1. Assess the Huskers performance this year. What is going well and what has surprised you?
Like everyone else I would say Sam Keller is going well. I had my doubts in the preseason, given the complexity of the WCO, whether or not Cowboy Keller would approach Zac Taylor's numbers on the season. Looks like he will (with a few more INTs) but the "new school record for passing yards in a game" is becoming tiresome. We get it, Nebraska throws a bit now.As for the surprise--beyond getting bitch-slapped by the Blackshirts the past two games--I would say how much we miss last year's front four is the biggest surprise for two reasons: 1) there was some sentiment that Nebraska might not fall that far from last year's numbers because 2) the d-line was so good in 2005 that, as a heralded veteran bunch in 2006, teams set out to stop them, the sack totals went down and everyone began to wonder where the hyped hogmollies were. Now the answer seems to be that they were keeping offensive lineman (specifically Trojans) off our linebackers.
2) Let's not sugar coat things; the Blackshirts are struggling. What do you think the issue is, and what needs to be done to rectify things this season?
I actually saw my first real footage from the Ball State game today on the Coach Callahan Show and, somewhat ashamedly, it didn't look nearly as bad as I had anticipated. Maybe it truly is fundamental breakdowns. The defense was "on schedule" in terms of down and distance a number of times but then a missed tackle or blown coverage popped up and the Cardinals kept drives alive. Aside from "the fundamentals," however, the front four has to start beating some people one on one. Quarterback pressure can neutralize a number of things.
3) Kevin Cosgrove is the target of a lot of criticism over the play of the Blackshirts. How will this play out?
I'll say this: if Bill Callahan can't fire Cosgrove at the end of the season then he has no business being the head coach at Nebraska. I'm not saying he should--there's still time to turn things around--but if he can't than he made a major misstep in hiring his best friend. Right now it feels a lot like Solich's penultimate season. Significant coordinator changes could be the last gasp effort at salvaging the whole thing. If things don't improve, Coz will be gone one way or another after 07.
4) You went into this season with some expectations. Has the start to this season changed your mind? Where do you see the Huskers at the end of the season?
I didn't really expect Nebraska to be 4-0 heading into conference play but I did expect a better showing collectively in the three home games we've seen thus far. Many Husker fans looked at Missouri's preseason favorite status in the North as disrespect but now that looks more and more like reality. Overall, I still think Nebraska ends up one game above or below the 8-4 mark but the difference lies in that Missouri game. Whereas I thought Nebraska would be in the drivers seat for much of the season, now it looks like they might need some help.
5) There was a loud chorus of boos last weekend at Memorial Stadium. Your reaction? Is it okay to boo the Huskers under any circumstance?
The Yun' Ball Coach (a good friend of mine for the uninitiated) and I were talking about this today. Nebraska's reputation as "The Greatest Fans in College Football" might be as much of a curse as a blessing. I often feel like some Husker fans are hesitant to be entirely honest in their yearly or game to game assessment due to the fact that they have a reputation to uphold. For every person booing on Saturday how many were holding themselves back because of the TGFICFB mantle? I can't answer that question but, in my mind, that's denying one of the divine rights of being a fan, the right to be unhappy, to question the direction.
For a long time, it was easy to be a Nebraska fan. We were national champions three out of the four years I was in high school. I never expected to lose to anybody. Now it's hard. But when you get right down to it, I would rather see some people in yet another sold out stadium boo than see those same seats go empty. There are some who will say that the consecutive sell-out streak needs to end if change is to occur (provided that's your preferred course of action).
I'm of the opinion that the streak is the last true bridge between the Nebraska of yore and that of the future that we have left. The record setting sell-outs represent loyalty and, more than any smattering of boos, that represents what Nebraska fans are about. While everyone may not agree on where the program is at or where it's heading, the one constant is that we show up. Through thick and thin, sickness and health and any other cliche you can imagine.
When--nay if--we lose that we'll know that Nebraska has become just another football program.
Fellow Knights of the Roundtable
Corn Nation
Big Red Netowrk
Husker Faithful
Husker Guy
Midwest Coast Bias
Husker Mike
Double Extra Point
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