LINCOLN, Neb. -- Sean Taylor had the reasoning for Nebraska's lengthy-term downturn described, if now not solved. As his as soon as-superb application turned into being clobbered with the aid of No. 6 Oklahoma on Saturday, the forty five-12 months-ancient Cornhuskers fan grew to be philosophical whereas leaving Memorial Stadium.
"here's our penance, and we're adequate with it," mentioned Taylor, a manufacturer of artificial limbs from Omaha, Nebraska.
Penance? Taylor figures Nebraska's ache could have been avoided if the faculty failed to -- in his words -- develop into "the handiest faculty in the background of college football to fireplace two 9-win coaches."
typical of Nebraska soccer nowadays, Taylor did not get the little things right. The these days fired Scott Frost become really the simplest Huskers train of the five on account that Tom Osborne now not to win as a minimum 9 video games.
That complicates the situation of a turnaround that has waited a quarter century. The forty nine-14 loss to Oklahoma in period in-between train Mickey Joseph's debut became imagined to be the kickoff to a new period (whether the ex-Nebraska quarterback receives the everlasting gig or no longer). instead, it highlighted the depth of despair as smartly as the deepness of the hole from which the software should dig out.
"This one is on me," observed Joseph, a legacy adored at Nebraska but one who is barely getting his playbook equipped to chase the job of a lifetime. "not my avid gamers, not my assistant coaches. I've obtained to do a more robust job."
Joseph at the least has that part of the head teaching gig found out: Blame your self in the event you lose, credit the avid gamers if you win. alas, the ray of light Joseph provided this week obtained somewhat dimmer at the last whistle.
The idea that Nebraska one way or the other deserves this distress was in simple terms Taylor's stadium ideology. The reality is that the Cornhuskers should get back to basics. The course to that aspect appears as prolonged as ever.
"we've got been tagging up [not tackling] for four years," Nebraska security Myles Farmer concluded.
it is a very good area to birth the rebuild. final 12 months in this online game, Nebraska rather played Oklahoma off its feet, dropping 23-sixteen. Frost become fired closing Sunday after a litany of single-digit losses that confirmed an average lack of progress.
One line of idea this week: Joseph's ascension from huge receivers instruct (and affiliate head coach) would at least inject new existence in a once-superb competition renewed closing year after lying dormant for a decade.
No such pluck from the Huskers on Saturday. After working out of scripted plays and leading 7-0, they allowed the Sooners to ranking the next forty nine consecutively.
Worse, Oklahoma ran previous and thru Nebraska. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel scrambled around a confused protection for a sixty one-yard landing. Tennessee operating lower back transfer Eric gray ran for 113 yards and two ratings. OU first-yr teach Brent Venables continued to pump existence into the defense, his area of expertise. At one element within the first half, 9 of 10 plays run through Nebraska have been for no benefit or a loss.
"Y'all are going to question me all of your questions I definitely do not wish to reply," Farmer informed the media. "but at the end of the day, y'all are not in here with us. Y'all don't seem to be at apply with us."
Taylor's inspiration that the football gods have spit on the Huskers is just depressing. a big swath of the 87,000 fans left at halftime. Taylor and pal George Jones, an owner of an Omaha beverage company, couldn't provide away passes to the unique Champions membership throughout the road from Memorial Stadium.
The presence of urban Meyer for the Fox "large noon Saturday" broadcast delivered spice, if simplest to the scholar part which chanted his identify as he made his technique to the on-container set. CBS sports reported Saturday that Nebraska has made contact with Meyer, but in a sampling of opinion, few in Lincoln suppose he's appropriate for the program.
it is a intent to root for this turnaround. there is nothing now not to love about these intensely loyal enthusiasts who handiest need to win once more. they're real, Midwestern. They comprehend soccer. Forgive the likes of Taylor when he reminisces.
"We used to get five fats youngsters from Aurora, Nebraska," Taylor noted. "we would get three kids from California, three kids from Florida, five kids from Texas. and then, all right, we'll run behind these tremendous fat kids and have speed popping out of our ass."
as an alternative, on Saturday, Oklahoma ran eighty four performs with superstar offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby snapping the ball a normal of once each 21 seconds.
"I've bought to get enhanced as a head instruct," Joseph repeated.
Does he have enough time? There are eight video games left in the season. A bowl bid already is slipping away at 1-three. Joseph basically, definitely, definitely desires the job. Taylor, as considered one of a legion of Nebraska fans, would basically like him to get it.
Joseph became a prize prospect within the Eighties out of recent Orleans who waited in line at the back of other Huskers to eventually get his possibility in 1990. He gave blood -- actually -- for this software. within the 1990 Oklahoma game -- the remaining time Nebraska misplaced in this sequence by means of 35 points -- his leg became bloodied in a grotesque sideline injury. In his next meeting with Oklahoma on Saturday, his team's lip become bloodied.
"They do not need the swagger," Taylor noted of the Huskers. "These kids should still be the one, their d--- enters the room 10 toes earlier than they get into it. that is the angle Mickey will supply them. at this time, they're just beat [up]."
in response to Saturday, this Nebraska rebuilding venture -- or whatever you are looking to name it -- is larger and more wide than any person idea.
It became extremely good -- if only for irony's sake -- that Joseph wore a black shirt. There weren't lots of his avid gamers precious of that honor Saturday. definitely, Joseph took away the Blackshirts awarded to attaining defensive gamers in the interim as he wanted the team to delivery with a clean slate.
The lifestyle begun within the Nineteen Sixties when first-team defenders have been identified via wearing black jerseys in observe. That changed into more than 50 years in the past. It handiest seems like it's going to that lengthy for Nebraska to regain that swagger Taylor longed for after Saturday's debacle.
"We're from that era," he pointed out, "that we are the foremost goddamn soccer group in the world. We're under no circumstances, ever no longer going to be fabulous. Oklahoma is no. 6 in the country for Christ sakes. You could have the eco-friendly Bay Packers [as an opponent], and we might nevertheless be cautiously optimistic we might win the football video game.
"there may be all the time hope. it's the hope that hurts."
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