Kansas Rewind

Post view: KU—preview ISU

OK, fans…. what just happened?

After that first quarter against KU, I’m thinking, “happy days are here again.” Order is restored. We spank KU. The world may spin off of its axis, but at least Nebraska thumps KU in football. We now return you to regular programming.

Somebody forgot to give the dispatch to the Jayhawks. From the 2nd period on, they about owned us. The won virtually every statistical category from offense to defense to special teams to first downs to time of possession to number of Miss America semi-finalists.

But due to the 17-0 nothing lead, the Huskers held off Kansas and held on for the win. The game may have manufactured more questions than it answered. Is the Husker defense overrated? Is KU overrated? Is KU underrated? Can Nebraska stop anybody considering that Kansas QB Adam Barmann was switched to TE in the spring and yet looked like Marino out there? Were the early wins over La Tech, Troy and Nichols State a mirage or was this KU game just a worm burner off of the Husker tee box?

I’m not sure any of those questions are valid. Maybe all of them are? To be sure, EVERYBODY is better in this conference. Everybody has a few good players. And even though KU football history is about as thick as the Roca, Nebraska phone book, none of that matters anymore. If they get good players and those players play well, you could lose and no ghost of history can do flip about it. Same story in Ames, Manhattan, Waco, and Stillwater.

Which brings us to Ames, that windy jewel of north central Iowa. The bad news is: if we thought Barmann was good, he’s the water boy to ISU gunslinger Brett Meyer. Meyer was the consensus choice for pre-season 1st team all Big 12 QB; and for good reason. He has been as productive with this offense as any QB anywhere around here for the last two years. He throws deep, short and smart. When not throwing to WR’s Blythe, Davis and Flynn, he’s yanking it down and running for big first downs to keep drives alive. Anybody has trouble with mobile QB’s so the Blackshirts will need a supreme effort to contain him. He and the ISU offense will get yards.

To me, this game will hinge on the Nebraska offense. I think we will need to run the ball for production and effect. Run the ball to keep Mr. Meyer wearing a ball cap on the sidelines. The ISU defense has been very poor most of the year against both the run and the pass. This is where the Husker offense can dominate at the line of scrimmage, chew up clock and shorten the game. We tried that against USC. I think it will really work in Ames. Plus, it will give that razor thin defense some much needed down time.

GBR

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Published on 10/04/2006