Expectations for 2020

[talaricohusker]

Man I wish I would’ve done a poll when frost was hired just to compare where the fan base was and is now. I believe Frost is the right coach and believe he will get us back to the promise land. I didn’t think it would’ve taken this long but I think we are on the up swing. In Frost We Trust!! GBR! 

 

[N is for nowledge]

It’s so amazing to me how far and fast Frost has fallen out of favor with so many who were practically idol worshipping him when he was hired.  Even thru the disasterous first six game of year one, the devotion and almost blind loyalty was there.  
   Now the tide seems to be flowing the other way as great expectations are morphing into perennial mediocrity / losing seasons and a defeatism etc.  All this just as the Frost recruited players are hitting the field with the time to develop and learn the system.   
So many didn’t recognize the talent and effort and coaching issues of the past 2 decades.  Now they have no patience to give Frost time to resurrect things and basically believe it can’t be done by anyone.  
If I had my druthers Frost would install a good basic power run package of 25 plays a game to go with his spread passing stuff.  But I am happy with most of the progress Frost has made (except the lack of success in special teams mainly).  
I am a die hard Husker for life but I feel the changes are happening but haven’t quite become evident in the wins column.   Tougher schedule - maybe so the last few games - but we should finally see a mostly Scott Frost team.    Better times are coming - not all smooth sailing at times but- winning is going to be the norm starting this fall.  

Jesus couldn’t have said it any better.  The previous twenty yrs are a heavy lift to overcome.  On top of that he essentially 70-80% of MR last class and his first.  Anyone that thought he’d mirror UCF level turnaround here wasn’t paying attention to the details and going all on emotion.  Turnaround will come but it will be more gradual I think.  I don’t see that as defeatism, I see at as being realistic and understanding what frost is working to fix as he himself is only in yr 4 as a HC.

 

[N is for nowledge]

The question is why do you feel so down upon the team?  Frost not the coach you wanted?   The Frost recruits just not good enough?   The team not trying hard enough?

Why are so many so negative now that the team is really becoming Frost’s work product?   His recruits with his schemes and his training and his winning ciulture etc?   This is year 3 when the real fun and the new and improved Huskers are going to reveal themselves.  
True believers are now just non believers I guess?  

Idk, maybe because of MRs last class and Scott’s first we are suiting up underclassmen almost across the board.  Specifically hurts on the oline and front seven on the dline.  This holds even more true in the big10.  I’m not down on the team, I’m acknowledging where we were when he took over with the previous 2 coaches being complete clowns

 

[Hilltop]

Last 2 classes will end up being much better than the 2 prior.  That doesn't equal instant success.  RS freshman/sophomores or true freshman and sophomore classes, no matter how good, will struggle to win consistently.  I am very behind Frost but I'm also realistic.  Next year's schedule is tough.  I think 6 wins would be an accomplishment when you consider our experience level vs # ranked teams we will have. GBR

 

[Mierin]

I've given up on having expectations. I'll watch and hope for the best.

 

[swmohusker]

The question is why do you feel so down upon the team?  Frost not the coach you wanted?   The Frost recruits just not good enough?   The team not trying hard enough?

Why are so many so negative now that the team is really becoming Frost’s work product?   His recruits with his schemes and his training and his winning ciulture etc?   This is year 3 when the real fun and the new and improved Huskers are going to reveal themselves.  
True believers are now just non believers I guess?  

Frost is the guy.  Love the direction of the team. Love the scheme.  Defense looks to have taken a small step forward last year.  Offense returns a ton.  It is just that Next years schedule is brutal.  If I say that we will win 8 or 9 games next year it means we have passed @ Iowa and Minnesota.  I am not sure we have passed them yet. Sure hope this is the year we break through.  GBR!!

 

[LumberJackSker]

I'm going to predict at least 10 wins and 8+ draft picks. Then if the season goes south and the huskers struggles I'm gonna criticize any fan who is critical of how the team is playing and accuse them of having unrealistic expectations.

 

[BigPeterJ]

Last 2 classes will end up being much better than the 2 prior.  That doesn't equal instant success.  RS freshman/sophomores or true freshman and sophomore classes, no matter how good, will struggle to win consistently.  I am very behind Frost but I'm also realistic.  Next year's schedule is tough.  I think 6 wins would be an accomplishment when you consider our experience level vs # ranked teams we will have. GBR

Agree.  Myself , I didn't realize how "lacking" our roster was last year.  And most my expectations were built on emotion.  I believe we will be good after next year.  Next year will say alot about our future, but our best players will be young.  If Frost n Staff can win next year, i believe that says alot about our future. If they finish 6-6 , i still think we will be pretty good in 21'.  As good as our young guys are, if Frost cant finish above .500 next year ...i believe it says he is only as good as his talent.  In that case our future is Bo Pelini level.

 

[84HuskerLaw]

Frost is the guy.  Love the direction of the team. Love the scheme.  Defense looks to have taken a small step forward last year.  Offense returns a ton.  It is just that Next years schedule is brutal.  If I say that we will win 8 or 9 games next year it means we have passed @ Iowa and Minnesota.  I am not sure we have passed them yet. Sure hope this is the year we break through.  GBR!!

8 wins doesn’t mean we’ve passed anybody in my view.   Iowa is about an 8 win flattening (doubt it averages 9 over last 10 yrs - I didn’t look it up).  If we win 10 this year I won’t feel we’ve passed Iowa.  Minnesota I put around a 7 win program rising some. Wiscy is a very solid 9 / 10 win program and steady as can be.  Not really likely to win a title but always a threat to knock off any contenders and very low chance of a losing season.   Comparable to NU in the mid to late 70s. 
 

I put NU around the 7 win level with trending up aspects.  Capable of winning most games vs teams outside top twenty but needs to play their best to do it.  But also capable of losing to most teams in the CFB top divisions.  The biggest single problem NU fball has had, over the past 10 years, is coaching and systemic changes that have never been allowed to settle in and develop stability / continuity.  We have charted a course and must stick with  it.    We’ve been thru the choppy seas before and found our way.  Mutiny at sea rarely saves any crew.  Patience and perseverance and faith.  I think the end of this season will reveal that NU is significantly better in the “ eye” test.  I think we’ll be the best team since Pelini was coach and the trend is moving upward at a fairly steady rate (but not a rising star rate).  Now the schedule limit the win number but they’ll be reason for optimism on display this fall.   If not THEN I’d say the Frost naysayers will have standing to talk but I don’t see that happening.  

 

[84HuskerLaw]

I think there are very few falling off the band wagon. 

We have a lot of new posters that seem to showing up with negative ideas about Coach Frost. 

Again I don't follow this very closely anymore,  more because of this site than disappointment with the program.

I never put expectations on the team.  I want them to be the best they can be, and hopefully by accomplishing that, it will start a continuous growth that gets back to the elite level of college football.  -

Yes we have some great new players, but we are not getting the top athletes that are required for the turn around some think.  The difference between a top 15-20 team and a top 5 team are enormous.  Takes time and lot of hard work not only by the coaching staff but by kids that want to invest the like effort.  I think they are coming, but want to see it on the field.

I want the team to make a bowl this year, but can certainly see how it might not happen.

But the past 5 or 6 teams have been nowhere near top 20 with maybe around 40th at best and as low as number 85 or so at worst.  The difference between number 60 and number 20 is every bit as large as 15 vs 5.  Probably more in my view.  
I think we’ve gone from number 55 level talent 4 yrs ago to 35 even now.  That’s progress in my opinion.  But the portion of the talent pool currently that has good game experience is still low.  It will grow faster in this season as we’ll be very young but not quite so green.  The first half this coming season we’ll be getting that extra game snaps and practices for the bulk of returning redshirts to be more ready.  By mid Oct this team will be young but not green or raw.  Athletically more able but still not wiley old veterans.  The X factor may be the players’ self confidence and team unity and focus and Work ethics and “culture” / buy-in.  How many true Husker hearts are gonna lead and push and drag the rest of the team along as they get synergistic effects.  Osborne’s teams were almost always better than the sum of their individual players.  He took bunches of good players and built great teams!    This is the key to how Neb football can be the exception to the conventional wisdom as a program - synergy!  

 

[teachercd]

I am one of those weird fans that don't think players like Rex Burkhead or Taylor Martinez or Terrance Nunn or Spencer Long or that coaches kid that played OL about 10 years are really going to impact this team all that much.  

So I think that I expect them to do well this season.  I don't see why they would not win 9 or 10 games.

 

[BigRedBuster]

The first 7 games are very winnable if our program truly takes a step forward this year. The last 5 are brutal. But, iowa and Minnesota are winnable, again, if the program takes a step forward. 
 

I can see us anywhere between 6 to 9 wins. 
 

5 or less will be very disappointing. 9+ should have the fan base excited. 
 

A lot will also depend on injuries due to still not having 4-5 solid recruiting classes. 

 

[hskrfan4life]

The first 7 games are very winnable if our program truly takes a step forward this year. The last 5 are brutal. But, iowa and Minnesota are winnable, again, if the program takes a step forward. 
 

I can see us anywhere between 6 to 9 wins. 
 

5 or less will be very disappointing. 9+ should have the fan base excited. 
 

A lot will also depend on injuries due to still not having 4-5 solid recruiting classes. 

It helps the Cam Taylor-Britt got a ton of playing time last year due to the injury in the first game.

 

[runningblind]

I picked 9 wins. It's fine to have expectations. It's fine to be disappointed if they aren't met. 

The first 7 games are out there for the taking. Tony Butler said it again that they lost confidence last year and were afraid of 2018 happening again.  That confidence can work in the other direction if they get a couple wins to start and start believeing. Especially with the old guard almost completely gone now.

 

[JJ Husker]

I've given up on having expectations. I'll watch and hope for the best.

This is where I'm at. I'll hope they play well. I'll hope they improve. I'll hope they win but no result will surprise me. If I had to guess at our record.... we'll win some and lose some. Hopefully more wins than losses but who knows.