Conference Move Struggle

[Count 'Bility]

Didn't seem to bother Missouri.

Yeah. True. They played in a conference championship game in their second season in their new conference..........................

[deedsker]

Didn't seem to bother Missouri.

Yeah. True. They played in a conference championship game in their second season in their new conference..........................

And their defense got exposed.................

[strigori]

Didn't seem to bother Missouri.

Yeah. True. They played in a conference championship game in their second season in their new conference..........................

And Mizzou has not won a conference title since 1969, which was a shared title, and they got a retroactively added title for 1960. So their last outright title was in 1945. Lets compare them to us some more.

[TonyStalloni]

Does Missouri's playing in the conference championship game say more about Mizzoo or the SEC? We won't know that till the bowl games are played and what happens in the next year or two. As to the OP, I agree that the future looks bright on the defensive side and I think also the offensive side if we can get consistant, error free play from the QB position. Bo has not had a Qb yet who fits the term game manager which is so popular now. Ganz was smart and could throw reasonably well but wasn't much of a runner. Taylor M had problems reading defenses early, was not a great passer, but was a fantastic runner. TA is in the style of the old option Qb's but currently is not a good passer. Ron K is a decent passer but doesn't run the option or zone read and is not a good scrambler. I hope Stanton turns out to have qualities that we need for the offense or Tommy can improve his passing.

[HuskerNationNick]

I have always considered this the most bizarre of excuses. I would put it right up there with the mean media and Twitter wars as the most unconvincing. The things that have primarily hurt us...

• Inability to maintain intensity and focus for 60 minutes
  
• Dropped balls
  
• Predictable, fearful playcalling
  
• FUMBLES
  
• Questionable conditioning, and possibly related...
  
• Injuries
  
• Relying too heavily on an explosive RB at QB
  

All of these things are universal to football. They are equally important to the Big 12, the Big 10, the NFL, high school football, eight-man football, Canadian football, Arena football, the XFL, etc.

 

May I add Special Teams to that list?

[junior4949]

Conference moves really depend on the teams and what conferences they came from. TCU and West Virginia have struggled. However, who didn't see this coming? They went from lesser conferences to a greater conference. Same can be said of Utah. While the SEC is top dog, a move from the Big 12 to the SEC isn't quite the same as a move from the Big East to the Big 12. I'd say both Mizzou and A&M have done rather well for themselves in the move. We moved from a greater conference to a lesser conference, so it is a bit mind boggling we haven't done a little bit better. However, the future for the B1G looks brighter right now than the future of the Big 12. Urban Meyer brings some credibility to the B1G. The Big 12 is losing it's fast especially if Briles jets for the Redskins and Mack Brown is allowed to continue coaching.

[Junior]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/15367452/pelini-confident-cornhuskers-will-adjust-succeed-in-big-ten

 

"Is the style of play a little bit different [in the Big Ten]? In some ways yes, in some ways no. Football is football. You're going to win by the basics, the fundamentals. If you're good at those things, you're going to win football games, no matter who you're playing, no matter what conference you're in."

-- Bo Pelini

[NUance]

Didn't seem to bother Missouri.

 

Mizzou 2013

Georgia (8-4) Won 41-26

Florida (4-8) Won 36-17

South Caroliny (10-2) Lost 27-24

Tennessee (5-7) Won 31-3

Kentucky (2-10) Won 48-17

Ole Miss (7-5) Won 24-10

Texas A&M (8-4) Won 28-21

Auburn (12-1) Lost 59-42

 

 

Mizzou's success had a lot to do with their schedule. They only played two good SEC teams. Lost to both of them. Bama would crush Mizzou. I think even LSU would handle them.

[kchusker_chris]

Didn't seem to bother Missouri.

 

Mizzou 2013

Georgia (8-4) Won 41-26

Florida (4-8) Won 36-17

South Caroliny (10-2) Lost 27-24

Tennessee (5-7) Won 31-3

Kentucky (2-10) Won 48-17

Ole Miss (7-5) Won 24-10

Texas A&M (8-4) Won 28-21

Auburn (12-1) Lost 59-42

 

 

Mizzou's success had a lot to do with their schedule. They only played two good SEC teams. Lost to both of them. Bama would crush Mizzou. I think even LSU would handle them.

I'll remember you said this after the Georgia game, since they are on your list as not being any good. And they had their starting QB back then too...we better win by 30 don't ya think?

[NUance]

Didn't seem to bother Missouri.

 

Mizzou 2013

Georgia (8-4) Won 41-26

Florida (4-8) Won 36-17

South Caroliny (10-2) Lost 27-24

Tennessee (5-7) Won 31-3

Kentucky (2-10) Won 48-17

Ole Miss (7-5) Won 24-10

Texas A&M (8-4) Won 28-21

Auburn (12-1) Lost 59-42

 

 

Mizzou's success had a lot to do with their schedule. They only played two good SEC teams. Lost to both of them. Bama would crush Mizzou. I think even LSU would handle them.

I'll remember you said this after the Georgia game, since they are on your list as not being any good. And they had their starting QB back then too...we better win by 30 don't ya think?

Sure. But if you're going to compare Mizzou to us then let me knock out five or six of their offensive starters. Then we'll see how well they do. If you want to compare apples to apples, that is.

 

/ And my point above wasn't that we are as good as Mizzou this year. We're not. (Even healthy we're not.) My point was that Mizzou did not play the best teams in the SEC this year.

[JTrain]

Georgia was definitely good this year. Ranked 19th in Sagarin, 19th in Massey and 18th in Rothman. And they lost to #2 Auburn via "the most improbable touchdown you'll ever see".

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf5jnajTKJI

.

[Joe_5700]

Didn't seem to bother Missouri.

Yeah. True. They played in a conference championship game in their second season in their new conference..........................

And Mizzou has not won a conference title since 1969, which was a shared title, and they got a retroactively added title for 1960. So their last outright title was in 1945. Lets compare them to us some more.

Pinkel is now walking on water while he was the subject of ridicule for years on here...

[Comish]

Back to the OP.

 

When I look at a title of a thread that proclaims we have struggled, it suggests the reason is because of the conference change. Others have correctly detailed that fundamentals and details and ball security etc. are universal regardless of which conference you Tee it up in.

 

One of the angles being overlooked, I think, is that although we certainly haven't shown the consistency we'd desire...........We have been able to compete in this conference. We have defeated every team in this conference that we have played (except Indiana....and we would win that) and have, I believe, a even or winning record against all of them (except Wisconsin). Furthermore, because the schedule was front loaded to the extent that we didn't get to even play lightweights Purdue and Illinois until this year. So that means we played and defeated every one of the conference powers within the first 2 years of joining. That proves we CAN compete. We just haven't been fundamental enough consistently to overcome our own foibles.

[Redux]

I agree, we have been more competetive in a more physical league. Could care less we beat tOSU while they were down, DIDNT beat Texass when they were down. Went 1-2 against OU, 2-1 against Michigan.

 

Saying the league jump is just an excuse is nearsighted at best. Now that weve been in both leagues 3 years under Bo it would be easy to point that we were more "successful" in the Big 12. The difference is that the B1G gets leass respect than the Big 12 and the difficulty of our backloaded schedule isnt fully appreciated. Also the injury bug was rough this year, no thats not an excuse, look at our bowl opponent. Is that just a fluke or a reflection of our new home, little of both maybe.

 

Id say the transition wouldve been smoother for a different coach with more experience but given the circumstances Id say weve performed decently. The talent in place and the schedule set up for a strong run next year. If we cant take control in2014 Ill be more worried.