How do the 2014 Huskers compare to past Husker teams?

[NUance]

How do the 2014 Huskers compare to past Husker teams? Where would you put this year's team among the teams in the following list, best to worst? (btw, The list was arbitrarily chosen by me, for discussion purposes, as a sampling of Husker teams of various strengths. Feel free to comment on the list if you disagree on the order.)

 

• 1995 Huskers, AP#1 (undefeated national champions)

• 2001 Huskers, AP#8 (11-2, blown out by Miami in MNC bowl game)

• 2009 Huskers, AP#14 (10-4, lost to Whorns by :01, beat Arizona in bowl)

• 2010 Huskers, AP#20 (10-4, lost to OU in B12 CCG, lost to Washington in bowl)

• 2013 Huskers, AP#25 (9-4, beat Georgia in bowl)

• 2002 Huskers, NR (7-7, low point of Solich regime)

• 2007 Huskers, NR (5-7, got Clownahan fired)

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EDIT: In the poll answers in the OP above I probly should have phrased each answer to say "but as good as or better than the". For example: "Below the 2013 Huskers but as good as or better than the 2002 Huskers."

[NUance]

METHODOLOGY:

Okay, first off I realize this is a TOTALLY arbitrary way to gauge the strength of a team. Also, I realize some of you may disagree on the order of the representative past Husker teams I put on the list. (For example, was the 2010 team really better than last year’s 2013 squad?) I’m just assuming each team’s strength in relation to other Husker teams is commensurate with its final AP ranking. Another problem with this methodology is that the strengths and weaknesses of each of the teams on this list are all over the board. The 2009 Huskers had one of the best defenses ever fielded by the Blackshirts—right up there with the 1995 squad I’d hazard to say. But the 2009 offense was merely okay. By contrast, the 2001 Huskers had a pretty decent scoring offense. But the 2001 defense folded like a rusty lawnchair against the last two good offenses we faced.

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That said, I’d place our 2014 team somewhere around our 2010 team, but not as good as the 2009 Huskers. This year’s defense is decent, but not nearly as stout as the Suh led 2009 defense. This year’s offense is probably a bit better than our 2009 offense, perhaps somewhere around the caliber of our 2010 offense that scored 20 points on the #10 ranked Sooners in the CCG. (We lost by three, btw.)

[Thanks_Tom RR]

This is a solid idea, as the best benchmark for a great team is itself, and you did a descent job selecting various levels of quality teams in Husker history.

 

I would put this team between the 2001 and 2009 teams. Special teams are an asset on the 2001, 2009, and 2014 teams. All three years had strong units: 2001 Offense, 2009 Defense, and 2014 Defense, and you could debate which is better. However, for me, I look at the other side of the ball for each and ranked which was weaker. The 2001 Defense and 2009 Offense got exposed as liabilities (2009 especially when Bo when to a protect-and-defend strategy). The current offense could be labeled similarly, but it is more of an issue of consistency than ability, which givens them the edge imo. Still, I would not put the 2014 past the 2001 team, until the offense can execute at a high level consistently.

[JJ Husker]

This question cannot be properly answered before the next few games are played.

[hskrfan4life]

If Nebraska wins the Big Ten title, wouldn't they be better than the 2009 Huskers by default?

[presidentjlh]

To me, you have to see how the season ends up to make a good judgment.

 

In the realm of possibilities, Nebraska could finish anywhere from 8-5 and 14-1 (National Champs). Here's where I would analyze it:

 

8-5: Worst team since 2007, but this seems extremely unlikely, in my view.

9-4: Another average Pelini team, roughly 2013 or 2011-ish since no division title, unlikely.

10-4: Division title, but losses in championship and bowl make this a 2010 or 2012 type team. Within the realm of possibility, but still I'd bet against it.

11-2: Best record, yes, but no division title is very disappointing. Still, pretty good, roughly equivalent to 2009, slightly better even. I could see this definitely happening if we lose this weekend.

11-3: Depends on how this 11-3 turns out, if by some chance it is us losing next 2 of 3, but still getting to big ten title, winning it, and losing bowl, this is still the best Pelini team. If it's getting to Big Ten title, losing it, but winning bowl, still best Pelini team. But us losing next 2 of 3 is highly unlikely to lead to division title. Best since 2003. This to me is one of the very likely possibilities of what happens to Nebraska.

12-2: This would be winning out, but losing Big Ten, but winning bowl, or winning Big Ten, but losing bowl/playoff round 1 This would be the best team since 2001. In my personal opinion, this is the other very likely possibility of what I foresee happening to Nebraska.

13-1: This would be winning out, but not getting to playoffs, still best since 2001. A decent chance, but not more than 50%.

13-2: Getting to playoffs, winning round 1, but losing in title game. I would equivocate this to 1999, which I feel was a better season than 01, relatively. Pretty unlikely, but, not out of the question.

14-1: This would be winning the national title, which would of course make this among the greatest seasons in Nebraska football history, and the best since 1997, although obviously the worst of the national title seasons since we have a loss in it, but I doubt anyone would complain about that. Honestly, I'd say this is only slightly more likely than 8-5. But still pretty unlikely.

[NUance]

To me, you have to see how the season ends up to make a good judgment.

 

True enough. But then we'll know for certain. It occurred to me, in making this poll thread, that we really have no idea how good (or not) this team is. I just wondered what others' opinions were as to where this team stands compared to other Husker teams.

[presidentjlh]

Fair enough, I have them on track as being the best since 2001, but not better. Better than 2009, however.

[skersfan]

Too much thought required for a season that is not even close to being over with. Sorry Nuance a waste of a thread for me.

[notherplace93]

Too much thought required for a season that is not even close to being over with. Sorry Nuance a waste of a thread for me.

 

Haha, definitely not calling you out, but it obviously wasn't enough of a waste for you to not post in it.

[NUpolo8]

This thread fails on the premise 2001 was good.

[Hoosker]

This thread fails on the premise 2001 was good.

 

It's in the National Film Registry for cryin out loud!

[beanman]

If Nebraska wins the Big Ten title, wouldn't they be better than the 2009 Huskers by default?

No. We played against a team playing in the national title game that year. Nothing even close to that in the Big 10 this year or in recent memory.

[presidentjlh]

 

If Nebraska wins the Big Ten title, wouldn't they be better than the 2009 Huskers by default?

No. We played against a team playing in the national title game that year. Nothing even close to that in the Big 10 this year or in recent memory.

 

I think it's more important that we actually have the conference title than that we lost to the national runners-up.

[kchusker_chris]

 

If Nebraska wins the Big Ten title, wouldn't they be better than the 2009 Huskers by default?

No. We played against a team playing in the national title game that year. Nothing even close to that in the Big 10 this year or in recent memory.

 

Agree, that 2009 team is 9-0 right now...and there isn't a thread about being scared of Wisconsin that's for damn sure.