Here are a few tidbits and thoughts following the Cyclones loss to the Cornhuskers:
Photos
Photographer Brad Fuller was at the Nebraska game. We will be posting pictures in the next couple days.
Team Captains
Alvin Bowen / Caleb Berg / Bret Meyer / Todd Blythe
When It Was Over
2:13 remaining 3rd Quarter – With Nebraska leading 21-10, the Cyclones were facing a third down and goal from the Nebraska 12 yard line. Bo Ruud intercepted a Bret Meyer pass and returned it 93 yards for a Nebraska touchdown.
ISU was in field goal range. Why do you throw a high risk pass to the 7 yard line. Todd Blythe was not going to score a touchdown even if he caught the ball. The throw was good and it is debatable whether the defender arrived early, but the pass should not have been thrown. If you are going to throw the ball in that situation make sure the guy you are throwing to has a chance for a touchdown. Otherwise throw the ball away and take the field goal. 21-13 is much better than 28-10.
Controlling the Game
Iowa State controlled the game. The Cyclones ran 102 offensive plays, Nebraska ran 59. ISU had the ball for 39 minutes to only 21 for the Cornhuskers. It was not a physical mismatch.
Why did Nebraska win?
If Iowa State controlled the game then how did Nebraska win? The popular answer would be turnovers, but the answer is they have more playmakers. Nebraska has more big play ability than Iowa State does. Here are a few of the big plays the Cornhuskers had last Saturday:
Marlon Lucky – 41 yard touchdown run
Bo Ruud – 93 yard interception return for a touchdown
Cortney Grixby – 41 yard interception return to set up a touchdown
Cortney Grixby – 51 yard kickoff return to set up a touchdown
Frantz Hardy – 60 yard reception, Nebraska lost fumble in end zone
Iowa State Playmakers
The Cyclones longest play from scrimmage was a 28 yard reception by Todd Blythe. ISU had six plays over 20 yards. Which is an improvement, but still needs to get better.
Allen Bell – 34 yard fumble return
Todd Blythe – 28 yard reception
Todd Blythe – 25 yard reception
Jason Scales – 24 yard run
RJ Sumrall – 24 yard run
Jason Scales – 21 yard run
Which Cyclone players have big play potential? We haven’t seen many big plays this year, but these are the guys that give us the best chance.
WR Todd Blythe – Todd is tremendous in jump ball situations
QB/WR/ATH Phillip Bates – Has speed, athleticism and wiggle
WR Wallace Franklin – Top flight speed, still waiting for ISU to throw to him deep
RB JJ Bass – Has been one cut from a really long play on several occasions
RB Alexander Robinson – Turns the corner, catches the ball well out of the backfield
CB/KR Allen Bell – Has been close on kick returns and the fumble return this past weekend
KR/PR Drenard Williams – The blocking hasn’t been there on PR, been close on KR
KR/WR RJ Sumrall – has had big KR, but he has been mostly used as a possession receiver
Kickoff Coverage
The Cyclone kickoff coverage was brutal against Nebraska. Bret Culbertson struggled getting the ball deep, even with a 30 mph wind at his back. Which is strange because Shaggy boomed his kicks through the endzone two weeks earlier against Iowa. Culbertson averaged 51.5 yards on kicks this week and Nebraska averaged 27.8 yards on the return. Which is 23.8 net yards on kickoffs and means the Cornhuskers were starting drives from their 46 yard line. Totally unacceptable.
Fake Punt
It was great to see the coaching staff run the fake punt this weekend. I still can’t believe we didn’t make it. Brandtner had one guy to beat with three blockers in front of him, but somehow he was knocked out of bounds a half yard short. I hate to get on a punter too much, but he has to find the first down marker and make sure he gets there.
Big Time Players
Alvin Bowen – Ace is a great football player. He made two great plays on Saturday. The first was a reverse he blew up for a 10 yard loss. The second was a play he made on 3rd and 1 fighting off several blockers to stop Cody Glenn for no gain.
Ahtyba Rubin – Tuba was very disruptive in this game with 5 tackles and a forced fumble. He had good penetration and plugged up the middle.
Scales
It was great to see Jason Scales get quality time at running back, although I do think JJ Bass could have made a difference in this game. Jason lacks the top end speed to take the ball to the house. It will be great to have both of these backs healthy.