[Husker] A breakdown of the NU vs MU debacle

Mon Oct 6 16:54:44 CDT 2008

Wondered about Cody Glenn.  I didn't hear the announcers mention it, but I 
could have just missed that.  Any update on his status?

Honestly, I thought the defense played pretty pathetic, but I don't 
completely fault the players.  Yes, there were some missed tackles, and a 
few times the receivers got past the defenders, but for the most part, they 
played hard.  I think the biggest problem was the scheme being used.  A 
three man rush gives the QB way too much time.  Even the best DBs in the 
world will get beat eventually.  Also, it seemed to me that the players were 
lined up in the wrong places at the snap.  Missouri didn't have to block 
that well...just seal off where the Huskers were already lined up, and let 
the RB waltz on through.

On offense, I thought the play calling left a lot to be desired for. 
Missouri could not stop the Huskers when Ganz rolled out...they should have 
stuck with that.  Too many times, Ganz got killed on the straight drop back. 
The poor running game could probably be directly attributed to the offensive 
line play.   I think a reverse or counter play might have helped, but it's 
hard to tell.  Seemed to me like the penetration was there too quickly.  I 
didn't see a single trap play being run...is that even in the playbook 
anymore?

Kick coverage seemed adequate.
Punts were terrible.

The penalties were awful and showed a complete lack of discipline.  While 
I'm on that subject, I think the dancing around (and goofing off) before and 
during the game (on the sidelines) showed the same lack of discipline.  I am 
concerned that the new coaches are letting too much go on.

Ganz had no business running the offense for that last (meaningless) drive. 
I only hope that he was in there to work on something, and not just to see 
if the Huskers could get some points in the second half.  (Was the entire 
first team still in???)

I really do think that too much credit has been given to this new group of 
coaches (i.e. they will turn this program around).  I didn't see anything in 
this game to lead me to believe that the team is any better off this year 
than last year.  My biggest beef last year was that the coaches weren't 
aggressive enough on defense (with the exception of the Texas game).  I only 
hope that the new staff will change that for the rest of the season.  The 
soft dime package (or whatever that was) might stop a few big plays, but it 
is discouraging to watch.

Tommy Thompson
"GO BIG RED"
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Jaixen" <mikejaixen at yahoo.com>
To: "Skylar Dodds" <sklarbodds at cox.net>; <husker at tssi.com>; "Scott R Lawson" 
<SLawson at uamail.albany.edu>
Sent: Monday, October 06, 2008 1:14 PM
Subject: RE: [Husker] A breakdown of the NU vs MU debacle

> 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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>
>
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