SB Nation - Zac Lee

Morning Coffee: Sunshine Pumping Edition

GhostofBigRoy — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:24:37 -0000

More photos » by Tony Gutierrez - AP

As mentioned in Sunday's Celebration and Reflection post, there is plenty of time for worrying about what went wrong against Nebraska and what could possibly go wrong against Alabama. In that spirit, here's a sunshine pumping edition of Morning Coffee focusing on the positives.

Eyes on the prize. For the Texas football team, there were three goals for the season -- winning the Big 12 South, winning the Big 12 championship game, and then making it to Pasadena to play for the national championship. With the weak schedule, each goal became absolutely necessary to reach the next. A loss in conference play might not have kept Texas out of the championship game for the Big 12, but it would have kept them from having a chance at Pasadena.

My oponent preview for The Eyes of Texas magazine this summer was entitled "Expect Perfection" -- that's been the narrative the entire season. In fact, that was the narrative even stretching back to last season, the reason why all that success seemed like such a bonus. Texas fans are famous for outsized expectations, but how could there be more pressure than for a fanbase to expect a berth in the national championship game for two full seasons? For anything less than perfection to be a monumental disappointment?

Even though this post will focus on the positives of the Nebraska game and future posts will analyze the numerous breakdowns, ultimately the eyes of Texas rest on the ultimate prize -- that crystal football. The parallels to the last Texas appearance in the Rose Bowl are significant and could grow even more pronounced if Colt McCoy loses the Heisman to Mark Ingram this weekend. Like USC, Alabama is highly favored in the game, with pundits across the country writing off the chances of the Longhorns, just as they did in 2005. Like the 2005 team, these Longhorns are led by an experienced quarterback, one of the greatest in the history of the program, and backed by defenses filled with future NFL players. The visit to Pasadena will seemingly complete the cycle, as McCoy will fulfill the trust that Vince Young put in him when Young told McCoy he would be the next quarterback at Texas before trotting onto the field to win the national championship. The symmetry is perfect, just like this season.

The bottom line is this -- in the only two close games this season, Texas found ways to win, the ultimate mark of a champion. There was no room for imperfection, the disappointment of a loss too great to even fathom. So they did not lose and now have a chance to win it all.

The clutch kicker. Throughout most of the season, the reliability of Hunter Lawrence seemed like a bonus, a luxury even -- just a way to keep putting points on the board even if the offense stalled on a long drive, the guy who would maintain momentum with his solid kicking. Against Oklahoma, he hit all three of his field goals, including twice from 42 yards, each kick crucial to the eventual win. For Texas fans, it was heartening -- proof that the kicker would be reliable in a big game in the distant future. Most believed that if Lawrence was going to kick a game-winning field goal, it would be on the biggest of stages in the Rose Bowl.

Except fate wrote a different script -- the struggling Texas offense, stymied all evening by Ndamukong Suh and a swarming horde of defensive backs, used two big Nebraska penalties to move into field goal range down by a single point, then nearly ran all the time off the clock because the four-year starter at quarterback didn't know that the clock doesn't stop on a ball thrown out of bounds until it hits something. Hardly a chip shot, the subsequent kick was the most pressure-packed of Lawrence's life. To top it all, the senior kicker would attempt the first game-winning kick of his collegiate career.

A miss would mean a lifetime of ignominy, known as the sorry kicker who cost the Longhorns a chance at a crystal football. A make would mean a place in Longhorn lore among the all-time greats, a lifetime of congratulations from strangers and free drinks at the bar. Only this wasn't a chip-shot field goal, it was a 46 yarder, a distance from which even the best kickers in the NFL are not automatic. Hell, the Redskins lost to the Saints this weekend because their kicker, now unemployed, shanked a 23 yarder, the type of kick random fans make at halftime promotions every weekend across the country.

Not only that, but the big Nebraska line stood in the way, responsible for five blocked kicks on the season, with Suh repsonsible for three himself. Perhaps cognizant of their position on the right side of the Texas line and despite kicking from the left hash, Lawrence angled the kick left, wide of the beefy hands raised to deflect it, to destroy the Texas title hopes. Left just far enough, but not too far, with just enough draw to bring it back right to sneak through the left upright with only inches to spare.

In the ensuing celebration, Lawrence found himself at the bottom of a exultant dogpile, then lofted on the shoulders of his teammates as the Longhorn nation let loose with a hearty exhale. Though the game may have ultimately been unsatisfying, there could be no doubt that Lawrence had proved his mettle in the most clutch of situations, making sure that if there is a next time for such a kick, it will be on the biggest of stages. And the anxiety for Texas fans will be much less pronounced -- after all, Hunter Lawrence has done this before.

Malcolm Williams and a double move. The big sophomore receiver didn't have a particularly high number of catches against Nebraska, but each of his three was important in the context of when they occurred -- the first catch, for 16 yards, picked up a first down to move Texas deep into Nebraska territory on the drive that resulted in the only touchdown of the game, the second catch came as McCoy was under pressure on the long drive that ended with Dejon Gomes taking the ball from Dan Buckner, and the final catch came on 3rd and 16 on the same drive with McCoy under pressure again. All three catches came with a defender in his face and all three were difficult. In pressure moments, Williams made the catches.

In a game when the Longhorn receivers had trouble getting separation, it was Williams who most consistently was able to beat press man coverage by getting inside releases on two of his catches. On the third, he paused in his stride and gave just enough of a shake to get the defender to bite on the hitch and, had McCoy had time to set his feet and deliver the ball downfield, beat the defender enough to pick up a huge gain on the play. The concern on the part of the Nebraska cornerbacks to match his physicality with physical play of their own also led to a pass interefence penalty, as the Husker corner had his hands on Williams trying to push him towards the sideline after McCoy had released the ball.

And it could have been an even bigger day -- Williams got behind a Nebraska defender on another third-down play, but McCoy threw the ball out of bounds, failing to give his open receiver a chance to make a play on the ball. Unlike the smaller Texas receivers, Williams is better suited to beating press coverage, using his strength to get off the line of scrimmage and when he does get an inside release, he can screen defenders with his size. When McCoy is under pressure, the ability to throw the football up for Williams to go get it makes him a security blanket for the senior quarterback almost on par with Jordan Shipley.

Shovel passes, quarterback draws, and a zone read. It was an astounding sight. On the second play from scrimmage, following a terrible chop block penalty on Chris Hall (one of two such terrible calls on the night), Greg Davis dialed up a shovel pass to Tre' Newton and it worked, picking up 25 yards, perhaps the first time in years that Davis not only called it at the right time, but that the Longhorns executed it correctly, with Hall getting downfield and delivering a block. Twice more Davis called the play and twice more it worked. Against a defense with aggresive defensive tackles trying to get upfield, using the shovel pass was some of Davis' best work in the game.

Likewise, with the Nebraska defensive tackles getting upfield and the linebackers either bailing out into coverage or not on the field at all, the quarterback draw was also an effective play for Texas, as McCoy scored the only touchdown of the game on the play and picked up positive yardage every other time the Longhorns called it with the exception of the final drive when the Texas was already in field goal range. Besides the shovel pass, one of the few other positive plays early in the game was a zone read McCoy kept for a 14-yard gain, but only called one other time. In fact, besides an eight-yard run by Newton, all the other runs of eight yards or more came from McCoy.

Looking back, Davis probably should have called the quarterback draw and used the zone read more often because the zone play and counter were not particularly effective in the game and power was only slightly better. One of the benefits of running the zone read is that the inside zone play becomes more effective because it puts doubt into the mind of the defenders, particularly the backside defensive end and linebacker and giving the offensive line better numbers and an extra combo block. Since Nebraska contained McCoy in the pocket on passing plays, the called runs were the only way use McCoy's legs and his legs were the most effective weapon for the Texas running game.

Playmaking defense. It's been a theme all season, so it's no surprise that the Texas defenders were able to make plays in big moments, particularly the secondary. The Nebraska offensive plan revolved around setting up play-action passes downfield with their running game and mixing in some screens, but the Longhorns never sold out to stop the run, instead controlling the line of scrimmage with the front four and strong play from Keenan Robinson, Roddrick Muckelroy, and Emmanuel Acho, while keeping the secondary back to take away deep passes.

On the first attempt downfield, Blake Gideon intercepted a Zac Lee pass thrown too far inside and with too much air under it. Then, after Nebraska blocked Justin Tucker's punt at the start of the second quarter, the Huskers took a shot at the end zone, but unfortunately decided to pick on Aaron Williams, who intercepted another pass with too much air under it, perhaps keeping points off the board -- Nebraska needed only a handful of yards on that drive to reach field goal range. In the third quarter, Muckelroy's interception, only the second of his career, helped the Longhorns win the field position battle over the next several possessions that eventually led to a field goal, as Texas needed no more production than a 12-yard run from McCoy and a pass interference penalty to get into range.

Those were the big plays, that ones that show up in the box score as turnovers. However, there were other plays equally as important, ones that don't show up in the box score. At the start of the fourth quarter, Nebraska had the ball at the Texas 38 yardline, right at the edge of Alex Henery's field goal range -- he hit one early in the game from 52 yards that looked like it had enough distance to have been good from nearly 60. On second down, the Huskers went downfield to their best deep threat, Niles Paul, who had worked behind Curtis Brown just enough to be open. Lee finally delivered an accurate pass and Paul went up over Brown to make the catch. But just as he secured the football, Earl Thomas launched his body into the Nebraska receiver and jarred the pass loose, a play that might have saved the game for Texas. The type of play that only the best defensive backs in the country make. Still, Henery would have had a good chance at making the 55-yard field goal, but the Longhorns defense made another play on third down -- Keenan Robinson read the screen pass from the start of the play and beat a blocker to take down Rex Burkhead and knock the Huskers five yards back and out of field goal range, forcing a punt.

Then, the Nebraska offense got the ball at the Texas 10 yardline following the long punt return by Niles Paul, the defense stopped Burkhead twice and on third down Chykie Brown's defense was just good enough to force Brandon Kinne to catch the ball out of bounds. Nebraska kicked a field goal when a touchdown probably would have won the game.

With the offense providing the defense with almost no margin for error, the defense made no errors and came up with big plays with the game on the line. Without having to load the box, the front six and seven of the Texas defense stopped the downhill rushing game of Nebraska, holding the line and disengaging from blockers to make plays. Ben Alexander played more snaps than he ever has and effectively plugged the middle, while Sam Acho led the team in tackles. Nolan Brewster rebounded from a poor game against A&M to blow up two plays by submarining Suh -- excellent work by a safety taking on a big defensive tackle. And all that makes the struggles against A&M seem like a thing of the past.

Under the Hood: 2009 Regular Season Nebraska Stats Review

Jon Johnston — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:00:37 -0000

I've done Wednesday "Under the Hood" segments for the year, and it's time to do the same tally on our 2009 regular season statistics. The bottom line - as good as the defense looked, the offense looked just as bad.

As much as we'd like to blame a massive conspiracy for giving Texas a second back on the clock, the fact is that an abysmal showing on offense cost us the Big 12 championship and a BCS bowl bid. I hate to squash a good conspiracy theory, but the Big 12 had more interest in us winning that game than losing. That one second cost the Big 12 conference a second BCS bid, a payout of $17.5M.

There's a lot of speculation about what will happen with the offense as we head into next season. The two biggest questions involves coaches. Will Shawn Watson be retained? Should Barney Cotton be fired? Before I speculate on either, let's take a look at the regular season's statistics.

Offensive Statistics

Offense
Rush YPG	141.23 (68/6)
Rush YPC	3.96 (71/6)
Rush TDS	18 (67/7)

Pass YPG	175.9 (101/11)
Pass YPA	6.7 (87/9)
Pass TDS	15 (76/10)
Pass Efficiency	122.30 (83/8)

Total Offense	317.2 (102/11)

Scoring Offense	24.5 (80/8)

Obviously two things stand out, the passing yardage per game at 101st, and the total offense at 102nd.

The other statistics look better only because the aforementioned are so horrific. We finished in the lower half of all other offensive statistics nationally. That's a pretty lousy offense.

Defensive Statistics

Defense
Rush YPG	94.69 (11/4)
Rush YPC	2.77 (7/3)
Rush TDS	7 (8/2)

Pass YPG	189.1 (25/3)
Pass YPA	5.4 (6/2)
Pass TDS	7 (2/1)

Total Defense	283.8 (9/3)
Scoring Defense	11.2 (2/1)

There's not much you can say here other than "Wow!". The fact that we gave up only seven passing touchdowns all season is just incredible.

The Details

3rd Down Conversions (Pctg)	37.16 (79/8)
Red Zone Conversions (Score %)	80.43 (69/8)
First Downs (Per Game)	15.9 (113/12)
Turnover Margin	+4 (45/6)
Sacks – Total	42 (2/1)
Sacks Per Game	3.23 (3/2)
Tackles for Loss – Total	89 (14/3)
Tackles for Loss – Per Game	6.85 (23/3)
Sacks Allowed – Total	19 (43/5)
Sacks Allowed Per Game	1.46 (39/5)
Punting (Avg)	41.46 (45/5)
Punt Returns	11.34 (34/4)
Kickoffs (Avg)	68.30 (1/1)
Kickoff Returns	23.31 (34/5)
Penalties (Yds/G)	64.5 (102/7)

Nebraska did fairly well in kick and punt returns thanks to the services of Niles Paul. The guy showed that he is a playmaker, especially during the Big 12 Championship game when he provided a 43-yard punt return and a 42-yard kick return. Unfortunately, he had only one reception for four yards because Zac Lee proved incapable of getting him the ball. More on that in a bit.

The second thing that stands out are the penalties. This was a problem early in the season and plagued the Cornhuskers throughout the entire season. You could attribute the Virginia Tech and Texas loss to penalties. Remember that at Virginia Tech two touchdowns were called back due to penalties, and then there was Larry Asante's horse collar tackle at the end of the game that put Texas within field goal range.

First downs, ugh. 113th in the nation and dead last in the Big 12. When you think about it for a minute, there wasn't a single offensive player that was the go-to guy when it came to picking up first downs. No receiver performed consistently enough and/or Zac Lee's passes were off target. Even Roy Helu, who didn't have too bad a season, couldn't be counted on to pick up short yardage throughout the season. Rex Burkhead might be that guy next year, but injuries kept him from further development.

Zac Lee

I don't mean to single out Lee as the cause for all our offensive problems, but the fact is he had a lot to do with them. Below are his passing stats for the season.

Opponent	Att	Comp	Pct.	Yards	Yards/Att	Int	TD	Rating
Fla. Atlantic	22	15	68.2	213	9.7	1	2	170.42
Arkansas St.	35	27	77.1	340	9.7	0	4	196.46
@ 12 Virginia Tech	30	11	36.7	136	4.5	2	0	61.42
La.-Lafayette	18	15	83.3	238	13.2	0	1	212.72
@ Missouri	33	14	42.4	158	4.8	0	3	112.64
Texas Tech	22	16	72.7	128	5.8	0	0	121.6
Iowa St.	37	20	54.1	248	6.7	3	0	94.14
@ Baylor	0	0	-	0	-	0	0	-
Oklahoma	9	5	55.6	35	3.9	0	1	124.9
@ Kansas	21	13	61.9	196	9.3	0	0	140.31
Kansas St.	19	13	68.4	166	8.7	1	1	148.65
@ Colorado	14	9	64.3	73	5.2	0	1	131.66
2 Texas	19	6	31.6	39	2.1	3	0	17.25
Totals	279	164	58.8	1970	7.1	10	13	126.29

First of all, a 17.25 quarterback rating for the Texas game.... well, it's beyond horrible. I mentioned Niles Paul's playmaking abilities earlier, but in the Big 12 title game, it looked as if Lee just chucked the ball up in the air because that's what the play called for. There seemed to be little concern for where it was going, other than the general vicinity of our receiver, and that's why he had three interceptions.

I don't understand why Lee didn't make any progress throughout the season. He looked fine early in the season (admittedly against Sun Belt teams), and his performance at Virginia Tech could be written off as a quarterback making his first start on the road against a ranked opponent. The rest of the season, though, is pretty disappointing. Chalk it up to a lack of confidence, whatever, but at the end of season, it wasn't good.

As for Shawn Watson and Barney Cotton - I've moved that into another article as it became fairly long and deserved it's own space. It'll publish later today.

Husker Report Card: Texas 13, Huskers 12

Husker Mike — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 04:50:38 -0000

More photos » by Amy Gutierrez - AP

Ndamukong Suh claims yet another Big XII quarterback as his own. Suh now has a harem that rivals the size of Hugh Hefner's. (AP Photo/Amy Gutierrez)

Browse more photos »

The parallels between last night and the 1994 Orange Bowl are simply stunning. Nobody gave Nebraska a chance, and presumed the opponent would dominate in their home state. Nebraska takes the lead on a field goal in the final two minutes, then kicks the ball out of bounds, gives up a costly penalty to set up the game winning field goal. Even had the refs put a second back on the clock.

It's painful, to be sure... but the true test of character is how you respond to adversity. In 1994, that ending knawed at the team for months. "Unfinished Business" was the theme, and that 1993 season was the first year of the greatest five year run in modern college football history.

Nebraska had plenty of opportunities to win the game last night. Nebraska's not "back"...but game by game, they are becoming more and more relevent on the national scene. Keep making progress and resolve to never allow this program to be in those circumstances again should be the goal. Last night should stick in the craw of this program like 16-14 did.

Don't get mad, get even.

Here's how last night graded out; as always, your comments are always welcome!

QB: Texas leads the league in rushing defense, passing defense, and total defense. So it should not be a surprise that Nebraska struggled on offense last night. But even so, that doesn't excuse some of the mistakes Zac Lee made last night. Underthrowing a wide open Niles Paul against Kansas State could be forgiven because an underthrow was better than an overthrow in that situation. (A better pass to Brandon Kinnie on 3rd and goal could have been a game changer as well...) Underthrowing a well-covered Paul against Texas was deadly. That being said, Lee made the plays on that final drive to get Nebraska into position to kick that field goal. I'm also not ready to put Cody Green out there either; watching Green's throw on 3rd down out of the end zone was uncomfortable, to say the least. Grade: D+

IB: I know there wasn't much room out there but Nebraska hasn't had that type of futility in the running game since playing Miami in the Orange Bowl in the early 90's. Was Roy Helu banged up more than we thought? Rex Burkhead had more carries...and was less effective. It could be because of blocking; Helu had a key miss on a blitz pickup that resulted in a sack of Lee. Grade: F

WR: Niles Paul could have helped Zac Lee out by catching that pass on a crossing route on 3rd and 8 late in the 2nd quarter. But Brandon Kinnie made a couple of nice catches last night, including the key pass on that final drive. Grade: C-

OL: Not respecting the Nebraska passing game made life difficult on the o-line...but still Lee, Helu, and Burkhead needed more from this group. James Dobson, you've done great work overall, but there's still more to be done. Grade: F

DL: Could you ask for ANYTHING more from Ndamukong Suh? 12 tackles, 7 for losses? I'll let Beergut from IamThe12thMan.com speak for us, because when we say it, we can be dismissed as homers. Grade: 110%.

LB: Well, most of the night, it was just Phillip Dillard. But on that fateful 3rd and 10 on the Texas 1, NU stayed in a base defense and Jordan Shipley made Nebraska pay. Grade: B+

Secondary: You can tell that the secondary is really playing well when Alfonzo Dennard becomes the whipping boy for making a bad play. Solid, if not spectacular play from everybody. Grade: A

Special Teams: Alex Henery didn't tilt the field on punts, but was solid. Kunalic was outstanding on his first few kickoffs...but oh, that final kickoff hurt and hurt badly. Niles Paul's punt return was simply amazing. So grade it a B overall.

Coaching: The defensive gameplan was absolutely outstanding; the defense was ready for just about everything Texas tried to throw at the Huskers. Offensively, well, Shawn Watson can only play the cards he's got, and he's playing with a short deck. That's something Bo Pelini and Watson will need to address in the weeks ahead, but for now, it's what should have been expected. Grade: A

Overall: A- Nebraska did everything they could do last night...it just wasn't enough.

Elsewhere in College Football

Alabama: A Congratulations for earning your spot in the BCS championship game.

BCS: F Some people keep touting a "Plus-1" model as the solution for the BCS. Well, what about this season where you have Alabama, Texas, TCU, Cincinnati, and Boise State in the mix. Uh oh.

Pitt: B- How important are extra points now? I've got to admit that I had mixed feelings on that. I harbor no love for Pitt, but the idea of matching up Nebraska and Pitt in the Fiesta Bowl was just too delicious to overlook

Poll

Rate the Huskers performance against Texas

A What an effort!

80 votes

B So close, yet so far away.

74 votes

C Defense is outstanding, but the offense is anything but.

131 votes

D It doesn't matter what the defense does if the offense can't do anything.

34 votes

F It's black and white; Nebraska failed to win.

12 votes

331 votes | Poll has closed

How Nebraska Will Beat Texas And Win the Big 12 Championship

Jon Johnston — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 06:42:01 -0000

More photos » by Nati Harnik - AP

Bo Pelini has done an incredible job in getting his Husker team this far. Now we get to see if they can be champs.

Browse more photos »

The odds are stacked against Nebraska so much to the point that it's doubtful you'll find a single paid pundit pick the Huskers in this game. If they do, their colleagues might think they're mad.

It's a given that Nebraska will have to play mistake-free football. They can't give up the big play (Virginia Tech), they must minimize turnovers (Iowa State) and they can't afford to have drives killed by silly false starts or holding penalties (too many games this season). There's little margin for error.

To win, Nebraska will require a perfect game in all areas. It can happen, and here's how.

- First Quarter Draw

It's imperative that the Huskers to keep Texas off the scoreboard in the first quarter. The Blackshirts could give up a touchdown at, but if Nebraska goes down by two scores, the task will become nearly impossible.

Expect Nebraska's first series to be an experiment to see how Texas is going to line up. It'd be nice if we got a drive going right away, but don't get too worried about initial results. Expect that Texas will want to get on the board right away, although look for short passes from them in the hopes that the Blackshirts will miss tackles. We haven't seen much of that this season, and as long as we're tackling well, we should handle the one-on-one match ups with their receivers. It's time that Texas found out just how well Alfonzo Dennard and Prince Amukamara can cover and Larry "Assasin" Asante can hit.

Ndamukong Suh and Jared Crick must get going early. Texas will double-team Suh, single Crick and hope to run their zone read plays with that combination. If Suh and Crick can occupy space in the middle with an upfield surge (not an all out rush), while Barry Turner and Pierre Allen contain the edges, the Huskers can negate the zone read. If Crick can play well enough to demand a double-team, getting to the edge will be that much more difficult. Offensive coordinator Greg Davis will take time to adjust his offensive scheme, and with each series failure, the Huskers confidence will grow.

- One On One Excellence

Any offense looks for the match up to get their best player in a one-on-one situation. Defense counters by doubling that player, and by default that leaves an offensive player to be accounted for. Texas has too many weapons on offense for Nebraska to double any one player. Take McCoy out of the zone read, and Tre Newton or Fozzy Whittaker will burn you. Double-team Jordan Shipley and you take your chances with James Kirkendoll and Malcolm Williams.

Move that concept to a defensive zones and the thought remains the same. The game will be a chess match of Texas trying to maneuver their receivers into a one-on-one situation in the hopes that the Blackshirts miss a play. That is the biggest key to this game - defenders consistently making plays in one-on-one situations. A single missed tackle or assignment in a low-scoring game means you lose.

- Bore America To Death

Americans hate games that end 10-3, or 16-13. There just isn't enough scoring. You could chalk it up to the need for constant excitement, but whatever it is, Husker fans have to hope most of American is bored by watching this game. If it turns into a track meet, it's going to be a one-sided affair in favor of the Longhorns.

Don't expect many gimmicks in this game. The Huskers are not going to go to a no-huddle. They're not going to try to spread out the Texas defense and run the zone read as a core part of their offense. Fans will see the same approach the Huskers have used throughout their winning streak - a conservative offense that tries to pick up first downs on the ground and takes occasional shots down the field.

The long shots are the key to offensive success. Niles Paul has been the recipient of most of the long balls, while tight end Mike McNeill has largely gone unnoticed this season. McNeill has the speed and game awareness to pull in the big play - and his lack of production may leave him ignored by the Texas defense when it counts the most.

- No Fear

Quarterback Zac Lee has had problems when running zone read and option plays. He hasn't held the ball long enough to make the unblocked defender commit, a key to making those kinds of plays work properly. Lee must play this game fearlessly. If he's not a threat to run the ball when it's called for, he's given the defense a huge edge. Example - if Lee runs an option pass, the defense won't respect his feet enough to not cover his receivers.

Having no fear doesn't mean that Shawn Watson whips open his whole bag of tricks to see what might fool the Texas defense. It means he must commit to the running game, even if it isn't working early. The downfield shots will only work if the Huskers can establish something on the ground with Roy Helu and Rex Burkhead.

Before this season started, Husker fans heard plenty of rumors about Ricky Henry's "fiery nature" and Jacob Hickman's longevity. Put Tyler Legate at fullback behind them, and smash that ball right into the center of the Longhorn defense.

The Huskers don't need an offensive explosion, but an implosion will kill any hope this team has of winning.

- Special Teams Convergence

Alex Henery had a 76 yard punt against Virginia Tech. He leads the Big 12 in punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Niles Paul has had some big special teams plays, including his punt return against Colorado. Adi Kunalic can negate any chance of a kick return with his touchbacks. Ndamukong Suh and his counterparts have the ability to block kicks. Add to these the fact that Nebraska's special teams haven't given up a touchdown yet this season.

Bring great special teams plays all together in one game and we've got a shot.

- Leave It All On The Field "Bo's Way"

The Texas A&M game didn't tell us as much about the ‘Horns defense as we think. Turn the table and ask yourself if the Colorado game was an example of how well the Blackshirts have played, then look again at the Longhorns' performance. Chalk both teams poor performance up to a short week and lack of incentive. Add to that that we're coming down to the end of the season - both teams had to be a little exhausted.

The teams have had over a week off, which has given time them time to heal and rest. That's good news, especially for the Blackshirt defense that's had to carry a heavy load this season. They've seen more plays than any other top 25 defense in the nation, and they'll see it again in this game.

Husker fans have seen Ndamukong Suh take over a game. He'll have to do it again, early and keep making plays throughout the entire game. His brothers-in-arms will have do the same. The effort must be solid on every play. Double the effort for the offense, particularly on the line.

Bo Pelini has taken a group of players who were left for dead two years ago and gotten them to a shot at the Big 12 title and a BCS Bowl. It wasn't just the genius of understanding defense that got them this far. It happened because Pelini demands consistency of effort, settling for nothing less. It's "Bo's Way".

It's time to see how his team responds when not many believe they can be champions.

It's A Week of Woulda Coulda Shoulda for Husker Fans (Not that there's anything wrong with that)

Jon Johnston — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:00:25 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

Bo Pelini has the Huskers on the brink of a great season in only his second year. Husker fans may be thinking he coulda done better.....

Browse more photos »

After a flat performance against Colorado, Husker fans will be doing a lot of rationalizing this week as we head to Jerryworld to take on the Texas Longhorns. We'll be hearing it throughout offices wherever Husker fans can be found. It'll sound something like this:

If that catch Menelik Holt made in the end zone woulda been ruled a completion.....

You remember the play, right? Holt catches the ball and takes a step in the end zone before he tumbles to the turf and the ball comes out after he's already finished (not completed, unfortunately) the play.

What a minute difference between a catch and an incompletion. Had that catch been ruled a completion, the Huskers would have beaten Virginia Tech, been highly ranked and it may have changed the whole season. That's one way to look at it. The other way to look at it is that it wouldn't have changed much about the season other than the Huskers would have a better resume'.

Niles Paul shoulda gotten after that incomplete lateral against Texas Tech.....

One week after the amazing fourth quarter comeback against Missouri, the Huskers come out flat against a Texas Tech team starting a backup quarterback. Zac Lee throws a low pass that Paul can't handle, and the next thing you know a Tech defender has returned it for a touchdown.

The Texas Tech loss stands as the only game in which the Huskers gave up over 20 points, 14 if the defense woulda kept Colorado from a cheap score on the final play of last Friday's game. Perhaps the coaches will use Tech to remind the Blackshirt defense what can happen if they don't "turn it up" the moment they step on the field.

If only Paul woulda held onto the ball when he had that 72-yard pass play against Iowa State.....

I can't think of another game in recent history that can be so easily dismissed as freakish as Iowa State. Eight turnovers and a loss by two points, and the play that most appropriately defined the game was Paul's inexplicable drop and turnover near the goal line. The other inside-the-five fumbles can be explained away by Traye Robinson getting stripped when he was trying too hard or Roy Helu's injured shoulder. But Paul's play cannot. It remains as both a highlight and lowlight of the season.

But again, what difference does it make? Instead of finishing 6-2 in the Big 12, Nebraska would be 7-1, but either way still be Big 12 North champions. In fact, there's an attitude that the Iowa State game was a turning point in the season as it served as an eye-opener for a team that wasn't playing nearly as well as it could.

If Roy Helu/Rex Burkhead woulda been healthy for the whole season.....

I don't think it hurts to wonder about the possibilities had both these players been available and 100% for every game this season. Helu showed why he's one of the best running backs in the conference, but had a few flat games that were excused due to a shoulder injury. Burkhead gives the offense a straight-ahead, always-gaining-yardage approach that's a wonderful alternative to Helu.

Burkhead is back heading into the Texas game, so we've got that going for us. Helu has been playing better towards the end of the season, just like in 2008. Would an all-conference award for Helu make any difference heading into the championship game other than to make ourselves feel better about our chances?

If Shawn Watson woulda listened to Tom Osborne earlier in the season......

This one is more devious than the rest because of the implication that all of the offensive woes could be solved by replacing Watson with someone else, particularly if that someone were named Osborne.

Fact is, Watson has the offense playing well enough that the Huskers are on a five-game winning streak despite all the ugliness. He can't magically make his offensive tackles faster than they are any more than he can make Zac Lee a tougher runner. He's done well to adjust to his team and pull a winning season out of them.

Woulda, coulda, shoulda comments are all about making the Huskers sound like a better team than they really are. It's okay to make them. It's human nature to talk down an opponent, especially one like Texas, a team that has all the advantages.

The key point to remember, though, is that none of them make a difference. Nebraska accomplished their major goal of the season in winning the Big 12 North and getting a shot at the conference title. Despite all the offensive difficulties, the fumbles and miscues, the Huskers have a chance at an incredible season, and all this in Bo Pelini's second season as head coach.

And who knows what affect a 9-3 record will have on the Longhorns? We might hear the talking heads on television play up Nebraska's defense to build an audience, but the online talk (and newspapers, if such things still exist and are read in Austin) will be completely one-sided for Texas. The point is, maybe that record plays to our benefit as the 'Horns come into the game believing they're all that and find themselves losing by three points on a last-second Alex Henery field goal.

Or perhaps I'm just rationalizing.

Get the Big 12 Championship T-Shirt!

Morning Border War Links and Discussion

Bill C. — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:00:25 -0000

More photos » by L.G. Patterson - AP

about 1 month ago: Missouri's Danario Alexander, left, flies through the air after he is tripped up by Baylor's Jeremy Williams, right, during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)

Browse more photos »

Consider this your pre-game discussion thread. Below are some gameday links and a discussion I had with the sports editor of the Lawrence Journal-World and a closeted stat-nerd, Jesse Newell.

First, the links:

The Trib: Bowl options remain wide open
The Trib (Dave Matter): Emptying the Bowl Notebook
The Missourian: Mangino could be coaching final game for Kansas
The Missourian: Senior Missouri football players pass down meaning of Kansas rivalry
The Missourian: Missouri's bowl possibilities still confusing
The Missourian: 10 things you didn't know about Kansas
10. Since 1912 the KU campus power plant steam whistle has announced the end of each hour's classes. The whistle has become a part of the eternal end of class struggle between long-winded professors and eager-to-leave students. Our favorite part? They call it the "Big Tooter." Hey, we said we were above jokes about boxed wine and street fights over girls. We said nothing about kindergarten toilet humor.
KC Star: Border War preview
KC Star: Parking information for Saturday's Border War game
KC Star: The old Blaine Gabbert is back for MU
KC Star: Danario Alexander towers over Big 12's other receivers
KC Star: KU has a lot on the line in Border War battle
KC Star: Todd Reesing era is nearly over, so who'll be KU's next QB?
KC Star: Kerry Meier and Dezmon Briscoe ran different routes to success
KC Star: Gwinn Henry saw both sides of the Border War
KC Star (Jason Whitlock): There's no defense for Mangino's offense
KC Star (Campus Corner): Caring When Few Others Do
Post-Dispatch: Missouri, Kansas 'hate each other'
Post-Dispatch (Bryan Burwell): Mizzou has plenty to gain by beating KU
Post-Dispatch: MU is uniform in its focus on beating KU
Post-Dispatch: Mark Mangino a bully or motivator?
Post-Dispatch: Career year for Tiger
PowerMizzou: Tiger line leading the way back
PowerMizzou: Secondary concerns
PowerMizzou: Zo Knows Kansas
PowerMizzou: Jayhawk Insider: Five questions for Saturday
Daily Kansan: Kansas vs. Missouri game day
Lawrence Journal-World: Jayhawks: We are focused on Tigers
Lawrence Journal-World (Jesse Newell): Six wins might not be enough to get KU into a bowl
Topeka Capital-Journal: KU fans rally for football

---

Between Denverjhawk, KU Doug from the Roundtable, and Jesse Newell, we've had all sort of mostly cordial conversation with Jayhawks this week, and honestly, I feel rather dirty.

Bill C.:
1 - I mentioned in my BTBS preview that I can't take the loss of Toben Opurum too seriously because I think he and Jake Sharp are basically the same quality of back (Opurum a bit bigger, Sharp a bit faster). If Sharp is 100% healthy, is there any drop-off from Opurum to Sharp?

2 - Last year, Kansas absolutely assassinated Missouri with the dink-and-dunk pass and, when Mizzou's defense finally got tired in the second half (as much a factor Mizzou's offense not being able to stay on the field in the first half as much as anything, I think), KU burned them downfield too. I would have to figure the same type of offensive strategy will be on display this year, especially since that's the exact strategy that Baylor used to burn Mizzou late. Do you have any reason to believe KU won't try as many quick sideline-to-sideline passes this year?

3 - There have been all sorts of personnel shifts throughout the season in the KU secondary, leading to nine guys registering double-digit tackles. Where do you feel the secondary stands coming into the game? Playing its best? Less so?

Jesse Newell:
1. If Sharp is 100-percent healthy, then the two are about equal. The question to answer, though, is whether Sharp is healthy or not.

KU coach Mark Mangino has admitted that Sharp hasn't shown the same burst since Sharp's calf injury suffered in Week 3, and the numbers reflect that. In Sharp's carries before the injury he had 42 carries for 240 yards (5.7 average). In his carries since the injury, he has 53 carries for 168 yards (3.2 average). Obviously, KU playing tougher competition in the Big 12 also should be factored in, but that's still a steep drop-off.

I think Opurum was the better of the two backs recently, and where KU will miss him most is in third-and-short situations. He became a Marcus Allen of sorts for them over the past few weeks, as nearly every third-and-one, he came in to move the pile forward two yards for a first down. That kind of player is especially valuable against Missouri, as you have already talked about the importance of KU sustaining drives in the first half to tire MU's defense in the second half. The Jayhawks used that gameplan in 2008, and it certainly paid dividends for them late.

The simple fact is this, though: This year, KU has never committed to the run. I don't know why it is, but KU usually abandons its running game early whether it's working or not. If MU's defense shuts down KU's runs early, most likely KU will abandon the running game completely just a few possessions in.

2. I think you're right on with your assessment. Consider this as well: In KU's loss to MU in 2007, the Tigers held the ball for 37 minutes, 25 seconds. In KU's win last year, the Jayhawks held the ball 34 minutes exactly. The MU game notes also show that since 2005, when the Tigers have the ball 31 minutes or longer in a game, they are 14-0.

I think KU's only chance of winning this game will be to try to control the football to wear out MU's defense. KU hasn't been able to do much to stop MU's offense in the last two years (other than forcing turnovers), so limiting possessions might not be a bad idea, either. KU's biggest disadvantage to playing this strategy is what I listed above: Not only has KU been ineffective running the football lately, the Jayhawks also have shown no interest in committing themselves to try to run the football.

The short answer to your question is this: Yes, I would expect lots of dinking and dunking to happen in this year's game as well. When those MU corners start to roll up a bit, though, look for KU to start to take some shots down the field, especially with big-play specialist Dezmon Briscoe.

3. KU's defense as a whole peaked about three weeks ago when it put together solid performances against Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Kansas State. Some of the scores don't reflect it, mostly because KU's offense went through a stretch of 10 turnovers in 10 quarters and started giving away points to the opposition. The defense has fallen hard back to earth in the last two weeks with horrible efforts against Nebraska (bad offense) and Texas (good offense).

The KU secondary merry-go-round has been interesting to say the least. Just when I thought KU had something good going for it a few weeks ago, the carousel started up again and more players were moved in and out of the mix.

I'd say at this point, the secondary is actually playing some of its worst football of the year. NU has just three passes of 35 or more yards in their first five Big 12 games, and KU allowed four, 35-plus yard passes from Zac Lee to Niles Paul alone. KU's corners couldn't do much of anything right against UT last week, either, as a huge cushion allowed some big gains underneath, while the Longhorns also hit the Jayhawks deep for 68- and 38-yard TD passes. Anthony Davis, in his return to the lineup, has been burnt deep consistently, and Chris Harris, though he's had a nice year, was playing way too far off receivers last week. Darrell Stuckey has had a good — but not great — year, and KU's corners aren't particularly tall, either. I'd say it's a pretty good time for MU's pass-happy offense to be taking on the KU secondary.

Here are a few questions for you.

1. I haven't been able to watch Danario Alexander much in the last few weeks. What has been the main reason for his unbelievable success in the last month? KU's corners aren't the tallest, but they've also given up their share of big plays. Alexander seems to have a rare blend of size and speed, so would you say KU should be more concerned with him going above the corners in jump-ball situations or beating KU's corners down the field?

2. Derrick Washington should be able to play against KU after suffering a concussion. Is this significant for MU? Or do you believe the Tigers will mostly stick to their passing game against the Jayhawks?

3. Again, I haven't seen much of the Tigers lately, so what is the scouting report on Blaine Gabbert? What are his greatest strengths? What have other defenses done to slow him down? In what situations is he least effective?

4. I expect KU to pass quite a bit in this game, so can you evaluate how MU's pass defense has performed lately? Who are a couple MU defensive players that have emerged as of late?

Bill C.:
1. The thing about Danario is, he's been so good over the past few weeks that he has ended up replacing both Jeremy Maclin AND Chase Coffman. He can beat defenders on the long routes, and he can take a swing pass 70 yards. His yards after catch have been staggering. His 63-yard TD against Iowa State came on about a 2-yard sideline route. His 80-yarder against K-State was on about a 10-yard route. Meanwhile, his 54-yarder against K-State was caught at the 5. I try to avoid hyperbole, but he has started to look more and more like Randy Moss in recent weeks, with great all-around ability and ridiculously long strides. Knowing what he has fought through (a broken wrist early in 2007, followed by a torn-up knee in the Big 12 title game, which required three surgeries and about 18 months of recovery time to get back to 100%), it has been extremely heart-warming to see him come this far. And if he can duplicate what he did against KU in 2007, he could send KU home a loser.

2. Derrick Washington is easily MU's most physical back. He really hasn't shown the top-end speed that he showed in the first half of last season, but if it's 3rd-and-2, I'd much rather D-Wash be getting the handoff instead of De'Vion Moore or Kendial Lawrence, both of whom are relatively capable speed backs but aren't bangers. As I mentioned in the preview, Tony Temple's success against KU in 2007 was a very underrated facet of MU's win, and since MU's running game was all but nonexistent for three quarters in last year's game, having Washington is certainly a good thing. KU's D-line has been statistically unimpressive, and if MU can run the ball well, they up their chances of winning considerably.

3. Gabbert's pocket presence is still a work in progress, but he has shown massive improvement in the recent weeks. And for the season, taking the sprained ankle into account (he was not even half the QB against NU, OSU, and Texas), his numbers have potentially been as or more impressive than Chase Daniel's were in 2006. I think KU's best strategy against him will be to confuse him. Mix coverages, mix how many you rush, etc. He has improved by leaps and bounds since the Bowling Green game, when BGSU dropped seven into coverage and he started rushing his throws, feeling a pass rush when there was none, but that's still his biggest weakness. He's got the prettiest deep ball you'll ever see, and if KU's secondary suffers lapses, they'll pay.

4. MU's secondary is extremely matchup- and injury-dependent. They handle bigger, more physical WRs pretty well (the first two quarters against OSU's Hubert Anyiam aside), but they are vulnerable to pure speed. Baylor's Kendall Wright and David Gettis are only decent in terms of route-running and hands, but they are burners, and they burned Mizzou both short and deep. Iowa State had some early luck with the dink-and-dunk passes (Mizzou's defensive philosophy has always been to give large cushions to WRs and allow the short pass, but avoid getting burned deep), but the success only lasted a while because their WRs weren't fast enough to burn Mizzou deep when the Tigers adjusted. This is why Dez Briscoe scares me much more than Kerry Meier does, despite what Meier did at the end of last year's game. Briscoe can get behind them.

Regarding injuries, Mizzou's two biggest breakdowns of the season, in the fourth quarter against Nebraska and the second half against Baylor, both happened when Carl Gettis was injured and on the bench. Gettis is not quite the all-conference caliber CB we thought we had a couple of years ago, but he is by far Mizzou's most steady DB, and with him on the field, Mizzou's secondary is much less vulnerable to breakdowns. Plus, safety Jasper Simmons was injured against Baylor too, which didn't help, as he's been by far Mizzou's best safety. Mizzou's secondary isn't great, and the Briscoe-Meier combo still scares the daylights out of me, but as with most teams, if they are full-strength, they are much, much better.

My turn!

1. You've outlined how KU might not even make a bowl if they win on Saturday ... with that in mind, where do you think they're head is at heading into the game? Or maybe here's the better question: I expect to see KU's A-game on display ... but what exactly is their A-game? Top 15 caliber? Top 25?

2. From what you do know about Mizzou, what scares you the most compared to what you know about KU's strengths and weaknesses?

Jesse Newell:
1. I think KU's players believe that if they win Saturday, they will go to a bowl game. With that mind-set, I would expect to see KU's four senior captains (Reesing, Sharp, Meier, Stuckey) literally playing for their careers (and also remember, this is most likely Dezmon Briscoe's last game, too). Those guys have been a part of the greatest stretch in KU football's history, and I think they know that their previous reputation might be hurt a bit if they can't get to six wins and a bowl game this season. Whether they like Mangino or not, I would expect these guys to be playing for themselves on Saturday. I'm with you: I don't see this as a game where KU's players come out uninspired or unmotivated.

You pose a good question about how good KU's "A" game is. I will say this: KU has been a bit unfortunate in that when its offense has played well, its defense has stunk, and when its defense has played well, its offense has stunk. If KU put its best two units together this season, I would say that a top-20 team wouldn't be a stretch, but once again, that hasn't happened in the last nine games, so I'm certainly not expecting it now.

Todd Reesing went through a tough spell mid-season, but he actually looked pretty good last week against Texas. KU's defense looked solid three weeks ago, but it hasn't played well in the Jayhawks' two games since. For the third straight year, I'd expect a high-scoring game. Even if the Jayhawks have an "A" game defensively, they still probably will struggle to keep the Tigers under four touchdowns.

2. This one's easy: Danario Alexander's ability to break off big plays.

The last three weeks, KU's defense has allowed 17 plays of 20-plus yard plays to opponents. The last two weeks, KU has given up seven, 20-yard-or-more passing plays to opponents.

As I mentioned before, both NU and UT made a habit of picking on KU's cornerbacks the last two weeks. KU's cornerbacks have been routinely beaten deep, but they've also struggled when taller receivers have simply gone over the top of them to bring in receptions. Looks like Alexander can do either. Unless KU's defense tries something exotic to shut down Alexander, I'd say he's a lock for 100 yards and has a decent shot at another 200-yard receiving game.

One more ...

1. I've heard a lot of people say KU has more to play for in this game. However, how would MU's view of its season change if the Tigers were to lose to KU? How would the MU fans' perception of the season change?

Bill C.:
I'm probably not the best Mizzou fan to ask about that, as I try to never let one game impact how I view the season as a whole. Last year's loss to KU was really annoying, but Mizzou still won ten games and the North division, so it didn't really impact me much beyond the annoyance at the moment.

This season, I had three main goals for Mizzou: win the North again, go to a bowl, and with so much youth playing key roles (there have been between 25 and 35 freshmen and sophs on the two-deep all season), the final goal was to simply not mess up the program's trajectory for 2010 and 2011. The first goal went out of the window with the fourth quarter collapse (sans Carl Gettis) in the monsoon against Nebraska, but the other two goals have been accomplished no matter what happens at Arrowhead.

That said, I fully accept that I'm not the typical Mizzou fan. I saw last night on other message boards where some fans think this is easily the biggest game in the series in quite a while (no memory of 2007 apparently) and they would take a loss to Illinois next year for a win over KU this year...which, to me, is absolutely, positively insane.

I guess what matters most, however, is that the players and coaches very much remember last year and have brought it up multiple times. KU has more to play for, but I do think Mizzou shows up ready to roll.

My final question: I have a friend from Independence who constantly mourns the fact that Paul Rudd went to KU because "he seems like such a perfect Mizzou guy". Discuss.

(Subquestion: what Mizzou alum would have made the best KU alum?)

Jesse Newell:
I just hope Paul being a KU alum doesn't ruin the hilarious parts he has in movies. KU also can claim Mandy Patinkin! (My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die!)

Subquestion: As a KU alum, I would have to say that ridiculously good-looking men attend KU, thus making Brad Pitt the obvious choice (I'm not sure he graduated, but I'm still counting him anyways).

Bill C.:
I must say, one of the most entertaining parts of the MU-KU Gameday in 2007 was the "Famous Alums" section...they had Don Johnson versus Brad Pitt, I believe...but hey, you've got Jason Sudeikis repping KU every Saturday night, so that's something...and yeah, Rudd must be all sorts of funny if we enjoy him despite his, um, obvious flaws...

Post Game Reaction - Colorado Buffaloes Lose Season Finale to Nebraska 28 - 20

irish1611 — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 00:33:32 -0000

More photos » by Jack Dempsey - AP

25 days ago: After losing his helmet in the scrum, Nebraska defensive end Barry Turner (99), right, pursues Colorado quarterback Tyler Hansen, left, for the sack in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game in Boulder, Colo., on Friday, Nov. 27, 2009. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Browse more photos »

The Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-3, 6-2) scored 14 points via special teams and an interception to upend the Colorado Buffaloes (3-9, 2-6) 28 - 20 in the Buffs' last game of the 2009 season. On a beautiful day in Boulder, the Buffs played well at times and in other situations, they continued to be their own worst enemy, something that has become a staple for the Buffs in Dan Hawkins' four years at Colorado.

The Colorado defense only allowed 14 points and held the Cornhuskers' offense to just 217 yards, only 73 of which came through the air. Cha'pelle Brown played wonderfully in his final game as a Buff including a sack of Husker QB Zac Lee. The senior cornerback was also awarded this season's Buffalo Heart Award, presented annually to a Buffs player by fans. Colorado's defense has played relatively well since the West Virginia game but were never helped by its offensive and special teams counterparts for most of the season.

OG Ryan Miller and the offensive line did very well on DT Ndamukong Suh, even though the announcers kept making it out to be that Suh had 50 tackles and 20 sacks while being blocked by 19 players. Suh was the benefactor of a sack on a poor intentional grounding flag thrown in the third quarter that was clearly a tipped pass to Rodney Stewart. The penalty pushed the ball back to the 34 yard line and resulted in a missed field goal. That one phantom sack by Suh was the only sack given up today, a major improvement. QB Tyler Hansen still had to do some scrambling but the Buffs never were in 3rd and 20's because of a Husker sack.

Buff WR Markques Simas caught six balls for 107 yards. Although he was not featured enough tonight, he finished the month of November with 462 yards and 31 receptions. A very impressive last month for the sophomore receiver and will be a positive going into next season. Simas did not have a ball thrown his way until the 8 minute mark of the second quarter and had only one catch in the first half. Colorado forgot about him until half number two. Scotty McKnight, thanks to a 56 yard touchdown reception as time expired, also finished with over 100 yards, the second time the duo has accomplished that this year. McKnight had 7 catches for 114 yards and two scores. RB Rodney Stewart also went over the century mark with 110 yards on 21 carries as well.

Overall, the Buffs out gained Nebraska 403 to 217. They had 20 first downs to the Huskers' 14.

But, Colorado made enough mistakes to end up with their ninth loss of the season in a very winnable game.

more after the jump...

Tyler Hansen completed less than 50% of his passes and threw three interceptions as the Buffs lost the turnover battle by two. Colorado continues to struggle in the turnover margin category, often making more mistakes than the other team. One of the interceptions resulted in a Nebraska defensive touchdown.

The Buffs also gave up another non-defensive touchdown on a low line drive punt in the first quarter that WR Nebraska Niles Paul returned 59 yards for a 7 - 0 lead.

Special teams play continues to doom the Buffs. In the first quarter, the Buffs starting field position averaged the 8.5 yard line while Nebraska started at the 46. K Aric Goodman's performance continues to be abysmal as he missed two field goals in the second half that would have brought the Buffs within one point, 21 - 20, with 13:35 left in the game. The last two years, Goodman is 15 of 32 on field goal attempts, hitting only 46%. In 2009, he is 10 of 18. Essentially, the Buffs turned the ball over five times when counting the empty possessions from the missed field goals.

Colorado fielded punts inside the five yard line, dropped kickoffs and subsequently, were tackled inside the 20 yard line, kicked low line drive punts, missed field goals and of course, gave up the touchdown on a punt return.

The very next possession with 13:35 left after the second missed field goal, Nebraska had their only impressive offensive drive of the game, a 13 play, 80 yard drive for the 14 point lead. The Huskers only had to convert one third down on the drive while RB Rex Burkhead carried the ball 9 of the 13 plays. Burkhead ended up scoring, putting Nebraska up 28 - 14.

The Buffs were able to get the ball back and drive down to the Nebraska 15 yard line with about five minutes left but, once again, the team shot themselves in the foot. This drive is a microcosm of the inadequacies this team displays on a weekly basis:

Play 1 - quick zero yard pass to Simas in bounds while the Buffs are down 14 points. You have to go up field there considering your timeout situation and only five minutes on the clock. At least a play out of bounds. Before that play, the Buffs took their second timeout of the second half, leaving them with only one. The play call of a small flip pass to Simas after the timeout is mind boggling.
Play 2 - incomplete pass. Now 3rd and 10 from the 15 yard line
Play 3 - delay of game, five yard penalty. Now 3rd and 15 from the 20 yard line.
Play 4 - false start, five yard penalty. Now 3rd and 20 from the 25 yard line.
Play 5 - pass incomplete. Now 4th and 20 from the 25 yard line
Play 6 - timeout, their second of the drive without gaining a yard since having the ball 1st & 10 and last timeout of the half.
Play 7 - interception

The Buffs had 7 penalties in total. They continue to be one of the most penalized teams in the nation.

Just like the defensive drive before it, this offensive drive and the two missed field goals in the second half, the Buffs continually fail to convert and make big plays when the game is within reach. The people in charge at the University of Colorado might think and interpret this as being a very competitive outing, as their press release stated yesterday, but I believe it to be a dangerous trend that we have seen all year against a very manageable out of conference and Big 12 North schedule.

I wish we could have pulled this out for the seniors. We are certainly going to miss players like Cha'pelle Brown, Marcus Burton, Benjamin Burney, Riar Geer, Jake Behrens, Shaun Mohler, Patrick Devenny, Kevin Moyd, Jeff Smart, etc. Thanks for sticking through this mess, it probably would have been easy to quit. Best of luck in the future. I wish it would have turned out better for you in your last season.

Husker Report Card: Huskers 17, Kansas State 3

Husker Mike — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:03:03 -0000

More photos » by Nati Harnik - AP

Roy Helu Jr. is tackled by Kansas State's Ulla Pomele. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Browse more photos »

A thing of beauty it was not, but a win is a win... and five of them are enough to claim the Big XII North championship trophy (or bedpan, as the Omaha World-Herald's Tom Shatel called it). And in a one-game conference championship game, it doesn't matter what your resume says. Just ask Texas in 1996, Texas A&M in 1998, Colorado in 2001, Kansas State in 2003, or Oklahoma in 2007; they all knocked teams out of the BCS title game in upsets that range from shocking (1996, 2003) to almost expected (2001 and 2007). So it doesn't matter how you get there, it just matters what you do when you get there.

That being said, there's still the need to grade yesterday's performance and prepare for Colorado on a short week. The Huskers have plenty of things to continue to work on; needless to say, I'm going to grade this performance harder than the Journal-Star's Brian Rosenthal.

QB: It was a "glass half-empty/full" performance depending on your perspective. He ran harder and more decisively than in any game to date, and managed the game fairly well overall. On the downside, his interception was a bad decision. His underthrows on some deep balls were a good conservative decision in my opinion. Throw the ball too far, and it's a loud noisy incompletion. Throw it a little short and let Niles Paul jump up and outmuscle the coverage for the ball; that's a battle he'll win most of the time. Take the likely 50 yard gain, or get greedy and go for the 70 yard killshot? This season, take the 50 yarder. My grade: B

IB: Oh it was so nice seeing Rex Burkhead back out on the field, but early on, he was used primarily as a decoy. Then they gave him the ball and the Wildcats came hard on the blitz and nailed him in the backfield. Roy Helu ran hard but likewise had trouble at times finding room. Helu could have kept a third quarter drive alive by catching a pass before turning upfield. Grade: B

WR: Niles Paul continues to step up his game, frequently as the only receiver in the game. We saw the other receivers play more than in the past few weeks, but other than a nice Brandon Kinnie catch, weren't very productive. And the lack of running room outside indicates the downfield blocking continues to be an issue. Nice to see Mike McNeill healthy enough to contribute. Grade: C

OL: At times it seemed there was more running room inside than outside; I credit that to the line play. Too many times, though, safeties burst through a gap unblocked to blow up a play, especially on that 14 yard sack of Zac Lee. Grade: B-

DL: Another quarterback with some mobility caused some issues with an aggressive pass rush. But when the game was on the line, Ndamukong Suh stepped up like the great players do. Why don't people even want to consider him for the Heisman Trophy. Mel Kiper says what everybody knows deep down inside: "Suh is the best player in college football." So what's the criteria for the Heisman Trophy anyway? "The Heisman Memorial Trophy annually recognizes the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard work." From my admittedly biased perspective, there is no other candidate even remotely close to Mr. Suh to meeting that criteria. Husker fans: VOTE now, VOTE tomorrow, then VOTE once (and only once) each and every day for the next two weeks. Grade: B+

LB: Some flashes of good play, but then a Wildcat would break open over the middle on a crossing pattern all alone. By the end of the game, Nebraska was playing quarters coverage...except rather than replace a defensive lineman, they removed the linebacker. True that was based mostly in part on K-State's need to dent the end zone twice in the waning minute, but it actually seemed to improve the defense. Grade: C-

Secondary: Last October, many Husker fans shook our head and yelled obscenities towards Larry Asante. Now look at him now; he's playing ferocious. This week, another two turnovers including the play of the day, forcing Keithen Valentine to cough up the football to keep the Wildcats out of the end zone. Even without Alfonzo Dennard, this group did well for the most part yesterday. Grade A

Special Teams: Again, normally I don't grade them but this week, they merit special attention. Adi Kunalic did an outstanding job on kickoffs, making sure Brandon Banks couldn't get going. I don't know how else to explain it, but Ndamukong Suh and his mates on the defensive line must be forcing kickers to change their routine. How else can you explain all of the missed kicks, even when Suh doesn't get his mitts on the ball? Another two misses yesterday. And finally, Alex Henery. First, it was a 45 yarder that bounced and seemingly turned right inside the five, as if Henery was controlling the ball with a remote control, going out at the 1. Then there was that 61 yard bomb that took another right turn, going out at the three yard line. Are you kidding me? Grade: A+

Overall Grade: B- It's a win, and a championship...but this team still can do a lot better to put it all together. If they do so, you never know what might happen.

Elsewhere in College Football

Oklahoma: F I've taken heat about propping up the Sooners in their 4 previous losses...but yesterday, they were taken behind the woodshed and then some.

Nike: F Somebody... Please enact a federal law banning Nike from the uniform business. My goodness, but those new "Pro-Combat" uniforms can be summarized in four letters: U G L Y. Remember, these are the idiots who have made Oregon the laughingstock of college football. Nebraska needs to sign a lifetime contract with adidas rather than risk letting Nike anywhere near the Husker athletic complex. Maybe the fabric is an improvement, but Herb Tarlek could design a better looking uniform than the Swoosh Crew.

LSU Clock Management: 0 Was Les Miles even paying attention there at the end of the game?

Taylor Nick: A+ Earlier this year, Texas Tech quarterback Taylor Potts seemed to lose the confidence of his teammates, and was replaced by Stephen Sheffield. The Blackshirts took Sheffield out, and Potts alternated with Seth Doege in recent weeks. This week, Potts reinvented himself as "Nick" and proceeded to burn the Sooners all afternoon.

Missouri 2nd half: A+ A few weeks ago, the Tigers were sleep walking through the 2nd half. Now they're sleepwalking through the first half and busting the game open down the stretch.

Poll

Rate the Huskers performance against the Kansas State Wildcats!

A Championship Performance!

3 votes

B Good win.

131 votes

C A whole lot of meh. Did enough to beat a non-bowl eligible team, I guess.

114 votes

D Not very dominant on either side of the ball.

2 votes

F NU wins the north by default; everybody else is simply even worse.

6 votes

256 votes | Poll has closed

Nebraska Ends Kansas State's Season And Wins the Big 12 North

Jon Johnston — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:50:05 -0000

More photos » by DAVE WEAVER - AP

Yehaaaa!!!!! One Goal Realized!!!!!!!!!

Browse more photos »

Nebraska won the Big 12 North with a 17-3 win over Kansas State last night. It won't be considered pretty or stylish, but if you've come to love defense (and if you're a Huskers fan, you'd better love defense) it was another masterful performance by the Blackshirts.

Kansas State took their opening drive, marched down the field like they were on fire and being aided by yet another personal foul penalty on Larry Asante (at least he got it out of the way early this game). The Wildcats stalled at the 31 and Josh Cherry kicked a 44-yard field goal. With the way the Wildcats looked on their first drive, it was hard to imagine those were the only points they'd score.

The Huskers responded with a field goal of their own, moving down the field with a mixture between Roy Helu's rushing and Zac Lee's passing. On the next possession the Wildcats gained a first down and after two consecutive Thomas rushes, but their drive stalled after Eric Hagg nailed quarterback Grant Gregory with a 14-yard sack. Doerr punted, giving the Huskers great field position at their own 43.

The Husker offense was aided by a Wildcat personal foul penalty, then Zac Lee found Mike McNeill all alone in the end zone. The score made it 10-3, where it would remain until the Huskers scored another touchdown on the opening possession of the third quarter. The offense was incredibly efficient, scoring on four plays that included a 47-yard to Niles Paul and a subsequent 14-yard touchdown run by Roy Helu.

The Wildcats fared well on their second half opening drive until running back Keithen Valentine fumbled near the goal line and Prince Amukamara recovered. The Huskers spent the rest of the game trying to run the ball, but gained only 35 yards in four possessions.

Ndamukong Suh did his best impersonation of the greatest college football player in the nation, taking over the game in the fourth quarter. He sacked Gregory twice (one being aided by Barry Turner when they turned Gregory into a quarterback sandwich), batted down a pass, and picked up four of his nine tackles.

Kansas State playmaker Brandon Banks was held in check all night. Adi Kunalic consistently kicked off into the end zone, and when Banks chose to bring it out, he was buried before he got to the 20-yard line. Only once did Banks seem to be a big-play threat, when he broke free for a 22-yard return in the third quarter, giving Kansas State the ball at the Nebraska 43-yard line.

Despite such great field position, the Wildcats gained only two yards on eight plays. They made it as far as the 32-yard line when linebacker Phillip Dillard sacked Gregory, forcing a fumble and driving the Wildcats back to the 41.

There was some ugly as the offense managed only 267 total yards. The Husker missed opportunities to score some more points when Lee missed a wide open McNeill in the end zone, and later threw an interception in the opposite end zone. There was some good, too, as the offense finished the game without a single penalty. The Huskers had three for the game, with Larry Asante picking up another personal foul penalty, Justin Blatchford was called for running in to the kicker, and Eric Hagg picked up a pass interference call. That's pretty darned good for a team that has been consistently hit with false starts and holding calls throughout the year.

Alex Henery once again showed his mastery of punting an opponent into a hole. In the second quarter, he booted a punt that went out of bounds at the KSU one-yard line. In the fourth, he had a booming 61-yard punt that went out of bounds at the Kansas State three. All told, Henery had six punts for a 45-yard average. That's a good day of work any way you look at it.

Let's not kid ourselves. The Huskers have plenty of football left. First, there's the derelicts from Boulder, and then there's that championship game against Texas, who clinched the Big 12 South with a 50-21 win over Kansas. There's still a chance to have an incredible season.

KICKING THE TIRES: The University of Nebraska

BracketCat — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:15:08 -0000

Kansas State Wildcats (6-5 | 4-3) VS. Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-3 | 4-2)

The Big 12 North Championship
Nebraska Memorial Stadium - Lincoln, Neb.
Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009 - 6:45 PM CST

ESPN

After 11 weeks of strife and struggle, it comes down to this: One game separates us from either glory or disappointment.

Click the jump for my usual statistical/opinionated analysis. For more detailed information, see Corn Nation.

KEY PLAYERS

K-State

Passing
Grant Gregory (89 of 144, 970 yards, 4 TD, 3 INT)

Receiving
Brandon Banks (51 catches, 657 yards, 1 TD)

Rushing
Daniel Thomas (228 carries, 1,166 yards, 11 TD)

Wild Card
Josh Cherry (11 of 17 FG made)

Passing
Zac Lee (136 of 227, 1,692 yards, 11 TD, 6 INT)

Receiving
Niles Paul (29 catches, 567 yards, 3 TD)

Rushing
Roy Helu Jr. (167 carries, 962 yards, 9 TD)

Wild Card
Ndamukong Suh (56 tackles, 13 TFL, 1 INT, 1 FF)

KEY STATS

Rushing Offense
K-State (31 | -8) > NU (57)

Passing Offense
NU (82) > K-State (105 | +1)

Total Offense
K-State (75 | +3) > NU (77)

Scoring Offense
NU (68) > K-State (75 | -6)

Rushing Defense
NU (11) > K-State (23 | -3)

Pass Efficiency Defense
NU (3) > K-State (75 | -15)

Total Defense
NU (10) > K-State (47 | -4)

Scoring Defense
NU (3) > K-State (59 | -14)

Net Punting
K-State (73 | +4) > NU (100)

Punt Returns
NU (40) > K-State (47 | -3)

Kickoff Returns
K-State (6 | -2) > NU (44)

Turnover Margin
K-State (19 | -13) > NU (59)

Pass Defense
NU (26) > K-State (90 | -7)

Passing Efficiency
NU (68) > K-State (78 | -2)

Analysis

There's no shading the fact that the numbers really don't favor us in this matchup — especially in light of the Wildcats' poor performance last Saturday.

To secure a win, K-State will have to press its advantage in a few key areas: rushing offense (against the No. 3 rushing defense in the country, though), total offense (our record is pretty clear — when we don't score 20, we don't win, with KU being the rare exception), net punting (don't be afraid to play the field-position game), kickoff returns (we've got to spring Brandon Banks loose at least once, because against that defense, good field position will be critical to scoring points), and turnover margin (simply put, we cannot turn it over like we did last week — duh).

So as I see it, the recipe for victory is no turnovers, finding a way to score by opening up the playbook and creating plays on special teams. Oh, yeah, did I mention don't turn it over?

I'm going to go ahead and join the rest of the nation in predicting a comfortable Nebraska win, in order to reclaim some of that reverse-jinx magic I had earlier in the season. We'll need all the help we can get, unfortunately.

At this point, though, I really don't care if we win or lose. Either way, it has been a successful season. I just want to see this team leave nothing on the field. This could be the end of their season — I want to see them play like it. And if Nebraska is to win, I want them to know they were in a dogfight first.

Prediction: Nebraska 21, Kansas State 8 (that's a safety and two field goals, BTW)

BracketCat's Projected Starters

QB: Grant Gregory
FB: Braden Wilson*
RB: Daniel Thomas

WR: Brandon Banks, Attrail Snipes, Lamark Brown**
TE: Jeron Mastrud
OL: Nick Stringer, Zach Kendall, Wade Weibert, Kenneth Mayfield, Clyde Aufner

DL: Prizell Brown, Daniel Calvin, Antonio Felder, Jeffrey Fitzgerald
LB: John Houlik, Ulla Pomele
DB: Troy Butler, Stephen Harrison, Tysyn Hartman, Emmanuel Lamur, Joshua Moore

*if we start with a fullback and two wide receivers
**if we start with three wide receivers and no fullback

Elsewhere in the Big 12...

The weekend kicked off in weird fashion with a turnover-plagued and mistake-filled exhibition of crap last night on ESPN, as Oklahoma State disinterestedly survived Colorado 31-28 at home.

Look for more of the same this weekend, as ours is the only game of real consequence.

Oklahoma and Texas Tech are playing for bowl position, and I'm not sure that will be enough for the normally mighty Sooners to avoid being upset in a city they have lost in before.

Iowa State at Missouri and Kansas at Texas both figure to be ho-hum wins by probably the most talented teams in their respective divisions.

That leaves Baylor at Texas A&M, the battle for the Big 12 South basement. Oh, yeah, give me some of that.

Oklahoma at Texas Tech (FSN)
Red Raiders 20, Sooners 19

Iowa State at Missouri
Tigers 31, Cyclones 22

Baylor at Texas A&M
Aggies 31, Bears 27

Kansas at #3 Texas (ABC)
Longhorns 29, Jayhawks 6

All helmet images are courtesy of The Helmet Project. Check it out - it's pretty cool.