ISU—preview KSU
Post view: ISU—preview KSU OK….I’m lost. Defense falls apart against a back up TE playing QB for KU. Then, the Blackshirts play their own version of the 70’s Pittsburgh Steelers against the most dangerous QB in the Big 12 North and hold him down like a tag team match on “All Star Wrestling.” Add to that a ground game that would have made General Sherman tear up and these Huskers are having a weekly out of body experience.But you know what? We’re winning. Forget style. Forget predictability. Forget the Independence Bowl. What happened at Ames tells me a lot about this ball club and the coaching staff in charge of it. The first clue is they have more than a clue about winning football games on the road. If you expect to beat somebody by throwing it all over the yard, you’d better hope you have a Manning at QB and a Harrison at WR (make that three of them) and a roof on the stadium.Otherwise? Trouble.Bill Callahan took to the wind tunnel at Ames for warm-ups, put his finger in the air and scrapped the throw-at-all costs perception he has among a few fans. He turned it over to the ground troops and they responded. Then, he kept after it despite a big lead. This is just smart football. Lower the risk of turning it over, lower the risk of hurting your QB; improve your chances of a trip to the Big 12 Title Game. The best way to win on the road is demoralize the opponent. You do that by running the ball, running it some more and then finishing up by running the ball.But I was really impressed by the defense and the game plan. Put Carriker at DT, insert Barry Turner at DE, turn the safeties loose on blitzes and try to make plays. All of that happened. It had to. If NU stayed content to hope for a mistake by the ISU QB Bret Meyer, that was not going to happen.Sprinkle in a dose of effort, heart and spirited play and you have a very fine day on your hands. The Blackshirts did. BTW, did you catch that “nickel and dime” defense? Thought so. Thenarse and Bryan Wilson did fine. Yes, they will see tougher foes by the end of the year, but this was a confidence builder.To “The Little Apple” better known as Manhattan, KS. When wiley Bill Snyder retired last winter, we were all sure that K-State’s best days in football were behind them. Might still be, but credit rookie coach Ron Prince with a fighter’s mentality. He is willing to risk losing games now to win them later. It’s risky, but can be very rewarding. Against OK State last Saturday, the Cats were down 10 but got two special teams scores and turned freshman phenom Josh Freeman loose in the 4th quarter. He led them on the winning TD drive. Throw in teenager Leon Patton and yes….the purples are pretty green but obviously feisty.Sometimes beginners in football have good luck so don’t expect perfection too soon, but the Huskers will get a fight from KSU this week. But as long as the Huskers stay “grounded” on offense, I like our chances again.GBR
Published on 10/16/2006