SB Nation - Mike McNeill

How Nebraska Will Beat Texas And Win the Big 12 Championship

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

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

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.

2009 All-Big 12 Football Awards - Suh Defensive Player of the Year, Crick, Amukamara, Asante Make First Team

Jon Johnston — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:17:06 -0000

More photos » by Dave Weaver - AP

Look! Two at once! You'll see the same thing Saturday night except that'll be Colt McCoy getting squished and flying apart like Mr. Potato Head.

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The 2009 All-Big 12 football awards have been announced, with some nice surprises for Husker fans.

Ndamukong Suh was named Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year. He and Texas quarterback Colt McCoy were the only unanimously-selected players on the first team. Is that appropriate or what?

Nebraska placed four on the first-team All-Big 12 list, all from the defense including defensive linemen Suh and Jared Crick. Cornerback Prince Amukamara and safety Larry Asante from the secondary. The selections should give pause to Texas fans who are convinced the Blackshirts are lacking in pass defense.

Roy Helu made second team, as did Alex Henery as placekicker. Phillip Dillard gets rewarded with a second-team placement at ilnebacker, a great recognition of how far he's come since spring.

Mack Brown as coach of the year..... I'm not sold on that. Brown has all the players, had a pathetically easy non-conference schedule, and didn't have to deal with the NCAA suspending any star players. The guy had an easy path to where he is now. Why coach of the year for him?

Interesting to note that Texas did not have a single offensive or defensive lineman selected on the first team. Instead Chris Hall and Adam Ulatoski dropped to second on offense, and Sergio Kindle and Lamarr Houston are regulated to second team defense.

The complete list of awards is after the jump.

2009 INDIVIDUAL AWARD WINNERS

Coach of the Year	Mack Brown, Texas
Offensive Lineman of the Year	Russell Okung, Oklahoma State
Defensive Lineman of the Year	Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska
Offensive Freshman of the Year	Christine Michael, Texas A&M
Defensive Freshman of the Year	Aldon Smith, Missouri
Special Teams Player of the Year	Brandon Banks, Kansas State
Defensive Newcomer of the Year	David Sims, Iowa State
Offensive Newcomer of the Year	Daniel Thomas, Kansas State
Defensive Player of the Year	Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska
Offensive Player of the Year	Colt McCoy, Texas

2009 ALL-BIG 12 FOOTBALL FIRST TEAM

Offense
Pos.	Player	School	Class	Hometown/Previous School(s)
QB	Colt McCoy **	Texas	Sr.	Tuscola, Texas/Jim Ned
RB	Daniel Thomas	Kansas State	Jr.	Hilliard, Fla./NW Mississippi CC
RB	Keith Toston	Oklahoma State	Sr.	Angleton, Texas/Angleton
FB	Bryant Ward	Oklahoma State	Jr.	Stillwater, Okla./Stillwater
WR	Jordan Shipley	Texas	Sr.	Burnet, Texas/Burnet
WR	Danario Alexander	Missouri	Sr.	Marlin, Texas/Marlin
WR	Dezmon Briscoe	Kansas	Jr.	Dallas, Texas/Cedar Hill
TE	Jeron Mastrud	Kansas State	Sr.	Beaverton, Ore./Southridge
OL	Russell Okung ^	Oklahoma State	Sr.	Houston, Texas/Bush
OL	Trent Williams ^	Oklahoma	Sr.	Longview, Texas/Longview
OL	Nick Stringer	Kansas State	Sr.	Topeka, Kan./Hayden
OL	Brandon Carter	Texas Tech	Sr.	Longview, Texas/Spring Hill
OL	Nate Solder	Colorado	Jr.	Buena Vista, Colo./Buena Vista
PK	Grant Ressel	Missouri	So.	Jackson, Mo./Jackson
KR/PR	Brandon Banks	Kansas State	Sr.	Garner, N.C./Bakersfield College
Defense
DL	Ndamukong Suh **	Nebraska	Sr.	Portland, Ore./Grant
DL	Gerald McCoy ^	Oklahoma	Jr.	Oklahoma City, Okla./Southeast
DL	Von Miller	Texas A&M	Jr.	DeSoto, Texas/DeSoto
DL	Brandon Sharpe	Texas Tech	Sr.	Lyons, Ga./Fresno City CC
DL	Jared Crick	Nebraska	So.	Cozad, Neb./Cozad
LB	Sean Weatherspoon ^	Missouri	Sr.	Jasper, Texas/Jasper
LB	Jesse Smith	Iowa State	Sr.	Altoona, Iowa/Southeast Polk
LB	Travis Lewis	Oklahoma	So.	San Antonio, Texas/Robert E. Lee
DB	Earl Thomas	Texas	So.	Orange, Texas/West Orange Stark
DB	Perrish Cox	Oklahoma State	Sr.	Waco, Texas/University
DB	Dominique Franks	Oklahoma	Jr.	Tulsa, Okla./Union
DB	Prince Amukamara	Nebraska	Jr.	Glendale, Ariz./Apollo
DB	Larry Asante	Nebraska	Sr.	Alexandria, Va./Hayfield/Coffeyville CC
P	Derek Epperson	Baylor	Jr.	Southlake, Texas/Keller

** - Unanimous Selection
^ - Repeat first team selection from last season.

2009 ALL-BIG 12 FOOTBALL SECOND TEAM

Offense
Pos.	Player	School	Class	Hometown/Previous School(s)
QB	Jerrod Johnson	Texas A&M	Jr.	Humble, Texas/Humble
RB	Roy Helu Jr.	Nebraska	Jr.	Danville, Calif./San Ramon Valley
RB	DeMarco Murray	Oklahoma	Jr.	Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman
FB	Jamie McCoy	Texas A&M	Sr.	Midland, Texas/Lee
WR	Ryan Broyles	Oklahoma	So.	Norman, Okla./Norman
WR	Kerry Meier	Kansas	Sr.	Pittsburg, Kan./Pittsburg
WR	Brandon Banks	Kansas State	Sr.	Garner, N.C./Bakersfield College
TE	Riar Geer	Colorado	Sr.	Grand Junction, Colo./Fruita-Monument
OL	J.D. Walton	Baylor	Sr.	Allen, Texas/Allen/Arizona State
OL	Chris Hall #	Texas	Sr.	Irving, Texas/Irving
OL	Kurtis Gregory #	Missouri	Sr.	Blackburn, Mo./Santa Fe
OL	Adam Ulatoski	Texas	Sr.	Southlake, Texas/Carroll
OL	Brody Eldridge	Oklahoma	Sr.	La Cygne, Kan./Prairie View
OL	Lee Grimes	Texas A&M	Sr.	Brownwood, Texas/Brownwood
PK	Alex Henery	Nebraska	Jr.	Omaha, Neb./Burke
KR/PR	Perrish Cox	Oklahoma State	Sr.	Waco, Texas/University
Defense
DL	Sergio Kindle	Texas	Sr.	Dallas, Texas/Woodrow Wilson
DL	Lamarr Houston	Texas	Sr.	Colorado Springs, Colo./Doherty
DL	Jeremy Beal #	Oklahoma	Jr.	Carrollton, Texas/Creekview
DL	Jaron Baston	Missouri	Sr.	Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs
DL	Daniel Howard	Texas Tech	Sr.	Wichita, Kan./Butler County CC
LB	Joe Pawelek	Baylor	Sr.	San Antonio, Texas/Smithson Valley
LB	Roddrick Muckelroy	Texas	Sr.	Hallsville, Texas/Hallsville
LB	Phillip Dillard	Nebraska	Sr.	Tulsa, Okla./Jenks
DB	Jamar Wall	Texas Tech	Sr.	Plainview, Texas/Planview
DB	Quinton Carter	Oklahoma	Jr.	Las Vegas, Nev./Cheyenne
DB	Brian Jackson	Oklahoma	Sr.	De Soto, Texas/De Soto
DB	Jordan Lake	Baylor	Sr.	Houston, Texas/Memorial
DB	Cha'pelle Brown	Colorado	Sr.	La Puente, Calif./Los Altos
DB	Trent Hunter	Texas A&M	So.	Katy, Texas/Katy
P	Tress Way	Oklahoma	Fr.	Tulsa, Okla./Union

A tie in voting created an additional second-team offensive line and defensive back spot.
# - Repeat second team selection from last season.

2009 ALL-BIG 12 HONORABLE MENTION

Baylor	Justin Akers, TE; David Gettis, WR; Jason Lamb, DL; J.D. Walton, Off. Lmn of Yr.; Kendall Wright, WR
Colorado	Jake Behrens, FB; Jalil Brown, DB; Benjamin Burney, DB; Marquez Herrod, DL; Scotty McKnight, WR; Ryan Miller, OL; Jeff Smart, LB; Jimmy Smith, DB; Rodney Stewart, RB
Iowa State	Michael Brandtner, P; Kelechi Osemele, OL; Paul Rhoads, Coach of Yr.; Alexander Robinson, RB; Reggie Stephens, OL
Kansas	Tanner Hawkinson, OL; Jake Laptad, DL; Todd Reesing, QB; Alonso Rojas, P; Darrell Stuckey, DB
Kansas State	Jeffrey Fitzgerald, DL; Tysyn Hartman, DB; Joshua Moore, DB; Bill Snyder, Coach of Yr
Missouri	Danario Alexander, Off. Ply. of Yr.; Carl Gettis, DB; Jake Harry, P; Dan Hoch, OL; Jared Perry, WR; Kevin Rutland, DB; Jasper Simmons, DB & Def Nwcmr. of Yr.; Aldon Smith, DL; Derrick Washington, RB
Nebraska	Dejon Gomes, DB & Def Nwcmr. of Yr.; Eric Hagg, DB; Alex Henery, P; Jacob Hickman, OL; Mike McNeill, TE; Matt O'Hanlon, DB; Niles Paul, WR; Barry Turner, DL
Oklahoma	Jeremy Beal, Def Ply of Yr.; Chris Brown, RB; Ryan Broyles, PR/KR; Keenan Clayton, LB; Auston English, DL; Landry Jones, Off. Fr. of Yr.; Jonathan Nelson, DB; Gerald McCoy Def. Lmn. of Yr. & Def Ply of Yr.; Ryan Reynolds, LB; Adrian Taylor, DL; Trent Williams, Off. Lmn of Yr
Oklahoma State	Hubert Anyiam, WR; Ugo Chinasa, DL; Patrick Lavine, LB; Swanson Miller, DL; Zac Robinson, QB; Andre Sexton, LB; Quinn Sharp, P
Texas	Emmanuel Acho, LB; Sam Acho, DL; Curtis Brown, DB; Blake Gideon, DB; Kyle Hix, OL; Michael Huey, OL; Sergio Kindle, Def. Lmn. of Yr.; Hunter Lawrence, PK; Alex Okafor, Def. Fr. of Yr.; Keenan Robinson, LB; Jordan Shipley, PR/KR; Charlie Tanner, OL
Texas A&M	Ryan Epperson, P; Jeff Fuller, WR; Cyrus Gray, RB & PR/KR; Michael Hodges Def Nwcmr. of Yr.; Jerrod Johnson, Off. Ply. of Yr.; Patrick Lewis, OL; Kevin Matthews, OL; Jamie McCoy, TE; Von Miller Def. Lmn. of Yr. & Def Ply of Yr.; Uzoma Nwachukwu, WR & Off. Fr. of Yr.; Jordan Pugh, DB; Ryan Tannehill, WR; Garrick Williams, LB
Texas Tech	Baron Batch, RB; Bront Bird, LB; Cody Davis, Def. Fr. of Yr.; Alex Torres, Off. Fr. of Yr.; Colby Whitlock, DL; Marlon Winn, OL

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!!!!!!!!!

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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.

Nebraska vs. Kansas State - Why The Huskers Will Win

Jon Johnston — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:09:44 -0000

More photos » by DAVE WEAVER - AP

Expect greatness to shine through Suh as he plays his last home game in front of Nebraska's sell-out crowd.

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- Strength vs Strength

Kansas State's primary offensive strength in their running game. They lead the nation in time of possession and they're accustomed to slugging it out, sustaining drives and maintaining ball possession. 25 of their 42 scoring drives this season have gone for over 50 yards, and 12 of those consisted of ten or more plays.

Running back Daniel Thomas is of the big bruiser variety, at 6'2", 227 pounds. He's complemented by Keithen Valentine who has more speed and moves than Thomas, but at 5'8" and 193 pounds, doesn't have his size. Bill Snyder will pound Thomas at the Husker defense repeatedly, hoping that something will break. Thomas has had five 100-yard games this season, his high of 185 yards coming against in-state rival Kansas when he averaged 7.71 yards per carry. Thomas is a receiving threat as well, with 21 receptions for 206 yards.

Nebraska's defense is third in the nation against the run with All-America candidate Ndamukong Suh and Jared Crick stuffing the middle. The Wildcats should find themselves unable to sustain long drives without striking some offensive balance. Quarterback Grant Gregory is not a dual-threat type guy, but he is elusive and can scramble well enough to buy time when passing. At least that's been the case against other teams. Gregory will find himself in a different situation running from the speed that is the Husker defensive line.

Kansas State will find their offensive strength negated by the Blackshirt defense. They'll play conservative, preferring to keep the score low, stay in the game and hope that the Huskers make mistakes that give them a short field. Even then, the Wildcats will have to rely on their....

- Play Maker

The Wildcats primary playmaker is 5' 7", 150 pound Brandon Banks. Banks is very similar to Darren Sproles who's in his fifth year in the NFL, and at 5' 6" is the shortest player in the league. Banks has Sproles primary super power - amazing speed. Banks leads the NCAA with four touchdowns in kick returning. Adi Kunalic should negate at least some of Banks' returns with touchbacks, although his kicks might be affected by the wind normally prevalent at this time of year.

Kansas State will be dependent upon a big play from Banks to win this game. He is the only true game-breaking weapon the Wildcats have. He is the Wildcats leading receiver with 51 receptions for 657 yards and one touchdown, and they will run reverses with him to get him to the edge of the field. If Husker special teams can cover returnable kicks and keep Banks in front of them, the Wildcats will find themselves in serious trouble. Especially if they don't get a.....

- Fast Start

The recipe for disaster for KSU includes having to play from being behind by two scores because that situation doesn't play to their basic strengths (see sustained drives, above). Most teams will defer the kickoff to the second half, but don't expect that to be the case with Bill Snyder if there is a strong wind Saturday night. He'll want to go into the wind and see if Banks can return one of Kunalic's kicks early in the game.
Bill Snyder made an excellent hire in Assistant Head Coach and Co-Defensive Coordinator Vic Koenning. Koenning came from Clemson after they chose Dabo Swinney as head coach. Koenning's Clemson defenses finished in the top 25 in several defensive categories in each of his four years with the Tigers. Koenning will have his defense stacking against the run, hoping to minimize Nebraska's first down plays, thus forcing them into throwing on third down. That will increase the chances for the Wildcats to pick up a turnover or two. However, Koenning's efforts should go to naught as the Huskers finally have....

- An Offense Found

The Wildcats' 2008 defense was hideous, comparable to the 2007 Husker defense in Bill Callahan's final year as head coach. They've made a great leap forward this season under Koenning, but are still having problems with pass defense. The Wildcats three top tacklers are in the secondary with free safety Emmanuel Lamur leading the way with 61 tackles. Lamur is an all-around talent, blocking two kicks this season, including one against Iowa State with :32 left to give the Wildcats a one-point win. Cornerback Joshua Moore is the second leading tackler with 57 total tackles.

If KSU has a defensive star in the making, it's in safety Tysyn Hartman, who's third in total tackles, has four interceptions, a forced fumble, and six pass breakups. Hartman is the Wildcats second punt returner behind Banks with a 13.1 yard average.

The Kansas game saw a Husker offense finally come together with big plays from Zac Lee, Roy Helu and Niles Paul. Expect the same type of game plan this week, with the Huskers seeking to establish a strong running game early then loosen up the defense with play-action passes to Niles Paul, Mike McNeill or one of the other Husker tight ends. The key will be consistency, some of the same things I talked about earlier this season - minimizing negative plays, protecting the ball and sustaining drives by picking up short third down situations. The offensive line should be able to break Helu into the second level, at which case it'll be a great night for the Husker offense.

If the Huskers can minimize turnovers, pick up third downs, and get a lead, they should keep it because of it'll be.....

- An Emotional Night With Both Teams Playing For High Stakes

The Big 12 North title is on the line for both teams. A bowl trip is on the line for Kansas State as they played two FCS opponents earlier in the season and can count only one towards bowl eligibility. All of the aforementioned will be trumped by the fact that it's Senior Night at Nebraska and you know that the Huskers will be pumped high with emotion.
The emotion of this game will keep the Huskers from falling into the same trap that nearly cost Oklahoma a game against the Wildcats. The Sooners got off to a 28-6 lead in the first half, then relaxed as KSU scored 17 unanswered points. The Sooners looked to put Kansas State away, taking a 35-23 lead in the fourth quarter, but KSU answered when Banks returned a touchdown to cut the Sooner lead to 35-30. The Sooners won, 42-30, but the Wildcats didn't quit and make Oklahoma earn their victory.

Expect none of that Saturday night. There will be no let up in the Blackshirts. Expect Crick and Suh to dominate the Wildcat offensive line. Expect the Huskers to take a healthy lead and hold it. Expect Nebraska to win the Big 12 North.

Husker Report Card: Nebraska 31, Kansas 17

Husker Mike — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:34:32 -0000

More photos » by Orlin Wagner - AP

Niles Paul makes the catch while Kansas safety Chris Harris goes for the eyeball. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

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I worried going into the Kansas game how much the Huskers had left in their tank after a grueling 10-3 upset of the Oklahoma Sooners last week. Defending the Sooner offense for 87 plays took a lot out of the defense, and the emotional high of last week might just lead to a letdown this week against the Jayhawks. Initially, the defense started the game just fine, preventing Kansas from gaining a single first down in the first quarter. But from that point forward, the Jayhawks started to find a way to move the ball on the Nebraska defense. It started with scrambles that neutralized the pass rush from the defensive line, which in turn opened up the passing game.

But the Husker offense finally got untracked with Niles Paul making four catches that made the Jayhawks pay for lining up 9, 10, and sometimes all 11 defenders in the box. Add in some good scrambles from Zac Lee, who finally started to commit towards taking yards on the ground rather than forcing a bad pass into coverage, and the offense showed signs of life against a BCS conference opponent. Yes, the Jayhawks have their issues defensively this season. But in recent weeks, Kansas has looked better defensively, holding Kansas State to 17 points last week and holding Texas Tech to 14 points in the first three quarters.

In the end, Nebraska imposed their will at the end of the game and found a way to win once again in the fourth quarter, just like at Missouri a month earlier. Here's our grade; as always, please comment below to add your observations or correct my mistakes.

QB: Zac Lee had his best game of the season as far as I was concerned. I thought he made decent decisions with the ball, and was able to connect deep with Niles Paul four times for huge pass plays that made the Jayhawks pay for loading the box. I was also pleased with his commitment to run the ball, especially on that 32 yard run where he finally showed his speed and even broke a tackle. No, he's not going to convince anybody he's Tommie Frazier or Eric Crouch out there, but he's got the physical ability to be a dual-threat quarterback. He's showing signs of breaking through the mental aspects of doing just that. Grade: B+

IB: When he's healthy, I think Roy Helu is the best running back in the Big XII. Sadly, he wasn't healthy for three games in October. He finds holes and hits the line hard. He was heads-up as well, diving on Zac Lee's fumble in the endzone for the opening score. Only negative on his performance was a missed block, and that might be because his shoulder is still limiting his ability to use his arms in pass protection. Postgame interviews have me concerned; he came off the field holding his arm gingerly and his arm was wrapped up in postgame interviews. The Huskers need him to be ready to go this Saturday against the Wildcats. Treye Robinson also had a couple of ok runs in limited playing time. Grade: A

WR: Anybody else get the impression that Shawn Watson told Zac Lee to look hard for Mike McNeill at halftime? His disappearance is one of the biggest mysteries when the Huskers began to flounder offensively; nice to see him get back into the mix. Niles Paul was money on deep routes, and Brandon Kinnie made a great one-handed catch. Menelik Holt got a chance to get out of the doghouse at the end of the first quarter, and dropped a screen pass. It looks like Holt will finish his Husker career playing special teams on punt coverage. All in all, a solid performance from Paul, Kinnie, and the tight ends who played. Grade B+

OL: Generally solid performance, but that tripping flag on Keith Williams was unnecessary and damaging to a team that already has enough problems putting the ball into the end zone. Otherwise, the line did ok. You'd like to see more of a push, but with the Jayhawks putting anywhere between 8 and all eleven defenders in the box every play, you knew running room was going to be tough to come by. Grade: B-

DL: They expended a lot of energy last week, and Todd Reesing's mobility counteracted the aggressiveness of the line...but the Kansas offensive line has been bad all season. They've been so good all season, I guess they were do for a clunker performance, and if so, this might have been the week to do it. Grade: C-

LB: Once again, the Blackshirts ran dime so this was all Phillip Dillard. Like the rest of the Blackshirts, he was merely ok. I wondered if bringing in Sean Fisher or Will Compton for either Eric Hagg or Dejon Gomes at times might have given Reesing a different look and counteracted Reesings scrambling. Grade: C+

Secondary: Some of Kerry Meier's catches could have been classified as "what are you going to do?" One handed ridiculous catches all afternoon even when covered for the most part. The only option at times would be to just tackle Meier and take the 15 yard flag. Sadly, that's the result of a lack of pass rush. Do not underestimate Dejon Gomes strip of Kerry Meier at the Husker five yard line. Meier was headed for the endzone, and it was one of two game-changing plays yesterday. (The other being the Khiry Cooper face mask call.) Grade: B+

Coaching: If you've got an axe to grind against against Shawn Watson, you won't be convinced. (Hello, Dirk Chatelain.) But Watson is turning this offense around midseason once again. Last year, it was a mid-season spread implementation. This year, it's a power formation look. What Chatelain illogically dismisses is the impact of the injuries to Roy Helu and Rex Burkhead last month. Hard to implement a power rushing game without a running back. So he tried turning to the receivers, hoping they'd step up. That failed...so off goes Treye Robinson's redshirt, and Watson adjusts once again. This is still an offense needing better playmakers outside of the running backs, but this week we saw both Niles Paul and Zac Lee make strides in that area. This isn't pro sports where a general manager can make roster moves to shore up limitations; it's going to take a little longer to clean up the mess that Bill Callahan left in Lincoln. In the meantime, Watson is doing the best with what he's got. Grade: A-

Overall: B It's a win...on the road in comeback fashion. Not the prettiest win, but it's a win that many people didn't think was possible this summer. Survive and advance, and keep getting better. For the second year in a row, that's exactly what's happening in Lincoln.

Elsewhere in College Football:

USC: F 55 points at home?

Missouri: A Nice rebound for the Tigers. Danario Alexander has to be all-Big XII this season.

Kansas State: F It's feast or famine this week. Win and you are playing for a Big XII Championship; lose, and the off-season begins.

Texas and TCU: A Trying to get the attention of voters in the first half is not RUTS.

Poll

Rate the Huskers win against Kansas!

A Great comeback win against the preseason favorite.

19 votes

B Nice victory on the road, considering what this team expended last week.

192 votes

C It's a win, but remember, Kansas has now lost five in a row.

73 votes

D Yeah they won, but now the defense is looking awfully suspect.

7 votes

F They win in spite of themselves.

6 votes

297 votes | Poll has closed

The North in 2010

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

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

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

Missouri

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

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

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

Colorado

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

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

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

Iowa State

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

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

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

Kansas

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

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

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

Kansas State

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

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

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

Nebraska

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

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

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

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

It's Time To Play "Rank That Turnover!" (In Other Words, Which One Was The Worst?)

Jon Johnston — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:11:07 -0000

It's the Monday after your favorite team tied a school record for turnovers and set another one for turnover margin. The only thing you can do today is stare at your monitor and try to remember all the stupid crap you said and did because you started drinking too much after the three turnovers in the first half. Then you spent Sunday secretly enjoying the fact that the Minnesota Vikings lost because you wanted other people to experience pain. Now you're at work and everyone is depressed, looking for answers.

Vikings fans have an easy solution. Blame Brett Favre. Husker fans - not so much. There are too many options.

Well, here at CN, we understand your pain. In an effort to assist, we've decided to run a poll that will allow you to pick the absolute worst of all of the turnovers in Saturday's game. That way you won't have to think about all of them, just the one that Husker fans collectively pick.

Then we can blame that play for being the one that ultimately lost the game for us.

For a refresher, here's the list of Nebraska turnovers:

- Roy Helu's fumble on Nebraska's first offensive play of the game

- ISU's James Smith stripped a pass from Mike McNeill, then Helu tried to get it and knocked it up in the air just enough for ISU's David Sims to intercept it.

- Niles Paul dropping the ball after doing a great job tip-toeing the sideline, a play which looked like a sure touchdown until Paul got shoe-string tripped and dropped the ball into the end zone for a touchback.

- Helu's second fumble near the Iowa State goal line in the second half.

- Dontrayevous "Tray" Robinson's fumble at the five while fighting for extra yardage.

- Menelik Holt's fumble after a pass reception

- Zac Lee intercepted after throwing high and behind Curenski Gilleylen, who got two hands on it but ultimately tipped it to an ISU defender.

- Zac Lee's interception on a bad pass with less than two minutes left in the game.

You are only allowed to vote for one turnover. Please explain your choice in the comments section.

Poll

What's your vote for worst turnover in the 2009 Nebraska - Iowa State game?

Roy Helu's fumble on first offensive play

11 votes

Freakish, bouncing interception off Mike McNeill

3 votes

NIles Paul dropping the ball after a long pass you swore was going to be a TD

245 votes

Helu's second fumble near the goal line when you were sure we were going to score on that drive

28 votes

Tray Robinson's fumble near the goal line when you were sure.... you get the idea

10 votes

Menelik Holt's fumble after a pass reception

2 votes

Zac Lee's interception after throwing high and behind Gilleylen

4 votes

Zac Lee's final interception on a bad pass that ended all hope forever

19 votes

322 votes | Poll has closed

Nebraska's Keys To Victory Over Iowa State

Jon Johnston — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:30:19 -0000

by Nati Harnik - AP

Bo Pelini - pondering his offense, no doubt.

View full size photo »

After last week's game, I joked that this weeks' three keys for the Iowa State game would be:

- Score More Points than the other guys!

- Don't Quit on the Play!

- Throw It to the Guy On Our Team!

Those keys came from the negative reaction that was haphazard offensive play against Texas Tech. I'll drop them because Iowa State has been playing well enough to deserve some attention.

Husker fans tend to take the Cyclones for granted, especially at home, where Nebraska hasn't lost to Iowa State since 1977. The Husker football can't afford to take anything for granted. Right now the goal of winning the Big 12 North is still intact. A loss at home to the Cyclones would be a total disaster, and could lead to a riotous fan base.

Find The Right Combination

What's wrong with Nebraska's offense? We were treated to a smattering of responses this week from the media, from fans, and most were of the bumper sticker variety - pointing to a single problem as if it's elimination the problem would be cured.

Shawn Watson has come under fire, as has Zac Lee, along with the offensive line. All are guilty in some regard. Watson because he's ultimately responsible for making the offense go, Lee because of his lack of production, and the offensive line because they haven't yet performed well as a unit.

This game is the perfect time to find the right combination that works on offense. That means getting the right players on the field running plays that they'll execute well enough in order to be successful. Whether that's running, throwing or punting on third down, it has to happen.

Does it matter to anyone whether the starter is Zac Lee, Cody Green, or the one that's most successful? Do we care if Niles Paul has more receptions than Mike McNeill if the Huskers win?

Eliminate the Stupid

This is one of the same keys as last week, and it's going to stay a key until this team stops shooting itself in the foot. Ndamukong Suh has picked up a number of personal foul penalties, but has no one has complained about him because his penalties are the result of agression. Were the the rest of the penalties of that manner, fans wouldn't be so uneasy.

I'm thinking about the offensive line in particular. Enough with the false starts and holding calls. The unit hasn't played well enough to establish a strong running game, making the margin for error small for gaining first downs. Eliminate the mistakes, open some holes, and maybe Roy Helu can take some time off to heal up while the offense finds a quality replacement for the injured Rex Burkhead.

Stop The Run

With Tom Herman calling the plays you would have thought Iowa State's biggest threat would be in the passing game. Herman came from Rice, where he broke 50 of the school's offensive records with a high-octane attack that ranked in the top ten nationally in passing, scoring and total offense.

Herman has decided to run the offense to be successful with the players he has. This year it's about establishing the run with running back Alexander Robinson and quarterback Austen Arnaud. Robinson has had four 100-yard games already, and has gained 735 yards so far this season, averaging 5.7 yards per carry. Arnaud is the second-leading rusher, with 434 yards and a 4.8 per carry average.

The Husker defensive will want Arnaud to beat them through the air. His completion ratio of 57 percent is decent enough, but his touchdown to interception ratio of 2-1 (10 TDs, 5 INTs) should have the secondary salivating. They didn't get a turnover against Texas Tech. They should get a couple against the Cyclones.

Against Iowa State - It's About More than Just Cody Green vs. Zac Lee

Jon Johnston — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:30:25 -0000

More photos » by Nati Harnik - AP

Cody Green - our football savior?

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In the case of Green vs Lee, it'll be a game day discovery against Iowa State. So says Bo Pelini, head dude in charge. No one has been told what's going to happen with the quarterback situation, so we're in a position to speculate as well as the regular media guys who are supposed to know what's going on.

In a pure game day sense, there's not a huge difference between the choices. Lee has only started six games - half a season's worth. Obviously, that's not a lot of starting experience and fans should take that into consideration when watching this offense.

Fans have asked for Cody Green to get a start and I like that idea. I liked how he ran stood tall and stepped up in the pocket, something Zac Lee had a problem with against Texas Tech.

Green's passes were... well, all over the place. A few sailed on him, but that's what you get with a kid that has been on campus less than a year. He's raw and he's going to make mistakes. The best thing Husker fans can do is have the patience that goes along with the growing pains.

What I'd like to see is for Green and Lee to split series against Iowa State. Those that prescribe to the "having two quarterbacks means you have none" theory will be disgusted, but both can use more seasoning. Seasoning comes only with game day experience, as we've found out this week from Shawn Watson.

Shawn Watson's still needs to find that third running back I talked about before the season began. Rex Burkhead proved himself to be worthy of carries as a true freshmen, but we still know nothing about the other backs on the depth chart. Austin Jones got a couple chances last week, but but both plays were so poorly executed that he was unable to gain much yardage. Fans should be watching for Lester Ward, Collins Okafor or Dontrayevous Robinson to get some shots this weekend.

There was a ton of talk before the season about the depth and talent of Nebraska's tight ends, yet the group has only 23 receptions between them, 14 of those belonging to Mike McNeill. After so much hype the tight ends seem like an afterthought, as if they're throwing the ball to them the way you'd give the dog a bone to keep it quiet.

You wouldn't know it if the only game you saw this season was last week's against Texas Tech, but Nebraska's offense has talent. It has not yet come together as there are so many questions still unanswered. Better late than never is the cliche' - if halfway through the season can still be considered late - but this weekend would be a darned good time for the answers to be found.

Husker Report Card: Texas Tech

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

More photos » by Nati Harnik - AP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Elsewhere in College Football

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

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

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

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

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

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

Poll

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

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

186 votes

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

6 votes

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

25 votes

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

98 votes

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

0 votes

Linebacker: Could have prevented Tech's first touchdown.

0 votes

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

10 votes

325 votes | Poll has closed