STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Thursday, September 28, 2006 7:00 pm
TAYLOR ON A TEAR: Nebraska senior quarterback Zac Taylor has completed 70.8 percent of his passes this season after finishing last year at 55.1 percent. He said his goal is 65 percent to 70 percent. If he maintains his current rate, look for Nebraska to end up in the Big 12 championship game Dec. 2 in Kansas City, Mo.
The Huskers hope their march to Arrowhead Stadium begins tonight. Leading the way is an ultra-confident QB. “Honestly, this is the most confident and comfortable I’ve felt the whole time I’ve been playing football,” Taylor said. He said he’s worked hard to avoid forcing throws, instead making it a point to use his “check-down” receiver — or fourth option— to pick up valuable yards.
“Last year I was always looking for big plays,” Taylor said. “And it got me in trouble at times.” It’s been mostly smooth sailing this fall, although competition now ratchets up a bit.
FACTORING OUT OF REVENGE: Many point to Nebraska’s loss last November at Kansas as the low point in an especially turbulent four-year period for the NU program. As expected, the Huskers’ 40-15 loss in Lawrence was broached often this week in NU’s camp, as pundits tried to draw the r-word out of players. It didn’t happen, at least to any significant extent.
“You can’t call it revenge because we beat ourselves,” Husker junior linebacker Corey McKeon said. “That was a situation where we didn’t play up to our potential, and it was completely obvious. We’re done with those kind of games. If we’re going to go down losing, we’re going to go down playing the best we can. So, this isn’t a revenge game. It’s a ‘Let’s not play crappy’ game.”
Call it what you want, just don’t expect Kansas to outgain Nebraska 428-138, as was the case last fall.
NIGHT MOVES: Nebraska hardly ever loses and typically prevails convincingly when it plays home games at night. It’s one of those things that’s difficult to explain, like why an old pickup seems to run better on a full tank of gas.
At any rate, Nebraska is 23-2 under the lights at Memorial Stadium, the lone setbacks occurring against two Top 10 teams — No. 4 Washington in 1991 and No. 7 Texas in 2002. Because Kansas lacks a defender with the prowess of former Husky lineman Steve Emtman or an offensive weapon as lethal as ex-Longhorns wideout Roy Williams, the Jayhawks probably face a long night in Lincoln.
Indeed, the Huskers’ dominance in home night contests has been impressive, as 21 of the 23 triumphs have been by 13 points or more, including last week’s 56-0 shutout of Troy.
EYEING OCTOBER: Nebraska tonight will try to polish off September on a high note and build momentum for a crucial four-game stretch in October. In fact, Husker coach Bill Callahan as early as last March pointed to October as a critical month in the Huskers’ bid to capture their first Big 12 North crown since 1999.
“As you look at the schedule, our concern as a team and as a staff is the month of October,” Callahan said last spring. The Big 12 schedule next month has Nebraska traveling to Iowa State (Oct. 7), Kansas State (Oct. 14) and Oklahoma State (Oct. 28). The Huskers’ only home game during October falls on the 21st against Texas.
Nebraska must improve its play on the road, said Callahan, whose Husker teams are a combined 3-7 in true road games.
First things first. How about Nebraska 31, Kansas 10? Last one out, please turn off the lights.