Husker Defense

You know, after the Wake game, I was doing a little travelling and just hadn't taken the time to update...so briefly: I watched the game, and thought we could have done a little bit better on both sides of the ball. A win was nice, but I left feeling like "if we play like this against USC, it's going to be a bloodletting."

It was a bloodletting. You can say the team didn't give up toward the end all you want. You can use pathetic excuses like they took away our momentum with fake injuries. You can talk all day about how this is supposed to be the best USC team in the history of the universe. You still, however, will need to be fair and talk about how our defense was manhandled like we were a lower-tier D-2 team. The offense didn't do terribly, but we've got to be able to execute better than that.

The holes were ridiculously huge, and USC took advantage. The Huskers haven't practiced in full pads since Fall Camp. If there isn't a consistent focused placed on the fundamentals, you can lose them. Cosgrove, in my opinion, better start presenting a defense that lays the hurt on people the rest of the season, or I fear it will be his last. His history doesn't lean toward us dominating anything.

We have Ball State this weekend, and if this is a close game, I am liable to go completely bat$#!+.

Have a good weekend!

Nebraska Over Nevada, MotoGP

MotoGP

Yadda yadda yadda Casey Stoner wins yadda yadda yadda. In all seriousness, I have to wonder what would have happened had there not been a lap one multi-bike wreck that took out Dani Pedrosa, and may as well have taken out reigning world champ Nicky Hayden. Not to mention Rossi having technical problems.

This is, in my opinion, the toughest race in the circuit, with LOTS of turns. Had Hayden, Pedrosa, or Rossi been able to sustain, their abilities could have evened out the speed of Stoner's Ducati. Then again, the fact that Stoner did not have exaggerated straight-aways to blow through proves he is for real. Congrats to Casey Stoner.

Nebraska Cornhuskers Win Big

Let's all take a deep breath and say "It's the first game of the season". Why should we do that? Because some people take a route over Nevada as the key victory Callahan has needed, and USC will be a similar blowout. Please.

And to those who are finding tons of faults with the Husker victory, it is, again, the first game of the season. Let's shake out the cobwebs, and let the new guys get comfortable.

Speaking of new guys: Sam Keller. He had an impressive performance and settled into a rhythm. Is he the second coming of the Lord our Savior? Sorry, no. But is he going to be an excellent QB who does an excellent job at Nebraska? Absolutely. Strap yourselves in and enjoy it. He showed a few times some real nice poise under pressure, and as long as he can keep that same type of poise against real competition, then we will fair well.

The other new guy that stood out to me: Octavien. Technically he is not a new guy, however, I finally believe the hype. Keep this monster healthy, please! Watching him lay a beatdown several times yesterday was a nice stress reliever.

To Marlon Lucky: if this is how you play after a concussion or two, then someone routinely knock this guy out. Awesome performance all around. It was awesome to see this young man run up and down the field at will. There will be much, much better defenses to face, but with this type of opener, it should create a nice confidence level.

Coach Callahan and his new OC did a nice job as well, sticking with what works. Cosgrove also kept things mixed up. To not take this game in context is to look too hard to either have a fanboy orgasm, or complain about something. Nebraska blew out a team in the opener. Big deal, you say? It's important, and here is why: when we struggle with someone like Maine, and then apologist after apologist has to come out with this over-inflated BS about how we faced an incredible Maine squad (that no one really hears from the rest of the season), we can start eliminating excuses.

To others who say we were running up the score: RUN UP THE SCORE. Nebraska is a team that needs to make a statement. You do not make a statement against anyone by keeping it close. You do not make a statement to your tougher competition by showing difficulty against a team the likes of Nevada. Put yourself in a USC players' shoes. If Nebraska scrapes past Nevada, then you would think a team like USC will kill NU.

To the team: destroy Wake by 20-30 points. Keep making statements. Excellent opener.

GO BIG RED!