H U S K E R D A N
CORNHUSKERS LOOK FOR A "SECOND"
CHANCE
September 3, 2010
Husker fans know painfully well that the Huskers
came within one second of beating Texas in last year's Big 12
Championship game. They also know that the Longhorns went on to lose
37-21 to Alabama in the national championship game.
To be sure, Nebraska proved toward the end of the
year that it could play with anybody in the country. So close and yet so
far. It's no wonder Husker fans are
optimistic about this year's team.
There are some who have penciled in Nebraska
to play for the national championship. Hope springs eternal.
I'm tempted to buy into the pre-season hype,
but at the end of the day, we must deal with some cold,
hard facts.
FACT
SHEET
The
Huskers:
1.) Lost Ndamukong Suh,
who was the most highly decorated defensive player in Husker
history.
2.) Lost LB Phillip Dillard, SF Larry
Asante and SF Matt O'Hanlon, one of the best open field tacklers in Husker
history.
3.) Haven't beat a Top Ten team since
Oklahoma came to Lincoln in 2001.
4.) Haven't won a conference championship
since '99.
5.) Were 99th in Total Offense last
year.
6.) Had back-to-back losses last year to
Texas Tech and that powerhouse Iowa State.
THE HUNT FOR A RED
OCTOBER
And this year's October schedule looks to
be challenging with games @K-State, Texas, @Oklahoma State and
Missouri. And check this: Over
the past 12 seasons spanning three head coaches, how many times did Nebraska go
undefeated in the month of October? (*See the answer below.)
Going into the season, the top three quarterbacks
list one senior (Lee), one true sophomore (Green) and one redshirt freshman
(Martinez). If Lee isn't the starter for the season, the Huskers are faced
with another daunting fact: Nebraska has never won a national championship
without either a junior or senior running the offense. I know, there's a
first time for everything, but it is what it is.
Also, even if Nebraska were to run the table, the
strength of schedule (or lack thereof) might not impress voters or computers
enought to put them in the title game. NU faces only one
preseason Top 25 opponent (Texas).
DON'T NEED A TOMMIE
FRAZIER
I know what you're thinking. "But aren't you
overlooking how great the defense was last year? And didn't Bo say that
this year's defense was going to be even better? And what about our
special teams? They are one of the best in the nation. Our offense
won't need to be that great for us to go all the way."
UNCLE RICO AND BETTY
WHITE?
There is some truth to that, but I don't buy
into the notion that the Huskers could start Uncle Rico at quarterback and
still qualify for a BCS bowl game. There are going to be games
that the offense is going to have to outscore the opponent. It happened
to the Huskers' national championship teams in '94 (Wyoming),
'95 (Washington State) and '97 (Missouri).
ZAC
TAYCO
The quarterback who starts the season #1 may
not be the one who finishes the year. If only the Huskers could combine
the top three QBs (Taylor Martinez, Zac Lee and Cody Green) into one stud.
They would have a three-headed monster who was a 6'4" senior with Eric
Crouch's speed. His name would be...Zac Tayco?
*Answer: One (2001)
Conference
Predictions:
Big 12 N (Nebraska, Missouri, K-State, Colorado,
Kansas and Iowa State)
Big 12 S (Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas
Tech, Oklahoma State and Baylor)
POTENTIAL
AMBUSHES
@ Washington, @K-State and @Texas
A&M
THOUGHTS
*Nebraska will likely be favored in every game this
fall, but will not go undefeated.
*Alabama won't repeat as national champions this
year.
*The Huskers' bowl opponent will be Virginia
Tech.
*Nebraska will hit the Hilltoppers of Western
Kentucky so hard that they'll have to change their name to Eastern
Kentucky...or maybe Western Virginia?
*Look for Uncle Rico to get plenty of PT
Saturday.
*Maybe Betty White, too?
*With the exception of the Washington game, the
rest of the non-conference schedule is the result of the "Curse of Steve
Pederson."
*If the football gods are smiling down on us,
Nebraska and Oklahoma will meet for the Big 12 championship in Dallas this
December.
THIS JUST
IN
*Putting Michigan and Michigan State in the same
Big 10 division with Nebraska and bypassing (never say "bypass" to an old
person) Wisconsin and Illinois makes no sense.
*Thumbs up for making Iowa the Huskers' last
regular season game for the next two years.
*Anyone who feels bad about this year's anemic
nonconference Husker schedule won't need to wait long for a change. Next
year, the Huskers have nonconference games with Washington, Fresno State and
@Wyoming and Big 10 conference games @Wisconsin, Ohio State, @ Penn State,
@Michigan and Iowa. Brutal.
HUSKER FANS' SALUTE TO THE
TROOPS
It's almost time for our third "Husker Fans' Salute
To The Troops" event that will be held the weekend of September 18-19 at the
Cornhusker Marriott Hotel in Lincoln, Nebraska.
More about that later.
SHAMELESS
PLUG
To help raise money for "Salute", we are selling
the brand new Husker Dan's Army "Salute The Troops" T-shirts. Last week, I
had the chance to attend two radio shows produced by Gerry Gray, owner
of Great Plains Marketing (http://www.greatplainsmktg.com/RadioShows.php). Thursday it was "Husker Radio Hour" hosted by former Husker greats Joel
Makovicka and Matt Hoskinson. Friday night, it was "Husker Beat Radio
Show" hosted by Mike'l Severe and Steve Sipple of the Lincoln Journal Star.
However that night, subbing for Mike'l was Mrs. Husker Dan's favorite
sportscaster, Matt Schick. Matt's regular day gig is co-hosting
the "Schick and Nick" sports radio show heard daily from 9 to noon on
1620 The Zone in Omaha. (http://www.1620thezone.com/pages/595819.php)
All four graciously consented to letting me take
pictures of them wearing the new, spiffy "Salute"
T-shirts.
To order these ($15 plus $5.00 for shipping and
handling), send your checks to:
Gary
McGirr
3610 SW Woodvalley
Terrace
Topeka, KS
66614
Be sure to specify L, XL or 2XL
All the money we raise goes directly to honoring
our men and women of the US armed forces who have and continue to put
their lives on the line for the rest of us. They are the true American
heroes. They don't ask for much. You can help say thanks to
them by donating (www.huskersalute.org) and/or buying these
T-shirts.
Send your comments to [email protected]. For past Husker Dan columns, click here.