I see a lot of people celebrating or, at the very least, excited about the Huskers “earning” a bowl bid as a 5-7 team. However, I just can’t be one of them. For all of the reasons they may cite (another chance to watch the Huskers play, an opportunity to salvage some pride, potential revenge for previous losses to UCLA, or—namely—extra practices to develop depth and talent) I just can’t get past the enormous embarrassment of the entire ordeal. (And no, I’m not even talking about playing in a game named the Foster Farms Bowl. Isn’t that a little odd, in California of all places, where the ground is absolutely parched?) Quibble with me if you may, tell me I’m not a true fan, whatever. But here are my four reasons why this is too embarrassing to celebrate:

First, and least significantly, is the very real possibility that Nebraska will get beaten (and yes, potentially clobbered) by the powder blue-clothed Bruins (that is, unless UCLA embarrasses itself by wearing those hideous Blackout unis). If Nebraska loses, they will finish with 8 losses, making this the worst season since 1961 (by percentage) and since 1957 (in total losses). Right now, at 5-7, the 2015 Huskers are tied with the 2007 Huskers, who gave up a million yards and points to everybody, so at least it isn’t as bad as that. But put a big, old 8 in the loss column, and well . . .

Second is having the season dredged up again. I want to forget this year ever happened. Instead, for the next month, I have to hear about “four losses on the last play of the game” and how Nebraska’s one big win (Michigan State) was controversial and explanations as to why a 5-7 team is in a bowl game to begin with. (It also hinders my efforts to suppress all memories of the hideous black stain that is the Purdue game.) Participant ribbons and trophies generate fuzzy feelings, but to serious competitors (which Nebraska football alleges to be), they’re humiliating. It’s kind of like falling out of the bobsled and sliding to the bottom of the track on your backside, then being awarded a bronze medal because 17 other countries tied for second place. Pass.

Third, imagine (I mean, really let your mind go) that Nebraska beats UCLA. Now, forever when we look back at the history of Nebraska football and see all those Orange, Fiesta, Alamo, and Gator Bowl wins, we’ll also see the 2015 Foster Farms Bowl. Record: 6-7. #Asterisk. Even if we don’t win, whenever bowl pairings are announced, we’ll see stats like how many bowl games Nebraska has been to historically (currently, I believe we’re third all-time) or how many consecutive years they’ve gone to a bowl, and we’ll be reminded that, technically, 2015 shouldn’t have counted because Nebraska didn’t earn the bowl, by even the most rudimentary of standards. (Back to the bobsled analogy, imagine if you just had to somehow stay in the sled, even if you came down the tube backwards and it took you six minutes to do so, to get a medal of some metal. Nope, couldn’t even do that. But hey, here’s an award anyhow.) I’d rather just wipe the slate blank and start building a new bowl streak next year (hopefully).

Fourth and foremost is the embarrassment of having such low standards to accept the invitation. I get all the reasons to accept, but there is one main reason why the Huskers shouldn’t have, and it is emblazoned on the patches attached to every Husker jersey. There we see the words “A Winning Tradition.” Nebraska football is one of the winningest programs in college football. But lately, they’ve regressed. One might say they’ve gravitated toward mediocrity and failed to win the games that matter most. Mike Riley was hired to turn that around, and if he is to do so, he’ll need to instill a mindset of excellence at Nebraska again.

That mindset has two components. The first is the simple, bottom line of final score. Nebraska isn’t a win-at-all-costs program, and I think Mike Riley (like his predecessor) will stress the student part of student-athlete. But college football is a huge part of a university’s identity, especially at Nebraska. And while I’m all in on the “not the victory, but the action” aspect of things, there’s also a reason we have a scoreboard at Memorial Stadium. To quote former Jets coach Herm Edwards, “you play to win the game.” Seven times out of twelve this year, Nebraska was, by the most elementary measure of judgment, not excellent.

The second component is all about aspiring to greatness. About holding oneself and one’s teammates accountable. About recognizing that, for all the effort, intentions, and attitude (each vitally important), sometimes the results still don’t measure up. And that is also the case in the real world. Sometimes, you’re going to fail. I’m not saying that these Husker players will be “soft” in life because they’re accepting the equivalent of a participation trophy. But I would be so much more proud of “my team” if instead of enthusiastically going to play UCLA in Santa Clara, they had said, “Thanks, but no thanks. We didn’t get the job done. And we can’t in good conscience accept a reward we didn’t earn and don’t deserve. We demand better of ourselves. We demand better of each other.” Frankly, I think such a mindset would do just as much good as fifteen bowl practices. I think such a mindset would be more of a motivator to returning players as squaring off against a mid-level Pac-12 team. I think such a mindset would be a better life lesson to the seniors than any they might possibly gain by playing in the Foster Farms Bowl. And I think such a mindset would help endear a coach—who, let’s be honest, still has warm britches—to a fan base craving a championship team again while still priding itself on “in the deed, the glory.”

Opening Thoughts
Sorry, I just gagged typing that heading. Yes, Purdue scored 55 points against Nebraska. They rolled double nickels. And so I warn you, this post is going to be harsh. Unduly so, some of you may think. I’m taking everyone but the equipment staff to task, and they’re exempted only because we wore red pants. But before you criticize me for my severity, remember this: WE GAVE UP 55 POINTS TO PURDUE!!! You know the last time they scored that many points against an FBS team not named the Hoosiers? 2004. Against the Fighting David Lettermans of Ball State. Sadly, giving up gobs of points isn’t all that embarrassing for Nebraska anymore, because it happens quite routinely. But this is by FAR the worst team to accomplish the feat. Purdue’s lone win this year was against the Indiana State Sycamores. I think Axl Heck plays for them. Their sole conference win in the last THREE years was against hapless Illinois. I’m not ripping on Purdue. I actually like the Boilermakers. I found the people of Indiana to be quite welcoming when my family made the trip to West Lafayette two years ago. But they are an awful football team. Their offense would be a pick ’em against the wind and Nebraska made them look dynamic. Their rush defense was ranked 100th in the nation and the Huskers amassed all of 77 yards on the ground. This might be the worst team that has ever beaten Nebraska. Worse even than Illinois! And they didn’t just beat Nebraska. They took them to the woodshed. It was 42-16 at one point. PUR! DUE! We’ve hit rock bottom. Again. A subterranean rock bottom that is beneath the undiscovered ancient excavation below the oubliette at the bottom of the dungeon under the cellar in the below-ground castle. It’s as black as it can be. Or is it? There’s three more games left, including at woeful Rutgers. I don’t think they’ve ever had the pleasure of hanging half a hundred on a Big Ten team. To quote The A-Team’s John “Hannibal” Smith, “It’s always darkest just before it goes totally black.” Uh-huh. Lights out.

The Good (What I Liked)
Absolutely nothing: This game was a pile of hot, stinky poo from start to finish. Seriously, I’ve got no positives. Pollyanna couldn’t find a bright spot in that dreck.

The Bad (What I Didn’t Like)
Where do I start? Is “everything” too concise? Okay, let me try.

Game Plan: I sensed trouble on the Huskers second offensive play. From deep in their own end, Nebraska ran out of the I-formation for four yards on first down. On second down, they lined up in the shotgun and threw deep. With a backup QB with 18 career attempts. Although they converted the ensuing third down and scored on the drive, that play calling indicated what I see as one of the main failures of this staff. Most coaches, playing with an inexperienced backup QB, on the road, against a bad football team, would scale back their offense. They wouldn’t get in the gun and chuck it all over the lot. But that’s not Riley and Langsdorf. For them, second and five is a passing down. I can’t recall a time where they’ve called back-to-back “downhill” running plays. Many would argue that the running game just isn’t working, and that’s why the Huskers have passed so much, or that you have to pass when you’re behind. But they haven’t given a powerful, physical running game a chance to work, and until it was 35-16, Nebraska could have stuck with the ground game. They didn’t, because that isn’t what this staff wants to do. That’s fine if you have Eli Manning. It can work when Tommy Armstrong’s hot. But it’s not the strategy to employ with Ryker Fyfe at QB, and that isn’t a shot at Fyfe. That’s a reality that big time coaches seem to grasp. Given the atrociousness at every level, it may not have mattered what Nebraska’s game plan was, but it doesn’t exactly build confidence.

Effort: I keep hearing about how the Huskers are all in and unified, and how they’re going to keep battling and getting better and blah, blah, blah. Then how come they’ve been flatter than an Indiana interstate the last two weeks? I know that was a sleepy stadium, especially when both Boilermaker fans didn’t clap at the same time. But a good team brings its own fire. Nebraska had none, or very little pride it seemed. I saw tweets during “the comeback,” urging the team to “keep fighting.” Problem is, you can’t keep doing something you never started doing. Nebraska didn’t fall short against Purdue. They got their tails handed to them by the Boilers. Unfathomable.

Xs and Os or Jimmys and Joes: That’s the debate. Is the Huskers’ 3-6 record on the coaches or players? Ultimately, it’s some of each. I’ve heard a lot of people saying Nebraska is bereft of talent, and certainly injuries have played a huge part in that—particularly this week with Tommy out. But I don’t buy that argument, because they’ve had nine-win talent for seven years. I know they lost key players to the NFL, but the cupboard isn’t completely bare. We’ve seen that the Huskers have ample talent in the rare moments when they’ve played well. And if Bo was such a bad recruiter as some people claim, how’d he land Burkhead, Martinez, David, Abdullah, Bell, Gregory, etc.? I think the argument also fails in that guys like Maliek Collins and Nate Gerry were studs last year, and hardly flash this year. What in their talent level accounts for such regression? I also don’t think the opposite is true, that it’s all on the coaches. I don’t think they are completely incompetent, and even if they were, the players should have the pride to play for themselves and their teammates. Coaches can’t catch passes and stay onside. (Neither, for the record, can our extra point block team.) I don’t know if there’s truth to the grumblings that Bo and his staff “poisoned” this team or if there’s a split because of loyalties to Pelini. I don’t know if there’s confusion because of scheme changes. I don’t know if Riley’s struggling to motivate or if the team has given up on the year. All I know is that this is, with the possible exception of 2007, the worst Nebraska team in over 50 years. (Yes, they’ve had close losses, but the miscues at the end of games take away from the fact that the games shouldn’t have been that close. Beating Illinois 13-7 would have been the ugliest win in program history.) And for that to be the case, it takes an awful lot of bad on the part of coaches and players. We can argue till the cows come home who is more to blame, but to be honest, they both shoulder a lot of the load.
At the End of the Day
I’m conflicted. After Saturday’s loss, I have absolutely zero hope that Mike Riley will ever succeed as Nebraska’s coach. (And by succeed, I mean the definition dictated by Shawn Eichorst when he fired Bo Pelini: eclipse the nine/ten-win plateau, routinely compete for (and win) conference championships, and win “the games that matter most.”) I don’t see how any reasonable person can expect that at this point. There’s no evidence, either from this season or from Mike Riley’s tenure at Oregon State. It was a hopeful hire, a reach, in the first place. Now, it’s questionable if Riley can ever get Nebraska back to the Pelini Plateau. Plus, although I really like Mike Riley the man, I don’t like Mike Riley the coach. I don’t like the way he goes about things. I don’t like that his clock management is almost as bad as Minnesota’s against Michigan (seriously, dudes?). I don’t like that his philosophy in the Big Ten is to pass a lot and run east-west. I don’t like the lack of adjustments (zone defense, once a quarter to throw teams off?). I don’t like that he keeps saying the players just need more coaching, because what in the SAM HILL have you been doing for the last nine months, learning their names? We should be seeing progress, not regress. The big win over the Gophers should have been the footing for strong late-season kick, not the brief, final spasm of a program in the throes of death.

The season isn’t over, so I won’t formally call for his job yet (Saturday afternoon tweets shouldn’t be held against anyone). But if Nebraska goes 3-9 (which looks very possible) or 4-8 (almost certain), I think it is fair to at least consider pulling the plug. I know it’s absurd to fire a coach after one year, and I believe in giving a guy time to install his system and recruit his players. But I also believe that a coach who takes over a team that won nine, ten, nine, and nine games the previous four years and who then goes 3-9 or 4-8 is almost certain never to succeed (as defined above). With that in mind, it might be in Nebraska’s best interest to cut their losses instead of seeing the program slog around for three or four more years and having to do it then. (How many more of these losses can we take?) Yes, the Huskers might make significant improvement over the next few years. Or they might do what Riley’s teams have done so often—yo-yo up and down to heights of ecstasy and depths of anguish while averaging mediocrity. A coaching change after one year would be messy, and I have no idea what Nebraska would do in terms of a hire. And as I said, the season needs to play out first. Which leads to my confliction. Try as I might to adjust to the “new normal” of Nebraska being Iowa with better tradition (and less recent success), I still have a ’90s mindset. I still think Nebraska should be winning more than they lose. I still think there is no scenario where the Huskers should give up 55 to Purdue, and that includes a fifth year of eligibility for Drew Brees. And so, while I always want Nebraska to win, there is a very real part of me that wanted Nebraska’s comeback bid to fail against the Boilermakers and that wants them to lose out, that wants to then see Shawn Eichorst or Harvey Perlman or the masses with pitchforks and homemade torches run Riley out of town, and that wants to see anybody else coach this team next year. I realize that could be a recipe for disaster, but we’re already the laughingstock of the conference and possibly the nation, so how much worse can it get? We need a complete and utter reboot, from the expectations of the administration and the fans to an evaluation of the college football landscape and our place in it to the long-term method and strategy. We can’t just keep shooting for the moon and firing blanks. We need a reasoned plan with a realistic chance for success, and I don’t—right now—see Mike Riley as part of that. I don’t know what all this says about me as a fan, which is another reason I’m conflicted. I want to support the team and fight to the end and never give up. But I’m also a realist. You can do CPR and chest compressions until you pass out, but sometimes, the patient dies.

In the end, I doubt Riley gets fired no matter what happens. I expect Nebraska will improve next year. Hope will return, and we’ll hear phrases like “turning the corner,” and “on their way back.” Only thing is, I’ve seen this movie before, and it doesn’t end well. (Todd Reesing just threw another TD for Kansas.) So as much as I want to see Nebraska win, as much as it pains me to see them lose, maybe before we can build something great, we need to bury the rubble of what used to be. Then plant a field of corn over it. Buy new property, establish a new foundation, and built afresh. Is that too harsh of a take? Maybe. Is it the wrong take? Maybe that too. Does it leave me thoroughly conflicted? No doubt. Funny, when it comes to Nebraska football, after today, that’s the only area about which I have no doubt.
Extra Points
I’ve ripped on a couple of Nebraska captains lately, but I have nothing for praise for Jack Gangwish entering the stands after the game to thank Husker fans for making the trip. It gets very delicate looking at individual players and saying who’s “all in” and who isn’t, but if I had to guess, I’d put #95 in the all-in category.

I feel really bad for DPE. The season’s pretty much a wash, so it isn’t a devastating injury for the team. But for a young man, it’s a tough blow. Here’s hoping it’s not as bad as expected and he makes a full, quick recovery.

RichRod went 3-9 his first year at Michigan. Took them seven years to recover, assuming they have recovered under Harbaugh. Just sayin’. Also, we don’t have a Harbaugh currently turning heads in the NFL, ready to come to the rescue.

Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett wins this week’s meatball award. Starting QB for the #1 team in the country, undisputed leader of the same, and he gets intoxicated and gets behind the wheel of a car. ID-I-OT.
Next Week
I don’t have a prediction for the Michigan State game. It’s impossible to conceive of what Nebraska will do (or not do) next. But, it’s largely irrelevant. This will quite possibly be my last column about Nebraska football as, philosophically, one cannot write about that which does not exist. Well, one can, but it’s called fiction, and I’m already busy on that front (www.nathanbirr.com/books). Besides, the Huskers and Spartans play at the same time as LSU-Alabama. You’re seriously going to watch this Husker comedy of errors instead of that? Not me. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Opening Thoughts
In retrospect, last week’s win over Minnesota was pyrite. (That’s fool’s gold for you non-geologists.) It was not a turning point for the Huskers. It was merely a data point on a continuum not dissimilar from the San Andreas fault during “the big one.” This team is all over the map because individual players, units, and the coaches are all over the map. Northwestern was not a good football team. (Make the Stanford argument all you want, but did you watch the Cats? They dropped passes, committed costly penalties, and ran an offense about as exotic as vanilla pudding.) But Nebraska was worse. An average team would have beaten the Wildcats comfortably. But at 3-5 with two more likely losses on the schedule, the Huskers aspire to average.
 
The Good (What I Liked)
The Gunslinger: Tommy played erratically on Saturday, but was by far at his best on third and long and on the move. He made repeated big throws downfield to convert and keep the chains moving. It looked like the Huskers had the offense clicking at the end of the second quarter and throughout the third, but in reality, that was mostly the off-the-cuff playmaking of #4. As frustratingly bad as he can be when he’s off, his ability to pull a play out of the fire makes him exciting and dangerous.

Three Minus Three: For three quarters, except for three plays (all scrambles by Northwestern QB Clayton Thorson), the Blackshirts played very soliddefense. They were particularly stout against Northwestern’s designed running plays. They were also good with their backs against their own goalpost, forcing NU to run three plays to get two yards for a first-quarter touchdown and holding them to a field goal in the third quarter.

The Bad (What I Didn’t Like)
Drop it Like It’s Hot: Credit to @BigRed_Fury for what might have been the quote of the day: “A blind lobster could do a better job catching passes than this receiving corps today.” Pretty much. Tommy’s passing was inconsistent enough without them brick-handing touchdowns and first downs. The Huskers WRs are really good, but not all the time. Saturday they were just plain bad.

Live by the Sword . . .: I don’t know what it is, but for the last five years, Nebraska has been “blessed” with talented QB’s (T-Magic and Tommy) who have made a lot of big, spectacular plays. Unfortunately, not all of those big plays have been for Nebraska. Both players too often ran/run around like chickens with their heads cut off. I said after the pick-six (which was just awful) that Tommy should sit a series to regather his poise. He didn’t, and he still responded with some big-time throws and runs. But the interception was too much for a Huskers sloppy offense to overcome.

Disappearing Act: After three quarters, the Huskers had run 70+ plays to Northwestern’s 31. Yet, after taking a 22-20 lead and forcing a three-and-out immediately thereafter, instead of seizing control of the game, Nebraska flopped on both sides of the ball. The offense went three-and-out, the defense gave up a touchdown, the offense went three-and-out again, and the defense gave up a field goal. Suddenly the Huskers were down eight. The offense did respond with a big drive to score again, but the defense allowed Northwestern to run out the final four-plus minutes of game clock. You have to wonder, if the Huskers couldn’t secure momentum in this game, can they ever?

Big Spin: Through eight games, I still have no idea what Nebraska is trying to accomplish on offense. I do know it isn’t a running game. I get it, they can’t just pound the ball into the line every play. But Iowa showed Northwestern is susceptible to a power running game (particularly, say, if their defense is on the field all game). And Nebraska had good success on downhill running plays in the first half. But after getting solid gains (six-plus yards) on first down, they’d get cute with obvious jet sweeps or bubble passes and the drive would stall. It’s like Danny Langsdorf is spinning a wheel to see what play call he lands on. Power run. Drop-back pass. Bubble screen. Misdirection handoff. Jet Sweep. Heave it deep. There’s no consistency, no rhythm, no theme. And far too many bankrupts.

At the End of the Day
The story of the 2015 Huskers seems to be that they can’t get over the hump and close the sale on games they could win—in several cases, games they should win, either because of the situation or the talent of the opponent. But I’m starting to wonder if that isn’t a false conclusion. I’m not sure Nebraska should be winning these games because I’m not sure they’re any better than these teams. Nebraska didn’t look like a good team playing down to Illinois’ level; they looked like a (marginally) better-dressed Illini team. Saturday, the Huskers didn’t slop their way into a loss against a gutty opponent. Northwestern was just as sloppy, but in the end, made one less mistake. So is it the players’ fault? Is it Bo Pelini’s fault for not recruiting/developing better talent? Is it Riley and his staff’s fault for taking a good (if not great) team and turning them into a mediocre (at best) team? I don’t know. Maybe the final third of the season will give us a better answer. All I know is that, on the day when the university honored the 1995 national championship team, the product on the field couldn’t have been more different from what those legendary Huskers produced. Riley may still be “the guy,” but we’re a long way from home right now. A very long way.

Extra Points
Johnny Cash once sang, “I wear the black in mourning . . .” Perhaps that explains the absolutely atrocious unis the Huskers wore. Never mind the fact that black is not even a school color. Never mind that nobody had any idea who was who (Note to Adidas, contrast would help). Why do we feel the need to keep trotting out these garish alternate uniforms? The old standby I hear is that kids love them. At some point, don’t we have to ask, what’s wrong with kids? Nebraska looked like the “bad guys” in a movie about high school football. All that was missing was a demon logo on the helmet.

Nebraska still had a Michigan State-esque chance when Maliek Collins decided to blow his stack and get an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. That’s twice now that Husker captains have lost their composure and ruined what little chance the team had of getting a win. Not exactly the leadership I’m looking for.

I did have a little joy in the “early window” of games, watching Miami get caned by Clemson. Ha ha, ha ha ha.

Next Week
Um, who cares? Wait a second, you say. Isn’t your Twitter handle @atruebluehusker? Isn’t your entire wardrobe red? What kind of fan are you? The kind who gets sick of watching a pile of hot, stanky garbage, that’s what kind. I have no idea what Nebraska team will show up in West Lafayette next week, or if really matters against Purdon’t. But if I’m honest, I don’t much care. I’m not sure I have the heart to spend three and a half hours in front of the TV watching them piddle around with the Boilermakers, maybe losing in another puke-inducing performance, maybe winning and “showing potential” to create more false hope. Right now, I feel about Nebraska the way I feel about weddings: I’m not in the mood for cooing and gushing, buying shower and wedding gifts, and wasting a Saturday afternoon on a 50/50 proposition. If you’re still together in ten years, call me and we’ll celebrate. Similarly, if Nebraska does get rolling, okay, I’ll get excited again. But I just can’t get on the hope train any longer. Call me a fair-weather fan if you like, but I’m getting really tired of cheering in the rain.

Opening Thoughts
That felt good. That felt really good. That didn’t feel like a team with a losing record achieving a slightly better losing record. The fans who made the trip to the Twin Cities and who cheered the team off the field didn’t feel like the fans of a bad (according to the W/L column) team. It all felt like a turning point, and speaks volumes of the commitment and buy-in of the players and of the support of the fans. Sticking together in all kinds of weather feels real and feels good today. Let’s be honest, Nebraska needed that win. The players needed it for their psyche. The coaches needed it to cool their seats back to room temperature. The fans needed it to keep them hopeful. And the team needed it, frankly, because I don’t think they were coming back from 2-5. They don’t exactly have it made in the shade at 3-4, but did you notice ESPN’s FPI (Football Power Index) that was displayed late in the game? Nebraska is favored in all of their remaining games, save for Michigan State. That includes Iowa, who is projected to be 11-0. Here’s hoping they are, setting up a huge spoiler opportunity on the day after Thanksgiving.

The Good (What I Liked)
Swagger: As mentioned above, Nebraska didn’t look like a 2-4 football team. They played with fire, passion, purpose, and with, yes, swagger. No doubt they were helped by big plays early and by the return (in a contributory sense) of De’Mornay Pierson-El. But listening to comments of coaches and players, this was not a team hanging its head all week. This was a team that fought. At the beginning of the year, I said one of the keys to watch would be how much resolve the Huskers displayed. We saw them show fight early in the year against BYU and Miami, and these last few weeks we saw it when the season could have gone into the tank. The Huskers don’t quit, and that reflects well on them as a team and on their coaches.

Pass it On: I do get why the Nebraska coaches want to throw the ball. When he’s on, Tommy is really good. And he might just have the best receiving corps in the Big Ten. Saturday, Armstrong got off to a bit of an errant start, but really settled in (15-20 in the first half). The on-the-run TD pass to Moore was a huge play, both for Tommy’s confidence and for the momentum of the game. Had the Huskers squandered good field position back to back times, it could have set up a long afternoon.

Potential: It has been very frustrating to watch the Huskers in recent years, because they’ve had—in my opinion—Top 10 potential. The problem has been, they’ve seldom lived up to it. On Saturday, Nebraska showed that the ceiling is again high. Beating Minnesota doesn’t put them on par with the big boys of the sport, but it does give fans hope. There is still plenty to work on, but we got a taste of what can be when all is well.

$5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy: I love trophy games. I love seeing Minnesota or Wisconsin players race across the field to grab Paul Bunyan’s axe and “chop down” the goalpost, or seeing Texas coach Charlie Strong don the Golden Hat after beating OU last week. So when the Huskers joined the Big Ten, I was excited about the possibility of them developing a “trophy game” with someone. Unfortunately, the Heroes Trophy (vs. Iowa) and the Freedom Trophy (vs. Wisconsin), while well intentioned, fall flat. Trophy games aren’t about capturing a contrived piece of craftsmanship. They’re about taking home an absolute piece of crap, like a bucket full of chains (Indiana-Purdue), a wooden statue of a mythical legend (Michigan-Michigan State), or an old brass spittoon (Indiana Michigan State). Which is why I think it is awesome that Nebraska and Minnesota now play for the $5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy. Twenty-five years from now, we’ll be explaining to the younger generation why the Huskers and Gophers race across the field after a win to hoist a broken wooden chair the same way the older generation explained to us why Iowa and Minnesota fight over a bronze pig or Michigan and Minnesota vie for a little brown water jug. And the reasons are absurd. (Although arguably not as absurd as a Twitter fight between a parody of Nebraska’s former coach and a rodent.) The trophies wouldn’t fetch five dollars at a flea market (except for the $5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy which actually has five-dollar bills attached to it). But they are what make the college game so unique and grand. Some might say weird. But I, like psychic detective Shawn Spencer, would counter with, “It’s not weird; it’s wonderful.” Oh, and that splintered, broken, somewhat ugly piece of junk is back in Lincoln, baby! Whaaaaat.

The Bad (What I Didn’t Like)
Passed By: New week, same song. The Huskers pass defense continues to be porous. In defense of the Blackshirts, they did stuff a good running game, so well in fact that Minnesota didn’t really try to run up the middle, where they had success (read: wore Nebraska out) the last two years. Some of that may the absence of David Cobb. A lot of it was a fired up Maliek Collins and company. It’s also fair to note that a lot of the Gophers’ passing yards came in the fourth quarter when the Huskers had a big lead and Minnesota was passing every down. And the Blackshirts did end the last two Gopher possessions with interceptions, including Kalu’s pick six. But if Joel Stave and Mitch Leidner can throw for 300 yards each in back-to-back weeks, it is a problem. I’d rather be stout against the run and leaky against the pass than the other way around. But until there’s significant improvement, nobody is ever out of a game against the Husker D.

Three and Out?: Minnesota’s three touchdown drives started when they converted third and five, seven, and ten respectively. This is a recipe for disaster, allowing a clock-eating team like Minnesota to stay on the field in situations where, as a passing-challenged team, they shouldn’t succeed. Fortunately, the Gophers went just 3-12 on their other third downs (including several great run stops by the Blackshirts) and the Huskers’ offense was in fine form. But getting off the field on third and long has plagued the Big Red in recent years. It’s another area where some improvement is sorely needed.

Run it Out: Overall, I thought the play calling was pretty good by Danny Langsdorf. It’s hard to score 41 points with bad play calling. Still, it frustrates me to see the Huskers run for five or six yards on first down and routinely start passing. I get that they can’t run it up the center’s back every play, but this staff seems intent on passing. It worked Saturday. It might work long term. They do have really good receivers, as noted previously. Maybe I’m just nostalgic for the days of power football. Then again, I’ve seen too many “cute” offenses bog down in November Big Ten play. I come from the old school mentality: when the running game is working, run it some more. (Also, I give Langsdorf a pass (pun intended) for throwing deep on the series after Minnesota cut the deficit to 38-22. I don’t give him a pass for calling three straight (and after a 15-yard run on the first play of the series) that used up almost no clock.)

At the End of the Day
Before the year, I said Minnesota would be a swing game for the Huskers. I expected them to beat Illinois and enter the contest at 3-3. Because of the loss in Champaign, this game was even more monumental. The team stayed upbeat after the Wisconsin loss, likely feeding off the environment and electricity in Memorial Stadium late in the fourth quarter. But a third consecutive loss, especially had it been in heartbreaking fashion, would have made it a real challenge to stay positive. It would have made any respectable season goals mere pipe dreams. Now, it really feels like Nebraska could get on a run. In baseball, they say that momentum is only as good as the next day’s starting pitcher. And if Nebraska comes out against Northwestern and starts dropping passes and committing penalties and beating themselves, this all falls apart and the season could still get ugly. But we saw how good Nebraska was when they only have to beat one team—the one in opposite colors. The positive vibe started with great effort against Wisconsin. It got a huge boost with a blowout win over Minnesota. If the Huskers take care of business against the Purple Cats, they’ll have two should-win games against Purdue and Rutgers and two good opportunities to make a statement against Michigan State and Iowa. It’s still overcast in Lincoln. After all, the team is still 3-4. But there’s a line of blue sky on the horizon. Now to keep the front from stalling.

Extra Points
It sure is nice having DPE back and making big plays. Even though his punt return ended in a missed field goal, it was a huge play in that it inspired the Huskers and served noticed to the rest of the conference. Don’t punt to #15! (His one-man tip drill TD wasn’t bad either.)

Nebraska is tipping its plays. Several times Saturday, they lined up with two receivers on the same side of the field both on the line of scrimmage. The inside man is considered “covered” and thus ineligible to catch a pass, which tells the defense a running play is most likely coming. And each time it did. Nebraska gained some big yards on Armstrong runs and Reilly sweeps on such plays, but formationally, can’t they stop giving away that plays are likely to be runs.

It got tense for just a little while there. I never thought Nebraska would actually lose, but had the Gophers punched it in to get within 10 or even 8, well, let’s just say I wouldn’t need to cut my fingernails for a few weeks. Kudos to the Cornhuskers for closing the door. As Keith Jackson once said, “it wasn’t terribly authoritative,” but it got closed nonetheless.

Michigan, oh, Michigan. I feel ya.

Next Week
Nebraska is catching Northwestern at the perfect time. The Huskers’ trajectory is up, and the Wildcats’ is down. After back-to-back thumpings at the hands of Michigan and Iowa, Northwestern, to quote their former coach, is “who we thought they were.” They have to be reeling mentally now, and Nebraska has a chance to deliver the knockout punch. The Cats won’t be pushovers, mind you. And one clean performance hasn’t fixed Nebraska’s woes. But the Huskers have an athletic edge over the kids from Evanston and now a psychological one as well. I expect a repeat of last year. It will be close for a while, but the Huskers’ superiority will show in the second half. Nebraska 41, Northwestern 24.

Opening Thoughts
The Huskers might be the best 2-4 football team ever. Consider they’ve lost by a combined 11 points and led or been tied for the lead with 15 seconds left in the fourth quarter of each game. They’re not far from 6-0. Then again, Nebraska has nobody but themselves to blame for their losses. Penalties, questionable play calling, atrocious game management, and failed opportunities cost them against Miami, and especially against BYU and Illinois. Nebraska should have beaten the Cougars and Illini. Those games were in the bag. This one wasn’t quite the same. Nebraska could have beaten the Badgers, and had every opportunity to do so. But they didn’t collapse in calamitous fashion in the final minutes. Rather, a series of the same old problems plagued them throughout the game. The second half was like watching a person throw up in slow motion. It was that scene from so many movies where a desperate man’s fingers slowly slip off a ledge. Give the Badgers credit—they won the game. But fault the Huskers too—they lost the game.

The Good (What I Liked)
On Fire: No, not Mike Riley’s chair. The Huskers still appear to be playing with passion. The fans, despite some of the grumbling on social media and message boards, are still behind them. Memorial Stadium was rocking Saturday. The team hasn’t quit and they haven’t split, not discernably. If the old adage is true that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, then the Huskers are going to be real strong someday. But in order to avoid being killed, they’ll need to “stick together in all kinds of weather.” So far, so good. But will the team continue to hold together with the season on the brink of falling apart?

On the run: Remember the last two outings against the Badgers? Wisconsin linemen opened holes wider than I-80 West and a bevy of Badger backs ran, danced, strolled, and laughed their way to astronomical rushing totals. Wisconsin was without the elite running backs of years past and their O-line isn’t up to typical standards, but the Husker defense was still much improved. Maliek Collins and Vincent Valentine looked more like the dynamic duo we expected, and Chris Weber has played admirably in the absence of Banderas and Rose-Ivey.

Pass, Bucky, Pass: I have no idea why the Badgers’ game plan included Joel Stave going all Drew Brees and heaving the ball all over Tom Osborne Field, but it played right into the Huskers’ hands. True, Nebraska’s pass defense is porous, but passing is clearly not Stave and Wisconsin’s strength. Their running game was mostly held in check, but did have success against a worn down defense in the fourth quarter. Had they pounded the rock all game, I doubt Nebraska’s in position to win late. I particularly appreciated their pass calls on third-and-short in plus territory. I was just sure Stave was going to serve up a game-ending pick, but to his credit, he didn’t.

The Bad (What I Didn’t Like)
Attention to Detail: Nebraska continues to struggle with little things—running a three-and-a-half-yard route on third-and-four on the opening series, a DT lining up in the neutral zone on a third-and-one, repeated dropped INTs, procedure penalties, and so forth. All of those things are going to happen from time to time, but they keep occurring, and that ultimately reflects poorly on the coaching staff. Bo Pelini’s teams were known for similar frustrations, and it is disappointing that thus far Mike Riley’s staff hasn’t corrected them.
 
Turn Around: Back in the day, my grandpa used to complain about Nebraska cornerbacks (Erwin Swiney especially) who “won another track meet” but failed to play the ball in the air. The Cornhuskers’ current crop of DBs make Swiney look like Deion Sanders (or like Richard Sherman for you young folks). Nebraska corners repeatedly look lost, staring at receivers who catch a ball that seemingly (to the DBs) came from nowhere. Pass defense was always a strength of Bo Pelini’s defense, so I have to ask why they suddenly seem to have lost all ability to defend the forward pass. Whatever it is, the defensive staff needs to coach them up and fast. If Joel Stave can throw for 300 yards against them, who can’t?

Management: What is it that Nebraska is trying to do? When in crisis, what do they rely on? I don’t know because I suspect they don’t know yet. The running back rotation gets crazier by the week (back to Newby and Cross again—the way it’s going, Mikale Wilbon may start next week) and the reluctance to run Armstrong at the most logical times (final third down against BYU, on the final series Saturday) is questionable. The decision to bleed the third quarter clock instead of running a third-down play (and likely ensuing punt) with the wind was also a head-scratcher. Maybe I’m nitpicking, but there seem to be a lot of nits to pick.

The Door is Ajar: Bottom line, the Huskers can’t close games. It’s not just a problem in the final minutes. Nebraska had chance after chance in the third quarter, but couldn’t put points on the board with momentum, great field position, and the wind. They couldn’t contain the Badgers after Sam Foltz pinned them at the one. They couldn’t hold a lead late with Wisconsin backed up and the crowd howling. I know the defense was gassed and missing a lot of key players, and I don’t question their effort or heart. But something is lacking, and that something is big-time players making big-time plays. In each of these losses (Miami perhaps exempted) all Nebraska needed was one player to make one play somewhere along the line, and nobody could do so.

At the End of the Day
Nebraska’s not competing for a Big Ten championship this year. They’re not continuing the nine-win streak (neither’s Oregon, it would appear). Right now, a reasonable goal is making a bowl game. For any Husker fan older than a Husker player, that’s incredibly disappointing. I’m frustrated by it. But if Nebraska can stick together and keep fighting, if they can show improvement (both coaches and players), if they can eliminate mistakes and form an identity, and if they can scratch and claw their way to a bowl game and a winning record (even if it’s a 7-6 record earned with a win in a Detroit bowl named for an oil change provider), then I will see 2015 as a success in that it is part of a building process. If they fail—if they achieve a winning record but still are inconsistent, sloppy, and mismanaged—it will be a long off-season. And should they fail in both regards, particularly if the season should spiral into a 4-8 or 3-9 debacle . . . well, it won’t be pretty but let’s not go there yet. I still think this team has potential. Nebraska isn’t losing because they’re not as good as BYU or Illinois or Wisconsin. They’re losing because they’re not playing and coaching as well as those teams. That can be corrected. Now we’ll have to see if gets corrected.

Extra Points
I blinked and must have missed Jordan Westerkamp’s participation again this week. I also didn’t see too much of DPE. When Nebraska needed a big play offensively (all second half) I’d have expected more plays go toward #1 and #15. Makes me wonder if Pierson-El isn’t 100% yet.

Now we run Janovich on third-and-seven? NOW! Last week was the time to run a very conservative dive and this week was the time to try something “cute” like a bootleg. Or put the ball in Tommy’s hands on the QB counter or QB power. Just a thought.

Speaking of the walk-on fullback, his go-ahead TD run was a thing of nostalgic beauty and a great Husker moment. Too bad it was negated by another heartbreaking loss.

Is there anything systemic to all of these injuries? I get that they happen and even in bunches, but with this many, it’s worth asking if there’s a training/strength and conditioning issue that could be addressed?

Texas and Tennessee got off the schneid. Hope springs eternal for the Huskers . . .

Next Week
In the final round of the 1968 Masters Tournament, Argentine golfer Roberto De Vicenzo tied Bob Goalby to force an 18-hole playoff the following day. Only De Vicenzo’s playing partner incorrectly recorded the Argentine’s score on the seventeenth hole, and De Vicenzo didn’t note the error and proceeded to sign an incorrect scorecard. As a result, his score was recorded as on the card, placing him one stroke behind Goalby. Instead of potentially winning the coveted green jacket, De Vicenzo went down in golf lore for his mistake. I bring this up because the only way Nebraska could lose in more agonizing fashion than they have thus far is by doing whatever the football equivalent is of signing an incorrect scorecard. (I hate to even think what that might be.) I’ve said all season that Minnesota is nothing special, and I still believe that. But they know who they are and don’t often beat themselves. Meanwhile, Nebraska is beat up physically and beat down psychologically, and still searching for an identity. I want to be optimistic and pick the Huskers, but until they get over this hump, it’s hard to do so. Minnesota 20, Nebraska 17. (And not on a 64-yard FG into the wind and snow or anything, just a regular, run-of-the-mill close loss.)

Opening Thoughts
I need to remind everyone—myself foremost—that it is too early to make definitive, sweeping statements about Nebraska football as a whole. But right now, things are not looking good in Lincoln. There’s a difference between experiencing bumps in the road during a transition year (Nick Saban going 6-6 and losing to UL-Monroe his first year at Alabama) and dragging a proud program through the mud (RichRod going 3-9 and losing at home to Toledo his first year at Michigan). There’s a difference between a slow learning curve and just not getting it. Or, to put it Nebraska terms, there’s a difference between the 3-3 start (and 9-4 finish) in 2008 and the 4-2 start (and 5-6 finish) in 2004. We don’t know how 2015 will turn out, but I sure know which of the two it feels like.

As for the game itself, losing to Illinois is bad. There’s no way to spin it differently. But losing to Illinois isn’t the end of the world. We see upsets all the time in college football. They’re one of the things we love about college football. The problem is, this didn’t feel like an upset. This felt like two evenly-matched, pretty bad football teams bumbling and stumbling around for four quarters, and Nebraska bumbling a little more at the end. For much of the first half, it actually felt like Nebraska was hanging around with Illinois, surviving missed FGs and getting red zone stops to keep the game scoreless, then getting two big Tommy Armstrong scrambles (one a run, one a lucky heave to Cethan Carter) to set up their only points of the half. There was never a moment when Nebraska looked like the better team, and that is what is most distressing of all.

The Good (What I Liked)
And kick, kick: It’s bad news when the highlight of the day is your punter. But on an afternoon when the wind was blowing such that two pretty good quarterbacks looked like 50 Cent throwing out a first pitch, Sam Foltz was booming howitzers and downing punts inside the five. Kind of makes you wonder what happens if Nebraska chooses to punt on the final fourth down of the game.

Move that Line: For the first time this year, the Nebraska defensive line—and particularly Maliek Collins—looked nasty, blowing up the Illini O-line and stuffing numerous running plays. It’s hard to get too excited about dominating Illinois at the line of scrimmage, but it was an area of improvement.

The Bad (What I Didn’t Like)
Everything else: Too generic? Okay . . .

Lost: No, not the ABC cult phenomena from a decade ago, but OC Danny Langsdorf. It is clear that he has no idea what he’s doing. That’s not to imply incompetence, but rather a complete lack of strategy. It wasn’t just against Illinois, but all year. Consider the running back position: Week 1, Newby, Cross, and freshman Mikale Wilbon share time and carries equally. Week 2, Newby gets run into the ground, but accumulates almost 200 yards. Week 3, Newby has the primary role but there wasn’t much rushing. Week 4, Newby gets the lion’s share of the carries until the third quarter, when Cross reemerges out of nowhere . . . and fumbles his way back to the bench. Week 5, Devine Ozigbo is suddenly the bell cow of the offense. If they’re still trying to evaluate talent mid-season, it sort of makes you wonder what was going on all spring and in fall camp. The use of Andy Janovich is also mystifying. I love the walk-on fullback, and he runs like some of his predecessors. But last week, against Southern Miss, he had great success on fullback traps and on a short pass out of the fullback position. So naturally, this week they move him to tailback. I’ve never seen a player excel so much at one position that the coaching staff decided to move him to a different position. As much as I love Jano’s running, it’s not like he’s the second coming of Leonard Fournette or something. He’s a real weapon, but as a fullback, not a feature back.

Pass it On: It’s hard to tell what this Nebraska offense’s identity is going to be, but it seems to revolve around the pass. And while I’m not calling for the Huskers to replicate Army or Navy’s offense, on a day when the wind was howling, when Tommy couldn’t hit the ocean from the beach, when the receivers suddenly developed the dropsies again, and when the Huskers were churning 5.5 yards per rush, pounding the rock seemed like a wise strategy. Especially late in the game, when the Huskers were clinging to a 6-point lead and needed to melt clock. Instead, Langsdorf opted to chuck it around like he was Steve Spurrier back in the Florida Fun ’n Gun days. The results were predictable. And lest anyone argue that the Big Red was just trying to keep Illinois’ defense off balance, I would point out two things. One, no one has ever needed to keep Illinois’ defense off balance; it is their default position. Two, on the final drive when Nebraska did finally commit to the run and the Illini knew it was coming, the Huskers marched the ball down the field and ate up most of the final five minutes of game clock.

Butch!: Nebraska is giving Tennessee a run for its money as the team most likely to pull defeat from the jaws of victory. From failing to capitalize on great third quarter field position (and inexplicable officiating) to heaving deep balls into the wind to suddenly forgetting to cover receivers, the Huskers gave this game away. Of course, all the talk is about the third down with a minute left. With Illinois out of timeouts, Nebraska only needed to run the ball, eat forty seconds, and leave the home club needing a Kordell Stewart-like miracle to win the game. Instead, they throw an incomplete pass and stop the clock. According to Riley and Langsdorf, Armstrong was told not to pass the ball, which makes it something of a boneheaded play on his part. Eat it. Take the sack. Have awareness. But he never should have been put in the position, and that is on Riley: A) the Huskers were lined up in an illegal formation (five players in the backfield) so Riley should have used a timeout. B) Several players were clearly running pass routes, meaning the team was confused about the play, which they admitted afterwards. C) There is no need to run a bootleg, fake pass. Maybe with two minutes left, where a first down is still important, I’d understand the call. But all Nebraska needed to do was bleed the clock and get the heck out of Dodge. There was no need for cuteness. Dive Janovich for half yard, run the clock to twenty seconds, take a delay of game, and punt. This isn’t second-guessing. This is common sense. As was the case with BYU, the game and clock management were terrible, and while the players and the QB deserve some blame, that is ultimately on the head coach.

At the End of the Day
Perhaps it is fitting that Nebraska lost to Illinois, because Nebraska has started to resemble Illinois and fellow Big Ten West thorn-in-the-side Minnesota. You see, as do the Huskers, the Illini and Gophers have proud football traditions, replete with national championships, Heisman and other prominent award winners, and legendary players. And as is more and more the case with each passing year for the Huskers, the Illini and Gopher football prowess is totally irrelevant in the 21st century. No current players—and certainly no current recruits—remember when these teams meant anything. They are has-beens, toiling in obscurity while older (and older) fans wistfully remember the glory days.

When Frank Solich was fired after the 2003 season, AD Steve Pederson made the infamous comment about not letting the program slide into mediocrity. Bill Callahan (pardon my French) came in and embarrassed the fine history of Nebraska football. Bo Pelini brought Nebraska back, but only to mediocrity. Now, there’s nothing to suggest Mike Riley will achieve anything higher. Yes, it is only five games. Yes, I remember my Nick Saban analogy from earlier. Yes, I know it’s possible that in a few years we’ll all be laughing about how we prematurely bailed on Mike Riley. But I’m tired of having my hopes buoyed only to have them dashed again. I was optimistic when the Huskers whipped Colorado in 2005 to “turn the corner.” I was optimistic when Pelini declared the program back after stifling Arizona in the ’09 Holiday Bowl. I was optimistic when Riley took over last December. You’ll understand why my optimism is waning. I hope that Nebraska figures this out and turns things around. I hope that I’m wrong about whether or not Riley can ever achieve greatness. I hope that the early returns aren’t indicative of where the program is heading. We are only five games into year one, so it would be unfair to declare Riley a failure at this time. But you’ve heard the old saying, “the proof’s in the pudding”? Maybe all the ingredients haven’t been added yet or maybe it still has to chill a while. All I know is that right now, the pudding doesn’t taste very good.

Extra Points
If Mike Riley is going to routinely bungle game management in the fourth quarter, he could at least go for it on fourth down all the time, mispronounce rivals’ names (Ar-Kansas), and eat a little grass on the sideline. After all, Les Miles is endeared at LSU. “Have a great day.”

Alex Lewis is a chump. The end. His blowing kisses to the fans and shouting “I’m sorry we suck” is not befitting a captain, and he should have his C stripped from his jersey until he earns it.

Remember when Liv Tyler’s character broke up with her boyfriend at the end of That Thing You Do and said to him, “Shame on me for kissing you with my eyes closed so tight.” Well, that’s how I feel about buying into the hype around the offense again this year. Sure enough, the calendar turned to October and the high-flying Huskers were grounded.

As I said last week, it could be worse, Husker fans. We could be Texas. Ouch.

Next Week
Wisconsin has owned Nebraska in the Big Ten, winning three of four games—all by blowout—and leading by 17 in the second half of the one game they lost. And while the Badgers are the very definition of pedestrian this year—especially on Saturday against Iowa—they are always humdrum until they play Nebraska, at which point they magically transform into the ’95 Huskers. This may be the worst Badger team of the last five years, but the same could be said of Nebraska. And while the Huskers have been stout against the run, they’ve yet to play a running team. In a boxing match between two double amputees, I say pick the short, stocky guy, as he’s less likely to trip over his own feet. That would be Wisconsin, who for all of their failures, at least knows what it is they’re trying to do. A Nebraska win wouldn’t shock me, but neither would the Badgers rolling by five touchdowns. I’ll predict a close game, but until I see it happen, I can’t pick Nebraska to beat Wisconsin. Badgers, 27-21.

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.