What did we learn? Northwestern Version

[MyBloodIsRed16]

I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking this.

I haven't been wowed or underwhelmed with Fidone overall - he's getting targets, and he's playing ok, but he really strikes me as having pretty mediocre to bad hands. I've seen at least 3 passes on the season that were very catchable balls and he looks as if his hands are cinder blocks :lol:

I think he's still got plenty of upside and with more game reps will become more comfortable but thus far I haven't seen a single play from him that seems to represent his elite high school potential.

While I definitely would affirm the narrative that our team is getting mentally tougher and learning how to win and how to expect to win, I think this is overblown (not by you, but as a general sentiment across the fanbase).

First of all, we were 4-3 after seven games in 2019, including two one possession wins against Illinois and NW (the latter of which we were doing everything we could to give the game away), and second, people seem to have hazy memory of how the team's competitiveness improved last year under Mickey Joseph, winning similar tough and ugly games against Indiana, Rutgers and Iowa.  

I once coached a kid that couldn't catch a ball unless it was above his head.  Right in the numbers drop it every time.  Had to put his arms up, looked like Randy Moss.  Weirdest thing.  

 

[Red Five]

It’s saying something about Haarberg’s play that I and others wouldn’t mind seeing Sims get another shot. Probably doesn’t make much difference considering all of our current limitations but I think it’s worth exploring if it could help this offense do something, anything. If we could manage even 21 points a game, with this defense, we very well could win all our remaining games.

Good post. This sums up my feeling pretty well.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

I prefer to think that we are just preparing for winter.

Don’t worry. I’m right there with you. 

 

[Mavric]

[No message]

 

[Born N Bled Red]

When Bo Pelini beat Dabo we were a program in decline and they were a program on the rise. Maybe we somehow stole our MOJO back from them 

 

[Lorewarn]

When Bo Pelini beat Dabo we were a program in decline and they were a program on the rise. Maybe we somehow stole our MOJO back from them 

How do you figure? We were coming off Callahan's barely .500 tenure and beat Clemson to the tune of a 9 win season in year one, whereas Clemson was coming off 8-8-9 win seasons and were preseason #9 before going 7-6 for their lowest win total in four years.

 

[Mavric]

How do you figure? We were coming off Callahan's barely .500 tenure and beat Clemson to the tune of a 9 win season in year one, whereas Clemson was coming off 8-8-9 win seasons and were preseason #9 before going 7-6 for their lowest win total in four years.

People go a long ways out of their way to avoid giving Pelini any credit.

 

[commando]

It’s saying something about Haarberg’s play that I and others wouldn’t mind seeing Sims get another shot. Probably doesn’t make much difference considering all of our current limitations but I think it’s worth exploring if it could help this offense do something, anything. If we could manage even 21 points a game, with this defense, we very well could win all our remaining games.

with the way injuries are striking this team.....i figure it's only a matter of time before simms get's his chance.

 

[runningblind]

I learned that Nebraska hasn't had a +500 record since 2019...  ugly or not....  ill take it..!!   GBR..!!!

We were over .500 at one point in 2021. Don't believe everything you read on the internet.

 

[Red Five]

Haarberg has fumbled 7 times this year, good for T-3rd in the country (behind 2 guys with 8) and he has only lost 1.  As we all remember, Sims fumbled twice vs CU and both were recovered by CU.  Most analytics consider recovering fumbles a 50/50 proposition, so in that sense HH has been lucky.

Sims did have a fumbling problem his TFr year (10), but improved in his So (5) and Jr (1) years (following a similar pattern to his INTs, bad as a TFr, not too bad his Jr year).  I know what we saw vs CU, but I would like to see it happen again to know if it is actually a pattern or a one off (unless he is putting the ball on the ground all the time at practice and we don't see it).

Haarberg is on pace to top Adrian's 2018 fumble-palooza.

2021 Adrian Martinez 4 fumbles

2020 Adrian Martinez 7 fumbles

2019 Adrian Martinez 8 fumbles

2018 Adrian Martinez 12 fumbles

 

[JJ Husker]

We were over .500 at one point in 2021. Don't believe everything you read on the internet.

Hmmm. Now I don’t know whether to believe this or not. 

 

[runningblind]

Hmmm. Now I don’t know whether to believe this or not. 

Exactly!

 

[JJ Husker]

Exactly!

 

[twofittyonred]

We were over .500 at one point in 2021. Don't believe everything you read on the internet.

So I shouldn't believe this post..??

 

[Born N Bled Red]

How do you figure? We were coming off Callahan's barely .500 tenure and beat Clemson to the tune of a 9 win season in year one, whereas Clemson was coming off 8-8-9 win seasons and were preseason #9 before going 7-6 for their lowest win total in four years.

What happened after that season and in the ensuing season? Put the 20 year win totals on a line graph for each team and compare. Clemson's program was on the rise, Nebraska's was experiencing a dead cat bounce. I was jokingly conjecturing that Clemson somehow stole our MOJO when we won that game, as their program continued on to Natty's and ours continued on to Riley and Frost.