predictions for next year anyone?

[Scarlet"N"Cream]

We will be 0-0 until we play our first game. That's certain. I think I'll wait until at least the end of spring ball.

[DaveH]

And, it still cracks me up that some people are chalking up ANY road game as a win. NU is 2-7 under billy c on the road, and got destroyed by the team that is one of the conf. bottom feeders on the road this year.

 

I dont care if they are playing Dana College in Blair, under billy c, EVERY road game is a question mark.

It's called being confident in your team. But you're right. Like newearth says, it'll just rain anyway

[BIGREDIOWAN]

Wrap up when you tackle

Yeah that's no surprise to anyone who has ever played the game for even a quarter! I swear if I see one more husker not wrap up when he's tackling put his head on the front side of the ball carrier on his belt buckle and drive him straight to hell I'm going to scream!!!

[OldSchoolHusker]

i predict that no matter what our record is, no matter what bowl game we go to, and no matter how well we perform, there will be fans that will bitch about something ....

 

I'D BET GOOD MONEY ON THAT .....

 

[Pedro Guerrero]

i predict that no matter what our record is, no matter what bowl game we go to, and no matter how well we perform, there will be fans that will bitch about something ....

 

I'D BET GOOD MONEY ON THAT .....

 

 

Crap can we finish this year first?

[Pedro Guerrero]

yes thier qb and rb will be back, i was talking more towards the defense.

 

They lose six starters off their defense. I do believe they only lose one on offense.

 

I still think it is funny that people always bring up "If they were healthy" about this years game. They had their whole defense and were only missing Hicks on offense. What about the players that were hurt for us? That doesn't amtter though. Hicks is one of the most overrated players in the conference. He averages 4.2 a carry and 79 yards a game. Not exactly game changing stats.

[HuskerWisdom]

yes thier qb and rb will be back, i was talking more towards the defense. 

 

They lose six starters off their defense. I do believe they only lose one on offense.

 

I still think it is funny that people always bring up "If they were healthy" about this years game. They had their whole defense and were only missing Hicks on offense. What about the players that were hurt for us? That doesn't amtter though. Hicks is one of the most overrated players in the conference. He averages 4.2 a carry and 79 yards a game. Not exactly game changing stats.

keep telling yourself that, if it makes you feel better...but don't be surprised if we don't do well at Iowa State next year.

 

The key thing that Hicks does for Iowa State is that he changes the way the LB's and Safeties play their offense. Without him they can sit back and wait for the play-action pass, with him, they have to play the run and become susceptible to the play action. Sometimes the stats are the entire sum of the impact.

[HuskerWisdom]

a quick note, this year when Hicks has more than 10 carries, the offense has averaged 34.4 pts a game, when he has not played or has had less than 10 carries (he was injured in those games) they averaged 28.4 pts a game. In addition, the competition they played when he was in the lineup was tougher than the competition they played when he was out. Finally, they lost their 3 games when he was out - Nebraska, Baylor and Missouri.

 

When he was in they beat, Illinois State, Iowa, Texas A&M, Kansas State (45-17!) and Colorado. Looks to me like him being out changes their team significantly.

[Pedro Guerrero]

yes thier qb and rb will be back, i was talking more towards the defense. 

 

They lose six starters off their defense. I do believe they only lose one on offense.

 

I still think it is funny that people always bring up "If they were healthy" about this years game. They had their whole defense and were only missing Hicks on offense. What about the players that were hurt for us? That doesn't amtter though. Hicks is one of the most overrated players in the conference. He averages 4.2 a carry and 79 yards a game. Not exactly game changing stats.

keep telling yourself that, if it makes you feel better...but don't be surprised if we don't do well at Iowa State next year.

 

Keep telling myself what? That the only regular player for them that was out was Hicks? Sorry all the times I've seen him play he isn't that impressive. I guess if you enjoy a back that averages under 4 yards a carry for their career more power to you. Not very stellar for a "Game" changer at the D1 level.

 

 

i guess the what if's only work for some on here if it is to knock this team down. ISU had one starter missing and we beat them. Just a fact for you.

[DJR313]

a quick note, this year when Hicks has more than 10 carries, the offense has averaged 34.4 pts a game, when he has not played or has had less than 10 carries (he was injured in those games) they averaged 28.4 pts a game.  In addition, the competition they played when he was in the lineup was tougher than the competition they played when he was out.  Finally, they lost their 3 games when he was out - Nebraska, Baylor and Missouri.

 

When he was in they beat, Illinois State, Iowa, Texas A&M, Kansas State (45-17!) and Colorado.  Looks to me like him being out changes their team significantly.

I wouldn't read too much into the numbers here.

 

The games that you just listed their defense came to play and held the teams to a lower scoring output.

 

Games they won, they held the opposition to 14.5 points.

Games they lost, they held the opposition to just over 26 points.

 

Games they won, +15 in turnover margin.

Games they lost, -2 in turnover margin.

 

Those are more telling statistics than you're "Hicks factor", but whatever, keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better.

[HuskerWisdom]

a quick note, this year when Hicks has more than 10 carries, the offense has averaged 34.4 pts a game, when he has not played or has had less than 10 carries (he was injured in those games) they averaged 28.4 pts a game.  In addition, the competition they played when he was in the lineup was tougher than the competition they played when he was out.  Finally, they lost their 3 games when he was out - Nebraska, Baylor and Missouri.

 

When he was in they beat, Illinois State, Iowa, Texas A&M, Kansas State (45-17!) and Colorado.  Looks to me like him being out changes their team significantly.

I wouldn't read too much into the numbers here.

 

The games that you just listed their defense came to play and held the teams to a lower scoring output.

 

Games they won, they held the opposition to 14.5 points.

Games they lost, they held the opposition to just over 26 points.

 

Games they won, +15 in turnover margin.

Games they lost, -2 in turnover margin.

 

Those are more telling statistics than you're "Hicks factor", but whatever, keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better.

Interesting, so now, according to you, their defense was the key factor that allowed them to score 6 more points a game when Hicks was playing - against better competition also. Maybe they got a few more chances, but a much, much more logical thought is that maybe they were able to control the ball better when he played and that they kept the opposing offenses off the field for longer periods of time.

 

If I'm wrong next year I'll admit it, but sticking your head in the sand about ISU doesn't make a lot of sense - especially when we haven't had a good track record of going to their stadium and winning games as of late.

[Pedro Guerrero]

Interesting, so now, according to you, their defense was the key factor that allowed them to score 6 more points a game when Hicks was playing - against better competition also.

 

If I'm wrong next year I'll admit it, but sticking your head in the sand about ISU doesn't make a lot of sense

So the games they won with Hicks against "better" teams then they lost to were Iowa and Colorado.(I dont' believe this but I assume that is who you meant) Unless you are talking about since KSU, A&M, and Okie St with their losing records being better teams then NU and Mizzou. The Iowa State defense was responsible for 6 points against Iowa and 12 against CU. Against Colorado Hicks averaged a whopping 1.9 a carry. Iowa he averaged 4.2. So really they didn't beat anyone because of Hicks except 2 5-6 teams and 1 4-6 team. Wait they beat Ill. St. He got 3.6 per carry that game. What catagory does Army fall under since he did play but got hurt during that game? He was on his way to an amazing game. 2.4 per carry.

 

Also they lose a total of 9 starters off of their team this year. We lose 8 and one of those guys is playing because of injury. These numbers are going off of the depth charts for both teams going into this weeks games. Out of their 9 players 7 are defensive. 3 out of 4 db are gone and the heart and soul of their defense Nick Leaders is gone. The have one of the Top ranked defenses in the conference this year but I'm sure that is because the have such a ball control offense.

 

Maybe I'm wrong but declaring this a lose already doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

The if's could work on the 03 game as well. If Dailey wasn't the QB and Sandro wasn't the kicker we would of won in Ames.

[DJR313]

Interesting, so now, according to you, their defense was the key factor that allowed them to score 6 more points a game when Hicks was playing - against better competition also.

No, , I think it is pretty clear what I just said. When ISU creates more turnovers than they give away, they allow less points and they win, period. I think I heard this phrase from, I dunno where, oh yeah, REALITY; "Offense scores points, defense wins ball games." ISU wins 7 games, gives up an average of 14.5 points in those games. ISU loses 3 games, gives up an average of 26+ in those games.

 

Maybe they got a few more chances, but a much, much more logical thought is that maybe they were able to control the ball better when he played and that they kept the opposing offenses off the field for longer periods of time.

 

Actually, a much more logical thought is that if they allow less points and win the turnover battle that they win.(which is true for every single game) Every game that ISU has won or tied the turnover battle, they have won, every game that they lost the turnover battle, yup, you guessed it, they LOST. Steve Hicks is a marginal player, end of story, game over, drive home safely.

 

If I'm wrong next year I'll admit it, but sticking your head in the sand about ISU doesn't make a lot of sense - especially when we haven't had a good track record of going to their stadium and winning games as of late.

 

I haven't once said we are going to roll ISU next year or not respecting their team, just merely stated the facts that when their defense can stop people, that they win(if you don't believe me, just go to espn.com, find their team page and go through the box scores and tell me if you see something different).

[HuskerWisdom]

Convenient of you to ignore my POINT which was that when Hicks plays they score more points (34.4 to 28.4). A player doesn't have to be a world-beater to be important to a team. The key question is - What do they have to replace him? In ISU's case it is Greg Coleman, a truly marginal player and Hicks is a marked improvement over him.

 

Sure their defense played better in those games - I never said that the defense didn't play well in winning those games, but their offense played better as well. When you're analyzing the impact of a RB not being on the field defensive statistics probably aren't the first place you got to assess the impact. Now, to look again at offensive stats, I'll go a step further and break out their rushing and passing stats:

 

games with Hicks:

138.6 yards rushing

238.4 yards passing

Pts: 34.4

 

games without Hicks:

108.4 yards rushing

216.2 yards passing

Pts: 28.4

 

AGAIN my point holds, the offense plays significantly better when he is on the field. Nobody has ever claimed that he is an all-america, but it doesn't take a genius to see that they are a better team with him on the field.

[bigredhusker427]

USC---they wont have Lienhart but Bush should be back  (L)

KU---in lincoln (W)

ISU--lose key people (W)

KSU--coaching change (W)

Texas--with Vince Young L with out ???? (L)

OSU--bad team (W)

MU---at home Brad Smith gone (W)

Texas AM---didnt they get bet by OSU and squeaked a win at baylor    (W)

CU---at home, key losses on d-line and no Klatt but 99% of time a good game (???)

 

with a few good breaks NU could be 9-2, a few bad breaks and NU could be 2-9

 

if a worm had a shotgun would the birds f*** with him?

 

realisticly I see 7-4 maybe 8-3

 

GBR

I agree mostly but I don't think another 7-4 will cut it. It will have to be atleast 8 and I think it will probably be 9 wins. Optimistic? Well, if the Huskers play like they did yesterday all of next year, they will win every game. If they slip up and have a few "Kansas type games" where the bottom falls out, which I think may happen, they will lose a couple. I think they win all their home games except to Texas. I think we win all our away games except USC. Callahan will be shooting for 9 wins and everyone will be expecting the pattern to keep going. Does that mean we will have 11 wins in 2007 and play in the national championship? Hopefully, but I think we win anywhere from 8-10 next year.