9/13/21 | SquareOffs
How great is it to have a Nebraska-Oklahoma game back on the schedule? That the Huskers and Sooners haven't played a regular-season game since 2009 is just not right. College football is made and based on great rivalries, and the shared, collective histories behind those rivals.If the Illinois game hadn't been such a soul-sucking gut punch, we wouldn't all be…
Big changes in the Power 5 this past week. No one is really sure how this is all going to play out over the coming years. Or what the next moves, if any, should be from the Big Ten. A couple things are for sure, the Big 12 is once again on the wrong end of the stick after losing…
Bill Moos said that a "realistic expectation” for the Huskers this season would be 8 or 9 wins. Another tough schedule for Big Red doesn't leave much room for slippage for the team to pull this off. 8/28 @Illinois - A must-win game to start the season for the Huskers against a second tier Big 10 team with a new…
Numerous defections by young recruits. Top offensive players transferring. A team vote to not play a bowl game. A trial-balloon PR snafu, or whatever it was, to change out the Oklahoma away game for a different team at home. These all might be categorized as cultural issues, and it doesn't seem to be a stretch to add the lack of…
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…
Luke McCaffrey gave his notice Tuesday. He joins Wan'dale Robinson as another one of the primary offensive producers leaving the Huskers. Add that to JD Spielman leaving in the spring and three of the top several players on offense these past two season have left the program. The redshirt freshman is not the loss that Robinson and Spielman were. Spielman…
Ohio State delivered a heck of a response to Dabo Sweeney. The Buckeyes did the Big Ten proud by thumping the favored Tigers and also paid Clemson back for the loss against in last year's CFP semifinal. Pushing through the delayed Big Ten start, having three games canceled for COVID-19, and then almost not even being able to play in…
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…
The Huskers have been losing a number of top recruits this year. Coach Frost and his crew put together two Top 20 recruiting classes in a row in 2019 and 2020, bringing in the type of talent that Big Red needs to compete and win in the Big Ten. It is normal for a certain amount of transfer portal activity…
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…
What a punch to the gut this past weekend in Lincoln. Coming off the first win of the season, going in 15-point favorites, and then getting blown out and embarrassed at home. Basically, every position group on the team, except maybe special teams, looked worse than they did against Penn State. There is no joy in Mudville. Five turnovers -…
Not a thing of beauty, but a great win last week over Penn State. While Penn State is really struggling this year, and the Huskers should have won the game by twice as much, this was a tough, gritty win that the team can build from. The Blackshirts definitely deserved the game ball with a solid effort of bending, bending…
The Northwestern game was a painful experience for Husker fans. 442 yards of total offense, while holding the other team to only 317. 28 Husker first downs to only 14 for the Wildcats. But only one touchdown to show for all that, and a goose egg in the second half. The Blackshirts did their job holding Northwestern to 21 -…
24-14 at half against one of the top teams in the country - nothing to be ashamed of with definite signs of improvement. Or, a 52-17 stomping, with a 28-3 second half. Glass half empty or half full... Fans saw a lot of positives and a fair share of negatives in the Ohio State game Saturday. Adrian Martinez and Luke…
Husker football is back and it's starting with a bang. Ohio State just came in #4 in the new power rankings adjusted for the addition of the Big Ten and Pac-12. The game is on the Buckeyes' home turf and is a nationally televised game. Quite the marquee start of the season for the Huskers. So far in the college…
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…
Super important season for Coach Frost in Year 3. While 2020 is going to be a special case type of year for all coaches, the pressure is still on for Frost to show improvement over last year. His two lead assistant coaches - Defensive Coordinator Eric Chinander and Offensive Coordinator Matt Lubick - are the others who will be in…
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…
Great opportunity for the Huskers to show and prove - and learn! A tough schedule has the team playing five of its games against schools that were power-ranked in the top 30 in the spring. Throw in Purdue, power-ranked earlier this year at 36, and you have a heck of a challenging schedule for the Huskers. Some are saying Nebraska…
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…
The Big Ten 2020 football season saga continues. A spring season has been talked about for about for a couple months now, but there are some significant issues with that course. Two new options being considered now are an October/November start, or a January start - either one for a minimum 10-game season of conference-only games. Most everyone agrees it's…
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,…
It's hard to describe the impact COVID-19 is having on college sports. The calculations are already immense and will continue to grow. It has been the epitome of a fluid situation since the start. It started with almost startling speed with first the decision to not have any attendance at March Madness, then days later the decision to cancel the…
As of this writing, it appears the Big Ten season as announced last week is not going to happen. Reports are that Nebraska and Iowa were the only two Big Ten schools whose presidents did not vote to end the season, although there are also reports that no official vote has taken place. So ... clear as mud. The Big…
Everyone is looking for the Huskers to take a step or two up in year three of the Frost era. Five wins, .500 in the anticipated 10-game conference schedule would definitely do the trick. But another part of it is the team getting back to being tough to beat in Lincoln. And even more than that, using that Memorial Stadium…
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.…
More and more discussions are taking place around pushing the college football season to spring 2021. The significant headwinds and shrinking amount of time to get the NCAA ducks in a row for a fall season are making it tough on the schools. With both the planned NBA and MLB seasons currently on shaky ground, the 2020 fall college football…
Asked by Steve Stipple what would call a successful season this year, Bill Moos said gave the same answer as last year - six wins. While six wins would be a step up from last year, a lot of Husker fans took notice Compare this year's schedule to last year, and the degree of difficulty this year is definitely up…
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…
We all want college football to happen this year, but the headwinds are strong. The sheer amount of the unknown, the many scenarios that could happen, the large number of details, and the cost of those details are complex and significant. We know from Sports Illustrated this week that on a call with the White House reopening task force, NCAA…
Tough, but not unexpected, news this week that JD Spielman is putting in for the transfer portal and leaving Nebraska. The number three all-time receiver in career catches and receiving yards, Spielman averaged over 18 yards a catch while playing slot receiver requiring him to run routes across the middle where he took a lot of hits. Wan'Dale Robinson had…
There has been a ton of amazing plays throughout Husker history. So many that you can break them down by any number of ways. For this week, quarterback runs are the focus with two incredible plays lined up side by side. In 1996, in the Fiesta Bowl vs. the Florida Gators, Tommie Frazier uncorked a 75-yard touchdown run where it…
Is pay-per-view a way to help college football get back to live games? Nobody is expecting a normal college football season this year. As one of the marquee programs, Nebraska and its incredible fan support is one of the schools that could be best suited to provide a way to make it happen. Say the model is a reduced schedule,…
All Husker fans know the Joe Burrow story. His father Jim played for Nebraska in the '70s. His two older brothers, Dan and Jamie, played for the Huskers in the early 2000s. In Ohio, where his father coached at Ohio University, Burrow had a stellar high school career and was awarded the state's Mr. Football Award and Player of the…
In a letter he published last week, Jim Harbaugh came out in favor of allowing college football players to declare for the draft at any time. And, if the player is not drafted, then he should be allowed to return to school and continue his college career. This would require the NCAA and the NFL to remove the current rules…
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…
Two names separate from the rest when looking at the top Husker linebackers since 2000, either one has a claim to be the top Blackshirt linebacker of the 2000s. Barrett Ruud started 37 out of 50 games for the Huskers and holds the school record for tackles with 432 in his four-year Nebraska career - 90 more than anybody else.…
Since 1970, there have been only five defensive linemen to finish in the top 5 for the voting for the Heisman Trophy. Two of them were Huskers — Rich Glover came in third in 1972 and Ndamukong Suh was fourth in 2009. Rich Glover wasn't the biggest guy, but he played huge and was a big part of the 1971…
Monday Morning Quarterback: Who's your Husker Quarterback - Turner Gill or Tommie Frazier? When the Husker faithful talk about the best quarterbacks in Nebraska team history, the conversation often ends up with Tommie Frazier and Turner Gill in the top 2 spots. The nod usually goes to Frazier because of the back-to-back titles in '94 and '95. Simply put, both…
When it comes to quarterbacks, the University of Nebraska has had a number of top-notch, proven leaders and winners over the last several decades. Let's focus today on two with similar styles and careers - Scott Frost and Eric Crouch. Scott Frost went 24-2 in his two-year career at Nebraska, including 13-0 and the national title in 1997. Frost was…
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…
With spring practice kicking off for the football Huskers this week, there are a lot of questions to be answered for the team. After a disappointing 5-7 finish in 2019, and an overall 9-15 in his first two years, Coach Frost is under the gun to get the Huskers above .500 in 2020 in what is going to be a…
In this year's CFP National Championship Game, the combined salaries for the Clemson and LSU coaching staffs was more than $27 million, with Dabo Swinney at the top with $9.3 million and with Ed Orgeron at $4 million. Salaries of college football coaches have increased dramatically over the past 10-15 years. In 2006 there was only one coach making $3…
The NCAA last week announced a proposal to allow first-time transfers to immediately begin playing in their first season at the new school. Currently, except for few exceptions, college football, baseball, hockey, and men's and women's basketball players all have to spend a "year in residence" at the new school before they can play for their new team. The proposed…
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…
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…
Coach Frank Solich became head coach in 1998 after the retirement of the legendary Tom Osborne. He had played for the Huskers and had been an assistant under Osborne for 19 years - a tried and true Husker. Solich's teams were 58-19 (.753 winning percentage) and never had a losing season. During his time, the Huskers had three top-10 finishes.…
Husker fans were heartened to see Coach Scott Frost shake up his staff in the offseason. Coming off two losing seasons, there was some concern he would double down and hold fast with his current coaches as part of the consistency mantra. Instead, Frost made a couple moves in key areas - replacing his offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach with Matt…
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…
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…
Reading the daily sports wires and it is hard to come across an article that does not rake Jim Harbaugh over the coals for his record these past four years. No doubt, when you are paid as much as Harbaugh, 3rd highest paid college football coach at $7.7 million, you are going to have a big target on your back.…
Halfway through the 2019 schedule, the Huskers were at 4-2 with a should coulda woulda 5-1 without the fourth-quarter collapse at Colorado. They were looking well positioned to get at least two more wins for six wins, a .500 season and their first bowl since 2016. There was no joy in Lincoln, as the Huskers went 1-5 over the second…
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…
It's that time for reflection on Big Ten football and which teams were the biggest surprises. Let's start with our own Big Ten West and compare how reality compared with the preseason thinking. We'll do the Big Ten East next week. ESPN's preseason ranking had the Big Ten West as: 1. Iowa 2. Wisconsin 3. Nebraska 4. Northwestern 5. Minnesota…
Husker great Tommie Frazier dropped a bomb of a tweet the day after Nebraska’s heartbreaking 27-24 loss to Iowa in Lincoln shut the door on the 2019 season. I will not comment on Nebraska football again until they make a bowl. It's obvious that people believe in someone that can't get it done. Those players played their asses off yesterday.—…
Brutal loss in Lincoln on Friday. The defense was doing its job and keeping a Top 20 team out of the endzone for all of the second half after giving up some early scores. But until 8:00 to go in the 3rd, the Husker offense had put just 3 points on the board. Cam Taylor's acrobatic pick six in the…
In a game against Maryland that the Huskers absolutely had to have, they showed up big. It sure wasn't looking like that before the game, with flu ravaging the team in the days prior, keeping some from traveling and weakening others who did make the trip like JD Spielman and Dedrick Mills. And the team still has injuries keeping key…
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…
The season hasn't turned out as hoped for the Husker faithful. It is clear that the road back to an elite program is going to take longer. And the path back is going to need greatly improved talent on both sides of the ball and don't forget special teams The tough question this week for the Huskers is what to…
There is no joy in Huskerland after a hugely disappointing lost to a 2-6 Purdue team. A team that in the first week of October looked like a lock for 6 wins and a bowl is now in an uphill battle to get to .500 for that invite. The last two games especially hurt as those were the Huskers' to…
Another tough loss for the Huskers. One that shows how much work there is still to do to get the program back to where it needs to be. Turnovers, defensive breakdowns and mental errors like the illegal formation on 4th in 1 continue to put the team behind the eight ball. There was some good amongst the bad - including…
While it didn't appear it would be the case at the start of the season, it's a very big game for the Huskers coming up this weekend in Lincoln. Coming off the bye, Coach Frost and team are at one of those inflection points that could completely change the trajectory of the second half the season. Won't be easy, that…
A second blowout loss has Husker fans wondering what is going on. The realization that the hole is bigger than it appeared, and that the road back is going to take longer than hoped, is on everyone's mind. Saying that, is the team on the upward trend of steady improvement that is needed to get the team back to the…
It sure didn't look like it was going to happen, but the Huskers came away with the win this weekend. For sure any win is a good win. Especially when its done with the starting quarterback getting injured, and the top veteran receiver on the sidelines along with one of the best defensive linemen on the sidelines. So, here we…
The Huskers ran right into one of the best teams in the country this weekend. To see the national exposure, and all the excitement that goes with it, come back to Lincoln was tremendous for NU and the future growth of the program. But the Huskers ran into a heck of a team. The reality is there is still quite…
For the first time since 2007, ESPN College GameDay is coming to Lincoln. It's great in so many ways for the Nebraska program to be back in the spotlight. The comeback win Saturday night against Illinois sealed the deal, although it sure didn't look like it was going to happen for much of the game. The Huskers got off to…
It was a great Saturday night in Lincoln. Coming off last week's heartbreaking loss at Colorado, the Huskers took on a Northern Illinois team that is far from being a patsy. What could turn out to be one of the key possessions of the season happened after a swing pass was stuffed for a safety by NIU to make the…
Brutal loss in Boulder this weekend. Nebraska completely outplayed the Buffs in the first half, outgaining them 266 yards to 84. The 17-0 score at half didn't really reflect how much the Huskers dominated. And that came back to hurt them. Even in the second half, up to 4:00 left in the 3rd, the Huskers continued to throttle Colorado, who…
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…
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…
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…
Three weeks until the first game against South Alabama, and as you would expect, most of the starters seem to be set. But 5 or 6 positions appear still to be decided. Some of this depends on the offensive or defensive sets being run – four receivers instead of three, or nickelback on passing downs, as well as any injury…
With the NBA offseason in full swing, a couple former Huskers, Isaiah Roby and James Palmer Jr., are making names for themselves. During the Summer League, these two put on some impressive performances. Both players clearly have potential. Roby was a star at Nebraska, averaging 11.8 points per game; he was also the first Husker to be picked in the…
The Huskers have had some great quarterbacks. From legendary Tommie Frazier to exciting Adrian Martinez, there is no shortage of options to consider when we talk about the best of all time. But if we focus in on the Tom Osborne 1980s, who is the best quarterback of the decade? Steve Taylor is certainly a top candidate. During his time…
This year is one for the Huskers: you can feel it in the air. There are several areas where the team will need to show improvement from last year, but if you had to choose between physicality and speed, which one would you choose? The Huskers were a historically physical team. Ever since the Osborne era, and even before, Nebraska…
The 2019 season is upon us and excitement surrounding this year’s team multiplies every day. With a stellar quarterback in Adrian Martinez, several returning starters, and a strong sense of urgency to fix mistakes from last year, the Huskers have the tools for some big wins. Speaking of big wins, Scott Frost and the team have a long list of…
It seems like every few months there are reports of various schools that may be looking at moving to the Big Ten. Some of the schools mentioned include Notre Dame, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. Expiring TV contracts and new viewing/streaming platforms are disrupting viewing habits. The major conferences know that growth and change are the defense against the type of…
When your program has been playing football since 1890, laws of chance say there will be a certain number of bad calls that go against the Huskers. It is part of the game. But they sure still hurt, and two calls stand out in Husker lore. 1982 season - Nebraska vs. Penn State - With seconds to play, Penn State…
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…
Over the years, the illustrious Husker football program has sent literally hundreds of players to the NFL. A study by Grand Canyon University in 2018 showed Nebraska at 5th all time with 346 players who went on to play in the NFL. Out of those 346 Huskers, there have been some all time greats, with a large number of great…
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…
No doubt the Ohio State game on September 28 in Lincoln will be a huge game for the Huskers this season. Ohio State is coming into 2019 with a new coach after their 2012-2018 run with Urban Meyer. In the West, though, two of the biggest games shaping up for the Huskers are Wisconsin and Iowa, both home at Lincoln,…
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…
Husker Nation is lit up this week about the (unconfirmed) impending arrival of RB Dedrick Mills at Nebraska to start preparing for the 2019 season. At 5’11”, 225 pounds, Mills was the No. 1 ranked junior college running back in 2018 by Rivals, with 1,358 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns last year. As a true freshman in 2016 for Georgia…
The expectations for the Huskers in 2019 are rising. The (way) early preseason rankings are out, and the Huskers are getting great early placement. CBS Sports has Nebraska at preseason #17, USA Today put them at #19, ESPN at #20, and Sports Illustrated has the Huskers at #25. The Huskers have the regular number of 12 games scheduled next year,…
The Big Ten East has won all of the conference football championships since the East/West format was set up in 2014. Many say the balance of power is tilted toward the East, even with Maryland and Rutgers helping to balance out Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and Michigan State. Some believe the current East/West imbalance makes it more difficult for…
The 1971 Huskers were undefeated as they won their second national championship. They dominated their entire schedule, except for the "Game of the Century" 35-31 win over Oklahoma. They won their other 12 games by 24 points or more, including a 38-6 stomping of #2 Alabama in the Orange Bowl. The 1995 Huskers dominated on the way to an undefeated…
JD Spielman had over 800 yards receiving in 2018, even though he missed two games. The speedy Spielman was third-team All-Big Ten last year and is expected to be a big part of the Husker offense in 2019. At 6'4", 260 pounds with good speed, Jack Stoll has the potential to be the same type of zone-busting tight end that…
After a rough first year at UCF, followed by the undefeated season in 2017, Scott Frost ended up with a winning percentage of 73% before moving on to Nebraska. At Iowa, after a .500 first-year record, Fred Hoiberg ended his time there with a 67% winning percentage. Both coaches know how to get the most out of their teams. Which…
With 1,082-yards rushing, 7.0 yards per carry, and shining at the Senior Bowl this year, Devine Ozigbo being left out of the NFL Combine came as a surprise to many. Ozigbo did make the most of his Nebraska Pro Day performance though, where he logged bench press (19 reps), broad jump (10 feet, 4 inches), vertical leap (37 inches), and…
