MSNBC picks the Huskers

[Utah_Husker]

general about ISU I just used your quote. BUt you can't tell me they are not one of the Top 50 teams in America. I'll give you Pitt.

 

Tech hasn't played anyone except KU and they struggled with them and everyone has them in the Top 15. Why can't we come out and avenge last years lose? This Defense is playing together and our QB isn't turning it over in record clips.

We can avenge the loss. I happen to think we probably won't. Like I said earlier, at best both teams are question marks. I guess I'm not as optimistic as most. If the defense shuts down Tech, I'll believe they're for real.

 

Oh, and maybe I'll give you ISU in the top 50. Somewhere in the 40s. I'm just trying to be the voice of moderation here.

[Utah_Husker]

If you're honest, you know we should have lost the Pitt game.

Should have lost? 'Scuse me, but that last field goal wasn't missed. It was blocked. Damn man, that sounds like something Benard would say. Either way, what should have happened (according to you) is completely irrelevant. Completely.

 

If I'm not mistaken, our offense tied them in that game.

You are mistaken, our offense scored ten. Three defensive touchdowns equals 21 points, not 28.

Ok, so I got it wrong. Without the defense we would have beat Wake Forest at home 10-3. That's much better. And maybe saying we should have lost to Pitt is too strong. I'll say no one should have won that game. It was the ugliest piece of crap masquerading as a football game I've seen in a long, long time. I'm not trying to be hostile here, I'm just trying to point out we might be a bit overconfident heading into tomorrow. We really don't have anything great to hang our hat on unless we beat Tech.

[junior4949]

If BC keeps the pigskin more on the ground than in the air, we could easily win this game.  I just don't think TT is that good.  However, if they beat us similarly to last year on our home field then I'll have to adjust my thinking about how good they really are!

I agree totally. I'm already a believer. I think they are that good and will show it tomorrow. But I'm willing to revise my thinking if the outcome is otherwise. I agree with your analysis, but do you think Callahan will have the restraint to call those running plays?

I just don't know whether he has the restraint or not. Last year, we could have kept the score a lot more intact had we ran the ball rather than putting it up for grabs way too many times IMO. I was a little disappointed last week that we went away from the run so easily without really ever going back to it. I would think after watching film, the coaching staff will see that running the ball early may be difficult but hopefully they'll continue to grind it out.

 

For me, it's just hard to understand this staff. Last year against TT, I felt we should have tried running the ball a lot more to at least keep the score somewhat respectable. I also felt we should have attacked OU's secondary a lot more than we did last year. Going into the game, OU had one of the best run defenses in the country and their passing defense wasn't nearly as high ranking. We chose to run at OU and pass at TT. We kept the score somewhat respectable in one, and let the other get totally out of hand.

 

So to answer your question, I really don't know what to expect from our offense. If we can run the 5 yard outs like we did against Iowa State, I definitely think this has got to be in the mix of the offense. If we just don't execute those plays, I hope we run the ball instead of "airing it out" more. The defense will get it done IMO. We'll put pressure there, and I think we have a great opporunity at winning the turnover battle. To win this game, we need to win the time of possession and we need to win the turnover battle. The rest should take care of itself.

[Bakhal]

good call... a couple more top notch recruiting classes and the talent will go up and the huskers will be back on top of every1... just like it should be

[pigsonthewing]

"And maybe saying we should have lost to Pitt is too strong. I'll say no one should have won that game. It was the ugliest piece of crap masquerading as a football game I've seen in a long, long time."

 

lol thats goin on the fridge...

 

coach callahan likes to be predictably unpredictable. whatever he should do against you he wont. he has a tendency to attack your strengths a little too much.

 

as for msnbc picking the huskers, i wasnt aware that msnbc has ever heard of a team outside the big ten and south bend... wow... im impressed. hope this doesnt jinx us. i was completely satisfied with everybody thinking we were going to lose then we win!

[nebr_bob]

 

coach callahan likes to be predictably unpredictable.  whatever he should do against you he wont.  he has a tendency to attack your strengths a little too much. 

 

 

unfortunatly this year BC is going to be very predictable - he has to pass and pass often - the lack of an O-line that can run block this year does not seem to exist. Look for more of the same this week, but he seems to have the expertise in knowing how to attack the weakness - if only the players can execute the way they did in the OT last week we should see similar results (hopefully without the heart attacks)

 

[skersfan]

Utah,

 

I never said we were a BCS team. I said that this is the only team on our schedule that would get us credit towards a BCS bowl. I would guess if we went undefeated through the regular schedule and lost to Texas, we would not get a BCS game. Right now we would have to depend on Wake Forest to do well and Tech to do well. Colorado already got bombed by Miami. The rest of us just beating up on each other will get us no respect.

 

I have no visions of graduer. I think the team is improving and I like our chances at a decent bowl.. That is about it. Still think there are losses out there but do feel the corner has been turned. But we will know a lot more about our team tomorrow afternoon.

[formerfan]

If BC keeps the pigskin more on the ground than in the air, we could easily win this game.  I just don't think TT is that good.  However, if they beat us similarly to last year on our home field then I'll have to adjust my thinking about how good they really are!

I agree totally. I'm already a believer. I think they are that good and will show it tomorrow. But I'm willing to revise my thinking if the outcome is otherwise. I agree with your analysis, but do you think Callahan will have the restraint to call those running plays?

I just don't know whether he has the restraint or not. Last year, we could have kept the score a lot more intact had we ran the ball rather than putting it up for grabs way too many times IMO. I was a little disappointed last week that we went away from the run so easily without really ever going back to it. I would think after watching film, the coaching staff will see that running the ball early may be difficult but hopefully they'll continue to grind it out.

 

For me, it's just hard to understand this staff. Last year against TT, I felt we should have tried running the ball a lot more to at least keep the score somewhat respectable. I also felt we should have attacked OU's secondary a lot more than we did last year. Going into the game, OU had one of the best run defenses in the country and their passing defense wasn't nearly as high ranking. We chose to run at OU and pass at TT. We kept the score somewhat respectable in one, and let the other get totally out of hand.

 

So to answer your question, I really don't know what to expect from our offense. If we can run the 5 yard outs like we did against Iowa State, I definitely think this has got to be in the mix of the offense. If we just don't execute those plays, I hope we run the ball instead of "airing it out" more. The defense will get it done IMO. We'll put pressure there, and I think we have a great opporunity at winning the turnover battle. To win this game, we need to win the time of possession and we need to win the turnover battle. The rest should take care of itself.

 

Couldnt agree more. Some of the things this staff does leave alot of us scratching our heads

[formerfan]

good call... a couple more top notch recruiting classes and the talent will go up and the huskers will be back on top of every1... just like it should be

 

You need TEAM players that fit into the system and are part of a team. This staff seems to grab Rivals100 list, go from top to bottom, and try to recruit anyone who will listen. That approach has never gotten very far in college football, look at Texas, Ohio St from the 90's, and ND from the late 80's/early 90's.

 

I honestly dont think that this staff knows how to do what it wants to do, whatever that may be

[Hunter94]

good teams FIND A WAY to win.......tomorrow we will find out if we are a good team.....

 

 

hunter

[skersfan]

SC seems to be doing pretty well with those type of players. Auburn has had a good run, LSU seems to have found the answer, Ohio State looks to be okay, and could be Texas will get it done this year. Forgot SC again sorry. The only exception to a top recruiting class was Ohio State. And they have been filling up ever since their MNC. And I personally would take Texas's problems over ours anyday.

 

No matter the story it boils down to talent. I do not know if this staff knows what it is doing or not. I do know they certainly know more than anyone who posts on this thread. So I will continue to give them the benefit of the doubt. Those that won't will never be happy either way.

[DJR313]

good teams FIND A WAY to win.......tomorrow we will find out if we are a good team.....

 

 

hunter

The way the team pulled through Pitt(albeit a pitiful game) and ISU showed that they can handle the pressure of a tight game, tomorrow we will find out if NU can hang with a highly rated team with an explosive offense. If NU beats TTech, there will be those that say Tech isn't for real either. Can't please everyone, so why bother.

 

No matter the story it boils down to talent. I do not know if this staff knows what it is doing or not. I do know they certainly know more than anyone who posts on this thread. So I will continue to give them the benefit of the doubt. Those that won't will never be happy either way.

 

Great point. Last I checked my resume doesn't look nearly as good as any of these coaches. It seems that sometimes Callahan outfoxes himself, but I know nowhere near what he does, so I am not going to ask for his headset. I just want the team to work together to try and execute what he wants them to do.

 

On a side note, Former, since you speak of going down Rivals 100 list to recruit players, check out Georgia's recruiting class from the last 4 years. 3 recruits rated less than I dunno if this is so much the case for NU. BC's style of recruiting is a heck of a lot different than we were used to Solich. I, for one, didn't pay too much attention to recruiting up till about 3 years ago, so I am no expert, but it seems that BC uses all of his recruiting visits and offers as many scholarships as he can. A very aggressive recruiter. It's not necessarily a bad thing to get top athletes in, but they have to get players that fit what they want to do. From what I read in the recruiting forum, the Receivers are all around 6'3" 200-210 lbs. That's what the offense needs. The defensive backs I read about are usually 6' or taller and quick. To one it may look like he is Quagmire thrusting air till something latches on, but to me it just appears that he is a tenacious recruiter who goes after what he wants.

[Huskerebel]

I am with Hunter...good teams find a way to win, and we are a good team...the way to win is through defensive domination...Tech has rolled some pretty easy teams at home...Memorial Stadium fans, give 'em hell.

 

The Black Out from last week should continue...God I love this game.

 

Go Big Red!

 

HReb

[NamelessHusker]

You need TEAM players that fit into the system and are part of a team. This staff seems to grab Rivals100 list, go from top to bottom, and try to recruit anyone who will listen. That approach has never gotten very far in college football, look at Texas, Ohio St from the 90's, and ND from the late 80's/early 90's

 

Exactly what's the point you are trying to make? Surely you are not saying ND, Ohio St and Texas were grabbing top100 rivals players in the 90's and late 80's and just recruit anyone who will listen, because Rivals did not even have a ranking system of even exist untill late 1999.

 

And i know you aren't saying Ohio St, Texas, and ND were offering scholarships to every top talent in the country and hoping those recruits would listen to them, because every program in the nation has been doing that since college football became popular in the early 1900.

 

What is it you are trying to say?

 

The only other one on the schedule that could affect us is Wake Forest, I still think they end up 3rd in the conference at worst. That would give some credibility to our schedule

Skers, i know you have been on the Wake Forest issue before the season even began, but with Miami, Florida St, Virginia Tech, Boston College in the ACC, i really don't think Wake Forest will even come close to finishing 4th in the conference, let alone 3rd. Best bet is they finish 10th in the conference, ahead of Duke