Big Red Roundtable - Emergency Session
11 comments so far
September 25, 2007 by
Due to recent events in Husker Nation, an emergency session of the Big Red Roundtable was recently convened. A number of topics were discussed including revised expectations for the season, reaction to the Boo Birds in Memorial Stadium, and of course, the performance of Coach Cosgrove and the Blackshirts.
Assess the Huskers performance this season. What is going well, and what has surprised you?
The Good News, Sam Keller is as advertised. This team would be 1-3 with another Joe Dailey. I'm surprised that the running game has regressed, and the defense has had trouble with what appears to be the basics (end arounds vs. Wake, tackling a running back versus USC, coverage versus Ball St.).
Let's not sugar coat things; the Blackshirts are struggling. What do you think the issue is, and what needs to be done to rectify things this season?
The front four is battered and inexperienced and it shows. They neither stuff the run nor pressure the passer. The whole team is missing too many tackles. They also weren't good enough to play man coverage against Ball State.
Kevin Cosgrove is the target of a lot of criticism over the play of the Blackshirts. How will this play out?
Nothing will happen to Cosgrove during the season. A lot can happen between now and the end of the year. If the Huskers win the North, I think he's safe (if he still wants to stay). The fans will hold this against him until the Huskers finish with a Top 5 or Top 10 defense or a national title (which won't be this year). McBride allowed over 600 yards to Washington in 1991 and Louisiana Tech in 1998. In both cases, the Huskers got things fixed on defense that year. If the Huskers win 8 games or fewer, there will be pressure to change, but I think the staff would be given at least another year to turn things around. Sadly, 2008 looks like a rebuilding year so they may need two years to fix things on
defense.
You went into this season with some expectations. Has the start to this season changed your mind? Where do you see the Huskers at the end of the season?
It's hard to see the Huskers winning a night game at Missouri right now. Even if they pitch a shutout against Iowa State, you'd have real doubts. But a win over Missouri is not impossible. I no longer consider the Huskers "the" favorite to win the North, but I still consider them "a" favorite. The critical games will be Missouri, Kansas, Kansas State, and Colorado. Lose any of those and you could fall out of contention in the North. Those seemed like gimmes (save Mizzou) prior to the season.
There was a loud chorus of boos last weekend at Memorial Stadium. Your reaction? Is it okay to boo the Huskers under any circumstance?
I wish Husker fans were better than that. It does nothing to help the team and can only scare away recruits. Save the whining for the bar or your own home.
Related: Read responses from Husker Guy, Husker Faithful, Corn Nation, Midwest Coast Bias, Husker Mike
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Mel4Red Sep 25 07
Just read a post on the "Huskerpedia" site. Let's get behind the defense and have a "BLACKOUT" against ISU. Let's show the boys how grown up we can be. My group will do their part, how about any of you ? GBR
Jason Sep 25 07
Thanks for the heads up. I haven't seen anything about a "Black Out." But, if anyone is looking for a nice Black Shirt to wear to the game, I might humbly suggest you check out our store. :)
James Moore Sep 25 07
Well what would I do? As for the defense, scale down the packages & begin to build these guys back up as a defensive unit. Stick to the very basics and go from there. The talk during the offseason of having Dillard line up as a DT for a 3-3-5 3rd down package, and possibly using a 3-4 as well is for units that can handle and effectively execute assignment, gap-control football. Get these guys to feel confident by going back to basics and executing. Tackle, cover, and carry out your assignments. . .
Offensively, it'd be nice to know that we can get 150 yds on the grounde very week. Keller is a competitor and I've heard people call him a stud, I'd agree. I like him and thank goodness he's as advertised. Receivers, so far this year not bad at all although occasionally I still see a failure to come back and fight for a ball, but as a whole good job guys. O-Line is a good pass-blocking unit that could still stand to improve before the year is out. . .
Finally (yes, it's long) stay focused. We can still win the Big 12 North (seems that nobody so far in the North is playing exceptional D) & make the Conference Championship game. But seriously, and not to bang the community sacrificial drum here, after this season Cosgrove has to go. Anyone miss Bo Pelini? "Bo, it's me Steve Pederson." "Can I speak to you for a moment?"
P.S. "The Blackout" is the EXACT kind of class that Husker fans have. Fantastic and classy idea.
ze Sep 25 07
Well, I finally got to see the game clips from the Calli Show and just have to give credit to Big Red's resilience in pulling out the 'W'.
I don't think there's any mystery in that NE's main weakness on D is in the front line. Had they been able to pressure that QB more effectively, I just don't see Ball getting nearly as many of those completions. Any good QB--which Davis definitely is--will shread a D with ample time to throw. The few times they did pressure him he just dodged it with his excellent mobility. And their WRs made a few ridiculous catches as well. Credit Ball for having a good O line and very good skill players. But I think the D woes are correctible simply with a better push up front.
But they made the big plays at the end when it counted.
The O looked very, very good, IMO. Keller is the best passing QB NE's fielded since Ferragamo, w/o a doubt, and maybe better than Vince in that the WCO is a much more sophistated passing scheme that what TO had available. Keller is big and just commands the pocket very well. He went 7/7 on the game winning drive. The receivers were a lock.
Lucky also had a very good game both running and receiving.
Albeit, Ball's D was undersized and not that impressive.
Listening to the audio highlights on Huskers.com, it's safe to say that the D players back Coz all the way, as does Calli. That's good enough for me since they know way more about it than I do. I recommend all fans redouble their efforts in backing all the coaching staff and team--and Peterson.
I'll be wearing black on Sat. as I try to follow Roses's herky jerky play by play!
GBR!
OU7times Sep 25 07
A "Blackout" does sound like a great inspirational idea. If the players can't get behind something like that, knowing fan/player unity, what else could motivate them?
OU7times Sep 25 07
Steve Hanway, how do you think the situation with the teams defense and perceived coaching, are or could affect recruits both commits and prospective?
Steve Sep 25 07
OU7,
It cuts both ways. If you're a confident recruit, how can you not look at that defense and think, "I could start as a freshman". On the other hand, if you want to have the same coach for four-five years, you'd have to wonder if the staff is going to last.
But to the latter point, how confident can you be anywhere that the staff will be there in five years. The best defensive coordinators get hired away to be head coaches. Head coaches can bolt for the NFL. Then there's always the prospect of probation (something familiar to OU fans).
So I think it nets out as not a big deal. Recruiting is always about "retail" salesmanship. Have you got the "closers" on your staff? Right now, NU has got some closers so I think aside from a kid here or there, it won't be too big a deal.
Scott Sep 25 07
Right now I would have to say that we should beat Iowa St. I think Missouri will have their way with us and dominate us from start to finish and win by 3-4 touchdowns. Night games in Columbia....bad, bad news.
Did any of you see Jim Rose's comments regarding the Blackshirt Tradition?? I think he hit the nail right on the head there. Only the starting 11 get them, and at this point they should be taken away and earned back like it is day 1 of fall camp.
ze Sep 25 07
Given all the heat the D has been taking this season and what appears to be their fragile state of mind, I think it would be a disincentive to start pulling blackshirts....
Bill in Iowa Sep 26 07
I will be wearing BLACK on Saturday! Criticism in a blog is one thing...but the "boo's" on game day is NOT what Husker fans are about!
ze Sep 27 07
You should have heard the boos at the ARK game. They were booing while ARK was up 2 tds in the first half! It got uglier as the game slipped away and KY got the win.