[NU Sports] Looks like the rest of the team woke up, too ...

[Beamsley, Jeff]

I agree.
 
The Rice game commentators said that they asked Fitz about improved tackling.  His response is that, unlike other schools, NU includes focus on fundamentals in every practice even this late in the season.  Fitz expects that execution will improve through the season.  As a result, a strong "sprint to the finish" in November is becoming a trademark of Fitzgerald-coached teams.
 
So.........
 
This raises the larger "nature versus nurture" question that we've been debating most of this season.
 
The team is playing its best football of the season now.  Indiana was a coming out game for this team.  The UNL game was an opportunity for them to show how good they could be.  Rice game was a study of how a dominant team handles its business.
 
This CLEARLY is not the same team that lost to Army, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, or PSU.
 
Did the coaching staff find more talented players than the ones who had been playing? - No
 
Did the AD find more talented coaches than the ones who had been coaching earlier in the season? - No
 
What happened is that the players started believing in themselves, executing the game plan that the coaches put together, and playing as a team.  Individual play improved because team play improved.  
 
Did they get faster?  No, they were always fast enough to win.
 
Did they get stronger?  No, they were always strong enough to win.
 
Did the coaches get smarter? No, they didn't have to.  They were already smart enough.  They knew if they stayed the course, and continued to believe, the team would come around.
 
Did the players get smarter? Yes. They finally understood how to win as a team.
 
Now some may say that I have dipping into the purple koolaide again because this team isn't going to contend for a BT Championship, will be fortunate to finish with more wins than losses, and will end up with a worse record than last year.  So why get excited? 
 
I see a team that is finally winning football games with defense and a strong running game.  Isn't that what we all have been wishing for?  
 
I see good special teams play.  I see great open field tackling.  I see strong offensive line play.  I see a defensive that can stuff the run, get pressure on the QB, AND cover man-to-man.  When was the last time we saw that?  Yup, 1995-1996.
 
You think it is a coincidence that the last of the RW recruits graduate this year?
 
I think that we are just now starting to see what Pat Fitzgerald football really looks like.  
 
I don't know about you, but I'm excited.
 
Bartender - Another round of that purple stuff for everybody!
 
Jeff
 
 

________________________________

From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com on behalf of SjT (Stephen J. Truog)
Sent: Sat 11/12/2011 2:00 PM
To: neonrye at aol.com; Mike Nolan; nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com
Cc: NUSPORTS
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Looks like the rest of the team woke up, too ...



The tackling these past two games has looked much MUCH MUCH better. They still allow the catches and are soft on coverage, but at least we don't have all those yards after the catch.

Maybe Fitz got in there personally to demonstrate on a few of the sloppy tackles? :)

Go Cats!
-SjT
 
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
Super Bowl XLIV Champions!
________________________________



________________________________
From: "neonrye at aol.com" <neonrye at aol.com>
To: Mike Nolan <nolan at tssi.com>; nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com; sjtruog at yahoo.com
Cc: NUSPORTS <nwu-sports at tssi.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 12, 2011 11:56 AM
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Looks like the rest of the team woke up, too ...

Our defense finally seems to have cohesion and players know their roles and assignments.  Better tackling.  Looks like a great coaching overhaul.  They are now expecting to make stops, not waiting for roof to cave in.  Soon they may even have a swagger.:-)
------Original Message------
From: Mike Nolan
Sender: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com
To: sjtruog at yahoo.com
Cc: NUSPORTS
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Looks like the rest of the team woke up, too ...
Sent: Nov 12, 2011 1:33 PM

> Nice defensive blitz, great 2-minute drive and nice finish to the half to
> maatch the Ebert effort throughout. And a friendly DOINK! at the end.

Yeah, he needed another bowl of Wheaties on that one.

But he's got a leg!

> PS - We need these next two games, because it appears that Sparty is smelling
> that strange mix of corn and auto fumes known as Indianapolis and taking
> care of business at Iowa, meaning our game would be their clincher.

But that would make beating them SOOO much sweeter!

Penn State is playing kind of flat, the Huskers just scored to make it 10-0
at the half. 
--
Mike Nolan

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