Let's talk Nebraska
Hello from Lincoln and hello to Steven M. Sipple of the Lincoln Journal-Star, who reports and columnizes on the sports entity that comes first, second and third in this state -- Cornhuskers football. Here's our Q&A:
* Much is being made around here of Taylor Martinez's comments, some are taking it as trash talk. I look at it more as a kid who is speaking his mind and not concerned with saying "all the right things," but isn't necessarily being brash. Since you were in the room and know him, can you interpret for us?
"Joe, your read is right on Taylor Martinez. The media in Nebraska gave little-to-no attention to Martinez’s comments because, well, it’s just Taylor being Taylor. I don’t think he was being disrespectful. He can be very matter-of-fact. At that point in the week -- Monday at noon – I’m guessing Martinez hadn’t even watched much video of Michigan State. Anybody who’s watched the Spartans play defense will come away with a healthy respect for Jerel Worthy and company, I’m guessing."
* Speaking of Martinez , how good is he as a runner and how shaky as a passer? Do you think Martinez and this Nebraska offense compare at all with Denard Robinson and Michigan ?
"Martinez is an explosive runner. He goes from 0-to-60 very quickly. He’s not as shifty as Robinson, in my opinion. As a passer, well, Martinez’s mechanics make me think of Uncle Rico in Napoleon Dynamite. That is to say, Taylor’s mechanics are rather unsightly. Still, he’s capable of throwing some excellent passes. It should be noted he’s thrown only one pick in the last nine quarters. As for Nebraska’s offense and Michigan’s, I see one major difference -– the Huskers aren’t as reliant on Martinez as the Wolverines seem to be on Robinson. Bottom line, Michigan doesn’t have a RB as tough and explosive and productive as Rex Burkhead. Martinez also has a decent stable of receivers."
* I tend to agree with Bo Pelini that Rex Burkhead doesn't get enough pub. How good is this kid?
"The 5-11, 210-pound Burkhead, a junior, has rushed 130 times for 752 yards and 10 TDs this season. He’s healthy. I expect Nebraska to lean hard on him Saturday. He can be especially effective late in games, as a defense tires, because he is a physical runner. Thing is, he’s also fast and can make defenders miss. He’s really the complete package."
* How big of a loss is Jared Crick on that defensive line?
"Crick didn’t have big numbers (22 tackles, one sack in six games). Some expected him to dominate. He didn’t. But he had a big presence. I think his teammates just felt better when No. 94 was in the trenches."
* Even before Crick went down, it seemed this defense was not playing up to expectations. What's been going on there?
"What’s going on with the Husker defense? Much of the problem is the result of what hasn’t been going on –- that is, Nebraska hasn’t consistently put pressure on quarterbacks and hasn’t played well in the secondary much of the time. Of course, those two elements are inextricably linked. The Huskers rank 101st nationally in sacks and 46th in pass-efficiency defense. NU hasn’t been horrible defensively, but it’s played nowhere near the standard established the past two seasons. It didn’t help matters that standout cornerback Alfonzo Dennard missed the first three games with a small tear in his quadriceps. He’s just now rounding into top form, in my opinion."
* Does Bo Pelini ever loosen up and crack a joke?
"Yeah, Bo definitely has a light side. You see it on occasion in his weekly Monday presser. One-on-one, he can be very funny. What I like about Bo is he can be very opinionated. But you don’t see that side of him very often in public settings."
* What are your keys to this game? And a prediction (if you care to give one)?
"It’ll be incumbent on Martinez to use his brainpower. His pre-snap judgments, I think, will be critical against a defense that likes to blitz. He’ll need to identify from where the blitzes and pressures are coming and identify his hot reads. Will he get NU into the right plays? He has been pretty good against blitzing defenses (see Oklahoma State last season and Fresno State this season). If Nebraska moves the chains consistently through three quarters with its relatively fast-paced offense, the Huskers may be able to take advantage of a tiring defense in the game’s late stages. They’ve used that formula effectively this season. Defensively, Nebraska will need to slow Michigan State’s running game. Granted, the Spartans have been a bit substandard in that area. And yes, it’s always important to stop the run. So, why is slowing the run game so important for NU in this game? Because the Spartans’ old-school offense includes ample play-action. If MSU’s Baker and Bell are ripping off big gains, it makes it that much more difficult to get heat on Kirk Cousins. If given time in the pocket, he’ll pick apart NU.
"My prediction: Michigan State 31, Nebraska 24. I like MSU’s balance on offense. I think the Spartans are beginning to play more efficiently on that side of the ball. And I like the hard edge with which Mark Dantonio’s crew plays on defense. I will say this: Michigan State will have to play at least at a B-plus level to win in Lincoln."
* And finally, for the MSU fans descending on Lincoln for the first time, what would you suggest in terms of bars/restaurants/tailgating? Same question (except for the tailgating part) for a well-fed reporter.
"You can’t go wrong with Misty’s (either downtown or in the historic Havelock district in northeast Lincoln). Excellent prime rib. If you like chicken wings, I’ve never experienced chicken wings better than the ones at the Watering Hole in downtown Lincoln. That’s a hot spot. I think visiting Michigan State fans will enjoy the charged atmosphere downtown –- which is just a few blocks from the stadium."
Thanks for the excellent insights, Steven, and for delivering the funniest line yet in this series. Uncle Rico, that's rich. I agree fully on the analysis of Nebraska's defensive priorities. I'll continue to push this key number: 100. If the Spartans get that much on the ground, the play-action is working and they win (barring bunches of turnovers, broken defensive plays, all the other things that can happen in a football game and that make it such a compelling and unpredictable sport).
Now, since this is such a special game, I figured we can't talk enough about it. So I also caught up briefly with Chris Spielman, the former Ohio State and Detroit Lions great, who will be providing color commentary along with Urban Meyer for ESPN on Saturday. A few thoughts from him...
* On this matchup: "I think this is the best game of the week in the Big Ten, to be honest with you. I'm really looking forward to it and we were hoping we'd get this game last week. To me, this comes down to 261 rushing yards a game for Nebraska, 88 rushing yards allowed per game for Michigan State. That's the matchup. I don't know who has the edge but we're gonna find out.
* On MSU's defense: "They're well-coached, Pat (Narduzzi) does a great job with them. And they have a lot of talent. They have corners who can press, who can play man-to-man if you need them to, and I think that's a big key for what they do. They'll zone blitz, man blitz, bring pressures from everywhere. And I think Max Bullough is playing really well. All their linebackers are making plays."
* On his criticism of Will Gholston during the Michigan game: "You can't twist the neck of another player, a defenseless player on a pile. You can't throw a right hook, and if you do, you get suspended. What's the purpose? It hurts your team. It's dirty. Hopefully he comes back Saturday and puts it behind him and gets back to playing good football."
* On whether Meyer is going to be Ohio State's next head coach: "I really don't know, I know he's having fun doing this job. I don't ask him, I don't want to sit there and say, 'Hey, what are you gonna do?' But I believe he'd be interested if the right situation came along, wherever that may be. He'll have a decision to make at some point. He's my No. 1 candidate."
* On Luke Fickell's chances of sticking at Ohio State: "He has a huge test this week, we'll see if they can take advantage of the bye week, get some things figured out on offense and beat Wisconsin. I think if Ohio State can win the Leaders Division, obviously you have to look at him."
Thanks to Mr. Spielman. Also:
* Barry and I talk more about that MSU defense, arguing its quality vs. the Gang Green defense of 1987.
* Keith Nichol is probably the only MSU receiver who would have moved that pile the necessary inches to score on "Rocket" and beat Wisconsin.
* From out this way, a quarterback comparison and a look at the aforementioned Burkhead.
"Joe, your read is right on Taylor Martinez. The media in Nebraska gave little-to-no attention to Martinez’s comments because, well, it’s just Taylor being Taylor. I don’t think he was being disrespectful. He can be very matter-of-fact. At that point in the week -- Monday at noon – I’m guessing Martinez hadn’t even watched much video of Michigan State. Anybody who’s watched the Spartans play defense will come away with a healthy respect for Jerel Worthy and company, I’m guessing."
* Speaking of Martinez , how good is he as a runner and how shaky as a passer? Do you think Martinez and this Nebraska offense compare at all with Denard Robinson and Michigan ?
"Martinez is an explosive runner. He goes from 0-to-60 very quickly. He’s not as shifty as Robinson, in my opinion. As a passer, well, Martinez’s mechanics make me think of Uncle Rico in Napoleon Dynamite. That is to say, Taylor’s mechanics are rather unsightly. Still, he’s capable of throwing some excellent passes. It should be noted he’s thrown only one pick in the last nine quarters. As for Nebraska’s offense and Michigan’s, I see one major difference -– the Huskers aren’t as reliant on Martinez as the Wolverines seem to be on Robinson. Bottom line, Michigan doesn’t have a RB as tough and explosive and productive as Rex Burkhead. Martinez also has a decent stable of receivers."
* I tend to agree with Bo Pelini that Rex Burkhead doesn't get enough pub. How good is this kid?
"The 5-11, 210-pound Burkhead, a junior, has rushed 130 times for 752 yards and 10 TDs this season. He’s healthy. I expect Nebraska to lean hard on him Saturday. He can be especially effective late in games, as a defense tires, because he is a physical runner. Thing is, he’s also fast and can make defenders miss. He’s really the complete package."
* How big of a loss is Jared Crick on that defensive line?
"Crick didn’t have big numbers (22 tackles, one sack in six games). Some expected him to dominate. He didn’t. But he had a big presence. I think his teammates just felt better when No. 94 was in the trenches."
* Even before Crick went down, it seemed this defense was not playing up to expectations. What's been going on there?
"What’s going on with the Husker defense? Much of the problem is the result of what hasn’t been going on –- that is, Nebraska hasn’t consistently put pressure on quarterbacks and hasn’t played well in the secondary much of the time. Of course, those two elements are inextricably linked. The Huskers rank 101st nationally in sacks and 46th in pass-efficiency defense. NU hasn’t been horrible defensively, but it’s played nowhere near the standard established the past two seasons. It didn’t help matters that standout cornerback Alfonzo Dennard missed the first three games with a small tear in his quadriceps. He’s just now rounding into top form, in my opinion."
* Does Bo Pelini ever loosen up and crack a joke?
"Yeah, Bo definitely has a light side. You see it on occasion in his weekly Monday presser. One-on-one, he can be very funny. What I like about Bo is he can be very opinionated. But you don’t see that side of him very often in public settings."
* What are your keys to this game? And a prediction (if you care to give one)?
"It’ll be incumbent on Martinez to use his brainpower. His pre-snap judgments, I think, will be critical against a defense that likes to blitz. He’ll need to identify from where the blitzes and pressures are coming and identify his hot reads. Will he get NU into the right plays? He has been pretty good against blitzing defenses (see Oklahoma State last season and Fresno State this season). If Nebraska moves the chains consistently through three quarters with its relatively fast-paced offense, the Huskers may be able to take advantage of a tiring defense in the game’s late stages. They’ve used that formula effectively this season. Defensively, Nebraska will need to slow Michigan State’s running game. Granted, the Spartans have been a bit substandard in that area. And yes, it’s always important to stop the run. So, why is slowing the run game so important for NU in this game? Because the Spartans’ old-school offense includes ample play-action. If MSU’s Baker and Bell are ripping off big gains, it makes it that much more difficult to get heat on Kirk Cousins. If given time in the pocket, he’ll pick apart NU.
"My prediction: Michigan State 31, Nebraska 24. I like MSU’s balance on offense. I think the Spartans are beginning to play more efficiently on that side of the ball. And I like the hard edge with which Mark Dantonio’s crew plays on defense. I will say this: Michigan State will have to play at least at a B-plus level to win in Lincoln."
* And finally, for the MSU fans descending on Lincoln for the first time, what would you suggest in terms of bars/restaurants/tailgating? Same question (except for the tailgating part) for a well-fed reporter.
"You can’t go wrong with Misty’s (either downtown or in the historic Havelock district in northeast Lincoln). Excellent prime rib. If you like chicken wings, I’ve never experienced chicken wings better than the ones at the Watering Hole in downtown Lincoln. That’s a hot spot. I think visiting Michigan State fans will enjoy the charged atmosphere downtown –- which is just a few blocks from the stadium."
Thanks for the excellent insights, Steven, and for delivering the funniest line yet in this series. Uncle Rico, that's rich. I agree fully on the analysis of Nebraska's defensive priorities. I'll continue to push this key number: 100. If the Spartans get that much on the ground, the play-action is working and they win (barring bunches of turnovers, broken defensive plays, all the other things that can happen in a football game and that make it such a compelling and unpredictable sport).
Now, since this is such a special game, I figured we can't talk enough about it. So I also caught up briefly with Chris Spielman, the former Ohio State and Detroit Lions great, who will be providing color commentary along with Urban Meyer for ESPN on Saturday. A few thoughts from him...
* On this matchup: "I think this is the best game of the week in the Big Ten, to be honest with you. I'm really looking forward to it and we were hoping we'd get this game last week. To me, this comes down to 261 rushing yards a game for Nebraska, 88 rushing yards allowed per game for Michigan State. That's the matchup. I don't know who has the edge but we're gonna find out.
* On MSU's defense: "They're well-coached, Pat (Narduzzi) does a great job with them. And they have a lot of talent. They have corners who can press, who can play man-to-man if you need them to, and I think that's a big key for what they do. They'll zone blitz, man blitz, bring pressures from everywhere. And I think Max Bullough is playing really well. All their linebackers are making plays."
* On his criticism of Will Gholston during the Michigan game: "You can't twist the neck of another player, a defenseless player on a pile. You can't throw a right hook, and if you do, you get suspended. What's the purpose? It hurts your team. It's dirty. Hopefully he comes back Saturday and puts it behind him and gets back to playing good football."
* On whether Meyer is going to be Ohio State's next head coach: "I really don't know, I know he's having fun doing this job. I don't ask him, I don't want to sit there and say, 'Hey, what are you gonna do?' But I believe he'd be interested if the right situation came along, wherever that may be. He'll have a decision to make at some point. He's my No. 1 candidate."
* On Luke Fickell's chances of sticking at Ohio State: "He has a huge test this week, we'll see if they can take advantage of the bye week, get some things figured out on offense and beat Wisconsin. I think if Ohio State can win the Leaders Division, obviously you have to look at him."
Thanks to Mr. Spielman. Also:
* Barry and I talk more about that MSU defense, arguing its quality vs. the Gang Green defense of 1987.
* Keith Nichol is probably the only MSU receiver who would have moved that pile the necessary inches to score on "Rocket" and beat Wisconsin.
* From out this way, a quarterback comparison and a look at the aforementioned Burkhead.
* Hoops stuff from Solari in Chicago, men's here and women's here.
* Oh and Magic Johnson, John Smoltz, move over. The third potentially transcendent athlete from this area is going pro.
Red meat, please. Game 7, please.
