Articles by SquareOffs

Monday Morning Quarterback: Who do you think will have the higher win percentage over the next 2 years – Frost or Hoiberg?

3/9/21 | SquareOffs
Two coaches charged with delivering the Huskers to the Power Five upper echelon. Two coaches who bring high-profile pedigrees, and of whom much is expected. Two coaches under pressure to get it done. Scott Frost and Fred Hoiberg have other similarities. Both have begun their Nebraska careers with disappointing records. Maybe not surprising - but definitely disappointing. Both coaches have…

Monday Morning Quarterback: How would you grade Husker progress this year toward returning to a top-level football program?

12/22/20 | SquareOffs
The best news is that there was Husker football in 2020. And Scott Frost and crew deserves credit for being a big part of the Big Ten's decision to play a season in the first place. The bad news is the season itself. Signs and flashes of real improvement, and then frustrating stretches of bad play, self-immolation, questionable decision-making on…

Monday Morning Quarterback: Should Iowa be penalized for “Clapgate” or is it more of a case of no more Husker excuses?

11/30/20 | SquareOffs
Another one-score loss for the Huskers. While the defense played well enough to win this the game, the offense's mistakes and turnovers were too much to overcome. Not scoring on the last four Husker possessions was brutal to watch. The curse lives on, and the Heroes Trophy stays in Iowa for the sixth straight year. Husker center Cam Jurgens had…

Monday Morning Quarterback: Do the Huskers average over 500 yards of total offense this year?

10/12/20 | SquareOffs
There's a lot of pressure on coaches Scott Frost and Matt Lubick to get the Husker offense cranking this year. Last season would have been completely different with just a bit more offensive production. Granted, the defense didn't really shut anyone down last year except Maryland, Northwestern and Northern Illinois. But for the most part, the Blackshirts kept the games…

Monday Morning Quarterback: Who will be the Huskers’ starting quarterback in the last game?

9/29/20 | SquareOffs
There's a lot of attention on the competition for Husker starting quarterback this year. Twenty-one game starter Adrian Martinez is coming off a challenging sophomore season that was definitely a step back. Freshman Luke McCaffrey, in limited playing time in a redshirt season last year, got fans excited with his playmaking both running and throwing. Martinez is the clear favorite…

If the Big Ten plays with a late start in 2020, should the CFP wait for them?

9/13/20 | SquareOffs
News reports are saying the Big Ten is putting together 2020 season plans that the presidents and chancellors will vote on soon. This could mean a late October start date. If the season can start sooner than later, then Big Ten teams could potentially play enough games to qualify for a College Football Playoff bid. Even a November start date…

Monday Morning Quarterback: Should college football have a commissioner or other governing body?

8/25/20 | SquareOffs
Speaking at a news conference Monday, Nick Saban was asked what his thoughts were on whether college football needed a commissioner. The Alabama coach said he thinks it's important "that we have something or someone, some organizational body that can bring everyone together." Saban went on to say “And I don’t know if that’s a commissioner, if it’s some council,…

Do you see the Huskers getting to 6-4 in the new Big Ten season?

7/13/20 | SquareOffs
Not a surprising announcement last week from the Big Ten that the 2020 is going to be shortened to conference play only. This enables the conference to perhaps push the start back a couple weeks and build in more open weekends. We should know more in a few weeks about whether the season will even happen. For now it's on.…

Monday Morning Quarterback: Who is your pick for the top Husker guard?

6/24/20 | SquareOffs
The Nebraska tradition for outstanding lineman is well known, with the Outland going to Huskers nine times, way more than any other school. A long line of Husker lineman have excelled on both sides of the ball. So many, that you can do things like compare greats at a single position - such as offensive guard, where two of the…

Monday Morning Quarterback: Do you think there will be college football this year?

5/4/20 | SquareOffs
On Friday the NCAA released a three-phase plan for resuming college sports. The three phases are based on the federal guidelines for easing social distancing and other limitations imposed such as prohibiting large gatherings. The NCAA is taking the position that in order for college sports to be resumed, "resocialization of collegiate sports must be grounded in resocialization of college…

Larry Jacobson or Zach Wiegert next for the College HoF?

3/30/20 | SquareOffs
Husker fans everywhere were happy to see Eric Crouch selected as one of this this year's inductees into the College Football Hall of Fame. Crouch won the Heisman Trophy in 2001 while leading Nebraska to the BCS National Championship Game. He finished his Nebraska career as only the 3rd quarterback in college football history at the time to run for…

Monday Morning Quarterback: Should the NCAA seek exemption from antitrust regulation?

2/17/20 | SquareOffs
We hear more and more about discussions within the NCAA leadership and member schools about seeking an antitrust exemption. An antitrust exemption would enable the NCAA to mandate how schools address the number of legal challenges facing college sports. The legal challenges facing the NCAA are significant. The "Fair Pay to Play" player compensation in California and in various stages…

Monday Morning Quarterback: Should Nebraska legalize sports betting?

2/11/20 | SquareOffs
In the news currently are three separate bills related to sports gambling introduced to the Nebraska legislature. One of those measures - LB791 - would legalize sports betting in Nebraska for both pro and college athletics. While the bill would open up gambling on any sports team, if you are talking athletics in Nebraska there is obviously nothing bigger than…

Monday Morning Quarterback: Should Coach Frost hand off play calling?

1/20/20 | SquareOffs
There were some big coaching changes in Husker land this past week. Coach Scott Frost let go of offensive coordinator and receivers coach Troy Walters, replacing him with Matt Lubick, who Frost worked with at Oregon. Lubick spent the last year out of football but worked as a consultant for Frost during that time. Frost also gave offensive line coach…

Monday Morning Quarterback: Best gift – Piatowski or Hoppen jersey?

1/13/20 | SquareOffs
Best Birthday Gift Jersey - Eric Piatowski or Dave Hoppen? Your best friend, a huge Husker hoops fan, has a birthday coming up. You've narrowed your gift selection to two b-ball jerseys - Eric Piatkowski or Dave Hoppen. Hmmmm... Piatowski was a sweet-shooting small forward with a killer jump shot. Piatowski was honorable mention All Big Eight his freshman and…

Monday Morning Quarterback: How are you feeling about the Husker recruiting class?

12/23/19 | SquareOffs
The Huskers signed 23 scholarship players during the early national signing period. Nine of the 23 signees are at front-seven positions, including 6'2", 270 lb. Pheldarius Payne, a defensive lineman out of Virginia. A lot of effort looks like it paid off on getting defensive secondary talent in the house, including top recruit Jaiden Francois, a 6'1", 182 lb. corner…

Monday Morning Quarterback: Do you agree with the Coach Frost two-year contract extension?

11/18/19 | SquareOffs
Chancellor Ronnie Green and Athletic Director Bill Moos announced a two-year extension of Coach Scott Frost's contract Saturday, extending the agreement through the 2026 season. Frost was already under contract for five more seasons through 2024 with his existing seven-year, $35 million deal. Frost is 8-13 cumulative in his second season at Nebraska. The Huskers are 4-6 overall and 2-5…

Monday Morning Quarterback: Where are you looking for the most offensive improvement for the Huskers vs. Colorado – running or passing?

9/2/19 | SquareOffs
Yes, the Huskers did not dominate as was expected against South Alabama. Still, they found a way to win, thanks to the defense getting turnovers and scores. Going into this weekend's game it is clear that Coach Frost and the team have work ahead of them compete in the Big Ten this year. The Husker offense struggled all game, going…

Monday Morning Quarterback: Huskers vs. South Alabama – Do the Huskers gain over 500 yards and hold the Jaguars to less than 250?

8/26/19 | SquareOffs
The Huskers are a heavy favorite in their first game of the season against South Alabama with a 36 point spread and most action having them covering the spread. Scott Frost's spread offense proved in the second half of last season that they can put a lot of points on the board. Another year of team experience running the motion-heavy…

Monday Morning Quarterback: Who’s the greatest Husker football walk-on of all time – I.M. Hipp or Jared Tomich?

8/19/19 | SquareOffs
Luke Reimer making power moves at ILB makes us think back to the storied Cornhusker walk-on tradition. Coach Tom Osborne said that with Nebraska's state population disadvantage compared to the Florida and Sunbelt schools, "If we didn't have walk-ons willing to come here, I think it wouldn't be long before we very quickly became a second-rate program." With Coach Scott…

Monday Morning Quarterback: Does the Scott Frost training video tweet disrespect Navy SEALs?

6/24/19 | SquareOffs
There is an internet kerfuffle brewing about a training video that Scott Frost tweeted last week. The video shows Nebraska football players going though military-type workouts on the beach and in the water, with voiceover about not cutting corners. Evidently, the video (link below) in part was the idea of Damian Jackson, Husker walk on and former Navy SEAL. pic.twitter.com/2BR8slArsW…

Monday Morning Quarterback – Who’s the #1 Husker volleyball coach – Terry Pettit or John Cook?

6/10/19 | SquareOffs
Cornhusker women's volleyball has one of the most illustrious histories in all of college sports with more wins than any other program and five NCAA national championships. Two superb coaches have been responsible for building and maintaining a national powerhouse volleyball program - Terry Pettit, coach from 1977-1999, and John Cook, who took over from Pettit 2000 to the present…

Monday Morning Quarterback: 4th Quarter, down by 4, 3rd and 5 – which #30 are you gonna call?

5/27/19 | SquareOffs
The Huskers' all-time leading rusher, Mike Rozier, won the Heisman Trophy in 1983 with an incredible senior season of 2,148 yards rushing and 29 touchdowns, after a consensus All-American junior season. He averaged a mind-boggling 7.8 yards per carry during that 1983 season Ahman Green is in second place of all-time Husker leading rushers, even though he passed up his…