Rex Burkhead ready to carry the load

all these new coaches and new players have a big hill to climb, to think otherwise would require a massive amount of :koolaid2: ........too much inexperience to be a real force, but maybe next year after inaugural season for many.....

 
The Dude said:
Hujan said:
Respectfully, I think you are underestimating (1) Watson and Gilmore's negative effect on our offense, and (2) how quickly Beck will be able to turn this ship around to at least some degree. I agree that we won't realize the full benefit of Beck's changes until Year 2, but there will be a significant improvement this seasons, nonetheless. Just as Bo didn't get us to be a top defense until 2009, we still made dramatic improvement in 2008.
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I agree dumping Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb will be huge. HUGE. I don't know if I agree with your second point though. Bo was a proven defensive genius when he took over. Beck hasn't proven squat.
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I agree that there isn't much to go on, but I'm telling you I have a feeling Beck will be excellent for us. I admit it's more faith than anything, but I believe a lot of people will be surprised.

 
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AngryHusker88 said:
74Hunter said:
The extra weight will be helpful, but he is not the homerun threat that Roy was. Hopefully, one of the incoming freshman can be that guy. I love the guy as a player, but can't imagine Rex being a Heisman type guy. Just be Rex and smash it up.
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Rex isnt a home run threat - hes a 1st down machine
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And thats exactly what we need. T-Mart was a home run threat, up until he got injured.

We don't need, ESPN highlight type plays. We need, grind your guts into the mud, 8, 10, or 12 play drives, that just kill the will of the opposing Defense.

 
walksalone said:
AngryHusker88 said:
74Hunter said:
The extra weight will be helpful, but he is not the homerun threat that Roy was. Hopefully, one of the incoming freshman can be that guy. I love the guy as a player, but can't imagine Rex being a Heisman type guy. Just be Rex and smash it up.
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Rex isnt a home run threat - hes a 1st down machine
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And thats exactly what we need. T-Mart was a home run threat, up until he got injured.

We don't need, ESPN highlight type plays. We need, grind your guts into the mud, 8, 10, or 12 play drives, that just kill the will of the opposing Defense.
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exactly...rex is a Husker I-back..remember those?

 
mmmtodd said:
walksalone said:
AngryHusker88 said:
74Hunter said:
The extra weight will be helpful, but he is not the homerun threat that Roy was. Hopefully, one of the incoming freshman can be that guy. I love the guy as a player, but can't imagine Rex being a Heisman type guy. Just be Rex and smash it up.
Click to expand...
Rex isnt a home run threat - hes a 1st down machine
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And thats exactly what we need. T-Mart was a home run threat, up until he got injured.

We don't need, ESPN highlight type plays. We need, grind your guts into the mud, 8, 10, or 12 play drives, that just kill the will of the opposing Defense.
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exactly...rex is a Husker I-back..remember those?
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Sure as hell do...

I'm not gonna care about reading on the stat sheet, TD runs of 80, 70 yards. I want to look and see at the end of the season, almost 5 yards per carry.

 
huskerscott said:
HotGrillonGrillAction said:
huskerscott said:
Hujan said:
huskerscott said:
Hujan said:
bshirt said:
huskerscott said:
Hujan said:
mmmtodd said:
have you seen him recently? he's been doing some serious time in the weight room. looks ready to take a yearlong grind. i havent seen any numbers, but i wouldnt be surprised if he was easily over the 220 mark.

he wasnt exactly a seldom used tool last year...172 carries 5.5 yd avg, 15 receptions 9.9 yard avg.

id say hes coming along at a perfect pace and more than capable of being relied upon as the feature back. the guy is the most natural leader on the team.

and i think its kind of short sighted saying he is our only offensive threat. its like taylor martinez doesnt exist to some of you. put aside the qb argument, you dont just shove his talent back on the shelf because of the way a true freshman year ended for him.
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:yeah

Rex does not have a lot of sensational highlight plays, mostly because he lacks top-end speed. Having said that, Rex may get pub in the same way that Toby Gerhart did--by just being a brutal, consistent runner. Rex will get some additional benefit for the fact that he can run the Rexcat and throw for a few scores. All in all, I don't think it's ridiculous to believe that he can push for the Heisman either this year or the next one.

Not to mention that he will benefit from the fact that there are other play-makers on the team. Assuming as I must that Martinez will remain the starting QB, teams are going to have to account for both players. And with Reed, Kinnie, and Bell as potential receiving threats, teams can't afford to just load the box and play the run. I predict that Burkhead will finish with at least 1,200 yards rushing and 11 TDs this season. He will have another 300 yards and 2 TDs receiving, and 3 TDs passing, for a total of ~1,500 all-purpose yards and 16 TDs. It may not be enough to win the Heisman considering guys like Boise State's QB, Andrew Luck, Denard Robinson, and the RB from South Carolina, but he'll probably be in the conversation.
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Thats what teams did towards the end of the year and seem to work in their favor.

1500 all purpose yards is maybe enough for all conference, thats about it. Reed and Kinnie maybe potential offensive playmakers but its not a given who gonna be throwing those guys the ball the yet. Bell hasnt even seen time in a game yet, so I dont know he would be considered a potential playmaker. Lets wait till he sees the field, atleast before we put playmaker next to his name.
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Of course you'll never agree but for the heck of it there are four major reasons that just could take the Debbie Downer cloud off your head.....

1. a new OC

2. a new QB couch

3. a healthy Tmart (yeah, I know....our best qb & leader is one of the freshmen who hasn't played a down yet)

4. a new WR coach

Who knows? You might even enjoy watching NU crush Big10 teams into the dust.
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And . . . bshirt for the tip in. Thanks, bud.
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A new OC, a new QB coach are reasons NU wont crush the Ohio State, the Wisconsins of the BigTen. Im not being a Debbie Downer, I just think NU is atleast 2 years away from competing in the BigTen. Our offensive has been the laughing stock of college football the last 2 years. Other than a new OC and position coaches, I have no reason to believe this year wont be any different. History tends to repeat itself. Let the team atleast play some conference games before we get all excited about how good the offense really is. Plus I dont think Tmart is gonna be able to go the whole year without getting injured.

I think alittle too much kool aid is being drank around here.
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Respectfully, I think you are underestimating (1) Watson and Gilmore's negative effect on our offense, and (2) how quickly Beck will be able to turn this ship around to at least some degree. I agree that we won't realize the full benefit of Beck's changes until Year 2, but there will be a significant improvement this seasons, nonetheless. Just as Bo didn't get us to be a top defense until 2009, we still made dramatic improvement in 2008.
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Yes, Watson and Gilmore were big negative effects on the offense.

But now everybody seems to think everything is gonna be perfect now that beck is running the show on offense. We may show some improvement this next year and by the end of the year have an identity of what exactly they want to on offense. Dont expect this offense to improve as much as the defense did between 2007 and 2008. A jump of about 60 some spots in total defense, that is just unrealistic. The next year was extremely better. We should expect the same with the offense. If not give Beck and Co. alittle more time to get this right.

We are still atleast 2 years away from dominating BigTen defenses. Much like the Callahan era, watson and gilmore didnt screw this up overnight. Thus it wont be fixed overnight.
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I think laughing stock is a bit extreme! We had some HORRID moments...no doubt...but far from the worst and flashes of awesomeness......

I've said it in many posts...a few tweaks here and there.....and TM is the Heisman winner. The tweaks may have been made correctly - time will tell.

Laughing stock, NU was not tho...just bad at the wrong times.
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laughing stock was maybe abit extreme. But when the stage was at its biggest, the offense shut down and looked completely lost.

Tweaks here and their could fix this offense tremendously. But we are far from dominating BigTen defenses, I dont care how much "speed" we supposedly have.
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Why is it you're so down on our offense because it hasn't "proved" it yet but in other threads here you'll champion new qbs who have never taken a snap in cfb as our best qb "and" leader?

Do you see anything inconsistent with that?

 
our offensive execution was pitiful, we got worse, not better, as the year progressed. what is important to understand here, is this offense has to be retooled, and with new faces too....hence, things will have to be simplistic, making execution even more important...tall order coming into the new league. now, back away from the :koolaid2: and relax, this is going to be a long journey!

 
bshirt said:
Why is it you're so down on our offense because it hasn't "proved" it yet but in other threads here you'll champion new qbs who have never taken a snap in cfb as our best qb "and" leader?

Do you see anything inconsistent with that?
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Where I have I said that????? Go get your proof. I have never praised/championed anybody that hasnt played a down of college football. Plus Im not one of these insider in recruiting or practice reports and I think its a joke that everybody gets so wrapped up in recruiting. So you wont find me praising somebody based off a 30sec video from practice.

Even asked in this thread why everybody has hard on for Kenny Bell.

People are on here think Tmart or Rexy is gonna win the heisman. It is even stated in this thread. Maybe you should attack their inconsistenty rather than mine.

I was very critical of our offense since the UW game in September, because I knew it could be stop. So I have every right to be "down" on our offense.

 
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