• You do not need to register if you are not going to pay the yearly fee to post. If you register please click here or log in go to "settings" then "my account" then "User Upgrades" and you can renew.

HuskerMax readers can save 50% on  Omaha Steaks .

Nebraska vs Iowa Game Thread (B1G Tailgate From Lincoln)

Final Game thoughts.


Nebraska puts an exclamation mark on one of the worst seasons in modern history with an absolute choke job, complete 4th quarter meltdown to lose to a lucky opponent who hadn’t made a play all day and deserved to lose by multiple scores.

This may have been one of the worst meltdowns in Nebraska history. The fourth quarter may have been the ugliest quarter of football in a long, long time.

I have said two things for the past few seasons but especially this year:

This team plays just well enough to lose.

This team chokes.


This was a total team meltdown.

But of course, the meltdown was led by a pathetic special teams’ disaster.

Up 21-9 and with the game in solid shape against a team struggling on offense, Nebraska did what they had to do to lose. On a punt, a Nebraska up-lineman made the stupendous decision to double team a rusher and let his man—the guy who blocked the punt—run by him untouched. Brilliant decision & points to the other team. Just exacted what needed to be done to lose.

Sorry guys. I was scared.

Then Logan Smothers took over from the Adrian Martinez playbook by fumbling in the backfield untouched.

Sorry guys. I was scared.

But hey, the defense bailed him out (one last time). We fair caught the punt on the 6 yard line (brilliant decision, by the way).

Then Scott Frost took over. He decided to abandon the run and drop his redshirt freshman QB into the end zone to throw pay after play. Brilliant play calling.

So, Smothers drops back, sees a rush, panics, and retreats into the end zone instead of out of the end zone.

Safety.

Sorry guys. I was scared.

Nice play calling coach.

The other team drives and the defense stiffens and they kick a field goal.

Tie game. But in reality, the game is already over. It is just a matter of how.

We get the ball again. We have a dropped pass. Smothers holds the ball too long a takes a silly sack. We punt.

Our defense now does what everybody knows they are going to do.

Choke.

The other team drives downfield like a knife through butter and scores basically against a good stiff wind.

Down by 7, with time running out. Can Logan Smothers loosen his collar and stop choking long enough to lead a drive to tie or go for two for the win?

What do you think?

Smothers does a good job, actually. He works the sideline and methodically moves passed midfield.

Sound familiar?

Then with around a minute to go, Smothers goes full Adrian Martinez. Under no pressure, he throws the ball downfield to an area near the goal line where three defenders are standing but not one single Cornhusker can be seen.

Interception. Game over.

Sorry guys. I was scared.

Not sure how you can make that throw. To me, he decided in the huddle that he was going to throw it there, the WR cut off his route (who knows why) but Smothers had already decided he was going to throw the ball there.

Can’t do that kid.

Chokejob complete. Another embarrassing loss. Another time when players can go to the locker room and lie to their teammates, “I love you guys. I got your back.”

You win as a team, you lose as a team. This was a total team loss.

If the players can’t learn to stop doing this to themselves. Then none of the other stuff will ever matter.

HIRE A SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR!

And in the offseason, someone take the bullets out of the gun that players keep using to shoot their teammates in the foot.

Don’t have anything else to say. And no, it isn’t a coincidence I did not once mention the name of the “other team.”

Why? Because they didn’t matter.

Thank God this season is over.

Take care all.

Pretty good post.
 
Enjoy the offseason
Oh I will always do will be cheering again next year not to worry. Hope your savior am comes back and finally makes the step into not peeing down his leg when the games on the line. Prove me and all the nay sayers wrong. Hope this offseason brings on big change and we go 9 or more wins next year. Enjoy the offseason as well. Maybe tell your savior am to relax he’s got the skills to be grate.
 
Final Game thoughts.


Nebraska puts an exclamation mark on one of the worst seasons in modern history with an absolute choke job, complete 4th quarter meltdown to lose to a lucky opponent who hadn’t made a play all day and deserved to lose by multiple scores.

This may have been one of the worst meltdowns in Nebraska history. The fourth quarter may have been the ugliest quarter of football in a long, long time.

I have said two things for the past few seasons but especially this year:

This team plays just well enough to lose.

This team chokes.


This was a total team meltdown.

But of course, the meltdown was led by a pathetic special teams’ disaster.

Up 21-9 and with the game in solid shape against a team struggling on offense, Nebraska did what they had to do to lose. On a punt, a Nebraska up-lineman made the stupendous decision to double team a rusher and let his man—the guy who blocked the punt—run by him untouched. Brilliant decision & points to the other team. Just exacted what needed to be done to lose.

Sorry guys. I was scared.

Then Logan Smothers took over from the Adrian Martinez playbook by fumbling in the backfield untouched.

Sorry guys. I was scared.

But hey, the defense bailed him out (one last time). We fair caught the punt on the 6 yard line (brilliant decision, by the way).

Then Scott Frost took over. He decided to abandon the run and drop his redshirt freshman QB into the end zone to throw pay after play. Brilliant play calling.

So, Smothers drops back, sees a rush, panics, and retreats into the end zone instead of out of the end zone.

Safety.

Sorry guys. I was scared.

Nice play calling coach.

The other team drives and the defense stiffens and they kick a field goal.

Tie game. But in reality, the game is already over. It is just a matter of how.

We get the ball again. We have a dropped pass. Smothers holds the ball too long a takes a silly sack. We punt.

Our defense now does what everybody knows they are going to do.

Choke.

The other team drives downfield like a knife through butter and scores basically against a good stiff wind.

Down by 7, with time running out. Can Logan Smothers loosen his collar and stop choking long enough to lead a drive to tie or go for two for the win?

What do you think?

Smothers does a good job, actually. He works the sideline and methodically moves passed midfield.

Sound familiar?

Then with around a minute to go, Smothers goes full Adrian Martinez. Under no pressure, he throws the ball downfield to an area near the goal line where three defenders are standing but not one single Cornhusker can be seen.

Interception. Game over.

Sorry guys. I was scared.

Not sure how you can make that throw. To me, he decided in the huddle that he was going to throw it there, the WR cut off his route (who knows why) but Smothers had already decided he was going to throw the ball there.

Can’t do that kid.

Chokejob complete. Another embarrassing loss. Another time when players can go to the locker room and lie to their teammates, “I love you guys. I got your back.”

You win as a team, you lose as a team. This was a total team loss.

If the players can’t learn to stop doing this to themselves. Then none of the other stuff will ever matter.

HIRE A SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR!

And in the offseason, someone take the bullets out of the gun that players keep using to shoot their teammates in the foot.

Don’t have anything else to say. And no, it isn’t a coincidence I did not once mention the name of the “other team.”

Why? Because they didn’t matter.

Thank God this season is over.

Take care all.

Can’t argue.
 



"Mike Dawson does a great job and we don't need a full-time special teams coordinator."
Sincerely,
Delusional Head Football Coach
Exactly, I remember reading last year that there was a huge focus on special team coaching improvement. What exactly happened with that focus?

It's a bummer, man.
 
The only good news and bad news is it TA will have an easy decision to make Next FALL—He needs to be looking for a new HC already this year both before the end of December
 
First, Iowa has 12th rated defense in country. Second, the strategy today was to be run based which we did for three quarters until SF got stupid with play calling. Third, no excuse for interception but his limited experience which is on SF contributed to the bad handoff. That said how many games has AM had two or more turnovers. He is in double digits.
AM is double digit turnovers in about 15% of his starts. Smothers is 100%. Now in saying this…….I have defended AM for the same reasons Smothers struggled. This offense is way too reliant on perfect quarterback play and the rushing game takes zero pressure off the defenses dialing it up against our quarterback.
 
Another athletic quarterback that’s a better runner than passer. Option was working until Iowa adjusted and took the outside away. Frost’s game plan was obviously to limit Smothers throwing. Special teams crapped tgr bed again and honestly probably has cost us four or five games this season. Smothers isn’t bad but he’s limited in similar ways to Martinez. The offensive line can’t pass block. Our coach calls some dumb plays in certain situations. Our return game is pathetic. I’m sure I left something out.
 



First, Iowa has 12th rated defense in country. Second, the strategy today was to be run based which we did for three quarters until SF got stupid with play calling. Third, no excuse for interception but his limited experience which is on SF contributed to the bad handoff. That said how many games has AM had two or more turnovers. He is in double digits.

Similar thing happened to Justin Fields in the 2019 CFP Semifinal against Clemson. Late in the game he was scrambling to avoid the pass rush and expected Chris Olave to break one way. Fields threw a pass to the endzone where he thought his receiver would be (post). Olave saw his QB scrambling, broke off his route and went the other direction in the endzone (corner). End result was a very easy interception for Clemson in the endzone. Fields had been a starter for @14 games at that point. Sh*t happens.

I agree the dubious play calling during the 4th quarter greatly contributed to the loss, especially the one that led to the safety. Put too much on Smothers' plate rather than sticking with what was working for 3 quarters. Hey, at least Iowa didn't punt on 1st down in order to give the Husker (not so) special teams more opportunities to implode. On the bright side, I don't think Nebraska missed a FG or XP during the game. :Biggrin:
 
Last edited:
There are a couple of things AM and LS have in common; neither has beaten a ranked team and both were hand picked and coached by Frost.
 
Last edited:
I don’t get this- the qb turned it over twice (both in HUGE spots) and was completely shut down when it mattered- is this a knock on him or supporting him? He didn’t win the game for Nebraska, that’s for sure. Hopefully he’s a lot better next year.

Not a knock on Smothers, but it’s the reality of our team imo. Sad I think it’s going to be the same next year as we’ll likely not be able to get quality coaches on the staff until we get rid of Frost…I’d love to see them turn it around next year, but I don’t expect it to change and while we played a tough schedule we saw a team that still lacks the basic fundamentals necessary to compete at this level
 



Sad when people say they are glad the season is over but guess I'm one of them. Can't play the Charlie Brown routine one more time.

BTW...since I only had radio and you all, appreciated all the filler lines throughout the game. Especially with Smothers. :)

Can't imagine what new thoughts/threads there will be until new coaches are announced. Then we can only disect them 6 ways to Sunday and will get old quick enough. What a year.

Thanks to the players for their continuing grit.
 
Last edited:


GET TICKETS


Get 50% off on Omaha Steaks

Back
Top