Call of the Game, post Mizzou
Well, well, well….that didn’t work out.
This is a tough one fans. I’m not even sure I, your faithful reporter can change what many are feeling today.
That Missouri game took a lot out of me too.
You all know me. I’m a cockeyed optimist. I look for the positive in things. No, I’m not oblivious to problems and concerns. I want us to win and return to glory just as much as any fan. But I’m inclined to support the program and hope that the leadership from Steve Pederson and Marc Boehm all the way through the coaching staff has both the ability and the will to do the things, plug in corrections and motivate the players to do better.
I’m not inclined to jump ship. I’m not inclined to condemn. I don’t call for people to be fired. Not my job. If I were the HC, the AD or the Chancellor, that would be in my wheelhouse. But it is not. I’m just a radio guy and a big fan.
I admit my closeness to the program probably jades me a little. I know these people. I know how hard they work. I see how dedicated they are. I see them anguish in pain when we lose and how proud they are of the players when we win. And I recognize that everybody in that profession works hard. They are all dedicated. They all recruit and scheme and evaluate hour after hour. But only one team wins on Saturday. And after that Missouri game, Husker fans everywhere must be wondering if we’ll be that team any more Saturdays this fall.
Good question. Honest question.
Let me tell you what I think (an opinion no more valuable than anybody elses). Nebraska has the talent and experience to win each of the remaining six regular season games. Yes, we are thin on the defensive line but there is enough there to get it done each time out. That would be a 10-2 regular season and probably a Big 12 North Division title. To get there however a couple of key things must change.
In no particular order, it starts with passion. The defense doesn’t have it right now. The Blackshirts appear defeated. They appear to lack confidence, conviction and on-field leadership. Somebody needs to step forward and through voice and action, lead his teammates. Maybe that person is one of the younger guys? Coach has pulled redshirts off of guys like Anthony Blue, Prince Amukamara, Blake Lawrence, Austin Stafford. Maybe their time has come? Will they give up big plays? Yes. But so are the veterans.
On offense, I’d like Coach to re-define his running package. It appears that at the very least we are highly predictable. It appears easy to identify our running situation by the groupings we have on the field. If I can figure it out, certainly opposing defenses can. Maybe off of that “look” we should try some play action or “tunnel screens?” Would it hurt to create a few plays involving the fullback? Could we do something with mis-direction? I’d like to see maybe Niles Paul on the “flash” plays that Missouri and WF used so effectivly against us. You should know that Nebraska currently does practice running formations and plays a lot. Maybe a little bit more?
To me, though the singular most important element still in play around here can be defined by one word: Pride. Do these guys have enough of it? I think some of our players do. But do enough of them? Don’t know. Clearly there has to be a crisis of confidence right now. Do all of these guys really believe in what they are doing? Do they have full trust in the system? If not, the coaches must do something to fix that. They must create, invent, assemble some kind of package that will work consistently and then motivate the players to give it 100% effort.
Call me a Husker Geek. I think they will. I hope they will.
Even though we have the talent to win the last six, we are also capable of losing the last six too. That would result in a 4-8 season, the worst since before Bob Devaney arrived in 1962. Yes, fans…..such a doomsday scenario is possible. Likely? No. Possible? Yes.
But along the way, we fans have to remain as resiliant as we ask the players to be. We have to take the blows and not lose faith.
This football program has given us a ton a thrills over the years. Now the time has come to extend a little credit while we try to find our way back.
GBR!
JR
6 Responses to “Call of the Game, post Mizzou”
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Jim,
Tough job, coaching D1 football. Even tougher job to get a scholly and play it for a big time program that EXPECTS to win, and win often. These players and coaches need to suck it up and find their rhythym. I’m gonna say they’ll find away to win more games, but you’re right, they could lose them all. I’ll still be a big fan as always. I just hate seeing them go through all this pain after seeing them work so hard. Mizzou was laying there waiting for everything we had for them on both sides of the ball. Now you can’t tell me we’re not better than that. I know we are, I’ve seen them play better at times and I know they can get it done. DESIRE!!! Where is it?
A good blog as always. I too will support the team thorough the wins and the loses. The team looked to be playing up tempo until the second half. Why such a tremendous fall on in effort? Nebraska can win the last six games, lets hope that is the case.
Thanks for the straightforward report, Jim. Your perspective as a fan and as an “insider’ is invaluable as we move deeper into the season. TDHusker is right, there’s an obvious lack of desire and an apparent lack of trust in each other right now.
I don’t know how we get that passion back, but if we are able to recover and have a strong close to the season these young men will be that much better for the experience.
Jim
I do believe it is time to try to inject some fire into the team by playing the young guys. The problem is, the coaches attitude about it. Elmo stated just last friday that they believe in the Woody Hays theory on freshman. It is time for them to look in the mirror for a little self appraisal on their theory’s.
It is also apparent that Callahan has no imagination in the running game. We only use 4 or 5 plays over and over. Why waste the fullback for only blocking and a couple of passes a game ?
We knew we did not have a “TEAM” when the blackshirts did not follow their captains lead and take it off until they earned it back. It is easy to see who wants to play and who does not. Callahan needs to sit some starters for at least the first quarter of the Okie lite game and then see how they perform. Use this game to see who plays the rest of the season and who does not, and inform the team about it ahead of time.
GBR
“This football program has given us a ton a thrills over the years. Now the time has come to extend a little credit while we try to find our way back.”
This is the guidance as Husker fans we need. We’ll stick together in all kinds of weather, now more mentally and emotionally prepared for whatever happens. Thanks, Rosie.
Where are our Captains? The only thing any of them have visibly done is Bowman, setting an example that should have been followed, by not wearing his blackshirt. I know Corey McKeon is not playing the best, but he should be a captain. The defense would not look this lethargic if he were. Where is the fire, where is the energy, where is the pride?