Nebraska Football Tailgate Talk: Taking aim at the Eagles

It’s time for the Nebraska football team to take aim at the Georgia Southern Eagles who come to Lincoln Saturday night for a 6:30 pm kickoff televised on FS1.  I’m not sure quite what to expect… it could be a little dreary and there may even be a storm. The same goes for the weather (see what I did there?). No, seriously, it does look like some rain will happen during the Husker tailgates, now it may leak into the game. Extra weights for canopies and dress in waterproof layers (high in the mid-60s) and know that you CANNOT bring an umbrella into the stadium.

After the hair-raising TOP GUN-esque flyover at Memorial Stadium last week, everyone was excited. The similarity to the domination of that box office bombshell ended there. It was as quiet as a movie theater in the Husker tension convention from then on as it was still tied in the 3rd quarter at 17-17, with 4 minutes to go.  On the bright side, like any good blockbuster, that ending last quarter was a BIG RED success.

Hats (of helmets) off to Nebraska football linebacker Garrett Nelson and defensive end, Ochaun Mathis for EACH getting to the quarterback! Well done. More, please.

The Sloppy award goes to the officials. Two possible targeting calls on North Dakota and — Nope, nothing. Really? Things must have REALLY changed over the summer because last year that would have sent guys to the locker room. The Good news is no one was seriously injured. In unrelated news, it’s probably still a good thing referees/umpires get a police escort to their cars.

I still like Husker QB Casey Thompson’s quick decisions in 2 games. However, if someone could whisper in his ear that it’s not all up to him on a 3rd and long, and not to get too greedy over the middle, that would be great, thanks. Good chat. Seriously though, I still like what I see from that kid from that place I don’t like.

PROPS to Husker running back, Anthony Grant. I haven’t seen jump cuts like that since  Ameer Abdullah. I love how he’s always gaining ground even after contact. 8.2 yards a carry that game. It’s refreshing to see a running back go around the pile, make people miss, and get to the next level. More, please. Good on you freshman Ajay Allen for your first rushing touchdown. Almost makes you forget when Gabe Ervin got put in the game and juggled (and almost lost) the ball.

If I’m allowed to be the Nebraska football head coach for a hot minute, Big Red would be forced to STOP having punt returners by committee. Pick 1 or 2 guys to put back there so that they can actually get used to catching and returning the ball. 2014  and De’Mornay Pierson-El are how far back you have to go since Huskers were excited about that part of the game. End of rant.

I also liked the mix between pass and run this game. Is this what happens when Coach Whipple and Coach Frost actually work together?  I’m hoping that the more the Offensive line plays together, the better they will play. Right now they are more offensive than line.

Last, but very far from least, the BIG RED Receivers! Nice to see Trey Palmer staying hot in the mix and I think we still haven’t seen the best of Marcus Washington or Isaiah Garcia-Castenada. Golf clap to Omar Manning with a reception of note also. 5-year Senior, Chancellor Brewington have yourself a day! He had a great touchdown catch and what you may have not noticed are all the other plays where he’s blocking like a fullback (do you even remember that position?) And how about that Huskesr tight end Nate Boerkircher with a touchdown!! Good on ya! More, please.

Georgia Southern’s Eagles come to town with an “air raid” offense so I’m hoping the Husker defensive backs can lower the number of whiffs and missed coverages that were shown in the first two games. Huskers Miles Farmer, Quinton Newsome, freshman Ernest Hausman and sophomore Tommi Hill need to play well this week. To find out more about 3 interesting players for Georgia Southern click here. The Blackshirt defense will need to keep QB Kyle Vantrese off his rhythm so maybe put an extra defender in the box to limit his effectiveness.

The drink I’ve drawn up this week is in homage to the Georgia Southern Blue Eagles. It’s a tasty blue cocktail made with 1 shot of vodka, 3/4 shot of blue curacao, and 2 shots of Sprite (in case you get a little nauseous during the game). You can put the drink down easily so be careful. I hope the same is true of Georgia Southern. I’d love to see a dominating performance by Big Red. The Weather may limit how it’s done.

Night games mean packing your patience when leaving the stadium. After the Nebraska football game, the race to get onto I-80 is more like a slow crawl. Pack a tray of cookies, or a bag of chips and a dip to take to the tailgate you go to as a thank you for all their hard work. Hit me up with your photos or recipes on the twitter at @kelian_NE. Be safe out there, keep an eye on the weather and GO BIG RED!