We're one of "7 storied programs" expected to struggle
- Thread starter Chris
- Start date
Maybe it's just the kool-aid or the rose colored glasses, I expect NU to be better this year--maybe a lot better---
QB--I see a more efficient QB that will make better decisions--what we give up in the QB run, we get back in draws and screens
RB--can't see where we lost anything--TN was a solid player, but not a game changer--the other 3 with another year of experience will be very good
OL--Again, another year of S&C and another year in this system--they should be better than last year (CAV better hope so)
WR/TE--We lose a lot of experience here, but SM and DPE have a lot of game time--expect at least one of the incoming freshmen to contribute
Defense--It's all about Diaco and Elliot--the last time we brought in a top-line DC (Pelini in 02) the defense was radically better--expect big things from the D in 2017
And you heard it here first--MR wins BIG coach of the year
GBR
QB--I see a more efficient QB that will make better decisions--what we give up in the QB run, we get back in draws and screens
RB--can't see where we lost anything--TN was a solid player, but not a game changer--the other 3 with another year of experience will be very good
OL--Again, another year of S&C and another year in this system--they should be better than last year (CAV better hope so)
WR/TE--We lose a lot of experience here, but SM and DPE have a lot of game time--expect at least one of the incoming freshmen to contribute
Defense--It's all about Diaco and Elliot--the last time we brought in a top-line DC (Pelini in 02) the defense was radically better--expect big things from the D in 2017
And you heard it here first--MR wins BIG coach of the year
GBR
Seriously......Man sometimes (when it comes to Husker News that is ). I REALLY HATE THIS TIME OF YEAR.....When sports writers have nothing better to do than cook crap up to write about or in some cases start kicking over rocks and see what they might find by accident.
Look at it logical though.....We are finally getting to see what Riley's West Coast Offense will look like basically give and take a few skill players that he will tailor specific things too....New UN Big 10 tested Quarterback.....New full time guys at Running Back and Wideout ......Plus you throw in a complete Defensive make over from a 4-3 to a 3-4 and throw in a couple of important new Coaches and of course you gotta expect growing pains..........The real trick will be how fast the staff can get this deal rolling ......They sure picked a doozy of a season to do all this but hey it is what it is.....Good or Bad.....Come the End of this season we will have all our questions answered and more.
I am betting on Nebraska, but hey this is football....And it can change so much from 1 play to the next.
Go Big Red !
Doc.
Look at it logical though.....We are finally getting to see what Riley's West Coast Offense will look like basically give and take a few skill players that he will tailor specific things too....New UN Big 10 tested Quarterback.....New full time guys at Running Back and Wideout ......Plus you throw in a complete Defensive make over from a 4-3 to a 3-4 and throw in a couple of important new Coaches and of course you gotta expect growing pains..........The real trick will be how fast the staff can get this deal rolling ......They sure picked a doozy of a season to do all this but hey it is what it is.....Good or Bad.....Come the End of this season we will have all our questions answered and more.
I am betting on Nebraska, but hey this is football....And it can change so much from 1 play to the next.
Go Big Red !
Doc.
Doc Holiday;102500 said:
yep.
every preseason assessment and prediction will basically say that NU is set up for a disappointing year, and/or have too many questionmarks to put them near the top.
they'll be listed as a darkhorse, and a team to watch out for (if their new QB and new 3-4 come to fruition, watch out... etc)
but from the outside looking in, you cant expect anything else.
NU lost a TON of statistical production from last year's team. leading tacklers, sack production, passing/rushing/receiving.
gone is a 4 year starter at QB. replacement is two guys whove never taken a snap under center at NU
gone is the starting RB, and all the rushing production from the QB
gone are all the starting TEs and every TE that ever caught a pass in college.
gone are a bunch of senior WRs, and depth is thin again at the WR spot
plus keep in mind that even regarding the OL, most analysis ignores that Foster is a returning starter because he was hurt the majority of last year, so many view the team as returning only 3 starters, all of whom were hurt at various points last year and generally underachieved.
then you also throw in a completely new defensive scheme
so of course all of the non-NU media outlets are going to predict a mediocre season. we as hardcore fans know otherwise, but these types of articles are to be expected the entire offseason and fall camp and probably right up until NU beats someone of note during the season.
GatorHusker;102512 said:
Exactly, the only damage this can do is if the team, in one form or another, internalizes any of the negativity.
This causes me to circle around to a place that most don't want to go, but I'm going there anyway.......... just briefly. Imo the degree of separation between the team psyche and the fan's/media's opinions are closer at NU than most places. Imo NU fans carry a bigger responsibility to maintain a degree of optimism even in the darkest of times.
I, like everyone else, don't always like what I see. I feel it is only fair to express opinions about what I would like to have done. I think that comes with the Husker territory. What we need to keep in mind however is that the media reports what we demand. They ask the questions we want answers to. Fair enough, that's what the media does.....that's what they get paid for. So when we dislike something and express it, I feel there has to be a way out. Everyone needs to feel there is a method that can be used to correct less than likeable results.
Sometimes terminations are the best way, but often a little patience can correct problem areas that are fixable without throwing the program into a constant "do over". Sometimes things are just not "fixable" with existing individuals. That's up to the head coach to correct. That's why he (or she) gets the big bucks. Results matter, and any head coach worth their salt, is aware of that. That's why before I push the termination button as a fan, I always suggest a look at what I would like to see fixed long before I shout for something more drastic.
I have several individuals I know who feel that one fan shouting is not heard. I feel in this day and age it is. It becomes infectious, and it eventually finds it's way to the program. The coaching staff can only insolate and isolate so much in this day of electronic media.
Does it even matter that some media organizations beat us up? I think it doesn't help at the least, and may hurt at the worst, but the only way I can think of to shut them up is to prove them wrong by winning.
Gator is right.....by the numbers it looks as though it won't be easy. If articles stop there we should be fair game. They never do. They, since they are composed of humans,
do what humans do, they carry it too far and slam programs beyond what they should.
A long winded meandering post. I had some spare time......and this is what happens
Not a bad read at all and you just go right ahead and meander we don't mind.....Hell I do it all the freakin time and it don't stop me.....But anyway before I drift off on another rip snorter ......I have said more than once until we do something noteworthy and prove we can maintain our ways we are going to keep catching all sorts of hell from about everyplace you can think of....And I know for a fact the staff we have now fully understands that.....They also are not shy about using psychology in terms of team motivation.....Mike Riley has long been known as a hands off type of coach when it comes to direct interaction with one of his team's psyche and instead will find an assistant coach who is very well liked and respected by the team and let them run with headline material for instance......Take the recent comments from Iowa and it's new O coordinator ......He insulted the entire Nebraska Pipeline not just the recent players and that's one big group of big ugly guys with bad dispositions to begin with that you really do not wanna piss off......Well rumor has it that Brian Ferentz's words found their way to the entire group of guys that play those positions at Nebraska and it really fed the already burning fires.
Go Big Red !
Doc
Go Big Red !
Doc
If this was a story about another program facing what we are we would be totally agreeing with it. New QB(s), RB(s) WR (s) etc. Head Coach who has never won anything, unproven OC, new DC switching to a new base defense. Its hard to see why we are so positive. But we are. And why??? Because WE ARE THE HUSKERS DAMNIT. The greatest fans in college football, oh hell ALL OF FOOTBALL, and WE BELIEVE, its what we do. So yep CCG and playoffs here we come like it or not.
I see the line for NU wins for 2017 is 6--seriously, I would like to drop some cash on that--where do I find a book for this?
GBR
http://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/19413753/college-football-full-list-unders-cg-technology
GBR
http://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/19413753/college-football-full-list-unders-cg-technology
Bet the house (bet them both if you have 2). NU will win its first 6 games. Depending on the outcome at Penn State and the bowl game, NU is looking at a 10-11 win season. Win 11 and Riley could possibly win national coach of the year because of morons predicting only 6 wins. Imagine what that would do for recruiting.
Whoa up there just a tiny bit ok.....You have to remember what we are up against.....With all the "New" and un-BIG10 tested parts and so forth there are just way too many variables to get a feel for what this particular team chemistry is all about......You can have a roster chock full of the best talent in the land ...(ala Ohio St.) .....And you still can choke in a big game ....Remember the public ass whuppin the Buckeyes suffered during the playoffs last year....It's way more than just Jimmies and Joe's in this day and age of College Football.....It's more about finding a team of young Men who will always have the others backs...Who will never give up......Or let their brothers down and can find a way to work as one and win each game 1 at a time.
Go Big RED !
Doc.
Go Big RED !
Doc.
This will be one time when I'm glad to tell everyone "I told you so." Last year when NU raced out to a 6-0 start I was one of the few who said that NU wasn't very good and the house of cards was about to come crashing down. So I'm no homer.
I get that there's a lot of unknowns, but NU has the intangibles, talent, and coaching to erase any pre-season doubt in my book. OR and Wisconsin will be double digit wins. This passing attack is extremely difficult to stop. Wait and see. So as long as the defense can hold its own (I'm trusting Diaco can put together a game plan) then it's off to the races until Ohio State.
So, I stand by my prediction and will gladly be pointing out this post come October.
PS -The link below says it all. Athlon's has Johnny Stanton as one of the QBs to watch and no mention of Lee. Are you kidding me? No one has a clue about Nebraska's talent. It's laughable what some of these "experts" base their rankings on.
https://athlonsports.com/college-football/college-footballs-top-25-quarterbacks-rise-2017
I get that there's a lot of unknowns, but NU has the intangibles, talent, and coaching to erase any pre-season doubt in my book. OR and Wisconsin will be double digit wins. This passing attack is extremely difficult to stop. Wait and see. So as long as the defense can hold its own (I'm trusting Diaco can put together a game plan) then it's off to the races until Ohio State.
So, I stand by my prediction and will gladly be pointing out this post come October.
PS -The link below says it all. Athlon's has Johnny Stanton as one of the QBs to watch and no mention of Lee. Are you kidding me? No one has a clue about Nebraska's talent. It's laughable what some of these "experts" base their rankings on.
https://athlonsports.com/college-football/college-footballs-top-25-quarterbacks-rise-2017
Nebraska has two tough games on the road: Oregon and Penn State.
All our other tough games are in Lincoln, chief among them: Ohio State, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Northwestern.
With the schedule Nebraska has, with all the home games, this being Riley's 3rd year, Nebraska needs to be 9-3 or 10-2 at this minimum this regular season.
All our other tough games are in Lincoln, chief among them: Ohio State, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Northwestern.
With the schedule Nebraska has, with all the home games, this being Riley's 3rd year, Nebraska needs to be 9-3 or 10-2 at this minimum this regular season.
johnmcmillen;102643 said:
That's some sparklin' red Kool-Aid sippin' going on. While winning the first six is doable, it's not a 'bet the house' lock. Double digit wins over OU and Wisc?! NU barely beat OU at home last season with an experienced QB and until NU, under Riley, beats Wisc once you have to give them the nod.
Like Doc said - we have to see how this team plays and reacts. We have to see if Lee 'focuses' after that first hard pop, or if he gets 'happy feet'. Will Diaco be as advertised? Will the lines, on both sides, be commanding, or sieves? Will Riley/Langsdorf act like kids at Christmas, getting their favorite toy, and try to air it out whole games, or will they try to establish some semblance of a running game?
Dunbar;103104 said:
That to me is the key for the offense (this year and future.) If DL wants to sling the ball all over and never tries to establish a running game, I don't know that we'll ever be consistent on offense.
