|
|
|
|
 Thursday, October 25, 2001
Chalkboard: Keys to a Nebraska victory
By Terry Bowden
Special to ABC Sports Online
Bowden's Weekly Chat Show
It couldn't be any better in the week the first BCS standings are announced that we get a matchup of No. 1 Oklahoma versus No. 2 Nebraska this Saturday in Lincoln (ABC, 12 p.m. ET).
I would like to give you three or four keys that Nebraska must do to win the game, but I want to preface that with one comment: This is a big game and almost all big games are won with defense and turnovers. Ultimately, the team that plays the best defense and turns the ball over less will likely win.
But here is what the Cornhuskers must do.
1. Mix up the run
|  | | Dahrran Diedrick has rushed for 100 yards in five of the seven games he has played this season. |
It almost seems ridiculous to say, but obviously the Cornhuskers need to be able to run the football. Their scheme gives them no other option. Nebraska must show the ability to mix up its running game, and needs to have the whole package working. If it's not, Oklahoma would have a good chance of stopping the overall running attack. The Huskers must be effective in the inside power game, as well as the outside option game.
The running backs need to carry the load just as much as Eric Crouch. However, make no mistake, this game is so important, if Crouch sees the read, he must tuck the ball under his arm and run every time. What would be a real clincher in Nebraska's favor is if I-backs Dahrran Diedrick or Thunder Collins broke off a couple of 60-yard touchdown runs. In the old days, that was always the difference-maker for Nebraska, and it would be the same case on Saturday.
2. Effective passing game
A misunderstanding about Nebraska's offense is that people think the Huskers don't pass enough. The fact is, the more successful they are running, the less they need to pass. Nebraska only needs to attempt seven or eight passes, but the key is completing at least 50 percent of those throws, and they must go for 25 yards or more.
This neutralizes the defensive secondary's ability to support the run. It only takes one long touchdown pass to tight end Tracey Wistrom to back those safeties far enough off the ball to allow the running game to make bigger gains.
3. Keep fumbles to a minimum
The only team that has stopped Nebraska's offense this year is Nebraska. When you run the option, it can be more dangerous than throwing the ball over the middle. Against Baylor, Nebraska fumbled seven times, losing five, and in the third quarter, the Huskers only led 14-7. Two or three fumbles against the opportunistic Sooners would likely be enough to cost them the ballgame.
Defense
The Blackshirts -- who lead the conference in rush defense, scoring defense and total defense -- must play their best game. You don't need a long memory to remember the 31 straight points Oklahoma scored against them last year.
1. Pressure the QB
Whichever quarterback plays, and it looks like it will be Jason White, Nebraska's defensive front must get in his face as much as possible. Neither of these quarterbacks is as experienced as Josh Heupel was last year and neither will be as effective at delivering the ball to the open receiver.
Missing two key offensive linemen, Baylor sacked Oklahoma quarterbacks eight times. Nebraska leads the Big 12 in sacks, and needs to get its pressure from a four-man rush. The Huskers can only blitz as a changeup.
2. Mix up the coverages
This is the most important thing for Nebraska. When I spoke with Frank Solich during the summer about what he needed to do differently this year to beat Oklahoma, he said they must mix up the defensive coverage. Last year, the Huskers played man coverage and blitzed most of the time, and Oklahoma did an excellent job of picking it up and finding the open receiver. He said the teams that had the most success against OU were mixing up two or three different coverages and not letting the quarterback get a good feel of what is going to happen next. In fact, knowing how important this game was during the spring, I could imagine that Nebraska worked during the spring and in the preseason on two or three things that would help them in this, their most important game of the season.
Look for a well-balanced combination of zone, zone blitz and man coverage from the Cornhusker secondary with each disguised to look the same before each snap.
3. Minimize Oklahoma's running game
Oklahoma is just 77th in the nation in rushing, and Nebraska must not let it become any more effective than it has been the first seven games of the season. A special focus should be placed on the running skills of White and not just running back Quentin Griffin.
Click here for the keys to Oklahoma.
Prediction
So who wins the game?
I know you'd like me to point to one or two of these keys and say that will be the deciding factor, but I can't. We are going to have to wait and see as the game is being played which factor is going to decide the outcome.
But I will tell you who I am going to pick to win: Oklahoma.
The Sooners have won 20 straight and winning is what they do. Once they lose a game, I will focus on some other factor as to why they lost. They are going to win because that's what they do -- win.
Terry Bowden was the head coach at Salem College, Samford University and Auburn University. He is ABC's college football studio analyst and contributes regularly for ABC Sports Online.
|
|
|
|
ESPN.com:
HELP |
ADVERTISER INFO |
CONTACT US |
TOOLS |
SITE MAP
Copyright ©2001 ESPN Internet Group. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information are applicable to this site. Employment opportunities at ESPN.com.
|
|
