HuskerfaninAustinTX

I'm skeptical of the Big 12's long term viability with just 10 teams. The future configuration reminds me of the old Big 8 when it was Nebraska, Oklahoma and the 6 dwarfs. Someone mentioned Tech, A&M and OK Lite in an earlier post as being teams not to forget. I see a big difference in resources, fan base and tradition between OU & UT and the rest of the remaining schools. If BYU doesn't join the Big 12 and enjoys some success as an independent, I can see Texas stepping out on their own too. Nebraska considered that when examining their options before seeking out the Big 10. It all comes down to $$$. Texas is the pretty girl at the dance right now. Everyone wants her. It used to be Notre Dame. Still attractive, but not the hottest ticket in town. While I am going to miss the Huskers playing in Texas on a regular basis, I am pleased with the move to the Big 10. Long term it's a great move. Good fit too. That's all I have for now. Go Big Red!!

Big XII Developments Being Watched in Provo By Quinn Gooch (Senior Analyst) on September 22, 2010 With Colorado and Nebraska reaching agreements to leave the Big XII Conference after this athletic year, could the BYU Cougars be in line for an invite to join the conference sooner rather than later? Colorado forfeited nearly seven million in revenue in a deal that allows them to exit the Big XII for the PAC-12 next season. The financially strapped Buffaloes originally said that it would stay in the Big XII through the 2011 season to avoid a penalty. The Nebraska deal calls for the Cornhuskers to give up just over nine million in its departure to the Big Ten. The announcement yesterday could trigger movement in the world of conference realignment quicker than expected. Many have speculated that Brigham Young University could be one of the schools invited to join the league if it decides to get back to 12 schools. Big XII commissioner Dan Beebe has said that the conference will hold at 10 for now, but outside influences may dictate another course. With just 10 schools, the conference is not eligible to have an end-of-season championship game, per NCAA bylaws. A conference must have 12 schools to conduct a football championship game and the PAC-12 and Big Ten recently expanded, in part, to qualify to hold such a game under the rules. In June the Big XII agreed to play its championship game in Dallas Cowboys Stadium through 2013. The NCAA is not going to budge on the rule and you can bet that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is going to get his money one way or another. So the conference could find itself between a rock and a hard spot in short order. Also keep in mind that Dan Beebe isn’t driving the bus in the Big XII, the University of Texas is. So the real question is what does Texas want? First and foremost, the Longhorns won’t do anything that cuts into their expected revenue from the desperation deal that Beebe put together this summer to keep the conference together and save his job. Any schools added to the mix would need to bring in enough revenue to the equation to make sense. One would think that the deal BYU was able to strike with ESPN and Notre Dame in the process of moving to football independence got the attention of Texas and the other schools in the Big XII. Texas is also planning to put together its own television network, a concession that Beebe and the Big XII made to keep Texas from jumping to the PAC-10 this summer. As has been reported, Texas could benefit from BYU’s experience of creating such a network and indications are that BYU has offered to share its expertise with UT. A question to ponder though is what would BYU’s response be if in fact the Big XII tendered the school an offer to join the league. As an independent in football and a new member of the West Coast Conference in other sports, BYU has complete autonomy to conduct business as it desires. There are no Sunday play issues to deal with and they have the rights to broadcast the games of all of their programs around the country and world through BYUtv. Also, what would it look like if BYU were to bolt the WCC for the Big XII before it even became a member of the WCC? Such a move could result in a big public relations hit for the school. Then there is the issue of the deal with ESPN. Would the “worldwide leader in sports” allow BYU to just tootle off to the Big XII and the Fox Sports Network? Not likely. With all of the uncertainty in the landscape of college conference realignment, would BYU decide to just stand pat even if the Big XII came calling? BYU’s own move to independence has other programs like USC and Texas musing about their potential fortunes as an independent. Could independence be the wave of the future? The instability of the Big XII would be another issue to consider for BYU officials. If the SEC, Big Ten or PAC-12 were to add more schools, the Big XII would most certainly be affected. Colorado’s move yesterday is a new twist in the saga. No doubt BYU is an interested observer.

If/when Nebraska goes to the Big 10, I have no problem with Texas and Texas A&M following. While many think UT ran things in the Big 12, the Big 10 has plenty of other schools that are strong. Their attitude is more cooperative. Do you really think Texas would be able to run things with the likes of Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State in the conference? Having moved to Austin from the East coast, I've been fortunate to have seen the Huskers play at UT and Baylor multiple times. I want to continue to see the Huskers play in Texas, but ultimately, I want what's best for the Huskers. Thank you Directv because you have the Big 10 network. Go Big Red!

I have some thoughts on this thread. I cannot imagine the Big 10 creating special provisions for ND and UT to join their conference. The established members would not compromise the integrity of the conference for preferential treatment. One of the keys to the Big 10’s success has been a unified front. Unlike the Big 12, the Big 10 has equal revenue sharing. That is one reason why Mizzou is a potential expansion candidate. Delaney is quoted as saying that a conference championship game was not driving expansion. He did not say that the Big 10 would not have a championship game. When the Big 10 expand$, it will add a conference champion$hip game. Currently, B10 schools do not play all other conference members. An expanded conference would further muddy the waters when determining a conference champion. My prediction, championship game will become a reality. Texas will not depart the Big 12 without A&M. If you look back at expansion history, those two institutions are tied together. The politicians in Texas won’t permit UT to strand A&M. Besides, Dodds, UT AD, has gone on record about his desire to create a Longhorn TV network. They have the means to pull it off. They can make enough money on their own by tapping into the DFW(5), Houston(10), El Paso(98) , Austin(49) and San Antonio(37) markets. If they are successful in getting Directv and/or Dish to distribute their network, they now have a national reach. UT seems content in the B12. They can be one of the powerhouses in the conference while maintaining lower travel expenses for all sports than if they joined the B10. Notre Dame is another story. Will they allow their other sports to suffer to preserve their football independence? If they decline the B10 and the Big East become defunct, where will they land? Would the remnants of the Big East and perhaps C-USA form another conference that would allow ND associate membership for their non-football programs? ND likes its independence because they perceive themselves as a national program. There is some truth to that, but unfortunately, the Irish have been bordering on irrelevant for quite some time. They had a brief flirtation with prominence under Weiss, but he could not sustain it. I have another theory why ND prefers independence. They do not think they could withstand the rigors of playing in the B10 week after week. They play Michigan, Purdue, Mich. St and USC annually, but they have replaced LSU, UCLA, Nebraska, Texas A&M and Tennessee with UNC, Duke and Syracuse. I’m conflicted with the expansion talk. Growing up in Big 8 country, I became a Nebraska fan when I lived in Bellevue and graduate high school there. Now that I live in Texas, I enjoy seeing the Huskers play in Austin and Waco. I hope to make it to College Station this year. I’m for what’s in Nebraska’s best interest. Perhaps that means watching them on the Big 10 network since I have Directv. Go Big Red!!

I haven't heard anything at all about Baker Steinkuhler this fall. I imagine that he red-shirted this season, but has anyone heard how he progressed during fall practices? There's been talk about some of the freshman that will likely be counted on next year.

I say no to the all white uniforms. We are called Big Red for a reason.

I agree that we need to be patient. There is some talent, but our line play on both sides is what needs to be fixed. On O, we can not run the ball. That results in Ganz having to carry too much of the burden. 3 and outs put the D right back on the field. We lack a D line capable of stopping the run and pressuring the QB. That is not a recipe for an elite team. Nebraska was declining under Solich. In 2002, they posted a 7-7 record. 2003 on the surface looked good (10-3), but the three loses were glaring (Missouri L 24-41, Texas L 7-31,Kansas State L 9-38). Callahan changed the culture, but not in a positive direction. I was not impressed with their ability to develop players. That lack of development continues to impact the program. Bo is a good coach. His track record is impressive, but it will take some time to rebuild the program. I ask all fans to support the Huskers. They are playing their butts off for you, the university, the state and themselves. I'm not seeing a team that quits. Now more than ever, Husker fans have to do what they can to support the program. There is such a great tradition at Nebraska that others schools just do not possess. Besides the on the field success, the fan base is well known and respected for how they behave. That's all that I have for now. Gooooooo Biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig Redddd! GO BIG RED!!!

It was a late hit. I called it before they threw the flag. I thought our line play on both sides was our downfall. We couldn't run the ball and did not do a good job of stopping the run. VA Tech had the ball for almost 10 more minutes than we did. I really thought we would load up the box to force Taylor into throwing. I was surprised by our lack of blitzing too. We tried one corner blitz that they completed for a 10-15 yd gain. We just didn't bring the heat. No turnovers forced by the Blackshirts. VA Tech had 171 yds passing and 206 yds rushing. Huskers: 55 yds rushing and 279 passing. That tells the story. Tech's INT was big. Got them off to a great start. We have a long way to go to be a top 25 team. I do like the effort and passion. They didn't quit. That is the biggest take away from this game for me. We have to be patient, but I'm optimistic that we're going in the right direction. Go Big Red.

A Nebraska fan should always wear red. We're not called BIG RED for nothing. Georgia might need a black out and Penn State might need a white out, but nothing compares to a sea of red. Have fun at your first game. It's a great experience. GBR!!!

What time and channel is it on DirectTV? I have Directv too. The guide shows that "The Bo Pelini Show" will be Sept 2nd from Noon to 1 pm CDT on channel 647.

With Ganz at the controls, the O took off down the stretch. I think Pellini will want to create a culture of winning from the start. Joey G is a leader a la Major Applewhite and the players will follow him. He brings a passion, mobility and energy that Keller didn't. Good luck Sam...hope you get a shot in the NFL. I would be surprised if Ganz isn't the starter next season. The Huskers will need a good offense, so Bo can pay attention to the defense. If the O can control the ball and eat up the clock, that will aid the D in a big way. This season the D couldn't get off the field and the O had to scrap the game plan when we were down early in games. When you are one dimensional, you are easier to defend. I think that there is talent on the defensive side of the ball too. The right schemes and the right players in the right positions can make a big difference. I have experienced the right players in the wrong system when a coaching change has taken place. I am confident that Bo and the rest of the coaches will get it right. I want to see a more aggressive D take the field. I am not a fan of the bend don't break philosophy. GBR!!!

I'd be fine with Enter Sandman. Great intro and the sound just builds up. Hit 'em hard just the Huskers will!!!

There are some good names of former players to choose from. You could name the pup Rimington. It has a certain ring to it. While I'm on the R's, Rathman or Ruud would be others to consider. Berringer is another one that has a good sound to it and that was a Husker that really was someone to look up to. Depends on the personality of the pup. Good luck.

The four letter network siting close sources to the TX A&M football program are saying that officials are in discussion with Franchione on a buyout of his contract:Fran's buyout Does anyone know if BC has a buyout clause and how much it will cost? I've hear $3 million mentioned, but have also heard that it may be much more a la Fran's buyout number.

With 3 regular season left, I hope that the fans will show better support for the players. They are bustin' their butts for you the fan, for the university, for the state of Nebraska and for themselves. Give the guys a break. For those of you that say they shouldn't be allowed to wear the N on their helmets, you should be ashamed. Let's see you strap it on and slug it out with Big 12 opponents. We expect the coaches to be let go after the Colorado game. I believe TO when he says that no determination has been made and he hasn't talked to any coaches. I met him at my football banquet in high school. The man has integrity. Pellini isn't flying into Lincoln during LSU's off week and TO isn't interviewing coaches yet. The man will handle things the right way, the Nebraska way. We have a great tradition and there is talent on the roster. When I see Q running over folks or Helu getting out in space, I am optimistic. I flew up for the USC game and watched the game here in Austin. Much better effort against Texas. Callihan will likely be gone and people think that we are in worse shape than when he arrived. The talent is better, but we haven't been NEBRASKA for a long time (well before BC was hired). Hopefully TO will get the right man to bring us back to where we belong. GO BIG RED!!!