The Myth and The Truth about the Husker Talent Gap

[papersun87]

As far as the talent gap goes, we are not light years behind anybody. Period. Bo said himself that the speed comes from the execution of the scheme. Whereas we had no scheme pretty much with Coz, there was no speed to be shown. And with all the talk about Pelini's first year as D coordinator and getting blown out by 3 teams, you have to remember that Bo was coming from the NFL and was still getting accustomed back to the college game. I dont believe that if he was still here that he would've had that happen again. This shows by him playing and defeating most of the teams he coached while at LSU the last three years. We have the talent to win on both sides of the ball, and now we finally have a coach that will show that. I agree with the post about these kids being ready to prove themselves, and that is a very dangerous thing to other teams in college football.

Excellent first post.

[husker B-rent]

As far as the talent gap goes, we are not light years behind anybody. Period. Bo said himself that the speed comes from the execution of the scheme. Whereas we had no scheme pretty much with Coz, there was no speed to be shown. And with all the talk about Pelini's first year as D coordinator and getting blown out by 3 teams, you have to remember that Bo was coming from the NFL and was still getting accustomed back to the college game. I dont believe that if he was still here that he would've had that happen again. This shows by him playing and defeating most of the teams he coached while at LSU the last three years. We have the talent to win on both sides of the ball, and now we finally have a coach that will show that. I agree with the post about these kids being ready to prove themselves, and that is a very dangerous thing to other teams in college football.

 

very good post, strongly agree.

[husker B-rent]

As far as the talent gap goes, we are not light years behind anybody. Period. Bo said himself that the speed comes from the execution of the scheme. Whereas we had no scheme pretty much with Coz, there was no speed to be shown. And with all the talk about Pelini's first year as D coordinator and getting blown out by 3 teams, you have to remember that Bo was coming from the NFL and was still getting accustomed back to the college game. I dont believe that if he was still here that he would've had that happen again. This shows by him playing and defeating most of the teams he coached while at LSU the last three years. We have the talent to win on both sides of the ball, and now we finally have a coach that will show that. I agree with the post about these kids being ready to prove themselves, and that is a very dangerous thing to other teams in college football.

 

and welcome to the board!

[bbhusker]

Thanks. Always wanted to get involved. Just got tired of hearing all the negative feelings towards the players. And to this day, I still dont believe that Billy C let anyone call the plays but himself. Maybe a few times but not very often.

[Travis9]

I just have to chime in. This is one of the best posts on here in quite a while. There have been many great points.

 

1. Mu is ahead of Nu in some areas yes

 

2. Nu is ahead of Mu again in some areas yes.

 

3. more importantly here is the unpredictable. There are so many things we dont know about NU.

 

a. O-Line, if they adopt a Pelini mentality then yes i think not only are they better than MU they quite possibly could be the best in the conference.

 

b. RB. No Brainer we are better than MU

 

c. QB. If Ganz is our starter then MU is way ahead, but here comes one of the unknowns. Lee is more talented than Ganz PERIOD. If Lee starts then MU still has an advantage but how big of one noone knows

 

d. WR. Probably the biggest unknown. If swift and petersen are the starters then we are probably last in the North as far as WR are concerned. However, i for one believe that Henry Paul and Holt are extremely good. I dont think they played for Cally because he was more concerned with going exactly 14.6 yds and cutting at an exact 36.9 percent angle than he was getting the most gifted athletes in the game. I believe if the youngsters are given the chance then do we not only improve in the WR department i think we are ahead of MU. I am telling you all, watching practice, Paul Henry and Holt should have played last year and should all be on the field this year A LOT. Henry is a star in the making big tall fast good hands a pure playmaker with better speed and jumping ability than MO Pure. Paul was better than Nunn and Hardy the day he stepped on the practice field, Holt is better than swift and petersen. Catches better, is bigger and more physical, and has more speed. Also watch out for Brooks, in practices last year he came on real strong and could be a huge positive suprise next year. However, if not given the chance and we see a ton of swift awnd petersen then we dont matchup with anyone talent wise at the WR position

 

TE dont care who we play they are not Coffman huge edge to MU

[moe]

you are correct, my mistake. looking at another schedule.

 

Wow! That's some serious memory-suppression!

[Hunter94]

you are correct, my mistake. looking at another schedule.

 

Wow! That's some serious memory-suppression!

 

 

yeah, well trying to suppress the whole damn 2007 season is a big task!

[pctopeka]

At this time last year, everyone laughed at KU's lack of talent. They were picked to finish way down in the North. MU had no talent on defense at this time last year.

 

The difference between athletic talent at Division I schools is not that great. They all lift a lot of weight, they all run fast 40 times, they all have fabulous vertical jumps. Teamwork, fundamentals, dedication, desire, confidence, preparation...these are the things that make winning football teams.

 

We'll just have to wait and see. One thing is for sure...the players are working way harder this off-season than they have worked for years. One thing I learned in the Marines, is that the harder you work, the harder is is to lose.

[huskerswrkhavoc]

We'll just have to wait and see. One thing is for sure...the players are working way harder this off-season than they have worked for years. One thing I learned in the Marines, is that the harder you work, the harder is is to lose.

 

yes, agreed, but i think its going to take more than just the one offseason to see a big enough difference from the lack of s&c in the past...

[hack]

more recruiting punditry...

 

realfootball365.com

 

Huskers' Pelini puts recruiting in its place

 

Posted by: Marc Hudgens on February 12, 2008 1:01 PM

Needless to say, college football is huge business with two co-existing forces at work -- on-field results or recruiting. Depending on whom you ask, it's up for argument as to which force is more important.

 

Common sense says on-field results. Championships, BCS bowls, the end result of all this. But listening to some fans and team pundits you'd think recruiting.

 

This player has this-many stars or can run the forty-yard dash in 4.2 seconds or whatever. These so-called "statistics" bring forth a hope of what's to come, and it's easy to get caught up in them -- even this columnist has been guilty of it from time to time.

 

But in Lincoln, head coach Bo Pelini, who's only been in his first head coaching gig for two months now and likely under tremendous pressure to give up the goods, has done a superb job in keeping his perspective on the straight and narrow.

 

In the waning hours of National Signing Day, which is akin to a second Christmas among many college football fans, Pelini made a point to avoid mentioning his newly-signed commitments by name and, furthermore, avoided delving into the equally juicy topic of his coaching staff's recruiting territories. Many fans were left with jaw dropped, wondering why their leader never threw them so much as a bone or two on this group of young men, especially given all that Nebraska's recruiting had to overcome since November.

 

"I don't really want to get into anyone today specifically," Pelini said last Wednesday. "Like I said, we're recruiting talent and potential. I'm proud of every recruit we have. What they become in the future, that remains to be seen."

 

It's the team concept, pure and simple. A synergy, if you will. Furthermore no one, including the coaching staff much less any fan, can accurately judge a recruiting class until a few years after the fact.

 

Pelini was reported as only referring to this year's stable as a "class". But it's clear that he is the one who truly displayed class by sticking to the team thing, because the verdict doesn't lie in whom all you bring in, it's how they turn out.

[rkhufu7]

UT, OU, OSU and MU all have better talent than NU. Your talent is more on the KSU, TAMU and Colorado level, which is a GAP from OU and UT. Did you see how superior OU looked to Missouri and the Tigers looked that much better than KU? NU has to get better team speed in the back 7 on defense! Where was the explosive offense when it mattered vs Texas, Missouri, OSU, TAMU? It just showed up vs KSU, CU and KU, while giving up 76. 76 POINTS! That's what NU used to put up vs Minnesota, ASU and directional schools like OSU! That offense is no given!

[hskrpwr13]

....... and directional schools like OSU!

 

 

[huskerswrkhavoc]

UT, OU, OSU and MU all have better talent than NU. Your talent is more on the KSU, TAMU and Colorado level, which is a GAP from OU and UT. Did you see how superior OU looked to Missouri and the Tigers looked that much better than KU? NU has to get better team speed in the back 7 on defense! Where was the explosive offense when it mattered vs Texas, Missouri, OSU, TAMU? It just showed up vs KSU, CU and KU, while giving up 76. 76 POINTS! That's what NU used to put up vs Minnesota, ASU and directional schools like OSU! That offense is no given!

 

 

different QB dipsh*t....

 

makes a difference, ya know?

 

 

 

and our "TALENT" is much higher than that of KSU, TAMU, and CU... MUCH.. now, our talent hasn't been coached for the past 4 years, thats not our fault.. but the talent in general is better..... and if you didnt notice? we were up on texas late.... not our fault coz's D let Charles go off in the 4th quarter....

[TrumanBD]

 

the 08 have not lost a game......so if you are goin to talk football.then tell me how MU has more talent

 

 

TE......Cauffman....Hetzer????????

 

I think arguing that Coffman isn't going to be one of the best TE in the Big 12 next year is a little delusional. I've been saying this for 2 years, but in many respects, Coffman is a better TE than Rucker was. It is hard to argue that MU has the edge here, at least if you are being rational.

 

O-line............no doubt NU

This one is maybe a bit of a tossup. Our O-line played outstanding last year. Daniel had all the time in the world to throw the ball. We did lose two key players, but the guys stepping into those roles this year did get lots of playing time last year.

 

QB.........Ganz 19 td's 8 int's in three games......or Chase....30 td's all year......I like Ganz at home +NU

I think Ganz has a lot of potential, but it is hard to argue against a three year Senior who has started every game for the last two years and was a Heisman trophy finalist.

 

RB...Lucky and Co. are light years ahead of Earl Goldsmith.....NU wins this one

The edge probably goes to NU here, but Goldsmith will likely be our 3rd string running back. Jimmy Jackson and Derrick Washington had far more carries than him in 07 and that will continue in 08 as well.

 

WR..........Maclin is awsome.......but the Tigers live and die with TE and RB play....got to like a draw at home in this column........slight edge to MU

I think you have to give more than a slight edge to MU here. With Maclin and Denario Alexander our receiving corps should be just as good as last year.

 

unfortunately for you.Keller and BC won't be around to mismanage the game...when Ganz or Lee breaks off a big run early to give the Huskers a lead at home....You will be N then

 

The other thing completely missing from this post is any discussion of the defense. We return 9 starters on defense next year. Our defense will be tough. That continues to be a question mark for NU.

[skersfan]

The answer will be we have Pelini I am sure.

 

I think Bo is a great coach, but he has never beaten a team with better talent while at Nebraska. Any time his team faced superior talent we got run.

 

He is a good coach, but can only do so much. Most feel the only reason we lost last year was because of Coz and Coach Callahan. Nothing could be farther from the truth in my mind.

 

I honestly will be hard pressed to believe we actuallly have a position that is as good as what Missouri has, and most likely a couple deep in numerous positions.

 

Thinking that Ganz at home is on the level of Daniels is so far out there it is beyond belief. There is no comparison. Lee maybe, but totally unproven.

 

We have to remember we have not beaten a top ten team in a long long long long long time. We came close to Texas a couple of years ago, but that was it. How some feel we can instantly turn into a team that can beat 4 teams that most likely will be ranked in the top ten and a couple in the top 5 are beyond me.

 

We are facing teams that have been playing well for the last three or four years. Missouri is on a roll, they have managed to hang onto all of their seniors for next year. That makes a pretty strong statement about what they are about. VaTech will come in here ready to kill, after the loss to Kansas last year. We will get their best shot, they know how to play to ten teams and win. Kansas has been improving since Mangino got there, they have dealt us fits every game. We do not have the speed to compete with Texas Tech. Oklahoma is just Oklahoma, but I expect us to play better against them than any other.

 

But we still can be in some of these games, and win them all, if the team buys in and works like they need to. That boils down to who wants it the worst. These kids have been playing football long enough to know exactly what is needed to be the best. We are not just driving around picking kids up out of hay fields any longer. All have been through high school and some Texas High Scchool programs rival most colleges for preperation. I still believe that was the problem last year. My thinking the two main problems left this year, one was Mckeon and the other I shall leave unamed as I am sure I will get blown up for even thinking it. But I had my fears about it all year. Still think it played a part in this teams meltdown.

 

If the cancer left, we have a much better chance I think.

 

Bo will get everything out them he can, will it be enough is the question.