Colorado-2001

[Jhollenbeck41]

Actually took the time last night to watch this game. Don't remember it as a child and have really only seen highlight clips from youtube's "recommended for you". Is this the day the dynasty ended? I know we played for the title that year but that ended up being basically the same.



Is this the game the dynasty officially ended? Offense clearly wasn't as powerful or dominant as it had been, and the blackshirts weren't the blackshirts.


Thoughts?

 

[JaySker402]

Yes. that is the game that removed the fear of playing Nebraska.

 

[Dr_Alan_Grant]

I remember the game. I was 13. At the time it didn't necessarily feel like it, but it felt gut wrenching at the time.

In hind-site I think it was the game that exposed us, but the end of the dynasty had already started.

There will be much more knowledgeable people than me that can give better insight I'm sure.

 

[goldencohusker]

I remember the game. I was 13. At the time it didn't necessarily feel like it, but it felt gut wrenching at the time.

In hind-site I think it was the game that exposed us, but the end of the dynasty had already started.

There will be much more knowledgeable people than me that can give better insight I'm sure.

Chris Brown (CU tailback) ran through the heart of NU's defense all day that day, with no, or at least no effective, adjustments by NU. Craig Bohl lost his job that day, and Brown's performance was a pre-cursor to many more like it over the next 20 years. Prior to that day, while I had seen the Blackshirts give up big days to some running backs over the years - those were usually to generational talents like Billy Sims, Marcus Dupree and Barry Sanders - not Chris Brown.

 

[Crazyhole]

I remember the game. I was 13. At the time it didn't necessarily feel like it, but it felt gut wrenching at the time.

In hind-site I think it was the game that exposed us, but the end of the dynasty had already started.

There will be much more knowledgeable people than me that can give better insight I'm sure.

A lot of us started to see it in 2000. All through 2001, I had an uneasy feeling like we weren't as good as our ranking said we were so it really wasn't surprising that we got beat. I will say though, that the game was actually closer than the score indicated. The Miami game was the opposite and was a serious oh crap moment, but it was the Penn St game the following year when it was obvious how far we had fallen.

 

[cubsker]

Our OL play dropped off in the late 90s. Our non Crouch skill players were down a couple of notches. Then starting in 2000, our defensive talent just wasn't as good. We were still solid at some spots, but think about the difference between Willie Amos and guys like Mike Brown and Mike Minter.

 

[Bugeater]

A lot of us started to see it in 2000. All through 2001, I had an uneasy feeling like we weren't as good as our ranking said we were so it really wasn't surprising that we got beat. I will say though, that the game was actually closer than the score indicated. The Miami game was the opposite and was a serious oh crap moment, but it was the Penn St game the following year when it was obvious how far we had fallen.

Yep, the Penn State game in 2002 was worse. Hell, Nebraska did score 36 points and put up what, 500 yards against cu? At least they rallied a bit but Penn State? That game was over in a hurry, much like Ohio State last year.

 

[scarletred]

Yep, the Penn State game in 2002 was worse. Hell, Nebraska did score 36 points and put up what, 500 yards against cu? At last they rallied a bit but Penn State? That game was over in a hurry, much like Ohio State last year.

That year was the down fall of winning 9+ games since 1969 and that game was showing us things coming to a end the rest of the season..

 

[Crazyhole]

Yep, the Penn State game in 2002 was worse. Hell, Nebraska did score 36 points and put up what, 500 yards against cu? At last they rallied a bit but Penn State? That game was over in a hurry, much like Ohio State last year.

Its kind of amazing that we won 7 games that season. We were not good.

 

[Iroh2]

That game has s where the loss of Dr. Tom came home to roost. Had not planned well for the transition, coaches and facilities got old and things came to a crashing halt. You could tell Tom ran everything and didn’t have another miracle worker waiting in the wings... The rest of the last 20 years are a result of that and subsequent poor leadership at the AD and University level. Moos and Frost have much to fix... Talent attraction, retention, development and facility improvements are not quick fixes but these guys are doing solid work for long term success.

 

[hedonistimpulse]

A lot of us started to see it in 2000. All through 2001, I had an uneasy feeling like we weren't as good as our ranking said we were so it really wasn't surprising that we got beat. I will say though, that the game was actually closer than the score indicated. The Miami game was the opposite and was a serious oh crap moment, but it was the Penn St game the following year when it was obvious how far we had fallen.

True. Nebraska was down by 32 almost immediately to CU, but it was a 12 point game going into the 4th quarter....the Huskers really just needed one more stop there because you could tell momentum had swayed, but they couldn't get it.

Getting exposed by PSU for the third blowout loss in six games was truly the seminal uh-oh moment. PSU wasn't a great team that year, and neither was NU, but that final score was telling.

It's crazy how each dying tenure had that moment when you knew it was over: Solich against PSU, Callahan against firing Cosgrove, Pelini against Melvin Gordon, and Riley against BYU.

 

[Suhrreal]

You just have to give Gary Barnett credit. Remember he won the Big 10 conference at Northwestern before he ended up at Colorado.

They had a pretty good amount of talent on that offense. Smart QB play, a couple of good RBs (you can't knock Chris Brown when he was a 3rd round draft pick and played several years in the NFL), and some NFL talent on the OL including a good TE (might have been Daniel Graham? Can't remember it's been too long). Our offense was good that day but a little slow out of the gate. Crouch and company put up a hell of a comeback attempt, but 62 points is a lot to overcome.

 

[Suhrreal]

Our OL play dropped off in the late 90s. Our non Crouch skill players were down a couple of notches. Then starting in 2000, our defensive talent just wasn't as good. We were still solid at some spots, but think about the difference between Willie Amos and guys like Mike Brown and Mike Minter.

OL was still pretty solid. Our OL in 2001 was actually fairly loaded. Had two of our best OL of all-time on that line, so it's hard to put the blame on them. You are right about some of the other positions though. There was a lack of game-changers that we had in previous years.

 

[HuskersNC]

Watching CU get wrecked by Oregon in their bowl game afterward didn't help. I was concerned after the OU game in '00 but by the time the 2002 Independence Bowl was over, concern had given way to general despair

 

[saluno22]

I remember getting down 21-0 to Colorado and having to resort to trick plays. Then one of the broadcasters at halftime said something to the effect of "If you told Frank Solich he would score 23 in the first half at Colorado, he'd be ecstatic. The only problem is, Nebraska gave up 42."

Up the middle, over and over.

Wait until you see what happened in the 2007 home game against USC...

 

[TANK 64]

I was there and left after the 1st quarter

 

[Bugeater]

I remember getting down 21-0 to Colorado and having to resort to trick plays. Then one of the broadcasters at halftime said something to the effect of "If you told Frank Solich he would score 23 in the first half at Colorado, he'd be ecstatic. The only problem is, Nebraska gave up 42."

Up the middle, over and over.

Wait until you see what happened in the 2007 home game against USC...

I remember getting down 21-0 to Colorado and having to resort to trick plays. Then one of the broadcasters at halftime said something to the effect of "If you told Frank Solich he would score 23 in the first half at Colorado, he'd be ecstatic. The only problem is, Nebraska gave up 42."

Up the middle, over and over.

Wait until you see what happened in the 2007 home game against USC...

That USC game was another ugly affair, but the Huskers did manage a mini comeback of sorts, so they had that going for them.

 

[Bugeater]

True. Nebraska was down by 32 almost immediately to CU, but it was a 12 point game going into the 4th quarter....the Huskers really just needed one more stop there because you could tell momentum had swayed, but they couldn't get it.

Getting exposed by PSU for the third blowout loss in six games was truly the seminal uh-oh moment. PSU wasn't a great team that year, and neither was NU, but that final score was telling.

It's crazy how each dying tenure had that moment when you knew it was over: Solich against PSU, Callahan against firing Cosgrove, Pelini against Melvin Gordon, and Riley against BYU.

When Nebraska pulled within 12, you should have heard the cu fans around us, they were convinced the buffs were going to blow it, man that would have been hilarious had Nebraska pulled that out. Not to be as cu slammed the door on them.

 

[Crazyhole]

How's this for perspective: the Miami 02 game was the first time since Miami 92 that there was no hope for winning in the first half of a game. Thats a pretty dang good decade, and kind of a beautiful symmetry.

 

[Crazyhole]

When Nebraska pulled within 12, you should have heard the cu fans around us, they were convinced the buffs were going to blow it, man that would have been hilarious had Nebraska pulled that out. Not to be as cu slammed the door on them.

The biggest fumble in school history slammed the door on us.

 

[Bugeater]

The biggest fumble in school history slammed the door on us.

Boom, saw it direct from where I was sitting, had DD got in, huge momentum swing for Nebraska.

 

[Jhollenbeck41]

What happened with Penn State in 2002?

 

[Crazyhole]

What happened with Penn State in 2002?

We were outclassed from the opening kickoff. It was a far worse loss than Colorado. The following weeks loss to ISU in the same fashion was like getting pissed on after getting beat to a pulp. Our program was a joke at that point.

 

[Jhollenbeck41]

We were outclassed from the opening kickoff. It was a far worse loss than Colorado. The following weeks loss to ISU in the same fashion was like getting pissed on after getting beat to a pulp. Our program was a joke at that point.

I'll have to watch those two games now. I'm very intrigued. Hard to imagine a Nebraska team at that time getting beat that bad twice like that.

 

[GammaxuvirHusker]

I'd argue the Dynasty officially ended the day we decided to be just like everyone else - the day we dropped the option I-formation.

We were once known for our power running game. What we ran was unique compared to practically all other 'big' schools. The type of offense we ran appealed to certain players who maybe didn't fit in precisely with the NFL-like offenses other schools ran. It worked. It worked really well many years, but it was considered old fashioned. For a couple years it stopped working as well as it had in the 90's, so we decided it would be best to completely revamp our old, antiquated offense; to bring it into the 21st century. We decided to become just like every other school out there. We decided the best 'option' for Nebraska was to run an offense that required more pro-style QBs, taller, lankier OL, RBs who were better at pass blocking than running the ball.

We have now gone 21 years (TWENTY-ONE YEARS!!!) since winning our last championship. The dynasty was on life support after TO's recruits graduated, but it was still there to be fixed. The death blow came the day we decided to not be Nebraska anymore.

 

[Crazyhole]

I'll have to watch those two games now. I'm very intrigued. Hard to imagine a Nebraska team at that time getting beat that bad twice like that.

If you can remember the back to back losses to TAMU and OSU in 07, it was like that.

 

[CatColumbia]

I remember getting down 21-0 to Colorado and having to resort to trick plays. Then one of the broadcasters at halftime said something to the effect of "If you told Frank Solich he would score 23 in the first half at Colorado, he'd be ecstatic. The only problem is, Nebraska gave up 42."

Up the middle, over and over.

Wait until you see what happened in the 2007 home game against USC...

Watch #13 on defense.. One of the worst performances I’ve seen from a linebacker.

I’ll take that back. I’ve seen worse performances in the past 5 years against Troy & Arkansas St.

 

[Jhollenbeck41]

If you can remember the back to back losses to TAMU and OSU in 07, it was like that.

I honestly remember very little from the Callahan era, like almost nothing now that I'm trying to think about it. Maybe it's suppressed? I feel like that was the same we tried out some new uniforms that were horrendous and maybe it was just all too much in my early teenage years. I would have been 15 in 2007.

 

[JabroniBlvd]

I feel personally responsible for the 01' Colorado game...let me know if you want a story time.

 

[Bugeater]

I feel personally responsible for the 01' Colorado game...let me know if you want a story time.

We’ve always known that loss was your fault, we were just waiting for you to confess!

 

[Jhollenbeck41]

I feel personally responsible for the 01' Colorado game...let me know if you want a story time.

Let's hear it!

 

[HuskerO]

PSU wasn't a great team that year

You're right, they weren't a great team that year, but a few bounces their way and they're playing for a National Championship (lost in OT to Iowa, blown call cost them Michigan and Ohio St was only a 6 point loss).

 

[Crazyhole]

I honestly remember very little from the Callahan era, like almost nothing now that I'm trying to think about it. Maybe it's suppressed? I feel like that was the same we tried out some new uniforms that were horrendous and maybe it was just all too much in my early teenage years. I would have been 15 in 2007.

You don't remember any of it because there really weren't any memorable games until the very end outside of TTU in 04, one play against USM that same year, and the ending of the Alamo bowl in 05. It was easily the most bland 4 years of husker football since the mid 70s.

 

[goldencohusker]

I'd argue the Dynasty officially ended the day we decided to be just like everyone else - the day we dropped the option I-formation.

We were once known for our power running game. What we ran was unique compared to practically all other 'big' schools. The type of offense we ran appealed to certain players who maybe didn't fit in precisely with the NFL-like offenses other schools ran. It worked. It worked really well many years, but it was considered old fashioned. For a couple years it stopped working as well as it had in the 90's, so we decided it would be best to completely revamp our old, antiquated offense; to bring it into the 21st century. We decided to become just like every other school out there. We decided the best 'option' for Nebraska was to run an offense that required more pro-style QBs, taller, lankier OL, RBs who were better at pass blocking than running the ball.

We have now gone 21 years (TWENTY-ONE YEARS!!!) since winning our last championship. The dynasty was on life support after TO's recruits graduated, but it was still there to be fixed. The death blow came the day we decided to not be Nebraska anymore.

I think we all know the "we" that decided NU needed to be like everyone else was Steve Pederson. While we know how that worked out, I'm not sure fixing the option I offense was going to be very easy either, aside from re-hiring TO.

Solich arguably knew that offense better than anyone other than TO, but by the time he had put his stamp on the program, the offense, with Jammal Lord running it 250x a year, looked nothing like the version under TO. Fixing it was going to entail finding someone who had the knowledge and desire to run it, and could recruit the level of talent needed to make it work. Even back in 2003, I'm not sure there were alot of candidates that fit that bill. That likely meant rolling the dice with Solich or turning to someone like Turner Gill.

 

[JabroniBlvd]

Let's hear it!

My family was attending a wedding in Des Moines, IA. Colorado was playing Iowa State the game prior and staying at the same hotel. I didn't know at the time, but I walked in with a Nebraska shirt and saw coach Gary Barnett who said "That isn't the right shirt to be wearing in here" as he smiled. I was kid at the time and told him and the team around him we were going to dust Colorado as we always do. Just talking mad smack and they all were good sports about it. I specifically remember talking to Chris Brown who had massive calves as I recall and him saying he had a treat for the Huskers...6 TDs - sure did! After the 1st quarter when the game was out of hand my dad just looked at me like I stole something...

 

[HuskAir]

My family was attending a wedding in Des Moines, IA. Colorado was playing Iowa State the game prior and staying at the same hotel. I didn't know at the time, but I walked in with a Nebraska shirt and saw coach Gary Barnett who said "That isn't the right shirt to be wearing in here" as he smiled. I was kid at the time and told him and the team around him we were going to dust Colorado as we always do. Just talking mad smack and they all were good sports about it. I specifically remember talking to Chris Brown who had massive calves as I recall and him saying he had a treat for the Huskers...6 TDs - sure did! After the 1st quarter when the game was out of hand my dad just looked at me like I stole something...

I too feel responsible. I created this account right after the Nebraska-Oklahoma game. After knocking off a couple of scrubs, we ran into Colorado, and it was all over. This board was... somber that day.

 

[cubsker]

My family was attending a wedding in Des Moines, IA. Colorado was playing Iowa State the game prior and staying at the same hotel. I didn't know at the time, but I walked in with a Nebraska shirt and saw coach Gary Barnett who said "That isn't the right shirt to be wearing in here" as he smiled. I was kid at the time and told him and the team around him we were going to dust Colorado as we always do. Just talking mad smack and they all were good sports about it. I specifically remember talking to Chris Brown who had massive calves as I recall and him saying he had a treat for the Huskers...6 TDs - sure did! After the 1st quarter when the game was out of hand my dad just looked at me like I stole something...

God thats hilarious. Once in college, I was in the front row of the student section. Wichita State's best player was in foul trouble and was on the bench. I repeatedly asked him why he wasn't in the game. Late in the game, he's back in and has a pivotal steal and breakaway slam. He pointed at me and laughed.

 

[cubsker]

I also taunted my own school's players after a game vs Creighton. Korver had hit a couple of late 3s to pull the game out. I'm at some bar with trivia on the TVs. Half of our team is at a nearby table. I make my trivia name Korver.

 

[Jhollenbeck41]

So I watched that Penn State game last night.....did Jamal Lord just forget how to run the passing portion of the option offense? holy INTs that weren't even close.

 

[Crazyhole]

So I watched that Penn State game last night.....did Jamal Lord just forget how to run the passing portion of the option offense? holy INTs that weren't even close.

He never should have been a qb, but was literally our only option that year. Running back was an equal disaster that year as well. You should have heard the post game call-in show that season, it was brutal.