A Wrap

Bo Pelini and company close out the year with a win.

With the 2009 season in the books and all the Big 12 North teams seasons ending as of Missouri’s 35-13 loss to the Navy Midshipmen, it’s not too early to begin looking to 2010 to see how the division, and the conference, will shake out.  Nebraska loses Ndamukong Suh, defensive end Barry Turner and both starting safeties in Larry Asante and Matt O’Hanlon, but it’s not hard to imagine taking head coach Bo Pelini’s word that the squad could be better.

The Huskers return depth on both sides of the ball and will return most every skill position play on the offensive side of the ball.  The special teams stay the same too.  And with Missouri, Kansas, Texas and Colorado all packing their bags for Lincoln, it’s hard to imagine the Huskers not being picked to with the North.  However, look no further than Kansas from this year being picked as a favorite too.

The media seems to have it in their mind that Nebraska will be a preseason top 10 to start 2010.  That’s fine, but there are some tough games on the slate.  Idaho, which is a better warm up opponent than you think.  Traveling to Seattle to play the Washington Huskies and a returning Jake Locker might not be a slam dunk win either.  The good thing is returning quarterback Zac Lee will be road tested as opposed to this year where he had to make his bones sometimes painfully (see Iowa State).

But should some key games and things fall their way, I would certainly expect to see the Huskers back in the Big 12 title game in December.  But before we really dig in to next season and break some things down by position, let’s reflect a bit on 2009.  It’s easy to sit back and wonder what could have been.  Not giving up a late touchdown to Virginia Tech, not turning the ball over eight times at home to the Cyclones and not kicking a ball out of bounds against Texas.  However, a 10 win season, a division title and a dominant win in a semi-major bowl against a worthy opponent (who defeated USC, Stanford and took Oregon to the wire) is another step in the right direction after wandering in the Bill Callahan wilderness midway through the decade.

Suh was the obvious star picking up every major defensive award and being named the Associated Press player of the year.  The first exclusive defensive player to ever win the award.  With Suh finishing fourth in the Heisman voting juxtaposed against the laundry list of other defensive and overall player awards, it’s becoming apparent the Heisman is now a sham.  I didn’t think Suh was the clear cut choice, I probably would have voted for Stanford running back Toby Gerhart, who statistically was better than winner Mark Ingram.  No doubt his performance over Florida in the SEC championship game cemented his win.

Nine wins last year with a Gator Bowl win over Clemson was great the year after being embarrassed on a regular basis.  Only a couple times last year did the Huskers get throttled on defense.  This year they were arguably the best defense in the country.  Not a bad turn around Bo.  So despite the shortcomings, this is a ton to be happy about from this year and much to be excited for on the horizon.

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.

Finally!

Niles Paul tames the Tigers.

Amazing! Astounding!  Hair raising!  Vomit inducing!  Four quarters?  Who needs ‘em?!  Bo Pelini and his Huskers had a few tricks up their sleeve and a monster defense on a rain soaked field at Farout Field in Columbia, Mo. tonight.

Nebraska held steady through three quarters of miscues and near game changing turnovers on both sides of the ball.  Long the question mark of the Huskers, it was the defense that kept the team in the game and handed them the opportunity to turn the tide on a silver platter in the fourth quarter.

The victory marks the first win in Columbia since 2001.  Also, the first road victory against a ranked opponent since 2000 when Nebraska traveled to Notre Dame and knocked off the Irish in overtime.  And it’s first win over a ranked opponent in conference and on the road since 1996 against Kansas State.

Niles Paul had his coming out party tonight.  His stats may not jump off the page, but his six receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns put Nebraska back on top when it counted most.  These are the moments when you realize that being a cocky stud high school player doesn’t translate into big time, ESPN covered football.  Paul got his act together in the offseason, and it showed tonight.

Ndamukong Suh.  Wow.  What to say about this young man.  He is a one man wrecking crew.  There have been some players and some gamers and some legends to pass through the tunnel in Lincoln, but he is up there with Wistrom, Peter, Glover and the previous greats.  One person turned the tide down in Columbia, and it was number 93.

Just when Husker fans across the internet were about to crucify offensive coordinator Shawn Watson, he reached into the playbook and started calling plays Missouri had not seen.  Was it elaborate set up?  I doubt it, things in football are never that well thought out deep into games like this one.  This is a game you bring a baseball bat to.  It’s a street fight.

From watching this defense from 2007 and 2008 until now, it is barely recognizable.  There is nothing about this present iteration of eventual Blackshirts that resembles the sieve that was Husker defense a year ago.  I hope this was another turning point for the program, however some of this excitement must be tempered with seven conference games on the schedule.  But something tells me Pelini will have this team focused.  They didn’t panic tonight, they held steadfast and came up when it counted.  And this is what we have been missing for the last ten years as we wandered through the college football desert.  Let my people GO!

Nebraska will be back in action next Saturday in Lincoln, Ne. at 2:30 p.m. against the Texas Tech Red Raiders on ABC.