Some Undeniable Truths about this Season

[TheBreeze521]

Most people--me included--would rather see our current coaching staff progress vs. a regime change. We can only hope all eyes have been opened. A few things that came to mind:

 

1) The B1G was there for the taking this year. Sure WI, MSU, Mich, PSU, tOSU and on a good day Iowa are all good enough--but none of them is a world-beater, not this year. Yet the Huskers manage to forget how to play (and coach) defense and can't mount even a serious challenge.

 

2) Coaches (and fans) will expect young NU players to play at a high level next year and the year after, based on a wing and a prayer rather than experience.

 

3) Thin and too small on both lines. Didn't NU once build line depth with walkons?

 

4) Team speed on the field speed becoming a serious issue. Team speed on the sidelines also a serious issue.

 

5) NU can't handle prosperity and mistakes multiply like rabbits. And killer instinct? That is a pipe dream.

 

6) Many programs with no business attracting good talent do in fact attract good talent. NU is having trouble reclaiming its brand.

 

7) Receivers who presumably were serviceable receivers in high school come to NU and might as well be trying to snag the ball with a brick in each hand.

 

8) I said and heard "Where in the World is ____" more times this year than I can fathom.

 

9) One stud linebacker can't prop up an entire defense.

 

10) Playing in the Longhorn League this year would have been downright ugly. Thank you Dr. Tom.

 

11) Saturdays, not as fun as they used to be.

 

12) 9-3 would be a huge win at this point, but see #1.

[Moiraine]

We didn't have enough of these threads until yours was added. Thanks.

[It'sNotAFakeID]

There are some things on here that I disagree with, but I suppose it's just a matter of differing perspectives. So let me give you mine:

 

1) I understand that the Big Ten was there for the taking, we were one of the preseason favorites. But there is this aura about the Big Ten that always makes it more complicated to predict than most other conferences. Nebraska was never a world-beater though, and we were right in line with Wisconsin, Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State. If we were a world beater who was much better in terms of talent than the other teams and proceeded to play like we have, then I would be more upset, but because we were in par and below talent compared to some of those teams, the losses are understandable. We could've won, and we could have also finished 2-6.

 

2) I guess I don't quite know what you mean when you say, "based on a wing and a prayer rather than experience". We are a young team and experience can only make teams better. Think about it. Look at what experience has done for Taylor, he's progressed a good deal from his freshman year to now.

 

3) I want to know how you think we're having trouble "reclaiming our brand".

 

4) I would refrain from comparing how we are doing in the Big Ten to how we would do in the Big XII. They are completely different teams with different philosophies--plus we wouldn't have to adjust as much as we had to for Big Ten football.

 

5) The size issues along the line are a product of a different conference. I am hoping that the average weight of our OLine will increase as we spend more and more years in the Big Ten.

 

6) Saturdays are still plenty of fun to me. College football wouldn't be fun if we won every game [although I'm sure it was fun in 1994, 1995, and 1997].

 

7) 9-3 is about what I expected, take away the NW loss, and that's 10-2. Not bad in our very first year.

[Hunter94]

We didn't have enough of these threads until yours was added. Thanks.

 

 

got to agree, this is an unecessary rehash, but thanks for reminding us of our weaknesses....coaches, please take note.

[Landomatic]

Most people--me included--would rather see our current coaching staff progress vs. a regime change. We can only hope all eyes have been opened. A few things that came to mind:

 

6) Many programs with no business attracting good talent do in fact attract good talent. NU is having trouble reclaiming its brand.

 

3) I want to know how you think we're having trouble "reclaiming our brand".

 

I'm curious about this one too. I'm a marketing guy so I know what that phrase means in business. What exactly is this referring to with regard to our football team? And what do you propose we do to fix it?

[3rd and long]

Most people--me included--would rather see our current coaching staff progress vs. a regime change. We can only hope all eyes have been opened. A few things that came to mind:

 

6) Many programs with no business attracting good talent do in fact attract good talent. NU is having trouble reclaiming its brand.

 

3) I want to know how you think we're having trouble "reclaiming our brand".

 

I'm curious about this one too. I'm a marketing guy so I know what that phrase means in business. What exactly is this referring to with regard to our football team? And what do you propose we do to fix it?

 

I'm not involved in this thread but I can maybe see where the op was going with brand thing, and maybe it's a little bit similar to the "identity" threads. For years we were know for a couple of things, a powerful running game led by the "big old corn fed Nebraksa kids" and kids who would never quit. It was our image, or brand (maybe), we were going to be a fixture on the conference and national scene most years, and those who played us knew what we were going to do. We don't have that aura about us anymore. Maybe that's what the OP is referencing when he says "brand". Just speculation on my part.

[Hunter94]

Most people--me included--would rather see our current coaching staff progress vs. a regime change. We can only hope all eyes have been opened. A few things that came to mind:

 

6) Many programs with no business attracting good talent do in fact attract good talent. NU is having trouble reclaiming its brand.

 

3) I want to know how you think we're having trouble "reclaiming our brand".

 

I'm curious about this one too. I'm a marketing guy so I know what that phrase means in business. What exactly is this referring to with regard to our football team? And what do you propose we do to fix it?

 

I'm not involved in this thread but I can maybe see where the op was going with brand thing, and maybe it's a little bit similar to the "identity" threads. For years we were know for a couple of things, a powerful running game led by the "big old corn fed Nebraksa kids" and kids who would never quit. It was our image, or brand (maybe), we were going to be a fixture on the conference and national scene most years, and those who played us knew what we were going to do. We don't have that aura about us anymore. Maybe that's what the OP is referencing when he says "brand". Just speculation on my part.

 

 

being "multiple" means you never have to say you are sorry.......we used to be a lot like Wiscy, now we don't know who the hell we want to be, especially on offense, a hodge-podge of players whose talents we aren't sure how to use yet....i don't see a plan or identity here, a drift in a tough conference, hoping to make big plays and win games without a reliable defense.

[Caven]

You missed some undeniable truths about this season.

 

1. Nebraska will play 13 games, 8 of which will be conference games

2. Nebraska will win at least 8 games this year and possibly more including at least 4 in conference

 

I am sure there are a few more - but those were the ones that jumped out at me.

[It'sNotAFakeID]

So if the reclaiming our brand means having a cornfed Nebraska power running game by Nebraska kids...then Bo's job is damn impossible.

 

Here's why:

 

I am sure he's under some pressure to recruit big time talent. Well, last I checked, Nebraska isn't exactly busting at the seams with talent. So if he is going to recruit Nebraska kids, then we're not going to be as good and he's going to be questioned about how well he can do is job. It's hardly Bo's fault that our state doesn't produce good football players like the states of California, Texas, Ohio, Michigan, Florida, Georgia, the Southeast, etc...do.

 

At the same time, if he doesn't recruit Nebraska kids, people are going to be upset because we're not reclaiming the Nebraska brand of football.

 

Too many people want contradictory ideals.

[MJSkers]

Undeniable Truths? I think you mean "My Opinions". Sorry, Saturdays are just as fun as they've always been because I LOVE watching football and LOVE watching Nebraska. I'm pumped for the Iowa game Friday. Have a Happy Thanksgiving hating football!

[flatwaterfan]

We don't do a very good job of grooming backups.

[lo country]

We don't do a very good job of grooming backups.

 

This. Even if Bo recruits phenomenal talent, it generally takes 2-3 yrs to see the field. During this time, barring injury to a starter, historically speaking, you will never see the field until said starter graduates. This means that even after 2-3 yrs in the "system, in regards to speed of the game, you are not much better off than a true fresh.

 

If you look at Wisky, their O line is built with Wisconsin kids. They have an identity, recruit for it and are consistent with it. They are not in a recruiting hot bed, but do alright for their system. NU needs to do the same. We need to define and really decide who and what we want to be and then recruit accordingly. I would also guarantee that is you asked each member of the staff what type O we run, you would get various answers and none of them the same. For me, this is the greatest issue we currently face this year, into the off season and into next year if not fixed this off season.

 

I also think that if you do not see a player in a live atmosphere it would be hard to really evaluate their true talent/potential. You think some fresh is the real deal because he is learning, doing well in practice and doing what the staff says, but in yr 3 he finally gets in and wilts under the lights. I would rather learn this ASAP to try and recruit for the lack of this guys playing time early instead of thinking I have the next star and find out he is a dud.

[VA Husker Fan]

 

 

7) 9-3 is about what I expected, take away the NW loss, and that's 10-2. Not bad in our very first year.

I don't get this comment. You can't take away that NW loss, and that loss really was inexcusable. You just can't pretend it's a win and call it "not bad", because it wasn't a win. We lost to NW. That a big mark against this team.

 

btw, 9-3 isn't guaranteed yet.

[AFhusker]

So if the reclaiming our brand means having a cornfed Nebraska power running game by Nebraska kids...then Bo's job is damn impossible.

 

Here's why:

 

I am sure he's under some pressure to recruit big time talent. Well, last I checked, Nebraska isn't exactly busting at the seams with talent. So if he is going to recruit Nebraska kids, then we're not going to be as good and he's going to be questioned about how well he can do is job. It's hardly Bo's fault that our state doesn't produce good football players like the states of California, Texas, Ohio, Michigan, Florida, Georgia, the Southeast, etc...do.

 

At the same time, if he doesn't recruit Nebraska kids, people are going to be upset because we're not reclaiming the Nebraska brand of football.

 

Too many people want contradictory ideals.

 

The comment sounds like a recruiting comment to me. What I think he's saying is that schools with less resources and in a worse place than Lincoln, Nebraska can recruit better talent than this coaching staff can attract to Nebraska.

[Nevada Husker]

10 games into the season we have no idea whether backups like Carnes are "gamers" or not. It's much better to rotate backups in at times to get a sense whether they rise to the occasion or disappear into the background. Let alone the fact that you need backups ready and experienced with being under the lights in case the starter is injured. Kids will always surprise you (in either direction) when it comes to this and we should be finding it out rather than waiting for an injury.