Tired of Losing to Iowa? Yeah, us too.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you that support this blog.  Hi mom!

I hate this time of year.  Since 2016, the Iowa game has been Nebraska’s last game of the season.  I remember in July when I was talking with a friend, we both said we would go to a bowl game, no matter where it was.  

I said, “even Detroit?” 

He said, “even Detroit!”

That’s how desperate this fan base is for a winner.  Playing Iowa is the fans bowl game yet again this season.  When the season starts, I always know that we get a dozen Husker football games.  For me, even with the losing, I always hate the end of the season.

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If the Huskers hire a new coach this weekend (by the way, I think they will) that coach has a long rebuild ahead of them.  It’s not just players and recruits, it’s the fan base that is slowly starting to turn away from Nebraska football.  High school kids just aren’t that interested in the Huskers right now.  Having a couple in my house, even those that really do like Nebraska, simply just accept that the program sucks at this point.

For those of us that lived and breathed Tom Osborne from the time we were born, to those that even watched Bob Devaney, that’s a heartbreaking proposition.  Nebraska has had some success in the last 15 years, but it has been six since Nebraska has had any relevance in the Big Ten conference.  That doesn’t mean that next year will be a lot better.  The entire offensive and defensive lines must make a large leap forward for any of that to matter.

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So, what is next?  I’ll stick with my prediction from a couple weeks ago that Matt Rhule will accept the Husker football head coaching position.  There is still some smoke about Kansas State’s head coach Chris Klieman, and this week Luke Fickell from Cincinnati has been mentioned by the media in Ohio.  

In my opinion, any of those three would be very solid hires.  Athletic Director Trev Alberts said when he started this search that he wasn’t necessarily going to win the press conference with the next coach.  I think that any of those three would still give Husker fans considerable hope.  At this point, that is all that Nebraska fans can ask for. 

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Wisconsin 24, Nebraska 21.  The actual score was Wisconsin 15, Nebraska 14.  It couldn’t be anymore of a kick in the gut than what happened last weekend.  Nebraska was poised to take down a huge thorn in their side for the first time in 10 years and they couldn’t hold on.  Nebraska led the game until the last minute.  Their inability to run the football cost them what should have been a relatively easy victory.  It remains a stunning fact, but Nebraska continues to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in the most excruciating ways.

Quick Notes:

Malcom Hartzog…What find for Nebraska.  Hartzog was a late addition to last years recruiting class.  All he has done in lead the Big Red in interceptions.  Hartzog didn’t even start until after the first quarter of the season.  He does give up some big plays when he has bigger receivers to cover, but even experienced players do that from time to time.  There is tremendous upside for a kid that most fans didn’t even know existed in August.

Trey Palmer…Whatever happens with Palmer, if he returns, or if he decides to go to the NFL, he has left an impact in Lincoln.  You could argue he has been the most exciting wideout since Jordan Westerkamp, and certainly the most productive since Stanley Morgan.  Palmer has not had the impact that he had before the cold weather and Casey Thompson’s arm injury.  That doesn’t deny the fact that as soon as Thompson came back, Palmer scored two touchdowns against Wisconsin.  He has been a great weapon for Nebraska and fans will remember him for a long time. 

Caleb Tannor…Tannor has been about as candid with the media as anyone this week.  His career has mirrored the Husker seasons since he arrived.  Tannor was a big-time recruit but was forced into action way too early in his career.  As he put on muscle and grew into his role, he has had some memorable games for the Big Red but has been inconsistent.  I often think about a player like Tannor and how he was on this roster at the wrong time.  Had he played for Bo Pelini or Tom Osborne, Tannor would be another in a long line of players that we all remember fondly.  I will remember him fondly, even if he never had the type of career that he wanted.

Anthony Grant…Grant had such a promising start to the season.  Unfortunately, as the competition ramped up, the offensive line has not been much help to him.  Grant needs 91 yards to break a thousand for the year.  After six games, it seemed like he would be a lock to get that, but not anymore.  If Nebraska has any chance to beat Iowa, Grant must break 100 yards rushing.  I hope that he gets the holes to do that.  Nothing would be finer this year.

Score Prediction:  Nebraska 21, Iowa 20

I know the game is in Iowa City, I know that the Iowa defense has been as good as any in the Big Ten.  I also know that Nebraska has been knocking on the door, over and over again, the last 5 weeks.  Iowa isn’t some great juggernaut.  They are well coached, play hard and rarely make mistakes.  Even so, Nebraska has been within one score with Iowa almost every game since the losing streak began.  If Casey Thompson is healthy and the weather holds out, I look for Nebraska to score through the air.  Iowa will try to pound Nebraska with the running game, but the Blackshirts will rise up and we will see a stunner!  Enjoy Mickey Joseph’s last game as head coach and have a Happy Holiday weekend and GBR!!

Closing Ceremonies at Memorial Stadium

If you wanted to know how far Nebraska is from being a player in the Big Ten conference look no further than two weeks ago in their game against Minnesota.  

Nebraska played arguably it’s best football on defense.  They had shut down Minnesota in the first half, had a ten-point lead and knocked out their starting quarterback.

In the second half, Minnesota brings the backup off of the bench and the kid starts flying around making plays, mostly throwing downfield to big receivers, but taking off if Nebraska over played man to man coverage.  The kid looked like a confident Big Ten quarterback.  

Nebraska on the other hand, had two backup quarterbacks that looked like they were going to get hit by a car, while wearing cement shoes.

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As close as Nebraska has played many teams in the conference, they simply do not have depth to withstand losing their best player.  It’s been an ongoing issue since Bo Pelini took over the Husker roster.  Injuries to players like Rex Burkhead, Ameer Abdullah, Tommy Armstrong, and now Casey Thompson has spelled doom for Nebraska’s chances the last decade plus.

If you want to win in the Big Ten or SEC, you must recruit players that can play at a high level.  That’s a given.  You also have to convince players that can play at a high level to stay, work hard and sit on the bench while a better player plays while they sit.  That’s not at easy task.  Not since Tom Osborne walked the sidelines has depth been very good at Nebraska.

And that is what Michigan showed us all last week.  Nebraska had the Wolverines all but beat last year in Memorial Stadium.  They had their best roster since 2016.  In one year, after a lot of 6th year players left, Michigan restocked their lineups, and crushed the Huskers.  Nebraska clearly did not restock the roster.

The next coach has a lot to fix.  Probably the most important thing they have to do is overhaul a roster that is low on playmakers.  On top of that, they have to develop the talent they do have.  It’s not an easy task, and it gives you pause when you think of how long it might be before Nebraska will be a true contender again. (Predictions are at the end if you don’t want to read the rest!)

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ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Michigan 38, Nebraska 14.  The actual score was Michigan 34, Nebraska 3.  Michigan looks like a final four contender.  They have all the pieces you could want on defense, and they have a dominant ground game.  Nebraska held their quarterback in check for the most part.  I’m curious if the Huskers may have exposed something that will keep Michigan from running the table.  I would bet Ohio State took notes on what Nebraska did to shut the passing game down.

Quick Notes:

Casey Thompson…If it wasn’t clear enough before, Nebraska has little to no chances to win any remaining games without Casey Thompson.  The deep ball that has kept Nebraska in a lot of games just isn’t happening with Chubba Purdy (now out) or Logan Smothers.  If Thompson really is healed up, and the offensive line can give him time, Nebraska has a small chance to beat Wisconsin.

Ernest Hausmann…Hausmann has not had an easy freshman year in Lincoln.  He was thrust into early action, probably quicker than anyone wanted with injuries to Luke Reimer and now Nick Henrich.  Against Michigan, Hausmann looked like he belonged and more.  He was one of the few players that drove Michigan offensive players back at the point of contact.  Kid looks like a player you can build around moving forward.  

Garrett Nelson…Nelson was asked if he would be walking with the other Seniors on Senior day against Wisconsin.  Nelson said no, not admitting if he is coming back next season or not.  I’ve been on the Nelson bus since day one.  He gives effort every play, even if he isn’t the most athletic player on the field, he still produces.  Nelson could be a player in the NFL, but he still has some growing to do.  I’m hopeful a change in staff provides him with an opportunity to hit the ceiling on his talent and growth if he returns for another season.

Javin Wright…Wright has had a tough road in his time at Nebraska, but for the first time he has started to earn playing time and I continuously see him around the football when he is in the game.  He hasn’t been the best player out there, but he is playing and after his health scare with blood clots and other issues, it’s great to see Toby Wright’s son earn his way onto the field.

Score Prediction:  Wisconsin 24, Nebraska 21

If Casey Thompson is playing, Nebraska has a chance to put some points on the board.  This is not the normal Wisconsin team fighting for a Big Ten crown.  The only issue is, if Wisconsin gets a lead on Nebraska, they can lean on the running game and their huge running back Braelon Allen.  It’s going to be windy and cold in Memorial Stadium, which likely gives the Badgers a bit of an advantage.  Nebraska should be able to run the ball, but they will have to stick with it to have any success.  I hope that Nebraska can cash in on some turnovers and force the Badgers to play from behind.  GBR!!

The Last Three Games…and Then Change

How long before Nebraska can have nice things?  It was mentioned this week, after Kansas qualified for a bowl bid, that Nebraska is the last Power Five conference member that hasn’t been to a bowl game recently.  Our last bowl was under Mike Riley in 2016.  Yep, you read it correctly.  

The program that once had the longest consecutive streak of qualifying for a bowl game, has been shutout under an entire coaching regime.

That just goes to show you how deep this hole Nebraska football has dug for itself.  This job will be a tremendous rebuild.  Not only of depth of quality players along with an increase in better play, but a jolt of self confidence is needed as well.

I say all of this, to get to another point.  Is Nebraska that far off?

Northwestern is in freefall.  The Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) and transfer portal has wrecked whatever chance they had of being consistently good.  Nebraska lost to them this season, but let’s be honest, a decent coaching staff easily wins that game.  Nebraska lost by a field goal.

Nebraska beat Indiana and Rutgers, two programs with newer coaches.  They lost to Purdue on a, whoever scores last wins type of game.  The Huskers were leading ranked Illinois, prior to losing Casey Thompson.  They even were ahead of Minnesota 10-0 at halftime with a back up quarterback and lousy offense.
This weekend will prove how far Nebraska is from playing on a national stage.  Michigan is the top dog in the conference, and along with Ohio State and Penn State are playing at a different level than most teams in the Big Ten.

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That really doesn’t matter though.  Nebraska is already right on the heals of the lower end of the Big Ten.  With shoddy recruiting, poor player development, lack of strength and cohesion in the trenches, along with bad coaching, the Husker are STILL not that far off from being in the race for the Western Division in a season where almost everything has not gone well for them.

If I’m selling the program to a new coach, I just say look at what Nebraska has. Starting with brand new state of the art facilities, a stadium that fills every Saturday for one of the worst teams in the conference, money to recruit and develop players, and a team that may not be as far away as everyone thinks.

If the right person steps in, the path back to solid could be taken quickly. (Predictions are at the end if you don’t want to read the rest!)

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ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Minnesota 28, Nebraska 14.  The actual score was Minnesota 20, Nebraska 13.  Oh, to yearn for a healthy Casey Thompson.  I know it’s unlikely, but I think if Thompson was able to not get drilled a dozen times a game, Nebraska would have 4 or even 5 wins with three to play.  The offense against Minnesota after the first drive was abysmal.  Whatever the Husker coaches decided after lining up running it down the Gopher’s throats, it was the wrong decision.  Thompson would have put at least 28 points on the board.  Another win, just evaporated for Nebraska.

Quick Notes:

Logan Smothers…Whatever you think of Chubba Purdy, he either isn’t ready or isn’t healthy enough to play right now.  Smothers has proven that he has a much better grasp of the offense.  He also has proven that right now, he is the man for the quarterback job.  Purdy has had plenty of reps the last two games and Smothers seems to light a fire under the team.  If Nebraska has any chance at Michigan, Smothers will need to be the starting quarterback.

Anthony Grant…I read people saying that Grant misses holes and takes bad angles sometimes.  Who cares? He deserves to have more carries and Nebraska should load up with more two tight end personnel to help him.  Grant was the man on the first drive against Minnesota, racking up almost 70% of his game total 115 yards rushing.  He was basically nonexistent after that.  I get that Minnesota was loading the box because Nebraska couldn’t throw, but I don’t understand Grant going into witness protection after the first series either.  

Caleb Tannor…I give Tannor a lot of credit.  He has been overshadowed on the defense by Garrett Nelson and Ochaun Mathis this season.  Tannor came to play against Minnesota.  If he continues to play like that and if Casey Thompson comes back after Michigan, Nebraska might be able to play defense well enough to upset Wisconsin or Iowa.

Myles Farmer…After playing arguably his best game at Nebraska, Farmer made a huge error in judgement and got a DWI last weekend.  I’m not going to bag on the kid a lot, I’m sure he is going to pay what he needs to pay with the law, but for the football team that was just starting to play with a level of confidence, his absence is a huge blow for the Blackshirts.  His actions were selfish for a lot of reasons, hopefully he learns from his mistake and Nebraska can overcome it as well.

Score Prediction:  Michigan 38, Nebraska 14

Nebraska had a chance last week against Minnesota.  Michigan is not in the same realm of competition.  It’s hard to believe that Nebraska was a late fumble away from beating Michigan last year in Lincoln.  So much has changed since that game.  I really felt like that game was the beginning of the end for Scott Frost.  Jim Harbaugh does not let off the gas against opponents.  If Nebraska wants to keep from getting blown out, they will have to be able to slow down Michigan’s running game.  I hope the Blackshirts are up to the task! GBR!!

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Can the Huskers Catch a Break?

In the immortal words of Yogi Berra, “It’s Déjà vu, all over again!”

Nebraska can’t seem to catch enough wind in their sails to upset a top team.  Not that Illinois was a juggernaut, but it really looked to me that Nebraska may have had enough juice to hang with them for four quarters, prior to Casey Thompson going down.

Such is life the last five years.  Even when you think Nebraska might get something rolling, it simply doesn’t have a full arsenal to put it all together for an extended period of time.

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Unfortunately for this group, the other ships have likely already sailed off.  Nebraska has four games left in their season, with little chance of winning more than one.  You can pretty much write off Michigan on the road, and the way Wisconsin has pulled itself off the mat, that seems to be a tall order as well.

Nebraska could upset Minnesota this weekend, but with Casey Thompson not likely to play, that seems like a stretch.

So, what is there to turn too?  Well, the coaching search has been silenced for the most part, up until this week.  In all honesty, this is the first time a rumor was made that I said to myself that makes some sense.

On Thursday, an Auburn website said that they had reached out to see if Matt Rhule, formerly the coach of the Carolina Panthers, Baylor Bears and Temple Owls, would have interest in coaching at Auburn.  The report said that they were told that Matt Rhule is already connected to the Nebraska job and likely wouldn’t be available.

Normally, I wouldn’t give that any thought, other than one reporter saying what they “thought” was happening.  On the other hand, why would an Auburn reporter put that out there?  They have little skin in the game, as far as Nebraska is concerned.  Second, if Mickey Joseph is telling recruits that he will be here next season, it makes sense that if Matt Rhule is going to be the coach, Rhule would be putting the wheels in motion to hire assistants.  It doesn’t take long to think that if Joseph knows who is getting the job, that he may already have a spot on the next staff.  Rhule not having a job right now makes the transition that much easier if he really is the next coach.

Rhule would be an excellent hire for Nebraska.  He has rebuilt two college football programs in a short amount of time.  He is considered a coach that knows how to recruit and develop talent.  Developing talent has been in short supply around Lincoln for a long time.

I would be fully on board with Urban Meyer, however long of a long shot it is, and my favorite for the job has been Lane Kiffin.  If Rhule were to be named the next head coach at Nebraska, I would consider that as a big win, almost as big as getting Kiffin. (Predictions are at the end if you don’t want to read the rest!)

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ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Illinois 34, Nebraska 28.  The actual score was Illinois 26, Nebraska 9.  Unlike against Purdue, Nebraska’s defense played their hearts out for four quarters.  Once Casey Thompson went out, it was a disaster behind center.  Chubba Purdy was no where near prepared to play.  For whatever reason, the staff decided not to go with Logan Smothers.  That was a big mistake.  You have to account for him in the run game, and if that is the best talent you have, you need to play him.  I was scratching my head after each errant Purdy pass.  Nebraska let one get away from them, no matter how bad the final score may have seemed.

Quick Notes:

Luke Reimer…Reimer completely changed the linebacking group last week.  His ability to make plays from sideline to sideline allowed Nebraska to turn other players loose from the defensive backfield and Nebraska could apply some pressure to the Illinois quarterback.  It’s unfortunate that the offense was so bad, Reimer showed how valuable he is to the team.

Offensive Line…It has been bad, maybe historically bad, this season for Nebraska.  I don’t know if I remember a time where Nebraska simply could not run the football, game after game.  Anthony Grant  looked like he could be an all-conference type player at the beginning of the season.  That has evaporated.  When Ajay Allen went down with an injury, it is as if the entire running game went down with him.  The line creates few holes and even fewer blocks down field.  They have pass protected well at times, but Casey Thompson has taken a beating.  Whoever the new coach is, offensive line rebuild will be their top priority.

Casey Thompson…He is so valuable to Nebraska.  We saw it firsthand after he left the Illinois game.  Thankfully it wasn’t a broken hand like I had feared and Thompson likely will be back after the Minnesota game.  If Nebraska is going to have any chance to win a game the rest of the season, Thompson will need to be in the lineup.

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Score Prediction:  Minnesota 28, Nebraska 14

P.J. Fleck hates Nebraska, I feel very safe in guessing.  He has made it a point to beat Scott Frost and the Huskers every year.  If Nebraska has Casey Thompson, I think they would win this game.  Unfortunately, Nebraska likely will be playing a combo of Chubba Purdy and Logan Smothers.  The Gophers have Tanner Morgan back for what seems like the 9th season.  Throw in Mo Ibrahim, who has torched the Huskers on the ground, and it looks like a bleak day in Memorial Stadium.  If Thompson plays, I think Nebraska will pull the upset. The score up top is what I predict if he doesn’t play. GBR!!