Another terrible offensive line performance. More bad play calling, this time, with a twist of poor play designs. Continued subpar quarterback play. Another win.
PYB puts this game on the rack with the Oklahoma game, one so mind-numbingly boring that it's hard to remember the details. We knew it would be the case, but the defense saved the day again. What's truly alarming is how many assignments the offensive line flat out blows. It seems to be at least one every play. Barney Cotton's crowning achievement for 2009 will have to settle reducing holding penalties from five per game.
Shawn Watson's continued reliance on an option game that doesn't fit Zac Lee's abilities at all is annoying. So are a lot of his play designs. PYB especially enjoyed the one that led to a goal-line KSU interception. The one where the design had Lee roll out, away from his throwing-arm side, and look for a play with only one receiver option (TE Mike McNeill) that had run that receiver right into three (maybe four.....we had starting slamming flat beer to keep it entertaining) defenders. And what you get with that, from a juco-level QB, is a forced interception and (if you were playing a decent team) disastrous consequences.
NU is 82nd in total offense, 73rd in scoring offense and is averaging 17 points per game against non-Sun Belt opponents. They can't pass, the run is sporadic at best and the Cornhuskers will face the top run defense in the nation in two weeks in Dallas.
The defense (now third in national scoring defense) dominated, despite surrendering some yards for the third straight game. Hell, the Blackshirts have to be tired. Eight weeks with little to no support from the other 11 has to take its toll. However, we never sensed any danger, even as KSU got inside NU's 33 yard line four times. As always, Bo's unit was in complete control. They only blitz when they have to. It's always great to see more blitzing, but the Pelinis keep the ball in front of their back seven and wait for the QB to make the error. The one time they did call up a blitz, KSU's QB read it and hit his man for an apparent touchdown. However, Larry "The Assassin" Asante made a big hit at the one-yard line and Prince Amukamara recovered. Crisis averted.
Alex Henery had his best game, benefiting from mostly good field position. This showed his forte, of placing kicks inside the 10, while masking the fact that his hang time and distance are weaknesses. As a result, the Cornhuskers shot up the national rankings to 95th in net punting.
So, it was more of the same one week after everyone fell in love with the offense and its 'explosion' in Lawrence. The Mildcats just didn't have enough firepower to muster a true threat to win the game, not even with the Power Towel looming over Memorial Stadium. PYB has a bad feeling about Boulder. Dan Hawkins will likely be coaching his last game at CU. The Bluffs have show signs of life in recent weeks. The offense sucks. Will the short week before next Friday's game finally be the straw that breaks the Blackshirts' back?
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