Next Year

[Ric Flair]

If we can get the media and refs off our backs, we're gonna be scary good.

Yes, the media and the refs are the reason for our mediocrity. They're the reason we are unable to play fundamentally sound football. They're the reason reason we miss open field tackles, turn the football over in spectacular and inexplicable fashion, commit ill timed penalties and just can't seem to get up to play football games against inferior foes (some of the post game quotes from Wyoming and Minnesota were downright frightening. The collective psyche of this team and the fact that we're unable to maintain any sort of poise on the big stage is all on the media and refs. It's not a trickle down from the head coach.

I have zero optimism. Yeah, I'll get jacked for every game and cheer them on line nobody's business, but my expectations for next season are 7-5. What we easily could have been this year if Northwestern knew how to defend a Hail Mary. Last year could have very easily been the same result with a few different bounces and calls here and there.

I guess this is what apathy feels like.

This post is right on the mark

Yep. Nailed it.

 

[Foppa]

If we can get the media and refs off our backs, we're gonna be scary good.

Yes, the media and the refs are the reason for our mediocrity. They're the reason we are unable to play fundamentally sound football. They're the reason reason we miss open field tackles, turn the football over in spectacular and inexplicable fashion, commit ill timed penalties and just can't seem to get up to play football games against inferior foes (some of the post game quotes from Wyoming and Minnesota were downright frightening. The collective psyche of this team and the fact that we're unable to maintain any sort of poise on the big stage is all on the media and refs. It's not a trickle down from the head coach.

I have zero optimism. Yeah, I'll get jacked for every game and cheer them on line nobody's business, but my expectations for next season are 7-5. What we easily could have been this year if Northwestern knew how to defend a Hail Mary. Last year could have very easily been the same result with a few different bounces and calls here and there.

I guess this is what apathy feels like.

Nailed it.

 

[TheSker]

Apathy and pessimism are different. Pessimism cares enough to want to post.

 

[The King]

With yesterday's developments it is clear we will have a return of the coaching staff we have now. Pelini will not be fired after the bowl game, saying otherwise is foolhardy.

I also would not expect much changes to the coaching staff. Beck and Papuchis will be here next year, bet on it. The only changes likely would be the recruiting coordinator title removed from Els and given to a new position in a non-coaching capacity. There was even a job posting similar in nature listed not that long ago. And maybe special teams being shuffled to a different member of the staff. But I would not expect any personnel changes to the coaches.

The two players we need to keep our fingers crossed on coming back is Abdullah and Gregory. They might be the most important recruiting battle actually. And they need to really pull off a minor miracle in recruiting in general. As our current composite ranking is 41, and 6 in the B1G. Which is not going to cut it.

Be prepared to hear the word 'youth' so much it will sound like there are several players on the team with the last name Young.

There will be a quarterback battle in the spring, and fall camp. But I don't think anyone can say with any certainty who will win, or if there will even be a winner. Will we see the position treated like it was with Martinez and never have anyone else get snaps? Or will we see it run like most of this season with both Armstrong and Stanton getting reps? I'm leaving Darlington or anyone else who might show up out of the conversation for now as the would have to learn the offense very fast, and I think its just too much of a hurdle to overtake guys who have a year or two with the system.

We will hear it with the O-line also, though we really probably shouldn't as many of the guys who we will be relying on next year did receive playing time down the stretch.

Youth should not be an excuse on defense. Yes most of them will not be seniors, but the playing time from this year trumps what year they are. And the team will have to rely on defense, particularly if Abdullah goes pro.

I really hope they decide to make finding an identity on offense a priority. I recommend a power running focus, the 'take what the defense gives us' mentality has not been a good thing. The team shows the best performances when they focus on the run, regardless of how many defenders are in the box. Though I don't know if Beck the Leopard will change his spots.

We won't end this season ranked, regardless of bowl outcome. So I don't think we start next season ranked, I think the pollsters play a wait and see with us, as we have fallen flat on our faces on the national stage for the past few seasons.

The schedule next year is tougher than it was this year.

Florida Atlantic - Finished this year 6-6, better be a win. Mark the W in pen.

McNeese State - A FCS team. Why are we playing this?

@ Fresno State - 10-1 regular season, weather cancelled their game at CU. They lose their QB to the NFL, and maybe their coach. His name is coming up as a hot name to move up.

Miami - 9-3 regular season this year. This was a young team, most of the guys will be back for next season, expect them to be ranked when we play, maybe even top 15. Very tough game, and odds are we will be the underdog per Vegas.

Illinois - 4-8 (1-7) - Horrible program, this is another that had damned well better be a win

@ Michigan State - 11-1 (8-0) Another brutal game where right now you should expect Nebraska to be a Vegas dog.

@ Northwestern - 5-7 (1-7) Nebraska is probably favored, but this has proven to be an absolute dog fight in every game, and certainly not one to assume a win.

Rutgers - 5-6 at the time of this writing and I'm going to assume they get the win vs UConn. I expect it to be a tough game, though one that Nebraska should win.

Purdue - 1-11 (0-8) This is another that had damned well better be a win, no excuses.

@ Wisconsin - 9-3 (6-2) I expect this to be a loss, and probably a very ugly one on national TV. The last trip to Camp Randle was horrific, and given how this series has gone so far, I fully expect a loss here.

Minnesota - 8-4 (4-4) I would fully expect them to be at least as good as they were this year. This will be a tough game.

@ Iowa - 8-4 (5-3) Another that can't be considered a safe win.

So as I am looking at it I see 4 games that should be a lock. 1 that is a sure loss, and 7 that could be a toss up. History suggests we lose to Wisky in embarrassing fashion, Grit out wins against most others, lose one, and have the BoFart game for a record of 9-3, or as this year went, 8-4. My lean is to 8-4.

Overall I just see us back where we are right now at the end of next season after the 12th game. Sitting at home watching the conference championship game on TV and hoping we get a Jan bowl in Florida.

Because clearly one of the youngest teams in the entire nation will not see drastic improvement after (most peoples) first taste of live college football - Miami is young, so are we, yet they get the upper hand? Makes sense, I guess....

Next year will be 10x better than this year and I'm still not sold that there won't be any changes made.

 

[NUance]

If we can get the media and refs off our backs, we're gonna be scary good.

Yes, the media and the refs are the reason for our mediocrity. They're the reason we are unable to play fundamentally sound football. They're the reason reason we miss open field tackles, turn the football over in spectacular and inexplicable fashion, commit ill timed penalties and just can't seem to get up to play football games against inferior foes (some of the post game quotes from Wyoming and Minnesota were downright frightening. The collective psyche of this team and the fact that we're unable to maintain any sort of poise on the big stage is all on the media and refs. It's not a trickle down from the head coach.

I have zero optimism. Yeah, I'll get jacked for every game and cheer them on line nobody's business, but my expectations for next season are 7-5. What we easily could have been this year if Northwestern knew how to defend a Hail Mary. Last year could have very easily been the same result with a few different bounces and calls here and there.

I guess this is what apathy feels like.

 

[URSS]

With yesterday's developments it is clear we will have a return of the coaching staff we have now. Pelini will not be fired after the bowl game, saying otherwise is foolhardy.

I also would not expect much changes to the coaching staff. Beck and Papuchis will be here next year, bet on it. . . . . . (quote text omitted) . . . . .

We won't end this season ranked, regardless of bowl outcome. So I don't think we start next season ranked, I think the pollsters play a wait and see with us, as we have fallen flat on our faces on the national stage for the past few seasons.

. . . . (quote text omitted) . . . . .

Overall I just see us back where we are right now at the end of next season after the 12th game. Sitting at home watching the conference championship game on TV and hoping we get a Jan bowl in Florida.

I think your assessment is right on the mark. I do believe our players are better than the record indicates. I hope that you are wrong about the assistant coaches. We need some changes for the coordinators. i also think we need a dedicated special teams coach and much more emphasis on the recruiting area. If nothing changes within the program, we will continue to get the same results every year except that it might be harder and harder to get good recruits to sign up with a mediocre historic football power.

 

[Street Novelist]

great post strigori! And if that should happen, going 8-4 or 7-5 in 2014, I don't see how Bo could keep his job.

 

[HuskerShark]

It's way too early to tell, but if the defense continues to mature and grow into something special - which it looks like they are becoming - we could have a fun year. And if we can get an offense that isn't the team's worst enemy and a functional special teams, we could really have fun watching this team next year. I know we just came off of a 3 TD loss to Iowa, but please step away from the ledge an actually look at the team that we have. The offense lost us the MSU and Iowa games by putting our defense in tough situations all game long. If that gets fixed, then this team has potential to win every game they play.

 

[Ric Flair]

It's way too early to tell, but if the defense continues to mature and grow into something special - which it looks like they are becoming - we could have a fun year. And if we can get an offense that isn't the team's worst enemy and a functional special teams, we could really have fun watching this team next year. I know we just came off of a 3 TD loss to Iowa, but please step away from the ledge an actually look at the team that we have. The offense lost us the MSU and Iowa games by putting our defense in tough situations all game long. If that gets fixed, then this team has potential to win every game they play.

That's a hell of a lot of "ifs." We need all three units that were for long stretches of the season pretty bad, to suddenly become awesome and then we'll be good. I think the odds of that happening are quite slim.

 

[JJ Husker]

Good rundown strigori. This is also exactly what I anticipate. And towards the end of next season, when we are unranked and sitting at home for the ccg, we will be offered excuses, asked to give it one more year, and those of us who already recognize the writing on the wall will be castigated as bad fans and told how rotten we are because we're not on the Boridge to nowhere. Oh yeah, I'm looking forward to next season.

 

[Atbone95]

It's way too early to tell, but if the defense continues to mature and grow into something special - which it looks like they are becoming - we could have a fun year. And if we can get an offense that isn't the team's worst enemy and a functional special teams, we could really have fun watching this team next year. I know we just came off of a 3 TD loss to Iowa, but please step away from the ledge an actually look at the team that we have. The offense Tim Beck lost us the MSU and Iowa games by putting our defense in tough situations all game long. If that gets fixed, then this team has potential to win every game they play.

Fixed that.

 

[Redux]

I expect no less than 11 regular season wins and at least 12 wins total. That is the bar set in place with the talent we have. If Bo's staff can't produce that then shake it the hell up. Time to get over the hump. My loyalty is wearing thin. Absolutely no reason we cant pull this off next year.

 

[JJ Husker]

I think your assessment is right on the mark. I do believe our players are better than the record indicates. I hope that you are wrong about the assistant coaches. We need some changes for the coordinators. i also think we need a dedicated special teams coach and much more emphasis on the recruiting area. If nothing changes within the program, we will continue to get the same results every year except that it might be harder and harder to get good recruits to sign up with a mediocre historic football power.

That is precisely the problem, these players are better than the record indicates. Bo may very well have their backs but he would be doing them better service if he was putting them in position and situations to win. Beck isn't cutting it and never will. Our punt game strategy is a complete joke. Whatever they are doing in practice as far as tackling and fumble prevention is not working but can fully be expected to continue as is. Bo will continue treating the media with disdain and no respect, so you can bet your a$$ they will not cut him any slack and we will only see more of the circus we were treated to this year. Sideline cameras will remain focused on Bo in anticipation of his next exhibit of lack of control. Game officials, as impartial as they are, will enter every game with Bo like his next move will be the straw that pushes them over the edge and this will translate to less benefit of the doubt for our whole team. I've got more but I'm preaching to the choir and everyone else doesn't seem to care.

 

[Foppa]

It's way too early to tell, but if the defense continues to mature and grow into something special - which it looks like they are becoming - we could have a fun year. And if we can get an offense that isn't the team's worst enemy and a functional special teams, we could really have fun watching this team next year. I know we just came off of a 3 TD loss to Iowa, but please step away from the ledge an actually look at the team that we have. The offense lost us the MSU and Iowa games by putting our defense in tough situations all game long. If that gets fixed, then this team has potential to win every game they play.

I'm a little optimistic about the D as well, but I could go both ways right now. After showing some promise against some (let's face it...bad B1G teams), NU gives up 79 points in two games in losses. At home.

41 of those points were to Mich. St. MSU has scored more than that this year..

vs. Youngstown State, Illinois, and Indiana. No point in discussing Youngstown State. Indiana is 117th in points against. Illinois is 106th in points against.

38 of those points were to Iowa. Iowa has only scored more points this year than that vs.?

Western Michigan. No one else.

You can make a case for turnovers/field position, and I get that. But it all still intertwines.

 

[JJ Husker]

I expect no less than 11 regular season wins and at least 12 wins total. That is the bar set in place with the talent we have. If Bo's staff can't produce that then shake it the hell up. Time to get over the hump. My loyalty is wearing thin. Absolutely no reason we cant pull this off next year.

But what about injuries or relative inexperience at quarterback or opponents that actually show up to play football? Surely there are eventualities that will convince fans that another four loss year was actually an eight or nine win season, and that is just so darned good we'd look ridiculous firing a coach and sure couldn't get anybody to step into the brutal hot waters of eastern Nebraska media.

If 11 or 12 wins is your minimum acceptable, let me prematurely welcome you to the darkside. You'll be one of us by this time next year. How do I know? I was where you are less than a year ago.