Yeah seriously can we all stop pointing to the conference change as to why Nebraska is struggling. The first year in it was expected NU would run away with it. And now the conference is looking dead in the face at a 1 win bowl season and yet somehow the scheme is too complicated for a defensive genius?
We can't, because in order to know we'd have to have data showing how Nebraska would have done in 2011-2013 in the Big 12. Both results- and recruiting-wise. I don't think anyone is "blaming" the conference change so much as people recognize that it was a net negative for the football program that presented many challenges both direct (a more physical and less speed/finesse playstyle) and indirect (recruiting, exposure, perception, change in division strength, etc). Something can heavily contibute to a bad situation without being the only cause. We're in an awful spot for a lot of reasons right now.