Curt McKeever: Huskers' expectations move higher
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Now that Nebraska is once again a champion (Big 12 Conference division titles do count. I saw a trophy presentation following the Huskers’ 37-14 victory against Colorado on Friday), it won’t be long before the expectation is perfection.
In some circles, it probably already is.
Not possible, you say? Raise your hand if you had a complaint about Bill Callahan’s team while it had its hands full for three quarters against a 2-9 opponent.
The poor tackling? It’s been an off-and-on issue all year. And so why all the moans as the Buffaloes tried to ram the ball down NU’s throats? Come on. CU has a pass-and-pray offense. Why wouldn’t Dan Hawkins’ team be able to make some plays on the ground? It’s what they do.
If that was one of your gripes, it probably won’t matter that Colorado finished with 166 yards rushing, or 7 fewer than its season average that ranked No. 27 nationally.
If that wasn’t your beef, then maybe you’re upset about Callahan pulling out so many trick plays. You can read more about those elsewhere in this section — but to have to go to the bag twice on one series in order to break a 14-14 tie? That’s just not the Nebraska way.
News flash: There’s no such thing as saving trick plays for a special opponent. You save them for situations. Be thankful Callahan recognizes this isn’t the mid-1990s, when Nebraska had no need for deception because of its overwhelming physical superiority.
If you look beyond Colorado’s record, you’ll see a team that, statistically, has a better defense than Nebraska — one that was allowing just 105 yards rushing per contest. No doubt, the trick plays helped the Huskers roll up 190 yards on the ground, which led to a total yardage output of 468 — the most the Buffaloes allowed all season. Oklahoma, which has a chance to win the South Division today, managed 271 yards against CU. Texas Tech’s high-voltage unit got short-circuited by the Buffs and finished with 276.
Seems to me, a few tricks would have benefitted those teams, too. But if you still are grumbling about it, try to remember it doesn’t matter how touchdowns are scored. They’re all worth six points.
I’ll grant that Friday’s regular-season finale didn’t qualify as a candidate for one of those “Where were you when?” moments. But anyone who, as Nebraska struggled to gain control, was contending the outcome didn’t matter for the Huskers is full of baloney.
You play every game like it matters. A loss wouldn’t have kept the Huskers from playing either Oklahoma or Texas for the Big 12 championship in Kansas City, Mo., a week from tonight. But, it definitely would have taken away a lot of the luster.
“We definitely had something to lose,” cornerback Andre Jones said. “We (were) playing for bowl standings. Nobody wants to be in a ‘whack’ bowl. If you’re going to go to a bowl, go all-out.”
Despite being frustrated by being in a 14-14 game in the third quarter, Nebraska refused to give in to that emotion, found a way to reel in its sloppiness and in the end produced an outcome that was representative of both teams’ seasons.
Colorado is done at 2-10, while the Huskers are surging at 9-3.
“We started fast like we usually do. ... We finished strong at the end like we have been,” said NU quarterback Zac Taylor, quick to note that the Buffaloes had won four of the previous five division crowns and still had plenty of defensive playmakers. “We knew watching film it was going to be a tough game. To score 37 points on them, I think, is pretty impressive.”
For the record, 37 points is the most Colorado allowed this season.
And so having dusted off their fifth and final North Division opponent, the Huskers sang (OK, some lip-synced) one of the school’s unofficial fight songs and then gathered on the field for the makeshift trophy presentation that had all the excitement of last year’s Alamo Bowl victory against Michigan.
OK, so they weren’t flooded with balloons.
“I left,” linebacker Corey McKeon said when asked if he took part in the subdued celebration. “But it looked fun.”
Not that McKeon wasn’t ready for a night on the town. After all, for Nebraska, a 9-3 record and North championship in Callahan’s third season is worthy of a party or two. Anyone asking in August for a better regular season would have been borderline unrealistic.
Now, like many of their fans, the Huskers will raise their expectations.
Next week, there’s another trophy to play for, ring fingers begging for jewelry, and another quest for perfection.
“It’s the biggest game of the year,” McKeon said, “So far.”
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.
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