Road Game

Ann Arbor, why worry?

After the Nebraska game against Troy was finished last week, I walked back to my vehicle from Memorial Stadium and all I could think about was what I would say this week in this blog.  I had plenty of things to chew on as I walked. Was it Scott Frost’s fault that our back-up quarterback was a walk on junior college transfer that had no other Division one offers? Why when the chips were down, couldn’t the Blackshirts get a stop on 3rd and long…again?  How does Nebraska continue to put up yards and fail to reach the end zone?  When I get home and watch the reply on the punt returned for a touchdown, how mad will I be that people didn’t maintain the integrity of their lanes and how many players went rogue?  Why do we consistently turn the ball over, yet very seldom create our own turnovers?

The conclusion to almost all those questions is that Nebraska is operating with a very thin margin for error.  When Nebraska makes a mistake right now, no matter when, where or how big it may seem, it may be the one break the other team needs to win the game.  When Nebraska has a backup walk on quarterback playing, you realize that as much as we may like Andrew Bunch, he isn’t going to make a defense hesitate.  You don’t have to worry about Bunch beating you with his legs, especially when he is probably limited by the staff from trying to make plays that would get him hurt.  It doesn’t get better if he were to go down for any length of time.

The Blackshirts continue to be solid, but when they get yet another penalty, no matter how ticky tack, on a crucial 3rd down, it seems like it kills them.  Never mind that they held Troy to 17 points, it wasn’t enough to help the team win.

Why don’t we have another scholarship quarterback on the roster than can play this fall?  Surely Coach Frost could have known that Tristan Gebbia not getting the job might end up forcing the kid to transfer, right?  I know I questioned the thought process of not bringing in Joe Burrow, now quarterbacking LSU or even Terry Wilson, the quarterback for Kentucky right now.  It was easy to see after the spring that Nebraska was going to be alright with their young quarterbacks, but what was the contingency if they both were hurt or if one left?  I imagine hindsight being what it is, Frost would have brought in another quarterback. Who cares what kids here thought at the time, this is big boy football. There is competition at every University.  The decision to not bring anyone else in may keep Nebraska from going to a bowl game.

Now, what if Adrian Martinez returns this week for Nebraska and plays for the next ten weeks in a row?  That decision is no longer looks at like a mistake if that scenario plays out. If Martinez stays healthy at all for most of the season, I don’t think anyone would argue that we needed another quarterback.  Of course, no one knew that Gebbia was going to leave when he didn’t win the starting job. It all becomes a moot point if Nebraska somehow rebounds and goes 6-4 down the stretch.

See, the point I’m getting at, is that Nebraska is operating on the slimmest of margins right now.  Scott Frost is trying to establish his “culture” and for better or worse, that’s not going to happen overnight.  As Husker fans, we all knew in the back of our minds that this team was closer to 4-8 than 8-4 that we all hoped they were.  Had Martinez played against Akron, maybe Nebraska wins that game. Then he has fewer hiccups against Colorado, Nebraska pulls that out.  Maybe he doesn’t get hurt against CU, then Nebraska clears Troy after a hard-fought game. Now you are 3-0, you only need to go 3-6 the rest of the season to get into a bowl.  Again, slim margin.

It's going to be that way for 2018 unfortunately.  Will fortune turn in the Huskers favor? I don’t know that it will happen this fall.  I will say this, I plan on watching every game, despite these situations. I still have hope.  I know that this staff, along with Coach Frost know how to win ball games. Wins will come. Maybe they won’t be at the pace that we want, but they will come.  As we watch the season, you must imagine that it is, ah, but part of the opening of a play. There will be many more scenes to watch before the end is written. Right now, the opening act is a bit frightening.  Will Husker fans be patient enough for the ride?

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Our previous score prediction for the Troy game was Nebraska 31 – Troy 21.  The actual score was Troy winning 24-19 and while it looks close, Nebraska was never in control.  The Huskers failed to score touchdowns in the red zone and a returned punt for a touchdown from Troy probably sealed Nebraska’s fate.  Nebraska can ill afford to make mistakes, even against teams they are favored to beat.

Special Live Show Right
After the Michigan Game!

Quick Notes:

Adrian Martinez…  It is very clear that for Nebraska to have any success this season at all, Martinez is going to need to play most of the snaps in every game.  With all due respect to Andrew Bunch, Martinez is a guy that will win 30 or more games at Nebraska if he stays healthy. Mr. Bunch won’t touch that mark.  If Bunch starts against Michigan this week, Nebraska probably won’t be able to keep the game close. If Martinez can go and is fully healthy, this game takes on an entirely different dimension.

Special Teams, not so Special…. Be it Tyjon Lindsey returning punts, Caleb Lightbourn punting, or Barrett Pickering missing field goals, Nebraska’s special teams have been subpar in two games.  That may be putting it mildly. I think that Jovan Dewitt, the Nebraska special teams coach is feeling it as well. When the margins for winning are as thin as they are, special teams can be a great equalizer.  Nebraska must improve on that this week, if they have any hope of playing the Wolverines close.

Wide Receiver, where did you go? … If your name isn’t Stanley Morgan or J.D. Spielman, did you get to play against Troy?  I could hardly remember a sequence of plays if one of, if not both wideouts were on the field last weekend.  Offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Troy Walters said that both were worn out in the fourth quarter.  Someone else needs to step in and take some snaps from these guys. College wide receivers should have 5-8 players rotating in throughout a game.  I think Nebraska was lucky to have four that played consistently last weekend. Someone needs to step up.

Blackshirts…. They play so well at times, and yet they reverted to 2017 multiple times against Troy. By either allowing a long run by the backup quarterback, or committing crucial penalties, or getting a targeting call, the defense continues to be its own worst enemy.  This unit is on the come, in my opinion, if they can hold it together until the offense starts putting up some points to relieve some pressure. I think this unit could surprise us all. They still have problems in the secondary, but they can clean that up. I’d like to hope for a big jump this weekend in Ann Arbor.

Score Prediction: Michigan 37 – Nebraska 17

I’d like to say I’m as big a sunshine pumper as there is, but even I am skeptical about how this first road game will go for the Huskers.  Even if Adrian Martinez plays this week (I have my doubts that he will) Michigan will be looking to put it to Nebraska. The Big Ten has heard all off season about how great Scott Frost is, I expect teams to kick Nebraska while they are down.  I’m optimistic that this is going to get turned around, I just don’t think it will happen in the Big House. I hope I’m way off on this one, GBR!!