SB Nation - Jared Crick

Anatomy of Stagnation: Second and Short Failures

GhostofBigRoy — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:31:17 -0000

More photos » by Tony Gutierrez - AP

It doesn't take much imagination to envision a Longhorn guard laying on the ground helplessly as Suh makes this play. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)

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The Big Picture

Even though play-action passing has become a much bigger part of the Longhorn offense since the coaching staff decided to uset the 11 personnel package much more often, Greg Davis continues to eschew play-action passes on second and short. The reasons for this are relatively unclear, though the most common belief is that Davis much prefers 1st and 10 to 2nd and 2, causing him to run the ball at an extremely high rate in such situations. In some ways, it's a bit paradoxical, as Davis will often eschew the running game entirely for long stretches and comes under criticism for abandoning the running game at times, with some believing that the running game has suffered over the last few years because Davis would rather pass on every down. Call it Jason Garrett syndrome with a dash of reflexive conservatism, in this case similar to a bad twitch.

Situation 1

Context

On the fifth drive of the game, Texas came out running the football after dropping back for passes on 11 of the first 12 plays (including the first play of the game, the chop block call against Chris Hall. Tre' Newton picked up four yards running power on the first play, Colt McCoy picked up 14 yards on a zone read on the second play, and then Newton picked up eight yards on a jet tempo run, most likely an inside zone play.

The Play

2nd and 2 Texas 36

For the second straight play, the Longhorns rush to the line of scrimmage in their jet tempo look with McCoy under center. Notice how Nebraska is playing this look by Texas -- with two deep safeties to take away big plays downfield on a bootleg, with both linebackers extremely close to the line of scrimmage and the nickel back walked up close to the tackle box to put pressure on McCoy in the event of a bootleg (Nebraska would later force a throwaway on a bootleg with such a look). In other words, Nebraska can effectively cover the two plays that Texas runs out of this look -- the zone play and the bootleg pass. Notice also that Ndamukong Suh is playing a two technique just over the inside shoulder of the guard, Michael Huey.

As Nebraska likely expects because EBS is on the left of the formation, the Texas line blocks left for the inside zone play. Since Suh is on the backside of the play and over the inside shoulder of Huey, there's no double team as the center Chris Hall steps playside. Suh uses his hands better than Huey, who seems to lose his balance as he gets into the big defensive tackle's body. Seemingly within a split second, Suh is into the backfield, forcing Newton to make a quick cut. Hall and Tanner get a good combo block on Crick, driving him back off the line of scrimmage, but Tanner can't get off the block quickly enough to stop the penetration of Dejon Gomes, a cornerback who played linebacker on this play and for much of the game. The violence of the cut Newton must make causes him to lose his balance and he slips well behind the line of scrimmage, losing two yards. The final aspect of the play is that McCoy doesn't execute a bootleg fake to freeze defenders in the secondary.

The Verdict

Clearly, Texas went jet tempo once too often in this sequence and Nebraska was ready for both permutations of the play. In addition, since the defensive tackles knew they were likely facing a zone run, Suh aligned to make it difficult for Huey to block him and that alignemnt allowed him a head start in shooting the gap. In addition, Huey used his hands extremely poorly on the play, letting Suh get into his body and then easily into the backfield. The lack of deception on this play allowed the playside "linebacker" Gomes to slice into the backfield before Tanner could get off the combo block.

Basically, the jet tempo might be good for one play to catch a team off guard, but going to it twice in a row, when Nebraska probably only had to spend several minutes scheming for it in practice to shut down the two plays that Texas runs, just won't work against good teams. In other words, to remain effective the jet tempo look must include a new wrinkle every week for which the defense is not prepared or there's very little point to it unless the opponent is Baylor.

The Following Play

As a result, the Longhorns go from 2nd and 2 to 3rd and 4, an obvious passing down for Texas. McCoy actually gets good protection on the play and has a chance to look downfield before checking down to Newton flaring into the flat. The Nebraska linebacker reads the play and hits Newton as the ball arrives for a loss of four yards. The Longhorns magically turn 2nd and 2 into 4th and 8. Impressive.

Situation 2

Context

Following Aaron Williams' interception in the end zone, the Longhorns move the chains by converting a third down on a crossing route to Jordan Shipley, one of the few times this season that Texas has been able to pick up first down yardage with a route that was extremely successful last season. Dan Buckner stays in the game at flex tight end and McCoy hits him on a pivot route inside for an eight-yard gain on first down.

The Play

2nd and 2 Texas 41

The Longhorns go with their 11 personnel package, bringing EBS into the game. Could it possibly signal a running play? Stay tuned. Notice that Nebraska stays with two deep safeties on the play, confident that they can win the six-on-six battle in the box.

Davis calls for the zone read. The read man stays at home, telling McCoy to give the ball. The Texas offensive line manages to control the Nebraska defensive tackles on the play, but neither David Snow nor Charlie Tanner get off their combo blocks in time to stop the linebackers slicing through the gaps. It's a race to the ballcarrier and Dejon Gomes wins, stopping Newton for no gain.

The Verdict

The substitution pattern here clearly signals a run and the Texas tendencies support it. A play-action pass would seem like a good play call, but there are two safeties deep on the play -- clearly the Huskers feel like they can stop the Texas running game with a minimum of help from the secondary. Rather than a problem with the playcalling in this specific intance, because the zone read is a good call, as it options off a defender and allows three combo blocks on the line of scrimmage, the problem is one of execution.

The failure of this play falls on the offensive line, as neither Tanner, Snow, nor Adam Ulatoski are able to get off their blocks to even contact either linebacker. David Snow had a terrible game and this play is just one example -- his failure here is no surprise. Charlie Tanner had the most difficult combo block, as he was essentially one-on-one with Jared Crick for several steps before being able to hand him off to Hall, by which point it was too late. Ulatoski is perhaps a bigger culprit than Tanner, as he could have gotten off his block with EBS much more quickly to attempt to at least slow down Gomes.

As it has been often this season, the major problem here is execution by the offensive line. They have nearly every advantage that a line could hope for in this situation -- the play options off a defender from an even match up in the box in the first place, allowing the line three combo blocks. The inability to run against a six-man box with a defender optioned off with six linemen is just pathetic. It doesn't get any easier than that in football.

The Following Play

Texas substitutes for EBS, bringing Dan Buckner back in the game and splitting out Tre' Newton. Nebraska doesn't have the personnel package they want on the field and run off a player late. Instead of hiking the ball and running the play against a defense that is confused and isn't set, McCoy allows the Huskers to call a timeout, essentially bailing them out.

Following the stop in play, the Longhorns opt for the 11 personnel package, them motion James Kirkendoll into a stack with Jordan Shipley. It's a max protection roll out with essentially two players out in the route (Malcolm Williams on the other side of the field gets an inside release and heads straight downfield) and Nebraska takes them away with four defenders, leading to a coverage sack and the injury to McCoy's left wrist. Suh and others knock McCoy into the Nebraska sideline while the Texas offensive linemen walk dejectedly across the field to the Texas sideline like a group of whipped puppies. Not a single one goes to help their quarterback.

Situation 3

Context

The Longhorn defense held Nebraska to a field goal following the long punt return by Niles Paul, but the poor call on Marquise Goodwin's slip near the end zone pinned Texas against their own goalline. Though the coaching staff finally decided to eschew a long-developing I-formation run on the first play, choosing to sneak instead, Davis reprised his bad habit by calling such a play on second down and Suh nearly caused a safety. Fortunately, McCoy completed a third-down pass to Shipley and later completed two more passes for Malcolm Williams for big first downs, the second coming on 3rd and 16. On the next play, a quarterback draw picked up eight yards.

The Play

2nd and 2 Nebraska 42

The Longhorns stay in their 11 personnel package from the previous play with Dan Buckner in the flex tight end position. Nebraska plays the single linebacker to the strong side of the formation, while walking a safety up towards the line of scrimmage, indicating a blitz.

It's the counter read play of WildHorn fame (infamy?), except run this time without a tight end, though the lack of a tight end isn't a problem in the scheme, as the defensive end is optioned off. On this play, the end stays at home, giving McCoy a give read. The play has a chance for success and may in fact go for a big gain if Suh doesn't blow it up, except for the blitzing linebacker on the play, who happens to run right into Newton as McCoy makes the handoff, leading to a two-yard loss.

The Verdict

It's easy to blame Davis for this play, as he seemed to get a little too cute in this situation by calling a running play from a formation the Longhorns probably haven't run out of since the Oklahoma or Colorado game -- there was a reason the coaching staff abandoned any and all 10 personnel running plays. No one provides an extra blocking surface like Greg Smith, basically. The Longhorns really have good match ups on the line of scrimmage though because the play options off a defender -- it just seems like poor luck that Nebaska happened to be blitzing on the play. In terms of the defense anticipating the call, there's little chance of that since the Longhorns hadn't run this play from this personnel grouping probably at all this season.

The Following Play

The Longhorns go five wide on 3rd and 4 and run a double slant concept with Jordan Shipley and Goodwin on the weak side. It's the same play that scored the touchdown against Oklahoma and it works again here, as the safety goes with Shipley and Goodwin gets enough separation to make a tough catch on a ball thrown behind him a bit and pick up a big first down to continue the drive.

The Final Verdict

The fact that the Longhorns only had three second-and-short opportunities in the entire game speaks to poor production on first down, while the complete lack of success on second and short illustrates a combination of poor execution, poor playcalling, and bad luck. The three plays combined lost a total of four yards and led to difficult third-down conversions each time, with Texas only converting one of the three, which is completely unacceptable.

On the first play, the call was relatively beyond reproach, but the execution of the offensive line was terrible. Given the opportunity for three combo blocks, none of the three offensive linemen got off their blocks to get to the second level, allowing both linebackers to slice into the backfield and stop the play for a loss. The scheme doesn't exactly make things easy for the linemen, but the fact is that a ton of teams in college football run the zone read and the good ones consistently execute the play at a much higher level than Texas. Despite the abject failure of this play, it was one of the least egregious examples of the type of terrible execution and individual suckitude that characterized an experienced line that should be much better than this. One would think.

Also unacceptable is the fact that the Longhorns didn't take any shots downfield on any of the three plays -- most analysts and fans know that such situations are the best time for calling play-action passes. Greg Davis seems to have a different philosophy than most in these circumstances -- he just wants to move the chains as quickly as possible to get another set of downs. Perhaps that would be acceptable if his choice of plays actually picked up the first down instead of moving backwards.

Davis also deserves criticisms for not staying with the advances in the zone read. Many times now make it a triple option play, incorporating a bubble screen on the outside of the play, giving defenses more to think about it and making it more difficult to cover. In college football, it's not necessary to be on the leading edge of innovation, but simply to keep up with and copy and integrate successful plays. One of the problems is that Davis simply isn't doing that enough. It's not about trying to incorporate everything and putting in too many plays at the risk of execution, it's about adding things that can easily be integrated like the bubble screen on the zone read, which would only require a handful of repetitions to install.

Saturday NFL Draft watch notes: Texas/Nebraska

Mocking Dan — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 22:00:18 -0000

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Colt McCoy, QB, Texas: McCoy might be the most polarizing figure among draft followers. Those who like him point to his accuracy, leadership, winning ability and football intelligence. Those who don't wonder about his throwing motion, size and arm strength. McCoy will have to be put in the right offense or he could struggle at the next level.

Jordan Shipley, WR, Texas: The senior has been electric this season. He's fifth in the nation in catches per game and sixth in receiving yards per game. Most impressively, other than the Oklahoma game, he's been consistent. Shipley shows good hands, runs nice routes and has good speed. A comparison to Reggie Wayne might be a stretch, but only a slight one.

Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB, Texas: If one thing has been proven this season, Kindle should play at linebacker in the NFL. While he hasn't had a bad year, he hasn't played great. As a linebacker, he can use his strength and quickness to get after the ball. Off the line, he can be blocked too easily.

Roddrick Muckelroy, OLB, Texas: Where Kindle has struggled, Muckelroy has excelled. He leads Texas in tackles and has nine tackles for loss on the season. He's emerged in his senior season as a reliable linebacker who always seems to be near the ball. Muckelroy can struggle in coverage, and could start his career as a backup.

Earl Thomas, SS, Texas: Thomas has overtaken Tennessee's Eric Berry as the best playmaking safety in the nation. Although he's only a redshirt sophomore, don't be shocked if Thomas goes pro and becomes a first-round draft pick. He has great instincts and good speed and agility.

Lamarr Houston, DT, Texas: A converted high school running back, Houston has developed nicely as a defensive tackle. Houston makes a lot of players in the backfield and really gets after the quarterback. He plays low and gets good leverage. Houston is a very good sleeper prospect to keep an eye on.

Adam Ulatoski, OT, Texas: Although he plays on the left side for Texas, Ulatoski is almost exclusively a right tackle prospect. He's strong, but a little slow off the snap. He struggles against speed rushers, but can mirror players in front of him.

Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska: Much like Rolando McClain, there's not a lot to say about Suh that hasn't been said already. He's bar none proven to be the best player in college football this season. He's dominant and single and double teams and looks like he can play in any defensive scheme.

Jared Crick, DT, Nebraska: A redshirt sophomore, Crick has certainly benefited from playing next to Suh. But don't sell his ability short. He's big and strong and holds up well against double teams -- when he faces them.

How Nebraska Will Beat Texas And Win the Big 12 Championship

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

More photos » by Nati Harnik - AP

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

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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.

Five Things to Watch Against Nebraska

GhostofBigRoy — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:54:20 -0000

by Jeff Roberson - AP

This is what happens when you enter a House of Spears, Blaine Gabbert. Colt McCoy hopes he doesn't befall a similar fate.

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How well will the interior of the Texas line play? Obviously, the big match up here is Chris Hall and a guard against Ndamukong Suh, the massively athletic "House of Spears," literally -- that's what his name means. Hall and Charlie Tanner have been much maligned around these parts at times, but their play has been more consistent as the year has gone on and they've played a big role in the improvement in the running game. The other offensive linemen who will have shot at helping Hall with Suh will be Michael Huey, another inconsistent performer this season whose problems resulted more from the ankle injury he suffered early in the year than any technical or athletic shortcomings. He's finally healthy and playing well.

The double team on Suh will leave Huey or Tanner consistently on Jared Crick, a player known for using his hands well, but one who doesn't always play with great pad level -- not overly surprisingly for a young defensive tackle with his height (6-6). If the Longhorn guards can get under his pads and into his body, they should be able to handle them, but if they allow Crick to get his hands on them and get extended, the other big Husker could make some plays inside as well.

All three interior linemen struggled against Oklahoma's Gerald McCoy, but because Huey was hobbled during the game with his injury and Tanner and Hall have taken their play to a higher level, it's probably safe to say the Longhorns have a better shot of slowing down Crick and Suh than they did McCoy. However, it's a big question whether or not David Snow can help out in this game because he was absolutely destroyed by McCoy and is probably still suffering from some lingering PTSD after his nightmare in the Cotton Bowl. If Tanner or Huey need a blow at some point in the game, Snow will have to play better than he did against Oklahoma and it's possible that he may only be asked to help out Hall with Suh, which should be easier than going one-on-one with Crick.

The double team on Suh will have a trickle-down effect on other aspects of the line's play, most notably having only one combination block at the line of scrimmage even with EBS (unless they leave the backside end unblocked), putting a lot of pressure on the outside linemen, Kyle Hix and Adam Ulatoski, to make their plays in space and get off the combination block quickly -- not always a strength of Ulatoski in particular.

How will the Longhorn gamplan work around Suh in the middle? Not only is Suh tremendous at putting pressure on the quarterback, but he also has the elite ability to knock down and/or intercept passes, having broken up 10 on the season and intercepted one other. Last season, he returned both of his interceptions for touchdowns. Suh's rare ability to play in space as a 300-pound defensive tackle allows him to drop back into coverage over the middle when Nebraska zone blitzes. Just like Colt McCoy has to know where linebackers dropping off into zone coverage are heading, he must also recognize Suh dropping back into coverage, particularly on any throws over the middle, whether short to a running back or to a receiver running a shallow cross.

Of course, devoting more resources to Suh means leaving all the other linemen one-on-one. As a result, the Longhorns will need an extra blocking surface to even have one other combination block and get anyone to the second level -- fortunately, Texas has a more than adequate Extra Blocking Surface. Woo, Greg Smith! In all seriousness, Smith has been blocking as well of late as he ever did when he was heavier last season and perhaps even better, an impressive accomplishment.

Since the weakness of the Nebraska defensive is their linebacking corps, the Longhorns might be well served to exploit the perimeter. One obvious way is to bring back the Monroe Series that was not used against A&M, the group of plays based around the fly sweep to get the ball to a fast player in motion to take the edge on the Nebraska linebackers and avoid having to move players off the defensive line. The danger here is having Suh bust through the line if the center has to reach to make the play, but the need to have help on every play should decease the chances of that occurring. The latest addition to the Monroe Series, the pass to Tre' Newton out in the flat, provides good misdirection and isolates Newton against a linebacker in the open field -- a desired match up for Texas.

Last week, the return of the zone read and extensive use of the quarterback draw helped McCoy run roughshod over the Aggie defense. The zone read options off a defender and makes McCoy a threat in the running game, which may be the best way to pick up yards on the ground against the Nebraska front four, by far the best Husker defensive unit, while also providing another combination block or a free release to the second level, allowing Texas to account for six players in the box even with a double team on Suh. Running the quarterback draw can punish the interior defenders if they get too far upfield and was a play that Kansas used to good effect. Expect to see it three to four times in the game.

Can Texas get off to a strong start? Conventional wisdom says that Nebraska wants to come into this game and "run, run, run, then play action," as Earl Thomas put it this week. In fact, that's been their plan in every game since the eight-turnover debacle against Iowa State and it's been successful enough to make it to the Big 12 Championship and earn the coveted honor of tallest midget (sorry, tallest vertically challenged person) in the Big 12 North. So congratulations on that, Huskers.

A fast start by the Longhorns on offense could radically change the complexion of the game -- this Nebraska offense isn't built at the moment to come back from deficits. Now, starting fast has been a key for the Longhorns all season and the offense seems to have overcome the slow starts that characterized the beginning of the season and led to weekly Screaming Lady appearances, but it's extremely important in this game because it's not clear how the Huskers would respond when forced to adjust their gameplan so much.

Would Pellini simply continue running the football in hopes of eventually breaking a play or setting up a deep pass off of play action, or maybe even just try to minimize the damage and avoid a blowout while hoping that the defense comes up with a big turnover or two? Would the offense revert to pre-Iowa State form with some attempts to spread the field and pass the ball, with the possibility of disastrous results and numerous Zac Lee interceptions? Or would Pellini insert true freshman and native Texan Cody Green to run the zone read and provide another rushing threat?

Will the special teams recover from a mostly disastrous performance against A&M? This one goes mostly to the kickoff coverage unit. Nebraska isn't a great kick returning team, ranking right at the bottom of the top third in the country at 23 yards flat and Texas spent much of the week working on covering kicks, so the visit to JerryWorld will give the beleagured unit an opportunity to demonstrate improvement. Kenny Vaccaro in particular must return to making positive plays instead penalties and miscues as he did in that strange vortex called Aggieland.

For the kickoff return team, it's not nearly as much about Marquise Goodwin as it is the blocking in the wedge and, to a lesser extent, on the edge by players like Vaccaro, Jeremy HIlls, Fozzy Whittaker, and Nolan Brewster. Cody Johnson, Aaron Smith, and Eddie Jones, the wedge blockers, struggled for most of the game in College Station before getting their blocks. Nebraska covers kicks well and probably won't kick off many times during the game, so the Longhorns need to take advantage when they can. When the Huskers do kick, however, nearly 40% of them go for touchbacks -- it's unlikely that Goodwin will even have half of the six attempts from last week.

Along with solid units on kickoffs, the Huskers have the biggest opportunity to impact the game in blocking field goals and essentially taking points off the board, as Suh has blocked three kicks and the rest of the team two others, with opponents having trouble kicking field goals even down close to the goalline. In addition, the punter Alex Henery, who also handles field goals and kickoffs, has done an excellent job of pinning teams deep near the goalline, with 26 punts downed inside the 20 and another 15 inside the 10.

Field position may play an important role in this game as it did last week against A&M, as the Aggies repeatedly had short fields due to long kick returns, failed fourth-down attempts, and the single turnover when the punt hit Vaccaro. If Texas can at least force Nebraska to move the ball the length of the field, the chances of a comfortable victory increase dramatically. If there continue to be breakdowns on special teams and the Huskers can keep points off the board and give their offense a short field, the game could come down to the fourth quarter. Likewise, whenever going against a defense as strong as that of Nebraska, shortening the field is a major priority because long drives become so difficult. Long fields for the Longhorns could keep the Huskers in the game late.

Are Malcolm Williams and Jordan Shipley healthy? Last week, Jordan Shipley incurred a foot injury that forced him to the sideline to have his ankle wrapped. After that point, he didn't catch a single pass in the game. Malcolm Williams missed several series in the second half with an apparent tightening of the hamstring, throwing off the rhythm of he and McCoy. Then, Chip Brown mentioned this morning on the radio that a source close to the Texas program indicated an injury to an offensive playmaker that may impact the game on Saturday. Brown wouldn't disclose the name, but the most likely candidate is Shipley unless another injury occurred during practice this week.

If Shipley isn't at full speed, the comfort level McCoy has developed over the last several weeks with Kirkendoll and Williams, assuming the latter is healthy after what only seemed like a minor injury, will become even more important, as will the play of Marquise Goodwin, who might have to play in the slot some to allow Kirkendoll to remain outside where he has been most successful.

Questions for The Texas Longhorns That Husker Fans Want To Ask

Jon Johnston — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:11:24 -0000

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Normally what you'd get this week is me doing a Q&A with the lead guy of the Texas site, Burnt Orange Nation (BON). Instead, what we've decided to do is to try to bring our two communities together for some football geekin'.

That means - I'll ask a bunch of questions about Texas, and Peter will invite his community over here to answer them. I know that BON has some football geeks over there, and I'm pretty sure we've got them here, so it could be a lot of fun.

In order for this to work, people need to remain civil. This isn't a thread for smack-talk or trolling, and if comments like that arise, I'll delete them.

Consider these "starter" questions. You're free to ask your own (on both sides) and start whatever game and football-related questions you like.

General:

- What is it that ‘Horns fans have against Greg Davis?

- Does Texas come into this game healthy?

When Texas Has The Ball:

- How much game planning do you expect (offensive coordinator) Greg Davis to do around Nebraska's two tackles, Ndamukong Suh and Jared Crick?

- Let's say Nebraska takes away the deep ball and effectively stops the zone read. That gives Colt McCoy the under routes. Is this the best approach to stopping the ‘Horn offense?

- Both defenses are highly ranked, played similar competition all season. This game sets itself up to be a slugfest similar to the game both teams played against Oklahoma. Why do you think otherwise, or do you feel the same way?

When Nebraska Has the Ball:

- Nebraska will be running a lot of heavy sets, obviously. Do you expect that (defensive coordinator) Will Muschamp will be stacking the box, or will he play base, believing that is good enough to stop the Huskers on offense?

- What are the soft spots on your defense that Nebraska can exploit?

Special Teams

Nebraska has had extraordinary special teams play this season. What does Texas have going for them here?

Thoughts On All-Big 12 Football Team

Beergut — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:25:36 -0000

by Jerry Larson - AP

Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year Christine Michael. (AP Photo/Waco Tribune-Herald, Jerry Larson)

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I thought Jordan Shipley should have been named Offensive Player of the Year instead of Colt McCoy. McCoy had a poor first half of the season; Shipley was remarkably consistent game-in and game-out this year, and I thought that should count for something.
Mack Brown getting Big 12 Coach of the Year is something of a joke, in my opinion. texas was favored to win the Big 12 South and the conference in the preseason, and they....won the Big 12 South and will play for the conference championship this weekend. What about Paul Rhoads, who took a team picked to finish last in the Big 12 North to a fourth place finish and bowl contention?
I don't agree with the pick of Jeron Mastrud for all-conference TE over Jamie McCoy at all. McCoy had better numbers (31 receptions, 328 yards, 1 TD vs. 21 receptions, 233 yards, 1 TD), and was versatile enough to play some H-back and FB.
I was pleasantly surprised to see Christine Michael make Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year. I thought he had a terrific season, but I figured the coaches would take the easy way out and give it to Landry Jones, who did receive some votes.

I think it is interesting that outside of Earl Thomas, texas had no other players make the first team defense. I thought Lamarr Houston deserved some serious consideration, although I can't argue against including Jared Crick, Ndamukong Suh, or Gerald McCoy at the DT position.
It was a surprise to see Michael Hodges receive some votes for Defensive Newcomer of the Year.
I am also happy some coaches think Jerrod Johnson deserved to be Offensive Player of the Year.
Von Miller received votes for both Defensive Lineman of the Year AND Defensive Player of the Year. With a freak of nature like Suh in this conference, you knew he wouldn't win either award, but the recognition of his performance this year is nice.
This conference is ridiculously loaded at wide receiver; show me another conference that can name a talented trio like Ryan Broyles, Kerry Meier, and Brandon Banks as their SECOND team.
I think Trent Hunter should be on the first team over Larry Asante, but I guess I'll have to be happy with a second-team selection. I think Asante had an easier job, since heplayed behind Suh and Crick, and just had to clean up on a lot of play. Hunter had to be a playmaker for us a lot more often, as attested by the 87 tackles he had on the season.
It is baffling to me that Sergio Kindle makes second team DL while Sam Acho did not. If you look at their play on the field or their statistics, Acho is obviously a better player, and this while playing on the strongside, so often facing double-teams.
It is nice to see that Uzoma Nwachukwu received some consideration for Offensive Freshman of the Year.

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

Friday NFL Draft watch notes

Mocking Dan — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:05:38 -0000

More photos » by Mel Evans - AP

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Considering there are 13 games on today, we'll do a double-shot of watch notes this weekend.

• Rutgers junior Anthony Davis is emerging as perhaps the second-best tackle prospect in the nation after Oklahoma State's Russell Okung. Davis has a body that is NFL ready and he is at times dominant. Davis can struggle against speed rushers, but he's an elite run-blocking tackle.

Also in the Rutgers/Lousville game, keep an eye on Scarlet Knight cornerback Devin McCourty. The senior is slightly undersized, but he has great athleticism. He's really come on as the season has progressed and may be a solid mid-round talent.

• Auburn's run offense is one of the best in the nation, so today could be a showcase day for Alabama middle linebacker Rolando McClain. The leader of the Crimson Tide defense has the task of tracking down the Tiger's Ben Tate, a talented mid-round prospect. If you watch this game today, watch how McClain leads his defense and how he gets off blocks.

Auburn has its own stellar junior middle linebacker in Josh Bynes. He leads the team in tackles with 84 to go along with seven pass breakups, four tackles for a loss and a sack. Bynes is a physical run defender and a good 3-4 middle linebacker prospect.

• Everyone talks about Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh, and justly so, but don't sleep on redshirt sophomore Jared Crick. The defensive tackle has 14 tackles for a loss, nine sacks and two fumble recoveries this season. He's big at 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds and should only get stronger. If he enters the draft, don't be shocked if he's taken in the first 75 picks.

• Sleeper alert: Ohio wide receiver Taylor Price is an athletic freak. He reportedly runs the 40-yard dash in the mid-4.3 range and has good size at 6-foot-1 and 212 pounds. On the year, Price has 48 receptions for 639 yards and five touchdowns.

• Illinois might be having a disappointing season, but that's not because of the play of guard Jon Asamoah. The senior is a good telephone booth blocker and has good footwork. He's kind of a tweener tackle/guard kind of lineman, but he'll offer a team solid late-round depth.

• As mentioned here last week, Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour is starting to put together a phenomenal season. On the season, he's completing 70 percent of his passes with 2,627 yards, 21 touchdowns and five interceptions. Look for him to have another stellar day today against a weak Northern Illinois defense.

College Football Predictions - Week 13

JLew — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:04:03 -0000

More photos » by JACK DEMPSEY - ASSOCIATED PRESS

You mean I have to come back and coach again next year? What does a coach have to do to get fired around here? (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

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I'm barely awake after eating too much turkey, and the Green Bay-Lions game is not helping me stay awake.But I'm thinking of changing jobs...

Dear Colorado AD:

If you would like to grossly over pay someone to run your football team into the ground, I would like to apply for that opportunity. I have the ability to make outrageous claims about winning 10 games, yell about playing intramurals, and run off players, Additionally I would take a much smaller buy-out than your current head coach. For a few thousand dollars I can fail for you.

I plan on bringing in my own coaching staff. Husker Mike will be the QB's coach, Jon will be the O-Line coach, Cobby will coach the defense, and I'll coach the rest.

Please see my attached CV that shows my NCAA football skills on the 360 which demonstrates my keen football mind.

I look forward to hearing from you in the near future, possibly after late Friday night.

-Your Future Coach

JLew

Average results in the picks last week. Big upset by Texas Tech, and NU not covering the spread hurt us all.

	Last week W/L	Last Week ATS	Overall W/L	Overall ATS
Husker Mike	3-2	0-5	67-27	41-52
Corn Blight	3-2	2-3	62-31	41-49
JLew	4-2	1-4	64-31	35-58

Here are the Thanksgiving picks-

Texas (-21) @ Texas A&M

Mike: When A&M can't run the ball, they get blown out. Texas is #1 in the Big XII in stopping the run. Texas continues to roll. Bovines 45, Gaggies 13

Jon J: You realize that Colt McCoy has a losing record so far against the Aggies and this one is at College Station, right? Yeah, whatever. Texas 35, Texas A&M 14

JLew: I'd really like to pick Texas A&M here, but if we are going to play fantasy we might as well have Texas lose in the championship game to Nebraska. Plus I do not see any way that A&M stops the Horn's offense. I think it'll be closer than the spread though, if only because A&M plays better at home. Texas 35 A&M 28

Missouri (-3.5) vs. Kansas @ Arrowhead

Mike: Now that it appears Dan Hawkins will survive, what about Mark Mangino. Jayhawks are in the middle of a six game losing streak, and have been blown out badly in the fourth quarter the last four games. Missouri had been experiencing second half suckage until a couple of weeks ago, until Danario Alexander picked the Tigers up and carried them on his back. Look for KU to lead early, then wilt again down the stretch. Tigers 31, Jayhawks 24

Jon J: This should be a great game to watch because of the blood match between these schools. Missouri is playing better towards the end of the year while Kansas appears to have lost everything. Can the Jayhawks get it together one more time? Reesing, Briscoe, Meier - all Seniors. Kansas doesn’t play for their embattled coach, they play for themselves. Kansas 42, Missouri 38

JLew: KU is done. Carve up the Jayhawk for leftovers. (As if there are any leftovers near Mangino). Missouri looks to be putting the season back together after a injury to Gabbert and as the schedule gets easier. Missouri fans begin to whine about losing to NU... but, but it was raining! MU 27 KU 17

Oklahoma State (+9.5) @ Oklahoma

Mike: This is a line that makes people go whoa! after watching the Sooners get demolished by Texas Tech. Zac Robinson should be back. Now, the question is: which OU squad is going to show up? Last week's Sooners or the Sooners that only lost to Texas by 3? This game is in Norman...and the Cowboys pass defense is 10th in the Big XII. OU bounces back...but doesn't cover. OU 31, OSU 28

Jon J: Oklahoma’s season has astonished me. They’ve lost a lot of good players, but that’s no excuse for the talent level they have, and in losing games they way they have. It all points to a squad full of pansy boys masquerading as young men. Several games have seen even their good players not bother. This, however, is a rivalry. They’d damn well better show up. Oklahoma 35, Oklahoma State 27

JLew: Bedlam is always a good time. I think that right now OSU has more to play for and really wants it more. I really didn't think that OU would lose to Tech last week. As Mike and Jon said what is up in Norman? I guess the only answer is to fire Stoops. OSU 42 OU 37

Texas Tech (-20.5) vs. Baylor @ JerryWorld

Mike: Baylor left it all in Columbia. Tech rolls. TT 49, Bad News Bears 7

Jon J: What Mike said. Baylor had so much promise. Even has some players, but apparently they can’t find enough that everyone cares at once. Prove I’m wrong, Bears. Texas Tech 42, Bears 13

JLew: When does Baylor get booted from the B12? Wouldn't they fit in better somewhere else? Why keep punishing yourself? Anyway Tech rolls. Tech 48 Baylor 10

Nebraska (-10) @ Colorado

Mike: Dan Hawkins survives the hangman's noose...because the Buffaloes can't afford any rope. This is a bad matchup for the Colorado offense, with Tyler Hansen loving sacks as much as Ndamukong Suh and Jared Crick do. But we know Nebraska's offense can keep the Buffs in the game if they make mistakes. Fortunately, CU is 10th in the league defending the run...so unleash Roy Helu and Rex Burkhead. NU 24, CU 12

Jon J: They’re not rivals. They’re not because we’re so stingy with our hate. Yet they play us like rivals. Last year the game was close despite the discrepancy between the teams because of Nebraska mistakes and Colorado passion. That was in Lincoln. Why not expect the same this time in Boulder? Nebraska 28, Colorado 21.

JLew: Will Colorado fans bother to show up, or will they boycott the game? Maybe they show up and get escorted out in the second quarter? NU should be able to get the offense rolling. Especially the running game. The defense should continue to dominate. NU gets momentum going to Texas. NU 31 CU 13

Under The Hood: Nebraska vs. Colorado Statistical Comparison

Jon Johnston — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:28:37 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Neibergall - AP

Tyler Hansen's favorite pose this season. Hansen has taken 31 sacks, over twice as many as the Huskers total. Part of that can be explained on Colorado throwing the ball all the time. Part of it..... CU Sucks.

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Statistics are good to know before you head into a game against a team that hates your guts. If they start giving you too much crap, you can just throw statistical information back at them. Unless they've been following along, they have little choice to respond with the phrase common to losers everywhere:

"YOU SUCK!"

Some stats can be dismissed, or made to say whatever you want, but when you're ranked at the bottom of several categories across several facets of football, things aren't going well no matter how much you rationalize.

That's where Colorado is this season. Before I looked, I thought that it would be Colorado's defense near the bottom of the NCAA rankings, but it's not. It's their offense.

Offensive Statistics

	Nebraska	Colorado
Rush YPG	147.73 (62/6)	83.73 (113/11)
Rush YPC	4.18 (65/5)	2.62 (117/12)
Rush TDS	17 (54/7)	14 (81/11)

Pass YPG	197.7 (85/9)	222.5 (53/8)
Pass YPA	7.1 (63/7)	5.7 (109/12)
Pass TDS	14 (75/10)	15 (67/9)
Pass Efficiency	128.82 (62/8)	105.86 (111/12)

Total Offense	345.5 (82/10)	306.3 (108/12)
Scoring Offense	25.4 (73/8)	22.5 (91/10

If you thought our offense was bad, welcome to the Buffs. Rodney Stewart is the Buffs top running back, ranked 67th nationally in averaging 69.4 yards per game. Stewart is averaging 3.92 yards per carry. The very low team per carry average is because of all the sacks and negative plays that Colorado has had this season - Cody Hawkins has lost an average of 12 yards per game (-84 yards rushing). That's icky.

I'm not going to say much about Cody Hawkins or Tyler Hansen because you can read some incredibly in-depth stuff here. Buff receivers Scotty McKnight and Markques Simas are dangerous, but not overwhelming. McKnight averages just over 70 yards per game, and has four TD receptions. Simas has come on strong lately, with 135 and 128 yards receiving against Texas A&M and Iowa State, respectively. He dropped to 92 against Oklahoma State, but I don't think anyone is going to confuse the Blackshirt defense with any one of those teams.

The Huskers don't have a good offense any way you look at it. We're only around average in rushing, and below average everywhere else. i don't know about you, but I'm going to spend the next two games playing the "Shawn Watson has kept the real offense under wraps until the end of the season!' angle. I find it irritates opposing fans when I refuse to listen to reason, which is the only way to make a cruddy offense enjoyable.

Hate to point this out, but the Buffs have more passing touchdowns than we do despite much worse statistics in this area. That speaks volumes about our inability to get in the end zone earlier this season.

Roy Helu is ranked 29th nationally, just under 100 yards per game at 96.09. Not bad considering he's been injured.

Defensive Statistics

	Nebraska	Colorado
Rush YPG	98.09 (13/4)	162.73 (83/10)
Rush YPC	2.85 (8/3)	4.18 (75/9)
Rush TDS	6 (8/2)	15 (58/8)

Pass YPG	182.3 (17/1)	213.5 (57/4)
Pass YPA	5.3 (3/1)	7.3 (75/10)
Pass TDS	4 (1/1)	18 (81/10)

Total Defense	280.4 (8/2)	376.3 (72/9)
Scoring Defense	10.3 (3/1)	28.9 (88/11)

Look at the Huskers defensive stats. If that ain't beauty.... I don't know what you're looking for. Four passing touchdowns given up so far this season.

The Buffaloes on the other hand.... oy vey. Their defensive stats are not beautiful. They're not hideous, though, as they have not dropped to the Nebraska 2007 level (112th total defense - 476.8 yards per game, 114th scoring defense -37.9 points per game) or to Kansas State 2008 (118th total defense - 479.1 yards per game, 111th scoring defense- 35.8 points per game) so those comparisons are inappropriate.

The Huskers have given up 16 pass plays of 25+ yards, compared to the Buffs at 25 of 25+ yards. When watching Colorado football this year, they have a real problem with letting receivers get behind their deepest defenders.That explains poor passing touchdown defense.

The Details

	Nebraska	Colorado
3rd Down Conversions (Pctg)	40.13 (58/8)	35.06 (94/10)
Red Zone Conversions (Score %)	79.55 (72/9)	84.21 (43/6)

Turnover Margin	+2 (53/6)	-4 (82/10)
Sacks	32 (12/5)	24 (43/8)
Tackles for Loss	73 (33/5)	62 (63/9)
Sacks Allowed	15 (31/3)	42 (117/12)
Punting (Avg)	41.12 (51/5)	37.71 (103/11)
Punt Returns	10.15 (47/7)	2.96 (117/12)
Kickoffs (Avg)	68.20 (2/2)	64.86 (22/4)
Kickoff Returns	23.07 (39/5)	24.24 (20/3)
Penalties (Yds/G)	66 (102/7)	79.4 (117/10)

- Both of these teams are awful in picking up penalties. The Huskers haven't gotten any better in November, still ranked 102nd and averaging 64.3 yard per game. But the Buffs have gotten worse (yes, that's possible), dropping to dead last in FBS, 120th at 94.7 yards per game. Both teams have tendencies to pick up personal foul penalties at the worst possible moments. One wonders how sloppy Friday's game will be.

- 117th in sacks allowed? Wow! Insert your jokes about a Jared Crick - Ndamukong Suh feast in the comments section, while I stick with a "turkey shoot" meme. Tyler Hansen has taken 31 sacks so far this year. It'd be nice if he'd take about ten more this game.

- The Buffaloes do have a potential game-breaking weapon in kickoff returns. Brian Lockridge is 61st nationally with a 24.07 average. (By comparison, Niles Paul is 36th with an average of 25.69. 1.62 yards means a huge difference in ranking, but not an enormous difference on the field). Lockridge's sole touchdown came last week against Oklahoma State. The Huskers have done a great job of shutting down kickoffs this season (hence the #2 ranking), thanks largely to Adi Kunalic.

- Colorado's punting average is pretty hideous. There's an understatement for you.

- What did I miss?