Let me open by saying that I would love to see Bo Pelini succeed. I want him to get it right both on and off the field. I would love to see the guy maximize his potential as a football coach and a human being. If I were a betting man, I'd bet Pelini gets fired in December before accomplishing either. If he does two things, he might have a shot.
It sounds like he may do the first, and that's to "scrap the gap." If we heard any positives out of the defeated post game commentary from defensive coaches, it may be the sense that even they admit they can't keep running a two-gap, two-high scheme.
Let us not argue over whether the system works. We've seen it have wild success and epic failures. There can be no doubt, however, that the 2012 and 2013 Blackshirts (and I use the term loosely) are not capable of making the system work for them. The offensive production surrendered has sent Husker fans and coaches through all the stages of grieving. Much as Charlie McBride did in the early 90s, Pelini may have arrived at an acceptance that the system he has embraced until now is no longer adequate.
You heard Pelini mention playing "gapped out" defense in his post-game presser. That's a one-gap defense he's talking about. That's saying to the young talent, "See that space between those two guys? Run through it and tackle the guy with the ball." Oversimplification on my part? Of course. But the change is a step in a necessary direction.
The time has come for the defense to admit it lacks the talent to make open receivers the thing it takes away from opposing offenses. These are no longer the timing-sensitive spread teams of the Big XII. If NU defensive backs can cover for five seconds (they can't), Big Ten QBs will scramble for six and seven seconds and hit an open man. All the while, a pass rush will either not be called for or will not be reaching the quarterback. Nobody can cover for that long.
Forget success, this defense's only hope of survival is to stop the run and pressure the quarterback. Everyone with a semi-educated opinion has pointed out that Husker defensive backs can't cover as long as they're being asked to do. Everyone else with eyeballs can see the Blackshirts can't stop the run or (Randy Gregory, you may be excused for this part) pressure the quarterback. It's time to do something well.
The second thing Pelini must do to save his job is to let Tommy Armstrong play. As Dirk Chatelain pointed out on Game Time with Nick Bahe yesterday, Taylor Martinez is in year five. We have seen the ceiling with him. This is the Taylor Martinez you are getting.
It's nothing against Taylor. I've come around a long way with my opinion on him because he's obviously worked hard and improved greatly. I want him to succeed, too. That said, think back to when he was a redshirt freshman. Could he throw like Armstrong can? If you didn't say, "Hell no," then you're misremembering.
Martinez, when healthy, brings speed to the table. Speed kills. So much so that Tim Beck included it in his twitter handle. But Taylor Martinez brings only speed to his running game. Martinez is not to be confused with a fluid runner. In a straight line sprint, he belongs with Crouch, Green, Rogers. In terms of vision and instinct running the ball, Martinez doesn't belong. He's not a "make you miss" guy. He's not a tackle breaker, either. Add pocket presence into that. When Martinez starts to improvise, strange things happen.
Armstrong, by contrast, has looked smooth out there in limited action. So smooth you forget he's a redshirt freshman. So smooth you relax a little knowing he's in the game. So smooth, I'm gonna call him "T-Smooth." Feel free to make that a thing.
The numbers don't lie. Obligatory "I love Ron Kellogg, we all love Ron Kellogg, he was great, too, he deserved it" statement aside, that offense looked better out there with Armstrong at quarterback than it ever has with Martinez. It was efficient, they were scoring every time. The deep passing game was in play.
Taylor has had great moments and great stats, but admit it...you're always pleasantly surprised when he makes a big play instead of a turnover. The hallmark of the Martinez-led Huskers has been fits and starts. They might score a TD, or he might wing it over Jamal Turner's head on a beautifully designed screen pass. They're good for at least a few three-and-out possessions per game. He might lead a dramatic fourth quarter comeback at Northwestern, but only after nearly throwing the game-ending pick...twice.
Armstrong went out there and dropped the deep ball in on a dime. He ran well. Most impressive to me, he took an option keeper or two and just turned it up for a 3 yard gain because that's all that was there. He looked poised, confident, dangerous...not to his own team, to the defense. He didn't force things. Sure, he didn't see a wide open Cethan Carter streaking to the end zone...but he threw a gorgeous out cut to another open receiver for the touchdown. You can forgive that kind of "mistake."
Armstrong played well enough to merit more playing time. He played well enough for Pelini to announce that they will hold Martinez out from practice until his turf toe is "100%." Well enough for Pelini to say that Martinez might not play against Illinois, even after a bye week. That's a far cry from one-legged Taylor handing off to Rex over and over in the Iowa game. Armstrong played well enough to get a few series in there even when Martinez is ready to go again. Armstrong played well enough to be Pelini's saving grace. Sure, it was an FCS defense and a middling one at that. But here's the thing:
If you play Armstrong at QB, suddenly it feels like you're playing for the future. You're making coaching adjustments. Sugar, you're going down swinging. Young defense, young quarterback, the promise of next year returns. Fans love next year, just ask the Chicago Cubs. And we haven't seen how high that smooth ceiling goes. We're only scratching the...wait for it...smooth surface with this kid.
If you go back to Martinez, especially if he's still hurt, the feel is all, "It's year six and this is the best you can do?" He might lead them on a tear through the Big Ten schedule. Or he might lead them on another meltdown or four. You'd believe either outcome, wouldn't you? Bo Pelini teams have been wild and streaky. Martinez has fit perfectly into that profile. They could use a little smooth to their game.
The Tommy Armstrong era and the era of a new defensive system will begin soon regardless of what this season holds. If they don't begin now, they will come along with the (INSERT NEW HEAD COACH HERE) era. I hope they don't have to.
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