Nebraska...not feeling Frosty anymore

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Btw... That game on Saturday was f'ing hot. Credit to the band who sat in the sun all day. There were multiple people in our section getting first aid because of the heat.

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some pictures from the first tailgate..

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some more..

[lineygoblue]

That truck is freaking awesome.

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Chatelain: ‘Overlooked' Huskers looking good
IN MY OPINION
By Dirk Chatelain / World-Herald staff writer

If voters have any sense, Nebraska will be in the Top 10 when the new college football polls are released.

I'm not kidding.

Did you see Wisconsin this weekend? How 'bout Michigan, Arkansas, Georgia, Stanford, Texas, Kansas State and Florida? All looked vulnerable, if not miserable.

The 17th-ranked Huskers, meanwhile, rolled through the season opener like a Union Pacific locomotive.

They finished with 372 more yards than an opponent coming off 12 wins. They recorded seven touchdowns, two penalties and no turnovers. That'll do.

Why does Nebraska open the season relatively polished? The same reasons the program was a college football giant for 40 years.

Stability. Continuity. Experience.

The last time we saw Bo Pelini's program, it was melting down in the Florida sun. Nebraska staggered into winter with question marks all over the field.

While Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Michigan State made headlines, Nebraska barely made a peep.

But here's the thing about hype: It doesn't always focus on the best programs, just the most interesting ones.

The Huskers have had more than their share of hype the past 10 years. Coaching changes, system changes, conference changes.

Where has it gotten them?

2008 was Bo's first year. 2009 was a new quarterback. 2010 was “Bye, bye Big 12.” 2011 was “Big Ten 101.”

Why get excited about Nebraska in '12? It's the same head coach, the same schemes, the same quarterback, the same running back.

Boooooooring.

Blowing out Southern Miss showed that NU might have what it takes to win national attention the old-fashioned way — by winning.

“While we didn't turn on the TV (this offseason) and see people talking about us every five minutes,” defensive coordinator John Papuchis said, “our guys were working. ... There's a sense that we're being a little bit overlooked.”

Today is Sept. 2, and there aren't 10 teams in the country better than Nebraska at this moment. There might not be a single one in the Big Ten. Believe it.

But you don't win championships the first week of September. The competition will get better. Nebraska must, too.

Especially on defense.

Papuchis and Pelini were happy with the Blackshirts Saturday, especially because they were facing an unknown foe. Papuchis admittedly got his best scouting report by reading the Southern Miss beat writers.

Thirteen points and 260 yards is close to where the Blackshirts want to be, Papuchis said.

The first-year coordinator was pleasantly surprised by the performances of Alonzo Whaley and Corey Cooper. As for the secondary, coaches thought it had improved during the offseason. Saturday supported that belief, Papuchis said.

“Truthfully, if you would've told me a year ago today that we played a game and gave up 75 yards passing, I would've been like, ‘All right!' No (passing) yards in the second half? ‘Sweet!' ”

But read between the lines on the stat sheet and you'll spot a few red flags.

Southern Miss was 7 of 14 on third down — that was a Blackshirt bugaboo in 2011.

The Golden Eagles' first drive of the game stalled because of a false-start penalty. They dropped a screen pass in the second quarter that likely would've produced a touchdown. Their first drive of the second half was derailed by an unforced fumble.

Nebraska still needs to develop one or two playmakers up front. Someone who can beat an offensive lineman 1-on-1. Someone to wrap up a quarterback for a 5-yard loss rather than letting him slip away and gain 5.

Papuchis' top concern, he said, is stopping the quarterback run game.

He guessed that Southern Miss gained about 100 yards off the zone-read quarterback keeper — Anthony Alford alone finished with 84. The Huskers will surely see more of that scheme against UCLA.

Papuchis expects improvement as the defense gets more comfortable tackling quarterbacks.

“We can't tackle Taylor (in fall camp),” Papuchis said. “So we run these things against Taylor and they look good. But when you run by him and tag him, that's a whole lot different than having to bring him to the ground.”

On a glorious day for Nebraska, there wasn't much to nitpick.

The Huskers have gladly avoided the spotlight for nine months. If they keep playing like this, they won't be able to hide.

Contact the writer:

402-649-1461, dirk.chatelain@owh.com; twitter.com/dirkchatelain

[geo weidl]

great pics ent.

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http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1030892836001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAAAEBQhU8~,kLn_EtefUBmu_rI7Kp-gzWhngdbBatOJ&bctid=1818652514001

Some TM highlights

[Wild Hoss]

Hottest goddamn game I've ever been to in my life.

Most shocking passing performance I've ever seen in my life as well. 10 guys caught passes, six had receptions over 24 yards, 10.4 YPA, five thouchdowns, 76.4% completions. From Taylor Martinez? WTF?

[entropy]

more pictures.. of the stadium, the last balloon release and from the airplane they flew over the stadium

[THE_WIZARD_]

I told you guys that our offense was going to be special. Ent said the OL and TMart would be our weakness...well on Saturday they BOTH dominated. Time will tell if that is the case long term this year...but so far so good.

I still have serious concerns over our defense. And the kicking game...wtf? Was supposed to be a strength. Mr. Automatic from inside 50 Maher missed two...and missed pretty bad.

[THE_WIZARD_]

...oh and our receivers are DAMN good this year. DAMN good. And the stable of RB's is even better than I thought. With Rex hurt we are going to need them all...

[Wild Hoss]

I need to watch the televised broadcast before I get too carried away regarding the defense. There were some missed tackles which can be attributed to rust IMO, and frankly, at the end of the day we only gave up 260 yards and 13 points defensively.

Its frustrating to watch teams nickel-and-dime us in the running game, but this is what Bo does. Its been that way for five years now. He's not going to change, despite the widespread belief that he was. I knew better.

Chalk up Maher's day to being hungover or something. We know he's better. Kick coverage...they went cheap and played a bunch of walkons, and got burnt. Lesson learned hopefully, although you'd think it would have been absorbed at some point in the previous four years.

That game could/would have been a lot closer without Martinez' great day throwing the ball.

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Published Sunday, September 2, 2012 at 12:01 am / Updated at 11:12 pm


McKewon: UCLA's talented offense should be truer test for NU

Column by Sam McKewon / World-Herald Bureau

Husker rewind

Every Monday during the season, Sam McKewon breaks down NU football news and previews the next opponent.

LINCOLN ? Only a handful of college football offenses gained more yards than Nebraska this weekend. UCLA was one of them.

NU's next opponent tallied 646 yards on 10 fewer plays than it took the Huskers to gain 632. Yes, the Bruins did so vs. Rice, one of the nation's 10 worst defenses last year. The Owls seemed to regard defense as a curiosity worth exploring in UCLA's 49-24 win. Nebraska has third-teamers better than Rice's starters.

Then again, the Bruins' offensive weapons are more diverse and advanced than Southern Mississippi, whose modest game plan of short passes and zone-read runs occasionally left NU overthinking and under tackling.

I saw the faces of Husker defenders as they left practice last week. Mentally taxed. As if they'd prepared for three offenses instead of three quarterbacks. Maybe that's why NU kept its core 11 on the field a lot. Blitz weapons like David Santos and Zaire Anderson? Santos didn't play, and Anderson didn't have a tackle.

?We threw in a lot of stuff and I thought that was a good thing, especially with the new faces out there on defense,? linebacker Will Compton said. But aside from cornerback Josh Mitchell and dime linebacker Corey Cooper, the faces weren't really that new during the first three quarters.

Neither was Southern Miss' strategy. Like so many of Nebraska's non-Big Ten opponents, USM spread out the field with three and four wide receivers. Five Huskers remained in the defensive box on some plays.

That setup basically dared the Golden Eagles to run the ball. And they did for nearly four yards per crack. Whether any offense ? including UCLA's ? can keep up with Taylor Martinez and his wealth of targets, who knows. But, for one game, the Husker defense was still a unit that can give up sustained drives. No big plays. Just chunks that can turn into big plays against better teams.

Nebraska's new ?attacking? defensive line forced stalemates at best. Not enough explosive plays there. Defensive coordinator John Papuchis' blitzes were creative and aggressive, but USM countered effectively with screen passes. Linebacker Alonzo Whaley and defensive end Cameron Meredith spent a surprising amount of time in coverage.

?I felt like a lot of our blitzes have that peel coverage, it's called, where the end has to take the running back,? Meredith said. ?I felt there was a little too much separation at times to where they got a 5-yard gain or what not, but I was kind of worried about the wheel route.?

Meredith guarded his one downfield wheel route well. But you wonder how he'd match up against UCLA running back Johnathan Franklin. Or how Whaley will match up with UCLA tight end Joseph Fauria.

And, ah, the zone read. The scourge of Kevin Cosgrove is more of a mild irritant for Bo Pelini and Papuchis. But the play still stings the Huskers.

UCLA will use its own version with quarterback Brett Hundley and Franklin. Both busted huge runs vs. the Owls. Hundley, a redshirt freshman, is big ? 6-foot-3, 225 pounds ? and deceptive as a runner. And Bruin offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone blends pro-style and spread principles well.

Pelini, Papuchis and the defense will review film, field the same queries about run defense, and rightly point to giving up just 260 yards and 13 offensive points. In the Rose Bowl, they'll get a better test ? and approach that exam with a little less preparatory clutter.

On with the rewind:

I see you

>> Martinez: The footwork and throwing motion looked better. I know because ABC commentator Ed Cunningham fell into analysis paralysis, seemingly breaking down every throw Martinez made. The real highlight of Martinez's play was the decision-making. He knew where to go on third down, and threw to his safety valves on early downs.

>> Running back Ameer Abdullah: Good in relief of Rex Burkhead. Outstanding touchdown catch. Could stand to be a tick more patient on inside runs.

>> Wide receiver Quincy Enunwa: Tackle No. 18 at your own risk. He remains NU's best overall receiver.

>> Wide receivers coach Rich Fisher: He's developed three wide receivers at just about every spot. And he played them all in the first half. Impressive work.

>> Center Justin Jackson: Spirited kid. Battles to the whistle and fashionably past it. Needs to get the shotgun snaps up.

>> Tight end Jake Long: The clear No. 1 guy in 2013 had a pretty nice start to 2012. Martinez completed eight passes to tight ends. That's the right ratio.

>> Cornerback Josh Mitchell: You couldn't find the kid on the travel roster last year. Now he's starting. And he has a burst of speed that should serve him well.

>> Guard Cole Pensick: USM's defense was tired, but Pensick made some powerful blocks in the fourth quarter. A couple of pancakes.

Three Concerns

>> Burkhead's injury: The senior I-back suffered a low-grade MCL strain of his left knee on his third carry in the first quarter. Husker trainers wrapped some ice on it, and Burkhead alternately sat and stood for the rest of the game in his jersey and shorts.

It didn't look too serious during the game or after it, when Burkhead walked past reporters without ice on the knee or a noticeable limp. And Pelini didn't suggest it was serious.

But the ?week-to-week? phrase Pelini added to his comments makes Nebraska fans pause. We'll know more Monday if Bo is willing to divulge more information. With a player of Burkhead's stature, he may not show NU's cards.

I know this: Nebraska has to be smart with Burkhead's knee. The Big Ten title is not on the line Saturday, and UCLA isn't exactly Michigan State on defense. I suspect NU can beat the Bruins without Burkhead. And Arkansas State and Idaho State have defenses so hideous (see below) that Burkhead could get limited work until the Sept. 29 Wisconsin game. Burkhead won't want to do that. But it could be the right play.

>> More burned timeouts for defensive adjustments: Nebraska has to lead the nation in those during the last five years.

>> Porous kickoff coverage: Giving up a 100-yard touchdown return in the first quarter of the season is discouraging. The Huskers seemed to stay in their lanes so well they created a highway to the end zone. I can't recall so effortless a return since 2000 Notre Dame, when the Irish shook the Huskers silly.

Three Questions

>> Are you worried about kicker Brett Maher? No. Even if Nebraska was, what's there to do about it? Put in another kicker? Maher proved to be one of the nation's best in 2011.

It's kicking. It's a repetitive skill. Some days the darts don't hit the target. Last year, Alabama lost a game (and yet won the national title) with guys less accurate than middle-schoolers messing around in gym.

>> How much faster can Tim Beck's no-huddle offense go? The first-half pace verged on breakneck. Oregon coach Chip Kelly would have been proud. And as Southern Mississippi coach Ellis Johnson pointed out, NU has a power element to it. When the Huskers have the capability of putting two 225-pound-plus backs on the field ? Imani Cross and Mike Marrow ? it gives Nebraska a different flavor than Oregon, West Virginia, Oklahoma State and the rest of the high-octane spread offenses.

>> What did Michigan work on for eight months? The Wolverines lost 41-14 to the Crimson Tide in Cowboys Stadium. UM's offense opted for slow-developing, risky downfield passes that Denard Robinson couldn't complete, while the defensive front seven looked overmatched. Michigan linebackers detected plays just fine. They just couldn't do anything against Alabama's offensive line.

Three Stats

>> 605 and 626: The number of yards given up by Arkansas State and Idaho State, respectively, in losses to Oregon and Air Force. The Ducks dropped 50 before halftime.

>> 198: Yards passing by former Nebraska quarterback Cody Green, who started for Tulsa in a 38-23 loss to Iowa State. Green needs time to season and polish his game. He'll get that chance. At Kansas, former NU defensive end Josh Williams finished with three tackles and a fumble recovery in the Jayhawks' 31-17 win over South Dakota State.

>> Seven: Sacks by UCLA against Rice. Will the Bruins gamble with blitzes against Martinez?

Opponent Watch

It'd be tempting to frame the Big Ten's opening weekend as awful. But I won't.

Northwestern, Iowa and Minnesota all found ugly ways to win on the road. Michigan State beat Boise State despite myriad errors. And Ohio State frankly looked dangerous in a romp over Miami (Ohio). It was the league's two faves ? Michigan and Wisconsin ? who stunk up the joint. The Badgers are on upset alert at Oregon State next week.

Forecast

Fans, reporters and TV pundits utter words ?Martinez? and ?Burkhead? many, many times. And by Saturday, Husker fans will be critiquing Erin Andrews' new hosting job at Fox.

[entropy]

Call it the big bang theory.

Nebraska, with its red-clad zealots, is coming to town. That has UCLA officials promising plenty of fireworks … after the game.

During it? Well, UCLA may have two concerns: seats that are empty and seats filled by Cornhuskers fans.

A top-25 opponent should be an easy week for the UCLA marketing department. Instead, there has been a ticket campaign, with a side show and a give-away included in the package.

Besides the postgame fireworks, the first 10,000 fans will receive a UCLA team poster. No word whether that's the first 10,000 fans not clad in red.

UCLA officials said that the promotions have nothing to do with lagging ticket sales or the legion of fans trailing after the 17th-ranked Cornhuskers.

"The reason for the fireworks and posters is the fact that this game marks the start of the Jim Mora era and we want to start it off — if you pardon the pun — with a bang," UCLA spokesman Nick Ammazzalorso said.

It is Mora's first home game as head coach, and UCLA fans should out-number their Nebraska counterparts.

But by how much?

UCLA officials are expecting about 55,000 for the game. But there is a red scare.

Nebraska ran through its ticket allotment and came back for more. The school has sold about 8,000 tickets, according Keith Mann, assistant athletic director for media relations. But more than 8,000 Cornhuskers fans are expected.

"California has the third-most Nebraska alumni, after Nebraska and Colorado," said Shannon Sherman, senior director of communications for the Nebraska Alumni Assn.

Said Mann: "That's not counting those in Las Vegas and Arizona who could drive over."

This has happened before. A Nebraska throng hit the Coliseum in 2006 to see the Cornhuskers play USC. But the Trojans, then at the height of the Pete Carroll era, were a hot ticket with locals. UCLA has been in a ticket-sales free fall.

The Bruins sold an average of 76,379 tickets per game in 2007. That has declined every year since. UCLA averaged 56,644 last season, a drop of 19,735 in four years.

UCLA lists the Rose Bowl capacity at 91,136.

"We took a dip in season ticket revenue and we want to reestablish that base and move forward," UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero said.

Only 42,085 showed up to see the Bruins play San Jose State last season, the second-smallest crowd for a UCLA home opener at the Rose Bowl. The 1992 opener against Cal State Fullerton drew 37,965.

Sales for this season's opener will exceed that, though UCLA may be seeing red.

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[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFFVkXNEQpc&sns=em"]Nebraska Men's Basketball - Be There from the Start - YouTube[/ame]