Don't sleep on Ark State, There is a lot to be learned Day 1

[NUinID]

 

Nobody is going to sleep on Arkansas St, but this is not the same team that won the sunbelt last year. The lost their HC, he is now at Purdue I believe, and they lost a ton of guys on offense. No one will be taking them lightly, but I think NU comes out and plays really well and wins something like 42-14.

wrong. Purdue hired Jeff Brohm from Western Kentucky.

 

Arkansas State pounded UCF 31-13 in their bowl game. They return a former 4* QB in Justice Hansen as well as their starting RB and every receiver except Kendall Sanders.

 

Dee Liner was a top 50 recruit in high school and transferred in from Alabama. Him and Ja'Von Rolland-Jones (Sun Belt DPOY) are MORE than adequate on the defensive line.

 

To be honest, I'm nervous about this one. Ark State has quite a few players and we are breaking in essentially new offensive and defensive schemes and almost an entirely new group of skill players on offense. This will be much closer than people think it will be. 24-20 NU.

 

 

I think they are replacing 4 starters on the O-line.

[BigRedBuster]

Believe me, I can sleep through the entire game and it's not going to affect the team's chances of winning.

[Swiv3D]

Believe me, I can sleep through the entire game and it's not going to affect the team's chances of winning.

butterfly effect, man

[Bojowolf]

The score of the bowl game was a little misleading, as we got a blocked punt for a score and they fumbled a kickoff that directly led to another short TD drive, however, the defense did come to play, punishing former Husker QB Scott Frost's bunch. The Knights avg 2.9 yards per play and only 0.4 yards per rush. The Knights only averaged 3.6 yards per pass attempt as well. Also, there were two other fumbles other than the KO return that aided the cause.

 

Also, we didn't win out to finish the season, putting out a rather lackluster effort against UL Lafayette late in the year.

 

Offensively, we are replacing ALL the main starters from last year. Troy Elliott started a couple games later in the year, but we had five 5th year seniors starting most of the season.

 

I can't tell you what to expect from this squad, they could be good, or they could be all sound and fury amounting to nothing.

[RunMickeyRun02]

The score of the bowl game was a little misleading, as we got a blocked punt for a score and they fumbled a kickoff that directly led to another short TD drive, however, the defense did come to play, punishing former Husker QB Scott Frost's bunch. The Knights avg 2.9 yards per play and only 0.4 yards per rush. The Knights only averaged 3.6 yards per pass attempt as well. Also, there were two other fumbles other than the KO return that aided the cause.

 

Also, we didn't win out to finish the season, putting out a rather lackluster effort against UL Lafayette late in the year.

 

Offensively, we are replacing ALL the main starters from last year. Troy Elliott started a couple games later in the year, but we had five 5th year seniors starting most of the season.

 

I can't tell you what to expect from this squad, they could be good, or they could be all sound and fury amounting to nothing.

Thanks for the Ark. State perspective. Count me among those nervous about this game for the Huskers.

[The Dude]

Intramurals, brother.

[Moiraine]

I don't have time to sleep on Arkansas state anyway. I've used most of my PTO already.

[JJ Husker]

I've said this for so long but it really makes no sense why we keep scheduling games against G5 teams that tend to traditionally be much better than the other G5 teams. There is absolutely zero reason to schedule teams like Fresno State (multiple NFL QBs in the 2000s and have been very competitive), Northern Illinois (BCS game 4 years ago..) Cincinnati (could've played in a NC in 2007, multiple BCS/big bowl appearances, double digit win seasons), and Arkansas State (regularly atop the Sun Belt).

 

We get no more credit for this game than we do for beating teams like New Mexico State, Coastal Carolina, Charlotte, Liberty, UTEP, Georgia State, Idaho, etc. Schedule those teams you know will be horrendous no matter what, paste them by 50, and move on. Zero reason to play 4 games against teams that tend to put together pretty good years on a consistent basis. These are the teams that win games against P5's. Same reason I don't want to see us schedule teams like Toledo or Navy (or really anyone in the AAC) in the future.

 

IDK, if the goal is to just win the easy ones and to struggle with anyone with a heartbeat and get to 9 meaningless wins, then I would agree with you. But if the goal is to test your team and make them better so that maybe you're better prepared to face stiffer challenges later in the season, then I'd prefer we don't just play patsys early in the year. If we struggle with any G5 teams, good or bad, then we're not where we want to be anyway.

[Highway6]

 

I've said this for so long but it really makes no sense why we keep scheduling games against G5 teams that tend to traditionally be much better than the other G5 teams. There is absolutely zero reason to schedule teams like Fresno State (multiple NFL QBs in the 2000s and have been very competitive), Northern Illinois (BCS game 4 years ago..) Cincinnati (could've played in a NC in 2007, multiple BCS/big bowl appearances, double digit win seasons), and Arkansas State (regularly atop the Sun Belt).

 

We get no more credit for this game than we do for beating teams like New Mexico State, Coastal Carolina, Charlotte, Liberty, UTEP, Georgia State, Idaho, etc. Schedule those teams you know will be horrendous no matter what, paste them by 50, and move on. Zero reason to play 4 games against teams that tend to put together pretty good years on a consistent basis. These are the teams that win games against P5's. Same reason I don't want to see us schedule teams like Toledo or Navy (or really anyone in the AAC) in the future.

 

IDK, if the goal is to just win the easy ones and to struggle with anyone with a heartbeat and get to 9 meaningless wins, then I would agree with you. But if the goal is to test your team and make them better so that maybe you're better prepared to face stiffer challenges later in the season, then I'd prefer we don't just play patsys early in the year. If we struggle with any G5 teams, good or bad, then we're not where we want to be anyway.

As a side note, scheduling these games can often come down to availability. Power five schools need to fill on average seven home game slots. So these smaller schools are a hot commodity and the bigger schools will get into bidding wars for their game. Hence the reason we are paying ark state 1.65 milly to grace memerial stadium with their squad.

 

Ps. Shout out to arky state fan for that breakdown. Best of luck to you sept. 2 my guy.

[teachercd]

 

Nebraska should be fine in the opener. If we struggle against the Red Wolves then it's going to be a very long and distressing season.

 

 

Nothing against Arkansas State, but if we are saying it will be a tough game, then it will be a LONG season.

 

 

 

Any longer than 2010 when SDSU gave us a huge scare?

 

Or longer than 2014 when Ameeracle saved us against McNeese State?

 

What about 2013 when Wyoming had a chance to win on a Hail Mary?

 

 

 

Arky State is better than any of those teams were. They've won the Sun Belt something 5 out of the last 6 years, and it's rare for any P5 team to beat them by more than 3 scores. They're good. Doesn't mean we'll be bad.

 

Yes, it does.

 

We really need to stop jocking up these freaking teams.

 

All those seasons you mentioned were lame. So yes, this season will be lame if the Ark St game is like that.

 

If Ark State is "good" what is Oregon? The best team ever?

 

Ark State lost at home to Toledo last year by 21 and to (road) Utah State by like 14...The only Power 5 team they played last year beat them by like 40.

[BigRedBuster]

No it doesn't.

[Apathy]

Taking my 5 year old son to this game....first game as father and son. I can barely hold in my excitement

[teachercd]

No it doesn't.

It does...

[Highway6]

 

 

 

 

Nebraska should be fine in the opener. If we struggle against the Red Wolves then it's going to be a very long and distressing season.

Nothing against Arkansas State, but if we are saying it will be a tough game, then it will be a LONG season.

 

 

Any longer than 2010 when SDSU gave us a huge scare?

 

Or longer than 2014 when Ameeracle saved us against McNeese State?

 

What about 2013 when Wyoming had a chance to win on a Hail Mary?

 

 

 

Arky State is better than any of those teams were. They've won the Sun Belt something 5 out of the last 6 years, and it's rare for any P5 team to beat them by more than 3 scores. They're good. Doesn't mean we'll be bad.

Yes, it does.

 

We really need to stop jocking up these freaking teams.

 

All those seasons you mentioned were lame. So yes, this season will be lame if the Ark St game is like that.

 

If Ark State is "good" what is Oregon? The best team ever?

 

Ark State lost at home to Toledo last year by 21 and to (road) Utah State by like 14...The only Power 5 team they played last year beat them by like 40.

Good is subjective. Although I don't think anybody is necessarily saying Ark State is a good team. But a team that has the ability to give Nebby a challenge as opposed to a complete cupcake.

 

It seems that the majority of Husker fans view this game as a typical season opener beat down. Which might not be the case.

 

Personally, I think the spread is a pretty acurate representation of what the final score will show. Just don't be surprise if the score is 14-7 at half with Nebraska pulling away in the second half.

 

Keep in mind, there are almost no guarantees anymore in the world of college football.

[Highway6]

Taking my 5 year old son to this game....first game as father and son. I can barely hold in my excitement

If you can handle the chaos of walking through packed corridors, I recommend taking him to stand by the ropes as the Huskers do the tunnel walk. It is something he will never forget.