[Husker] improving or failing?

[dryter at inebraska.com]

Any assessment of the progress of the NU football program in comparison with the
effort against Maine or last year must me normalized by the level of competition
and injuries.

It was apparent that OU had much higher talent and athleticism on defense than
any team that the Huskers had faced all year, and perhaps since last year's
shellacking in Norman. It is unreasonable to expect the OL to show as well
against OU as they did against Baylor.  And factor in the improvement in team
chemistry and effort that will both pay off down the road. Then, get over the
fact that Frankie's gone.

And, remember that Callahan uses different personnel and schemes based on his
opponent's weaknesses--from what I've heard in interviews.  He said that in one
particular game Beck was his #2.  This was not to mean that in every game or on
the depth chart he was the #2, but against that particular defense, Beck had
something that would make him the goto guy.  Callahan threw the ball, forsaking
the run against ISU because that exploited a weakness.  This was not a shift
away from ever running the ball again.

I don't think that I'm going out on a limb to say that Callahan and Norvell
analyze every detail and think much more deeply than any fan can conceive. 
Callahan and Norvell came from a pro system where the level of competition is
so intense that this level of detail is necessary to survive.  It diverges
greatly from the "should we run the belly pitch option left or to the short
side of the field?"  Is there another level of coaching in the NFL that could
benefit a college program?  I dunno.  Look at LSU, USC, OU and the players that
Callahan has recruited.

Derek Ryter

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