[NU Sports] Sad

[Mike Nolan]

> I don't think anyone is seriously thinking of firing anyone, now or at 
> the end of the season.

At least not among those who make those decisions.  If the fans had
their way, half of the coaches in the country would have been fired
already this season.  

> The two coaches having the most trouble with their guys have been around the
> program for a long time, have roots in and around NU, AND are two of 
> our top recruiters. 

Recruiting seems to be going well this year, but February is still
a long way down the road.  The good press we've gotten from our
sticking by committments to people like Christian Jones may pay
off far beyond the contributions those players make to the team in
their tenure at NU.
 
> Anyway, I seem to remember a few years back that Cushing's O-line was the 
> bright spot of
> the offense. These things go up and down. The worst thing you want to do is
>  call to question a guy who is going to be good over the long haul, AND 
> who will bring in a couple of top recruits every year.
 
I have trouble remembering any recent year in which NU's offensive
line could have been called the bright spot of the offense, possibly
not even the 'least darkest spot', but there were a few years where 
I saw only a few games, the ones that got televised here in Nebraska.  

But what I learned from several Nebraska OL and DL players some years 
ago was that the stats don't necessarily tell the story about line play.

> Running zone defenses with blitzes is tricky - Fitz's speculation that 
> there e is a communications breakdown is probably right. Somehow, the 
> guys are not getting the coverage right and this year, we are paying 
> in spades.

The Cats are far from the only team where I've heard THAT complaint
this year, including a couple of NFL teams.  I wonder if offenses
are doing more to try to confuse the defense--again.  

As pivotal as the Iowa game was, the Penn State game is even more
so.  Right now there's a razor thin margin of error in getting to bowl
eligibility, if they lose to Penn State that margin becomes so thin
as to be almost invisible.  That loss to Army really hurts, and it 
isn't like Army is looking like a world-beater.  
--
Mike Nolan