dawhuskerkc

I started this thread, but now I'm not so sure about having a fastbreak offense. Michigan State has made it to the final 4 by having a half court offense, and keeping high octane teams in the 60's. They totally frustrated Louiville, who had put 100 points in one game. We are never going to get MacDonald All Americans at Nebraska, so I think slowing the game down might be the only way we ever make it. H4E, Missou and NU split remember. Docs scheme works, its far and away the better scheme for teams knocking on the door against B12 competition, the horses needed to make the scheme productive, night in and night out were just not there. Rebounding and shooting were woeful last season, give Doc, Bears accuracy on the outside and on the pull up drive, and you've given the team a better shooter than what we had, once Velander went cold it was over for the tournaments. Rebounding will be so much better next year with the new PF and centers, this could be huge as so often the teams had 3 4 & even 5 attempts because we could not get the rebounds, a bigger inside game turns these stats inside out. B Richardson and Mccray will be even more effective next year, the new point guard should also provide the depth and skill sets missing to help execute plays, which were not productive due to the size miss matches. IMO Doc should not abandon his defensive style and slower tempo, judging from some of our wins, the style frustrates opponents and with a deeper bench the frustration will lead to more productivity. Free throw shooting must improve, we were flat out lousy in some very close games, with upgraded rebounding, better shooting, and charity stripe improvement, NU's team could deal all opponents fits, those who assume that because we dont have the MAC D AA, we cant win are wrong. Doc counterprograms opposition which frustrates the teams who are designed to run and gun. There is absolutely no game next year that this new assemblage cant beat. IMO the 09 team goes to the 64, if the want too comes out.....playing NU should be a study in taking away what opponents thought they could do, having more productive players who execute will determine our change in fortunes. The 08 version played hard and tough, but its components were just short on execution with respect to limitations that size interjects on a basketball game. while i agree with you, there is just one point i think you are missing. is that all that you mentioned should happen. but you never know if niemann and diaz or even bear, or any other new guy will be as good as we all hope they will be. I have being negative about this but it is the truth. I really hope it happens, but you are talking like it is a lock, which its not. remember Diaz chose to redshirt, not that might be a smart move and he could not have been ready. but my question is why. i rather had a player who wants to get out on the court whenever he can, and why wasnt he ready, had he been slacking when someone wasnt pushing him to work out. that doesnt seem like a Doc player to me. Also this isnt just you but why is everyone saying their will be a new point guard next year. Yes Cookie is short and may not be as talented as other big 12 point guards. but he has led the team for two years (granted, led to NIT, but still led). and what about Sek, he can be inconsistent but still he has proven he can play. I dont know. but the way everyone (including Doc) is talking it sounds like we dont have any point guards, when really we have two that have started. now i have thought by the way Doc says NU needs a point guard and some scholarships might become avalible that he may be hinting at Cookie to transfer, but to me that would be a shame (and a dick move). i dont really know i guess, just wanted to voice my opinion. Also glad to see more people thinking the half-court offense can work at NU. it might not be as fun to watch, but it can get the job done.

IMO with Antonio Bell emerging, kyler Reed Khiry Cooper and Martinez NU is loaded. We need maybe two of the Freshman to be good enough to contribute, Burkhead is ready and could be put in the slot position and the 09 team will be nearly impossible to stop. the biggest surprise we could get is B Qvale is ready for prime time, its been a while since an Olineman emerged in his first fall, but you should try and remember the impact Will Shields had, we just need one great surprise on offense and defense that can add depth early and play into a starting role by year end, Qvale might be the guy. Same would be true on D line the TX Dline man who was player of the year may be the other guy who can contribute in the fall as a rotational player that is good enough, but not necessary, to take starts by year end. I see Crick and Baker as huge question marks, if one or the other makes Suhs double teams non productive, we'll go far. Line backer speed is headed up, saftey tackling and recognition must go up several notches, way too many plays got away from safeties last year. In watsons offense, we can run whatever the opponents weakness are. If Watson sees Lester as a Chris Brown look out, big 12 defenses are not re tooled to stop the power option game, as everyone has spent the last few years adding speed to stop the wide recvr sets, and offenses have focused on the recvrs and timing game. You bring power into this league at this time and i think you hurt everyone else. our depth at TE will enable the power game, and where its not needed will be upgraded with repect to offensive production as well, Reed is a dimnesional rule breaker at the position......He can get on a block faster, and has great hands while in recv mode. Combined the potential is sky high for this team, and skys the limit, if just a few more surpises arrive in the fall.

Mike Sherman is probably selling the same vacuous dream that our former coach did-playing in the NFL. To the point of the thread...the biggest "need" for the 2010 class is, hands down DT and CB. All other positions the Huskers will be adequate with signing one at each position. QB...Lee, Spano, ?Martinez?, Ebke = stocked. RB...Helu, Castille, Okafor, Ward, Burkhead = stocked. WR...Paul, Holt, Bell, Cooper, Gilleylen, Osborne = stocked. TE...McNeill, Young, Cotton, Reed = stocked. OL...stocked DE...stocked. LB...stocked. DB...pretty much stocked. Agree with the mistress on this, IMO with Antonio Bell emerging, kyler Reed Khiry Cooper and Martinez NU is loaded. We need maybe two of the Freshman to be good enough to contribute, Burkhead is ready and could be put in the slot position and the 09 team will be nearly impossible to stop. the biggest surprise we could get is B Qvale is ready for prime time, its been a while since an Olineman emerged in his first fall, but you should try and remember the impact Will Shields had, we just need one great surprise on offense and defense that can add depth early and play into a starting role by year end, Qvale might be the guy. Same would be true on D line the TX Dline man who was player of the year may be the other guy who can contribute in the fall as a rotational player that is good enough, but not necessary, to take starts by year end. I see Crick and Baker as huge question marks, if one or the other makes Suhs double teams non productive, we'll go far. Line backer speed is headed up, saftey tackling and recognition must go up several notches, way too many plays got away from safeties last year. In watsons offense, we can run whatever the opponents weakness are. If Watson sees Lester as a Chris Brown look out, big 12 defenses are not re tooled to stop the power option game, as everyone has spent the last few years adding speed to stop the wide recvr sets, and offenses have focused on the recvrs and timing game. You bring power into this league at this time and i think you hurt everyone else. our depth at TE will enable the power game, and where its not needed will be upgraded with repect to offensive production as well, Reed is a dimnesional rule breaker at the position......He can get on a block faster, and has great hands while in recv mode. Combined the potential is sky high for this team, and skys the limit, if just a few more surpises arrive in the fall.

I started this thread, but now I'm not so sure about having a fastbreak offense. Michigan State has made it to the final 4 by having a half court offense, and keeping high octane teams in the 60's. They totally frustrated Louiville, who had put 100 points in one game. We are never going to get MacDonald All Americans at Nebraska, so I think slowing the game down might be the only way we ever make it. H4E, Missou and NU split remember. Docs scheme works, its far and away the better scheme for teams knocking on the door against B12 competition, the horses needed to make the scheme productive, night in and night out were just not there. Rebounding and shooting were woeful last season, give Doc, Bears accuracy on the outside and on the pull up drive, and you've given the team a better shooter than what we had, once Velander went cold it was over for the tournaments. Rebounding will be so much better next year with the new PF and centers, this could be huge as so often the teams had 3 4 & even 5 attempts because we could not get the rebounds, a bigger inside game turns these stats inside out. B Richardson and Mccray will be even more effective next year, the new point guard should also provide the depth and skill sets missing to help execute plays, which were not productive due to the size miss matches. IMO Doc should not abandon his defensive style and slower tempo, judging from some of our wins, the style frustrates opponents and with a deeper bench the frustration will lead to more productivity. Free throw shooting must improve, we were flat out lousy in some very close games, with upgraded rebounding, better shooting, and charity stripe improvement, NU's team could deal all opponents fits, those who assume that because we dont have the MAC D AA, we cant win are wrong. Doc counterprograms opposition which frustrates the teams who are designed to run and gun. There is absolutely no game next year that this new assemblage cant beat. IMO the 09 team goes to the 64, if the want too comes out.....playing NU should be a study in taking away what opponents thought they could do, having more productive players who execute will determine our change in fortunes. The 08 version played hard and tough, but its components were just short on execution with respect to limitations that size interjects on a basketball game.

Anyone in fandom whose kept abreast of the new season using the message boards as source material seeking insight into the next team, would know that Lester has been off everyones radar. The 6'3" running back is emerging as #3 in the war to succeed the ones and twos. Fandom hasnt given much thought to Lester and yet here he comes....its these kinds of stories we all love, when we find out something about someone who we'd previously not given any thought or speculated about them as contributor.. These depth chart moves are always interesting, demonstrating that potential is buried throughout the roster, and the want to; can come from anywhere when that window of time is opened... some guys just go through it, as if it were theirs all along.

Carl Nicks is a great comparison. Undrafted free agent now a starting or rotational player with NO Saints. Playing guard not tackle and doing well. He had a lot of critics too, and his size hurt his point of attack run blocking as a tackel, his feet were questionable also and would get beat by quicker DE's....welcome to the real world where our limitations are magnified within any convenient vaccuum that is available. Murtha hasnt been healthy very much, so maybe he is now and that allows him to show his stuff, which is obviously pretty impressive to say the least. This last year, all of our linemen got better. Some of the young guys have great upside due to better coaching. In this system linemen pull that isnt what all NFL teams require, so Murtha will get drafted by a team that can use his strengths, as opposed to drafting his apparent weakness. Its always best that the guys talent be evaluated as a holistic body to be placed in an holistic enviroment. Missing on this match between team and person always leads to disappointment. The Big man from Alabama actually went home, apparently way overweight and out of shape. He was everyones big $ guy....but in his performance, (not caring to show up in shape) his dollars should drop big time. Mandrich performance could realisticly be forecast for him....attitude isnt enough, gotta walk the talk.

Guess i am the opposite of you. Matters not a twitt what happened, because we all make our own and share in the mistakes of others. Its clear that chemistry played a role, clear to me at least, that as the chemistry became clarified, a certain sense of panic set in and panic is an enabling influence to the psyche. We have 3 guys on the depth chart and one on his way somewhere else, I'll live with it against the uncertainty of knowing the details, in fact they matter even less, because our team is trying to restore a tradition of mobility at QB, this will be accomplished within the skill sets of the remaining players (including any walk ons ). soap operas are popular, and message board soap operas are just part of the genre of message boards, so while your urge to get to the bottom of this is driving you, my advice is dont take the bait....look at the situation as it is now, 3 deep and moving in the direction we need to go. PW is smart enough to not fall into the same trap as the one we had with Sam K, when his team chemistry issues became a way to stalk his programs character from the inside out. May the force restore the order, taking whatever steps are necessary to nudge things to the proper conclusion, its the quantum way......and its for the best.

Pats got a bag of lemons and I say go make lemonaide. He's a 4.0 student and would do well to talk to Stanford or an Ivy league school. Maybe even Notre Dame. In a way this clarifies the spring in a positive way for the remaining log jam. Hoping the best for Pat and his family and have no doubt he will find the recipe to complete this stage of his life. For me it was clear that in Watsons offense and under Dr T.'O.'s guidance, NU will get back to mobility at QB as a certainty...its a defining characteristic that must be respected, and it felt pretty unnatural while we were seemingly on that other path. The remaining competitors can look positively at a 3 deep and feel like the work they put in will yield something, i suspect J Ganz would be a good example of how a kid should view hisself in the current mix. Ganz mobility was not that useful to the interim offense, but Ganz persevered. Everyone recognizes that Joe never gave up on hisself and neither should any of these guys, Pat included. Wake up and smell the coffee boys, theres bags of lemons on the porch...go get ya one.

Hey Big W...always enjoy your posts. whats your thoughts on Crick? I seem to recall he was getting some props for his strength and conditioning, depth on the DL will be sound if he and Baker create the competition needed to push em both farther. Also does Fahy have anything, age can be big in CFB? Thoughts on Choi the korean OLineman, couldnt he be a defensive tackle ?

Nice story badger..... this seasons team is more fun than any of the previous 10 or so iterations. Doc is quite a coach IMO. Taking the smallest starting lineup as he has and coaching them to competitivness has made the season exciting. These kids have played BIG while being small. Closing out games has been tough, especially the lack of boards in the 4th has really hurt, given up some good leads. havent really had much confidence in NU's BB program for a long time, but Doc has changed that, give him Diaz and Nieman next year and watch some of the boards we miss this year go our way. We will miss ADE, what a player he's been. Bear jones has some game, and lets hope a few of the new gents can develop the same toughness as some of this years squad, they really are gamers, deserving of fan respect.