Opening Thoughts
Well, that was a pretty good microcosm of the 2015 Huskers. In fact, of the 2010s Huskers. At times, they played really well. At times, they looked sloppy and disinterested. They showed the potential of being a top 10 team and they showed why they’re no longer relevant on the national scene. In the end, they left us scratching our heads wondering if things are moving in the right or wrong direction or just spinning in circles. It’s pretty easy to find the good (Armstrong’s passing, red zone defense, a fullback!!!) and the bad (penalties, unfinished drives, pass coverage, the second half in general) from the game against Southern Miss. So I’m taking a different tack with this post, looking at the good and bad from the first third of the season—that is the optimistic and pessimistic views after non-conference play.

The Good (The Glass is Half Full)
So Close: Nebraska is just a few plays away from being undefeated. They had multiple chances to put BYU away, most notably by playing semi-competent defense on the game’s final play, and despite a woeful first three quarters against Miami, had all the momentum heading into OT. If Armstrong puts that final pass on the money, it’s very likely the Huskers are 4-0 right now. Similarly, a few third-down conversions in the first half Saturday could have turned 22-0 into 30-0 or 34-0, and instead of a nail-biter, the second half collapse would have just been typical big lead sloppiness. In such a case, Nebraska is probably the West favorite and ranked in the top 15 or 20.

Red Storm: The offense has shown signs of improvement. Particularly, Tommy has developed as a passer (especially on rollouts). He’s a physical, game-breaking runner and his leadership and toughness are exactly what Nebraska needs at the position. He may not be an All-American and there’s still room for improvement, but he’s more than adequate. There’s plenty of skill at WR and RB, and the cream will rise to the top. Danny Langsdorf has brought creativity and diversity (screens, pump and go routes, jet sweeps, the fullback!!!) to the offense and the Huskers seem capable of having one of the Big Ten’s best offenses.

Boning Up: Defensively, many of the struggles can be attributed to youth and injuries. Once the Huskers are fully healthy and straighten out a few coverage issues, they have the potential to be stifling. Already, they’ve come up with a number of big red zone stops, bending but not breaking. They’ve also created several game-changing turnovers, an area that was sorely lacking last year.

The Road to Indy: Overall, there are some bumps to be expected, but you have to figure the coaching staff will figure out the strengths and weaknesses of their team and the players will buy in more and adapt to the new philosophies. Nebraska’s mistakes are largely self-inflicted and therefore curable. While they don’t have many cupcakes on the conference schedule, nobody in the West has distinguished themselves as a frontrunner, and the toughest games on the schedule (Wisconsin and Michigan State) are both in Lincoln. With steady improvement, the Huskers still have a good chance of getting to nine wins, which in a transition year, surely would count as a success.

The Bad (The Glass is Half Empty)
Stumbling From the Gate: The Huskers had to survive a hapless (in recent years) Southern Miss team to claw out a 2-2 non-conference record. They were dominated for three quarters by Miami and needed a handful of Hurricane miscues to stage a once-in-a-lifetime comeback. The BYU win is looking less impressive after the Cougars were throttled by Michigan (and their first-year coach) and had it not been for an injury to Taysom Hill and a timely Nate Gerry pick, that game was trending toward a BYU blowout.

. . . Master of None: Tommy has improved somewhat, but still is inconsistent on short, touch passes and makes one or two cringe-worthy throws a game. There’s no consistency from the running back position (or in determining who lines up in it), and it’s hard to tell what Danny Langsdorf’s bread and butter is, if he even has one. Is this a running team? A passing team? A “multiple” team? A take-what-the-defense-gives-us team? And for all the creativity and ingenuity, why does it seem that the Huskers play caller keeps outthinking the room, dialing up unsuccessful red zone trick plays and failing to use his best weapons at crunch time? Sure, the offense is racking up yards and points now, but we’ve seen September production dwindle into November slumps in recent years.

Defenseless: The defense has generated little push up front, aside from Freedom Akinmoladun (who is the next Ndamukong Suh, if only in that he’ll be a senior before the media comes to consensus on how to pronounce his name). The dynamic duo of Maliek Collins and Vincent Valentine has been missing in action (or inaction, in VV’s case), the linebackers can’t stay healthy, and the defensive backs look lost, to put it kindly. Mark Banker’s easier scheme seems one step behind offenses that aren’t exactly cutting edge in their approach, and the Huskers have yet to be tested by a physical Big Ten running game that is likely to exploit tackling that hasn’t improved as much as we’d hoped.

Gutter Balls: The Huskers have failed to clean up their sloppy penalties (procedural issues, personal fouls, unsportsmanlike conducts), drops, and clock management issues. There’s also no clear improvement from game one to game four on defense (in fact, it almost looks like regression) or in O-line play. The 2015 Huskers look an awful lot like the team getting out-executed by Michigan State, out-fundamentaled by Iowa, out-toughed by Minnesota, and outright dominated by Wisconsin in recent years. (Not to mention an improved Northwestern team that has given the Huskers fits.) Forget about conference titles and nine wins . . . right now, going bowling would be an accomplishment.

At the End of the Day
The bottom line, and join in and sing along to this familiar chorus, is that it’s too early to tell. There are legitimate reasons for optimism and plenty of causes for concern. I was leaning a little more toward the glass being half full after a rousing comeback against Miami, but after the Huskers nearly pulled defeat from the jaws of victory against Southern Miss, I’m wavering. I still think the swing game is Minnesota. Barring a significant upset, the Huskers will be 3-3 when they head to the Twin Cities. A win over the Gophers gives them a chance to maybe build momentum before Sparty comes to town, and a reasonable shot at a decent bowl game and extension of the nine-win streak (growing up in the Osborne era, I kind of cherish that benchmark). A loss to Ski-U-Mah, and the Huskers are looking up at a tough climb to a winning season. Nick Saban’s first Alabama team went 6-6 and lost at home to UL-Monroe, and that turned out all right, so I don’t think 6-6 is necessarily panic time. Transitions can be bumpy. But anything short of a bowl game is unacceptable at Nebraska. Equally important as the W-L record after the game with the Gophers will be the Big Red’s improvement (or lack thereof). I’d almost rather take 3-4 but with less penalties, an identity on offense, and a more consistent defense than 4-3 with all the same bugaboos and miscues we’ve seen over the last four weeks (and years). The 2015 season, while important in its own right, is a foundation for the future. But is it a foundation to Big Ten championships and a prominent place on the national scene, or to more ups and downs as the Huskers drift into mediocrity? Too soon to tell.

Extra Points
Jordan Westerkamp, if he can stay healthy, is going to make a serious run at All-Conference. He catches everything and is a playmaker with the ball in his hands. He can only benefit when DPE comes back, and I’d put them both back to return punts (and take a page out of Utah’s playbook to dial up a little trickeration).

Speaking of Utah, did you see the smackdown they laid on the Ducks in Autzen? It was only one game, but perhaps a glimpse into what Oregon is becoming post-Chip Kelly and post-Marcus Mariotta. Remember, UO comes to Lincoln next year for the 350th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium.

Speaking of Memorial Stadium, that is the name, not “Cornhusker Stadium” as one of ESPN’s commentators called it during the telecast yesterday. I don’t really want to get into personal attacks, but that was not the Mothership’s finest announcer team. I’ll leave it at that.

The eyes of Texas . . . are hiding behind their hands. Last week they lose after shanking a game-tying extra point in the final minutes, and this week they lose because their punter dropped a snap in the final minutes. Yikes.

Next Week
Illinois has become something of a laughingstock in college football, but they do have a few playmakers, and Nebraska’s defense hasn’t offered much resistance this year. So I expect the Illini to put up some points. Fortunately, their defense hasn’t been real stout since the days of Hardy Nickerson, either. If the Huskers avoid the big mistakes (pick sixes leading to 14-point swings, point-nullifying penalties, or pass coverage that allows Illinois receivers to, as my grandpa would say, “run around eating cookies,” in the secondary) they should win comfortably. I expect a dialed in team after a somewhat lethargic performance against the Golden Eagles, and I’ll pick the Huskers to win 45-24.

Opening Thoughts
Well what do you know, the Huskers found an even more gut-wrenching way to lose a ball game. I’ve been pondering, in wake of BYU’s Hail Mary, the toughest type of loss to swallow, and I think is what we saw on Saturday. In that dreamlike fourth quarter, Nebraska carried us to the peak of euphoria, only to drop us like a Tommy Armstrong first-half pass into the valley of despondency. It didn’t have the implications of Orange Bowls past or Big XII Championship losses to Texas, but the way the Huskers lost was just as devastating. That being said, they had no business being in the game in the fourth quarter. The comeback deserves to be discussed, but it shouldn’t take focus away from the awful first 50 minutes. In an all too familiar script, Nebraska was once again flat on the big stage, outplayed significantly by a team that wasn’t that much better than them. Arguably two passes at the goal line away from being 3-0, the Huskers are far from perfect.

The Good (What I Liked)
The Comeback: We knew 2015 would be a learning experience, and one thing Nebraska fans have learned is that the Huskers have heart. From swinging their way off the ropes against BYU to this incredible resuscitation on Saturday, Nebraska doesn’t stop fighting. Admittedly, they were in trouble because of their own mistakes, and there is a lot to clean up. But the team didn’t bail. The eternal optimist in me wouldn’t quit watching the game, but I didn’t expect anything like what unfolded. Maybe the Husker players didn’t either, but at least they kept coming. And give Miami credit too—they were instrumental in Nebraska’s comeback.

Tough Tommy: Armstrong will take heat for that last pass, and whatever the reason (I’m guessing he never saw the Miami DB), it was a bad one. But aside from a couple other questionable throws, I thought he played very well. He got NO help from his receivers through three quarters, and several big plays were called back by penalties. I don’t know without hearing from players and coaches, but I assume the first pick was on a freshman receiver and the second pick didn’t appear to be a horrible throw so much as a bad bounce. Nevertheless, Tommy showed toughness and leadership, and for the second time in three weeks, impressed the TV commentators with his improvement as a passer. There is still some refining to do, but Tommy is showing the potential to be a star. Here’s hoping he keeps his head up; if not for him, Nebraska doesn’t sniff OT.

The Bad (What I Didn’t Like)
Flat as a Florida Freeway: This game was eerily reminiscent of last year’s loss at Michigan State, even before the near miraculous comeback fell just short. On a big stage against a name opponent, the Huskers came out looking sluggish, suffered from numerous self-inflicted wounds, and seemed incapable of competing at a high level. Of particular frustration were the penalties, seeing as how so many of them were procedural. I’ll forgive a guy for an effort penalty, but how hard is it to line up in the right place? The drops were also frustrating. I know Miami put some good hits on the receivers, but unless it is a bone-crushing hit, contact isn’t an excuse for dropping a pass. This is football; contact is sort of part of it. The drops were atypical of this receiving corps, so I’m chalking it up as a fluke . . . for now.

Forearm Frustration: When I was a little kid, I used to play touch football with my dad in the backyard. One time, he let my sister play. After handing the ball to her, he blocked/screened me so that she ran all the way for a touchdown. I was so mad I tackled her by our lilac bush, earning myself appropriate punishment. I tell this anecdote to say that I can empathize with Alexis Lewis. However, at the time, I WAS SEVEN! His personal foul penalty after Tommy’s OT interception, while understandable, is inexcusable. Instead of starting at the 25, Miami started at the 12 1/2. And Badgley’s 28-yard game winner was drifting right and would have missed from 40. Admittedly, the play calling might have been different had the Canes started at the 25. But even after Tommy’s pick, the Huskers still had a chance. After Lewis’s loss of self-control, they didn’t. If I was Mike Riley, I’d have him up at the crack of dawn Monday to run gassers until he puked. Actually, I’d have the entire team up to run gassers until they puked, and I’d make Alex Lewis watch. This sort of thing cannot happen again.

The Comeback: How’s that, you say? Wasn’t the comeback one of the things you liked? Yes, but it also is a terrible punch to the solar plexus. That was a once in a generation comeback, something we’ve never seen from the Huskers before—23 points in the final 8:36 of the fourth quarter. Just think of all that had to go right: First, Miami had three red zone possessions end in 6 points after a penalty called back a touchdown and a Josh Kalu interception, keeping the deficit at 23 instead of 30+. Then the Canes had another TD called back by penalty, had a visibly legitimate catch nullified (because of the NCAA’s absurd rule that a receiver has to get two feet down, land, roll over, get up, make a sandwich, and write his mother back home before letting go of the ball), failed to convert makeable third downs, and committed a series of penalties. Nebraska had to score touchdowns on three straight possessions after scoring just one all day. They needed to convert a fourth down (on the TD to Reilly) and a pair of 2-point attempts, the percentage of which alone is under 25%. It took all of that to create the incredible, magical comeback on a tropical late afternoon turned evening. It would have been one of the great moments in Husker history. Instead, it dissipated as quickly as an afternoon Florida thundershower.

At the End of the Day
This is not the time to panic. I say that because, the last sixth of the game aside, Nebraska looked terrible. Just as was the case with BYU, had they won, it would have felt like they got away with something. Being 1-2 is a strange feeling for Husker fans my age or younger, and the streak of nine-win seasons looks to be in jeopardy. However, the sky is not falling. Nebraska’s mistakes are largely, one would think, correctible. In theory, the coaching staff and players will begin to gel. Mark Banker will figure out his defense. Danny Langsdorf will formulate a bread-and-butter on offense. Youth will mature. DPE will come back! Nebraska can still be, I believe, a very solid team come November and can still win the Big Ten West. To me, Minnesota sets up as the key game of the season (first time that’s ever been said by a Big Ten contender). The Huskers should beat Southern Miss and Illinois (they may not be lay-ups, but they’re certainly open jumpers from the elbow) but will likely struggle against Wisconsin. At the beginning of the year, I picked them to start the year 3-3, and that’s where I see them now. If they beat Minnesota, they’ll have a chance to gain some momentum before the Spartans come to town. If they lose, they’ll be facing a better-than-expected Northwestern team and the possibility of not going bowling. Bo Pelini’s first team started 3-3, remember, but aside from a loss to a highly ranked Sooner team, ran the table down the stretch. Come bowl season, they were much improved from the squad that let Missouri name it’s score in Lincoln in week five. It’s too early to bail on the Huskers. Yes, the season could fall apart. But judging by what I saw in the South Florida gloom Saturday night, I don’t think it will.
 
Extra Points
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a big fan of the all-whites. However, they’re starting to grow on me. I don’t want to see them replace the traditional white on red, especially at Iowa or Michigan or Penn State where the white on red contrasts with the opponent’s colors so drastically. But on occasion, I’m okay with the “clean” all-white look. As for the hand-painted cleats, let’s hope they were donated. Both schools should have their charters examined if they’re spending money on those. You can’t tell me any well-adjusted teenager said, “Wow, they have shoes with palm trees painted on them. I’m pursuing my higher education there!”

Did Cethan Carter make the “U” gesture to fans after catching the 2-point pass? If so, he gets a Cris Carter-esque “C’mon, man.” Down 15 is not the time to make any gesture other than a head-down trot back to the huddle or sideline to get back to work. Kids these days.

I hope you weren’t so disheartened from the loss that you gave up on football for the night. Alabama and Ole Miss treated us to a spectacular ball game. Too bad it ended just before sunrise.

I feel ya, Texas. If there’s a worse loss than Nebraska’s, it might be the Horns’. They rallied from 21 down in the fourth quarter, scoring a TD with 70 seconds left, only to have the kicker shank the tying extra point. They lost 45-44. I hope folks in Austin lay off the kid. As Fox commentators Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt said, “Bless his heart.”

Remember when Ndamukong Suh picked off a pass and ran over a nameless Colorado quarterback just after Alex Henery’s 57-yard field goal? That is what Leonard Fournette of LSU did to every single Auburn “tackler” yesterday. What a stud.

Next Week
I expect Nebraska to be a little sluggish against Southern Miss next week, not so much because they’ll be hungover mentally or emotionally, but because they will be drained physically. They had to expend a lot of energy in the heat and humidity on that comeback, and it could take a toll. And, frankly, if they do come out in a bit of a fog, it wouldn’t be shocking either. The talent gap is substantial enough that they should get by the Golden Eagles, but don’t surprised if it’s not easy. Fans, if you’re headed to the game, I know it’s an early kick, but be loud and make Memorial Stadium a vibrant atmosphere. The boys might need the help. Nebraska 35, Southern Miss 20.

Opening Thoughts
Nebraska was in an unfamiliar position, chasing .500. Only twice in modern history have the Huskers been in such a spot. In 1981, they started 1-2 before a guy named Turner Gill took over under center and turned things around. Then in 2007, they gave up about 800 points over the course of a five-game losing streak and finished 5-7. (In 2005, they didn’t have a losing record until the end of the year.) There wasn’t much expectation that the Jaguars would keep Nebraska from getting back to even, but it was important for a team with a lot of youth and with a new coaching staff to get a solid win before a big road test. They took control of the game right away and never let up, and any nerves that remained after the collapse last week quickly vanished into the evening breeze. 

The Good (What I Liked)
Out of the Gate: Once again, Nebraska started fast on both sides of the ball. It’s too early to know if it’s a trend, but it speaks to being prepared and focused. Last year, we were bemoaning slow starts (particularly by the defense) so this is a refreshing change. And a fast start wouldn’t hurt next week, either.

Ready to Run: Nebraska’s ground game was much improved from week one. That doesn’t mean their problems are solved. This was South Alabama, after all. But we’ve seen the running game struggle against lesser opponents, and that would have spelled a serious problem. Saturday, the O-line opened plenty of holes and Terrell Newby dashed and darted through them in a manner reminiscent of his predecessor. I’m not sure why Newby got the lion’s share of the carries tonight after a committee approach against BYU, but he certainly took advantage of the opportunity.

No Letdown: I didn’t expect Nebraska to be flat, but it would have been understandable if last week’s gutting loss had hung with them. There were no signs that it did. They took control early, separated before halftime, and kept the pedal down in the second half, textbook for beating an inferior opponent. You can never tell too much by how a team plays against a cupcake (Wisconsin looked much better than Alabama today), but you can judge their execution. The Huskers limited penalties and turnovers and were sharp on offense most of the night.

The Bad (What I Didn’t Like)
Getting Burned: Daniel Davie had a tough night, getting beat deep repeatedly. The entire secondary had a bit of a struggle throughout the evening, which is unnerving with Brad Kaaya on deck. The Husker D did dominate at the line and shut down any Jaguar attempt at a running game, and I thought they were flying to the football well. But the multiple long completions are a concern.

Dead (Tired) Horse: I found it a little odd that the Huskers kept feeding Newby once the game was under control. Last week, as I mentioned, they rotated the running backs evenly. I didn’t see Cross or Wilbon until the second half. Newby had a big night and may have separated himself from the pack, but with a comfortable lead, I thought it would have been a good time to get some of the young guys some reps and save wear and tear on Newby. I also questioned calling QB running plays up 28, but now I’m nitpicking.

At the End of the Day
As a four touchdown favorite, there are a few primary goals: 1) Win the game. Check. 2) Win without stress. Check. 3) Avoid major injuries. Check. 4) Play clean. Check. It wasn’t a perfect game, but it was a solid performance. Tommy was sharp. Newby showed star potential. The offense found balance. The defense gave up some plays but also held the Jaguars to 3 points until the final five minutes, and played particularly well when the Jags threatened a few times in the first half. It would be a mistake to make too much of the win, but the fact that Nebraska won with ease eliminates the worries that, say, Auburn and Florida State and Missouri might have. The win should give Nebraska confidence and build depth, both of which they will need this season if not already next week. 

Extra Points
Did anyone else think Mike Riley looked cold on the sidelines? Maybe it’s old bones or maybe it’s just his posture.

After two weeks, I’m not sure what the offense’s bread and butter is. That was a point of contention with Tim Beck, but I think it’s too early to get much of a read on Danny Langsdorf yet. There was a definite commitment to the run, but Nebraska also spread it around a lot too. Maybe he’s experimenting to see what works and what he has. Or maybe, this is the definition of “multiple.”

It was good to see Michael Rose-Ivey back on the field, and he was all over it, making plays with the fire of a guy who’s been out for a year. Now, let’s get our other #15 back!

Maybe Brett Bielema should have spent a little more time preparing for Toledo and a little less time complaining about Ohio State’s weak schedule. Snicker, snicker.

Next Week
Miami struggled for a half with Boca Raton Community College—uh, that is, Florida Atlantic—before cruising. But don’t make too much of that because it was a classic look ahead game. At the beginning of the year, my gut said Miami would win this game. My gut is leaning Nebraska now, but I think it is largely influenced by watching Newby run around and Armstrong throw over an inferior team. Miami is loaded with dudes and if they’re dialed in—and I expect they will be—it will be a stern test for Nebraska. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Huskers play well and grab a win in the Sunshine State, but I’ll stick with my original gut feeling and say the Canes win, 34-27.

Opening Thoughts
As far as losses go, this one is right up there. It doesn’t have near the significance of the ’84 or ’94 Orange Bowls, or the 2009 Big XII Championship Game, but it was a heartbreaking way to lose. And yet, it didn’t gut me the way giving up a 42-yard pass on the final play of the game should. One reason is that I expected BYU to win, admittedly with their starting quarterback making the big play late. Another is that you could see it coming the entire fourth quarter when Nebraska failed to put the Cougars away. But the biggest reason why I’m not devastated by the loss is because I’m trying to look at the big picture this season. Whether Nebraska gets ten wins and a New Year’s Day bowl or eight wins and a MAC opponent in December could rest on a few fluke plays. What I want to find out is where the Huskers will be two and a half years from now—battling for a Big Ten title and a playoff berth, or clambering up a backyard mound in a King of the Hill battle with teams from border states.

The Good (What I Liked)
Fight: Late in the second quarter and after the first series of the third, I thought the Huskers would get run out of their own stadium. Then Nate Gerry stepped in a passing lane and they turned things around. Memorial Stadium went from lifeless to energizing, and the Huskers went from leaning on the ropes to landing haymakers. We got our first glimpse of how they responded to adversity, and it was good. Now we’ll get a much better look.

Tommy Gunning: Armstrong has improved as a passer. Nobody will mistake him for Peyton Manning anytime soon, and there were still some errant throws, particularly in the second quarter. But there were also long stretches where he looked sharp. He’ll get in trouble relying on arm strength alone and throwing off his back foot, and there is plenty of progress yet to be made. But ABC commentators Chris Spielman and Todd McShay repeatedly mentioned his improvement from last year, and I have to agree. Let’s hope it continues.

Creativity: It’s too early to decide on Danny Langsdorf as a play-caller, but I had mixed feelings about what I saw Saturday. What I really liked were the late release route by Foster on the TD and the pump and go to Reilly on the last drive. Those are new and clever looks I hope to see more. I’m also a fan of screens as a major part of the offense (maybe not so often on third-and-long, but I don’t want to nitpick) and distributing the ball to a variety of players. Aside from some things I’ll mention later, I give the early returns of the offense a thumbs up.

The Bad (What I Didn’t Like)
Same Old Song: Frustrating, inexcusable miscues were one of the bugaboos of the Pelini-era, and in game one of the Riley regime, they’re still there. Penalties, turnovers, and offensive disappearing acts hurt the Huskers again. Some—or all—of that could be a result of first-game rust, but it still gives one pause.

The Open Door: Starting the fourth quarter, Nebraska had the lead, momentum, and a worn-down opponent missing its starting QB (technically he played a little into the quarter) and its stud on defense. And they couldn’t close. The offense went into a shell, productivity-wise. The defense failed to land a knockout blow and blew the final series. All the attention goes to the Hail Mary, but any number of plays along the way could have saved the day.

Play Calls: I am the typical armchair quarterback who loves to criticize play calling. I try not to, however, because such criticism is often results-based. If Newby plows into the line for a yard, everyone complains about Nebraska going conservative and playing not to lose. If he finds a crease and gets six yards, everyone champions the Huskers for getting back to power football and starts drawing comparisons to the Pipeline. That being said, I do have two bones to pick. One is the QB sneak middle of the fourth quarter. I love a good QB keeper as much as the next guy, especially when that QB is Scott Frost behind an unstoppable line. Yesterday, Nebraska’s O-line was porous, and that was a long yard they asked Armstrong to get. Number two is the jet or fly sweep that was Nebraska’s final offensive snap. I am a fan of the play as a staple in the offense, but I don’t like it in a “must have” situation because there is too much east-west running. This makes it susceptible to being blown up, which can be survived on first-and-ten, but not on third-and-three. And when the jet/fly sweep is blown up, it gets nothing or loses yards because of the east-west running. I would have preferred an option. Armstrong is a smooth option operator and a tough runner, and BYU wouldn’t likely be expecting a play Nebraska had run once or twice all game. And, while it could be blown up for lost yardage too, the option provides a better chance of getting a yard or two and opening the door to go on fourth down.

Running Away: Nebraska gave up on the run, particularly in the second quarter. Then again, their leading rusher at the half was a wide receiver, so it’s hard to blame them. The O-line is inexperienced, so I’m hoping they can gel by the time Big Ten play rolls around. If not, it will be a long season. There were very few rushing lanes, no breakaway runs, and Armstrong barely had time to catch the snap before being pressured on passing plays. I wonder how much of the pass-heavy play calling was due to the deficit, how much was due to BYU not having the greatest secondary ever, how much was due to the inability to run, and how much was indicative of what we’ll see from the Riley/Langsdorf brain trust. On the plus side, I thought going back to the run with the big fella (Cross) after the Gerry pick was a smart move. As I said above, it’s too early to vote yay or nay on Langsdorf, but there were a few things that had me scratching my head.

Defenseless: Hail Mary’s happen. I get it. A guy scrambles around, heaves up a prayer, five guys are jumping and trying to catch it and knock it down and bat it away, and hands and fingers deflect the ball and strange things happen. Ask Jordan Westerkamp. But that wasn’t the case Saturday. Nebraska just blew it defensively. As soon as the Cougars got to midfield (on a dubious run call that, had it gained less than ten yards, would have left the visitors scrambling to get off another play) I figured a heave to the end zone was fifty-fifty given their corps of eight-foot-tall receivers. But Nebraska could have played it better in several ways:
     1) I’m not a fan of only rushing three guys. I get not wanting to blitz when a QB only needs time to throw the ball forty yards, but you’ve got to come with at least four.
     2) Why wasn’t the good hands team on the field? Put out Westerkamp and Reilly. They don’t have to cover or tackle, just high-point a football. And nothing against Luke Gifford, but having a freshman linebacker only playing because of a suspension is questionable to me too.
     3) Positioning was off. Somebody has to front ALL Cougar players, and somebody has to be deep as the deepest. The Hail Mary is known for its chaos, and Nebraska’s defense showed why.
     4) I do not have a problem with Riley’s timeouts. In fact, they’re the right move. You want to make sure the guys know what they’re doing. To that end, I wish we’d taken another one. I saw someone on Twitter opining that the timeout was a bad move because it gave BYU time to get organized. It doesn’t take much organization to run around and heave a ball as far as you can. It does, apparently, take some organization to knock down such a pass.

Ultimately, flukes are going to happen. But this wasn’t a fluke. This was very poor defense.

At the End of the Day
Suppose Nate Gerry had gotten around Mitch Matthews a split second faster and had knocked the ball to the Memorial Stadium turf. Suppose Nebraska won 28-27. Aside from being 1-0 instead of 0-1, what difference did that final play make? Other than bowl positioning and nine-wins-a-season streaks, does this play change anything? Had Nebraska won, they still were mistake prone, struggled with blocking, and couldn’t put away a team without its best players. (As an aside, remember when freshman quarterbacks used to get rattled?) They still made some dubious decisions and struggled in the kicking game. They’re still a M*A*S*H unit heading forward. In the end, they essentially played an even game with BYU, with both teams missing key players due to suspensions and injuries. So does that one play change your perception of Riley as a coach, of his staff’s ability to motivate and teach players, of the team’s talent or fight? It shouldn’t. We live in an overreacting society, and so I’m trying hard not to do that. We saw a lot of good and a lot of bad. Ultimately, it’s too early to tell if the brief glimpses were the rules or the exceptions. It’s going to be weeks before we know what the 2015 Huskers are and seasons before we can judge the new staff. Bottom line, as that ball was in the air, all that really hung in the balance was the outcome of a single game. And in that case, I guess it was pretty gut wrenching after all.

Extra Points
Jordan Westerkamp is a star. His catch radius is huge and he is a playmaker. We’ll miss Kenny Bell, but maybe not as much as we thought.

It’s hard to judge running backs who have no holes to run through, but I thought the freshman Wilbon showed promise. I read someone last week (and I don’t remember who so I can’t give them credit) who thought he would be starting by the end of the year. I can see why.

Drew Brown struggled, but don’t put the loss on him. The first FG was into a strong wind and the second, as it turned out, wouldn’t have mattered a lick. BYU would have gotten the ball after a touchback at the same spot on the field and needed the touchdown they scored.

It could be worse, Husker fans. Penn State got trounced by Temple. Stanford’s playoff bid died in the high grass at Northwestern. And Texas . . . ugh.

It’s a shame to learn that Taysom Hill’s season (and possibly career) are over because of injury. The kid is a real talent and BYU had a chance for a special season. Actually, they still might.

I love seeing teams celebrate huge wins. I’m just sick of seeing it in the visitors’ locker room at Memorial Stadium. Was it just me or did Bronco Mendenhall floating on his players’ hands seem reminiscent of ISU coach Paul Rhodes being “so proud” to be the Cyclones’ coach a few years back?

Anybody else keeping an eye on the YSU Penguins? Bo Pelini’s squad hung around with Pitt, losing by only eight.

Next Week
South Alabama went bowling last year, but so did every team with a pulse. Talent-wise, Nebraska should have a solid advantage. It just remains to be seen how the Huskers bounce back from a tough week. I think youth serves them well, as will Riley’s demeanor. I expect a good week of practice and a solid effort against the Jaguars. Some things to watch: Does the O-line continue to struggle? If so, it’s still early, but a major cause for concern. Does a running back begin to emerge from the pack? Will suspended players return (particularly on defense) and what sort of impact will they make? Can the kicking game (assumedly minus Sam Foltz) get on track? I’ll say the Huskers win 38-17 in a game that maybe isn’t as close as the score suggests. #GBR