Will we finished ranked?

R

robsker

Starter
NU finished in 2004 unranked. In 2005 we finished #24. In 2006 NU was again unranked at seasons end.

The best we have done under callahan is # 24. Since 2002 we have finished ranked only two times one under Solich/pelini and the other under Callahan.

A list:

1998 solich Finish #19

1999 solich Finish #3

2000 solich Finish #8

2001 solich Finish #8

2002 Solich Finish unranked

2003 solich/Pelina Finish #19

2004 Callahan Finish unranked

2005 Callahan Finish #24

2006 Callahan Finish unranked

For reference: Under Osbourne NU was ranked every year of his career as head coach (from 1973 to 1997). Solich was ranked 5 out of 6 years. NU finished ranked every year but one (2002) from 1969 to 1997 --- a remarkable 28 rankings in 29 seasons --- the most consistent period of excellence in college football history.

Since then, NU has been unranked 3 of the past five years. In the Callahan era NU has been unranked 2 out of three seasons with a best performance of a #24.

Will this year make 4 of the last six seaons unranked, or will we crack the top 25 when it is all over?

 
I think it all depends on how well the defense can recover. If we manage an average defense through conference play, we'll finish ranked. If the defense doesn't recover much, unranked for sure.

I honestly have no idea which it will be at this point.

 
At the rate we're going, even if we manage to win the majority of our games we will not (and should not) be ranked.

I'd really like our defense to come out inspired for once, to at least hold the offensive unit of another team to 0 points 40% of the time. Then we wouldn't have this 41-40 or 49-31 crap.

 
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If our D can provide something, we will be. This offense is looking good right now, but the D obviously is not. If they can tackle some people, we will be ranked to end the season.

 
I think the point of this is thread is, will we improve as the season goes on? And, at least on defense, I don't think so. I know we have young kids that can be good for us, and they should get better... but if they, as a defensive unit as a whole, keep putting up numbers like they have the past few weeks, they are just going to get more and more discouraged and that will hurt motivation, which will hurt progression.

I don't think we're going to finish ranked unless something miraculous happens on defense.

 
TheKiD said:
I think the point of this is thread is, will we improve as the season goes on? And, at least on defense, I don't think so. I know we have young kids that can be good for us, and they should get better... but if they, as a defensive unit as a whole, keep putting up numbers like they have the past few weeks, they are just going to get more and more discouraged and that will hurt motivation, which will hurt progression.

I don't think we're going to finish ranked unless something miraculous happens on defense.
Click to expand...

You have hit one of the points of this thread. The other is to show the trends that we have in this area. Have the past few years been a move away from "mediocrity" or towards mediocrity? This year will make 3 out of 4 years unranked at seasons end (if, in fact NU ends up unranked). NU has not had 3 unranked seasons in the last 30+ years prior to this move "away from mediocrity." Is there any better measure of progress (or lack thereof) than the seasons final rankings?

For decades we were ranked. Will it be decades before we are consistently ranked again?

I am stunned that a contract extension was granted in view of this reality.

 
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