Everything On The Line!

As if the bye week couldn’t have come at a worse time for Nebraska, just like clockwork a worn down and battered Husker team traveled to Minneapolis and lost another game in which they were favored.  It was inopportune because the Huskers clearly were flat, and their injury status was too much to overcome.   The needed that bye week the week before.  Just another bad timing issue that hit the Huskers this season.

So, when does the bright spot of the season occur?

I’ve been more convinced this season that Frost was getting the team into a place that they were ready to go on a run.  Playing top ten teams within one score and blowing out Northwestern made me think this team was on the cusp of something great.   The question now becomes, how wrong am I?

Nebraska clearly has a lot to play for the next four weeks.  They need three more wins to reach a bowl game.  At this point, that doesn’t seem likely.  In his career, Scott Frost hasn’t beat three of the teams that he is playing.  It would be a bit of a fluke to think he is going to beat even two of three.

That leaves us with another losing season.  I said at the beginning of the season that the ceiling was likely eight wins, but the floor could be three or four.  If Nebraska fails to win this week, the task to get to even four wins becomes so mountainous based on history, you have to wonder if Scott Frost will survive.  If Nebraska only wins three games with arguably Scott Frost’s most talented team, you wouldn’t be crazy to think he should be let go.

 Bring Back The Fullback Tee!

So just like every week, this is Scott Frost’s biggest game.  I don’t know that this narrative will stop the rest of the season.  That’s a precarious spot to be in when you have already had three losing seasons to start your career.

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 38, Minnesota 17.  The actual score was Minnesota 30, Nebraska 23.  It was a prediction based on a healthy Adrian Martinez.  He clearly wasn’t healthy and Nebraska removed the quarterback running game from their plan.  Inability to strike from the goal line and missed field goals again cost Nebraska.  The Huskers are their own worst enemy, and continue to shoot themselves in the foot more often than not.

Carriker Chronicles Purdue Prediction

Quick Notes:

Austin Allen…Allen has been the best tight end at Nebraska for at least a decade, if not more.  He has improved to the point that he is like all the other Big Ten tight ends that have haunted Nebraska this last ten years.  You could argue that Allen has been the biggest receiving threat on the team, even though he isn’t always the main target.  If Nebraska continues to get the ball to Allen, it should open the field for other receivers.  

Adrian Martinez…I don’t always like that Nebraska doesn’t talk about injuries, because Martinez has been playing hurt most of the year.  His jaw was clearly injured against Michigan State.  He had a leg injury against Michigan.  Nebraska can only be as good as Martinez plays.  Martinez has been a horse trying to play through all of these injuries.  I suspect a week off will do him well, but the offensive line needs to keep him clean.  It’s the only way he will make it through the year.

Running Game…When Rahmir Johnson went out against Minnesota, the wind went out of Nebraska’s running game.  To be honest, if Johnson hadn’t claimed the top spot at running back this year, Nebraska may be in worse shape than they are.  The inability of Nebraska to establish more than one running back each season is baffling.  It would be different if we did not recruit the spot well, but there are a lot of running backs on the roster that were highly recruited.  Nebraska needs to figure this out during the offseason or the assistant coaches may need to be changed.

Pass Rush…You can argue that Nebraska’s defense has been a bright spot this season and that they are the main reason Nebraska has been competitive week in and week out.  They do have a weakness and it is the ability to put pressure on the quarterback.  This has been an issue since Randy Gregory and Maliek Collins left town.  Teams have figured this out and used it against Nebraska all year.  Quick drops and pop passes have left Nebraska vulnerable and forced the Huskers out of their normal base all season.  In my opinion it has cost Nebraska at a minimum three games this season.  To me, as much as the offensive red zone issues have held Nebraska back, the failure to get a consistent pass rush has been just as damaging.     

 Husker Manners Tee

Score Prediction:  Nebraska 27, Purdue 24 

It’s hard to guess what offense Nebraska will have game to game.  Defensively they have been consistent, and the bye should help as it seemed like the Huskers were gassed against Minnesota.  If Nebraska can use Martinez in the running game and everyone has healed up during the bye week, you would think that Nebraska should have an easy win at home.  I’m guessing it will be close unfortunately.  I think this week Nebraska only misses one field goal and one extra point to hold on. I’m off to tailgate and yell loud and GBR!!

Gopher It!

It is as if we live in this slow turning time machine.  Nebraska fans keep coming to games, we turn on the TV, we buy tickets, we travel to far off places to support the Big Red and we can’t stop following every move the team makes.  The seasons flash by, but the losing seems to take forever.

You can’t move away from it.  You want to.  As a fan, you hurt when your team hurts.  You feel the pain of leads blown, fumbles lost, and missed opportunities that seem so close and yet so far away.

If you are over the age of 40 and have been a Husker fan most of your life, you remember the days when more than one loss in a season was a killer and losing just one in the season meant that the season likely wasn’t a success.  I remember thinking back in Tommie Frazier’s freshman season, after a tough loss at Iowa State, that the year seemed lost.

I still feel that way each week Nebraska loses.  What is different is that I keep coming back, expecting a different result.  I get that we are all conditioned to think that Nebraska will get it figured out and this is all a blimp on the radar, but it really does seem like it’s a never-ending loop.  Frost said that it seemed like we are watching the same movie over and over again and that was a great analogy.

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I have to say though, this last month has seemed like the worm may have turned.  It hasn’t shown up in the Huskers record, we all know that.  Think about this though, when Scott Frost returned to Nebraska in 2018 and the Huskers played in Ann Arbor, they took a loss on the chin that was as bad as I have seen at Nebraska.  When you are down 39-0 at halftime, it likely doesn’t get much worse.  Now it’s three seasons later and Nebraska had every opportunity to beat a top ten Michigan team.  

It doesn’t seem like the losing will ever end, but for the first time in half a decade, I think it will.  You can worry about 2022 if you like and you can worry if Frost is the long-term answer, but at this point and time, I’ve never been more confident that it is all going to work out for Frost and Nebraska.  We just need to find the remote to fast forward to the winning part.

              Carriker Chronicles Minnesota Prediction

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 26, Michigan 22.  The actual score was Michigan 32, Nebraska 29.  I have to admit, when I sat in Memorial Stadium and Adrian Martinez fumbled in the fourth quarter trying to go for every inch to keep a drive going, I just slapped my forehead.  I was so close to believing that this time would be different.  You have to wonder how many ways a group of players can find a way to give away a game?  Nebraska is a very good team.  They just aren’t a winning team.  Yet.

Quick Notes:

Bryce Benhart…Teddy Prochaska went down with a knee injury, forcing Turner Corcoran back to the left tackle side and Benhart came into the game back to his right tackle position after being benched just one week before.  Benhart played his tail off.  Michigan has as good a defensive line as Nebraska will see outside of Ohio State and I didn’t notice a drop off.  Kudo’s to Benhart for being prepared and kudos to Greg Austin for continuing to help make him better.

Cam Taylor-Britt…Played like everyone expected this All Big Ten player to play against Michigan.  Taylor-Britt has made some great plays this season but had yet to have a game where he was dominant.  He was dominant against the Wolverines.  As well as he played, Quinton Newsome has also stepped up as a starter.  If Taylor-Britt goes pro, it’s good to know that the drop-off might not be as bad as we once feared.

Rahmir Johnson…Johnson is technically a redshirt freshman.  It’s crazy to think about, because he is in his third year in the program.  Johnson could play three more seasons.  He has become a great threat receiving the ball as well as becoming the bell cow for the Husker rushing attack.  Michigan has a great defense and Johnson still had over 170 total yards.  He blocks so well for his size, it has just been a great lift for this team to have his consistency.  

Coach Chinander…A lot has been said about Coach Chins and how he really wasn’t prepared for this role at a place like Nebraska.  What I’ve seen is a Coach that has his defense improved so significantly that he likely will have his pick of jobs in the near future if he wants.  What makes this so difficult to type is that Coach has suffered a big loss this week.  There is no way to comprehend losing a parent to an accident until it happens to you.  To Coach Chinander, his family and his Husker family, just know that all of us in the Husker Nation are thinking and praying for you and your family.    

Score Prediction:  Nebraska 38, Minnesota 17 

I didn’t go out on a limb for a prediction against Northwestern and I kicked myself about it.  This time, I’m predicting Nebraska will have their first road win and that it will be a walk away in the second half.  There will be a lot of emotion on Saturday with the Huskers.  How they respond to the last weeks physical game will be a predictor for how the rest of the season plays out.  I feel like Nebraska will continue to make big plays and the defense will play with fire for Coach Chinander.  It’s an early game, so make sure and get the coffee brewing and GBR!!

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All Gas No Brakes!

Full Steam Ahead!

If Nebraska ever gets back to the point that it is blowing out Big Ten teams with regularity, you will know the program has arrived.  Until last Saturday, the Huskers have only had one Big Ten blowout in the last five years.  That game was against Maryland in 2019.  They handled Minnesota pretty well in Coach Scott Frost’s first season but haven’t beaten them since.  In fact, since Nebraska came into the Big Ten, blowouts have been few and far between.  

So why does last weeks game against Northwestern look any different than any other game going forward.  Nebraska has failed to capitalize on momentum in any of the last half decade’s games.  The longest winning streak in the last four losing seasons is two games.  

I think the biggest thing is that Nebraska has played above par the last three weeks.  As painful as losing two games to ranked teams on the road was, it was two ranked teams on the road.  Going into the season, you would have thought that Nebraska was doing something right if they played those games with a chance to win it in the last minute of each game.  

Now, the dark side of the coin is that you can’t just wish the Illinois game away.  Nebraska played in that game and the taste it left in our mouths was as sour as a glass of milk left in the sun for three days.  You can’t just wash that away.  Nebraska has been their own worst enemy, as we all know, even in those close losses.

This time, things just feel different.  Even if Nebraska doesn’t beat Michigan, I don’t expect them to be blown out.  Nebraska should have a chance to win five of their last six games, because the Blackshirts are playing at a level that Nebraska fans haven’t seen in a decade.  If Nebraska wins three of those games, I think you would say that it has been a successful rebound from an awful start.  

That all starts this Saturday.  If Nebraska is really “back” (I use that term loosely, we’ve been saying it since Bo Pelini took over) they should be able to go toe to toe with a top ten Michigan team at home.  Nebraska in their heyday would never look at an opportunity like this and think they weren’t going to win at home.  It’s been a long time since Husker fans could be confident that they would have a chance to knock off a top ten team.  Last week was the first time in this Frost era that I think most of us have felt that feeling.  Nebraska looked like they were “back”.  Now we get to find out if they really are back!

                             bleedhuskerred.com

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 24, Northwestern 17.  The actual score was Nebraska 56, Northwestern 7.  I mean we all watched the game and we all saw what happened.  Hardly any mistakes by Nebraska, all the playmakers made plays and Northwestern looked like they were lost in a Big Red hurricane.  Nebraska did nearly everything right.  We’ve been waiting for it, the hammer finally fell.

                              Carriker Chronicles

Quick Notes:

Teddy Prochaska…When you are a true freshman, generally playing time is hard to come by in college.  If you do get to play, you are probably pretty friggin’ awesome.  To play at left tackle, you have to be in the top 5% of incoming players.  Prochaska seemed to fit all those descriptions in his first collegiate start.  Prochaska has all the tools that you look for in an offensive lineman.  He really looks like he is ready to rock in the Big Ten.  He will have a big challenge this week against Aidan Hutchinson.  I have to admit, I think he is up for the challenge. 

JoJo Domann…I always feel like JoJo just gets better as the season wears on.  No different in 2021.  Domann plays a position that requires a broad set of skills and he still stands out.  That’s difficult to do.  The Co-Big Ten player of the week on defense has made life miserable for offenses this year.  His ability to cover wide receivers and make plays in the backfield make him a unicorn for the Huskers.  He has been the most dynamic player on a defense packed with really solid players.

Garrett Nelson…I try not to get too excited about Nelson, but I can’t help it.  I grew up 25 miles from Scottsbluff, so when someone from out west stands out, it’s hard not to get fired up.  Nelson has been a favorite of mine as soon as he announced he was going to play for the Blackshirts.  He has been outstanding on the outside and is starting to put his knowledge together with his outstanding stamina and energy.  Again, another standout in a group with a lot of them.  

Jaquez Yant…I think it’s safe to say that Nebraska wasn’t really expecting a game like that from Yant.  They weren’t really expecting an offensive line to blow holes in the defense like they did against Northwestern either, but Yant certainly took advantage of it.  I know, you all wonder why Frost waited half a year to play the kid, but the fact is, Frost said he couldn’t play more than two plays without being winded.  If Yant is truly in shape and ready to run the rest of the season, it could give Nebraska another weapon that could push them into contention to try and win the Western Division.  

Score Prediction:  Nebraska 26, Michigan 22 

I’m not convinced Nebraska will win this weekend like a lot of Husker fans.  I still wonder if we have a bit of fool’s gold in last week’s game, in that the errors that have plagued them all year, simply won’t disappear every game moving forward.  I will say that I’m encouraged that the offensive line played better than they have all year.  I’m also encouraged that the defense is the strength of the team and should keep the Huskers in every game they play moving forward.  Screw it, I’m picking the Huskers!  Let’s go roll a Wolverine!  GBR!!

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Wildcat Highway

I’m sure I wasn’t the only person that watched last weeks overtime loss to Michigan State and wondered, what the hell did I just witness?  Nebraska had a touchdown lead and the Blackshirts were pitching a perfect game in the second half.  What could go wrong?  

Special teams found yet another way to completely wipe away a historic performance.

It wasn’t just the punt return for a touchdown that was maddening.  It is the week after week ineptitude of one disaster after another that kills most fans.  One week it’s missed field goals, the next week it’s the inability to run the football, the week after it is failing to even field punt returns.  False starts, personal fouls, pick plays by the wide receivers, you name it.  

Scott Frost has had one of the most star crossed coaching records at Nebraska that you can have.  From lightning to Covid to special teams that may as well not exist, it’s been one thing after another to keep Nebraska from winning consistently.

So, what’s it going to be?  Frost has dug himself a pretty big hole to climb out of.  Forget his record this year, which is still hopefully salvageable.  In four years, he has managed to win just fourteen games.  At a certain point you have to wonder, can he plug all the leaks that have plagued him since he got here? 

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If you were a betting man, you might have to say he will get it done eventually.  There is little doubt this is the best team he has coached since his return to Nebraska.  He has the best defense he has had by a mile.  His quarterback is on pace to be All Big Ten.  He has tight ends and wide receivers that he could only dream about his first three years in Lincoln.  Recruiting has looked sour this year, but due to Covid that may be a blip on the radar in the long run.  It’s clear that he has stacked talent on defense.

The question is, if he can’t get it done with this team, why should Trev Alberts give him a shot to coach the next team?  

I still have faith that Scott Frost is the right man to lead Nebraska back to being a Big Ten title contender.  At this point though, he is going to have to show it, not just to us the fans, but to administration in the athletic department.  I’d set the demarcation at four wins.  Anything at that mark or lower, it should be time to move on in Lincoln.

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 30, Michigan State 28.  The actual score was Michigan State 23, Nebraska 20.  When will I learn?  Nebraska likely has an elite defense, but poor special teams basically wipe out the defensive greatness.  So, the offense has to compensate.  Nebraska’s inability to take advantage of red zone opportunities and score touchdowns continue to keep them from winning games against better teams.

  Carriker Chronicles Northwestern Prediction

Quick Notes:

Adrian Martinez…It can be frustrating sometimes when Martinez turns the ball over.  The problem is, he must be almost perfect for Nebraska to win each game.  That’s unfortunate because he has been the best player on this Husker team.  Without Martinez, Nebraska likely has no chance in any of their three losses.  On the flip side, they have three losses because Martinez has not made enough plays to win those games.  That kind of pressure is difficult to manage, and quite honestly, it shouldn’t be all on him.  He needs other players to make plays.   When he came back after that vicious hit last weekend, he showed me all I need to know about his toughness.  I just wish the players around him could lighten his load. 

Damion Daniels…During one play against Michigan State on a third down, Daniels basically grabbed his counterpart on the offensive line, set him aside and made the tackle on the running back.  Daniels has improved as much as any player on the Blackshirts since he set foot on campus.  He allows the other defensive lineman to make plays and he has kept the linebackers free to pursue.  If he plays this way all season, he will be All Big Ten.

Offensive Line…When you can’t just pick one player on the line to replace and say, “well that should clean things up,” you know it is bad.  Outside of Cam Jurgens, I can’t recall a single player on the line that has ben above average.  And yet Adrian Martinez is leading the Big Ten in total offense.  If the line was even close to average, how high of a level could this offense operate?  We may never know, but changes need to be made.  You can’t consistently do the same things repeatedly and expect a different result.  

Blackshirts…What can you say about this group?  So far this is arguably the best unit at Nebraska since Ndamukong Suh wore the Husker uniform.  From the defensive line, through the linebackers into the secondary, all the pieces are greater than the sum of their parts.  Nebraska still doesn’t turn the other team over as much as you would like and they still need to find a pass rush that gets to the quarterback quicker on third and long, but that is being nitpicky.  This is a Big Ten West championship defense so far this year.  If they continue to play at this level, I think Nebraska will get into a bowl game.  

                                bleedhuskerred.com

Score Prediction:  Nebraska 24, Northwestern 17 

I don’t know if Nebraska will play another team this year with less talent.  In fact, I will go as far as to say if Nebraska doesn’t win this game, they likely won’t make a bowl game.  That’s the grim reality of this Homecoming game.  On the flip side, if Nebraska even plays average special teams and the offensive line is at par, Nebraska could win this game by three touchdowns.  That’s how close it is to greatness, while still courting failure.  I’m going conservative on this score.  Nebraska should crush Northwestern.  I guess I’m back in the “see it to believe it” camp.  I’m still cheering and GBR!!