jmfb

 

K-State is a simple and fun short road trip- always good

Iowa State was always cold and nasty, traffic sucked- but close

KU- meh

Oklahoma was fun- Lindsey Ave OU is iconic and OKC has really improved

Texas A&M is great- The Yell practice and College Station is fantastic experience. Not great flights and 13 hours if you drive it

Never been to TCU but love Ft Worth- Cow City rodeo etc

 

So compare that with Northwestern- the train, Chicago is a blast, great flights and hotels

Rutgers will be fun- did 2 Kickoff Classics in NJ - NYC is great trip, LOTS of NU fans there. Been to New Brunswick worked there one weekend- close to NYC- good spot

Bloomington is short flight or 7 hour drive- haven't been since the 90s game in old stadium, Had great time.

Iowa City is beautiful in the fall- the Airliner and Amanas great food, fans not so great

Big House- 1 hour or so from Detroit airport, easy travel, direct flight, right down interstate nice expensive college town with a really cool and PACKED bar/restaurant area. Was good, not great, fans were fine.

No others

 

So from a fans perspective- traveling, benefits to both

What suits you best

 

 

ISU always sucked. Jack Trice is like sitting in a wind tunnel.

 

 

 

That is true- every time we went but once- same story

First time I went 1979- bought our tickets at rest stop on the way from starting WB Kenny Browns wife

 

 

Bloomington is short flight or 7 hour drive- haven't been since the 90s game in old stadium, Had great time.

 

So from a fans perspective- traveling, benefits to both

What suits you best

Went there for a couple Ohio State games. Bloomington is nice and spending Friday in nearby Nashville (Brown Co. State Park) in the fall is great. Nashville Indiana is a quaint little town with craft shops, decent restaurants and B&Bs if that's your thing. Don't make the mistake of driving in on game day from Indianapolis. two lane road and the traffic was absolutely awful. The local police probably just wanted to piss off all the ohio state fans traveling to the game. We got there end of 2nd qtr.

 

The stadium is ho hum and is pretty much a home game for Ohio State.

 

The Minnesota game I went to was in the old Dome

They served beer and the steps were REALLY steep, but all seats had backs and cup holders

Felt like you were going to fall over onto the field, that was before the first beer

Thought it was fine- havent been to new stadium

Minneapolis is great town

To be clear, Erickson went 11-1 in his second season and then fell back to earth the next two years. Maybe he decided to leave when he realized that he probably couldn't get back their again.

His last year they were 8-5, beat Oregon and 2 snaps from being a 10-3 team with a +150 point differential- His only losing season they were 3 snaps away from being 8-3

If I was coaching those teams, my thoughts would be, heh we arent that far away, this isnt a bridge too far. We can consistently be in the 7-8-9 win area and We were 11-1, that's doable again in a very good year

The thing is OSU isnt the "armpit-only great coaches can field competitive teams there" that many here want to make it out to be

Some pretty good data to back that up and of course we will find out this year with their brand new staff. Time will tell, we will know more by December

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hey, no problem at all. The hatred for that school down in Tucson burns deeply within me.

ASU definitely has a lot going for it right now. It is a beautiful campus and has a lot to offer that an incoming freshman could be swayed by. And the team is certainly doing well; Todd Graham is absolutely loved by his players and I can imagine he puts together a good story for recruits. The biggest adjustment will be attending a school with 70,000 plus students; that can be pretty daunting for an 18 year old kid. I know it was for me. Still a bummer to lose a local Nebraska kid, but I wish him well.

Any insight on why Dennis Erickson failed at ASU after such a strong start?

Dennis Erickson never failed. Must be someone else's fault. I mean....just look at his record at Oregon St. The guy is a legend.

I would have to agree with you about OSU

For coaches coaching 4 years or more he holds the record for highest winning % and of course highest ranking in OSU history- the team that went 11-1 and finished 4th in nation

And right in the middle of the Mike Riley tenure at a place a lot of people think is impossible to win at consistently, which they were wrong about

Great run

Did better at OSU than at Arizona State

 

Had some rough patches after OSU- not a HOF coach

 

Some guys fade over time- it happens. pretty common

Not impossible

Mike Riley won there

pretty consistently.

Well Mike RIley having 6 losing seasons out of 14 and having a losing record in conference wouldn't be winning consistently by most peoples definitions

Not mine either

Erickson greatly benifitted from Riley's foundation, as in the recruits Riley brought in before leaving for another opportunity, a business decision. Erickson won with Riley's recruits, he won with what Jimmy Johnson left behind, and he struggled at ASU. He is business savvy, but a mediocre coach.

 

That may very well be the case

But when you win in your 4th year- after Riley was there just 2 years, maybe not so much. Hard to turn a program around in 1 year, they went from 2 to 3 wins in year one. Then you leave in year 2 In the middle of putting together your third recruiting class- that isn't a whole lot to work with in most places. A lot of those year 3 guys aren't sticking around to play for a different coach for a school that won 8 games in the previous 2 years. That first recruiting class is usually a bit of a reach with the tiny window unless youre a big name like a Saban or Meyer.

I could see what you are saying if Erickson coached somewhere for 2 years following a guy who had been there for 5-10 years, 2, not so much.

If Erickson was a mediocre coach who set the all time record for single season wins and winning % in 4 years + at OSU, that says something to me. Mediocre guy consistently wins at a place, must mean the place isn't such an awful place to coach at.

He had a great run at Miami- but all the fans in the seats around mine at the OB were not fans of his and that was even in the first quarter when Miami was taking it to us.

 

I think if you look back, DB also said not that long ago that Fant will end up at Nebraska and you can book it... Now I realize that things change over time, but he did say that I believe.

I listen to the show a lot. Never heard him say that about Fant. He knows the kid and family pretty well. Has mentioned many times he just gets the feeling he won't end up at Nebraska.

 

In the last 2 days DB said he doesn't know, but that Fant may be undervalued by Nebraska

He said Fant isn't the kind of kid that grew up with dad taking him to NU games, not a dyed in the wool NU kid

He said Fant is a bit overwhelmed and surprised with the attention

Hope he is N- but those close to the situation don't seem very confident about it

When it comes to Fant- the only person I would be listening to is Fant or DB- anything else is just a guess

Not sure where you guys are getting information on Hill, but last week was BYU's media day. There are plenty of interviews out there with Hill, Bronco and the staff.

 

Hill suffered a tib/fib break. He was tackled awkwardly from the side and was dragged down. The defender (coincidentally, same player who injured his knee his freshman year) fell on the leg and it broke at the bottom of the knee brace he wore. Many claim if he hadn't been wearing the brace he wouldn't have broken his leg. BTW, he walked off the field with that broken leg. He had surgery immediately after. If anyone is familiar with the procedure for this, he was off his leg for 8 weeks, then walking boot and screw removal back in February. He participated in every part of spring ball except full team live drills as a precaution (notably without the knee brace he wore previously). He said then, if he had a game this Saturday he was good to go. Officially he's been cleared 100% for 6 weeks and has been one of the leaders and top performers this summer according to the S&C coach.

 

Now will he be the same runner? We'll see. But this injury wasn't as bad as the knee injury he suffered his freshman year and he had a hell of a sophomore year. Also, the coaches have said all off-season that they will be limiting designed run calls to try and protect him. But he's most dangerous when the play breaks down and he scrambles. Coaches want him to slide, get out of bounds and throw the ball away but Taysom has said repeatedly he's going to be himself and at the end of the day he'll do whatever it takes to win.

 

BYU's season depends on his health. There is little depth behind him. McCoy Hill (no relation) took first team reps until he was hurt in the spring. Christian Stewart, senior backup QB last year, came and threw for the team because they literally had nobody else. Taysom's backup this fall will be Tanner Mangum. He was Elite 11 co-MVP with Jameis Winston. He grayshirted, then went on his mission returning a few weeks ago. He's the heir apparent and projected next great BYU QB. He's already in Provo working out. But behind him are incoming freshmen QBs Beau Hoge (son of Merril) and Koy Detmer Jr. (Yes, son of Koy and nephew of Ty). They will battle it out for 3rd string with McCoy I imagine and will likely redshirt.

 

One other nugget I'll throw out there for the Nebraska game. I know many of you are expecting several suspensions for the game related to the Miami Beach brawl/bowl. Bronco said last week that there isn't a player that can'e work himself out of a suspension between now and the opener. So there is a chance there won't be any suspensions at all. Slim, IMHO, but still a chance. And Bronco isn't one for gamesmanship. So I generally take his word for things like this.

 

And since you guys like to squabble over your coaches so much, I'll offer an outsider's $0.02. I'm a Mike Riley fan. I have some ties to Corvallis and really like what he did there. That's a difficult place to win. Oregon is a behemoth in that state. Their facilities are some of the worst in the conference. And he consistently put out a decent product. That said, I think Bo was a fine coach too. In many ways, at least as far as results are concerned, you replaced Bo with a version of himself that will play nice with the admin. But maybe that's just a jaded BYU fan talking who has seen too many 8-5 seasons himself and gotten used to it.

 

http://taysom4.com/

Great info- instead of speculation

Ive watched some of his film. For those who compare this guy to Taylor Martinez, I dont see it. This kid has great body control and lateral speed and sees the field really well. He creates time to throw with his movement.

Martinez was a straight line runner- faster than this guy top end and first step, but this kid is much better at what a QB needs to be successful- lateral movement. I hope he heals up and has a great season.

While those are all promising reports- if youve played before and had a serious type injury you know it all goes to can you mentally depend on that leg? The lateral movement he is so good at is tough to do with speed, lots of guys slow down to make the movements he does. Fast and lateral puts a lot of strain on the leg. Hopefully he can make that mental jump. If he doesnt play well against NU- maybe it will take him a game or 2 for him to get back to where he was.

The betting line has moved to where it looks like a tossup. The big $ guys usually have pretty good info. Maybe the kids leg is healing well and this isnt a Bo Pelini "he will be fine" moment

As to Provo/SLC/Park City area- I hope we schedule additional games, Been there many times, direct flights on Southwest. Beautiful area, great people, great hiking, rafting, skiing, biking. SLC is the cleanest big City Ive spent time in.

We have a new year coming, a new coach, a new excitement from the team it appears.

 

why not let it run its course. If he can not do the job, plain and simple he will be gone, move on to the next coach.

 

I think he is the right guy. If you feel Bo was robbed, cheated, treated unfairly and truly like the man, then follow him to Youngstown State, see where that leads.

 

Way smarter people than any on this board, and I could not give a crap less how long you have coached pee wee, Jr All American or High School, your not on the same level, have no real clue of what it takes to be on that level, or you would be. So tired of hearing how smart some of you are.

 

Right now ne is Nebraska's greatest coach, because he is the only Nebraska Head Coach. He demands respect for that. Give him the opportunity to win or fail.

 

This forum is sickening at times. This how many page garbage barrel needs to stop.

Ive said MANY MANY times, Bo wasnt the long term solution to our coaching needs and was VERY happy that he was fired

As always, Im supporting the team with my season tickets/attendance and $upport

Im sceptical- with plenty of solid reasoning why as are a lot of other long term Husker fans and non coolaid drinkers

If people want this thread to stop- all they have to do is stop commenting on it

When you consider Oregon State won 52 games total in the 25 years leading up to the Riley hire, he definitely won consistently there.

 

BTW that has to be up there for worst run in p5 school history. Averaging 2 wins a year for a quarter century is incredible futility.

Yes, they were bad

Some really bad runs by teams like Kansas State and FSU as well- to the point they considered giving up football

Didnt turn out too badly for them

So what you are saying is Riley did a great job because OSU was bad. got it

Well how does it fit in that Dennis Erickson came in 2 years into the Riley tenure and went 31-17?

A record winning % and all time highest ranking #4- as well as 3 of 4 winning seasons

It will be interesting to see how well the next guy does, kind of a barometer for how hard it really is to win in the Pac in Corvallis

I guess it goes to how you define consistently, if you are saying he won consistently

Having a losing record in conference and a winning season just 8 of 14- to me isnt winning consistently- just 1 losing season away from half the time

That wont fly here- not even close

 

He had the size they like but his accuracy issues meant he wasn't destined to start in DI for anyone running an offense that required a pretty good passing game

Destiny aside, what are you basing this claim off of? Stanton had division one scholarship offers from Cal (passed 55 percent of the time in 2014), Oregon (passed 42 percent of the time), Oregon State (passed 56 percent of the time) and Washington (passes 40 percent of the time), among others.

 

Clearly, two pass favoring teams (Cal/OSU) were interested in him. And the other teams, though many favor the run, would probably have asked him to throw 20-25 times a game like Nebraska would.

 

I would qualify a lot of his offers as teams that ask their QB to be a "pretty good" passer.

 

Harrison Beck was what a 5 star kid- and he didnt pan out to be much of a DI QB

It Happens

It happened to Stanton as well- he will not be starting at QB for a team that throws the ball a bunch in DI- take that to the bank

Sometimes guys only stay at a job for sure about a time because they can go get a bigger contract and start all over with guaranteed money somewhere new. Not necessarily a bad thing.

Not at all, it's a business

 

 

 

 

 

Hey, no problem at all. The hatred for that school down in Tucson burns deeply within me.

ASU definitely has a lot going for it right now. It is a beautiful campus and has a lot to offer that an incoming freshman could be swayed by. And the team is certainly doing well; Todd Graham is absolutely loved by his players and I can imagine he puts together a good story for recruits. The biggest adjustment will be attending a school with 70,000 plus students; that can be pretty daunting for an 18 year old kid. I know it was for me. Still a bummer to lose a local Nebraska kid, but I wish him well.

Any insight on why Dennis Erickson failed at ASU after such a strong start?

Dennis Erickson never failed. Must be someone else's fault. I mean....just look at his record at Oregon St. The guy is a legend.

I would have to agree with you about OSU

For coaches coaching 4 years or more he holds the record for highest winning % and of course highest ranking in OSU history- the team that went 11-1 and finished 4th in nation

And right in the middle of the Mike Riley tenure at a place a lot of people think is impossible to win at consistently, which they were wrong about

Great run

Did better at OSU than at Arizona State

 

Had some rough patches after OSU- not a HOF coach

 

Some guys fade over time- it happens. pretty common

Not impossible

Mike Riley won there

pretty consistently.

 

Well Mike RIley having 6 losing seasons out of 14 and having a losing record in conference wouldn't be winning consistently by most peoples definitions

Not mine either

Erickson is a solid coach imo, but he's more of a quick turnaround/success artist rather than a program builder. Did well at places that had the infrastructure built for him.

Very nice run at Idaho 4 year turnaround, consistent success

Quick 2 year turnaround at Washington State

Played for 4 National Championships at Miami- won 2

Set records at Oregon State 31-17

One year jump back to Idaho got them from 2 to 4 wins

Then after a quick start at ASU- 10-3 kind of fizzled out

Looked like ASU would have worked out well for him

NFL- mixed success, not that it matters

Don't know anything about the guy

 

 

 

Hey, no problem at all. The hatred for that school down in Tucson burns deeply within me.

ASU definitely has a lot going for it right now. It is a beautiful campus and has a lot to offer that an incoming freshman could be swayed by. And the team is certainly doing well; Todd Graham is absolutely loved by his players and I can imagine he puts together a good story for recruits. The biggest adjustment will be attending a school with 70,000 plus students; that can be pretty daunting for an 18 year old kid. I know it was for me. Still a bummer to lose a local Nebraska kid, but I wish him well.

Any insight on why Dennis Erickson failed at ASU after such a strong start?

Dennis Erickson never failed. Must be someone else's fault. I mean....just look at his record at Oregon St. The guy is a legend.

 

I would have to agree with you about OSU

For coaches coaching 4 years or more he holds the record for highest winning % and of course highest ranking in OSU history- the team that went 11-1 and finished 4th in nation

And right in the middle of the Mike Riley tenure at a place a lot of people think is impossible to win at consistently, which they were wrong about

Great run

Did better at OSU than at Arizona State

Had some rough patches after OSU-

Some guys fade over time- it happens. pretty common

A&M has been murdering Texas on the recruiting trails. Lots of Texas kids want to play in the SEC.

They are no longer little brother, huge win for them, same for MU

K-State is a simple and fun short road trip- always good

Iowa State was always cold and nasty, traffic sucked- but close

KU- meh

Oklahoma was fun- Lindsey Ave OU is iconic and OKC has really improved

Texas A&M is great- The Yell practice and College Station is fantastic experience. Not great flights and 13 hours if you drive it

Never been to TCU but love Ft Worth- Cow City rodeo etc

So compare that with Northwestern- the train, Chicago is a blast, great flights and hotels

Rutgers will be fun- did 2 Kickoff Classics in NJ - NYC is great trip, LOTS of NU fans there. Been to New Brunswick worked there one weekend- close to NYC- good spot

Bloomington is short flight or 7 hour drive- haven't been since the 90s game in old stadium, Had great time.

Iowa City is beautiful in the fall- the Airliner and Amanas great food, fans not so great

Big House- 1 hour or so from Detroit airport, easy travel, direct flight, right down interstate nice expensive college town with a really cool and PACKED bar/restaurant area. Was good, not great, fans were fine.

No others

So from a fans perspective- traveling, benefits to both

What suits you best

 

Hey, no problem at all. The hatred for that school down in Tucson burns deeply within me.

ASU definitely has a lot going for it right now. It is a beautiful campus and has a lot to offer that an incoming freshman could be swayed by. And the team is certainly doing well; Todd Graham is absolutely loved by his players and I can imagine he puts together a good story for recruits. The biggest adjustment will be attending a school with 70,000 plus students; that can be pretty daunting for an 18 year old kid. I know it was for me. Still a bummer to lose a local Nebraska kid, but I wish him well.

 

Any insight on why Dennis Erickson failed at ASU after such a strong start?

 

Hey, no problem at all. The hatred for that school down in Tucson burns deeply within me.

ASU definitely has a lot going for it right now. It is a beautiful campus and has a lot to offer that an incoming freshman could be swayed by. And the team is certainly doing well; Todd Graham is absolutely loved by his players and I can imagine he puts together a good story for recruits. The biggest adjustment will be attending a school with 70,000 plus students; that can be pretty daunting for an 18 year old kid. I know it was for me. Still a bummer to lose a local Nebraska kid, but I wish him well.

 

Certain advantages I get it- I like Rich Rod though

Gal I dated after I returned home from college went to ASU- runner up Miss Nebraska. From a couple of her school pics- I get it a bit

She said she wasn't anything special on the ASU campus, I wouldn't know when we toured it, school wasn't in session

I graduated from a 50,000 student Uni- yes there is a lot to be impressed with- certain kids

More power to him- wish him well

Loved the hiking, weather and Scottsdale- great spot

A real head turner for many- no doubt

I live in Northeast Kansas, right along the Kansas/Missouri border. Besides Oregon, I haven't really noticed another team taking foothold here besides the locals. If anything, I think our interest here has grown. Another thing that I believe can contribute to kids wearing other teams apparel is the "gear sales". Some of my friends used to go to them when was in high school a few yeas ago. Basically you pick up a teams cool, catchy gear for cheap. Most kids nowadays don't really care who the university is as long as they look athletic and cool wearing it.

My experience is different then

Ive also attended some Nike Combines and FBU camps in other parts of the country

I found the same there- lots of team gear from other areas of the country.

It varies a bit by region

Damon Benning was on the radio today- he said he saw the very same thing I did

His sons three favorite teams are NU Oregon and TCU- has gear for all

One of my own kids likes Lacrosse and wears the Duke gear- a great Lacrosse power.

 

Oh, and I'm not a hig seafood fan so Red Lobster isn'texacrly in my wheelhouse.

HA! Truth be told I'm allergic to seafood. I just don't understand the correlation between "Red Lobster" and "Moronic Idiot". My brother-in-law loves their shrimp. He is also a football coach... I am SO confused!

 

Maybe if you put those 2 terms together and google it, you might be able to figure it out

Ate there for the last time back in about 1988 was on the pot most of the night.

Last time at Long John Silvers 1984

If you like it- more power to you, Great cheese biscuits though if you can tolerate the rest of the experience

 

 

 

 

Do you think this is a done deal or just part of the recruiting saga?

I dont know

I know the Buback family

Chris is head of FCA- done some camps with him

But Ive never talked to him about his sons college choice

LC often times plays kids out of position to max out their team

I dont know enough about him to say he is a great player or not

 

What I hear from Jareds words is maybe he didnt feel wanted- like they really felt he was the right fit, That maybe NU was just honoring the commitment of the previous coaching staff.

JMO- have no inside info at all.

I was thinking the same. I read somewhere that the staff told him they would honor the previous staff's offer. If that's what they said (and how they said it, as opposed to we want you to come/we're excited with the prospect of you coming), I can understand. Also, you would think if the staff did really want him, they would taking action to try to get him back and I haven't heard anything to suggest they have (but that of course doesn't mean they haven't - I just haven't heard anything).

 

Of course this is just speculation. But hey, it's a message board.

 

I havent spoke to Chris in over a year

However I do know from what Ive read that Jared wasnt contacted until 6 weeks after the hire

That doesnt give me a good feeling if Im Jared

Would have done the same thing he did- put feelers out, cant blame him for that

 

He hasnt blocked much

That isnt a great fit for a TE in a Pro Style offense

MUCH less of a problem for the type of Spread that Rich Rod runs and how ASU uses Tight Ends- lots of flexed out- much less of a blocker- H back

 

Hate to be "that guy," but as someone who was born a Husker and went to ASU, I feel that it's my Sun Devil duty to point out that Rich Rod coaches for that dump down in Tucson. Todd Graham is running the show at ASU and really has that "up and coming" hype train running at full speed.

 

My mistake

Thanks for the heads up

If Buback does go to ASU- Im sure he will be a solid citizen

After visiting the campus after the 95 Fiesta Bowl I can see why he's considering it

We love spending time nearby in Scottsdale

Buster

Sorry- but Im going to have to bow out of this one

Really hard to have a conversation with someone who is always trying to put words in your mouth

I wish NU was a 16-20th ranked program- but I guess since by your definition since they are outside the top 15, we suck? 9 wins isn't a team that "sucks" IMO, It is however something that is less than potential for a place like Nebraska playing in the Big 10 in 2015.

As to your knowledge or support of the NU program- all I can go by is by what you've posted. Sorry, but by your posts I just don't think you know that much about NU football or the game, JMO.

I find it interesting that some big "fans" make a big deal about the fact that they are going to a game. If you are a big fan, isn't that a given every home game, going to the game- it's expected.

BTW Im married with children, so the stalking/obcession thing isn't going to get you anywhere. sorry cant roll like that.

8500 posts in 3 years- you've got a lot to say

 

 

Still hearing only crickets regarding the top 10, and 11-15 coaches, and which ones would have accepted an NU offer.

Ive been advised not to "discuss" football with those that have absolutely no clue what they are talking about

So I wouldn't be "answering" you, sorry about that

That whole topic has been done to death- we settled for someone with a losing record in conference and 6 of 14 losing seasons instead

 

It's funny you complain about MR and then act all snobbish like you know everything and everyone here is beneath you. Yet if you compared your knowledge to coaches like MR you're just an average joe like most every other poster here.

 

Im not comparing my knowledge to MR- but to the poster

As to average Joe- that tells me you don't know what you don't know. The thousands of hours of research, effort, practice, clinics, chalk sessions, film study. phone calls/video chat etc that those successful in the coaching profession invest to become proficient at their jobs. That's why so many coaches just shake their heads and smile when they hear stuff like that- or just ignore it altogether with a knowing laugh.

Dude, you might be the smartest guy in the planet about football. But, your total lack of being able to communicate with people without insulting them is completely masking any attempt you are making to actually discuss football.

 

You come to a fan board and you are flabbergasted that people take offense to you constantly posting over and over and over again negative posts about how horrible our coaching staff is and how we are going to suck this year because you know so much about football.

What the hell do you expect a reaction to be with that on a Husker football board. Now, before you claim all of us are nothing more than a bunch of ignorant koolaid drinkers, all of us have complained about something or been concerned about something from time to time. None of us are constant sunshine on here and we will gladly discuss concerns as has been greatly discussed already on here people's concerns about our DC. But, ultimately, hey....might as well wait and see what he can do with better talent.

 

Again, I ask (and has never been answered) why do you choose to be nothing but negative? Is that actually fun? Following a sports team is supposed to be fun. If it's not being fun following a team because you are constantly upset and negative....why continue following it to the extent you hang out on a message board preaching to every other Husker fan you can find about how bad things are in Lincoln? The only answer I have is that you find it fun being that negative and I would like to figure out why.

Real reading comp issues there buster

Nowhere did I say NU was going to suck

Ive stated many times some of the things I like about Riley- the PR, Recruiting, mending fences with fans. I just don't think he is a proven consistent college coach for a top 15 program and Im hoping Im wrong about it.

With average coaching this team has won 9 games a year, every year. I think we have an average group of coaches taking over- extremely nice, sincere, hard working, but at the end of the day average. Unlike many of the koolaide drinkers- I don't expect 11 wins like some are talking about. It will most likely be an 8-9 win season, just like the impartial LV oddsmakers are saying- I think they are saying 8.

Forget the "QB" whispering, didn't work for Stanton, you aren't going to see huge improvements from TA either, it is what it is, he's getting coached up by Mr force the ball into triple coverage turnover man Brett Farve for crying out loud. There is too much talent on the team for them to tank to 5-6 wins, but I don't see any evidence from the track record of this coaching staff that says they can make it an 11 win team either.

For all those thinking that all we needed was a little boost to get from 9 to 11 wins and all of our problems are now going to melt away with MR at the helm are one of the reasons so many people think NU fans are so delusional. I don't like seeing our real fans- our real brand made into something it shouldn't be. a joke, a punchline by all this ridiculous talk. Travel a bit, talk to some people that really know football and ask them what they think of NU, its football program and its fanbase. Lots of great ones in my section, friends, coaches I work with, the season ticket holders, not so much on a "fan" message board. JMO

Interestingly enough pretty much the same stuff most years at this time lately- yeah 11 wins, XYZ can mature with just a little bit of help, this teams chemistry is really coming together, this team is working hard-bigger-faster- QB will be better, stronger blah blah - same stuff every year from the same people. Can one be optimistic? Sure, but many are optimistic to the point of insanity- ridiculousness. Yeah we win em all every year, Number 1, we can beat Ohio State, Bama, Oregon, bring em on. Being unrealistic, acting like the 9 year old kid is great for 9 year old kids. For the stakeholders of the program the real fans and supporter$ of NU, not so much. That kind of unwarranted optimism was what silenced the Bo critics and made that 7 year vetting process something it didn't need to be and longer and more painful than it needed to be.

Still hearing only crickets regarding the top 10, and 11-15 coaches, and which ones would have accepted an NU offer.

Ive been advised not to "discuss" football with those that have absolutely no clue what they are talking about

So I wouldn't be "answering" you, sorry about that

That whole topic has been done to death- we settled for someone with a losing record in conference and 6 of 14 losing seasons instead

 

We are all kidding ourselves if we think things have not changed a bit in Nebraska

 

30 years ago when I was doing camps EVERY kid had NU gear on- IF it was a school branded item

 

That has slowly but surely changed

 

10 years ago I started seeing some Oregon, OU and even Texas gear

Now I see a lot of Oregon, then Alabama, Texas, Ohio State, Michigan, USC, TCU and even UCLA stuff

The breakdown now is about 35% NU, 40% no college brand and 25% the rest

 

In Omaha and Lincoln- far LESS NU gear on the kids- LOT more variety

In rural areas- NU is much better represented- dominates

It wasnt that way 30-20 or even 10 years ago

 

I doubt that's entirely because NU hasn't been successful since the Osborne era. Omaha and Lincoln are attracting a lot of families from out of state.

 

I didnt say it was because of NU not being successful, that is just a part of it

Some of that may come from families moving in- but some of the kids I knew who were wearing non NU stuff were from local families

Back in the early 2000s when it first started showing up, I used to joke that the kids wearing it were going to have to run if they chose to wear it

IMO it has to do with:

Other brands being promoted on TV- the Bama and Oregons of the world

TV games are on everywhere

When I was growing up we only got to see a couple of games a weekend and those games were always just the major brands- NU, OU, Notre Dame etc

Now everyone is on all the time

Great Branding by teams such as Oregon, Boise State, USC, with uniforms and even lifestyle "USC"

Kids like being a little different, discovering a niche that they identify with that is different than the mainstream

When was the last time NU lost a rural player they really wanted? It's a different culture there compared to Omaha/Lincoln when it comes to NU football