What will make 2012 a successful season?

[ladyhawke]

Adam Rittenberg made this statement about Nebraska's 2012-2013 football season:

 

"But if Nebraska really wants to make a statement in the Big Ten, it absolutely has to record a signature road win.

 

Do you agree/disagree with this statement? What do you think will make 2012 a successful season? I know right away my response is: Win all of our games, but even if we lose a few can we still have a 'successful" season?

[zoogs]

Haven't we recorded enough signature wins lately? For the longest time we just needed that signature win over a high ranked team. We've had several of those. Now setting the line at something like "big road win" seems arbitrary to the point of carelessness. Besides, this is a team that has done pretty well in road games, maybe sometimes better than at home, because of the "us against the world" mentality that is especially useful on the road.

 

If we want to really make this season a success, we need to capture a conference title.

 

I think a reasonable expectation is a little bit below that - specifically a 4-loss year, possibly without a CCG appearance - which wouldn't be a failure, just a run-of-the-mill, expected performance.

[zeWilbur]

In the context of that quote, and his other writings, he was talking about making the CCG. To do that we likely need a win at OSU, MSU, or both. Making the CCG seems to be the blogger's benchmark for a successful season. I tend to agree. And making the CCG would go a long way towards setting us up for a really good run next year when things seem to be lining up anyway.

[Warrior]

Making the CCG would mean we had a successful season not necessarily a great season. I would like to see the Huskers back in the Rose Bowl only this time with a different outcome that would be a great season!

[NUance]

Adam Rittenberg made this statement about Nebraska's 2012-2013 football season:

 

"But if Nebraska really wants to make a statement in the Big Ten, it absolutely has to record a signature road win.

Signature win?? Penn State was a decent road win. I thought everybody in the world of college football saw it, since it was the week after the scandal broke. But maybe Rittenburg was at the mall with his wife that Saturday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

// Oh wait. That's not a wife. It's Rittenburg's inflatable doll.

[Chaddyboxer]

I, as well, think the Penn State game was a signature road win. Penn St was #8 in the country and there only loss was to the Natty Champs Alabama. NEB needs to make it to the CCG if they want to make a solid statement in the BIG10, or make an even greater statement and win the CCG. Just my two cents.

[The Dude]

Conference title or bust.

[bshirt]

Win our division is a must. Win the Big10 would be great!

[Saunders]

Honestly, I'd be happy with losing less than 4 games, and not getting blown out. If we don't win the division, and go 10-3 or 11-2 with some close losses (TD or less) than I wouldn't be upset.

[wiby_NU]

A consistant and dominant defensive/offensive line. The rest of the pieces will fall into place.

[NebraskaShellback]

Payback to Northwestern, Michigan, and Wisconsin! Also, Ohio State win in that game in Columbus! I do not like the Urban Meyers ethics, and/or his persona.

It would be great to have the O and D click all season.

Edited May 23, 2012 by NebraskaShellback

[NUance]

We have another brutal October sched. If we can win two, or maybe--MAYBE--three, of our October games the season will be a success. The rest of the schedule will fall into place most likely. Also, we need to stem the blowout losses.

[True2tRA]

I don't blame Nebraska fans for expecting to win the Big 10 this year, or at the least, play for it. In Pelini's 5th year at Head Coach, if you would have asked anyone in the country where Nebraska would be when he was hired, all of us would have said by now we would have won a CCG or even a NCG. Unfortunately it's not going to happen this year , looking at the schedule it's not realistic to think we will be there at the end. This is Nebraska though, and our expectations to compete for titles should never fade away. It's just unfortunate that right now that those expectations are just a bit high. We have too many unseen and unproven athletes coming onto the field. Young players have not been getting enough reps the last few seasons and are now going to be thrown into the mix. We've lost some really key players the last two years, and the loss of Lavonte David I believe will be extremely noticeable this year. Winning a big road game will be a good challenge for this team, but not losing a home game to a nobody, or not getting blown out by thirty points should be Nebraska's main focus. This team needs to stop collapsing when something goes wrong, deal with adversity much better, and stop being it's own worst enemy.

[kchusker_chris]

I don't blame Nebraska fans for expecting to win the Big 10 this year, or at the least, play for it. In Pelini's 5th year at Head Coach, if you would have asked anyone in the country where Nebraska would be when he was hired, all of us would have said by now we would have won a CCG or even a NCG. Unfortunately it's not going to happen this year , looking at the schedule it's not realistic to think we will be there at the end. This is Nebraska though, and our expectations to compete for titles should never fade away. It's just unfortunate that right now that those expectations are just a bit high. We have too many unseen and unproven athletes coming onto the field. Young players have not been getting enough reps the last few seasons and are now going to be thrown into the mix. We've lost some really key players the last two years, and the loss of Lavonte David I believe will be extremely noticeable this year. Winning a big road game will be a good challenge for this team, but not losing a home game to a nobody, or not getting blown out by thirty points should be Nebraska's main focus. This team needs to stop collapsing when something goes wrong, deal with adversity much better, and stop being it's own worst enemy.

I don't know about this. We weren't exactly in a great place when he took over. We all hoped for conference championships, but certainly not a NCG in 4 years (realistically anyway), or really even winning a CCG when Texas was on top of the world, Oklahoma was top 5, Oklahoma State was rising, and Tech was one of the best offensive teams in college football. And that's just the south. KU was top 5, Missouri was beating everyone, etc. When he was hired, I was hoping to get back to being competitive. In his first 3 years, with an exception or two he certainly did that. The culture is on course to return to normal, kids are out of trouble, etc.

 

What happened last year however was a disappointment. We weren't even remotely competitive in a few games, we again lost one we shouldn't have...and because we're a team that still rides on emotions - they frequently failed to execute for 4 quarters. Yet we still won 9 with how crappy we played. A couple plays here and there and it could have been 7. At the same time a couple plays the other way and maybe it's 11.

 

That's why I'm not too disappointed or discouraged. Last year was an anomaly with change around every corner. Brush it off, we'll be better this year. Maybe not in the win column - but we'll be back to being competitive all 13 games. And maybe we won't lose one we shouldn't as well. A couple plays go our way, and it could be a very different season that last year.

[Chaddyboxer]

Honestly, I'd be happy with losing less than 4 games, and not getting blown out. If we don't win the division, and go 10-3 or 11-2 with some close losses (TD or less) than I wouldn't be upset.

I'd love to see an 11-2 season....shows progress in the right direction.