Severe Mock Draft

 

• 1 Colts   Luck, Andrew QB   The Colts have already announced they will take Luck with the 1st overall pick. A lot is made about Luck’s brains but he is also an above average athlete. He will need it with what is left in Indy.

   

• 2 Redskins   Griffin III, Robert QB   There are a number of questions when it comes to RG3. Can he take the pounding, can he learn and fit in Mike Shanahan’s offense, and will he be able to adjust to a pro style offense? Yes, Yes, and Yes. The Redskins gave a lot to move up but if RG3 can continue to grow as much as he has each year at Baylor it will be a one of the best draft trades in recent history.

• 3 Vikings   Kalil, Matt OL   There has been a lot of talk about the Vikings being affable to a move down the draft board but I think they stay here and take a franchise LT. Remember Kahil kept last year’s 1st round pick by the Cowboys, Tyron Smith at right tackle at USC.  I think the drop off between Matt and the other first round tackles is pretty large.

• 4 Browns   Richardson, Trent RB  The numbers show that you don’t have to take a running back in the first round in order to win in today’s NFL. However, Cleveland passed on Adrian Peterson in 2007 and I don’t think they make the same mistake again passing on the next best back since AD. The only issue I see with Richardson is his occasional lack of decisiveness getting to the hole. 

    

• 5 Buccaneers   Claiborne, Morris DB  Tampa has made a living drafting DB’s that are play makers. Along with being a long athletic cover guy Claiborne has great ball skills and hands. He will fight in the air with WR’s and is more than capable of taking it to the house when he gets his hands on the ball. Bucs could look at giving Josh Freeman another playmaker at WR with Justin Blackmon.

     

• 6 Rams   Blackmon, Justin WR   There has been a ongiong debate among draft folks over whether or not Blackmon or Michael Floyd should be the top WR in the 2012 draft. I don’t think it it’s that close. Floyd will give you a nice possession pass catcher while Blackmon gives you a real breakaway threat. In fact I like Kendall Wright better than Floyd as well.

• 7 Jaguars   Cox, Fletcher DL The Jags have to do something about their lack of pass rush. That means either take Coples or Cox here and look later for the push up the middle. Cox is raw for sure, but he doesn’t take plays off and gets up and down the line with ease. At this size he has had trouble with double teams but he has plenty of room to grow.

   

• 8 Dolphins   Tannehill, Ryan QB   The Dolphins have to do something to re-energize it’s fan base. The best way to do that is to draft a QB and build around him. I like Matt Moore but he certainly doesn’t bring the kind of excitement that Miami needs.  Tannehill is a strong armed very smart fluid athlete. I’m not sure that will translate into a very good starting QB, but I’m not sure the Dolphins have a choice.  

• 9 Panthers   Coples, Quinton DL Here is one of your first enigma guys. Coples certainly has the look of a top of the line defensive end. The problem is just because he may remind some fans of Julius Peppers he is not Peppers. At least he has not shown that kind of consistency on tape. The good news is Coples is big, fast and has tons of upside.

• 10 Bills   Barron, Mark – DB  This is the point where I think a team moves up and puts a little excited in this draft. If not the Bills could do much worst than getting a smart in the box safety that can turn and run. Barron reminds me a lot of Darren Sharper. For some reason his is in the right spot nearly every time .

• 11 Chiefs   Kuechly, Luke LB   If the Chiefs are still selecting here at 11 I think they go with one of a few sure things in this draft. Kuechly is a tackling machine and more athletic that some might think. He will play from day one. Kansas City could also trade down and still get Kuechly or Michael Brockers.

• 12 Seahawks   Ingram, Melvin DE I think the Seahawks would be very delighted for Ingram to fall to this spot. His best quality is his versatility. Ingram also falls into the freak category. He could easily have been a TE with his speed and athleticism. He can come off the edge, hold the edge and is strong enough to drop down inside. One of my favorite players in the this draft.

    

• 13 Cardinals   Reiff, Riley OL   I think Reiff could have a long career as a right tackle or better yet a guard. I’m not sure he is LT material. It’s such a huge drop off between Kahil and Reiff it’s like they don’t play the same position. I like Mike Adams much more, but with the weed test I don’t think the cards would take the chance. They could take Michael Floyd.

• 14 Cowboys   Brockers, Michael DL Brockers is a really young guy. Not age wise but as a player. He only played two years at LSU and you can see how raw he is at times. But that won’t matter to the Cowboys. They love potential and Brockers is full of it. He’s around 325 right now but I could see him either add ten or lose ten depending on what Dallas wants to do with him. He’s one of the players you might want to take if you have a first round bust pool.

• 15 Eagles   Jones, Chandler  DL And here he is. One of my favorite players in the draft. In this league I think the second most important position to draft is a pass rusher. Jones is that and so much more. He’s a cross between Jason Pierre Paul and Aldon Smith. He was injured most of his Junior year, but still made first team all Big East. I can see him in the Eagles wide 9 set causing havoc for years in the NFC East.   

• 16 Jets   Floyd, Michael WR   I think of Floyd as a pure possession receiver. I’m not sure he has the kind of speed to separate in the league and he struggled in college getting off press coverage. He is the kind of receiver that Nebraska would have eaten alive. But he does have decent hands and will fight for the ball in the air. His big body will allow him to be a version of Anquan Boldin if he keeps his head on straight.

• 17 Bengals   Steven Gilmore DB If he didn’t have so many off the field issue this is where Janoris Jenkins should be going. The Bengals need corner help and Jenkins might be the best pure cover corner in the draft. It wouldn’t be the first time that Mike Brown has taken a chance on a troubled soul. If that doesn’t happen I think the Bengals are happy to get Steven Gilmore the CB out of South Carolina. I also wouldn’t be surprised if Cincy went guard with Decastro or a guy who could move Cordy Glenn.

• 18 Chargers   Kirkpatrick, Dre DB He’s an Alabama corner under Nick Saban. He’s physical in press and smart enough in off man or zone to anticipate what the QB is trying to do. I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts off inside at nickel and grows into a very good cover corner after a couple of years.

    

• 19 Bears   McClelin, Shea LB  The Bears, that’s right the Bears did a great job in free agency adding what they needed. Now I think they need to help their pass rush. Most folks haven’t seen a ton of McClelin since he played at Boise. He is projected by most folks as a OLB in a 3-4, but I think he is much more versatile than that. He is a real good athlete and plays like one. Good hands and great explosion. The Bears might take Mercilus here, but I think McMclelin could be a major difference maker in a division where you have to hit Aaron Rogers a lot.

     

• 20 Titans   Mercilus, Whitney DL I can see the folks in the Titans war room jumping for joy if Mercilus is here when they pick. I think Illinois hampered his play with their scheme. Still he produced 15 sacks. The Titans will let him get a little wider and get after the QB even more.  I could see Mercilus leading all rookies in impact tackles.

   

• 21 Bengals   Branch, Andre DL I watched Branch go thru the conversion drills at the combine. He doesn’t have the quickest first step, but he does play fast. The one thing that scares me about Branch is that he had the majority of his sacks in only a few games. Still he has the ability to be a great pursuit guy and a good enough tackler to finish when he gets there. If the Bengals are looking for a speed rusher this is their guy.

   

• 22 Browns   Wright, Kendall WR   If you only allowed me to pick five guys out of the draft Wright would be one of them. He is fearless at his size, has the ability to get behind the defense and most of all snatches the ball when it’s between he and a defender. If Wright were taller there is no doubt he would be battling Blackmon and Floyd for top receiver. With this pick the Browns have given themselves a chance to make big plays despite the limitations of Colt McCoy. Next year they can get their franchise QB.

• 23 Lions   Martin, Jonathan OL This would be another good spot for Jenkins, but with all the weed issues this off-season in Detroit I think he continues to fall. Detroit can go a number of directions here, reach for the next highest rated corner, take Lamar Miller or Doug Martin or maybe take the best center in the draft Peter Konz. Jon Martin started for three years in a pro style offensive filled with shifting and pulling and everything that will happen to him in the NFL. Call it a safe pick, I call it a smart pick.

    

• 24 Steelers   Hightower, Dont’a LB A match made in heaven? With James Farrior gone and at 6-2 265 Hightower will have people in Pittsburgh thinking back to the days of Levon Kirkland. You also would figure coming out of that Bama defense he will be ready to step in mentally as well. Hightower’s stock has been dropping as of late, but I still think the Steelers see a Steeler in this huge ILB.  

   

• 25 Broncos   Poe, Dontari  DL Dontari Poe played at Memphis. He was not surrounded by a lot of talent and played against what you would not call elite talent week-end week out. Poe registered a total of 14 tackles and 1 sack in 2011. I know you can’t judge a NT solely by his stats. But the athlete that participated at the scouting combine should have dominated in every way at Memphis. With that said he put up freak combine numbers for a man 6-5 350. The question is will he be able to translate those numbers into his play and become a dominate NT at the NFL level.  I’m not sure he will.   

• 26 Texans   Curry, Vinny DL  On the other hand Vinny Curry has made the most of every bit of his talent as the defensive POY in Conference USA. Curry had a poor combine, but put up much better numbers at his Marshall pro day. The big decision for most teams is Curry just a OLB in the 3-4 or can he also be a DE in the 4-3. The Texans need to help their pass rush badly and I think Curry can be that guy.

   

• 27 Patriots   Randle, Rueben WR   Sometimes in the draft the best WR in the pros isn’t the guy who put up incredible numbers in college. Maybe it was the offense or the play calling or just a lack of a quality QB. Randle may be that guy this year. Out of Bastrop, LA Randle was the best WR in the country coming out of HS. Randle finally had the break out year Tiger fans were expecting in 2011, but still there were times where he was almost invisible. Was that because of Randle or the Tiger’s offense. I think at 6-4 200 pounds the Pats are getting the deep threat that was missing vs the Giants in the Superbowl.

• 28 Packers   Smith, Harrison DB There are a few new constants in the NFL, QB’s are the focus of nearly every offense, the WR’s are getting bigger, and teams are just passing more. So in turn the need for bigger more physical defensive backs who can also cover continues to grow. Smith is more than just an in the box safety. He can get downhill and fill in the running game, but he also is a fluid long athlete that can make plays at every level of the field. With Nick Collins cut because of his neck injury Smith can fill that role for the Pack.

    

• 29 Ravens  Upshaw, Courtney LB  This guy is an enigma for me. Sometimes you watch him and you see a stiff, non explosive, un-athletic looking LB. Other times he is absolutely unblockable.  At 6-2 272 you can do a lot of things if you are getting the latter player. The best thing about this pick is you know for a fact that the Ravens will put him in the perfect spot to succeed.

• 30 49ers   Martin, Doug  RB  Here is another of those 5 guys I would take if that is all you would let me have from this draft. Martin is a power back, but he also has the knack to make people miss and more importantly to pick the right hole at the right time. And as a bonus Martin caught 56 passes over the past two seasons at Boise. Most people love Trent Richardson, but with all the things Martin does well, I don’t think the gap between the two is that great.   

• 31 Patriots   Zeitler, Kevin OL   Here is another of my favorites players in this draft. Wisconsin just turns these guys out like it’s their job. DeCastro gets all the pub and Glenn might make a very good guard as well, but I like Zeitler to be a pro bowl caliber guard for years to come. Too bad the trip that comes with it will be going away.

  

• 32 Giants   Fleener, Coby TE   Fleener will be an ace in the red zone. He has a huge catch radius and fits the new displaced TE model that is succeeding in the NFL. Sure he isn’t the best blocker yet, but as a pretty hard worker he will be able to do whatever the Giants need.

Husker Fan are too Fanatic?

A couple of seasons ago LSU was undefeated late in the season. Following an improbable win over Tennessee I was listening to a post game show as Tiger fans called for Les Miles to be fired. A year later many of the same fans vocally wished for Miles to take the then open Michigan job.

Bob Stoops won a national championship in his second season at Oklahoma. Since that championship he has been to three more National Championship games and won six Big 12 titles. At the same time Stoops has lost those championship games and for a time his moniker big game Bob. Some Sooner fans have wondered out loud has the program grown stagnate and can Stoops win the big one without the all-star coaching staff of his first few years.

Sound familiar? These fervent fan bases are the result of successful football factory’s where fans become even more fanatical than normal.

Pelini was at OU and LSU and had to know that would be the case taking the job at NU. Hell he had to hear the people loudly complaining about Solich during the 2003 season.

Head Coach Bo Pelini has done two sit down long-form interviews over the past month with the state’s columnists. The topics were as expected, Bo’s perceived anger issues, questions about the possibly the program is stagnant and inconsistent play. 

Nearly every answer Pelini has given seems to indicate that someone else is to blame. The media and fan’s complaints lead to inconsistent play, because of irrational expectations. Television and the cameras are why people believe Bo has an issue with his temper. The defense isn’t too complex it’s the players being too undisciplined and inconsistent. 

There is no question that Pelini has done an amazing job turning around the Huskers in his four seasons. One of a handful of teams to win at least 9 games Nebraska has returned to a consistent top 25 team.

After reading Sipple’s column I am left with these questions. 1) If the fan base was more understanding and level-headed would Bo have won even more games? 2) If the attention was less would that lead to more consistency? 3) If the TV cameras weren’t so focused on him would he not be perceived as a crazy man? 

Bo says he doesn’t care about how he is perceived and he shouldn’t. His job is to be the CEO, recruit, instill discipline and win games. As Pelini says, it’s about the process and results, and that is how he will be judged today, tomorrow and for seasons to come. Unless he chooses to go somewhere else where it’s easier to be a head coach.

One more thing. One answer from Sipple’s column by which I’m intrigued is to this question, is your defense too complex for some players? Pelini says no and he certainly should know after teaching it for years. On the other hand he has had a tough time getting some young players on the field. Last season his brother Carl admitted the guys just were not picking it up as quickly as in the past. Players we have talked to have said they are better prepared for the NFL because they played in Bo’s complex defense.

I think the answer is simple. The defense requires exceptional talent in the interior line and in the secondary to be great. So far Bo and his staff haven’t proven to be exceptional recruiters. That beyond everything else is going to have to change in order to reach the level the fervent fan base hopes for every year.

And one more thing, even if the Huskers had beaten South Carolina the questions about the let down versus Northwestern and the inconsistent play verses Michigan and Wisconsin still would have been there as a footnote to the 2011 season. Albeit a much smaller footnote.

Happy Valentines to Husker Fans

On Valentine’s Day we look at five reasons to love Nebraska Athletics

5) Husker Baseball begins play this Friday in Arizona with a new coach and a new attitude.

 Nebraska fans have been hoping for years for former huskers to come back and help coach or lead NU athletic programs. From Scott Frost to Tyronn Lue, no matter the experience level there is something appealing about having someone who played at your University come back and coach.

Darin Erstad was a great two sport athlete at NU, followed up by a very successful major league career. He is a dynamic leader, filled with energy and a personality that seems conducive to being a great recruiter. He brought back assistants that have ties to Nebraska and even more importantly to Texas players.  In the wake of a disappointing end to the football season and a basketball team in disarray the start of NU baseball is a nice distraction from the winter blahs.

4) The end of the Doc Sadler era appears to be in sight.

 All season folks have been talking around the possibility that Tom Osborne might make a change at basketball coach. A practice facility, new arena and the move to the Big 10 all have been used as reasons to retain Sadler. The past three games however have been loaded with nails to be used in the Doc coffin. Every single national basketball writer we have talked to says the same thing about Doc; he is a great guy and an excellent coach. It appears now that just isn’t enough after six years to give Sadler a reprieve.

3) Creighton Basketball is struggling down the home stretch of the season.

This alone for some Husker fans is the perfect valentines gift. For some reason, two programs that don’t share anything more than a state and one game a year really do care about what the other program is doing.  Maybe some Husker fans hate Creighton because of the in state players that have chosen the blue over the red. Maybe its jealousy because of the mid-major type success Creighton has enjoyed on and off over the last decade or so. Whatever the reason, the Blue Jays struggles have brought some much needed smiles and joy to Husker fans during the CU three game losing streak.

2) Spring football begins March 12th.

 The annual reloading of enthusiasm and hope concludes with the annual Red and White game April 16th. Spring football is one of the great events that means a little, but at the time it’s going on, is considered extremely important. I love it because of the names that start to emerge as information escapes the practice facilities. Some of the names may never contribute during the regular season like Tyrell Spain, but others may become the next Cody Glenn.  So bring on spring football and let the debate over starting center begin!

1)       Taylor Martinez is no longer a young quarterback.

 Martinez has started 25 games as a Husker. Junior college transfer Zac Taylor had 26 starts in his career. It’s also the second year in the same offense for TM. If Martinez is to become the starting quarterback that his head coach and some fans believe he can become, this off season is extremely important. Countless physical and mental reps, along with the opportunity to mesh with his receivers should define Martinez’s spring and summer. I am in no way comparing Vince Young to Taylor, but we all watched as VY went from a QB that struggled with his passing and overall game as a Sophomore, to one of the best players in college football his junior year.  I remember talking to Young at big 12 media days leading up to that junior year. He talked about the disappointment of his sophomore year verses Oklahoma. Every day he workout with his teammates on the field and in the weight room, and even circled a date on the calendar. That Texas team focused on September 10th and a game at Ohio State knowing it was vital to winning a national championship.  Hopefully the Huskers’ young but experienced quarterback is preparing for success in 2012 the way that Texas team did in 2005. 

Happy Valentines Day

 

Now that the Dust has Settled

What do we know about the 2012 Nebraska recruiting class? We know the numbers, 17 committs from across the country. 25 and 50 team rankings from Rivals.com and Scout.com. The class received a C+ grade from ESPN.com. There are 15 freshman and two junior college players that will add to the next two to five years of Nebraska football.

Here’s what we know about the final rankings by those recruiting services. Teams like Stanford and Wisconsin have parlayed lower finishes, great coaching and effective systems into BCS bowls over the last few years. On the other hand there is no denying the talent teams like Alabama, LSU, Florida and Florida State have adding amazing talent to their rosters. Five and four stars are those teams’ basic building blocks. Those numbers have led to national titles for the first two, but so far FSU has failed to take its top ten recruiting rankings over the last four years to even an ACC title. Schools like Notre Dame and Miami have padded their rosters with top 20 and top ten classes as well. Even with all that recruiting talent, coaches at both schools have been fired, because what came out the other side of the recruiting tunnel wasn’t enough wins.

Then there is a team like the University of Texas at Austin. UT is one of the top two wealthiest athletic departments in the country. Texas is one of the best recruiting territories in college football, along with one of the two top highest paid head coaches. You add all that to a string of all but one top 5 recruiting classes since 2007 (2008 rivals ranked Texas 14) and you get a record of 13 and 12 over the last two seasons.

Look I’m not crazy we all know what it takes to be great in college football and more importantly what it takes to win a national title. Great players, coached up with a dash of luck and sometimes the right schedule. Great players however don’t necessarily equal only five stars. Of the top 10 players drafted in the 2011 draft six of them were coveted five stars out of high school. The remaining 22 picks produced only one more five star, eight four stars, nine three stars and three two stars. Philadelphia drafted guard Danny Watkins out of Baylor who was a zero star coming out of high school. All these numbers tell you is that the way a player is judged coming out of high school can certainly be a predictor of what he can become. On the other hand an athlete may develop late, get moved to a more suitable position for his talents, or maybe he was just misevaluated.

Let’s get back to the 2012 Nebraska class. Judging by only watching high school highlight tapes and talking to many of the 17 player class I think there is some potential All Big Ten talent. Imani Cross for example the 6′ 220 pound running back out of Gainesville Georgia. The three star ranked (Rivals) four star ranked (ESPN.com) Cross could be the steal of the class. The big man puts his foot in the ground and gets up field and does so many times by breaking tackles at or behind the LOS. He also has surprising top end speed for a back of his size. His junior and senior tape show good hands, balance and the vision to see the hole. Sure he doesn’t have the wiggle of Green or Abdullah, but I think Cross plays and contributes during the 2012 season.

Here’s a look at my super six and a couple of other guys I think will surprise.

1) Mohammed Seisay 6’2 200 – He fills a much needed spot and should play right away. Mo has above average ball skills when the football is in the air and he will come up when playing off man and deliver a blow.

2) Zaire Anderson 6’1 220 – Again he fills a much need spot and better be ready to play once Sept rolls around. Anderson is very explosive used mainly in HS as an A gap Blitzer. He pursues sideline to sideline gets lower than everyone else when it’s time to tackle. The one question is how he will be in pass coverage when he is not going forward. Zaire says it is the thing he has been working on the most and he knows he has to improve that aspect of his game.

3) Jordan Westerkamp 6’2 195 -In my opinion the transition from HS to College at the WR position is one of the top 3 most difficult. However, I don’t think that will be the case for Jordan. You hear the word all the time but Jordan has all the intangibles. He father played the position, he gets sitting down in the correct window and he is a very willing blocker. I would start Westerkamp in the slot to get him on the field in his freshman year.

4) Imani Cross 6′ 220 – As I stated above I think Cross will play early and bring something to NU that they haven’t had in sometime.

5) Vincent Valentine 6’3 315 – When talking about tough positions from HS to College interior defensive line is only second quarterback. The level of competition in there and the amount of banging in practice can be a difficult adjustment for freshman. I think Valentine can be special. He has said he is committed to getting his weight down to around 300 pounds and getting into every down shape. If that is the case Valentine will be a beast in this system.

6) Tommy Armstrong 6’2 210 - I don’t like run first, pass second quarterbacks. The good news Armstrong is a pass first player. You can see it in his film even when scrambling his eyes are down field. Sure he had designed runs within the system, but for the most part Armstrong looks like he will grow into a QB that can convert first downs with his arm. I also like that he has worked under the center and won’t have to worry about that adjustment. I hope the coaches are honest when they say that Tommy will have a chance to challenge Taylor right away.

Paul Thurston OL 6’5 275 and Jared Afalava LB 6’3 215 are my sleepers. I haven’t heard their names mentioned as much as some of the other commits. I think both guys will have prominent roles following their redshirt year; Thurston as a guard or tackle and Afalava eventually as a starting MLB. 

Two more players I think can be future All Big Ten performers are Michael Rose 6′ 230 and Greg McMullen 6’5 255. Rose isn’t spectacular at anything on tape, but he doesn’t everything very well. Rose has already overcome a few obstacles on his way to Nebraska and I think he will step in the SLB roll very well when given the chance. McMullen can certainly grow into the kind of DE that fits into Pelini’s defense; anchoring the edge while getting a push to force the QB up into the pocket. Or he can grow even more and drop down inside and be a two gapping 3 tech; either way I think McMullen has a bright future for the big red.    

One more thing that may be a concern for Nebraska football. Beck and JP are probably the two best recruiters on the staff. Both of them are now cordinators making it a little more difficult to be ace recruiters. It has been done at other schools, but it will not be easy. Remember coming off Beck’s first year at OC Pelini said one area where they didn’t get into enough is Dallas. Was that because Beck was so busy building a first year offense? We’ll see how the other coaches develop as recruiters, but in the meantime its just something to think about.

Now that the Dust has Settled

What do we know about the 2012 Nebraska recruiting class? We know the numbers, 17 commits from across the country. 25 and 50 team rankings from Rivals.com and Scout.com. The class received a C+ grade from ESPN.com. There are 15 freshman and two junior college players that will add to the next two to five years of Nebraska football.

Here’s what we know about the final rankings by those recruiting services. Teams like Stanford and Wisconsin have parlayed lower finishes, great coaching and effective systems into BCS bowls over the last few years. On the other hand there is no denying the talent teams like Alabama, LSU, Florida and Florida State have adding amazing talent to their rosters. Five and four stars are those teams’ basic building blocks. Those numbers have led to national titles for the first two, but so far FSU has failed to take its top ten recruiting rankings over the last four years to even an ACC title. Schools like Notre Dame and Miami have padded their rosters with top 20 and top ten classes as well. Even with all that recruiting talent, coaches at both schools have been fired, because what came out the other side of the recruiting tunnel wasn’t enough wins.

Then there is a team like the University of Texas at Austin. UT is one of the top two wealthiest athletic departments in the country. Texas is one of the best recruiting territories in college football, along with one of the two top highest paid head coaches. You add all that to a string of all but one top 5 recruiting classes since 2007 (2008 rivals ranked Texas 14) and you get a record of 13 and 12 over the last two seasons.

Look I’m not crazy we all know what it takes to be great in college football and more importantly what it takes to win a national title. Great players, coached up with a dash of luck and sometimes the right schedule. Great players however don’t necessarily equal only five stars. Of the top 10 players drafted in the 2011 draft six of them were coveted five stars out of high school. The remaining 22 picks produced only one more five star, eight four stars, nine three stars and three two stars. Philadelphia drafted guard Danny Watkins out of Baylor who was a zero star coming out of high school. All these numbers tell you is that the way a player is judged coming out of high school can certainly be a predictor of what he can become. On the other hand an athlete may develop late, get moved to a more suitable position for his talents, or maybe he was just misevaluated.

Let’s get back to the 2012 Nebraska class. Judging by only watching high school highlight tapes and talking to many of the 17 player class I think there is some potential All Big Ten talent. Imani Cross for example the 6′ 220 pound running back out of Gainesville Georgia. The three star ranked (Rivals) four star ranked (ESPN.com) Cross could be the steal of the class. The big man puts his foot in the ground and gets up field and does so many times by breaking tackles at or behind the LOS. He also has surprising top end speed for a back of his size. His junior and senior tape show good hands, balance and the vision to see the hole. Sure he doesn’t have the wiggle of Green or Abdullah, but I think Cross plays and contributes during the 2012 season.

Here’s a look at my super six and a couple of other guys I think will surprise.

1) Mohammed Seisay 6’2 200 – He fills a much needed spot and should play right away. Mo has above average ball skills when the football is in the air and he will come up when playing off man and deliver a blow.

2) Zaire Anderson 6’1 220 – Again he fills a much need spot and better be ready to play once Sept rolls around. Anderson is very explosive used mainly in HS as an A gap Blitzer. He pursues sideline to sideline gets lower than everyone else when it’s time to tackle. The one question is how he will be in pass coverage when he is not going forward. Zaire says it is the thing he has been working on the most and he knows he has to improve that aspect of his game.

3) Jordan Westerkamp 6’2 195 -In my opinion the transition from HS to College at the WR position is one of the top 3 most difficult. However, I don’t think that will be the case for Jordan. You hear the word all the time but Jordan has all the intangibles. He father played the position, he gets sitting down in the correct window and he is a very willing blocker. I would start Westerkamp in the slot to get him on the field in his freshman year.

4) Imani Cross 6′ 220 – As I stated above I think Cross will play early and bring something to NU that they haven’t had in sometime.

5) Vincent Valentine 6’3 315 – When talking about tough positions from HS to College interior defensive line is only second quarterback. The level of competition in there and the amount of banging in practice can be a difficult adjustment for freshman. I think Valentine can be special. He has said he is committed to getting his weight down to around 300 pounds and getting into every down shape. If that is the case Valentine will be a beast in this system.

6) Tommy Armstrong 6’2 210 - I don’t like run first, pass second quarterbacks. The good news Armstrong is a pass first player. You can see it in his film even when scrambling his eyes are down field. Sure he had designed runs within the system, but for the most part Armstrong looks like he will grow into a QB that can convert first downs with his arm. I also like that he has worked under the center and won’t have to worry about that adjustment. I hope the coaches are honest when they say that Tommy will have a chance to challenge Taylor right away.

Paul Thurston OL 6’5 275 and Jared Afalava LB 6’3 215 are my sleepers. I haven’t heard their names mentioned as much as some of the other commits. I think both guys will have prominent roles following their redshirt year; Thurston as a guard or tackle and Afalava eventually as a starting MLB. 

Two more players I think can be future All Big Ten performers are Michael Rose 6′ 230 and Greg McMullen 6’5 255. Rose isn’t spectacular at anything on tape, but he doesn’t everything very well. Rose has already overcome a few obstacles on his way to Nebraska and I think he will step in the SLB roll very well when given the chance. McMullen can certainly grow into the kind of DE that fits into Pelini’s defense; anchoring the edge while getting a push to force the QB up into the pocket. Or he can grow even more and drop down inside and be a two gapping 3 tech; either way I think McMullen has a bright future for the big red.    

One more thing that may be a concern for Nebraska football. Beck and JP are probably the two best recruiters on the staff. Both of them are now coordinators making it a little more difficult to be ace recruiters. It has been done at other schools, but it will not be easy. Remember coming off Beck’s first year at OC Pelini said one area where they didn’t get into enough is Dallas. Was that because Beck was so busy building a first year offense? We’ll see how the other coaches develop as recruiters, but in the meantime it’s just something to think about.

Will will miss you Joe

A number of people are talking about how they will remember Joe Paterno. The longtime head coach of Penn state university passed away early Sunday morning. I started thinking about how I will remember coach back in November after reading the grand jury report on the Jerry Sandusky case. The next day I wrote a blog calling for a man I had admired and cheered for to be fired. I could come to no other conclusion after reading what former player and grad assistant Mike McQueary told Paterno after seeing Sandusky in the shower with a young boy.

Here is what I will remember about coach Paterno. His birth control glasses (that’s what we called them in the Army), pants that just weren’t quite long enough and watching him lead the team out of the tunnel.  I will remember the undefeated seasons and the way he handled the years when they did not lead to a national championship.  

Most of all I will remember a phone call made to our apartment after my father died. My dad had been a chef for nearly 50 years. He cooked in the Navy, catered huge gatherings and worked in restaurants. His final job before getting too sick to work took us to happy valley. My father’s two sisters were in town taking care of me while my dad was in the hospital. I remember the day my dad’s doctor called and told my Aunt that my dad had died. Henry senior was only one month from his 70th birthday, so as you can imagine he knew a lot of people. The phone rang seemingly nonstop for the next day or so. One of the frat guys that my dad had cooked for called, family called and Joe Paterno called. He talked to my aunt Vivian and expressed his condolences. That’s what I will remember about coach.

Sure it will be difficult for some to not remember the Sandusky case when they think of Joe Paterno. No matter how many games he won, money he raised and young men he influenced he didn’t make the call when he had the chance to stop an accused child predator. That will most likely be Paterno’s ultimate legacy. In William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Anthony said of the murdered Roman leader “The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones”.  I just hope some of that good will be remembered as well when we remember Joe Paterno.

Just do better than the coach before

That was the phrase told to my radio partner by then former Auburn football head coach and Westwood One color analyst Terry Bowden. It’s a simple premise; make sure you win more games than the coach before you. That way the fans and people who hired you stay happy.

This goal probably seemed attainable for Doc Sadler when he took over the Nebraska basketball program in 2006. Barry Collier in his six seasons won only 89 games, losing 91. In conference Collier’s husker teams won 38 and lost 60.  Against the best teams, the top 25, they won just nine out of 34 games.

 Anyone who has followed Nebraska basketball knows the job is anything but easy. Taking over a program without any tradition in a talent poor state is some serious work. To show you just how difficult it is of a job, Doc with the talent left over by Collier became the first coach in the program’s history to win at least 17 games in each of his first three seasons. Not exactly a miracle at most programs, but here at Nebraska a feat worthy of some praise and mention in Sadler’s bio.

So that brings us back to our original statement and raises the question, has Doc done better than the coach before him? Through five seasons and 17 games Doc’s huskers are 98 and 79. That’s more wins (9) and fewer losses (12) than Collier over six full seasons. In conference Doc is 31 and 54, which are seven fewer wins and six fewer losses. The two men’s record verses top 25 teams are very similar, Collier 9 and 25, Sadler 8 and 23.

All these numbers prove is that NU has been stuck in the middle of a run of bad basketball since 2000. The Huskers basically exchanged one subpar mid major coach for another. There is no doubt that Doc is a very likeable guy. You, however don’t coach with niceness. Wins don’t happen because you have a good personality. Talent doesn’t get better because you have a funny accent. In 59 road games since Doc has been at Nebraska the Huskers have only won 12. In case you are wondering Collier was 13 and 52 in his six seasons.

A new state of the art practice facility is in place, a new arena will be up and running in two seasons. Can Nebraska afford to suffer through more two years of limited talent, slow painful play and losing? Long time former College basketball coach Tom Penders tweeted the other night ”Who the hell fired Danny Nee and why? That guy should be selling shoes at Payless!” We had Penders on the show and he talked about how hard it is to sell Doc’s slow down style to the masses. Penders questioned how effective a great defense can be if you can’t score.

Doc Sadler came to Nebraska with a plan to run, baseline to baseline, tennis on the hard court. Instead he changed his style to better suit what his best player at the time Aleks Maric did best. Somewhere after the big aussie left and where we are now Doc lost his way and his plan. When this first season in the big 10 ends Athletic director Tom Osborne must sit down and evaluate what’s the best course of action for the big red. Does he really want to make a commitment to winning basketball, to filling the seats, to taking this program to a relevant level? If Osborne reaches the conclusion that he does want those things he will make a change.  Hopefully he has knowledgeable basketball people to make the next hire. If not we will be right back here in another six years.

So who are you going to blame now?

This season Nebraska averaged 6.33 penalties a game. That was an improvement from the previous years when NU average 7.79 in 2010, and 7.14 in 2009. These numbers were blamed on big 12 officials who tend to throw more yellow flags than most conference officials. The first year in the big 10 will end with the Huskers again in the bottom half of the poor penalty percentage rankings. So who do we blame now?

Bo Pelini has been lauded for his intensity, for his fire. It’s one of the first things player talk about when describing the best things about Pelini. The question is, are these numbers representative of highly aggressive play or an undisciplined team? Or are officials targeting NU because of the abuse they get from Pelini on the sidelines. Illegal formation, false starts, defense off sides all have to fall under the undisciplined category and certainly aren’t targeting. Those are all just five yard annoyances, but you can’t win games when you run a system that struggles to make plays down field when you are constantly behind the chains. What about things like pass interference or holding those can certainly be 50-50 calls. Do you think NU gets the short shrift on those calls? After Monday’s game I heard from a couple of people who said they believe Bo doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt because of his act on the sideline.

Players are always a reflection of their coaches, even more so in college. Coaches are leaders, teachers and sometimes father figures. One former player after the game said to me the undisciplined play is the epitome of systemic issues that he has seen in this team for some time. But are these mistakes a reflection of the players or their coaches.

Nebraska was moving the ball well in the second quarter. Down 9 to 6 Nebraska failed to convert on a 3rd down wheel route to Burkhead. On the subsequent punt SC would commit a personal foul facemask penalty leading to a TD run by Ameer Abdullah. It was a huge break that happened because an official spotted a penalty and made the call.

Then up 13 to 9 NU is driving to go up two scores when freshman running back Ameer Abdullah fumbled inside the South Carolina ten yard line. Dennard would giving up a 78 yard catch to Alshon Jeffery, but it would be no harm no foul after SC missed a short FG. The Huskers put on their big boy pants on the next drive with six straight runs by Burkhead. After a couple of short runs by Martinez and a nice pass to Ben Cotton the game momentum would change. Taylor Martinez throws a pick with under a minute remaining in the half. Three plays later South Carolina would take the lead for good on a hail mary pass to Jeffery. Some would say that Jeffery pushed off on the play, but that’s something you rarely see called at any level of football.

At the half Nebraska had been called for just one penalty for no yards. In the 3rd quarter NU would be called for six for 35 yards. Two false starts, an illegal formation and a holding call all on one drive. On that loss of concentration drive the Huskers gained 35 yards, all but four we negated by penalty.

South Carolina didn’t escape the penalty bug but it did overcome it. During Carolina’s first drive of the 4th quarter a holding penalty left the Cocks with 3rd and 18. Conner Shaw made one of his best throws of the day beating Ciante Evans for 23 yards and a first down. Two plays later SC took a ten point lead on what looked like a mistake in coverage. That was pretty much the game.

Some folks have pointed out what should have been a horse collar call early in the 3rd quarter. It looks like to me the SC player has Taylor Martinez by the shoulder and is pulling him down as he makes a blind pass to Kyler Reed. But that certainly is one of the 50/50 calls. Another is the PI call on Ciante Evans. Evans did put his hand on the receiver as he turned up field. The ball landed in bounds but it certainly didn’t have to be called. Was that call a reflection of things done or said by the Husker head coach?  However you look at it, remember a few plays later the officials did make a holding call against SC to put them in 3rd and long. Again it was a play that the Gamecocks made and the Husker did not.    

Bo is going to be Bo. When he is upset with the officials he is going to let them know. He is certainly not the only coach that does the same thing when he feels his team has been wronged. Does he go over the top with what he says and how he says it? Bo has admitted to it, so I guess the answer is yes. The bottom line is players can’t lineup in the wrong place or drop passes or make throws that are late and behind open receivers. In the end it’s simple, players have to make plays and on Monday afternoon not enough did so for Nebraska.

Over the next couple of days fans are going to call for Bo Pelini’s job. It will last for a short time then we will drift into the pain and winter of the off season. Come spring the future will be bright once again. I can’t wait for the leaves to bloom and for hope to replace the despire.

One final thing, you never want to see a player’s college career end the way it did for Alfonso Dennard. His job is to be aggressive and physical no matter who is on the other side of the LOS. Monday afternoon Dennard lost control and threw two punches and ended his career. During his time at Nebraska Dennard has worked himself into one of the best defensive backs in the country. I hope this short loss of composure doesn’t hurt his future.

 

It’s not about yards Ma’am, it’s about points

That is a Bo Pelini quote talking about what really matters when it comes to offense and defense. I wonder what that Bo Pelini would have thought about the coach that put Rex Burkhead back in the game to break a single game carries record.
After putting together a great game plan on both sides of the ball, coaches put Burkhead back in the game to take a carry and knee for a three yard loss on the second to last play of the game.
I’m sure this is not a big deal to most folks, but this is a coach that is always talking about how stats aren’t important, how individual numbers aren’t important.
Pelini also talks a lot about those who have strapped it up and competed in sports. I think what was done by putting Burkhead back in the game was a slap in the face of those who came before Rex.

For a few moments after the Burkhead handoff the official score keeper listed it as a team loss, thus no carry. The main reason for the initial ruling is because Burkhead kneeled after taking the ball from Martinez. After a short discussion and some research in the rulebook the scorer changed it to a carry, thus breaking the record.

It’s not like Burkhead doesn’t deserve a record like this. He is on pace to have the highest percentage of carries by an I-back in Nebraska history. Cory Ross is the last I-back, an the only one I can find in the last 40 years that toted more than 70 percent of the running back carries in a season. At the same time it surprises me that Pelini allowed Burkhead to be put back in solely to break a record.  
It was a great and dominant win by a team coming off a devastating loss to Michigan last week. I just wish it would have ended differently.

Speaking of ending differently, I’m sure Ndamukong Suh now wishes his turkey day would have finished without the press he received.

Suh and the Detroit Lions have been battling the talk of Suh as a dirty player for more than a year now. After what happened on Thursday I’m not sure that’s a fight they will win. To make it worse Suh tried to explain what he did with one of the worst news conferences in recent memory. A rambling explanation that made little sense to anyone finished without Suh apologizing for stomping on a Green Bay offensive linemen’s arm. While referencing the man upstairs and regaining his balance.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=7276972

So what should NU do now when it comes to its highest profile alumnus in years? A man who donated more than a million dollars to the university, and whose name is found prominently around the athletic complex.
I guess there is nothing anyone can do. Suh will always be associated with Nebraska and sadly at times vice a versa. 

Suh did offer a semi apology on his facebook page.

“My reaction on Thursday was unacceptable,” the star defensive tackle said in a statement on his Facebook page Friday night. “I made a mistake, and have learned from it. I hope to direct the focus back to the task at hand — by winning.”

I hope that’s true, the problem is as long as Suh is with the Lions every Thanksgiving  the play will be replayed and the conversation about if Suh is dirty player will continue.

Disappointing vs Devastating

Any coach you talk to will tell you that every loss is horrible, painful, the worst loss of his or her life. But usually after around 24 hours they move on to the next game plan, game prep and practice. But what about the loss that eliminates every goal you set before the season?

Michigan not only took the Huskers behind the woodshed, not only dominated all three phases of the game, but most importantly they also put a stake in the heart of Big Ten Championship and BCS hopes. So what now? The heroes game versus Iowa is of course the easy answer. Let’s think on a grander scale. Bo Pelini is wrapping up his fourth season still with a chance for double-digit wins, however this was another season where a Pelini lead team lost at home to a double-digit underdog and when presented with a chance to take the next step instead took a whopping.

I was told a couple of weeks ago by a person who owns a Husker Apparel store that Husker fever is almost non-existent. Even after the win over Michigan State Husker fans that he talked to just weren’t excited about the team and even less about the head coach. I was always under the impression that all Bo Pelini had to do was win. I was told repeatedly by fans that they didn’t care about how Pelini acted in news conferences or on the sideline as long as the team won and with that I agreed. That’s why I was surprised when the Husker store owner told me what people were saying to him about Pelini and the team.

Now Nebraska football an its embattled coach face an end of another disappointing season. Just last week we were asking fans if the season would be failure if the Huskers didn’t make the Big 10 Championship game. If a BCS appearance would be enough to call the season a success. Now fans are facing a trip to Tampa, Jacksonville or Tempe, all nice weather by the way. An end of season loss to Iowa could push the Huskers to Houston and the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas. At this point I would guess disappointing would certainly transform into devastating. 

Bo Pelini is second to only Frank Solich in wins in his first four years as Husker head coach. Pelini was considered a savior following Bill Callahan, who produced the worst stretch of seasons since Bob Devaney. The defense took only one season to go from terrible to top ten. The offensive struggles were blamed on offensive coordinator Shawn Watson. Now with Watson gone and Pelini picked and approved quarterback Taylor Martinez in his second year the excuses are starting dry up. I have always assumed that it’s easier to accept a loss as a fan when a team is just better than you. Saturday the Huskers did everything possible to give the game away. Return game fumbles, a blocked punt, ill-timed penalties and a quarterback that still struggles in must pass situations.  

I have been told by my Co-Host Kevin Kugler that Tom Osborne would never fire Bo Pelini. Because of Osborne’s experiences as an embattled head coach he would give Pelini the chance to figure it out, to get over the hump like he did. That was the 70′s and 80′s when head coaches were much lowered paid. Expectations were high but different from what we have now when donor dollars are needed even more than ever. No, I am not naive enough to think that donors or anyone else will force Tom Osborne’s hand. You have to wonder how long will Dr Tom remain in charge or how long will Bo be willing to deal with a fan base that he already feels is a bit irrational. Either way I expect 2012 to be a make or break year for Pelini’s run as Nebraska’s head coach.  

One quick thought about the game. Nebraska seemed not only out matched and out coached, but Michigan’s players just looked more athletic. Take David and Dennard out of the game and who are the players that would start for Michigan (Kyler Reed)? Michigan has big time recruits at each position where NU has walk-ons in starting spots. Not to say that the walk-on program isn’t an amazing way to develop talent in a state with few division one players, but sometimes it is more about the Jimmie’s and Joes than the X’s and O’s. Saturday was about a more talented team getting a few breaks and taking advantage of each and every one of them.