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Imagine the difference if the MSU DB made the pick

chicolby

All-American
May 3, 2012
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I find it fascinating how quickly the mood of the board and fans in general change as a result of a win vs a loss. I've been saying all along that I am standing by this coaching staff. I see the work they are doing and the progress being made. But let's pretend the DB picks off Tommy (frankly should have) and the Huskers lose.

Do you think fans freak out about how Riley is in over his head?

It was the same effort. It was the same coaching. Only difference was one MSU guy didn't hold onto the ball.
 
I agree 100%. The same goes for team. Riley has just as hard of job buffering the team this week to make sure they don't get too high as in previous weeks making sure they don't get too low.
 
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Many would point to the lack of a run before TA threw a pick at the goal line and I would be one but I have been behind the coaches all year and will remain so for as long as they are here.

Of course you could the opposite way and ask what if all those close ones went our way.
 
The problem is I can also imagine BYUs receiver landing a few inches in front of the endzone, completing the first down against Illinois, not throwing an interception again Miami in overtime, stopping Wisconsin's final drive, etc.

Michigan State didn't intercept it. We won. Armstrong should learn from the close call, but overall I am proud as heck to have him as our qb. He's not perfect, but the team is dramatically better with him.
 
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The problem is I can also imagine BYUs receiver landing a few inches in front of the endzone, completing the first down against Illinois, not throwing an interception again Miami in overtime, stopping Wisconsin's final drive, etc.

Michigan State didn't intercept it. We won. Armstrong should learn from the close call, but overall I am proud as heck to have him as our qb. He's not perfect, but the team is dramatically better with him.
He's got the gumption to keep us alive against quality competition while at the same time having the "what the hell was that" to keep lesser teams alive against us. As I said, the combination of Langsdorf - Armstrong is going to give me a coronary before they are done.
 
I guess I could have stomached that, but what I was worried about was the stupid squib kick and losing on a FG on the last play of the game. I still think that the 450K that Reed is making as a Special Teams Coach could be better spent elsewhere.
 
I find it fascinating how quickly the mood of the board and fans in general change as a result of a win vs a loss. I've been saying all along that I am standing by this coaching staff. I see the work they are doing and the progress being made. But let's pretend the DB picks off Tommy (frankly should have) and the Huskers lose.

Do you think fans freak out about how Riley is in over his head?

It was the same effort. It was the same coaching. Only difference was one MSU guy didn't hold onto the ball.
This wasn't just any win. Because it was MSU, #7, that is why there is the level of excitement there is. It would be much quieter if we won in that fashion over Rutgers at home. In fact, after a close win at home against a crappy team, plenty of people on here would have been pointing to it as more proof that he doesn't belong here. LOTS of posters have been railing about how Riley is in over his head since the BYU loss, and each loss thereafter. Have you not been to the Board in several weeks? They just aren't nearly as vocal this week because we beat a very good team, so they have to fester in their own filth and resentment for another week, hoping we don't win on Saturday so that they can invade the Board once again.

Hopefully the coaches have found a combination that will work for these last couple weeks.
 
I guess I could have stomached that, but what I was worried about was the stupid squib kick and losing on a FG on the last play of the game. I still think that the 450K that Reed is making as a Special Teams Coach could be better spent elsewhere.
Not to mention the most laughable onside kick attempt in the history of laughable onside kick attempts.
 
This wasn't just any win. Because it was MSU, #7, that is why there is the level of excitement there is. It would be much quieter if we won in that fashion over Rutgers at home. In fact, after a close win at home against a crappy team, plenty of people on here would have been pointing to it as more proof that he doesn't belong here. LOTS of posters have been railing about how Riley is in over his head since the BYU loss, and each loss thereafter. Have you not been to the Board in several weeks? They just aren't nearly as vocal this week because we beat a very good team, so they have to fester in their own filth and resentment for another week, hoping we don't win on Saturday so that they can invade the Board once again.

Hopefully the coaches have found a combination that will work for these last couple weeks.
I think maybe you didn't understand my question. I was asking a hypothetical question about WHAT IF Nebraska had lost.... my point being, the coaching and effort were the same and Michigan State could have easily won the game anyway.

I guess I'm wondering how can people hate a coach for games that could have easily been won and love a coach for a game that could have easily been lost. It seems like a bunch of knee jerk responses.

For the record, again, I am 100% in support of these coaches.
 
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I think maybe you didn't understand my question. I was asking a hypothetical question about WHAT IF Nebraska had lost.... my point being, the coaching and effort were the same and Michigan State could have easily won the game anyway.

I guess I'm wondering how can people hate a coach for games that could have easily been won and love a coach for a game that could have easily been lost. It seems like a bunch of knee jerk responses.

For the record, again, I am 100% in support of these coaches.
Exactly why we need to stay even keel, support the team and coaches and wait for the consistency that is coming.
 
Pick a week, pick a game. This goes for NCAA and NFL. Every game is a what if. W's and L's. It's about W's and L's.
 
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I find it fascinating how quickly the mood of the board and fans in general change as a result of a win vs a loss. I've been saying all along that I am standing by this coaching staff. I see the work they are doing and the progress being made. But let's pretend the DB picks off Tommy (frankly should have) and the Huskers lose.

Do you think fans freak out about how Riley is in over his head?

It was the same effort. It was the same coaching. Only difference was one MSU guy didn't hold onto the ball.
The answer to your question is no. If NU lost the game all our fans would hold with "Not the victory but the action; Not the goal but the game; In the deed the glory" and come here to praise our new coaching staff as they have after all the other losses this season.
 
I guess I could have stomached that, but what I was worried about was the stupid squib kick and losing on a FG on the last play of the game. I still think that the 450K that Reed is making as a Special Teams Coach could be better spent elsewhere.

And if they kick deep and run it back you would have yelled why didn't the squib it.
 
This is nothing but pumpkin f*cking.
Laughing
tumblr_lxq3a06hEf1r8nzi2o1_500.gif
 
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Good post.. That said one thing has to improve and that's the bad decisions made by both coaches and players. It will never be perfect but minimizing theses will put alot of fans at ease. Problem is we haven't really seen improvement here from Tommy throwing it up for grabs to dumb play calling.. I.e the sequence at the 3rd line and the short kickoff. Just can't happen..
 
Let's not forget

We have been competitive in every game

Should or could have won all of them

Pelini was not in every game in any of the years he coached
 
Let's not forget

We have been competitive in every game

Should or could have won all of them

Pelini was not in every game in any of the years he coached


We were blown out by Purdue man, cmon. Just enjoy the win

We scored 29 in the 4th and loss by 10....to Purdue.
 
Imagine if we knocked the ball down on byu's hailmary. Two can play that game.
 
Do you consider MSU to be a good football team?
Do you consider Purdue to be a bad football team?

Yet we beat MSU and lost to Purdue. You can find the root of displeasure in half of the previous statement. The verdict is still out on the coaching staff. We have been competitive in almost every game, at the level of our opponent which is not a compliment. And hey, that's great against MSU, not so great against Illinois. It seems like just about every game is a 50/50 venture.

I'm very happy with the win against MSU. Winning close games is important. It provides a degree of separation between bad and good teams, good and great teams. Had we lost to MSU, I would have been neither happy nor unhappy. We've made our bed, now it's a matter of time to see how it plays out.
 
There is a fallacy in your argument. Michigan State is not BYU, Illinois, or Purdue. It was an undefeated, top-ten opponent (and arguably our biggest win since Oklahoma in 2001).

Also, I certainly would have been happy with our effort in the game regardless of outcome. There was a chance this could have been a blowout. To play close was wonderful. To win was sublime.

So, yes, people are happy and there is hope. But if we lose to Rutgers...
 
I think there are a couple of things that can be taken away from this victory
  • Our talent level is not as bad as some have stated on this board - you do not lose the turnover battle and still win a game if you are also less talented - I think this issue should now be dead - depth, yes but there is talent on this team
  • Our team is who they are at this point and that goes for the coaches also - we will show well in some times and then make stupid decisions other times we saw both in this game from players and coaches - Sometimes we will be able to over come them and sometimes they will cost us the game
I am hopeful the players and coaches can take this win and maybe build on it - If we play a clean a game against Rutgers from a coaching and player standpoint then yes I think this can be a turning point. If we see the same old stupid mistakes then - we will win some and lose some and most likely lose more than we win

Maybe the players and coaches were pressing and now that they have a big victory under their belt we see cleaner play
 
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Pick a week, pick a game. This goes for NCAA and NFL. Every game is a what if. W's and L's. It's about W's and L's.
End of discussion. What if DPE wasnt hurt? What if they return the squib kick for a TD? What if Cook gets rid of the ball sooner and they have :01 on the clock? You keep thinking about what ifs and you'll never be happy
 
It all depends on how the ball bounces. You aren't seriously blaming that on coach Read are you?
He's paid a ton to do special teams only. I have a problem with the way special teams have been playing. Do they practice onside kicks? There are different ways to do an onside kick. What was done in the game was a feeble effort.
 
Its not exactly a coincidence that we beat MSU with the healthiest squad we have had all year lol. A lot of idiots in this thread.
 
He's paid a ton to do special teams only. I have a problem with the way special teams have been playing. Do they practice onside kicks? There are different ways to do an onside kick. What was done in the game was a feeble effort.
As far as I know, an onside kick needs a knuckle ball kick with a good bounce and players in position to get the ball. We had players there, but there's not a lot they can do if the ball doesn't travel 10 yards and have a weird bounce.

As for the rest of special teams the only weak spot I've seen so far is punt return, and even that isn't too bad. Remember 2 years ago we had no yards AND 50% of the time it was a turnover.

I've definitely seen improvement in the pressure we apply in opponent kicking situations. Haven't we blocked a couple of punts already?

If DPE had run a few back already we'd be pretty stoked about Read's performance.
 
As far as I know, an onside kick needs a knuckle ball kick with a good bounce and players in position to get the ball. We had players there, but there's not a lot they can do if the ball doesn't travel 10 yards and have a weird bounce.

As for the rest of special teams the only weak spot I've seen so far is punt return, and even that isn't too bad. Remember 2 years ago we had no yards AND 50% of the time it was a turnover.

I've definitely seen improvement in the pressure we apply in opponent kicking situations. Haven't we blocked a couple of punts already?

If DPE had run a few back already we'd be pretty stoked about Read's performance.
MSU should have had a blocked punt because one of the three guys back deep totally whiffed on his block, and by "whiffed" I mean made almost no effort to block the guy coming in. Off the top of my head there have been a few offside penalties on kicks? My gut is that kick returns have not been good overall, but I could be wrong. Perhaps my opinion is influenced by my expectations coupled with the fact Reed is making so much money for what he is doing; I expect it to be crisp, and I do not have that feeling.
 
MSU should have had a blocked punt because one of the three guys back deep totally whiffed on his block, and by "whiffed" I mean made almost no effort to block the guy coming in. Off the top of my head there have been a few offside penalties on kicks? My gut is that kick returns have not been good overall, but I could be wrong. Perhaps my opinion is influenced by my expectations coupled with the fact Reed is making so much money for what he is doing; I expect it to be crisp, and I do not have that feeling.
You seem to be choosing to ignore the punt our guy somehow had go through his hands very early in the game.
 
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