Proud of Coach Rhule

TGHusker said:
It is frustrating seeing non-traditional football schools or basketball schools being ranked in the Top 25 and while Nebraska is far beyond the horizon.   

I hope Rhule can turn it around by year 3 so we can see our name on that list again.   I thought Rhule was a great hire at the time.   The last 4 games have shaken my confidence in Rhule.  I like what he is saying and the culture he's trying to build but man - some of the in game decisions have me baffled.  We really need that 2nd year jump - but it will have to come with a much harder schedule. 
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I was looking at next years schedule, and I do think OSU is a "for sure L", I'm not too worked up about the rest.

Assuming Rhule and his team advance on schedule:

Colorado in Lincoln should be a fun game!

The other two non-conference games should be wins

Illinois, Purdue, Rutgers, and Indiana should be a stretch of winnable games.

UCLA in Lincoln during early November isn't a real intimidating game.

USC will have a new QB so who knows...even with the Heismann winner they were beatable (most likely an "L" though)

And then it's Wisconsin and Iowa again.

So again, only one "sure" loss with a hand full of very competitive games.  I'm pumped for next year; I just hope I'm still excited a year from now!

 
funhusker said:
I was looking at next years schedule, and I do think OSU is a "for sure L", I'm not too worked up about the rest.

Assuming Rhule and his team advance on schedule:

Colorado in Lincoln should be a fun game!

The other two non-conference games should be wins

Illinois, Purdue, Rutgers, and Indiana should be a stretch of winnable games.

UCLA in Lincoln during early November isn't a real intimidating game.

USC will have a new QB so who knows...even with the Heismann winner they were beatable (most likely an "L" though)

And then it's Wisconsin and Iowa again.

So again, only one "sure" loss with a hand full of very competitive games.  I'm pumped for next year; I just hope I'm still excited a year from now!
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I agree.  Even if we can just get back to the Pelini staple of "beating the teams we should beat", that would be 7-5, and that's still losing to Wisconsin and Iowa, which are basically toss-ups.

 
TGHusker said:
It is frustrating seeing non-traditional football schools or basketball schools being ranked in the Top 25 and while Nebraska is far beyond the horizon.   

I hope Rhule can turn it around by year 3 so we can see our name on that list again.   I thought Rhule was a great hire at the time.   The last 4 games have shaken my confidence in Rhule.  I like what he is saying and the culture he's trying to build but man - some of the in game decisions have me baffled.  We really need that 2nd year jump - but it will have to come with a much harder schedule. 
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People keep saying this, and I'm not sure I buy it. You trade one game against a truly elite team (Michigan) for 2 next year (OSU and USC), but USC also won't have Caleb Williams. They are still way better than us, but probably not actually comparable to Michigan/OSU. The hardest games on the schedule are harder next year, but the low end is easier and the way it breaks down is so much better. Non P5 opener, no road game until week 5. It is a schedule set up to build momentum.

Here's my guess at most difficult to easiest, with the benefit of hindsight for 2023. Also trying to take into account how teams were performing at the time and when the game happened, which adds quite a bit of subjectivity and is impossible to project for 2024. For example, Minnesota was pretty bad but drawing an experienced Big Ten team on the road for week 1 was brutal. There is a huge step down from the toughest to 2nd toughest both years, but next year does have a couple better teams and then another drop.





2023


2024




Michigan


at Ohio State




Iowa


at USC




at Minnesota


UCLA




at Colorado


at Iowa




at Wisconsin


Wisconsin




Northwestern


Colorado




Maryland


Rutgers




at Illinois


Illinois




Purdue


at Purdue




at Michigan State


at Indiana




Northern Illinois


Northern Iowa




Lousiana Tech


UTEP







As has been the case for a long time now, 4-8 is possible. But 9-3 is completely attainable too, and we could be bowl eligible before we face any of the toughest teams on our schedule. Our first 7 games are the 7 easiest - so if we're sitting at 4-3, it's not going to end well. But if we're 5-2 or 6-1 we'll have some momentum. I actually like how the schedule sets up, it at least gives us a chance to get rolling and see what happens.

 
Husker in WI said:
People keep saying this, and I'm not sure I buy it. You trade one game against a truly elite team (Michigan) for 2 next year (OSU and USC), but USC also won't have Caleb Williams. They are still way better than us, but probably not actually comparable to Michigan/OSU. The hardest games on the schedule are harder next year, but the low end is easier and the way it breaks down is so much better. Non P5 opener, no road game until week 5. It is a schedule set up to build momentum.

Here's my guess at most difficult to easiest, with the benefit of hindsight for 2023. Also trying to take into account how teams were performing at the time and when the game happened, which adds quite a bit of subjectivity and is impossible to project for 2024. For example, Minnesota was pretty bad but drawing an experienced Big Ten team on the road for week 1 was brutal. There is a huge step down from the toughest to 2nd toughest both years, but next year does have a couple better teams and then another drop.





2023


2024




Michigan


at Ohio State




Iowa


at USC




at Minnesota


UCLA




at Colorado


at Iowa




at Wisconsin


Wisconsin




Northwestern


Colorado




Maryland


Rutgers




at Illinois


Illinois




Purdue


at Purdue




at Michigan State


at Indiana




Northern Illinois


Northern Iowa




Lousiana Tech


UTEP







As has been the case for a long time now, 4-8 is possible. But 9-3 is completely attainable too, and we could be bowl eligible before we face any of the toughest teams on our schedule. Our first 7 games are the 7 easiest - so if we're sitting at 4-3, it's not going to end well. But if we're 5-2 or 6-1 we'll have some momentum. I actually like how the schedule sets up, it at least gives us a chance to get rolling and see what happens.
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We were 5 - 3 this year with a slew of sliding teams in front of us that managed to beat us. 
 

Frankly, I think we make a real jump when we stop having Frost kids as Captains. Those “leaders” are the ones who never made a bowl and were likely too content with their biggest accomplishment to-date…an undefeated 2023 October. 
 

Sad. 

 
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DefenderAO said:
Frankly, I think we make a real jump when we stop having Frost kids as Captains. Those “leaders” are the ones who never made a bowl and were likely too content with their biggest accomplishment to-date…an undefeated 2023 October. 
 

Sad. 
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On defense I don't know who officially was a captain, but Butler seemed to be a really fiery, vocal leader - both on and off the field. You love to see it and I think he backed it up with his play.

On offense, Purdy probably gets the nod after Sims got the ankle injury if he hadn't had an injury of his own. And I can't prove it but I'm better we get one more win than we wound up with if he had started in games 3 - 10.

I don't think "lack of leadership" caused us to turn the ball over like we did, but I'm sure I could be wrong on that.

 
BigRedBuster said:
And...we should be beating them.
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I mostly disagree with Mav here, there isn't much of a resource or talent advantage Nebraska has that suggests we "should" beat any conference foe. 

The talent gap between Nebraska and Illinois/Rutgers/Purdue isn't super significant. We recruit just a few more 4* players than they do, the gap isn't as vast as it was a decade ago. 

 
Dr. Strangelove said:
I mostly disagree with Mav here, there isn't much of a resource or talent advantage Nebraska has that suggests we "should" beat any conference foe. 

The talent gap between Nebraska and Illinois/Rutgers/Purdue isn't super significant. We recruit just a few more 4* players than they do, the gap isn't as vast as it was a decade ago. 
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As a follow up to this according to 247:

In 2021, Nebraska recruited Four 4* players.

Maryland had 4 and a 5*.

Minnesota also had 4.

Rutgers had 3.

Northwestern had 3.

In 2022, Nebraska recruited Two 4* players.

Purdue recruited 4.

Northwestern recruited 2.

Minnesota recruited 2.

In 2023, it's the same story. Nebraska recruited 4, Illinois 3 and Minnesota 2.

Nebraska no longer has a significant talent advantage over B1G teams. There really isn't any team we "should" beat given the talent on the rosters.

 
Dr. Strangelove said:
As a follow up to this according to 247:

In 2021, Nebraska recruited Four 4* players.

Maryland had 4 and a 5*.

Minnesota also had 4.

Rutgers had 3.

Northwestern had 3.

In 2022, Nebraska recruited Two 4* players.

Purdue recruited 4.

Northwestern recruited 2.

Minnesota recruited 2.

In 2023, it's the same story. Nebraska recruited 4, Illinois 3 and Minnesota 2.

Nebraska no longer has a significant talent advantage over B1G teams. There really isn't any team we "should" beat given the talent on the rosters.
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First, that's not really a way to compare team talent.

Second - which is a corollary to the first - you kept changing which teams you were comparing us to (other than Minnesota).  

Third, since you're the one wanting to compare star rankings, on this year's roster (per the 247 Composite):

  • Nebraska has one five-star and 23 four-stars
  • Wisconsin has one five-star and 18 four-stars
  • Maryland has 0 five-stars and 16 four-stars
  • Purdue has 0 five-stars and 15 four-stars
  • Northwestern has 0 five-stars and 7 four-stars
  • Minnesota has 0 five-stars and 7 four-stars
  • Rutgers has 0 five-stars and 5 four-stars
  • Illinois has 0 five-stars and 6 four-stars

So there isn't a huge talent difference between us and Wisconsin, but still noticable.  But Wisconsin wasn't one of the teams I listed as a "should beat".  I said toss-up, which looks close.

Everyone else we have at least a 50% lead on, according to your metric.  A 300%-400% lead on some of them.

Now I'll hang up and listen for you moving the goal posts.

 
Mavric said:
First, that's not really a way to compare team talent.

Second - which is a corollary to the first - you kept changing which teams you were comparing us to (other than Minnesota).  

Third, since you're the one wanting to compare star rankings, on this year's roster (per the 247 Composite):

  • Nebraska has one five-star and 23 four-stars
  • Wisconsin has one five-star and 18 four-stars
  • Maryland has 0 five-stars and 16 four-stars
  • Purdue has 0 five-stars and 15 four-stars
  • Northwestern has 0 five-stars and 7 four-stars
  • Minnesota has 0 five-stars and 7 four-stars
  • Rutgers has 0 five-stars and 5 four-stars
  • Illinois has 0 five-stars and 6 four-stars

So there isn't a huge talent difference between us and Wisconsin, but still noticable.  But Wisconsin wasn't one of the teams I listed as a "should beat".  I said toss-up, which looks close.

Everyone else we have at least a 50% lead on, according to your metric.  A 300%-400% lead on some of them.

Now I'll hang up and listen for you moving the goal posts.
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The 247 also gives Nebraska the 4th most talented roster in the conference and 21st in the country. Folks, fix the quarterback and this was/will be a good team. 

 
And Rhule said recently he thinks we have a relented team and is ready to get to work. 
 

he thinks there’s talent on the team.  He hasn’t said, one time as far as I know, that we are seriously lacking talent (like Prime did). 
 

he wants to get back to work and get these players to play to their potential.  
 

we have a couple of veins of our “systemic problems” still gushing blood. I think we see a nice jump in performance during spring. 
 

assuming we get a decent QB and eliminate the turnovers, I agree w him. 

 
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