What you saw this past weekend was simply a culmination of factors that I and some people with ties to the program have been trying to tell people about for the past 4-5 years. It's too bad no one listened because it didn't have to get to this point. Perhaps if people listened when reputable people stated Bill Byrne was directing money away from the moneymaker (football) and into non revenue generating sports like women's rifle, bowling and golf. Our facilities fell behind nearly every major football power in the country. It's too bad no one listened when experts said that the strength and conditioning program was going to crap because Byrne had Epley off the floor of the weight room and out doing sales for the University. Or when nutritionist Dave Ellis was let go and players started getting served cheeseburgers after their workouts. Or that Frank put a bozo named Dave Gillespie in charge of recruiting and ran it into the ground within 2 years. The result? The worst loss in the 115 year history of the program. Steve Pedersen's days at Nebraska are numbered.

This day was going to come, and more important, this day NEEDED to come.

We, as Husker fans, have had it far too good for far too long. The wins, the bowl appearances, the conference and national titles were all great, but I think the vast majority of Husker fans have come to EXPECT perfection from our football team.

Even during the run of titles in the 90's, people always seemed to think they knew better than Dr. Tom when it came to running the football team. Beating Kansas by 6 touchdowns wasn't enough...we should have beaten them by 7-8. Coming from behind to beat Oklahoma or Colorado should have never happened in the first place...we should have nailed their butts to the wall right out of the gate. Yadda, yadda, yadda...

I looked at Oklahoma's past history and paid special attention to the years in the mid 90's when Howard Schnellenberger and John Blake were coach. These guys were getting PASTED by teams they used to wax on a regular basis. Heck, in back-to-back seasons the Huskers put up 73 AND 69 points on an Oklahoma team that they used to put 17-21 points on (and, more often than not, lose in the final minutes).

Eventually, Oklahoma brought in Bob Stoops and he has turned the program back into the juggernaut that it was during the Fairbanks/Switzer era of the 60's, 70's and 80's.

Can that happen at Nebraska? Certainly...although the geographic and current facility considerations will make it a little more difficult. There will come a time when this program will get back on top, and whether it's a year or two down the road with Bill Callahan or several years down the road with some other coaching genius du jour, Nebraska will get back among the national elite in college football.

I hope that my fellow Husker fans will be able to suffer through these lean years, because it will not only give you an appreciation for just how good we had it for the better part of four decades, but how great it will be when the Huskers get back to the pinnacle of the Big 12 and national stages.

For now, though, we'll just have to hope we're good enough to beat Baylor this Saturday......yeesh!

I SAT AND WATCHED THE GAME WITH MY BEST FRIEND AND SON, AS I DO MOST GAMES. I WAS EMBARRASSED FOR THE PROGRAM AND ALSO HUMBLED AS A FAN. I REMEMBER THINKING, BACK IN THE GOOD OLE DAYS, WHEN NU WAS ROLLING OVER TEAMS IN A SIMILAR FASHION, HOW COULD A TEAM GET BEAT SO BAD? THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN TO THE BIG RED MACHINE. WELL NOW THOSE DAYS HAVE COME FULL CIRCLE. THEY SAY WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. WELL IT'S OUR TURN FOR THE GO AROUND WITH A BAD TEAM. HOPE WE CAN GET IT FIXED SOON. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO BE PROUD OF OUR TEAM AND BE INTERESTED IN THE PRODUCT PUT ON THE FIELD WHEN SOME DAY I HAVE A GRANDSON. GO BIG RED. WE STILL LOVE YOU EVEN WHEN OUR FACES ARE RED WITH EMBARRASSMENT. LATE

HB, I agree. Those things are all factors in our demise.

But why do you blame Pederson?

None of the things you mentioned had anything to do with him.
Do I like him? Not really...but I don't think it's all his fault.

Maybe you don't blame Pederson, but are just stating that he is who is going to get blamed.
Which is true.

What I don't understand is how the defense completely fell apart against Texas Tech. Granted, Tech has a great passing game that can pick apart many teams, but how is this defense THAT much different from last years' group? We returned everyone in the secondary, D-Line seemingly got better with players like Moore and Muhammed stepping up, and the all-time tackle leader returned. Was Demorrio Williams that good that we can't replace him? As for the offense, yes a change was needed and it is a slow and painful one this year, but shouldn't Callahan make a more gradual change when he starts to bring in his own players? I don't think a 6-6 year helps recruiting, but hey Im not in the coaches shoes nor will I ever be qualified to be there, just throwing some random suggestions and questions out there.

did k-state just kill nebraska i wasnt able to see the game?

45-21

K-State didn't kill Nebraska. Nebraska killed Nebraska. It was unreal the similarities between this game and the Tech game. Missed tackles, consecutive turnovers inside our 30, etc. It's going to be a long season, but I don't think we will have to endure it past this year. I'm confident that Callahan will be successful here. The one thing that is frustrating is the decline from what was a very good defense last year. But again, when they only get to rest one or two plays before they hit the field again, we can't expect them to hold anyone out of the endzone. As for all of the missed tackles before the turnovers, there is no excuse for that. Obviously, Pelini had something extra as far as a defensive coach, because this defense doesn't display the intensity. But, it WILL get better. Keep the faith!

ESPN.com is giving Nebraska the benefit of the dought in the Oklahoma game. I was reading the Power 16 rankings and Oklahoma's had Nebraska as one of it's tough games...they're response, "It's Neb and OU, anything can happen."

That's true, Tim...anything CAN happen...like OU hanging a C-Note on the Blackshirts.

If the Huskers play OU the way the played Texas Tech or K-State, we will get thoroughly embarrassed by OU.

They say it's always darkest before the dawn. For Husker fans...it's well past midnight right about now.

Or that Frank put a bozo named Dave Gillespie in charge of recruiting and ran it into the ground within 2 years.

Gosh HB, I thought personal attacks were not allowed on the Huskermat forums.

ya you can't even say anything bad bout someone like ashley simpson on here

At least she was honest about lip-synching. Too bad she put the blame on her band instead of the bozo running the tape in the production studio.

Lord how I love today's talent-free, cookie-cutter, intellectually-vacant pop music.

Huskers get a big W today, the defense showed a lot of heart.

Yea, but Matt Herian got hurt, I dont think I'll be able to watch another game all year if he doesnt come back...

Herian's done for the year -- broken leg.

Huskers need to beat Iowa State to lock up a bowl bid...wow, how long has it been since THAT game has been THIS important???

No win in Ames...no bowl. Simple as that. OU will behead us, and Colorado is just good enough that they'll slip past us unless we play mistake-free football (which we have yet to do this season).

And wouldn't it be totally outlandish if the Huskers decided to play offense AND defense on the same day? That's still coming yet this year, I think maybe in time for the Colorado game. We are developing respectful rivalries with K-State and the teams of the South, we are developing hatred for Colorado.

DEVELOPING hatred for Colorado??? Gosh...my disdain for the Buffy-lows has been there long before now. And until K-State can run off about 25-30 straight wins against us, that "rivalry" is a long way from becoming legit.

And, yes, it would be something to see both sides of the ball clicking on the same day the way it did back when what's his name was head coach (I'll leave you to ponder exactly WHICH previous coach that refers to).

NU is going through a season that was due since Frank Solich began clearing out the talent cupboard in 98... I was 100% supportive of the firing of Frank Solich but he fully deserved to be put through the failure that this team is going through so Bill Callahans not the one being blamed for all of this...

Granted Frank solich would most likely be 6-2 right now but Callahan is doing much more than expected of him as of now by anyone who is realistic. Callahan not only has to teach 70-80 kids a brand new system and way of doing things and completely new philosiphy of football, he has to teach himself the way the college game works, and that has been a problem this year also...

Personally i think Callahan made a huge turning point this week in that regard when he apoligized to the team for seperating the 2-deepers from the rest of the team in warmups, this is the turning point in him really starting to click with the college game. Much like how he gave the rest of the coaching staff a few nights off showing how he is starting to understand the more personal standpoint of College football opposed to the NFL..

Really i have no clue when this team will click on with the philosiphys but last week all of the coaches re-introduced themselves to the team and really took the time to simplify the schemes (defensively, offensively Callahan and the rest of the offensive coaches did this a while ago) and really make sure the players had a grasp of what their assignments were. This combined with Sievers stepping up as a leader and letting his voice be heard and getting the pride and heart back in the blackshirts (with the help of Tomich and McBride) is what caused the product we seen last saturday against Missouri.

Anyways, I think the offense is going through the same thing many pro teams go through their first year with this offense (eg Atlanta Falcons) where one week they will feel on top of the world on all cylindars and the next they will feel like they dont know what the hell is going on. but time will improve this and the team will be more consistant as the time goes.

Recruiting wise Callahan is doing more than anyone could have ever asked him along with the rest of the coaching staff, This team is recruiting speed like noone in the nation with over 70% of the players that play behind the OLine and front7 are sub 4.5 kids, and the OLine and front7 guys are all very highly sought after guys with the exception of David Harvey who we got because 1. Blake is crazy about this kid and 2. Because there is a guy in the 06 class that we really want...


but anywayz, im done fer now

Check this ladies and gents,
Nebraska beats Iowa State in Ames they lock up a bowl bid and then are in good shape to win the Big 12 north. If by some miracle, they upset the team(more than likey Oklahoma) in the Big 12 championship, they get an automatic bid into a BCS bowl game(I'm thinking it would be the Fiesta Bowl. This would be the second time in the last four years Nebraska has busted the BCS. GO HUSKERS!!!