Few Fan Concerns
Steady improvement should happen through Spring and Summer
In the springtime, there is little to discuss about the Fall prospects of the Huskers. Besides the glorified practice of the annual Red-White game, reports out of scrimmages and information gleaned from the odd press conference or two are the only sources. But discuss fans do, and the main concerns raised in January seem far different than today. Fortunately a review of the missing pieces and areas of concern show fixable issues with steady work through the off-season.
There are always the obvious missing pieces: injury (Jared Crick, Cameron Meredith) and multi-sport athletes (Khiry Cooper). They will add to the team when they can devote 100% to full practice and preparation. The lack of Crick and Meredith on the line may not have seemed a major impact until the offenses started running up points. Two more players out of the starting rotation meant that the depth on the defensive front did not prevent scoring in the later stages of the game. Their absence did allow Eric Martin, Jay Guy, and Kevin Williams solid reps during a game-like atmosphere in a new role or first time shot. But may have caused the shoot-out like nature of the game.
The lack of discipline, whether by penalty or positional, left some fans and media members curious about the reasons. Offensively, the "silly" penalties cropped up with back blocks, holding calls, and delays of game. Bo Pelini has marginally improved (if at all) his team's penalty statistics over his few years, and this does not bode well for the beginning of a change. The only reason for potential improvement in that department would be the simplification of the offense. It may be less complicated to grasp at this point in the training. If it continues to be simple to pick up, more players can focus on playing disciplined, penalty-free football.
Another area in which discipline will improve is the secondary. The new and old faces in the receivers group gave both squads troubles at one time or another during the game. When the defensive backfield starts to gel, their communication and coordination will continue to improve as fall approaches. Young guys and returners were lucky enough to watch, play behind, or be a part of one of the top secondary units in the country last year. The talent to pursue, tackle, and ball-hawk all appear to be in place. The chemistry will come together with more playing time together.
At this point, chemistry can help everything this squad is running into. Except for maybe running back depth, the wheels on Taylor Martinez, Cody Green's fumbling, or the tackling abilities of specials teams players. Those things will just take practice and/or time. Two things there are (unfortunately) plenty of before the fall rolls around.
4/20/2011
Excellent article. Got a question Tom…do they continue practicing all throughout the summer, from now until game time, or do they start again in August with the new recruits coming in and start playing their schedule in early September? Because if that’s the case, there doesn’t seem to be much time to get it all together? No time for chemistry to develop. That’s only one month. Or is it they are working on something all year round?
Another question…did this team have as many penalties in the first half of last season when they were healthy and on fire, or was it mainly after TMagic got hurt and the wheels came off the wagon? That would be somewhat explainable if that’s the case.
Tom Osborne was recently quoted as saying people don’t understand the nature of Taylors injuries and how that effected the team and his play. He likened it to Payton Manning having a broken arm. He said his first three steps are faster than any quarterback he’s seen, and when you take that away…you’re pretty much done. Could that have had something to do with our penalty situation?
Taylors gotten a bad rap. I wish they would have just left him out to heal. The difficulties we experienced exposed bad coaching in my opinion, not our QB’s deficiencies.
4/20/2011
Martinez is a talent, but he may not have the poise to be an in the pocket Quarterback. IF he doesn’t heal, so he can run again, he will become a liability. If the offensive line continues to commit concentration penalties, then that is on Barney Cotton. I believe if that happens again this year, Cotton will be gone before next season, even if he has two boys on the team.
Kansas City, MO
4/20/2011
The last couple sentences were kind of tongue in cheek. Those are things that can be improved upon with diligence, something which Bo Pelini has got in spades. The great players are self-motivated and don’t stop working for any extended period of time during the year (regardless of officially sanctioned practice or training). If Pelini’s work ethic can positively influence his players, I believe that the product on the field in the fall will be very competitive against other B1G opponents. As for Martinez, unless someone gets far ahead of him in practice running the offense, we might not know if he’s got what it takes until after the Ohio State game.
4/20/2011
The last thing I want to see Taylor do is pocket passing. That advise is what got him in trouble last season. Stay in the pocket, do not run was poor advise by the OC. Everyone seems to forget the OCS game where Taylor did all the scoring through the air and not one on the ground. He is now just a sophomore. I want to see Taylor, and two other speed backs together. Three weapons could go a long way in the offense.
San Diego, Ca.
4/20/2011
The few, brief reports and opinions Pelini has given about his new offense, tell me he’s pretty much just overjoyed that he’s not subjected anymore, to the previous one. He’s just being cool, about it. “Lots of work to do” and stuff like that.
Personally, I’d like a buffer between him and whoever the qb is. It appears Beck will want to view things from on high. Maybe the new receivers coach, or somebody. That’s the only thing.
A qb’s trying to focus on what just happened and he needs coaching that’ll help him to regroup, not a face full of an enraged Bo ster making faces and choosing choice comments.
New pressure packed season. It could come up.
He loves his defense. He definitely likes his new offense.
But, he can’t wait till his new I-Backs show up.
london
4/21/2011
Yes The new and old faces in the receivers group gave both squads troubles at one time or another during the game. When the defensive backfield starts to gel, their communication and coordination will continue to improve as fall approaches. I agree with that.
and Yes Cotton will be gone before next season, even if he has two boys on the team. This is true. Can i place share about football tickets as I h’ve got 2 tickets free for champions league final.