We could be unbeaten.

[HuskerWingman]

But we aren't, and it's not like the teams that beat us are great. We haven't even played a ranked team. I read someone say that they have seen this before and I agree. the question that needs to be asked is "Can Riley make changes?" Callahans and Bo's problems were that they were too loyal or stubborn and wouldn't make changes. Callahans offense wasn't good. His problem was the Cosgrove defense. Callahan era may have seen a different ending if he would have made changes on defense. Bo seemed too stubborn to make changes to his defense thus every big game we were destroyed in the run. Now we trade being unable to stop the run with the worst pass defense in all of college football.
You can look at everything and it will all come back to the defense. We would be undefeated if we could stop any kind of pass. Stave had only thrown for over 300 yards one time before he played us. I find it hard to believe that every single defensive back is as bad as we've seen. We go from a fairly good pass defense to the worst. It's either scheme or technique but both seem to be not working. Bottom line is that defense is the problem and it needs to be addressed now. Based off bankers history , he is not the man for the job. Now, is Riley willing to make changes. If he doesn't he is going to end up like the last two head coaches. And at his age I think it may be more important to go down with the crew than to let one loose. I think he proved that when he brought the same Beaver staff over to the huskers.
I want Riley to succeed. I feel the only way this is going to happen is if we get some new defensive schemes in here.

Fyi, best coaching I've seen on both sides of the ball has been LBers. Done so much with so little.

 

[HuskerWingman]

Riley has to succeed. If he doesn't than Nebraska will be in a world of hurt for a long time. He has to make changes defensively for this to happen. Whether it is schematically or coaching I don't know. We make below average QB's look great and that can't happen. Especially in the last minutes of games.

 

[Nebraskaway]

To me it looks like the defense has spent all their time practicing run fits, and none on pass defense. We had 8, sometimes 9 in the box against Wisconsin, and everyone seemed to be filling holes perfectly. But they throw a pass, and we look like we don't practice it.

 

[Husker-N-VA]

When you're offense is stalling due to a 35% completion rate it puts a ton of pressure on the defense. Even more so when depth is an issue. You can't put all the blame on the defense.

 

[crinin the thane]

We have two major problems.

1. We are trying be be what we are not. We do not have the quarterback to be a 50-50 run/pass, west coast offense. We have power I and Zone Read personnel. We have matchup zone/ safety help dbs that are being asked to be NFL type lockdown coverage players. We are intentionally exposing our own weaknesses. That is crazy! We are expecting outcomes to change when we continue to expose our weaknesses. Remember an oft quoted definition of insanity.

2. The entire year (I Have attended 5 of the 6 games) I have not seen the intensity, tenacity, passion, attitude, swagger, edge that it takes to win. We are too business like. Here to play a ballgame and have a little fun but not to lay it all on the line. Yesterday, on a rare display of emotion, I saw Cross signal a first down and march down the field with attitude after a great smash running play. He was fired up. I say lets ride that horse for awhile. What did we do? We pulled him out for a different offense look, because we are so smart and clever with our offense. Sometimes you have to go with who is feeling it. We are really poor at that.

These two things have everything to do with coaching. I am just not sure they get it. Past records suggest the same. Remember the definition of insanity?

 

[jimbosc]

We should be 4-2 - we had BYU and IL beat and let them off the hook through poor end of game management. Miami and Wisky out-played us for LARGE portions of both games - we had some luck in both to have late chances to win - but did not get it done. How would you feel at 4-2. probably not great but also not ready to give up on Riley. Getting out played by Wisky at home is the one that bothers me the most - needed to show up and play better given the situation.

 

[crinin the thane]

We should be 4-2 - we had BYU and IL beat and let them off the hook through poor end of game management. Miami and Wisky out-played us for LARGE portions of both games - we had some luck in both to have late chances to win - but did not get it done. How would you feel at 4-2. probably not great but also not ready to give up on Riley. Getting out played by Wisky at home is the one that bothers me the most - needed to show up and play better given the situation.

We are not 4-2 because of the above stated issues. Our record is not because of bad luck. It is because of how we have played.

 

[janne]

If you look at the four losses, we were out gained in all four for a total of around 350 yds., had more turnovers in every game with a -6 total, and had more penalty yardage in 3 of the 4 (Miami did manage to outdo us). In all four games we were fortunate to be in the position we were near the end. There were various breaks that kept us in each game, but I'm not sure we really deserved to win any of them.