The Game within the Game
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September 17, 2008 by
When the Huskers take on the Hokies a week from Saturday, it won’t just be a battle to see whether Nebraska is better than Virginia Tech or whether a Big 12 team is better than an ACC school. It will also be a chance for two of the most gifted defensive minds of the past five years to face off.
Husker fans know Bo Pelini’s resume pretty well. His defenses have been among the best in the country for each of the last five seasons. But if you check the statistical rankings, you’ll also see Virginia Tech near the top each season as well. Here’s a look at Virginia Tech’s ranking in scoring defense each of the past four seasons:
2007 #3
2006 #1
2005 #2
2004 #2
It’s that kind of success that earned Virginia Tech defensive coordinator the Frank Broyles Award as the best assistant coach in the country in 2006. Don’t think for a second Bo Pelini wouldn’t have wanted to win that award. We saw in the waning minutes of the New Mexico State game how much he cares about his defense’s reputation. He was animated in not wanting to allow the Aggies to score on their final drive even though the outcome of the game was not in doubt.
A week from Saturday we won’t just see round 2 of NU vs. Va-Tech. We’ll also see round 2 of Bo Pelini’s defense versus Bud Foster’s. Pelini’s yielded just 116 yards to the Hokies, Foster’s surrendered nearly 600 yards to LSU. Don’t expect things to be nearly that one sided this time around. Virginia Tech will gain more than 116 yards and Nebraska will probably gain fewer than 600. And for one week at least, the winner will have bragging rights as the better defensive coach.
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Greg Morrow Sep 17 08
It's finally around the corner. Athlete against athlete, possibly against their star frosh. They're dimished offensively. I'd suppose they'll try to put as much speed on the field as possible, from the remainder of their skill personnel. A good test, at the perfect time. Beat them and splitting the rest, would be a fine year. Don't beat them, then a bowl would be considered tenuous. So this is a big "report card" test, imo.
Night game, first week of fall, against a perennial top ten program and top coach in Beamer. The house will be electric! I don't think Nebraska falls flat, in this one. No sudden, foreboding shock of seeing massive running lanes in Nebraska's line. Who knows, maybe Nebraska will get to line up in base defense against the Hokies, in a genuine "scrum." For probably the first and only time, this season.