Who should feel more urgency this week, Nebraska or Wisconsin?

[NUance]

Debate it: Team with most sense of urgency

posted 9/13/12 @ 10:11am, By Tom Dienhart

 

Week 2 was a rough one for the Big Ten. Not only did the conference lose six non-conference games for the first time since 2000, it went 1-6 against BCS teams. Of the teams that lost, which enters Week 3 with the most sense of urgency? BTN.com senior writer Tom Dienhart and BTN.com web editor Brent Yarina debate that topic in this post.

 

Brent: It’s got to be Wisconsin, right? I mean, this was supposed to be the team that would have a cakewalk to its second consecutive Big Ten title game. And two games in, the usually prolific offense looks lost and a coach already has been fired.

 

Tom: I think it’s Nebraska. Bo Pelini is in his fifth season in Lincoln. This was supposed to be a breakthrough season, with the Huskers challenging for the Legends title and Big Ten championship. But the debacle in UCLA casts doubt on how good this team is.

LINK

Sure, we sucked last week. But the Cheeseheads sucked WAAAY worse. I mean, Oregon State? Really? What an embarrassment that Wisconsin couldn't even lick the Beavers.

[Count 'Bility]

The question is how good is Wiscy's defense. We know how hard it is to win with no offense and an all-world D. We did for two years, won 20 games and lost 8 that way. Is Wiscy's defense good enough? Not tested enough yet. As far as us, how much can you win with a Good/great offense and a bad defense. We've been through this a couple times recently too. But this is probably the most critical game of the Pelini era. His teams have a good history of responding. If they show up with fire and intensity and take care of business against, let's face it, a lesser opponent, then my concerns will greatly dwindle. If we see a dogfight, and we have to squeek it out, and see a flat team and lack of execution, then it'll be obvious there's a problem and it may be time for sure to sound the fire alarms.

[NUance]

The question is how good is Wiscy's defense. We know how hard it is to win with no offense and an all-world D. We did for two years, won 20 games and lost 8 that way. Is Wiscy's defense good enough? Not tested enough yet. As far as us, how much can you win with a Good/great offense and a bad defense. We've been through this a couple times recently too. But this is probably the most critical game of the Pelini era. His teams have a good history of responding. If they show up with fire and intensity and take care of business against, let's face it, a lesser opponent, then my concerns will greatly dwindle. If we see a dogfight, and we have to squeek it out, and see a flat team and lack of execution, then it'll be obvious there's a problem and it may be time for sure to sound the fire alarms.

Yeah, the Cheesehead defense is full of holes. Their offensive line has question too. They gained 35 net rushing yards against the mighty Beavers. And this week they have a new offensive line coach. A guy who was one of their graduate assistants just last week.

[Excel]

Is this even a question? The answer of course is Nebraska.

 

Last week meant nothing to us. Our fans know how to handle failure, disappointment and heartbreak.

 

Lose like you've been there before.

 

Just as a point of order, it's really not accurate to refer to all things Badger as "cheesehead." They are not necessarily synonymous.

[Sker4Ever]

Huge difference between a team full of 4 stars and some 5 stars (UCLA) and the team from Corvallis. Not saying Wisconsin won't push or even beat us, but their loss is definitely more of an eye-opener than our loss to the Bruins

[NUance]

Is this even a question? The answer of course is Nebraska.

 

Last week meant nothing to us. Our fans know how to handle failure, disappointment and heartbreak.

 

Lose like you've been there before.

 

Just as a point of order, it's really not accurate to refer to all things Badger as "cheesehead." They are not necessarily synonymous.

On the bright side, it meant something to GA Bart Miller. A big fat promotion to OL coach. Well, until he gets fired next week.

[Excel]

Yes you lost to a team with guys who were stellar recruits, but they were freshman coached by a brand new coach in front of an ambivalent home crowd.

 

We lost to a veteran HC with more experienced players in a venue known for upsets.

 

As far as urgency goes its a matter of expectations: I did not expect a great season this year, I thought we'd be better than we are and maybe make the B1G CG, but not a 2010/2011 kind of year. Most realistic UW fans knew it would be a down year with the coaching and player losses.

 

NU on the other hand expected more, or at least I think. I mean this is Nebraska we're talking about. Many of you seem to expect a National Championship each year so I think those fans are feeling much more nervous. Urgency on a piss your pants kind of level.

 

Both schools seem to be suffering from their own identity issues. Nebraska on Defense and Wisconsin on Offense.

[NUance]

Yes you lost to a team with guys who were stellar recruits, but they were freshman coached by a brand new coach in front of an ambivalent home crowd.

 

We lost to a veteran HC with more experienced players in a venue known for upsets.

We lost to the #37 ranked team. You lost to the #68 ranked team. LINK

 

Wouldn't it be fitting if the Beavers were ranked #69 instead.

 

 

 

As far as urgency goes its a matter of expectations: I did not expect a great season this year, I thought we'd be better than we are and maybe make the B1G CG, but not a 2010/2011 kind of year. Most realistic UW fans knew it would be a down year with the coaching and player losses.

 

NU on the other hand expected more, or at least I think. I mean this is Nebraska we're talking about. Many of you seem to expect a National Championship each year so I think those fans are feeling much more nervous. Urgency on a piss your pants kind of level.

 

Both schools seem to be suffering from their own identity issues. Nebraska on Defense and Wisconsin on Offense.

I'm not aware of anyone who actually expected a MNC. Most of us expected to be ranked between #10 and #20 at the end of the season--probly win 8 or 9 games and get a decent bowl invite. Which is what I still expect.

[Excel]

So you're showing me rankings, after one week, of teams ranked worse than 35 and that both had losing records last year. Yea I guess you really got me.

 

As far as the expectations I think four pages of HB meltdowns stand for themselves.

[NUance]

So you're showing me rankings, after one week, of teams ranked worse than 35 and that both had losing records last year. Yea I guess you really got me.

 

As far as the expectations I think four pages of HB meltdowns stand for themselves.

Meh, I just posted the rankings so I could make the Beavers/#69 joke. Also, I’m just bagging on the Cheeseheads to get away from all the Husker negativity. Thanks for the diversion! :

 

And as far as meltdowns go, this one was fairly mild. Maybe a 6 or 7 on a scale of 10.

[akita]

Bucky is right on this one. The pressure is on Nebraska more! Wisconsin fans have other distractions also. Some team called the Cheese heads. Brewers base ball/lol! Bucky is spot on. This was not about comparing teams here. It is about urgency. Well I know Wisconsin head coach guy can have a 5 win season and be okay with his job. Let Bo only win 8 this year and see how much urgency there is next year.

[Excel]

Ah still with the cheesehead thing. While most Wisconsin fans are Packer fans, I am for example, not all are. Certainly not all Packer fans are fans of UW. The terms are not synonymous and many UW fans don't like them being used interchangeably.

 

This is just like insisting that Northwestern be abbreviated "NW" and calling Michigan "MU" or Wisconsin "WU." You are a quirky bunch.

[zoogs]

Is this even a question? The answer of course is Nebraska.

 

Last week meant nothing to us. Our fans know how to handle failure, disappointment and heartbreak.

 

Lose like you've been there before.

 

Well, you got a point there!

 

I think a number of things tilt the answer to 'Nebraska.' Expectations were pretty amped up for this season, and Bo is under some amount of pressure to succeed within the conference at this point in his tenure. Wisconsin's quarterback from last year is starting in the NFL. Their celebrated OL coach departed in the offseason, and his replacement was fired after just one game. Their new QB is a first-year transfer, so a bit of an experiment in that way.

 

On the other hand, they couldn't lick the Beavers. So it's a wash

[NUance]

Ah still with the cheesehead thing. While most Wisconsin fans are Packer fans, I am for example, not all are. Certainly not all Packer fans are fans of UW. The terms are not synonymous and many UW fans don't like them being used interchangeably.

 

This is just like insisting that Northwestern be abbreviated "NW" and calling Michigan "MU" or Wisconsin "WU." You are a quirky bunch.

 

So this must've been when Aaron Rodgers led the Packers to the Rose Bowl.

[Excel]

Ah still with the cheesehead thing. While most Wisconsin fans are Packer fans, I am for example, not all are. Certainly not all Packer fans are fans of UW. The terms are not synonymous and many UW fans don't like them being used interchangeably.

 

This is just like insisting that Northwestern be abbreviated "NW" and calling Michigan "MU" or Wisconsin "WU." You are a quirky bunch.

 

So this must've been when Aaron Rodgers led the Packers to the Rose Bowl.

 

Ah, hi. Remember where I said this? "most Wisconsin fans are Packer fans." Thanks. You see a lot of Packer stuff at Badger games. Far less Wisconsin stuff at Lambeau.