And truthfully, this is the best four quarters of football I’ve seen from Nebraska since Matt Rhule’s arrival.
Off The Cob — Lyle Harmon on Nebraska football, position by position and week by week, with a long memory for Husker history.
The Blackshirts will need to come from that dark place Aurich was talking about before the season and they’ll need to be “eager for violence” and match Indiana’s intensity. Because Indiana won’t be looking ahead to Ohio State like some Husker fans are hoping for.
Indiana will be the first team this season Nebraska faces that has equal or better talent. That matters, because while Nebraska won’t be perfect, they must play an error free game to have a shot.
"We really, really, really believe in the importance of practice. For him not to have practiced last week, we didn't feel comfortable and we didn't have to do it."
. It doesn’t add up. This was supposed to be USC’s year. Penn State’s schedule was supposed to be easy. One of these coaches is about to be in deep doo-doo.
Saturday’s contest between the 7-0 Huskers and the 6-0 Sooners will leave the nation with no more than four undefeated teams. “It’s one of the great traditions,” said Kansas head coach Terry Allen. “That’s what college football is all about, and we’ve got to do everything to preserve the great rivalries across the country.”
At halftime the Husker’s decided their dance routine was over, they ripped off their tutu’s and suited up for the most aggressive portion of the pageant, the interview. Yes, that portion of the pageant where you are judged on composure, intelligence and authenticity.
It’s alright for fans and everyone else to look ahead and say, “Oh, boy,” but there better not be anyone in Nebraska’s coaching offices or wearing a Husker uniform thinking 5-0 is a given. Shoot, Indiana better not be thinking it either. No…Nebraska’s full focus had better be on Maryland and the task at hand. Just because the Terps have dropped their last two games and their coach’s posterior is in melt down mode doesn’t mean this team isn’t dangerous. Because they are.
But the real decisions will be in the hands of the quarterbacks and generally the best man wins. “The better the quarterback, the more problems he can create for a defense,” said Lance Van Zandt, defense coordinator for the Cornhuskers.
There are now three “ORs” listed between the running backs, but this is due to the top two rushers, Jahmal Rule and Mekhi Nelson both being listed on the injury report.
There were plenty of cowbells out last week when Missouri was in Starkville, but with No.7 Alabama in town nobody will have to tell the Bulldog fans, “I need more cowbell.”
Because of that, some of the media are asking why fans can’t be happy with the win and demand perfection. It isn’t perfection the fans are looking for, it’s consistency. Rhule’s team has yet to play a complete game. Sooner or later, they must resolve the third quarter doldrums.