Holy $#@& Phil Steele

[Mierin]

Due to the easier schedule I definitely agree.

So it's kind of a weird place to be right now with expectations. My standards are still the same as they were 20 years ago - Winning 10 games in the regular season is a "good" season and winning the conference title constitutes "great." But honestly, I really don't expect that either will happen this season.

However, going 9-3 and* then setting us up for 2020 would feel pretty decent.

*Edit: And having another recruiting class for 2020 on par or better than 2019.

It’s not only the easier schedule. If we played the same exact schedule as last year and our defense was mediocre, we would likely win at least 4 more games. Our defense was bad last year, and we had several close games. Mediocre would be a large improvement. 

If we move up the rankings in major categories from 100th to 70th it’ll make a difference. 

 

[Undone]

Wisconsin doesn't have the horses to field a top 10 defense the past 5 years being that they recruited far below Nebraska...yet they somehow did have that top 10 defense.  Why is that?  Coaching.  They were disciplined and they were well coached.

That doesn't have anything to do with my point.

I'm talking about stopping Wisconsin's run game. Not about what other offenses Wisconsin's defense shuts down.

 

[brophog]

We don't really have the horses to stop Wisconsin's run game. Hell, we may not even have the defensive coaching staff to stop Wisconsin's run game. 

No one did. They failed to achieve 5 ypc last year only twice (4.7 and 4.8) and they still rushed for over 200 in both of those.

They still lost five games.

 

[Mierin]

That doesn't have anything to do with my point.

I'm talking about stopping Wisconsin's run game. Not about what other offenses Wisconsin's defense shuts down.

Yes it does.

He’s saying our defense can be top 10 if we have good coaching, even if we don’t have “the horses,” because Wisconsin has been able to do that. 

He’s saying if our coaching is good we can stop Wisconsin’s run game even if on paper we don’t have the most talented defense. 

 

[Undone]

No one did. They failed to achieve 5 ypc last year only twice (4.7 and 4.8) and they still rushed for over 200 in both of those.

They still lost five games.

That is just absolutely not an accurate statement, and I'm not that interested in YPC in this argument. Let's take in isolation the PSU/Wisconsin game from last year in which Wisconsin lost 22-10. I'll even take out the multiple sacks that led Wisconsin's quarterback to have -43 yards rushing on the stat sheet.

Taking out those negative 43 yards, they only ran for 252 yards. Let's not split hairs here - PSU "shut down" Wisconsin's run game and played excellent defense overall; that's how you beat Wisconsin. 

Juxtapose that with our stat line against them: They rushed for 370 yards and embarrassed us in the fourth quarter like they have almost every time we've played them since entering the Big 10.

 

[Undone]

He’s saying our defense can be top 10 if we have good coaching, even if we don’t have “the horses,” because Wisconsin has been able to do that. 

I understand his point.

Using that point, "we didn't have good defensive coaching" last year then when Wisconsin ran for 370 yards against us and gassed us/embarrassed us in the fourth quarter.

 

[Nebfanatic]

That is just absolutely not an accurate statement, and I'm not that interested in YPC in this argument. Let's take in isolation the PSU/Wisconsin game from last year in which Wisconsin lost 22-10. I'll even take out the multiple sacks that led Wisconsin's quarterback to have -43 yards rushing on the stat sheet.

Taking out those negative 43 yards, they only ran for 252 yards. Let's not split hairs here - PSU "shut down" Wisconsin's run game and played excellent defense overall; that's how you beat Wisconsin. 

Juxtapose that with our stat line against them: They rushed for 370 yards and embarrassed us in the fourth quarter like they have almost every time we've played them since entering the Big 10.

If allowing 252 rushing yards is shutting down someones run game then we are gonna be an elite run D this season.

 

[Undone]

If allowing 252 rushing yards is shutting down someones run game then we are gonna be an elite run D this season.

I'm not talking about just any old "someone." This is Wisconsin we're talking about here. They're the gateway to winning the West and their offensive strategy/execution is formidable.

Furthermore, PSU sacked their QB five times and he had -43 yards rushing on the stat sheet in that game, so it was 209 yards rushing in total.

Our defense last year, on average, was absolutely terrible by the Husker football standard. If it doesn't greatly improve we're not going to have the "minimum of 10-2 season" that so many seem to be predicting. That's all I'm saying. The Big 10 is not the AAC; you don't have a "Frost in 2017" season without having a good defense in this conference. 

 

[Nebfanatic]

I'm not talking about just any old "someone." This is Wisconsin we're talking about here. They're the gateway to winning the West and their offensive strategy/execution is formidable.

Furthermore, PSU sacked their QB five times and he had -43 yards rushing on the stat sheet in that game, so it was 209 yards rushing in total.

Our defense last year, on average, was absolutely terrible by the Husker football standard. If it doesn't greatly improve we're not going to have the "minimum of 10-2 season" that so many seem to be predicting. That's all I'm saying. The Big 10 is not the AAC; you don't have a "Frost in 2017" season without having a good defense in this conference. 

Sack yards come on passing plays, Wisconsin still ran it well on PSU. Regardless, I disagree to a degree. Obviously our defense has to get better, but I really think the Frost formula is perfect for defeating Wisconsin even if the defense isn't shutting them down. Hell, we almost beat them last year after getting in a hole. Typically, we would want to put them in a hole with our quick strike scoring ability and force them out of their element. I think the genius of Frost will shine this season with everyone pulling in the same direction now. We will be able to cover our weaknesses and expose our opponents like we haven't seen in a long long time. Great coaching is a thing of beauty.

 

[Mavric]

That is just absolutely not an accurate statement, and I'm not that interested in YPC in this argument. Let's take in isolation the PSU/Wisconsin game from last year in which Wisconsin lost 22-10. I'll even take out the multiple sacks that led Wisconsin's quarterback to have -43 yards rushing on the stat sheet.

Taking out those negative 43 yards, they only ran for 252 yards. Let's not split hairs here - PSU "shut down" Wisconsin's run game and played excellent defense overall; that's how you beat Wisconsin. 

Juxtapose that with our stat line against them: They rushed for 370 yards and embarrassed us in the fourth quarter like they have almost every time we've played them since entering the Big 10.

Um .... no.  252 yards is not shutting down anything.  Maybe .... maybe .... "slowed down" a little bit.  But Wisconsin averaged 284 rushing yards per game last year after taking all the sacks out.  Holding them 30 yards under their season average is not shutting them down.  Western Kentucky "held" them to 246 rushing yards.  BYU "held" them to 204.  Northwestern held them to 165 - that's about as close to shutting them down as you can hope to get.  252?  Not so much.

 

[BIG ERN]

Taylor ran for 221 yards, 3 TD and avg over 9 ypc against us. That's called getting run TF over 

 

[Mierin]

I understand his point.

Using that point, "we didn't have good defensive coaching" last year then when Wisconsin ran for 370 yards against us and gassed us/embarrassed us in the fourth quarter.

You said it had nothing to do with your point but it does. He’s saying with good coaching a team with lesser talent can still have a good defense, and Wisconsin has shown that.

We sucked at defense last year and maybe we’ll suck this year. Maybe our defensive coaches or coordinator aren’t good. I have to think we’ll make some improvement just based on it being year 2 with the same staff.

 

[Undone]

You said it had nothing to do with your point but it does. He’s saying with good coaching a team with lesser talent can still have a good defense, and Wisconsin has shown that.

Please read this carefully: I don't care how good Wisconsin's defense is or why they are or aren't good. This is because Wisconsin's defense doesn't play Wisconsin's offense, therefore no parallels can be drawn to what they do on defense to stop Wisconsin's offense.

It sounds ridiculous to actually type that out but there it is.

 

[Undone]

Taylor ran for 221 yards, 3 TD and avg over 9 ypc against us. That's called getting run TF over 

Of course it is.

And if he does it again and we lose to them this season I'll be pretty pissed off to read one or both of these predictable lines:

1. We just don't have the horses on defense to stop them yet.

2. We just should have gotten out against them earlier on offense.

 

[Mierin]

Please read this carefully: I don't care how good Wisconsin's defense is or why they are or aren't good. This is because Wisconsin's defense doesn't play Wisconsin's offense, therefore no parallels can be drawn to what they do on defense to stop Wisconsin's offense.

It sounds ridiculous to actually type that out but there it is.

I think you’re getting befuddled because he used Wisconsin as an example while you’re talking about their offense.

It’s not relevant that the example he used was Wisconsin. He could have used Michigan State.

He’s saying we might he able to stop Wisconsin’s offense with the players we have with good coaching. Because Michigan State’s defense has been able to play well without a ton of talent (as has Wisconsin’s).

Parallels absolutely can be drawn because there are other teams that run the ball and there are teams that stop Wisconsin better than us. Those teams don’t all have “the horses,” as you put it.