There are certain teams that I was taught to hate at birth; Cubs, Mets (remember, this was the early 80's), Packers, Vikings, Blackhawks, Red Wings, kU, and the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Most Husker fans were everything we weren't- arrogant and entitled, yet they had a team that won, mainly because they always found a way around suspending their own players. Mizzou fans were none of that. We were kind, got along with all, but our team sucked. We got screwed over time after time. We were basically what Iowa State is now. How could you hate Mizzou?
Times have changed. Mizzou is now the hunted, and have won the last two in this series. Many Nebraska fans are still an entitled bunch, yet bitter as hell. They believe they "dominated" VTech without scoring a touchdown. It's pathetic anymore, and listening to what many Husker fans think of themselves now reminds me of my dad when I was 17yrs old.
"Remember when I could throw harder, shoot better, and run faster than you? Yeah, I know that stopped when you were about 10, and you're 17 now, but remember those days? Let me go watch some of those home movies and I'll drink from my 'World's Greatest Dad' mug. It validates everything."
Now, to this game.
Roy Helu is good. I will give the Huskers this. He is a damn good back, averaging 116yds a game against mostly inferior teams (get to that in a minute). He basically is the Husker offense. If weather is a huge issue though, I'm not sure Helu will be that much of a factor. This would be where the Huskers miss Quentin Castille, who got das boot for going all Cheech and Chong too much.
If Ollie Williams tells me it's going to rain, well, dammit, IT'S GON' RAIN! A couple of things to keep in mind with this though; it started raining earlier than expected, and when it does this, even without my meteorology degree, I'll predict that it ends earlier than expected. Another thing is Faurot Field is made of FieldTurf, the latest and greatest of technology. It ranks right up there with a government issued blowjob robot (Patton Oswalt joke) in the latest of stuff. The field drains very well. Actually, let me help you out with your research. The field won't be a problem unless the rain is being measured in feet and not inches. Insert your own dick joke with that last line.
According to ranking uber-geek, Jeff Sagarin, the Huskers' three Sun Belt opponents (their three wins, all at home) have the average ranking of a little worse than 122. Keep in mind, there are only 120 FBS teams. Florida Atlantic (144) is actually ranked below what Furman is (127)! Mizzou, on the other hand, has an average of 83 with their three FBS wins. So Helu's stats may not be as impressive now, eh? Of course, he did do pretty well against VTech.
The Huskers couldn't contain VT's Tyrod Taylor, a QB far inferior to Blaine Gabbert, a QB the Huskers used to touch themselves to in '07 when he was slated to go there. Tyrod used his wheels to get some yards, but the guy has the accuracy of Uncle Rico. Gabbert is very efficient (#1 in the B12). Hell, the guy has 11:0 TD-to-picks ratio. Add on the speed of a guy that's 6-5, and has a cannon. You wanna fuck with the bull? You get the horns. The Huskers couldn't contain a guy that just had wheels. Think they can contain a guy that has wheels and is averaging 290yds throwing a game?
The Tigers have three stud receivers. Wes Kemp was a bit quiet in Nevada, but remember, he was a little under the weather. And by 'quiet' I mean only three catches for 99yds. DaNario? He's only got 29 catches for 404yds and four to the house. Perry? 25 for 381 and five to the unlined area. The Huskers couldn't cover these guys last year, and their entire secondary played last year if I remember correctly. Hell, they couldn't cover even one of our receivers, and Ray Charles could see we were throwing to Jeremy Maclin most of the time. Mizzou '09 WRs > Mizzou '08 WRs. Yeah, I said it. 2009's version is deeper than '08. DaNario was hobbled, yet torched the Huskers, Jared Perry wasn't even the #2 target, and Wes Kemp was sitting around with a redshirt on. Add in Andrew Jones, who makes things happen when the ball is in his hands at TE, and you've got four guys that can take it to the house. Am I forgetting that DWash and Kendial will go for six on a shovel or screen? Add in those two.
Mizzou also has a faster defense than the Huskers have seen. Sure, VTech was pretty good, but overall, the Tigers have more speed. Can the Husker OLine go from being able to block Johnny McPussy from University of Louisiana-Insert City to going against either of the Agent Smiths, Coulter, the hill known as Terrell Resonno, or Jaron Baston who has the motor of a six year old on Red Bull? Throw in a blitz from Sean Weatherspoon, Luke Lambert, and Will Ebner, who is there to kill you, or Andrew Gachkar. The Husker OL was tested by Jason Worlids of VT, and he got some pressure on Lee. The Huskers haven't seen a Tiger team with this kind of speed on D. Ever.
Are the Huskers sick? Yes. To what extent, we don't know. Trust me, if it's a Tiger beatdown, we won't hear the end of that damn excuse. Roy Helu will probably end up legless if the Huskers get smoked like they have the past couple of Mizzou-Nebraska match-ups, at least, according to Husker fans.
Let me give you the Husker wideouts and tell me if any scare you? Menelik Holt, Niles Paul, and Chris Brooks. Nope, me neither. How about Mike McNeill at TE? He's ok at best, and had just under half of his entire season receptions and yards, not to mention both TDs against Arky State. For all the bragging Husker fans do on McNeill, they use him like a tampon...about once a month.
Like Chase Daniel in '08, Blaine Gabbert can't make mistakes and set the Tigers back. I've said this every week, and he is yet to make any. Sure, an errant pass or shitty decision, but we've taken home a fat girl...wait, oh, this is football. Blaine has cut back on making the bad pass from the Illannoy game to the Nevada game. I'm hoping he doesn't make that highlight reel pass to Kendial again, because the Huskers will probably pick that one off. Gabbert always hits the open receivers, and the Huskers will leave guys open. Chase didn't make any mistakes in '08, and we won comfortably. If Blaine does the same thing he's done in the previous four games, the Tigers will be fine.
Speaking of Chase, he'll be in attendance. It's great to have a guy like that, who cares about the program and is who you think of when you mention Mizzou football, come back. Looks like this Saints thing is working out already. At least the bye weeks are. Sheldon Richardson is making a visit to see his future teammates as well. Maybe Chase will get in his ear. Chase is about the best salesman you can have for the Mizzou program.
Is this the game that Derrick Washington becomes, well, Derrick Washington? It's not that he's been terrible by any means. We've seen his A game. Hell, his A game was against the Huskers last year (14 carries, 139yds, 2TDs on the ground, 2 catches, 13yds, another TD receiving). He is still averaging 4.4yds a carry, which is ok, but we've been waiting for a breakout, and it could happen in this one. The Huskers have a pair of freshman starting linebackers in Will 'I love fake tats' Compton and Sean Fisher. Add in Phillip Dillard, who was part of the torching the past few years, and DWash has to be loving this if the OL throws a few blocks.
There are so many variables in this game, and I don't see how any of them are anti-Mizzou. Nebraska is somehow favored by 3.5-4pts in a game on the road against a team that they've been smoked by the last two games, haven't won in that stadium since '01, and the dog has looked very good against every team it's faced. Mizzou must get it into the endzone instead of having to use Grant Ressel to kick FGs, even though he's been automatic. Nebraska has beat nobody. Mizzou has won on the road, a neutral site, and a pair at home. If Blaine Gabbert does what he's done in all four of his games, this will be a Tiger victory, 35-17. Derrick Washington will get back to being himself. The guy has a chip on his shoulder, as do all the Tigers after the disrespect they've seen from the polls, B12 writers, and hell, even the gamblers. Don't underestimate a pissed off team that is tired of hearing how good the Huskers have been. Remember 2003? How about 2005? 2007?
Remember two things: It's Gold Rush, so grab yourself a shirt or wear gold, and just as important, bring your Victory Whiskey.Rock M Nation will have a live thread, and feel free to blare this at your dickhead Nub co-worker.
