SB Nation - Menelik Holt

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?

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.....

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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!

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.

SB Nation Big 12 Roundtable - 2009 Season - Week 11 - Roundtable Recap

Beergut — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:06:43 -0000

We here at I Am The 12th Man are hosting the SB Nation Big 12 Roundtable this week, so we'll be recapping the thoughts of the other SB Nation Big 12 bloggers as they answered our questions.

1. We are three-fourths of the way through the season now, with either 2 or 3 games remaining for your respective teams. What players have surprised you, what players have disappointed you this year?

Corn Nation:

Surprises? The biggest surprises are Alfonzo Dennard, who's become a solid cornerback, and Dejon Gomes, who's been a playmaker ever since inserted into dime coverage a month ago. Disappointments would be Niles Paul and Menelik Holt. Paul is capable of big plays, but had two inexplicable fumbles in the red zone against Texas Tech and Iowa State that cost the Huskers dearly. Both Paul and Holt have had the dropsies as well. Paul managed to keep his roster spot by making a few plays against Missouri, but Holt just returned from a two week stint on the scout team. Nebraska's offense could sure use some production from their receivers to help stretch defenses vertically and take pressure off of Roy Helu and either Cody Green or Zac Lee.

2. Name a player on another Big 12 team who you think has underachieved or been a disappointment this season (I don't consider someone getting knocked out by injury a disappointment, so no references to Robert Griffin, please).

Crimson and Cream Machine:

This one is easy for me! My pick goes to Sergio Kindle of the texas longhorns. I actually received emails in the preseason about how Kindle was going to be unstoppable and all Sooners should beware. Of course I wasn't scared because my football playing days are well behind me and therefore I had a better chance of Kindle hitting me with his car than I did of him hitting me on the football field. As it turns out, I'm not the only one as Big 12 offensive players have seemed to elude Kindle's wrath like competent driving skills have eluded Kindle himself.
He's not among the Top 10 sack leaders in the conference and he isn't found among the To 50 leading tacklers in the conference (and there are actually 65 players on that list). I even bought into the hype and placed him our preseason Twelve Players To Watch In The Big 12 list. Turns out that his shining moment of the season so far has been an illegal hit on Texas Tech's Taylor Potts.

3. What player on another Big 12 team has surprised you or surpassed your expectations this season?

Clone Chronicles:

Ndamukong Suh. He was talked about in the preseason, but he was better than I thought he would be. He's lived up to the hype and then some, which is hard to say about a player from Nebraska, as Husker fans love to hype their players up!

5. Right now, who is your pick for Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, and Offensive and Defensive Freshman of the Year?

Crimson and Cream Machine:

Offensive Player of the Year: Jerrod Johnson, QB Texas A&M

Defensive Player of the Year: Ndamukong Suh, DT Nebraska

Newcomer of the Year: Daniel Thomas, RB Kansas State

Offensive Freshman of the Year: Landry Jones, QB Oklahoma

Defensive Freshman of the Year: Cody Davis, DB Texas Tech

6. Power rank the teams, 1-12.

texas (3)
Oklahoma State(2)
Oklahoma (2)
Texas Tech
Nebraska (2)
Kansas State (2)
Texas A&M (2)
Kansas (3)
Colorado
Iowa State (2)
Baylor (2)
Missouri

There was a unanimous consensus on who was #1 and #8 in the conference; everything else was all over the place. Teams were ranked by majority vote; if that didn't settle it, the next highest team left out was placed in the rankings, as with Tech at #4 and Colorado at #9. Missouri was the only team left when I was finished tabulating the rankings.

Now, you might want to ask yourself, Where are the other six SB Nation Big 12 blogs, and why haven't they contributed to this Roundtable? Well, I did a little investigating.

Rock Chalk Talk, Bring On The Cats, and Rock M Nation were all busy staring at a bouncing orange-brown ball, looked up blankly, and answered with a chorused, "Huh?" when I asked where their respective replies were.

The staff of Double T Nation was out practicing pirate maneuvers on a marooned ship in the desert (shades of Pirates of the Caribbean?) outside Lubbock, but editor Seth did send me this nice link about Uzoma Nwachukwu, so I gave them a pass.

The Ralphie Report was busy too busy writing about recruiting, and testing out the echo effects of yelling "MUNCHIE!!" in the mountains around Boulder to answer.

Burnt Orange Nation lost all computer access when Sergio Kindle smashed a car into their offices while 'texting' and driving last night.

Big 12 Roundtable

Husker Mike — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:00:26 -0000

This is the latest installment of the 2009 edition of the SB Nation Big 12 Roundtable. Our host this week is Coach Beergut at Texas A&M's I am the 12th Man.

Surprises? The biggest surprises are Alfonzo Dennard, who's become a solid cornerback, and Dejon Gomes, who's been a playmaker ever since inserted into dime coverage a month ago. Disappointments would be Niles Paul and Menelik Holt. Paul is capable of big plays, but had two inexplicable fumbles in the red zone against Texas Tech and Iowa State that cost the Huskers dearly. Both Paul and Holt have had the dropsies as well. Paul managed to keep his roster spot by making a few plays against Missouri, but Holt just returned from a two week stint on the scout team. Nebraska's offense could sure use some production from their receivers to help stretch defenses vertically and take pressure off of Roy Helu and either Cody Green or Zac Lee.

The first names I can come up with are all guys affected by injuries: either their own or someone else's. That would include Sam Bradford, Todd Reesing, and Zac Robinson. My vote would go to Texas Tech quarterback Taylor Potts. Until Potts, it seemed like Mike Leach's offense was simply plug-and-play. A record-setting quarterback would leave, and the next guy would continue putting up pinball-like numbers...until Taylor Potts took over, and the Raiders struggled. Potts was relieved by Steven Sheffield, who got the Tech offense rolling until the Blackshirts knocked him out of the lineup. Potts came back, proved ineffective again, and was replaced by redshirt freshman Seth Doege.

3. What player on another Big 12 team has surprised you or surprassed your expectations this season?

A month ago, I would have said Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert. But after getting eaten alive by Ndamukong Suh in a monsoon, Gabbert hasn't been the same. Now, I'd cast my vote for Kansas State tailback/quarterback Daniel Thomas. Thomas is one of the reasons why Bill Snyder is working on "Miracle 2.0"

4. Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh is the most dominant defensive tackle I have seen in years. Who do you think is the last dominant defensive tackle you can compare him to at the college level? Is there one to compare him to for the last 10 years?

I have to go back to Warren Sapp to find another tackle who's done what Suh has done. Of course, I'm biased too. I still think he's the most dominant player in college football, and should be getting more Heisman pub than he is. Unless you subscribe to the rule that the Heisman has to go to a quarterback.

5. Right now, who is your pick for Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, and Offensive and Defensive Freshman of the Year?

Right now, I'd go with Kansas State's Daniel Thomas for offensive player of the year and newcomer of the year. Defensive player of the year is obviously Ndamukong Suh. Offensive freshman of the year is Baylor quarterback Nick Florence, who stunned Missouri last week, and didn't look too bad against Nebraska and Oklahoma. Landry Jones would also have rated a vote before last week. Defensive freshman of the year is really tough; I'm really drawing a blank here other than Texas' Alex Okafor.

6. Power rank the teams, 1-12.

Texas
Texas Tech
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Nebraska
Kansas State
Missouri
Kansas
Texas A&M
Iowa State
Baylor
Colorado

After #6, it's almost a pot shot. I think Missouri and Kansas should be better than the rest, and I think that Colorado has earned the last spot, though they keep surprising me by pulling off upsets. I'm not a big believer in Oklahoma State either.

Reality Check Time for the Huskers

Husker Mike — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:47:15 -0000

More photos » by Dave Weaver - AP

Matt O'Hanlon: Three interceptions, Zero Stars. What means more? (AP Photo/Dave Weaver)

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One of the biggest dangers of a big win is forgetting that unless it's the final game of the season, it's just one win. There's always another game coming up that needs to become the focal point right away. So now that Sunday has come and gone, it's time to focus on the next game. We can all be excited about the play of the Huskers, but there's a danger in reading too much into the victory.

Remember the elation from the monsoon victory over Missouri? All those positive emotions evaporated after losing to Texas Tech. Every week's a war, and as we learned a week after that, anybody can beat anybody in the Big XII.

The Husker offense is still an ongoing concern, though I'd suggest the situation isn't quite as bleak as it might appear. Oklahoma's defense might be the best the Huskers will face this season. Shawn Watson dialed down the offense and went ultra-conservative rather than risk turnovers. I'd like to think that opportunities exist in upcoming weeks to open up the offense and try to establish something in the passing game. Brandon Kinnie looked good on the rollout, and you never know if exiled receivers Curenski Gilleylen or Menelik Holt will step up their game.

Nebraska now has control of it's own destiny, win all three games, and the Huskers will win the Big XII North. All three games are winnable. Kansas has lost four straight, Kansas State is in Lincoln, and Colorado is, well, Colorado. But as Nebraska learned a couple of weeks ago, no game is a sure victory either. (See eight fumbles against Iowa State.)

But that hasn't stopped some from focusing on a potential matchup with Texas. And while it's easy to see how Nebraska's defense matches up well against almost anybody, it's way too soon to wonder if Alex Henery can drill Jerry Jones TV set. Three more games still remain, and the focus needs to be on Kansas first and foremost.

Others are focusing on the commitments from potential recruits this weekend. This one is more surprising and more disappointing. If Husker fans should have learned one lesson from the Bill Callahan years, it was to disregard the hype of recruiting. So-called recruiting "experts" told us how Nebraska's recruiting had improved, when in fact, the evidence shows otherwise.

No, the lasting impact of Saturday night's game might be Bo Pelini putting his signature on the Husker program. It was a physical game where the entire defense approached the level that Pelini wants. No matter where you looked at the Blackshirts, you saw it. Whether it was Ndamukong Suh tormenting the offensive line and quarterback, Phillip Dillard's emergence as an all-conference candidate at linebacker, Alfonzo Dennard making waves as a shutdown corner, or Matt O'Hanlon proving hard work and dedication matters so much more than star rankings, we saw the Blackshirt defense being reinvented and reborn out of the ashes the previous regime left behind.

All that means nothing if Nebraska fails to take care of business on Saturday afternoon in Lawrence. That's the focus for this week. Not Texas, not Oklahoma, not recruiting.

Under the Hood: Nebraska vs Oklahoma Statistical Comparison

Jon Johnston — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:15:15 -0000

More photos » by Orlin Wagner - AP

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What's your perception about Oklahoma? Juggernaut? Wounded and vulnerable? Or does it matter?

Husker fans would have put the Sooners in 'juggernaut' category before this season began, writing this game off as a loss. That perception probably hasn't changed much due to our laggard offense, even though Oklahoma isn't the same team they were at the start of the season.

This game features two of the best defenses in the nation, and when I say best, I don't mean "in the top 20" in defensive categories, I mean number one and two in a lot of categories. That should lead to a very interesting game.

Offensive Statistics

	Nebraska	Oklahoma
Rush YPG	146.13 (62/7)	146.50 (60/6)
Rush YPC	4.51 (42/2)	3.91 (77/8)
Rush TDS	13 (53/8)	12 (63/9)

Pass YPG	221.8 (57/8)	277.4 (20/4)
Pass YPA	7.1 (62/7)	7.4 (47/5)
Pass TDS	12 (58/8)	19 (11/3)
Pass Efficiency	128.14 (62/8)	140.63 (33/5)

Total Offense	367.9 (69/9)	423.9 (30/4)

Defensive Statistics

	Nebraska	Oklahoma
Rush YPG	95 (10/3)	80 (3/2)
Rush YPC	2.65 (7/3)	2.56 (3/2)
Rush TDS	5 (12/3)	4 (8/2)

Pass YPG	171.4 (13/1)	197.3 (37/3)
Pass YPA	5.6 (11/3)	5.5 (9/2)
Pass TDS	3 (1/1)	7 (15/2)

Total Defense	266.4 (8/2)	277.3 (11/3)
Scoring Defense	11.3 (4/1)	12.6 (8/2)

Nebraska vs. Oklahoma Opponent Positional Ranks

Total Offense Rank	Nebraska Opponent	Total Defense Rank	Total Offense Rank	Oklahoma	Total Defense Rank
9	Florida Atlantic	110	11	BYU	51
87	Arkansas State	44	-	Idaho State	-
73	@Virginia Tech	29	54	Tulsa	46
81	UL-Lafayette	97	55	Miami	52
64	@Missouri	32	84	Baylor	85
4	Texas Tech	59	31	Texas	3
57	Iowa State	90	10	Kansas	47
84	@Baylor	85	75	Kansas State	43
57.38	Average	68.25	45.71	Average	46.71

Idaho State not FCS, so not included.

- I was surprised to see that Oklahoma is struggling at running the ball more than we are. Given how much angst has gone into screaming about Shawn Watson's playcalling, both teams suffer from the same basic problem - weak offensive lines.

- If we looked further, we'd find that both teams have the deck literally stacked against them when it comes to the run. Both teams have faced heavy defensive fronts all year, forcing both offenses into a passing game.

- Which leads directly to the biggest difference between these two teams - Oklahoma has figured out how to score touchdowns in the passing game. There is a seven touchdown differential between these offenses. To put it bluntly, that means that Menelik Holt would have caught the ball in the end zone against Virginia Tech, Niles Paul would have held onto the ball and scored against Iowa State, and then we'd have five more against Texas Tech. We'd be undefeated! (Okay, fine.... we'd have beaten Virginia Tech and Iowa State, but we wouldn't be in the position we're in now).

- Gosh, did I just say that the offense has problems on both the offensive line and receiving corps? Why... yes, I did. Does that exonerate Shawn Watson? Not entirely. The "towards the bottom half of the conference" yards per catch is endemic of Watson's "throw to the sideline"

- Defense.... people don't like defensive games anymore, do they? Boring watching two teams beat the crap out of each other, apparently. Well, I hope this game is boring for everyone in the fact that it needs to be low scoring because that gives Nebraska a chance. Oklahoma can score. Nebraska can not.... or at least has not.

- If you're holding hope that this is the game the offense breaks out..... I admire your faith. Join us for the game thread!

Husker Report Card: Baylor

Husker Mike — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:35:54 -0000

More photos » by Duane Laverty - AP

Nebraska Jared Crick sacks Baylor quarterback Nick Florence (11) in the second quarter. (AP Photo/Waco Tribune Herald, Duane Laverty)

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Some week's, I go back and forth as to whether it's better to watch games in person (from my high end zone perspective) or on television. TV gives me many more replays, a bigger picture of the game, and the benefit of statistics. In person gives me the perspective of watching the entire field and the ability to watch key matchups through my binoculars. Yesterday's game was one of those games where watchig in person would have been clearly superior, because the Versus coverage was so bad. Most of the game action was shown from a high camera showing the entire field. That's great for identifying coverages early on, but it was nearly impossible to figure out who was who out there without the aid of replay. On my television, all I could make out was the color of jersey and where they lined up originally. So I feel somewhat uncomfortable grading action away from the ball this week, because I don't feel that I got as good of a read of the game.

QB: One thing is clear; Nebraska's offensive struggles weren't solved by changing quarterbacks. Cody Green brings positives (strong running) and negatives (inexperience and a more erratic arm) to the position. Green looked OK in the first half, but less though in the second half. His pick-6 interception will be a "teaching moment" for Shawn Watson. Grade: D-

IB: Once again, Roy Helu tried to go...and simply can't. I'm not sure I understand the point in putting an obviously limited Helu into the game and risk reaggravating his shoulder, rather than shutting Helu down for a week or two and get him back sooner. Dontrayevous Robinson did fine for the most part while he was in the game...but then joined the cast of injured I-backs on the sideline. Nebraska tried to scour the bottom of the depth chart to find an I-back..and couldn't. Lester Ward wasn't terribly productive and Austin Jones even less so. Grade: C

WR: In 2004, it was understandable that Nebraska didn't have the receivers to be really successful in a passing offense. So Bill Callahan recruited receiver after receiver to Nebraska. Five years later, other than Maurice Purify, those Callahan receivers are turning out to be a waste of good scholarships. Yesterday, the Huskers' starting wide receivers were Niles Paul, nephew of Ahman Green, Khiry Cooper, redshirt freshman outfielder for the baseball team, and Brandon Kinnie, a sophomore who just transfered from junior college. To be sure, that inexperience didn't help playcalling at all, but we also didn't see nearly the same mistakes made by the more experienced receivers. Whether giving Menelik Holt and Curenski Gilleylen the Phillip Dillard treatment is going to improve things down the line But yesterday, that gives the receivers a C-.

OL: It all starts up front when it comes to offense, and as the game wore on, Baylor's defense stacked the line recognizing that the Huskers were green at all of the skill positions. While that's not entirely the line's fault, the line was Nebraska's best chance to break out of the offensive funk they found themselves in. And they couldn't. Grade: D+

DL: Spend too much time worrying about Ndamukong Suh, and you've got Jared Crick to worry about instead. If you want to find something positive to think about yesterday's game, keep in mind that Crick is just a sophomore and still has plenty of time to improve his game under the Pelini brothers. Grade: A-

LB: This is where the Versus coverage did me wrong, as I simply didn't get a good feel for linebacker play from the coverage. I did see a few good things from Sean Fisher, and Phillip Dillard was involved as well. I'll weasel out and put down a B, though I really can't defend it very well.

Secondary: Alfonzo Dennard and Dejon Gomes have really upgraded this unit over the last month...but sadly, Dennard reinjured his shoulder. When Anthony West replaced Dennard, you realized just how good Dennard has been this season. Gomes had an interception, but also a somewhat questionable (in my eye) roughing call when he came on a blitz. Prince Amukamara had a beautiful interception, making a break as soon as the ball was in the air. Grade: B-

Overall: C Defense had another good performance, but needs help from the offense. If 273 yards is all that this offense can produce against Baylor, what can we expect this week against Oklahoma? Wait, don't answer that question.

Elsewhere in College Football

Missouri: B- First half showed that Missouri is much better than their 0-3 start in the Big XII...but the second half has to raise concerns about the Tigers. Or maybe it's just the general suckage that is the Big XII North.

Kansas State: B Took the kids out trick-or-treating with the Sooners rolling...so imagine my surprise to find the Wildcats fighting back in the second half. Maybe Bill Snyder has another miracle left in him after all...

USC: D- The only thing funnier than watching Southern Cal implode will be listening to ESPN Radio's Colin Cowherd try to blow off this one.

BCS Voters: F Funny how suddenly you forget how dominant Alabama has been all season once Florida and Texas finally play a complete game. Fer shame.

Iowa: First three quarters: F 4th quarter: A+ The first three quarters it looked like Iowa was finally going to get it's just desserts...then suddenly they come to life. I still think that eventually the Hawkeyes will get knocked off, but that fourth quarter is the type of quarter that a BCS title contender puts on the board. Usually not after total suckage for the first 45 minutes of the game, however.

Poll

Rate the Huskers performance against Baylor

A Everything you could ask for with a true freshman starting at quarterback.

7 votes

B Defense continues to be outstanding, and the offense is getting untracked with Green

16 votes

C Defense is playing at an elite level; offense is playing at a whole other level entirely.

98 votes

D Doesn't matter what the defense did when the offense is that pedestrian.

58 votes

F That second half was most discouraging.

30 votes

209 votes | Poll has closed

Big 12 Cob of The Week: Niles Paul, Nebraska Coaches And Dan Hawkins Keeps His Idiot Streak Alive!

Cobby — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:01:21 -0000

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Paul Rhoads did not suck this week. The coaches that opposed him.... well, they're nominated, aren't they?

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What a wretched, wretched week, and I'm not just talking about Nebraska, I'm talking about most of the Big 12 North. Well, not even the whole Big 12 North, but Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas. The three teams that was expected to win the upper half of the conference can't get out of their own way. Neither can Colorado. Or Texas Tech. Better include Texas A&M in that. And Oklahoma State for the Dez Bryant thing. And Oklahoma because their offensive line got their quarterback killed and they just suck this season.

Come to think of it, just about everything and everyone in the Big 12 sucks with the exception of Texas, Iowa State and Kansas State. The first because they keep winning. The latter because everyone thought they were jokes at the start of the season when the joke is on all of us. Maybe the media and the fans suck too.

Maybe it's just one giant season of SUCK.

You know how this works right? Every week we nominate three of the worst performances in the Big 12. You vote on them, picking the weekly winner. At the end of the year we have a Big 12 Cob of the Year, a cobapalooza, and we select the Big 12 Cob of the Year!

The way this year is going, everyone will get a chance to win, especially Dan Hawkins!

Husker Mike:

While Menelik Holt and Curenski Gilleylen also deserve mention for their dropsies against the Cyclones, my Cob of the week nomination goes to Niles Paul. I don't know if there is some sort of magnetic force field on the west sideline at the north 20 yard line as Paul fumbled the ball once again. This time, rather than resulting an opponent touchdown, it merely wiped a Husker touchdown off the board as Paul streaked towards the endzone. And in a two point Husker loss...that touchdown was the difference in the game.

Why, Niles, why? I would have believed that Holt kid. Or maybe Will Henry? But you?

JLew:

Go here and see if you find anything interesting about the drive charts for the KSU/CU game. Notice anything odd at Colorado at 1:11? Yep Hawkins puts in his son to play! Nothing like ruining your starting QB's confidence. The ralphiereport breaks it down for us-

All one had to do is look at Hansen's face towards the end of the first half to see the combination of anger, sadness and frustration residing within because he was replaced perhaps when the offense needed him most. Did the coaches forget what happened in CU's last two drives just the week before? After sputtering for most of the second half against KU, the offense came alive in time to score the winning touchdown and then gain an important first down and use up 3 1/2 of the remaining few minutes to preserve a victory. Those drives were led by and starred Tyler Hansen.

So how did the younger Hawkins do? 10/23 95 yards 0 TD 2 INT. And now I have to hear about KSU leading the B12 North for another 2 weeks.

So we'll continue the CU streak of cobs and give one to Dan Hawkins for his QB decisions, again, and again.

Corn Blight:

I thought about trying to nominate Texas Tech quarterback Taylor Potts. Thought about Missouri, too, being smashed by Texas. But, unfortunately, my nomination has to be the Nebraska coaching staff. Enough of this thought that the Iowa State loss was some sort of "fluke" game because it wasn't. It was the tale of a coaching staff who had their players ready to play and another one that didn't. If you need proof of that, look here and tell me I'm wrong.

The only possible exception is Barney Cotton, whose offensive line played fairly well, didn't drop passes or turn the ball over and cut down on their mistakes (penalties) this week.

Maybe the Huskers spent all week worrying about whether or not they'd get booed again this week. That won't be a problem at Baylor, now will it?

Poll

Your Choice For the Big 12 Cob of the Week:

Dan Hawkins starring in "Idiotic Handling of Quarterbacks - The Sequel"!

42 votes

Niles Paul - for not paying attention to little things like holding onto the ball

85 votes

Nebraska's Coaching Staff - for letting Iowa State show up more prepared and losing to them in Lincoln for the first time in 32 years

122 votes

249 votes | Poll has closed

Husker Youth Movement Shows A Positive Future - But Is The Future Now?

Jon Johnston — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:41:41 -0000

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I don't know how you could find Dontrayevous Robinson's play Saturday anything but encouraging.

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Over half way through the 2009 season, you'd swear there wasn't much positive happening with the offense. After two consecutive home losses, and trying to get the idea of eight turnovers in a ball game out of our heads, that's not surprising.

Still, the Huskers have had some positive output from first-year players. For a team looking for playmakers, that's not such a bad thing. If the more experienced players aren't going to win games, perhaps there are difference makers to be found amongst the first-year guys.

Against Iowa State, true freshman Dontrayevous Robinson showed that he could contribute to the offense, carrying the ball 15 times for 77 yards for a 5.1 yard per carry average. He scored his first career touchdown, the only touchdown scored by the Husker offense against the Cyclones. Robinson was impressive, giving the Huskers some tough rushing yards despite having a fumble near the goal line. Given the state of the running game, he should see many more chances in upcoming games.

Despite a foot injury that derailed his season, true freshman Rex Burkhead remains the team's second-leading rusher with 23 carries for 118 yards. Burkhead provided a straight-ahead, tough running style that gave the offense a boast when he was in the games. He also provided an alternative to Niles Paul in fielding punts, and while he had only four chances, he has the highest average in that category.

After Roy Helu Jr, the top leading rushers (in order) are Burkhead, quarterback Cody Green, and Robinson, all first-year players. Zac Lee gained 128 yards, but has also lost 55, netting him 73 and putting him behind the aforementioned players. That should speak volumes about the state of the offense.

JUCO transfer Brandon Kinnie has gotten involved in the offense, with three receptions for 27 yards against Iowa State, giving him four total receptions this season. At 6' 3" and 215 pounds, Kinnie is a big receiver of the Maurice Purify mold. Husker fans can hope the experience gave him some confidence and we'll see more of him as the season goes on.

Antonio Bell has already burned his redshirt season as well, but has only one reception. If Menelik Holt and Curenski Gilleylen have been regulated to the scout team, perhaps it'll mean more playing time for Bell this week against Baylor.

Quarterback Green remains a center of fan focus. The status of Green remains a mystery. Pelini stated after the Iowa State game that Green isn't ready, yet he was ready enough to insert into the Texas Tech game, told to take risks if necessary, and not hold back.

In fairness to the coaches, it's relatively easy to learn the running back and wide receiver positions. The only thing you have to know is what you're supposed to be doing - a running back doesn't have to know what the receivers are doing and vice versa. But as a quarterback, you must know and understand what everyone is doing. Hence the learning curve is higher - any any offense, not just Shawn Watson's.

In deference to Pelini's post-game comments, Zac Lee wasn't the problem this past weekend. He played a reasonable game. Unfortunately, his offense has no heart right now, and if you're going to burn Green's redshirt season, then why not give him some series in a game just to see what happens?

Pelini's recruits are showing that they're ready to get on the field and play some football. At what point does this offense tip over and start giving way to the youth movement?