Please take a deep breath.

[husker4life83]

So at the end of the year we had a great offensive game thats great 1 good offensive game. Now there is talk about National Title runs and top 10. We lose what 5 starters on the strongest side of the ball which includes one of the best defensive players in the country in the last 10 to 15 years. Arizona was not ready for the offense we ran but teams will be next year.

 

I want to be positive but I think everyone is alittle to positive. Returning 10 starters and having depth at offinsive line, hopefully finding one more reciever to step in and be that number 2 guy, and having experiance at the QB position I believe our offence will be improved. But not top 20, more like middle of the pack. As long as we don't have to retool the offense in the middle of the season for the 3rd year in a row.

 

Losing 2 on the D-line, the best linebacker and 2 starting safety's makes me believe that our defense will take at least a small step back. I believe the problem will be at safety not linebacker as most are predicting. Losing Asante and O'hanlon is like the offense losing Nate swift and Todd Peterson something will be missing. Asante and O'hanlon were lights out this year and you can't replace that in one off season. So I think we drop to a top 20 defense.

 

I figure we will finish somewhere between 10 and 15 next year at the end of the season. I just don't like the super high National title hopes to the super low of fire everyone that coaches on the offensive side of the ball.

[WVhuskerXX]

Here....drink some of this --->

[HuskerinHouston]

So at the end of the year we had a great offensive game thats great 1 good offensive game. Now there is talk about National Title runs and top 10. We lose what 5 starters on the strongest side of the ball which includes one of the best defensive players in the country in the last 10 to 15 years. Arizona was not ready for the offense we ran but teams will be next year.

 

I want to be positive but I think everyone is alittle to positive. Returning 10 starters and having depth at offinsive line, hopefully finding one more reciever to step in and be that number 2 guy, and having experiance at the QB position I believe our offence will be improved. But not top 20, more like middle of the pack. As long as we don't have to retool the offense in the middle of the season for the 3rd year in a row.

 

Losing 2 on the D-line, the best linebacker and 2 starting safety's makes me believe that our defense will take at least a small step back. I believe the problem will be at safety not linebacker as most are predicting. Losing Asante and O'hanlon is like the offense losing Nate swift and Todd Peterson something will be missing. Asante and O'hanlon were lights out this year and you can't replace that in one off season. So I think we drop to a top 20 defense.

 

I figure we will finish somewhere between 10 and 15 next year at the end of the season. I just don't like the super high National title hopes to the super low of fire everyone that coaches on the offensive side of the ball.

 

 

you should be like this

 

[junior4949]

It's nice to have high expectations, but also people have to keep things in perspective with regards to NC. They don't just hand them out. Alabama was a blocked fieldgoal away from not making the game this year. Texas was a second away from not making the game this year. A lot of luck comes with just the opportunity to play for a NC. I think we'll be a solid top 15 team, and I'm hoping we're more. Rather than simply predicting NC, I'm more of a baby steps kind of guy. I'd like to see us win the Big 12 Championship and play in a BCS game.

[Count 'Bility]

 

 

Losing 2 on the D-line, the best linebacker and 2 starting safety's makes me believe that our defense will take at least a small step back. figure we will finish somewhere between 10 and 15 next year at the end of the season. I just don't like the super high National title hopes to the super low of fire everyone that coaches on the offensive side of the ball.

 

But Coach Bo says the defense should be better next year, so it will. As far as National Title hopes, this is where the program belongs, and where it has returned to. HIGH EXPECTATIONS. Losing and not finishing at the very top should NOT be acceptable.

[Husker_x]

 

 

Losing 2 on the D-line, the best linebacker and 2 starting safety's makes me believe that our defense will take at least a small step back. figure we will finish somewhere between 10 and 15 next year at the end of the season. I just don't like the super high National title hopes to the super low of fire everyone that coaches on the offensive side of the ball.

 

But Coach Bo says the defense should be better next year, so it will. As far as National Title hopes, this is where the program belongs, and where it has returned to. HIGH EXPECTATIONS. Losing and not finishing at the very top should NOT be acceptable.

 

Why do you post, again?

[holvy83]

Here....drink some of this --->

 

no doubt! its January for pete's sake!

[knapplc]

Out of curiosity, where is all this conversation that we could/should be in the MNC game next year? Everything I've heard from the pie-in-the-sky predictors (myself included) is that if everything falls into place we could be in contention for a BCS game.

 

Seems like a bit of a straw man to me.

[Husker_x]

Out of curiosity, where is all this conversation that we could/should be in the MNC game next year? Everything I've heard from the pie-in-the-sky predictors (myself included) is that if everything falls into place we could be in contention for a BCS game.

 

Seems like a bit of a straw man to me.

 

With a defense that will probably not fall any lower than 20th overall in the country and perhaps the nation's best cornerback tandem, plus an offense that returns absolutely everyone, the talk that we could be cracking the top ten ins't unreasonable at all. Hell, give us four points to spread over three gams and we're top ten Big XII champs this year.

 

I think cautious optimism is the spirit fans should have at this point.

[huskers1]

I really do think that we will be a top ten team next year. You have some very valid points but I'd like to mention a few things. We lose one major contributor on the offensive line, which is the most important piece to the puzzle IMO. We will have at least two frosh come in and build depth if not contribute/start. We will have a monster juco LT who IMO will start from the very first game on. We have at least three proven TE's coming back. The only WR's we lose are Holt (wayyy underperformed his whole time here) and Brooks (I personally wish he would have had a better chance) but we have replacements that will step in nicely. Paul and Kinnie make a very solid starting two then throw in either Cooper, who I think is the third best WR on the team, Bell, Gillyelan, or possibly Enunwa and we have a very talented, EXPERIENCED group. QB play should be very much improved. I know it was one game and he will have to show me he can consistently show up in games but Lee ended the year on a high note. I also think the offseason will greatly benefit the chemistry and experience of the offense as a whole. On D we do lose perhaps the best player in college football history and he will surely be missed. We do lose Asante, O'Hanlon, Dillard, and Turner. They all were very good players and Asante and Dillard in particular were huge for the D. With that said I think Compton got a ton of very valuable experience and will have an entire off season to get bigger, stronger, faster and more knowledgable. We are bringing in Lavonte David who could play significant minutes next year and bring back a ton of talent in Fisher, Whaley, May and Martin. Dillard did have the killer instinct that I hope Compton can bring in next year but that is what the off season is for. PJ Smith got a lot of time this year not only on ST but at S as well. If need be we can always move Hagg back to safety and put Green and Gomes in the nickel and dime. This allows us to have two big smart safeties that know Bo's system and have experience in running it. The key will be is can Smith run the show in the back 7? We return two all big 12 caliber corners in Dennard and Prince and have Middleton waiting behind them. I think Dobson's off season and the leadership we have on the team will push the guys just as hard as they have been and we will see a much more athletic, faster O and a hard hitting TO creating D next year.

[EbylHusker]

Next season's schedule is pretty favorable. Even if the defense doesn't live up to Bo's hype, they will still be good. Our offense will continue to improve.

 

Basically, if everything falls into place as we hope it does, we've got a realistic chance at going undefeated and playing for the Big XII title again. Starting with a reasonably high rank, going undefeated, and winning the Big XII would almost certainly mean a shot at the title. That's how it could play out.

 

But that's if everything falls into place like we hope. And very often things don't (for example...this season). Injuries, other unexpected losses, underestimating the value of the guys we are losing (or overestimating their replacements...again, this season), and a coaching staff only in its third season here could all trip that up.

 

So yeah, it's possible, but they are going to have a lot of obstacles to overcome.

[TheCheshireCat]

Why do you post, again? facepalm.gif

 

The sense of superiority on this board is unbelievable.

[knapplc]

Out of curiosity, where is all this conversation that we could/should be in the MNC game next year? Everything I've heard from the pie-in-the-sky predictors (myself included) is that if everything falls into place we could be in contention for a BCS game.

 

Seems like a bit of a straw man to me.

 

With a defense that will probably not fall any lower than 20th overall in the country and perhaps the nation's best cornerback tandem, plus an offense that returns absolutely everyone, the talk that we could be cracking the top ten ins't unreasonable at all. Hell, give us four points to spread over three gams and we're top ten Big XII champs this year.

 

I think cautious optimism is the spirit fans should have at this point.

I definitely agree with that, I'm just asking about the MNC talk. I have no doubt that we could/should be preseason top 10. If the coaches are even close to correct about our defense we should be up there. MNC contention is a different animal altogether, though.

 

I'd like to wait until Spring Ball is over before talking about which BCS bowl we'll go to.

[bbeerma2]

Next season's schedule is pretty favorable. Even if the defense doesn't live up to Bo's hype, they will still be good. Our offense will continue to improve.

 

Basically, if everything falls into place as we hope it does, we've got a realistic chance at going undefeated and playing for the Big XII title again. Starting with a reasonably high rank, going undefeated, and winning the Big XII would almost certainly mean a shot at the title. That's how it could play out.

 

But that's if everything falls into place like we hope. And very often things don't (for example...this season). Injuries, other unexpected losses, underestimating the value of the guys we are losing (or overestimating their replacements...again, this season), and a coaching staff only in its third season here could all trip that up.

 

So yeah, it's possible, but they are going to have a lot of obstacles to overcome.

 

If we win our big 3 (Washington, Okie State, Texas) we will be on solid footing to be undefeated going into postseason play. This is a possibility, and the possibility is what people are excited about, not that it is probable.

[rawhide]

What was that old bumper sticker or may still be around:

 

 

IT'S HARD TO BE HUMBLE WHEN YOU'RE A HUSKER

 

 

.02

 

I personally start out each day with a double shot of hold the mocha

 

 

GBR

 

 

Aside from all that I think we could repeat the B12 CCG and win it but after that depends more on humans and computers that I have no repeat NO control over. .05