In Moos We Trust

JOE BOB HUSKER COLUMN

Now that the season has come to a close I refuse to write another short column with a lopsided score and statistics. We all know what happened at home against Iowa and quite frankly I don't feel like sounding like a broken record today. Let's talk about what happens next and as I gather my thoughts so many unfamiliar emotions are starting to flow through me....sad, mad, frustrated, happy (the season is over) but the one that dominates all those emotions, oddly enough, is excited.

Yeah I know it's a strange emotion to have considering Huskers Nation just experienced the worst football season since 1957. Here is why I am excited and his name is Bill Moos. The way he represented himself and the university at the press conference on Saturday, explaining why he terminated Mike Riley just felt really good to me. He is a down to earth guy and he had no problem opening up to the media and the fans. So refreshing when you consider how stale and anti social Shawn Eichorst was. Moos says what's on his mind and doesn't beat around the bush. I like the confidence he carries and the way he carries that confidence with a country boy chip on his shoulder so to speak. When asked what he thought of the 2nd half of the Iowa game he paused for a second and responded with "Well, I had two Runzas. They're pretty good now." I found that funny as heck and so did everyone at the press conference because laughter erupted. The guy knows how to calm tense situations and make no mistake Husker Nation is on edge and tense.

Moos knows most of us want Scott Frost as our next head coach, whether that happens or not I don't know but I will say this....he made a reference to the kind of offense he liked which is balanced with a sprinkle of option mixed in from time to time. I don't know who all paid attention to that remark but he described Frost's spread offense to a tee. Maybe I am looking to deep and seeing what I want to happen but regardless of that I think Bill Moos is a perfect fit as the AD for our beloved Husker sports program and I am going to trust his leadership. I will end my thoughts by saying I really hope we get Scott Frost back home but if we don't let's stay on board with the Moos train. He has turned programs around before and I believe he will do it here as well. GBR!!!!

Cornhusker Memes Tees

Joe Bob Husker Column

    Well once again our Huskers were routed. The final score 56-44. Let this sink into the brain of every Husker fan. Penn State had a whopping 609 yards of total offense against Diaco's (get your butt out of the press box cause it ain't working) scary 3-4 defense and by scary I mean scary to watch if you are a Husker fan. Quite, frankly this season has become a gosh darn nightmare! No wait, a nightmare you wake up from, this season has become H-E-double hockey sticks to watch and I for one will be glad when it comes to an end.

     By halftime Heisman hopeful candidate Saquan Barkley had 208 of his 224 total yards, 131 more yards than the entire Husker offense. I don't know what you even say to that. Maybe as a Husker fan you just bury your head between your legs and hope nobody from Penn State looks your way if you made the trip to Happy Valley. Personally I would have tip toed out of the stadium at halftime which I have no doubt a few Husker fans did.

     Now some folks from Husker Nation have said we scored 44 points and had 466 yards of total offense, the boys didn't give up. My response is yippie skippy (with a golf clap.) Our boys didn't give up is flipping laughable. Let's be real, the game was over at half time when the score was 42-10.

     Most every stat accumulated by the Nebraska offense in the 2nd half were garbage time stats against a lot of Penn State reserve players plain and simple. What irritates me is that many Husker fans have lowered their standards to where a loss and 44 points is some kind of moral victory, get out of here with that nonsense. The final score in no way shows the reality of the game. The reality is that Nebraska was the nail, Penn State was the hammer, and Beaver Stadium was the Husker coffin...game over and onto the next and final game thank goodness. Oh and Bill Moos it's ok if you change your mind and fire Mike Riley before the season is over. Most of us would understand, heck we would encourage it!

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Joe Husker Column

     This past Saturday Nebraska was thoroughly decimated by a mediocre Minnesota team that had only one conference win until the Cornhuskers came to town. The final score 54-21. I really don't even know where to start with my thoughts, much like our Huskers didn't seem to know where to start in their plan to get a "W" against the Gophers. Was their even a plan in place? It sure didn't look like it. You almost sensed it was going to be a long day when Minnesota's Rodney Smith ran the opening kickoff back 100 yards against a Husker special teams that really hasn't looked good all year. 

     It was as if the players were using their body language to say we have given up on this season and they made it clear from the way the game started. If I wasn't sure of the Husker players demeanor from the opening play they made it unmistakably clear as the day progressed, they have given up not only in this game but the season. 

      Gophers QB, Demry Croft ended the day with a school record 183 rushing and 3 touchdowns followed by the impressive performances of his 2 teammates. RB Rodney Smith finished the day with 134yds rushing and a 100 yd kickoff return and RB Kobe McCrary added 93 more rushing yards.  As a team the Golden Gophers amassed 408yds on the ground and 515 yards of total offense. These numbers were a stark reminder of how far the Nebraska program has went down hill, they were numbers we use to put up against teams during the Osborne era and now we are in a complete role reversal. It's not our team doing the rolling anymore, instead we are getting rolled. 

      The one shining spot for the Huskers is the play of red shirt freshman wide receiver, J.D. Spielman. This kid is doing spectacular things on an unspectacular team. He ended the day with 9 catches for 141 yards. I don't even feel it's necessary at this point to bring up the final stats for the Huskers, it's not going to make me or you feel any better. The bottom line is our team got throttled by 33 points. I think the question on everyone's mind is when is enough enough? Head Coach Mike Riley has lost complete control of his team and I for one think it's time to minimize the bleeding and by that I mean give him his walking papers immediately. 

       I know Husker AD Bill Moos said he would evaluate the situation after the season, but what's really left to evaluate? Nothing in my opinion. With both Florida and now Tennessee officially in the market for a head coach, I think it's time for Nebraska to follow suit. Let's not get behind on shopping for the best product on the market so to speak. Or maybe Moos has his guy lined up already, only time will tell. I will end this blog by simply saying, winter is coming and hopefully their is a Frost in the air.

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