Outlook for Next Year

[missouri_husker24]

I have been looking at the roster and it looks like next years squad is very promising.

First let's take a look a the starters we lose next year

 

On defense: Turner, Suh, Dillard, Asante, and O'Hanlon

Of offense: Brooks, Holt, and Hickman.

 

On defense 14 guys return that have started in various formations or seen significant playing time.

On offense 16 guys with lots of playing time return. (this includes guys like Green, Dtray, and numerous TEs)

 

Seeing as we only lose about 8 true starters, theoretically we return 14 which is darn good. We can credit Bo and Co. for red-shirting so many players his first year.

 

So just for fun and out of boredom, I will give my opinion of the starters next year and guys in the mix

 

Offense:

-QB: Cody Green or Zac Lee, and possibly Kody Spano or Tyler Gabbert. Green will be more developed and Spano has been in the system almost as long as Lee has. It will prove to be interesting race just like this year. I did no include Martinez because IMO i think he will be playing safety but who knows. I'm unsure as to whether of not Gabbert will graduate early. This will have a large impact on whether he sniffs the field next year.

 

-RB: Helu/Burkhead and Dtray/Mendoza. Obviously when Helu is healthy he is a stud. If both Helu and Burkhead can stay healthy next year we will have a dominant running game. And with Mendoza's speed i will never count him out of the mix. Don't forget Legate. He will only be a soph next year.

 

-WR: Paul, Kinnie, Cooper, Bell, Henery, Gilleylen. Look for guys like Cooper and Bell to have breakout years next season. If Paul can play next season half as well as he played last week, he could finally live up to the hype. Don't forget about upcoming recruit Curtis Carter and his "reported" 4.37 speed. We need someone with that speed getting the football and making plays.

 

-TE: Not a senior on the roster this year. Hopefully McNeill can get the ball as much as he did last year

 

-OL: the only seniors gone are Hickman and Christensen. If Qvale heals to 100% (which he might have already) he could be a force to be reckoned with. If Coach Cotton can't put a fine product on the field next year then idk what else to say. There will be lots of experience on the line next year. Watch out for JROD as a true freshman.

 

Defense

Secondary: Amukamara, Dennard, Hagg, Gomes, Thenarse, P.J. Smith, and.....West. We will lose 2 solid safeties but hopefully guys like PJ and Thenarse can pick fill the gap. This is the group I'm most excited about for next year. They show TONS of promise. I would love to see Blue do well again but it's unlikely.

 

LBer: Phil Dill and Koehler are the only seniors we lose. But don't forget about losing Lawrence. Compton and Fisher have shown promise. Don't count out: Chris Williams, Kreikemeier, May, and Matt Holt. I wouldn't be surprised to see Eric Martin in the mix as long as he can grasp the schemes.

 

DL: I don't even need to say who we lose. But Crick, Steinkuhler, and Moore should fill that gap well. At DE we will be set with Allen and Meredith. Look out for Ankrah, Toailoa, and J Williams

 

Specialists: We are set there. Our strong kicking game will be back next year in all aspects.

 

I think our strengths next year will be the secondary, the running game, and probably the d-line. If we can get the QB situation finally figured out, I think sky's the limit.

[huskerswrkhavoc]

fair assesment.. but i think our defense as a whole should be really good again.. however, we will have to see what kind of player crick ends up being... whether its the guy who is the benificiary of the double teams on Suh or if he is really a flat out stud, or somewhere in between i guess.. couple this with the fact that we play OSU w/o dez and robinson, texas w/o mccoy and shipley... and well... yea, nuff said.

[newenglandhusker]

You're about 2 months ahead of the curve on your prognostication.

[knapplc]

I think Meredith will be pretty good at DE, and I think if he revs his motor up like he's showing, that'll present big problems for opposing offenses. Think about having a fast, aggressive DE, a fast, aggressive DT, a good containment DT (Stein/Moore) and a good containment DE (Allen) facing you. That'll be tough to scheme against.

 

At LB I would imagine Compton and Fisher will continue to develop, and if they get much better our front seven will be formidable. I like what I'm seeing of Martin on Special Teams - if he can translate that into an every-down LB, he'll be a force. I think we're in good shape, two-deep, at LB.

 

I agree that the secondary looks pretty good. These guys are really coming along this year, and with another bowl season practice, Spring Ball and Fall Camp, this should enter 2010 as a solid unit.

 

Overall, I'm liking our defense for next year, despite losing Suh, Turner and Phil Dill.

 

 

 

 

Frankly, I don't care who we have on offense. Their job is to get their butts in the end zone ASAP so my Blackshirts can come back out on the field and entertain me.

[billdozer15]

Next years defense is looking better and better. Although i didnt think Thenarse would be back, i thought he was a senior this year and wasnt going to get a redshirt due to playing to many games. If our offense can become what it was last year and our defense can repeat itself from this year and even improve, i like our chances at winning the B12 and possibly making a run at the title. But that is a long ways aways, we have to finish this season yet.

[knapplc]

Although i didnt think Thenarse would be back

 

They've changed the rule and it appears likely he'll get another year. We'll see what happens after the season.

[husker98]

fair assesment.. but i think our defense as a whole should be really good again.. however, we will have to see what kind of player crick ends up being... whether its the guy who is the benificiary of the double teams on Suh or if he is really a flat out stud, or somewhere in between i guess.. couple this with the fact that we play OSU w/o dez and robinson, texas w/o mccoy and shipley... and well... yea, nuff said.

 

 

I think our D-line might start off a little slow to start the year but finish strong and play games consistently.

[Husker4lif3]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions obviously, but i really dont see the O being a whole lot better. The O-line could maybe be worse with hickman leaving.. The Wr's might find their strides, but most of them just arent fitting into the schemes and what is being taught. Everyone thought Paul was going to be great because of ? ? ? oh yea the 4 star hype we all heard about. If he played in another state i wonder where he ranks. The TE's could be good. I think everyone saw if we use the TE, it has the chance to spread the field, and open up the running game. On that same note i think McNiel could be a very good tight end at the next level, just me but he runs good routes and has good hands. (not real sure about speed or blocking as i dont pay much attention to TE's blocking).

 

The D has the chance to be pretty good with Gomes and Dennard at the corners and hopefully what will be a faster line, not that this years is slow but with Merideth at 235 i thought i heard, he needs speed which he looks to have. The backers are the ? in my opinion. We have heard alot about Fisher and Compton, but havent seen much production in Big Twelve play. I think maybe next year we could be hearing ERIC MARTIN'S name a little more than on kickoff's!!

 

Special teams i just wished we had a good punter! Henery catches it with his chest not his hands! Poor guy is too skinny for all that..

[broganreynik]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions obviously, but i really dont see the O being a whole lot better. The O-line could maybe be worse with hickman leaving.. The Wr's might find their strides, but most of them just arent fitting into the schemes and what is being taught. Everyone thought Paul was going to be great because of ? ? ? oh yea the 4 star hype we all heard about. If he played in another state i wonder where he ranks. The TE's could be good. I think everyone saw if we use the TE, it has the chance to spread the field, and open up the running game. On that same note i think McNiel could be a very good tight end at the next level, just me but he runs good routes and has good hands. (not real sure about speed or blocking as i dont pay much attention to TE's blocking).

 

The D has the chance to be pretty good with Gomes and Dennard at the corners and hopefully what will be a faster line, not that this years is slow but with Merideth at 235 i thought i heard, he needs speed which he looks to have. The backers are the ? in my opinion. We have heard alot about Fisher and Compton, but havent seen much production in Big Twelve play. I think maybe next year we could be hearing ERIC MARTIN'S name a little more than on kickoff's!!

 

Special teams i just wished we had a good punter! Henery catches it with his chest not his hands! Poor guy is too skinny for all that..

 

I think Caputo will fill his shoes quite nicely.

 

As far as Henery goes, if you think he's bad, well I guess you're just delusional. He's saved our tail more than once on punts that completely change the field position.

[irafreak]

Uh oh....where's redgrixxer? He's going to complain about you looking ahead. It'll be on your conscience if we lose this weekend.

[Landlord]

He's also really hurt us with a number of shanks.

[carlfense]

You guys have it all wrong. According to tigerboard Missouri has head and shoulders the best talent in the Big 12 North. In fact they are going to be contending for the whole Big 12 title. Nebraska doesn't stand a chance.

[irafreak]

You guys have it all wrong. According to tigerboard Missouri has head and shoulders the best talent in the Big 12 North. In fact they are going to be contending for the whole Big 12 title. Nebraska doesn't stand a chance.

Thanks for bringing us down to reality carlfense. You're right on. Missouri for the national title in 2010! Blaine Gabbert is so good he wins two heisman's in one season. And pinkel is proclaimed coach of all time!

[knapplc]

He's also really hurt us with a number of shanks.

 

I've noticed this. Henery is 58th in the country in punting. That's not too good, considering the quality punters we've had in the past couple of decades.

 

I've been less than impressed with Henery's punting this year. Maybe we can get someone in there next year and Henery can get back to focusing on field goals.

[carlfense]

You guys have it all wrong. According to tigerboard Missouri has head and shoulders the best talent in the Big 12 North. In fact they are going to be contending for the whole Big 12 title. Nebraska doesn't stand a chance.

Thanks for bringing us down to reality carlfense. You're right on. Missouri for the national title in 2010! Blaine Gabbert is so good he wins two heisman's in one season. And pinkel is proclaimed coach of all time!

I'm not happy about it either. Those monster recruiting classes for MU (which I believe were always ranked behind NU's . . . for whatever that is worth) are just not going to be denied. We still have points to make up from the 2007 and 2008 games against the Tigers as well. It's just not going to happen.