Locked due to no posts in 60 days. Report 1st post if need unlocked Won't take the next step

[PaperIsDead]

Are you saying our coaches dont know football? If so then i would have to agree because it showed they didnt have a game plan to counter the attention TM would draw. Now if we had and TM was able to execute it then they would have to adjust leaving TM a little more open to what he does best...run. If they had a plan to draw the attention away from TM ...then it is on TMs shoulders to execute that which then can not be blamed on the coaches.

I thought our gameplan was good enough to win, and that we should have won the game. Errors lost us the game: Poor blocking on the XP, blown coverage by Dennard, blown coverage on the Hail Mary, fumble by Abdullah, false start and formation penalties, and holding penalties, interception, pass-interference penalty, Dennard's ejection, etc.-- there were so many I may have forgotten a few.

Edit: I think our coaches do know football. That's why Martinez is starting- they know opposing coaches will have to dedicate players to him and that will open up other stuff.

 

[Chi-Town Cube]

I hope I'm wrong, but, it may be that Bo IS the "mental breakdown" for this team. As bright and good as he is the team continues to reflect an undisciplined character.

I can't argue with your logic.

Right now the stories of the Bo Pelini era are:

1. Near misses
2. Poor discipline
3. Inconsistent offense

Until number 2 and number 3 are dealt with, this team has hit the ceiling of its potential.
The frightening thing is that there has been no improvement seen over the past few years.

 

[Pops]

I can't argue with your logic.

Right now the stories of the Bo Pelini era are:

1. Near misses
2. Poor discipline
3. Inconsistent offense

Until number 2 and number 3 are dealt with, this team has hit the ceiling of its potential.
The frightening thing is that there has been no improvement seen over the past few years.

Does not matter it seems people will remain happy....people like the fire in Bo yet the lack of it in the team

 

[Chi-Town Cube]

I thought our gameplan was good enough to win, and that we should have won the game. Errors lost us the game: Poor blocking on the XP, blown coverage by Dennard, blown coverage on the Hail Mary, fumble by Abdullah, false start and formation penalties, and holding penalties, interception, pass-interference penalty, Dennard's ejection, etc.-- there were so many I may have forgotten a few.

Edit: I think our coaches do know football. That's why Martinez is starting- they know opposing coaches will have to dedicate players to him and that will open up other stuff.

I think the coaches know that we don't have any other options besides TM right now.

Focusing on TM may open other things up, but the execution of such things is abysmal. And ultimately TM needs to execute the gameplan. In his career to date, against decent competition, he gets a C grade from me.

 

[The Impaler]

I believe that 37 yards has sack numbers subtracted. So, I don't know, maybe you want to blame the sacks on Martinez, but I think he was in bad positions due in part to penalties. Of course he's not going to fare well on 3rd and 15 against one of the better pass rushing teams in the country.

Don't take my word for it, the announcers mentioned several times how the defense was primarily trying to stop Martinez. That's respect from the South Carolina defense and coaches- people who know football.

They also mentioned how he is best on the deep ball and play action as he doesn't have to read defenses. That's a problem IMO.

 

[HuskerWeatherman]

Fair points. How do his misreads in the zone read plays stack up? This is a full 2 year starter. That is UNACCEPTABLE! He reminds me a bit of Tony Romo. He looks good enough but will never lead his team to ANYTHING! The kid cannot pass the football. True enough that the occasions when his passes are catchable the receivers drop them. But he is not a D1 QB! If that is the best NU has then the coaching staff is not doing their job.

Actually, Romo has all of the tools in the world to be one of the best in the NFL -- the question mark has always been with his mental game.

Martinez has neither the tools nor the mentality.

 

[azbigred]

Get used to Martinez folks. Bo's hitched all his wagons to him for the next 2 years. Can you say 9-4 or 8-5 for a record. Just call us Iowa West!

 

[PaperIsDead]

They also mentioned how he is best on the deep ball and play action as he doesn't have to read defenses. That's a problem IMO.

I don't disagree that Taylor is imperfect. In fact, I personally would like to see what our other options look like. But I generally trust that our coaches want to win and know better than I do who to play. What I don't like is people trying to pin every problem our team has on Martinez. I don't understand why people hate him so much.

 

[HuskerWeatherman]

I don't disagree that Taylor is imperfect. In fact, I personally would like to see what our other options look like. But I generally trust that our coaches want to win and know better than I do who to play. What I don't like is people trying to pin every problem our team has on Martinez. I don't understand why people hate him so much.

It's not "hate," it's that he's woefully inadequate. He's not the only problem, but there simply isn't a single position more important than the quarterback.

And honestly, I've believed since last season that Bo has completely sold himself to the devil in continuing to go with Martinez and rarely give anyone else even a shot to prove themselves... live or die with Martinez. Last season, Bo kept wanting to put a banged up, horrible Martinez in the game as much as possible. This season, you wouldn't even have known we had a #2 QB -- even though there were opportunities to use him.

 

[bilsker]

The program cannot take the next step until

1. A QB develops - Say what you want. I'm sure he is a good kid. I'll support him as long as he is under center. But........no matter the outcome of this game TM does not have the skills to be the QB of an elite team. Again, remind me what he does well besides run fast in the wide open field?? At times, he runs the option well. At times, he makes a decent pass. But, look at the BCS teams? What do most of them have in common? Good QB play. We haven't had a good QB since Ganz. Until this staff finds and develops someone, we are looking at a team that is 15 to 25 at best.

2. The discipline problems are dealt with - You cannot consistently be successful consistently losing the turnover and penalty battle. To this point, I am very concerned. Bo and co have not demonstrated any ability to deal with the routine mental breakdowns of this team. Mistake after mistake after mistake is often the norm rather than the exception.

Frustrating to watch today. Self inflicted wounds.

Hard to get a REAL take on the game from the stands but your post could have been posted 24 hours ago and it still rings true. NU will be a 4 loss team as long as Martinez is the QB. Today wasn't all on him obviously but he just doesn't have "it". He doesn't make things happen.

And the "discipline" stuff. That one series by the OL was an absolute abortion.

 

[NavyWarrant]

This one was not Taylor's fault! He had zero time in the pocket in the second half. We went away from running straight ahead and their lateral speed killed us. Mistakes and penalties were our undoing.

 

[PaperIsDead]

And the "discipline" stuff. That one series by the OL was an absolute abortion.

Series? That was all on the same down wasn't it.

 

[mjohnson]

Martinez gets rattled far, far too easily.

Very good point.

 

[Chi-Town Cube]

Does not matter it seems people will remain happy....people like the fire in Bo yet the lack of it in the team

Well, I will say that I work with a lot of various Big 10 school and ND fans and they all do the same thing. We just have higher expectations and fonder memories.

Also, I don't think anyone is happy with today's game. They may be satisfied with a 9 win season and that is fine. I don't have a problem with that. I am overall happy with nine wins. However, I think the thing that frustrates me the most is that the team seems to be stuck in neutral. Bo took a cesspool and turned it around, but from my perspective, it feels like things have stalled out. Additionally, there are "themes" that have developed that make me concerned about the future. The lack of discipline and the inability to develop a QB are the two big issues.

I still support Bo and will continue to be patient. At the end of the day, we all have unrealistic expectations. It goes along with fandom. Because we can't control who is on the roster, coaches make an opportunistic scapegoat.

That being said, there is enough wobble in the wheels of this team that I have concerns going forward. This team isn't too far away from a 6-6 team, or worse.

 

[jikastew]

Hard to get a REAL take on the game from the stands but your post could have been posted 24 hours ago and it still rings true. NU will be a 4 loss team as long as Martinez is the QB. Today wasn't all on him obviously but he just doesn't have "it". He doesn't make things happen.

And the "discipline" stuff. That one series by the OL was an absolute abortion.

That's BS and you know it. He looked unworldly against Eastern Idaho State and Central Detroit State.