Nebraska vs Oklahoma - The Match Up That Worries Me Most
by Jon Johnston on Dec 3, 2010 7:01 AM CST
in Nebraska Husker Football
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PrintLast night I spent hours (!) doing the online radio show with the guys from Crimson and Cream Machine. We covered every aspect of the upcoming game, and one of the areas in which all felt Nebraska has the advantage is Nebraska's offensive line against Oklahoma's defensive line.
The Huskers should be able to run straight at Oklahoma and pick up good yardage on the ground. Obviously we're going to have to throw the ball enough to keep the Sooner defense honest, and that's where we might see some trouble.
Some information on Beal:
- has 18.0 tackles for loss (No. 13 nationally) and 8.5 sacks.
- leads the Big 12 in tackles for loss and is No. 2 in sacks.
- is second at OU with 29 career sacks and is second in OU history with 56.5 TFLs. Cedric Jones has the record at 31.5. Beal is also No. 2 in tackles for loss with 57.5. Rocky Calmus had 59.
- leads the team in fumbles forced with three.
- nearly one-third of his career tackles have taken place behind the line of scrimmage. Beal has at least one tackle for loss in 10 of 12 games this season.
- first player in school history to log 7.5 or more sacks in three different seasons.
- first Sooner in OU history to accumulate over 200 yards lost on sacks
Beal will move around a lot, but his most explosive plays will come in passing situations. While he's capable of playing both defensive end and outside linebacker, it's his quickness that will cause the Huskers problems. The Jones duo has played better this season, but they'll have their hands full with Beal as I don't believe either D.J or Marcel has the quickness to block Beal one-on-one. They'll require assistance from Ben Cotton, who's developed into a decent blocker. Unfortunately that will give Nebraska one less receiver in the passing game, and the Sooners a numberical advantage if the Huskers run those zone read plays to the outside.
Handling Beal well will go a long ways towards winning a championship.
What match ups or potential problems do you see when looking at the line ups in this game?
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Hmmmmm
The matchup I LOVE: Landry Jones vs. the NU secondary. He didn’t have a chance last year, and he won’t be overly successful this year. He’d better throw at least 3 picks fewer this year or its curtains for OU. Not sure he can pull it off with as much as OU throws.
Ironically, the matchup I’m wary of is the OU front seven vs the NU offensive line. I know, I know, OU has been positively meh against the run this year, and our offensive line is “vastly improved.” Whatever. It seems that our offensive line only comes through in games against inferior opponents that we’d squash anyway. Both times we’ve lost this year, it was against defenses that were good but not great, and the offensive line was front and center in our larger offensive failures in each of those games.
"My hardest job is to convince the people of Nebraska that 10-1 is not a losing season." - Tom Osborne
I'm worried about this, too.
I have no idea which offensive line will show up for Nebraska, and I think that’s the key to the game. I just don’t have much faith that the good line will be the one that shows up.
by Cheeseandcorn on Dec 3, 2010 9:57 AM CST up reply actions
I'm not so worried about that
It seems that our offensive line only comes through in games against inferior opponents that we’d squash anyway
I don’t know about that…what happened against South Dakota State, Iowa State, and Kansas? We should have had at least 300+ yards rushing in those games, but instead we vastly underperformed. But if you look at our best win this season against Missouri, our O-line dominated that game, especially in the 1st and 4th quarter, and Missouri’s defensive line this year is pretty darn good.
Maybe it came down to focus. It seemed like the whole team was EXTREMELY focussed against Missouri, and I have a feeling there will be the same amount of focus in this game. I just hope the Huskers don’t get overly focused and psych themselves out and make lots of mental mistakes…I’m pretty sure that’s what happened against Texas.
True
I’d forgotten about the Missouri game. I guess a better way to describe our offensive line’s play is “unreliable.” They have an off game, we lose. That’s what has me worried.
"My hardest job is to convince the people of Nebraska that 10-1 is not a losing season." - Tom Osborne
I would be
interested to know if in those games, what D-Line were they playing. Was it a 3 man or 4 man front. Most of what I have read this year points to our undersized center and if he is heads-up on a nose guard, we usually struggle and if Caputo is availalble in 4 man front to assist block or (even better) get to the LB level and prevent back-side pursuit we tend to be much more effective in the run game.
One thing I've learned out the Huskers this season...
No amount of analysis or hypothetical matchup scenarios will ever transpire onto the field in a way which makes sense.
They will play how they’re gonna play, depends who shows up and how ridiculously pissed off the coaching staff allows themselves to be.
If they can keep a level head, the players focused, I like our chances. But as I said, it depends who shows up to play.
+1000
The team has been really unpredictable. We squash Missou, but then barely handle Iowa State. Destroy Washington, but look very lackluster against SDSU and Kansas. I swear Bo’s just messing with us.
This is a correct analysis
But knowing that, how were you able to predict the NU-CU score so well?
Science does not emerge from voting, party politics, or public debate. - Mark Crispin
This year’s Husker team seems to live or die in the first quarter. If they can go out and get a couple quick long-play touchdowns in the first quarter they win.
If the opposing defense can keep the Huskers out of the endzone for the first quarter it seems like the offense kind of curls into a ball and gives up.
Just like the Colorado game, right? ;)
@GochfaceKillah on Twitter
by Screwface on Dec 3, 2010 2:46 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Can I make a prediction?
Offensively, this game 100% comes down to one player…
Roy Helu Jr.
Sounds crazy, right? Martinez, to the best of my knowledge, will start. Helu will have a monster game with Martinez, while gimpy, being able to keep the defense honest.
Defensively, this game comes down to the “peso” man, whether it’s Hagg, David, or Gomes. If Nebraska can fill their run fits Oklahoma won’t get chunk yardage. Well if Nebraska contains the run, you know what the secondary can do.
My prediction: Nebraska and Oklahoma both struggle early on offense but eventually, Nebraska starts chipping away. I’m not predicting a blowout, by I think Nebraska’s comfortable in the 4th.
27-17, Nebraska.
@GochfaceKillah on Twitter
by Screwface on Dec 3, 2010 2:55 PM CST via mobile reply actions
Dammit!
I’m married. Although, with enough alcohol, my wife (portion redacted).
THIS IS A FAMILY WEBSITE.
@GochfaceKillah on Twitter
by Screwface on Dec 3, 2010 7:01 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Dear Nebraska,
Please stomp the ever loving shit out of the land thieves and make them wish they would be out of this conference next season too. I hate them.
Signed,
A Sane Texas Fan
by drbadass on Dec 3, 2010 8:50 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
Sane Texas fan?
You mean they still exist?
Rec to you good sir.
Anthony Tolliver says "Get that weak stuff outta here!"
EXTEND JASON RICHARDSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A sane Texas fan?
That’s like saying a healthy person with aids, a smart retard, a nice Toyota Tercel, an uncool Chuck Norris, a thin person in Mississippi (you get the point)
by HerpieHusker on Dec 4, 2010 11:49 AM CST up reply actions
"Straight at them"
I’m with Jon…the Huskers need to run straight at them. The slow-developing run plays may well backfire against Beal’s quickness. Let the O-line come out aggressive in their run-blocking, build some confidence…and then set up the Sooners for the zone reads and runs beyond the edges. Play-action will then be much more effective, too. Let’s hope Watson goes back to basics to open rather than trying to be “multiple” from the get-go.
John Garrison came up to Omaha and went over some film at my parish,
and he was very impressed with Beal. Blocking him will be huge.
Another interesting match-up will be Broyles. Where will they play him, and who will cover him?
Anthony Tolliver says "Get that weak stuff outta here!"
EXTEND JASON RICHARDSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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