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So far the '10 season has a '99 feel to it


Nexus

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I hate to say it but, up to this point, the '99 defense was better. The second performance against Texas was dominating in the same way the '09 game was.

 

BTW, in '99, the undefeated juggernaut (FSU) played the little guy with the weak schedule (VT) in the title game and Nebraska narrowly missed the cut at #3 with one loss. Slim chance we could end up #3 and stuck behind #1 Oregon and #2 Boise State. I said slim!

 

1999 NU Defensive Rankings

 

Rushing Defense = 6th

Pass Efficiency Defense = 2nd

Total Defense = 4th

 

2010 NU Defensive Rankings (through 7 games)

 

Rushing Defense = 79th

Pass Efficiency Defense = 2nd

Total Defense = 18th

 

 

At this point in his career, Bo is years ahead of where McBride was at the same point. I know that giving up some points to Okie State yesterday has a few people gun-shy, but our defense is as good as they get in the Big 12. Gundy knows offense like Bo knows defense.

 

McBride started out as a defensive line coach at NU in '77 before being promoted to DC in '81. In his 18 seasons as DC, 12 of those seasons saw the Blackshirts finish Top 10 in total defense.

 

1981 = 6th

1982 = 14th

1983 = NA

1984 = 1st

1985 = 6th

1986 = 2nd

1987 = 8th

1988 = 7th

1989 = 8th

1990 = 7th

1991 = NA

1992 = NA

1993 = 12th

1994 = 4th

1995 = 13th

1996 = 7th

1997 = 5th

1998 = NA

1999 = 4th

 

Bo Pelini's DC career is obviously much shorter than McBride's but for the sake of perspective here are his total defense rankings. I included his current HC stint as well.

 

2003 = 11th @ Nebraska

2004 = 13th @ Oklahoma

2005 = 3rd @ LSU

2006 = 3rd @ LSU

2007 = 3rd @ LSU

2008 = 55th @ Nebraska

2009 = 7th @ Nebraska

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I hate to say it but, up to this point, the '99 defense was better. The second performance against Texas was dominating in the same way the '09 game was.

 

BTW, in '99, the undefeated juggernaut (FSU) played the little guy with the weak schedule (VT) in the title game and Nebraska narrowly missed the cut at #3 with one loss. Slim chance we could end up #3 and stuck behind #1 Oregon and #2 Boise State. I said slim!

funny to see this thread, I had been saying that to a number of people on saturday, too. 2010 feels like 1999 so far. If not for the Texas loss that year we go to the national title game and kick FSU's tail IMO.

 

The fumbles this year kind of remind of the 1999 only iirc it was much worse then. or at least it seems worse in my memory of it.

 

IMO that '99 squad was the one of the best Blackshirt squads ever. Didn't Chuck call it his best D? I don't go back to the 70s but it was the best D during my lifetime up until the 2009 of course.

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I hate to say it but, up to this point, the '99 defense was better. The second performance against Texas was dominating in the same way the '09 game was.

 

BTW, in '99, the undefeated juggernaut (FSU) played the little guy with the weak schedule (VT) in the title game and Nebraska narrowly missed the cut at #3 with one loss. Slim chance we could end up #3 and stuck behind #1 Oregon and #2 Boise State. I said slim!

funny to see this thread, I had been saying that to a number of people on saturday, too. 2010 feels like 1999 so far. If not for the Texas loss that year we go to the national title game and kick FSU's tail IMO.

 

The fumbles this year kind of remind of the 1999 only iirc it was much worse then. or at least it seems worse in my memory of it.

 

IMO that '99 squad was the one of the best Blackshirt squads ever. Didn't Chuck call it his best D? I don't go back to the 70s but it was the best D during my lifetime up until the 2009 of course.

 

I remember a good chunk of those fumbles too. Just looked it up and we ended up losing 25 fumbles in '99. After 7 games this season we've lost 9 which could be a lot worse since we've fumbled well over 20 times up to this point.

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  • In '99 Texas had two losses before they beat an undefeated 3rd ranked Nebraska team 24-20. Same thing happened in '10. Texas ended up finishing 9-5 in '99.

  • Kansas State was undefeated and ranked 5th when a one loss 7th ranked Nebraska team beat them 41-15 in '99. Next weekend (10/30/10) an undefeated Mizzou (who will also be ranked ahead of us) will play a one loss Nebraska team. Kansas State finished the season 11-1 and ranked #6 in '99.

  • The '99 team was led by a young RS Sophomore QB. The '10 team by a RS Freshman.

  • Nebraska finished 12-1 with a Big 12 title and a #3 ranking.

Personally I would be thrilled if 2010 turns out like 1999.

 

That would be a great year if we can pull it off.

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NU is still on track of repeating the '99 season. As mentioned earlier in this thread, we beat two ranked teams back-to-back in '99 (#21 A&M and #5 K-State). This year we beat #14 Ok. St. and #6 Mizzou in back-to-back weeks.

 

So far, so good....

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How about that? We're still on pace of repeating the '99 season. It's crazy because we beat Colorado in OT in '99. In '10 our OT win came against Iowa State.

 

Let's recap the similarities between '99 and '10 so far:

 

-- We were a Top 5 ranked team when we lost to Texas in both '99 & '10.

-- We beat two ranked teams back-to-back in both '99 & '10.

-- We won an OT game in '99 & '10.

 

The saga continues....

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  • 2 weeks later...

The similarities keep on coming....

 

In '99 Nebraska was ranked #9 while A&M was ranked #21 in the AP poll when they played. Nebraska won that game 37-0.

 

In '10 Nebraska is ranked #9 again while A&M is ranked #18 in the AP poll.

 

*cues Twilight Zone theme*

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The similarities keep on coming....

 

In '99 Nebraska was ranked #9 while A&M was ranked #21 in the AP poll when they played. Nebraska won that game 37-0.

 

In '10 Nebraska is ranked #9 again while A&M is ranked #18 in the AP poll.

 

*cues Twilight Zone theme*

 

Interesting. Hope history repeats.

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