When was the last time you enjoyed a Husker football season?

[Phillysker]

Great question. In answer to the original question---2009 and 2010. We just d'ed up and it was fun to watch. Before or after? Pockets of fun. It was fun watching the 2001 team before 62-36. The 1999 team outside of the fumbles and manhandling of the Whorns in the B12 Title game and Tennessee in the bowl game. It seemed like a Vol player had to be carted off every play in the second half. Sigh....

I simply want to get back to the 70s-80s bar set by Oz pre switch to a 4-3 even. Knowing we would play hard and sound, fundamental football. Yeah, we may lose to the powerhouse teams as much as we beat them. But we lost because they were better. Or by turnovers. Sounds weird I would stew over losses for days or even weeks then. The last 20 years or so the losses are, sigh, commonplace.

A 9-3 team that competes game in and out with occasional 10-2 or 11-1 every 4-5 years. A team that can stand toe-to-toe against Ohio St and slaps aside Iowa and Wisco after they pester us for 3 quarters or so. Then it will be enjoyable again. GBR

 

[LurkSker44]

When a team is mentally exhausted and the floodgates open, did it really matter if it was 14 or 40? A W earlier became a L later. There were other mental fatigue issues, I’m sure, but the substantive difference was a piece we couldn't replace on defense.

Baker was a rock on that DL. He didnt bench press two blockers, jump up and block passes like Suh, but he was 2nd team all-B1G that year. When you lose a player of that caliber and put in a guy 50 pounds lighter against a Wisconsin OL...you get crushed.

Yes, to me losing by 40 or 14 does matter. Idk if you ever played sports, but giving up is unacceptable and has huge mental affect. I liked Baker a lot, but saying having one player out results in a 40 point swing is ridiculous in a team sport with 10 other players on the field. This wasn’t a good Wisconsin team we’re used to seeing with a good record that year that was 3rd in their division.

 

[LurkSker44]

When a team is mentally exhausted and the floodgates open, did it really matter if it was 14 or 40? A W earlier became a L later. There were other mental fatigue issues, I’m sure, but the substantive difference was a piece we couldn't replace on defense.

Baker was a rock on that DL. He didnt bench press two blockers, jump up and block passes like Suh, but he was 2nd team all-B1G that year. When you lose a player of that caliber and put in a guy 50 pounds lighter against a Wisconsin OL...you get crushed.

It’s weird to me that missing Baker was what made our line backers and corners continuously miss tackles on jet sweeps lol



Run left sideline to right sideline, obviously the fault of missing one d lineman

We were also a 4 like front, so it’s not like we were missing a 3-4 NG that ate up the whole middle, not that it woulda mattered with UW’s run to left run to right sideline game plan.

Got a few posters I respect on here that seem to disagree with me so maybe I’m wrong, but I won’t agree loosing by 40 is the result of one player out unless you’re going from Tommie Frazier to Zac Lee or something.

 

[LurkSker44]

Saban would have.

Crab, I like your posts and perspective. You really think that 40 point loss is solely on missing Baker?

 

[FeelLikeAStranger]

Yes, to me losing by 40 or 14 does matter. Idk if you ever played sports, but giving up is unacceptable and has huge mental affect. I liked Baker a lot, but saying having one player out results in a 40 point swing is ridiculous in a team sport with 10 other players on the field. This wasn’t a good Wisconsin team we’re used to seeing with a good record that year that was 3rd in their division.

I‘m saying that they did give up mentally and what would likely have been a close game, and was earlier, became not close at all. I don’t recall saying the entire 40+ swing was due to one player, but W vs L? Yup, easily. Wisconsin found something or someone they could exploit in that defense and that made the rest of the difference.

 

[FeelLikeAStranger]

2012 Wisconsin football

1st quarter WIS: Ball 2 run (Russell kick) 11:02 WIS: Ball 1 run (Russell kick) 7:20 NEB: Maher 26 field […]

www.huskermax.com

Game 1 Vs Wisconsin- ball 90 yards 3 TD’s, total 56 yards rushing, white and gordon net 5 yards, (Stave -33). NU overcame 17 pt deficit To win by 3 (one of four double digit comeback wins)

Baker had 5 tackles, 2 TFL

I noticed Thad Randle started DT next to Baker that game.

Martin Baker Randle Meredith

in the second game the DL was Martin Rome Meredith Ankrah

tell me which DL you’d rather go against?

also noticed the secondary was different in the second game, but that could have been nickel vs base etc.

game two both gordon and ball went 200+ and White 100+

 

[Sodbuster]

See my ID.

Well done.

 

[CrabHusker]

Crab, I like your posts and perspective. You really think that 40 point loss is solely on missing Baker?

Not all, but it made a difference. Likely more than most believe.

Chase Rome and Cam Meredith as your two DT’s is not a recipe for success, IMAO.

That game was a combination of several things defensively, but when you start up front with a hopelessly overmatched line because of the changes required due to Steinkhuler’s injury, you’ve dug a hole. Meredith deserves an award for the guys he showed that night, but he was badly out of his element.

 

[Huskerthom]

It’s weird to me that missing Baker was what made our line backers and corners continuously miss tackles on jet sweeps lol



Run left sideline to right sideline, obviously the fault of missing one d lineman

We were also a 4 like front, so it’s not like we were missing a 3-4 NG that ate up the whole middle, not that it woulda mattered with UW’s run to left run to right sideline game plan.

Got a few posters I respect on here that seem to disagree with me so maybe I’m wrong, but I won’t agree loosing by 40 is the result of one player out unless you’re going from Tommie Frazier to Zac Lee or something.

If a D linemen gets penetration it makes the job of the LB and DB much easier. When I coached at multiple levels youth to HS Plus. I always told my Dtackles you have one job. Get 4 yards deep in the back field. No matter what the play is. If a DT gets 4 yards in the back field it messes up the play. If it is a running play the back or QB has to alter their path. If it is a Pass play The QB will start to get nervous and move the pocket or rush the pass. So this is a long way of saying if you go from a DT getting penetration to one that does not. It can make a huge difference.

 

[LurkSker44]

If a D linemen gets penetration it makes the job of the LB and DB much easier. When I coached at multiple levels youth to HS Plus. I always told my Dtackles you have one job. Get 4 yards deep in the back field. No matter what the play is. If a DT gets 4 yards in the back field it messes up the play. If it is a running play the back or QB has to alter their path. If it is a Pass play The QB will start to get nervous and move the pocket or rush the pass. So this is a long way of saying if you go from a DT getting penetration to one that does not. It can make a huge difference.

I agree with all that, but also don't think having one DT out equates to 40 point loss without other factors involved even if said DT is a once in a generation guy. Also, those plays were ran to the outside so fast it basically took the DL out of the game. But this is why I love these forums, because of the tangents we go on lol! My whole point in my Op was that the last time I really, really enjoyed the performance of our team was the Pelini years prior to this game.

 

[Huskerthom]

I agree with all that, but also don't think having one DT out equates to 40 point loss without other factors involved even if said DT is a once in a generation guy. Also, those plays were ran to the outside so fast it basically took the DL out of the game. But this is why I love these forums, because of the tangents we go on lol! My whole point in my Op was that the last time I really, really enjoyed the performance of our team was the Pelini years prior to this game.

Again it is not about the DT making the play. It is about him getting penetration to alter the running path. That slows or alters the path of the runner. Make them go 2 steps deeper and there is more time to react. BS was that quick if you watch the first game. He did not make the tackles he altered the running path or because he was double teamed another rusher caused the play to be altered. No one that was left after BS was worthy of a Double team.

 

[coherbie]

Thinking back... I've enjoyed most seasons - then I come on here, start reading & am made to feel guilty & stupid for enjoying something ... it's like this is a BBS full of wives :O O:

 

[LurkSker44]

Again it is not about the DT making the play. It is about him getting penetration to alter the running path. That slows or alters the path of the runner. Make them go 2 steps deeper and there is more time to react. BS was that quick if you watch the first game. He did not make the tackles he altered the running path or because he was double teamed another rusher caused the play to be altered. No one that was left after BS was worthy of a Double team.

Nah, I gotcha Thom you’re correct about that and I love defense. I was that guy in the defensive middle, just not at a P5 college lol. It has a huge impact...my only point was it’s not the sole reason for 40 point swing in that game.

 

[Huskerthom]

Nah, I gotcha Thom you’re correct about that and I love defense. I was that guy in the defensive middle, just not at a P5 college lol. It has a huge impact...my only point was it’s not the sole reason for 40 point swing in that game.

OK now I get where you are coming from. He was not the only thing but I think the biggest thing. However to take a good quote from a terrible movie. (The Replacements.) The rest is quicksand.

 

[huskrthill]

If a D linemen gets penetration it makes the job of the LB and DB much easier. When I coached at multiple levels youth to HS Plus. I always told my Dtackles you have one job. Get 4 yards deep in the back field. No matter what the play is. If a DT gets 4 yards in the back field it messes up the play. If it is a running play the back or QB has to alter their path. If it is a Pass play The QB will start to get nervous and move the pocket or rush the pass. So this is a long way of saying if you go from a DT getting penetration to one that does not. It can make a huge difference.

I'd love to run an offense against defensive tackles that always want to get 4 yards deep.