Phil Steele Predicts a NEB vs. Oregon Rose Bowl Game

[swmohusker]

So we do not have the ability to adapt our coaching/talent. It amazes me that other programs have the ability to recruit what is needed. Do you think, if Bama, LSU, South Carolina, Georgia, Oregon were dropped in the Big 10 they would be getting the same treatment that we do.

I do not buy that, and if that is true, then we have no chance of being able to compete with the top level programs if their approach to the game is different. My guess is top teams, that have competent coaching, adequate talent adapt and win with what they recruited.

.

I just can't read any more of your post past this point. I hope you didn't put much thought into it, because it wasn't worth it.

We have adapted our coaching in order to win a lot of games in the BIG. We have not had the personel, but a ton of credit has to be given to the staff in order to make up for the lack of depth at LB and DT to win ten games with the way they schemed to do so.

You named four teams that are in recruiting hot beds. I'm sorry, but if we were pumping out as much in-state talent as those first four teams you named I would really be on your side.

Oregon recruiting is about where we are. Their defense would get raped in the BIG. They have 220? Pound LBs.

Oregons LBs went 240, 235, and 230. A little misconception about Oregon being a finesse team. They have done a lot better the last few years targeting elite talent on the defensive side of.the ball. They will never put up great defensive numbers bc of.the style they play, but they are a very good unit. They would more than hold their own in the big ten.

 

[Count 'Bility]

Skersfan, if Beck pulls out the stops, we beat Michigan last year a hell of a lot worse than 23-9 too, injured qb or not (Taylor was hurt the second half too remember, but he had the balls to play through it. Didnt chicken out to be the missing link becuase of a little carpal tunnel :lol: ) I'm just sayin that Brady Hoke is now in the midst of putting together his 4th tremendous recruiting class, but his first two seasons as coach to me is not as impressive as certain folks want you to think. I'm not trying to make excuses for Bo or make Bo look better than he is, just that Hoke is now where near what we are trained to think. That first year, they backed into that BCS game against an ACC opponent and barely won it, and was only the 3rd if not 4th best team in the league that year. Last year, they were definitely nothing to write home about. They talk about 2013 being a "sh#t or get off the pot" year for Bo, but it's about time for that for Brady too. Afterall, he's the one with the end-all talent.

 

[B.B. Hemingway]

I think we play vs OSU with a natty berth on the line for both teams.

Depends on where they rank you guys to start the season. Even undefeated, it's going to be hard to get there thanks to the ESPiN - SEC network. We just got lucky that we should be in the top 5 when it starts.

Nebraska and Ohio St. are still both incredibly relevant in college football.... ESPN wants the good story, so if Nebraska and Ohio St. are both undefeated going into the B1G Championship ESPN will have a hard-on for that game...

 

[Coqui]

I think we play vs OSU with a natty berth on the line for both teams.

Depends on where they rank you guys to start the season. Even undefeated, it's going to be hard to get there thanks to the ESPiN - SEC network. We just got lucky that we should be in the top 5 when it starts.

Nebraska and Ohio St. are still both incredibly relevant in college football.... ESPN wants the good story, so if Nebraska and Ohio St. are both undefeated going into the B1G Championship ESPN will have a hard-on for that game...

I agree, however, that won't affect where we start. Last I heard, they weren't even planning on ranking Nebraska in the top 25. Blowing out UCLA, Wisconsin, Northwestern, and Michigan will help. The rest would be dependent on who loses and when.

 

[EZ-E]

So we do not have the ability to adapt our coaching/talent. It amazes me that other programs have the ability to recruit what is needed. Do you think, if Bama, LSU, South Carolina, Georgia, Oregon were dropped in the Big 10 they would be getting the same treatment that we do.

I do not buy that, and if that is true, then we have no chance of being able to compete with the top level programs if their approach to the game is different. My guess is top teams, that have competent coaching, adequate talent adapt and win with what they recruited.

.

I just can't read any more of your post past this point. I hope you didn't put much thought into it, because it wasn't worth it.

We have adapted our coaching in order to win a lot of games in the BIG. We have not had the personel, but a ton of credit has to be given to the staff in order to make up for the lack of depth at LB and DT to win ten games with the way they schemed to do so.

You named four teams that are in recruiting hot beds. I'm sorry, but if we were pumping out as much in-state talent as those first four teams you named I would really be on your side.

Oregon recruiting is about where we are. Their defense would get raped in the BIG. They have 220? Pound LBs.

Oregons LBs went 240, 235, and 230. A little misconception about Oregon being a finesse team. They have done a lot better the last few years targeting elite talent on the defensive side of.the ball. They will never put up great defensive numbers bc of.the style they play, but they are a very good unit. They would more than hold their own in the big ten.

The thing is if you run right at them, teams like Stanford and USC proved you can have success the next part is that they don't have to prove it and they never will.

We chase about the same prospects as Oregon. They get their share, we get ours.

 

[RedDenver]

If it is not a talent issue, what is the problem. Lack of coaching, low pride, taking more than giving? Character issue? When you get killed like we have the past few years something is wrong.

2011 Michigan 45 Nebraska 17. That is within your two year window. Do not know how you put it out of your memory, man I wish I could.

Again, wins and losses to me are not what sets the program standard. How we play, is far more important.

Our average recruiting with Bo is in the Mid 20's is my guess. Where as MNC championship teams, recruit continuously in the top 5 to 10. That would indicate their talent level is better. Our results against the better teams would indicate their talent is better. See Ohio State, Wisconsin, Georgia, UCLA, South Carolina.

I do not buy this we are trapped with Big 12 talent, and none of you did when we were moving. After two years I still do not believe it. We have above average talent with average to below average coaching, motivation.

If Bo gets this group of kids to play like he says they will, then I will give him all the credit in the world. We have a weak schedule, that should help. But if we give 600 yards, lose by 30 points he is not going to be here anyway. Putting all this on these young inexperienced kids is just not fair.

The part I've bolded is the million dollar question. If the coaches and players can figure it out (and correct it), the Huskers should do extremely well. As far as getting killed the last couple years, I think that rests mostly with the defense and some with the turnovers on offense and special teams. A good defense simply doesn't get that many points scored on it, so those teams never really get blown out.

Sorry, I forgot about the 45-17 loss to Michigan. As another poster said, we hung with that team until the 4th quarter. Same with Georgia. If how we play is your barometer, then we're not far off from those teams in terms of talent. Even South Carolina we had a big lead on before they took it to us. Only Wisky and tOSU put beat downs on use where we weren't really ever in the game. And we've beaten both of those teams in the last 2 seasons, so their talent can't be all that much better than ours.

As I've already said, the recruiting rankings mean nothing to me in this discussion. What MNC teams do or don't do doesn't matter since we haven't played any of them. And your list of teams with more talent: Ohio State (beaten), Wisconsin (beaten), Georgia (we played with them as I've discussed), UCLA (barely beat us at their place), South Carolina (had more talent and it showed but wasn't all that much more IMO).

I agree with the rest of what you've said. We need to eliminate the blowouts and horrific showings we've had on defense. Keep in mind we still put 31 points on the board at tOSU last season which should be enough to win most days. That's what leads me to think the vast majority of our problems are on the defensive side (as many have said repeatedly, this is nothing new).

Bo says he regrets not playing more of the younger kids. Maybe he's turned a corner and our talent will start to emerge. Maybe it's just talk and we won't improve. I don't know, and neither does anyone else. Maybe it's my bias for the Huskers talking, but I think Bo figures out the defensive problems. Maybe not all of them are corrected, and maybe the Blackshirts still don't perform to the expectation level of the fans. But I've got high hopes that it will be enough for a special season.

 

[EZ-E]

I think we play vs OSU with a natty berth on the line for both teams.

Depends on where they rank you guys to start the season. Even undefeated, it's going to be hard to get there thanks to the ESPiN - SEC network. We just got lucky that we should be in the top 5 when it starts.

Nebraska and Ohio St. are still both incredibly relevant in college football.... ESPN wants the good story, so if Nebraska and Ohio St. are both undefeated going into the B1G Championship ESPN will have a hard-on for that game...

I agree, however, that won't affect where we start. Last I heard, they weren't even planning on ranking Nebraska in the top 25. Blowing out UCLA, Wisconsin, Northwestern, and Michigan will help. The rest would be dependent on who loses and when.

Who are they? I highly doubt we won't be ranked in the top 25 pre-season.

 

[skersfan]

I agree on the comments about not playing the young kids. Bo has indicated that he learned from this. As for high expectations, that is a cry by the sunshine pumpers. Every year we will dominate. I get that. I just do not think they will be as good as some expect, and I really do not understand how we expect them to be. They are young, inexperienced. If we see an improvement over last year I will be happy.

EZE, no I do not spend time watching tape. Waste of time for me. I do not understand what to look for, or what should or shouldn't happen. I do read Rivals and Scout on occasion. That is their full time job. Me watching them do theirs does not teach me how. I take what they say as far more accurate, than a homer fan (And do not take that as a jab, it is meant as a compliment) less bias.

I do remember watching tape on Marlon Lucky, being compared to Adrian Peterson, how he would rewrite Nebraska rushing records and the such. I had actually seen the kid play and how bad the conference he played in was. He was bigger than most of the linemen on any team he faced. Marlon had a great career at Nebraska, just not the one that most of the tape huggers predicted.

Now think back to when it was announced that we were going to the Big. That our fast quick striking defense would wreak havoc in the Big, they would not be able to deal with our speed. What happened to those thoughts, why now is it we were not ready.

My guess for this year is 11-3. His best record yet. If we see Armstrong or another QB this year, with actual time to learn under pressure, next will be his best. Our weak schedule gives us hope I guess. I just think expecting more is too much for the kids that will taking the field this fall.

 

[Coqui]

I think we play vs OSU with a natty berth on the line for both teams.

Depends on where they rank you guys to start the season. Even undefeated, it's going to be hard to get there thanks to the ESPiN - SEC network. We just got lucky that we should be in the top 5 when it starts.

Nebraska and Ohio St. are still both incredibly relevant in college football.... ESPN wants the good story, so if Nebraska and Ohio St. are both undefeated going into the B1G Championship ESPN will have a hard-on for that game...

I agree, however, that won't affect where we start. Last I heard, they weren't even planning on ranking Nebraska in the top 25. Blowing out UCLA, Wisconsin, Northwestern, and Michigan will help. The rest would be dependent on who loses and when.

Who are they? I highly doubt we won't be ranked in the top 25 pre-season.

Just going purely off the way too early preseason polls. I haven't found one that has you ranked yet.

 

[Chaddyboxer]

With Michigan's recruiting success under Hoke...you would think they would be more "elite" by now, but I am actually not that impressed. Yes, they went to a BCS bowl....but that's it under Hoke thus far. You would think Hoke would be doing better at Michigan by now with how much talent he has at his disposal.....

 

[RedDenver]

Just going purely off the way too early preseason polls. I haven't found one that has you ranked yet.

Where are you looking? We have a consensus preseason rank of #18:

http://preseason.stassen.com/consensus/2013.html

We're ranked in the top 25 by all five publications listed on stassen.

 

[Mierin]

An undefeated Nebraska that beats an undefeated Ohio State will be in the national championship game over any one loss team. However, if there's an undefeated Big 12 or Pac 12 or Notre Dame and an undefeated SEC then who knows.

Also, I can't believe you people haven't learned to tune out skersfan.

 

[Hercules]

Just going purely off the way too early preseason polls. I haven't found one that has you ranked yet.

Where are you looking? We have a consensus preseason rank of #18:

http://preseason.sta...ensus/2013.html

We're ranked in the top 25 by all five publications listed on stassen.

And in addition to Lindy's, Athlon, TSN, Phil Steele, and USA Today, Big League Sports also has us ranked in their preseason top 25. ESPN Live and SI haven't released polls yet, according to:

http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/preseason_comparison_2013.html

 

[Count 'Bility]

Also, I can't believe you people haven't learned to tune out skersfan.

I used to be driven nuts by the man. But, once I started reading what he has to say without the blinder, I understand that he does have legit concerns, backed by some valid reasoning. He just happens to look at things from a more negative point of view, where as I like to view them from a positive one. I'll take his "negativity" over a whole hell of a lot of others. Not trying to stick up for him, but......well.....yeah, I guess I am. :hmmph

 

[Coqui]

Just going purely off the way too early preseason polls. I haven't found one that has you ranked yet.

Where are you looking? We have a consensus preseason rank of #18:

http://preseason.sta...ensus/2013.html

We're ranked in the top 25 by all five publications listed on stassen.

Then I stand corrected. This bodes well for the above mentioned situation then. Although 18 still requires some help.