[Husker] NU vs KU

[Steve Reichenbach]

> All the talk about the defense and the stats make me say that the
> short fields and early scores put the Nebraska defense behind the
> eight ball. KU ran 94 offensive plays to Nebraska's 65. It looked
> like Coach Cosgrove had them in a base defense for most of the game.

Giving up 32 points might be chalked up to a short field, but NU
gave up 26 first downs and nearly 600 yards of total offense.  KU
had drives of 95, 65, 34, 56, 43, 36, 88, and 81.  The two drives
of 88 and 81 came at the end of the game with the outcome clearly
in the balance.  Moreover, the defense looked confused and out of
position on many plays.  After the game, the defense said they
weren't communicating.  I inferred from one players comments about
all of the things they were trying to do  and some players being
in a blitz mode and other in a base mode on the same play that there
was in fact much confusion on the defense --- a defense that seems
to have talent and has played together and with the same coaching
staff for several years.

> Either Coach Cosgrove doesn't want to tip his hand, or he still
> is not comfortable with the players he has.  A co-worker (Badger
> Alumn) stated that Coach Cosgrove is good when he has the players
> for his defense.

I hope that Cosgrove just "doesn't want to tip his hand", but the
fourth quarter as KU was mounting its second drive of more than
80 yards to tie the game doesn't seem like the time to hold back.
I disagree with the contention that NU doesn't have quality players
on defense (which I understand Rob did not make).  I saw in the LJS
that NU has about 20 guys who played in the NFL last week and this
defense seems to have as many good players as NU has had in a while.
On the other hand, I hope it is either that Cosgrove doesn't want to
"tip his hand" or is not "comfortable" with the players because some
other possible explanations have even worse long-term implications.