Steven M. Sipple: Suh's hype down but performance isn't
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With Nebraska’s skill-position players bumbling and fumbling, let’s focus on the behemoths:
* Granted, individual honors are the least of Big Red’s concerns right now.
Nevertheless, an unfortunate byproduct of the Huskers’ two-game skid is that it’s turned down the volume on the Ndamukong Suh-for-Heisman discussion that materialized after his monster performance Oct. 8 at Missouri.
The thing is, Suh continues to play at an exceptionally high level.
Is it possible Suh could remain in the Heisman picture despite his team’s struggles, especially considering the unusually wide-open nature of this year’s race?
I focused on the Nebraska senior defensive tackle during much of Saturday’s 9-7 loss to Iowa State. The Cyclones double-teamed Suh on virtually every play, using 6-foot-3, 335-pound center Reggie Stephens, a very good player, while alternating three right guards.
Even so, Suh produced eight tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss and three quarterback hurries and blocking both an extra point and a field goal.
Meanwhile, the interior lineman next to Suh — 6-6, 285-pound sophomore Jared Crick — has taken many (including NFL scouts) by surprise with his high level of play. Crick’s speed and quickness have been startling at times.
“I’ll tell you what, I show up for work (Sunday) and obviously I’m down and everybody else is,” said Nebraska defensive coordinator Carl Pelini, who doubles as line coach. “Then I watch the film. I’m just so proud of those two guys, so proud of the defense.
“I’d be hard-pressed to think there’s a better tandem in the country. There couldn’t be."
* Entering last weekend’s games, Alabama running back Mark Ingram was my Heisman leader, followed by Tim Tebow and Suh.
Time to re-evaluate my ballot.
Ingram, a powerful sophomore, rushed 18 times for 99 yards but lost a crucial fourth-quarter fumble in Alabama’s 12-10 win against Tennessee. Meanwhile, Tebow threw two interceptions that were returned for scores and was generally underwhelming in Florida’s 29-19 win against Mississippi State.
Nevertheless, Ingram and Tebow will remain prominent in Heisman discussion, and deservedly so, in part because their teams are undefeated and play in the nation’s best conference, hands down.
* Heisman stock rising: Jimmy Clausen and Colt McCoy.
* Another defensive tackle, Alabama senior Terrence Cody, has emerged in Heisman chatter.
The 6-5, 365-pound Cody blocked a 44-yard field-goal attempt on the final play to preserve Saturday’s triumph. It was his second block in the fourth quarter.
Cody carries his weight well. But he’s not as athletic as the 6-4, 300-pound Suh. And Suh just may be as strong as Cody.
“That’s the amazing thing about Suh, is he’s so lean and athletic yet he carries the strength of a 350-pounder,” Pelini said.
Suh enjoys a huge statistical lead over Cody. In seven games, Suh has 44 tackles, including 10 for loss, and four sacks. In eight games, Cody has 17 tackles, including five for loss, and no sacks.
* Suh meticulously grades his performance after each game. “His grades are always lower than mine,” Pelini noted.
* If Nebraska offensive line coach Barney Cotton’s attitude reflects that of the entire team, the Huskers should respond to Saturday’s loss just fine .
“Maybe if we would’ve blocked a little harder, blocked a little longer and I would’ve coached a little better, maybe we would’ve been in the end zone,” said Cotton, referring to four turnovers inside the Iowa State 5-yard line. “We are all a factor in the turnovers. I’m a factor as a coach. That’s the way I always look at it.”
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.
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