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Sign up for our email list to be notified when we update the HF Blog. October 21st, 2009
Iowa State Preview by Ryan Blase
Greetings Husker fans. Time to check in again and offer a preview of the upcoming game with the Iowa State Cyclones.
First, let us have a review of the Missouri game preview. My keys to winning the game were:
1. Run the football. Nebraska did not commit to this at all. Not until their last drive of the 4th quarter where it looked to me that maybe Missouri had their spirits broken at this point. However, we never would have known as Nebraska continually went away from the running game.
2. Pressure Blaine Gabbert. No comments needed here. Job well done by Nebraska's front four.
3. Win the special teams battle. Nebraska did their best to lose this one handily. The long snapping, the bad punts, the muffed punts, and the list goes on. Nebraska should be thanking their defense and a couple lucky bounces of the ball for saving the day.
All in all, this game was puzzling. The offense did not bother to show up until the 4th quarter and the special teams looked like they had never been a unit prior to kickoff. Somehow, the offense got out of the rut enough to score 27 4th quarter points, albeit aided by some great interceptions providing short fields by the Blackshirts.
I was quite off in my score prediction. However, I will make one excuse. I made that prediction prior to knowing the weather forecast. Should've changed it up. However, all Nebraska fans were ultimately happy with the result.
The Texas Tech game. Let's not go there.
The keys to beating Iowa State. I only have two keys that I believe will be important.
1. Have the offense show up.
Many sportswriters have been saying the Nebraska offense has no identity, or no plays that they can call their bread and butter. I can understand this view, but I think it has more to do with players not being motivated or focused. It really doesn't matter what types of plays you want to run if people don't show that they have more will to win the game than the opposition. Nebraska looked completely unmotivated against Texas Tech. The defense kept the game close, but even they lacked a fire in the game (save Philip Dillard). Nebraska needs some players that look like animals on the field after a big play. Let's see some celebration, some heart, some want-to.
I would like to see the offense go back to the basics. Call many run plays and put it on the offensive line to establish the line of scrimmage and push some people around. I would like to see Nebraska's offensive line take pride in knocking the defender that is right across from them off the ball. I don't care how vanilla and boring the offense is. If we slowly grind out a 21-14 win, so be it. But let's have the coaches instill some physicality in this football team.
2. Shut down Iowa State's running game.
Iowa State has been rather successful running the football this year at over 200 yards a game. The Blackshirts need to shut down their running game as they have been doing to previous opponents, holding them to less than 100 per game. Hold Iowa State under 100 yards rushing and this game should be over (provided that Nebraska's offense can score points).
This is it. It is very basic. But when you look at it on paper, there is no way Nebraska should lose to Iowa State. Moreover, Nebraska probably should not have lost to Texas Tech or Virginia Tech. My dad, a very wise man, said earlier in the season before the Missouri game, "I don't think Missouri can beat Nebraska, but I think Nebraska can beat Nebraska. That's how they lost to Virginia Tech." There probably could not be more true words to describe this season thus far.
My prediction:
Nebraska 31
Iowa State 14
Go BIG RED!
What are your keys to the upcoming game? Don't forget to enter the Husker Faithful Guess the Score Contest to win Husker Faithful apparel.
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