2 Average Guys

It’s been an interesting week in Husker Nation due to an unexpected loss to Minnesota last Friday night and with that comes a lot of anger, second guessing, and coaching from outside the program.  We all do it and, yes, there’s things that need to be fixed, but at 7 games in, we’re likely past that point  so all we can do is focus on making adjustments and moving on to the next game.  Northwestern comes into Lincoln this week with an identical record, but a different trajectory.  The stakes are much higher for the Huskers than for the Wildcats and a lot of eyes will be on this game, whether to crown us or laugh us into our graves of sub-mediocrity. 

Northwestern is who they’ve always been, winners in a rock fight.  In fact pretty much every team in the Big Ten knows their identity at this point and sticks to it with the exceptions being us and Wisconsin.  This game doesn’t so much come down to X’s and O’s because those are a given at this point and time.  

So who are we?  What’s our identity?

We lost and yes it sucks but it’s still in the past and what happens next decides who this team is and what we can expect from here until the season ends.  Fan and media opinion are one thing, but voices from within the program are another and these coaches and athletic director have been more transparent than we’ve ever had at the University of Nebraska.  I’m not going to sit here and write out stats and scenarios for this one:  The Huskers just need to put everything behind them and play with attitude, with brutal focus, and….heart.  Lay it all out there in spite of who they’re playing and know that winning is the only option.  The Mike Riley days are over….nobody’s getting flipping ice cream after this one.

• Joel Telschow