SB Nation - Khiry Cooper

Should Shawn Watson and Barney Cotton Be Fired?

Jon Johnston — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:03:22 -0000

More photos » by Amy Gutierrez - AP

I know one of our guys is somewhere down at that end of the field.... here goes.....

Before I start, let me note that it's always an easy proposition to suggest firing people, especially when you're not the one that has to pull the trigger. If you've read my writing long enough, you know that I have a weak spot for firing people - I'm not part of the crowd that's constantly asking for someone to be shot in the head. It's too easy a solution, although I admit, a popular one.

I like the Shawn Watson's philosophy of a "multiple offense". I'm not ignorant of the fact that a powerful running attack is part of Nebraska's heritage, but the ability to shift into a spread and use the zone read and spread option plays give us a huge advantage over our opponents - we just didn't execute them well this season.

I disagree with the notion that Nebraska can't recruit skill position players that can run anything other than a power running game. If Bill Callahan could recruit decent quarterbacks (Zac Taylor, Joe Ganz) and receivers (Maurice Purify, Nate Swift), then why can't this staff?

You can write off some of the offensive problems as turnover in players, but only some. Still, the West Coast offense is largely dependent upon timing and that timing has to be developed between a quarterback and his receivers. We knew it would be tough to replace Joe Ganz, Nate Swift, and Todd Peterson, but I don't think anyone could have foreseen the difficulties Watson faced early in the season when the receivers were not performing as well as was needed. Menelik Holt started the first five games, then disappeared along with Curenski Gilleylen and Chris Brooks. Holt had 15 receptions for 175 yards, none after the Iowa State game. Brooks had 13 receptions for 177 yards, but none since Texas Tech when he had five receptions for 66 yards to lead the receivers. Gilleylen had 16 receptions for 299 yards, none after Iowa State.

They were replaced by Khiry Cooper and Brandon Kinnie. Kinnie finished the regular season with 13 receptions for 129 yards, with 12 of those receptions coming after Iowa State. Cooper's receptions were split throughout the season, as he finished with 13 receptions for 80 yards, with seven coming after Iowa State.

The only consistent receiver all season was Niles Paul and even he had problems (turnover at the goal line, Iowa State). Paul finished with 36 catches for 673 yards to lead the receivers, having six receptions against Iowa State and 13 the rest of the season.

That level of turnover doesn't allow a quarterback to develop the much heralded "chemistry" with his receivers. Granted, Lee's accuracy didn't seem to improve over the season, so you could argue it didn't make much difference as to whom he was throwing the ball.

As for Barney Cotton, the offensive line did progress somewhat throughout the season although the offensive output did not. The number of holding calls and false starts dropped as the season went on, and the line was asked to do a lot with defenses stacked against them to stop the run.

Add to that a general lack of depth. Jacob Hickman played well at center, and Ricky Henry started every game at right guard (the position that was unsettled before the season began). Marcel Jones and D.J. Jones played in rotation at right tackle while Mike Smith started every game at left tackle. Derek Meyer started when Keith Williams was injured, then Williams took over the starting left guard position for the final ten games. The loss before the season of Jaivorio Burkes at tackle and incoming freshman Brent Qvale certainly didn't help the depth issue. Off the top of my head, what we didn't see is the level of in-game rotation that we've seen in past seasons. (I"ll look into this more in the off-season.)

I suspect that most people would like to see Cotton fired because of his association with failed coaching regimes of the past (Solich at Nebraska, McCarney at ISU) rather than knowing much about offensive line coaching. In his defense, keep in mind that, other than Ricky Henry, these are still Bill Callahan's offensive linemen (In other words, Callahan's preference for size over speed still plagues the offense).

Going back to Watson, I'm not 100% sure what to think, other than he got hit with a perfect storm this season - a new starting quarterback, inconsistent receivers, and an offensive line that, well, had its problems. Add to these the fact that one quarterback left before the season started (Patrick Witt) while another was lost to injury at the start of the season (Kody Spano). Running back depth was severely hampered by dismissal (Quentin Castille) and injury (Roy Helu, Rex Burkhead).

A counter argument would point out that every team has to deal with injuries and then list all of the teams that did well despite them. For that, I have a response: Oklahoma.

The biggest problem with firing a coach, especially an offensive coordinator, is that you're going to throw away a year while the new guy implements his system. The counter argument here (I assume) is to bring in someone who runs a much simpler offense, so easy that you and I and a trained monkey can run it. Or perhaps magic happens and everyone instantaneously learns the new offense by having chips implanted in their brains or something like that. (If you're voting for a simplified offense, I vote for Texas Tech's then, because they replace quarterbacks and receivers year after year and seem to get the same fantastic results.)

So, give me your answer to the title question. Does one of these guys need to answer for this season? Or maybe both?

Revamping the Offense in Midseason: Causes and Effects

Husker Mike — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:30:14 -0000

More photos » by Dave Weaver - AP

Menelik Holt and Curenski Gilleylen played themselves out of the Husker lineup. Is this a failure of coaching, talent, or development?(AP Photo/Dave Weaver)

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For the second year in a row, Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson has had to go back to the drawing board and revamp the Husker offense at midseason. Last year, it was to implement a spread offense around a ball-control offense. This year, that spread look was abandoned in recent weeks to implement a power formation with multiple tight ends and (gasp!) a fullback. In recent weeks, Tom Osborne has been advising Watson as Watson and longtime Husker assistant Ron Brown have dug into old Husker playbooks to find alternatives to an unproductive offense.

There are two ways to look at this situation; it's a variant of the old "glass half-full/glass half-empty" discussion. On one hand, you have to admire the ability to recognize what's not working and adjust. Last spring, I dug into Watson's background as an offensive coordinator for an article in "Cornhusker Kickoff" and came away more impressed with Watson. Throughout his career, he's seemingly always played to his strengths. Some years, it was the running backs, others, it was the quarterback's arm. Sometimes it was a mix of the two. Sometimes he even found the need to switch quarterbacks. But I don't think Watson ever has had a situation like he's faced at Nebraska.

This year's situation is a multi-faceted problem. A new, inexperienced quarterback would be taking the field along with new receivers. The quarterback situation was further complicated by the defection of Patrick Witt to Yale and repeated ACL injuries to Kody Spano. Then by mid-October, Nebraska was digging deep on the depth chart at I-back. In late August, Quentin Castille was kicked off the team for violating team rules. Roy Helu hurt his shoulder at Missouri, and was hampered for nearly a month. Rex Burkhead injured his foot after the Missouri game, and might return in a couple of weeks. Even Traye Robinson was banged up late against Baylor, meaning that Nebraska finished that game with their fifth string I-back.

Receiver is another dilemma. Deep down, I think the number one issue at receiver is simply a talent gap created by the previous regime. Almost everywhere else on the roster, development has improved the performance of players. Just look at the defense; two years ago, they were one of the worst in college football, and now statistically, they are one of the best. Offensive line seems better, and the depth at I-back looks pretty good with Helu, Burkhead, and Robinson. But wide receiver seems to be the exception, as Khiry Cooper and Brandon Kinnie have been thrown into duty despite their inexperience and unfamiliarity with the offense.

And that situation at receiver might explain the Huskers situation best. Whether this staff overestimated the receivers going into the season, or realized that's what they had to work with and tried to make it a go is irrelevent at this point. Once you get into a season, the only thing that matters is making adjustments. Those adjustments became necessary at the same time the depth at I-back disappeared, which created a dilemma for Watson and the offensive coaches. I reject the idea that the power offense was the solution in mid-October. Roy Helu wasn't healthy enough to carry the load, and there was nobody behind him ready to go. So Nebraska turned to their receivers, who simply weren't able to step up when needed. Whether it was the dropsies against Texas Tech or the turnovers against Iowa State, those two games illustrated the Huskers problems.

But what were Shawn Watson's options this summer while he tried to pencil in the Huskers offense? Count on Cooper, the baseball player, or Kinnie, the Juco who he hadn't had a chance to coach yet? Or count on guys like Menelik Holt and Curenski Gilleylen to step up? In hindsight, the answer probably was to count on the tight ends, who looked so good in spring practice...but hindsight is always twenty-twenty, especially from us amateurs. That's the fundamental question that Bo Pelini and Shawn Watson will need to address in the offseason: why was there a need to revamp the offense midseason? Did the coaches make faulty assumptions or faulty decisions? Or did the players simply fail to step up and deliver, despite the best actions and interventions of the coaches. Only the staff can really answer that, and that's a fundamental question that this staff will need to answer after the season is over.

Now is not the time to ask that question. There's a Big XII North championship waiting to be won, and this team still has goals to meet. Right now, the solution is to do exactly what Watson, Brown, and Tom Osborne have been doing. Roll up their sleeves and adjust the offense based on what these players can do. In my job, I've encountered similar situations where all heck has broken loose, and you've got to resist the temptation to place blame when things are broken. Get things fixed as best you can, using whatever means necessary, and get things back in operation. Then, when things stabilize, you look at what went wrong and make the necessary changes at that time.

Is Shawn Watson part of the problem or part of the solution? That's not a question for Bo Pelini to answer in October and November. Pelini will need to answer that question in January, and probably should start asking that question in December. Certainly all aspects of the Husker program need to be questioned: at it's core, was the offenses struggles related to recruiting, development, training, coaching, or simply bad luck?

I won't pretend to definitively know the answer, but it's important that Bo Pelini find an answer because revamping the offense at midseason is a horrible habit to get into. It's great to see this staff making those adjustments when they are necessary, but it shouldn't be necessary to keep making those major adjustments in the middle of the season.

Husker Report Card: NU 10, Oklahoma 3

Husker Mike — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:08:45 -0000

More photos » by Nati Harnik - AP

Prince Amukamara's interception return to the Oklahoma 2 yard line put the Huskers in control of the game. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

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If you love old-fashioned defense, you had to love last night's Nebraska-Oklahoma game. Neither offense was able to get untracked, and it became a battle between defenses. One team tried to be the aggressor on offense, and the other one played a little bit of rope-a-dope. And in the end, it was the team that made fewer mistakes and forced more mistakes that won the game. Both teams are in the top 15 nationally in most defensive categories, so in that light, it's not surprising that we watched that battle unfold under the lights in Lincoln.

QB: Last night's game called for a game manager, not an inexperienced playmaker. Oklahoma sent out an inexperienced playmaker... who threw five picks. Facing a stout defense with your own stout defense, it came down to a battle of who made the least number of mistakes. Early on, I thought that would give Oklahoma an edge because Landry Jones had a little more experience than Cody Green. But after sensing that while Green hadn't made a mistake, he didn't give you the comfort level that wasn't going to happen. Enter Zac Lee, who threw the game winning touchdown pass. He did most everything that he was asked to do, which wasn't much. Could Green have made a game changing play? Absolutely. Could he have made a game changing mistake? Almost certanly, and once Nebraska got into position to win the game, that's a risk Bo Pelini and Shawn Watson couldn't take. Grade: C

IB: I offer Nebraska's biggest, if not only, offensive weapon: Roy Helu. Since Helu injured his shoulder late against Missouri four weeks ago, Nebraska's offense has sputtered. Helu finally felt comfortable and came up with a huge game. He also played smart, staying inbounds to keep the clock running rather than take a chance of going out of bounds and stopping the clock. My only criticism of Helu was an ineffective block that led to a sack of Lee. I still don't think his shoulder is 100%. Grade: A

WR: Nebraska went with double tight ends all night and typically only Niles Paul at receiver. Occasionally Brandon Kinnie or Khiry Cooper came in for fullback Tyler Legate, but the only receiver to catch a pass was Kinnie. The name of the game last night was blocking for the I-backs. Would have liked to see Nebraska try to stretch the field more to open up the running game, but I certainly understand why...and have no complaints about the results. Grade: C-

OL: The Sooners stacked the line and made it very difficult to get the line in flow. Some early penalties by the line didn't help Green in the early going. But every so often, the line created a seam up front to allow Helu to burst into the open. Grade: B-

DL: Ho hum...another Ndamukong Suh blocked field goal. I just don't see what the fuss is all about. Well, people who stare at the stat sheet might consider last night to be a ho-hum performance for the defensive line, but the those who watched the game know how disruptive the line was. Grade: A

LB: Since the Huskers lined up in dime coverage almost all night, this was all Phillip Dillard. And what a night: an interception, a 13 yard sack, and the unenviable task of trying to cover DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown. Grade: A+

Secondary: Larry Asante may have had one of the biggest hits of the game, blasting Adron Tennell to force an incompletion and knocking Tennell to the sideline for much of the game. Ironically, it was Asante who would eventually leave the game with a concussion. Alfonzo Dennard is becoming a star in pass coverage. Then, we get to last night's heroes. Matt O'Hanlon goes out and exorcises the ghosts of a blown coverage at Virginia Tech. 12 tackles and THREE interceptions. And some people still doubt this kid? For shame. I think they're the same idiots that used to criticize Barrett Ruud and Scott Shanle. And then there's Prince Amukamara, who broke up two passes and had the crucial interception that set up Nebraska's touchdown. Nebraska's shut-down corner; you throw at him at your own risk. Grade: A+

Coaching: The defense was ready to play, but the Shawn Watson took the gamble to play ultra-conservative. The play of the Blackshirts made that the correct decision in the end, but it was a risky gamble since playing not to lose is typically not a winning strategy. But considering the Huskers offensive futility the last few weeks, it was the correct decision. Grade: A

Overall: A Oklahoma has lost four games this season: One point losses to a pretty good BYU team and ranked Miami. Three points to Texas. And now, seven points to the Huskers.

Elsewhere in College Football

Iowa: D The fantasy of Iowa being in the BCS mix finally came to an end. Sadly, it took an injury to Ricky Stanzi to burst that balloon.

Missouri: F Somebody send out the ski patrol; Missouri's defense got lost in the Flatirons around Boulder at halftime last week and haven't been seen since.

Notre Dame: F Here's a suggestion on priorities. Start winning games of national prominence, then worry about things like the BCS and Heisman. Then you don't look quite so silly when you fail.

Poll

Rate the Huskers performance against Oklahoma

A Absolutely outstanding! What a huge victory!

63 votes

B Good defense, but the offense is still a concern

176 votes

C About what you expected. Defense carries this team.

52 votes

D Thank goodness Oklahoma's offense is as bad as the Huskers.

18 votes

F Did you see that offense? Phew.

4 votes

313 votes | Poll has closed

Nebraska's Offensive Problems Run Deep

Husker Mike — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:30:24 -0000

More photos » by Jerry Larson - AP

Cody Green might be the most talented quarterback to come to Nebraska in over ten years. (AP Photo/Waco Tribune Herald,Jerry Larson)

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Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson has been fielding a lot of criticism in recent weeks over the play of the Huskers. And while the last few weeks haven't been Watson's finest, I don't think Watson the offensive coordinator deserves much of the blame. Looking over the problems Nebraska is facing, I think Watson's previous role as recruiting coordinator might actually deserve more of the blame. The Husker offense is suffering from a dearth of playmakers, and that's the result of injuries and, believe it or not, poor recruiting.

Steven M. Sipple of the Lincoln Journal-Star raised my eyebrows this afternoon in a radio interview with Kevin Kugler on KOZN radio (1620 AM in Omaha) when he said that he thought "Baylor had better players on offense, even without Robert Griffin." Stop and think about that statement, and let that sink in.

Baylor has more offensive talent than Nebraska?

The first response to that is disbelief, but after you think about it, it's hard to argue with that statement. Granted, injuries to Roy Helu, Rex Burkhead, and finally Dontrayevous Robinson really limited Nebraska offensively in Waco. When you factor in the dismissal of Quentin Castille, nearly every football team in the country would suffer greatly if they lost their top four running backs.

My primary concern is the lack of production at wide receiver. Nebraska started redshirt freshman Khiry Cooper, sophomore junior college transfer Brandon Kinnie, and junior Niles Paul at wide receiver on Saturday. None of those players even appeared in the last spring game (Paul was suspended, Kinnie was still in junior college, and Cooper was playing baseball). That's a whole lot of inexperience out there, and the direct results of recruiting problems.

That's right. Bill Callahan, the coach who was supposed to solve Nebraska's so-called "recruiting problem" might actually have created one instead. Look at his track record after he arrived at Nebraska in finding receivers. Other than Maurice Purify, just who did Callahan attract to Nebraska? Niles Paul is the nephew of Ahman Green, so he likely was going to come to Nebraska regardless. Terrence Nunn and Nate Swift committed to Nebraska prior to Callahan's arrival. Todd Peterson was a walk-on from Grand Island; he probably was coming to Nebraska anyway. Frantz Hardy might be the best name on the list.

With Swift and Peterson gone, Nebraska's offense has struggled and finally bypassed the depth chart to insert Kinnie and Cooper. Inexperienced, yes. But they aren't making the mistakes the older veterans made either.

It's not just wide receiver that's the problem, but receiver is where the problem is most glaring at this time. There are offensive line problems, to be sure, and substitutions aren't in the cards at this time there. This one may take time to unwind: college football doesn't have a waiver wire that allows you to immediately rebuild and start over. The process takes time and effort.

There's a huge difference between recruiting and recruiting ratings. The evaluation of recruiting is an inexact science at best, and the ratings are wrong almost as often, if not more so, than they are right. That doesn't make recruiting overrated, just the evaluation. Only time allows you to evaluate recruiting.

And right now, time is not reflecting well on Bill Callahan's work at Nebraska.

The North in 2010

Bill C. — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:00:31 -0000

The 2009 Big 12 North race is, to say the least, intriguing heading into November, but the way my brain works, I can't help but keep an eye on the future as all of this plays out. And since it's in my head, I might as well type it out too, huh? As November 2009 begins, let's take a look at...2010.

What we're going to do is simple: we're going to take the most recent two-deeps listed on each team's website, remove the seniors, and see what's left. Obviously there will be plenty more analysis to come, but this will be a nice, preliminary peek. I can't help myself.

Missouri

Projected 2010 Depth Chart
QB	Blaine Gabbert (Jr) Jimmy Costello (So)	DE	Jacquies Smith (Jr) Marcus Malbrough (So)
RB	Derrick Washington (Sr) De'Vion Moore (So)	DT	Dominique Hamilton (Jr) Marvin Foster (RSFr)
WR	Jerrell Jackson (Jr) Brandon Gerau (Jr)	DT	Terrell Resonno (Jr) Bart Coslet (Sr)
WR	T.J. Moe (So) Rolandis Woodland (So)	DE	Aldon Smith (So) Brad Madison (So)
WR	Wes Kemp (Jr) Michael Egnew (Jr)	WLB	Zaviar Gooden (So) Donovan Bonner (So)
TE	Andrew Jones (Jr) Beau Brinkley (Jr)	MLB	Will Ebner (Jr) Luke Lambert (Sr)
LT	Elvis Fisher (Jr) Justin Britt (RSFr)	SLB	Andrew Gachkar (Sr) Tyler Crane (Jr)
LG	Austin Wuebbels (Jr) Travis Ruth (So)	CB	Carl Gettis (Sr) Trey Hobson (Jr)
C	Tim Barnes (Sr) J.T. Beasley (Jr)	CB	Kevin Rutland (Sr) Robert Steeples (So)
RG	Jayson Palmgren (Jr) Travis Ruth (So)	FS	Jasper Simmons (Sr) Munir Prince (Sr)
RT	Dan Hoch (Jr) Jack Meiners (So)	SS	Jarrell Harrison (Sr) Kenji Jackson (Jr)

K	Grant Ressel (Jr)	P	Matt Grabner (Jr)
PR	Carl Gettis (Sr)	KR	Jasper Simmons (Sr)

I've got to say, this is the most complete team heading into 2010. Blaine Gabbert will be the most accomplished North QB heading into 2010 and Derrick Washington the second-most accomplished RB. The improved secondary will return just about everybody of importance, and a deep LB corps could be well-positioned to absorb the loss of Sean Weatherspoon with as little drop-off as possible.
Two major question marks: a) who replaces Danario Alexander, and b) who replaces Jaron Baston? Multiple candidates exist to replace Spoon, so that's actually less of a worry, but the WR situation is at least a bit worrisome. Wes Kemp has shown flashes, and if he continues to grow, he could be the deep threat this team needs, but what is it I always say? Until you actually prove it, it's a question mark. Beyond Kemp, guys like Jackson, T.J. Moe (remember him?), Rolandis Woodland, and one of the redshirting freshmen (L'Damian Washington, Jaleel Clark, Kerwin Stricker) will fill out the depth chart, and at least one of them will need to take a step forward.
Of course, you know who else could absorb the loss of Danario? Tight ends. Novel concept, I know.
I really like what I've seen out of Dominique Hamilton recently, but Terrell Resonno seems to have disappeared. Either he or one of the underclassmen (Marvin Foster, Jimmy Burge, George White) will need to raise their game. If somebody competent steps up at WR and DT, this team is loaded.

Colorado

Projected 2010 Depth Chart
QB	Tyler Hansen (Jr) Cody Hawkins (Sr)	DE	Marquez Herrod (Sr) Josh Hartigan (Jr)
RB	Rodney Stewart (Jr) Darrell Scott (Jr)	DT	Curtis Cunningham (Jr) Nate Bonsu (So)
FB	Ryan Deehan (Jr) ?	DT	Will Pericak (So) Conrad Obi (Jr)
WR	Scotty McKnight (Sr) Jason Espinoza (Jr)	DE	Forrest West (So) Nick Kasa (So)
WR	Markques Simas (Jr) Will Jefferson (So)	WLB	Jon Major (So) Tyler Ahles (Jr)
TE	Ryan Deehan? (Jr) ?	MLB	Michael Sipili (Sr) ?
LT	Nate Solder (Sr) Ryan Dannewitz (So)	SLB	B.J. Beatty (Sr) Doug Rippy (So)
LG	Ethan Adkins (Jr) Blake Behrens (Jr)	CB	Jimmy Smith (Sr) ?
C	Keenan Stevens (Sr) Mike Iltis (Jr)	CB	Jalil Brown (Sr) Arthur Jaffee (Jr)
RG	Matthew Bahr (Jr) Max Tuioti-Mariner? (So)	FS	Ray Polk (So) Anthony Perkins (Jr)
RT	Ryan Miller (Jr) Bryce Givens (So)	SS	Travis Sandersfeld (Jr) ?

K	Aric Goodman (Sr)	P	Aric Goodman (Sr)
PR	Jason Espinoza (Jr)	KR	Brian Lockridge (Jr)

I mentioned this past offseason that while Colorado was going to stink in 2009, they might actually be positioning themselves to actually fulfill the role of sleeper that has been foisted upon them for most of the last half-decade. Ironically, they might actually emerge as a sleeper just as everybody finally gives up on them.
Of course, there will still be some major question marks. You know I'm not at all impressed with Rodney "Another Short Gain By" Stewart, and while Scotty McKnight (how is he still an underclassman???) is a great possession guy, he'd be a helluva lot better as a #2 or #3 threat than a #1. Unless Markques Simas finally starts to live up to the potential everybody says he has, this team is still severely lacking at WR, and they're losing both of their top tight ends. (I'm going out of my way not to mention Darrell Scott here, as he...whatever. I have no expectations whatsoever for him at this point, and I'm going to let him surprise me.)
I really like Jimmy Smith at CB, but CU's going to be searching for some replacements in the secondary. Jalil Brown has potential, and Ray Polk is young, but depth could be an issue.
Same can be said for the LB corps. Luckily for CU, they should have a strong D-line to maybe deflect some of the concerns.
If CU really does live up to its annual sleeper reputation, it will be in the trenches, where a struggling O-line will at least have experience on its side, and the D-line could be strong. Then again, after watching CU's O-line attempt to handle MU's improving-but-not-amazing D-line, maybe returning a bunch of these guys might not be a good thing.

Iowa State

Projected 2010 Depth Chart
QB	Austen Arnaud (Sr) Jerome Tiller (So)	DE	Patrick Neal (Jr) ?
RB	Alexander Robinson (Sr) Beau Blankenship (So)	DT	Bailey Johnson (Jr) Stephen Ruempolhamer (Jr)
WR	Jake Williams (Sr) ?	DT	Austin Alburtis (Sr) ?
WR	Sedrick Johnson (Jr) ?	DE	Roosevelt Maggitt (So) Cleyon Lang (So)
WR	Josh Lenz (So) Darius Darks (Jr)	SLB	Jacob Lattimer (Jr) ?
TE	Collin Franklin (Sr) ?	MLB	Matt Tau'fo'ou (Sr) A.J. Klein (So)
LT	Kelechi Osmele (Jr) Brayden Burris (So)	WLB	Jake Knott (So) ?
LG	Alex Alvarez (Sr) Mike Bangston (So)	CB	Leonard Johnson (Jr) Jeremy Reeves (So)
C	Sean Smith (Sr) ?	CB	Jacques Washington (So) ?
RG	Ben Lamaak (Sr) Trey Baysinger (Jr)	FS	Michael O'Connell (Sr) ?
RT	Scott Haughton (Jr) Zack Spears (Jr)	SS	David Sims (Sr) Zac Sandvig (Sr)

K	Grant Mahoney (Jr)	P	?
PR	Leonard Johnson (Jr)	KR	Leonard Johnson (Jr)

So Paul Rhoads' second year in Ames will potentially see a downright strong offense and a thin, depleted, inexperienced defense. I don't want to overstate the offensive potential (the WR situation is iffy, to say the least), but ISU might have the best O-line in the North blocking for what is at least decent skill position talent.
Arnaud vs Tiller. Could be interesting to watch this competition.
Really, if ISU returned just a couple more decent playmakers on defense, I could talk myself into them being a darkhorse contender. But while I do like what Rhoads has done with the talent on hand this year, I just can't figure they'll be that great next year. They will need another year or two of Rhoads developing his own recruits before I feel a lot more comfortable about the potential of their program.

Kansas

Projected 2010 Depth Chart
QB	Kale Pick (So) ?	DE	Jake Laptad (Sr) ?
RB	Toben Opurum (So) ?	DT	Jamal Greene (Sr) ?
WR	Dezmon Briscoe?? (Sr) ?	DT	John Williams (So) Richard Johnson (Jr)
WR	Johnathan Wilson (Sr) Tertavian Ingram (Sr)	DE	Quintin Woods (Sr) ?
WR	Bradley McDougald (So) Chris Omigie (So)	SLB	Justin Springer (Sr) ?
TE	Tim Biere (Jr) Ted McNulty (Jr)	MLB	Drew Dudley (Sr) ?
LT	Tanner Hawkinson (So) Ian Wolfe (Sr)	WLB	Huldon Tharp (So) ?
LG	Brad Thorson (Sr) Carl Wilson (Sr)	CB	D.J. Beshears (So) Daymond Patterson (Jr)
C	Jeremiah Hatch (Jr) Brad Thorson (Sr)	CB	Chris Harris (Sr) Calvin Rubles (Sr)
RG	Sal Capra (Sr) Trevor Marrongelli (So)	FS	Lubbock Smith (So) ?
RT	Jeff Spikes (Jr) Michael Martinovich (Jr)	SS	Phil Strozier (Sr) ?

K	Jacob Branstetter (Sr)	P	Alonso Rojas (Sr)
PR	Daymond Patterson (Jr)	KR	Bradley McDougald (So)

So KU's biggest question mark (offensive line) will return completely intact next year, while most of the known skill position talent disappears. I listed Dez Briscoe on the two-deep above, but I've got to be honest: I'm about 92% sure he's going pro this year. His stats are ridiculous, he's got decent NFL size, he's been suspended for academic reasons, and supposedly he was tied to those football-vs-basketball brawls earlier in the year. That's not a recipe for someone who's going to go out of his way to stick around campus for another season.
Without Briscoe, I have to figure this is going to be a run-heavy offense next year. Kale Pick's got a lot to prove, but with Toben Opurum and an experienced line, they might (might) be able to rely on the run. Then again, they'll still need some sort of passing attack, and...who will be the #1 receiver? Johnathan Wilson, I guess? Color me unafraid.
I'm not even going to try to figure out if KU's D is going to be any good. They've improved recently, but they lose Darrell Stuckey and two linemen, and the depth from LB corps vanishes. I assume this will be a decent unit, and really you can start to maybe see the identity KU might be going with--defense first, run-heavy, grind it out.

Kansas State

Projected 2010 Depth Chart
QB	Carson Coffman (Sr) ?	DE	Brandon Harold (Jr) ?
RB	Daniel Thomas (Sr) ?	DT	Prizell Brown (Sr) ?
FB	Braden Wilson (So) Lucas Hamm (Sr)	DT	Raphael Guidry (Jr) ?
WR	Lamark Brown (Sr) ?	DE	Antonio Felder (Sr) Joseph Kassanavoid (So)
WR	Collin Klein (So) Chris Harper (So)	LB	Kevin Rohleder (Sr) ?
TE	Travis Tannahill (So) ?	LB	Alex Hrebec (Jr) ?
LT	Zach Hanson (Jr) ?	LB	Troy Butler (Sr) Thomas Ferguson (So)
LG	Zach Kendall (Sr) Trevor Viers (Sr)	CB	Joshua Moore (Sr) Darious Thomas (So)
C	Wade Weibert (Sr) ?	CB	Stephen Harrison (Sr) David Garrett (Jr)
RG	Kenneth Mayfield (Sr) Colten Freeze (Jr)	FS	Emmanuel Lamur (Jr) ?
RT	Clyde Aufner (Jr) Ethan Douglas (So)	SS	Tysyn Hartman (Jr) Torrell Miller (So)

K	Josh Cherry (Sr)	P	Ryan Doerr (So)
PR	Tysyn Hartman (Jr)	KR	Daniel Thomas (Sr)

Like Kansas, this looks to be a pretty run-heavy, can't-pass-on-them team, with Daniel Thomas running behind a super-experienced line and a well-coached defense that is iffy in the front seven but stout in the secondary. In other words, this looks like a Bill Snyder team (sans the All-American linebackers). We've made a big deal out of the fact that they're losing about 35 seniors this year (and that's only a slight exaggeration), and that will absolutely murder their depth, but if they stay reasonably healthy, the Snyder identity might be able to take shape a bit more.
Now, I say they'll have a good secondary...I'm still unsure about how good the secondary is now, but returning all four current starters certainly suggests decent improvement for next year.
I believe I heard that Chris Harper is moving to WR instead of competing at QB, right?

Nebraska

Projected 2010 Depth Chart
QB	Cody Green (So) Zac Lee (Sr)	DE	Cameron Meredith (So) Josh Williams (So)
RB	Roy Helu, Jr. (Sr) Rex Burkhead (So)	DT	Baker Steinkuhler (So) Terrence Moore (Jr)
FB	Tyler Legate (So) Mike Hays (Jr)	DT	Jared Crick (Jr) ?
WR	Niles Paul (Sr) Antonio Bell (So)	DE	Pierre Allen (Sr) ?
WR	Curenski Gilleylen (Jr) Khiry Cooper (So)	Will	Blake Lawrence (Sr) Matthew May (Jr)
TE	Mike McNeill (Sr) Dreu Young (Sr)	Mike	Will Compton (So) Micah Kreikemeier (So)
LT	Mike Smith (Sr) ?	Buck	Sean Fisher (So) Eric Martin (So)
LG	Keith Williams (Sr) ?	CB	Prince Amukamara (Sr) Dejon Gomes (Sr)
C	Mike Caputo (Jr) ?	CB	Anthony West (Sr) Alfonzo Dennard (Jr)
RG	Ricky Henry (Sr) ?	FS	Eric Hagg (Sr) Austin Cassidy (Jr)
RT	Marcel Jones (Jr) D.J. Jones (Sr)	SS	P.J. Smith (So) Courtney Osborne (So)

K	Alex Henery (Sr)	P	Alex Henery (Sr)
PR	Niles Paul (Sr)	KR	Niles Paul (Sr)

How the hell is Pierre Allen still an underclassman? I was completely convinced that both he and Barry Turner were seniors, but I guess not.
Next question: how much of Nebraska's defensive identity is grounded in Ndamukong Suh? He and Turner depart, but will Allen and the stout Jared Crick be able to keep the great D-line play coming? And how much of Crick's success is due to offenses' fear of Suh?
The shine is quickly wearing off of Roy Helu, Jr., but he does return next year (lord knows he's not going pro), and with yet another experienced O-line, NU should be able to run the ball pretty well. That will obviously take some pressure off of Cody Green if Green is not, after all, ready to be NU's savior.
I really like what NU has returning at CB, but...safety? I think I like their second-string CBs more than their first string safeties. Will be interesting to see if there's some position shifting when all is said and done.

As a Missouri fan, I look at this information and quickly conclude that Missouri will be the 2010 favorite, and really I'd say I have pretty good basis in fact for that opinion. That said, Nebraska is intriguing, and even though K-State is not a stat-friendly team (I've already accepted that they're better than the stats say--I just can't figure out how much better), Bill Snyder really might get them back into the hunt despite the youth and lack of depth. Colorado could be interesting depending on who the head coach is (ahem), Kansas has recruited well and will see plenty of talented-but-young players hitting the field, and Iowa State might have the best offensive line in the division. I'd like to think Missouri might run away with this thing, and I'm sure it could happen (the trip to Lincoln aside), but with five of six North teams (all but Kansas) looking potentially better next year than this year, we might have another fun race on our hands.

Keys to Victory Over Baylor, Revisited

Jon Johnston — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:44:02 -0000

More photos » by Jerry Larson - AP

He got the start. Is everyone happy?

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Nebraska comes up with a must win over Baylor and there is much gnashing of teeth throughout the land. I have to admit, I don't understand the angst. Husker fans got their wish when Cody Green got the start over Zac Lee, the first true freshman to start at quarterback since Tommie Frazier took the reigns in 1992.

Freshman receiver Khiry Cooper got his first start as well. Another true freshman, Dontraveous (Tray) Robinson looked pretty good running the ball until an injury in the second half ended his day. If that weren't enough, a true freshman, Eric Martin, blocked a punt that was returned for a touchdown by (gasp!) freshman Justin Blatchford. You sense a theme here?

Fans tend have a video game mentality when it comes to watching young players. In other words, they believe that swapping one player with another doesn't much much of a difference. Unfortunately, it's the same as any other skill, it takes time to get good. You're not the same at your job as you were when you just started, right? Why, then, should anything different be expected from the football team?

Friday I posted the weekly keys to victory article regarding Baylor. This is an examination of how we did in those key areas.

Find A Leader:

Here's What I Said:

You might say we're searching for playmakers, but that would only be partially correct. What we're searching for is someone who wants to lead.

Not all playmakers are leaders, but all leaders are playmakers. They're the guys who make the tough catches on third down to keep the offense going or make an extra block to spring someone else for a long gain. They're the guys who the team looks to for strength and confidence when everyone's is wavering. Name the Nebraska player who does this on offense and you quickly understand what's missing because there isn't one.

Cody Green rushed eight times for 43 yards and 12 of 21 for 128 yards passing. In the first half he was six-of-nine for 85 yards. Second half - not so great. He had an interception returned for a touchdown. That sounds typical of a true freshman starting for the first time, doesn't it?

Green's first rush picked up a first down to keep a drive going, a play that was missing from Zac Lee's repertoire most of the season. His 45-yard pass to Niles Paul to set up Nebraska's second touchdown was a beautiful throw.

Robinson looked great running the ball. Khiry Cooper tied with him in leading the team with receptions. The best reception of the day, however, came from Martin to Blatchford on a blocked punt to start the day.

Bottom line - Nebraska found some leaders. Now it's only a matter of how quickly they can improve. I have no intention of writing off this season, but if this doesn't make you feel good about the future, then I don't know what to tell you.

Wear ‘Em Out

Here's What I Said:

Wouldn't it be nice to see a strong running game (not necessarily a power running game, mind you) that could sustain drives, picking up third downs, and eventually wearing a weaker Bear team out by the end of the game?

It would warm the hearts of Husker fans everywhere. Make it happen without excuses about what the defense did or didn't give you.

The Huskers ran the ball 38 times while attempting 21 passes. For those (like me) who wanted to see more emphasis on the run game, we got it. Unfortunately the ground game gained only 145 yards and had a 3.8 yard per carry average. That's not earth-shattering by any means.

The one series that bugs the hell out of me came right after Green's interception was returned for a touchdown. Green and Robinson combine on consecutive rushes for 24 yards and it looks like the ground game is going well. On a second-and-one, Ricky Henry completely misses his block and Austin Jones gets buried for no gain. Next play, Henry picks up a false start, making it a difficult conversion.

A Green to Niles Paul pass converts first down. On the first down play, Jacob Hickman gets called for holding, and we move to first-and-20. The next two plays, Green and Jones rush for a combined 11 yards, then Khiry Cooper drops a pass and Nebraska is forced to punt.

The offense committed zero penalties in the first half. Then they commit two in a single drive. The result is a lack of success. More than halfway through the season, and there's still inconsistency. Turn that around, and we have a good football team.

No Big Plays On Defense

Here's What I Said:

The defense is playing very well, but given how poor the offense has done they have no margin for error. Stop giving up the big plays and the Huskers win all their games the rest of the season. Is that too much to ask?

That 40-yard pass from Baylor's Nick Florence to David Gettis right after Cody Green's fumble had to make you say "Oh, not again!", but Baylor was unable to capitalize after Ben Parks missed a field goal.

Then after three Lester Ward rushes failed to gain a first down, it's Florence to Gettis again, for 41 yards this time. Again, Baylor failed to capitalize after failing to convert a fourth down.

The secondary play in the fourth quarter (after Alfonzo Dennard's injury) was discouraging. I don't know what it is about this defense that they consistently give up big plays, but if they do this against Oklahoma, they'll get killed.

Nebraska vs Baylor - Postgame Overreaction: Positivity Ain't That Hard To Find!

Jon Johnston — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 01:31:20 -0000

More photos » by Jerry Larson - AP

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Cobby woke up for a bit and here's what he told me:

My corny-sense tells me there is much negativity throughout Corn Nation. I can feel it now, yet it was not there in the first half! How can it be that such a mood swing happens in so short a time?

It is because of such feelings I feel compelled to be positive. To bring good tidings to you and your kind even though it seems a little early to cash it all in on the season when we don't know what the future brings.

It is not that I won't be critical when it's called for, if you doubt me, stop by for a game day thread. But I am as always a contrarian. There's a lot of positive to take away from this game, and that's where I'm going:

- It was a youth movement on offense. Cody Green got his first start, as did Khiry Cooper. We saw a lot of youth on offense, as Dontrayevous Robinson (D-Rob, D-Tray, Tray-Rob, all suggestions for a nickname, vote!) played a lot of this game. The offense actually fell down when (guy for whom I'd like a nickname) left the game. Kind of like losing Rex Burkhead, eh?

- Kyler Reed made a great play then left, Ben Cotton played, Lester Ward finally got some carries, and Brandon Kinnie got some time. Khiry Cooper made some plays.

- Holy Cow! That's a whole bunch of young ‘uns!!!

- In his first series, Cody Green made a play that Zac Lee could not or would not make when he scrambled for a first down. His long pass play to Niles Paul was a thing of beauty, wasn't it?

- Alfonzo Dennard. Why didn't I think much of him? I don't know, but after he was hurt, wow, the secondary was a lot worse than it was with him in there.

- Ricky Henry. Oh, dude. If you ever decide to play every down and get a brain, you'll be great. You're either dependable or a liability. And right now, you're a liability. Unfortunately, you must be the best right guard we have. Am I picking on Henry? Yes. Why? Because after hearing about how fiery he is, I expect greatness. Step it up, Ricky, you sluggard.

- I'm surprised that Zac Lee didn't play. I'm equally surprised Roy Helu continued to be put in the game. Rest the guy, get him ready for bigger games.

- Husker fans got what we asked for. Cody Green started. Young players played. The offense didn't play well in the second half. As fans, what did we expect? Perfect execution from the youngest guys on the team? If you did, then let me ask you this - when you started your job, did you do everything right the first week? Did you replace someone else who was fired for sucking? If you understand where I'm going here - then you get it. If you don't, then I can't help you. I can't. You're going to be angry and upset because we didn't win by 40 and there's not a damned thing anyone can do for you.

- What you will not see from me is this - no predictions for who's winning the Big 12 North the rest of the season. I'm going to take the same approach that the coaches ask from the team - take it one game at a time.

- After saying that, I have to say this: the Big 12 North is nuts. It's completely unpredictable and with today's win, Nebraska is in it. With a loss, we'd be out of it. So take heart, dammit!

We won this week! Forget that it was "Baylor". It's a win. Be Happy! That is my suggestion for you, Husker fan.

Next week's opponent is Oklahoma. If you think they'll kill us, if you think they'll destroy us, I'm going to tell you you're wrong. It will be a game, but don't think about it just yet. Wait ‘til Wednesday to start yer bitching.

Poll

What Should We Be Calling Dontraveyous Robinson? (We're getting big on nicknames)

tray - it's what his teammates call him, and that's good enough

119 votes

D-Tray

16 votes

D-Rob

9 votes

Tray-Rob

5 votes

what does his Mom call him? Go with that!

37 votes

186 votes | Poll has closed

Nebraska's Keys to Victory Over Baylor

Jon Johnston — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:00:41 -0000

More photos » by Dave Weaver - AP

Khiry Cooper earns a start this week. Could he be a key in a victory over Baylor?

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I hate the idea of a "must win" game but if there's been one in the past few seasons, this is it. Lose to Baylor and you can kiss Nebraska's goal of winning the Big 12 North good bye. I'm sure that's on the minds of many Husker fans today, so the best advice I can give you is to stop having expectations and just let things happen. Enjoy the ride, one way or another and have some faith that things will work out okay.

I feel pretty positive about this game, which isn't that difficult to understand because it's Baylor. What is easy to forget that Nebraska was 4-3 at this same time last season yet went on to have a pretty good year. The same thing can happen this year, perhaps Baylor is the game where it all comes together.

There is good news. I stated last week that we would continue to make "Eliminate The Stupid" a key until the team, particularly the offensive line, would eliminate mistakes. Discounting the turnovers (as if that can be done), the offensive line committed only three penalties and if they can keep that up they'll be fine.

Nothing not obvious - the rest of the offense needs to find itself in a hurry.

BTW, if you expect "turnovers" to be one of the keys, you'll be disappointed. Despite the huge swing in turnover margin because of last week, turnovers are a given in every game. Nebraska gave up a ton all at once, while Baylor hasn't gained even one in Big 12 play.

Find A Leader

Bo Pelini talked this past week about finding a spark on offense and the need for someone to step up. He's also talked about a lot of changes on offense. Last week as one of the keys I mentioned finding the right combination of players. You might say we're searching for playmakers, but that would only be partially correct. What we're searching for is someone who wants to lead.

Not all playmakers are leaders, but all leaders are playmakers. They're the guys who make the tough catches on third down to keep the offense going or make an extra block to spring someone else for a long gain. They're the guys who the team looks to for strength and confidence when everyone's is wavering. Name the Nebraska player who does this on offense and you quickly understand what's missing because there isn't one.

With so many balls being dropped by receivers last week, Khiry Cooper will get his first start this week. That should be a sign we'll see more of Brandon Kinnie and Antonio Bell. If the older guys aren't going to become leaders, then it's time to find someone in the younger ranks.

Husker running back Roy Helu looked like he might fit the role, but last week only had a few carries and two fumbles. Helu said he wasn't injured. Pelini said he wasn't injured. Fans continue to disbelieve the both of them and in the process make excuses for Helu because they know the spark he can bring to the game, or because they believed that he would lead the offense and it's clear now that he will not. Given that, we'll be seeing more of Dontrayevous Robinson this week, maybe with more of Marcus Mendoza and either Lester Ward or Collins Okakor. Again, time to find "the guy".

Note that this isn't all about t the starting quarterback. The starting quarterback position has become somewhat of a sideshow, but whether it's Cody Green or Zac Lee doesn't matter, both are simply included amongst the possibilities.

Wear ‘Em Out

The concept of establishing an offensive identity has been worn out this season. Even the playcalling has been inconsistent, leading to Nebraska's inability to establish a dominant running game. We've been repeatedly told that defenses have stacked the line, yet near the end of the Missouri game we saw an offense that sealed the game with a strong drive based on the run.

Baylor is still Baylor in the fact that they don't have solid depth across the entire team. Wouldn't it be nice to see a strong running game (not necessarily a power running game, mind you) that could sustain drives, picking up third downs, and eventually wearing a weaker Bear team out by the end of the game?

It would warm the hearts of Husker fans everywhere. Make it happen without excuses about what the defense did or didn't give you.

No Big Plays On Defense

Nothing fancy here. The defense holds Baylor to less than ten point by eliminating the big play. Two of Nebraska's losses can be attributed to single mistakes. The Virginia Tech game came down to an 84-yard pass play in which Hokie receiver Danny Coale got behind Matt O'Hanlon. Iowa State scored their sole touchdown because of a 47-yard pass play from Jerome Tiller to Jake Williams when Eric Hagg got turned around and couldn't find the ball. That happened one play after the Huskers gave up 20 yards and a first down on a fake punt by Iowa State.

The defense is playing very well, but given how poor the offense has done they have no margin for error. Stop giving up the big plays and the Huskers win all their games the rest of the season. Is that too much to ask?

A question for all y'all - what do you want to see happen most?

Husker Report Card: Texas Tech

Husker Mike — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:47:42 -0000

More photos » by Nati Harnik - AP

Texas Tech lineback Daniel Howard shows Zac Lee how to move a team downfield.(AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

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Almost as fun as watching games like yesterday's 31-10 loss to Texas Tech is doing the post-game report card. I think I'll probably enjoy my upcoming visits to the doctor and dentist more. A lot has been said yesterday and today about the Huskers performance, and I'm trying to keep an open mind on what the problems are. As usual, your opinions are welcome and hopefully we'll find something to agree on.

This week's report card is going to be formatted different than usual, in that I'm going to go from areas of greatest concern to areas of lesser concern. Yep...that's right, we're saving Suh for last.

OL: It's been often said that it all starts up front...and yesterday, it never got out of neutral. The tackles were ill-able to deal with the wide splits employed by the Raider defensive ends, and they came hard from the outside to pressure Zac Lee. I tried to remember bad plays by offensive linemen, but after a while, I lost track as there were so many. I had no intention to sit there and take notes in the stands for this, and that's the last thing I want to do. Adding insult to injury was all of the penalties. I'm going to give Ricky Henry a bit of a pass on his personal foul penalty; it was a dumb, dumb move that really hurt the team, but it might have been the most aggression we saw out of this bunch yesterday. The grade: F

IB: This isn't an indictment of the I-backs, but rather a reflection of the lack of depth at running back. Roy Helu was forced to improvise so much, I expected Drew Carey to appear at times on the HuskerVision screen to offer up another wacky scenario. "Whose Line is it Anyway?" Unfortunately, it's ours. Now that Rex Burkhead is out and Helu continues to be plagued by shoulder problems (labeled "chronic" by Shawn Watson), where do the Huskers turn next? Austin Jones was completely ineffective, though Marcus Mendoza did ok late as Nebraska went to the air. One curious decision this week was to burn the redshirt of Dontrayevous Robinson on special teams. He entered the mix last week, and if you were going to play him, why not get him on the field at I-back? The grade: Incomplete. Helu would have gotten a B if he could have finished the game.

WR: With the depth problems at I-back limiting the running game, you had to hope that the receivers would step up their game. And they didn't. Niles Paul had a devastating mental error by failing to realize his fumble wasn't an incomplete pass. Lee needed his receivers to break free to open up the game...and they didn't for the most part, with the exception of Chris Brooks. This spring, we raved about the depth at tight end, and I just don't understand why the offense doesn't try to use the tight ends more. Mike McNeill is a proven weapon, and Kyler Reed and Ben Cotton look potent as receivers as well. But for yesterday, these guys get a big F.

QB: The biggest criticism I have about Zac Lee's performance yesterday is that his longest throw of the day also was his final throw; out the back of the end zone on 4th and goal. All day long, it was short routes and screen passes, never challenging the secondary. Whether that was by design, or because Lee wasn't reading his receivers and the defense correctly, or if the receivers weren't getting open isn't known...and is only known by the team. Lee had some nice bootleg runs that gained positive yards, but he still showed a knack of being hesitant at scrambling. He fired one throw and third and short that ended up incomplete when he could have continued upfield and easily gained 10 yards plus the first down. Horrible decision that brought the punt team onto the field. But later in the second half, he ducked up field, got stopped two yards short of a first down, then turned and lunged to get the first down. Great run and great second effort...but too little, too late. Cody Green came in, and I hate to tell the fans clammoring for Green to start next week that Green played worse than Lee yesterday. Green did find Khiry Cooper for Nebraska's lone touchdown, which was a positive. He could have had another touchdown if Curenski Gilleylen could have hauled in that long pass, but that pass was tipped twice by Tech. A lucky bounce could have resulted in a touchdown because of a poor throw that really should have been intercepted. Another bad call erased yet another Green interception. Should Green start next week? Not on the basis of this week's performance, but perhaps in another context. I would assume that coaching staff is going to reevaluate their offensive approach and figure out what this team does best. If Cody Green better fits that approach, then Green should start. If Zac Lee better fits that approach, then Lee should start. The grade for the two quarterbacks: D

Secondary: On some of those quick strikes, it's almost impossible to defend unless the defender is locked up early on the route, which runs the risk of getting burned later. Certainly that explains some of the yardage on the early drive. Later drives were assisted by defensive misplays, especially right before halftime. Pass interference calls against the secondary helped Tech score two touchdowns as well. Not a stellar performance, but not horrible either. Grade: B-

Linebacker: Will Compton misplayed Baron Batch on Tech's opening touchdown, and was replaced by Phillip Dillard, who played great the rest of the way, except when he jammed his hand. But in the dime package, linebackers were off the field most of the day. Grade: A-

Defensive Line: I don't know what else the line could have done. Steven Sheffield was most effective when he was firing immediately after the snap, as the Tech offensive line was in full retreat dealing with Ndamukong Suh and company. The wide splits left some gaps late in the game on running plays, but the defensive line was playing outstanding yesterday, with the exception of a few penalties. Grade: A-

Overall: F The defense did much of their job yesterday, holding Tech to 259 yards. But the completely nonexistant offense made this a failing grade.

Elsewhere in College Football

Kansas: F The Jayhawks somehow found a way to lose to Colorado. Is the North this bad?

Missouri: D+ Well, the least embarassing loss by a North team, for what it's worth.

Kansas State: A+ Holy cow...where did THAT come from?

Texas A&M: 0 Mike Sherman = Bill Callahan 2.0 .

Iowa: A The Squawkeyes don't pass the eyeball test for a top-ten team...but they haven't had the massive inexplicable screwup like most of the other contenders. They are this year's Penn State: undeserving of their spot in the ratings, but there by default.

College Football on TV: A Let's face it, if you didn't have a vested interested in a game, there were great battles all over the place yesterday with upsets a plenty. Great drama and excitement wherever you turned the dial.

Poll

Rather than rate the overall performance of the Huskers, which position is Nebraska's greatest concern.

Offensive Line. It all starts up front and without some production out front, it doesn't matter who else is playing.

186 votes

I-Back. Somebody needs to emerge other than Roy Helu.

6 votes

Wide Receiver. Flashes of brilliance...and long stretches of mediocrity.

25 votes

Quarterback: They are the leaders on the field, and this is a leadership issue.

98 votes

Secondary: Needed to force a turnover yesterday, and didn't.

0 votes

Linebacker: Could have prevented Tech's first touchdown.

0 votes

Defensive Line: If Suh would have just sacked Sheffield on every play, we wouldn't have had to worry about the offense!

10 votes

325 votes | Poll has closed

Nebraska vs. Texas Tech Postgame Overreaction -Reset The Season

Jon Johnston — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 01:02:52 -0000

More photos » by Dave Weaver - AP

Yeah. That's so me. So you?

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Just so you know, this is actually an overreaction. In the past few weeks, I've tried to do more actual analysis, taking a look at the game and how it happened. Not today (Zerg). This is a complete overreaction. It is. I wouldn't lie to you.

Today I'm especially disgusted, as you should be, by the performance of the Husker offense.

Bottom line - we sucked. Offensively we sucked in nearly every part of the game, and there is plenty of suck to go around. Let's get something straight - if we're going to cheer Husker heroes when we're winning, we should be prepared to beat on them a little bit when they suck. And suck they did.

- This one can be chalked up to taking it for granted. Niles Paul drops a pass that's a lateral, watches it roll while Tech picks it up to run for a free touchdown. The stupidity of that play cannot be described here. I'm sure Bo Pelini has described it to someone.... well, probably everyone on that team. And well he should, because it doesn't fit with his philosophy - play all the time, every time, and we win.

- We saw a reset today. Cody Green replaced Zac Lee, and it wasn't in garbage time. The only touchdown of the game came from Green to Khiry Cooper. Oh, don't recognize those names? Whatever. Who starts next week at QB and WR?

- Hey, nice job Ricky Henry! So, that's what they mean by "fiery" - hitting people after the whistle has stopped. Good job of costing us the red zone. If you're the best right guard we have, we are totally screwed in the running game. Do us the favor of having a brain transplant or not seeing the field again.

- And sticking with Henry.... this is a subject I want to avoid - Barney Cotton as offensive line coach. I tend to believe professionals make better choices than I would, but holy crap, can this offensive line suck much worse than they already do? What the hell is Cotton teaching them? To stand around watching guys get tackled?

- Defense - can you be blamed much? Hmmmm.. no. Early on, the 7-for-7 for 93 yards that Sheffield had can be excused on luck and coaching. But the rest? Let's give it up for Texas Tech -their quarterback Sheffield played very well, as did their receivers.

- Bottom line - we're going to watch the Nebraska media this week beat the shit out of Shawn Watson. They already started it last week, so they're going to start piling on more this week. Heads up - I like Shawn Watson. I like his offense. I like multiple. Other coaches, like maybe the guy who's in charge of the line - not so much maybe. That's not Shawn Watson's fault. It's Pelini's call as to who coaches the line. Not Watson. Keep that in mind.