OK, it's been three full days since the debacle in Madison. Yes, I am a disgruntled Nebraska alumnus - someone who wanted the current coach, Bo Pelini, when he was hired back in December 2007. But it's obvious there are some pretty deep-seated problems within the program. It's even obvious to people like me, who live 800 miles away from Lincoln. The thing is, it's not like this is the first year of the Pelini era when the Huskers were coming off a horrid 5-7 year in 2007. The Huskers knew they were rebuilding and quite frankly they did well to win eight and then ten games in Pelini's first two years. But we're now in year four, and it's obvious that the program isn't much better than it was when he was hired - the program has regressed sharply from the first two years Pelini was on the job.
So Husker fans, let's commiserate. Among the numerous problems within the Nebraska program are:
1. Nebraska is still capable of getting embarrassed on national television in big time games. In the last year of the Callahan era, the team was repeatedly blown out and not just by elite teams. They got blown out by average teams as well. The matchup against the Badgers reminded me so much of the 2007 USC game, which I was at. The team hung in for about a quarter and a half and then got smoked.
2. The quarterback position. Oh my God, where to begin. Taylor Martinez is obviously the biggest problem with the Huskers right now. I'm not the only one who thinks this either: I know people close to the program who say that he is a divisive force in the locker room. He is not a leader who is respected in that locker room - not in the way that guys like Tommie Frazier were anyways. Furthermore, he is just an awful passer. It wouldn't be so much of an issue if he were an athletic freak like Vince Young was in college but he's about a foot shorter than Vince. All he can do is run fast and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that to stop Nebraska's offense you simply have to keep Martinez in the pocket. Saturday is an example of what happens when Martinez is kept in the pocket and forced to pass.
Additionally, Nebraska hasn't developed its backup quarterbacks near well enough. I am generally not a conspiracy theorist, but I have had fleeting thoughts of a conspiracy theory involving Taylor Martinez being the starting quarterback. You cannot possibly tell me that adequately developed, Brion Carnes would do any worse than what Taylor Martinez has done.
3. The entire coaching staff, Bo Pelini included. My problems with the coaching staff and Pelini are two fold. The first thing is that Nebraska's assistant coaches are...somewhat lacking, to be kind. A head coach is only as good as his assistants and it seems obvious from afar that Pelini has incompetent assistants who don't help much. Tim Beck's play calling did not put this offense in the best position to succeed Saturday, needless to say. Furthermore, Bo Pelini hired these assistants after casting the previous ones aside which creates a theory in my head that Pelini hires "yes" men who tell him what he wants to hear, not what he needs to hear. Nebraska fans may have had an inkling that Bo Pelini is stubborn and arrogant before, but the problems early on this year have revealed the problems within this program for all to see.
So where are the Huskers at this point? It's hard to say but one thing is for certain. The Huskers better get it back, fast, before things spiral out of control and Pelini loses this program....completely.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Bigger Chance for an Upset: Nebraska or Florida?
So as I'm listening to some football (as I type Texas A&M is trying not to blow another second half lead, they are up on Arkansas 35-27 in the second half), we are bearing down on two big games tonight. Both will be played at the same time, in two of the toughest places to play in all the land. In one contest, Nebraska makes its Big 10 debut against Wisconsin on ABC and on CBS, Alabama heads to Florida's infamous Swamp to face a surging Gator team with one of the most dynamic players in the country in Chris Rainey.
So then, that begs the question: Which of the underdogs in tonight's main events, Nebraska or Florida, has a chance to pull off the upset?
At first glance, it seems there would be an easy answer to this question: Florida. They're at home, with one of the fastest players in the country, a great running attack and this is Alabama's first real road test (I mean, come on Penn State wasn't even a game). Meanwhile, Wisconsin is being highly touted, with one of the nation's top running attacks and a solid quarterback in Russell Wilson. And, Nebraska's defense has been rather lackluster to begin the year.
But wait a minute, as Lee Corso would say: not so fast my friend. I offer some other things to think about. Disclaimer: I'm a Nebraska alum, so keep this in mind.
The first thing to consider in tonight's game in Madison is this: Wisconsin hasn't played anyone. In their four games, they've played a UNLV team that lost to Southern Utah 41-16, an Oregon State team that hasn't even won a game, a half decent Northern Illinois team, and South Dakota. Their schedule, needless to say has been rather lackluster. If anything, the Badgers have something to prove as well. I'm not going to brag about Nebraska's schedule, it hasn't been great but Washington, Fresno State and Wyoming are probably better than any team Wisconsin has played.
Also, Nebraska's team is built on speed. Remember that Nebraska played in a pass happy conference for a number of years so they have had to recruit speed to compete with fast, undersized Big 12 defenses and pass happy Big 12 offenses. Wisconsin, for years, has been a physical team but has lacked the speed to keep up with truly elite teams. The last time they played a team with any sort of speed was in last year's Rose Bowl against TCU and they lost. How much faster have they really gotten in several months? Wilson is an athletic player, I'll give you that. But as a team, it's hard to say if they've really improved speed wise in less than a year.
Also, with regards to the game in the Swamp tonight: keep in mind Alabama is a battle tested road team. They won't be intimidated by Florida's crowd even though their quarterback is inexperienced.
In the end, I would give both Nebraska and Florida about a 25 to 30 percent chance of pulling off the upset. Maybe Florida has the slight edge because their game is a home game but both are probably about the same chance of an upset. A lot of things will have to go right for either team to win.
So then, that begs the question: Which of the underdogs in tonight's main events, Nebraska or Florida, has a chance to pull off the upset?
At first glance, it seems there would be an easy answer to this question: Florida. They're at home, with one of the fastest players in the country, a great running attack and this is Alabama's first real road test (I mean, come on Penn State wasn't even a game). Meanwhile, Wisconsin is being highly touted, with one of the nation's top running attacks and a solid quarterback in Russell Wilson. And, Nebraska's defense has been rather lackluster to begin the year.
But wait a minute, as Lee Corso would say: not so fast my friend. I offer some other things to think about. Disclaimer: I'm a Nebraska alum, so keep this in mind.
The first thing to consider in tonight's game in Madison is this: Wisconsin hasn't played anyone. In their four games, they've played a UNLV team that lost to Southern Utah 41-16, an Oregon State team that hasn't even won a game, a half decent Northern Illinois team, and South Dakota. Their schedule, needless to say has been rather lackluster. If anything, the Badgers have something to prove as well. I'm not going to brag about Nebraska's schedule, it hasn't been great but Washington, Fresno State and Wyoming are probably better than any team Wisconsin has played.
Also, Nebraska's team is built on speed. Remember that Nebraska played in a pass happy conference for a number of years so they have had to recruit speed to compete with fast, undersized Big 12 defenses and pass happy Big 12 offenses. Wisconsin, for years, has been a physical team but has lacked the speed to keep up with truly elite teams. The last time they played a team with any sort of speed was in last year's Rose Bowl against TCU and they lost. How much faster have they really gotten in several months? Wilson is an athletic player, I'll give you that. But as a team, it's hard to say if they've really improved speed wise in less than a year.
Also, with regards to the game in the Swamp tonight: keep in mind Alabama is a battle tested road team. They won't be intimidated by Florida's crowd even though their quarterback is inexperienced.
In the end, I would give both Nebraska and Florida about a 25 to 30 percent chance of pulling off the upset. Maybe Florida has the slight edge because their game is a home game but both are probably about the same chance of an upset. A lot of things will have to go right for either team to win.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)