Four Words On Nebraska's 2011 Season

It's taken some time to work up the interest to write this. I could really just stop there. It wasn't only the bowl game that did it. My interest in this season waned as it wore on. I think that says a lot.

The losses were heart breaking. But each for a different reason.

Anyway, it's all over now. Let the reflection period begin. Nebraska won't play another meaningful football game for about 8 months.

Was that the Capital One Bowl or the entire season? In a way, it was both. It was a stripped-down version of what we saw from the Huskers in 2011. A microcosm, if you will.

In a nutshell, it was flashes of brilliance marred by moments of complete ineptitude. It was frustrating, inexplicable, infuriating, and ultimately troubling.

Frustration
Nebraska began the Big 10 season in Madison, WI. A huge atmosphere and an equally huge task. The highly-touted Badgers were unveiling quarterback transfer Russell Wilson, an intriguing addition to a team which played in the Rose Bowl in January.
The task, and the atmosphere, proved too big for the young Huskers. A loss was expected by most, but not in the way that it happened.

It wasn't Taylor Martinez's night. Plain and simple. He didn't have it. Yet, the coaching staff kept trying to force him into making plays.  If you know don't know anything about Martinez, know this: he isn't that guy. Some quarterback can, almost magically, be the square peg in a round hole. Martinez can't pull that off. He certainly didn't that night in Wisconsin, and probably won't ever be able.

But, for some unknown reason, the offensive staff, led by Tim Beck, thought he could. Even a casual fan could see that it wasn't the night. The wall was too thick and beating the collective Husker head against it wouldn't knock it down.

That sort of pig-headed attitude led Nebraska to multiple turnovers and a miserable showing.  Frustration was the word of the night.

Wisconsin 48, Nebraska 17

Inexplicable
Following three solid performances, including a huge comeback against Ohio State and a nice win over a good Michigan State team, the Cornhuskers welcomed Northwestern to Memorial Stadium.

It wasn't even supposed to be a contest. Northwestern entered at 3-5, having even dropped a game to lowly Army. But, on this day, Nebraska would have no answer for Kain Colter.

It was almost unbelievable. The crowd of more than 85,000 shared the same expression. All knew they had seen exactly what happened, but couldn't quite grasp the reality.

There was no reason to lose, right? Northwestern didn't just win in Lincoln, did they? 

Wrong. Yes, they did.

The offensive ineptitude was astonishing. Northwestern came in allowing an average of 31.5 points per game. Outside of a garbage touchdown with virtually no time remaining, the Huskers managed just 18 points.

Unlike the Wisconsin game, this wasn't Martinez's fault. He played well enough. The rest of the team folded around him.

But why?

Some called it a lack of leadership. Some called it the team's inability to adequately deal with success.  Many reasons were given, but nothing could completely answer the question. It was wholly inexplicable.

Northwestern 28, Nebraska 25.

Infuriating
Nebraska bounced back following the Northwestern loss, beating a Penn State team slogging through what is the worst scandal in college football history.

They were alive. The Legends Division crown could still sit atop Herbie Husker's cowboy hat. Michigan was up next in a must-win game at The Big House.

However, Nebraska never answered the bell in the second half. They trailed just 17-10 to start the 3rd, but wound up on the end of another vicious beatdown.

Apparently, Cornhuskers don't do well against feisty rodents (see: wolverine, badger).

This one was more than frustrating, it was a breeding pool for red-hot, seething anger.  Martinez was terrible, completing just 9 of 23 passes. Rex Burkhead gained 36 yards, his lowest total all season.  All this plus two second half turnovers ultimately buried the Huskers.

They couldn't afford to lose, so instead they got blown out. They couldn't afford to let Michigan get too far ahead, but they turned it over. They needed to be effective in the run game and keep the ball away from Michigan's potent offense, but managed just 138 yards on the ground and allowed the Wolverines more than 41 minutes of possession.

It was a game that might make the Pope drop a few F-bombs.

Michigan 45, Nebraska 17

Troubling
The win over Iowa gave Nebraska a trip to the best bowl it has seen in some years. Perhaps the best in a decade.

South Carolina and the Capital One Bowl presented a great opportunity. It would be a nice cap on the season to beat an SEC team with a solid defense.

But, this game would play like a lowlight reel from the 2011 season.

It had a flash of offensive brilliance, followed by misery-inducing turnovers. It showcased the critical vulnerability of the NU defense: a fleet-footed quarterback. It had untimely breakdowns in secondary play and offensive discipline. When the Huskers desperately needed to score, they fell flat on their faces.

To see all these things in one game was troubling. In 60 minutes, it told just about everything you need to know about Nebraska.

Learning those things has to be unsettling to Husker faithful.

South Carolina 30, Nebraska 17.

Questions
The season has raised some questions that need answers, and soon.

Is Taylor Martinez good enough to lead this team to championship-level play?
I don't think so. I answer this question with another: What is it that he does well? Sure, he's really fast. But, his field vision is almost non-existent. I often say, he's the best runner in the country when nobody is in front of him. He doesn't seem to know what to do when faced with a defender. He becomes hesitant and often takes big shots. He doesn't seem to have the lateral agility to make tacklers miss or the ability to read blocks well enough to find seams.

While he has improved as a passer, less than 50% completions is not good enough. He is, at times, the victim of dropped passes, which leads to the next question.

Can Nebraska get the athletes needed to compete at the highest level?
I think they can. But, it has to be a focused effort, namely at wide receiver. Why does it seem that every other team in the country has at least one guy who makes the key catch every time? Many of those teams don't have near the profile that Nebraska does. There has to be somebody out there with great hands that wants to play for NU. Has to be.

Other than that, I think the staff has done a decent job in recruiting. This isn't ever going to be LSU, Alabama, USC, or Ohio State. It just won't. But, if Stanford, Oregon, and West Virginia can get top-level guys, there's no reason Nebraska can't.

The final question is difficult.

Is Bo Pelini the guy?
This is tough. I don't know that I have an answer. At times, it seems he is just what Dr. Tom ordered. Fiery, intense, and defensive-minded.

Other times, those same qualities seem detrimental. Too fiery. Too intense. Too defensive-minded. Unless he can manage those traits, I can't see a Pelini-led team taking the next step.

He has to learn to be a complete coach. If he can't, I'll be writing this same post for as long as he's at the helm.

High School Low: Nebraska's Lack of Football Talent

You may think the title is hostile. You may think I'm disparaging all those hardworking kids who sweat and bleed each Fall, most with the dream of playing on some nondescript Saturday in Lincoln in front of 85,000+ ravenous, Husker blue-bloods.

For many of them, playing at any university would be a dream come true.  Some of them will. Most will not. And for Husker fans, that's bad news.

Look, it's no secret that Nebraska doesn't produce near as many Division I football prospects as Texas, Florida, or California. Some of that can certainly be chalked up to population. The sheer numbers are not in favor of the Cornhusker State. According to the 2010 census data, California, Texas, and Florida are #1, #2, and #4 respectively. Nebraska is #38 (#39 if you're counting Puerto Rico).

Los Angeles has twice the population of Nebraska. Omaha is smaller than 6 cities in Texas (Houston has more people than the entire state of Nebraska). Florida has three urban areas of over 500,000.

So, sure. Population disparity plays a role. But I contend that it's not the only factor. Perhaps not even the biggest.

Texas is generally considered the benchmark for high school football. High school football in Texas is nearly religious. Away games are pilgrimages, losses are sins, and championships are heavenly.

To the population argument, I do submit. Nebraska's biggest school is Omaha Central (enrollment 2,557). It is smaller than 124 of 245 class 5A schools in Texas. But, again: size isn't everything.

One of those smaller schools is Southlake Carroll (enrollment 2,545). It isn't much smaller. It's strikingly comparable in size. Yet, even here in Nebraska, you've probably heard of Southlake Carroll High School. You may not know why you've heard of SCHS, but you have. Here's why:

• Kris Brown, former Nebraska Cornhusker and NFL kicker
• Scott Chandler, tight end for NFL's Buffalo Bills
• Adam Ulatoski, offensive lineman for the Houston Texans
• Garrett Hartley, former placekicker for the University of Oklahoma and currently plays for the New Orleans Saints
• Chase Daniel, former quarterback for the University of Missouri and currently quarterback and placeholder for the New Orleans Saints
• Greg McElroy, former quarterback for the University of Alabama and currently quarterback for the New York Jets

And that's the short list. As for Omaha Central:

• Ahman Green, former Nebraska Cornhusker and all-time Green Bay Packers rushing leader
• Calvin Jones, former Nebraska Cornhusker and Green Bay Packer

You can't sell me the population argument on this one. Even if you look at the players who were highly sought after out of high school, Southlake Carroll runs away from Central.

According to Rivals, here are the number of listed prospects from each school over the past 5 years.

	Southlake	Central
2012	4	1
2011	2	1
2010	10	3
2009	3	6
2008	9	4

Yes, Central had more listed prospects in 2009. The overall numbers don't lie: 28 for Southlake, 15 for Central. Digging just a bit below the surface shows just how great the disparity really is.

Of Southlake's 28 listed prospects, 20 signed with  Division I schools. For Central, just 3 of 15 have signed D-1.

So, why the disparity? The schools are roughly the same size and should, theoretically, have a similar talent pool from which to draw. I would go so far as to say that, yes, they do. Their talent pools should indeed be comparable. However, they are clearly not.

It hasn't got so much to do with talent, in my mind as it does football ability. The two are vastly different. Talent is raw, uncultivated, and uncoachable. Attributes such as speed, agility, arm strength, and general body size can be considered part of talent. Football ability is the sum of knowledge gained through practicum of football related activities. Stay with me here.

The title of this post may be a bit of a misnomer, but it got your attention. I don't believe there's a lack of talent among high school football players in Nebraska. Nay, I'd say just the opposite. There is, I believe, a wealth of talent hidden in The Plains. It is evident in the success of so many walk-on players at the University.

The problem? There isn't much football ability. And it's really not the fault of the athletes. The problem is more systemic.

You see, in Texas, they do football right. Coaches are coaches. They don't do anything else but coach. It's their job. Many places in Nebraska, coaching is a side job for a teacher. In Texas, the players learn how to play the game, not just how to play in the game. Off-season workouts, camps, and 7-on-7 are mandatory if you expect to see the field from anywhere except the bleachers. In Nebraska, from my own personal experience, an off-season workout is somewhere between optional and non-existent.

You can't say that Nebraskans don't care about football as much as Texans. Google search "ncaa consecutive sellout streak" and see what happens. The people here care.

Sure. Texas is much more heavily recruited than Nebraska. There are more players to choose from. But the players from Texas also play the game better. Largely because they've been taught better.

The talent is there. It often gets cultivated once the student somehow, be it walk-on or otherwise, lands on campus. But, for football in Nebraska to thrive, the steps to improve the quality of players must be taken earlier. Outside recruiting can only go so far.

It's no secret that I'm a fan of Nebraska. I grew up spending Spring itching for the thrill of hearing Kent Pavelka describe the scene at Memorial Stadium through the speakers of my AM/FM radio each Saturday in the Fall.

But today, all grown up and far removed from Husker glory days, I see a problem. The once mighty Cornhuskers are no longer the unique, Midwestern team that can draw in a certain type of player to fit the system.  Those players were often just quirky enough to work at Nebraska, whereas other teams didn't quite want them as much.

The players they need now are the same ones everyone else needs. And those guys, in general, just aren't coming to Lincoln. The solution, as always, will come from the ground floor. The seeds of a powerhouse program need to be planted in the back yard.

Stop Criticizing Martinez? That's Not How This Works...

I've heard from some Husker fans that we need to "get off Taylor Martinez's back."

What? Are you serious?

He's the starting quarterback for the University of Nebraska's football team who, by the way, just got embarrassed in Madison, WI. He was a large part of the embarrassment, throwing three costly interceptions and a number of other bad passes. Those are the facts.

Now, I'm not supposed to criticize him for his poor performance? I don't think that's how it works.

If an Assistant Manager at Company X makes three (or more) mistakes that significantly contribute to a loss of productivity and money at Company X, while drastically lowering the public perception of Company X, that employee would be heavily criticized, if not terminated or demoted. This is not up for debate. It's true.

Martinez has completed just 50.5% of passes this season

Replace "Assistant Manager" with "Taylor Martinez" and "Company X" with "the Nebraska Cornhuskers," and suddenly the story changes. The employee, somehow, is above reproach.

The logic doesn't follow. If you screw up, expect criticism. That's just life. If you can't deal with it, do something else that lowers your risk of failure.

Fans should not stop criticizing Martinez. The old excuses will remain invalid as ever. "He's just a kid." "We forget that he's only a Sophomore." "Leave him alone and let him grow."

He's not a kid. Sophomores have won three of the last four Heisman trophies. Leaving him alone will not allow him to grow.

I beg you this, Husker fans. Praise Martinez when he does well. Give him his due. But, do not listen to those calls to let miserable performances go without scrutiny. As we fans must take the good with the bad when it comes to Martinez, so must he from us.