Nebraska...not feeling Frosty anymore

[entropy]

AVCA Coaches Top 25 (9/10)
1. Nebraska (58) (8-0)
2. UCLA (1) (6-1)
3. USC (1) (9-0)
4. Penn State (7-1)
5. Washington (8-0)
6. Texas (6-2)
7. Stanford (6-2)
8. Hawaii (6-2)
9. Oregon (7-0)
10. Minnesota (6-1)
11. Florida State (6-1)
12. Louisville (8-1)
13. Florida (6-2)
14. Purdue (6-2)
15. Brigham Young (9-0)
16. San Diego (5-2)
17. Tennessee (7-2)
18. Pepperdine (6-2)
19. Kansas State (9-0)
20. Dayton (7-2)
21. Ohio State (8-1)
22. Michigan (10-1)
23. Illinois (3-4)
24. Kentucky (6-4)
25. Iowa State (5-4)

[entropy]

From Sam McKeown, OWH, tonight:

For Nebraska fans clamoring for some shakeup on the Huskers’ defense, it appears the NU coaching staff is one step ahead.

“We want to get a little bit faster,” defensive coordinator John Papuchis said. “Team speed is something that’s been lacking over the first couple games so we’re going to try to get some of our faster guys on the field and see how that works this week. Everybody’s in the equation right now. If we have to work 24 hours a day for the next seven days and really for the next three months to figure it out, we’re going to figure it out.”

After playing virtually no snaps in the first two games, linebackers Zaire Anderson and David Santos moved up to the No. 1 unit Monday at the Will spot, working alongside middle linebacker Will Compton. Expect both to play, linebackers coach Ross Els said.

“These guys are much more progressed in understanding how we play the game and what we need to do,” Els said. “They’ll see playing time.”

Anderson, a junior college star who talked to reporters for the first time Monday night, said he’s been working one-on-one with head coach Bo Pelini to get up to speed on NU’s complex, check-heavy defense. Anderson got the practice promotion – it’ll only last if he handles the reps well, Els said — because the “defense wasn’t going good the last two weeks.”

“I was expecting to play,” Anderson said. “I’m just trying to get better myself. I’m not really down or upset that I wasn’t playing. I just want to get the mental part down. I think I got speed. And I always want to find the ball.”

Els was frank after practice about the play of his position group.

“We’re not very dynamic,” he said. “We didn’t make plays in the open field like we needed to, but we needed to have that eraser mentality at linebacker…we’re a little cautious right now. And maybe lacking a little confidence. You’re not going to gain a lot of confidence until you make plays in a game. And we haven’t.”

In the secondary, look for junior college corner Mo Seisay to play Saturday, as well. Defensive backs coach Terry Joseph said he made a personal decision not to play Seisay vs. UCLA – though he was healthy and ready to go — because “we were in a dogfight.”

On the defensive line, Rick Kaczenski wants his ends to stop thinking quite as much and more push overall. Look for Kevin Williams and Aaron Curry to get more playing time.

[iam416]

So, UNL just needs to coach up some speed and things will be just fine.

[entropy]

Yea, that is what they want you to believe. The real problem is talent. You spend your first two years as a coaching staff bragging that you will turn 3 stars into 6 stars, you get what you have... Last two classes have been good, IMO. First two... Iowa like.

[entropy]

Zaire's post practice comments...

"It was all thrown in front of me and it was hard," he said. "When I was in junior college, I just had to learn my position. Here, you've got to learn everyone's position.

"When your playbook is harder than your homework, it's a problem."

[Wild Hoss]

Fifty practices between spring and fall camp and they can't figure out their starters suck until they get de-panted in games. Now its the Manhattan Project to get the backups ready because they apparently get few reps and little instruction in practice to learn Bo's massive playbook.

Ametuers. Goddamn amateurs.

[THE_WIZARD_]

EPIC FAIL

[iam416]

Fifty practices between spring and fall camp and they can't figure out their starters suck until they get de-panted in games. Now its the Manhattan Project to get the backups ready because they apparently get few reps and little instruction in practice to learn Bo's massive playbook.

Ametuers. Goddamn amateurs.

LOL.

I mean, I think the obvious explanation is that they probably have the depth chart largely right. They just don't have enough talent, atm, on the defense.

If they don't have the depth chart right, well, that's a sign of bigger problems, IMO.

[Wild Hoss]

Classic case of simple arrogance. They thought they could "coach up" these guys and outscheme their opponents to the point where knowing the defense was far more important than being mediocre athletes. Yet another basic lesson learned the hard way by Bo and his merry band of golf instructors, poker buddies, and former coffee-fetching interns which comprise our coaching staff.

Southern Miss must really suck.

[iam416]

Well, they did manage to hold Ohio State to 27 last year....

...wait...

....jesus christ, that defense is horrible.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Yep.

[entropy]

btw.. just learned that UNL's only DE who can create a pass rush was injured on an illegal chop block during the UCLA game where the Big12 ref stood with his thumb up his ass... I really really hate that f'ing conference.

[entropy]

talent.. this summer and fall the "word" was the defense would be improved. Some UNL fans thought that meant a top 10 defense. I thought that meant a better defense, but not dominant.

What is worse is UNL doesn't seem to win these shootouts. The offense will be rolling and then it falls apart in the 2nd half, mostly, imo due to the OL play and play calling. Basically, we don't make good adjustments at this time.

[entropy]

Mad Chatter, Sept. 11
BY Dirk Chatelain | POSTED IN Big Red Today Sports Blog

There’s plenty to discuss in the world of pro football, tennis and baseball. But let’s stick to Husker football, the reason for this special Tuesday edition.

Late in the third quarter Saturday at the Rose Bowl, Tim Beck’s offense took over at its 4-yard line after a penalty. The score was 27-27.

Nebraska’s first two plays — both runs — left it with third-and-8. The quarter ended, giving Beck time to think what he wanted to do.

His next call was brilliant: quarterback draw.

Taylor Martinez ran over a defender and moved the chains. That’s when Nebraska, after a sluggish third quarter, found a rhythm. Ameer Abdullah burst free for 36 yards. Braylon Heard went for 9, 5 and 7. Then Abdullah for 2.

But on third-and-1 at the UCLA 21, Beck got cute. Fullback Mike Marrow got stuffed.

That call, followed by the next six calls, arguably lost the game.

Call No. 2: After a UCLA punt pinned the Huskers at the 5-yard line, Beck called a zone read, which Datone Jones blew up. Should Martinez have handed the ball to Abdullah? Yes. But that’s not a read you want your quarterback making on his goal line late in the game.

Calls 3, 4, and 5: The next drive was the one that really hurt Nebraska. The Huskers took over at their 20 with 6:49 left, trailing 29-27. Rather than going back to the ground, Martinez threw three straight passes, all incomplete.

Calls 6 and 7: Nebraska took over again at the 20 with 3:23 left. Again, Beck had an opportunity to run the ball — NU had three timeouts and needed only a field goal. Martinez’s first pass was batted down. His second attempt was intercepted.

From there, UCLA added a touchdown, ending any realistic hopes of a Husker rally.

You may have noticed that Abdullah’s last carry of the game came with 13:20 left. After a night in which he rushed 16 times for 119 yards? That’s not acceptable.

The way UCLA’s front four was beating Nebraska’s offensive line, Beck needed to lean on his backs. Let the offensive line attack those pass rushers.

Often when play-callers fall behind late in the game — even by two points — they get impatient. They feel pressure to move the ball quickly. Beck fell into that trap.

Nebraska’s passing game may be better than last year. But it wasn’t good enough to pass its first real test.

***

>> I asked John Papuchis about it last week. I asked Bo Pelini about it Monday. Why don’t the Huskers tackle more often in fall camp? Aside from scrimmages, defenders wrap up ball carriers, but rarely take them to the ground. It’s common practice under Pelini.

I understand you don’t want Rex Burkhead and Abdullah getting hit all the time. But aren’t there fourth- and fifth-stringers you can tackle at full speed? The roster expanded from 105 to about 145 three weeks ago. Why wasn’t the defense going full contact against the scout team more often?

I admit that I have little expertise on this subject. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts.

>> Looking for a bright spot from the defense through two weeks? Last year, the Huskers allowed opponents to score a touchdown on 69 percent of red-zone trips. That was 11th in the Big Ten and 104th nationally.

This year NU has given up touchdowns on just two of nine red-zone trips — 22 percent. In fact, when you consider that UCLA put up 653 yards, 34 offensive points isn’t very much.

>> Scott Van Pelt and Ryen Russillo talked Nebraska on ESPN Radio Monday.

“People say, ‘Oh, Notre Dame’. We’ve accepted that Notre Dame really isn’t that good,” Russillo said. “Nebraska every year, let’s see what happens. And then they can’t even stop UCLA.”

Said Van Pelt: “The only nickname from past glory that has taken a bigger hit than Blackshirts is ‘The U’”.

>> Finally, a quote from Brady Hoke on the Big Ten teleconference: “Our conference, at the end of the day, will hold up to anybody.” Sorry, Brady. If the league continues at its current pace, nobody outside the Big Ten footprint will even know you’re playing by November.

The Big Ten is 2-7 against BCS conferences. One team has both of those BCS wins — Northwestern. Imagine that, the Big Ten needing Northwestern to carry the banner.

[entropy]

an interesting post from another board:

I think most of our disgust with the defense really has to do with the inability to stop the running back in the flat who absolutely torched us.

Two things here:

After watching film one glaring weakness had to do with communication. About 6 times Compton and cooper covered the same man. Either both covered the tight end or both went to the running back. When they went to the running back it left the tight end standing up absolutely wide open on the slant...which killed us.

The second issue, besides Compton not being fast enough to stick with the running back has to do with angles and collisions. Compton and usually Cooper could not avoid the collision allowing the running back to be wide open. Other times he took such a steep angle toward the line of scrimmage that he was already beat.

Throw in terrible tackling, probably six missed tackles in the back field and it was ugly.

But the hope is better communication...we got signals in way late, too many times the d line was looking at sidelines as ball was about to be snapped, other times linebackers were still shuffling at the snap.