[Husker] Just Like Old Times?!?

[Don Rietsch]

My wife Pam and I just returned from NE where we attended the AK State game.
It was her first game at Lincoln and my first since I graduated in 1970.  We
both had a wonderful time. We attended with our cousins, farmers in SW NE.
I was raving about our QB and how accurate he was and my cousin Rich said
"I'm going to hold my opinion until we see how good he is against a strong
pass rush".  Well, we found out.  He is a terrific QB when given time to
throw but judging from the VT game he looses it when pressed.  I hope it was
just a bad day like we all have from time to time.  I was hoping Pelini
would pull Lee and play Green for a couple of series.  It may have settled
Lee down.  

 

Here are some more of my thoughts on the VT game.

 

*         I saw two very average teams go at it.  Two teams that probably
belong in the top 35 instead of the top 20.

 

*         The QB play was very disappointing.

 

*         The NU receivers are a weak spot. I have seen enough of a couple
of our starters, thank you.  If you can't get open or catch the ball when it
hits you between the numbers, you belong on the side line catching rays.
Why not let some of the other receivers play?  We certainly have plenty of
them.  McNeil is a keeper and Paul is the best return man we have had in
some time but the jury is still out on his receiving ability.    

 

*         The defense played great against the run but the pass rush was
poor probably partly because of coaching strategy.  On the final VT
touchdown, the QB had so much time he could have made himself a sandwich
before he threw the ball.  I don't understand the "contain don't rush"
strategy.  You need to do both to be a top 10 team.  We are going to run
into much better QB's and receivers in the Big 12 and if we continue this
strategy they will cut us to ribbons.

 

*         The play calling was too predictable.  I watched the game with a
friend.  We decided to call the plays run or pass before the team lined up
to see how predictable NU was.  We called all the plays in the 3rd quarter
correctly except for two and gave up on continuing because it wasn't much of
a challenge.  Watson needs to open it up.  

 

I don't know if any of you saw the Boise State Fresno State game but those
offenses play all out for 60 minutes.  What a fun game to watch if you like
offense and defenses that wave at the ball carrier ilo tackling him.  That
is one thing that really bothers me about the first 3 NU games.  They seem
to look flat for periods in the game.  If Boise State can play for 60
minutes, why not NU?

 

I watch way too much pro and college FB; however, that doesn't make me an
expert, just a guy who can usually tell if a team is for real or not after
watching a couple of games.  I see 7 maybe 8 wins this season for NU but
hope for more if the defense continues to play like it has the first 3
games.

 

Don Rietsch 

 

Pam says I'm a Pessimist but I claim to be a Realist; remember, a glass half
full and a glass half empty are exactly the same thing.)