POSTED: September 7, 2019

Colorado Daily – Nebraska


Colorado Daily – Nebraska

September 7th

… CU in a few minutes …

Former Buff Matt McChesney “This game means more to Buffalo Nation and it means more to them, too”

From the Daily Camera … Eight years apart, separate conferences and an early September date has changed the stakes, but the impact of the matchup is still significant. That was evident last year when the Buffs made the trek to Lincoln.

The players on CU’s roster last year had no idea what the rivalry was like going in, but heard the stories and embraced it. CU’s 33-28 victory sparked a 5-0 start to the season and became an instant classic for some Buff fans.

“For some of the young men on our team, they didn’t realize the magnitude until they actually got in Lincoln Memorial Stadium and saw the impact that their crowd had on the game,” Carl said. “Standing together as a team and walking out with a victory, it went a long way to build the confidence for last year for the first five games for sure.”

Former Buff Matt McChesney, who is one of the few Buffs to ever be a part of three wins against the Huskers, made the trip to Lincoln last year and felt some familiar emotions after the Buffs’ win.

“Last year was awesome, not only for the win and the way it happened, but there’s just something different about beating certain people,” McChesney said.

Continue reading story here

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September 6th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Nebraska game officially a sellout

From CUBuffs.com … Saturday’s football game at Folsom Field with the Nebraska Cornhuskers officially is a sellout, University of Colorado Athletic officials announced Friday afternoon.

Single game tickets were sold out months ago, but CU continued to sell season ticket as well as 3-game packages through the end of business on Friday.  The school will still a five-game season ticket package at a reduced rate beginning Monday.

All told, 20,284 season tickets were purchased for the 2019 season, exactly 1,000 more than a year ago; in addition the student allotment of 12,254 had sold out earlier in the week.  Folsom’s seating capacity is 50,183; the last sellout was on Nov. 26, 2016, when 52,301 packed Folsom to see the Buffs defeat Utah, 27-22, to win the Pac-12 South Division title.

The Buffaloes square off against the No. 25-ranked Cornhuskers at 1:35 p.m., with the game to be televised nationally on FOX and to the nation on radio on Compass Networks.

 

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KD Nixon: “I’m very thankful I get to play in this game, because I know how big it is for Colorado history”

Related … “CU Buffs-Nebraska scouting report” … from the Daily Camera

From the Daily Camera … A seismic shift in the college football landscape tore two rivals apart in 2011.

Colorado bolted the Big 12 for the Pac-12, Nebraska moved on to the Big Ten and one of the sport’s best rivalries came to a halt.

What conference realignment couldn’t do, however, was dissolve the disdain the Buffaloes have for the Cornhuskers, and vice versa.

The energy in Lincoln Memorial Stadium last year when the teams met for the first time since 2010 was intense. On Saturday, when the Huskers make their first visit to Folsom Field in 10 years, the stadium promises to be unlike any game in recent years.

“I’m very thankful I get to play in this game, because I know how big it is for Colorado history,” Buffs receiver KD Nixon said.

Continue reading story here

CornNation: Five Reasons Why Nebraska Could Lose to Colorado 

.. Tongue in cheek, but with a hint of truth … 

From CornNation.com … Look, I might’ve been wrong about Nebraska losing to South Alabama. Come on though, it was South Alabama. There’s no reason that game should’ve been close. Scott Frost even said the defense won Nebraska the game. Nebraska’s offense couldn’t do anything against a Sun Belt team, does anybody really think they’ll be able to do anything against a power five opponent? I may have been wrong about Nebraska going 0-12 this year, but don’t worry that will be the only time this season I’m wrong.

  1. Mel Tucker is a Better Head Coach
  2. This is Going to be a Hostile Environment
  3. Nebraska Turnovers
  4. Adrian Martinez is Scared
  5. Frost Has Never Won on the Road

Read full story here

Scott Frost: Nebraska offense “leaps and bounds better” this week

From CUBuffs.com … Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez, whose name appeared on plenty of preseason Heisman Trophy watch lists, did not have a sterling season opener in NU’s 35-21 win over South Alabama last week. While most folks expected Nebraska’s offense to jump out to a fast start in its second year under head coach Scott Frost, the Cornhuskers’ offense struggled for much of the day. Martinez was just 13-for-22 for 178 yards, no touchdowns and an interception; and he finished with just six net yards rushing on 13 attempts (he was sacked twice for 23 yards in losses).

But the Buffs believe last week’s performance was more aberration than trend. Frost has had a week to fix NU’s offensive woes, and he has expressed confidence that his offense will bounce back.

“This week’s a lot better,” Frost said after Thursday’s practice. “Defense had a good week and offense was considerably better, leaps and bounds better. We tell the guys all the time that you don’t all of a sudden show up on Saturday and play well. They have to earn that and practice how they play. I’ll feel a lot better about things if we play the way we practiced this week.”

Continue reading story here

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September 5th 

… CU in a few minutes … 

OC Jay Johnson: “I feel good about our surrounding cast” (around Laviska Shenault) 

From the Daily Camera … Given the unique skills and exceptional talent of receiver Laviska Shenault, it could be tempting for the Colorado offense to look his way almost every time he’s on the field.

Buffaloes offensive coordinator Jay Johnson isn’t going to force the ball to his best weapon, however, because the others aren’t too bad either.

“I really feel good about our surrounding cast,” Johnson said after practice Wednesday as the Buffs (1-0) prepare to host No. 25 Nebraska (1-0) on Saturday. “We have a lot of good surrounding players and so we try to make sure everybody is involved.

“Certainly (Shenault) is a talented guy. You try to monitor (his touches) a little bit, but at the end of the day, I feel good that whatever play we have called we have to go through our progressions – run, pass or whatever – and do what’s presented to us.”

Shenault accounted for 83 yards in total offense and scored a touchdown in the Buffs’ 52-31 win against Colorado State on Friday, but had just six touches on offense.

Continue reading story here

Mel Tucker: “It’s not complicated … It’s all about the ball. That’s all that matters”

From CUBuffs.com … “The Ball. The Ball. The Ball.”

Just about everywhere the Colorado Buffaloes go in the CU Champions Center, they are greeted by this simple but crucial reminder. It is in hallways, meeting rooms and prominent in the main auditorium. It is something CU coaches want the Buffaloes to never, ever forget.

“The Ball. The Ball. The Ball.”

“It’s not complicated,” said CU head coach Mel Tucker, who made sure those signs were installed as soon as he arrived in Boulder. “You have 22 guys out there and it’s all about this ball. Everybody wants it. Everybody’s fighting for it. It’s all about the ball. That’s all that matters.”

It is a philosophy the Colorado coaching staff has instilled since Day One of the Tucker Era. Take care of the ball on offense; take the ball away on defense. When you do those two things consistently, good things usually happen.

— According to a study by the SBNation in 2014, college football teams that had at least a plus-four margin in turnovers won 90 percent of those games.

— FootballScoop did a study of seven years of college football turnover margins. In that span, 53 teams had a turnover margin of plus-1.0 or greater — and 52 of those teams had winning seasons; 50 won at least eight games; 40 won at least nine and 27 won or shared at least a division championship.

— In the 2018 season, of the top 50 FBS teams in the nation in turnover margin, only six had losing records. Six teams had a margin of at least plus-1, and five of those teams won at least nine games.

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“If we can stop (Martinez), we can beat them”

From The Athletic … You don’t clock a 10.51-second 100-meter dash, as Davion Taylor did at the Pac-12 championships in 2018, without taking pride in all things speed.

So when Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez evaded a CU tackler last fall, burst around the left side, and then outran the linebacker for a 41-yard touchdown, Taylor took it personally. And he doesn’t plan to stare at the back of the talented quarterback’s jersey this time around.

“It’s not letting him get outside of me,” Taylor said. “He’s a very fast guy, too. Last year, he burned the whole team one time. We have to keep him in the pocket and make him pass. If we make him pass, I feel like that’s probably one of his weaknesses. We’re just trying to get that.”

To be fair to Taylor, his pursuit of Martinez in Lincoln last fall came from the opposite side of the field. Even Usain Bolt would have had a difficult time gobbling up enough green to catch the speedy Husker before he reached the goal line. But the defensive emphasis for CU remains valid. Martinez rushed for 117 yards and two scores when the teams met last season before suffering an ankle injury — on a play that still draws the ire of Nebraska fans — that forced his exit in the fourth quarter.

That Martinez managed just 6 yards on 13 carries in the Huskers’ season-opening win over South Alabama last week has done little to alter his perception among CU defensive players, who this week have expressed a healthy respect for the quarterback’s ability to turn a game with one spin of his legs.

“He’s a great athlete and he’s slippery,” CU linebacker Jonathan Van Diest said. “It’s just keeping him (the pocket) and tackling well, and we’ve got some schemes for that.”

Continue reading story here (subscription required) …

Strong second half finish v. CSU gives Buff defense optimism for Nebraska

From the Daily Camera … Giving up 31 points and 505 yards typically won’t bring a smile to the face of anyone on a defense.

Colorado linebacker Nate Landman came away from Friday’s 52-31 win against Colorado State feeling encouraged, however.

Growing pains are expected of the Buffs (1-0), who are in their first season with head coach Mel Tucker and his staff. The defense, playing its first game with the 3-4 scheme installed by Tucker and coordinator Tyson Summers, certainly experienced some early bumps.

It was how the Buffs finished that made an impression on Landman.

“I was very pleased,” said the junior, who had a team-high 11 tackles. “(CSU) came out and I knew they were going to hit us with something new. They attacked us well in the first half.

“What made me most excited was the young guys on our defense were able to take those (halftime) adjustments and really apply that quick, little 10-minute lesson to the field. The score showed that it worked.”

Continue reading story here

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September 4th

… CU in a few minutes … 

* Video – Offensive coordinator Jay Johnson post-practice talk with media *

From YouTube, courtesy of BuffStampede.com

Buffs not taking the bait in trash talk – “It’s about the preparation leading up to the game, and the game will take care of itself”

From the Daily Camera … Nebraska fans – and even head coach Scott Frost – have thrown some verbal jabs at the Buffs this week. So far, none of the Buffs have taken the bait.

“They’re talking enough for both of us,” Buffs quarterback Steven Montez said.

Tucker sees no need for the verbal jousting and made it clear to his players that he wants none of it.

“I don’t want our guys talking (trash),” Tucker said. “This is not a time to talk. It’s about preparation. There’s already a date for the game; we’re going to play. What are we doing to do up until the game to get ready? That’s what I expect from our guys, period.”

Nebraska’s first trip to Boulder since 2009 will create an electric atmosphere. The game is nearly a sellout (limited seats are available through season or three-game packages) and athletic director Rick George said Tuesday that this will be the highest revenue-producing game in CU’s history.

“The stadium is going to be packed,” Montez said. “Highest revenue in the history of Colorado football. That’s huge; that’s big stuff. The atmosphere should be great and we’re just excited to get out there and play.”

For Tucker, this will be his first home game as the Buffs’ coach and he even joked that “Ralphie is going to be running probably a little bit faster” because of the energy in the stadium.

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Nebraska DC on Laviska Shenault: “You’ve got to know where that cat’s at”

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. got his first taste last Friday of what his season is going to be like.

The preseason All-American never made a move against Colorado State when he wasn’t shadowed by a Ram. Wherever Shenault lined up — in the slot, out wide, as an H-back/tight end or in the backfield — the CSU defense was calling his number and pointing out his location.

Not that it stopped Shenault. He still caught three passes for 48 yards and a touchdown, and also rushed three times for 35 yards, including a 23-yard run and a key fourth-down conversion.

Still, he admits the extra attention is a little frustrating — but it also opens up opportunities for his teammates.

“I’m learning how to deal with it,” Shenault said Tuesday morning. “I just have to keep my head on the bigger picture. If we’re winning and the team is doing everything right, then we’re good … It definitely opens it up (for teammates). It’s good when every guy can come in and do their part and do their job.”

Shenault will no doubt see more of the same Saturday when Nebraska pays a visit to Folsom Field for a 1:30 p.m. game (Fox). Shenault had a terrific game a year ago against NU — 10 catches for 177 yards and the game-winning 40-yard touchdown pass — and the Huskers have made it very clear they don’t plan on the CU junior enjoying a repeat performance.

 “It’s Where’s Waldo, right?” Nebraska defensive coordinator Erik Chinander told the Lincoln Star-Journal on Tuesday. “You’ve got to know where that cat’s at. And just because you know where he’s at doesn’t mean you know what’s going to go on. But you always have to understand where he’s at, and how we can work our calls to benefit us when he’s in the slot, when he’s at X, when he’s in the backfield, when he’s at tight end. But we’ve got to know where he’s at.”

Continue reading story here

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September 3rd

… CU in a few minutes … 

Mel Tucker: “That’s why players come here, to play in big games like this”

Related … Transcript of Tuesday press conference, with quotes from Mel Tucker, Steven Montez, and Mikial Onu … From CUBuffs.com

Tuesday press conference, from BuffsTV:

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado coach Mel Tucker understands rivalries. He has coached in some of the biggest games in football — college and pro — and he embraces the opportunities they present.

“That’s what makes the game great,” Tucker said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “That’s what everyone wants to see, and that’s why players come here, to play in big games like this. That’s why you put in all the work in the offseason and then during the season, to be able to put your best foot forward in these types of games. So I look at it as great moments and opportunities to perform.”

But, Tucker stressed, rivalry games are not about engaging the opponent off the field. They are not about empty chatter and trash talk. It’s why the Buffs’ agenda this week won’t be different than any other week, and why Tucker has made sure his players understand that any talking should be done with their pads during the game.

Leave the chatter and chirping to someone else.

“Our focus is really on the preparation and what it’s going to take to put ourselves in a position to perform the way we need to perform in the game,” Tucker said. “I don’t want our guys talking. This is not a time to talk, this is about preparation. … The game will take care of itself.”

No doubt, Saturday’s 1:30 p.m. home opener against 1-0 Nebraska is a big game for the 1-0 Buffs and their fans. Interest in the renewal of a rivalry that captivated fans when both schools were conference foes (Big 7, Big 8 and Big 12) has been high since the games were announced — and it only increased after last year’s game, a thrilling come-from-behind 33-28 Colorado victory in Lincoln.

Should there be any doubt about the interest, Colorado athletic director Rick George confirmed Tuesday that the game will be the biggest revenue producer in CU history.

Continue reading story here

CU Athletic Director asks for civility from fans

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado AD Rick George had this message Tuesday for Colorado fans: “I want to make it very clear that we really want our fans and our community to be respectful of Nebraska and their fans. I think it’s important that we all remember this is just a football game. Yes, it is Nebraska and we know that history and tradition, but I think it’s important that we have civility. There’s enough negative narrative out in our country. When Nebraska comes in, we ought to be respectful to their fans like they are to our fans when we come in.”

Both Tucker and Frost expect to see improvement in Game Two

From CUBuffs.com … Nebraska is coming off a 4-8 finish last season, but was ranked No. 24 in the preseason Associated Press poll.

“They’ve improved,” Tucker said. “You can tell that they’ve worked really hard this offseason. You can tell they had a good camp. They’re bigger, they’re stronger, they’re faster than what they were.”

On Monday, Nebraska head coach Scott Frost said his team did not have a great week of preparation last week and played that way Saturday. He also said he expected to see plenty of improvement in Week 2.

That’s very similar to what Tucker had to say after Friday night’s debut win.

“We’re going to make our most improvement from the first game to the second game,” Tucker said. “We have a really good idea of where we are as a football team and where we need to go.”

Continue reading story here

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September 2nd

… CU in a few minutes … 

Defensive line rotation went six-deep in CSU game

From CUBuffs.com … Throughout fall camp, Tucker said he hoped to play a rotation of defensive linemen to keep their legs fresh.

In Friday’s opener, four defensive linemen played at least 30 snaps for the Buffs, led by starters Terrance Lang (64), Mustafa Johnson (58) and Jalen Sami (40). Getting some quality time in a reserve role were sophomore junior college transfer Janaz Jordan (30 snaps) and true freshmen Austin Williams (22) and Na’im Rodman.

That rotation allowed the Buffs to have their starters on the field in the fourth quarter — and that’s when Lang delivered a sack and Johnson picked up a fumble and rumbled 9 yards for a touchdown. But the newcomers also held their own throughout the game when needed.

“We knew going into this deal that we were going to need to play the young guys,” Tucker said. “That’s why we recruited these guys and wanted to get some more big guys on our roster. We needed them and we need some guys to play right now, early. We’re not afraid to play freshmen. That’s a big part of what we’re doing, is getting as many guys ready to play as possible. It’s always good when you see young guys getting in there, getting experience, mixing it up in their first game. We’re just going to build on it.”

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Mel Tucker post-practice talk with media (Mon.)

From YouTube, courtesy of BuffStampede.com … Mel Tucker: “Our receivers did a really good job blocking … Guys not worrying about targets. Instead, it’s ‘What’s my job?’ … Football is the ultimate team sport. We talk about that all the time … Second-half adjustments were huge. That’s something we can build on … We’re not afraid to play freshmen … The page is turned. We’re on to Nebraska … They are a very explosive football team … They have big, strong players on defense … Their quarterback can make a lot of plays … “.

Scott Frost refers to CU as “ex-rival”

From the Daily Camera … As a coach, he’s been involved in the Iron Bowl (Alabama vs. Auburn), The Game (Ohio State vs. Michigan) and Clean, Old Fashioned Hate (Georgia vs. Georgia Tech), among other bitter rivalries in college and the NFL.

On Saturday at Folsom Field, Tucker will add a new experience to his list when he takes his Colorado Buffaloes (1-0) up against No. 24 Nebraska (1-0).

Tucker has always been one to maximize the importance of each day and every step leading up to a game, but he’s also been hearing about this game – Nebraska’s first visit to Boulder since Nov. 27, 2009 – since the day he was hired in December.

“I feel the energy and the passion from our fans and our alums and from our players of how big this next game is,” Tucker said on Friday night, not long after the Buffaloes finished off Colorado State, 52-31, in his debut as CU head coach.

Still, Tucker and the Buffs came away from Friday’s game with a business-like approach to this week.

Frost is a Lincoln native who played in two CU-Nebraska games as the Huskers quarterback in 1996 and 1997, so he’s well aware of the feelings between the two teams, but called the Buffs an “ex-rival” after Saturday’s win.

“We’ve got to have a great week because we’re playing a really good team and an ex-rival,” he said.

Continue reading story here

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September 1st

… CU in a few minutes … 

Neill Woelk’s Ten Takeaways from CU’s win over CSU

From CUBuffs.com … When Colorado Athletic Director Rick George presented head coach Mel Tucker with the game ball in the CU locker room after Friday night’s 52-31 win over Colorado State, George also had a message for the Buffs.

He expects more. Friday night was a start — a very good start — but the fact of the matter is, wins over Colorado State are nothing new. The Buffs have won five in a row and six of the last seven over their in-state rivals, and the powers that be in the Champions Center are eager to see the Buffaloes do more than just push the Rams around.

Tucker would be the first to agree. While no doubt happy with a victory in his CU coaching debut, Tucker made it clear he expects his team to improve — and he expects that to happen between now and next Saturday’s 1:30 p.m. home opener with Nebraska.

“We’re going to make our most improvement from the first game to the second game,” Tucker said in his post-game press conference. “I have a really good idea right now of where we are as a team but it’s a starting point. I’m looking forward to watching film and making corrections so we can get these kids ready for next week.”

No doubt, Saturday’s visit from the Cornhuskers — their first trip to Boulder since 2009 — is front and center on the mind of just about every CU fan. But Friday’s game is worth one more look as we figure out what’s ahead for the Buffaloes.

Thus, our first 2019 installment of weekly takeaways:

Continue reading story here

Notes and quotes from RMS – Alex Kinney goes 5-0 v. CSU – 14 players make CU debuts

From CUBuffs.com

— Plenty of debuts. A long list of Buffs made their CU debuts against the Rams, including four true freshmen, five redshirt freshmen, two junior college transfers and three grad transfers.

Among the newcomers getting some significant playing time were true freshmen defensive linemen Na’im Rodman and Austin Williams, along with JC transfer D-lineman Janaz Jordan. They provided some important relief up front for CU’s starters, keeping fresh legs in a game that saw CSU have nearly 33 minutes of possession time. Jordan was the only one credited with a tackle from press box statistics, but their presence no doubt helped keep CU’s starters fresh down the stretch.

That came in handy, as CU’s defensive line started producing some push in the second half, getting two sacks on Hill, including one by Terrance Lang (the second of his career) that forced CSU’s only punt of the night.

— Leading tacklers. Inside linebacker Nate Landman was the top stopper for the Buffs with 11 tackles, while cornerback Delrick Abrams Jr. added nine, Van Diest had six and Maddox had five.

— Perfect 5-0. CU punter Alex Kinney is now believed to be either the first or second player in CU history to play in five wins against the same opponent. The other possibility is Harry Gamble, who lettered six times (1891-96). There are no participation records from that era, but the Buffs did beat Denver five times in that stretch.

Kinney punted four times for a 49.0-yard average Friday, including a booming 63-yarder that was fielded at the CSU 2-yard line. He finished with a 44.2-yard net average.

— Tidbits. Colorado’s Montez, who wrapped up a 3-0 mark in starts against the Rams, was 56-for-74 for 772 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions against CSU … When CSU took a temporary lead twice in the second quarter, it was the first time the Rams had led the Buffs since the second quarter of the 2015 game … CU grad transfer tight end Jalen Harris caught two passes, including a 1-yard scoring pass for Colorado’s first touchdown of the night. Combined with the four passes he caught at Auburn, he now has six career catches for three touchdowns … The Rams’ leading rusher in the game was a receiver, true freshman Dante Wright. He carried the ball three times for 59 yards, nearly half of the Rams’ 131 total rushing yards. His big gain was a 41-yard scoring run in the first half on a fourth-and-2 play. CSU’s leading running back was Marvin Kinsey, with just 41 yards on 12 carries … After having four scoring plays of 38 yards or longer in last year’s game, the Buffs’ longest play of the night this time around was just 38 yards, and it wasn’t a touchdown. Colorado’s longest scoring play of the evening was a 25-yard pass from Montez to Laviska Shenault Jr.

Schedule: The Buffs did not practice Saturday and won’t practice Sunday, their first two days off in a row since before fall camp started. They will return to the practice field Monday to begin preparation for next Saturday’s 1:30 p.m. home opener matchup with Nebraska at Folsom Field.

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August 31st

… CU in a few minutes …

Husker Online: Here are 10 of our biggest takeaways from Game One: Bring on Colorado

From Husker Online10. Bring on Colorado

As soon as the “tune-up game” was over, Nebraska had already locked its sights onto next week’s significantly bigger test at Colorado.

Judging from the players post-game comments, the Buffaloes have been in the back of the Huskers’ minds for a while now.

“My coach don’t like them, so I don’t like them,” senior defensive lineman and team captain Darrion Daniels said. “That’s the mindset. If my teammates got some beef with them, then I’ve got some beef with them…

“I felt like last year we were the better team, so if that’s the way it was last year then I know we’re the better team this year.”

There’s a thought that NU might have been holding things back a bit on Saturday in an effort to give Colorado as little game film to study as possible.

True or not, there should be no shortage of motivation as Nebraska prepares for its rematch of a game that turned the course of last season.

“I had last year’s game circled on my schedule and I have this year’s game circled on my schedule,” said Lee, who played high school ball at Highlands Ranch (Colo.) Valor Christian. “Being able to go play against those kids – and I know a lot of the kids on their team. I’m just excited to go back out there and take CU down.”

Five-touchdown favorite Nebraska needs three non-offensive touchdown to defeat South Alabama, 35-21

Related … “Blackshirts aid struggling Husker offense in season-opening win” … from the Lincoln Star-Journal

From ESPN … Nebraska scored two defensive touchdowns and one on special teams, bailing out a sluggish offense and leading the No. 24 Cornhuskers to a 35-21 victory over South Alabama on Saturday.

The five-touchdown favorite Huskers led only 14-7 at halftime and totaled just 66 yards in the second half. But their defense had five takeaways, the biggest one Eric Lee Jr.’s 38-yard interception return for a touchdown, and JD Spielman ran back a punt 76 yards to make it a three-touchdown game early in the third quarter.

Any easing of the anxiety at Memorial Stadium was temporary. South Alabama converted two straight turnovers into touchdowns to cut it to 28-21 and had the ball heading into the fourth quarter.

Things started turning for Nebraska when Cam Taylor hammered Jaguars quarterback Cephus Johnson, popping the ball loose, and Alex Davis picked it up at the goal line and stepped into the end zone for a touchdown.

Then, with South Alabama threatening from the Nebraska 12, Taylor stepped in front of Johnson’s pass and ran in back to midfield.

It was the second straight time the Huskers struggled against an opponent from the Sun Belt Conference. Last year they lost at home to Troy, one of the lowest points in a 4-8 season.

Nebraska had difficulty establishing the run against what was the 101st-ranked rushing defense last season. The Huskers averaged 2.2 yards per carry and finished with 98 on the ground.

Martinez was intercepted once and nearly two other times, center Cam Jurgens shot a snap over Martinez’s head for a 20-yard loss and the offensive line was beaten often by pass rushers.

Continue reading story here

Neill Woelk: Mel Tucker happy, but not satisfied, with victory 

Related … “Buffs Give Tucker Win Over CSU In His Colorado Debut”Game story from CUBuffs.com

From CUBuffs.com … Even while the last stragglers were still filing out of Broncos Stadium early Saturday morning, Colorado coach Mel Tucker was turning his focus ahead.

No doubt, Tucker was happy to collect his first win as CU’s head coach, a wild 52-31 win over Colorado State in his Buffs debut. He celebrated in the Colorado locker room with his players, he congratulated them — and then he reminded them that there was another task ahead.

“So what — now what?” Tucker told the media when asked if there was a sense of “relief” to get his first win. “It’s a level of accomplishment, a job done. (But) what’s next?”

What’s next, of course, is a 1:30 p.m. meeting next Saturday with Nebraska. Tucker knows what the game means to Colorado players and fans.

But equally important was Tucker’s laser focus in the immediate aftermath of his first victory. It is another strong indicator of the kind of culture Tucker wants to build at Colorado.

“I feel the enormous passion from our fans, but you can’t get overwhelmed by the magnitude,” Tucker said. “I expect to see a better football team next week.”

Simply put, Tucker was happy but far from satisfied.

Continue reading story here

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15 Replies to “Colorado Daily – Nebraska”

  1. nobody said fans cant trash talk
    Frost is carrying on the Osborne tradition of running a half way house before the player goes to prison

  2. Tucker’s discipline, and attitude towards preparation over trash talking, just goes to show you the difference between his organization and discipline vs the other coach and his team; forgets ethics and his RB, look at how he represents and allows his players to.

  3. Having no idea how this season will turn out for the Buffs in terms of wins/losses, I continue to be impressed by everything I see/hear from Coach Tucker. From here in the Garden State on Saturday, I shall be rooting hard for my Alma mater. I was lucky enough – as a sophomore – to be in Folsom on 10/25/86 when Coach Mac’s Buffs upset NU 20-10. Thirty-plus years later, still one of my all-time favorite days. In Tuck We Trust. Huck the Fuskers!

  4. So the lil pinkies are coming to town. With “the greatest fans in the world” right behind em. Some say 12000, some say 20000.

    Some Suff:
    Pinkies dropped from 24th to a tie for 25th with ISU in The AP poll
    Pinkies moved from 26th to 25th in the Coaches Poll
    (Middle Note: AP points went from 154 to 85 . Coaches poll points went from 152 to 94. –2 points ahead of 25– Not a lot of faith from either poll.)

    The korncribs have had the hype machine going since “the snowman” showed up. They believed it at the start of last year. And they believe it this year. Cornpuffer hype. It’s the worst.

    Jethro Tull comes to mind.

    62-36…………..Hell …………………33 to 28………………Stunned 90,000…………..I didn’t hear no frigging panty hand golf clap from them redbutts. Nothing…….

    Some say they are the favorite to win the Big Ten West. They got all them big teams coming to stinkn linkn I guess they think them whinebabbies in the stands are gonna be the difference?

    Whatever.

    Up the Buffs and down the kobs

    Note: Working on a new tune/poem to brighten your day later this week.

  5. I watched a bit of the 2nd half of the cob game and it was apparent their pervert RB is far and away the best one on the roster. Ten bucks says he will still be playing even if he is convicted. As I understand it the charges against him have been filed in Cal. Hopefully the desperation that is Nebraska football wont affect any outcome out there. …..but you know they will try.

  6. I love all of Frost’s press conferences and quotes this week – he clearly views Colorado as a rival (or past rival) despite the Husker fans’ attempts to say otherwise.

  7. If Lee ever graduates or finishing his playing days without dont ever let him come back to this state. He can finish his life out mucking a feedlot or washing dishes at a truck stop. His parents can move back to whatever rat hole town they cam from too.

  8. Morals (?) Frost is just taking a page out of Dr. Tom’s book….. Dr. Tom was supposed to have such a clean reputation and program. The truth is Dr. Tom runs the state of NE, and he would do anything to give his Fuskers an advantage.

    Stuart, do you remember when a Husker threw his girlfriend down some stairs and got to play in the game that weekend ? (True story…….. This was in Mac#1 era).

    So, this is not a first in the Frost era. Now I hate ’em (Fuskers) and Frost even more.

    Put a HURT on Nebraska BUFFS……….PLEASE !!!!

    1. That was the infamous Lawrence Phillips. He helped lead the Cornhuskers’ to Osborne’s first national championship, and ended up committing suicide in prison awaiting trial for murder.
      I guess there is some irony here, in that one of Phillips’ victims was Scott Frost, who learned from the best.

      From Wikipedia … Phillips broke into backup quarterback Scott Frost’s apartment by climbing the outside of the building to the third floor and entering through some sliding doors. He then assaulted his ex-girlfriend, basketball player Kate McEwen. Phillips dragged McEwen out of the apartment by the hair and down three flights of stairs before smashing her head into a mailbox. Phillips was subsequently arrested, and eventually suspended by head coach Tom Osborne. The case became a source of controversy and media attention, with the perception that Frost had not even tried to protect McEwen and that Osborne was coddling a star player by not kicking Phillips off the team permanently. Osborne walked out on a press conference when asked, “If one of your players had roughed up a member of your family and had dragged her down a flight of steps, would you have reinstated that player to the team?” Outraged Nebraska faculty proposed that any student convicted of a violent crime be prohibited from representing the university on the football field. Osborne defended the decision, saying that abandoning Phillips might do more harm than good, stating the best way to help Phillips was within the structured environment of the football program. Osborne stated, “I felt the only thing I could put in a place that would keep him on track was football, because that was probably the only consistent organizing factor in his life” …

      1. Stuart, thanks for the refresher. Phillips did play that week vs CU…. correct ? You have much better resources….. I’m flying by the seat of my pants and poor memory for an 81 y.o. Geeesh

        1. Actually, the CU game was part of a six-game “suspension” Phillips received for the assault on Kate McEwen. Phillips was back in uniform for Nebraska’s 1995 run to Osborne’s second national championship.
          Scott Frost’s punishment for not coming to the aide of McEwen (reportedly hiding in a closet) … none that I know of …

  9. Lee (from CO, no less) and the captain provided some great bulletin board material for the Buffs to put up.

    And, self righteous frosty says one thing a year ago about a player’s morals and than lets a player, facing felony charges with at least some evidence of wrong doing on social media, play; a place frosty said they would look at to judge all his players and potential players.

  10. BEAT Huckin’ the Fuskers! I sure hope that Mel puts a fence around this state. I’m tired of reading quotes from top notch Colorado born players on teams from outside Colorado. Even more galling when they talk about taking down CU!

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