5-0 if not for special teams

[DuckTownHusker]

And if we had just scored a few more points in three of our five games we would be 5-0.

Yep. Hindsight is always 20/20. But the problem in this case is that all our losses can be squarely blamed on Special Teams.

Yes, I suppose that technically, you could argue if we'd simply had more offensive production or more defensive stops that those teams wouldn't have been in a position to capitalize from Special Teams. But each loss has had several special teams miscues that aren't just missed kicks. In addition to missing FGs and PATs, we're shanking punts, dropping returns, and allowing ridiculous things like Oklahoma to return a blocked PAT for a 2PC. It's a breakdown across the entire unit.

 

[EastOfEden]

I agree entirely that special teams are a disgrace, and one of the greatest failing of this staff. But it is only one failing, and not even the worst. Who knows what MSU would have done had our special teams played up to just being good. Not great, just good.

I have no confidence that we wouild not have screwed it up some other way. That is just what undisciplined teams do. Find a way to lose.

We are our record. It's totally frustrating.

I do not believe that this staff has proved itself in any way because we just lost two games to teams that were supposed to be better than we are. Had we won - yes, that certainly would have been in their favor. But we lost. At the end of the day, all the what ifs in the world don't change the outcome.

I take your point, and in some ways I share your anger at the ST (I would say ST coaches) but I don't share your confidence that the outcomes would have been any different.

 

[Husker In Oklahoma]

I think we would be 4-1 with good special teams play. Oklahoma missed a field goal also. We can’t say if we just made our field goals we would have won.

They also got +3 on a blocked and returned xp. That game was NU’s to win. They didn’t take advantage.

 

[Frosty1980]

They also got +3 on a blocked and returned xp. That game was NU’s to win. They didn’t take advantage.

I am seeing the exact same things as you. The team does have a different feel to it. Martinez does look way better than he has in a long time. We still have a shot at a decent year.

 

[Husker In Oklahoma]

I am seeing the exact same things as you. The team does have a different feel to it. Martinez does look way better than he has in a long time. We still have a shot at a decent year.

I really don’t say this often, but Nebraska really needs to pound Northwestern Saturday. No close game. This is the last chance to really ‘get it fixed NOW’, game. This is it. This is the halfway point, and probably the worst team left on the schedule. Urgent would be an understatement.

 

[BigRedOhio]

I have posted a few times "never kick again."

Punting or field goals seem to be beyond this team.

Did Nebraska set a team record in that Michigan State game? Shortest punt (7 yards)?

We would have been better not to punt. If I’m the punter that kicked it left when it was supposed to go right, I’d live on the practice field in a tent until fixed. That guy completely let the team down. Embarrassing gaffe.

 

[CO4NU]

I have posted a few times "never kick again."

Punting or field goals seem to be beyond this team.

Did Nebraska set a team record in that Michigan State game? Shortest punt (7 yards)?

I believe Lightbourne had a negative yard punt?

 

[EastOfEden]

What ever happened to our kicking games?.\ We used to have year after year of sterling punters and kickers? Who lost that line of recruits?

 

[blackshirt red]

What ever happened to our kicking games?.\ We used to have year after year of sterling punters and kickers? Who lost that line of recruits?

Had to shake that "Kicker U" tag...

 

[Mmarty71]

I was listening to carriker podcast and he said we don't have a dedicated special teams coach. If that's true we NEED one.

 

[Trojan Husker]

I really don’t say this often, but Nebraska really needs to pound Northwestern Saturday. No close game. This is the last chance to really ‘get it fixed NOW’, game. This is it. This is the halfway point, and probably the worst team left on the schedule. Urgent would be an understatement.

I'll take any kind of win.

 

[WestTexasHusker]

If “ifs and buts” were candy and nuts, we’d all have a merry Christmas.

:Santa:

 

[BeachchairQB]

Special teams is a smoke screen that clouds a terrible offense. The real problem is that we only score 19 points per game against power 5 teams.

 

[MHKHusker]

It's massively apparent that special teams is costing us wins. Say what you want about the OL, but Martinez is playing well. Their primary job is to protect him and if they aren't playing up to snuff, he seems to be making enough plays to overcome it.

Defense is elite. We look amazing on that side of the ball.

If not for botched kicks, bad punts and sloppy returns, we easily beat Illinois, Oklahoma and Michigan State. With wins over #3 and #20, we'd probably be ranked somewhere around #20-25 right now.

Let that sink in. SPT has cost us a 5-0 start, a national ranking, and with a likely win over Northwestern, a bowl game already locked up by 6 games in.

Oh if we did that and beat ILL, OU and MSU, we’d be ranked in the top 12 for sure, especially with the defense we’ve been playing

 

[Red October]

Pathetic isnt it???

The truly pathetic part is Frost singling out a tackle and guard as the source of our demise.