Game Thread Nebraska @ Penn State: Saturday, November 22 - 6:00pm NBC

[Blbmeb]

People act like they are the only two choices. Before the portal they were. You can always entertain qbs in the portal now. It should be treated like the NFL. Either way the qb doesn’t matter much if you don’t fix the lines going forward.

Your last sentence is spot on. Look at their backup QB last night. He didn’t do anything to special last night, just hit receivers when they were open behind a great OL.

 

[herbsinator]

Your last sentence is spot on. Look at their backup QB last night. He didn’t do anything to special last night, just hit receivers when they were open behind a great OL.

It’s basically what Lateef did against UCLA…where we weren’t outmanned talent wise. We just got completely dominated on the LOS on both sides of the ball. Thats the whole story right there.

 

[Blbmeb]

We got run off the field last night.

If we had lost this like Michigan or USC, where maybe we got outplayed but we still had our chances, I’d have been okay with it.

This one was tough, even as a proud HES member, I’m at a loss here.

On the bright side, Penn state does have more talent than us.

But they’re also a 5-6 team who got beat by a number of bad teams who we beat.

Make it make sense. I’m at a loss.

I think most of us were hoping that they were going to be mentally broken or fragile because of the circumstances. Obviously it was the complete opposite as they rallied around their interim coach big time. They were even holding signs afterward for the cameras to see to hire the guy.

 

[Flabio]

It’s basically what Lateef did against UCLA…where we weren’t outmanned talent wise. We just got completely dominated on the LOS on both sides of the ball. Thats the whole story right there.

When the dl gets owned it is a talent issue. Can make the case they are still young but I think that is part of it.

 

[Sous Chef]

Your last sentence is spot on. Look at their backup QB last night. He didn’t do anything to special last night, just hit receivers when they were open behind a great OL.

I'd say he hit open receivers behind a decent OL that was playing against a much weaker opponent. PSU had almost a full season of film to scout us. They knew exactly where to attack and how to attack. Butler is a one trick pony. The only reason USC didn't blow us out is Riley wanted to force the pass game even when the run game was shredding us like cheese on a grater. That and USC's defense has exploitable holes on defense. But to my original point and more germane to our future Cockeye will have no problem doing to us exactly what PSU did. Run the ball at will and hit us with play action for big chunks. We have no one capable of setting the edge, no pass rush and our tackling angles and run fits can be laughably bad at times. Everyone needs to remember that there was more than one legitimate college DC interested in the job. If you believe that Rhule had any intention of hiring anyone but Butler for the job you probably need to think again. All this to say I think Rhule is in over his head and no amount of time will change the things that make it so.

 

[Mr.Bojangles]

It kills me to say that but it's reality.

 

[Seaofred92]

Rewatching the game now after being there last night - a few things standing out:

- We crossed the 50 on our first three drives and came away with 3 total points - that ain’t going to cut it

- Why did we not take the 15 yard face mask penalty on Penn State after their first XP on the kickoff and instead made them re-kick? Our ensuing drive stalled on the PSU ~40 yard line and while not a given there is a decent likelihood we would’ve been in FG range to make it 7-3

- Hard to make judgments off screen grabs of live video but third and 2 down 10-3 in the second quarter PSU runs a fullback dive that NU initially stuffs and actually forces the fullback to wind up facing his own end zone with the ball. He’s able to complete a quasi spin move and fall forward for a first down. Would’ve been a massive stop forcing a 4th and 2 on PSUs side of the field… they obviously could’ve gone for it but man that would’ve been a confidence boosting stop if we could’ve gotten it:



- Down 30-3 this may sound futile but I would’ve liked for us to have kicked the FG on our opening drive of the second half instead of going for it to try to make it 30-6. We actually got a stop and then scored our only TD of the night - getting down 24 would’ve made it a 3 possession game, obviously doesn’t likely change the outcome but could’ve been 30 - 14 and puts a bit more pressure on PSU

- Down 30-10 and PSU is punting from their own 46 yard line. NU actually has this stopped if the circled player can set the edge and make the ball carrier cut it back inside. He recognized the fake almost instantly and came downhill at full speed but then hesitated a bit before engaging the blocker instead of getting his helmet outside of him. Real time I thought he got held but that’s what allowed PSU to spring the run and ultimately put the game away, otherwise its 30-10 and NU has the ball at midfield with plenty of time left to go





- The tape is the tape and it was what it was but NU left a bunch of opportunities out there IMO after re-watching most of this. Lateef is at his best throwing on the run where he can either use his legs or make a few simple reads - there is almost no traditional drop back passing game which against PSU and their DEs probably makes sense. Let’s flush it and move onto beating Cockeye on Friday