Game Day: Nebraska at Kansas
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Everyone loves a backup quarterback. Joe Ganz never made a wrong move when he was holding the clipboard, backing up Zac Taylor and Sam Keller.
Against Kansas, Ganz gladly relinquishes that comfortable role and becomes the man, Nebraska’s starting quarterback.
Here comes the fame. Scrutiny, too.
Got two more touchdowns in you, Nate? The Huskers could sure use them.
Junior receiver Nate Swift proved pretty heroic last week against Texas, catching six passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns.
His career numbers are starting to look equally as impressive. His 96 catches now have him third on the Husker career receiving list.
And his 12 scores tie him for sixth on NU’s career touchdown receptions list.
Swift is the type of receiver who could really help Joe Ganz in his first start as quarterback.
He runs good routes, has good hands. He’s the type of guy who knows how to get open if Ganz can scramble and buy himself time.
The Husker receivers can't be dropping balls against KU. Swift and friends will need to play at the highest level to make life easier on the new quarterback.
Hawk to watch: No. 93, James McClinton, 6-1, 285, defensive tackle
Here's a guy who wouldn’t mind wrecking Joe Ganz’s starting debut.
Husker coach Bill Callahan couldn’t say enough good things this week about Kansas defensive tackle James McClinton.
“He’s cat quick,” Callahan said. “He’ll just jump out of his stance. It almost looks like he’s being exploded out of a cannon. Boom, he has that explosiveness that gets on your guard or center like that. It’s rare.”
Callahan said the 6-foot-1, 285-pound senior gave the Huskers fits last year.
He’s done that to plenty of teams. McClinton has eight tackles-for-losses, two sacks, four quarterback hurries this season.
The thing about McClinton is that he’s more disruptive than stats could ever show.
As Callahan said, “He’s one of the finest defensive linemen I’ve seen in this conference this year. There’s no question about it.”
-- Brian Christopherson
Ganz should understand the ride he’s about to take more than anyone. He’s been around the program for four years, longing for this chance.
People call Joe Ganz a great guy. Now he wants them to call him a great player. He’s been studying the playbook a while. Finally, a test to take. He can scramble better than Taylor or Keller ever could. But he runs right into a tough setting, against a Kansas team that ranks No. 2 in scoring defense.
The Jayhawks will be tough. Not letting first-game ambition get in the way of smart football might be tougher. “I don’t want to be the hero on Saturday,” Ganz said. “I just have to run the team efficiently, let the big plays come.”
Let the Ganz audition begin. Three games left. Three games to try and prove there should be no quarterback debate next year.
Hey, things can only look up: Bizarro world. It’s November and Kansas is undefeated? Nebraska is ranked 119 out of 119 major college football teams in rushing defense?
Just when it looked like you could praise the Husker defense last week, they had a historically bad fourth quarter. One guy rushed for 216 yards in 15 minutes. One guy. Think Mark Mangino was taking notes?
Nebraska’s defense has shown it has no answer to offenses that spread the field. Kansas likes the spread. Ouch. And the Jayhawks have a quarterback that can run. Ouch again.
Hope is hard to find for a team with a defense that can’t stop the run. No one’s expecting this Husker defense to suddenly figure it all out in Week 10, but that isn’t going to stop Nebraska fans from hoping.
The defensive passion was there last week. The statistics were still ugly. Any sign of progression would be welcome at this point. To be ranked something like 116th in rushing defense come Monday? Heck, that’d do.
'Tis better to take than receive: These guys from Kansas like to steal footballs. The Jayhawks have been dominating the turnover battle against teams all season.
Kansas ranks first in the conference and third in the country in turnover margin. Nebraska is averaging one more turnover a game than its opponent and ranks 11th in the conference and 105th nationally in that category.
Ganz will have to be sharp. Eat the football if necessary. Live to see another down. One other suggestion: Don’t throw too often in the direction of KU junior cornerback Aqib Talib. This guy’s a playmaker, a shutdown corner. He’ll be making NFL dollars soon. Don’t let him improve his draft status on you.
Bowling anyone?: There were some rolling eyes recently when Husker coach Bill Callahan mentioned that an injured player could potentially be back for a bowl game.
Cue Jim Mora’s famous rant and change the words slightly: “Bowl game? Don’t talk about a bowl game. Are you kidding me? A bowl game?” (Go to youtube.com and type “Jim Mora” if you’re confused.)
OK, yes, there are some doubters around here. A loss would be Nebraska’s fifth straight. That hasn’t happened in 49 years. Still, in comes this Ganz guy, full of hope. He’s said several times he wants to lead this team to a bowl game.
Three games left. Have to win at least two. Hey, don’t smirk at the goal. It’s something to shoot for at this point. Play for pride and a bowl bid. Considering how it’s gone, a Nebraska bowl appearance would be a feat worthy of balloons and streamers.
— Brian Christopherson
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