Throughout Nebraska’s game against Wisconsin on Saturday night, there was one constant flowing through my head. Both when Nebraska was down and when they were coming back, I kept wondering to myself, should a veteran team be struggling at home against a young Wisconsin team at home?
It goes back to the same issue that I raised after UCLA: Nebraska is a weak team psychologically. Wisconsin came in with a freshmen quarterback and built a seventeen point lead. Reading some of the comments by Dan Gilbert and by some of the things Wisconsin coaches told Todd Blackledge, they didn’t take Nebraska that seriously.
I’m not saying that Nebraska has the wrong head coach at the moment. There’s still trying to figure out who they are in the Big 10, and how to use a no huddle spread can work. They need to get bigger and deeper on defense. Thad Randle was the first defensive lineman to get injured and won’t be the last to miss a game this year. But not taking advantage of a Wisconsin mistake until the last possession shows this team isn’t where it should be. If there’s a down year for the Pelini regime, it’s likely going to be 6-6, and we should consider if he’s just a good game coach who can’t recruit. (To know what I mean by that last statement, see this post.)
Also Husker fans, you don’t want to hear this, but Rex Burkhead is down as Nebraska’s workhorse back. No, he’ll still be an effective back at points, and he’ll get a lot of carries late in games. But he’s taken too many hits, so don’t expect him to be Superman.
It is too bad Wisconsin and Nebraska won’t met at Camp Randall in late September. Not that Nebraska can’t make other rivals, but this series is darn competitive.
Game of Shadows? That’s a totally awesome name for a post. I could see it being a chapter from a Game of Thrones novel. After all, would it not be logical to include a Game of Thrones chapter called Game of Shadows? It’s the same game, but instead of thrones, it’s about shadows. I like thrones and all, but how much is too much? I think shadows are probably better literary devices anyway. You can’t see in the shadows. You can see the throne. You can sit on the throne, but you can’t sit in a shadow. I dunno. Shadows are just better.
Speaking of football, did anyone see the Dallas/Chicago game. I hate both teams.
Derek Johnson
Game of Shadows? That’s a totally awesome name for a post. I could see it being a chapter from a Game of Thrones novel. After all, would it not be logical to include a Game of Thrones chapter called Game of Shadows? It’s the same game, but instead of thrones, it’s about shadows. I like thrones and all, but how much is too much? I think shadows are probably better literary devices anyway. You can’t see in the shadows. You can see the throne. You can sit on the throne, but you can’t sit in a shadow. I dunno. Shadows are just better.
Speaking of football, did anyone see the Dallas/Chicago game. I hate both teams.
I didn’t see it either.
Jay Cutler is the anti-Christ
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