[Husker] Several Game Comments

[Steve Stone]

1. I've been waiting in vain for someone to analyze the actual 
components the the failed fake punt play, but since no one has come 
forward to do so I'll give the results of my super-slow motion DVR 
replay: the center pass from Brett Byford to fullback Dane Todd was 
high, just above his helmet. He caught it well, but the height of the 
center pass made the ball visible to the Auburn defense. Todd ran to 
his left with the ball while an Auburn defender (I couldn't see the 
number) leaped over and through the center-leftguard spot and wrapped 
his arms around Todd just as he was preparing to toss the ball to 
Andrew Shanle. The impact of the Auburn defender caused Dane misguide 
his toss to Shanle who could not catch and control it properly, and 
it fell to the turf. Thus, according to my way of thinking, the 
failure of the play derived - - ironically - - to the erratic center 
pass from Alabama native Brett Byford.

2. It seems to me that Nebraska's offense suffered primarily from a 
strategic faiure rather than a tactical one. The Huskers had a bigger 
and stronger team while Auburn had a quicker and faster team. In the 
first half, NU used a lot of straightforward quick-developing plays 
through tackle and guard with success, causing he TV announcers to 
comment on the size of holes the O-line was making in the Auburn. 
However, in the second half, for reasons not immediately apparent, NU 
switched to a series of slow-developing plays which the Auburn 
defense had little problem handling.

Steve Stone