Forgive me if this doesn't come out right... I'm new here, as I assume most of the people on this site are. I generally consider myself to be a glass half full kinda guy. I try to not let negativity get to me, and I also try to not be too negative. Which is why I have decided to write this blog entry today. I have really entered a new place for me, and I'm pretty sure I don't like it. That being said, I cannot avoid it.
I have been a Nebraska Cornhusker fan as long as I can remember. I remember being a Junior in high school when the Huskers beat Miami for their first national championship under TO. Only difference between most of you and me, is that I was watching it in Grand Forks, North Dakota with my dad, as most people in that neck of the woods are hockey fans and nothing else. I remember the day TO retired (and I still have the newspaper article from Wahpeton, North Dakota, where I was attending college at the time.) and nobody really understood why I felt the way I did, a sense of supreme pride mixed in with some sadness. When Frank Solich took over, I never really questioned him. Sure, I was disappointed in some of the results, but I also realized that most likely, it was never going to be the same as when TO ruled the sidelines. When peopled called for Craig Bolh's head, I was quiet. I knew he wasn't going to cut it, but at the same time, why pile on? When Solich hired on the new coaches, I was excited for he future. Little did we know, the future would only last one year. I still would have liked to have seen what that coaching staff could have done with recuiting. Guess we'll never know.
When Frank was fired, I didn't throw a big fit. In fact, when Callahan was announced as the head coach, my first thought was to get behind the new coaching staff. So I did. Things were different now, but nothing ever stays the same. It is still NU that was rooting for. When Callahan brought on Cosgove, I looked at his past.... Nothing to impressive on his resume. One top ten defense from his days at Wisconsin, mixed in with a lot of average to bad defenses. People pointed out the people up in Wisconsin were happy to see him go. Still, I thought, lets give the guy a chance. He certainly had to be working with lesser talent than he would be here at NU.
In year 4 (I realistically call it year 3, with 2004 not counting against Callahan), I am not impressed. My list of grievences is long, and I will attempt to outline them below...
(not ranked by importance, just how they come out my head...)
1. Kevin Cosgroves defensive schemes. I'm sure this is a major problem with most people on this board. The 3-3-5 cover scheme has killed so many times this year, I have lost count. This scheme could work, if we had a. the proper line (I think Carriker, Suh, Moore would have been a great 3 man front.) Our current line gets NO pressure on opposing quarterbacks. They can sit back there, read the newspaper, have a tea party, then take a quick look and find the open receiver time after time. b. Safeties that could actually play safety (out of position constantly). c. Linebackers that could either tackle with authority(not this hold on and let the ballcarrier drag you for 5 yards stuff we see over and over again right now) or at least not be completely out of position and blitz at the correct times. The theory of the 3-3-5 is great. It is completely out of our current teams league though. We need to abandon it on the side of the road, and stick with a defense that we can run more effectively. A base 4-3 with nickle package for 3rd down is what I feel we should run exclusively. Will Kevin Cosgrove be able to figure this out. I have my doubts. Which is why I hope Callahan lets go of his "buddy" once the year is done.
2. Our player development. Dave Kennedy is turning our players, into slow musclebound players. The brute strength is nice, don't get me wrong. That would be perfect in the old Big 10 days. But in todays college football, it just won't work. Speed Kills!!!! Speed Kills!!!! Speed Kills!!!! How freaking hard is it to figure this out?!?! It wasn't very hard for Missouri to figure it out. Watching Missouri's wide outs flying around while our slow lumbering players tried to keep up was brutal watching. Dave Kennedy, I'm not ready to throw you under the bus yet. But you had better start mixing in some speed development into NU's off season workouts. Specifically quick burst speed. I could care less if someone runs a 4.4 40. What I do care about is how fast they can get off the line, and get up to max speed. Once you get this... Then try to get the strength with it, without losing the speed.
3. Our offensive play calling. Gee, Dan Erickson is coming into the game with 3 tight ends... I wonder if this is going to a run???? I wonder if I was a defensive cordinator, if I would stack the box.... Duh. Playing Murice Purify for roughly half your offensive plays is downright criminal. He should only be leaving the playing field on downs when he need a breather. No other time, period. 2nd and long... Wonder if they are going to run that middle screen again? Nobody will see that coming. Well, maybe everyone will. Its a great play, when you mix it in with other plays...
4. Burning red shirts. Niles Paul burned his redshirt vs. Nevada, way way back on September 1st. He has seen the field (at least on offense, I have a hard team keeping track of special teams) zero times since then. I understand the circumstances probably were not what Callahan envisioned when he played Paul vs. Nevada, but you know what, you burned that redshirt, no in my mind, you are obligated to play Paul as much as reasonably possible the rest of the season. Give him a base set of plays that he feels comfortable with, and let him loose. Same with Castille... What, he fumbled once, and suddenly he sucks so bad he can't see the field? Give me a break. I understand that you'll lose more games than you will win with freshmen on the field, but that doesn't give you the right to completely waste a year of the time they have with NU. Either redshirt them, or get them on the field, period.
5. Coach Speak. You know what, everyone in this state is realizing this program is having problems. I don't expect Callahan to throw people under the bus midseason. That being said, at least acknowledge that there are problems and that you are trying to work on them. Stop giving me this "Everything is ok." attitude. That being said, a little fire from Callahan probably wouldn't hurt.
6. Bill of Sale. This is probably what hurts the most to me. At the beginning of this season, everyone was saying this was the team to make a run at a Big 12 title, and possibly a BSC bowl. Callahan did nothing to quiet the talk. Which is why it feels like I emotionally bought into a lemon right now. If Callahan would have put out that they had work to do during fall camp, I wouldn't be as disappointed as I am right now. Sure, I'd still be upset, but I'd also understand better than I do right now.
7. Recuiting. Defensive Tackle anyone? Tight End anyone? Defensive Back anyone? Oh, but we can pull in Offensive Linemen with the best of them... Congrats. I'm glad we can pull them in, don't get me wrong. But ***** mary almightly, do we even realize the kind of trouble we are setting ourselves up for by not addressing the other positions I've listed?
8. Player development. Name me more than 2 players that have improved significantly since they came aboard. I can't. Minor improvements, yes... Nothing that makes me say WOW, though. We need this so badly. I don't know how we go about getting it done, but someone on that coaching staff better figure it out soon.
9. The Stretch Play. Like most of the problems on our team, the play isn't completely useless. But it has its place and time, not every running play all the time. I hate it that our offensive linemen are basically thought to play patty-cake with the defense on these plays. Where is the smashmouth at??? Just line up mano-e-mano and pound them alittle... please? Once we were them down a little, then run a stretch play. Oh and hey, maybe run a bootleg pass out of the stretch play formation every once in a while. It would be amazing what a little variety might accomplish...
Ok, thats it for now. Believe me please... I don't want to be labelled a hater. I love Nebraska football! I want for it to succeed badly. I want Callahan to succeed. Heck, I even want Cosgrove to succeed (although I really don't see it happening). I don't want wholesale changes to be made, as I think it will set us back more than it will help in the end. There are things that are entirely fixable THIS YEAR, that will make NU a much better team. Big 12 championship caliber, maybe not... But much better than the team that took a 41-6 pounding from, lets face it, a good but not great Missouri team. I only hope that Callahan and Cozgrove can figure these things out, and then have the guts to correct them. The coming 2 weeks will determine how much Callahan and Cozgrove learn from the past. At the end of that time, we will either be the laughing stock of the Big 12, or on our way back up... I hope its the latter.
Tags: Huskers
