2010 Nebraska Preview
by John Berkowitz on Jun 29, 2010 8:29 AM PDT
150 comments
Bo Pelini has done a great job rebuilding the Nebraska football program. They are still a few classes away from being in the national title chase but they can line up and play with anybody in the country on the right day. The move to the Big Ten will create plenty of excitement in Lincoln but the pipeline of Texas talent will need to be replaced with more Midwest talent in the future.
Nebraska returns ten starters on an offense that was only ranked 99th in the country last season. The QB position is up for grabs between Sr Zac Lee, So Cody Green, and RS Taylor Martinez. Whoever wins the job needs to do a much better job of passing the ball in 2010 for the Huskers to entertain thoughts of going to a BCS Bowl.
Lee a former JUCO transfer was the starter last season and he responded by completing 59% of his throws for 2,143 yards and 14 touchdowns and ten interceptions. Those stats are a little misleading because seven of those TD's were rung up in only two games. In games against Oklahoma and Texas the Cornhuskers were virtually shut down through the air. That has to change in 2010 if the Big Red has hopes of departing the Big 12 with a conference crown.
Sr Robert Helu Jr is Nebraska's go to running back. He earned Big 12 honors last season and is one of the best RB's in the conference. Nebraska has a great tradition of running the ball and they have plenty of talented depth behind Helu if he goes down. Keep an eye on So Rex Burkhead who has the speed to take it to the house and gives Nebraska a great one-two punch.
Nebraska has the talent to catch the ball. The question is if Zac Lee can deliver it consistently enough to improve on last years passing numbers? Sr Niles Paul led the team in receptions with 40 catches for 796 yards and four TD's. Sr Mike McNeil is a big receiver who is built like a TE. That muscle makes him a good target over the middle. Jr Brandon Kinnie is cut from the same mold. Sr Tight End Dreu Young has talent as a receiver and is also a good blocker.
Four starters return up front for the Cornhuskers but they need to find a new starting center. As usual there is plenty of Midwestern beef to go around and it has been well seasoned featuring three senior starters. It isn't a collection of all stars but it will be a solid line that will match up well against the majority of their opponents.
Ndamukong Suh and four of the top five tacklers are gone from a dominating defense. Some back in "Corn Country" are saying that Nebraska's defense has the potential to be just as good in 2010 even with those type of losses. Jr Jared Crick and So Baker Steinkuhler will be the starters at DT. Neither are as dominating as Suh but who really is? They are both very potential first round draft picks.
Pierre Allen and So Cameron are a pair of great looking DE's. Allen had five sacks last season and Meridith added five tackles for loss. Both of these guys are prototypical ends who will give the Washington offensive line and in particular the TE's a problem. These kids can stop the run and apply pressure with the best of them.
So Sean Fisher, So Will Compton, and Jr Micheal May are the likely starters at LB. Fisher has superstar written all over him and his coaches feel that he will take it to another level this season. He can line up anywhere but the coaches seem to prefer him on the strong side.
Nebraska runs something called a Peso which features a fifth defensive back to act like a third linebacker. Word on the street is that they are going to use it a lot more this season. Sr Eric Hagg seems to be the best fit for that hybrid position.
Sr Prince Amukmara is a big time talent at CB. He was first team All Big 12 last season as he picked off five interceptions. Jr Alfonzo Dennard lines up on the other side of the field and could have a banner year if teams avoid throwing in Amukmara's direction.
Jr Austin Cassidy and PJ Smith are slated to take over at the safety positions. Neither of these guys are elite talents but they will get plenty of support from the rest of the defense while they learn the ropes.
Washington Vs Nebraska
Washington has a huge advantage on the offensive side of the ball while the Cornhuskers could be just as dominating on the defensive side. The key for Washington is getting Jake Locker enough time to set up and get the ball to his play makers.
Make no mistake about it...this will be one if not the toughest defenses Washington will face all year. The Huskers lost to Virginia Tech, Iowa State, and Texas last season by a combined margin of only four points. Texas Tech was the only team to actually exploit the Husker defense to a certain extent in a 31-10 Big Red loss in Lincoln. Despite the total points scored the Huskers only gave up 259 total yards to the Red Raiders.
Does Nebraska need to be more productive on offense in 2010 to beat Washington? I think they do. Jake Locker will give them plenty of things to think about and thinking rather than just reacting kills the rhythm of any defense on the road. Washington is more than capable of putting twenty or more points on the board so Nebraska will have to answer on offense.
Overall I think this will be a close contest that will go down to the wire. Nebraska will be favored in Las Vegas but I would pick Washington because of the home field advantage and an offense led by Jake Locker. Until Nebraska proves they can score over 20 or more points per game against quality opponents they are going to struggle in the quest to regain their elite status.
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this game will set the tone for the season
I am looking at going to BYU to start and am optimistic there. Take care of business with Syracuse and it leads us to Game Day status. I hope we get 70k to this game to let the team and nation that we are back to compete.
This would be the confidence boost to get us on a roll and carry us into conference play. We need to pay the Huskers back for the last time they were here, but overall these are some of the best fans in college football.
Side note, South Africa and the World Cup was unreal. Went to all four matches. Cardiac kids, they tried dipping the well too many times playing catchup.
by PandG on Jun 29, 2010 12:59 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
70,000 oh ya...
Nebraska travels well…expect 10-15,000 Big Red fans at the game.
by John Berkowitz on Jun 29, 2010 2:37 PM PDT up reply actions
Thanks
Could be our first ESPN Game Day moment.
by John Berkowitz on Jun 29, 2010 2:38 PM PDT up reply actions
We need to win early in the season
I think it is crucial to be 3-0 after the Nebraska game. If we have much hope to get a bowl bid this season we have to win early. The reasoning behind this is that the Pac 10 schedule is a meat grinder. We’re building decent depth, but we still lack dependable depth needed to win late in Pac 10 play.
I still think the opener at BYU is going to be the key to winning early in the season. BYU last season bitch slapped Oklahoma in the new Cowboys Stadium on national television. DO NOT overlook BYU, because they play like some of the cadet schools. If we take care of the opener, it really sets us up for a remarkable season. For starters we haven’t won on the road since 2008. Secondly we haven’t tasted real success other then the USC victory and the final two games of 2009. So with that said the BYU game will set the tone in my humble opinion.
All I saw was purple
I agree that the BYU game is far more critical.
As you mention, getting the road win monkey of their backs is would be a big lift. It’s going to be a tough matchup, but it’s an imminently winnable game. It definitely sets the tone for the season. A loss in Provo almost makes Nebraska a must-win. The Pac 10 schedule isn’t kind to the Dawgs this season, with 5 road games including trips to Cal, USC, Oregon, and Arizona. I’d much rather have last year’s conference schedule this season.
Tough Schedule
UW definitely has a tough schedule. Winning in Provo Utah is going to be a tough thing to do. If UW comes into the Nebraska game 2-0, they are going to have a lot of confidence, which they will need when competing against the Nebraska Defense. UW does have the advantage of playing at home against Nebraska. Last year at home, UW was able to compete with LSU, and they beat USC at home, so being at home for this game definitely gives them the extra push they will need to win this game. If UW comes out and makes as much progress this year as they did last year, they will win this football game, and in my opinion they will compete for the PAC-10 title. I honestly feel that with USC being down this year with the sanctions, and the Oregon players getting their suspensions, things look great for UW to have a stellar season. It isn’t likeley, but If they play great football every week, I can see them going undefeated and being in the talks for the National Championship. Yeah I’m a dreamer, but I always go for the underdog, and UW is my team to watch this year in the PAC-10, so I am really pulling for y’all to have a great season.
by GatorUte on Jun 30, 2010 5:52 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I knew I liked you when you went 12 rounds with BYU fan over on CGB GatorUte.
by Hightop Husky on Jun 30, 2010 7:45 PM PDT up reply actions
Crucial?
Nobody expects us to be 3-0 after Nebraska….as long as we are 2-1 we are fine…anything more is a bonus.
by John Berkowitz on Jun 29, 2010 2:39 PM PDT up reply actions
John we lack dependable depth
Is our team capable of putting together a 3-0 start? I think we have an above average chance of being a 3-0 team to start the season. But a lot has to do with how well prepared we are for the opener at BYU. If we can win the opener and take care of business at home vs. Syracuse, we will then have created some lofty high expectations heading into the big showdown with Nebraska. The Cornhuskers won’t be a push over that’s for sure. But given our track record on the road compared to our track record at home, I still say the BYU game is going to be a tougher draw. On paper Nebraska seems to be the heavy weight, but I’m not convinced. Winning on the road is a much bigger task to overcome then winning at home, especially for such a young team.
I think it’s time we raised the bar- I expect to be 3-0 to start the season and at this time it’s not out of the question. That could change however as the season nears, hence critical injuries [knock on wood].
All I saw was purple
If I didn’t think we could do it I wouldn’t have predicted a 3-0 start. When I say nobody expects us to be 3-0 I am talking about the college football world at large.
by John Berkowitz on Jun 29, 2010 3:44 PM PDT up reply actions
The little homer that lives deep inside me expects us to go 13-0 every year and bring home the BSC championship. But I dont think a 3-0 start is unfathomable in the real world, maybe a little hopeful but not unfathomable. But I agree we need to get the road monkey off our back at BYU first.
by Hightop Husky on Jun 30, 2010 7:42 PM PDT up reply actions
3-0 to start the season would be a tremendous achievement, and while I don’t expect it, I don’t find it ludicrous either.
I guess I’ve got a lot of off-season optimism about how the defense could improve and how much I expect the offense to hum with Locker in his 2nd season under Sark.
The offense will humm to a certain extent but the defense is still a few recruiting classes away.
by John Berkowitz on Jul 1, 2010 7:05 AM PDT up reply actions
"Until Nebraska proves they can score over 20 or more points per game against quality opponents"
What about the Holiday Bowl? Is beating Arizona 33-0 (3 points less than UW’s point total) not enough proof?? I’d say UW’s offense is the team that will need to prove it’s worth, because Washington’s O scoring 20 points against Nebraska’s D seems like more of a daunting task than NU’s O scoring 20 on theirs.
How many times did they do that last year?
Throw out the Holiday Bowl and what are you really looking at in offense?
How do you explain the Iowa State game?
by John Berkowitz on Jun 29, 2010 2:42 PM PDT up reply actions
There
is no explanation for the Iowa State game. None.
Okay, maybe divine intervention on behalf of the Cyclones explains eight turnovers.
Iowa State was a far bigger anomaly than Arizona.
Go Big Red Nebraska!
Our Cobs Are Bigger Than Yours!
Corn Nation!
Twitter!
cornnation@gmail.com
by Jon Johnston on Jun 30, 2010 4:27 AM PDT up reply actions
San Diego isn't exactly a hostile environment though...
Try putting up sizable numbers in a hostile environment. One thing is for sure, the Conrhuskers won’t be able to audible out of bad plays. Let’s keep in mind how daunting and loud Husky Stadium reached the last time these two schools met at Montlake. If we are fortunate to beat BYU, I expect us to be 3-0 after the Nebraska game!
All I saw was purple
What about 1992?
I happen to like this one a lot better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvIdBNXkVB0
By the way GBR…nice to have you on board and thanks for your contributions.
by John Berkowitz on Jun 29, 2010 3:47 PM PDT up reply actions
Or 1991 At Lincoln...
…much better! I think the DAWGS rolled up over 600 yards on the Huskers.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Those were the days my friend…I thought they’d never end…We’d sing and dance for after and a day…
by John Berkowitz on Jun 29, 2010 3:59 PM PDT up reply actions
Yes they were!...
…AND we’re on our way back!
We’d sing and dance for after and a day…
We’re those the lyrics? ;O)
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
While I give Nebraska a TON of credit for that game,
that simply wasn’t the same Arizona team that played the first 12 games of the season. From the opening kickoff, they were completely out of sorts. Nebraska’s D was great, but too many of Arizona’s miscues were self-inflicted.
Nothing against Nebraska but I wouldn’t hang a lot of hope for their offense on that one game.
by John Berkowitz on Jun 29, 2010 3:50 PM PDT up reply actions
Agreed.
A 5-yard TD drive, 3 long field goals off of short drives, and a busted coverage 75-yard TD. Nebraska’s best offense was Nick Foles playing QB for Arizona. I certainly didn’t think he had a 9-for-30 game in him, not after the way he played all season.
Typical
Where has Nebraska heard these excuses before when they have beat an opponent that they weren’t expected to beat? Even going all the way back to the 1996 Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix. Before that game all the talking heads on ESPN and the print media said “Florida is going to run up and down the filed on Nebraska, Florida is just too good and too fast for Nebraska.” “No SEC team came within 11 of Florida so Nebraska is in trouble.”
And after the beat down administered to the Gators by the Cornhuskers, that could have been far worse than the 38 point margin it was, these same people said, ‘Florida wasn’t ready, Florida didn’t want to play, Florida beat themselves." And one of the best was, “Florida is just a very average, nothing special football team!”
And forward to 2009 just prior to the Holiday Bowl. Most said “The Arizona defense is too good for Nebraska, the UA offense will expose the Cornhusker defense.” But, after the game it has become more of the same TYPICAL BS, "UA wasn’t ready, UA beat themselves, UA didnt want to be there.’ BS!
No where do i hear anyone saying, ‘You know what we were wrong, Nebraska was just that much better than them." Nebraska fans hear this same crap all the time. In the eyes of everyone outside Nebraska, the Cornhuskers have never ever beat anyone, and when they have pulled a surprising upset, it hasn’t ever been because Nebraska was underrated, DISRESPECTED it is always the same lameass excuses for the team that just got taken behind the woodshed.
FYI. To all you dawg fans that think the skill poisition player for UW are going to have a field day against Nebraska. On both sides of the ball the Nebraska lines have a large advantage in physical superiority and depth. The Nebraska Ol ine is now about 8-9 deep and getting back to the Nebraska lines of old. And will be facing what is one of the weakest links on the UW team, the D line that lacks any real depth.
And that UW o line is going to get mugged by another line that runs about 8 deep with fast, big, nasty, aggressive D linemen. It starts up front ladies and gentlemen and Nebraska has a clear advantage on both sides of the ball.
by Andy P skers94 on Jul 9, 2010 10:48 AM PDT up reply actions
By looking at turnovers.
And no, turnovers are not intangible when they come in bunches of 8. NU turned the ball over 8 times vs. ISU (a team that ACTUALLY boasted a winning record and a bowl victory) and they still had a chance to win at the end of the game. Do you honestly expect them to do that again?
And if you want to look at offensive statistics, how do you explain how such a “highly loaded” UW offense (69) finished just 6 spots behind such an incapable NU offense (75) in Scoring Offense last season?
As I said before, it will be more of a task for UW to figure out a way to score against Nebraska than Nenraska against UW.
Minus Ndamukong Suh
I think it’s premature to think Nebraska will have a better defense minus Ndamukong Suh. He required double team blocks and sometimes three. When you have a guy that dominant at one defensive position it opens everything up for the rest of the defense. Nebraska won’t have that sort of player on defense this go around.
Nebraska’s D will still be good, but not as great and clearly not better then last seasons. Meanwhile our offense will be better then last seasons. So put 2 and 2 together- Nebraska’s Defense will not be as good due to losing key defensive players, while Washington’s offense has the potential to grow esponentially due to every key offensive player coming back. Stats say very little from season to season. It’s time to quit talking and get busy on the field.
Go Dawgs! WOOF!!!
All I saw was purple
Can I ask what the skull is all about?
Your logo is sort of confusing. You have a skull and crossbones on a Nebraksa Cornhusker helmet. So what are you guys- farmers or pirates? Regardless your logo is about as bad as our weasel dog- looking over his shoulder. We need to stick with the big block W!
Stick with the Big N, the skull and crossbones looks more like a cheesy outlaw motorcycle gang.
All I saw was purple
Better with out him.
Agreed. During the interim read about Jared Crick and Baker Steinkuhler (may help when trying to figure out who is sacking Locker).
As an overall college football fan, I am very much looking forward to revisiting one of the most beautiful campuses with one of the best stadiums in the country to watch these two battle it out.
Until then, GO BIG RED!!!
Better?
C’mon, man. That’s a little much. I’ve heard Pellini say that, and although I’ve never seen much of the two guys you mention, the fact is that you’re trying to replace a guy that was one of the best defensive linemen in a generation. As well as a couple of other guys that, simply put, were good.
It’s easy to look at last year’s stats and not expect too much from the Dawgs’ offense. Not wise, but easy to do. Without getting into the reasons, I can sum it up by saying that the Dawgs are still on the steep part of the improvement curve. New offense, new defense, new strength and conditioning program. The UW’s skill players will be, at worst, the third-best group you face this season.
I’m looking forward to a big turnout of Nebraska fans at the game. Definitely some of the best around.
Sounds Like Pure Homerism! As If...
…we’ve never heard that here before!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
UW Editors Note
Crick and Steinkuhler are both going to end up being first round draft picks. I don’t think the Nebraska defense will have much of a fallout if any.
by John Berkowitz on Jun 29, 2010 3:57 PM PDT up reply actions
Steinkuhler, a legacy name in Nebraka football
Hope we comtinue our legacies, Williams, Brostek et al.
Banner, but the idea's the same.
Don’t forget Josh Garnett, either.
I don’t know about you, but Wrotten worries me a little. I’m not saying I wouldn’t want him, but he’s got a lot of growing up to do between now and his first year of college…
He certainly does, and I would've like Bell better
but you can’t deny the kids talent. He’s back to full strength and watching his vision, distribution and penetration game is pretty entertaining. It’s like Abdul Gaddy if he had a gigantic ego.
I forgot Garnett was a legacy kid
three great in-state classes in a row couldn’t have come at a better time, although this one is a little bit thinner than last years. But next years might be the best WA class ever…on paper.
Are you confusing Jake Locker with Ronnie Fouch?
I’m not trashing our ex back up QB and I think even Ronnie would get a chuckle out of this. I’m not sure you’ve seen Locker in action GBR918. Our QB is probably faster then any player on your entire roster. To make matters worse, he’s probably stronger then any skill player in your offense. With that said, I do think you should keep your optimistic thoughts of stopping Locker to a minimum. This kid is strong enough to run over you and fast enough to blow by you. Have I mentioned his cannon of an arm yet?
I think we are going to see a much improved Washington football team both offensively and defensively. I think Nebraska will be improved on offense but on the other hand they might miss what Suh broaght to the table last season. Needless to say Suh was the most dominant DT since Steve Emptman and when you find those dominant players, it makes the defense almost unstoppible. From what I saw from Nebraska last season, they had a better chance of scoring defensively as compared to scoring while on offense- their offense was just awful.
Final Note: Congrats on getting out of the Big Texas Conference. I think you’ll find the Big Ten to your liking. Meanwhile we are glad to have your rival in Colorado as a member of the Pac 12. How cool would it be if Nebraska and Washington met again in the Rose Bowl?
All I saw was purple
And This Is Jake 3.0...
…significant upgrade=new improved version!
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Nebraska fans haven't seen No.10 in action yet
And to top that, I don’t think us Husky fans have seen the best of Locker yet. This kid has unlimited potential and I can see a hungry veteran ready to take it up a notch in his senior year. I expect to see Locker running more this upcoming season now that he has Sark’s offense down. Why didn’t Locker run as often last season? It’s not like Sark doesn’t want Jake to run, he’s trying to teach him how to run safely. Knowing when to run and when to ditch a play is the process you go thru in order to become as great as Peyton Manning. Ever see Manning fall on the ball in the pocket? Live to fight another day. Manning will see the play is dead from his read and will dive back to the L.O.S. in order to save distance needed in the next down. Learning to take the sack and minimizing the damage of the sack is a learning process. Jake could be 10 times better this upcoming season…
All I saw was purple
2012 Rose Bowl
With the strides both of these programs are making, this may soon be realized.
In the mean time, I hope UW fans will enjoy beating on the Buff’s as much as NU fans will enjoy watching it!
by GBR918 on Jun 29, 2010 5:19 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
I think Bo Pelini will have to hire a proven Offensive Coordinator first
Bo knows defense, but doesn’t know crap about offense. And I’m beginning to wonder if Tim Lapano was the Husker offensive coordinator last season. It was lethargic at best.
Nebraska has made huge strides in their attempt of getting back to the dominant ways. But the effort of getting back is only half way there. Defensively Nebraska couldn’t have looked better last season, and I’d agrue that was probably one of the finest Husker defenses of all time. The offense is still a major project. Decent running game but the passing game is killing them.
2012 is looking like a good year for Huskers and Huskies. I think you guys owe Texas. I’d love to see you guys offer one last dagger to Texas by kicking their butts this upcoming season. Send it out right and beat Texas.
All I saw was purple
Crazi
Without looking it up on line…who is the OC at Nebraska…answer honestly!!!
by John Berkowitz on Jun 29, 2010 8:50 PM PDT up reply actions
Could not tell you
But I think Pelini needs to upgrade. If Nebraska could’ve moved the ball forward rather then continually losing ground on offense, the Huskers might’ve won that game. The offense kept going backwards, and what is worse is they owned field position for the better part of the game.
I was kidding about Lapano, I have no idea who is calling plays at Nebraska, yet I have to wonder what is being taught because the offense is a stand still at best.
All I saw was purple
Husky D
I’m less concerned about UW’s ability to score on the what will still be a very impressive Nebraska D than I am about the front four of the Husky D-line being able to stop the run by making plays at the line of scrimmage and getting penetration on that Cornhusker O-line. If Nebraska is able to control the clock and keep Locker and company off the field, its just a matter of time until our young line breaks and Nebraska wont need to throw for 300 yards because they will run for 200 and control the clock. That said however im confident in the Husky offense’s ability to create sustained drives and create points, and even if that Nebraska D does limit our total points scored, the Husky offfense should move the ball well enough to win the battle of field position.
Obviously the Huskies have to control the run to a certain extent or it will be lights out.
by John Berkowitz on Jun 29, 2010 5:07 PM PDT up reply actions
You're basing this all off of Sark, Holt, and Ivan's first season on Montlake
What you saw last season was only the beginning. How much did we improve from year 4 of Ty to year 1 of Sark? That says it all.
I expect our defense to play twice as good as last season, if not better. We are a little thin right now at DE and LB, yet I think a lot of that will work itself out once Fall Camp gets underway.
To beat Nebraska it’s simple: stop the Husker running game and force them to pass. Now this is a big challenge, but not nearly the challenge it was during the Ozborn era. If we can get them in 3rd and long, we can force the Huskers to pass while they are still “iffy” in that department. One thing is for sure Cornhusker ball carriers had better hold onto the ball because a Holt style defense is all about the big play. This game will truly tell us where we are on the defensive front.
Go Huskies! WOOF!!!
All I saw was purple
Oh ya
To beat Nebraska it’s simple: stop the Husker running game and force them to pass.
ABC as easy as one, two, three…
One other component…score over twenty points.
by John Berkowitz on Jun 29, 2010 8:53 PM PDT up reply actions
Small beans
didn’t you hear that Jake is gonna have the first 5k/2k season ever? I’m thinking 60 total TD’s will be a slight disappointment.
Husky Defense
I think we’ll be fine if we can get Everette Thompson and that big Hawaiian kid back healthy. With the “Man Child” coming in the fall, Sione Potoae, our depth in the middle should be better. Lawrence Lagafauina is no slouch either. I know they’re true freshman but I believe both of those kids are going to help the depth immediately.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Bingo
We have to have those two guys back and they have to stay healthy…big if’s right now if you ask me…the coach says they are on schedule.
by John Berkowitz on Jun 29, 2010 8:47 PM PDT up reply actions
Nebraska Fans
Very classy group of folks.
On a side note I was really impressed by the folks from LSU too….nice people.
Classy fans
John, it was a treat having the LSU fans here last year and am enjoying the Nebraska fans so far. I believe most out of conference fans will be polite except for the occasional die hard homer.
That Syracuse guy on the other thread was a tad rude
hopefully he’s not indicitive of the whole fanbase, but they are New Yorkers…so I’m not getting my hopes up.
He apologized…young guy that thought he was Howard Stern.
by John Berkowitz on Jun 30, 2010 6:06 PM PDT up reply actions
I like this match-up...
These are two teams who about a decade ago or so where some of the premiere programs in all of college football. Nebraska with back-to-back championship in the mid-90s and the Huskies winning Rose Bowls left and right a little over a decade ago.
Both of these teams also feature young coaches who could easily be with their programs for 20+ years and are early in their HCing careers. The match-up has tons of historical college football appeal. These are 2 teams that want to show the nation that they are back and a force to be reckoned with. (Don’t let any NU fan think they are there by going to the Big12 championship game. They had to beat KSU at the end of last season to go, if they didn’t KSU would’ve been there, UNRANKED.)
I’m excited to see this game and as a Pac-10 fan, I hope UW wins. Plus, I can’t stand NU. I just hope any momentum gained by a W here will be negated by 11/6. Wouldn’t be completely shocked with you guys going 3-0, but see 2-1 as a better possibility.
SeattleDucks?
That’s an oxymoron.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Nebraska will be the favorite coming into this game...
How’s it going Washington fans! I’m really looking forward to this game in the fall! With that being said, I’d say that NU has a better chance of winning for several reasons:
1. Last season. Look at where both teams ended up. UW finished 5-7, NU finished 10-4. Both fanbases expect to have better seasons. But NU has less to prove to be better. You have to win 7 more games to be undefeated, we have to win only 4 more. We were ranked higher last season and will be going into this season as well.
2. Better defense from top to bottom. Sure, we lose Suh, but I would say last year our defense was top heavy. We had major Q’s at LB and an unproven secondary. This year we have major depth in the secondary. Answers at LB – we now have the peso, so only need 2 LBs – look for 6’6" Sean Fisher to create problems. In Pelini’s defensive scheme, the D-line is merely supposed to take up blockers – not make plays – that’s reserved for the LBs and secondary. Last year our LBs had trouble. This year they know the scheme. We don’t need Crick to be like Suh for our D to dominate. The D will be overall be better than last years. If there is a weakness it will be our safeties – Locker might be able to take advantage of them, but not consistently.
3. Our offense – it can’t be any worse than last season – why was our O so bad last season? Most Husker fans will agree on a few factors:
- injuries on O-line,
-only 1 go-to WR in Niles Paul,
-QB Zac Lee’s elbow injury,
-injuries to RBs Helu and Burkhead,
-O-coordinator shutting down the playbook.
Our O-line had several injuries and we lost depth last year – we also had to replace 2 NFL lineman. This year we have 4/5 returning starters and a capable replacement. We also have very good depth. We showed what we could do with a healthy O-line against Arizona…
Last year we had to replace our all-time leading WR and another NU all-time top 10 receiver. We only had 1 legitimate threat in Niles Paul and he didn’t start to emerge until midseason. This year we have him back and and legit target in WR Kinnie. Our top TE McNeil also moved over to WR and should provide a great possession-type target.
Last year we lost a projected co-starter in RB Castille for disciplinary reasons. We had Helu and had to play true freshman Burkhead. Burkhead broke his foot and was out for about 6 games, and Helu had a bum shoulder for most of the season. We had to rely on walk-ons and true freshmen for much of the season at RB. Now we have 2 proven RBs and our other walk-ons and underclassmen have valuable game-time experience.
Last season: Lost our projected starter to transfer and our #3 QB suffered a season-ending injury. That left #2 Lee as the sole QB. We were scrambling for QBs and converted LB to QB. True freshman Cody Green also saw playing time. After the end of last season, Husker fans learned QB Lee was playing with an injured elbow for most of the season and required surgery. This will also be Lee’s 3rd in the our system… our recent QBs have had ‘breakout’ seasons in their 3rd year. Look for Lee to do well… not really a playmaker, but if we can establish a running game, then Lee can put the game away with his accurate arm and some timely running.
Last season our offense got bit by the turnover bug and Texas Tech took advantage and soundly beat us. Then we had 8 turnovers and lost against Iowa St. Meanwhile, our defense was starting to become very dominant. Our coaches decided to let our D and Special Teams win games. They stopped taking chances on O for fear of turnovers and shut down the playbook. After that it was all running and some easy play-action passes and dump-off passes to the RBs. The coaches opened it back up a bit in the Arizona game. Look for our offense to pick it back up next year with 10 returning starters, depth on the O-line, competition at QB, talented RBs, and some big WRs.
4. Special teams: we got some of the best in the nation. I think our ST even outplayed VaTech’s ST. We got potential All-American K and Punter ALex Henery back, and potential All- Big 12 returner Niles Paul.
5. Last year, UW didn’t see a D as good as NU’s. But NU saw offenses better than UW’s. Locker is an amazing talent at QB, but he still hasn’t gotten the gaudy stats or tons of wins expected of him. Our D and coaches are very familiar with talented QBs. We shutdown Tyrod Taylor – not as good as Locker, but a better runner. Shutdown Blaine Gabbert – a big, QB with a cannon arm great WRs and good mobility, knocked over Todd Reesing – a true leader at QB with tons of heart and playmaking ability, and completely destroyed Colt McCoy – super accurate, very mobile, and usually a good decision maker. We also have faced Baylor QB Robert Griffin, Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford, AZ QB Nick Foles, TxTech QB Graham Harrell.
Locker is really, really good, but when I watched him running he’s not as elusive as a Tyrod Taylor, who we shutdown. Locker has great straight-line speed and is big, but our D is made to shutdown mobile QBs.
I am worried about some things:
Locker: of course, he can beat us. I think it really depends on how much time in the pocket he gets and how good your WRs play against our strong secondary. I do expect Locker to play well, let’s see if the rest of your team can support him.
Your power running: like I said, our D is made to stop fast, spread Big 12 teams. Not really power running teams. We should hold up, but it could be difficult especially on Play-Action. Sarkisian runs a pro-style offense…. we used to do that 2 years ago, so we might remember some of it, but I’m not sure. If you got good tight ends, they could hurt us.
Husky Stadium: you got home-field advantage. Audibles will be hard. Last year team probably played better on the road. The Pelinis like the “us-against-the-world” mentality and the team has taken this identity seriously. I heard Sarkisian say that a windy day at Husky Stadium with its swirling winds can make throwing the ball more difficult.
Prediction: Close game at halftime. In the 3rd quarter, NU’s Blackshirt D makes some plays and NU finishes strong.
NU 26 UW 14
I’m looking forward to a really entertaining game and seeing how much Washington has improved. Best of luck!
GO BIG RED!
Great Post Belacoz
I can see the scenario’s for victories on both sides of the ball. I think it is going to be a great game.
by John Berkowitz on Jun 30, 2010 7:16 AM PDT up reply actions
Good post.
Tough to disagree with much in there.
It’s tough to put too much stock into playing hurt, though. Everybody does it. Our running back played the last half of the season with a shoulder injury that required surgery after the season. Locker spent part of the season with a quad bruise that limited his mobility and kept him from practicing for a few weeks. Our most consistent d-tackle dealt with neck stingers that caused him to miss a few games, and forced him to the sideline all too frequently when he did play. Both teams should be relatively healthy for an early-season matchup, though.
UW has good potential at tight end, but it hasn’t really materialized as of yet. I like to think both of them (Kavario Middleton and Chris Izbicki) will play better this year. They should combine for 50 or so catches, I hope. UW’s top three receivers are as good as a group as any you’ll face this season.
The offensive line was physically overmatched in virtually every game last season, but still was superior to what it had been in the last several years past. Prior to Sarkisian’s hire, there was little to nothing in the way of strength and conditioning for years here. It’s a two-year process, and the guys on the line were physically weak as opposed to being untalented. If the gains in strength are as big this year as they were last, the line could be significantly better without a wholesale lineup change. This same thing holds true for the defensive line.
Like you mention, play action is going to be key to slowing down Nebraska’s defense. The backs have to be receiving threats, and the tight ends have to be involved. My guess is that Pelini will focus most of the attention on shutting down Jermaine Kearse, who’s the biggest playmaker at receiver. James Johnson and Devin Aguilar are both more in the possession receiver mold, although Aguilar does have good speed. Sarkisian does a great job of moving his players around to create mismatches – lining up receivers in the backfield with the back out wide, utilizing motion, splitting out Middleton who is tall (6’7") and very athletic, etc. He’ll figure out ways to get the ball into the hands of his playmakers.
The Husky defense isn’t great, or even good, but it’s opportunistic and did a much better job in the red zone and on third down than in general. Speed in general and lack of strength up front are the biggest weaknesses. Mason Foster (WLB) is the best defensive player. Good size, not overly fast, but a good nose for the ball. Cort Dennison is kind of Mason Foster lite; great insticts, fundamentally sound, but smallish and athletically limited at MLB. The SLB is open right now. The two primary challengers are both converted safeties.
The line is a huge question right now. Cameron Elisara is the best returning tackle, but he’s bothered by stingers. He’s not quick enough to be the three-tech guy, but he is for the Dawgs. Alameda Ta’amu is big and strong, but was too heavy last season and wore down. He’s lost a lot of weight, and his conditioning is quite a bit better. End is the big question; Everette Thompson is coming off an achilles injury. He’s big and strong enough to play tackle (which he did every snap he played last season). If he’s healthy, the d-line might be considered “mediocre.” Talia Crichton was a smallish true freshman that started a handful of games last season, but was over his head. It looked as if he’s put on quite a bit of good weight, and I’m guessing the game is going to slow down some for him in his second year.
Trufant is the best corner on the team, and was last year as a true freshman despite missing much of fall camp. He’s got good size and is physical, but he lacks elite speed. Nate Williams is the best of the safeties returning (SS). He’s a good hitter and supports the run well, but was prone to lapses in coverage. It sounds like his speed has improved dramatically since last year. FS is open, with a redshirt freshman and a sophmore coming off a broken leg as the top prospects.
Your prediction is probably fairly accurate, but I bet the Dawgs hit 20 on you. As good as McCoy was, his injury in the title game showed how one-dimensional Texas’ offense really was (that dimension being McCoy’s arms and legs). The UW will be able to get more out of its running backs, if the line continues its growth.
The biggest thing the Dawgs have going for them is that their on the steep part of the learning curve right now. Nebraska under Pelini still has room to grow, but they’re getting closer to the “refining” stage than the UW is. Husky Stadium should provide a big home-field advantage as well. The loudest crowd ever recorded in college football history was at Husky Stadium in 1992 against Nebraska.
I look forward to the Nebraska fans coming to our tailgate before and after the game. Some of the best in the country. I’m very glad to see Nebraska getting back to true Cornhusker football under Pelini – the west coast attack and demphasis of defense under Callahan weren’t fun to watch. Last year looked like the return of the real Nebraska. That’s a good thing for college football.
That was awesome Sundodger
The biggest thing the Dawgs have going for them is that their on the steep part of the learning curve right now. Nebraska under Pelini still has room to grow, but they’re getting closer to the "refining" stage than the UW is.
That is a very accurate appraisal.
by John Berkowitz on Jun 30, 2010 10:41 AM PDT up reply actions
Are you down playing our defense?
I saw some real flashes of greatness last season on defense. We held down LSU, USC, and Notre Dame very well for the most part of each game. Two of these games slipped away because mismatches were created by the opposing coaching staff.
I like our defense, not great but getting there. I think one area where we need to improve the most on defense is to continue to stay focused and engaged on what’s going on on the field. At times last season I thought our defense lacked focus in certain situations and we got burned. Another area we need to shore up is limiting mismatches. I like Holt’s play calling and I like his approach to playing physical defense, yet we do need to spot certain areas on the field where the opposing coordinator can utlize a particular advantage (the tall LSU receiver comes to mind). In that situation we were playing a man defense in coverage and the tall, athletic LSU receiver caught a pass out in the flat, had single man coverage and took it to the house without anybody within 20 yards of him from the endzone. Was it a mix up in coverage by the safety? Who really knows. Yet if it weren’t for that one big play, we might’ve given LSU a big L to start the season.
Again I like our defense. We have depth issues in some critical areas, but what I like is the fact that we are playing inspired tough defense. Shore up the focus and continue to improve in the area of spotting mismatches and we’ll be okay.
All I saw was purple
You obviously define "real flashes of greatness" differently than I do.
Notre Dame? They gained 530 yards. They only punted twice. Golden Tate still hasn’t been tackled. The UW never stopped them.
LSU was fairly inspired play, but the Tigers proved to be anemic offensively in 2009. USC played with one hand tied behind their backs, and it was the crucial takeaways that kept the UW in the game. Stanford, Arizona, Oregon, hell, even Idaho were all well over 400 yards in total offense. Oregon State would’ve been as well if they hadn’t taken their collective feet off the gas.
I stand by my statement – the UW deffense wasn’t good, but performed better in the red zone and on third down than the numbers would otherwise indicate, and created a fair number of turnovers.
Forgetting the fact that we were youngsters w/ little experience
Notre Dame averaged over 30 points per game. The problem with ND last season was their defense couldn’t stop anybody. They were putting up 30 points per outing. At the end of the 3rd Qt how many points did the Domers have on us? If I recall it was anywhere from 10 to 13 total points and we were looking at cashing in on a Polk TD, that mysteriously was called back. If that Polk TD stands as it should, we’d have been up 30-13 with under a quarter to play.
Let’s also keep in mind that we were playing a lot of youngsters, who were up against mostly upper classmen. To play as well on D as we did w/ our youth, I thought we held our own pretty damn good. Sure we gave up points and yardage, that is to be expected from such a young and inexperienced defense. But their were signs of greatness. Note: USC playing with one hand tied behind their back is a lot different then from other programs. You are talking about stellar recruits at every position. Just because the SC QB was a back up doen’st deminish the fact that we out performed the Trojans on that day.
I think it’s time we quit looking at all the negatives and start focusing on the positives. Do I give a damn if the opponent breaks the 400 yard total? Hell no as long as we find a way to win the ballgame. Our defense was composed of mostly sophmores and freshmen and I think they did a helluva job. That was only the first season under Nick Holt. We are going to get better fast…
All I saw was purple
Put down the kool aid.
I know you are in love with Nick Holt, but he’s already taken! Our defense was awful for most of last year and it is the big question mark of this year, so let’s not pretend it’s something it’s not.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
I'm not pretending it was Great Lear
I did say that I thought we played very well as sophomores and freshmen going up against mostly upper classmen. Their is plenty of room for player development and improvement. I agree with John that we are a few recruiting classes away from fielding a very good defense. However I do think the foundation has been poored. We have the scheme in place, we have the conditioning program established, now all we need is a few more talented players to take it up a few more notches.
All I saw was purple
"I thought we played very well as sophomores and freshmen going up against mostly upper classmen"
Funny, I don’t think our defense did ANYTHING very well last year, we barely did “enough” on a few occasions. The last two games were against a team that didn’t care and a team that didn’t belong in the FBS.
Over the entire season, our defense was pretty sad overall. This year, we will be successful as long as our defense is just barely decent, a good defense and we could have a very good year.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
Our defense played with passion last year
even if they were clearly outclassed in terms of skill and maturity at times. That is not something that can be said about 2008.
I don’t want to revise history, since I really thought our D was pretty average. But I know I’m proud to watch them play and call myself a fan, which to me is a sign that they did something right.
I still believe...
…we turned the corner in those last two games. I know wsu sucks but 30-0?…And the next week against Cal, what was the final 42-14? The defense finally turned the corner IMO. Holt preached it and he kept working it and it finally paid off. Then after spring football he says he optimistic that this defense can be pretty good. Is he saying that? Does he believe that? Who knows but I can tell you this, in his first year, he made some serious progress. This defense is improving.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
And they finally opened up the playbook a bit . . .
the last two games. You’ve got to keep the offense guessing, and you’ve got to let the kids have some fun.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
I saw that...
…but it was only for one possession, your best one I might add. The reason he was in there is because the Husky D was knocking the crap out of your QBs.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Your towel boy came in hurt to the Apple Cup last year
I love a dominating shutout over WSU, and last years was no exception (mostly because we really should have won in 08), but it left me feeling a bit more empty than it should.
Passion
They definitely played with heart/passion last year, which is a HUGE improvement from previous years. I think our defense was hampered by extremely vanilla play calling through out most of last season, I know they were young and lacking in talent, but the play calling only made it worse.
I really expect a big leap forward from our defense this year, but I refuse to revise history and claim that our defense was anything but below average last year.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
I disagree
when your defense is as young as our’s was (really only MLB and DE’s were established), it can be a problem to call exotic packages and blitzes. I’d be willing to be that Holt experiments a bit more now that he’s got the base defense installed fully.
Defense
I just remember seeing way too much Cover 2 or Cover 3 zones. It was all they ever ran for the first half of the season, which just makes it that much easier on the opposing offense. When you’re the QB and you know there is a 99% chance the defense is going to be in zone and not going to be blitzing, life gets much easier.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
That's true
I love a predominately zone defense for last years (and this years as well) squad considering we lack the all-world specimen athletes that can cover in man. I’d have to rewatch the LSU game, but I think we were in Cover 1 when Toliver ripped one of (if not both) his long TD’s that game. If I recall, the CB blitzed and the SS slid over to cover the flat, one blown tackle and he was gone.
That said, there are a ton of disguised zone blitzes that can be run from the Cover 2 and Cover 3 packages. I’d expect more of it this year now that Holts had a year to install things. I don’t mind a vanilla defense, as long it’s adaptable to the team we’re running it against. We have nearly every style of offense in the Pac-10 (except maybe the spread air raid style), and it has to be able to change to meet the demand.
I have no problem with us running a “cover 2” – until our CB athleticism improves, it’s a good idea to have Safety help deep. What bothered me more, and what I suspect your real beef is, was seeing so much zone coverage underneath with the CB’s lined up 10 yards off the ball.
A cover 2 doesn’t preclude the CB’s from playing man coverage underneath – strictly speaking, a cover 2 just means that 2 safeties are playing deep zone coverage, splitting the field between them.
I suspect that Holt is feeling more comfortable with his corners to where he’ll have Trufant, Richardson, Long etc. playing man coverage underneath (maybe even some bump and run) while still having safety help deep.
Improved pass rush from the front 4 and front 7 would obviously also go a long way towards helping out the pass coverage. Even with the loss of DTN, we might see better pass rush. Crichton has the tools, and I’m excited to see if Ta’amu is putting things together. I also suspect we’ll see Potoae playing a fair amount, and he has the ability to make an impact.
I was a critic of Holt last year, but I give credit where it’s due, and I think the defense showed genuine improvement at the end of the season.
Agreed
The defense definitely improved the last two games, but I want to see that caliber performance against teams that are playing with a purpose, then I’ll get my hopes up.
My biggest complaint about the defense was how vanilla the play calling was, just the same thing over and over and over . . . . .Like you said, the corners never moved up to the line of scrimmage, the linebackers never moved around, it was like watching an old video game where players aren’t able to move their feet before the ball snaps.
The last few games we finally saw some more creative, more pressure, more movement, and more success.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
I’m willing to believe B Money’s explanation that Holt wasn’t comfortable opening up the playbook until later in the season, that he didn’t have enough confidence they could execute the more complicated parts of the playbook.
Let’s see how things look this year, and moving forward as Holt gets more of “his” players on the roster and they all have a chance to be coached to that system for multiple years.
That's just about how I feel
I give Sark and Holt a pass last year. Sark pushed things a little bit farther than Holt did, but only on the surface. Our offensive play calling just as plain and predictable as the defense. We just have the raw talent and experience on offense to make plays despite that.
If things don’t change this year — and it still has a negative impact — then I’ll start to worry. If it’s still plain, I don’t care as long as it’s effective. I like the bend but don’t break philosiphy, it causes less stress when I watch the games.
Our Defense...
…really didn’t shine until the last two games. Shutting down wsu rightly isn’t a big deal but the thumping we put on Cal made people take notice. The bottom line is the work Nick Holt and the Huskies put in started to really pay off at the end of the season. Nebraska has a head start on us as far as being what, three years into the Pellini regime but at least we still have home field advantage and Number 10.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
NEBRASKA FANS
are tops. I remember when we beat them in Lincoln the whole crowd stood and cheered the Huskies as they left the field. An unforgettable moment.
We need some of that here instead of booing the opposition as they come out on the field. Even the sacrificial lambs get booed.
That Was Classy Unlike...
…some of our rivals with a lack of tradition. That is refreshing in this day and age.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
I think the world of Nebraska football
Some of those Ozborn teams were lights out Great. And I applaud any program that can get to that level and still be classy. On the other hand I think Sark and the coaching staff is going to have our team well-prepared to handle Nebraska win or lose. Our kids were dialed in to the LSU game, I saw more preparation and focus in that one game then I saw in the four total years prior.
All I saw was purple
That Was A Pleasant Surprise...
…and I really believe we would have won, except for the fact that we had those two critical turnovers.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Love seeing Husker fans on here!
Great to hear from you fellas, but I have to tell you belacoz so far I’ve only read your first paragraph and your 1. comment and I find myself shaking my head as to how you came to such conclusions.
First of all let’s look at each schools schedules. Nebraska played in the wasteland Big 12 North Division of the Big Texas Conference, are ya kidding with that lineup? Colorado is your toughest rival and they haven’t tasted a winning season in 5+ seasons. Meanwhile the Pac 10 schedule is a meat grinder- we have no byes. To top that we played vs. LSU, and at Notre Dame. We finished a tough schedule at 5-7, but if you look at how we lost 3 of those games we could’ve easily been 8-4 on the season.
I will agree Nebraska looked impressive on national tv in both the Big Texas Conference championship game (love seeing McCoy get thrown around like a rag doll), and you completely dismanteled an unispired Arizona team- but Zona played in your favor. Zona plays ball like a Big 12 team, so from Pelini’s perspective he had it dialed up. Every Big 12 school knows how to defeat the spread and the multiple screen passing schemes. The beat down? To me it’s a wash simply because in this contest vs. the Huskies your defense won’t be able to sit back and play vs. a familiar scheme like Zona installed. Instead your defense will have to prepare and react to Sark’s pro style offense, I think not seeing the pro style as often could compound problems for a Husker D that is geared to stop spread type offenses.
Nebraska will probably be favored, yet then again so was USC, who was a +23 favorite coming in. I don’t think that worked out to well for them. The Nebraska game is going to be a huge game- no doubt. But honestly, I am more worried about winning at Provo, UT then Nebraska at Husky Stadium. The bigger task right now is the opener at BYU. We win that one and you can bet Husky Stadium could resemble the decibel level of 1991- our National Championship season in which during that Nebraska game we hold the record for the loudest venue.
Go Dawgs! WOOF!!!
All I saw was purple
Pac-10 didn't do so great in bowl games
Deciding which team was better last year based on opponent strength is always difficult. I will say this, the Pac-10 didn’t do so well in bowl games last year. NU didn’t have a crazy-hard schedule, but we played some good teams: VaTech, Missouri, TxTech, Oklahoma (kinda like USC… depleted), Texas, and Arizona.
As for your pro-style offense… NU runs some pro-sets too. Our D shouldn’t be too confused by your plays. However, if you can establish a power run game, then that will be trouble for Nebraska. AZ coach Mike Stoops said that Nebraska physically over-powered AZ in the Holiday Bowl… so weren’t not just a speed team – we got power too.
I like to see Sarkisian vs. Pelini. Strong O-minded coach vs Strong D-minded coach. Pelini is a master at halftime adjustments.
For the record:
I thought Nebraska should’ve hired Bo Pelini instead of Callahan. West Coast football is no way near associated with what Nebraska stands for. It looked dysfunctional and it appeared many of the Husker players weren’t buying into it.
Pelini was the pefect choice and should’ve been the guy to replace Osbourn. I think it is critical for Nebraska to run two schemes offensively. You have to have your running offense, that is what Cornhusker football is really about. But in today’s college football you can’t use that 100% like you use to. You have to incorporate it with some up to date schemes involving the passing game- the high profile kids today want to go to programs that will offer them not only exposure, but also to play in a blueprint offense so that they are ready to take it to the next level. Callahan tried to bring that in, but went overboard with it and almost destroyed a lot of Husker traditon. Pelini will win a national championship or two while the Cornhusker boss.
All I saw was purple
RBs
We have some help in the RB situation not just one this year. A couple of Napoleon type freshman could surprise us all.
I think Shamburger could really suprise
and I’d look for either Hudson or Jamora to maybe come in with the thin depth at DE and suprise right away.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been this optimistic about a Husky team.
I think Hudson and Jamora play right away based on their size.
by John Berkowitz on Jul 1, 2010 7:06 AM PDT up reply actions
I'm thinking Hudson is a little light
I think you are very accurate that Jamora will play right away and could have a Marcus Trufant type inpact. Yet I’m not sure Hudson will be ready. If I remember he had the body type to play DE, but was a little light as of now. We need to establish depth at that position that’s for sure.
All I saw was purple
You might be surprised...
…these weights and measures can be flat out wrong. He’s a wrestler too (Hudson) and those guys are notorious for flexing up and down in weight. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him show up in camp at 250 pounds.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
I think Nebraska's secondary is still suspect
And if McCoy hadn’t had Suh’s grill in his face all night long, McCoy might’ve exploited that Husker secondary. I guess we’ll find out this Fall, but my guess is that Nebraska’s secondary is not as great as billed by belacoz. It’s time to GET IT ON! WOOF!!!
All I saw was purple
Looking very forward to this game
A merciful reprieve from the sad joke that is the rest of our non-conference schedule (seriously, Western Kentucky, Idaho, and South Dakota State?!?!?!).
This game actually reminds me a lot of our later game on the road against Texas A&M, who also has a loaded offense, an explosive duel-threat qb, and an imposing stadium.
The one thing I will say about this game is that Jake Locker makes it very difficult to predict. I’m confident that Nebraska will have a top 5 defense in the country again this year, and probably the best secondary hands down. I’m reasonably confident that we will be able to largely contain and hold Locker to one of his worst games this season, however that is no guarantee. The scary thing about players like him is that when he’s on, there’s just nothing you can really do to stop him (I’m thinking about Jerrod Johnson and the Aggies lighting up Texas’s supposedly invincible defense on Thanksgiving Friday last year).
Ultimately however (assuming Locker doesn’t take the game over) I think its absolutely critical for both teams to establish the running game. Nebraska does not have a premier qb that can light up opposing secondaries from the shotgun, and Washington does not want to be throwing every down against Nebraska’s secondary. With respect to Locker and his offense, Texas tried to air it out against us and failed miserably, and I just don’t see Locker having any more success than McCoy if he UW fails to establish a running threat.
In the end, I think Nebraska succeeds more than Washington on the ground and that’s the difference. Locker will get his plays, but I think ultimately Nebraska pulls this one out something along the lines of 27-20.
Should be a good game regardless. Both fanbases have high expectations this year, and this is going to be a huge win for whoever pulls it out. This is easily in the top 3 of Nebraska’s most dangerous games this year.
Good luck to all of you, and we’ll see you this fall. ;)
"My hardest job is to convince the people of Nebraska that 10-1 is not a losing season." - Tom Osborne
Totally agree that both teams need to establish the run.
Texas last year looked a lot different than the UW will this year. Texas just never seemed particularly inclined to establish any sort of traditional running attack last year. McCoy ended up leading the team in carries, and while he was a good runner, he isn’t Vince Young. Or Jake Locker. Texas was entirely McCoy. Honestly, I can’t understand how they allowed themselves to be that one-dimensional. Yes, McCoy was a great player, but I find it hard to believe that with as good as Texas recruits, they didn’t have a viable running back.
Whether or not he gains a ton of yards, my guess is that you’ll leave the NU-UW game impressed with the starting tailback for the Dawgs. Chris Polk isn’t huge, but he runs as hard and with a physical presence. Style-wise, he’s similar to Mike Rozier (please don’t take that as a blasphemous comparison – I’m not saying he’s Mike Rozier). He can get by you, but he’d just as soon take you on. He ran for around 1,150 yards as a reshirt freshman last year, and something like 800 came after first contact. That’s also a statement about UW’s offensive line, I suppose….UW will come at the Cornhuskers with a fairly traditional attack. Lots of two-back, some double tights, and a little bit of Locker. Maybe 6 or 7 designed QB runs, but 4 or 5 more scrambles.
It’s going to be a fun game. Unfortunately, your score prediction sounds a little too accurate for my tastes.
I will say
That it seemed the most successful offensive attacks against us last year were when teams lined up and ran it straight at us (I know it sounds crazy, considering who was anchoring our dline).
The Kansas and Colorado games both come to mind where they were able to succeed with the power running game and nick up our defense pretty badly (Kansas managed around 100 yards on the ground, 350 total and 17 points, CU got around 150 rushing, 400 overall and 20 points), so we weren’t totally invincible last year.
If your oline has the sort of physicality necessary to run people over, I’d try that route before taking to the air. As a football fan (and definitely not a Husker fan) I’d want to see Sarkisian set Locker loose and let him use his legs every bit as much as his arm. To me, it seems like you guys have the tools to have an effective running game, which will open up the secondary, no matter who you’re playing.
"My hardest job is to convince the people of Nebraska that 10-1 is not a losing season." - Tom Osborne
If your oline has the sort of physicality necessary to run people over, I’d try that route before taking to the air.
Our O-Line is getting there, the’re not extremely physical, but they’re getting pretty athletic and more fit for our zone blocking schemes. Chris Polk is going to determine just how far we go in this game. He proved himself to be one of the toughest backs in the country, picking up something like 3/4 of his yards after contact. If he can go off for over 100 yards, and more importantly move the chains, we have a very live shot of winning this game.
Going to the air might be our best option however, as we have 3 potential all Pac-10 caliber recievers and two of the same caliber at TE (although completely different skillsets). A big X-factor that I see in the passing game, is the ability of Jake to move around when the play breaks down. Not many QB’s can buy as much time in the backfield as Jake, and the ones that do generally don’t have the vision or arm to get the ball to the right guy.
I see it different
I see Jake Locker in rythmn (sp?) and cashes in time and again in the first half. I still think you are over-inflating the notion that the Husker secondary is that great. Most Big Texas schools have one real offensive threat to catch the ball (Texas only had the white guy). You are going to see us come out and establish the vertical run, mix in play action, and go over the top numerous times w/ numerous receivers, something your secondary has yet to see. Nebraska will catch themselves trying to figure out what the hell is going on. Did I mention Jake on a scramble and quite possibly a called QB counter here and there?
In the second half Husky Stadium is so loud, Nebraska is confounded and can’t think nor audible. About the only way they can get back into the game is to go vertical with a very poor passing game. I’ll predict it right now- the best defensive back after this game will be Marcus Trufant who gets a cucial INT, who could take it to the house! In the end the score appears closer then it actually is. But Nebraska comes up w/ the L simply because the Husker passing game fails to get them back in the game.
Husker fans have their vision of the game, yet so do Husky fans. It’s really going to be a treat to see how this big nonleague game unfolds. Good luck to the Huskers….
All I saw was purple
Well, anything can happen
However, I really think that you’re a little too optimistic regarding the effectiveness of your offense.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Jake Locker is a weapon. He’s without the doubt the best offensive player on these two teams, maybe the best player period, (Nebraska has a couple pre-season All American players on defense). I don’t think we will completely stone him, or the UW offense, as there are too many weapons to completely shut down.
However, don’t take my prediction of Washington scoring 20 points as something of an insult. It’s not. Last season, two teams scored 20 or more points on Nebraska. Colorado scored 20 (6 on a final hail mary against our reserves) and Texas Tech scored 31 (including a scoop and score when NU’s offense was on the field), and we held 8 other teams to 10 points or less. We shut down some very, VERY good offenses last year, including a couple that I would rank above Washington’s.
I would point out that while your stadium IS daunting, it can’t win the game for you. I’m sure your team will be helped by the noise, but it won’t single-handedly bring our offense to a halt.
Oh and one final point about our opposition last year. As much as I loathe Texas, they had FAR more talent than Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley. They were loaded in just about every area. Jake Locker is a talent, and I know that you guys have other playmakers besides him, but there is no way that anybody outside maybe an elite 2-3 each year can match that kind of firepower.
"My hardest job is to convince the people of Nebraska that 10-1 is not a losing season." - Tom Osborne
UW's offense (sans the O-line) can
we have tremendous depth at our skill positions that can match the Texas team of last year. The line of scrimmage is going to be key.
Also, meet Crazi, he’s our resident delusional supporter. We like him, but take his predictions with a grain of salt.
Good call B
I’m notorious for shouting out delusional stuff. I’m just excited for the season to kickoff and can’t wait for week 3.
Go Dawgs! WOOF!!!
All I saw was purple
When Do The Freshman...
…show up for the bridge program?
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Jake Locker is a talent, and I know that you guys have other playmakers besides him, but there is no way that anybody outside maybe an elite 2-3 each year can match that kind of firepower.
This is definitely true. And without a dominant line, the skill players are far less effective.
It’s still all about the trenches. Nebraska has a big advantage there, on both sides of the ball.
Good posts
Sundodger,
I read most of your posts on this thread, you seem to have a really well-balanced view of your team. I like it! Good Stuff!
Speaking of...I've been meaning to ask where Cassino has been?
not much BB news, but I figured maybe he’d do something on Gaddy and MBA tearing it up in the FIBA championships.
Cassino
Not sure but this isn’t basketball season.
by John Berkowitz on Jul 1, 2010 7:06 AM PDT up reply actions
Husker CB Amukamara better than Jake Locker
NFLDraftScout.com has learned that Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara, not heralded Washington quarterback Jake Locker, was given the highest grade by league scouts during the National Football Scouting meetings held in May.
HELLO DAWG FANSSS!!!!!!!!!!
I can’t believe it’s June and i’m already reading all this like it’s coming up this weekend….. It’s painful knowing this isn’t happening for another 2+ months from now. Glad to see the NU fans on board, my anxiety levels have grown tremendously since reading this…. as well as my adrenalin. No predictions just yet, gonna have to wait until week of…. but i like our chances at home!!
Come On....
…I must be getting old but if we beat BYwho on the road I’ll be ecstatic! No way are we favored against Nebraska BUT we could still end up winning the game. I’m just saying Nebraska should be one of our toughest tests.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Nebraska will enter Husky Stadium as a top ten team. Of course we hope that they don’t leave that way. Like the 1984 Huskies they are capable of winning games all year with that defense.
by John Berkowitz on Jul 1, 2010 7:08 AM PDT up reply actions
Tough Bunch...
…them Hilltoppers.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Polk
Chris Polk will be the key in the game. If he can get 100 yards rushing with a high average yards per carry and we can establish the run game, Washington has a good chance. If Nebraska forces the Huskies to pass, then we still have a chance but I am less confident. All this talk about Locker seems to bypass the fact that we have the first 1,000 yards rusher as a Freshman in UW history- which I hope continues so if he busts out against the Huskers with 175 yards and 2 TDs on 25 carries, it comes as a shock to everyone but the Husky faithful.XD
But I expect to drop either Nebraska or BYU.
Polk
I didn’t see him get shut down last year.
by John Berkowitz on Jul 4, 2010 10:12 AM PDT up reply actions
Huskie Offense
I’m not so sure the Huskies have a “huge” advantage over Nebraska on offense. Believe me, I am not wearing my rose colored glasses, and I know Nebraska needs to make huge strides on offense to contend in the Big 12—but if you look at the numbers, Washington was only marginally better than Nebraska in both yards gained (322 for NU, 375 for UW) and, more importantly, points scored (25.1 for NU, 26.1 for UW). Nebraska got some scoring from its special teams and defense to make up for its offensive woes.
Don’t get me wrong, I expect Washington to be improved in the second year under their new head coach, and will have an experienced senior QB at the helm which almost cannot be overvalued.
However, Nebraska looks to improve on offense, also. It will be almost impossible not to have better QB/receiver play, Helu will at least start the season un-injured (presumably) and will have sophomores backing him up rather than freshmen. The final kicker is that their O-line will not only have some starters back, but will be MUCH deeper than last year’s group.
Do I think Nebraska’s offense will be better than Washington’s? Probably not—but it doesn’t have to be, either.
look up the word "aberration"
8 turnovers pretty much explains the ISU loss. That loss was an aberration because of the 8 turnovers, I believe a school record. Five lost indside the 5 yd line. That game was twilight zonish. Not going to take anything away from ISU as they earned it fair and square but as the saying goes, “the sun shines on the ugly dawg too.”
Opposing fans, especially out of conference fans are puttting WAY WAY too much stock in the ISU win over Nebraska. yes, it’s a loss but nothing more nothing less. Many people want to use it as a declaration that Nebraska can’t possibly be any good.
FYI… Think about this.. In 1992 Nebraska also suffered a shameful loss to ISU. People outside the program said Nebraska will be terrible in 1993 , “They can’t possibly be any good after losing to ISU the previous year.” Remind me what Nebraska did from say about 1993-1997? Yeah, that 1992 loss was a real window to what Nebraska would do in coming years!
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