Wall Street Husker
Missouri 2007

I have the answer Husker Fans. I just wish I could have called Callahan & Cos at halftime and informed them of this amazing solution. It’s called the ‘Opposite Rule’. If every instinct you have is wrong, then the opposite would have to be right. It’s simple, focused, and clear. When you think you should pass…run. When you think you should run…pass. When you think running a 3-3-5 defense will work…run a base 5-2 defense. You see, this is the answer to all of our problems.

This well-known philosophy, coined on an episode of Seinfeld, is what the coaches should really take a look at. Rework the whole thing. If you have scheduled practices for Tuesdays, stop practicing. If you review game film on Wednesdays, try going to the movies instead. Just do the complete opposite of whatever it is that you have done to get you here. See, if the results you currently have are because of a consistent line of behavior, and its not working, then that behavior must be wrong. So, do the complete opposite of everything that you have done in the past. Below are some suggestions for improvement on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.

Offense:

Opposite Rule.

Defense:

Opposite Rule.

Ok, all joking aside, there are a few points I’d like to go over. Aside from the obvious debacle that is NU football against ranked opponents, I will let others scream ‘fire everyone’, and focus on some of the basics.

Basic #1: There is nothing positive to take away from this game aside from the fact that Kansas beat Kansas State. I wrote last week that we needed a strong performance from our O-line if we were to win. Many were hoping for a ‘complete’ game from this group. Instead, nobody showed up to play. Wait, there is one positive. I was able to watch this game confined to my own home. Being in public may have led to an immediate arrest.

Basic #2: Why were there NO adjustments made at halftime? We had the same game plan, same O, same D plan. I have never seen a Nebraska defense with such horrible tackling efforts. This 3-3-5 D worked last year, but Missouri runs a different offense now. They were much more spread this year. Bring both safeties up, man up on the edges, and send the house – every time until you hit the quarterback. Don’t worry about a long pass play. At least your defense would get off of the field quickly and not back up 10 yards and do it all over again – all game long. At least you make Chase get rid of the ball quickly and hope for some pass breakups. ‘Lifeless’ as Matt Davison put it with the commentators from ESPN. Meaning, if this approach proved not to work in the first half, then we must change that approach. Opposite rule.

Basic #3: I found it ironic when the announcer stated, “You feel like Nebraska needs to make some sort of play.” Really? You think? This was immediately followed by a Mizzou 20 yard pass play for a first down. The irony of the call was that NU did not make one significant play all game. The Purify 60 yard scant during the second drive that was called back could have been a huge swing for us. But, again, it comes back to the worst overall effort that I have ever seen from NU football in recent memory. I never watched the Texas Tech Massacre. This ranks up there.

Basic #4: You could hear Bill Callahan say to Gary Pinkel at midfield at the end of the game, “Helluva a job.” What I would have said was this, “Nice class shown by attempting a fake field goal up 4 scores in the fourth quarter. What is wrong with you? You saw my kids were down and out and you went for their throats. Hopefully we’ll see you again real soon pal.” Maybe that’s the New Yorker coming out. Looks like Pinkel had something to prove (small man complex anyone?).

Many claim that in the current college football climate this parity will be the norm. Fine, I can live with that. The same talent for every team! But nobody seems to realize the obviousness of this truth. If all teams have equal talent, and anybody can beat anybody on “any given Saturday”, then it comes down to which coaching staff beats the other. We will not have a top 25 ball club until our current coaching staff learns to beat the others in college football. From teaching to leadership, execution to technique, team spirit to accountability, and attitude to composure. The coaching staffs that execute these leadership intangibles will ultimately win championships.

At this point, I really just hope we make it to a bowl game that has some great weather near the end of December. I could use the vacation after watching this game.

Up next is Oklahoma State. Back in the friendly (for now) confines of Lincoln! We will need a complete game for a win here as well. In order for us to get it done, we must do the complete opposite of what we did last week. Press conference scheduled for Monday, go to the library instead. Walk-throughs on Friday, hit O Street in Lincoln and get schnookered instead. If for nothing else, it might take the player's minds off of this stressful time, and puts some fun back into just playing the game. I think that’s what they need more than anything else right now.

From the Big Apple – to the Big Red Country…

WallStreet Husker