Pelini Era Truly Begins With Loss to Texas Tech
9 comments so far
October 11, 2008 by
Nebraska fans aren't fond of moral victories and I'm no different.
The Cornhuskers should have beaten Texas Tech. They out-yarded them (471-421), they had more first downs (32-19), they dominated time of possession and they had the ball last in overtime and held a sizable trump card thanks to a blocked extra point. But Nebraska lost the turnover battle a very big 1 to 0 and we're left with a .500 football team.
Games you should've won only count when Phil Steele tallies them up in the off season as "close losses" but I'm as excited as I've been for the Bo Pelini era since the season started.
If a win's a win, a loss for a rebuilding program is definitely a loss but this was progress. When I looked at what some of the other coaches at big name programs had done in their first season's at the helm the constant seemed to be competitiveness.
Nebraska wasn't competitive last week at home but they were today in Lubbock. There were still some of the same bugaboos that have plagued this Nebraska team so far in 2008--Joe Ganz excruciating interception, more penalties, costly defensive lapses--but the Cornhuskers had a plan and executed it. They did everything they had to do to win but win and that's life when you're trying to rebuild.
The running game, while not eye popping on the stat sheet, looked as good as it has all season. Nebraska was consistently in 2nd and 3rd and shorts and Mike Leach even praised the Nebraska o-line in his post game comments making him the first person, inside or out of the state, to do so. Marlon Lucky was finally a weapon and the receiving corps, led today by Todd Peterson, looked impressive.
And, still, Nebraska lost but this is a loss Pelini can build upon. When it comes to adversity, Lubbock isn't Norman, College Station, Austin or even Boulder but it was still the first road game of the season...as a three touchdown underdog...following an embarrassing home loss. The Huskers showed some of the grit and attitude that many of us had always associated with their new head coach and that's a good sign.
Sure, it would've been nice to finally get that first win against a Top 10 team since Solich was ousted but the difference between this week and last was that now there's at least hope that just such a victory might be coming.
A statement like that might be sacrilege considering what Nebraska once was, but it's encouraging when you look at where they're at: 3-3 overall, 0-2 in the Big 12 and, slowly but surely, getting better.
So far, Nebraska has won every game they were expected to win and lost every game they could've reasonably been expected to lose. That's not the way to make a statement but there's still plenty of time for that. Now the toss-up portion of the season begins and it will define year one under Bo Pelini.
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TP in SF Oct 11 08
Good reaction to the game. It was a very disappointing loss even though most everyone expected defeat. Ganz, even though throwing the interception at the end, was incredible and a good fit for Nebraska at this point. Under the radar: Kunalic not allowing for a kick-off return in the 4th, giving Nebraska some big defensive chances and maybe the first sign of life from them against a BCS opponent. Hats off to Tech, but Missouri still looks like a much better offense.
carlinthemarlin Oct 11 08
I just wish we could have caught a break and had the last extra point of regulation bounce out instead of in. I mean, seriously, are we still making up for the 97' Mizzou game in football karma or what? The plus these kind of "if only games" are frustrating they are, by and large, an indication that a team has the potential to start turning those games into W's.
Vince D'Adamo Oct 11 08
Good post, Brandon. I don't like the "moral victory" statement either. Bottom line, one team wins, the other loses. Nonetheless, there were many encouraging things considering last week's debacle. Now, it's a matter of parlaying today's effort into wins against Iowa State and Baylor. While in my mind those games should be victories, we are not a consistent enough football team for me to simply count them as wins.
Vince D'Adamo Oct 11 08
Good post, Brandon. I don't like the "moral victory" statement either. Bottom line, one team wins, the other loses. Nonetheless, there were many encouraging things considering last week's debacle. Now, it's a matter of parlaying today's effort into wins against Iowa State and Baylor. While in my mind those games should be victories, we are not a consistent enough football team for me to simply count them as wins.
HuskerDeck Oct 11 08
I just wish we would have gone for two at the end of the game and taken our chances. We had the Tech defense on their heels and let them re-group in the overtime. I felt our best chance to win was going for two and not give their offense another chance.
Brandon Oct 11 08
HuskerDeck,
I'm with you there. I was a tad surprised that Pelini didn't go for two. His explanation in the post game was good but I still liked the odds for Nebraska: one play, three yards out, plus a lot of momentum with the way the Huskers marched with the two minute offense.
Bill in Iowa Oct 12 08
Hats off to Watson and Barney for getting things turned around on offense. I like the fact we came out in the spread. I wished we would have returned to it a little more, but no complaints, Watson called a brilliant game. The defense, I thought was average, but looked sharper than they looked against Mizzou. I was also very happy how we did not quit...I was very curious how this team would rebound after Mizzou and was very happy to see them come out and give the Raiders all they could handle.
Misha in Vegas Oct 12 08
What are the three most important things for a rebuilding team?
Progress, progress, progress. (Competitiveness is part of progress).
This was a great game to watch, and I'm thrilled to see the progress the Huskers made this past week. They are probably a 7-5 team at best this year, but unquestionably on the right path.
James Moore Oct 12 08
They got back up and fought. They picked themselves up and fought again. This bunch found out who they were as a team for this year. Already we're better than last year. THIS bunch in Lubbock can do well for themselves these next two weeks. Well said when it's not Norman, Austin, College Station or Boulder, but these guys now know that they can play with anyone, anywhere, this year on any given Saturday. The Pelini era did start in Lubbock. Suddendly there is an identity to this team. . .