Young Huskers to Defeat Good South Dakota State Club

Fifty years ago today on the day I was born, Nebraska defeated South Dakota State by a score of 45-0. Today the Huskers and the Jackrabbits meet for just the third time in history. The Huskers and the Jacks kickoff at 2:42 p.m. CDT in a game that will be televised on the Big Ten Network. South Dakota State is 3-0 on the year and ranked in the top five in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS, formerly Division I-AA). This is a good football team that Nebraska will have to be ready to play. John Stiegelmeier is 105-76 in his career as the coach of SDSU. His teams are disciplined and fundamentally sound. The offensive and overall team leader is tailback Zach Zenner 6-feet, 220 pounds, Junior). Zenner ran for over 2000 yards last season and has 540 yards and eight touchdowns rushing in 2013. He is a solid back that runs very well between the tackles. Zenner is the focus of the running game as the Jacks average 215 yards rushing per game as a team. The Husker defense will want to keep Zenner in check. Quarterback Austin Sumner, (6-5, 225, Jr.) is a good decision maker that does not turn the ball over. He is not a running threat and the Blackshirts will be able to put pressure on Sumner. He has completed 46 of 78 passes (59 percent) for five touchdowns with no interceptions. He averages over 223 yards passing per game.His favorite receivers are Jason Schneider, (6-5, 220, Jr.) who leads the team with 18 catches for 292 yards and three touchdowns this season and Brandon Hubert, (5-11, 185, Sr.) with eight grabs this season. Both wide receivers will have a tough time getting open against Stanley Jean Baptiste and Ciante Evans and the rest of the Big Red secondary. The SDSU offensive line has great size. From tackle to tackle. the Jacks average over 6-5 and 307 pounds. Center Taylor Suess 6-3, 295, Sr.) is a Scotus Central Catholic graduate and a very solid leader up front. This group blocks for the running game extremely well. Defensively, SDSU will utilize a 4-3 look. As a team the Jacks allow just over 100 yards on the ground per game and 311 per contest through the air. The defensive leader is middle linebacker T. J. Lally (6-0, 230, So.) with 19 total tackles this season. The secondary even though it gives up over 300 yards passing per game has nine interceptions in only three games. On special teams, the Jacks have done very little return wise on punts and kickoffs. Punter Ethan Sawyer (6-2, 205, Jr.) averages only 37.2 yards per punt. Kicker Justin Syrovatka, (5-9, 200, Jr.) is perfect on only two field goal attempts in 2013. Nebraska has a major edge in the passing game over SDSU. However, playing Tommy Armstrong or Ron Kellogg negates that advantage due to lack of game experience for the Huskers. A quick pace could wear down the Jacks, especially after halftime.The Nebraska running game may be held down by an overloaded defense ready to stop the Big Red running attack. This is a tougher game than many fans will be prepared for. I look for Tommy Armstrong to play well in leading Nebraska to a 31-20 win over South Dakota State. Thanks for reading Going Deep With Doze.

Huskers Battle UCLA in a Wild Contest

Nebraska hosts UCLA in an 11:07 a.m.(CDT) Saturday kickoff in a game that will be televised nationally by ABC. The Bruins are 1-0, coached by Jim Mora, Jr. who is 10-5 in his second year as the coach of UCLA. The Bruins defeated the Huskers by a score of 36-30 last season at the Rose Bowl. Nebraska gave up a number of big plays defensively in a game that showed some flaws in the Big Red in 2012. Nebraska leads the all time series 6-5. UCLA is led by star quarterback Brett Hundley (6-foot-3, 222 Pounds, Sophomore). He is a dangerous thrower and an accomplished runner. The defense will have to get pressure on Hundley with Randy Gregory leading the way for the Blackshirts. Hundley is completing 66.7 percent of his passes (22 of 33) for 274 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in their season opening win over Nevada. He has the tools to hurt the Nebraska defense. The offensive line is young with no seniors starting, but they will likely give Hundley enough time to make a few big plays. This is not a huge line against the Nebraska front and this matchup will be key as to which team has the better of it in the trenches likely comes out the winner. Jordon James (5-9, 194, Jr.) had 155 yards rushing in the first game of the season. The Huskers will have to account for him, especially if UCLA sends him in motion out of the backfield to open up the middle of the field for the passing game. His backup, Steven Manfro (5-9, 189, So.), also catches the ball well out of the backfield. UCLA will look to spread the Nebraska defense out and isolate players in space against the likes of Nathan Gerry and Josh Banderas. The receivers are a solid group for the Bruins. Shaq Evans (6-1, 204, Sr.) is Hundley's favorite target But Jordan Payton (6-1, 212, So.) and Darius Bell (511, 210, Sr.) are also threats in the passing game. The Husker secondary, led by Stanley Jean Baptists and Josh Mitchell will certainly be tested down the field. Defensively UCLA has the best player on the field in outside linebacker Anthony Barr (6-4, 248, Sr.). He is likely a top ten pick in the 2014 National Football League draft. Barr is one of the top pass rushers in the country and the Husker offensive line has to keep him away from Taylor Martinez most of the afternoon. Keenan Graham (6-1, 255, Sr.) is a solid defensive end and Eric Kendricks 6-0, 228, Jr.) leads the team in tackles as an inside linebacker. The 3-4 defensive scheme is a good one and Mora, like Bo Pelini is known as a defensive specialist. The kicking game has not been tested early this season for UCLA. The Bruins have yet to punt and kicker Kaimi Fairbairn (5-11, 185, So.) is not known for a strong leg. The Bruins are famous for blocking punts and field goals so the Husker special teams will have to be ready for extra pressure. For Nebraska to win, they must take care of the football. The early start should be an advantage for the Big Red. I am certain Bo Pelini has kept his defense simple the first two games in 2013 so that UCLA would not have seen everything Nebraska will bring at the UCLA offense. The Huskers must run the ball well and Ameer Abdullah has to shine. Both teams will light up the scoreboard, but I like NU at home by a score of 38-30. Thanks for reading Going Deep With Doze.

Nebraska Gets Back on Track Over USM

Nebraska hosts 0-1 Southern Mississippi Saturday afternoon in a 5:05 p.m. kickoff in a game that will be televised by the Big Ten Network. The Golden Eagles have dropped thirteen straight games, including a 22-15 loss to Texas State last week. Southern Mississippi is coached by Todd Monken who is 0-1 in his first season as a head coach. His team looks to pass the ball a great deal. Last week the Golden Eagles ran for only 23 yards on 24 carries put passed for 377 yards. Monken was the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State where the Cowboys had one of the most potent offenses in the country. The Husker secondary will be tested but that is the strength of the defense so that does bode well for USM. Quarterback Allan Bridgford (6-foot-3, 210 Pounds, Senior) will direct the offense. He was 28 of 53 (52.8 percent) with one touchdown and two interceptions. Bridgford is not a running threat and he was sacked three times last week for 26 yards in losses. He will look to throw the ball from anywhere on the field to put pressure on the defense. Two receivers are the keys to the Golden Eagle passing game. Tyre’oune Holmes (5-11, 170, Fr.) led the team with 12 receptions for 96 yards last week as a possession target. Look for Ciante Evans to be the best Husker matchup against Holmes. The other threat is Rickey Bradley (6-2, 204, Sr.) who shredded the Texas State defense with seven catches for 193 yards a week ago. Josh Mitchell is aggressive with good speed so he will need to play well to keep Bradley in check. As noted previously the Golden Eagles do not run the ball very well. Tyre Bracken (5-8, 186, So.) is the starter at running back. He is small, but elusive and also catches the ball well. Kendrick Hardy (6-0, 228, Sr.) is a more physical back, but neither was impressive a week ago. The Huskers will want to keep the USM offense one dimensional and force the Golden Eagles to beat the secondary with the passing game. The offensive line averages over 6-4 and nearly 294 pounds per man from tackle to tackle. Right tackle Vincent Brown (6-5, 301, Sr.) and left guard Ed Preston (6-3, 302, Sr.) are the leaders of a group that is not as impressive as what the Big Red will see next week or in conference play. The young Husker defensive line can pressure this group. Defensively, Southern Mississippi runs a 4-3 scheme and the defense will be physical and aggressive. Middle linebacker Alan Howze (6-3, 227, Sr.) led the team last week with nine total tackles and 2.5 tackles for losses. On the weakside, Dylan Reda (6-1, 233, Sr.) added eight tackles. The defense was solid last week only giving up 207 total yards including 134 through the air. Khyri Thornton (6-3, 300, Sr.) is a big time run stopper at nose tackle. The secondary is small and young but they played well as a group against Texas State. This unit will be better than what Nebraska saw a week ago. Nebraska has a major edge on special teams. Punter Matthew Moseley (5-10, 164, So.) averaged just over 38 yards per punt and kicker Corey Acosta (5-10, 195, Jr.) was two of three on field goals with a long of 41 yards. The returners were not impressive last week. This is an area where Nebraska can get good field position and maybe some easy points. The Huskers are a better team than Southern Mississippi. Youthful mistakes by the Big Red have to be eliminated. Consistent blocking and tackling is the key to a good 2013 season. Nebraska will be focused and not let up like they did late in the game against Wyoming. I like Nebraska by a score of 38-13 on Saturday. Thanks for reading Going Deep With Doze.

A Long Way to Go

Nebraska won Saturday night over Wyoming. Coaches will tell you any win is a good win. The offense ran the ball effectively at times. All three I-backs did some good things. The receivers caught the ball well. The offensive line pushed the Cowboys all over the field in the third quarter. The punting game was solid and kickoff returns and coverage looked improved. So why does this game feel so lacking? The defense was gouged for over 600 yards. Brett Smith looked like Robert Griffin III at times against the young Husker defense. The middle of the field appeared very vulnerable. The team overall had too many penalties. The Huskers will see better teams down the road that would have easily defeated Nebraska last night. The defense will improve and the offense will get smoother with more play. The coaching staff used a lot of young players that now have been tested. Coaches from Nebraska's opponents will see what Wyoming did (and Georgia and Wisconsin before that) that will make for some sleepless nights for the Husker coaches. Good things and not so good things happened last night. Any win is a good win and hopefully Taylor Martinez is not injured seriously. One thing I saw from last night's 37-34 win for the Big Red... There is a long way to go. Thanks for reading Going Deep With Doze.

Nebraska to Cruise Past Wyoming Saturday

Nebraska hosts the Wyoming Cowboys Saturday night at Memorial Stadium in a 7:05p.m. kickoff that will be televised on the Big Ten Network. The Cowboys were 4-8 a year ago and the Huskers lead the all time series 6-0. Wyoming is coached by Dave Christensen, the former offensive coordinator at Missouri. Christensen is 22-28 entering his fifth season as a head coach. His teams are known for wide open offenses and soft defenses. The game will be a coming out party for several Husker newcomers that the fans will be excited to see. Brett Smith (6-foot-3, 206 Pounds, Junior) is a fine quarterback for Wyoming. He completed 62.7 percent of his passes last year with 27 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. Smith passed for nearly 284 yards per game in 2012. He can run some, averaging 25 yards per game a year ago with six touchdowns. He is definitely the catalyst for the offense. He must be pressured to make the Cowboys a one-dimensional football team. The receivers are a solid unit for Wyoming. The big-play man is Robert Herron (5-10, 187, Sr.). In 2012 Herron averaged 21.2 yards per catch with eight touchdowns. He is a definite speed threat. Jalen Claiborne (5-9, 175, Jr.) is another undersized target that Smith likes to look for. He had 34 catches a year ago. Receiver Dominic Ruffran (6-0, 188, Jr.) added 39 catches as a possession target. The running game averaged only 125 yards per game in 2012. Brandon Miller (6-0, 200, Jr.) had 352 yards rushing last season and added 30 catches out of the backfield. Wyoming expects good things from freshman Omar Stover (5-11, 198) one of the best recent recruits for the Cowboys. Wyoming is not a major threat running the football. The offensive line is highlighted by a pair of big tackles. On the left side is Walker Madden (6-9, 297, Jr.) and opposite Madden is Connor Rains (6-7, 318, Jr.). These two big men may wilt in the heat early Saturday night, giving the Husker defenders a chance to come after Brett Smith. The defense gave up a lot of points and yards in 2012. The Cowboys allowed 470 yards and over 33 points per game last season. Nebraska will be able to both run at will and pass over the top of the Wyoming defense. The best player up front is Eddie Yarbrough (6-3, 257, So.) with six tackles for loss and four sacks in 2012 at defensive end. Middle linebacker Devyn Harris (6-3, 240, Sr.) needs to play well against the run or it will be a long night for Wyoming. The secondary is paced by Blair Burns (5-10, 186, Jr.) as a cornerback. The defense will be tested and give up plenty of big plays. On special teams kicker Stuart Williams (5-11, 180, Jr.) was 7 of 12 (58.2 percent) with a long of on 42 yards on field goals. freshman Ethan Woods (6-3, 165) is totally untested as a punter. Claiborne is a threat as a kick returner. Both teams will have to prove their special teams are ready to play in this season opener. Nebraska is a better football team than Wyoming. The Huskers will dominate offensively. The defense will give up a few plays, but I think young players like David Santos and Randy Gregory will be noticed by the fans. The Huskers will score plenty of points in a 59-20 win Saturday over Wyoming. Thanks for reading Going Deep With Doze.

2013 Nebraska Football Preview

The Nebraska Cornhuskers 2013 football season is ready to start. Fans all around the world are awaiting the kickoff of another year of Husker football.

Lets take a look at the Husker roster and the games before the season starts and give you my fearless pick on the results before the year gets underway.

The Husker offense is going to be dynamic if healthy. Quarterback Taylor Martinez (6-feet-1, 210 pounds, Senior) has the ability to score every time he touches the ball. If Martinez is injury-free, then Nebraska likely will have one of the best big-play artists in college football. He must reduce turnovers for 2013 to be a championship season for the Big Red.

Running back Ameer Abdullah (5-9, 190, Jr.) is a tough runner that also catches the ball well. There is depth in the backfield, but it is all young and except for Imani Cross (6-1, 225, So.) not game tested. Adam Taylor (6-2, 200) and Terrell Newby (5-10, 180) are a pair of freshmen the fans want to see on the field.

The receivers have outstanding talent and many players can contribute in the passing game. Kenny Bell (6-1, 185, Jr.) has the ability to play in the National Football League. Quincy Enunwa (6-2, 225, Sr.)  is a good possession receiver while Jamal Turner (6-1, 185, Jr.) is dangerous as a slot receiver and in the return game. The tight ends will have to develop as the season moves along.

The Husker offensive line is experienced with depth across the board. Spencer Long (6-4, 315, Sr.) is an All-American candidate at guard. Jeremiah Sirles (6-6, 310, Sr.) is a solid tackle and the Huskers have game-tested talent all along the front line.

The defense is young across the board. Jason Ankrah (6-4, 265, Sr.) has to be a leader at defensive end. On the other side Randy Gregory (6-6, 235, Jr.) can be a difference maker as a pass rusher. Other key members of the defense are Thad Randle (6-1, 290, Sr.), at tackle David Santos (6-0, 225, So.) as a middle linebacker and Ciante Evans (5-11, 190, Sr.) at cornerback. The best unit is the secondary and the linebackers have more athletic ability than Nebraska fans have seen in the recent past.

The kicking game is untested. Turner and Bell are likely to be the punt and kickoff returners. Mauro Bondi  (6-0, 205, So.) and Pat Smith (5-11, 185, Sr.) are battling for the kicking job. Sam Foltz (6-1, 200, Fr.) appears to have won the punting job. The Huskers must mature in this phase of the game if they are to compete for a championship.

Now its time for a look at my thoughts for each game before the start of the season.

Nebraska should move past a young Wyoming defense and you can look for my full preview of this game later this week.

The Huskers will be be solid against a transitioning team from Southern Mississippi that will be better defensively than they were a year ago. Nebraska could gain a lot of confidence in the first two weeks.

UCLA is a critical test in week three. Playing at home in an early kickoff favors the Huskers in what could be a wild contest. I like the Huskers by a touchdown in the best game of the early season.

South Dakota State is a fundamentally sound team that will be over matched in another Big Red victory.

Nebraska will open the conference with what should be a big win against a very soft Illinois team. The Purdue game is the first one away from Lincoln. The Boilermakers are not ready for a team with Nebraska's offensive talent. The Big Red will start conference play 3-0 after another big win over Minnesota.

The rest of the schedule is much more challenging. Nebraska will need to take care of the ball against Northwestern. The Wildcats will be tough but the Big Red will win a tight game at home.

Michigan will be a game Nebraska would have to play error free to win. I believe the Wolverines will win a big contest over the Huskers. Michigan State is not consistent enough offensively to win in Lincoln. Penn State will be a last minute type of game. Depth will be key in a game that I will pick Nebraska. The Huskers will top Iowa to close the regular season.

The Huskers will make the Big Ten Championship and drop a decision to Ohio State. The Buckeyes likely will play for the National Championship. A Rose Bowl game against a team like Oregon or Stanford will be tough and I believe closing the season 11-3 makes 2013 a successful year.

Thanks for reading Going Deep With Doze. 

Nebraska and Georgia Set to Battle

The Nebraska Cornhuskers face the Georgia Bulldogs in the Capital One Bowl that is set for a 12:00 p.m. (CST) kickoff  January 1, 2013 televised nationally by ABC.

Georgia is 11-2 on the season with losses to South Carolina and Alabama, while Nebraska is 10-3 with losses to UCLA, Ohio State and Wisconsin. The Bulldogs are coached by Omaha native Mark Richt who is 118-40 in his 12th season at Georgia. His team is solid and the Bulldogs are definitely well coached.

The offense is led by quarterback Aaron Murray (6-foot-1, 210 pounds, Junior). He is a very accurate quarterback, completing 65.4 percent (231 of 353) of his passes with 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The Bulldogs average just over 274 yards passing per game. Murray is not much of a runner but he is a very good decision maker. The Huskers will need to disguise their matchup zone defense very well in order to have an opportunity to win the game.

Georgia runs the ball very well. Two backs lead the way for the Bulldogs. Todd Gurley (6-1, 218, Fr.) will get the start at tailback.on the season he has rushed for 1,288 yards (96.9 yards per game) with 16 touchdowns. He is solid running inside or outside. Keith Marshall (5-11, 216, Fr.) will also see a lot of action. He has rushed for 743 yards this season (55.6 yards per game) with eight touchdowns. The Big Red must be fundamentally sound and play their responsibilities well or Georgia will break several big plays. Nebraska will have to watch out for the speed of Marshall running behind a very talented offensive line.

The offensive line has professional size and talent. From tackle to tackle the Bulldogs average just under 6-4 and nearly 309 pounds per man. The leader is left tackle Kenarious Gates (6-5, 318. Jr.). As a group they block well for both the running and passing game. Nebraska needs to stay fresh and use the speed of players like Eric Martin to make big plays on defense.

The receivers have big play ability. Five receivers have at least 21 catches for Georgia this season.  Malcolm Mitchell is the team leader with 40 catches on the season. He has 572 yards receiving and four touchdowns this season. At the other wide receiver spot Tavarres King (6-1, 200, Sr.) has 39 catches but he leads the team with 846 yards receiving (21.7 yards per catch) and eight touchdowns. King is the deep threat in the Georgia passing game. Murray will spread the ball around and the Husker defense needs to be ready for deep play action passes early in the game.

Defensively Georgia has a great deal of talent. The defense has struggled at times against good running teams like Alabama and South Carolina. The Bulldogs allow 178 yards per game on the ground and 174 yards per game through the air. Georgia has tremendous size up front. Kwame Geathers (6-6, 355, Jr.) is a huge run stopper. Alec Ogletree (6-3, 232, Jr.) will make plays all over the field from his linebacker spot.  Freshman Jordan Jenkins  (6-3, 257) is a very solid pass rusher as an outside linebacker as is junior Jarvis Jones (6-3, 241). The secondary is ranked as one of the best in the nation and will make things challenging for the Husker passing game. Defensive back Sanders Commings (6-2, 216, Sr.) has good size and will match up well with Quincy Enunwa while safety Shawn Williams (6-1, 217, Sr.) is the best tackler in the secondary. This unit is very solid.

On special teams, Mitchell and Gurley are the main men in the return game. Gurley has the quickness to pop a big play and the coverage teams  on both kickoffs and punts must stay under control. Kicker Marshall Morgan (6-3, 201, Fr.) is only 8 of 13 (61 percent) on field goals and punter Collin Barber (6-2, 200, Fr.) averages 41.6 yards per punt. These two freshmen  may be a weak spot for the Georgia squad. The Bulldogs have blocked five kicks this season so the Huskers must stay very sound on the fundamentals in the kicking game.

Nebraska and Georgia both come in after tough losses in big games. The team that is more mentally focused and commits fewer mistakes will win the game. The Bulldogs have more depth on both sides of the line that I think will wear on Nebraska in the second half. I will pick Georgia by a score of 41-30 in the Capital One Bowl. Thanks for reading Going Deep With Doze.