More photos » Orlin Wagner - AP

Bo Pelini - not yelling at anyone right now. That's some split-second photographic work right there!!!

Browse more photos »

I would normally review a "Keys To Victory" article on Monday, but I didn't do one last week. To be honest, I think most of them are pretty lame. Want some keys - establish the run, don't turn the ball over and don't let anyone get behind you on the big play. 

Did Kansas do better than Nebraska on any one of those keys? NO, they didn't, and that's why they lost. Ha! 

So what we have here is a random collection of thoughts about the game. 

Shawn Watson Survives Another Week! 

Saw last week some special on the History Channel about some guy going off into the Amazon looking for tribes that shrink heads. I instantly thought about Shawn Watson and his offense. Who hasn't wanted to shrink his head lately? 

Before yesterday, that is. After Oklahoma, the group thought (okay, mine) was ‘play conservative, let your defense win the game' while the Watson thought was "we need to be more productive" and after the game was over, you had to be thinking that Watson is smarter than all of us (okay, me). 

Didn't look that way the whole game, though. It's the fourth quarter, the ball is at the KU 22 and the Huskers lead 13-10. Then Watson calls an option play on third-and-12 and if you're anything like me you're screaming and throwing a tantrum (although a small one because we're ahead). Then you stop and think......  weren't we wanting him to kick a field goal on first down only a couple weeks ago? 

Then Henery lines up and makes the score 16-10. I remember the Bible verse... "Ask and Ye Shall Receive" and the add-on that goes with it "so be careful what you ask for". 

Let's not ever wish they kick on first down again, eh? Someone might be listening, and I'm not talking about Tom Osborne. 

Offensive Line Finally Offensive In A Positive Way

What was it - the Husker offensive line providing a hole, or Helu's great vision on that wondrous touchdown run with 6:27 left in the fourth quarter? Stop! Don't answer that! Consider this instead.... the offensive line didn't commit an egregious mistake, blocked the play perfectly and Helu was sprung for a touchdown. No holding. No tripping. No defensive penetration that blew the play up. 

The offensive line played a darned good game against Kansas. Of course, it didn't seem that way until the final quarter of the game. The Huskers picked up 97 yards on the ground in the fourth and five yards passing. Insert another Tom Osborne reference right here. Bottom line - the offensive line was strongest and played the best when it counted most. 

Bo's Screaming Again, This Time At Barney Cotton

Third quarter, Nebraska starts a drive at their own four-yard line. After a 45-yard pass to Niles Paul, the Huskers have the ball at the 11-yard line with the score tied, 10-10. Zac Lee keeps the ball to the five, and it looks like the Huskers should pound in a touchdown until Keith Williams gets called for tripping. On the replay, sure enough, there's Williams missing a cut block, then lifting his leg to make up for it. Silly Keith, not by the goal line!!!!

The next thing we see is Bo Pelini yelling at Barney Cotton, not because that's the only time Pelini ever yelled at Cotton, but because it makes for damned good TV. Fact is, Pelini probably yelled at Cotton 267,000 times before that, but it had more impact just after a costly personal foul penalty. People get more bent out of shape that way as if that Pelini feller is some mad dog crazyman, then they point out the bad managers they've had throughout their life, and how they'd never work for someone as crazy as that, and dammit, that Bo Pelini needs to act more like Tom Osborne who was criticized because he never showed any emotion whatsoever, even that time Barry Switzer brought guns to the field and stuck everyone up for cash. 

Side note - Pelini finished the game yelling at people 293,934 times, which was nowhere close to his personal record of 748, 233, set when he was a junior defensive back at Ohio State. I really wish they had chairs on the sideline so he could pick one up and throw it onto the field. 

Mystery Ball Player Appears, But Only For A While

Hey, we had some guy wearing #44 that had consecutive receptions, one for a first down. Later he dropped one that could have been a nice gain. After that he had one more catch for five yards, then disappeared. Weird, huh? 

Good Bye Kerry Meier! 

The pundits talk about Todd Reesing and Dezmon Briscoe, but they don't talk much about Kerry Meier and they should. On third down, KU goes to Meier, as they did so many times in this game. If you doubt that, check the game thread for me complaining about it. The Jayhawks do this because Meier is one of those guys who continually makes plays. I hate him because he plays for Kansas, but I love him because he's been fun to watch for the past few years. Now, good bye, Kerry Meier and may you be blessed with whatever life brings you that doesn't involve Husker football.

How Many Years Will It Take????? 

How many more years will it take before we no longer have to hear about Bo Pelini yelling at KSU coach Bill Snyder after the Wildcats win in 2003? No, seriously, answer that one in the comments section because I'm already tired of talking about it. 

What the Hell Will I Bite Next Week? 

My fingernails are gone. So are my toenails (yuck!). I have no idea what I'm going to do for next week's game. Maybe we'll start real fast and crush them, my nails need a break.