[Husker] Difference maker

[Alan Siporin]

Without Bowman we lose to Michigan in the bowl game. Without Bowman we lose
to Wake Forest. We were leading USC 10-7 when Bowman went out for the game.
Doesn't mean we beat USC with him, but I bet it's more of a game. Others can
probably think of other Bowman examples.

I'm not part of the expert class, but I hear the so-called experts talk,
frequently, about how much more you can do, defensively, if you have a
lock-down corner. Recruiting Bowman was a huge score. Losing him to injury
is a big blow.

Of course injuries are part of football, and good coaches have a plan B when
their top corner goes down. It doesn't seem as though Cosgrove ever got to a
plan B. But ragging on Cosgrove isn't my point. I agree with all those
comments, but there's enough of that. My point is to praise Bowman. I meant
to point this out after the USC game, and forgot to. Today's game just gave
me more proof. 

Football being what it we'll hear lots of rah rah, we'll be better talk and
then they might show it on the field - while Bowman quietly returns to
action. If Bowman can play, I believe we will win a lot of games. If he
can't play, the offense will apparently have to outscore teams.

I do have one Cosgrove observation, after all. When I hear Callahan talk
after a loss, he always says its ultimately his job as head coach to get the
players ready, that it starts with him. I like that. The players take
responsibility, too, saying Cosgrove prepared them, but they were out of
position, or didn't do their job. The one person who doesn't seem to want to
clearly say he owns some of the responsibility is Cosgrove. That troubles
me.