Husker Fanatic

The 2010 Husker Football class is set.  And, while the Huskers may not have a nationally ranked Top 10 class, they did fill obvious needs.  Sure, it would have been great to land Owamagbe Odighizuwa the great Defensive End from Oregon.  But The Huskers got some true gems in Cory Cooper (Safety) and Brion Carnes (QB).  Both were very highly recruited and somewhat of a surprise signing day decision for the Huskers.  The Huskers also got a highly rated speedster running back, Braylon Heard.  But to me the biggest addition is that of Jemarcus Hardrick (OL) or “Yoshi” as he is known.  Yoshi is a huge man at 6′7 and 315 lbs and plays with an attitude.  I expect him to be more of an immediate impact than any other player in the Huskers 2010 class.  You can see a complete list of the  2010 Huskers here

Now I know many of you will think this class must not be great because the national pundits give the Huskers no love.  Not so fast my friend, National Recruit Rankings are based on total points accumulated.  So, the Huskers with a small class this year really had little chance of reaching a Top 10 ranking or even a Top 25.  And, before any Callahan apologists try to stake a claim about his Top 10 class of 2005 remember he had about 30 recruits that year compared to 21 for the Huskers this year.  AND, more importantly every single one of these recruits WANTS to be a Husker and play for Coach Pelini.  You can BOLIEVE this class will leave a lasting impression on you!

The Huskers really do not have much to lose.  And, they are not expected to beat the Longhorns.  Texas has the high powered offense and an undefeated season on the line.  A win will put Texas in the National Championship game.  The Huskers are a 14 point underdog.  Add to all this, the Huskers must play the Longhorns in Texas!

Sounds like a recipe for disaster!

Not so fast my friend!   I like the Huskers in this game.  Why?  First, because I get the feeling that Texas has no respect for the Cornhuskers.  Second, the Huskers defense is every bit as good as Oklahoma’s which held Texas to 16 points.  Third, smash mouth football!  The Huskers will be the most physical team the Longhorns have played this year. Fourth, the Huskers have the advantage on special teams.

Texas will not know what hit them….  It will be Suhper!

Huskers 28

Longhorns 27

GO BIG RED!

Last weekends win at Kansas was awesome!  I know KU has its problems but any road win in the Big 12 is a big deal.  While the Blackshirts played well enough, they were not the dominating force shown most of this year.  I can’t say Suh and the Blackshirts took the weekend off, but maybe playing at the highest level every week is not a guaratee.  However, to my great satisfaction a new and improved Husker offense showed up!

Did you notice the I Formation?  I have not seen that in a while.  And, Helu sure looked good running out of it!  And, guess what?  The I formation opened up some passing too.  Niles Paul had an awesome game catching the ball.  Yes, it seems the Husker Offense MAY have found an indentity.  This team seems to be taking on the character of it’s head coach.  A hard nosed, focused, and determined Husker offense is developing just when it is needed.  

I would expect to see more of the I formation and power football this week against K-State.  I would like to see Cody Green get into the mix early too.  He is a great threat running the ball.  But, I have to admit that Zac Lee shoud be the starter at this point.  He seems to be playing better out of the I Formation and making few mistakes.  And, he seems to have a better feel for completing passes.  Still, this game should come down to runnng the ball for both teams.  Coach Snyder has done a remarkable job and a win Saturday would lock up the Big 12 North for KSU.  I don’t see that happening unless the turnover bug hits the Huskers.

Coach Snyder will have his team ready to play.  But, the Husker home crowd will have the stadium rockin.  And, I expect the Blackshirts to get back on the high performance standard set this year.

Look for Helu to get another 100 yard performace.  Rex Burkhead should get some time too after being out for quite some time with a broken toe.  Zac will be play smart and complete a few long passes.  The Blackshirts will be the Blackshirts!

Huskers 41

Cats 9

The Husker – Sooner game was a great show of college football last week.  It was the loudest game by far I have ever heard at Memorial Stadium, and I hope to hear more like that for years to come! The Husker win last week SHOULD propel this team to a great finish this season!  You can BOLIEVE The Huskers are BOTIVATED!

Husker Fan can count on The BLACKSHIRTS to continue the high level of play too.  There is no reason to suspect any let down by the Husker Defense this week.  But, I think it is obvious the offense needs some tweaking still.  Helu looked good running the ball for the first time in over a month against The Sooners.  However, the QB “situation” for The Big Red has led to an offense lacking required leadership and identity.  I do like the fact that Watson is now on the sideline (did he read my blog 2 weeks ago? lol!)   I think the offense will respond this week with a new vigor.  I expect The Husker Offense to start showing signs of BOTIVATION.   If Helu is healthy I look for him to rush for more than 150 yards.  Successful early running will open up the passing game. It is quite possible the Husker Offense could be hitting on all cylinders for the first time this year.

The KU defense has not been playing well against the run, their offensive line has been dismal, and Reesing the starting QB seems to have a leg injury.  AND, for which QB would Mangino and the KU Defense prepare this week?  Zac or Cody?  I think Zac gets the start, but Cody will get significant playing time.  Regardless of who starts at QB for the Huskers I expect them to move the ball and score points.  The Huskers should win this game easily, perhaps by four TD’s.

BUTTTTT, The one thing KU has shown is to score on broken plays.  They score using sandlot football tactics, but hey it works!  That could keep the game close if the Husker offense sputters as it has for the past month.  BEWARE! The Jayhawks have some of the best recievers in the Big 12.  It will be up to Suh, Crick, and company to not let Reesing have any time to throw the ball, or break for long runs on busted plays.

No Problem!!

Huskers   31
Jayhawks 20

Maybe it is just Karma. Maybe the Huskers are due. Call it the statistical law of averages. The Huskers have had more than their fair share of downs the past decade. The team has paid the price and it is simply time for good things to happen.

I have seen the best and the worst of The Huskers. I was at what I believe is “The Game” for a Husker Fan. I watched my beloved Huskers trounce Florida and win the National Championship! I have also sat in the stands and seen poor performances, culminating in a home loss to Iowa State featuring 8 turnovers. Yes, a football is an odd shaped object and the bounces can do funny things. The Huskers will need to have all the bounces today. And, I may be the optimist, but I believe they will.

I BOLIEVE The Huskers are going to win. The Sooners are in L Town tonight, and they represent the best 3 loss team I have ever seen. The Sooners could very easily be undefeated right now. They are not, and for some reason they seem vulnerable to me.

Throw The Bones… And, simply let them fall where they may.

I think that Coach BO and Wats have some tricks up their sleeves. A late Halloween Treat! I have been hearing a lot of rumors about a new offensive formation. It is a variation of the wild cat. However, I hear The Huskers will call this offense The Corn Cat! If the scuttle butt is true (who knows) this formation will have Cody Green and Zac Lee in the offensive backfield together. The Sooner defense will have no idea who is getting the ball. This unpredictable two pronged attack could work well and put up some quick points. Again this is just a BIG rumor. But, I hope it is true. I can see the logic of using such an offense for this game. The Huskers have 2 young QB’s, a makeshift backfield, and receivers that have underachieved. And, The Sooners D is the best The Huskers will face this year.

Winning games is more important than the predictable offensive system presently in place. Tonight on national TV against our true rival would be the perfect time for Bo and Wats to show they are willing to do what is needed to win. A Husker win today would be HUGE for the program. A win today would literally make the season for the Huskers and it’s fan base. If Coach BO wants to separate himself from the Callahan philosophy he must show that he is willing to use ANY player’s BEST talents to WIN football games. Especially this game!

The Corn Cat may well score points, but the game will not be won without the great play of Suh, Crick, and The Blackshirts. The Sooner Offense is a productive machine. It likes to set a fast break offensive tempo and score points. The Husker D will have its hands full even though The Sooners Heisman QB is out . The Blackshirts must disrupt the Sooners tempo with ferocious hits and timely stops. And for those of you going to this game, STAND UP AND SHOUT!!!

HUSKERS 27

Sooners 23

Calling Out Coach BO!

Before I get started on my rant let me preface my comments with the following statement. I am a BOLIEVER, I BOLIEVE in Coach BO! I have every reason to believe Coach Pelini can bring my beloved Huskers back to national prominence.

But…

I have watched the Husker Offense struggle all season against BCS schools. At first I accepted that the offense is young and inexperienced. While that may be true, I now get the sense there is a deeper issue involved with the Husker Offensive woes.

While The Blackshirts are performing at championship level and keeping The Huskers in games, the offense has been doing all it could to lose games. There is something lacking. Sure, Zac Lee still only has played a handful of games, and Helu is obviously fighting through some kind of injury. But as I sat in the stadium today and watched a despicable offensive performance I came to the brilliant conclusion that the offensive lack luster performance is Coach Pelini’s fault.

I know the cliché The Buck Stops Here that coaches believe in, and I am sure Coach Bo is one of those guys. One of his favorite lines is to “point the thumb and not the finger” meaning he points the thumb at himself.

Well Coach, point the thumb at yourself because in my opinion your “hands off” approach to the Husker Offense has directly led to the offensive implosion. Coach Bo has kept his offense at arms length from himself since he arrived. Now I think Coach Watson is a good offensive coordinator, but is he not in the press box during games? The Husker Offense lacks sideline leadership during games. And when you have inexperienced players they NEED sideline leadership!

Coach BO I am calling you out! Be the HEAD COACH and get control of YOUR offense. Lead them with the same fire and intensity you are known for passing on to the defense. I BOLIEVE!

GO BIG RED!

The Husker Fanatic!

The pre-season is over for the Huskers.  And, I would have to give them B+ for their efforts.  I think the offense gets an “A” as they have shown the ability (albeit against lessor opponents) to exploit the defense with either the run or pass.  It IS a multi-faceted offense, more so now than at any time in a decade.  I give the Blackshirts a “B”.  They still have more to prove in my book and today would be a big step in the right direction should they play up to their potential.  I am also curious and excited to see what defensive scheme Coach Bo will come up with Tech’s Taylor.  I BOLIEVE the scheme will be great, and I think the Blackshirts are ready to execute on a level not seen in a long time!!!  Blacksburgh is a tough place to pay and Va Tech is the real deal.  But, I think the Huskers make a statement today!!!

HUSKERS 27

HOKIES 24

FAU OWLS Burn Big Red N

It is finally here!  The start of Husker Football for the 2009-2010 season is upon us.  Much has happened since last season.  Most notably in my opinion is the loss of Castille.  I think the impact of losing “Q” will be evident throughout the season.

This season is hard to predict (as any).  There are a lot of questions.  Will Lee be able to QB at the same level as Ganz?  Can Helu be an every down back?  Will the receivers step up?  I think most questions are on the offensive side of the ball.

The Blackshirts could very well be the best defense in the Big 12.  Sounds like a mouthful, but the evidence is there to support that.  I look for Suh to be double teamed a lot, but it will not matter.  The Husker Defense will be tough, especially on the run.

I heard Coach BO on Jim Rome and he sounded like a kid in a candy shop about this season.   He knows something about this year we dont   I think the Huskers should win the North this year and if the offense can produce who knows what can happen!  In any case, this is only year 2 of the new tenure.  I BOLIEVE great things are coming…

On to FAU…  A few years ago they were division 2 and moved up.  The last 2 years they have gone to Bowl Games and they beat Central Michigan last year in the Motor City Bowl.  Their QB is back and the offense should be adequate.   I believe their D is very suspect on the run.  So, look for Helu to have a good day!

Huskers Roll!

Huskers 41

Owls     17

Did you hear that Sam Keller is suing the NCAA and EA Sports?  Check out the article here http://www.huskerextra.com/articles/2009/05/08/football/doc4a039e9debab4749783499.txt

Basically, Keller claims that the NCAA and EA Sports are in cahoots to a ceertain extent with the use of players images and likeness in games.  Anyone who has played these games knows this is the case.  This case needs to be watched because it has merit!

Same rules apply as all previous contests!  The winner gets a $50 credit to www.HuskerShop.com   I apologize for getting this up late!!  Also, you have a chance to meet the Anti Husker and possible a Husker Hottie.  We will be hosting a Gator Bowl party at Mockingbird Lanes in Omaha.  The game starts at noon on 1 January 2009.  The Anti Husker will be buying drinks if you ask him!  He will be the bald dude with a Clemson shirt and hat on!!  Here is the address!

4870 S 96th St
Omaha, NE 68127
(402) 339-8858

Hope you can make it!

GO BIG RED!!