booomer
12/1/2006, 10:33 PM
NU-OU adds to prestige of Big 12, Barnett says
BY LEE BARFKNECHT
The Nebraska-Oklahoma matchup in the Big 12 football championship game even excites a former foe of the two longtime powers.
"It's great for college football, but it's really great for the conference," ex-Colorado coach Gary Barnett said.
After a down year for the Big 12 - a 0-9 record against ranked nonconference foes and no team higher than 12th in the BCS standings - Barnett said the NU-OU game gives the league "a shot in the arm."
"It needs something this year," he said. "It didn't last year. And next year, well, we'll wait and see. But it seems like there are a lot of good young teams in the conference right now.
"It was just one of those years. That doesn't last forever. Just like the good stuff doesn't last forever, either."
Barnett, who led Colorado to four of the previous five Big 12 title games, will be part of the national radio broadcast team Saturday night on the Sports USA Network. He already has worked two OU games (Washington and Texas A&M) as an analyst.
What has he seen from the Sooners?
"The people who have hurt Oklahoma have run the ball," Barnett said. "And Nebraska is running the ball pretty doggone effectively."
Oklahoma's defense, expected to be the strength of the team, struggled early. The Sooners fell to 97th nationally after the Oregon loss, but have climbed back to 14th now.
"When I saw them early in the year, I was surprised they weren't playing better," Barnett said. "They have played better lately."
As he prepared his broadcasting reference boards this week, something else caught Barnett's eye.
"One thing that really jumps out to me is the number of junior college kids Nebraska has," he said. "It's amazing in the two-deep how many there are (nine).
"Junior college kids just don't have quite the same understanding of this game or what it means - not just the Big 12 championship game, but the rivalry between Nebraska and Oklahoma."
While watching the Nebraska-Colorado game, Barnett said, he chuckled at the seven trick plays NU called.
"I sort of liked them," he said. "I thought they did a great job of catching Colorado napping."
Barnett disagrees with the thinking that Nebraska shouldn't need such plays to beat a 2-10 team.
"It's just your personality and how you play the game," he said. "You use trick plays because they'll work easier. Sometimes you can get them called, and sometimes you can't."
Barnett, who was ousted at Colorado last Dec. 8, would like to call his own plays again as a college head coach.
"I want to get in the 'right' place," he said. "I'm in a situation where I don't have to go back in because I need to make a living."
Barnett, 60, got a $3 million contract settlement from CU.
"I can pick and choose and be in the right place," he said. "The key is being the president's guy and the athletic director's guy. So I can't tell you what's going to happen yet."
Copyright ©2006 Omaha World-Herald®.
BY LEE BARFKNECHT
The Nebraska-Oklahoma matchup in the Big 12 football championship game even excites a former foe of the two longtime powers.
"It's great for college football, but it's really great for the conference," ex-Colorado coach Gary Barnett said.
After a down year for the Big 12 - a 0-9 record against ranked nonconference foes and no team higher than 12th in the BCS standings - Barnett said the NU-OU game gives the league "a shot in the arm."
"It needs something this year," he said. "It didn't last year. And next year, well, we'll wait and see. But it seems like there are a lot of good young teams in the conference right now.
"It was just one of those years. That doesn't last forever. Just like the good stuff doesn't last forever, either."
Barnett, who led Colorado to four of the previous five Big 12 title games, will be part of the national radio broadcast team Saturday night on the Sports USA Network. He already has worked two OU games (Washington and Texas A&M) as an analyst.
What has he seen from the Sooners?
"The people who have hurt Oklahoma have run the ball," Barnett said. "And Nebraska is running the ball pretty doggone effectively."
Oklahoma's defense, expected to be the strength of the team, struggled early. The Sooners fell to 97th nationally after the Oregon loss, but have climbed back to 14th now.
"When I saw them early in the year, I was surprised they weren't playing better," Barnett said. "They have played better lately."
As he prepared his broadcasting reference boards this week, something else caught Barnett's eye.
"One thing that really jumps out to me is the number of junior college kids Nebraska has," he said. "It's amazing in the two-deep how many there are (nine).
"Junior college kids just don't have quite the same understanding of this game or what it means - not just the Big 12 championship game, but the rivalry between Nebraska and Oklahoma."
While watching the Nebraska-Colorado game, Barnett said, he chuckled at the seven trick plays NU called.
"I sort of liked them," he said. "I thought they did a great job of catching Colorado napping."
Barnett disagrees with the thinking that Nebraska shouldn't need such plays to beat a 2-10 team.
"It's just your personality and how you play the game," he said. "You use trick plays because they'll work easier. Sometimes you can get them called, and sometimes you can't."
Barnett, who was ousted at Colorado last Dec. 8, would like to call his own plays again as a college head coach.
"I want to get in the 'right' place," he said. "I'm in a situation where I don't have to go back in because I need to make a living."
Barnett, 60, got a $3 million contract settlement from CU.
"I can pick and choose and be in the right place," he said. "The key is being the president's guy and the athletic director's guy. So I can't tell you what's going to happen yet."
Copyright ©2006 Omaha World-Herald®.