A Long Two Weeks

The roller coaster that is Nebraska football took a huge dip two weeks ago.  Since then it has dropped off on a slow slope that was the longest two weeks that I can remember in Lincoln.  

Super sophomore and probably the best overall athlete on the team, Maurice Washington not only called it a day on the field, he left the team off from it as well.  Nebraska was apparently being held together by glue and Popsicle sticks. An embarrassing road trip to Minneapolis revealed that while the team isn’t deep, it may not be good either. 

In  2018 we all new Nebraska could have a rough year.  The 0-6 start confirmed that. 2019 was supposed to be different.  Nebraska brought back a lot of young talent on offense, including freshman All-American Adrian Martinez.  Throw in some prize recruits like Wan’dale Robinson and Rahmir Johnson and you could see the Huskers not skipping a beat.

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Instead, the team has done the opposite of what it did in 2018.  The 2019 version doesn’t seem to have the same drive and motivation the 2018 team had, despite all the losing.  Nebraska is certainly young and they have little depth, but it is startling to see that the really don’t have many difference makers on the team.  On offense, outside of J.D. Spielman, the only shining light from week to week has been Robinson. The offensive line has regressed to the point that I don’t see how they are going to play well enough to win more than one more game the rest of the season.

Losing Martinez was a huge blow two weeks ago, but I would venture to guess that John Elway in his prime would struggle behind this current construction of the once fabled Pipeline.

All is not lost.  I think Nebraska can make a bowl game.  They have three winnable games on the schedule.  This is assuming that they can play up to the level that they reached against Northwestern.  The Blackshirts struggled last week, but in their defense, the offense’s lack of production really stresses a defense that is designed to play with a lead, take chances and defend the pass.  This variation of the defense isn’t a heavy run schemed unit. Minnesota used that against Nebraska and it paid handsomely. A 14-0 halftime deficit seemed like 100.

So where does that leave Nebraska?  Well I have to think the Washington saga coming to a close may actually help the Huskers.  That was a lot of drama the last month and honestly, when bad seeds left the team last year, the Huskers responded by playing harder and tougher.  I’m not overall certain this group of Huskers can turn that around in 2019. They need to do it this weekend, otherwise, what was once a promising season, may turn into a bigger disaster than last.  It will be a L-O-N-G off season if Nebraska fails to win another game.

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last week’s prediction was Minnesota 34, Nebraska 28.  The final score was Minnesota 34 Nebraska 7. A game that didn’t look great on paper, looked way worse in person.  Nebraska was disinterested and played like it. Without Martinez and Robinson, Nebraska isn’t going to win many games, if any, the rest of the year.  I don’t think they will go win less, but if they play like that moving forward, they will.

Quick Notes:

Adrian Martinez… People have been calling for him to step aside and let Noah Vedral have a crack in a game, but I think most Husker fans realize that Martinez is the best player to get Nebraska any chance at winning in the Big Ten.  Nothing against Vedral, but this isn’t the 1994 Huskers where you can just plug in anyone at quarterback and let the Pipeline and Lawrence Phillips bowl everyone over. I’m not convinced that Martinez will play this week, but you have to hope that he gets healthy soon.  A bowl game could be riding on it.

Offensive Line…. Offensive it right.  This unit has been subpar to awful this season.  One drive they look like they are going to dominate (Illinois), the next they can’t block my grandma.  The inconsistency has destroyed any rhythm that offense had built up in the non conference season. By week 8 in the season you should be seeing some major improvement.  If we don’t have a better unit this week, you might as well start playing younger players, like Ethan Piper and Bryce Benhart. Veterans are great, but if you are going to get your tail kicked in, you might as well let the young guys take the beating, in hopes of cranking it up the next season.  

Scott Frost…Frost is juggling a lot of issues right now.  He is an offensive wizard, at least we have seen some of that, yet this unit has been awful the last 3 games.  Maurice Washington has been a sideshow this year, that Frost, looking back was probably better off avoiding until his legal matters played out.  On top of that, expectations from Frost, his staff, the media and the fans have pushed him to do things to win today, that may not be what he wanted to do to build for the future.  Frost is in a tight spot. He needs to recruit better, no doubt, but when you aren’t getting better on the field week to week, you start to battle that on the recruiting trail as well.  I’m totally convinced Frost is the right man for the Husker head job, but I’m not entirely sure that he was ready for the team he inherited. The next 5 games will make a huge difference in how long this rebuild will last.

Maurice Washington…I won’t bring him up again, mostly because I’m pretty certain he will never play in Lincoln again, but he needs to be talked about one last time.  Sometimes a player is so talented, that as a coach you put up with a lot of headaches, because you are always convinced that you are the one that can get the most out of him.  We saw that talent with Washington. The problem is, when a kid is young, immature and doesn’t have a lot of things working for him in his personal life, sometimes you can’t reach him.  Eventually, someone will get to him. Unfortunately, for Frost, it probably won’t be him. Like I mentioned above, I will miss his speed and that sudden burst for sure, but you have to wonder if him leaving might be a lift for the rest of the team.  

Score Prediction: Nebraska 24, Indiana 23 

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This weeks prediction is based on two things.  Nebraska had a week off. They needed it in the worst way.  Indiana played Maryland on the road and played hard and fought for the win.  It’s not always easy to go back to back on the road in the Big Ten and win when you aren’t Ohio State.  On top of that, I think we see Luke McCaffrey quite a bit this weekend. I think that will spark a Husker offense a little bit and maybe the offensive line will play their best game all season.  The city of Lincoln, the crowd in Memorial Stadium and the Husker team know that this game could determine their bowl eligibility. I think we will see a Husker team come in and fight hard. Now, if Adrian Martinez and Wan’dale Robinson play, I like Nebraska’s chances a whole lot more.  This prediction is based on the fact that I don’t anticipate either of them playing. If they do, I expect a better game from the Huskers. GBR!!

Gopher Broke

It is clear to me that Nebraska as a program, is finally figuring some things out about how to win close games.  That’s important because Nebraska lost most of those toss-up games last season. Beating Northwestern was not a small feat, considering Nebraska was playing back up players across the board on offense.  Even the defense was without arguably their most productive player, with Khalil Davis suspended last week.

You can look at the win as exciting and a continuation of Frost’s maturity as a coach.  When things aren’t working like you want, as a coach you have to make adjustments. Sometimes, those adjustments are to hang on and ride your defense and don’t turn the ball over.  It worked against a Northwestern team that was probably even more beat up offensively than Nebraska. It doesn’t matter though, survive and advance.

Now, Nebraska has a different kind of quest.  They leave for Minnesota with Adrian Martinez likely to be on the shelf.  Backup quarterback and native son, Noah Vedral came in and played well in limited action against Northwestern.  We don’t know how he will respond when he has an entire game plan to run. For all his faults this season, Martinez still makes some plays that wow you.  He hasn’t been consistent this season, but that largely can be attributed to an offensive line that continues to allow defenders to go unimpeded into the backfield.

Vedral won’t be immune to that pressure either.  If Nebraska, who is technically still very much alive to win the Big Ten West, can figure out a way to improve on the O-Line, they could close out the season on a roll.  Unfortunately, they continued to have issues snapping the football against the Wildcats and it really does hamper the way the offense runs their system. The bigger question this week will be how good the protection is for Vedral and will J.D. Spielman be available to play against his home state?

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Martinez has better days ahead of him.  I feel as if something has been bothering him, other than just high snaps, since the beginning of the season.  You could argue that being a captain and being a leader has taken a toll on the kid. I think it is more likely that Martinez has been playing through some injuries all season and it has forced him to give up on the free wheeling he was able to do as a freshman.  I expect some of that to come back. Luckily Vedral has three years into the Frost system. It should allow Nebraska to survive short term and allow Martinez a chance to sit back and watch the team play for a change. It could be good for Martinez. It also could be a good chance going into the bye, to get healed up for the stretch run.

Of course, all of this could be moot if Martinez somehow finds a way to play this weekend.  I just don’t suspect that he will. Nebraska has a chance to really put a big win on the board in Minnesota this week.  It will be interesting to see if the conservative nature of the game will continue for the Huskers. Or maybe this is the week that the offensive line gels and Nebraska runs all over the field behind a back up quarterback.  Either way, the coaching staff has come a long way from 2018. A big win over the defending West champion Wildcats may be the hump that Nebraska needed to get over.

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last week’s prediction was Nebraska 28, Northwestern 24.  The final score was Nebraska 13, Northwestern 10. It wasn’t pretty by any means, but Nebraska got it done.  No turnovers made the difference. Nebraska continues to struggle on offense, but they have as many wins as they did all of last season.  Eventually something will click for this team on offense. The defense continues to keep the Huskers in games. How long can Nebraska hold out waiting for the offense to shine?

Quick Notes:

Darrion Daniels… I pick Daniels as the MVP of the team last week. He consistently pushed the interior of the Northwestern offense back into the back field.  He has been a tremendous pick up for Nebraska. He allows Carlos Davis, Khalil Davis, Deontre Thomas and Ben Stille to play their more natural spots on the end.  He also requires double teams and sometimes triple teams, which allows the linebackers to run free and make plays. He has been an All Big Ten caliber player for Nebraska this season.  Just a tremendous player for the Blackshirts in 2019.

Lane McCallum…. Two weeks ago, I said that special teams, more specifically the kicking game, would lose a game for Nebraska.  It almost happened this last weekend, but then the walk on from Norfolk, transfer from Air Force, back up safety walked out and put his name in the record books alongside Alex Henry, Brett Maher, Kris Brown and any other kicker that has played a big role in Nebraska lore.  It wasn’t pretty, but that was a big kick on Saturday in front of a crowd that needed it. Congrats to McCallum, you will remember that day for the rest of your life.

Maurice Washington…You really hope that this kid can get healthy and get his act together.  There is no question in my mind that he is the most talented player on the Husker roster.  You can argue about other player’s production, but Washington can physically do things other people just cannot.  On the flip side, he has issues with attitude and commitment that are keeping him from reaching his potential. If Nebraska has any chance of winning the West Division, Washington will have to turn his season around.  I think all Nebraska fans want the kid to live up to that ability. The question is, will Washington figure it out before he leaves Lincoln?

J.D. Spielman…This week, as much as any other, requires Nebraska’s most production player to play big again.  Spielman has been open and simply missed by Martinez multiple times this season. When Spielman went out in the second half against Northwestern, it wasn’t just Martinez missing him.  Spielman opens up the offense for Nebraska. Without him running around, this team simply has not been able to stretch the field. Spielman has missed time the last three seasons. Every game or quarter he sits out limits Nebraska’s ability to run their offense.  Hopefully he can get healed up this weekend, Nebraska is going to need him. IF he doesn’t play, I just don’t see how Nebraska gets against the Gophers.

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Score Prediction: Minnesota 34, Nebraska 28

Every week I try and give an accurate prediction of how the Huskers game will unfold.  Unfortunately, this week, I think Nebraska will go into their bye week with a loss. Nebraska has been playing on a razor’s edge most of the season when it comes to playing just well enough.  Outside of Ohio State, you could argue Nebraska could have lost or won every other game on their schedule. I hope I’m wrong and that Nebraska is getting better week to week they make a statement on the road.  Unfortunately, with a bad weather forecast, the probability of playing with limited playmakers and the lack of road wins in the Scott Frost era, I see Nebraska playing close this weekend, but not being able to get it done.  It is hard to win on the road with a back-up quarterback. I will be in the stands cheering though, so I hope that helps….as always, GBR!!

Big Week for Nebraska

Welp, that didn’t go well.  Nebraska responded to Ohio State coming to Lincoln, along with ESPN’s GameDay and the announcement of new facilities, with their worst game of the season.  You could argue it was the worst game since Michigan last season. That game was turning point for Nebraska in 2018. Will the Ohio State game be that for Nebraska in 2019?

Honestly, I kind of doubt it.  I think the Huskers are who they are.  They don’t have a strong offensive line.  Quarterback Adrian Martinez has suffered from this.  Martinez looks lost when he is pressured. He clearly is not seeing anyone open down field.  Last week he had trouble making routine throws. Nebraska has failed to find a consistent downfield threat to open the running game.  All the speed that Nebraska has recruited on offense hasn’t made the impact that many fans had hoped. 

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Turnovers are a huge issue so far for Nebraska in 2019.  Nebraska wa yos 3-1 going into Ohio State because their defense had played well enough to overcome the offense.  The Buckeyes blew through the defense on Saturday night like they were swiss cheese. The special teams for the Huskers also played so far below par, they could have competed in the Masters.

The quick fix for Nebraska though is the upcoming schedule.  When many pundits and fans alike pushed the scenario that Nebraska could win the west division, it was based on the fact that, outside of Ohio State, Nebraska has a relatively easy schedule. Most difficult games are at home.  Nebraska needs to make hay over these next 5 weeks if they have any chance of making a bowl game, let alone challenging Iowa or Wisconsin for a division title.

With Northwestern this weekend, the Wildcats are wounded.  Nebraska needs this win. I’d argue that this game is as important as any game remaining on the Husker schedule.  If you win this game, you only need to win two more to make a bowl game. If you lose this game, you are back at .500 and headed on the road to Minnesota.  The Gophers have improved considerably from last season. If you are 3-4 headed into the final five games, it really does not look the Huskers can win the required three games to get into a bowl game.  

When Scott Frost was hired, he told anyone that would listen that this wouldn’t be an overnight success like he had at Central Florida.  I think most fans, including this blogger, thought that with the coaching staff would be able to overcome the recruiting deficiencies of the last 5 seasons.  While I know it sounds like an excuse, I think this staff had a better idea of how far off the team was from being able to compete at a high level. I think fans are starting to understand that now as well.

I’m not getting off my early season prediction of 8-4 just yet.  I figured Nebraska would beat Colorado, so that is one loss that I didn’t predict.  I think Nebraska can win all the next four games. The difference now, after watching them play this season, is I would not be surprised if they only won a couple.  Nebraska still has a long way to go.

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ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last week’s prediction was Ohio State 44, Nebraska 36.  The final score was Ohio State 48, Nebraska 7. The Huskers turnover woes continued with three first half interceptions by Adrian Martinez.  Ohio State came to play and Nebraska could not withstand the onslaught. A terrible performance pretty much in every aspect. Nebraska clearly is a way away from playing well against a top 5 team in the country.  How far? Who knows for sure, but it didn’t look close last Saturday.

Quick Notes:

Adrian Martinez… If you had said at the start of the season that Martinez will struggle this year, I might have agreed with you some, but would have been very doubtful.  Unfortunately, Martinez has played well only in spurts. Against Ohio State, he was really…. well, awful. This team will only go as far as he can take them.  Say what you want, but as he goes, this Husker offense goes. When he is playing well, running the ball hard, Nebraska is difficult to stop. We simply have not seen enough of that consistency this season.  He needs to get healthy this week against Northwestern.

Special Teams…. It’s not just Barrett Pickering being out.  It’s not just the back up punter kicking off.  Outside of J.D. Spielman’s lone punt return touchdown, the special teams continue to be bad across the board for Nebraska.  If this continues to be the case, Nebraska may have to look at making changes to the coaching next season. It may be that they need to shift responsibility around to someone else.  Sometimes a change to shake things up is a good thing. Nebraska has had awful special teams play going back at least four seasons now. It needs to shape up.  

Coaching…I rarely criticize Scott Frost.  I have been around him. I have watched him as a high school athlete, a Husker and now as a coach.  He is as competitive as anyone that I know. One thing that I’m sure of though, he needs to start preparing younger players on offense.  If the offensive line and wide receivers continue to play this bad, it may be time to start playing younger players. They may not have the experience, but they must be better equipped that some of the play we are seeing out of the veterans.  Sometimes you need to get your veteran’s attention. Putting someone on the bench isn’t always a bad thing.

J.D. Spielman…Get this kid the ball.  I don’t care how you do it.  Reverses, screens, downfield throws, lining him up in the backfield, whatever it takes.  He was Wan’dale before Robinson arrived. Get one of your best playmakers the ball more often.  Nebraska has advantages on the offensive side, they need to focus on getting those players the ball more often.  If Maurice Washington doesn’t play this week, Spielman is the difference maker the Huskers need to use.

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Score Prediction: Nebraska 28, Northwestern 24

In a game of who wants it more, I think playing in Lincoln will give the Huskers the push they need to get over the hump against Northwestern.  Nebraska had them on the ropes last season in Evanston, they just couldn’t knock them out. Scott Frost knows this team needs this victory. It will set the tone for the second half of the season.  Northwestern has always played Nebraska super tough. They are well coached and they don’t make mistakes. If Nebraska can overcome turnovers, or keep them to a minimum, they could win big. I suspect they will still struggle with penalties and turn it over a couple of times.  Hopefully they can overcome it to equal the amount of wins they had last season. GBR!!