Nicholls State Review, USC Preview

by Jim Rose

Let the games begin.

Don’t get into a golf game with any members of the Nebraska football team…. players or coaches. These guys have the don’t-look-ahead-cuz we’re playing the 70’s Pittsburgh Steelers-this week-even-though-they-are-disguised as Nicholls State-team routine down pat.

I’m not saying the Huskers would have won this game playing with 10 guys on the field, but it might have been close. That’s OK. This was better than a week off. This was a real opponent, even though one that had trouble finding the Husker running backs (even when they had the ball).

Final: 56-7. Finally, the games between our ears are over.We can worry about the real deal. Three letters that have frozen otherwise burley men in their tracks: U. S. C.

The Trojans look a lot like their namesakes. They are big, strong, fast, confident and largely darn good. They go through other teams like Attila the Hun went through villages.

They are sleek, sassy, athletic and mouthy. Why not? Your team wins 46 of 48 and has three Heisman winners in four years you can talk smack too. Until somebody knocks them off that horse (Traveler---even their mascot is cool), step aside please and let the stars walk on the red carpet.

There is nary one thing they don’t do well. They run and pass and catch and tackle. They block and kick and punt and win. They are Hollywood in cleats. They have celebrity alums and big screen wannabees. Their cheerleaders are pin-up material for every adolescent in North America. Their coach doesn’t age. The have the only intimidating fight song in the game.

So why go? Why don’t we just make a call to coach Pete Carroll and forfeit. Lose just 1-0 and save the airplane fuel. Thanks fellas but getting our corn creamed on National TV ain’t my idea of how to spend a relaxing weekend. We’ll just stay out here in Nebraska, safe and warm and you stay there…PLEASE!

As Lee Corso would say, Not so fast my friend! We’re definitely ready for this. Nebraska can do this. Nebraska can not only hang with Troy, they can defeat Troy. No, I haven’t been in the pickle juice today.

It’s true. Here’s Rosie’s formula for a stunner:

--Zac Taylor plays for us. He’s smart, tough and experienced. Those types of QBs win big road games.

--We run the ball now. Four quality young studs that don’t fumble.

--We have home run threats at WR. Big plays are the mothers milk of upsets.

--We’re confident. Beating Michigan charges your belief system.

--We’re NEBRASKA.

--You don’t become what we are by shrinking in big games. We’re not starting now.

Pride matters in games when the other guy may not respect you. I don’t think deep down in Troy that S.C. respects us. They don’t respect what we’ve done the last four years. They don’t respect our part of the country. They think when bugs hit the windshield on summer nights in Nebraska it’s because the bugs are trying to get to Colorado.

That stuff counts. I also think the Trojans are getting a little fat. They’ve had a series of injuries to front line players in fall camp. Sometimes, that tells of conditioning problems. Same thing happened here in 1998. We owned the world for five years and after a while, teams that win that much go soft. They take a break.

Look, I’m not suggesting USC will look bad in this game. I’m not predicting an NU win. I am predicting a fine offensive game plan by NU that spreads the ball all over the LA Coliseum, keeps the SC staff chattering on the headsets all night and us getting first downs. I also so, multiple coverages on the SC WRs and a blitz package that has inexperienced USC QB JD Booty wondering. And while that is happening, Jay Moore and Adam Carriker are invading his personal space.

It’s going to take a Trojan effort to do it. But this group of farmers can make it an entertaining evening in tinsel town.

GBR

---

Published on 09/14/2006