Can we please call this what it was?

[Scratchtown]

I think people already know I'm with Redux on this. This wasn't a moral victory at all. Yes there were bright spots, but this should not have been a game we lost. And, I also don't buy this transition crap. We have the athletes, if the coaches can't adapt the scheme to the players, then they're no better than their predecessors. I can see hope for the offense (play calling was suspect, but maybe that was first game stuff), but the defense is highly questionable, something I was worried about from the start (even though I didn't voice the concern).

So if NU hired Paul Johnson, you wouldn't buy the transition crap? You would expect him to run his offense to the players? When does the system get put in place then?

If you didn't see that MR is adapting while transitioning you are blind. He's doing both.

 

[The Dude]

The loss sucked for everyone. If you're more miserable than others, what's the point of trying to bring them down with you?

 

[ZRod]

I think people already know I'm with Redux on this. This wasn't a moral victory at all. Yes there were bright spots, but this should not have been a game we lost. And, I also don't buy this transition crap. We have the athletes, if the coaches can't adapt the scheme to the players, then they're no better than their predecessors. I can see hope for the offense (play calling was suspect, but maybe that was first game stuff), but the defense is highly questionable, something I was worried about from the start (even though I didn't voice the concern).

So if NU hired Paul Johnson, you wouldn't buy the transition crap? You would expect him to run his offense to the players? When does the system get put in place then?

If you didn't see that MR is adapting while transitioning you are blind. He's doing both.

That's a totally different concept. We didn't go from a spread to a triple option, and this isn't like when we brought in Callahan either (Using an option QB to run a west coast offense). Tommy was familiar with slinging the ball around 40 times a game and is a capable runner, we also have adept running backs. I'm not sure those guys were utilized to their full potential this game.

 

[Redux]

The loss sucked for everyone. If you're more miserable than others, what's the point of trying to bring them down with you?

Not trying to do that at all.
I just want us to be honest about it. If we pretend that we looked like a world beater on Saturday, it is gonna hurt that much more when we lose the next one, or the next one.

I can't stress enough the fact we looked really good at times. But tap dancing jehova, look at the board a year ago. If someone brought up the fact we looked good but missed some assingments and lost the game they were ridiculed to no end. I plan on giving Mike Riley this season and another before I make a big judgement call. But come on, losing that game the way we did....

Stop me if you have heard this "We did a lot of good things. Looked sharp in this area. Need to tighten up in this area. Yeah we lost but I think we have the potential to win the division or whatever this year."

 

[Enhance]

Not a single person on this board can do anything about what happened, or what will happen, in the future. All we can do is be fans. It's been a difficult 15 or so years with bad athletic director and bad football coaches. But, I think some people need to take a step back a bit and get some perspective.

The loss sucked, yes, but it's been a lot of fans and some media who created the narrative that Nebraska would be able to just trot out on game one and win. There is nobody to blame but ourselves - Riley didn't promise a thing about what would happen this season. Furthermore, the reason it hurts a lot is because of the shock value. But, the truth of the matter is, Nebraska wasn't good enough to win that game. Same thing with Northwestern two years ago - they weren't good enough to win that game either.

And why is that? It's because the university hired a coach who didn't do things well enough to win, stagnated the program and created turmoil in the fan base. If you're looking to point the finger, point it there, because the old staff forced the change.

Coach Riley himself even said during fall camp 'at times, it looks like football.' He told us about injuries, about depth concerns, about the defense giving up too many big plays and about the offense lacking consistency. And it turns out, pretty much all of those things made themselves known on Saturday. We knew this team could struggle and many people just put blinders on. Even Sam McKewon, a writer many people have a lot of respect for, twice had people create threads about him on this board saying he was being too pessimistic. Turns out the dude was just being honest.

The only thing to take solace in is Riley has clearly identified what's wrong and can move on from here to help develop the players, per his reputation. If any of us can't be along for the ride during the tough times, then we sure as hell shouldn't be allowed to enjoy the good times when they come. And the good times will return to Nebraska.

 

[Scratchtown]

The loss sucked for everyone. If you're more miserable than others, what's the point of trying to bring them down with you?

Not trying to do that at all.
I just want us to be honest about it. If we pretend that we looked like a world beater on Saturday, it is gonna hurt that much more when we lose the next one, or the next one.

I can't stress enough the fact we looked really good at times. But tap dancing jehova, look at the board a year ago. If someone brought up the fact we looked good but missed some assingments and lost the game they were ridiculed to no end. I plan on giving Mike Riley this season and another before I make a big judgement call. But come on, losing that game the way we did....

Stop me if you have heard this "We did a lot of good things. Looked sharp in this area. Need to tighten up in this area. Yeah we lost but I think we have the potential to win the division or whatever this year."

I've not seen anyone declare NU being this. Or even pretending.

 

[Saunders]

What bothers me is pretending that BYU is amazing, and it makes the loss "acceptable" or a sign of improvement, because they're really good.

They've lost 5 games each of the last 3 years. Nebraska choked away the game because they couldn't convert 3rd and 1 (twice) and 3rd and two, and blew the hail mary coverage.

 

[Redux]

The loss sucked for everyone. If you're more miserable than others, what's the point of trying to bring them down with you?

Not trying to do that at all.I just want us to be honest about it. If we pretend that we looked like a world beater on Saturday, it is gonna hurt that much more when we lose the next one, or the next one.

I can't stress enough the fact we looked really good at times. But tap dancing jehova, look at the board a year ago. If someone brought up the fact we looked good but missed some assingments and lost the game they were ridiculed to no end. I plan on giving Mike Riley this season and another before I make a big judgement call. But come on, losing that game the way we did....

Stop me if you have heard this "We did a lot of good things. Looked sharp in this area. Need to tighten up in this area. Yeah we lost but I think we have the potential to win the division or whatever this year."

I've not seen anyone declare NU being this. Or even pretending.

Really?

 

[ZRod]

What bothers me is pretending that BYU is amazing, and it makes the loss "acceptable" or a sign of improvement, because they're really good.

They've lost 5 games each of the last 3 years. Nebraska choked away the game because they couldn't convert 3rd and 1 (twice) and 3rd and two, and blew the hail mary coverage.

Exactly!

 

[Enhance]

What bothers me is pretending that BYU is amazing, and it makes the loss "acceptable" or a sign of improvement, because they're really good.

They've lost 5 games each of the last 3 years. Nebraska choked away the game because they couldn't convert 3rd and 1 (twice) and 3rd and two, and blew the hail mary coverage.

Well, BYU isn't amazing, but we also shouldn't pretend Nebraska is a really good team either. Our best win in the last ~4 years has been what... the 24-3 Michigan St. victory at home in 2011? Otherwise, we have only beaten teams below .500 or with records of about 8-9 wins. That's what Nebraska football has been.

And you look back last year to where we almost lost to an FCS school, got blown out by Wisconsin, need OT to beat Iowa... Yeah, we ended up making close games against MSU and USC, but needed furious rallies to do so.

Honestly, I just don't understand. We have so many things playing against us from all new coaches, to a lack of depth, to new schemes, to injuries... I mean literally you name a problem and we likely have it. That doesn't mean we can't improve and get better but jeesh... Nebraska, right now, isn't in a position to claim supremacy over a lot of teams and that includes BYU.

 

[Redux]

The loss sucked for everyone. If you're more miserable than others, what's the point of trying to bring them down with you?

Not trying to do that at all.I just want us to be honest about it. If we pretend that we looked like a world beater on Saturday, it is gonna hurt that much more when we lose the next one, or the next one.

I can't stress enough the fact we looked really good at times. But tap dancing jehova, look at the board a year ago. If someone brought up the fact we looked good but missed some assingments and lost the game they were ridiculed to no end. I plan on giving Mike Riley this season and another before I make a big judgement call. But come on, losing that game the way we did....

Stop me if you have heard this "We did a lot of good things. Looked sharp in this area. Need to tighten up in this area. Yeah we lost but I think we have the potential to win the division or whatever this year."

I've not seen anyone declare NU being this. Or even pretending.

Really?

People aren't using the term "world beater" but by acting like BYU is great, they're saying Nebraska is too because we "played well." It's a silly argument.

No people on HERE aren't. But yeah, talking up BYU like they have a playoff shot is silly indeed. They likely lose 4 more games, maybe more.

 

[Saunders]

The loss sucked for everyone. If you're more miserable than others, what's the point of trying to bring them down with you?

Not trying to do that at all.I just want us to be honest about it. If we pretend that we looked like a world beater on Saturday, it is gonna hurt that much more when we lose the next one, or the next one.

I can't stress enough the fact we looked really good at times. But tap dancing jehova, look at the board a year ago. If someone brought up the fact we looked good but missed some assingments and lost the game they were ridiculed to no end. I plan on giving Mike Riley this season and another before I make a big judgement call. But come on, losing that game the way we did....

Stop me if you have heard this "We did a lot of good things. Looked sharp in this area. Need to tighten up in this area. Yeah we lost but I think we have the potential to win the division or whatever this year."

I've not seen anyone declare NU being this. Or even pretending.

Really?

People aren't using the term "world beater" but by acting like BYU is great, they're saying Nebraska is too because we "played well." It's a silly argument.

No people on HERE aren't. But yeah, talking up BYU like they have a playoff shot is silly indeed. They likely lose 4 more games, maybe more.

Oh, I agree with you. We've done it multiple times over the last decade when we lost a close game. We talk up the opponent, and chalk up a moral victory.

 

[Redux]

The loss sucked for everyone. If you're more miserable than others, what's the point of trying to bring them down with you?

Not trying to do that at all.I just want us to be honest about it. If we pretend that we looked like a world beater on Saturday, it is gonna hurt that much more when we lose the next one, or the next one.

I can't stress enough the fact we looked really good at times. But tap dancing jehova, look at the board a year ago. If someone brought up the fact we looked good but missed some assingments and lost the game they were ridiculed to no end. I plan on giving Mike Riley this season and another before I make a big judgement call. But come on, losing that game the way we did....

Stop me if you have heard this "We did a lot of good things. Looked sharp in this area. Need to tighten up in this area. Yeah we lost but I think we have the potential to win the division or whatever this year."

I've not seen anyone declare NU being this. Or even pretending.

Really?

People aren't using the term "world beater" but by acting like BYU is great, they're saying Nebraska is too because we "played well." It's a silly argument.

No people on HERE aren't. But yeah, talking up BYU like they have a playoff shot is silly indeed. They likely lose 4 more games, maybe more.

Oh, I agree with you. We've done it multiple times over the last decade when we lost a close game. We talk up the opponent, and chalk up a moral victory.

I have done it many times myself. I'm just tired I guess. I'm tired of being average. We pour a lot of our time into following this once great team only to be let down time after time.
I knew we weren't going undefeated this year, we all should have known that. I guess 'm just on the other side of the fence now. For all the good we saw, I'm more nervous about the rest of the season than the folks talking us up to be really good. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[Saunders]

Honestly, I just don't understand. We have so many things playing against us from all new coaches, to a lack of depth, to new schemes, to injuries... I mean literally you name a problem and we likely have it. That doesn't mean we can't improve and get better but jeesh... Nebraska, right now, isn't in a position to claim supremacy over a lot of teams and that includes BYU.

Alot of that has to do with the offseason drivel of the new coaching staff vs the old. For 9 months, we've seen post after post and thread after thread on how any average coach could win 9 games with our schedule, that the last staff was awful, and that every new coach is superior to the guy he replaced. If that's the case, then we should see an upgrade in the W/L column, just by fixing the issues that have plagued us for 7 years.

But.... it's simply not black and white like that.

 

[JJ Husker]

For the record no one is saying it is acceptable, but it needs to be accepted because it happened and it's in the past. Can't change it. Why cry over spilled milk.

Clean it up and move on.

Exactly. Nobody likes losing. Many of us thought and feel that Nebraska should've won that game for all sorts of reasons. And the way we lost on the last play....well that does sting. But what are we as fans going to do about it? Go on social media and message boards and try to out do the next guy, exhibiting how unacceptable it is to lose?

Tell me Redux, exactly what influence do we as fans have on the outcome of that game, or the next game, 9r any game? I'll tell you, none. It is GAME played by 18-22 year old KIDS and coached by guys that are hired by somebody else. All we do is watch the games and cheer and hope. That's it. What earthly good does it do to fly off the handle and stomp and whine and cry about how unacceptable things are? Rather childish, really, if ya think about it. But that's the problem, too many don't think about it or put it in perspective. We spend more time bemoaning the defense of one stupid pass play than we do a military surge in Iraq where lives of our fighting men are actually on the line. This is a game that we have no control over. Try to enjoy it. It is going to be what it is regardless.