Why not this year?

HuskerinSunDiego · August 24, 2014

We've been beaten down by years of mediocrity. Everybody is too scared to dare big dreams, lest they be called out if they fail in their predictions. We're playing it safe. Almost everybody in Husker nation predicts something barely above mediocrity. I offer a different angle.

Why not us? Why not this year? The pieces are in place to make a run. Look at the following:

1. Bo and his cat. This single act, alone, showed that the man had emotionally turned a corner. For Bo it has always been about emotion and acceptance. The two have finally come together. He has finally stripped down the hostile attitude that he showed toward the fans and has decided that it's better to just get along. I really sense that things have changed. He's in year seven. I'm glad he stayed (even though I wanted him gone). His staff is finally reaching maturity. Why not this year?

2. The defense is going to be all-world. Look at that front four. You could have 7 sophomores in high school playing on the back 7 with this front four and we'd still have an awesome defense. Of course, we have more than high schoolers in the back seven. The fact is that this defense is going to be AWESOME. Don't chicken out and say, "Yeah, but what if . . ." Screw that attitude. This defense has a gun completely loaded with big bullets. Big things will happen.

3. The offense will be good. You don't need to be great on offense when your defense is great. Good is enough. We have unbelievable skill players at running back and receiver. The o-line (in its third year under John Garrison) is totally hitting its stride. I'm glad that the last few retreads from the o-line from the Cotton days left last year. This is a young, hungry, aggressive bunch. Garrison has taught them to think like the Husker lines of years past. They are going to get better every game this year. We all know that the only real perceived weak spot is QB. However, let us not forget that Tommy won the bowl game against Georgia, in SEC country, IN THE RAIN. The man was cool and consistent. Cool and consistent will get it done this year. Maybe with some luck, he'll get better as the year goes on. Very possible. Also, once the offense sees that the defense is stopping everything, they will have the courage to be better. This offense is light years ahead of the 2009 offense, so don't feel that this is going to be 2009 again.

3. The schedule is NOT all-world. We've become wimpy. Since when is playing Michigan State in East Lansing a frightening scenario? Frightening was playing Miami in Miami, Oklahoma at OU, or USC under Pete Carroll. Nothing on our schedule is even remotely frightening. We should have beaten MSU last year and we had 5 turnovers. We have their number. Wisconsin is decent, but not phenomenal. OSU is gone now that Braxton Miller is gone. The point is that there is no team on our schedule that can push and bully us. We keep our heads up and play aggressively, then every game is winnable. Yes, many of you will say, "But we'll probably lose a few." That's a loser's mentality. We need to get back to the attitude that we can kick everyone's rear end at anytime, anywhere. If we can't do it with this team, then when will we ever be able to do it again?

4. The National Championship is not out of the question. Yes,you always need a few breaks, but we're not out of our league in any game this year. MSU is one of the favorites. Georgia is top 10. We should have won both of those games last year. And we're WAY better in every conceivable way this year than when we played them last year. If we don't want to dream this year, we might as well stop dreaming.

I AM FOOT FOOT · August 24, 2014

beat crap teams like the Iowas and Minnesotas like you should every year and then let the kool aid flow. we don't do that.

HuskerinSunDiego · August 24, 2014

I don't see this as drinking Kool-aid. Kool-aid would be thinking that Bill Callahan could lead us to a title. Kool-aid would be thinking that Taylor Martinez could lead us to the promised land. Kool-aid would be thinking that we were going to beat USC in 2007. This year is hardly a Kool-aid situation. Kool-aid denotes something that is beyond the realm of possibility. We aren't even remotely in that boat. When we say "let's drink Kool-aid," what we're really saying is that we are no longer a first-tier team.

Junior · August 24, 2014

I don't see this as drinking Kool-aid. Kool-aid would be thinking that Bill Callahan could lead us to a title. Kool-aid would be thinking that Taylor Martinez could lead us to the promised land. Kool-aid would be thinking that we were going to beat USC in 2007. This year is hardly a Kool-aid situation. Kool-aid denotes something that is beyond the realm of possibility. We aren't even remotely in that boat. When we say "let's drink Kool-aid," what we're really saying is that we are no longer a first-tier team.

True. Damn Taylor for giving up 70 points to Wisconsin.

carlfense · August 24, 2014

Kool-aid would be thinking that Bill Callahan could lead us to a title.

*cough*

Abdullah the Butcher · August 24, 2014

I don't see this as drinking Kool-aid. Kool-aid would be thinking that Bill Callahan could lead us to a title. Kool-aid would be thinking that Taylor Martinez could lead us to the promised land. Kool-aid would be thinking that we were going to beat USC in 2007. This year is hardly a Kool-aid situation. Kool-aid denotes something that is beyond the realm of possibility. We aren't even remotely in that boat. When we say "let's drink Kool-aid," what we're really saying is that we are no longer a first-tier team.

I think your kool-aid was spiked.

Moiraine · August 24, 2014

Yes it is kool aid. There has been no indication so far that the turnover issue will be solved and without that, we will lose games. If they do manage to be surprising and make improvements in that area, then I can see them winning a lot of games. People keep saying "we basically beat msu but we had 5 turnovers," as if the turnovers were some anomaly and they don't really count. Turnovers are a part of this team.

Junior · August 24, 2014

When we say "let's drink Kool-aid," what we're really saying is that we are no longer a first-tier team.

Define "first-tier".

HuskerinSunDiego · August 24, 2014

If we keep worrying about whether Taylor Martinez was unfairly treated, we'll never get back. I'm just saying we need to look at the future as now and stop worrying about the past. I honestly think that we are going to catch a lot of people by surprise.

HuskerinSunDiego · August 24, 2014

When we say "let's drink Kool-aid," what we're really saying is that we are no longer a first-tier team.

Define "first-tier".

First-tier is a top 15 team.

Junior · August 24, 2014

When we say "let's drink Kool-aid," what we're really saying is that we are no longer a first-tier team.

Define "first-tier".

First-tier is a top 15 team.

Then we are no longer a first-tier team. The last time we finished a season in the top 15 was 2009.