http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php Forums to talk about High School Football and High School Basketball, College Football and College Basketball, Highlight Videos, and Recruiting en Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:27:55 GMT vBulletin 60 http://athletevault.com/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=30 Sat, 26 Jan 2008 06:59:56 GMT How have the last three games gone for the Huskers? This has been as bad a stretch as the Huskers could have dreamed of at this time in the season. ... How have the last three games gone for the Huskers?

This has been as bad a stretch as the Huskers could have dreamed of at this time in the season. First, we were demolished by KU at home to kick off conference play. Then, we went to Boulder and were beat by a bottom tier Colorado team. After that, we hosted Baylor and lost after a phantom traveling call at the end of the game. This has been absolutely horrible for Nebraska. We came into conference play with only two losses and quality wins against Oregon, Rutgers, and Arizona State. Now, we are 0-3 in the Big XII and represent the only team to have not won a conference game yet. We are simply in a bad place both numbers wise and emotionally.



What has been the problem?

Two problems have plagued the Huskers. Though we were leading the league in scoring defense, we have been troubled with perimeter defense. WKU, KU, and Baylor took advantage of this with the three ball. This has severely hurt the Huskers. Second, the offense has been far too streaky. In some games, it appears as if we are clicking while the offense is absolutely stagnant in others. If (Sr C #21) Aleks Maric and (Jr G #11) Ade Dagunduro are not making shots, the offense simply stalls. Typically, this resulted in passing the ball around the perimeter with the end result being either a bad shot or a turnover for the Huskers.



What is ahead?

Well, the road does not get any easier for the Big Red. On Saturday, the Huskers are traveling to my home, Lawrence, to play the Jayhawks once again. In my mind, KU is the top team in the land, boasting the most depth and talent of anyone in the country. They will kill you with spurts and making you run. Nebraska, obviously, comes limping in to this game. Honestly, there is little reason to believe the Huskers will do much in Lawrence. Judging from this team and Coach Sadler, the team will play hard but will be severely overmatched. Unfortunately, this will be another loss for the struggling Huskers. There simply may not be enough talent to consistently compete in the Big XII.



Who needs to step up?

Without a doubt, (Jr G #11) Ade Dagunduro needs to step up. He went 0-6 against KU and has not done much else since. He was averaging over 12 points a game and over 50% from the field prior to conference play. He is one of our few players who can consistently get to the rim and create his own shot. He needs to get it going if the Huskers have any postseason hopes.



What are we hoping for at this point?

Right now, the Huskers are just hoping to keep plugging to get a win. It seems like a long time ago that the Huskers beat Oregon in Omaha. Now, they are hoping for any NIT birth where it looked like they were a bubble team a few weeks ago according to the likes of Jay Bilas. It certainly has been a disappointing two weeks.



Could anything help the Huskers now?

This is an interesting idea. Nebraska is currently redshirting four players due to the odd class sizes we have experienced in recent years. Sadler is trying to build a program that is good in the long term. Doc has said that two of our best shooters are redshirting: Brandon Richardson a guard from LA and Toney McCray who is a 6’6” wingman that has great athleticism. Also, juco transfer Alex Chapman and freshman forward Alonzo Edwards are redshirting. Frankly, Chapman will be the first to go if we overrecruit once again this year.



Any other tidbits?

On a positive football note, blue chip LB Will Compton has re-committed to the Huskers. This four-star and top 250 athlete was considering Missouri and Illinois among others. However, he has decided to stick with the Huskers. He said that one good year as a freshman at Missouri does not compare with the great years Nebraska will have in 2-3 years. ]]> ryanb81 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=30 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=29 Mon, 21 Jan 2008 01:08:08 GMT Below is an excerpt from an interview in CHSF with Bobby Grier that speaks volumes about a largely overlooked player: CHSF.com - “Who is the... Below is an excerpt from an interview in CHSF with Bobby Grier that speaks volumes about a largely overlooked player:

CHSF.com - “Who is the toughest defensive back you have faced this year?”

B.G - “I don’t know his name. But he plays for Independence, and his jersey number is #30 ([]Ranzell Watkins) He is definitely a good football player.”


CHSF.com - “You never know. If all goes well, you and #30 could meet again this year?”

B.G - “This is true ]]> Erika1 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=29 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=28 Mon, 14 Jan 2008 00:43:42 GMT 2008 Michigan Football coaching staff:

Rich Rodriguez: Head Coach

Offense:
Calvin Magee: ***ociate Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/TE's
Rod Smith: Quarterbacks
Tony Dews: Wide Receivers
Fred Jackson: Running Backs
Greg Frey: Offensive Line
Alex Herron: Offensive Graduate ***istant
Eric Smith: Offensive Quality Control

Defense:
Scott Shafer: Defensive Coordinator/Safeties
Tony Gibson: Secondary
Jay Hopson: Linebackers
Bruce Tall: Defensive Line
Jahmile Addae: Defensive Graduate ***istant

Special Teams:
Tony Dews: Punt and Kick off return
Greg Frey: Field Goal and Extra point
Tony Gibson: Punt Block/Return and Kick off coverage

Recruiting:
Chris Singletary: Recruiting Coordinator
Mike Parrish: Recruiting/Operations ***istant
Mary P***ink: Administrative ***istant to the Head Coach for Recruiting

Strength and Conditioning:
Mike Barwis: Director of Strength and Conditioning
Chris Allen: Director of Skill Development
Parker Whiteman: ***istant Strength Coach
Kentaro Tamura: ***istant Strength Coach
Dennis Murray: Graduate ***istant
Jesse Miller: Graduate ***istants

Administrative and Support Staff:
Bob Bland: ***istant Equipment Manager
Rick Brandt: ***istant Equipment Manager
Phil Bromley: Video Coordinator
Scott Draper: ***istant Athletic Director
Jon Falk: Equipment Manager
Phil Johnson: Football Athletic Trainer
Brad Labadie: Director of Football Operations
Larry Martin: Director of Football Facilities
Jennifer Maszatics: Executive ***istant to the Head Coach
Lenny Navitskis: Football Athletic Trainer
Katie Reeves: ***istant Coaches Secretary/Graphic Designer
Dusty Rutledge: External Relations/Administrative ***istant
Paul Schmidt: ***istant Athletic Director for Athletic Medicine
Kevin Undeen: Video ***istant
Kelly Vaughn: Program ***istant ]]> erocwolverine http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=28 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=27 Sun, 06 Jan 2008 19:36:38 GMT The Last Three Husker Games: Sat, Dec 22 North Carolina Central - Devaney Center 7 p.m. 71 - 28 (W) Sat, Dec 29 Alcorn State -... The Last Three Husker Games:

Sat, Dec 22 North Carolina Central - Devaney Center 7 p.m. 71 - 28 (W)

Sat, Dec 29 Alcorn State - Devaney Center 7 p.m. 77 - 53 (W)

Fri, Jan 04 Maryland-Eastern Shore - Devaney Center 7 p.m. 86 - 50 (W)


The last three games have just been demolition acts. Frankly, they don’t warrant much writing simply because they have been ugly blowouts against substandard teams. However, we should take some note that the Huskers allowed no more than 53 points in these while only allowing NCC 8 points in the first half. The Huskers have also increased their scoring average. Overall, the Huskers have had the chance to mesh even more and continue the momentum attained from the big upset win at Oregon. Now, it is time to enter the conference schedule.

Who’s Next?
Sat, Jan 12 Kansas * - Devaney Center 8 p.m. ESPN

Why will Nebraska win?
Fortunately for Nebraska, the Huskers come in on a roll boasting only 2 losses on the year. Both of these can be considered quality losses @WKU and @Creighton. With this in mind, the Huskers have confidence entering into a titanic clash. Adding to this, the Huskers have exceeded expectations thus far this year boasting eight newcomers, which KU will have a limited scouting report on. As well, the temperament of the coach and the team benefits the Huskers. This is an extremely tough minded group that pressures on defense and is as blue collar as they come. HC Doc Sadler seems to have a knack for game planning and preparing his team for bigger games. Meanwhile, KU has historically had a knack for overlooking “easy” games like thy may consider Nebraska especially with their undefeated record. The Bob has historically held some magic for the Huskers as well. If the fans can fill it up, it can be a tough environment to play in. Without question, this is not the same team KU played last year, and it should be a more formidable challenge for the folks from Larryville.

Why will Nebraska lose?
KU will come into the Devaney Saturday night as a Top 3 team boasting an undefeated record. They are chalked full of McDonald’s All Americans and were preseason picks to win the Big XII and possibly the National Championship. (Soph G 4) Sherron Collins has returned from a knee injury and is a spark plug for this team. Also, the Jayhawks have been playing lights out of late. They can run as well as anyone and can slow the game down if need be. Coming into Lincoln, the Jayhawks have not lost since 2004, and Bill Self seems to be working extra hard to prevent let down games given the issues KU has had with this in the past. It should be noted as well that this is a very experienced group. Nebraska has no counter point in this experience or talent gap. Plus, the Jayhawks destroyed the Huskers last year on ESPN in Lincoln – this game was not even competitive. Overall, it is the Jayhawks’ game to lose – they have the talent, experience, and coaching to win.

What will happen?
This is a game that should be decided fairly early on. Nebraska must come out with p***ion, enthusiasm, and a blue collar mentality. This will keep the fans and the players in the game. It’s not necessary for us to come out on a 9-0 run like against Oregon. However, it is crucial to be within 4 over half way through the first half. To do this, the Huskers will need to continue their trend of tough defense and quality possessions. (Soph G 5) Jay-R Strowbridge seems to be the more solid choice at PG and has played well recently. The Jayhawks feed off a turnover followed by a run and then a TO by the other team. This must be avoided by the Huskers at all costs. It is apparent that KU should win this game, but I have seen crazier things happen. Sure, the stars must align a little bit for the Huskers – KU must be off, the Huskers must play smart, and the Huskers must make their shots. If these three keys occur, the Huskers may make it interesting. However, I think the smart money says that KU will be too much. They have ridiculous depth and athleticism. As well, they have played extremely well as of late, and their pesky guards will probably trouble the Huskers. Still, this game is worth checking in on throughout Saturday night, as this game has the makings of an entertaining one if Sadler’s crew is ready to go.

What are the next two games after KU?

Tue, Jan 15 Colorado * - at Boulder, Colo. 8 p.m. FSN Midwest/ESPN FullCourt
Sat, Jan 19 Baylor * - Devaney Center 5 p.m. ESPN PLUS

Colorado – Unless something catastrophic happens against KU, the Huskers are by far the better team. (Sr C 21) Aleks Maric should simply dominate inside against an undermanned Buffalo squad. I think the Huskers will use this as a rebound game against a rival. Expect a Husker win unless this team is more mentally fragile than I think. If this is a loss, it will severely hurt the Huskers’ post season chances.

Baylor – This should be an entertaining game. Baylor is certainly improved and can score well. It should be Nebraska’s defense against Baylor’s offense. I give the edge to Nebraska especially given that the game is in Lincoln. However, this is surely not an easy game. ]]> ryanb81 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=27 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=26 Sun, 06 Jan 2008 07:04:24 GMT http://gobluemichiganwolverine.blogspot.com/ by: Erik Werling Well several Michigan commits along with several recruits played in two separate... http://gobluemichiganwolverine.blogspot.com/
by: Erik Werling

Well several Michigan commits along with several recruits played in two separate All-American football games on Saturday. Here is a brief highlights of what we saw today.

Here are the breakdowns from All-Star games. Too bad ESPNU Under-Armour All-Star people did not split up playing time. Embarr***ment.

Nick Perry: Limited playing time, still showed quickness and athletic ability. Had a really nice hit on Williams for West Team.

Brandon Smith: R-Rod first Michigan commit. Played solid game. Showed aggressive nature and good instincts. Played hard on special teams. Very strong positional play, made plays in space, and took nice angles, one prevented a touchdown. Covered well from his safety position. really like this kid. Nice to see the kid in a Michigan hat.

Sam McGuffie: Quick and explosive. Read blocks well and made super cut. Took a hit and made catch in heavy traffic. Does need to improve his p*** protection and run with bit more discipline. But no denying the raw talent is there.

Boo Boo Cissoko: Quick explosive athlete with an aggressive style of play. Excellent hips and recovery speed, and does he hit. Still raw fundamentally and definitely needs some coaching. His backpedal in particular needs some work. And tall receivers do present him some problems at this time. But all his flaws and correctable, and even his height disadvantage can be minimized with proper technique, positioning, and different rules. In this game corners were not allowed to bump or reroute WR's. A huge disadvantage for CB like Boo Boo who relies on his physical play and strength to negate his height disadvantage.

Pryor: Is a pure athlete, definitely raw, and needs some work. As for QB read I am convinced it was not read, but predetermined running. No doubting his athletic ability. He right now is an athlete playing QB. Needs some work, experience, and polish. He is especially raw in p***ing game where he locked onto one receiver. With all that, his potential is scary. Guys with type of size, speed, and overall athletic ability is hard to find.

Dann O'Neill: Played RT and played it well. Of all Michigan's commit he was most impressive today. Great size, wingspan, and athletic ability. Moved his feet well, turned his hips, and really got off the ball. Team was constantly running behind him. Adjusted nicely to DE trying to use quickness to cross his face, literally drove DE into the ground. Does need at least one full year of S&C and some additional weight. But has the frame to carry easily that weight.

C. Wilson: Had limited time at OLber, but still exhibited enthusiasm, hustle, and played hard. Showed some quickness and athletic ability. Filled, but was a bit late and not nearly aggressive enough. Also gave up outside leverage. Also when seeing his game this year really thought he would be a better offensive player than defense.

Brandon Moore: Played limited time at TE. Definitely exhibited speed and quickness. Needs to get bigger and stronger.

Thanks,
Erik

http://gobluemichiganwolverine.blogspot.com/ ]]> erocwolverine http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=26 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=25 Fri, 28 Dec 2007 20:48:27 GMT Only a few weeks ago, Bo Pelini was hired as the new head coach for the University of Nebraska. With this hire, it was expected that we would see a... Only a few weeks ago, Bo Pelini was hired as the new head coach for the University of Nebraska. With this hire, it was expected that we would see a return to roots, a return to the Nebraska family. The previous regime, headed by Bill Callahan, was clearly devoid of red blooded Huskers. Even beyond this, former players were not allowed on the sideline for games, pictures of award winners were taken down, and a major disconnect occurred between alumni and the program. The familial aspect that made Nebraska special for so many years was lost. Keeping all of this in mind, the Huskers reached out to 2003 DC Bo Pelini to bring back the Husker family and tradition. In doing so, he has assembled a staff that almost mirrors that of the 2003 Huskers coached by Frank Solich. This, couple with a few new faces and two holdovers, make us wonder if we have used our flux capacitor to head by to 2003 and forgot the Callahan Conundrum.


Head Coach – Bo Pelini – Former Husker, Sooner, and Bayou Bengal DC – His LSU defenses have been Top 3 for the past three years in Baton Rouge. This is his first head coaching job. He says that he wants Nebraska to be a family again, restore a walk-on program, play with intensity, and continue to be a special place. As far as coaching, he wants enthusiastic teachers to fill his staff. He will continue to call the plays for the defense.

Offensive Coordinator – Shawn Watson – Watson is a Callahan holdover who served as the OC this year but did not call plays. He was the OC under Gary Barnett in Colorado and won multiple Big XII North titles. He will incorporate a West Coast style offense that will feature a greater emphasis on power running and incorporate some spread elements. It has been rumored that the Huskers will transition to a spread over time. Watson’s players absolutely love him, and he helped Osborne recruit prior to Pelini’s hire.

O-Line Coach/Associate Head Coach – Barney Cotton – This is the second back to the future hire – Cotton was the OC in 2003 under Frank Solich. He also played at Nebraska. After 2003, he coached at ISU until Gene Chizek was hired. He has been named Associate HC, most likely to aid Pelini in the administrative work that Pelini is unfamiliar with as a new HC. He will preach a hard nosed, power O-Line style.

WR Coach/Recruiting Coordinator/Assistant HC – Ted Gilmore – This is the final Callahan holdover. He retains all his former roles and is now an Assistant HC. Honestly, it is unclear what this entails. However, Gilmore is a popular players’ coach and is known as a good recruiter. He turned down the Raiders’ WR Coach job last summer.

TE Coach – Ron Brown – Another blast from the past. Brown was the WR coach under Osborne and Solich for 17 years. He has been out of coaching for four years and was the head of the Nebraska FCA. He is a solid coach and genuine man but can be controversial and get caught up in religious rhetoric.

RB Coach – TBA -- HC Pelini says this is a coach whose team is in a January bowl game. The announcement will come after the game. The first name out there is Tim Beck, KU’s WR coach, who went to the same HS as Pelini. The other two are Larry Porter, LSU’s RB Coach, and Stan Drayton, Florida’s RB Coach. Obviously, both of the last two would be big gets for the Huskers.

Defensive Coordinator – Carl Pelini – The younger brother of Bo was a D-Line coach at Ohio most recently. He was a GA for the Huskers in 2003. The older Pelini will be calling the plays, so Carl will be only the quasi DC. Still, if he has some of Bo’s skills, this should be a good fit. His Ohio recruiting connections should be good as well.

LB Coach – Mike Ekeler – This is one of the two large unknowns in the coaching staff. He was a GA at LSU for Pelini. This is his first full time assistant job. He played ball at KSU but is from Blair, NE. So, he is a returning son that is reported to be a “rising star” by Pelini. He is also reported to be a fiery teacher and have great recruiting potential.

Def. Line Coach – John Papuchis -- John is the second former LSU GA. Little is known about Papuchis. My guess is that the Pelinis will have a strong role in the improvement of the D-Line. Still, he is young and will bring some fresh blood to the family.

Secondary Coach – Marvin Sanders – Sanders returns to Nebraska after being the secondary coach in 2003 and coaching here previously. He also played for the Huskers. Sanders was most recently the DC at UNC under John Bunting. He is yet another players’ coach who is loved by nearly all. ]]> ryanb81 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=25 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=24 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 18:35:05 GMT Michigan Coach Rich Rodriguez is a fiery passionate coach with an aggressive attack philosophy. He demands hard work from his teams in the season and... Michigan Coach Rich Rodriguez is a fiery passionate coach with an aggressive attack philosophy. He demands hard work from his teams in the season and in the off season. He is almost a fanatic about strength and conditioning. This will be major improvement.

He also emphasis speed in his recruiting and Offense. This is Coach R-Rod's thing. He is an offensive minded coach. A former QB and offensive coordinator with programs that include Tulane and Clemson. His teams emphasis the spread and are in the shotgun much of the time.

What separates Coach R-Rod's version is that he prefers a strong running game out of the spread. His offense at West Virginia has ranked in top ten rushing offenses in the country. One of his strengths are his ability to tweak or adapt the spread to match his personnel.

The spread he ran while at Tulsa with Shaun King was different from what he with personnel at West Virginia. His major accomplishment is he is widely considered the inventor of the spread option offense. What this version does are force defenses to not only defend entire field, but also defend all the skilled players and this really can stress a defense.

Defense Again, Coach R-Rod's is an aggressive attack philosophy and carries through to his defenses. At West Virginia they use 3-3 stack. But IMO that has more to do with defending all the spread offenses West Virginia sees in the Big East. We will have a better idea where he wants to take Michigan once a DC is hired.

Special Teams Coach R-Rod's emphasis on recruiting speed shows up on teams special teams play. He puts special emphasis on this area of the game. Field position is big part of his offense game plan. Short fields are huge help for spread offense. And Coach RRod's really coaches to this philosophy.

We will have more in depth of R-Rod's schemes later on.

Also please look at:
http://gobluemichiganwolverine.blogspot.com/

Thanks,
Erik Werling ]]> erocwolverine http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=24 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=23 Mon, 17 Dec 2007 03:41:44 GMT Yes, the rumors of Nebrasketball’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. We may have been down and out since the 1990’s, but we are starting to make... Yes, the rumors of Nebrasketball’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. We may have been down and out since the 1990’s, but we are starting to make a return to recognition. In only his second year, HC Doc Sadler has already notched wins against Creighton, Texas Tech, Arizona State, and Rutgers among others. He has improved talent and instilled a hard nosed, blue collar mentality to the Devaney Center. Saturday, Sadler and the Huskers added #16 Oregon to its list of upsets.

In an 88-79 OT win, the Huskers beat an experienced and talented Duck squad. In fact, the Huskers rarely trailed in the game and started with a 9-0 run. In my game preview, I stated three keys to the game: defense, the play of (Jr G #11) Ade Dagunduro, and ball control. Without a doubt, all of these areas were met. The Huskers forced 18 turnovers and only committed 7. This +11 ratio was huge. (Soph G #5) Jay-R Strowbridge came off the bench to play the point – he committed 0 turnovers in 27 minutes of play. (Jr G #11) Ade Dagunduro played huge. He limited Bryce Taylor and Malik Hairston to a manageable level though Hairston was second for the Ducks in scoring. Dagunduro may have fouled out but not before notching 15 points and 7 rebounds. Of course, (Sr C #21) Aleks Maric led with 23 points, and (Soph F #44) Ryan Anderson chipped in 21 with some hot shooting. The performance was simply solid.

Despite flurries and snow accumulation, this “neutral site” game at the Qwest Center Omaha drew approximately 13,000 Husker fans. The crowd was rocking, and the court was stormed. This huge win could bolster a potential bubble watch for the Huskers if they take cared of business in conference. This is amazing given the fact that the Huskers boast 8 new players and only one senior. Watching this team, I have become even more impressed as of late. It may sound odd, but the basketball team has taken on the old persona of our football squad. They play tough, hard nosed, and very blue collar. They act much like the old Husker football teams that would knock you in the mouth and keep on pushing. Certainly, this represents the state and the coach well. Though the talent is not quite there yet, I see exciting things to come for the Huskers. I’m not ready to predict conference championships or big wins against the likes of KU and Texas, but look out for some tough play and a few more upsets. Simply, this is a team all of us in Nebraska can support and be proud of. They lay it out there every game and every play. So, look out Jayhawks because we may have some more tricks up our sleeves on January 12 at the Devaney Center. ]]> ryanb81 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=23 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=22 Sun, 16 Dec 2007 20:19:02 GMT How have the last three games gone? WKU - 62 - 69 (L) OT – The Huskers played extremely tough defense in this first true road game. However, WKU... How have the last three games gone?

WKU - 62 - 69 (L) OT – The Huskers played extremely tough defense in this first true road game. However, WKU just had too much on this night. It should be remembered that WKU is a tournament team. This was a good growth game for conference play.

Rutgets - 63 - 51 (W) – This was the 2nd best win of the year thus far. Only the ASU game was bigger. The Huskers defense was again stifling, and key players like (Soph F #44) Ryan Anderson and (Jr G #11) Ade Dagunduro hit big shots to seal the win. Frankly, the Scarlet Knights could not hit the broad side of a barn late in this game.

Savannah State - 82 - 37 (W) – I’ve seen many high school teams better than this squad. The bench was cleared, and even walk-ons approached double figures. It was a feel good game before the showdown in Omaha against Oregon on Saturday.



What do you see for the big Oregon game?

Nebraska will play Oregon this Saturday at 1 pm at the Qwest Center in Omaha. This is a “neutral site” game that is at the end of its rotation – we played in Portland last year. This is the second game at the Qwest for the Huskers this year, as they lost to Creighton there 74-62.

For this game, there are a few keys. First, the Huskers must continue their tough defensive trend. Particularly, perimeter defense will be key against a Duck team who will sink you with three pointers.

Second, (Jr G #11) Ade Dagunduro must continue to step up – he will have to be a force offensively and defensively. He will likely be matched up against Malik Hairston or Bryce Taylor, two of Oregon’s top scorers.

Finally, the Huskers must control the ball. Oregon will look to force turnovers and pop shots on us. The guards and team must prevent this and stay under 12 turnovers. The Huskers need a big crowd in the large Omaha arena. So far, around 13,000 tickets have been sold.



What games are coming up after the Ducks? What’s going to happen?

Dec. 22 North Carolina Central 7 p.m. – This should be an easy win back at the Devaney Center. It will be a nice cool down game after Oregon and before the Holiday Break.

Dec. 29 Alcorn State 7 p.m. – Another coast win. Should be a lot of walk-on players in the game.

Jan. 4 Maryland-Eastern Shore 7 p.m. This is the last tune-up before conference play. Doc should have his rotation and specialists pretty well set. So, we should see the lineups we will see most of the rest of the year.



Has the offense improved?

At times, it has. However, there is still a ways to go. We need another outside shooter to be very effective, and it appears that our two best options are redshirting. In my mind, the key is the point guard. (Soph G #5) Jay-R Strowbridge and (Fr G #24) Cookie Miller need to be aggressive and look for shots as well as passes. We need more drive and dish situations to be effective in the upcoming games.



Any recruiting news?

7’0 Center Chris Niemann appears as if he will not be eligible next year. Two of his teammates were declared ineligible this year because players on their club team accepted benefits. So, it looks as if the Huskers will need to find another big man. ]]> ryanb81 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=22 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=21 Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:40:37 GMT Homecoming at Nebraska is surely a special time for all Huskers much like it is a all universities. This week of activities kicks off on Sunday with... Homecoming at Nebraska is surely a special time for all Huskers much like it is a all universities. This week of activities kicks off on Sunday with an all campus carnival/block party where students can come receive free food and ride carnival rides. The week continues on Monday with the Stroll Off and Dance Competition. This may be one of the most popular events for Homecoming. Greek Houses are put in triads or quads for the week, and they compete as a group to earn Homecoming points. At this event, triads perform skits and dances to this year’s theme: “Big Red Studios – A Tribute to Johnny Carson.” In addition, multicultural fraternities and sororities compete in a stepping competition. This event certainly draws a large crowd and signals the true beginning of homecoming week. Next, the campus blood drive is held in the middle of the week. This also earns points and draws huge numbers of students to help with the shortage throughout the country. As the week progresses, quads continue to work on their lawn displays dedicated to the theme. In addition, a homecoming parade is held by other student groups. Of course, all of these events culminate in the homecoming game where the King and Queen are crowned at halftime. Also, this year, the 1997 undefeated National Championship team will be reuniting. This represents our last undefeated season, and it will surely be an emotional event given our recent struggles. While many of these things occur at other campuses, Nebraska puts its own spin on homecoming, and this is just a glimpse at a few of the many events held during this special week for the Husker Nation. ]]> ryanb81 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=21 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=20 Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:39:12 GMT The Blackshirts are one of the most well known defensive units in college football. Everyone at Nebraska knows how to throw the bones, but few... The Blackshirts are one of the most well known defensive units in college football. Everyone at Nebraska knows how to throw the bones, but few actually know the history of this proud Husker tradition. This Blackshirt tradition denotes the 1st string defense, who all wear black jerseys for practice. This began in 1964 when Head Coach Bob Devaney wanted to distinguish his defensive units. Even after this began though, it took a few years to truly entrench this accidental tradition in Husker lore. Many credit defensive line coach George Kelly for exulting the greatness of the Blackshirts against the red clad offense. In 1969, the term Blackshirts finally made the team’s media guide. During Charlie McBride’s tenure as defensive coordinator, the Blackshirts earned national acclaim when they ranked in the Top 10 in all major defensive categories four different times. This vaunted defense helped the Huskers win three national titles in the 1990s. Today, Blackshirts are award the week of the first game in a ceremony that highlights the proud tradition and history of the honor. Many say that this is one of the most intimidating goals at the University of Nebraska. Hopefully, our current and future defenses can continue this proud tradition for years to come. ]]> ryanb81 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=20 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=19 Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:37:12 GMT Below, I’ve select five iconic plays/moments from Nebraska football history. For me and for the Husker Nation, these represent who we are as... Below, I’ve select five iconic plays/moments from Nebraska football history. For me and for the Husker Nation, these represent who we are as Huskers. They are important in our dominance of the early ‘70s and the ‘90s. They also are great plays that every fan can identify in an instant.

1. 1971 – The Game of the Century – Johnny Rodger’s punt return immediately thrust itself into Nebraska folklore. This amazing run helped spark him to the Heisman. As well, it was a Nebraska win against its most hated rival. If nothing else, the commentary is truly special and can be recited by any Nebraska fan.
2. 1996 – Fiesta Bowl – Tommie Frazier and the Husker O-Line dominated the vaunted Florida attack. Despite being the defending champs, many thought Florida would clobber the Huskers. However, a 62-24 win marked a National Championship, and this 75 yard run by Frazier cemented his place in Husker lore.
3. 1984 – Orange Bowl – Nebraska could not convert on the 2 point conversion to beat Miami for the National Championship. This controversial call by Tom Osborne to go for the win stuck with many Husker fans for years. It led many to say that he could not win the big game. Of course, 10 years later, Osborne showed he could win it and win it twice in a row.
4. 2001 – the Missouri game – Eric Crouch electrified all of college football with this 95 yard run against the Tigers. It helped to show him as the Heisman front runner and cemented his status as the best player in football.
5. The Cornhusker Compilation – This is a video marking many of the things I could not include or find clips of on Youtube. It includes Jerry Tagge’s one yard TD run, Barry Alvarez, Johnny Rodgers’s return, Mike Rozier’s sideline to sideline TD run on his way to the Heisman, the safety against Miami in the 1995 Orange Bowl, Cory Schlesinger’s TD run to take the lead for the 1995 National Championship, Frazier’s run against Florida, the immaculate reception by Matt Davison against Missouri, the Eric Crouch TD catch against #2 ranked Oklahoma in 2001, and Tom Osborne’s farewell speech to his team. These moments make up the cornucopia that is Nebraska football. ]]> ryanb81 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=19 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=18 Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:36:27 GMT Below, I’ve select five iconic plays/moments from Nebraska football history. For me and for the Husker Nation, these represent who we are as... Below, I’ve select five iconic plays/moments from Nebraska football history. For me and for the Husker Nation, these represent who we are as Huskers. They are important in our dominance of the early ‘70s and the ‘90s. They also are great plays that every fan can identify in an instant.

1. 1971 – The Game of the Century – Johnny Rodger’s punt return immediately thrust itself into Nebraska folklore. This amazing run helped spark him to the Heisman. As well, it was a Nebraska win against its most hated rival. If nothing else, the commentary is truly special and can be recited by any Nebraska fan.
2. 1996 – Fiesta Bowl – Tommie Frazier and the Husker O-Line dominated the vaunted Florida attack. Despite being the defending champs, many thought Florida would clobber the Huskers. However, a 62-24 win marked a National Championship, and this 75 yard run by Frazier cemented his place in Husker lore.
3. 1984 – Orange Bowl – Nebraska could not convert on the 2 point conversion to beat Miami for the National Championship. This controversial call by Tom Osborne to go for the win stuck with many Husker fans for years. It led many to say that he could not win the big game. Of course, 10 years later, Osborne showed he could win it and win it twice in a row.
4. 2001 – the Missouri game – Eric Crouch electrified all of college football with this 95 yard run against the Tigers. It helped to show him as the Heisman front runner and cemented his status as the best player in football.
5. The Cornhusker Compilation – This is a video marking many of the things I could not include or find clips of on Youtube. It includes Jerry Tagge’s one yard TD run, Barry Alvarez, Johnny Rodgers’s return, Mike Rozier’s sideline to sideline TD run on his way to the Heisman, the safety against Miami in the 1995 Orange Bowl, Cory Schlesinger’s TD run to take the lead for the 1995 National Championship, Frazier’s run against Florida, the immaculate reception by Matt Davison against Missouri, the Eric Crouch TD catch against #2 ranked Oklahoma in 2001, and Tom Osborne’s farewell speech to his team. These moments make up the cornucopia that is Nebraska football. ]]> ryanb81 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=18 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=17 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 07:52:10 GMT Well as I got blasted on the GBW boards on Saturday for saying the Les Miles train has not left the station yet and there was always a back door it... Well as I got blasted on the GBW boards on Saturday for saying the Les Miles train has not left the station yet and there was always a back door it seems like our own Bill Martin finally got well rested from his sailing trip this past weekend to get finally a hold of a certain former player and arrange a meeting with Miles or Miles agent (possible both) not really sure yet on how that meeting went or if they cleared the air.

Kind of take you back for those that do not really remember how things went and where things went wrong. For weeks it seemed like it was just a matter of time before Les Miles was named the head coach at Michigan even the LSU AD came out and said that if Miles wanted to go back to Michigan that he still wanted him to coach the SEC Championship game along with whatever bowl game which just so happens to be the National Championship game now. Then a few days pass by again and the LSU AD has another article in the local papers stating that they would do whatever they could to keep Miles and felt very comfortable that he would stay. During that article it was basely laid out that if Michigan wanted to contact Miles that he would appreciate it if they would wait till after the SEC Championship game.

Bill Martin on Wednesday calls the LSU AD to inform him that Michigan would like to set something up to talk with him about the Michigan head coaching job. Again the LSU AD asked Martin to please hold off till after the title game so the coaches could prepare for the game and of course Martin agreed, but should he have though? First off they did not seem to have a problem with Bo Pellini going to Nebraska for an interview during this same time and you would think the defensive coordinator would want to be more focus and study the game plan a lot more than a head coach especially one that does not call plays. Well anyway this gave LSU time to start getting thing organized and knew they had to prepare quickly and strike before Michigan had a chance. The LSU AD is on his way out sometime in the summer of 2008 so in some regards he could do whatever he needed to so to secure Miles.

Well Friday came and that is when the wheels started to fall off for Michigan in several ways. First off a lot of this is hear say and speculation. I just wanted to point that out first, but it seems that on Friday LSU came with a big proposal for Miles and told him he had to make a decision before the game on Saturday. The rumor is he was offered 3.4 million for seven year contract a lot higher number than was ever discussed before or even talked about between him and friends of his about the Michigan job. Here is some of the speculation and do not know if it is true or not, but supposable they told Miles he had to agree to it before the game or they would let Bo Pelini take over in the SEC Championship game, I find that really hard to believe, but it has been out there and a lot of chatter from several people that seem like they knew what was going on during this time.

Well of course Miles is stunned and does not know what to do with the offer along with the ultimatum. He wants to coach in the game of course because he loves those kids and he does not want his distraction to become their distraction as well while trying to win a football game. He calls his Michigan buddy (former player) and does not know what to do and that they have set a deadline. All the back chatter with Miles, his friend and some people associated to Michigan never really struck a deal it was more of the money situation was okay by both sides, who he would possible keep on staff, but nothing was ever said that he was the next coach or that he had the job it was all just the beginning stages and they both parties thought that on Sunday they could strike a deal.

LSU threw a wrench in that plan so Friday night Miles buddy tries to reach Martin all night long until 2:00 am, but no call back and nothing on Saturday morning. They did not know if Michigan was blowing them off or what was really going on then before college game day comes on Kirk Herbstreit breaks in and says Les Miles to Michigan and along with that he was going to bring Jon Tenuta who was the DC at Georgia Tech (now interim head coach). Then again on college game day "Herbie" goes more in depth about it and of course everybody hears this and the LSU people are irate and think that Miles went behind their back and got a better deal after they spoke. More speculation here that Miles call his buddy and said did you talk with anybody he said no and he is not answering his phone now either. Miles is ticked off to say the least and top it all off he thinks that Michigan might have leaked it and also they are ignoring him and blowing him off.

The LSU AD people was again ticked off and told Miles either you agree to the deal or you are not coaching we are not going to have this hanging over our team for this game. Miles think Michigan blew him off so he tells them we have a deal and schedule a press conference so at almost 2:00 p.m. Miles appears in front of the cameras and says he was the LSU coach and will be the LSU while leaving the door open when he left. Later in the day he had another interview while his buddy still did not get a hold of anybody and he told the woman reporter again he was the LSU coach and would be and that included next year. The reason while nobody was answering the phone supposable at Michigan is they went sailing and was not anywhere in range of a cell tower.

After the game of course it was very emotional with them getting the win and had a pretty long press conference having conversations about his past at Michigan, Bo and his future at LSU. He said he was home now at LSU and even had his boys come up for pictures in their LSU the scout.com LSU site had an exclusive interview and you could see the emotion in his voice and his face as he talked about Michigan almost like he just lost his best friend, dog, girlfriend type of emotion as he spoke. He evens introduced his whole family to the media with his wife coming up and his daughter off camera almost like this was his first meeting with them instead of being their third year at LSU.

The thing is after what happened on Saturday Martin made a call to Miles agent on Sunday about possible setting something up. Well the call did not go very well when Martin tells the agent that Miles was one candidate on the list and that they wanted to do an interview process after Miles just found out he would probably be playing in the national championship game against Ohio State. He of course did not like that answer especially since he went to school at Michigan, played football at Michigan, met his wife at Michigan and coached at Michigan twice while now leading the LSU Tigers to the title game and probably be named coach of the year.

On Sunday LSU finds out they are in the national championship game and will face the buckeyes. On Monday he was on several shows and in this my maize and blue glasses opinion he was almost begging Michigan to talk with him. Both times he did interviews he was asked about the Michigan job and both times he said I WAS NEVER OFFERED THE MICHIGAN JOB AND I HAVEN'T TALKED TO BILL MARTIN DIRECTLY ABOUT THE So again there seemed to be hope again that a deal might be able to happen after our hearts were ripped out and stepped on not only because of Miles was supposed to come to Michigan, but he was bringing one of the best defensive coordinators in the business Jon Tenuta form Georgia Tech with him.

Then on Tuesday rumbling was that Martin met with Miles agent in person nobody seems to know really if or when this meeting took place and of course how things stand. So for Michigan fans if you hope for Miles there still has a lot of miles to go to get this done, but it is looking a lot better than it did all day Saturday. I believe Miles was put in a bad spot because he did not know whether he had the job and if all the little things have been worked out from his skeletons in his closet. The thing is Martin was feeling a lot of heat from the donors/fans/alumni/ticket holders/former players about not landing Miles. I think he knows his legacy of being a AD at Michigan will rest not on what he has done on campus with all the renovations and new buildings for the athletic complex, but for whom he hires as the next football coach. I believe Martin needs to figure when Miles and he meet if he is the guy and let him know right then and there. I believe they will get something worked out and that he will become the next Michigan coach and something could be all worked out this week. Will Miles forgive Bill's little boat trip and not picking up the phone? I think they both kiss and make-up and that just means that Miles will have more power, more money, more money for the other coaches and more control. Does that mean Carr won't be looking over his shoulder in the AD's office ... could be ... Of course this (IMO) like normally.

What a long week and very stressful if your a Michigan football fan who has been watching every little detail about the search and what will happen with recruiting.

Thanks,
Erik Werling
http://gobluemichiganwolverine.blogspot.com/ ]]> erocwolverine http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=17 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=16 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 05:01:44 GMT We’ve seen enough college basketball so far to get a good feel for everything. Based on how your team has played so far, how would you adjust your... We’ve seen enough college basketball so far to get a good feel for everything. Based on how your team has played so far, how would you adjust your preseason predictions?

The Huskers are 5-1 at this juncture in the year. This is almost on pace for where I thought we’d be. Unfortunately, we lost out intrastate rivalry game to Creighton by 12. Simply, we started the game poorly and could not recover. (Sr C #21) Aleks Maric did not live up to his Preseason All Big XII status. He had a horrific game. On the other hand, this past weekend the Huskers upset Arizona State, a team boasting two High School All Americans. The game was a resounding for the win. At one point, the Huskers were 2 away from doubling up the Devils. The defense was absolutely tenacious. So, we are about where I would expect us to be record wise. The offense has not been as good as I expected, but we are still growing. Based on this, I still think we can get near 20 wins though it may be more of a struggle than I thought. When this team’s shots fall and keep Doc Sadler’s tenacity, it will be dangerous to the remaining squads on the roster. I’m not quite saying “look out KU,” but we have the potential to cause problems and make it to the postseason.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of your team?

Strengths – Effort, effort effort – Coach Doc Sadler does not let this team have a night off. They will dive fore every ball. They have the most talent in few real games, but they will be very hard working. Simply, Nebraska is blue collar, and the team is blue collar. Second, this team seems to have good chemistry. From watching the bench and the floor during games, the team encourages one another and communicates well. It has not come through all the time on offense, but they are progressing. Third, they are young and have potential. The starting lineup has 2 JUCO juniors, 1 senior, 1 sophomore, and 1 true freshman. That senior is the only senior on the team. We are also redshirting 4 players this year. Without question, Doc is building a program, not a team.

Weaknesses – We have improved athletically from last year by a lot, but we are still not there. We can win upset games fairly well, but we will never be a Big XII favorite until we make more upgrades. The team is making progress in this area, but it will simply require Doc putting in the time on the recruiting trail. Also, big man depth is an issue. Aside from (Sr C #21) Aleks Maric, there is still no proven underneath threat. (Jr C 20) Shang Ping and (Soph PF #32) Chris Balham have shown some flashes but have also made some horrible plays. Finally, as mentioned above, there has been little offensive continuity this year. The team has not slashed to the basket very well, and the outside shooting has been sporadic at best. To me, this is mainly due to 3 new starters. I think we have improved since the first game and will continue to do so.

What games are coming up? What’s going to happen?

Dec. 5 at Western Kentucky (FSNMW) 7:00 -- This will be the first game outside of Nebraska for the Huskers. WKU is a tough team that has been to the tournament in the past. I think the Huskers can win, but it will be a struggle with the lack of road experience on the team. Maric MUST play better than he did in the Creighton game.

Dec. 9 Rutgers 2 p.m. – This could be a slugfest with two scrappy teams. Hopefully, a Devaney Center crowd makes the difference in this game which I think could be a tight one. The Huskers will need to come out swinging and shooting to win this game.

Dec. 11 Savannah State 7 p.m. – This is one of the few remaining cupcake games. I would expect this to be a tune-up game before the big clash with Oregon in Omaha the next weekend. Look for the Huskers to try some things to confuse the Ducks the next game.


How quickly will we get turned around on offense?

Hopefully, this will happen soon. I think it takes time. It seems to me that (Fr PG #24) Cookie Miller has been a little bit restrained by Doc until he faced the fire. This 5’7” point guard can flat out play when he is given the chance. I think, as the season progresses, he will be given more freedom to improvise and drive. With this, we will get better kick out opportunities, thus better production. To me, point guard play, particularly that of Miller, will be key to our offensive success this season. He has the potential and the skills.

Any recruiting news?

The Huskers inked two players for the ’08 class during the early signing period. This is one over our scholarship limit, so look for some more roster changes in the off-season. First, the Huskers signed 7’0 Chris Niemann, a German club player. He will need to put on some weight but looks to be a good get since we are losing Maric. However, he will have qualification issues, as two of his club teammates have been ineligible because member of the team were paid. This could be a problem. The second signee is a HUGE one of the Huskers. Roburt Sallie is a 6’5” wing player who committed to the Huskers but did not qualify out of prep school, so he has been at JUCO this year. He has offers from Memphis, Washington, KU, and others. However, he stayed loyal to us because we supported him. Reports say he is very athletic, a slasher, and can play above the rim. These should be nice additions for the program. ]]> ryanb81 http://www.athletevault.com/forums/blog.php?b=16