Game 8: Oklahomo 31 Nebraska 24
I really think that Nebraska should spot the rest of their opponents 21 points to start the game. Then they have the whole game to come back instead of at halftime. I’m sure Kansas wouldn’t mind getting 21 points in this weeks upcoming game.
I really really really don’t know how to feel after the OU game. While I’m happy that they came back from a 24-3 deficit to within 7 and the ball at the end of the game, I really have an uneasy feeling about the team now. Let me say this again, it is NOT, I repeat, NOT Zach Taylors fault. And to burn Beck’s redshirt right now would be just plain stupid. He’s not #2 on the depth chart so if he’s not good enough to take the back up job from Ganz, he’s not ready to come in the game. It’s very difficult for Taylor to do anything when the o-line can’t block anybody. And just so you know, it’s not callahan/norvell’s intention to hand the ball off 18 times and get 16 net yards rushing. The o-line can’t pass block, can’t run block, they can’t do anything. They simply aren’t that good. They’re good enough to block bad teams, but if the team has ANY kind of defence they just can’t get the job done. About 3 or 4 times OU linebackers were in the backfield 1 second after the ball was snapped. It’s really hard to get a play developed when you have a defender draped over you right after the ball is snapped. Now while I don’t blame Taylor for losing, from what I’m hearing is that he’s focusing to much on one reciever and you get the INT’s for the TD like in the OU game. But, to be completely honest, that might be the least of our problems now.
The defence is starting to regress a little bit but I think that’s more because of the injuries and the more athletic teams we are facing. Adrian Peterson is just a stud. A lot of people forgot about Peters
on’s great season last year (you’re truely included) because he’s been injured most of the year. Missing two starting linebackers (Octavian & Bradley) doesn’t help in trying to stop a top notch RB like Peterson. Bowmar is only a serviceable QB and didn’t do anything exciting in the game except to hand it off to Peterson which is OU’s best offence at this point. More pressure on Bowmar was needed because he wasn’t as mobile QB as Brad Smith was.
Now...the refs. We just plain aren’t getting ANY calls. I thought I heard a stat somewhere where we lead the nation in sacks but haven’t had ONE holding call for us. Which is absolutely mind boggling. I’m not blaming the loss on the refs but they sure didn’t help. Standing on the sidelines on Jones’ last TD the WR on the left side actually turned around to the ref to find out if he had been caught holding. And of course he didn’t. I really do understand Callahan’s and Norvell’s frustration with the refs. Now they can’t comment on it publicly (except there were rumors of a internet slip by Norvell) but you can tell they were frustrated…
...which leads me to the throat slashing. Is it...or isn’t it? While Callahan will probably get a fine...I really don’t have a problem with it. I can imagine Callahan is very frustrated with the officials and his teams performance. We were blessed with a saint of a coach for 25 years that didn’t so much as say a bad word. Coach Solich was a Osborne prodigy and really didn’t do anything in terms of emotion. Callahan is really the kind of coach that we should have had. One with emotion one with passion. I’m not saying that TO didn’t have that but he kept it on the inside, Callahan doesn’t. I don’t have a problem with emotion. Now while the “throat slash” might be out of line, emotion does play into the game and I’m guessing the emotion got to Callahan in the heat of the moment.
Nebraska REALLY needs the next two games. It is absolutely imperative for this team to get 7 wins. I we lose this next game to Kansas, I really don’t think we’ll get another win the rest of the year.
The Comments
Steve November 1, 2005 at 2:03am
I don’t know about burning Beck’s redshirt. I wouldn’t mind seeing him getting some playing time now but I’d like to see it with the Huskers up by a couple touchdowns. Josh Freeman is arriving in January and he is a flat-out stud. I seriously wouldn’t be surprised to see him win the starting job in the spring or early next fall. If that happens, Beck is forgotten especially since he hasn’t gotten any game experience.
I was optimistic for the last two games and was really, really wrong but I foresee at least one, maybe two, more wins. Kansas has a great D but their offense is the worst we’ll face all year. This is where the Defense gets back to scoring some points. I could see us winning down there 7-3. K St. isn’t very good but I’m afraid they’ll start Alan Webb because he’s the very poor man’s Brad Smith and our D can’t stop running QB’s.
I saw the throat slash and I heard the Norvell slip. I think it’s worth a fine from the Big XII to get the issue front and center. The throat slash was a bit NBA and Favre for me though. Uzcheck’s crew has done two NU games this year and called 0 holding calls against opposing offenses. In his other games he’s called offensive holding 12 times. That smells.
The running game might work if we tried to run inside. All the running plays are outside runs which take a long time to develop. If teams are blitzing like they have been, the way to capitalize on that is to use their momentum against them by trap blocking.
I say we go 7-4 and play in Shreveport in mid-December against South Carolina or Tennessee.
D.M.B. November 1, 2005 at 11:49am
you heard the Norvell slip? I’d be interested in what you heard cause I’m hearing a couple of different things.
Steve November 1, 2005 at 7:19pm
Here’s a video clip of the throat slash.
http://media.putfile.com/Callahan-throat-slash
The more I watch it though the more I think he was demonstrating to the official how the player was being held on the play. Notice how he kind of grabs his shoulder.
The Norvell thing was only on the internet feed from Huskers.com because Pinnacle had gone to commercial. I was listening to the stream because the radio reception in my basement is brutal. He said something to the effect of “we lead the nation in sacks and can’t get a f**king holding call...damn Texas officials...”