Mark May picking the Huskers?!?

[CalHusker]

I just about fell out of my chair. During half time of Marshall vs Akron game on ESPN2 the question was asked "who has the best chance in the Big 12 North...?" Mark May busted out with "Nebraska! The Blackshirts are back and Bill Callahan is doing a great job...!" Trev had no response, he probably couldn't believe what he was hearing either. I just hope that doesn't jinx us.

[DaveH]

Wow, that's weird. As far as Trev goes I don't see how he can go from this before the Baylor game :

 

"If I were a Nebraska player, I think my frustration level would be very high right now. … I'd really reach out to my teammates, because all they have is each other. Those new coaches, they don't have any kind of real passion for Nebraska football. They're just getting paid.

 

"If I were a Nebraska player, I don't care what it would take — even if my coaches were yelling and screaming in my face — I would not allow anything to get in the way of my intense love for Husker football.

 

"So, I'd encourage the players to lean on one another this week. After all, it's the players' team. They'll ultimately decide who they are and what they are.

 

"The bottom line is, I think there are external factors hindering the progress of that team. Those same kids who played with such confidence last year look like they're timid and afraid of making mistakes.

 

To this before the ISU game:

 

I really want to commend Coach Callahan and his staff for a couple of seemingly minor philosophical changes that made a major impact. To see a head coach take a step back and admit a mistake. … In what can be an insecure profession, there aren't a lot of coaches who would do that.

 

"You can throw out Brad Smith's and the Missouri offense's struggles. Watching Nebraska's defense, you saw emotion, intensity, a want-to attitude. I thought that for a period of time, the team reflected the values of the Nebraska people.

 

"What you're starting to see is the players taking ownership of the team. Coach (Tom) Osborne always used to tell the players, ‘We'll do our best as coaches, but seniors, this is your team. You'll ultimately decide who and what you are.' The chemistry, leadership and ownership comes from the players.

 

"Now, Nebraska needs to build off of that Missouri game when the Huskers play Iowa State. The average person will say it'll be an ugly, low-scoring game. I think it'll be a battle, a test of wills. I like Nebraska, let's say 16-10, in a hard-fought defensive battle where defensive toughness and special teams make a big difference."

 

So it was never about the coaches, was it Trev? Before they were "just getting paid' with no real passion for the game and now they are to be commended? There is no reason why you didn't say something along the lines of " These players need to take ownership of team, that's what Osborne wanted out of us." Instead you point to some vague "external factors", then come back to say that everything is hunky dorey now? BS.