Trojan Conquest

Earlier this week, I noted things that Nebraska needed to do to defeat Southern Cal. Here's how it turned out:

• First of all, Nebraska can't be predictable. Mission accomplished for the most part on offense.
• No mistakes. Nebraska MUST win the turnover battle. Did not happen, though there were opportunities all night.
• Keller will need to be efficient by completing short and medium range passes to loosen up the defense. Mission accomplished. Keller stepped up tonight and gave a good effort.
• Nebraska also needs to establish a physical ground game to balance out the passing game. Mission failed. Marlon Lucky was ineffective most of the game, Quentin Castille did not play, though Cody Glenn played well, all things considered.
• Keep USC's offense off the field as much as possible with a balanced, ball-control attack. Mission accomplished for the most part, at least in the first half. Time of possession was in Nebraska's advantage.
• The Blackshirts need to be as disruptive as possible. Complete and utter failure, if not disaster.
  

Nebraska fans should be shaking their heads in disgust with the performance of the Blackshirts. While USC's offensive line deserves their fair share of kudos for dominating the Husker defensive line, there is no excuse for the number of missed tackles and the size of some of the holes that were opened up.

No excuse.

Absolutely no excuse.

Yes, I'm looking at you, CozBohl. If it was just a couple of players, that might be different. What we saw tonight was a systematic failure of the defense nearly the entire night. Nebraska won the time of possession battle tonight, not because of the offense but because USC cut through the Husker defense like a hot knife through butter. The defense was both physically overwhelmed and fundamentally lacking.

Kool-aid drinkers may choose to focus on the yards the offense put on the board through the air. Fair enough... the passing game was much improved tonight. They may point to the idea that USC is that good... they are.

But what we saw out of the Husker defense should be completely unacceptable to Husker fans.