2012 Fighting Erstads schedule

[HuskerFanChuck]

Two links, then some comments.

 

First, the direct link to the schedule:

 

http://www.huskers.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=100&SPID=33&SPSID=103

 

Then, the link to the story from huskers.com about the schedule:

 

http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=205679009

 

31 on the road, 21 at home, rough first month and a half in that respect, with only 5 games in February and March at home until the very last weekend of March. Pretty balanced after that home and away, it seemed. Good test for this team. Lot of young and pretty decent talent coming in, it seems like. Good way to test them early.

 

Listing of the teams and ending RPI from last season:

 

CSUB: 166

CS Fullerton: 20

USC: 99

Texas: 52

New Mexico: 63

Northern Colo.: 270

Lou. Tech: 114

UC Irvine: 89

Illinois: 84

K State: 145

Northwestern: 242

Iowa: 190

Creighton: 133

Ohio St.: 72

Arky: 9

Purdue: 12

Okla. St.: 100

Rutgers: 107

Indiana: 79

Minnesota: 139

Michigan: 201

 

So, by my count, only 2 teams on the noncon outside the top 150, Add five more between 100 and 150. That leaves 7 from the top 100 RPI from last year in the noncon. Pretty decent challenge for the team. Should also help build the RPI as the year goes along. Should be interesting. Have my thought on series we should definitely be sweeping, but I'll wait on those for a later date. Nice schedule, decent challenge. Should be a fun year, I think!

[VectorVictor]

First off, good job on getting the title right for the thread. I know some folks had a problem with that last season.

 

Second, this type of schedule does set us up nicely. We just need to take that step forward in Season Two and win the B1G outright so SoS isn't a factor.

 

Three, I wonder if we can rouse the 'Husker rabble in Texas to come red-out the games in Austin next February. Would be fun to show up with shirts that say "2009 Big XII Football Regulation Time Champions" or some sort and mess with the locals...

[hskrfan4life]

Lol that would be funny. This is a very good schedule with some interesting games on it.

[95huskers]

4 games with fullerton... wow 3 with texas, 2 with the fighting van horns... and no season opening tourny with 1 mid season tourny. i like it! going to be a tough year but can only make the team better!

[95huskers]

the only thing missing from most years is the big home stand i am used to. usually 15-17 games. but this looks to alternate from this year to next to have that change i would think. 12 game road stand. tough

[HuskerFanChuck]

This article from Ken Hambleton at the LJS says most of what Erstad's thinking was, I believe:

 

http://journalstar.com/sports/huskers/baseball/huskers-beef-up-baseball-schedule/article_dc3fd43c-b657-5641-a02d-9cf437a6b5f8.html

 

Basically saying that he wanted to schedule tougher to challenge the team and to boost RPI. I think he did a pretty good job of that. The lack of a long homestand is what I think they'll likely have to live with until the reputation can be built back to where DVH had it in the early to mid 2000s. If we can get back there, we can probably start shopping home and home series with many of the higher level RPI teams. But it's probably going to take a few years of a schedule like this to get back there, which is basically what he says in the article.

[Omaha-Husker]

Hopefully some these those series will include a return trip next season for some more home games.

 

I really like what Erstad is doing with the schedule. A real commitment to make a real program that tries to compete on a national level, not just trying to win a weak conference.

[flatwaterfan]

It's a very nice schedule. Hat's off to those who set it up.

[Jaybird]

Lets just hope this type of schedule does a few things for our program:

 

1) Obviously improves our RPI so we have a better chance of making the NCAA tourney as an at large if not conf champ.

 

2) Shows our commitment to baseball and therefore enticing top level talent to come to Lincoln and play the best to become the best.

 

3) Show the B1G that baseball is a big deal and begin the process of making rules changes to put us on a closer to equal playing field with other conferences!

[VectorVictor]

This article from Ken Hambleton at the LJS says most of what Erstad's thinking was, I believe:

 

http://journalstar.c...f437a6b5f8.html

 

Basically saying that he wanted to schedule tougher to challenge the team and to boost RPI. I think he did a pretty good job of that. The lack of a long homestand is what I think they'll likely have to live with until the reputation can be built back to where DVH had it in the early to mid 2000s. If we can get back there, we can probably start shopping home and home series with many of the higher level RPI teams. But it's probably going to take a few years of a schedule like this to get back there, which is basically what he says in the article.

 

Frankly, unless global warming works in our favor or the NCAA pulls their head out of their arse and moves the start date back a month, we're going to be stuck with this going forward, regardless.