Nebraska's ceiling

[Mierin]

This thread needs to calm down.

Thinking that we aren't necessarily a great team or a top 10 team is not even in the same ballpark as being negative, being doom n gloom, or being unwilling to enjoy or be happy about this year's team.

I'm having a blast watching the team. I've gotten to go to two games, and I'm so happy, so pumped, so excited for Riley and Armstrong and etc. Still think we're a top 15-20 team at best. We can only beat the teams on our schedule, but the teams on our schedule are only a few notches up from flaming garbage and we haven't looked heads and shoulders better than them while playing at times. That's just reality. We have a long way to go, and we might get there, but there's a good chance we don't, and if that happens, so what?

Well said.

 

[mrandyk]

Ceiling for Nebraska? 10-2 regular season with a loss in the CCG. We're talking about a team that won 5 games in the regular season last year, and isn't that greatly different from last year.

 

[tmfr15]

I guess the question is really.... how far can Nebraska go this year? The answer, simply, is that we don't know. Coach Riley came here from Oregon State with many doubting that he would succeed. I was one of the doubters really, given his probable pro style passing system. I am not willing to say its working now. I am not willing to say it isn't working or will never work.

This is all TBD. We won't know if MR's system will work until we've seen it with a passing QB. We have seen the staff adjust in year two and provide more chances for our talent to succeed now as we recruit with great effort in the hopes of getting great results. Again, TBD.

The team is 5-0. And we got a win over a talented Oregon team. They had the ability to strike anywhere at any time. We got past that. Maybe the Ducks have quit now. That's not our fault. Remember that we won five games all of the last regular season. So I would say we have done as well as we could have so far.

If we played Michigan tomorrow in a championship style setting, I wouldn't like our chances. But we won't play them tomorrow. We might not play them at all this year. Seasons evolve. Circumstances change. We can only worry about Indiana now. And they deserve respect from our guys in preparation and from the fans by not assuming victory. I am not saying we will win for sure. We certainly will have a great chance. If we lose, the season won't end. Hopefully the guys would fight hard going forward and learn from it.

Once this is over, we will have work to do with Purdue. They beat Illinois. And we know that we had a good game against Illinois. Purdue will come in confident after having beaten us at their place last year. So, its a week at a time. We don't even know for sure what Purdue will look like in two weeks, let alone Wisconsin in three or Ohio State in four.

Let it play out and don't count the Huskers out. That's my mantra. Let's just see how far this goes and do our best to enjoy it.

In some ways its refreshing. Look at it this way. If we were Alabama or Ohio State, nothing but the Natty itself would do as the prize. We are 5-0 and already playing with house money, at least to a minor extent. I hope our guys have fun. I know I will have fun knowing that whatever the Huskers do from here on in.. it's going to be better than what we had a season ago.

 

[Redux]

Ehh... I don't think it's that big of a deal. We haven't beat any really good teams yet. Everyone is happy we are 5-0. Some of you guys just want to be happy... happy...happy all the time. Sheesh.

I'd be happy with 50/50 optimism/pessemism.

Unfortunately for Nebraska, the 5 teams we have beaten are doing us no favors. Fresno, Wyoming, NW and Illinois were never going to look good on a resume and Oregon gave up after losing to us.

I don't know if they gave up or they're a bad team. I would think a good team wouldn't give up

I think they started quiting after 2 losses in a row. They kind of lack a locker room leader if I had to guess due to QB musical chairs.

 

[Redux]

This thread needs to calm down.

Thinking that we aren't necessarily a great team or a top 10 team is not even in the same ballpark as being negative, being doom n gloom, or being unwilling to enjoy or be happy about this year's team.

I'm having a blast watching the team. I've gotten to go to two games, and I'm so happy, so pumped, so excited for Riley and Armstrong and etc. Still think we're a top 15-20 team at best. We can only beat the teams on our schedule, but the teams on our schedule are only a few notches up from flaming garbage and we haven't looked heads and shoulders better than them while playing at times. That's just reality. We have a long way to go, and we might get there, but there's a good chance we don't, and if that happens, so what?

I'm glad to hear you're enjoying this team. That's been my issue overall, people who are enjoying the season yet rarely say so in favor of pointing out how we haven't done anything even though we can't control who we play.

I pretty much agree with your outlook though.

 

[NUinID]

Ehh... I don't think it's that big of a deal. We haven't beat any really good teams yet. Everyone is happy we are 5-0. Some of you guys just want to be happy... happy...happy all the time. Sheesh.

I'd be happy with 50/50 optimism/pessemism.

Unfortunately for Nebraska, the 5 teams we have beaten are doing us no favors. Fresno, Wyoming, NW and Illinois were never going to look good on a resume and Oregon gave up after losing to us.

I don't know if they gave up or they're a bad team. I would think a good team wouldn't give up

I think they started quiting after 2 losses in a row. They kind of lack a locker room leader if I had to guess due to QB musical chairs.

I would defintiely say that Oregon has quit. They have imploded. They were just going through the motions just like Nebraska did in 2007. Helfrich is gone at the end of the year, if not sooner.

Oh, and I am enjoying the season. I watch a lot of college football. As I said before there are about 4-5 really good teams contending for the playoffs right now. I like Michigan, OSU, Alabama, and Washington for sure and Clemson and Louisville to a lesser extent. They don't play as good a defense as the other 4 teams mentioned.

IMO you could throw the rest of the top 25 in a hat and make a claim for any of them to be ranked from 7-25. I defintely include Nebraska in that mix. They have been solid, but are not dominiating teams like you want them to.

I live up here in BSU country, BSU fans are a lot like Nebraska fans, they take great pride in their team because they kinda sit outside the norm..You can't believe all the hand wringing that has been going on up here about them not not scoring enough and playing too many teams close. Well all is well this week because they finally blew out New Mexico on Friday. Boise St has a good team people need to enjoy it more. They are not a top 5 team, but they hare fun to watch.

Nebraska has a good team some fans need to enjoy it more. I still think they go as far as "Good Tommy" can take us. The defense will be solid, but not dominating this year, the offense has been good and will remain good if they stay healthy and Tommy doesn't have that 4 int game.

I actually feel better about this game at Indiana now than I did earlier in the year. I feel better because I think Indiana has Nebraska's full attention. They are not going to take this game lightly. Watch the game and enjoy what is happening. Worry about Wisconsin during the Wisconsin week, worry about OSU during that week.

Enjoy the season it is way too short to worry about the final tally at the end of the year.

Besides I already know NU is playing in the Rose Bowl, I know this because I can't go this year. My nephew is getting married on New Years Eve in Indiana. So because it is imposible for me to go they will get there this year.

 

[Count 'Bility]

Ehh... I don't think it's that big of a deal. We haven't beat any really good teams yet. Everyone is happy we are 5-0. Some of you guys just want to be happy... happy...happy all the time. Sheesh.

I'd be happy with 50/50 optimism/pessemism.

Unfortunately for Nebraska, the 5 teams we have beaten are doing us no favors. Fresno, Wyoming, NW and Illinois were never going to look good on a resume and Oregon gave up after losing to us.

I don't know if they gave up or they're a bad team. I would think a good team wouldn't give up

I think they started quiting after 2 losses in a row. They kind of lack a locker room leader if I had to guess due to QB musical chairs.

I would defintiely say that Oregon has quit. They have imploded. They were just going through the motions just like Nebraska did in 2007. Helfrich is gone at the end of the year, if not sooner.

That team's a mess. There is zero faith in the system esp on defense. What I saw on saturday was not good at all. Spot on with the comparison to 2007. I'll add in 2015 Nebraska vs Purdue to that as well. Just no trust in the coaches whatsoever. And when you dont believe in what youre doing, it's impossible to do it full go. Theyre human after all. Dont see Helfrich surviving this. What's gonna be interesting is seeing where Oregon really stands in the world of College football or did they just happen to have a real fast up and coming coach for a few years that happened to be a genius of his time? I mean, the guy was an OC (not head coach) at New Hampshire before being the OC at Oregon for just two years, then bam. Head Coach and massive success. Not that Oregon was garbage before. Theyve been solid for a while. But Kelly took them to a whole other level. Now that he's gone, it's been a steady decline, and now the wheels are off.

 

[SuperBigFan69]

Ehh... I don't think it's that big of a deal. We haven't beat any really good teams yet. Everyone is happy we are 5-0. Some of you guys just want to be happy... happy...happy all the time. Sheesh.

I'd be happy with 50/50 optimism/pessemism.

Unfortunately for Nebraska, the 5 teams we have beaten are doing us no favors. Fresno, Wyoming, NW and Illinois were never going to look good on a resume and Oregon gave up after losing to us.

I don't know if they gave up or they're a bad team. I would think a good team wouldn't give up

I think they started quiting after 2 losses in a row. They kind of lack a locker room leader if I had to guess due to QB musical chairs.

I would defintiely say that Oregon has quit. They have imploded. They were just going through the motions just like Nebraska did in 2007. Helfrich is gone at the end of the year, if not sooner.

That team's a mess. There is zero faith in the system esp on defense. What I saw on saturday was not good at all. Spot on with the comparison to 2007. I'll add in 2015 Nebraska vs Purdue to that as well. Just no trust in the coaches whatsoever. And when you dont believe in what youre doing, it's impossible to do it full go. Theyre human after all. Dont see Helfrich surviving this. What's gonna be interesting is seeing where Oregon really stands in the world of College football or did they just happen to have a real fast up and coming coach for a few years that happened to be a genius of his time? I mean, the guy was an OC (not head coach) at New Hampshire before being the OC at Oregon for just two years, then bam. Head Coach and massive success. Not that Oregon was garbage before. Theyve been solid for a while. But Kelly took them to a whole other level. Now that he's gone, it's been a steady decline, and now the wheels are off.

Totally agree!

I wonder if Knight will get involved and try to make a run for Tom Herman

 

[airboose]

NU is 5-0, but it looks like "fools gold" to me. Let's face it, NU is better this season but is definitely beatable. Indiana will likely give us all we want on Saturday. I hope I'm wrong, but I predict 3-4 losses the rest of the season.

 

[Nebfanatic]

I think just because we've "looked" beatable in all of these games so far doesn't mean we can't come out and get a blow out win, or compete and win against a high level opponent. We have seen other teams all over the country struggle against much less talented opponents early in the season.

The opponent is trying to win the game too and sometimes the opponent has a pretty good game plan to turn the game into a dog fight for as long as possible hoping to give themselves a chance at the end. Only in one game did the opponent have a chance to win halfway through the fourth quarter and that was with a talented Oregon squad, even if they are falling apart.

I think if Nebraska executes and performs to its optimum level and is improving each week this team could make a playoff run similar to Michigan State a year ago as in they needed a little luck to beat the big boys but had the talent to keep it close enough long enough to give themselves a shot. I think this team is capable of doing that.

That being said it's more realistic that we drop 2 regular season games

 

[Redux]

For better or worse, we play up/down to our competition. If that means slugging it out with Illinois so we can go to Columbus and compete, so be it.

 

[RunMickeyRun02]

Ehh... I don't think it's that big of a deal. We haven't beat any really good teams yet. Everyone is happy we are 5-0. Some of you guys just want to be happy... happy...happy all the time. Sheesh.

I'd be happy with 50/50 optimism/pessemism.

Unfortunately for Nebraska, the 5 teams we have beaten are doing us no favors. Fresno, Wyoming, NW and Illinois were never going to look good on a resume and Oregon gave up after losing to us.

I'm not trying to be contradictory or start anything but could you clarify what you mean by this?
Why does it matter how the teams we beat our doing? It's not like we're trying to build a playoff resume.

As for our ceiling I stand by my preseason prediction that we lose to either Indiana or Maryland but now I wouldn't necessarily call a loss to Indiana an upset like I had thought before the season.

I mean I think a lot of thr pessemism would be null if even Oregon had won a couple games after we beat them. Instead our 5-0 record is overshadowed by our opponents short comings.

Thanks for the clarification.

I tend to root for teams we've played during the season, certain exceptions of course (Colorado, Miami, Texas...etc) but if they end up struggling it isn't the end of the world to me.

 

[zoogs]

We're starting to see some good things being built here.

However, there's a long way to go and it would be the LEAST shocking thing in the world to sputter at some point this season. 11 wins seems like the kind of peak achievement the team is capable of, and I hope they get there, but I know it won't be easy.

Regardless of all that, I'm pleased with the health of the program. Very pleased.

 

[TITANIC VS LUSITANIA]

Que sera, sera.

 

[Husker from Kansas]

I kinda wonder what this staffs ceiling is for this year as much as the teams overall? Has Coach MR and his staff ever been ranked this high? Also have they ever been ranked this high and had to feel the pressure they feel coaching at Nebraska