knapplc

Our Kansas friends have some really rosy glasses through which they view last year's game. Kansas earned a mere 28 points in the game, against a defense still learning the system. The garbage-time touchdown scored with two minutes to play makes them feel better about the outcome, but it was still a ten-point loss against a learning defense. I dig the optimism, I really do. I like the Jayhawks and really think they've got a good team. But let's not lose touch with what really happened last year.

The World Herald mentioned that his knee is still bothering him, but it didn't sound like a big deal.

It bears mentioning that Swift and Peterson probably aren't starters on half of the teams in the Big XII. We all love these guys but they weren't SO loaded with talent that they cannot be replaced. Like Zac Taylor and Ganzy, these guys were gamers. If we can replace gamers with talent, that's a step up. I'm cautiously optimistic about the WR position this year. There are some familiar names who could produce (Meno Holt and Niles Paul), but we're hearing plenty about other guys (Curenski Gilleylen, Bryan Kinnie and Antonio Bell) who might step up as well, and whom the coaches think may be playmakers. All things considered, I don't think we're going to have a big dropoff in the passing game.

Because we did it the previous 40 years, which has as much relevance as the last two trips we made to Lawrence this year. Did you watch last year's game? Did you see Reesing put on his butt over and over, unable to outrun our defensive linemen? Our D-Line stands to be better this year than last year, and your O-Line looks to be worse. I appreciate your optimism, but let's not forget - you were down 17 points with two minutes to go last year and scored a garbage time TD to cut the margin to ten points. The score doesn't reflect the domination we put on you guys. The game wasn't close.

Nevada could beat Notre Dame.

Wow! A North Dakota fan! Go Bison, yeah? OK, just kidding. I get where you're coming from about Penn State. But they have a good set of replacements coming in, so it's not a terrible spot for them. Bottom line, outside of Florida, Texas, Oklahoma and USC (and maybe not even USC) everyone has enough questions at this point in the season that this is just a huge mess.

IT'S NOT ENOUGH!! DO YOU HEAR ME!?!!!????!?!???!!!!??? IT! IS! NOT! ENOUGH!!!!!! If we're not aligned in a harmonious convergence with USC, Florida, Texas, Oklahoma and LSU, we might as well give up football. Forever. Because without that kind of class THIS YEAR, we will never, ever, ever win anything ever again. Ever. May God have mercy on our souls.

you are the most brilliant internet BBS poster i have ever met. Agreed. You have the vocabulary of a panicked aspidistra, Cy. Keep on keepin' on.

I think we'll find, the longer we interact, that we think a lot alike. And we both get grumpy. Aside from our differences in teams, I appreciate your input. You're intelligent and often funny. Bygones.

You're one tough hombre, jay.

This is going to sound really silly, but this isn't by any chance last year's article, is it? Did they mess up somehow and copypasta from 2008? Even still, there's just no way to explain this. These predictions aren't even close to reality.

Here's the link. Turns out it wasn't that hard to find. LINK You were active in that conversation both before and after I asked. It's possible you missed it, but I'm sure you're not missing it this time. Thanks.

I've asked you that several times myself. I'm not going to bother finding them because I have your attention now - so I'm asking, knock it off. Be respectful. And if we took a short poll about your arrogance and pissiness, I think you may be surprised at the result. You've been plenty arrogant here. It's mostly overlooked because you support your team and that's expected, but let's not pretend there's no hubris to your posts.

I know!!!!! I freakin' CAN'T WAIT!!!!!

wow man. i've never been that disrespectful. Dude, you lie. You've been asked several times not to call Nebraska "nub." Several times. And yet, here you go, very next post after taking offense. If you want respect, give respect. If you want to be known as the "gayhawks" from now on, by all means keep up with the "nub" crap. You have absolutely no right to be offended here.

FTFY

It is possible that we can beat Oklahoma. It is unlikely that we will beat Oklahoma. It is unlikely that we will lose to Missouri, Colorado and Kansas.

Simply putting a season under the belts of these O-Linemen isn't going to make them good. Sometimes players just aren't that great. Sure, Skinner can make up for a lot of ugliness on the line simply because he's an experienced playmaker, but he can't do it alone. I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that Nebraska fans aren't concerned about WR. It's one of our two glaring weaknesses (defensive secondary) heading into the season. Wake has the same problem, but they also have the same benefit the Huskers have - some good running backs to take the heat off the passing game. The thing is, I'll take Nebraska's line over Wake's any day. We'll see how those schemes slow Griffin down. They may work. All I'm saying is, he gets into open space and you're not going to catch him, and UConn's weakest up front. Their experienced LBs will help, and they may corral Griffin quite well. But it's not a guaranteed loss. I'm not going to try to talk you out of your stance here. Let's just say I don't see it that way. We'll see if I'm wrong once they take the first snap.

Do you happen to watch any games besides Kansas games? Just curious, because Harrell seemed pretty rattled at times against Nebraska last year. And I think he was a little rattled against Oklahoma. And I think he was a little rattled against Ole Miss, too.

Really? You're worked up over giving up 17 points, plus a garbage time TD, to a bowl team when we replaced an entire coaching staff, installed new schemes and had just come off a 5-7 season? And you're still bothered by that? You'd think there would be bigger and better things to worry about. But to each their own, I guess.

Wake has a suspect O Line, and while they return all five starters, it was a poor unit last year. Riley Skinner returns for his SR season, as do RBs Pendergrass and JR Josh Adams. However, Wake lost their top two WRs and replace them with Sophomores this year. It may not matter how experienced Skinner is - if teams stuff the run, he's going to have to rely on that porous O Line to protect him while his inexperienced WRs get open. Wake is not at all a sure loss for Baylor. UConn lost Tyler Lorenzen and Donald Brown, who combined for 147% of their offense last year. As much press as Lorenzen got last year, UConn only threw five TDs as a team all of last season. Baylor's greatest weapon is Griffin, and UConn is replacing three of their front four on the D Line. They return all three LBs from last year, but these guys aren't even close to Griffin's speed (not that most anyone is). If Griffin breaks through the first level on these guys... he's gone. No. No you don't. Griffin may not be much of a passer, but neither was Tommie Frazier or Eric Crouch. And they did OK as QBs.

I just checked Facebook and caught this blurb from Sean Callahan: That got me thinking, what else are people saying about Allen? I found this on Tim Griffin's ESPN Blog: I like how he listed Suh ahead of McCoy. But seeing Allen's name as a possibility for the Hendricks, even if he's not on the initial watch list, is pretty cool. It means people are noticing, and he's got potential. Soonersports.com has this blurb about the D Line in their Opponent Preview section: So while Suh is, understandably, getting a lot of attention, it seems like Allen is not being overshadowed. As much impact as Suh is supposed to make this year, getting any pub for another member of the D Line is pretty cool. I hope Carl P is right, and that Allen is ready to make a big impact this year. A superstar on the end, combined with a superstar in the middle, should make this a formidable D Line this year, and cover up any blemishes in the defensive secondary. If those blemishes are fixed in the secondary, this defense as a whole could be poised to make a gargantuan leap this year.

1) She was making a joke. You're still riled by the disrespect from some others, but this was (I'm pretty sure) supposed to be somewhat funny. 2) Nebraska is no longer a right wing bastion. Gallup's latest shows we're a battlground state, leaning left. In context for Nebraska, that means we're flaming liberals.

Brooks is a potential monster but you're right - he has to put it together. As (allegedly) good as he is, the fact that he has barely sniffed the field when we had savvy but less-gifted athletes like Peterson and Swift starting is a huge red flag. Antonio Bell could find some PT coming his way this year, as could Khiry Cooper, if Brooks doesn't emerge. And I agree about Meno and Paul. Paul was a four-star WR coming in, and hasn't done much of much since. It's time. Time, time time! Amukamara is, by all accounts, a fairly gifted athlete. But far too often you'll see him standing around, or whiffing on a ballcarrier, or just plain out of position. He needs to step up and become that tiger he's supposed to be. Dejon Gomes is (hopefully) lighting a fire under Amukamara this summer.

Actually, it wouldn't surprise me at all if, given the wussiness of our games leading up to VaTech, that even if we're 2-0, we might drop out of the top 25. ....? Compared to the wussiness of, say, Florida's games? Or Texas'? Or Penn State's? Have you looked at the non-conference schedules of the preseason top 25 teams? Ours isn't anything to write home about, but it's on par with about 20 other teams.