TheBigRed1

So you are saying that you are for the further "fundamental transformation of the United States of America" lead by the free lunch society.

Iowa was better than us at one position and one position only but that is the only position they needed to be better. Really thought Tommy would progress in his decision making and overall play but hasn't happened. At least next year we will hopefully have POB show up to play in case TA has the continual brain farts displayed this year. Of course the play calling has been questionable at times but that doesn't excuse TA from not taking care of the ball. Just a real disappointing season from a team that was better than most if not all of their competition and a lot of that is on the coaches, but the most important position on the field didn't do them any favors either.

"All but Rutgers are BYU caliber or higher"….that, imo, is a real stretch. Illinois, Purdue, Minnesota and most years Iowa are not the caliber of BYU and then we could go into the few teams in the east that are not the caliber of BYU. Don't let the fact that Michigan caught them at the end of a very tough non conference schedule, all in their opponents house, without their all world QB (all except for us), and some other key injuries sway you into thinking they couldn't play with much of the Big Ten. Not to take anything away from Michigan's dominating performance but they were due to come crashing down to earth, especially with a freshman QB against a very good Michigan defense. Again not enamored with the Big Ten except for those odd few top teams, same as every conference. Michigan will rise to be good again and maybe quicker than us but Harbaugh wasn't left with the cupboards bare by any stretch. I agree that no one is tied to past performances, so will just have to watch and see….time will tell all things.

I expect them to win every game, except maybe Michigan State, until they don't. I'm not enamored by the Big Ten and what they have done in non-conference and a lot of details/nuances that go into what happens in any given game makes every match up unique to itself, given there are some observations/predictions that can be made but game planning can change the perceived likely outcome. Let's hope our coaches get the right game plans together for each of our conference opponents. I believe for the most part they will, if they don't i'm not going to call for their heads because I believe in a few years the BIG Ten is going to wish Riley never showed up at Nebraska and it may mean getting rid of his old buddy in the end, but cross that bridge when we come to it. Am I concerned about our pass defense, you bet your a**, but I believe our over all talent and coaching is good enough to win these games. GBR

McMullen did ok last year at times with the rush, wonder what has happened there, more weight (too much) idk, but he's a pretty big boy. Maybe have him and Collins flip on obvious pass plays and have him inside, he may do well there and give Collins more chance to get to the QB from the outside. Don't want to see anymore of this huge arcing move to the outside by Collins with the QB getting rid of the ball in three seconds, doesn't make any sense.

Haven't been posting and, as you can see, don't post much at all. But these are a few things I've learned through the first four games. 1. Tommy is beginning to realize the potential I thought he had. Few bad decisions here and there but overall a giant leap forward. 2. T. Newby has the potential to be good if he would just run the damn ball. Too much dancing around in the hole and actually not hitting the hole. For those complaining about the OL, and no doubt there is room for improvement, I don't know how many times there was a huge lane/seam to run through and Newby would take it completely to the outside boundary looking for something and get nothing when he should have cut up into those lanes, what he needs to realize is maybe he breaks it for a big gainer or maybe he ends up with only 5 to 10 yards. I believe that's why Cross and Ozigbo got in there. Noticed Newby seem to run with a little less dancing around after that. Actually been disappointed there. Would like to hear what is preventing us from seeing Adam Taylor get a chance, i.e. what does he need to improve on to get into the game. Would give us a big bruiser. Maybe its a injury psych thing. 3. Shut out a team in the first half that has been scoring 50+ points a game the previous two, Only to let them make it a game in the second half, our pass defense needs some answers (check some posts, not all, nothing more to be said) 4. DLine is better than most or some on this board think. We do need more pressure on the QB but hard to get when the QB is throwing it on a two, three step drop and letting it fly, praying he got it to the right spot (speaking about S.Alabama QB, if they're decent to good QB's they'll be right once in a while). 5. Play calling can get a little funky in the RZ but overall good, I like our offense, just need to keep putting it in the EZ instead of FG like this past game. Of course need to cut down on drive killing penalties. 6. We need everybody on defense to get healthy; LB's VV, and DPE to get back and in game shape and I believe we have a good chance in the BIG…..IIIFFFFFF, a big if, we can get some improvement in our secondary. Just looking back at some point to make a play on the ball would be a start, obviously much more to it than that. These are just a few observations….carry on.

He's not going to leave and I'd bet he starts. His biggest problem, Beck, will be gone and this should have happened long ago. Hopefully with a new S&C staff and OLC the OL can give him better protection. Sorry about you being minus one nad makes it hard to get through life and really understand football. T_O_B Daayum, now that there is some funny ….. :laughpound If it takes two to tango (understand football) there must be a few more on here that have that defect and then some are just nadless……don't claim to be an football expert…. just sayin...

I don't get this? Most knowledgeable fan-base in college football? Huh? I've been shocked that about only 20% of the people on here know about Mike Riley. He was only the coach of the Chargers 15 years ago...he was on everyone's top 3 list in coaching hires 10 years ago. Is everyone on this board 7 years old?????? Typically when the "most knowledgeable fans" phrase gets tossed around, it is in regard to things like strategy and team depth. Talking to lots of Nebraska fans over the years, about half of them never watch any non-Nebraska games, and their knowledge of the college football landscape primarily comes from long standing reputations of programs, and what they see from in game highlights. Add in that Pac12 games often start after the older people have been in bed for a couple of hours, the ignorance is easy to understand. Its the unwillingness to learn and change ideas that is the aggravating part. You gotta love the box score analyst.

Listening to him in that press conference and then was on BTN shortly after, he just seems real, and definitely comfortable in his own skin as they say. Some said he seemed figity or something, I think he was a little tired, sure he's been going at it for some time now since the ball began to roll.

Come on, please tell me we're not all that. "Are we there yet", "how much farther". Live life one day at a time and enjoy that day. Idk, maybe I'm just getting old.

Wow, your co-workers laughed at you today and made some well informed(sarcasm) wise crack remarks regarding our new coach, they must be right.Winning 5 or 6 games at Oregon State should win you coach of the year in the PAC12 conference. This is not Oregon State. Btw, watched that game and it was most likely over before it started…..like most of the other games that the opponent was the Oregon Ducks, i.e., UCLA, Stanford, ASU or whomever they played save Arizona. Going to be an interesting game tonight…maybe.

Well keep spreading your gloomy predictions if it makes you feel better, but I don't think anybody has any major misconceptions about Riley's record at OSU. It's a crap program, we get it. We won't really know what he can do at NU until next fall when the games start. Not certain where I read it but I believe Ericksons' time there at Oregon St was when Riley went to the NFL and that he, Erickson, did well those three years using Rileys' recruits, winning the Fiesta Bowl and all. Riley was surely trending upwards when he left for the NFL and it seems Erickson was the beneficiary of what Riley had built. Maybe Riley came back to empty cupboards from the Erickson stint hence the up and down w/l records. Hard to achieve sustained momentum at bottom dweller facilities, etc.Quite a bit of Pedey-shine has been used today that's for certain. I'm not sure how much was built from his 8~14 start there. I've seen this hire called a dumpster fire hire today, so i went and checked his record. 03 until 09 was up and down, thanks to what DE brought into the program. Since 09, it's been garbage with the exception of 1 ok year. We should be greatly concerned. By who other than those looking for the "splash" hire on this board. Heard many others say it was a home run hire, just shocking because the guy had turned down big time offers to stay at Corvalis so it was thought he would retire there. He's in it for the love of the game/kids not the spotlight. What DE brought into the program wouldn't have had that long of an effect on results in the program. Maybe he used up Rileys cupboard and left for who was it, ASU. Some of these guys bounce around to where ever they see a good opportunity for success. Rileys' best records in that seven year stretch were 08 and 09 I believe. By all means be greatly concerned, I'm not, maybe it doesn't work out but I believe this guy is planning on going out with a bang hence accepting the offer at arguably the greatest and most storied program in the history of college football.

Well keep spreading your gloomy predictions if it makes you feel better, but I don't think anybody has any major misconceptions about Riley's record at OSU. It's a crap program, we get it. We won't really know what he can do at NU until next fall when the games start. Not certain where I read it but I believe Ericksons' time there at Oregon St was when Riley went to the NFL and that he, Erickson, did well those three years using Rileys' recruits, winning the Fiesta Bowl and all. Riley was surely trending upwards when he left for the NFL and it seems Erickson was the beneficiary of what Riley had built. Maybe Riley came back to empty cupboards from the Erickson stint hence the up and down w/l records. Hard to achieve sustained momentum at bottom dweller facilities, etc.

Rated the 14th top coach in country by his peers, who know more than you or I about coaching across the spectrum of college football, done more with less (and that is waaaay less) than just about any program in the country playing against power 5 competition(PAC12 considered by many the number 2 conference in the land), turned down HC offers from USC and Alabama and then takes an offer from Nebraska U. Has been all over ESPN programming concerning what's going on in big time college football. Not relevant. Ok. Right time, right job, right man for a very relevant college football program imo and that's all anybodies comments here are, opinions.

Does that only apply to new hires and not current coaches? We criticized the hell out of the previous coach, I think the greatest fans can also criticize a new hire. That's any fans perogative. Greatest, worst, mediocre, average, run of the mill, maverick, uninformed, indifferent, etc.

Gotta love all those that are infatuated with the "splash" hire. This guy going 5-7; 6-6; 7-6 in the Pac 10-12 is like our now ex coach winning 9 games at Nebraska the past seven years. Surely none of you would compare Oregon State resources, profile, yada yada yada to that of Nebraska. And when he's won 8/9/10 games with those said resources, profile, etc., that makes me cautiously optimistic to see what he can do with ours. Time will tell all things. Hey "greatest fans in college football" let's act like it.

B to B+. My take is pretty much the same as Nuance. When, and I do say when not if (maybe I should say "if"), he gets the swing pass/screen/short passing game down he's going to be something really special and we will be nigh unstoppable. I know he's had some "WTH was that" moments but it's all part of the game/growing pains. He has to hone his skill, the ability is there.

Callahan didn't destroy our program. Frank Solich did. Bill had an empty roster when he arrived and Bo was gifted the best defensive roster we have seen in decades. Please give me a break on how terrible we were. Callahan couldn't coach but he was able to identify talent If you don't think Callahan set this program back in a myriad of ways, doing it with no respect for the history of this program (I go back a few years, late 60's) then just keep believing that, it's the kind of thinking that put us in the hole we've been digging out of. It's more than just having talent, it's a "mindset" and I believe the "mindset" of this team and coaching staff is getting better. The MSU game is an example that it's not where we want it but it's getting better. We had a chance to win ,"WIN", that game in the end not make the score more respectable, that's a huge improvement. The fact we were even there at the end of the game with a chance to "win" after not even showing up on offense for 3 qtrs is kind of amazing. I agree True (or whoever it was) this program wasn't destroyed, don't believe that it can be, too great of a history for that, we just lost our way for awhile and that'll cost you. Until proven otherwise this season has a good chance to be one to change the course of this program to go back up top. Those who think otherwise MAY be right, don't think they are. Time will tell all things.

There is a lot to say for longevity at the coaching positions. Anybody who can't see an improvement in this program this season is lost in the world of poor losers. You can say MSU quit but I say not so fast, and the fact is our boys didn't quit. I was very unhappy about the way this game turned out but it is another learning experience, another page to add to the book of knowledge for these coaches and players. Will they get, we shall see. The mindset needs refinement, but it's much better and getting better. This game would have ended up 27 to 3 or worse in the past several years even if MSU did quit. The recruiting is better and gaining momentum year after year now. You get rid of this coach now and you'll have a dumpster fire on your hands mark it down. Those folks who are quick to jump to that side of the isle deserve a Bill Callahan program. up/down, up/down, up/down. A guy that is tied with the #9 team in the country in the Cotton Bowl after having gifted them a touchdown and goes for a fake punt, in I believe the 2nd qtr, on his own 25 or something like that, gifting them another touchdown only to lose by 3. It would be one thing if that was it, every coach makes dumb decisions in their career but his just kept on coming. He tore this program down to where what was didn't even exist anymore. Where I grew up, we knew this when he was hired and all we could do was shake our head in dismay because we knew what was coming. I say that to say this, get rid of this coach and we'll lose all the momentum in recruiting, I don't care, outside of a few who aren't available, who the coach is that we replace him with and that is no small thing. Will there be a time to move on from Pelini, maybe, but it isn't now or this year or the next. Been waiting a long time to get over the hump as many, but don't believe it isn't changing for the better until it isn't. In fact this last game should tell you that more than telling you we're stuck in the same old rut.

Oh, btw, just thought that I should add after my last comment that I've been following my Huskers since i was old enough to know football after my family moved out to the SJ Valley in California from Nebraska. Remember watching the Huskers and OU battle it out for a few national championships on Thanksgiving day before the NFL took it over, back when that was about the only Husker game you could catch on TV. Said all that to say this, Tommy has the potential to be a very good to great QB and I've watched a few. Again time will tell all things.

Can you explain your criteria?Easy, apparently a guy that completed 62-63% of his passes is a horrible qb, yet a guy that completes 52-53% is excellent in all areas. For about 3.3 years, a guy that had ball security issues was horrible, but a guy that has similar ball security issues has "avoided turnovers," For 3.3 years, a guy that has defensive coordinators shaking in their boots sucked, but a guy that defensive coordinators ignore is totes choice. I guess that sounding better in interviews really is a big deal. We'll see by the end of the year if Tommy has similar ball security issues, my bet is the difference is night and day for both fumbles and interceptions. I'm talking about this year, last year is history and Tommy was raw as they come. Taylor wasn't the same home run threat after his injury although he still could take it to the house when he was fairly healthy and defensive coordinators had to consider and game plan for the threat. I think they were more like licking their chops knowing he would give them a few, and fwiw, I liked Taylor M. Hated the give aways, but I believe Tommy is a much better field general and may prove to be one of the better ones to grace Memorial Stadium when all is said and done. Time will tell all things.

Pretty much this. MSU was salty against the run last year and will surely be selling out to stop Ameer, but it didn't help them to stop us last year and outside of handing the ball over to them 5 times, I believe twice inside our own 20, one of them being inside the 5 or at least the 10, we were right with them way into the 4th qtr. Should have been a W. Tommy, though making some questionable passing decisions at times, is much better with more experience this time around and just getting better. I think he needs to keep the ball a little more often on the zone read because defenses just seem to be sure he will hand it to Ameer. There are times this year where I think he would have had big gains with wide open field if he would have kept the ball. Hopefully he'll become better at checking down to his backs as the season and career goes along. Anyways it would be far from crazy if we leave East Lansing with a W.

Miami and Illinois are better than any team MSU has beaten so far. I think NU wins easily if the turnovers are even or in our favor. I would also like the NU OL to cut the penalties in half. iirc the game I watched had Michigan State down early and then came back during 2nd qtr to make it a game, I think they were actually up at the half by a few points, and then they were shut out in the second half while Oregon went on to score something like 21 consecutive points. Not sure that would be considered "in control most of the Oregon game" by most.

I believe Rose was and is the biggest loss of the year, which magnifies the injury to Santos. Not to say the others aren't big losses. As we go along hopefully Zaire will become more and more of an impact player where ever they use him at any of the LB positions. I think we're seeing that our depth is fairly good in the secondary and Gerry is a baller.

Is Michigan States defense better or even as good as last year? I don't think so. No doubt they are a good defense, well coached, but if iirc, and I think I do, we gashed them pretty good last year in the run game including a 40 or 50+ yarder to the house by Imani Cross in the 3rd qtr. No reason we shouldn't be able to do the same this year with what arguably is an even more potent rushing attack. (Don't know how to attach previous quotes yet and don't care to take the time at the moment, but this is in reply to those who believe the 6,7,8 yard gashes will not be there.) We take care of the ball and the defense steps up we could roll. Expect it to be one hell of a game though.