[NU Sports] Re: REGARDLESS

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

> Just got back from the Alamodome.  
> We out-attendanced them.  Hopefully future Bowl committees

Good to hear (sure couldn't see that on TV, as was mentioned with Chase's mom, etc. :) ). Has there been a bowl where NU hasn't exceeded expectations for attendance? Gotta get that word out to the bowl committees!

> We need to RECRUIT a legitimate kicking game.  No knock on

That was really the only area they outplayed us last night ... and it hurt. Can Hankwitz coach special teams?:)

> Play calling on the first and goal at the 6 (leading to the
> field goal) was  
> brutal.  We even got an extra shot with the offsides, but
> all we got was  3.

That really stuck out for me as well - especially since they really didn't key it to stop Sutton until the 2nd half, and yet he got no tries down by the goal line. We need to take a big look at our red zone offense - not all spread teams struggle like we do (Mizzou didn't on their red zone attempts ... their TE helped a lot with that, though).

> Coach Hank acquitted himself well with this game...shut
> down the great  Tiger 
> Offense.  Some of our other coaches, not so much.

My friend from Wisky says they're really kicking themselves up there for letting Hank go. He wasn't too broken up about it before the season, but the last 12-13 games have sure changed his mind.

I'd like to see us focus on special teams A LOT for sure, but I really think the pressure, like I said, next year is on McCall. He looked great at the start of last game and then was hit and (mostly) miss the rest of the game. Perhaps he's good at the script but not adjustments? In any case, he gets to mold the offense more next year and needs to show us something.
>  
> Can we keep our DC ?  

I sure hope so. I think the loyalty Fitz showed him from his Barnett ties when Wisky kicked him to the curb will factor in - as will the chance to work with this D again next year and really make it into something special. Hopefully!

I really thought we had it when it went into OT given our track record, but I agree that losing Wootton hurt a lot with our pressure and on O, Mizzou kept blitzing more and more so we needed to anticipate that better in OT. Ugh.

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

* * * * * * * * *
STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!!