[NU Sports] I enjoy the optimistic posts ....

[Jonathan Hodges]

One thing that should help this week: DE Tyler Scott & LB Bryce McNaul
returning from injuries (shoulder and back, respectively) that kept them
out of the last two games.  Sack-adjusted yards per carry averages from
first six games (with them in the lineup): 4.4 & last 2 games (without):
6.1.  Also note that Michigan's offense is somewhat like Nebraska's in that
they focus on the run, have some explosive runners, and throw the long ball
off of that - NU held Michigan to a respectable 3.6 yards per carry.  If
they can somehow repeat that while getting DBs somewhere near receivers, NU
will at least have a shot (Martinez is far from a polished passer and makes
his share of mistakes).

On the other side, do note that NU has racked up some impressive offensive
numbers (currently 3rd in the conference in scoring offense counting only
Big Ten games - while facing the top 2 scoring D's and another in the top
half of the conference) while Nebraska had some issues shutting teams down
earlier in the year.

A few other numbers to chew on: NU is 7-5 as road underdogs since 2008, 7-4
in November (and 4-2 on the road in Nov).

Go 'Cats!!!
Jonathan

--
Jonathan Hodges
Contributor, HailToPurple
Web: http://www.hailtopurple.com/jhodges/
Twitter: @hailtopurple
Email: j-hodges at alumni.northwestern.edu



On Tue, Nov 1, 2011 at 3:32 PM, Brad Wilson <bwdolphin146 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> ... And they lift my spirit because I think NU is going to get
> obliterated. Badly.
>
> The offense was fun to watch last week yes. But Indiana is nothing like
> Nebraska. I can see the offense scoring 28 points max, NU's usual top
> number against a decent team.
>
> But Nebraska might have 28 points by the end of the first quarter --
> mostly because NU can't tackle anybody. You can talk schemes and blitzes
> all you want but if you cannot tackle, esp. against a team like Nebraska,
> you are doomed.
>
> 63-28 sounds about right to me. Hope I am wrong.
>
> Brad Wilson
>
> Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
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