Hujan

We actually discovered some decent talent on the roster (Cross, Ozigbo), when Riley/Langsdorf finally pulled the plug on the Newby debacle. It's shame it took them 8-9 games. God only knows what records Wilbon might have broke if he was allowed to run. Love how we rewrite history. Newby got injured and lost his ability to cut laterally and a large portion of his speed. But please, continue to talk to us about how poor of a running back he was now that he's beat out everyone else for the #1 spot this year. I've heard that claim before. You got a link for the report of this major injury that allegedly cost Newby something he demonstrably never had in the first place? Hell the best move of Newby's career was that jump-cut stumble for a TD against UCLA. And honestly, take out South Alabama where he got almost every carry and the broken play at Minnesota. What do the numbers tell you then? Newby's numbers were fluff.

OWH There's a lot of truth here. It wasn't about 9 wins. It was the animosity with the fans and administration, the rants, the embarrassing behavior, and the overall sense that we'd reached our ceiling under Bo. I felt better about the direction of the program after last season than I did after any season under Bo post 2010.

We actually discovered some decent talent on the roster (Cross, Ozigbo), when Riley/Langsdorf finally pulled the plug on the Newby debacle. It's shame it took them 8-9 games. God only knows what records Wilbon might have broke if he was allowed to run.

Take out the pre-season cupcakes and the one blown play against Minnesota and Newby was in the low to mid-4s. The continued support of Newby is perhaps the biggest reason to question Riley and Langsdorf's coaching abilities, IMO. If they can't see that he simply doesn't have what it takes to be a truly effective back at a Power 5 program, I really have to question their opinion of everything else. Eye test, stats, whatever you want to look at, he simply did not have it last year and it's not really even close. Even worse, I fear that his inability to move the chains will only further undermine their confidence in the running game which is already a tough sell for them in general, and thereby embolden their decision to have Tommy sling the rock 30-40 times a game in a driving rainstorm.

I think that 5.2 was inflated based on him getting virtually all of the carries against the pre-season cupcakes, especially South Alabama. If you take away the TD run he had against Minnesota—which was the product of a blown assignment by the Minnesota D, resulting in a hole big enough to slide a battleship through—he didn't do a single impressive thing during the season with the possible exception of that one TD against UCLA where he dodged a tackler as he fell into the end zone. He might have speed, but he lacked vision, decisiveness, patience, elusiveness, and the ability to break tackles. I lost count of the number of times he actually ran to—not away from—tacklers, only to go down from the slightest contact. There was even a time on a kick return where it look like he got tackled by the defender's shadow. I really, really, really hope the lightbulb came on for him during the offseason, but mostly I just hope that Riley & Co. are not using his productivity (or lack thereof) as the gauge of how successful a running game can or will be at Nebraska. Sometimes it's the singer not the song.

I just hope that Riley has the courage to give Ozigbo and Wilbon fair shots at the #1 spot if/when Newby struggles and doesn't just give up on the run game like he did last year. Riley needs to understand that Newby struggling is not an indictment of the run game as a whole but is simply a reflection of his limited skills. If we feed Ozigbo and Wilbon and give them a chance with artful plays, the run game will work just fine.

Sorry. Players leaving their teams in a terrible spot because they are too mentally weak to face adversity is not worthy of much else. Truth hurts.

I appreciate that he made the decision before spring practice to give the younger guys more reps with the 1s so that he doesn't leave us in as much of a lurch. This just reinforces what the other early leavers on the DL told us: Big body doesn't necessarily mean string mind. Good riddance.

That's not how I remember it, but I'll take your word for it. All I remember is Suh was basically an above-average player after his junior year, nothing to necessarily get too excited about, then came out and dominated his senior year perhaps more than any other DT in the history of college football. But I think it's funny that you're justifying VV's decision in a way that is probably completely counter to how he's justifying it. You think he is a mediocre draft pick and will always be a mediocre draft pick, so might as well get the show on the road now. I think VV has been told he's a 3rd round pick and he wants to sell while his stock is high. Your rationale is completely counter to what his apparent rationale is. Nothing says "NFL potential" like a guy who realizes he will have to step up for this team to succeed and decides to cut and run instead. Not saying that's his rationale, but if you're right that it was, that would concern me as an NFL GM. I would definitely put a check next to the "Looks for the easy way out" box. I think you're taking it the wrong way; I don't think he's looking for the "easy way out." I think he is making the smartest decision for him. I don't think it is, "oh, Maliek is gone, I'm going to have to work harder and do more." I think it is, "my snaps are going to increase greatly, and in turn my chance of injury. Is the upside worth the risk knowing my injury history?" I think it is prudent for him to take 4th round money now rather than come back, risk injury, and maybe get 2nd or 3rd round money. If those were the facts, I could understand it. But the reality is that VV will not go any higher than the 6th round. He hasn't exactly been a workout warrior and it's very hard to see him testing well at the combine. Not to mention that it is a very talent-rich year for DTs. In my view it's leave now and get drafted in the 6th round or come back hard your senior year and strive for a 2nd round spot. But I think your first comment is exactly his fear: With Collins gone, VV knows that he is going to draw the double teams and be the focus of the opposing offensive line and therefore that his stats next year will likely be worse than this year, so he's got to sell while his stock is the highest its going to get. That's fine, but it does not portend a high draft slot or a long, successful career in the NFL.

How would have Valentine benefited by coming back for another year at NU? I'm just curious to why so many people are saying this. Because it would have given him a chance to actually show that he's a dominant athlete at the DT position and not just a guy who occasionally makes a play when he's not taking plays off or in the shop getting repairs for a bum wheel. I still don't see how he would have gone into the top 2 rounds by coming back for another year at NU. There was always going to be doubts about him from NFL scouts. Now, he doesn't have to worry about getting injured again while at NU, and he can prove himself to NFL scouts. The guy has the size and quickness to make it in the NFL. Yes, there are doubts about his motor and willing to play through injuries, and that will cause VV's draft position to be in the 4-6 round range. But, he's just hoping to get drafted and go from there. I can totally understand why he's doing this. I understand what you are saying, but NFL guys don't draft players from their college stats. They draft guys on their skills and their potential to be a good-great NFL player. I disagree; look at Suh. He would have basically been VV had he left after his junior year. Prototypical size, athleticism, etc., but would have been a late draft pick at best. Comes back for his senior year, explodes onto the scene, is runner up for the Heisman (remember that?) and goes in the first round. Not saying VV could have made that kind of transition, but I'm not sure he could do much worse than where he'll be drafted now (assuming he's even drafted). Nothing says "NFL potential" like a guy who realizes he will have to step up for this team to succeed and decides to cut and run instead. Not saying that's his rationale, but if you're right that it was, that would concern me as an NFL GM. I would definitely put a check next to the "Looks for the easy way out" box.

How would have Valentine benefited by coming back for another year at NU? I'm just curious to why so many people are saying this. Because it would have given him a chance to actually show that he's a dominant athlete at the DT position and not just a guy who occasionally makes a play when he's not taking plays off or in the shop getting repairs for a bum wheel.

I find it surprising. IMO, he was our fourth best DT last year after Collins and the Kevins. He just never really lived up to the hype, IMO. I think he would have been better served staying another year, showcasing his stats without having to play in Collins' shadow, and hopefully proving to scouts that he can get through a full season without major injury.

Ozigbo is your hammer in two-back or two-tight end sets. Wilbon will be the Sproles-type of back on screens and draws. It's that simple.

I think it's limited to schools licensed through "IMG," which must be a marketing agency. In other words, it's a ranking of a particular marketing agency's clients, not every possible school. Ohio State and Oregon must use someone else.