Phil Steele says Nebraska will be #17 heading into the season

Just actually finished the first half because I'm bored as hell at work.

1) It appeared as though we dedicated our front four to stopping the middle run. The ends crashed inside and never once worried about the outside until late in the half. This didn't seem like a bad idea because Wisconsin hadn't shown any type of outside jet sweep or option plays all year.

2) I would bet that BB gambled and guessed Bo would do the above, as a result... Well you know

3) I don't think there was a fake to Monte Ball that Fisher didn't bite on.

4) We showed several times that we were not fast or good enough at linebacker.

5) When we adjusted to Wisconsin beating us with the jet sweep, we started to get up the field a bit more with our DEs. This proved to be very stupid and Wisconsin just mirdered us up the middle.

6) Again I'm going back to the safety play. Stafford had a chance to prove he was draftable. If he comes up and makes the plays that were required and expected of him he would have looked like a star.
How many times did you see a Nebraska defensive lineman fight off a block and make a play? We were manhandled up front. That's the root of the problem.

You're right that the safety could have bailed out the first and second levels on some plays but that doesn't imply that the safety is the problem.

 
How many times did you see a Nebraska defensive lineman fight off a block and make a play? We were manhandled up front. That's the root of the problem.

You're right that the safety could have bailed out the first and second levels on some plays but that doesn't imply that the safety is the problem.
Last year, that was the case. The only quality DL player we had, was Steinkuhler. If we had Stein this year, I would feel even better than I do right now.

While Safety was an issue last year, our DL was the biggest issue. I have said it a lot, your defense is only as good as your DL. Same goes for the offense being as good as your OL. This year, we have the size and athleticism needed to take that next step. If we can stay healthy, despite the experience, we should be able to give that push up front, that we have been missing since '09. I do expect Kevin Maurice and Maliek Collins to be an immediate impact. Whether its depth or whatever, I don't see either of them RS and getting some time on the field.

 
Last year, that was the case. The only quality DL player we had, was Steinkuhler. If we had Stein this year, I would feel even better than I do right now.

While Safety was an issue last year, our DL was the biggest issue. I have said it a lot, your defense is only as good as your DL. Same goes for the offense being as good as your OL. This year, we have the size and athleticism needed to take that next step. If we can stay healthy, despite the experience, we should be able to give that push up front, that we have been missing since '09. I do expect Kevin Maurice and Maliek Collins to be an immediate impact. Whether its depth or whatever, I don't see either of them RS and getting some time on the field.
They haven't shown a thing at this point. The new players are just as likely to be worse as they are to be better. We'll see.

 
This program on the brink of rising back to a plateau again, and again we lay an egg. .
We aren't on the brink of rising back to a plateau . . . we're on one. Pelini immediately elevated the program in terms of wins and losses beyond what Callahan had done but we haven't been getting better. In fact, in some areas we are regressing.

I'll believe that Pelini's program can do more just as soon as he does it. I don't quite understand the blind faith. (And FWIW I like Pelini.)
youre right Carl. I shouldve said "THE PLATEAU".

 
As opposed to what...giving up more than 36 to UCLA? 63 to OSU? 70 to Wisconsin? Tell me the experienced 'blackshirts' weren't doing 'on the job training' last year. I'll take my chances with this group over that thing' that was doing nothing on D last year. And yes, I do realize they weren't getting any favors from the special teams/offense shooting themselves in the foot.
Homie, don't get me wrong, those 3 games you mentioned, are slightly better than a boot to the junk. The UCLA game, they should have won, but Beck went "Full Watson" and added to the clusterf*ck. But the OSU and 2nd Wisc games were defensive abominations. I hope you're right and their athleticism makes up for them having to learn on the job...

 
Im pretty much lawn chairing it at this point in the thread.

Lmao @ the dude so caught up with with me being a realist or not. High fives to the other realists in this thread. We will see who is right and who is wrong. I hope you guys are right about this really good defensive line that you're pulling from the sky. I really do.
Not sure you realize there's a guy called The Dude posting in this thread. <_<
For the realists...NEB will not lose more than 1 game in the regular season.....not more than 1....it's no losses or 1 loss for the Huskers next year boys. I predicted it. My predictions have come true the past 3 years. Mark it.

 
Im pretty much lawn chairing it at this point in the thread.

Lmao @ the dude so caught up with with me being a realist or not. High fives to the other realists in this thread. We will see who is right and who is wrong. I hope you guys are right about this really good defensive line that you're pulling from the sky. I really do.
Not sure you realize there's a guy called The Dude posting in this thread. <_<
For the realists...NEB will not lose more than 1 game in the regular season.....not more than 1....it's no losses or 1 loss for the Huskers next year boys. I predicted it. My predictions have come true the past 3 years. Mark it.
rack em

Rome.jpg


 
I'm saying 2-3 losses for the whole year Chaddy. I'm saying UCLA's probably going to be a loss. Their defense is going to be athletic enough to slow our offense down just enough to win. Our defense is still going to be to young and raw to handle their offense. If that's our only regular season loss, I see 2 more losses in the CCG and bowl game against another upper SEC team. It's just how I see it. Just too much youth, and we've heard the talk too many times before for me to be able to believe any other way this time. I'll adjust my prediction if the first couple games show's that this defense really is going to be head and shoulders better than the last couple seasons.

 
I'm saying 2-3 losses for the whole year Chaddy. I'm saying UCLA's probably going to be a loss. Their defense is going to be athletic enough to slow our offense down just enough to win. Our defense is still going to be to young and raw to handle their offense. If that's our only regular season loss, I see 2 more losses in the CCG and bowl game against another upper SEC team. It's just how I see it. Just too much youth, and we've heard the talk too many times before for me to be able to believe any other way this time. I'll adjust my prediction if the first couple games show's that this defense really is going to be head and shoulders better than the last couple seasons.
I wouldn't put UCLA down as a loss . . . I'd probably have NU as a slight favorite.

I think that we'll drop 1-2 in conference and then get exposed in the CCG.

I won't venture a guess on the bowl game.

 
As for the regular season, Caddyboxer's prediction was right on with 2 losses last season. I just assumed you meant 2 losses the whole year. :lol:

 
I'm saying 2-3 losses for the whole year Chaddy. I'm saying UCLA's probably going to be a loss. Their defense is going to be athletic enough to slow our offense down just enough to win. Our defense is still going to be to young and raw to handle their offense. If that's our only regular season loss, I see 2 more losses in the CCG and bowl game against another upper SEC team. It's just how I see it. Just too much youth, and we've heard the talk too many times before for me to be able to believe any other way this time. I'll adjust my prediction if the first couple games show's that this defense really is going to be head and shoulders better than the last couple seasons.
I see no way in hello that UCLA beats NEB in Lincoln....if the D is just a craptacular as last year (which I don't believe will be the case), i still think NEB wins. Now, when NEB goes to Ann Arbor....that is my toss up game. I am also throwing in the Mich St and NW games as sorta toss ups, but I am fairly confident in those. If the D is much improved....look out because this season could get pretty exciting.

 
My predictions have come true the past 3 years. Mark it.
You predicted 4 losses last year, the year before that, and the year before that?
I give myself a +1/-1 leeway lol = ). I am not that good. I've given myself the same leeway this year....0-1 losses. I predict the regular season....I don't go any farther than that....my chances of hitting go way down after the regular season lol.

 
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I'm saying 2-3 losses for the whole year Chaddy. I'm saying UCLA's probably going to be a loss. Their defense is going to be athletic enough to slow our offense down just enough to win. Our defense is still going to be to young and raw to handle their offense. If that's our only regular season loss, I see 2 more losses in the CCG and bowl game against another upper SEC team. It's just how I see it. Just too much youth, and we've heard the talk too many times before for me to be able to believe any other way this time. I'll adjust my prediction if the first couple games show's that this defense really is going to be head and shoulders better than the last couple seasons.
I see no way in hello that UCLA beats NEB in Lincoln....if the D is just a craptacular as last year (which I don't believe will be the case), i still think NEB wins. Now, when NEB goes to Ann Arbor....that is my toss up game. I am also throwing in the Mich St and NW games as sorta toss ups, but I am fairly confident in those. If the D is much improved....look out because this season could get pretty exciting.
Agreed, I don't think UCLA will stand a chance to beat us, especially at home. I mean, they obviously have a chance, but talent vs talent, we should easily have this. Our kids now, love the fact that we were undefeated last year at home, and they said they want to continue that. UCLA has no Jonathan Franklin to hurt us, which was their biggest weapon who carried them to the season they had last year. I don't even see them winning their division. If we can establish a decent DL, and have more athletic LB's who can get to the outside faster, we should be better overall on D, which both of those I believe we have.

Michigan is the only question mark for me. Ann Harbor isn't going to be easy. Northwestern and Michigan State, again, at home. I believe we will go undefeated at home, once again. Its those away games that I am worried about.

 
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