First time watching Solich: Nebraska vs Cal ‘98

[HuskRecruit]

First time watching any of the Solich era (just finished 95-97 seasons for first time).

Cal/Neb 98: Boy Eric Crouch can sling it. First half of football I’ve seen from EC, but he appears to be a better passer than either Frazier or Frost.

P.S. Bobby Newcomb should’ve stuck with WR/PR. He is tough to stick.

Havertown Husker

 

[schuele]

Crouch had a gun for an arm early in his career. Toward the end, the injuries had taken a toll on it.

 

[Crazyhole]

Also: we landed on the moon.


Seriously though, crouch was a natural qb at the beginning of his career here. Its hard to say that a Heisman trophy winner regressed, but he kind of did in the conventional sense of what a qb should be.

 

[saluno22]

I think we got to see some Monte Christo in that game as well. His son signed to be a pitcher on the Husker baseball team.

That 1998 team was interesting, some very fun games to watch that season, particularly the losses to Texas and Kansas State (yes, watching those are a bit masochistic).

 

[schuele]

Also: we landed on the moon.


Seriously though, crouch was a natural qb at the beginning of his career here. Its hard to say that a Heisman trophy winner regressed, but he kind of did in the conventional sense of what a qb should be.

I'm not saying Crouch's overall performance regressed. I just don't think he had the same arm strength at the end of his career.

 

[jeans15]

Crouch was perfect in 99

His best season. That offense by the end of the season was brutal and frustrating for other teams.

 

[saluno22]

Crouch was perfect in 99

His best season. That offense by the end of the season was brutal and frustrating for other teams.

By frustrating for other teams do you mean the other teams didn't like gaining turnovers? Watch the first parts of the Kansas State and Texas A&M games. The offense was terrible at holding onto the ball. The defense carried that team. The offense, with all its stars in Crouch, Buckhalter, Alexander, Newcombe, and Davison, was easily the worst of the three phases.

 

[Crazyhole]

By frustrating for other teams do you mean the other teams didn't like gaining turnovers? Watch the first parts of the Kansas State and Texas A&M games. The offense was terrible at holding onto the ball. The defense carried that team. The offense, with all its stars in Crouch, Buckhalter, Alexander, Newcombe, and Davison, was easily the worst of the three phases.

Its still weird looking back on that roster and trying to figure out the fumbling problems. Gillespie?

 

[jeans15]

By frustrating for other teams do you mean the other teams didn't like gaining turnovers? Watch the first parts of the Kansas State and Texas A&M games. The offense was terrible at holding onto the ball. The defense carried that team. The offense, with all its stars in Crouch, Buckhalter, Alexander, Newcombe, and Davison, was easily the worst of the three phases.

Texas and Tennesee would beg to differ.

That was a bad game for the offense against K state they turned it over just as much as we did.

That was 2 great defenses and we still won 41-17

The running game was very solid with great play action passing.

 

[TFrazier]

I'm not saying Crouch's overall performance regressed. I just don't think he had the same arm strength at the end of his career.

I agree with you...648 career rushing attempts will do that to a guy. Crouch wasn’t afraid of contact and Solich wasn’t afraid to use him over and over again in the ground game.

It is pretty amazing how durable he was considering the amount of physical punishment he delivered and took from defenders.

 

[goldencohusker]

I agree with you...648 career rushing attempts will do that to a guy. Crouch wasn’t afraid of contact and Solich wasn’t afraid to use him over and over again in the ground game.

It is pretty amazing how durable he was considering the amount of physical punishment he delivered and took from defenders.

Its amazing he could walk, let alone still throw a football with any velocity after this play. For those too young to remember, this was a no-call face mask sack.

 

[TFrazier]

Its amazing he could walk, let alone still throw a football with any velocity after this play. For those too young to remember, this was a no-call face mask sack.

This occurred late in the fourth quarter with Nebraska trying to come back and take the lead. The linebacker puts both hands on his head because he knew he committed the penalty.

If my memory is correct, Nebraska would have had a first down at around K-State’s 35 yard line if the flag was thrown.

 

[Clemke32]

Its amazing he could walk, let alone still throw a football with any velocity after this play. For those too young to remember, this was a no-call face mask sack.

man I remember this play all too well... I was like 13 years old, and I think it was the first time I swore at the TV and around my dad... I couldn’t believe that nothing was called on that play it’s still unbelievable... every time I see this picture it amazes me that crouch never broke his neck in that play

 

[goldencohusker]

This no-call and the no fumble ruling on John Ruud's blow-up hit on the kickoff against OU in '76 are probably the two most mind-numbing officiating blunders in modern NU history that I can think of. The only people in the entire stadiums those days that couldn't make the correct call were the officials.

 

[Catch50]

Also: we landed on the moon.


Seriously though, crouch was a natural qb at the beginning of his career here. Its hard to say that a Heisman trophy winner regressed, but he kind of did in the conventional sense of what a qb should be.

First and only ?? Heisman winner to throw more INT than TDs in his Heisman year. I'm a big Eric Crouch fan however.

 

[saluno22]

First and only ?? Heisman winner to throw more INT than TDs in his Heisman year. I'm a big Eric Crouch fan however.

The narrative at the time was Crouch's Heisman was more of a lifetime achievement award than for the 2001 season and that Grossman had a better year, but was only a sophomore.

 

[cubsker]

i'd say black 41 won crouch the heisman.

 

[TFrazier]

i'd say black 41 won crouch the heisman.

The 95 yard touchdown run at Missouri also helped earn the trophy...even though he actually started the run 3 yards in the end zone.

My father and I were seated around the 15 yard line on the same side of the field with the ball so we had a great view watching him maneuver his way through the Missouri defense.

 

[huskernaut]

By frustrating for other teams do you mean the other teams didn't like gaining turnovers? Watch the first parts of the Kansas State and Texas A&M games. The offense was terrible at holding onto the ball. The defense carried that team. The offense, with all its stars in Crouch, Buckhalter, Alexander, Newcombe, and Davison, was easily the worst of the three phases.

Dan Alexander, as stout as he was, could have starred in those Burger King small hands commercials.

 

[Denvrhuskr]

This no-call and the no fumble ruling on John Ruud's blow-up hit on the kickoff against OU in '76 are probably the two most mind-numbing officiating blunders in modern NU history that I can think of. The only people in the entire stadiums those days that couldn't make the correct call were the officials.

And the catch out of bounds for Penn St.

 

[TheBeav815]

Dan Alexander, as stout as he was, could have starred in those Burger King small hands commercials.

I've always felt Alexander was one of the most overrated RBs ever to start at Nebraska. His ability to punish tacklers in practice was legendary, but I feel like for every time you saw it in a game you also saw him just fall over forward from an ankle swipe because of the absurd about of forward lean he had. I feel like he was a hell of a FB who they had playing IB because he was fast.

 

[TheBeav815]

And the catch out of bounds for Penn St.

I would submit the FSU goal line "touchdown" that should have been an NU fumble recovery for a touchback and the phantom penalty on Corey Dixon's punt return touchdown in the 93 Orange Bowl.

 

[saluno22]

Its still weird looking back on that roster and trying to figure out the fumbling problems. Gillespie?

Dan Alexander, as stout as he was, could have starred in those Burger King small hands commercials.

I still recall the articles about the fumbling issues and the remedies they were attempting in practice. The specific thing I remember is they put nylon covers on the balls for running back drills to force the backs to focus on securing the ball better.

 

[redfanusa]

The Washington game of 1998 is still one of my favorites to watch. Deangelo Evans looked like Bo Jackson in Tecmo Bowl against their defense. My recording has a former UW quarterback doing the color commentary, and he didn't have much to say except to watch in shock as the Huskers dismantled the Huskies.

 

[Baxter48]

I've always felt Alexander was one of the most overrated RBs ever to start at Nebraska. His ability to punish tacklers in practice was legendary, but I feel like for every time you saw it in a game you also saw him just fall over forward from an ankle swipe because of the absurd about of forward lean he had. I feel like he was a hell of a FB who they had playing IB because he was fast.

I remember Nebraska was blowing out Colorado in the first half in 1999 the start of the second half Dan fumbles the ball in Colorado territory they score and it’s a dog fight after that and nu barley win. Imo that game cost nu a shot at the nc game with Florida st

 

[goldencohusker]

It was fun watching Alexander outrun the fastest player on CU's team for an 80 yard TD earlier in that game though.

 

[Crazyhole]

It was fun watching Alexander outrun the fastest player on CU's team for an 80 yard TD earlier in that game though.

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That guy was just an absolute pure athlete. Something like 3% body fat, muscles on top of muscles, and straight line speed that very few people have.

I've got a semi-chub just thinking about him.

 

[saluno22]

That guy was just an absolute pure athlete. Something like 3% body fat, muscles on top of muscles, and straight line speed that very few people have.

I've got a semi-chub just thinking about him.

 

[Baxter48]

That guy was just an absolute pure athlete. Something like 3% body fat, muscles on top of muscles, and straight line speed that very few people have.

I've got a semi-chub just thinking about him.

And hands of stone, I don’t think all of Lester Hayes stickem would have helped him to not fumble

 

[redfanusa]

I had a class after Dan Alexander in CBA back in the day. The guy looked like a comic book character. He had muscles on top of muscles. His traps were so huge it was no wonder he could barely put his arms up over his head. Super nice guy, and absolute model citizen that you wish all players would emulate.

I probably never had a bigger love-hate feeling about a Husker player. He'd send an opponent's star linebacker crumbling to the ground on one play, and then stumble over his own shoelaces and fumble the ball on the next. All of Husker Nation held its breath every time he touched the ball. He even seemed to spread fumbleitis to Buckhalter.

 

[Wyldcard]

Crouch had a gun for an arm early in his career. Toward the end, the injuries had taken a toll on it.

Surgeries

 

[Husker.Wed.]

I was at that game. Cal always sucked until after the turn of the century and couldn't fill their stadium with more than 30K except for the Stanford games. I had tix high on the 40 and me and the missus went to our seats and Cal fans had picnic baskets and blankets spread all over the bleachers. They said no one ever sat up there. They moved for me and before long the section was filled with NU fans. The Cal fans were amazed, looked like about 30K of our fans and they said it was the first time they had more than 60K for a non conference game in their memories. Nebraska ran methodically and wore the Bears down and were really kicking ass in the 4th quarter. Our D was really good that day, Cal ran for like 5 yards.

 

[red scowl]

First time watching any of the Solich era (just finished 95-97 seasons for first time).

Cal/Neb 98: Boy Eric Crouch can sling it. First half of football I’ve seen from EC, but he appears to be a better passer than either Frazier or Frost.

P.S. Bobby Newcomb should’ve stuck with WR/PR. He is tough to stick.

Havertown Husker

WTF?

 

[red scowl]

Crouch had a gun for an arm early in his career. Toward the end, the injuries had taken a toll on it.

WTF?

 

[red scowl]

i'd say black 41 won crouch the heisman.

What's that?

 

[cubsker]

What's that?

 

[red scowl]

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I know, but it didn't matter. It was garbage.