huskerfan74

Horrible special teams play…if anything, our special teams are getting worse year in year out.

First few minutes will be telling

I hope we run them out of the building…or just win…I am ok either way

I am not an Ohio state fan and I cheer against them almost all the time but I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed watching them beat the living crap out of Clemson. I hope Dabo Sweeney thinks twice before disrespecting them again. He was so high and mighty all week long. I hope this loss hurts him and humbles him. I also hope Ohio state beats Alabama because I am sick and tired of seeing Nick Saban win. Seeing Wisconsin, Northwestern, and Ohio state win their games, I really wish our guys played in a bowl game. Unfortunately, they were too tired.

I agree that kicking was much better but to be honest every other aspect of special teams was a hot mess. For starters, these players are not taught when to let the ball roll into the end zone and when to return it. I seriously doubt we had more than a 25 yard return all season long. I might be wrong but if there was, I can’t recall it. Also, we had two teams return punts for scores against us. We commit penalties in almost every occasion our special teams are on the field and they really seem lost and have zero confidence in what they are doing. I have watched many other games this season as I enjoy watching college football and I do not think I saw any special teams that are worst than ours. If this area does not improve next season, we are in for another depressing season. I really hope that Frost and company realize this.

I am sorry if I did not understand what you were trying to say but there is absolutely no need to be an @$$ about it. You are not funny (and very rarely are) if that was your intention.

And you think that special teams were better this year? I hope you don’t think that because our special teams this year was the worst in the universe. A middle school football team can arguably play better at special teams.

Remember the days the fans were outraged because Tom Osborne decided to go for two and win rather than tie the game with Miami and still get the championship. Well, look at how things turned out. Now, the fans are arguing whether going to a bowl or not was the right decision. This shows the depths we have sunk to over the past two decades.

I really hope you are right. However, my fear is that Frost will not fire a single coach. He really thinks we are so close to turning things around and that it is not the coaches fault but the players’ culture and not executing what the coaches tell them to do. He does not see a problem with coaching, so why would he make any changes!? Having said that. I really hope I am wrong. It will make me very happy to be wrong.

Be careful...this can be taken as you attacking our players. God forbid we call a spade a spade...I actually do not blame our players one bit. I definitely blame the coaches and Scott Frost who decided he had enough and used the players as an excuse. This is like me telling my mother in law I can’t visit because my daughter is tired and does not want to go.

Rest assured that I would never blame the players as they are not the ones earning millions every year. However, I do think that our coaches used the players as an excuse not to prepare for a bowl game. Our team is healthy. Nevertheless, the coaches chose to end the season on a win to save their jobs as another loss might have cost some of them, NOT Frost, their jobs. The decision to decline is a choice they made and not as a result of health issues. Do you really want to convince me that if the coaches really wanted to play and improve, they could not talk to the players and explain what’s at stake? Instead, they used the players as an excuse to end the season. The ramifications of their decision will be in full display next season. I really hope I am wrong as I want nothing but success and relevance for my beloved Huskers. And I completely understand that fans are split on this issue. Only time will tell what the right choice was.

It is a moot point now since it has already been decided and they declined to play in a bowl. Personally, I think this is a huge mistake. If we were 5-1 like USC and we rejected to play because we had increasing cases of COVID, I would completely understand. However, when you are at the bottom of your conference and you are trying to turn things around, you should take every possible chance to go out there and play and execute and compete. It is ten more days. If they were able to hold off for nine months, what is ten more days if it means getting better at execution. Nevertheless, it is what it is and it is done now. We can all hope that next season will be a good one and that magically Frost and his coaches figure how to fix our many issues.

To me it just does not make any sense. When the Wisconsin game was cancelled, everyone was so upset and the players and coaches wanted to schedule an out of conference game and when they were told “NO”, everyone cursed the BiG conference and their mothers and fathers. Now, if we are given the PRIVILEGE of playing in a bowl game where this team can really show that they are capable of competing at the national level, the players and coaches should jump on that opportunity and not look a gift horse in the mouth. And can we please stop using COVID as an excuse? COVID has affected everyone in the nation including every other team. Did Frost and his coaches prorate the millions they are getting because of COVID? These players and coaches were jumping at the opportunity to play football all season long and now suddenly they are tired and want to spend time with their families. This is what I really think is the actual reason and NOT COVID. The coaches and players are not confident that they can actually compete with other teams and are afraid of losing and just want to end the season with a win. However, if they really think about it, the chance of finishing the season at 4-5 gives hope and confidence for next season. But apparently they are not confident that they can pull a clean game and are afraid to end up 3-6. To me, 3-6 is not that much worse than 3-5. At least then, the coaches and players know what they are dealing with going into next season. It also seems that many fans on this blog are also afraid of losing so they would rather end the season with a win. Instead of saying just that, they vilify those fans who want to see their team play and compete. By the way, I am going to be working through the holidays as my job dictates that I work even in Christmas Day and New Years, and I am not sitting at home with my FAMILY while others are being asked to go out and play a bowl game. These players and coaches signed up for this when they put on the Husker uniform and the coaches cashed their fat checks. Yes, I know, I am horrible and awful human being.

If the players did indeed vote no, then that speaks volumes about their willingness to improve and get better. To be honest, I don’t believe it is the players who said no. In the interview with Frost after the game, when he asked about the possibility of playing in a bowl, he said that he will talk to the players. If he really wanted the opportunity to get a few more practices, he would have replied positively about having the opportunity to play in a bowl. Had we lost to Rutgers, I would have no objection to call it a day. But we won and we did not play our best football. We had some new promising young players play. It is only fair to get them more reps before next season and see if they are capable of playing a clean game. I am not buying the excuse that the players are tired. Aren’t these the same players who complained when the BiG announced that they will not be playing this season. Also, we had one game get canceled so we played one less game than other teams. In fact some teams have already played 11 games this season with their conference championship game. I do not see these teams complaining about being tired. So, are we admitting that we are weaker and much less resilient than those teams? If that is the case and that is how Frost chooses to approach this, then it will be a very long time before we become relevant. Players opting out of a bowl game when they have not gone to one in three years tells me that the culture of the team is not as strong as we are led to believe. I know I will be attacked after this post because apparently I am a horrible, selfish, and inconsiderate person who wants his beloved Huskers to play in a bowl and compete and get better. Such a horrible thought...

I disagree. Bret Bielema is a very good coach and he will disrupt the BiG West. I, for one, feel that Illinois will be much better with him at the helm. He consistently outcoached anyone at Nebraska and he knows the landscape at the BiG conference. Just wait and see. Illinois won the jackpot with this hire.

I am sorry if some fans don’t like what I am about to say but it is what I truly believe. We simply cannot afford to say no to a bowl game if we are offered one. If this team with so many young players don’t experience a bowl environment and the joy of winning a bowl game, how are they going to consistently drive towards better bowl games. And yes, I am assuming that we win if of course we play smart and don’t commit atrocious penalties and turnovers. If we do not start a culture of consistency and passion to compete for conference championships and superior bowl games, then what are we doing? The state of Nebraska deserves to see their team play in a bowl after a three year absence. This is a chance for this team to play one last smart game and give the fans hope about the future. The coaches need this bowl game more than the players. They have been outcoached in almost every game this year.

If Frost and his coaches don’t find ways to fix our incompetent unspecial teams play and stop turnovers, stupid and drive killing penalties, and undisciplined play, next season will be the same as the last three. If we did not commit so many stupid penalties and turned the ball over so much and if our special teams just played decent, we would be 6-2 this season. However, it just seems like Frost and his coaches are clueless when it comes to fixing these issues. If year 4 is the magical year where Frost and his coaches finally figure this out, we can potentially have a decent season. If it is anything like this or the last two seasons then nothing is going to change other than Frost and his coaches getting richer with no real results and some fans making excuses that we are so close.

(1) we have no special teams. Our special teams is a bunch of guys running around clueless without any plan but try to give the other team every possible advantage. From now on, Nebraska should call this “incompetent teams” instead of special teams. I can honestly say that I have never seen anything so unspecial at any level of football. (2) the first half was one of the worst and most boring halves of football ever (3) Didrich, Wandale, and AM won this game for us and the defense kept us in the game (4) why wasn’t Diedrich Mills used more often this season when he was healthy? (5) the swing pass needs to be retired forever...I want to bury that play and give it a proper funeral. It is the worst play ever. (6) until Swing Pass Frost finds a way to fix the undisciplined play, penalties, and turnovers in every game, he will never be successful at Nebraska (7) we are capable of scoring more than 7 points in the second half...thought that was impossible (8) we are the thirteenth best team in the conference but number one in turnovers (9) with this magnificent win, toilet bowl here we come

If we lose tomorrow and we come out flat like we did last week, I tend to agree with you. However, if we do win and play good, it would be beneficial for this team and especially the coaches to get extra reps. God knows both the players and our coaches could use more practice.

Actually, I did not watch the pressers because they are always the same. I read the quoted portions that were posted, which validates my suspicion that they all say what we want to hear but no corrective action is taken. The results are on the field. If what they are saying is true that only 10 of 11 are executing then what actions are taken to correct this nonconformist. Why do we continue to see undisciplined and untimely penalties? Why do we consistently underperform against lesser opponents. That is the point I am trying to make. Just because I am not happy with the way my team is performing, does not mean that I hate my team and therefore I should never post my opinion. Wanting your team to improve and compete is what every fan wants. Some express their opinions with dissatisfaction while others with apathy. It is not my job to decide who should post and who should not. Every fan is entitled to their views. We don’t all have to agree, which is the beauty of life. Finally, I still hold hope that one day we will turn things around. This has to happen with actions and not words. Words are nice but they do not produce results.

All I hear is blah...blah...blah...real results are on the field. Until we see some real effort to execute well without the undisciplined play, all this is just talk...no action.

Completely disagree with you...I have been teaching at a university for 23 years and myself and many of my colleagues agree that today’s youth is very entitled and inpatient. They want quick results and are not wanting to spend too much time figuring things out. It is not their fault. The technology revolution they grew up in makes getting things done much easier and that is how they are used to doing things. That is why it is taking so long to change the culture in this team. I am not saying that transfers did not happen in the 80s and 90s but if you did a search, you will probably find that the number of transfers over the past decade is significantly higher than in the 80s and 90s. Regardless, every program deals with this issue as it is universal. That is why it falls on the shoulders of the highly paid coaches to retain these players and build an environment that supports them and keeps them motivated. The number of transfers over the past three years is alarming. At the beginning, we all thought, good riddance. We don’t want quitters in our team. However, after three consecutive losing seasons, one must wonder if Frost and his coaches are not partially responsible for this phenomenon.

When rumors first surfaced that Speilman was leaving, everyone shoved them as hearsay. Then he decided to go be a third string receiver over staying here. Spielman leaving was a huge hit as we had a horrible receiving core this year. If Wandale ends up leaving then our offense is gone. Wandale is the only reliable offense we have. The guy is a real competitor. If he believes that this core of coaches are not capable of turning things around, why would he waste his future playing for a team with three losing seasons in a row. The fact is that Frost’s current record is a huge setback towards recruiting and keeping good quality players. Let’s face the facts. Today’s youth are very entitled and they want to win without putting forth the effort. That is why so many players transfer the minute they are not selected as starters. This was not the case in the last decade. Nowadays, good players want to play for winning teams. Not many are willing to play for a team with a losing record three years in a row. Until we start winning some games, we can’t get any stability and the fear of losing good quality players will be a constant one. If we lose to Rutgers, I would not be surprised if several players enter the transfer portal. I am not saying that the Wandale rumors are true. I am just saying that it won’t surprise me if he or others pack up their bags and leave. That is the danger of taking so long to turn things around, especially when zero progress is accomplished year after year.

Look, I am not defending this conference as I actually hate it and hate all the teams in this conference. However, does it really matter for us whether we play at home or away? Has home field advantage meant anything over the past decade? We get our @$$es whopped regardless where we play. I honestly believe that this team performs better on the road. Also, when we start winning games like Ohio State and the conference does not treat us equally then we should complain. Right now, we have zero ground to complain. When you are bottom of the barrel no one cares what you think. Unfortunately, that is how it is with all the conferences.

I honestly think they are just messing with us because they know that there are many idiots out there who would believe that we are better than anyone at the moment. Every time we are favored, our team makes sure to prove them wrong.