SB Nation - Cody Glenn

Nebraska: Beyond the Box Score Preseason Defensive Preview

Bill C. — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:11 -0000

Before we get to the defense, an aside.

I'm in an interesting position here. Nebraska is absolutely in the North's top tier of teams (as has been covered previously, there appears to be a rather large "proven talent" divide between KU/NU/MU and KSU/ISU/CU), and if they can win in Lawrence or Columbia (or maybe even if they can't), they can take the North. As you'll read below, the defense should be incrementally better while the offense could be incrementally worse, and while there are few true stars (Ndamukong Suh, Roy Helu, maybe Mike McNeill or a defensive end), there is decent experience at RB, DL, and DB. And Bo Pelini certainly acquitted himself relatively well in year #1.

As I've mentioned previously, my problem comes with expectations and with the casual nature that national-level analysts continue to just assume that Nebraska is now "back" despite little evidence to support that. Since making the national title game in 2001, Nebraska has gone just 28-28 in conference with a point differential of -68. As means of comparison, here are the North standings in that time frame:

Big 12 North Standings, 2002-08
Team	Record	Pt. Diff
Missouri	29-27	+235
Nebraska	28-28	-68
Colorado	27-29	-104
Kansas State	25-31	+189
Kansas	22-34	-297
Iowa State	15-41	-718

(Yes, that's right--ONE North team is over .500 combined in the last seven seasons--barely--and the North is, as a whole, 44 games under .500 in that span. Granted, Iowa State is responsible for 26 of those games, but...well...Baylor and their 10-46 record still reside in the South, and the division has still managed to be 44 games over .500. Yikes.)

Anyway, the frustration here lies in the fact that, every year we get to hear about Nebraska being "back" and Colorado being a "sleeper," and yet Missouri, who has been a smidge better than both of them over a 7-year (not just 2-year) span, is pronounced dead at the first possible moment. Just odd. But the good news is, as always, this is the offseason. The real season will give us all the answers we're arguing about or getting annoyed about at the moment.

/aside

Anyhoo, time to talk defense.

Nebraska pulled off an interesting feat in 2008. While winning six of seven games to end the season, they gave up 29.1 points per game in that span (23.7 in the wins), and yet the basis for most of their North title predictions this offseason come from how good the defense is going to be. They gave up 35 points to Virginia Tech, who had the #79 offense in the country (according to S&P+). They gave up 52 to Missouri and 62 to Oklahoma...37 to Texas Tech (not bad, actually)...35 to Kansas...28 to Kansas State...an egregious 31 to Colorado (S&P+ rank: 114th)...and yet the defense is going to carry them to the North title? Never mind how disrespectful that is for Kansas (and to a lesser extent, Missouri) fans to hear...how disrespectful is that to Joe Ganz? Nate Swift? Roy Helu Jr.? These were the guys who, along with Ndamukong Suh's big plays, carried the Huskers to a strong 2008 finish.

Now, before I go any further, make no mistake: the Nebraska defense has probably the best shot at being the North's best D in the fall. The point is, it's not going to be so good that they will get by Kansas and Missouri (both on the road) simply on the heels of the dominant Blackshirts. They're not going to be that dominant. In going for only their second North title since Eric Crouch was running the show, the onus will be on not only Zac Lee and an unproven receiving corps, but also a decent-not-great defense, which alternates between experienced guys with low ceilings and inexperienced, highly-touted players. Maybe Bo Pelini will push all the right buttons, but we shouldn't assume it will happen.

Defense

Overall Stats

S&P+: 108.9 (#41)
Success Rate+: 111.9 (#23)
PPP+: 105.7 (#53)

Standard Downs S&P+: 103.9 (#51)
Passing Downs S&P+: 114.0 (#31)

Redzone S&P+: 114.4 (#23)

Q1 S&P+: 95.5 (#75)
Q2 S&P+: 121.2 (#22)
Q3 S&P+: 82.7 (#105)
Q4 S&P+: 144.3 (#2)

1st Down S&P+: 96.8 (#71)
2nd Down S&P+: 120.6 (#17)
3rd Down S&P+: 115.9 (#32)

Rushing Stats

Rushing S&P+: 102.0 (#60)
Rushing SR+: 104.4 (#47)
Rushing PPP+: 98.9 (#65)

Standard Downs: 91.5 (#86)
Passing Downs: 138.5 (#15)

Redzone: 96.4 (#74)

Line Yards+: 103.4 (#48)

Passing Stats

Passing S&P+: 112.2 (#28)
Passing SR+: 118.0 (#10)
Passing PPP+: 107.1 (#50)

Standard Downs: 113.1 (#39)
Passing Downs: 105.4 (#51)

Redzone: 141.3 (#7)

Adj. Sack Rate: 8.6% (#9)

As a whole, Nebraska had a pretty efficient defense in 2008, but they struggled with the big play. Their success rates were quite solid, but their PPP+ numbers were lacking. They knew how to leverage an offense into bad situations (15th in Passing Downs Rushing), but they ended up occasionally letting teams off the hook (51st in Passing Downs Passing).

Other items of note:

Thanks in part to a very strong Adjusted Sack Rate, Nebraska's strength was in defending the pass. Again, they weren't tremendous from a PPP+ perspective, but their success rates were good. As I gather more data, it will be interesting to see which one is easier to improve with experience and better execution--success rates or PPP.
Strangely, as with their offense, their redzone rushing defense was awful, but their redzone pass defense was great. You figure it out; I can't.
While they did indeed have a strong sack rate, what's with the line yardage? It seems they were good at attacking and speed, but they couldn't avoid being pushed around (or, they attacked too much, and it was easy to use their leverage against them to create running lanes?).
Bad in Q1, good in Q2. Atrocious in Q3, outstanding in Q4. Again, you figure it out.
They were mediocre on first downs but quite strong on second downs...and decent-not-great on third downs. This coincides with what was mentioned above--they were good at making a bad offensive situation worse, but they let teams off the hook a bit.

Through all of this info, something else interesting emerges. For all the seemingly-justifiable hype generated by NU's D-line, it was the Huskers' worst-ranked unit in 2008. It was a decent #42, while the linebackers were #34 and the high-efficiency-too-many-big-plays secondary was #31 (at least partially because they played against so many great passing offenses, I assume). Kind of an identity crisis here.

But regardless of the rankings, it appears that the D-line and secondary could be better, while...honestly, I have no idea what to make of the LBs.

Defensive Line

Pierre Allen is overshadowed but solid.

2008 Unit Ranking: #42 in the nation (#4 in the Big 12)

Projected Depth Chart
DT Ndamukong Suh (6'4, 300, Sr.)
DE Pierre Allen (6'5, 265, Jr.)
DE Barry Turner (6'3, 265, Sr.)
DT Baker Steinkuhler (6'6, 295, RSFr.)
DT Terrence Moore (6'3, 285, So.)
DE Josh Williams (6'4, 245, RSFr.)
DE Cameron Meredith (6'4, 260, RSFr.)

While nobody is going to mistake this unit for that of Oklahoma, this is clearly the most proven defensive line in the Big 12 North, at least in terms of the pass rush. Ndamukong Suh has slowly morphed from inconsistent playmaker to every-down dominant (he led Nebraska in tackles last season, as a defensive tackle, and posted 19 TFLs and two huge pick sixes), while Baker Steinkuhler, if he can gain the form of a 5-star athlete quickly, could make teams pay for doubling Suh. Meanwhile, on the outside, Pierre Allen posted 10.0 TFLs of his own last year, and Barry Turner might be able to make some waves after following up a disappointing 2007 season (he was outstanding as a freshman and sophomore) with a 2008 broken leg that earned him a medical hardship.

They were great at attacking in 2008, but it was possible to push them around a bit. Bo Pelini's defense has the reputation for attacking and blitzing a lot, but the strength of the attack is limited if you struggle against the run. Derrick Washington put up 139 yards and two touchdowns against them, Tech's Baron Batch went for 97 yards on just 10 carries, and Robert Griffin posted 121 yards. In all, NU's rush defense (#60) wasn't terrible, but it certainly wasn't great. Clearly that will need to improve considerably if Nebraska is to assume a spot in the Top 25 as they are now predicted to do.

Outside of Suh, Allen, and Turner, the defensive line is thin and inexperienced, but, well, that won't matter if the starters don't get hurt. Suh is clearly a force (though he has yet to make serious noise against Missouri, knock on wood), and Allen and Turner could make for a strong pair of rush ends.

Linebackers

Missouri fans probably know the name of Will Compton pretty well already.

2008 Unit Ranking: #34 in the nation (#6 in the Big 12)

Projected Depth Chart
Phillip Dillard (6'1, 240, Sr.)
Blake Lawrence (6'3, 220, Jr.)
Will Compton (6'2, 220, RSFr.)
Sean Fisher (6'6, 230, RSFr.)
Mathew May (6'1, 210, So.)
Matt Holt (6'0, 200, So.)

So...what do you actually do with this unit? You've got 27th-year senior Phil Dillard, who has made 75 tackles in two years and almost no plays. You've got former 4-star stud Blake Lawrence, who has made 23 tackles in 15 games his first two seasons and made exactly one big play: an interception in 2008. You've got new 4-star stud Will Compton, whose biggest contribution thus far in his career was to assistant coach Mike Ekeler's arm but is expected to tear things up sooner than later...and then you've got a bunch of other youngsters. In limited action, Mathew May locked down a nice TFL, forced fumble, and fumble recovery, so he may hold some potential. Same with Matt Holt, who made 14 tackles in nine games (and one start).

It's unclear how much potential this relatively young unit of LBs has, and how quickly they can be expected to fulfill said potential. Clearly, the Huskers have a lot of hope in Compton, but...well, he's not any more highly-touted than Lawrence was, and Lawrence hasn't done anything of note yet. There's something to be said for the fact that the Husker D is now in its second year under Pelini, and knowledge of the scheme and higher levels of intuition will make things better. And there's also this: the Huskers had a respectable, 34th-ranked LB corps in 2008 despite the fact that there really wasn't a big-time playmaker among Dillard, Lawrence, and departed seniors Cody Glenn and Tyler Wortman. Pelini clearly knows LBs, and even if none of these guys are All-Conference caliber, this unit at least won't be a liability.

Secondary

Larry Asante...starting safety (I have nothing in particular to say about him...he's solid)

2008 Unit Ranking: #31 in the nation (#8 in the Big 12)

Projected Depth Chart
S Larry Asante (6'1, 215, Sr.)
CB Anthony West (6'0, 205, Jr.)
S Matt O'Hanlon (5'11, 200, Sr.)
CB Prince Amukamara (6'1, 200, Jr.)
S Ricky Thenarse (6'0, 205, Sr.)
CB Alfonzo Dennard (5'10, 190, So.)
CB Anthony Blue (5'10, 185, So.)
S Eric Hagg (6'2, 205, Jr.)

The secondary is as experienced as the LB corps is inexperienced, but there doesn't appear to be as much upside. Again, they gave up a few too many big plays, but I guess that is to be expected against the offenses they faced. They posted good success rate numbers, and that helped the pass defense a decent amount. Safeties Larry Asante, Matt O'Hanlon, and Ricky Thenarse are veterans, and that's never a bad thing for your last line of defense. But they also combined for only 10 TFLs and 3 INTs. Thenarse seemed to be the biggest offender in terms of giving up the big play (at least in games I watched), but he was most capable of making some plays himself.

Meanwhile, the cornerback position seems to have more potential overall--Anthony West ended up having himself a solid sophomore season, breaking up nine passes and picking two more off. (As means of comparison, Castine Bridges had seven pass breakups from the CB position, Carl Gettis six and Kevin Rutland five.) Prince Amukamara showed some potential as well. In all, NU's secondary was their highest-ranked unit in 2008, and gauging experience levels (and strength of schedule), you can expect those numbers to be maintained in 2009.

Special Teams

2008 Unit Ranking: #106 Net Punting, #21 Punt Returns, #48 Kickoff Returns

Projected Starters
K Alex Henery (6'2, 175, Jr.) - 56-57 PAT, 18-21 FGs
P Alex Henery (6'2, 175, Jr.)
KR Niles Paul (6'1, 215, Jr.) - 41 Returns, 23.6 Avg, 1 TD
PR Niles Paul (6'1, 215, Jr.) - 8 Returns, 10.0 Avg

Nebraska special teams in 2009 were pretty hit-or-miss. Alex Henery was an outstanding kicker--it's hard to overstate how clutch it is to beat a main rival (Colorado) with a 57-yard field goal with two minutes remaining. In all, he made 18 of 21 FGs, and he has by far the most proven leg in the Big 12 North. He will also likely be trusted to assume punting duties in 2009--NU was pretty weak here last year, and while it's never a given that a good kicker will be a good punter, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt here.

On the returns side of things, it looks right now as if Niles Paul will be the man. He was solid in kickoff returns, scoring a clutch return touchdown in the fourth quarter against San Jose State, right after SJSU had closed NU's lead to 14-12. Take that return out of the equation, and he still averaged 22.1 yards per return, which would have been better than average. Nate Swift was the main man in punt returns last year, but Paul returned a handful and did fine with them.

Really, if punting isn't a liability, the special teams unit could be a major asset for Nebraska in close games, particularly in terms of kicking. Henery really is a stud.

Summary

Iffy offense, solid defense, solid special teams. In a division without a breakaway favorite, Nebraska has as good a chance as anybody of coming away the winner (though playing in both Lawrence and Columbia won't help their cause).

We'll take a look at projections on Friday, but for now we'll just summarize by saying that while NU's defense could be solid, I think they're at least a year away from having rock-solid personnel at linebacker, but they'll be taking a step backwards on the defensive line and in the secondary next year. It might take a little while for all the pieces to truly come together for Pelini's defense, but he's got a good defensive mind obviously, and because of that and decent personnel, they'll certainly be in the title hunt this year. I'm just not giving them anything yet.

---

Projections on Friday.

Huskers Going Into the NFL Draft And Free Agent Signings

Jon Johnston — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 04:29:09 -0000

More photos » by Orlin Wagner - AP

Matt Slauson joins his old college coach, Bill Callahan with the New York Jets after being selected in the fifth round.

Browse more photos »

In seven rounds, only three Huskers were taken in this weekend's NFL draft.

- Cody Glenn being the first Husker drafted was a big surprise. He went in the fifth round to the Washington Redskins. It’s a big surprise because Glenn only played linebacker for one season that was cut short due to his being suspended for ticket scalping.

One partial year, and he’s the highest Husker drafted. Maybe that says something about his desire. Maybe it says something about linebackers coach Mike Ekeler. Or maybe.… it’s because he’s the Husker I chose to put on the cover picture for “A Sea of Red” last season. Yeah, that’s it.

- Matt Slauson gets reunited with his old buddy New York Jets offensive line coach Bill Callahan after going in the sixth round. I don’t know if Slauson can ever get to be a high-paid NFL lineman, but the Jets need linemen pretty badly. I’m all for him, loved the face paint.

It’s easy for us as Husker fans to bash on Billy C, but maybe if Bill can focus on line coaching without all those other distractions like running a full offense, then there’s hope for Slauson. I certainly hope so.

- Lydon Murtha dropped all the way to the seventh round, going to the Detroit Lions. Not that surprising Murtha dropped as far as he did. He missed four games in 2007 and again in 2008 with injuries. In 2008, there was an indication that the injuries weren’t serious, leading one to speculate that Murtha is going to have to get a lot tougher to stay on a NFL roster. This didn't escape the NFL guys.

Although with the Lions, how good do you have to be, really?

Several Husker players were signed as undrafted free agents:

- Joe Ganz, Tamba Bay

- Marlon Lucky, Cinncinati Bengals

- Zach Potter, New York Jets

- Todd Peterson, Jacksonville Jaguars

- Nate Swift, Denver Broncos

Otherwise:

- Our buddy Chase Daniel signed with the Washington Redskins

2009 Nebraska Football Spring Preview: Linebackers A Plenty!

Jon Johnston — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:00:11 -0000

Last year Bo Pelini walked into his first spring practice wondering where his linebacking unit was. He finally located them standing behind a post, difficult to locate because they were so thin (insert collective groan).

Bo Pelini started his first season with one returning starter, Phillip Dillard, at linebacker. Tyler Wortman had played in 2008 due to injuries to Bo Ruud and Lance Brandenburgh, but that was the extent of the experience. The depth chart looked so bad going into spring practice that Cody Glenn switched positions from running back to linebacker.

This year the linebacker position is so loaded that Latravis Washington switched to quarterback, leaving no less than 12 players to vie for playing time at three positions. What a difference a year makes - this year you couldn’t throw a rock at the Husker football team without hitting a linebacker.

Can Phillip Dillard work his way back into a starting middle linebacker role?
Photo by Dennis Hubbard.

The switch for Glenn appeared to work out well as at times he played like a man possessed, while at others he made silly mistakes. Even though an unfortunate suspension ended his season after nine games, Glenn ended up fifth in total tackles with 51. He had six tackles for loss, four pass break-ups and a forced fumble.

Phillard Dillard played in nine games, but suffered an ankle injury against Baylor and missed the remaining fives games. He finished the season with 38 tackles and a half sack. Colton Koehler started the season a relative unknown, but played in seven games and eventually replaced Dillard as the starter. Koehler got his first career start in the Gator Bowl and finished the season with 16 tackles, including eight against Kansas State and a safety against Baylor.

Matt Holt was another surprise, earning his first career start against Texas Tech. He played in nine games, finishing with a total of 14 tackles, including eight against Texas Tech. He suffered an injury during the Kansas game and missed the rest of the season due to should surgery.

Beyond Dillard, Blake Lawrence has the most experience of this year’s linebackers. Lawrence played in ten games at the will spot and started two games including the Gator Bowl. He finished 2008 with 21 total tackles and had an interception against Clemson that lead to a Alex Henery field goal.

The talk before the start of spring practice was whether or not Dillard could fight off middle linebacker of the future Will Compton. After Mike Ekeler’s recent comments it appears that Dillard may have to worry about fighting Colton Koehler and Matthew May for playing time as well.

Redshirt freshmen Will Compton, Alonzo Whaley, and Sean Fisher are highly-touted newcomers expected to compete for a starting role. Compton is widely considered Nebraska’s middle linebacker of the future while Whaley and Fisher will compete for the outside linebacker roles.

Who are the projected starters? Right now, who cares? Pelini won’t make a depth chart for spring practice, and with this many linebackers vying for playing time there’s no reason why he should as the competition will continue well into fall. There will be a depth chart come fall and someone will be starting, but given that the Huskers first two games are against Sun Belt conference teams Florida Atlantic and Arkansas State expect a number of different linebackers to see playing time. This will give Compton, Whaley, or Fisher time to grow into starters without necessarily exposing the defense early in the season.

Nebraska started three linebackers only three times last season. Whether that is due to the Big 12’s shift to the spread offense or because of the 2008 depth issues is debatable. If the 2009 group, particularly the will and buck positions, can show enough speed they’ll see the field more than their 2008 counterparts.

Who Goes Where?

Brian Christopherson at Husker Extra was kind enough to lay out the position battles going into spring, also noting that this does not represent a depth chart.

At the WILL: Blake Lawrence, Alonzo Whaley, Matt Holt, Matthew May
At the MIKE: Colton Koehler, Phillip Dillard, Will Compton, Matthew May (he's swinging between MIKE and WILL)

At the BUCK: Sean Fisher, Micah Kreikemeier, Graham Stoddard, Blake Lawrence (swinging between the WILL and BUCK)

A look at the class breakdown:
Phillip Dillard - Sr
Colton Koehler - Sr

Thomas Grove - Jr
Blake Lawrence - Jr
LaTravis Washington - Jr - switched to quarterback

Mathew May - So
Matt Holt - So
Joseph Camarata - So
Austin Stafford - So - no longer with team

Sean Fisher - RFr
Tanner Foxhoven - RFr
Will Compton - RFr
Micah Kreikmeier - RFr
Matt Manninger - RFr
Alonzo Whaley - RFr
Graham Stoddard - RFr
Sam Meginnis - RFr

Freshman Recruits:

Robert Barry - Fr - Walk On
Colby Starkebaum - Fr - Walk On
Chris Williams - Fr - Scholarship
Devin Paulsen - Fr - Walk On
Eric Martin - Fr - Scholarship

Nebraska Football: Catching Up On Spring Practice

Jon Johnston — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 11:00:11 -0000

Latravis Washington moved from linebacker to quarterback and has a really strong arm.

What’s interesting about this?

A couple things.

First, we have another story of spring that points back to Cody Glenn’s position switch to linebacker from running back. Everyone wondered if it would work, then Glenn played like a man possessed at the linebacker position, as if he should have been there all along. Could the same happen with Washington?

Second, once again Kody Spano is left in the shadows. He was overlooked by Mike Gundy at Oklahoma State. Now he’s being overlooked by the media and Husker fans alike. If you’re not pulling for this guy to do well, you should be.

Marcus Mendoza moved from running back to wide receiver.

"Just looking for speed, someone who can bring speed to the outside perimeter," offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said.

From what I’ve seen of Mendoza (which is little, same as you), I wouldn’t mind him seeing the field more. Perhaps he could be Nebraska’s alternative to Missouri star Jeremy Maclin. However, if it’s speed Watson is looking for, what about Curenski Gilleylen? Or again, are we just following stories, and reading more into this than needs be?

Consider another perspective. Mendoza should have been the third string running back, which isn't a bad thing. He'd see the field, get a share of the carries, and he's only a sophomore.

If he's switched positions, then doesn't that point to another alternative for third string running back? Collins Okafor, Austin Jones? Or Rex Burkhead in the fall?

Husker Mike pointed out that Phillip Dillard is in the dog house. You could take this as bad news, or you could see it from another perspective. If Dillard has been moved down the depth chart, then Mike Ekeler must have seen good things coming out of his other linebackers.

Like Will Compton, for example.

Going back to that Latravis Washington thing, does it really matter? Zac Lee is going to be the starter, right? Of course he is, he understands the offense. Still, I can't help but think about what a guy who used to play linebacker might look like running a hybrid single wing, kind of like some guy named Tebow. The single wing isn't complex, but it's more about power, will, and execution.

Hmmmmmm.........

So many questions with so few answers. It's spring football. What did you expect?

Swift, Slauson, and Murtha Joining Potter, Lucky, and Glenn at NFL Combine

Husker Mike — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:53:50 -0000

Monday, the NFL extended invitations to wide receiver Nate Swift and offensive linemen Matt Slauson and Lydon Murtha for the NFL Combine February 20th through the 26th in Indinapolis. Defensive end Zach Potter, I-Back Marlon Lucky, and I-Back/Linebacker Cody Glenn were invited previously.

I was somewhat surprised that it took Nate Swift this long to get an invitation. While Swift wasn't a game breaker at receiver, he runs great routes and has great hands. In the right system, he has the makings of a fine possession receiver. How many times did Joe Ganz look for Swift this season on 3rd down? He's always had the knack for getting open and making the catch.

Not sure what happened to Slauson in his junior season; earlier in his career, I thought he had the makings of an early round pick in his sophomore season and went into the season on the Outland Trophy watch list. But in that discombobulated season, Slauson instead found himself on the bench.

Lydon Murtha arrived at Nebraska with NFL size and credentials, but never really set the world on fire. Plagued by injuries throughout his career, he was known early on for being slow off the snap and frequently missing assignments. He might be a project for an NFL team that puts more credence on measurables than on game tape.

Zach Potter is a definite NFL draft pick in my opinion. He's got the size and speed to play at the next level, as his play towards the end of the season showed. NFL guys have to love his reach as well, as he deflected several passes at key times.

Marlon Lucky has "3rd down back" written all over him. He shows good hands and picks up the blitz well, which probably will get him a very serious look on draft day. One thing I regret never seeing from Lucky was him on kickoff and punt returns, except during his freshman season. In his freshman season, he took a kickoff return for a touchdown, but it was called back for a penalty. Lucky showed great speed in the open field, which would seem to be tailor made for the return game.

Cody Glenn always seemed to find a way to get off the field at Nebraska. On the field, he looked like an all-conference running back and linebacker, but for various reasons, his playing time was always limited. Injuries were frequently given as the reason, though it now appears that might have been an excuse at times. Then in his senior season, he abruptly was suspended for an internal rules violation. That'll raise some concerns with NFL teams, and Glenn can expect to be grilled harshly on it.

Poll

How many Huskers get drafted in the NFL in 2009?

None

2 votes

One or Two

20 votes

Three or Four

40 votes

Five or Six

6 votes

68 votes | Poll has closed

Gator Bowl: Nebraska vs Clemson - Clemson's Offense By the Numbers

Jon Johnston — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:00:06 -0000

We've done our fair share about Clemson's defense, so it's time to take a look at the Tiger offense, which means it's time for more statistics.

Passing

		Passing									Rushing
	G	Rating	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/G	Y/A	TD	INT	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD
Willy Korn	6	119.6	26	38	68.4	216	36.0	8.3	1	1	13	19	3.2	1.0	1
Cullen Harper	12	129.3	204	323	63.2	2395	199.6	11.7	11	12	49	-110	-9.2	-2.0	2

Willy Korn has been practicing, but it's Cullen Harper that'll be making the start. Harper isn't much of a running threat, and his TD/INT ratio is pretty awful, although he didn't through an INT in his last three games. Both quarterbacks have good completion rates.

Rushing

		Rushing					Receiving
	G	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD	Rec	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD
James Davis	12	159	725	60.4	4.6	11	14	123	10.2	8.8	0
C.J. Spiller	11	109	612	55.6	5.6	7	30	430	39.1	14.3	3
Jamie Harper	7	34	133	19.0	3.9	1	4	21	3.0	5.3	0
Jacoby Ford	12	17	93	7.8	5.0	0	50	598	49.8	12.0	3
Paul Macko	3	5	23	7.7	4.6	0	1	14	4.7	14.0	0
Willy Korn	6	13	19	3.2	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	0
Marquan Jones	4	2	6	1.5	3.0	0	5	37	9.2	7.4	0
Tyler Grisham	12	1	3	0.2	3.0	0	36	366	30.5	10.2	1
Cullen Harper	12	49	-110	-9.2	-2.0	2	0	0	0	0	0

We must worry about "Thunder" and "Lightning" which are James Davis and CJ Spiller, respectively. Here's what Steve Spurrier has to say about the two:

“C.J. Spiller is a fast guy that if he gets loose nobody’s going to catch him. He got loose two years ago a couple of times in the game we won. The key is don’t let him get behind us or in the open field. James Davis is a very good inside runner also.”

Receiving

		Receiving
	G	Rec	Yds	Y/G	AVG	TD
James Davis	12	14	123	10.2	8.8	0
C.J. Spiller	11	30	430	39.1	14.3	3
Jamie Harper	7	4	21	3.0	5.3	0
Jacoby Ford	12	50	598	49.8	12.0	3
Marquan Jones	4	5	37	9.2	7.4	0
Tyler Grisham	12	36	366	30.5	10.2	1
Aaron Kelly	12	61	648	54.0	10.6	3
Michael Palmer	7	12	160	22.9	13.3	3
Xavier Dye	3	6	75	25.0	12.5	0
Durrell Barry	4	5	93	23.2	18.6	0

Clemson is going to run the ball to set up play-action.

Aaron Kelly is 6' 5", which will be a problem for our defensive backs. Jacoby Ford is a speedster, note his totals above as both a running and receiving threat. Also note Spiller's totals in both rushing and receiving.

Clemson has experience, depth, and talent in their receiving corps, although this isn't unlike anything we faced against Big 12 offenses. The key here will be making sure coverage doesn't break down - that we're consistent, something we haven't done a great job of this season.

Kicking

		Field Goals								PAT
	G	11	-29	30-39	40-49	50+	FGM	FGA	PCT	XPM	XPA	PCT	pts
Mark Buchholz	11	-	8-8	4-6	3-4	0-2	14	19	73.7%	31	31	100.0%	73

Bucholz is a pretty good kicker, consistent, although note that he hasn't hit anything beyond 49 yards.

Note that Clemson has 22 TD's on the ground, with 13 in the air. If we're going to beat Clemson, we're going to have to shut down the running game and force them to throw.

In order to do that, the defensive line is going to have to be disruptive, and our linebackers are going to need to play one of their better games of the season. It would be nice to have Cody Glenn back on the field, but at least Phillip Dillard will return.

Clemson only scored over 30 twice this season against Div IA (FBS) foes, coming against Duke and at the end of the season against hated rival South Carolina. Otherwise, their offense has been fairly anemic, finishing 62nd in scoring offense with 25.5 points per game.

If you get the idea that Nebraska should win this game if it gets into the 30s, you'd be correct. Most of the nation believes that the Big 12 offenses are only so good because our conference can't play defense. The proof will be on the field the next couple of days, but against Clemson the Huskers match up fairly well. Their offense isn't special because it's a new-fangled fancy pants no-huddle spread system, but they do have athletes and experience.

We're going to need to play our best game of the season to beat Clemson. It'll be time to see how far we've come.

Cornhusker Cody Glenn Suspended Indefinitely

Jon Johnston — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:50:46 -0000

The Life in the Red Lincoln Journal Star blog is reporting that Bo Pelini has suspended Cody Glenn indefinitely for the all-encompassing "violation of team rules".

Glenn is third on the team in tackles. He has been a bright spot on the defense since the season began. There are no further details as to what has happened with Glenn, but I'm sure they'll come out in the next few days, they always do. If they don't, rumors will no doubt abound.

Right now, all I can say is ARRRRGGGGGGGHHHH (not a pirate argh, an "I've been disemboweled" arrrgggh).

Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Baylor Bears - Postgame Overreaction

Jon Johnston — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 20:25:55 -0000

Note the "overreaction". I’m not looking at stats, it’s just an impression about the game as soon as I can post it after it’s completion. Note that I had no beer before or during this game. Ha!

Overall, good game by the Cornhuskers, beating Baylor 32-20. Consider the following:

- Baylor was 0/10 on third down plays, including plenty that were third and short. Good play by the defensive line. Once again, Suh is an awesome force in the middle. Doesn't get a lot of press though, does he?

- Nate Swift has two TD’s, breaks Johnny Rodgers’ All-Time reception record, has another 100-yard game, and had a long punt return called back because of a stupid roughing penalty.

- Lack of consistency still haunts us. Two personal foul penalties by Cody Glenn lead to Baylor touchdowns. The roughing the kicker penalty was dumb. Three big plays in the first half by Baylor kept the game close. Eliminate these and we’d be a pretty good team. With them we’re just above average.

- I suppose at this point it’s too late for me to complain about Lydon Murtha not being the physical guy he’s supposed to be, we’re not giving up many sacks and the offense is performing pretty well. Again, there’s the difference between "pretty good" and above average - not all of that on Murtha obviously, but I’ll single him out because it’s his turn.

- Is it just me, or has the officiating gone into the toilet since replay is being used for every play? I’m not talking about just this game, but overall in college football the officiating is as bad as I can recall.

We move to 5-3 going into Norman next weekend. That’s a big deal. Don’t know what your definition of success for this season is - but for me it’s getting to a bowl game and today’s win over Baylor was a big step in that direction.

Yay! Here's some cheerleaders!

Mizzou-Nebraska: Preview and Predictions thread

Bill C. — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 21:30:05 -0000

I was looking back at the first posts made on RMN recently...and it reminded me that last year, along with the BTBS piece, I threw together a unit-by-unit preview of the upcoming game as well. How's about we try that again?

Oh yeah, and leave your own predictions and/or random comments in the comments below.

QB vs QB

I can honestly say without hesitation that Mizzou would win this category against any team in the country. This one needs no explanation. Advantage: Mizzou.

MU RBs vs NU LBs

I'll say this: Cody Glenn has worked out better at LB than I thought he would--you'd figure there would be a one-year transition period, but he's stepped up well and is leading the Huskers in tackles from his weakside LB position. He's even 3rd on the team in tackles for loss, plus he's broken up three passes and forced a fumble. Problem is, his counterparts have been underwhelming. Phillip Dillard is okay, but the strongside LB position has produced next to nothing. Granted, they'll likely be in a nickel most of Saturday, but regardless, this LB unit is still limited.

Oh yeah, and Derrick Washington is really, really good. Advantage: Mizzou.

MU WRs/TEs vs NU DBs

NU Secondary = work in progress. MU receiving corps = best in America. Advantage: Mizzou.

MU O-line vs NU D-line

This is an interesting matchup; it will probably be where the game is decided. The starting front four for Nebraska--Zach Potter, Ndamukong Suh, Ty Steinkuhler, and Pierre Allen--has been downright solid for the Huskers. There are two problems, however.

1) Though we've heard pretty good things about freshman DE Cameron Meredith, there is almost no depth whatsoever with this unit. Their rotation is small, which means either a) they continue with their small rotation against Missouri and wear down by the third quarter, or b) they open up a big rotation to keep guys fresh, and a lot of guys who are either too inexperienced or not good enough to have earned playing time get a lot of snaps. Either way, that's a bad thing for Nebraska.

2) Illinois' D-line is likely better than the Husker unit, and Illinois got little to no pressure on Chase Daniel. Maybe you've heard this once or twice on RMN, ahem, but getting pressure on Chase Daniel with your front four is your only means of survival against the Mizzou offense. Elvis Fisher and Colin Brown are proving to be a ridiculously good set of bookend tackles.

In other words, Advantage: Mizzou.

NU RBs vs MU LBs

Even though I've never been as high on Marlon Lucky as some, I still always saw him as a solid back, particularly on 3rd down. He's picking a bad time to not live up to even my expectations. Granted, there's still a lot of time left in his senior season, but he just hasn't been very dynamic at all. Sophomore Roy Helu Jr. seems to have passed him in terms of potential and upside, and fellow sophomore Quentin Castille is getting the short-yardage carries. It's now a three-headed RB attack for Nebraska, and last week's 15-carry, 46-yard performance from the RBs against Virginia Tech didn't exactly fill me with the fear that Nebraska will be able to control the pace and grind out the clock with the running game. They'll have to rely on the short passing game for that.

Oh yeah, and Brock Christopher and Sean Weatherspoon are freaking fantastic. Advantage: Mizzou.

NU WRs/TEs vs MU DBs

I realize I'm a lot more confident than some regarding the Mizzou secondary. I think an 85%-healthy William Moore is still possibly the best safety in the conference, and I think Carl Gettis continues to be the most underrated defensive player in the country. Seriously, people haven't started wondering why seemingly every #1 WR playing Mizzou in the last 18 games has been a complete non-factor? Gettis is the primary reason why, and while I'm sure Nate Swift will get some catches, the Huskers will likely have to rely on other receivers for the big-play threat.

The Huskers have some potential at WR--I like big Menelik Holt quite a bit, and Niles Paul has proven himself valuable in the return game at least (which means there's some athletic potential there). Plus, Todd Peterson is nothing if not steady. I can see a solid 5-catch, 65-yard day out of him. And any day now, Chris Brooks is going to live up to his 4-star billing. Just kidding.

This unit doesn't scare me to death, and since half of Mizzou's secondary is as rock solid as rock solid gets, I'm almost giving Mizzou the advantage here. But until the unit gels as a whole--until whatever communication problems that have existed get remedied, and until a consistent second CB comes to the forefront--I can't do it. Advantage: Nebraska.

NU O-line vs MU D-line

It's been hard to figure out the Mizzou defensive line. Ziggy Hood dominated August practices like no other--not a day went by when a new story of him torturing a right guard didn't emerge--but he didn't do a whole lot against Illinois. He's steadily improved each game since, but we'll see what he can do against another BCS-level O-line. Meanwhile, Stryker Sulak was amazing against Illinois, but he's done next to nothing since. He's actually been outplayed by fellow starting DE Tommy "Perpetually Underrated" Chavis. If Sulak, Chavis and Hood ever start finding a rhythm at the same time, the sky is the limit with this unit.

Meanwhile, the NU O-line has been...decent. Not great, not terrible...not a strength, not a liability. If Sulak's only playing okay, this matchup is a draw. But big games bring out good things from him, so...Advantage: Mizzou.

Special Teams

As I mentioned the other day in my BTBS piece, Nebraska's got a solid special teams unit. Problem is, Mizzou's got a really, really good one. Advantage: Mizzou.

Coaching

The first time a Gary Pinkel team took on a Bo Pelini defense, this happened. Oh yeah, and only one of the two head coaches has thrown a hissy fit on the sidelines and gotten his team a crippling penalty because of it. Hint: it wasn't Pinkel. Advantage: Mizzou.

Karma

Here's a tough one. Thirty years of bad results in Lincoln = Advantage: Nebraska. Chase Daniel wanting to avenge the worst performance of his career = Advantage: Mizzou. Because I'm a still-scarred Mizzou fan, I'll lean toward the latter, but barely. Advantage: Nebraska.

You know what? The scars healed last year. Advantage: Mizzou.

Summary

That's a 9-1 advantage for Mizzou. Throw in home-field advantage, and it's 9-2. I'll say one more time that we're going to get everything Nebraska has tomorrow, but you know what? It's not going to be enough. I'll stick with what I said on Tuesday: Mizzou 45, Nebraska 24.

Dienhart: Nebraska Can't Run, Can't Throw, Can't Defend - We Suck At Everything

Jon Johnston — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:00:06 -0000

Tom Dienhart at the Sporting News has a nice damning article about Nebraska. It's the kind of article that you're sure to read because it contains nothing good. And he pulls the old "talked off the record to a coach..." bit to so that you'll wonder who that coach is instead of Dienhart having to make any comments of his own:

I talked off the record to a coach who already has coached against Nebraska this year. Here are his thoughts:

"I like the quarterback (Joe Ganz) a lot. He's a heck of a kid. But they can't run the ball. (Marlon) Lucky is good, and he runs good routes. But they really can't run the ball. The line has that mentality of throw, throw, throw (from the old coaching staff). And it's hard to change that mind-set quickly and become a running team overnight. Bo (Pelini) wants to run the ball, but they aren't there yet. It may come after seven or eight games. Or it may not come until the spring. The passing game? They can't just drop back and throw it. Most of their big passing plays come off play-action.

"On defense, I wasn't that impressed. They are big up front, but there isn't much of a pass rush. Bo is trying to scheme them up. He's a big schemer. They came at us with a lot of different blitzes and stunts. I think the DBs are average. I will say the kid they moved from running back to linebacker (Cody Glenn) is a player. He's good. I think this defense will struggle to play in space."

Which coach was it? Who cares, probably a grad assistant who's happy that someone acknowledge his existence.

Question - are the coaches comments off base? If we take off the rose-colored glasses is there really anything here that isn't true or is this just stinking-thinking perpetrated by a coach who's angry he lost?

My favorite part? Bo Pelini is a big schemer. Sounds so nasty, doesn't it? Ha!