May 18, 2012, 03:17:08 AM
News:
Pages: [1] 2   Go Down
Print
Author Topic: If I live to be 100, I will never see a scenario where we lose this one  (Read 771 times)
Wingback Reverse
Big Red Bleacher Bum No. 1
****
Posts: 1216



« on: September 19, 2009, 07:39:42 PM »

Honestly, this is one I will never in a hundred years understand.

If you look back on this game, Virginia Tech had only two plays of any significance...the kick off return to open the game and the blown coverage (brain dead) pass in the last minute.  In reality, from the beginning of the second quarter on, we kicked them up and down the field.  How you put up nearly 400 yards of total offense and walk away with only five field goals is impossible for me to understand.

But here is the bottom line, as much as I like Bo (and I really like Bo), the lost touchdown is clearly on him.  I can accept the holding call (in reality there isn't a play in any game where holding couldn't be called), but the touchdown pass to Holt was clearly a touchdown and everybody understands that.  The problem is that Bo squandered two timeouts early in the second half so he couldn't risk losing his third one by losing out on a challenge.  Had we not wasted those time outs, there is no question he would have challenged the call and he would have won.

Beyond that however, Shawn Watson's play calling in the fourth quarter is as bad as I have seen in 50 years of watching Nebraska football.  He had Zac Lee (who clearly wasn't up to the challenge today) throwing the football in the second half when the clock was clearly our ally.  There was also a point in the game where you could see the quarterback draw coming from a mile away.  Yes, it worked a few times, but VT seemed to figure it out, but we kept after it.  And the last two drives, when we their defense was clearly gassed and we wouldn't make a commitment to run the ball down their throats.  I'll never understand it.  I would have run the ball at them and dared them to stop me.  How you can't pick up 10 yards and get one first down when they are out of time outs with a minute and a half to go is unfathomable. 

Poor time out management (yet again) and poor offensive play calling.  This team played their hearts out, but we lost because of poor coaching.  Don't get me wrong, I am a Pelini fan (big time), but this one baffles me.  I just feel bad for this team.  This game was a game that we should have won and that we needed to win.  My biggest concern is that we get in another tight ball game (especially on the road) and the memory of this one comes back to haunt us.  Football is a game of momentum and confidence.  A loss of this nature is a confidence destroyer.

Logged

"A lot of the wins in the past came from out-physicaling people, just whacking people around and wearing them down like a 15-round boxing match."   Ron Brown
Husker94
Guest
« Reply #1 on: September 19, 2009, 07:41:09 PM »

Honestly, this is one I will never in a hundred years understand.

If you look back on this game, Virginia Tech had only two plays of any significance...the kick off return to open the game and the blown coverage (brain dead) pass in the last minute.  In reality, from the beginning of the second quarter on, we kicked them up and down the field.  How you put up nearly 400 yards of total offense and walk away with only five field goals is impossible for me to understand.

But here is the bottom line, as much as I like Bo (and I really like Bo), the lost touchdown is clearly on him.  I can accept the holding call (in reality there isn't a play in any game where holding couldn't be called), but the touchdown pass to Holt was clearly a touchdown and everybody understands that.  The problem is that Bo squandered two timeouts early in the second half so he couldn't risk losing his third one by losing out on a challenge.  Had we not wasted those time outs, there is no question he would have challenged the call and he would have won.

Beyond that however, Shawn Watson's play calling in the fourth quarter is as bad as I have seen in 50 years of watching Nebraska football.  He had Zac Lee (who clearly wasn't up to the challenge today) throwing the football in the second half when the clock was clearly our ally.  There was also a point in the game where you could see the quarterback draw coming from a mile away.  Yes, it worked a few times, but VT seemed to figure it out, but we kept after it.  And the last two drives, when we their defense was clearly gassed and we wouldn't make a commitment to run the ball down their throats.  I'll never understand it.  I would have run the ball at them and dared them to stop me.  How you can't pick up 10 yards and get one first down when they are out of time outs with a minute and a half to go is unfathomable. 

Poor time out management (yet again) and poor offensive play calling.  This team played their hearts out, but we lost because of poor coaching.  Don't get me wrong, I am a Pelini fan (big time), but this one baffles me.  I just feel bad for this team.  This game was a game that we should have won and that we needed to win.  My biggest concern is that we get in another tight ball game (especially on the road) and the memory of this one comes back to haunt us.  Football is a game of momentum and confidence.  A loss of this nature is a confidence destroyer.



Honey it's football and sometimes the best team DOESN'T win.
Logged
BleedsHuskerRed
Heisman
*****
Posts: 3368



« Reply #2 on: September 19, 2009, 07:45:36 PM »

Jesus christ...
Some of you people are taking this loss way too hard. Its one game. We're 0-0 in big 12 play. Most of the season is still ahead of us. Oklahoma has won the big 12 the last 3 years. Guess what? They lost football games before they did that. The last 3 national champions lost football games before they won the titles.
This season still has much hope.
Get over this loss
Logged

Will Munny: All right, I'm coming out. Any man I see out there, I'm gonna shoot him. Any sumbitch takes a shot at me, I'm not only gonna kill him, but I'm gonna kill his wife, all his friends, and burn his damn house down. The Husker defense should be required to watch unforgiven before every game.
Husker94
Guest
« Reply #3 on: September 19, 2009, 07:47:42 PM »

Jesus christ...
Some of you people are taking this loss way too hard. Its one game. We're 0-0 in big 12 play. Most of the season is still ahead of us. Oklahoma has won the big 12 the last 3 years. Guess what? They lost football games before they did that. The last 3 national champions lost football games before they won the titles.
This season still has much hope.
Get over this loss

Bleeds,

Sometimes I want to kiss you...on the cheek of course... Grin
Logged
Wingback Reverse
Big Red Bleacher Bum No. 1
****
Posts: 1216



« Reply #4 on: September 19, 2009, 07:50:11 PM »

Yes, Husker94, we all understand that sometimes the better team doesn't win.  But going into that final drive, we had almost double the total offense of those guys and we just couldn't finish anything.

I endured Sooner Magic in the late 70s and early 80s, but this is, without question, the most disappointing letting one get away from you that I can recall.  I'm not saying it hurts as bad as some of those Oklahoma losses (I'm a whole lot older and wiser now than I was then), but this one is by far the most baffling.
Logged

"A lot of the wins in the past came from out-physicaling people, just whacking people around and wearing them down like a 15-round boxing match."   Ron Brown
SUHnami
Administrator
Hall of Fame
********
Posts: 13698



« Reply #5 on: September 19, 2009, 07:52:43 PM »

Yes, Husker94, we all understand that sometimes the better team doesn't win.  But going into that final drive, we had almost double the total offense of those guys and we just couldn't finish anything.

I endured Sooner Magic in the late 70s and early 80s, but this is, without question, the most disappointing letting one get away from you that I can recall.  I'm not saying it hurts as bad as some of those Oklahoma losses (I'm a whole lot older and wiser now than I was then), but this one is by far the most baffling.

We let on get away on Jan 1 1994 in the OB.  Why is this loss any different?  The better team didn't win that night either.
Logged

“We've focused on 40-yard dash all these years. Actually, 10-yard dash is much more important in identifying talent. Coaches are just hung up on what they've always done. If you don't beat an athlete in the first few steps, it doesn't matter what your 40 time is."
-Boyd Epley
BleedsHuskerRed
Heisman
*****
Posts: 3368



« Reply #6 on: September 19, 2009, 07:55:58 PM »

Bleeds,

Sometimes I want to kiss you...on the cheek of course... Grin
Well this is a first. Glad we're on the same side of this issue.  Cheesy
Logged

Will Munny: All right, I'm coming out. Any man I see out there, I'm gonna shoot him. Any sumbitch takes a shot at me, I'm not only gonna kill him, but I'm gonna kill his wife, all his friends, and burn his damn house down. The Husker defense should be required to watch unforgiven before every game.
Roscoe Pound
Global Moderator
Cornhusker Legend
*******
Posts: 6930



« Reply #7 on: September 19, 2009, 08:00:57 PM »

I'm just tired of getting kicked in the crotch. I'm tired of having to look for things to take from a game to try to feel better about it.
Logged

Color of stainless valor,
Color of priceless truth;
Linked in a noble union
Allegiance full and faithful
We swear to the Scarlet and Cream
HuskersNC949597
Administrator
Hall of Fame
********
Posts: 48049



WWW
« Reply #8 on: September 19, 2009, 08:06:38 PM »

I'm just tired of getting kicked in the crotch. I'm tired of having to look for things to take from a game to try to feel better about it.
Well the difference here is the leadership in charge is much better than it has been in a while.  This team will not be lost like 2002, or 2004, or 2007.
Logged
Red Said Ted
Global Moderator
Heisman
*******
Posts: 4693


"I love the fans. I love the atmosphere."


« Reply #9 on: September 19, 2009, 08:08:34 PM »

Bleeds,

Sometimes I want to kiss you...on the cheek of course... Grin
Well this is a first. Glad we're on the same side of this issue.  Cheesy

Bleeds!  Wow.  I take back about half of the crummy things I've said about you!  Wink

Good point.  There's plenty of blame to go around any time you lose a game.  And a close one like this, man, it really stings.  There are so many plays that could have made a difference, but we didn't get it done.  As upsetting as the loss is, I see good things for this team.  Gotta love the way they played ball compared to where they were at the beginning of the 2008 season.

Perhaps some lessons were learned that will come in handy when we start league play.

I'm gonna chalk this one up to growing pains.  This is a team that is still learning to close out games.  It'll come this season...
Logged

The battles we go through life
We ask for a chance that's fair
A chance to equal our stride
A chance to do or dare
If we should win, let it be by the code
Faith and Honor held high
If we should lose, we'll stand by the road
And cheer as the winners go by
Day by day, we get better and better.
HuskersNC949597
Administrator
Hall of Fame
********
Posts: 48049



WWW
« Reply #10 on: September 19, 2009, 08:10:55 PM »

This is a team that is still learning to close out games.  It'll come this season...
Yes.  Yes it will.
Logged
Husker94
Guest
« Reply #11 on: September 19, 2009, 08:14:04 PM »

Yes, Husker94, we all understand that sometimes the better team doesn't win.  But going into that final drive, we had almost double the total offense of those guys and we just couldn't finish anything.

I endured Sooner Magic in the late 70s and early 80s, but this is, without question, the most disappointing letting one get away from you that I can recall.  I'm not saying it hurts as bad as some of those Oklahoma losses (I'm a whole lot older and wiser now than I was then), but this one is by far the most baffling.

I agree.  I'm just saying that this loss can be more accurately pinned on the ineffectiveness of the offense than the final two or three plays of the defense.
Logged
txhuskers
Champions Club
All American
*****
Posts: 2039



« Reply #12 on: September 19, 2009, 08:17:32 PM »

I think the home game against Texas Tech a couple years ago was worse.  LeKevin Smith intercepted a pass with just a minute or so to go in the 4th quarter and decided to run with the ball.  Then he fumbled.  Texas Tech recovered and scored a TD.  That was worse than today.
Logged
SUHnami
Administrator
Hall of Fame
********
Posts: 13698



« Reply #13 on: September 19, 2009, 08:19:33 PM »

I think the home game against Texas Tech a couple years ago was worse.  LeKevin Smith intercepted a pass with just a minute or so to go in the 4th quarter and decided to run with the ball.  Then he fumbled.  Texas Tech recovered and scored a TD.  That was worse than today.

I agree.  All he ahd to do was go down and the game was over! 
Logged

“We've focused on 40-yard dash all these years. Actually, 10-yard dash is much more important in identifying talent. Coaches are just hung up on what they've always done. If you don't beat an athlete in the first few steps, it doesn't matter what your 40 time is."
-Boyd Epley
Wingback Reverse
Big Red Bleacher Bum No. 1
****
Posts: 1216



« Reply #14 on: September 19, 2009, 08:20:56 PM »

Yes, Husker94, we all understand that sometimes the better team doesn't win.  But going into that final drive, we had almost double the total offense of those guys and we just couldn't finish anything.

I endured Sooner Magic in the late 70s and early 80s, but this is, without question, the most disappointing letting one get away from you that I can recall.  I'm not saying it hurts as bad as some of those Oklahoma losses (I'm a whole lot older and wiser now than I was then), but this one is by far the most baffling.

I agree.  I'm just saying that this loss can be more accurately pinned on the ineffectiveness of the offense than the final two or three plays of the defense.

No question, 94.  I will never jump up and down and scream about the defense's performance today.  That was clearly the most encouraging thing about the whole ball game.  This group can play.  If you look back on this performance and compare it to the first few games last year, the improvement is almost hard to believe.  This game wasn't lost by our defense.  It was lost because of poor timeout management and ineffective play calling by our offensive staff.  Lee's performance wasn't good, but you can't pin the loss on him either.
Logged

"A lot of the wins in the past came from out-physicaling people, just whacking people around and wearing them down like a 15-round boxing match."   Ron Brown
BIGHUSKERFAN.COM
   



 Logged
Pages: [1] 2   Go Up
Print
Jump to:  





SimplePortal 2.2.2 © 2008-2009