2014 Expectations

[HuskerNationNick]

Hate to say it, but for the first time in years, I'm projecting a 9-4 season. I think we lose to Mich. St., Wisconsin, Miami and either NW or our bowl game opponent.

I just can't count MSU in or out at this point. Their defense is going to take a few steps down, and we gave them a run for their money last year WITH 5 turnovers.

Wisconsin, same for them. Anderson is going to have to play his guys after this year, rather than playing previous starters. They lose almost their whole defense, their whole offensive line and their stud, Jarred Abbrederis. A lot of starters and impact players leaving to count them as a loss already. Miami, they looked gawd awful last year, no threat IMO. NW is unexpectable, and with Venric Mark getting a Med RS, they will only be that much more dangerous, but I believe in our defense. Its the offense I am not sure about. Bowl game... to far out to say we are going to lose it, since we don't even know who we are going to play. Not saying we won't have a 4 loss season, just giving you my thoughts on why I wouldn't sell the Huskers short

 

[jschmidt]

I feel Tommy is a very very capable passer. One of the better passers Nebraska has had in a long time.

what did you see this year that gives you such confidence in the above?

He has had some accuracy issues, but you can't act like the kid doesn't have a cannon. From a few comments I heard through the season from experts, TA's knee (the one that had the cleaning) could have been a huge culprit on this as well.

He has a cannon for sure. his pocket presence and laterl movement were very impressive this season. But imho very very capable passers dont have accuracy issues. Just curious what true2 saw to make him think that.

 

[True2tRA]

I feel Tommy is a very very capable passer. One of the better passers Nebraska has had in a long time.

what did you see this year that gives you such confidence in the above?

He has had some accuracy issues, but you can't act like the kid doesn't have a cannon. From a few comments I heard through the season from experts, TA's knee (the one that had the cleaning) could have been a huge culprit on this as well.

He has a cannon for sure. his pocket presence and laterl movement were very impressive this season. But imho very very capable passers dont have accuracy issues. Just curious what true2 saw to make him think that.

There were quite a few passes this year that TA put where only his guy could get it. His timing on a lot of passes was also remarkable. He didn't hold on to the ball too long. Some of TA's accuracy issues were in some very windy games, also, let's not pretend its easy tossing a football around in front of 90,000 people as a true freshman is a cake walk. There were plenty of examples that showed his capabilities. There's a lot of things that go into being a capable passer and I don't believe there is anything out there Tommy isn't capable of.

 

[whateveritis1224]

I'd be more nervous about Northwestern if they still had Colter. Simian has done very little against us the past 2 years, and the only reason why I'm nervous is because Mark and the fact that in 3 games the points differential is +1 for us.

 

[Count 'Bility]

Tommy Armstrongs mistakes were mental mistakes. He's a very capable passer. And he certainly has the swagger and confidence to let the ball loose down the field. He's more than willing to throw it up so his receivers can make a play. Taylor has always been a bit trigger shy in this regard. Kenny Bell's TD catches against Illinois and Michigan St were also a large part due to Tommy have trust in his receiver. The one in the Illinios game was an NFL throw. He dropped that thing on a frozen rope in a zone in the middle of 4 defenders, to a receiver on the run, and put where only Kenny could make a play on it. Not every throw has to be spot on perfect to be effective.

 

[Husker NoNo]

I was asked this the other day, and I legitimately came up with another 9-4 season. I would definately still call myself a Bo backer, so another 9-4 (which I think would be respectable) would make for another long year.

 

[Blackshirt96]

Fla. Atlantic - Win

McNeese St - Win

Fresno St. - Win

Miami - Win

Illinois - Win

MSU - Loss

Northwestern - Win

Rutgers - Win

Purdue - Win

Wisconsin - Loss

Minnesota - Win

Iowa - Win

Bowl - Loss

MSU makes 4 team playoff.

Huskers end up 10-3 Some fans still want Pelini gone.

Pelini hires back his brother at the end of the year to help with defense.

 

[Count 'Bility]

Fla. Atlantic - Win

McNeese St - Win

Fresno St. - Win

Miami - Win

Illinois - Win

MSU - Loss

Northwestern - Win

Rutgers - Win

Purdue - Win

Wisconsin - Loss

Minnesota - Win

Iowa - Win

Bowl - Loss

MSU makes 4 team playoff.

Huskers end up 10-3 Some fans still want Pelini gone.

Pelini hires back his brother at the end of the year to help with defense.

Help with defense?

If Bo's looking for help with the defense after 2014, then it's probably time to make a change. This defense best be takin some leaps forward. There's no excuse not to at this point.

 

[robsker]

any prediction that varies much from the past few years seems to be unwarranted. To predict a 2 loss season is overly optimistic. To pick a 6 loss season is overly pessimistic. I'd expect again a 4 loss season w/o challenging for any sort of championship. I'd expect again the now typical NU end of season ranking --- somewhere between #21 and #35 nationally. Same as the last few years. Upper middle of the conference.

 

[Redux]

The thing that pisses me off the most about last year was I was so convinced that we would get over the 4 loss hump. I mean come on, losing to Minnysoda? Nobody expected that. Take that away and were over the mark. I look at 2014 and find myself once again convince we should lose no more that 2 games, 3 max if things go wrong/injuries pile up. Miami is not the world beater they were thought to be pre-FSU game. MSU and Wiscy will be rough but winnable. NW will be a win. I think they will carry some emotion in losing the last two the way they did and we end up slaughtering them. Iowa City will not be fearsome, low scoring affair but a solid win.

 

[The Maudfather]

9-4 with a couple of meltdown, turnover ridden blowouts and a couple of head scratching losses to opponents we shouldn't lose to.

 

[jschmidt]

Tommy Armstrongs mistakes were mental mistakes. He's a very capable passer. And he certainly has the swagger and confidence to let the ball loose down the field. He's more than willing to throw it up so his receivers can make a play. Taylor has always been a bit trigger shy in this regard. Kenny Bell's TD catches against Illinois and Michigan St were also a large part due to Tommy have trust in his receiver. The one in the Illinios game was an NFL throw. He dropped that thing on a frozen rope in a zone in the middle of 4 defenders, to a receiver on the run, and put where only Kenny could make a play on it. Not every throw has to be spot on perfect to be effective.

all things I agree with. Taylor, never looked comfortable in the pocket. and for sure was a bit trigger shy.

Don't get me wrong, Tommy does alot of things to be excited about. I just don't think his Passing game is yet one of them. even I agree 52% is Tommy's floor on his accurancy. but what is the realistic ceiling? Taylor, went 59/56/63... and I believe would have been around 65% for his senior year. anyone have an example of college quarterbacks going from 50%ish to say 65%-70%?

again... like I have said other times... this is all based on the "identity" of beck's offense.

 

[kchusker_chris]

I just can't count MSU in or out at this point. Their defense is going to take a few steps down, and we gave them a run for their money last year WITH 5 turnovers.

We say this every year, and every year they come out w/ a top 10 D. Before this season it was "without Gholston...yada yada yada". As long as Narduzzi is still there, they'll be a top 10ish D. Best thing that could happen for the Huskers would be for that guy to find a spot somewhere else. I'd like to think Nebraska is their one stumble most seasons though. Kind of like K-State seems to have Texas's number.

 

[Count 'Bility]

Also, Tommy just appears to be more comfortable in the pocket. Taylor always seemed to have that "panicky" feeling. Now I'm not trying to turn this into another Taylor vs tommy deal, and I'm not saying that at any point in the season that Tommy was better than 100% Taylor, for it was never about that. It was about Tommy vs hurt Taylor. But in looking at Taylor's history as a qb, he tended to show a lack of want to to stretch the field vertically. Tommy on the other hand has no problem pushing the ball down the field. And I think that's an aspect of the pass game that we have to have.

A lot of Tommy's incompletions this year were just missing. That NW game especially, he missed a lot of guys by just a few inches on deep corner and flag routes. The encouraging part is that he's making the right decision, and with a little more work, can develope a timing and chemistry with the receivers necessary to complete them throws. Against Georgia, he lined a pass to Turner in the back of the endzone from 30+ yards out that Jamal dropped. That was a thing of beauty. There's plenty of potential there.

 

[ADS]

Also, Tommy just appears to be more comfortable in the pocket. Taylor always seemed to have that "panicky" feeling. Now I'm not trying to turn this into another Taylor vs tommy deal, and I'm not saying that at any point in the season that Tommy was better than 100% Taylor, for it was never about that. It was about Tommy vs hurt Taylor. But in looking at Taylor's history as a qb, he tended to show a lack of want to to stretch the field vertically. Tommy on the other hand has no problem pushing the ball down the field. And I think that's an aspect of the pass game that we have to have.

A lot of Tommy's incompletions this year were just missing. That NW game especially, he missed a lot of guys by just a few inches on deep corner and flag routes. The encouraging part is that he's making the right decision, and with a little more work, can develope a timing and chemistry with the receivers necessary to complete them throws. Against Georgia, he lined a pass to Turner in the back of the endzone from 30+ yards out that Jamal dropped. That was a thing of beauty. There's plenty of potential there.

Drops played a major part in Tommy's incompletions, there were quite a few that were tipped by our WR's that could've been caught iirc.