[Husker] Some Comments

[Bob Clouston (rclousto)]

I'll agree with some of these, particularly #7 (no quit in the Huskers).

At 1.9 yards a rush, it's hard for me to agree with #4.  Certainly the
running game was hampered by our game plan which failed to establish a
passing game to loosen up their defense.  The O-line got a few nice
holes, and a lot of plays went nowhere.

I have no idea what you mean by #10, "it seemed to me that Callahan was
using the USC game at least in part as a proving ground for the Huskers'
major objective, winning the North Division. I think he may have
succeeded."  I have no idea what you think was proved in this game,
other than not getting blown out in part because of a conservative game
plan.  I worry that the players wonder how much confidence the coaches
have in them. 

Re: #9, Musberger usually annoys me, but I didn't think he was too bad
last night.

Bob

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Stone [mailto:sstone at pvtnetworks.net] 
Sent: Saturday, September 16, 2006 11:29 PM
To: husker-tssi.com
Subject: [Husker] Some Comments

1. Starting with the end, the final score was better than hoped.

2. The Huskers played a much more promising game than anticipated on
both sides of the ball, especially on run defense although pass defense
turned out less effective than anticipated, especially in regard to
three missed clear shots at interceptions.

3) Zac Taylor did not have one of his best nights. Several passes were
downright shoddy, but I suspect he wasn't able to find his passing
rhythm. The Trojan defense had something to do with that.

4) The Husker offensive line can play the running against anybody. 
What a change from last season! Repeatedly they cleared good holes in
USC's rightly vaunted defensive seven. And that was without Kurt Mann.
This is a very young offensive line with the potential of developing
into another Pipeline. But we'll probably have to wait until next year
to see that happen.

5) The hugeness of the loss of Zack Bowman was all too apparent tonight.
That's not a knock on Andre Jones who played pretty well considering the
circumstances. (Although I suspect that in the future he'll be more
circumspect in commenting on future opponents.)

6) Let's not even talk about four absolutely brainless 15-yard penalties
at key points, the sort of thing that happens when players are trying
too hard against top opponents.

7) Penalties, or no penalties, there was no quit in the Huskers.

8) Any word on Marlon Lucky's injury?

9) The announcers probably set a new World Record for fatuous remarks.

10) Perhaps it's only my jaundiced eye, but it seemed to me that
Calllahan was using the USC game at least in part as a proving ground
for the Huskers' major objective, winning the North Division. I think he
may have succeeded.

Steve Stone