[Husker] A breakdown of the NU vs MU debacle

[Mike Jaixen]

Some good analysis in that article.  A couple of observations, though.

* Cody Glenn left the game early with an ankle injury.  So that really limited our depth at linebacker; hence why you only saw one linebacker most of the game.

* Safety play has been an issue all season long.  Rickey Thenarse reinjured his shoulder apparently early on Saturday night, though he did come back for a while.  And since Larry Asante did play in mop-up duty in the fourth quarter, his absence wasn't injury related.

I didn't notice Prince Amukamara out there at all Saturday night, now that I think about it.  

Mike Jaixen
http://huskermike.blogspot.com
http://www.cornnation.com


--- On Mon, 10/6/08, Scott R Lawson <SLawson at uamail.albany.edu> wrote:

> From: Scott R Lawson <SLawson at uamail.albany.edu>
> Subject: RE: [Husker] A breakdown of the NU vs MU debacle
> To: "Skylar Dodds" <sklarbodds at cox.net>, husker at tssi.com
> Date: Monday, October 6, 2008, 10:48 AM
> I thought I'd add my take on some of these observations-
> I left the offense alone because to me there are differences
> between the "problems" on either side of the ball
> here. Take it for what it's worth.
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: husker-bounces at tssi.com
> [mailto:husker-bounces at tssi.com] On Behalf Of Skylar Dodds
> Sent: Monday, October 06, 2008 11:19 AM
> To: husker at tssi.com
> Subject: [Husker] A breakdown of the NU vs MU debacle
> 
> Here’s a pretty good breakdown I read online (on a
> message board).  I got permission from the author to post it
> here for you all to read.
> 
> Keep in mind 2 things:
> 
> 1) He admits he’s not a football genius, but I think
> it’s still pretty darn good
> 2) It’s very long ☺
> 
> *******************************************************************************************
> 
> I don't pretend to be an X and Os type, but I have TIVO
> and I have been to a Holiday Inn. 
> 
> DEFENSE
> 
> >>>>>>>>>>>Dillard was the
> lone LB most of the night.
> 
> This was PAINFULLY obvious.
>  
> >>>>>>>>>>>>Thorell was
> following Coffman all night
> 
> As was this.
> 
> >>>>>>>>>After watching the
> defense, I now see what rKay and others have been noticing
> about our safety play. Our safeties are not playing at the
> level necessary to deal with this sort of opponent.
> Don't know if it is talent or coaching, or just maturity
> of understanding the defense. It could be any of these
> things. But there were ways in which our safeties were
> generally two steps behind the rest of the defense.
> 
> Can you say, "nail of the head"? By the way,
> Pelini was a safety in college, so you can pretty much rule
> out coaching being the problem here- do the math. Ever
> notice who he almost always seems to be "chatting"
> with after defensive series end? Usually one of the
> safeties. 
> 
> 
> >>>>>>>>The rest of the success of
> the MO offense -- I would attribute the rest to the high
> quality of their play. Operating the system they run at
> their level of quality forces game planning like leaving
> Dillard to run down the read option, and that is putting an
> enormous pressure on playmaking for 4 quarters, even a guy
> with Dillard's talent.
> 
> I realize Bob Stoops is a pretty good coach but wait until
> Missouri plays OU in the Big 12 title game...you will then
> understand the difference between great players and decent
> players, as Missouri's offense will look average at
> best.
> 
> The talent is simply not there yet on defense at several
> key positions that a team like Missouri could easily exploit
> (and did). 
> 
> Yes, we are 2 years away from seeing an infusion of Bo-type
> players in Lincoln, that's all there is to it. And some
> earlier posts I made (after several ales after the game) may
> have come across as "crying" as one list member
> put it, and that is a fair assessment, but I can assure
> folks I would NEVER give up on the team, in fact I feel I
> have somewhat of a right to "cry" like that after
> all I've invested as a fan over the years. I have missed
> weddings (and even funerals) for Nebraska games on
> television, and have traveled to Kansas (saw Calvin
> Jones' big game in '91 there) of all places to watch
> them in person- I even went to a bar in Florida next to the
> Orange Bowl one year because I couldn't get a ticket and
> watched on television there, and lost a girlfriend over that
> one, talk about a dope...
> 
> It's just tough (as I'm sure many can attest) to
> see teams walk all over Nebraska AT HOME no less, no matter
> what the circumstances. Heck even Baylor and Iowa State seem
> to have a shot now.
> 
> Scott in NY
> 
> 
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