Moral victories are for losers

"Almost" only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, but this time "almost" feels a little bit different. It feels like the 2008 Huskers could actually get one of those "signature wins" that everyone talks about. The disappointing thing to me is that they had Tech right where they wanted them and they couldn't quite close the deal. It was encouraging and heartbreaking at the same time.

Here are my thoughts...

Positives:

• Encouraging to me that Shawn Watson ran the ball with both Marlon Lucky and Roy Helu - and he stuck with it! Sure it was barely over 100 yards, but it was effective for only the second time this year (NM State).
• I thought that Lucky played an excellent game in all facets. He ran well between the tackles, was patient, caught the ball well (as usual) and picked up a number of blitzing 'backers.
• Encouraging also that NU actually stopped Tech twice and controlled the time of possession by better than 2-to-1.
• Watson had a great game plan that put NU in position to win the game.
• Even better effort in OT on the blocked FG. I really thought they'd win it after that!
• Joe Ganz threw the ball away well all game long, and I think he was trying to throw that last one away in OT but was hit at the same time and the ball got away from him.

Negatives

• Discouraging to me that NU is still making the stupid mental errors (false starts and personal fouls) that are costing them games.
• I'm not sure what's up with Ndamukong Suh, but he needs to cut out the damned personal fouls. This is now two games he's potentially cost us with that crap! First Va. Tech and now T. Tech. He draws the personal foul and then is standing on the sideline when they score because Pelini pulls him after the penalty. Shukree Barfield came in and got driven off the ball like he was a high school freshman. He was on his back in the end zone six freaking yards from the line of scrimmage!
• What the hell was Armando Murillo doing on that 4th and 4 when Michael Crabtree went deep? How do you let a guy who was a Heisman finalist as a freshman get behind you that far!?! The worst part about that play to me - the post game interview on FSN with Graham Harrell where he said that the center wasn't even supposed to snap the ball but didn't get the memo evidently. They were just going to try and draw NU off and then punt.

It was a sad loss, but NU competed with and really handed it to the #7 (probably #4 or 5 next week) team in the country on their own field. They should have won the game.

Game balls from me go to Joe Ganz, Todd Peterson, Mike McNeill, Meno Holt, Niles Paul, Matt Holt, Larry Asante and Ty Steinkuhler.

How about Matt Holt stepping in as a true freshmen (a walk-on no less!) when Cody Glenn and Phil Dillard are both hurt and having 8 tackles (7 solo)? NU might have found a true "diamond in the rough".

Aside from his stupid personal foul, I thought Suh played very well in the middle against that huge OL of Tech's.

Jacob Hickman certainly redeemed himself after a poor performance against Missouri also.

All in all, I'll take it but I'm disappointed that they lost. The game was theirs for the taking and they blew it when it counted the most. As the title says, moral victories are for losers and the bottom line is that NU is now 3-3 when they could very well be 5-1 with some better play between the ears.

In-state players... lose 1 but gain 2

Eventful week for Nebraska-born players on the Huskers' roster.

• June 12 - Sophomore cornerback Corey Young asks for and is granted release from his scholarship. Young signed with Nebraska out of Omaha (Neb.) Millard North in 2006.
• June 14 - Omaha (Neb.) Millard North linebacker prospect Sean Fisher verbally commits to play college football for Nebraska.
• June 16 - Crete (Neb.) safety John Levorson verbally commits to play college football for Nebraska.

What does this all mean for the Huskers and for in-state recruits?

Well, Young's departure doesn't really mean much except that NU now has another scholarship to offer to prospects this year. He was not among the two-deep at cornerback and would likely have been relegated to special teams and mop-up duty for the rest of his career in Lincoln. With incoming freshmen Eric Hagg, Anthony Blue, Shawn Sullivan, and Prince Amukamara along with JUCOs already in school Larry Asante and Armando Murrillo - as well as 2008 recruit David Whitmire - the writing was pretty much on the wall for Young. He will look to transfer, and early possibilities include Iowa and Washington.

What do Fisher and Levorson's commitments mean?

• Nebraska has currently wrapped up 5 of the top 6 players in Rivals.com's Nebraska top 10.
• Number four prospect (tight end) Tim Biere committed to Big Twelve rival Kansas this week after leaving Nebraska's camp without a Husker offer. Rumor is that the NU staff felt that Biere had a "low ceiling" and was therefore only a walk-on candidate. They are considering his high school teammate Damon Bechtold, however.
• Fisher is a Husker legacy and despite being rated "only" three-stars by Rivals had an offer list of 16 and growing. He chose NU over Oklahoma, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Arizona State, Colorado, and Iowa among others. Fisher will start at outside linebacker when he gets to Lincoln, but if he grows any more (he's already 6-foot-5) a move to defensive end might be imminent.
• Levorson was the star of the first day of session 2 of the Husker football camp, recording a 4.5+ second 40 on multiple watches, a 32-inch vertical jump, and a 4.33 second shuttle run. He measured in at 6-foot-3 1/2 and 186 pounds. Levorson is likely to be a safety, but don't rule out head coach Bill Callahan "stealing him" from defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove and moving him to receiver. Levorson is currently rated only two-stars by Rivals, but should move to at least three in the next ratings update this fall.

Led by five-star Baker Steinkuhler and four-star Trevor Robinson, 2008 is one of the best years in recent memory for Division I football talent in Nebraska. Nine of the top ten players in the state have earned scholarship offers from Division I schools, and the top seven all have multiple offers.

Here is Rivals.com's Nebraska top 10 and their scholarship offers of note. Please note that Steinkuhler and Okafor both committed to Nebraska in September of their junior seasons, hence they had only one official scholarship offer.

1 Baker Steinkuhler Lincoln (NE) Lincoln Southwest OL 6-6/290 Nebraska

2 Trevor Robinson Omaha (NE) Elkhorn OL 6-5/300 Nebraska, Notre Dame, Michigan, Texas A&M, Boston College, Iowa, N.C. State

3 Sean Fisher Omaha (NE) Millard North LB 6-5/210 Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Arizona State, Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa

4 Tim Biere Omaha (NE) Westside TE 6-4/235 Kansas, Kansas State, Ohio, Colorado State

5 Collins Okafor Omaha (NE) Westside RB 6-1/210 Nebraska

6 John Levorson Crete (NE) ATH 6-3/186 Nebraska, Wyoming, Ohio

7 Shaun Prater Omaha (NE) Central High School DB 5-10/162 Iowa, Iowa State, Ohio

8 Brian Thorson Omaha (NE) Millard North OL 6-3/279 Buffalo

9 Shane Prater Omaha (NE) Central High School WR 5-10/161 NONE

10 Brett Maher Kearney (NE) Kearney Sr High School K 6-0/170 Ohio