What's your one thing..........

redfred

All American
Oct 10, 2013
8,885
3,905
113
73
OK, what's your number one thing about the team that has you most concerned. While I normally can't list just one thing, I'm going to ask that everyone list the number one thing that will make the difference on how this team ends up, AND the number one thing that concerns you most going into this season. It can be a position group.....O-line for example. It can be an injury to a main player......Dylan for example. It can be something like turnovers OR penalties (not both). etc. etc.

For me, the number one thing that really affects this season's record is field goal kicking. I expect close games, and the difference are those three pointers for me. A reliable field goal kicker makes play calling easier. And it takes a lot of pressure off of the qbs in the red zone. Length is important, but accuracy is even more important. If we get to the 29-yard line, knowing we are coming away with three I THINK, will make a huge difference.
 
Mine is injuries. There aren’t any units that have enough depth to make me comfortable. I thought the secondary would be, but as soon as Blye went down, there seemed to be a panic. Same with OL…things felt great and that the options were plentiful and then Teddy goes down. And unless the new QB Gramstad is ready to step up, DR is one bad hit from leaving us having the same issues as last year.
 
This team has enough talent to win 8-9 games this season. My biggest concern is Colorado in Week 2. Win and the Huskers will have the confidence and mindset to start the season 7-0. Lose and the "Here we go again" mentality will be pervasive with the team and the fanbase. The Huskers success will be determined by the 8 inches between their ears, not their physical talent. I think we finally have the right head coach to right the ship but he's fighting an 8-year battle of ineptitude with this program. Fingers crossed this is the year they start believing in themselves again.
 
OK, what's your number one thing about the team that has you most concerned. While I normally can't list just one thing, I'm going to ask that everyone list the number one thing that will make the difference on how this team ends up, AND the number one thing that concerns you most going into this season. It can be a position group.....O-line for example. It can be an injury to a main player......Dylan for example. It can be something like turnovers OR penalties (not both). etc. etc.

For me, the number one thing that really affects this season's record is field goal kicking. I expect close games, and the difference are those three pointers for me. A reliable field goal kicker makes play calling easier. And it takes a lot of pressure off of the qbs in the red zone. Length is important, but accuracy is even more important. If we get to the 29-yard line, knowing we are coming away with three I THINK, will make a huge difference.

Top Contending Concerns:

Turnovers
Offensive Tackle
Punting \ Field Goals
Linebackers
Wide Receivers

Of all those though, the turnovers are the most pressing. We get on the plus side of the turnover ratio and that goes the furthest in getting this team wins.
 
The quality of the concessions at the game.



Just kidding.
It's the Colorado game. For the reasons Hunchie said plus,,,
It's a battle of Good vs Evil on a national stage. Is the portal with it's inherent disposable players philosophy the future of CFB or does having a stable program, developing talent, and building a team the way to go? This is an opportunity for Nebraska to be LIKED on a national level. For many years, many CFB fans considered Nebraska to be arrogant. The articles and comments gleefully describing our downfall seemed everywhere. Well, we've paid some dues and the country is READY FOR OUR REDEMPTION! I predict, if we win this game, Nebraska will be considered heroic and immediately will reap the benefits. The feel good team that invites top level recruits to come be part of our family.
This will be the biggest game of the week, and for us, the biggest game of the future.
The thought of losing this one sickens me. 6-1 with the college football world going "Meh." vs "Nebraska's back and are loved." all hinge on this game.
Plus, I don't like CU fans.:smirk2:
 
This team has enough talent to win 8-9 games this season. My biggest concern is Colorado in Week 2. Win and the Huskers will have the confidence and mindset to start the season 7-0. Lose and the "Here we go again" mentality will be pervasive with the team and the fanbase. The Huskers success will be determined by the 8 inches between their ears, not their physical talent. I think we finally have the right head coach to right the ship but he's fighting an 8-year battle of ineptitude with this program. Fingers crossed this is the year they start believing in themselves again.
Colorado will tell us a lot about how the season is going to go. Colorado has really shored up it's D and they have explosive players on the O. We could very well lose.
 
Stopping that niggling (yes, that’s actually a word that means causing anxiety or uncertainty) feeling in the back of the player brains in every fourth quarter with the self fulfilling prophesy that things will go wrong, usually in the last two minutes. We erase that niggling feeling, the sky is the limit.
 
OK, what's your number one thing about the team that has you most concerned.
It's the team's worry wort fanbase. ;)

We care so much that we've become conditioned to fear the worst, be it fumbles, interceptions, fourth quarter collapses, missed field goals, injuries, you name it.

Mistakes will happen. But this is the season we put our big boy 'Blueblood fan' pants back on instead of whining, "Here we go again." Husker players live inside a bubble. Good or bad, there's no other CFB program like it. We need to bolster the team's confidence, not contribute to their anxieties.
 
It's the team's worry wort fanbase. ;)

We care so much that we've become conditioned to fear the worst, be it fumbles, interceptions, fourth quarter collapses, missed field goals, injuries, you name it.

Mistakes will happen. But this is the season we put our big boy 'Blueblood fan' pants back on instead of whining, "Here we go again." Husker players live inside a bubble. Good or bad, there's no other CFB program like it. We need to bolster the team's confidence, not contribute to their anxieties.
Good points. And you've stumbled on my 'Achilles Heel'.......I'm always 'What needs fixing'. Every single thing mentioned above could bring our season down. But in trying to hone down on my thing to take care of first, and the thing that hasn't been handled yet imo, I came up with the kicking game.

Injuries can be a crucial thing, but the fix for injuries is depth and modification. I'm comfortable with depth everywhere except LT and quarterback. Teddy's injury did nothing to make me more comfortable about LT, but I am HOPING for unknown guys ready to step up, and I'm hearing a little that some of that has been corrected and we aren't as weak as I feared. Also as mentioned in an earlier thread the quick fix for tackle woes is to buttress the line with a strong blocking TE and turn the tackle into an almost interior lineman.....and we have several who can fill that spot. Also, I'm going to be pretty concerned if Dylan goes down. To temper my fear I rely on the fact he's built like a TE himself. He won't be injured easily.

Clearly the one area that Coach Rhule wants fixed is turnovers. It's the one thing he actually came out and voiced. I find solace in the fact that most of our crucial turnovers were committed by our qb's. Dylan is NOT a turnover machine. And I'm hoping our new qb coach is taking care of the backups in this regard, hence I've backed this concern down a notch or two.

Play calling wasn't mentioned, but I know it was a concern for some I know. I give the play calling a pass until our qb issues are fixed.......and I think they will be soon.

Zebra's are one I never even thought of. And I'm one who thinks we have been on the short stick of some calls in the past. I'll have to think about that one some more.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Doc Fumble
Good points. And you've stumbled on my 'Achilles Heel'.......I'm always 'What needs fixing'.
Believe me, I understand, redfred. In fact, I had second-thoughts the moment I posted that because I didn't want you to think I was trying to hijack your thread.

I just know that back in my younger years, I didn't obsess over things like, "What if Jerry Tagge gets injured?" "What's our DL depth if, Heaven forbid, Rich Glover were to go down?" "Can we avoid turnovers?" "Can Jeff Kenney step it up this season?" "Should I be listening to all the national pundits who are looking down their noses at Nebraska's chances?

Back in the Devaney-Osborne years, our annual August concern was whether we could 'reload' in some key areas and contend for the national championship. Yeah, we were spoiled rotten back then---but blissfully ignorant of how fortunate we were. On the other hand, most of the things that have taken place since TO retired have turned us into 'Nervous Nellies' and 'Angry Old Fogies pinning about the Good Ole Days.'

Right or wrong, I've decided I'm going to return to my 'carefree, youthful optimism' this season and see what happens. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: redfred and innmc