Deja Vu All Over Again!

So here we are again.  Nebraska is playing Iowa for a chance to close the season on a high note.  A win in Lincoln would put Nebraska into a bowl game for the first time in three seasons.  Man, that is hard to type. How did it get this way? You can look back at a season filled with what if’s and what could have been’s.  

Nebraska held on to win a couple of games, but they have blown double digit leads this season like a Pez dispenser.  Colorado, Indiana, Purdue are all games that Nebraska should have won. You can argue that they were lucky to beat Northwestern.  The Huskers finally put it all together against Maryland, but you have to wonder if that was a one week wonder, or if they are finally ready to get down to business.

Nebraska has improved somewhat on last season.  In some ways, they have regressed. I think the thing that I will take away from this season, no matter the score against Iowa, is how far away the Huskers really are.  And yet they are so close. They simply don’t have the depth to bench non-performers from week to week. It forces you to ride or die with the players on the field.

That’s the reality that Scott Frost finds himself in right now.  Nebraska needs to close hard in recruiting this season. They need to get another big influx of talent that can push the starters next year.  Nebraska brings back a lot on offense. They need to supplement that with players at wide receiver and depth at running back. It’s no secret that development at those two positions hasn’t come to fruition.

Defensively, Nebraska needs to take a big step forward next season.  It will be the third year in this system. The excuse that players are still learning will be out the window.  The Huskers will have to replace a lot of players on the defensive line and find someone to take over for Lamar Jackson at corner.  Otherwise, a lot of players will be back. You saw a little bit of the young guys on defense against Maryland. I think there is talent in the back-ups, but it will need to make a big jump to play more consistently and actually stop some third down plays to help the offense have a short field.

Special teams have had a few bright spots in the punt block area, but they have struggled mightily in practically every other area.  That must improve for the Huskers to have any shot at winning the division in years to come. I don’t know yet how that will happen.

How does that affect this weekend against Iowa?  I’m not sure. The offensive line and Dedrick Mills seem to be figuring out what they are good at, and it couldn’t have come at a better time as the Hawkeyes are in the top two teams the Huskers will play on defense.  So was the Maryland a precursor to what we will see on Friday, or was it the lone last bright spot for 2019? I don’t know, but what we do know, is this season has been a disappointment. The only way this season comes out as a wash is to beat Iowa at home.  That will be the injection that Scott Frost needs to move on to next season.  

bleedhuskerred.com 

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last week’s prediction was Nebraska 36, Maryland 30.  The actual score was Nebraska 54, Maryland 7. If anything could go wrong for Maryland it did.  Nebraska played really well and Maryland didn’t have any answers from the first turnover, to trying to slow down the 6th string kicker, one team could do nothing right.  Nebraska could do nothing wrong.  

Quick Notes:

Dedrick Mills…Mills had his second straight week of high volume yards per carry.  He looks comfortable playing now, when often a the beginning of the year, he was just a step the wrong way.  I think the offensive line is playing at the level that they expected all year. I expect Mills to have a big game against an Iowa team built to stop the run.  It will be an interesting clash of power on scheme.

Adrian Martinez…. I don’t know if he his close to 100% healthy, but he has finally started to live up to the promise that he showed last season.  I don’t know that he can throw the ball down field with much accuracy. Some of his play decisions on zone read and passing leaves me scratching my head.  All that being said, he is the one player than can make the Iowa game a win for the Huskers. If Martinez plays well at all, I expect the game to be a tight one.

Lamar Jackson…It is crazy to think that this will be his last game in Memorial Stadium.  When Jackson committed to Nebraska, I have to admit, I was really stoked. He hasn’t always been the most consistent and he has been maddening with his decision process over the years.  In the end, his ability to put his trust in defensive backs coach Travis Fisher has propelled Jackson into the conversation of a first round draft pick. That’s quite a ride. I will miss Jackson when he is gone.  I’ve enjoyed his career.

Mohamed Barry…Like Lamar Jackson, this will be Barry’s last game in Lincoln for the Big Red.  Barry hasn’t had quite the same success over his career as Jackson, but the thing about Barry, he bleeds red like the players of old.  It’s unfortunate that he hasn’t played on better teams during his time at Nebraska. When there is a need for someone to step up to the podium and talk after tough losses, Barry has always stood tall.  You have to admire someone that always takes the heat. I hope he closes out his career with a great game. I would love to see him play in a bowl game.

Black Friday Sales at bleedhuskerred.com!

Score Prediction:  Nebraska 28, Iowa 27

I don’t know why, but I have a feeling Nebraska is going to grab this win.  The Huskers seemed to have found themselves a little bit against Wisconsin. They realized that they don’t have to lay down when the going gets tough.  Last season, with a better offense, the Hawkeyes had to hit a last minute field goal to beat the Huskers in Iowa City. I think there is enough to play for that the Huskers will show up.  I also expect Coach Frost to lay all the cards on the table, including playing Luke McCaffrey in whatever position they need to get that speed on the field. If Wan’Dale Robinson can play at all, Nebraska may win by two touchdowns.  Frost will get it done and the Huskers will be going bowling. Dress warm and GBR!!

Must Win Weekend

There won’t be another opportunity like this for Nebraska again.  A reeling Maryland program that has more losses that Nebraska and may be even more beat up at this point.  Nebraska needs to capitalize on this opportunity to set up a possible bowl game entry against Iowa right after Thanksgiving.

Nebraska played hard against Wisconsin, the offense rushed for more yards against Wisconsin than any other team has all season.  The Husker offense continues to make large chunk plays. Unfortunately, they haven’t been able to capitalize with points. It’s killing them.

Coach Scott Frost said this week that if they could score 30 points a game they should win most of them.  We haven’t seen very many games in the Big Ten when the Huskers could score 30. They finally seem to have the offensive line working well enough to move the ball, but due to play calling, effort or whatever, Nebraska struggles in the red zone.

The Nebraska defense hasn’t held up their end of the bargain either.  They continue to struggle to stop the running game. Part of that is because they defensive line doesn’t keep the offensive line from meeting the linebackers.  Another reason is that the secondary at safety is so banged up, they have walk ons and true freshman as backups to the starters. When the starters come out, it is a big drop off.  When they are hurt and have to play, it is just as bad as when the leave.

Those aren’t excuses, they are just the reality.  Nebraska has underachieved this season, for multitudes of reasons.  Some of it is the player personnel, some of it is depth, some of it is coaching.  If you could pin point any one thing, you would say it should be easily fixed. That’s simply not the case.  Nebraska should be working on their 7th or 8th win this weekend, instead they are fighting to stay bowl eligible with 2 games left.  Lost chances, poor decisions and lack of leadership will mark this 2019 season. If Nebraska can somehow pull out a win at Maryland, they will have it all on the line in one week.

If they fail to win this weekend, it will be a long cold winter in Lincoln.

Bleedhuskerred.com

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last week’s prediction was Wisconsin 38, Nebraska 21.  The actual score was Wisconsin 37, Nebraska 21. It should have been much closer than it was.  Nebraska’s inability to make a field goal and keep the game close to a one possession game in the second half, forced Nebraska to try and make fourth down conversions when they could have used field goals, if only they had made the first one.  Nebraska’s inability to score in the red zone continues to be costly to this team.

Quick Notes:

Blackshirts…The inability to tackle has been a huge killer for this team.  Tack that on to the inability to get a consistent pass rush and you can see how the defense can’t win a game on their own.  Nebraska’s offense has had it’s own problems, but they are exacerbated by the defense’s inability to flip the field, create turnovers or get quick 3 and outs.  Nebraska will need to address all of this again this off season. Will it ever get better for Erik Chinander? He better figure it out, because the leash will start to get shorter the longer it takes to turn the Blackshirts around.

Cam Jurgens…. It has been an interesting season for the redshirt freshman from Beatrice.  He struggled early in the season with high snaps and often looked lost. Watching him against Wisconsin though, I started to think that Nebraska will have it’s first All Conference Center since Dominic Raiola.  Jurgens plays really hard. When he latches on, he plays to the whistle and he is able to get down the field and throw blocks that clear a lot of space. The entire offensive line has played much better as of late, but Jurgens’ rise has been especially notable.

Dedrick Mills…Can’t stress enough how big of a player he was against Wisconsin.  He was difficult to bring down, broke big runs and forced Wisconsin to play fewer defensive backs which opened up the passing game.  Sometimes as a player, the game, in a new system, doesn’t click right away. Mills has worked hard and now seems to understand where the seams are being created and he isn’t hesitating.  I feel like he will have a huge game against Maryland and probably against Iowa if he can stay healthy.

Young Players…Nebraska has played younger players quite a bit as we close out the season.  Ty Robinson, Myles Farmer, Braxton Clark, Chris Hickman and Keem Green have all seen an increase in snaps.  I expect a great many of the to continue to play more as the season winds down. It is apparent that the 2019 recruiting class has a lot of players that will help next season.  It’s nice to see them get the game reps that they wouldn’t otherwise get with the old red shirt rules. Nebraska has a bright future, these kids will the core of that future.

Score Prediction:  Nebraska 36, Maryland 30

For the first time in a long time, I think Nebraska will win a game on the road.  Maryland really is banged up and are playing out the string. If Nebraska can get up early on the road, they should cruise.  More likely, they will score often, but make mistakes that cost them easy points. It will make the game much closer than it should be, but in the end, I like the Big Red today.  With any luck at all, it will set up a big match for Iowa when they come to Lincoln. Turtle soup for the Huskers! GBR!!

Prepare Yourself Husker Fan!

We are in the last quarter of a Husker football season that has been beyond brutal when compared to preseason expectations.  Nebraska is fighting to get to six wins and a bowl game. I’m not convinced that all the players on the team are “all in” to get there.

I won’t call out specific players in the Purdue game but there was some false efforts by some players. Nebraska came back and took the lead in a fourth quarter game. They had done so many things right to get there, but had so many things they did wrong.  They looked great in blocking two punts. The defense had moments where they looked like they had the game in hand. Then the final Purdue drive happened and like so many other games this season, defeat was snatched from the jaws of victory.

Unfortunately, Nebraska failed to capitalize in a game on the road.  They had a double digit lead, but this time it really felt like it didn’t matter.

The issue with losing, once you do it a few times, it becomes easy.  Winning is hard. Doing the right thing all the time is hard. Nebraska, for years, never had to worry about playing out the string in a season because there was always something on the line for them.  The last three seasons, in November, there just hasn’t been much to play for in Lincoln.

That can wear kids down.  Think about this, if Nebraska fails to make a bowl game this season and possibly next, this will be the first class in most fan’s lifetimes that a recruiting class at Nebraska has failed to play in a bowl game.  I never thought in a million years that would happen. Nebraska has too many things in their favor. The fan support is the biggest thing. Fans continue to fill Memorial Stadium. Tradition and input are next. Nebraska is second to none in tradition and with the announcement of new facilities this fall, they are making sure that they won’t be left behind when it comes to providing the best athletic experience in the country if they can.

Scott Frost has not coached like a wunderkind the last two years.  Nebraska has failed to win more than one game on the road. There have been multiple games Nebraska has given up double digit leads.  There have certainly been questionable decisions throughout.

All that being said, Nebraska has a chance at home to shock Wisconsin.  You get the feeling based on interviews that the Badgers aren’t all that concerned about Nebraska.  Wisconsin is chasing Minnesota and they are much better stocked to thump Nebraska in Lincoln than most teams.  If Frost is honest with his team and they come out and play hard, it might still not be enough for this group of Huskers to come out victorious.  Based on early preseason, it’s quite a deflating look at where Nebraska football is right now.

Bleedhuskerred.com

 ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last week’s prediction was Purdue 33, Nebraska 31.  The actual score was Purdue 31, Nebraska 27. Nebraska’s road woes continue.  This time with a 3rd string quarterback leading a last minute drive and Nebraska overrunning a reverse and allowing a go ahead touchdown.  Nebraska has a hump that they continue to fail to get over.

Quick Notes:

Adrian Martinez… Martinez was really rusty against Purdue.  He turned it around in the second half and led two touchdown drives, but the poor play in the first half probably kept Nebraska from winning.  Martinez hasn’t found his spark from last season. If he would happen to find it the last three games, they could be exciting. I think he will get it turned around, but I will be interested to see if he has to sit out he spring to heal up.  I don’t think he has been healthy all season.

Darion Daniels…. This kid has been the best transfer I can remember at Nebraska.  He plays hard all the time, has a lot of talent and is a leader of the team.  I felt horrible for him that he didn’t score against Purdue. It might have completely changed the game.  Nebraska failed to capitalize on that turnover with a touchdown. Daniels may not play again this season due to injury.  That will really hurt Nebraska’s chance of sneaking into a bowl game. I hope he comes back. He has been a joy to watch this season.  

Special Teams…There are so many times that Nebraska’s special teams could help them out, but haven’t.  Against Purdue, they were able to block two punts. Unfortunately, Nebraska couldn’t capitalize on both of them.  They also struggled on returns again. The kicking game has been poor and below average most of the season. If Nebraska is going to get back to winning tight games, they will need to make some major changes in the off season.  Special teams might be the biggest needed change.

Linebackers…No sugar coating it, Nebraska’s linebacker play has been really bad in the Big Ten.  I’m not sure why they have struggled so bad. It’s a veteran group, but unless you have great play at linebacker, the 3-4 doesn’t do much to stop anyone.  This is a position group that has some serious soul searching to do this off season. Blown assignments, bad coverage, failure to make any big plays and a lack of pass rush has made this group easy to exploit by opposing teams.  Purdue consistently used the tight ends in the passing game to burn Nebraska. Those are coverages that linebackers are responsible for and they simply couldn’t do it.

Score Prediction: Wisconsin 38, Nebraska 21 

I’m going to hope I’m really wrong on this prediction.  Nebraska has played well at home for the most part and the crowd should help if the Huskers can strike early.  I worry that the offense won’t be able to do much, especially if Wan’Dale Robinson is out. If Nebraska can create turnovers and take care of the ball, they will have a shot.  I just think the Huskers are firing on about 2 cylinders on offense and will struggle. Let’s hope I’m wrong! GBR!!

When Will It End?

There is a certain amount of madness that encompasses Husker football the last three seasons.  Every time I think we are past it, Nebraska Football in general finds another way to stick it right to the heart of the fans.  

I know there is a certain number of other fans of other programs that are relishing the utter chaos that Husker football has found itself.  In some ways, that’s probably what it’s all about, wallowing in someone else’s misery, if you can’t have any joy of your own. Maybe that’s what I tell myself to get over the crushing agony each week.

We go through the same song and dance, over and over, right when you think they have righted the ship (Colorado? Minnesota? Indiana?) another disaster befalls the entire program.

And yet, here I sit, writing another blog, watching yet another game, or at least preparing to watch another game.  A wise person once told me, “enjoy these games, if you are lucky you get 13 a year, that’s not many and before you know it, you’ll be at the end of your life and be glad you watched any at all.”  That quote came circa 2011, but I keep that in my pocket when I think about how bad things have been for Husker fans the last few years. We only have four more games left in this season, if we are lucky five.  I know from last November until this August was an eternity. It’s been too long since Nebraska has played in a bowl game.

I wouldn’t even complain if we played in the Mars/M&M Bowl on the planet Pluto, as long as I get to watch Nebraska play again.

Checkout The Sales at Bleedhuskerred.com!

So really what is the point?  We all sit and criticize what we are watching.  As a state, and as a, (God forgive me) “Husker Nation,” we all come together a dozen times each fall and share a bond that you don’t always find in other areas.  I won’t let a couple of down seasons ruin that for me. There are too many other bad things in the world to not enjoy some of the great things that we have all shared together with Husker sports.

So as a fan with way too much emotion invested in Husker Football, I’ll just ask that you think about how lucky we are to get to watch Nebraska represent us each week.  The road ahead with this rebuild is probably far tougher than we can imagine. Scott Frost told us it would take a while. He probably knew better than any fan, media member, or outside observer.  I just want to see Nebraska get back to playing an extra game each year. All the other stuff at this point…well I’m just going to enjoy as much of it as I can.

 ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last week’s prediction was Nebraska 24, Indiana 23.  The final score was Indian 38 Nebraska 31. Nebraska really needed to win that game at home, to have a chance at getting to a bowl.  Don’t get me wrong, they only need to finish 2-2 down the stretch, but this is a game you hoped you would win so the pressure wasn’t so great.  The backup quarterbacks played superb outside of a couple of plays, but the defense continues to melt down when it’s needed the most. Nebraska hasn’t had a killer instinct in almost 4 years.  It seems a lot longer.

Carriker Live on Facebook

Quick Notes:

Quarterbacks… Noah Vedral and Luke McCaffrey played so well, you didn’t really miss Adrian Martinez last week.  McCaffrey especially gave the Huskers a jolt of athleticism at the position that it made you wish Martinez could get back to his 2018 form.  I will say, the group looks to be very exciting in the future and having great quarterback play is paramount to having a winning football program.  I think that Martinez has been playing hurt all year. I hope that the time off has allowed all his ailments to heal. We will need him to be healthy the last four weeks to have any chance of winning.

Road Games…. Since Scott Frost has returned, Nebraska has won exactly…one road game.  Out of 8 road games, that is about as rough a stat as you can have. It takes some resolve to win on the road.  You have to beat out the crowd, the feeling of not being in your own bed the night before and the realization that everything is just a little different when you walk into the stadium.  Great teams relish going on the road and beating someone. For Nebraska to get to that point, they will need to beat teams that are reeling. With only one exception, they have yet to do that under the Frost era.  

Erik Chinander…There has been a lot of talk this last week, that the defensive coordinator at Nebraska is in over his head at Nebraska and in the Big Ten.  As someone that has coached myself, I will say, better players make you look much smarter. I’m sure that Chinander has felt the pain of these losses and the poor play of the defense and wondered a little bit why his schemes haven’t worked.  As a coach, sometimes you need to shake up your own belief system, to see if you can shake something loose. I realize this group isn’t super talented, but I hope that the Blackshirts can rise up, once again and aren’t just a sieve the rest of the season.

Wan’Dale Robinson…Nebraska is so lucky Robinson picked them last year over his home state school of Kentucky.  There is no telling where Nebraska would be without him. He has played like a man on fire when given the ball.  His ability to make small holes into big runs has been a big reason Nebraska was able to move the ball up and down the field against Indiana.  I hope for his sake that he can last the next four games. I’d like to see Dedrick Mills get some more touches to try and lighten his load. Either way, he is electric, and he makes the Nebraska offense look bright for the future.  

bleedhuskerred.com

Score Prediction: Purdue 33, Nebraska 31 

Nebraska’s failure to win on the road the last two years is starting to make me weary.  I’ve thought Nebraska could have won at least four games the last two seasons on the road and they have failed in all but one opportunity.  I don’t know if the answer to the Husker road woes is with this group of players. If Rondale Moore plays for Purdue it will be trouble. Nebraska has shown that they can’t stop anyone from throwing the ball, because they fail to get a pass rush.  If Nebraska comes out flat, like they did at Minnesota, Tommie Frazier in his prime wouldn’t be enough to save them. I hope I’m wrong, but I will be cheering as hard as ever. GBR!!