[Husker] A New Week, Another bunch of Trojans

[Steve Reichenbach]

> Of course, if we use the same game plan, then we'll all be moaning and
> complaining about how much we're running, even though every back will get
> plenty of carries because we'll run more than 50 plays. Someone will say
> "Hey, this is just like Frank's offense without the option" and then
> someone else will... oh hell, you know it's going to happen until we win a
> big game under Callahan.
> 
The truth is that if the game plan is successful (at winning and
meeting expectations), then it accomplished its purpose and won't
be substantively second-guessed.  If the game plan fails, as it
did at USC, then the game plan will be second-guessed.  In fact,
despite the coaching staff's public stance, you can bet that they
are considering what differences in the game plan might have yielded
a closer game or a victory (as well as considering how to improve
execution).  I don't think they are satisfied with a rushing attack
that yielded less than 2ypc (a statistic that isn't just a result
of "execution") and only 10 first downs.  Do you think these coaches
aren't asking themselves how they need to change things to turn
losses into wins?

Actually, the second guessing won't stop when Callahan wins a big
game --- look at the questions being asked about Carr last week
(until their big win) and Coker last week and this week (after
another big loss).  The question for both is: "Why aren't you
winning every game this year?"  At NU, the team goes to the BCS
Championship game, but the next week some fans were calling for
the coach's job and the AD fired the whole staff less than two
years later in the midst of a 10-3 season.  The past three years
may have taught Husker fans something about the value of patience,
but I doubt if it has taught very much.

> I'm going away now, before this gets much worse.
> 
> Prediction:
> Nebraska 33
> Troy     14
> 
I think this game depends on NU.  If NU plays well, they win comfortably
--- perhaps more comfortably than you predict.  If NU is flat, as
Florida State was, Troy may be inspired to keep the game close.  Troy
appears to be much better than LaTech or Nicholls State and, though
they aren't USC, their passing game appears on track.  The question
is how NU bounces back from their loss.

I think NU should use the game plan they used for USC because NU has
a physical advantage against Troy, but if NU is gaining only 2ypc I
hope we'll see a few more passes (even in the early downs) to spread
the field.

I hope NU will be able to either get more pressure on Troy's QB or
provide a little more coverage support to the corners this week.
If NU doesn't do either, Troy could equal USC's scoring.

The early line is NU by 23.5 to 24 with over/under 46.5, which would
be a score of about 36-12.  Sagarin has NU by 26 points.  You have
NU by 19.  I too would be surprised if NU doesn't win comfortably,
but agree that 24 points is a pretty big spread.