Colorado Post-Mortem
8 comments so far
November 28, 2009 by
Every year, the Huskers face a Colorado team that is ready to play Nebraska to the best of their abilities no matter what shape or situation each team is in. This year was no different. I don't know whether the Buffs caught Nebraska battling a short week of preparation, a long season, or looking ahead to the title game, but they were ready for the Huskers, and we looked barely ready to answer the call. But like many of our games this season, the Huskers: didn't make too many mistakes on offense, did bend but not break on defense, didn't give up too many big plays, did get some help from special teams in field position, did get a score from special teams, and did get some help from defense on the scoreboard. It's a winning combination no matter who we seem to play.
So it was an ugly, ugly game. So why does that matter? Can you really say any of our games in the Big 12 this year weren't ugly? Every single news source that I've read since the game ended used either the words ugly, sloppy, or both. But what has me (strangely) happy about all of this are the attitudes of our coaches and players after the game. This game was the 9th regular season win, the first time that's happened since 2006. And the first time we were 4-0 in conference road games? 1997. None of that matters to Coach Bo Pelini, who said "We didn't play well. I'm not happy with it. The team's not happy with it."
The players agreed as Ndamukong Suh said “It was average, at best.” Larry Asante agrees with him saying "We just didn't play good, sound defense."
The first quarter was pretty sound from the defense, but the special teams made the day. Alex Henery's punting and Niles Paul's punt return gave us a 7-0 edge that had Colorado playing from behind and backed up to their own goal line for the entire quarter. As we went up 14-0 at the start of the second quarter, I thought it might be the beginning of a rout, and the pick solidified my thoughts. But I think Bo Pelini's decision to try and kick a 50 yarder was interesting. Most would say to go for that, and I would agree 9 times out of 10, but a miss at this point of the game would be like turning the ball over to Colorado with good field position. It would have been nice to see us try and get three more yards on that fourth down situation.
Colorado and its fans treated it like it was a turnover, giving the crowd some extra juice as they marched up the field and scored. When we needed a response from the offense, just like many other points from this season, we didn't get it. Instead, the defense stepped up again and Matt O'Hanlon put us ahead by two touchdowns on his interception return. We wouldn't score again until the fourth quarter, as Colorado dominated the third quarter, racking up 19 plays for over 100 yards. But our final score seemed to put the nail in the coffin as we marched up the field with a 13 play, 80 yard drive, dominated by 11 rushes. It seemed like the Husker wanted to keep Colorado in this game after that as we were penalized and allowed some big gains from the Buffs offense. It wasn't until CU self-destructed that we absolutely sealed this game. I'm not even going to discuss the garbage points at the end of the game.
So why was this game as close as it was, and why was Coach Pelini so angry after the game? Last week against Kansas State, we saw a number of sets without the Redshirt Freshman Will Compton and Sean Fisher, and relied heavily with Phillip Dillard and 5 or 6 defensive backs. This week was heavy on the man coverage, and front heavy. We even saw 5 defensive lineman a few times (like when CU QB Tyler Hansen throw bad passes, picks, or intentionally grounded it). At the end of this season, after the Big 12 Championship, and whatever Bowl Game we play at, we're probably going to see that the emergence of Dillard was one of the keys to our defensive efforts this year.
Did you enjoy this article?
Get Husker news by email
Follow us on Twitter
Related Stories: Colorado
Post a comment
WyHuskerFan Nov 28 09
Winning ugly is better than losing, but it sure is painful to watch. I keep wondering when or even if the offense will have a decent performance this year. Next week will be a challenge though we may be able to get healthy for our bowl game. From my perspective it looks like the defense is starting to show some wear. After all the plays its been asked to defend it's no wonder.
Regardless of the outcomes in the next two games its been a memorable season. GBR!
DJ Nov 28 09
What was Carl Pelini thinking? Painful and disgusted after the final drive and the score with no time left. I nearly broke a window. Jordan Shipley is going to kill us and Colt McCoy is going to get the Heisman, unless the Blackshirts really learned something from this game. Mistakes must be corrected.
1) Is it me or Hagg gets beat way too much? Iowa State exposed this weakness.
2) I wonder why we didn't play dime more? Compton and Fisher suck in coverage.
Bill Nov 28 09
"1) Is it me or Hagg gets beat way too much? Iowa State exposed this weakness."
Yeah... they exposed it for a grand total of 9 points.
Pete56 Nov 28 09
I have to admit I was disapointed when Bo Pelini recognized Colorado as a rivalry game. He may have done it to help keep his team focused, but it's never been a rivalry game for me. The current win/loss evening out since the end of the 90's just shows how far the program has slipped.
There was a time not to long ago that wins over Colorado were expected. From 1962 through 1988 (27 years) we only lost two games against Colorado with no ties. In desperation one of their head coaches (they had so many) decided to make Nebraska their designated rival. Nebraska fans at the time laughed at that and for years never took it seriously.
Once the big 12 started and we no longer played Oklahoma every year our game with them on the Friday after Thanksgiving was replaced with Colorado. The media took up the rivalry aspect to try and sell this game as a replacement for the one between Nebraska and Oklahoma. During the Big 8 years Oklahoma was the rival and Missouri was the spoiler who always played us tough especially when we played in their house. At the start of the Big 12 I read someplace that Oklahoma thought the rivalry with Texasd had been bigger. I don't think this was true. Through the 60' up to the beginning of the Big 12 the Big 8 champion was usaully decided in Lincoln or Norman when Nebraska played Oklahoma. So a loss to Texas would not mean as much as one to Nebraska. No matter what the love fest is like now we hated Oklahoma back then and despite Osborn being fiends with Switzer we hated him and his style even more. It's funny how the years and changing conditions (Nebraska losing it's powerhouse status) also changed memories. I guess my memories of those years especially in the 80's remain sharper becuase I made just about every home game during that period. I had to live through the frustration of losing to Oklahoma first hand and made worse during the games were we had the better team, but they had the better luck.
Just hope Bo can get us back to the point that a win over Colorado and for that matter Kansas, Kansas State and especially Iowa State are expected and not freak occurrances in always close games.
Nebraska had continutiy because it could put these teams away in the third quarter and give the second, third and sometimes fourth stringers live game experience three or four times during conference play every year.
tom Nov 28 09
The coaches were more upset with how this game was played than I was. I thought it was just like our other games this year, more hard fought than it should be, but a win nonetheless. What I've seen is that we do what it takes to win a game, and that's just about it. I'll take this as a great second regular season for a coach that has made the talent he was given perform to the best of their abilities, and as a whole, be better than its parts. When Shawn Watson can get in line with the Pelini's in terms of not going crazy with the play calling, we'll be in good shape. And maybe next season, start realizing what kind of team we are 4 games into the season instead of 8.
Glenn Baker Nov 28 09
I could care less how the Huskers look during a game as long as its a win. We have a chance to beat Texas no matter what people say. Texas has a better offense but the A&M game showed some of their weaknesses. I like the fact we do win ugly and the press seems to dismiss our team as unworthy. This is shaping up just like the 96 game. We have always played Texas close and I see this as no different. Good article. Keep em coming. GBR
WOW Nov 28 09
"And maybe next season, start realizing what kind of team we are 4 games into the season instead of 8."
Not much chance of that happening with 3 of the first four games being against;
Western Kentucky
Idaho
South Dakota St
JR
cvldfg Nov 28 09
NEBRASKA beats texas.
Goes to the Fiesta Bowl to play boise st..
Ignites a rematch in Lincln in 2011.