Year Four

[AK-47]

Where we were 3 years ago makes little difference.

Lots of math problems would be impossible if that were the case.

Because Suh, Prince, and all those players aren't on the team this year. You think anyone we play this year cares where we were 3 years ago? You think it makes us more dominant and a better team because we sucked that bad 3 years ago? It makes ZERO difference in the outcome of the 2011 Wisconsin game. It's not a math problem, it's football.

 

The idea is to compare the rate by which the team is improving ( R ) against the overall success of a team (S). And make no mistake about it, we are improving. Time is the key issue (T). So here's the math problem: S = R x T. Solve for S.... Because the sides must be equal, the higher the values for R and T are will lead to more success. The R value was essentially 0 when Bo took over and the number has no doubt increased dramatically since. Now I'm not saying we can actually put a number value on anything except time (and sorry for the word problem, I'm sure most of us thought we were done with those), but this is the basic logic of the concept spelled out in a simple way.

 

Use the hot/crazy scale and see what side of the Vicky Mendoza diagonal line the team is on. Ofcourse you would replace hot/crazy with improving/time.

 

+1 good sir. I love HIMYM.

[AK-47]

We are to the point in our program where our goal should be to win every single game.

Um, seriously? I should hope so...what was the goal prior? Pat yourself on the back for this little nugget. (size 5 even)

 

He means that it is now a realistic goal for us to win every game. Duh.

[Joe_5700]

you can never be to sure about TM staying healthy due to the style of his play on the field

 

I do not understand this sentiment. Burkhead runs into more contact than Martinez, and even broke his foot his Freshman year, yet we didn't hear all the concern that he was going to get hurt his sophomore year like we are with Martinez. Just because Marty got hurt once doesn't mean he'll do it again, running style or no.

If you watch Martinez closely when he is in the open field and a tackler is approaching he absorbs the hit. Coaches always told us to deliver the hit not absorb it. Taylor will lower his head and tense up he is also taller and lankier than most which lends itself to more twists resulting in sprains and muscle pulls. Just my .02

 

BE THE HAMMER NOT THE NAIL!!!

He's a quarterback. I can't think of many quarterbacks that "act the hammer" when running with the football. In fact, I'm pretty sure you have less to worry about if you go with the hit than if you try to make your own. Otherwise, what would be the point of sliding to the ground?

 

I think Martinez runs like any other running quarterback - try to make a play, if you get hit and wrapped up don't do anything stupid like twist around.

 

Scott Frost was a hammer.

[junior4949]

We are to the point in our program where our goal should be to win every single game.

Um, seriously? I should hope so...what was the goal prior? Pat yourself on the back for this little nugget. (size 5 even)

 

I get what you're saying, but then again this is the main difference amongst Husker fans. There are those who believe we should win every game no matter what. Then, there are those of us that are realists where we hope for a good showing in some games. It isn't like this is some new phenomenom either. I felt the exact same way back in the 70's and 80's when TO was coach. Anytime we played a school from Florida in the bowl game, I prayed for a good showing.

 

Having said all of this, I believe EZ-E is right. Who do we play this year that really puts a scare in you? Ohio State might have before their implosion. If we were still in the Big 12, OU would scare me a bit. There are solid teams in the Big 10. However, there are no elite teams from the Big 10 now that Ohio State has run into problems. While we might stumble this year, there isn't a game on our schedule that I don't expect to win. This is the first time I can really say that since 2001.

[kchusker_chris]

We are to the point in our program where our goal should be to win every single game.

Um, seriously? I should hope so...what was the goal prior? Pat yourself on the back for this little nugget. (size 5 even)

 

I get what you're saying, but then again this is the main difference amongst Husker fans. There are those who believe we should win every game no matter what. Then, there are those of us that are realists where we hope for a good showing in some games. It isn't like this is some new phenomenom either. I felt the exact same way back in the 70's and 80's when TO was coach. Anytime we played a school from Florida in the bowl game, I prayed for a good showing.

 

Having said all of this, I believe EZ-E is right. Who do we play this year that really puts a scare in you? Ohio State might have before their implosion. If we were still in the Big 12, OU would scare me a bit. There are solid teams in the Big 10. However, there are no elite teams from the Big 10 now that Ohio State has run into problems. While we might stumble this year, there isn't a game on our schedule that I don't expect to win. This is the first time I can really say that since 2001.

I don't remember there being one last year I "didn't" expect to win. And that's not me believing we should win every game no matter what. We were pretty much favored in every game. Who'd you have us losing to? An undefeated K-State? Texas after back-to-back losses to UCLA and Oklahoma? Oklahoma State? Missouri? Certainly not Iowa State, Kansas, A&M or Colorado. Oklahoma in the championship game after loses to BOTH Missouri (a team we crushed) and A&M (a team we clearly beat)? If there was ever a year for us to contend it was last year. Our schedule/competition handed us the BCS on a platter.

 

...yet we lost 4 games. Not exactly contending for the MNC as the OP implied. That's my main point. It seems like everyone is gung ho over this season - yet last season was set up far better and we layed an egg. We aren't there yet, and we aren't as close as some think. I hope I'm wrong...but I still see 2-3 losses.

 

EDIT: Prove me wrong Bo - I'll be a happy guy

[GMoose]

 

2) I am very confident in Tim Beck. Although he has never been an OC with sole responsibility of an offense, it seems that we are going to be absolutely fine under his direction.

 

3) I am a Bo Pelini disciple. Bo's word is gold in my house.

 

4) Offensive Line- Garrison is a very good coach, but we are going to be starting four very inexperienced football players come Saturday. This scares me quite a bit when we get into conference play. I have feared throughout the summer that we may be in year four of a five year project. The talent is here to compete for Championships, but I think people underestimate just how much structural damage Callahan's recruiting ways did to the depth of our football program. If that 2008 class of OL would have stayed together we are in a different situation. But we are not in good shape up front I fear. With that said, the guys we had last year did well enough to beat the number one ranked team in the nation last year in the Big 12 title game. Run blocking was not awful last year as well. This is a wait and see part of our football team to me.

 

5) You will see our defense give up yards this year, but not points. Inside either 30/40 yard line, they will be the toughest unit in the Big Ten by far.

 

6) Last I heard, Ankrah was slated to start opposite Cam, one of Carter, Ankrah, Martin need to step up and be a star in a hurry this year.

 

7) Random thought, I would rather play OU than Okie State this year. Okie State is the team to beat in the Big 12.

 

A few things I am sick of hearing

 

2) Wisconsin is beatable. Wisconsin has not proven that they can be a big time program year in and year out like an Ohio State has.

 

3) The Big Ten last year was not as good as the Big 12 was. That really is a fact.

 

4) We are Nebraska and it is time we start acting like it. The only team that we did not match up well with in the past two seasons was 09 Alabama. There is not another program in this land that you can look at and say that they are much better and way ahead of us. There is not and I am tired of hearing even our own people say that. They are incorrect in their analysis when stating otherwise. There was not a team in the nation last year we couldn't have played with and beaten. We were a handful of plays away from being serious National Title contenders. Our top 50 guys could strap it on, wearing that red N on the sides of their helmets and play with anyone in the nation I garuntee it.

 

I admire your bravado, but the thing I don't care for about your post(s) is when you try to pass subjective off as fact just because you're so adamant. If the only team we didn't match up well against in the last 2 years was Bama, we would not be 20-8 with losses to teams like ISU and Washington. I'm not saying we weren't capable of winning all those losses (like you said), but we coughed them up. Those "handful of plays" happened for a reason, and that's what sets us apart from those teams.

 

I'm excited about Beck too, but with all due respect, you don't know any more about him than myself or any else on this board. Same with Garrison.

 

The phrase about the Big Ten and Big 12 last year...while I agree, that is totally subjective. Please don't say its a fact.

 

I see us the same way you do, but the same was true for last year and we lost 4 games we had absolutely NO business losing.

 

I hope I'm wrong about somethings and you're right for this season, but until this team proves they can play at their highest level with consistency, I'm (reasonably I believe) skeptical.

[skersfan]

this will not be popular.

 

We were approaching elite status last year during the Missouri, Okie State games. It ended there. We have a coaching problem people and it starts at the top. I like Bo and want him to remain, but he has things to learn and try different paths.

 

I am not impressed with the Beck hire. I find it impossible to believe the best OC in the country was on our staff. Does not make sense to me, if he was that good, where was his input the prior years.

 

Washington destroyed my thoughts of us turning the corner. We should have never lost to them under any circumstance. Poor coaching, poor motivation, and follow through cost us that game as it has several others. There will never be escuses for Iowa State, SDSU and Washington.

 

This team may be good enough to play with anyone this year, but our staff is not on the level of the Alabama's TCU's Wisconsin's or any other program that has shown continual improvement and that win the games they should win. I feel that is due to their relative inexperience at this level. Bo never having head coaching experience, is doing a good job, but needs to turn the corner to make the changes on both sides of the ball

 

Our preperation for game is not on a par with an elite team. You can not have the up's and down't that we seem to have every year.

 

I believe he is getting closer, but I do not see it happening this year. I will be very happy if we stay within two touchdowns of Wisconsin, the rest we have a chance I think due to the defense, but with the youth we have on Oline, the chances of marching through the B1G are slight.

 

I have always felt we were short on talent, but I tend to agree we are close on that side of the ledger.

 

Still feel 11-1 is possible, but we have a lot of work to be accomplished in our coaching development.

[sd'sker]

 

2) I am very confident in Tim Beck. Although he has never been an OC with sole responsibility of an offense, it seems that we are going to be absolutely fine under his direction.

 

3) I am a Bo Pelini disciple. Bo's word is gold in my house.

 

4) Offensive Line- Garrison is a very good coach, but we are going to be starting four very inexperienced football players come Saturday. This scares me quite a bit when we get into conference play. I have feared throughout the summer that we may be in year four of a five year project. The talent is here to compete for Championships, but I think people underestimate just how much structural damage Callahan's recruiting ways did to the depth of our football program. If that 2008 class of OL would have stayed together we are in a different situation. But we are not in good shape up front I fear. With that said, the guys we had last year did well enough to beat the number one ranked team in the nation last year in the Big 12 title game. Run blocking was not awful last year as well. This is a wait and see part of our football team to me.

 

5) You will see our defense give up yards this year, but not points. Inside either 30/40 yard line, they will be the toughest unit in the Big Ten by far.

 

6) Last I heard, Ankrah was slated to start opposite Cam, one of Carter, Ankrah, Martin need to step up and be a star in a hurry this year.

 

7) Random thought, I would rather play OU than Okie State this year. Okie State is the team to beat in the Big 12.

 

A few things I am sick of hearing

 

2) Wisconsin is beatable. Wisconsin has not proven that they can be a big time program year in and year out like an Ohio State has.

 

3) The Big Ten last year was not as good as the Big 12 was. That really is a fact.

 

4) We are Nebraska and it is time we start acting like it. The only team that we did not match up well with in the past two seasons was 09 Alabama. There is not another program in this land that you can look at and say that they are much better and way ahead of us. There is not and I am tired of hearing even our own people say that. They are incorrect in their analysis when stating otherwise. There was not a team in the nation last year we couldn't have played with and beaten. We were a handful of plays away from being serious National Title contenders. Our top 50 guys could strap it on, wearing that red N on the sides of their helmets and play with anyone in the nation I garuntee it.

 

I admire your bravado, but the thing I don't care for about your post(s) is when you try to pass subjective off as fact just because you're so adamant. If the only team we didn't match up well against in the last 2 years was Bama, we would not be 20-8 with losses to teams like ISU and Washington. I'm not saying we weren't capable of winning all those losses (like you said), but we coughed them up. Those "handful of plays" happened for a reason, and that's what sets us apart from those teams.

 

I'm excited about Beck too, but with all due respect, you don't know any more about him than myself or any else on this board. Same with Garrison.

 

The phrase about the Big Ten and Big 12 last year...while I agree, that is totally subjective. Please don't say its a fact.

I see us the same way you do, but the same was true for last year and we lost 4 games we had absolutely NO business losing.

 

I hope I'm wrong about somethings and you're right for this season, but until this team proves they can play at their highest level with consistency, I'm (reasonably I believe) skeptical.

i disagree with the bold part. i've always bashed the B1G (i always vehemently argued the B1G was awful and the Big 12 was solid, second to only SEC), and after reevaluting the Big 12 and B1G my perception has changed, but only that the Big 12 was really never that good and last year was no exception.

[flatwaterfan]

I think the program is making progress. Bo has the defense fixed, but broke the offense. He's going to get that fixed as that is his main focus now. This last recruiting class is his best class. He has nice talent in the program. He also has some holes he has to fill, but I think they will be able to do that. There are a few unknowns as far as the new coaches and how well they will contribute and we can only wait and see as time will tell.

[Hoosker]

Last year was the first season in a loooong time we went a whole season without getting our teeth kicked in at least once. We were in every game. This year we need to learn how to turn those close losses into wins.

 

Exactly. That sums it up for me.

 

2008 - #4 Mizzou & #4 OU -- Final Record (9-4)

2009 - Texas Tech -- Final Record (10-4)

2010 - Nobody. We were on the verge of winning every single game. -- Final Record (10-4)

 

I hope that this is finally the year where our offense keeps up with the consistency our defense plays with every game. Once our offense can keep it together the ENTIRE season, we will be back.....i mean REALLY back.

I see us losing a couple this season for a number of reasons

1. Martinez still hasn't proven his throwing ability and overall leadership at the QB position.

2. Our O line is young and inexperienced. Also one of the most important parts of our offense, especially on a team that depends on the run and protection for our QB with terrible pocket presence.

3. It's our 1st season in a new conference. If we were to run the table and win the conference title in our 1st season, that would be the headline of the CFB season. They would be talking about it on ESPN forever. As much as i would love to see it happen, the rest of the B1G won't let us do that.....at least in year 1.

4. WRs are still unproven. Kinnie showed flashes of his talent as a receiver last year, but that's just it....flashes. We need consistency bigtime at that position. Kyler Reed is our only receiver that has been consistent with catching the ball. If Martinez is smart, he will be looking for Kyler a lot.

 

Bottom Line

--Bo has this program moving in the right direction. We've improved every year since he's been here and I think that this season won't be a letdown in that regard. Like I said, I see us dropping a 2 (WISC, OSU, MSU, NW, IOWA?) who knows? 2011 isn't the year we compete for the title, but I really like the chances of competing for it all in 2012.

[skersfan]

You can consider last year an improvement if you want, but after the Washington game, this program fell quite a few notches in my mind.

 

It could be corrected this year, who knows, but it has not been continual improvement, more up and down than anything else. A losing Texas team came into our house and hosed us. SDSU nearly did. Washington part duexs is totally unacceptable. Thinking we improved because scores were closer is just taking the crimson glasses and turning them up on high. At best we stayed the same. Being out coached in the Oklahoma game was terrible to.

 

We have high expectations this year, but most likely it will end again at 10-4.

[Stumpy1]

You can consider last year an improvement if you want, but after the Washington game, this program fell quite a few notches in my mind.

 

It could be corrected this year, who knows, but it has not been continual improvement, more up and down than anything else. A losing Texas team came into our house and hosed us. SDSU nearly did. Washington part duexs is totally unacceptable. Thinking we improved because scores were closer is just taking the crimson glasses and turning them up on high. At best we stayed the same. Being out coached in the Oklahoma game was terrible to.

 

We have high expectations this year, but most likely it will end again at 10-4.

Way to be positive...We were alot better last year then in 09. Record might not reflect it but we were.

[skersfan]

Not being negative, as I said we are moving in the right direction, but we are not moving as fast as some seem to think. We have problems and if those problems do not start to improve, we are at the highest level that we are going reach.

 

I think, we will improve, but last year was not an improvement, it was a step back as far as I am concerned. Losing a bowl game to a team we had thrashed during the year, is not improvement. Losing to Texas, as usual was not an improvement.

[junior4949]

We are to the point in our program where our goal should be to win every single game.

Um, seriously? I should hope so...what was the goal prior? Pat yourself on the back for this little nugget. (size 5 even)

 

I get what you're saying, but then again this is the main difference amongst Husker fans. There are those who believe we should win every game no matter what. Then, there are those of us that are realists where we hope for a good showing in some games. It isn't like this is some new phenomenom either. I felt the exact same way back in the 70's and 80's when TO was coach. Anytime we played a school from Florida in the bowl game, I prayed for a good showing.

 

Having said all of this, I believe EZ-E is right. Who do we play this year that really puts a scare in you? Ohio State might have before their implosion. If we were still in the Big 12, OU would scare me a bit. There are solid teams in the Big 10. However, there are no elite teams from the Big 10 now that Ohio State has run into problems. While we might stumble this year, there isn't a game on our schedule that I don't expect to win. This is the first time I can really say that since 2001.

I don't remember there being one last year I "didn't" expect to win. And that's not me believing we should win every game no matter what. We were pretty much favored in every game. Who'd you have us losing to? An undefeated K-State? Texas after back-to-back losses to UCLA and Oklahoma? Oklahoma State? Missouri? Certainly not Iowa State, Kansas, A&M or Colorado. Oklahoma in the championship game after loses to BOTH Missouri (a team we crushed) and A&M (a team we clearly beat)? If there was ever a year for us to contend it was last year. Our schedule/competition handed us the BCS on a platter.

 

...yet we lost 4 games. Not exactly contending for the MNC as the OP implied. That's my main point. It seems like everyone is gung ho over this season - yet last season was set up far better and we layed an egg. We aren't there yet, and we aren't as close as some think. I hope I'm wrong...but I still see 2-3 losses.

 

EDIT: Prove me wrong Bo - I'll be a happy guy

 

 

When a freshman who played receiver the previous year on the scout team was named the starting QB, I thought the year would be a little rough with a huge learning curve by Martinez. The two teams I thought we'd lose to before the season even started were Texas and OU. Texas was kind of in the same situation as us breaking in a new QB. However, Gilbert came in and did a pretty decent job when McCoy went down in the NC game. So, I gave them the edge. While OU wasn't on the schedule, I knew we'd either be playing them or Texas if we won the North. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect Texas to implode like they did last year.

 

Anytime we break in a freshman QB, there are lumps along the way. Even Frazier lost to lowly Iowa State his freshman year. Crouch took his lumps as well his freshman year. The schedule last year might have favored a run, but starting a freshman QB did not. This is why I'm cautiously optimistic this year. We all saw what Martinez was capable of last year. I'd be willing to bet he plays a lot more consistent and makes improvement. Ohio State scared the daylights out of me for a while, but things have dramatically changed. I think overcoming a new head coach and Pryor will be a reach for them.

 

I wouldn't be shocked at all for this season to somewhat mirror the 1999 season. I can see us losing to Wisconsin in the regular season, but then beating them in the Big 10 Championship game. As our recent luck would have it though, it will probably happen the other way around winning the regular season game and losing in the championship game as Wilson gets his mojo. Unless I'm really underestimating the Big 10, Wisconsin seems to be the major obstacle. Our chances are signficantly better in the Big 10 than the Big 12 considering three Big 12 teams are in the top 10.

[kchusker_chris]

^ ahh - you're going at the beginning of the season. I agree w/ you, I was skeptical of Texas...then I saw them implode. I was thinking like "the week before" the game. Not once did we go into a game last year that I didn't think we would win. I believe we were favored in all but Oklahoma? (could be wrong) And I was confident w/ that one because of their 2 losses, i didn't figure Bo would lose 2 championships in a row, so much bad crap had happened up to that point i was thinking kharma would be on our side, .... AND, I took Bo's word when he said Taylor was 100%.