Schedule, Osborne, Pete Carroll

[huskersurfer]

Did anyone else listen to Colin Cowherd's radio show this morning and he interviewed Pete Carroll and they were talking about schedules. Cowherd was ragging on Ohio States out of conference schedule again and talking about how USC doesn't play week teams.

 

Although USC does have some week teams in the past 9 years (Hawaii, BYU, Colorado State) I have to agree with Cowherd that at least that don't have teams like Utah State, Maine, Ball State, Western Illinois. Pete Carroll said that (not word for word) that you can pick your schedule and playing top teams builds a Champions mentality. I know they do have Idaho comming up and that some of those schools previously mentioned aren't champoinship contenders. But, look at their schedule the last nine years. They play Notre Dame, I know they stink they have made it to the BCS 2 out of the last 3 years. And you can say they didn't belong there but Notre Dame is still better than Maine, Ball State and Western Illinois. They also played teams like Nebraska, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas State, Auburn, Virginia Tech in the last 9 years.

 

Look at next years out of Conference schedule for Nebraska. (San Jose St. New Mexico State, Virginia Tech, and Western Mich) 3 out of 4 should not be on our schedule. If we want to be an elite program that includes playing legitimate teams.

 

So I am asking for HUSKER fans to write Osborne while he is A.D. to start adding better teams than the crap we are playing next year. For instance every year I send an email to Iowa and Nebraska saying we should play every year alternating home fields. It would be a great tradition to start. Iowa should drop Iowa State until they do something positive with that program. Think about it they are close together, Like most Nebraska fans I can't stand the Hawkeyes and all of my friends who are Hawkeye fans can't stand us. They are legitimate programs and more importantly they both play in a BCS conference. (I know it won't happen, but trying to put pressure on the A.D.)

 

At least we could play teams at the bottom end of other conferences instead of a bunch of Div I Wannabee's.

 

If we want to get back on top I think it is important to do a better job at scheduling. I know it is difficult to get top schools, but we don't always need to get the LSU, or USC's. I think that other schools like USC have done a better job at scheduling and that as fans we should put more pressure on the University to add better teams.

[melscott62]

Did anyone else listen to Colin Cowherd's radio show this morning and he interviewed Pete Carroll and they were talking about schedules. Cowherd was ragging on Ohio States out of conference schedule again and talking about how USC doesn't play week teams.

 

Although USC does have some week teams in the past 9 years (Hawaii, BYU, Colorado State) I have to agree with Cowherd that at least that don't have teams like Utah State, Maine, Ball State, Western Illinois. Pete Carroll said that (not word for word) that you can pick your schedule and playing top teams builds a Champions mentality. I know they do have Idaho comming up and that some of those schools previously mentioned aren't champoinship contenders. But, look at their schedule the last nine years. They play Notre Dame, I know they stink they have made it to the BCS 2 out of the last 3 years. And you can say they didn't belong there but Notre Dame is still better than Maine, Ball State and Western Illinois. They also played teams like Nebraska, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas State, Auburn, Virginia Tech in the last 9 years.

 

Look at next years out of Conference schedule for Nebraska. (San Jose St. New Mexico State, Virginia Tech, and Western Mich) 3 out of 4 should not be on our schedule. If we want to be an elite program that includes playing legitimate teams.

 

So I am asking for HUSKER fans to write Osborne while he is A.D. to start adding better teams than the crap we are playing next year. For instance every year I send an email to Iowa and Nebraska saying we should play every year alternating home fields. It would be a great tradition to start. Iowa should drop Iowa State until they do something positive with that program. Think about it they are close together, Like most Nebraska fans I can't stand the Hawkeyes and all of my friends who are Hawkeye fans can't stand us. They are legitimate programs and more importantly they both play in a BCS conference. (I know it won't happen, but trying to put pressure on the A.D.)

 

At least we could play teams at the bottom end of other conferences instead of a bunch of Div I Wannabee's.

 

If we want to get back on top I think it is important to do a better job at scheduling. I know it is difficult to get top schools, but we don't always need to get the LSU, or USC's. I think that other schools like USC have done a better job at scheduling and that as fans we should put more pressure on the University to add better teams.

 

 

we arent an elite program. we are a rebuilding program. our schedule is fine. to me as long as you play a decent schedule you are fine. you dont have to play great teams week in and week out. out 90's teams didnt. to me being in the big 12, if you play one great non conference game(like usc this year VT next) and one good team(wake this year) that is enough. dont forget usc doesnt have to play in a conf title game and we will.

[DCHusker]

Did anyone else listen to Colin Cowherd's radio show this morning and he interviewed Pete Carroll and they were talking about schedules. Cowherd was ragging on Ohio States out of conference schedule again and talking about how USC doesn't play week teams.

 

Although USC does have some week teams in the past 9 years (Hawaii, BYU, Colorado State) I have to agree with Cowherd that at least that don't have teams like Utah State, Maine, Ball State, Western Illinois. Pete Carroll said that (not word for word) that you can pick your schedule and playing top teams builds a Champions mentality. I know they do have Idaho comming up and that some of those schools previously mentioned aren't champoinship contenders. But, look at their schedule the last nine years. They play Notre Dame, I know they stink they have made it to the BCS 2 out of the last 3 years. And you can say they didn't belong there but Notre Dame is still better than Maine, Ball State and Western Illinois. They also played teams like Nebraska, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas State, Auburn, Virginia Tech in the last 9 years.

 

Look at next years out of Conference schedule for Nebraska. (San Jose St. New Mexico State, Virginia Tech, and Western Mich) 3 out of 4 should not be on our schedule. If we want to be an elite program that includes playing legitimate teams.

 

So I am asking for HUSKER fans to write Osborne while he is A.D. to start adding better teams than the crap we are playing next year. For instance every year I send an email to Iowa and Nebraska saying we should play every year alternating home fields. It would be a great tradition to start. Iowa should drop Iowa State until they do something positive with that program. Think about it they are close together, Like most Nebraska fans I can't stand the Hawkeyes and all of my friends who are Hawkeye fans can't stand us. They are legitimate programs and more importantly they both play in a BCS conference. (I know it won't happen, but trying to put pressure on the A.D.)

 

At least we could play teams at the bottom end of other conferences instead of a bunch of Div I Wannabee's.

 

If we want to get back on top I think it is important to do a better job at scheduling. I know it is difficult to get top schools, but we don't always need to get the LSU, or USC's. I think that other schools like USC have done a better job at scheduling and that as fans we should put more pressure on the University to add better teams.

 

 

I agree with you overall, but having VaTech on the schedule already makes our nonconference schedule harder than that of most teams. I would like to see us continue playing mid-bottom-tier BCS conference opponents, such as Wake Forest this year, instead of terrible non-BCS conference and I-AA teams.

 

This year's schedule was pretty good. One top team (USC), one mid-bottom level BCS conference team (WF), one quality non-BCS conference team (Ball St.), and one pushover (Nevada).

 

Next year's is a little too soft for my liking. Would switch out either San Jose St. or New Mexico St. for someone better.

 

I like the Iowa idea, though I'm not sure they would ever drop Iowa St.

[billdozer15]

 

 

 

I agree with you overall, but having VaTech on the schedule already makes our nonconference schedule harder than that of most teams. I would like to see us continue playing mid-bottom-tier BCS conference opponents, such as Wake Forest this year, instead of terrible non-BCS conference and I-AA teams.

 

This year's schedule was pretty good. One top team (USC), one mid-bottom level BCS conference team (WF), one quality non-BCS conference team (Ball St.), and one pushover (Nevada).

 

Next year's is a little too soft for my liking. Would switch out either San Jose St. or New Mexico St. for someone better.

 

I like the Iowa idea, though I'm not sure they would ever drop Iowa St.

 

I love the Iowa idea. I live in Des Moines and recently this year there was talk about discontinuing the Iowa vs ISU game. There was a disagreement between the terms and Iowa is getting screwed in the $$ dept and Iowa doesn't really gain anything by playing the game. However, I dont think Iowa would be willing to schedule us anytime soon especially after the two a$$ kickings we gave them in 99' and 00'.

[LouisianaHuskerFan]

I think the Iowa idea is a great idea. I doubt it will ever happen but I would be in support of playing them every year. Great suggestion.

[bethelbacker]

Love the Iowa idea, but I have to agree with melscott here. You don't want to come out of the non-conference slate completely burned out and beaten up. Go for one marquee matchup (Va Tech/USC), one against a low-tier top 25 team, then get lowly D-1 programs (not 1-AA) to run up the score and get some momentum.

[knapplc]

If we want to get back on top I think it is important to do a better job at scheduling. I know it is difficult to get top schools, but we don't always need to get the LSU, or USC's. I think that other schools like USC have done a better job at scheduling and that as fans we should put more pressure on the University to add better teams.

I don't suppose you bothered to check out the Nebraska non-conference schedules when we were dominating in the 90s, did you?

 

I'm guessing no because it would make your argument completely moot. Go see who we played in 1994 - 1997, and be sure to look at their win/loss records, not just their names, and then come back and tell us again that a tough non-conference schedule is necessary to be a respectable program.

[SkerMin8r]

Take a look at KU this year. They played a "creampuff" noncon and I believe that's what lead to their success. They beat the crap out of lesser talent for the first half of the season and in the process built their confidence. On the other hand, we played a challenging noncon...and...well...you see my point?

[fatirishhusker]

The other side of this is that Nebraska has had difficulty in the last few years getting teams to do a home/home series with them. I have been impressed that Va Tech and UCLA (for 2010/2011) were willing to do this with us.

[Cy the Cyclone]

 

So I am asking for HUSKER fans to write Osborne while he is A.D. to start adding better teams than the crap we are playing next year. For instance every year I send an email to Iowa and Nebraska saying we should play every year alternating home fields. It would be a great tradition to start. Iowa should drop Iowa State until they do something positive with that program. Think about it they are close together, Like most Nebraska fans I can't stand the Hawkeyes and all of my friends who are Hawkeye fans can't stand us. They are legitimate programs and more importantly they both play in a BCS conference. (I know it won't happen, but trying to put pressure on the A.D.)

 

At least we could play teams at the bottom end of other conferences instead of a bunch of Div I Wannabee's.

 

 

Two words - Appalachia State

 

Oops...two more words - Ball State....

 

As for Iowa dropping Iowa State until they do something positive with their program...you might want to consider the fact that ISU routinely thumps Iowa in their annual meeting Perhaps you should send your emails to UNI. I'm sure they would look forward to the challenge.

[numarimba82]

There was an article with Tim Cassidy commenting on building a non conference schedule. There is a ton of money involved in setting up games. They have to plan them years and year out in advance. I believe the series with USC was set up 8 years ago or so. Who would have known they would be the caliber of team they are now when we scheduled that.

 

Most teams want puddly non conf games because if you win out, then you only have two more wins needed to be bowl eligible. I think that is a horrible mind set to have but it's true. I do think Kansas gained a lot of momentum with their horribly weak schedule. I think you need balance of a good team, and then pair it down from there. I think NU's non conf schedule this year was pretty good. Unfortunately the USC game took a lot out of our team but that's how the ball rolls sometimes.

[Wally]

A lot was made of the Husker schedule in the 90's because our non-conference schedule contained a bunch of marshmellows.

 

Part of the problem for Nebraska is that we do not get state money to support the football program. Unlike many universities (Colorado and others), NU sports have to earn the money they need to improve facilities, pay employees, etc., etc.

 

When Nebraska schedules a smaller school it

1) Allows NU to play the game in Lincoln where a full stadium creates a big payday for both schools. and

2) The next year we don't have to play on their field for little revenue.

 

When we play USC we play home/home and when we go on the road we don't get the same amount of revenue as a home game. Nebraska needs a certain number of home games to make ends meet and finance the other sports.

 

I may not be stating the logic exactly correct but that is the general reason for NU playing a weak non-conference schedule.

[huskersurfer]

If we want to get back on top I think it is important to do a better job at scheduling. I know it is difficult to get top schools, but we don't always need to get the LSU, or USC's. I think that other schools like USC have done a better job at scheduling and that as fans we should put more pressure on the University to add better teams.

I don't suppose you bothered to check out the Nebraska non-conference schedules when we were dominating in the 90s, did you?

 

I'm guessing no because it would make your argument completely moot. Go see who we played in 1994 - 1997, and be sure to look at their win/loss records, not just their names, and then come back and tell us again that a tough non-conference schedule is necessary to be a respectable program.

 

 

 

Actually it proves my point according to the years you outlined in 94 we played West Virginia, Texas Tech, UCLA, Pacific and Wyoming.(Not Good, But Not Bad) 95 Mich State, Arizona State, Washington State, and Pacific(3 out of four teams in top conferences), 96 Mich State, Arizona State, Colorado St.(2 out of three in Top Conferences, the Other is respectful) 97 Akron, Central Florida, and Washington. (Two crap games and 1 from a top conference)

 

In 94, 95 we had one school (Pacific) that we should not have played. All the other ones might have been bad but at least they came from TOP conferences or been Div. I. 96 gave us two teams from TOP BCS Conferences and one easy Div I (Colorado St.) Then in 1997 we play two podunk schools and Washington and we had to share the National Title. I wonder what would have happened if we would have played two teams from a major conference, we might not have had to share that title.

 

I am not saying schedule the best of each conference, but if we have such a great tradition of being such a power house we should NEVER be playing anything lower than Div I football. It is disrespectful to the team, and it doesn't belong here at Nebraska. You want easy games that is fine with me but take them from a respectful DIV I conference. The fact that we even think about playing some of these schools is an embarrassment.

 

Look at the next two years, San Jose St., New Mexico St., Western Mich., Fla Atlantic, La. Layfatette, Arkansas State. And a home and away with Virg. Tech. IN ONE YEAR WE ARE PLAYING THREE TEAMS FROM THE SUN BELT CONFERENCE. I can handle one team from the Sun Belt, or Mid-American in one year but no way should we be playing 3 in a year.

 

 

I mean we can't get a Minnesota, Northwestern, Washington State, Stanford, Arizona, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Maryland, Virginia, Syracuse,Purdue, Vanderbilt, Easy games from good conferences.

[knapplc]

I may not be stating the logic exactly correct but that is the general reason for NU playing a weak non-conference schedule.

You did fine, and that certainly is a factor in the schedule, but another major factor is that most teams don't want to play very difficult non-conference schedules is that it drastically increases your chances of a loss, which removes you (in a normal year, not this year) from MNC contention.

[knapplc]

I don't suppose you bothered to check out the Nebraska non-conference schedules when we were dominating in the 90s, did you?

 

I'm guessing no because it would make your argument completely moot. Go see who we played in 1994 - 1997, and be sure to look at their win/loss records, not just their names, and then come back and tell us again that a tough non-conference schedule is necessary to be a respectable program.

 

Actually it proves my point

So your point is to schedule teams that sound good, no matter how bad they really are? That's no point at all, that's just nonsense.

 

There is no way you are going to improve your lot in the quest for the MNC by playing a boatload of 5-6 teams (which those mid-90s teams played in their non-conference schedule) simply because they happen to be from a certain conference. That makes absolutely no sense.