Husker Football Notes: OU secondary causes problems
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Oklahoma’s safeties played a lead role in forcing Nebraska quarterback Zac Taylor into a subpar performance Saturday night.
“They did a great job disguising coverages,” Taylor said after the Huskers’ 21-7 loss in the Big 12 title game. “That’s what probably gave me the most trouble all night long.”
Sooner safeties also snuffed out any Husker comeback hopes with two fourth-quarter interceptions.
Nic Harris made an especially athletic play midway through the period, diving in front of Husker wideout Nate Swift at the last moment and snagging Taylor’s pass.
“Nate was open,” Taylor said. “I just didn’t put enough mustard on the ball.”
Three minutes later, Reggie Smith intercepted Taylor, and at that point the outcome was essentially decided.
Taylor threw three picks after having only four all season.
Nicks gets the start
Carl Nicks made his second career start Saturday night, playing in place of 11-game starter Matt Slauson at right tackle. The 6-foot-5, 325-pound Nicks, a junior college transfer, also started last week’s victory against Colorado.
Slauson, a sophomore, has been slowed since the Nov. 11 Texas A&M game with a high ankle sprain.
Meanwhile, Chris Patrick returned to the starting lineup at left tackle after Lydon Murtha started against Colorado.
Peterson hot
Todd Peterson grabbed a career-long 48-yard pass on a second-and-10 play from the Nebraska 4-yard line in the second quarter. He had made a 24-yard grab earlier in the quarter.
Quick score
Oklahoma tailback Allen Patrick’s 2-yard touchdown run 48 seconds into the game marked the fastest score in Big 12 title game history. The previous fastest occurred in 2003, when OU’s Kejuan Jones scored on a 42-yard run 2:49 into the contest, the Sooners’ lone score in a 35-7 loss to Kansas State.
Moving up charts
Terrence Nunn caught four passes for 37 yards and and now is just the second NU receiver with 100 or more catches in a career. Johnny Rodgers leads with 143.
In addition, Taylor moved up two spots on the career total offense list with 298 yards Saturday. He now has 5,681, moving ahead of Tommie Frazier and Jammal Lord.
Stoops on a roll
With the victory, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops improved to 24-9 against ranked teams and 25-3 against teams in the Big 12 North Division.
Etc.
Saturday marked the first game all season Nebraska failed to score in the first quarter. ... Nebraska I-back Marlon Lucky (back) played sparingly, and Husker I-back Cody Glenn (foot sprain) never played at all.
“They did a great job disguising coverages,” Taylor said after the Huskers’ 21-7 loss in the Big 12 title game. “That’s what probably gave me the most trouble all night long.”
Sooner safeties also snuffed out any Husker comeback hopes with two fourth-quarter interceptions.
Nic Harris made an especially athletic play midway through the period, diving in front of Husker wideout Nate Swift at the last moment and snagging Taylor’s pass.
“Nate was open,” Taylor said. “I just didn’t put enough mustard on the ball.”
Three minutes later, Reggie Smith intercepted Taylor, and at that point the outcome was essentially decided.
Taylor threw three picks after having only four all season.
Nicks gets the start
Carl Nicks made his second career start Saturday night, playing in place of 11-game starter Matt Slauson at right tackle. The 6-foot-5, 325-pound Nicks, a junior college transfer, also started last week’s victory against Colorado.
Slauson, a sophomore, has been slowed since the Nov. 11 Texas A&M game with a high ankle sprain.
Meanwhile, Chris Patrick returned to the starting lineup at left tackle after Lydon Murtha started against Colorado.
Peterson hot
Todd Peterson grabbed a career-long 48-yard pass on a second-and-10 play from the Nebraska 4-yard line in the second quarter. He had made a 24-yard grab earlier in the quarter.
Quick score
Oklahoma tailback Allen Patrick’s 2-yard touchdown run 48 seconds into the game marked the fastest score in Big 12 title game history. The previous fastest occurred in 2003, when OU’s Kejuan Jones scored on a 42-yard run 2:49 into the contest, the Sooners’ lone score in a 35-7 loss to Kansas State.
Moving up charts
Terrence Nunn caught four passes for 37 yards and and now is just the second NU receiver with 100 or more catches in a career. Johnny Rodgers leads with 143.
In addition, Taylor moved up two spots on the career total offense list with 298 yards Saturday. He now has 5,681, moving ahead of Tommie Frazier and Jammal Lord.
Stoops on a roll
With the victory, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops improved to 24-9 against ranked teams and 25-3 against teams in the Big 12 North Division.
Etc.
Saturday marked the first game all season Nebraska failed to score in the first quarter. ... Nebraska I-back Marlon Lucky (back) played sparingly, and Husker I-back Cody Glenn (foot sprain) never played at all.
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