Hell of a game, and props to Lanning for getting his team right after looking bad the first couple games.
I come away feeling better about how we match up vs. OSU than I did going into the game.
If we get Hill back, Ceyair keeps playing like he is, and het Buford back to safety like he was last year, we might be able to at least slow them down. It will be a mismatch but not as bad as we first imagined.
Howard is a good, but not great QB. Not much of an upgrade over McCord. More athletic and flashy but doesn’t manage the game as well. IMO, you put some middle of the road B1G QB like Luke Altmyer on the OSU roster and he has just as good of numbers. Altmyer is probably better actually.
If we can ugly it up, get a little pass rush, and turn them over once or twice, it might be a closer game than we thought.
Going into the game, OSU was 4th nationally in pass defense but they were exposed. That’s what happens when you play Akron, WMU, Marshall, MSU, and Cockeye to start the year. Raiola will easily be the 2nd best QB they have faced this year.
Game plan:
1. Shorten the game. Bleed clock.
2. Run early and often. Set up play action.
3. Play action yolo bombs. Might connect on 1-2 if lucky.
4. Back shoulder throws to draw them into PI calls. Frustrate them. Make their buttholes pucker.
5. Anything in opponent territory between the 10-40 yard line is 4-down territory.
6. Blitz from anywhere and everywhere. They can sink and dunk us all day if we play it safe, and they’ll still get loose a few times. Bring Hill on a CB blitz. Walk Gifford up. Let James Williams feast. We’ll give some stuff up but Will Howard showed tonight he can’t deal with pressure and is a little bitch. Make his life hell.
Prediction: 27-24, Huskers.