The Nebraska football team couldn't dig itself out of a 21-0 deficit Saturday as upset-minded Texas Tech knocked off No. 15 Nebraska 31-10.
The Cornhusker offense struggled early and often for the second-straight week, but unlike the dramatic comeback against Missouri, NU never found its stride.
"We didn't execute from the beginning to the end," NU coach Bo Pelini said. "We didn't make plays. On offense we didn't come off the ball, we didn't catch the ball, we didn't make the right reads at quarterback."
After another unsuccessful outing, NU quarterback Zac Lee's starting job might be in jeopardy. Second-string quarterback Cody Green played a good portion of the second half, while throwing for Nebraska's only touchdown on the afternoon.
During Green's first drive, two incomplete passes, a dropped pass and delay of game penalty sent the true freshman back to the sidelines quickly.
Lee came back in the next series with just under nine minutes left in the third quarter while the Huskers still trailed 24-3. The wakeup call to Lee proved ineffective as NU still failed to move the ball forward. In fact, the ensuing drive lost yards.
The backwards drive ended in a missed field goal by NU kicker Alex Henery, continuing a trend of failed execution. Lee struggled mightily and said he never found a rhythm against the Red Raider defense.
"We could have executed better as an offense," Lee said. "We just didn't execute the way we should of. If I knew (why), we would have done something."
Texas Tech quarterback Steven Sheffield had better success Saturday, and his offense attacked the NU defense effectively on their first possession with a nine-play drive that was capped with a 16-yard touchdown pass from Sheffield to receiver Baron Batch.
The former Tech back-up quarterback shined in his start against NU, while a healthy Taylor Potts stood on the sideline. Potts began the season starting at quarterback.
Sheffield said he was pleased with the way his offense moved against the Husker defense, and so was his coach Mike Leach.
"I thought he played a real good first half," Leach said. "I thought we had a hollow spot in the middle, not just him, but the offensive unit, and then I thought he played good at the end. He brings a lot to the table as far as enthusiasm for the whole team."
Sheffield's Tech offense stood in stark contrast to Nebraska's. The Husker struggles spread to the rushing attack with running back Roy Helu, Jr., who was held to just 68 yards on 16 carries.
Pelini said what was seen on the field Saturday was beyond just a lack of execution.
"You have to step up and make plays, (and) we didn't do it," Pelini said. "It's (as) simple as that. It comes down to we got beat because we didn't make plays. We got outplayed and outcoached."
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8 comments
If Detroit had completed all it's passes and run the ball according to plan they would have won the NFL championship last year! What we saw was plain and simple bad coaching and the head coach takes responsibility for that. He had more than a week of preparation time and came out wioth a game plan that looked like a mediocre high school offense. The running game was predictable, and the passing game non-existent. Where the heck was holt, and the tight ends, no misdirection, Humbug. he is a lousy coach, an angry coach, and tom osborne is an idiot as an athletic director. Nebraska's football days are over. We have been left behind. Then university should concentrate on academics, something that can be achieved, rather than being in the top 20 again.