ketelonelogic on 
Riggs on 
AParker on 
Chili on For this year’s Gator Bowl, we are giving you a two part special “Know Your…” segment on the Nebraska Cornhuskers. For this first post we chose to chat with the Big Red Network. You can check out our answers here.
1.) Your offense has put up some pretty good numbers this year against the competition. Who are your big play makers that we should look out for and can you give us some examples?
Obviously quarterback is an important position for making big plays and Joe Ganz doesn’t disappoint. When pressured, he has the ability to roll out of the pocket to see the open field or take off and run with it. He can be forced to make mistakes and his emotional level of play can leave him frustrated, but it’s also what makes him so good when he’s doing well. The other guy to watch for is Roy Helu, Jr. The first tackle almost never brings him down and he is FAST. He’s a highlight reel. He has hurdled over a few defenders this year.
2.) We’re not too familiar with your offense… what kind of set do you mainly run out of? Are you more of a power, “run it up the gut” kind of team or do you dink and dive your way down the field?
I like to call it the “power spread”. We run quite a bit of zone reads, misdirections, and throw in some screens. If we need five yards, there’s always a guy seven yards out. Bo Pelini tries to give Ganz a number of options each play. Pelini also likes to run some “zone-busters” that take advantage of the middle of the field. They look for mismatches with the tight ends or receivers in the slot. It’s an offense that has to get into rhythm to do really well. Although it is really balanced, don’t be surprised to see a bunch of passes in a row or a bunch of runs.
3.) What specifically has Bo Pelini brought to the table? Is there anything specifically that you find he does better than Bill Callahan?
Pelini has brought heart, effort, and emotion back to the program… the intangibles. Callahan wanted the Huskers to be a feeder to the NFL. Pelini is a guy that values tradition and isn’t afraid to bench a guy if he’s not trying hard enough. He’s also tough when it comes to team rules and suspensions. He’s bringing tradition back to Nebraska. To be honest, he does everything better than Bill Callahan.
4.) Your defense has put up some decent stats against the opposition. What kind of defense do you have? Bend but don’t break? Blitzing all day? What can we expect?
In the Big 12, teams are just going to score and you can’t shut them out (yet). Allowing 361 yards/game is enough for them the be third in the Big 12. They will sometimes cheat up and put on major blitzing pressure, but it can lead to big gains down field. They’re not afraid to make mistakes. It all begins with the front four and when they bring pressure without the need for a lot of blitzes, it give our backers the chance to make the reads they need to make. Look for Ndamukong Suh of the D-line to be in the face of your quarterback/running back all game.
5.) How big of a role do special teams play into your team? Have they been quiet? Your kicker, Alex Henery seems to be doing good (14/17), but has he missed any major kicks?
Against Colorado, Alex Henery lined up for a 57 yard field goal in a desperation attempt to go ahead with less than two minutes left. His successful kick was the longest in Husker history. So he’s got the range and the cool under pressure to make those kind of plays. He ran for a first down on a trick play where the holder tossed a no-look pass over his head against Kansas. That play back-fired against Colorado, but it was not a good time to call that, so it’s really on Bo. As far as kick returning, Nate Swift has returned a punt for a TD and is averaging 14 yards on returns. The electric Niles Paul has returned a kickoff for a TD and averages 23. Adi Kunalic is our kickoff specialist and regularly boots them OUT of the end zone.
6.) It seems like you guys have had success using a handful of rushers including your quarterback. Is this because of draws, misdirections, trick plays, option, what-have-you??
The zone read option is the biggest gainer for Joe Ganz. He’s adept at reading a play when in shotgun, which gives him a view of the lanes to run in before the snap. Helu’s runs usually turn into big gains after it looks like he’s going to be brought down. All of our backs are also threats on the swing pass and screen which keeps those linebackers honest. The Huskers use the misdirection to set up the play action pass which then sets up the run game in the third and fourth quarter.
Did we miss something? Would you like to ask our guest blogger a question? Shoot us an email at ‘feedback at block-c dot com’ and we’ll use the best question in the next segment.
1PenthouseTiger
on Dec 18, 2008 at 2:11 pm:
Joe Ganz sounds to me like the cullen harper of last year but mobile. he does pretty well as long as he’s running his offense but he can be forced into making mistakes. i think if we knock him on his ass a couple times (something we havent really done well yet) then we can really mess him up
2LtSeigler
on Dec 18, 2008 at 3:51 pm:
gravatar test…
3Chili
on Dec 18, 2008 at 4:05 pm:
BAM
4Chris Simp
on Dec 18, 2008 at 5:50 pm:
It’s seems to me Nebraska is going to give Clemson a pretty tough game. The Tigers will have to bring their A-Game.
5PenthouseTiger
on Dec 18, 2008 at 6:39 pm:
is bigrednetwork one of those “we only publish one article a day no matter what” blogs? i hate those
6Daniel
on Dec 18, 2008 at 8:07 pm:
Roy Helu Jr.??? Who the hell is that?? CJ Spiller is the truth plus he’s slicker than owl shit and twice as nasty.
Truthfully though Nate Swift is a good player that we’re going to have to do a good job against. He’s a good return man and Ganz is an overlooked QB b/c he plays in the Hal Mumme wetdream league of the Big XII. We’re in for a tough game but I always think we match up better athletically or equal to virtually everyone excluding Alabama, Florida, Texas, USC and Oklahoma.
7thedabokoolaid
on Dec 18, 2008 at 8:17 pm:
i took a look at the big red network, and it sux! there isn’t even anything red on there! that ironical=P
8Josh
on Dec 19, 2008 at 1:30 pm:
Unfortunately, I work with a Cornhusker. We’ve been talking trash to each other since I first heard of the chance of the 1982 Orange Bowl rematch happening. The Huskers are very similar to the Tigers and like to play modern day hard nosed football. For Clemson to win the game, the O-line is going to have to man up so that we don’t have another Alabama game. Also, our D-line is going to have to plug the running game. Helu is a nasty RB in open space and can destroy our young LBs. Should be the best bowl game of the season.
9AParker
on Dec 19, 2008 at 1:35 pm:
Good preview of the the huskers. Now do something funny so that I can make it through this holiday.
10bnahusker
on Dec 22, 2008 at 1:41 pm:
bigrednetwork.com is the first Husker site that I hit on a daily basis. I don’t care that the site lacks flash. It has substance. If there is more than one story to tell, they will have more than one posting. The contributors are factual fans that place thier views for all to see. They are not going to blow smoke up anyones skirt, or pull punches. Trolls are not welcomed but opposing fans and views will be met with the respect that they deserve.
On the Gator Bowl front, I look forward to meeting many of your fans next week. This could be a great game to attend. The Clemson backs look great and your defenders know how to hit. Let’s go with a 31-27 Husker nailbiter.
Go Big Red!
Bob
PS What’s up with someone elses pic on my post?
11Austin
on Dec 22, 2008 at 9:08 pm:
Clemson will be a tough game for Nebraska. Clemson most seems like Va Tech. The Huskers played Va Tech earlier this season and barely lost the game. NU matched up physically with Va Tech.
But, the Husker team in the Gator Bowl is different from the one that lost against Va Tech. The new Huskers found an identity on offense after a loss to Missouri… power run out of the spread mixed with an equal dose of short passes to control the clock. At the same time the offense can go down the field quickly with the long ball to Swift or TE Mike McNeil.
I am interested in seeing if NU’s strong D-line can stop Clemson’s double-headed running attack and how NU’s secondary can handle Cullen Harper and Aaron Kelly.
I also want to see a good Big 12 offense against a big and fast ACC defense.
Good luck to Clemson, I hope you guys play well (but ultimately lose).
GO BIG RED!
12Willy Mac
on Dec 22, 2008 at 9:19 pm:
@ 11 – VT didn’t have a running back or receivers… On the offensive side of the ball, we’re not really like Tech at all.