Look – I can usually figure out something to focus the column on, I swear. Positive or negative, there’s usually an aspect of the previous game, something noteworthy going on that week or maybe a memory/anecdote
the current opponent brings out. More than one when it comes to Oklahoma; I got some company there, amirite?
But the systemic destruction visited upon the Huskers in the second half couldn’t really be broken down in a few paragraphs. O-line, D-line, run defense, pass defense, running game, passing game. Six possessions – three Huskers punts, three Minnesota scores. 7-6 became 24-6 as the Gophers held the ball for approximately 16 of the 23 minutes in a stretch from their first possession to the Huskers turning it over on downs in the 4th quarter.
It was just a run a of domination and everyone was already writing about it. I drew back for a few days since our fearless leader was firing both barrels from his We Need Change to his Matt Rhule’s Defining Game Coming Up articles – and they weren’t in as much hard crash-out mode as you might think.
So on this gray game-day Saturday morning, I’m just gonna fire off a few bullet points and everyone can chime in below in the comments. I never want nor expect 100% agreement.
- The Surrender Whites must go away forever.
Yes, I’m partly doing this because this sentiment makes the blood run run from the eyes of some Husker fans like one of those corn-syrup-and-red-food-dye rigged statues that Florida Baptists weep at and worship. “Uniforms have nothing to do with game play!!“ Of course not. But look – since 1990, the record in non-alt jersey all-whites is now 4-11. And, yes, that winning% is much lower than total road record.
Look, let’s admit it’s a proven loser and just let the last two “efforts” – outscored 80-13 – be the final nails in the coffin. And I’ll make a deal – win the Big 10 or make the CFP, then the whites can be broken back out the following season. For a 1-AA/FCS opponent. Baby steps.
- The offensive line may not have been responsible for a majority of the sacks, but…
A few were put on Raiola holding the ball too long – or those might have simply been coverage sacks – and three were put on the running backs. However, one of those was viral clip of a blitzing linebacker plowing Emmett Johnson into Raiola. Emmett is as tough as they come, but he can’t beat the physics of someone outweighing him by 30-40 pounds flying into him untouched at full speed.
- Please stop with the calls for T.J. Lateef.
Look, Lateef has a bright future, no doubt. But Raiola wasn’t the problem. Put it this way – he escaped what would have been a few more sacks, completed 68% of his passes and, perhaps unnoticed, did not turn the ball over once against the most pressure he’s faced this season after 5 picks in the last 3 games. And keep in mind, the Lateef you’ve seen this season has been against the backups on the worst two teams scheduled.
- Special teams are still cooking.
Mike Ekeler’s guys are still in the midst of an amazing turnaround. Archie Wilson finally put it together for a huge night. Minnesota spent most of the night booting their punts out of bounds – and Barney brought one back 30 yards when they finally did (He did make an ill-advised attempt to bring one back deep in his own territory.) And Will Cunanan is slowly making us lose our PTSD over some of the wacky kicking adventures of seasons past.
That’s it for now – Go Big Red.
