84HuskerLaw

Be nice to see Oregon St knock off Michigan. Give us all a shot of hope that a Mike Riley recruited team can play with a Big Ten namer. And of course Mich St needs to pull the upset over the Ducks. My son is a big duck fan so I will hear about this comment from him no doubt.

Hopefully Riley hangs around 7 or 8 years and presumably from within his present staff will grow the next Osborne to take over for MR when he does retire. That is the smooth and more seemless transition (ala Devaney to TO to Frank) that is really needed to keep the momentum going. Of course, we need very much for the next Head Coach to become a more household name and recognized nationally. As the the team progresses from 8 or 9 wins to 10 / 11 wins with a couple higher profile bowl wins, recruiting will improve. Imagine what if TO had hung around another 13 seasons (to 2000). I am convinced that we could and would have won at least 5 more national titles and maybe more. We had so much momentum in recruiting, popularity nationally, continuing the dominance was almost a certainty. We were on nearly every top recruits short list of schools to consider. Many called Lincoln before Lincoln called them. In TO's last several recruiting classes, the coaches identified the nation's top 100 players and literally signed 22 of them annually. Unprecedented. Now, we didn't always identify the same players as some of the analysts and pundits, but they were Tom's top 100. These days, we are not getting more than one or two to even visit, let alone commit and sign. This is a dramatic difference. We may never get to that point again (I think Ohio State is probably in that stratospheric recruiting altitude presently). But we can make dramatic gains if we get to the point of taking 15 of the top 300.

JJHusker1: I think we need to kick a couple field goals just to give Brown a couple more shots to get things right. If not, then we find another kicker. I understand the feeling that we should not need to kick any field goals against SoBama but we will need a few kicks later on this year if we are to hope for a winning season. Your stats are about like mine in terms of where the should be if we are to be the good team we are all hoping for. This game will be a good test in that sense. There may be scenarios in which our offensive output could be lower, such as radically unusal field position created by numerous SoBama fumbles which give the offense a bunch of short drives for scores. We need the practice so we need to make some 80 yard, 9 play drives for scores with very few 'negative' plays mixed in with a bunch of well executed plays blending runs with play action passes, drop back throws, roll outs, etc. We need to run the kind of offense that opponents down the road will have to worry about. We mix in a variety of passes and powerful runs inside and outside the tackles, with a few fullback dives and traps to keep the D honest. Make the defense defend the entire field sideline to sideline, short medium and deep. When teams have to play us honest, every aspect of our team from blocking to throws/catches, etc. will be more successful.

NU 56 Rush 275, Pass 315 SoBama 17 Rush 160, Pass 180

Gonna be a long long season if we don't win this one by over 5 TDS and hold them under 21. Seriously people. ColoradoHusk indicates a pretty close game and if he is right then we are looking at a losing season. This is South Alabama. They most likely are in the bottom ten calibler. If we struggle with them, I shudder to think! That suggests the cupboard is bare! It is not empty, but there are some empty places on several shelves no doubt.

Patience in recruiting, competing and so on is the order of the day (or years really). Riley is NOT going to transform Nebraska football from a perennial top 35 or 40 program into a top 10 program by merely showing up. Urban Meyer could not restore the natural order of the Huskers 'on high' over night. It would take several years minimum for a top of the heap coach of his status to do it. Riley will restore our reputation as a good place for parents to send their kids to play major college football. Then he will have to gradually improve the product on the field. It could take 5 years realistically to get us into the perennial top 20 status frankly. We will need a couple 'lucky' recruiting surprises or a small group of in state kids that are 4 and 5 star difference makers. Nebraska has not produced the quality running backs and linemen that we used to be getting. We used to recruit 2 or 3 O line prospects yearly that would come in, red shirt, work hard and eventually work in to the playing rotation by their junior years. We used to reload with linemen. Now we hardly have sufficient playing level ready linemen to substitute regularly much less 'reload' annually.

If we hope to win a majority of our games the rest of the year, we should have, as a minimum, at least 600 yards of total offense with half being on the ground and score at least 8 TDs and two field goals. Defensively, we should hold SoBama to less than 300 yards total offense and 14 points. We should have two 100 yard rushers and TA should complete 58% of 34 passes for 275 yards and 3 TDs and rush for another. We should have 3 take aways (2 picks and one fumble), 8 sacks, one kick off return over 30 yards and at least 140 yards of punt returns. Penalty yards less than 50 and no more than 2 punts during the game. Those are number indicative of a dominating performance by a very good top 35 caliber team at this point in the season. Physically we should dominate the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Any of our top 4 running backs should look good when in the game and TA should not be pressured or sacked more than 3 times combined in the game. Fyfe should play at least 3 series in the later parts of the second half and we should score at least one TD while Fyfe is QB. Fyfe should throw at least 10 passes and complete 6 with no INTs.

The most critical element missing from Nebraska football at this point is pure, raw talent. We lack a substantial amount of it necessary to seriously compete at a top ten level nationally. We are not talented enough at this point across numerous areas of the team. Here is my assessment of the talent deficits we need to fill in 2016 and 2017 classes conservatively in order to compete at high level by 2018 and 2019. O line - needs 5; D Line needs 3 or more 4 star DEs and 2 DTs; LBs - need 4; Secondary needs 3 or more 4 star level additions; QB - we need 2; WR - we need 4; RBs - 3; special teams 3. That is roughly 27 4 star caliber players and of course the remainder would 3 star or better of the approximate 42 total, plus another 30 or so D! level 2 star or better walk ons across the board by position, with perhaps extras in OLine and DLIne primarily.

The offensive line is very important and as a group is the most important on the offensive side of the ball. But I would submit that the Defensive line is equally as important to the defense and you don't win championships with offense OR defense alone! Once the front lines are loaded, then you need a QB and LBs with speed to burn. Once you have those, arguably you need a secondary (also with speed to burn and strong open field tackling skills). Then you need a great punter and place kicker. Then you need running backs also with speed to burn. Finally, once you have all these positions well stocked, you can go shopping for receivers and tight ends and fullbacks. I would argue receivers are last on the list and should be easiest to recruit because there are so many athletes out there that can play the position. Size is less critical. First they need to be able to catch but most reasonably decent athletes can catch presumably. Good speed and blocking skills are important but speed to burn is not critical. Good hands is more important than speed. Once you have a strong running game, the passing game follows as long as your QB can throw accurately receivers can catch, you will be successful in a passing game complement to the run.

I can see issues that you will have to deal with but the idea has considerable merit! Good luck!

Without a doubt, we need to be more productive offensively. We need to average 38 tp 42 points per game scoring and hold our opponents to under 20. Rushing yards gain are worth about twice as much in productive value as passing yards so if we are to gain 300 yards rushing and 150 passing, we would be much more likely to win the game than if we had 300 yards passing and 150 yards rushing. I always felt a good rule of thumb was to say that the first 150 yards of each didn't count for much as a team with under 300 yards of total offense loses about 90% of the time. Teams that pass for 400 yards win a majority of the time no doubt but teams that rush 400 yards win almost always! These basics seem to me to be true in all parts of the country, although I would venture a guess that rushing yards are more valuable than passing yards in outdoor stadiums where weather (wind, rain, snow, cold, wet, etc) factors in to a greater degree. But the team that runs the ball the best wins most of the games, no matter what the offensive scheme or style. In my opinion and I believe the statistics would give strong evidence of this. I don't Riley dislikes running the ball per se but has found over the years that it is easier to assemble a team with some offensive capability with less talent in the passing game. Strong running takes strong, dominant line play whereas short quick passes can be thrown around with minimal offensive line play. One might not win but at least one can gain some first downs and score a two or three TDs a game. also, a good thrower and couple quick and shifty receivers can provide some entertaining football plays for the crowd.

It is very early in this young season so let's see what the defense can do this week. I predict much improvement across the board, except perhaps in areas where starters were lost to injuries and we are installing new kids without previous starting experience. But keep the defensive schemes simple at this point in time. If So Bama doesn't have a real mobile QB that poses a great running threat, then we should play him honest and keep the front four as the primary pass rush effort. SoBama OLine can't be as good as BYU so we should get a much better rush and control in our DLine. If we don't for some reason, then we blitz frequently assuming they pass on us successfully. Otherwise, play to stop the run and force the pass and plan to intercept and make them punt. Blitzes are fun when they work but painful if we leave ourselves exposed and get burned. We should win this game comfortably without having to resort to gimmicks and gambles. Now, with regard to any possible hail mary situations (3 and 20 +) or 4 and do or die, we should be rushing with speed over size. Play LBs at the DE spots who can go get the QB quick. Make sure they come across and prevent the roll out by the QB where he buys extra time for receivers to get so far down field. Force the throw sooner than later.

SOME REASONS TO BE POSITIVE : For a couple years now, I have been a regular reader and follower of Huskerboard. While I don't often agree with the comments and critical remarks of some of the members, I do enjoy reading nearly all anyway. Now, on impulse, I have today decided to join the conversation, offering a rather lengthy initial statement indicative of who I am and where I see things headed. For some foundation and background, I am a lifelong Husker, having attended well over 90% of the home games since I was a kid in 1972 watching from beneath the south stadium in the 'knot hole' sections as we called it. I would have never missed a game but for health or other family and other crisis events which prevented my attendance. I played football in H.S. and small college and while I don't claim to have coaching level expertise, I believe I understand the game very well. Having watched every game while T.O. was coach (and nearly all since) from 35 rows up in south stadium I became quite good at 'calling the plays' out loud in our section a few seconds ahead of the snaps. Fans around me always wanted know how I knew what Tom was going to call. I simply replied that I had watched so many games that I had a great 'feel' for the way Tom sequenced plays and set up the defense. Tom truly was one of the very best ever in offensive football and excelled in calling plays. In my opinion, great play calling is one of the critical keys to winning at the highest levels consistantly. T.O. coached 25 years and called plays for Devaney for a time before taking over in '73. While we have only one game and that is but a mere glimpse into the mind of the offensive coach, I am very positive about the potential that Mike Riley's offensive thinking brings to Nebraska. It is not the scheme (west coast, wishbone, power I, pro style, passing vs running, etc) so much as the sequencing and the methods of attacking the defensive alignments and their reactions to offensive plays, that is most important. In this first game and the play calling that we saw Saturday, for the first time in many years, I felt brief periods during the game where the play calling was exceptional, even excellent! Yes, I am a bit 'old school' now in my views on schemes, types of plays, etc. However, it is quite refreshing to see screen passes, draws, sweeps, reverses and other tried and true plays that have been staples and mainstays of football for many decades. These plays take advantage of defensive alignments, schemes, player reactions and tendencies, positioning, alignments and so on. To a degree, all formations and schemes and alignments and approaches to offense and defense have their strengths and weaknesses. Each tends to present a different challenge and may require players with different skill sets. On Saturday, not every play the Huskers ran 'felt right' to me but then the players did not execute them at a high level either. Better execution leads to more successful outcomes but the art of playcalling involves putting your team in the most advantageous position relative to the opponent. We can't get too excited with just one game, but I am optimistic we will see more reasons to be positive about the future as the games ahead are played. I believe Riley would admit that his team only played something that 'looked a lot like football' for a couple quarters! But that is a good start. Nobody should reasonably expect a well oiled machine on Sept 5th. Tom always said the team makes the most improvement from game 1 to game 2 generally. If we reduce our mistakes and penalties by third, we will be 7 points better. Our first time starters won't be first time starters this week!. The nerves will go away by the third snap. The coaches will be much more confident in what each of our players can and can't do well and can adjust accordingly in their stratagy. We are playing an opponent with some talent but certainly not as much as BYU or most others we have recently played or will play this year. We will make mistakes and miss blocks and miss tackes and so on this week, as in any game. But not nearly as many. Practice and experience always make teams better. Many comments I have read on this board have been very critical of Tim Beck's playcalling. I have to say that after several seasons of it, I never found Beck's plays to 'feel right'. To me they seemed too randum. He was very difficult to predict what the next play would be and generally speaking that is a good thing. However, in my view, play calling is more art than science and each play in each game is unique in that never before or in the future will be the circumstances for that play going to be the same again. Players change, down and distance, score, playing conditions, momentum, talents, skills, score, time remaining, fatigue, and all the myriad of other circumstance and conditions will be different. No matter how many times Tom ran a 41 or 49 pitch or ISO, or option either direction, things were just a bit different. The success or failure of a given play previously impacts the success or failure probability of the subsequent plays thereafter. This indeed is the very essence of what makes football the very best sporting game ever invented! Strategy in football is more complicated than Chess and the rules are understandable by most but at the same time their application in a given game situation are always a point of debate or outright disagreement! Tom was a good recruiter but so were many of his assistants. Tom's reputation as a good, decent and caring person was national in scope. Mike Riley will soon be likewise if he is given a chance by Husker Nation. For those inisisting we expand and develop and implement a powerful running game, I am confident Mike Riley would happily agree. Every coach would dream of having a great running attack, a fabulous passing game and special teams that are the envy of the nation. By 1995, T.O. had great everywhere on his team. Nebraska had NO weaknesses. We were three deep (or more) in every area. The second string in '95 could have beaten all of the Nebraska teams fielded by Callahan and Pelini. Give Riley time before you make judgments on his coaching ability. Riley has lasted many years in the very difficult profession of major college coaching. He has brought his staff (people he trusts and cares for very much as people as well as coaches and employees) to Lincoln to win football games the right way!He would not risk all of the futures of himself and family and those he cares most about if he did not know in his heart and mind and soul he could be a great success at Nebraska! We will compete with honor and respect within both the spirit and letter of the rules. He will demand his players perform at their best and do so in a way that honors Nebraska. We can all be proud and support the team and university and our new coach. I believe Mike Riley will retire as an admired and greatly appreciated coach who did Nebraska proud. He has already begun making fans proud to say we are Huskers again and it seems very unlikely we will suffer through more embarrassing tirades by our Head Coach on the sidelines. Will we win a national championship this year or next? Not much chance of that. But, will we restore the natural order of things which is that Nebraska football is a brand of the greatest game ever invented that every fan can respect and admire? I say, let's give him some time to find out! We have many good players and in time these good players will become better and some of them will become great players. If enough of them become great, we will once again become champions. Hope this wasn't too long to keep your interest. Thank you for taking the time to read my first comments and Go Big Red!