the offense produced much of anything to praise.  However, Roy Helu, Jr. looked like himself out there and the Huskers scored inside the red zone (something they struggled with up to this point).  They produced enough.  The future needs more offense though.

*Stop Landry Jones

Check.  Jones looked uncomfortable out there from the 1st quarter on.  He wasn't able to produce any large plays and Nebraska forced Jones to throw 5 interceptions with 0 touchdowns.

*Get a Defensive Touchdown.

Technically, they didn't.  However, Nebraska's lone touchdown was set up with an interception return by Prince Amukamara to the 1 yard line.  In other words, they basically produced a defensive touchdown.

Nebraska needs to control...

*The clock.

They had a 31 to 28 advantage.  However, they controlled the ball well once they had the lead, keeping Oklahoma's offense of the field.  It shows they controlled the ball well if they were able to have a slight time advantage despite almost half the offensive yardage.

*The line of scrimmage.

Double check.  Both sides of the ball were controlled by the Huskers.  Landry Jones couldn't stay in the pocket because of the Nebraska D-Line, and Roy Helu, Jr. had 138 yards rushing vs. the stout OU defense.

*Their mistakes.

Again, check.  The Huskers had one mistake (botched option for turnover), but limited their other mistakes.  NU had great punts, great defensive control, and made few mistakes while managing an offensive game.

Watch out for...

*DeMarco Murray

They kept the Sooner's most explosive threat under 100 yards and no points.  It looked pretty obvious that the Huskers had keyed on him.

*Roy Helu, Jr.

I knew he'd break back into his original form soon.  Luckily it came with the Huskers needed him most.  He provided offensive explosiveness and gave the O-line some confidence for the rest of the year.

*Mike McNeill.

Who?  McNeill's name was rarely called Saturday night, something I disagree with.  The Cornhuskers set up a great running attack that can hopefully utilize McNeill in play action passes later on this year.

Prediction...

I was off on the score, but right on the outcome.  The Huskers pulled it together defensively to embarrass the Sooner offense.

Game Ball...

The game ball goes to Matt O'Hanlon.  It seems unfair to give it to one defensive player when it was obviously the entire unit that performed well.  Phillip Dillard, Ndamukong Suh, and Jared Crick had phenomenal games, as well as everyone else.  O'Hanlon had a career high in tackles and produced 3 interceptions, including the game clincher.

Keys to the Game

With game time just over 24 hours away, I need something to occupy my time.  Here's what the Huskers need to do to upset Oklahoma...

Nebraska needs to...

*Produce some damn offense.

Whoever is starting at quarterback needs to control the game and produce yards.  Don't pressure yourself to score every time you get the ball.  The Huskers just need to gain yards and show themselves they are a great football team.  Then let the chips fall into place.

*Stop Landry Jones

Jones has done an effective job of taking over for Sam Bradford.  Nebraska is facing a 4th consecutive backup quarterback, but he is the best one.  Jones can burn the Huskers if they allow him to.  However, as Nebraska's D has shown, they can stop almost anyone.

*Get a Defensive Touchdown

Everyone knows the Husker offense is lagging behind the defense.  Therefore, the Husker defense need to produce some offense for themselves.  Help out the O and put the pressure on Oklahoma's offense to continue mistake-free.

Nebraska needs to control...

*The clock.

Shorten the game, keep Oklahoma's great defense on the field and make them nervous.  Oklahoma is probably licking their chops at the chance to go up against a struggling offensive unit.

*The line of scrimmage

Both sides.  The Nebraska D-Line probably won't have too much of a problem controlling the O-line.  The Huskers offensive line just needs to establish their physicality early on and show they can pound the ball down your throat.

*Their mistakes

If Cody Green does start (which I think he will), he needs to continue to take moderate risks but shy away from throwing into coverage.  Oklahoma will capitalize on his mistakes like other teams haven't.  Also, the Huskers need to hold on to the ball (don't take it for granted like vs. ISU).

Watch out for...

*DeMarco Murray

He has the playmaking ability to couple with Jones' passing.  He's got the ability to burn the Husker defense if they aren't careful.

*Roy Helu, Jr.

The last couple of games have been a disappointment to say the least.  Husker fans tricked themselves into believing Helu, Jr. could operate without any help.  Finally he has help, in Tray Robinson.  Can Helu, Jr. become healthy this week?  I think so.  If it's gonna happen any week, it'd be this rivalry game.

*Mike McNeill

Shawn Watson will go back to what has worked.  Through the ball underneath on play-action passes.  Watch for TE dump passes and releases.  This will hopefully shackle up the linebackers and help through deep over the middle or run the ball.

Prediction: Nebraska 24, Oklahoma 21

Crick's Interview with ESPN

Courtesy of ESPN's Tim Griffin:

Ten good minutes with Nebraska DT Jared Crick

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin 

Nebraska defensive tackle Jared Crick is coming off the game of his career, after producing 13 tackles and five sacks in the Cornhuskers’ victory over Baylor last week. 

	Manny Flores/Icon SMI
	Jared Crick recorded 13 tackles and five sacks against Baylor.

We caught up with the 6-foot-6, 285-pound sophomore earlier this week to talk about that big game, how much fun it is playing next to Ndamukong Suh and his thoughts on the upcoming game against Oklahoma. 

You produced one of the most memorable defensive games in the history of the Big 12 last week against Baylor. Is there anything you did differently the night before or in your pre-game preparation that can explain what you did? 

Jared Crick: I had a bunch of family from all over Texas at the game. There were a bunch of people there, probably like about 35 relatives. It gave me a little more energy and initiative knowing they were watching me. And plus, I have great teammates. It was easy for me to have a game like that because they were playing so hard. 

Did any of those aunts bring you any treats or anything that helped fuel your performance? 

JC: No, not really (laughing). I couldn’t see them until after the game and then, only got a chance to see them for a few minutes. And they didn’t bring me any treats. 

Were there any special schemes that Nebraska defensive coordinator Carl Pelini cooked up that enabled you to have the big game? 

JC: It was just my teammates, basically. They wanted to double-team [Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong] Suh and the defensive ends did a great job. I have to credit the three guys next to me. It was a group effort and was as much of those guys putting in the extra work and making things happen as anything else. 

How much credit do you give to the fact you play next to Suh along Nebraska’s defensive front? 

JC: It all starts with Suh. He’s present and is a force in the middle and he’s always attracting a double-team block. It gives me and the other two guys a chance to have one-on-one coverage. And whenever we get that, we have the opportunity to go as strong as we can. 

Have you seen many double-team blocks this season? 

JC: I’ve seen a couple of them, but not nearly as many as Suh. I saw a couple of them the week before last against Iowa State, but that was just the scheme they were running. I didn’t see one last week. 

Your team’s defense has really come along in recent games, allowing opponents 280 yards or less in the last seven games. Where has that development come from? 

JC: We expected to be a confident, strong group this season as a defense. We didn’t really set a bar for how high we could go. We’ve just tried to take things day by day and get better each time we go out there. 

You have an opportunity to play and watch Suh all the time. Give me an idea of how dominant a player he really is. 

JC: Just going into every game, I know he’ll win every time. I know that Suh will dominate the game by himself and that will open up things for all of us. He has the skills, but he’s also very football-smart and he’s got every facet of the game down. When you add it all together, it just spells dominance in what he does. 

Since you arrived at college, you moved from defensive end to defensive tackle. Have you gotten more comfortable at your new position as you’ve gained experience there? 

JC: I definitely think it worked out well. When Coach Bo [Pelini] and Coach Carl asked me to move, I had never played inside. I wouldn’t say I was hesitant, but maybe a little nervous, just because I really didn’t know techniques and was a little underweight. But once they saw I had potential, they worked with me every day and helped make me into a player. I’m doing whatever I can do to try and improve. The transition wasn’t too tough, but without them, it would have been difficult to impossible. They had faith in me. 

How much weight have you added since you moved inside? 

JC: I’ve added about 25 pounds since last summer and about 35 pounds overall. I feel pretty good at the weight. It was a little tough when I first gained it because I felt kind of sluggish like I had lost some speed and agility. But after working with [Nebraska strength] Coach [James] Dobson, I actually feel faster. I feel like I put on the right weight. I felt a little sloppy and out of shape at times, but once I started working out, I started feeling comfortable with the weight. 

What’s the biggest change in moving from defensive end to defensive tackle? 

JC: From a running perspective, the only people who cover you at defensive end are a tackle or the tight end. So you have a lot of space to operate. Moving inside can get kind of claustrophobic, especially when you are facing centers who weigh 290 and guards who weigh maybe 315. At first, it was a big adjustment for me. But from a pass-rusher's perspective, we still try to get after people. I think anybody will tell you at defensive end, you get more space to do a wide rush so maybe you can rise and counter a little. The positions are a little different in terms of technique, but you’ve still got to be aggressive wherever you play. 

Does the Nebraska-Oklahoma rivalry still resonate for people across your state? 

JC: When I was young and growing up and watching Nebraska and Oklahoma every year in the Big Eight, it was the biggest game. But now that they don’t play every year, it’s lost a little of its intensity. But it’s still a big thing for us, watching the rivalry and knowing about the guys who have played in it. To be able to play in a game like this is a huge honor and everybody is excited about it. 

Despite your team’s struggles, you still have a good shot at winning the North if you can run the table. How will that affect how your team plays on Saturday night against Oklahoma and during the rest of the season? 

JC: We’re a very determined group. Our goals are still on the board for us. We want to get to Arlington and get a shot at playing in the Big 12 title game. We’re still very determined to get that goal. It hasn’t always gone the way we wanted this season, but it won’t stop us from playing hard and still pursuing what is still in front of us.

Monday Links

Monday links to get you through the week:

Crick's Awards

Cody's Green development

Nebraska-Oklahoma Rivalry

Sipple's Analysis of KSU-Oklahoma

Oklahoma Game Page

Baylor Analysis

I was not able to catch the Nebraska-Baylor game because DirecTV and Versus couldn't reach an agreement, so Versus isn't carried on DirecTV anymore.  However, I listened to part of the game and caught the highlights.

With that being said, the Husker defense is still on the rise, but the Husker offense didn't show enough improvement to make Husker fans completely hopeful for the future.

Cody Green got his first start, and his numbers weren't off the charts, or horrible.  They were mediocre.  The difference on Saturday was that his mediocre stats were enough to get a Win, whereas Zac Lee's stats from the previous games couldn't result in a win (even against a team without their starting running and quarter backs).

Roy Helu, Jr. continued to post less-than-stunning statistics.  With just 27 yards on 8 total touches.  Hopefully, we can blame it on his ailing shoulder injury.

The running game got some yards finally, probably boosting the confidence of the offense line and skill players.  It actually probably gave relief to the Husker defense who has been heavily relied on this season.  Dontrayveous Robinson led the team in rushing yards (61) and tied for receptions (3), for 22 yards.  Right now he looks like the best back for Nebraska and hopefully he can take the load off of Helu, Jr.  Cody Green showed he could run more effectively than Zac Lee, and he adds a playmaking principle that Zac Lee undeniably cannot.

For the future I'd like to see: An increased production in the passing game.  With this being said, I think there needs to be an established running game that can produce play-action passing plays that utilize Mike McNeill, who has been neglected most of the season.  Also, Cody Green needs to just develop as a passer.  He just needs experience, and that cannot be rushed unfortunately

On the defensive side of the ball, I finally saw the breakout performance by another player due to the presence on Ndamukong Suh.  Suh had a relatively quiet game (5 tackles, 1 sack), but his presence was felt.  The offense had to consciously account for Suh, opening up the gates for other players.

Jared Crick had 5 (yes 5!) quarterback sacks, and has been recognized for many National Player-of-the-Week Awards.  Also, he tacked on 2 more TFL and had 13 tackles total.  The Nebraska defensive unit is developing into the defense that Nebraska was once used to during the '90s very quickly.

As a team, they produced 3 turnovers, which is definitely promising.  The last few weeks, the D has held up pretty well but haven't been able to make huge plays.  The game against Baylor was definitely a step in the right direction.  Crick had a fumble recovery and Dejon Gomes and Prince Amukamara each got an interception.

For the future I'd like to see: Nothing new.  The Huskers need to keep playing at high levels on the defensive side of the ball.  Their front 4 is daunting and any one of them can turn the game around.  If the Huskers can keep producing turnovers and limiting big plays, they'll have a chance to win each game they play the rest of the season.

MIA

Both I, and the apparently the Nebraska offense has been MIA in the past two weeks.  Let's review a few things from the last two weeks.

Texas Tech 31, Nebraska 10

You see it all the time, after a giant win, teams often have letdown games the next week.  Earlier this year USC lost to UW, but of their last 6 losses to Pac 10 teams, the team that upset them went just 2-4 the following week.  Nebraska was supposed to beat Missouri, but the way the achieved the win made it almost feel like it was a giant upset.  They played poorly in the driving rain and came back to win with a flurry of 4th quarter touchdowns.  Nebraska got caught looking ahead a bit I think.  A lot of Husker fans were salivating (me included) at winning the next 3 games handily and being 7-1 going into the home game vs. Oklahoma. 

Texas Tech showed that Nebraska was vulnerable, and their defense wasn't invincible.  The offense lacked power, running, and consistency.  Roy Helu, Jr. was at best 75% healthy and it showed.  He had decent runs but couldn't break out.  A lot of the fall came on Zac Lee.  Lee was unable to produce a big play that the Huskers needed without Helu, Jr. being healthy.  The fall was somewhat unwarranted because the rest of the Huskers could not help Lee out either.  A dropped backward pass was simply a mental blunder that Lee couldn't control.  Also, Lee had plenty of passes that just fell through the hands of the receivers.  Question marks were raised at QB and the OL, but the WRs need to make plays when the running game isn't working.

The loss hurt, but Nebraska was still in a good position to take the Big XII North because Kansas and Missouri also lost.

Iowa State 9, Nebraska 7

This loss was what has Nebraska fans scrambling today.  A hellish 8 turnovers, including 4 inside the 5 yard line.  Lee got the start, and I believe he deserves to be the starter still today, and threw 3 INTs.  One wasn't his fault, possibly 2 (one was on 4th and long in the last two minutes).  Nebraska backs looked like they'd never played organized contact football before, fumbling the ball almost every inopportune time.  Again, it comes back to making big plays.  Nebraska moved the ball well but made inexcusable errors.  Nebraska backs and receivers didn't make the plays they needed to, to get the pressure off of Lee.

There is so much talk about Nebraska finding an offensive identity.  Against Iowa State, the offense actually looked very effective.  Tray Robinson looked superb running the ball and he can backup Roy Helu, Jr. as long as Burkhead is out.  Question answered.  Lee moved the ball pretty well, and Nebraska would've scored 5 or 6 times without the fumbles.  Niles Paul caught a deep pass and just made another huge mistake by seemingly fumbling without even getting hit.  Nebraska needs to stick with their offensive identity but just execute more effectively.  Against Texas Tech, it didn't execute on a macro level, it didn't move the ball.  Against Iowa State, they executed on a macro level, but made many micro mistakes (fumbles, interceptions).  When it is put together (and it will) Nebraska will be the team we saw dominate Sun Belt foes.

Outlook

Nebraska's defense is for real.  The offense just needs to relax and put some points on the board and they'll be fine.  Nebraska can still win the Big XII North, probably even with a lose to Oklahoma.  These losses will hopefully fuel them for future games.  The past two weeks have shown that any team (other than maybe Texas) can lose to any other team.  Teams like Texas A&M, Iowa State, Colorado, and Kansas State can take down upper level teams which hurt Nebraska, but also could help them.  If the Huskers can take down Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, and Colorado, they will be playing in the Big XII Championship game

Inconsistent

As inconsistent as this blog may be, the Huskers play has been equally as inconsistent. More to follow on the Nebraska 31-10 loss to Texas Tech...

Keys to the Game

Well, it's killing me, game time is in almost 24 hours.  So here is my generic, predictable "Keys to the Game" segment.

Nebraska needs to...

*Stop the Quarterback.

The Quarterback will most likely be Steven Sheffield, the "backup" for Taylor Potts.  Ndamukong Suh and Co. will need to keep him uncomfortable.  Sheffield will have his good throws, but its about keeping him uncomfortable and taking the least damage as possible.

*Help out Ndamukong Suh.

The Huskers have done a GREAT job this year at doing this.  Sure, Suh is the dominant player on the defense, but Crick, Allen, and Thomas have made him the player he is right now.  Texas Tech claims they will guard Suh one-on-one with guard Brandon Carter.  Is this true?  Probably not.  Looked for him to get help, opening up opportunities for the other 3 down lineman to help out.

*Be effective on Special Teams.

Or just not be inefficient on special teams.  Last week vs. Missouri was horrendous, and a few missteps again could affect the final outcome.

Nebraska needs to control...

*The clock.

I think this will always be a thing the Huskers need to control.  Their ability to play offense this week and control the clock and game, could keep Tech's offense and Sheffield off the field.  If the Huskers can sustain long drives and get points, Tech won't be able to answer every time.

*The running game.

Zac Lee was forced to throw the ball last week with a lack of a running game early on.  Until the last drive when the Helu, Jr. broke out, there was no running game.  When he was forced to make plays, he didn't respond well (initially).  Take the pressure off of Lee by making Tech put more men in the box.

*Detron Lewis

Lewis has 3 TD catches in the last 2 weeks, including 100 yards last week.  Kansas State had the greatest pass defense in the Big 12 heading into the game and got embarrassed.  The Husker secondary will truly be tested this week, unlike last week where Blaine Gabbert was hobbling around in the pouring rain.

Predictions

*A Nebraska receiver will have 100+ yards receiving.

May sound like a soft prediction, but only Niles Paul last week has eclipsed 100 yards receiving in a game.  Look for either Paul or Gilleylen to have huge plays and big yardage.

*A Nebraska back, other than Helu, Jr., will have 50+ yards and a touchdown

This is tough.  I am going to count Zac Lee in this category.  Look for Lee or a backup back (such as Ward, Okafor, Mendoza) to get some running plays and some yards to take the emphasis and load off of Helu, Jr.  Or maybe, we'll see more designed runs with wide receivers, such as the playmaking Niles Paul.

*Nebraska will win.

And by double digits.  Nebraska has yet to not cover the spread (even when they lost), look for the trend to continue tomorrow afternoon.  The Huskers are a better team on paper and are playing in the comfort of Memorial Stadium.  Plus, they played much better than Tech last year and may be playing for a little redemption.

Final Score: 32-17.

*Nebraska will get their blackshirts next week.

Pelini held off so that the Huskers would continue with intensity.  After this week, look for them to get rewarded and creep closer and closer to the top 10 nationally.  The defense will give up more points than averaged, but still will do just fine.

My Beef with Regional Coverage

I currently reside in Pullman, WA in the NW part of the United States.  From previous experience (Virginia Tech-Nebraska game), I expected to get a shafted by the coverage map for Saturday's football games on ABC and ESPN.  I knew that the Pac-10 game would take precedence over any other game.  That, to the general area of where I live, is fair.  Personally, I would much rather watch Big 12 games, but Pac 10 games generate more excitement.  No argument.  However, I knew that there would be Standard Definition Distribution with a second game (I believe on ESPN2).  In other words, I would get another game, too!  This is where I was hoping to get lucky and get the Nebraska game.

Well, the coverage map came out and to say the least I was frustrated.  75% of the map was the Penn State/Minnesota game.  So, I'm left with Cal/UCLA and Penn State/Minnesota.  I just don't quite understand the reasoning of ABC and ESPN on this coverage map.

Its dissapointing to realize why the map is set up this way.  Nebraska is being punished, in a way, for having their fan base.  Non-Nebraska or surrounding area Nebraska fans (which there are TONS of) much pay for College GameDay to see these games.  ESPN and ABC are not picking the best game for the nation to watch, they are picking games based on what will get them MORE money.  It is sad.

They may try to make you feel better by offering it on ESPN360 (a completely online way of watching games), but don't be fooled.  Its just not the same, and the system is still pretty rough, with chronic freezing and restarting.

Evaluation

I did my "Keys to the Game" segment.  Let's evaluate how I did.

Nebraska needs to...

*Continue to "Bend, not Break."

How they did: Exactly that.  They made some dumb special teams plays that pinned themselves back.  They forced a missed FG and only allowed one touchdown.

*Score Touchdowns

How they did: It took them 3+ quarters, but they got 4 touchdowns.  4 teeders is enough for them to win almost every game this year with that kind of defense.

*Hold on to the Football

How they did: They fumbled way too much.  Three muffed punts and a lost fumble on a shotgun snap.  Luckily they only lost two fumbles which resulted in no points.  They didn't do a good job of holding onto the football.

Nebraska needs to control...

*The clock

How they did: Stats wise, it was almost right down the middle (Mizzou had the ball for a minute longer).  Nebraska did not run the ball nearly well enough early to control the game, therefore they didn't control the clock at all.  There were way too many punts (8) last night, although the weather surely contributed.

*Missouri's offensive line

How they did: Very, very well.  Although there were just 2 sacks, Ndamukong Suh was in Gabbert's head.  His first half sack and forced fumble hindered Gabbert for the rest of the game.  Missouri had just 91 yards on the ground and only found the endzone on a 1 yard plunge.  The Nebraska D-Line was the reason the Huskers won last night.

*Blaine Gabbert

How they did: Again, very, very well.  Forced his first interception of the year (and second), along with a fumble.  Gabbert has been known for his ability to perform in the second half, but last night was showed no indication of that.

Predictions...

*Each team will throw (at least) one interception.

How they did: Gabbert did throw at least one, but Zac Lee did not.  Although technically he didn't throw one, in the first three quarters he made a lot of "safe" throws, most of them inaccurate to the point that nobody could catch them.

*Special teams will play a role in the outcome.

How they did: WRONG.  Nebraska made some critical mistakes on special teams.  If they hadn't won, I would've been very correct.  The Huskers muffed 3 punts, had some shanked snaps and punts, along with a safety.  They got lucky it didn't play more of a role.

*Roy Helu, Jr. will have more than 25+ carries and 100+ yards.

How they did: Pretty wrong.  He didn't get either 25, nor 100 yards.  I was very wrong on how the rain would affect the play calls.  Watson stuck with a passing attack, and Helu was struggling running early.  He did end with 18 carries for 88 yards and TD, however.  Still decent.

*Nebraska will win.

How they did: Correct.  My score was too high for both teams.  I wasn't aware it'd be raining THAT hard.  However, the margin wasn't too off, and I'd rather err on the side of closer games and win by 17 any day.

Wow

Nebraska storms (this pun has been used way too much) back to beat Missouri 27-12.  Down 12 nothing more than a minute into the 4th quarter, Zac Lee and a stout defense put 20 points on the board in less than 3.5 minutes.

The greatest thing I saw was the ability for Nebraska to be down, against the odds, and make a great comeback.  They didn't show they were a team worth rooting for, for the first three quarters.  Then, out of nowhere, they showed they are top 15 football team (like we all hoped to believe).

Nebraska 27, Missouri 12

Keys to the Game

Ugh. Another one of these stupid Keys to the Game articles.  In reality, the key to the game is scoring more points than the other team.  However, I am much too anxious to wait to talk about Husker football, so I've got to write something.

Nebraska needs to...

*Continue to "Bend, not Break."

Give up yards, but don't give up.  Eliminate big scoring plays.  If a huge 50 yard pass ends up only giving Missouri 3 points, it's a winning situation in my point.

*Score touchdowns.  

Nebraska is better, show it.  Score touchdowns, make plays.  1 red-zone field goal, the rest need to be touchdowns.

*Hold on to the football.  

There haven't been problems holding on to the ball.  Watching Helu, Jr. drop the ball into the end zone last game (although I thought he scored before) is scary.  It will be rainy and wet and Nebraska can't afford turnovers.

Nebraska needs to control...

*The clock

Run the ball effectively.  The weather will make passing yards harder to come by.

*Missouri's offensive line

Derrick Washington is talented enough to run by the Cornhuskers.  If the Huskers can control the line of scrimmage and stay physical, Washington will have trouble getting into open spaces.  Force Blaine Gabbert to take the game into his hands.

*Blaine Gabbert

He can throw, no doubt about it.  He's a young starter and doesn't have the experience under pressure.  Nebraska needs to exploit this and keep him fearful in the pocket.  Make him throw the ball away, sack him, knock him down.

Predictions...

*Each team will throw (at least) one interception each.

Nebraska's defense will (hopefully) get pressure on Gabbert, forcing a bad throw or two.

Zac Lee didn't respond well to pressure in the VT game and some of tendencies may have been fixed, but not all of them.

*Special teams will play a role in the outcome.

Watch for a return touchdown, blocked kick (Nebraska has a knack for blocking field goals).

*Roy Helu, Jr. will have more than 25+ carries and 100+ yards.

The passing game will be down.  When the passing game has been going (in the Sun Belt games), Helu, Jr. averaged 15 carries.  However, when Lee struggled, Helu had 28 carries.  Expect the same trend.  Hopefully he'll get into the end zone twice or more

*Nebraska will win.

Missouri will have more turnovers.  They will also have the ball far less than the Huskers.  Their scoring opportunities will limited (in comparison to the other games).  The game will be decided in the fourth quarter, but not in the last 7 min.  

Final score: 31-20 Nebraska.

24+ hours

I feel like "this is Nebraska's true test" has been used too often.

But, this is the real deal.  Nebraska is playing a team they should beat, a team that is ranked in the top 25, a conference foe (even North foe), a rivalry game, a national televised premiere game on the road.  For once, they don't need to hope the other team plays poorly.

I still believe Nebraska is a better team then Virginia Tech, who is ranked very high.  However, I'd take this loss over any Big 12 loss.  The goal for this year is the Big 12 Championship Game and the road starts tomorrow night in Columbus.

Forecast is rain, lots of it.  At first, I was a little scared.  Then I realized this probably helps Nebraska, if anything.  They don't rely on as heavy of a pass attack as the Tigers do.  Nebraska can pound the ball and not need to pass as much.  This isn't saying that the Tigers can't run, but with Nebraska's defense, I feel like it will be harder for them.

Look for a preview later on...

Links

Here are some links to get you through the next few days

"We're ready to play":
http://my.journalstar.com/post/Husker_Extra_Group/Husker_Extra/blog/pelini_were_ready_to_play.html

Game Preview:
http://huskerpedia.com/games/2009/la_lafayette09.html

LA-Lafayette Insider:
http://huskerextra.com/articles/2009/09/24/football/doc4abad1a227815182093372.txt

Ready to Rebound:
http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=1&SPID=22&DB_OEM_ID=100&atclid=204801191

History

In just less than 48 hours, the Cornhuskers will take the field for their 300th consecutive sellout. To put that in perspective, John F. Kennedy was the President of the United States, Dodger Stadium opened, and Garth Brooks was born in 1962.

For the first time in Nebraska history, they will be playing in throwback uniforms. I cannot wait to see their different jerseys. However, I won't be able to see them, because I am not willing to fork out the 29.95 for PPV. I can't wait til the Huskers actually play on National Television, then I won't have to bother with the PPV and regional coverage, which consistently keeps Nebraska fans across the nation from seeing their team. Being a Husker in Washington sucks.

Yours Truly

With my second question to Tim Griffin of ESPN, I finally got him to field one of my questions, which he posted in his mailbag:

Jordan Magrath of Lynden, Wash., writes: Hey Tim! I love your blog, it is the main reason I visit ESPN. I have a question about my Cornhuskers. I watched the entire Virginia Tech game game, and was as frustrated as any Big Red fan that we couldn't put it away. But with that being said, I feel like we can play with any team on our schedule. Do you think it is unreasonable to say that the Huskers will finish 10-2 (before the Big 12 championship game)?

Tim Griffin: Jordan, I was impressed with the Cornhuskers’ performance on Saturday, although I would have liked to have seen a little bit better production in the red zone and better defensive execution in key situations. Those ills ultimately cost them the game.

But in the Big 12, I think the Cornhuskers are going to have to have a more potent offensive attack to stick with teams like Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Kansas, Missouri and Baylor. The drives we saw that were finished off by Henery field goals are going to need to be touchdowns for the Cornhuskers to finish 10-2, or even to win the Big 12 North with a couple of conference losses.

I still think they could get there. But they are going to have to show some offensive improvement to accomplish it.

Everybody, thanks for the questions and the patience. Keep the e-mails coming. I'll be back with more on Friday afternoon.