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.
mszonemediablog 
Comments on: "It’s not about yards Ma’am, it’s about points" (34)
Couldn’t disagree with you more. Rex has made more out of nothing when it comes to all his carries. The oline has been decent at best and pitiful at its worst and somehow Rex still managed all those yards. He saved Bo from a 7-5 season. After the way Rex carried this offense (and there is no question about that) he shouldn’t have to share that record with anyone (even a good I back like Ross)
Rex did NOT even want to go back in to get the record. Marcus Jones and others from the O-line said they wanted him to get the record for them, so they could be a part of it. Only then did he agree to go back in.
As for Suh, he’s still a young guy and what he did was wrong but in the heat of the moment. After reflecting about it he stepped up the next day, apologized and took responsibility for his actions. That’s about all you can ask for. We’ll see how he conducts himself on the field from here on out.
Don’t even begin to question the Football Genius of Mike’l Severe; after all, he knows every thing about every thing about every thing (just listen to his radio show and you will realize this).
Severe should be happy about the Burkhead record, now it gives him negative fodder for his show this week (and we all know he couldn’t have a show without negativity)
One would think Severe would be spending more time with the other football genius, Damon F. Benning, figuring out how to beat Omaha South instead of being dominated by them. But I guess riling up the Husker Fan base is more important…
After a warrior performance, he is still negative nancy. What a d-bag
how about you get the details before you type a stupid article.. Soo tired of these whiny old people complaining about Bo!!! GET A LIFE!!! Bo’s cool and you’re not!! face the facts!!
Mike who? Oh yeah. Isn’t he the dishwasher at the IHOP? Or is he the guy that cleans Rex’s j-strap after the game?
Funny, Cory Ross set the single game carry record under another non-stat-minded (interim) head coach… Bo Pelini. Look it up.
Brian you’re pretty much spot on about Mike’l I only have one small disagreement. At least Damon has played football. Mike’l’s football experience consists of watching games with Lee Terry Sr after he’s done making breakfast and cleaning Sr’s house.
A remark (re: the Burkhead record) not worthy of response. Severe is just being his normal severe self. ‘Nuff said.
I disagree as well. Rex Burkhead, if you had followed his post-game interview, did not want to go back into the game to break the record. He only did so when asked by his senior teammates who wanted to be a part of his breaking the record. It was not about yards or points at that moment to Bo. I’m sure Bo’s attitude was in agreement with the senior class and he wanted them to have one more special moment under their belt for their last home game and something that they could say they were a part of. That’s my impression of Rex’s final carry.
Wow Brian lighten up. I don’t think the afternoon show is negative at all . They are pretty fair . If you disagree with him say why , but saying the show or Mile’l is all negative make you sound like one of those fans. If you want all sunshine pumping , listen to Sports Nightly . If want to know every thing wrong with Nebraska or what could be twisted to be wrong listen to The morning show . With the morning show you will have to sit through a lot Mario Kart talk in between takes .
I don’t think Bo even knew or cared about the record . If they did they could have put Rex in at anytime in the 4th quarter . I’m sure once it got close to the end somebody caught it . Word got down to the sideline . The seniors wanted him to go in for one more carry . Whats Bo going to say No ? Let this senor class be part of something . It’s really not a huge deal . I do like the fact that every time someone calls out the record they will have to repeat the Iowa score .
Coaches don’t care about stats, but players do – even if they say they don’t. Bottom line is Rex deserved that record and its a smart coaching move for team morale to get it for him. Bo did not make that move just for Rex and his stats, he made the move for team morale – specifically the o-line, and those seniors on that line that worked their tails off all year so Rex could be a great back. I would expect a more informed commentary from someone in the business of analyzing – very ignorant piece.
Dear Sir,
You are an idiot.
Please find something else to write about.
Thank you
Severe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! come’ on man, you of all people…
Rex DID NOT want to be inserted into the game to get the record that way but the OLine wanted it. The year has been up and down and the OLine has been hella banged up, if they want to be a part of a dominating performance and a part of history I’m all for it.
This is our first year in the B1G and honestly we did pretty good, even coming from someone drinking the Kool Aid and thought we should be 10-2 or 11-1 at this point.
It is what it is and I think it’s good for team morale and if that’s gonna get some confidence going and help us get to 10-3, then I’m all for it!!!!
I agree wholeheartedly re: the phony ‘new’ carries record. We did an injustice to a former Husker great and Heisman winner. Btw….. as gutty/gritty as Burkhead is….. he ain’t never going to win the Heisman.
You, sir, are an idiot.
Another attention whore writer at work I see…
Rex, Thank you!
Suh, Grow up and take accountability for your actions. Hire a PR person, and you will do well in the NFL.
Merry Christmas!
Go Huskers!
Ah, but if it wasn’t for fine folk like Mr. Severe, what would attention whore commentors like you have to make fools of themselves over. 😉
I, too, was initially dismayed over Rex’s final “carry” in the Iowa game, at the same time sure that it wasn’t his idea. Hearing that it was in the most part a reward for the work and sacrifice put in by the o-line removes any taint the new record might have carried. I’m sure Rex will always refer to his brothers in the trenches when in the future the carry record is brought up.
…and carry records are so often brought up.
With all due respect to Rex, the seniors and the program, it was not THAT the record was broken, it was the MANNER in which it was broken. Rex didn’t care about it. Bo didn’t care about it. It was a garbage carry with the game already in hand, it wasn’t as if we were dependent upon him carrying the ball at that time to justify breaking a record. As it has been said, he was backdoored into that record. I’m sure he feels he didn’t deserve or want to get it that way. Records should only be discovered they’ve been broken after the fact. That would give a sense of achievement to a very deserving member of the Huskers. The fact that some stat guy is running around saying “we are close, we are close!” should not come into play. Let the chips fall where they may.
As for all you Mikel Severe haters, put on your big boy pants and grow the eff up. I don’t care if you agreed with him or disagreed with him. However, I do take umbrage with the malice in your possible drunken, foolish, idiotic, and immature textings. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Mr. Severe is a decent man and has been a fixture in the Omaha news and sports community for quite some time. All too often people go after the messenger, rather than the message. He does not deserve to be verbally pummelled by you.
You mean like how this comment attacks other postings as drunken, idiotic, etc. ?
Ridiculous post. Severe posted his opinion publicly for the specific purpose of generating responses. We all have a right to be just as negative in our replies. He started the “hate” so he deserves what he gets. So take your man-crush and go back in the closet.
Hey stupid. Since when is the message different from the messenger…since it is HIS opinion? Maybe you’re the one who needs to take a deep breath and consider your own stupidity before you write anything!
Seriously dude? Why do media people always have to pee on the parades? Good gosh. Look at it this way…you as a coach are the dad and the players are your kids. Wouldn’t you want one of your kids to have some glory for a bit? What if this was Miles?
Where did you stand on the Central Washington-Western Oregon softball game with the Sara Tucholsky homerun? http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/columns/story?columnist=hays_graham&id=3372631
I have nothing against Mr. Severe, I only wish he would learn how to
spell “Michael”.
I guess you are entitled to your opinion. We all know Rex is white. I would like to know your opinion had Rex been black? Wait I know what you and Hobbs and Damon would think.
His color has nothing to do with my opinion. I said he deserved the record. Just didn’t like the way it was done.
You might have a point about Burkhead. Whether it was a slap on the face of those who came before him, however, I suppose, depends on the circumstances of how the guy before him got the record. Were they feeding him the ball long after the game was decided just to pad his carries? If so, no slap in the face. Were they relying on his every carry to keep Nebraska in the game? If so, perhaps.
It all comes down to circumstances and perspective.
I think that it is important for a coach to generally be unconcerned with stats and individuality. Do you think Ohio State is happy that Tyrell Pryor picked their hat on his signing day press conference? Are the Trojans glad Reggie Bush played for them? However, when you have a blue collar player who humbly goes about his business of leading the team and carrying the load, a little recognition goes a long way – for the whole team.
Cory Ross set the record in the Alamo Bowl in 2003. His record breaking carry came on the second to last drive with about 4 minutes left in the game. He was pretty much the offense that day.
My name is Suh. How do you do? Now you gonna die.
“There is no limit to what a man can do so long as he does not care a straw who gets the credit for it.” ~Disenchantment, ch. 15 – Charles Edward Montague
I can see where you’re coming from, Mike’l. I don’t really care, though. The record isn’t that big of a deal to me that I care enough with how it was achieved. Hell, maybe he’ll break it next year. That would actually would be sort of sad as it would indicate the younger backs aren’t getting enough time. That’s another story, though.
Some of these comments have me rollin’. You’d think MIke’l had said Burkhead didn’t deserve the record and should be kicked off the team or some such nonsense. Reading comprehension, people. Reading comprehension.
Mike’l has a point on Pelini as far as conflicting quotes. Another thing that bothers me is how Pelini talks A LOT about the “process” or the “system”. You know who else talked a lot about those two things? Bill Callahan. He got killed for it, Pelini doesn’t. Save your keystrokes, I understand why Callahan didn’t work out but some of the parallels are none the less there.