Nebraska...not feeling Frosty anymore

[WingsFan]

Oklahoma Head Coach Bob Stoops will serve as the keynote speaker on the second day of the three-day Nebraska's spring practice.

[Tony G]

This is NOT meant as a personal shot, just pointing out a weird glitch in software. I don't know Entropy and he seems to be a nice enough fellow (even if he does seem rather mixed up about his college football teams)

If anyone using Firefox wants a surprise, enable the spell checker feature, type the word "cornshucker" and look at the 3rd suggestion. ;):D;)

[lineygoblue]

I want Entropy to be a mod to take care of the "Husker Nation" thread. I've also met him, and consider him to be a friend. I believe he can be trusted with his mod duties here.

[entropy]

This is NOT meant as a personal shot, just pointing out a weird glitch in software. I don't know Entropy and he seems to be a nice enough fellow (even if he does seem rather mixed up about his college football teams)

If anyone using Firefox wants a surprise, enable the spell checker feature, type the word "cornshucker" and look at the 3rd suggestion. ;):D;)

LMAO!! Nice.

on another note, I am a Lions fan and a Red Wings fan. That is what happens when you live in the Detroit metro for a few years and all your neighbors are fans... the teams grow on you. I'm still mad at them for it too.:-)

[entropy]

ESPN Insider: Huskers Taylor-made for Big Ten

We often don't know about a coach's greatness until he reaches a point where he has to adapt his team to a new environment.

Take Bill Parcells and the New York Giants. From 1984 to '88, Parcells went with a pass-heavy offense led by quarterback Phil Simms as a strategy to exploit the weakness of the passing defense of the Giants' top threat in the NFC, the Chicago Bears.

Fast-forward to 1990. By this time, the Giants' offensive personnel had changed and so had the NFC. Simms was still a great quarterback, but New York's offensive line had become one of the best run-blocking groups in the league. In addition, the San Francisco 49ers had taken over as the best team in the conference, and they had an offense good enough to beat any team in a shootout.

As a result, Parcells adjusted to a power running-focused offense, which ended up being a key reason the Giants won a classic 15-13 NFC championship tilt over the Niners.

Nebraska Cornhuskers coach Bo Pelini is in a similar boat heading into the 2011 college football season. His team is going from the Big 12, whose defenses were run at more often than in any other BCS automatic-qualifying conference, to the Big Ten, whose defenses were run at the least among all BCS conferences. The Big Ten also allowed the second-highest yards per pass attempt (7.0) of any of the BCS leagues (see tables below).

In other words, Big Ten offenses last year found that the best way to attack Big Ten defenses was through the air (running less and passing more), and they found good success while doing so (high YPA numbers). On the surface, this looks to pose a problem for the Huskers, who boasted an exceptional running game in 2010 (ninth in the nation in rushing yards per game) and a limited passing game (113th in passing yards per game). The team seems to have acknowledged its need to adjust the offensive playbook, as new Huskers offensive coordinator Tim Beck has indicated he will operate an offense that aims to attack defensive weaknesses.

The better news for the team is that a metric and tape review shows Nebraska has the majority of the personnel needed to make that change -- and it all starts with redshirt sophomore quarterback Taylor Martinez.

T-Magic was earning buzz as a dark horse Heisman contender through the first half of last season based on his electrifying running ability, but he faltered down the stretch, a downturn that was blamed by some on an ankle injury that hobbled him for several weeks. The drop-off in Martinez's play was so significant, in fact, that there have been rumblings since season's end that Martinez could have a tough time retaining his starting gig in 2011, with junior Cody Green, redshirt freshman Brion Carnes and true freshman Jamal Turner all rumored to be involved in a "wide open" quarterback competition this offseason.

However, the statistical and film evidence indicates that Martinez has the right stuff to trigger a more balanced offensive attack in 2011, as he possesses underrated skills as a passer. In a seven-game analysis from last year (at Kansas State Wildcats, vs. Texas Longhorns, at Oklahoma State Cowboys, vs. Missouri Tigers, at Texas A&M Aggies, vs. Oklahoma Sooners in the Big 12 championship game and vs. Washington Huskies in the Holiday Bowl), Martinez averaged 8.2 YPA.

That total came against some of the toughest competition on the Huskers' schedule, and it proves that his No. 22 ranking in FBS yards per attempt for the 2010 season was not a result of his padding his stats against weak foes.

What makes the figure even more amazing is that he earned it despite numerous drops by Nebraska's pass-catchers. They let nine of Martinez's passes go through their hands in these games.

Five of those passes were of the vertical variety (meaning they were thrown 11 or more yards downfield). Had those throws been caught at the yard marker where they were dropped, it would have led to an additional 156 yards. In other words, Martinez could have posted a 9.5 YPA were it not for mistakes by his receivers.

Another area of note is that the high YPA wasn't built solely on the strength of long passes. Martinez averaged 7.4 yards per short pass attempt (defined as balls thrown 10 or fewer yards downfield). To get an idea of just how impressive this total is, consider that it would rank tied for 44th in the FBS in overall YPA.

If those reasons aren't enough to make you think that Nebraska could be in good shape to throw the ball, consider that its tight end production could be even better. Senior Mike McNeill certainly did a fine job last year (202 yards on 21 targets, 9.6 YPA) but his departure should mean more targets for Kyler Reed.

Reed was simply phenomenal on vertical routes in 2010. He gained 242 yards and five touchdowns on only 12 vertical targets, a performance that equates to a ridiculously high 20.2 vertical YPA. That number might come back down to earth in 2011, but an increased volume of throws to a pass-catcher of this caliber should keep the overall tight end production level at least as high as it was last season.

The one big area of concern for Nebraska involves replacing wideout Niles Paul. The only Nebraska wide receiver on this year's roster who caught more than a single pass last season is Brandon Kinnie, and his numbers (142 yards on 34 targets, 4.2 YPA) do not seem to bode well for a more pass-heavy environment.

Having said that, there are multiple reasons to be positive in this area. Nebraska does have a slew of young talent it can develop, and even Paul had his fair share of drops last season, so there might not end up being as significant a fall-off in receiver production as some might expect. The Huskers also have a very favorable early-season schedule in 2011 that includes an FCS opponent (Chattanooga Mocs), a team that ranked 92nd in passer rating allowed last year (Wyoming Cowboys) and an opponent that allowed a 20-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio (Fresno State Bulldogs).

Those matchups should give Pelini and Beck ample time to get their passing offense ready for the Big Ten opener against the Wisconsin Badgers. A formidable passing attack combined with what figures to yet again be a dangerous running game could give Big Ten defenses fits. If things works out, it could mean that Pelini's story with the new-look Huskers will have the same kind of championship ending that Parcells' tale did.

[entropy]

more on the combine..

Prince has the highest G force of any player tested, 10.73 recorded in the 40 yard dash. Most explosive first three steps of any player as well

[*JD*]

So, is Wiz ever showing up or is he busy trying to find a "male producing" sperm donor?

[Regelbuck]

I think Its his tractor mating season....

[lineygoblue]

Probably both. I hope he shows up. Just the entertainment value is worth it ...

[SeanB]

I was getting a bit excited about that previous, new forum (although I like this one better) because I was going to put all of Wiz's favorite words on the "censor" list.

Just to irk him, of course!

[Rob F]

Probably both. I hope he shows up. Just the entertainment value is worth it ...

There a lot of others who we might need to contact to let them know our new home, starting with Timmy, our long-time "owner" over at worldcrossing. Then there's that pinhead Paul, Tunz, Jerry Bouldin, Charles Hardaway, some of the megasite group, a few of msu forum group, and the posters who overpopulate the state of N Kentucky and the m-borg resistance thread. Oh---though I forgot their names, also the two brothers who lived in Wisconsin, one of whom was a HS football coach.

Is a mass emailing invitation in order to try to reach some of those guys?

[*JD*]

I haven't seen Paul, Jerry or Charles on there in years.

[Rob F]

I know Paul still lurks and on rare occasions, posts. Charles is rumored to have evolved into Packfan, etc----methinks we're just picking on packy/Wingsfan on that subject and he has gotten kind of fond of the attention he gets regardless of whether it's true. The real Charles---or at least his username---may have died when he got beat up repeatedly at the Ypsilanti water tower.

As for Jerry, I read a couple years back that he was in bad health. Also haven't seen his buddy Skylar Townhouse posting in several years, but he disappeared a couple years before Jerry stopped posting.

[entropy]

Sounds like Nebraska RB B. Heard has quailfied and finaly got the test score he needed. Hope it is true. Nebraska needs a RB. Very thin at that position.

[entropy]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h55FzRJLbc"]YouTube - The History of Nebraska Football[/ame]