I have been a Husker fan as long as I can remember. Born in Omaha, raised in Albuquerque. Never been to a game, but watched every single one for the last 20 years, and these are my thoughts.
Scott Frost has been the biggest disappointment in Nebraska history. Not because he loses, I can live with loss. It's how he loses. He is stubborn and too smart for his own good. Georgia Southern is a team that should have been BEAT. I don't mean we should have won the game. We should have beat them 4 yards at a time. What was needed was 10 play drives where we keep their defense on the field for 5-6 minutes of clock time. We line up showing run, and RUN. We blow them off the ball and impose ourselves on them, because we are better than them. We are bigger, stronger, faster. The score at halftime may still be tied, but the energy and punishment is not.
From here you keep pounding on offense and you let your defense play free. You blitz, you play man, you disrupt because you can. You don't have to be perfect because you are better than them. If they score fast it hurts them because their defense is right back out there. If they don't score, they can't keep pace and have to take more chances which plays into the hands of our defense.
My point is, the game is simple when you play your advantage. Georgia Southern does not deserve our entire playbook. They are here for a fight they can't win. This type of dedication to beating lesser opponents helps with the Oklahomas of the world. You make a decision to show tendencies against Georgia Southern. Maybe you show the same exact look 5 times in the game on second downs. You know Oklahoma is watching and GS can't stop it. Then you use that tell against Oklahoma by adding a wrinkle.
Now looking forward. I believe we will see Nebraska play Oklahoma to a close loss. They will match the energy of the Sooners. They will play up to that level because they have the talent to do so. But that is the problem. They play to the level of every opponent because they have no identity.
Being Innovative is not an identity. Innovation requires change and adaptation and that is the problem at the core of this team. They want to change for every opponent. They want to show how smart they are by adding new plays every week. They want to show their depth and how versatile they are by having a different set of players out there every drive. When you try to show all the ways you can win a game, you allow for more possibilities of losing a game.
The time is over for Scott Frost, and I have no idea where we go from here. What I do know is that Nebraska has the best fan base I can point to. We are knowledgeable, passionate, loyal. Damnit we care. This means something to us (as sad as that can be some times). The next coach will have every opportunity to be successful. Amazing facilities. Fantastic fans. MONEY.
I leave you with a message to the next head coach, and a poll.
To the next head coach:
Do not make the game of football complicated. You have the horses to run with anyone for 60 minutes, and to run over most. If an equal team beats you because their tactics were better that day, tip your cap and move on. BUT, there are 6 teams every year that are not your equal, they are not as physically gifted as you. They cannot BEAT you. These are the teams you must reject the instinct to outsmart. Your big plays against them should be your base plays. The things you do every single game. Where your men are just better than theirs. Impose yourself, and do not waiver.
To whoever read this, Thank you.
If you would like to hear from me again just answer the poll as such.
Scott Frost has been the biggest disappointment in Nebraska history. Not because he loses, I can live with loss. It's how he loses. He is stubborn and too smart for his own good. Georgia Southern is a team that should have been BEAT. I don't mean we should have won the game. We should have beat them 4 yards at a time. What was needed was 10 play drives where we keep their defense on the field for 5-6 minutes of clock time. We line up showing run, and RUN. We blow them off the ball and impose ourselves on them, because we are better than them. We are bigger, stronger, faster. The score at halftime may still be tied, but the energy and punishment is not.
From here you keep pounding on offense and you let your defense play free. You blitz, you play man, you disrupt because you can. You don't have to be perfect because you are better than them. If they score fast it hurts them because their defense is right back out there. If they don't score, they can't keep pace and have to take more chances which plays into the hands of our defense.
My point is, the game is simple when you play your advantage. Georgia Southern does not deserve our entire playbook. They are here for a fight they can't win. This type of dedication to beating lesser opponents helps with the Oklahomas of the world. You make a decision to show tendencies against Georgia Southern. Maybe you show the same exact look 5 times in the game on second downs. You know Oklahoma is watching and GS can't stop it. Then you use that tell against Oklahoma by adding a wrinkle.
Now looking forward. I believe we will see Nebraska play Oklahoma to a close loss. They will match the energy of the Sooners. They will play up to that level because they have the talent to do so. But that is the problem. They play to the level of every opponent because they have no identity.
Being Innovative is not an identity. Innovation requires change and adaptation and that is the problem at the core of this team. They want to change for every opponent. They want to show how smart they are by adding new plays every week. They want to show their depth and how versatile they are by having a different set of players out there every drive. When you try to show all the ways you can win a game, you allow for more possibilities of losing a game.
The time is over for Scott Frost, and I have no idea where we go from here. What I do know is that Nebraska has the best fan base I can point to. We are knowledgeable, passionate, loyal. Damnit we care. This means something to us (as sad as that can be some times). The next coach will have every opportunity to be successful. Amazing facilities. Fantastic fans. MONEY.
I leave you with a message to the next head coach, and a poll.
To the next head coach:
Do not make the game of football complicated. You have the horses to run with anyone for 60 minutes, and to run over most. If an equal team beats you because their tactics were better that day, tip your cap and move on. BUT, there are 6 teams every year that are not your equal, they are not as physically gifted as you. They cannot BEAT you. These are the teams you must reject the instinct to outsmart. Your big plays against them should be your base plays. The things you do every single game. Where your men are just better than theirs. Impose yourself, and do not waiver.
To whoever read this, Thank you.
If you would like to hear from me again just answer the poll as such.
