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[GIFRRO]

Anyone who thought we were going to compete well against Tosu this year was living in fantasy land even after the 7-0 start. As to the nonsense posted in OP, a lot of that will take shape during the next year or 2. MR was saddled with a team with just above average overall talent, no QB's that were remotely close to being able to run his system (or any other system), mediocre RB's, a mediocre OL with no depth, and a bunch of malcontents in the DL ready to jump ship at the earliest moment. He's work wonders to get us to where we are, but much is still left to be done. We need to upgrade the talent on the team, add depth, and find talented skill players, especially QB's, WR's and RB's that are fully able to run MR's scheme. We also need fans and media to quit bellyaching that MR hasn't turned a pig's ear into a silk purse overnight. We were never going to be great this year, if you didn't understand that...you are beyond help.

I get your overall point but the first statement is off. If NW who lost to a div 2 school earlier in the year can compete with them at The Shoe then so can we. The rest of your points accurate but we should still not get blown out. I suspect if TA plays....we dont

 

[CO4NU]

And just possibly IF NW had played OSU last night.......they would have performed as we did?

And IF we had played OSU the day NW did....we could have hung like they did?

Bottom line.........they are bigger, faster, stronger and overwhelmingly more talented than we are.

Men amongst boys............but I believe that is a changing!

 

[BigRedAvenger]

Some people like my post, some don't. Whatever, but one thing you will always get with me is brutal honesty. I know what championship sports look like (as do many on here). So here is what I thought happened in Columbus.

#1. Wisconsin - I think Wisky is our rival. I think our team was significantly more focused on Wisky because there is more history. When we lost to Wisky, somehow our guys forgot that they had to play an even better opponent in an even tougher environment in Cbus. We essentially lost to Wisconsin twice this year. Big 10 scheduling has been awful in regards to OSU. They've had the advantage of playing us after our rivalry game several years now. People can say whatever, but its extremely difficult to get up two weeks in a row. (ask OSU why they lost to PSU)

#2. Post game interviews - I watched all of our players and coaches post-game interviews and only felt like two people were bothered to their core by the loss. One was Mike Riley and the other was Dylan Utter. Heard other players and coaches say that they were not ready to play, etc... Had an old coach say that you have to hate to lose to learn how to win. Not hearing that enough from this staff or team.

#3. No identity - Right now, Nebraska has no identity on offense. Can someone tell me what offense we run? I've been watching Riley's program for 2 years and I have no idea. Are we a running team or are we a passing team? Offense has been a mess.

#4. Injuries - this is something that has bothered me for some time now. Its a hard thing to talk about because, there are always legitimate injuries that occur during a season. But I feel like our team (the past 10 years) always seems to be littered with injuries. I'm not sure if we're snake bit or hyper-sensitive to injuries here. Whatever the reason, I'm tired of it and hope it improves.

#5. Committed to Championships - I hope this is our goal. Urban Meyer has made Nebraska look stupid twice in the last several years because he has an unrelenting desire to win championships. Winning is a choice, not an accident. I wonder if Nebraska still has that burning relentless desire to win championships?

Just my thoughts after tonight. Fire away.

Urb also has top 100 players all over his roster. That makes a huge difference.

 

[husker6]

I get your overall point but the first statement is off. If NW who lost to a div 2 school earlier in the year can compete with them at The Shoe then so can we. The rest of your points accurate but we should still not get blown out. I suspect if TA plays....we dont

Maybe on paper but none of this happens in a vacuum. It's nice to play the equivalency game comparing one team to another from week to week but there are just too many things that go right or wrong for each team that it can't really be done. Where the difference lies is with teams like Alabama and OSU where the sheer talent level can get you through the doldrums until things start clicking again. OSU's last couple of weeks haven't really been the best but let them play Indiana and NW again and I bet it's a similar curb stomping to what we saw last night.

 

[Greatest Fan of All]

Maybe on paper but none of this happens in a vacuum. It's nice to play the equivalency game comparing one team to another from week to week but there are just too many things that go right or wrong for each team that it can't really be done. Where the difference lies is with teams like Alabama and OSU where the sheer talent level can get you through the doldrums until things start clicking again. OSU's last couple of weeks haven't really been the best but let them play Indiana and NW again and I bet it's a similar curb stomping to what we saw last night.

 

[BigRedOhio]

Urb also has top 100 players all over his roster. That makes a huge difference.

No doubt... and the recruiting absolutely must improve at NU.

 

[BigRedOhio]

Anyone who thought we were going to compete well against Tosu this year was living in fantasy land even after the 7-0 start. As to the nonsense posted in OP, a lot of that will take shape during the next year or 2. MR was saddled with a team with just above average overall talent, no QB's that were remotely close to being able to run his system (or any other system), mediocre RB's, a mediocre OL with no depth, and a bunch of malcontents in the DL ready to jump ship at the earliest moment. He's work wonders to get us to where we are, but much is still left to be done. We need to upgrade the talent on the team, add depth, and find talented skill players, especially QB's, WR's and RB's that are fully able to run MR's scheme. We also need fans and media to quit bellyaching that MR hasn't turned a pig's ear into a silk purse overnight. We were never going to be great this year, if you didn't understand that...you are beyond help.

An honest question... do you think Mike Riley's system can work here? My biggest concern is that his pro-style pass happy offense is not a great fit for Nebraska.

 

[CO4NU]

I don't believe MR's offense is pass happy.

It appears that way at times because we can't run.

I believe he wants to run 1st. Establish that to open up the passing game. Problem is, by not being able to run it (our OL) negates the possibility of throwing it. Add to that a QB who historicaly really cant throw it anyway.

Tough situation.

 

[the fountainhead]

OSU has more depth and talent, no doubt. But what's missing from the OP is the fact that football is an emotional game, played by humans, not robots. OSU was motivated and made some great plays, got some early emotion going and had mental sharpness, where we did not. They were healthier and when they captured the early momentum and gained confidence, things snowballed.

It is important for all of us that we gain momentum by showing up with an edge this week and play like we have all season.

 

[jpmandm]

#3. No identity - Right now, Nebraska has no identity on offense. Can someone tell me what offense we run? I've been watching Riley's program for 2 years and I have no idea. Are we a running team or are we a passing team? Offense has been a mess.

I thought we had an identity until Ozigbo got hurt. We were balanced. We could run it up the middle when we needed to, use Armstrong as a run threat to open up a well distributed passing game.

Since he got hurt and we've leaned on Newby, the coaches don't seem to know what to do. Newby misses holes all the time and just isn't as good as Ozigbo. He also doesn't have the speed to get around the corner. Without the run to open up the pass, Armstrong needs more time. The O-line can't give it to him. He scrambles. He throws more picks. We get behind. We pass more. We can't pass more. We give up on the run. We collapse. Ozigbo was the key, it seems like. He's been back, but only sporadically, and I don't know why. He is not a bowling ball-type, 2-yard back. He was the full package, but he could get up the middle and find holes. The other backs can't. And it kills everything else.

 

[husker6]

I thought we had an identity until Ozigbo got hurt. We were balanced. We could run it up the middle when we needed to, use Armstrong as a run threat to open up a well distributed passing game.

Since he got hurt and we've leaned on Newby, the coaches don't seem to know what to do. Newby misses holes all the time and just isn't as good as Ozigbo. He also doesn't have the speed to get around the corner. Without the run to open up the pass, Armstrong needs more time. The O-line can't give it to him. He scrambles. He throws more picks. We get behind. We pass more. We can't pass more. We give up on the run. We collapse. Ozigbo was the key, it seems like. He's been back, but only sporadically, and I don't know why. He is not a bowling ball-type, 2-yard back. He was the full package, but he could get up the middle and find holes. The other backs can't. And it kills everything else.

Terrel Newby is one of the main reasons we beat Illinois, Indiana and Purdue and stayed close to Wisconsin. His 4th quarter running was lights out for that 4 game stretch. After Oz and TA were injured he really rose to the occasion. The O line injuries really hurt the play calling options as well.

 

[BigRedOhio]

I don't believe MR's offense is pass happy.

It appears that way at times because we can't run.

I believe he wants to run 1st. Establish that to open up the passing game. Problem is, by not being able to run it (our OL) negates the possibility of throwing it. Add to that a QB who historicaly really cant throw it anyway.

Tough situation.

Good points... and I don't think our running game is very creative. Very few counters, FB traps, etc...

 

[BigRedOhio]

I thought we had an identity until Ozigbo got hurt. We were balanced. We could run it up the middle when we needed to, use Armstrong as a run threat to open up a well distributed passing game.

Since he got hurt and we've leaned on Newby, the coaches don't seem to know what to do. Newby misses holes all the time and just isn't as good as Ozigbo. He also doesn't have the speed to get around the corner. Without the run to open up the pass, Armstrong needs more time. The O-line can't give it to him. He scrambles. He throws more picks. We get behind. We pass more. We can't pass more. We give up on the run. We collapse. Ozigbo was the key, it seems like. He's been back, but only sporadically, and I don't know why. He is not a bowling ball-type, 2-yard back. He was the full package, but he could get up the middle and find holes. The other backs can't. And it kills everything else.

Agree 100%.... the loss of a healthy Ozigbo has created a ton of issues.

 

[BigRedOhio]

Terrel Newby is one of the main reasons we beat Illinois, Indiana and Purdue and stayed close to Wisconsin. His 4th quarter running was lights out for that 4 game stretch. After Oz and TA were injured he really rose to the occasion. The O line injuries really hurt the play calling options as well.

Seems like our OL is a M.A.S.H. unit every year. Not sure what the issue is there.

 

[husker6]

Seems like our OL is a M.A.S.H. unit every year. Not sure what the issue is there.

Last year it seemed to be knees and soft tissue. This year it seems to be a lot of ankles. Not sure what can be done about that.