Big Saturday

Freshman Quarterback Taylor Martinez, the first to start a Nebraska season opener/Photo courtesy Eric Francis (Getty Images)

First, a word about last week’s opener against Western Kentucky.  For a team coming in to Memorial Stadium on a 20 plus game losing streak, you would expect a score of 49-10 or more.  However, if you watched the game and kept your eye on the stats, you’ll see a few chinks in the armor for the Nebraska defense.  The Blackshirts yielded 179 yards on the ground along with giving up an average of 4.5 yards per carry.  Against teams later in the season who will control the ball with the run it might make you a little nervous, and it should, at least a little.

The #6 Huskers have some questions on defense with the departure of once in a decade talent Ndamukong Suh heading to the NFL.  Also big tackling players like Phillip Dillard and Larry Asante playing on Sunday doesn’t help much either.  Top it all off with our two starting linebackers for this year on the bench with injury, stopping the run could be an Achilles heel.  Junior college transfer LaVonte David had 13 tackles, but in his post game press conference head coach Bo Pelini was not happy with his performance saying he missed multiple assignments.  This weekend Idaho will come to Lincoln and won’t be much of an indicator as to if this deficiency can be easily fixed, or if it is something we will see all season.

Under Pelini, albeit only two seasons, the second game of the season has been a bit of a struggle.  San Jose State in 2008 and Arkansas State in 2009 were a bit of a letdown after some strong opening performances.  The Vandals might give some similar headaches with Nebraska possibly looking ahead to next Saturday’s match up with Jake Locker and the Washington Huskies in Seattle, which is never an easy place to play.

Outside of Lincoln this weekend, it is stacking up to be huge if you’re a college football fan.  If games like Florida State against Oklahoma, Penn State versus Alabama and Miami at Ohio State aren’t enough to get you excited, I think the U.S. Open is still going on.  Not to mention, unrated but still intriguing to watch, Michigan traveling to South Bend, Ind. to face Notre Dame.  Just a quick note on the last game mentioned there, I listen to the ESPNU College Gameday podcast throughout the season.  One day of the week host and ESPN.com writer Ivan Maisel talks with Beano Cook.  You remember Beano right?  ESPN used to dust him off and drag him in front of a camera several years ago to blather on about, well, God only knows.  You’re parents and grandparents will remember him from stints on ABC and NBC.  Old Beano is convinced if the Irish win their first six games, they’ll be playing for the national title in January.  They’re only receiving votes at this point,  and playing in a bowl should be the only thing this team is concentrating on.  Period.  I just wanted to point out that Beano is very, very old and talks about Notre Dame a lot.  He still even pronounces it No-tra, as opposed to No-ter like everyone else.  It’s not the 40′s anymore Beano, and Frank Leahy has been dead for awhile.  Interesting to note, Leahy is from O’Neill, Nebraska.  Oh, and Knute Rockne wasn’t Catholic either.

Alright, I missed the party for Week one, but here we go with Big 12 picks first, then two big non-conference games.  This year we’ll keep it efficient.

#15 Georgia Tech @ Kansas: GT 38 – KU 10

Idaho @ #6 Nebraska: Nebraska 42 – Idaho 12

Colorado @ Cal: Cal 27- CU 21

#17 Florida State @ #10 Oklahoma: OU 28 – FSU 24

Iowa State @ #9 Iowa: Iowa 35 – ISU 17

McNeese State @ Missouri: Mizzou 49 – McNeese State 7

Troy @ Oklahoma State: OSU 45 – Troy 14

Buffalo @ Baylor: BU 37 – Buffalo 3

Louisiana Tech @ Texas A&M: Aggies 42- Techies 10

Wyoming @ Texas: Horns 56 – ‘Boys 13

Missouri State @ Kansas State: Cats 42 – Bears 0

Texas Tech @ New Mexico: Raiders 42 – Lobos 7

#18 Penn State @ #1 Alabama: Tide 35 – Nittany Lions 7

#12 Miami @ #2 Ohio State: Bucks 24 – Canes 21

Hardware 2.0

Suh gave McCoy nightmares all night long last Saturday in Dallas.

One thing I have learned from a lifetime of watching Heisman Trophy presentations is that defensive players never win the award.  Charles Woodson won it in 1997, but I highly doubt had Woodson not lined up as a wide receiver or a kick/punt returner he would have held up the stiff armed trophy that night.

With that being said, the chances of Nebraska all-universe defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh walking out of New York with the Heisman are certainly better than slim to none, but still unlikely.  Suh and Nebraska fans have much to be proud of though, despite the controversial and heartbreaking loss to Texas in the Big XII Championship game.  This week Suh took home some major awards in terms of returning Nebraska to some sort of past glory.

Winning the Chuck Bednarik (a first for a Husker player) and the Bronco Nagurski for the nations top defensive player was a bit of a no brainer.  But what Husker fans are probably more excited about are awards that go by the name of Lombardi and Outland.  It’s been more than a decade since a player dominated the award circuit, save for Eric Crouch, and it is a great return to form for a fanbase desperate for recognition.

While the title game may have given Suh a boost in his chances, it most certainly dropped Texas Quarterback Colt McCoy out of serious contention.  If McCoy wins the award, I may boycott watching the ceremony for the rest of my life.  Each time he’s played against a defense that was equal to an Southeastern Conference style defense (Oklahoma and Nebraska) he wilted under the pressure.

Alabama running back Mark Ingram will most likely win the award based on the team he plays for and the conference in which the Crimson Tide plays in, although he isn’t even the leading rusher in the conference.  But because of our short term memories these days, Ingrams performance against Florida in the SEC Championship game is likely a good enough “Heisman Moment” to stick out in voter’s minds.  Although Suh’s dozen tackles and four and a half sacks against McCoy last weekend is benefiting him in the same manner.

In my biased opinion, I would have voted Suh number one on my ballot with Stanford running back Toby Gerhart a close second and Ingram third.  My argument for Suh as a winner of the award is simple.  There have been interior defensive lineman who have dominated like him in the past, and should have received the same recognition in terms of the Heisman.  Leading your team in tackles along with his great showing with tackles for losses, sacks and an interception this season says a multitude of things about your play.  The way teams would have to scheme for him and Suh still coming up on top points to his superior play.

Whether or not Suh walks away with the Heisman tonight, this week has been good for the program and for Suh.  He is likely headed into the draft as near the top if not the top pick come April.  Nebraska as a program is benefiting from some much needed publicity which is paramount in today’s college football.  What coach Bo Pelini and staff need to do is parlay this week and Suh’s play into a hook for future standout players to come to Nebraska.  For now, all things point toward some positive things surrounding Lincoln, Nebraska.  Now, if we could just pick things up on recruiting some more talent and maximizing it, this team could easily go from a 9-3 team to an 11-1 team.

Quick Picks

Florida Head Coach Urban Meyer anwers questions about #15.

I’m a little late to the party, but the good news is that I’m not going to be picking while some teams are playing.  When your team plays a game on Thursday night, it throws your week off a little bit.  Here are my quick picks for the Big 12 and two national spotlight games…

Oklahoma State over Texas A&M

Kansas over Iowa State

Oklahoma over Baylor

Texas Tech over Kansas State

Texas over Colorado

And did you really think I’d pick Missouri over Nebraska?  Come on.

LSU over Florida and Iowa over Michigan.