Nebraska Football: Senior Leadership, Not Pelini to Blame for Huskers' Struggles

During the second half of the UCLA game, head coach Bo Pelini said his team looked like it had seen a ghost.

The Huskers had blown a major lead to the Bruins by that point. The lack of enthusiasm was understandable.

It was also inexcusable.

When a team is losing, it can be challenging for its players to stay motivated. It's crucial those players do.

With plenty of time remaining, a lot can happen in football. With negative attitudes, the chances for something good happening significantly decreases.

Against Minnesota, the Huskers appeared deflated by the end of the third quarter. With plenty of game left to turn it around, it was disappointing to see.

So, who exactly is to blame for the Huskers' struggles?

Despite Assumptions, Not All Blame Can Be Placed on Coaches

It's easy to point blame at a head coach when a team faces struggles. In Pelini's case, he has rightfully received plenty of criticism so far this season.

While the coach does take responsibility for various struggles his team has, one he cannot take full blame for is the lack of senior leadership.

Against Minnesota, Pelini and his staff, including defensive coordinator John Papuchis, were actively trying to keep their players' heads in the game.

Having a hard time believing that? Take a look back at the fourth quarter film.

While the Nebraska sideline appeared to be attending a funeral, Papuchis was moving from player-to-player attempting to motivate.

Pelini appeared to be encouraging players as they came and went from the field. Assistants also attempted to lift the spirits of the team.

Nothing seemed to work.

Regardless, the Nebraska sideline should not have been that down to begin with.

By the end of the third quarter, Nebraska had found a bit of rhythm in its game. Quarterback Taylor Martinez ran for 35-yards, which set up a short touchdown pass to Sam Cotton. The Huskers had cut Minnesota's lead to 27-20.

When ESPN panned to the Husker sideline at the end of the quarter, the team still look deflated.

Many assume this comes down to coaching. There is a certain aspect that does. However, there was one visible element missing from the Nebraska sideline.

That element was senior leadership.

Senior Leadership Lacking Since Suh

Former Blackshirt Ndamukong Suh took a lot with him when he graduated. One of those items being his leadership.

Despite his current reputation in the NFL, Suh was well-known as a leader of the Nebraska football team.

Back in 2009, Suh stepped into the leadership role.

Pelini was pleased with the defensive tackle's ability to take charge of the defense. In a post-practice interview from the spring of 2009, Pelini discussed the type of leader Suh was, via Huskers.com.

"

He’s doing well. He’s practicing well and doing some good things. He’s not a real vocal guy, but he plays with intensity and he’s a heck of a football player, so the guys see that and rally around him.

"

His leadership abilities only grew from there.

By the time he graduated, Suh found himself in New York City for the Heisman Trophy presentation.

He was an aggressive player. He played with a lot of passion and let his attitude on the field do the talking.

On the sidelines, that attitude carried over to the other players.

When Suh graduated, many wondered who would step up to fill that void. Four years later, that question is still being answered.

Various players have briefly found their way into the leadership role for Nebraska. However, their effects were never as significant as Suh's.

The Effects Going Forward

For Nebraska to be successful, the team must find a way to re-instill senior leadership within the team.

Since Suh, there hasn't been many players that have stepped into the role.

There have been players that have briefly stepped up, like former defensive tackle Jared Crick. Despite his best efforts, Crick never became what Suh was in the leadership department.

Establishing senior leaders is crucial to a team, though.

A lot could have been different against Minnesota had there been a player actively engaged in motivating the team.

Many believe that lies on Martinez. A veteran of the program, Martinez is responsible for motivating and leading his team.

However, there are plenty of other seniors who need to be doing the same.

When the going gets tough, players must rally around one another. The seniors of the team need to be actively supporting and teaching the younger players.

In the weekly press conference via Huskers.com, quarterback Tommy Armstrong confirmed the Huskers need for a leader.

"We need a huge leader but at the same time, we've all got to be leaders. ... We've had that in the past and we need that now," Armstrong said.

Leaders do take a portion of accountability for the team, win or lose, which can often be intimidating for players. In fact, many players would prefer to play with the team but stay focused on themselves.

That mindset will create negative effects in the future.

Over the last few years, Nebraska has faced those effects. With the lack of true senior leaders, the team has struggled to stay motivated at times.

That does not mean the Husker seniors are not talented because many talented players have come and gone since 2009.

One of those players still needs to step up. Who that player is has yet to be determined.

Players like Suh do not come around often. That cannot be an excuse for lack of senior leadership, though.

It's more important than ever for a Nebraska senior to step up.