Pitchin with Pritch: Huskers lose another close one, volleyball team surprises
Well we passed one month of living in Lincoln and I have to admit that there are times when I wake up in the middle of the night and wonder where in the world I am.
I also have to admit that even as many good things that there are to do here, I guess you could say I get a little homesick for good old Grant, America.
This past week we got in another flag football game watching our grandson Kyler play. We also had another overnight stay with our granddaughter Kenley.
Those events offset watching the Huskers lose another close football game but watching the Husker Volleyball team beat Penn State 3 to 1, at Penn State.
If I wanted to start with the best athletic thing I saw, it might have to be Kyler’s flag football game. He caught a pass for a touchdown, intercepted a pass for a TD and played really tough on defense.
Grandpa is a little biased no doubt, but he does do a pretty good job.
The second event would be the volleyball contest at Penn State. Penn State is a very well coached, very talented and they play hard for their coach, Russ Rose.
Coach Rose always appears to me as a grumpy old man, but I know he is a good coach. He has been at Penn State for over 40 years.
They have won the NCAA national title seven times and the Big Ten Championship 17 times. Starting the 2021 season, Rose had 1309 career wins and 218 losses.
He has been good for the number of wins and all the other achievements by his teams. So for Nebraska to come into Happy Valley and pull off a win is a big accomplishment.
Nebraska is a pretty good program also and after going through some tough times earlier this season, Coach Cook has his team playing pretty well.
The Huskers won the first set and looked like they were going to maybe sweep, but Penn State played much better and won the second set. The Huskers looked good and took the next two sets.
The Huskers are somewhat young and have to be pretty talented to be able to compete at the level they are, considering a two-time All-American never get into the contest.
Not sure what the situation is with Lexi Sun but they are winning without her at the moment.
Basketball practice started at the University and there are a number of new faces on the squad. That is kind of the way Coach Hoiberg works and I hope it will work here this year.
In a media poll, the Huskers were picked to finish 11th in the 14-team conference. I certainly hope they are wrong.
The games start with some exhibition games at the end of this month. I think I will enjoy going to those and not having to drive 300 miles home the next day.
Now for the Husker football team, who lost another close one last Saturday to Michigan.
Lots of chatter on social media about the officials, the penalties and all the things that have been happening all season. Sometimes I did wonder about the officiating.
There are some people that think the Big 10 doesn’t want Nebraska to be successful and hence the untimely penalties and some that the action is so slight they very seldom throw a flag.
I watched the game and my biggest questions involved the decision not to attempt a field goal on the first drive and the delay penalty on the defensive team, which is the first time I’ve ever seen that called.
Michigan sure isn’t Northwestern, therefore the Michigan defense was better, the offense was better and the talent was better.
But for the most part, the Huskers hung in there with a chance to win the game. But miscues, like fumbles etc., gave us another L and not the W. Maybe next week!
Keeping the game with Oklahoma close didn’t look all that good Saturday at the beginning of the Texas game.
Being down 21, it appeared Texas was going to hang a big loss on the Sooners, but it didn’t happen and Oklahoma came back and won it.
That is a game where a lot of Huskers fans would like to see both teams lose. I have to admit, I am in that group.