Nebraska had more turnovers than points. Ugly.
It’s going to be a long night in the Red tonight. Nebraska squandered opportunity after opportunity due to turnovers. Four trips inside the 5 ended with turnovers, 2 other interceptions late in the game and 2 other fumbles. Yet the Husker defense kept Nebraska in the game.
Nebraska is now 4-3 on the season, 1-2 in the Big 12 and is clearly at a crossroad. The Offense is anemic at best. While today’s loss can’t be pinned on Zac Lee, it is clear that fundamentaly something is wrong with the gameplan. As Robert pointed out in the comments, SI.com’s Stewart Mandel said, “what a waste of an elite defense…what a joke on offense.”
Is Cody Green the future. I don’t know, but I think a future without Shawn Watson should be in the cards. In fact, I’ll say it now, Fire Shawn Watson. The West Coast Offense, even as the bastardized spread-with-west-coast-reads version Nebraska is currently running is too complicated for the college game. An offense that takes 3 years to learn and culminates with one – maybe two – years for a starting QB isn’t something can be run in a college game.
I shudder to think what will happen next year when Ndamakong Suh moves on, and there better be a plan in place to deal with the 2010 defense when it is weakened in the off-season. Do they play to make it up with offense?
If 2009 becomes a throwaway season for Nebraska, then perhaps it is time to bring Cody Green into the fold as starting QB, change the offense to work with the talent Nebraska has, and quit trying to stick square pegs into round holes.
By the numbers
Iowa State had 231 total yards of offense, 130 rushing, 101 passing. 5-18 on third down conversions. Nine punts and 8 penalties.
Nebraska had 355 total yards of offense, 114 rushing, 241 passing. 5-13 on third down conversions, 4 punts and 3 penalties.
-I’m working on the recap, but feel free to start your comments-
As SI’s Stewart Mandel said about the Huskers, what a waste of an elite defense. What a joke on offense.
What happened to the Nebraska football team that used to dominate and be accused of running up the score? This game is embarrassing at least. Pathetic at best.
In the words of BO “8 turnovers you can’t win with 8 turnovers” I don’t think you can pin this on one player or one coach if nobody can hold on to the football put someone in there that can. That was the worst I have ever seen. I grew up in Iowa but have been a HUSKER fan since 1983 do I have to switch back I really don’t want to. I bleed RED in all aspects. What do you do????
All I can say is “What’s up with all the fumbles.” When Niles Paul fumbled the ball on the 3rd yard line and Iowa State recovered the ball did you notice our #11 just standing there. Pathetic. We should not have had so much trouble with Iowa State. The running game was there. But come on. What are we to expect next week with Baylor?
Husker Hopeful,
What was pathetic was that Niles Paul fumbled the ball on the 3 yard line in the 1st place. Nobody hardly touched him. He can’t catch the ball, or if he does, he can’t hang onto it. What makes him so great? #11 was probably standing there, not doing anything, because he couldn’t beleive what he was seeing. That some dumb @$% couldn’t hang onto the ball, even when no one hit him!!!!!!!!