Phil Steele's Top 25 features 5 Big Ten teams

[BIG ERN]

Steele is great. I don't agree with FSU & Alabama as 1 and 2. The Seminoles have a Heisman contender at RB, are returning just 4 on offense. Their QB (Sean Maguire) went 4-2 in the games he started (lost to Clemson and ugly against Houston). And Alabama is returning 3 players on offense. They have to replace Coker at QB and Henry at RB. That's a ton of production on offense. Even though they have great coaching staffs, that's an uphill climb.

 

Not buying into LSU. They went 2-3 in their last 5 games (against good teams they struggled) and even though they have the best RB in the nation (possibly, see Stanford as it is debatable), I don't think they have a QB that is good enough to take some of the pressure. They do have a lot of guys returning on offense (9 starters) so that should help. Tennessee has a good coach, a light schedule with a tough stretch of 4 games which will decide their fate. Lots of talent, and 18 starters returning from a team that had a lot of close losses, mostly because of youth and growing pains.

 

Stanford has 9 returning starters, including McCaffery as another Heisman contender, but needs to find a new signal caller, game manager. Notre Dame should be up there most of the year too, but I think OU, Clemson, and Ohio State are the favorites to make the playoffs. Coaching, returning talent (both sides), and accurate QBs that are dangerous throwing or running.

 

Ohio State just lost 12 players in the 1st four rounds of the draft which is a record. Having possibly the best coach in CFB and a great QB is swell, but that is a lot of talent gone (3 offense, 3 defense for returning starters). With that said, I see them going 10-2 and being on the cusp of the playoff.

[Scratchtown]

 

 

 

 

Why is everyone so high on Tennessee this year? Sure they have most of their starters back. But they're back from a squad that dropped four games last year. I'm guessing they drop at least three or four games again this year. And finish around 20th or so. :

So, why is everyone here so ready to crown NU at 10-2? They return less than Tennessee and NU lost 7 games last year.

 

I think Tennessee has WAY more talent stock piled than NU and QB play that trumps NU's 100 times over. Maybe you are endorsing the SEC as being tough?

The operative word in your question is "here"? Because we're Husker fans, that's why. (btw, I doubt we go 10-2. A more reasonable prediction would be three or four losses.)

 

Steele has us at #22. I think the Huskers at #22 is more reasonable than Tennessee at #7. /JMHO

It was a reference to improvement. Why does NU improve so much but Tennessee doesn't?

 

 

Same reason you see Oregon being really good, but I don't. We discussed this last year also. You thought the Ducks lose 1-2 games and I said no less than 3. I think they lost 4 didn't they? I see Oregon starting a slide to a team that is a 3-4 loss team most years and a 5-6 loss team thrown in the mix on occation. They will also have the 10-2 season in there also. Helfrich isn't Chip Kelly, heck I don't even think he is as good as Bolotti.

 

Oregon doesn't go without a great QB. They were at the pinnicle with Mariota. With good QB the offense can still be really good. There QB and defense is a huge question mark this year. Personally I think they lose 4 game again. They could be better, but I think they lose to Nebraska and Stanford.

 

Well you were right, and I don't think you are all that wrong here.

 

I am a realistic person my man. I just kind of go caught up in the Vernon Adams hype last season because of what he was able to do at Eastern Wash. Really, if we're being serious, If Vernon Adams doesn't get hurt in some of those games, you would have likely been wrong. Either way 2015 is over, and I agree with you. Unfortunately I don't see Oregon being any better than 9-3 this year. Stanford and Washington will probably beat them. Washington is due for a win anyway after how many times Oregon has beaten them in a row now. Washington State always gives them fits, and I'm not expecting a great result vs USC. Utah is a threat as well.

 

I'm not super optimistic about Oregon this year but they have enough talent to be a danger to anyone they play imo. They have a ton of exp returning. The only thing Oregon is missing is QB play and they can't keep relying on this grad transfers to plug in. They have to develop some kids at some point. I was actually thinking earlier today that I wouldn't be all that bummed if Helfrich was let go within a couple years. Enough time for Oregon to maybe woo Tom Herman.

 

Edit: Although I kind of forgot about the coaching changes aside from bringing in Hoke. Pellum is still around coaching LB's. Lubick is the OC, and they brought in David Yost to coach the QB's. Yost served with Leach at Washington State and I believe he was at Missouri when Brad Smith, Chase Daniel and Blaine Gabbert were in school. So they have made the changes to hopefully up the QB play. Yost is a pretty well regarded QB coach around the nation.

[NUinID]

 

 

 

 

 

Why is everyone so high on Tennessee this year? Sure they have most of their starters back. But they're back from a squad that dropped four games last year. I'm guessing they drop at least three or four games again this year. And finish around 20th or so. :

So, why is everyone here so ready to crown NU at 10-2? They return less than Tennessee and NU lost 7 games last year.

 

I think Tennessee has WAY more talent stock piled than NU and QB play that trumps NU's 100 times over. Maybe you are endorsing the SEC as being tough?

The operative word in your question is "here"? Because we're Husker fans, that's why. (btw, I doubt we go 10-2. A more reasonable prediction would be three or four losses.)

 

Steele has us at #22. I think the Huskers at #22 is more reasonable than Tennessee at #7. /JMHO

It was a reference to improvement. Why does NU improve so much but Tennessee doesn't?

 

 

Same reason you see Oregon being really good, but I don't. We discussed this last year also. You thought the Ducks lose 1-2 games and I said no less than 3. I think they lost 4 didn't they? I see Oregon starting a slide to a team that is a 3-4 loss team most years and a 5-6 loss team thrown in the mix on occation. They will also have the 10-2 season in there also. Helfrich isn't Chip Kelly, heck I don't even think he is as good as Bolotti.

 

Oregon doesn't go without a great QB. They were at the pinnicle with Mariota. With good QB the offense can still be really good. There QB and defense is a huge question mark this year. Personally I think they lose 4 game again. They could be better, but I think they lose to Nebraska and Stanford.

 

Well you were right, and I don't think you are all that wrong here.

 

I am a realistic person my man. I just kind of go caught up in the Vernon Adams hype last season because of what he was able to do at Eastern Wash. Really, if we're being serious, If Vernon Adams doesn't get hurt in some of those games, you would have likely been wrong. Either way 2015 is over, and I agree with you. Unfortunately I don't see Oregon being any better than 9-3 this year. Stanford and Washington will probably beat them. Washington is due for a win anyway after how many times Oregon has beaten them in a row now. Washington State always gives them fits, and I'm not expecting a great result vs USC. Utah is a threat as well.

 

I'm not super optimistic about Oregon this year but they have enough talent to be a danger to anyone they play imo. They have a ton of exp returning. The only thing Oregon is missing is QB play and they can't keep relying on this grad transfers to plug in. They have to develop some kids at some point. I was actually thinking earlier today that I wouldn't be all that bummed if Helfrich was let go within a couple years. Enough time for Oregon to maybe woo Tom Herman.

 

 

Oh, like to hope NU will go undefeated, but realistically they are somewhere between 8-4 and 11-1. Most likely they are around 9-3. I really think if they get steady good reliable play from TA this could be a speacial year. That is a big if though. TA doesn't have to throw for 3500 and 25 TD's but he has to cut his turnovers down. He has to get down to about 7 on the year. He doesn't have to win the games himself, but he can't lose the games either. He lost the Iowa gam and he lost the NW game. Pick 6's are killers. He lost the the Miami game after leading a great comeback by getting greedy. He is extreamly athletic but he has to make better decisions.

 

As far as Tennessee is concerned, I don't get all the love either. I still see 3-4 losses for them.

[Guy Chamberlin]

I think the prognosticators -- like most HuskerBoard fans -- are looking at our loaded offensive weaponry, our offensive minded coach, and the return of the QB about to become our career total offense leader when they declare Nebraska a potential breakthrough team.

 

But I'm still having trouble getting past a defense that was problematic to begin with, losing its best players in its best unit.

 

Some unprovens and unknowns are really gonna have to step up for this to work.

[admo]

 

Steele is great. I don't agree with FSU & Alabama as 1 and 2. The Seminoles have a Heisman contender at RB, are returning just 4 on offense. Their QB (Sean Maguire) went 4-2 in the games he started (lost to Clemson and ugly against Houston). And Alabama is returning 3 players on offense. They have to replace Coker at QB and Henry at RB. That's a ton of production on offense. Even though they have great coaching staffs, that's an uphill climb.

 

Not buying into LSU. They went 2-3 in their last 5 games (against good teams they struggled) and even though they have the best RB in the nation (possibly, see Stanford as it is debatable), I don't think they have a QB that is good enough to take some of the pressure. They do have a lot of guys returning on offense (9 starters) so that should help. Tennessee has a good coach, a light schedule with a tough stretch of 4 games which will decide their fate. Lots of talent, and 18 starters returning from a team that had a lot of close losses, mostly because of youth and growing pains.

 

Stanford has 9 returning starters, including McCaffery as another Heisman contender, but needs to find a new signal caller, game manager. Notre Dame should be up there most of the year too, but I think OU, Clemson, and Ohio State are the favorites to make the playoffs. Coaching, returning talent (both sides), and accurate QBs that are dangerous throwing or running.

 

Ohio State just lost 12 players in the 1st four rounds of the draft which is a record. Having possibly the best coach in CFB and a great QB is swell, but that is a lot of talent gone (3 offense, 3 defense for returning starters). With that said, I see them going 10-2 and being on the cusp of the playoff.

 

You are right, so I will retract that. I do consider JT Barrett a top 10 offensive player in the nation. And you make a great point that the rest of the team is in question (most of it) because of so many that got snatched up by the NFL.

 

I consider the Buckeyes as a #5 - #8 team, and with JT in command, the others on the team will likely come around through the first 4 to 6 weeks. There is a lot of phenomenal talent that get's recruited to Ohio State. They may not all be great from the get go, but sooner than later those great players start performing quickly.

 

As for JT, he has the talent to carry them for awhile. And in close games. I don't see them as a dominating force week in and week out. But they are going to be capable of scratching out some tough wins that get decided late in games, upset alert or not. And that's what good teams do with great QBs.

 

As for tOSU going 10-2? Sure that seems right. In fact, I do not see any team primed to go undefeated this year. There will be some one loss teams as you know, but for the most part, this season is up for the taking.

[Scratchtown]

 

 

Why is everyone so high on Tennessee this year? Sure they have most of their starters back. But they're back from a squad that dropped four games last year. I'm guessing they drop at least three or four games again this year. And finish around 20th or so. :

So, why is everyone here so ready to crown NU at 10-2? They return less than Tennessee and NU lost 7 games last year.

 

I think Tennessee has WAY more talent stock piled than NU and QB play that trumps NU's 100 times over. Maybe you are endorsing the SEC as being tough?

 

Nobody's predicting Nebraska to be in the top ten. Meanwhile, Tennessee is getting hyped (again) because they blew out a crappy Northwestern team again in a bowl.

 

10-3 is crappy now?

[cm husker]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why is everyone so high on Tennessee this year? Sure they have most of their starters back. But they're back from a squad that dropped four games last year. I'm guessing they drop at least three or four games again this year. And finish around 20th or so. :

So, why is everyone here so ready to crown NU at 10-2? They return less than Tennessee and NU lost 7 games last year.

 

I think Tennessee has WAY more talent stock piled than NU and QB play that trumps NU's 100 times over. Maybe you are endorsing the SEC as being tough?

Nobody's predicting Nebraska to be in the top ten. Meanwhile, Tennessee is getting hyped (again) because they blew out a crappy Northwestern team again in a bowl.

10-3 is crappy now?

This is common Nowledge to Husker fans.

 

That said, NW should have been no better than 9-4 last year.

[Redux]

 

 

 

Why is everyone so high on Tennessee this year? Sure they have most of their starters back. But they're back from a squad that dropped four games last year. I'm guessing they drop at least three or four games again this year. And finish around 20th or so. :

 

So, why is everyone here so ready to crown NU at 10-2? They return less than Tennessee and NU lost 7 games last year.

 

I think Tennessee has WAY more talent stock piled than NU and QB play that trumps NU's 100 times over. Maybe you are endorsing the SEC as being tough?

Nobody's predicting Nebraska to be in the top ten. Meanwhile, Tennessee is getting hyped (again) because they blew out a crappy Northwestern team again in a bowl.

10-3 is crappy now?

Northwestern wasn't as good as their record indicated. Much like Iowa, they earned every win but weren't as powerful as a 10 win season implies. The Stanford win anomoly gave them the extra edge to pickup at least 2 games they should have lost. I see them going 5-7 or so this year honestly.

[Enhance]

I think the prognosticators -- like most HuskerBoard fans -- are looking at our loaded offensive weaponry, our offensive minded coach, and the return of the QB about to become our career total offense leader when they declare Nebraska a potential breakthrough team.

 

But I'm still having trouble getting past a defense that was problematic to begin with, losing its best players in its best unit.

 

Some unprovens and unknowns are really gonna have to step up for this to work.

This is exactly where I am. I'm struggling to see them get anymore than 8-9 wins, so I think in/around the Top 25 is a decent place to have them. Personally, I think it's a little high, but that's what the preseason is all about.

[Landlord]

Northwestern wasn't as good as their record indicated. Much like Iowa, they earned every win but weren't as powerful as a 10 win season implies. The Stanford win anomoly gave them the extra edge to pickup at least 2 games they should have lost. I see them going 5-7 or so this year honestly.

 

 

I would disagree with this just slightly. I think they were as good as they showed themselves to be, but a big part of it was luck and eventually they ran out of juice with their lack of depth. Damn good season though.

[Mavric]

 

 

 

Why is everyone so high on Tennessee this year? Sure they have most of their starters back. But they're back from a squad that dropped four games last year. I'm guessing they drop at least three or four games again this year. And finish around 20th or so. :

So, why is everyone here so ready to crown NU at 10-2? They return less than Tennessee and NU lost 7 games last year.

 

I think Tennessee has WAY more talent stock piled than NU and QB play that trumps NU's 100 times over. Maybe you are endorsing the SEC as being tough?

 

Nobody's predicting Nebraska to be in the top ten. Meanwhile, Tennessee is getting hyped (again) because they blew out a crappy Northwestern team again in a bowl.

 

10-3 is crappy now?

 

Eh, I will give their defense credit but calling their offense "crappy" is probably giving them too much credit. They were #114 in scoring offense and #116 in total offense. They had a great win the first game of the year against Stanford. Who is their second-best win? Probably an underwhelming Wisconsin team? Then a bunch of roughly-.500 teams. Their schedule was pretty easy. And they got blown out in their three losses.

 

So 10-3 is not a crappy record. But I don't think they were as good as their record indicated.

[Redux]

 

Northwestern wasn't as good as their record indicated. Much like Iowa, they earned every win but weren't as powerful as a 10 win season implies. The Stanford win anomoly gave them the extra edge to pickup at least 2 games they should have lost. I see them going 5-7 or so this year honestly.

 

 

I would disagree with this just slightly. I think they were as good as they showed themselves to be, but a big part of it was luck and eventually they ran out of juice with their lack of depth. Damn good season though.

That's kinda what I meant. The Stanford win made them confident and made other teams fear them more. Week after week they started looking less like Stanford beating NW and started looking like standard NW.

[Saunders]

 

 

 

Why is everyone so high on Tennessee this year? Sure they have most of their starters back. But they're back from a squad that dropped four games last year. I'm guessing they drop at least three or four games again this year. And finish around 20th or so. :

So, why is everyone here so ready to crown NU at 10-2? They return less than Tennessee and NU lost 7 games last year.

 

I think Tennessee has WAY more talent stock piled than NU and QB play that trumps NU's 100 times over. Maybe you are endorsing the SEC as being tough?

 

Nobody's predicting Nebraska to be in the top ten. Meanwhile, Tennessee is getting hyped (again) because they blew out a crappy Northwestern team again in a bowl.

 

10-3 is crappy now?

 

Their record was a mirage. They were outgained via YPG on the year, and got blown out by any of the good teams they played, except for the weird Stanford game.

[huKSer]

 

 

 

 

Why is everyone so high on Tennessee this year? Sure they have most of their starters back. But they're back from a squad that dropped four games last year. I'm guessing they drop at least three or four games again this year. And finish around 20th or so. :

So, why is everyone here so ready to crown NU at 10-2? They return less than Tennessee and NU lost 7 games last year.

 

I think Tennessee has WAY more talent stock piled than NU and QB play that trumps NU's 100 times over. Maybe you are endorsing the SEC as being tough?

 

Nobody's predicting Nebraska to be in the top ten. Meanwhile, Tennessee is getting hyped (again) because they blew out a crappy Northwestern team again in a bowl.

 

10-3 is crappy now?

 

Their record was a mirage. They were outgained via YPG on the year, and got blown out by any of the good teams they played, except for the weird Stanford game.

 

 

Sounds like a former Nebraska coach late in his stay here

[southernoregonhusker]

 

 

 

 

 

Why is everyone so high on Tennessee this year? Sure they have most of their starters back. But they're back from a squad that dropped four games last year. I'm guessing they drop at least three or four games again this year. And finish around 20th or so. :

So, why is everyone here so ready to crown NU at 10-2? They return less than Tennessee and NU lost 7 games last year.

 

I think Tennessee has WAY more talent stock piled than NU and QB play that trumps NU's 100 times over. Maybe you are endorsing the SEC as being tough?

The operative word in your question is "here"? Because we're Husker fans, that's why. (btw, I doubt we go 10-2. A more reasonable prediction would be three or four losses.)

 

Steele has us at #22. I think the Huskers at #22 is more reasonable than Tennessee at #7. /JMHO

It was a reference to improvement. Why does NU improve so much but Tennessee doesn't?

 

 

Same reason you see Oregon being really good, but I don't. We discussed this last year also. You thought the Ducks lose 1-2 games and I said no less than 3. I think they lost 4 didn't they? I see Oregon starting a slide to a team that is a 3-4 loss team most years and a 5-6 loss team thrown in the mix on occation. They will also have the 10-2 season in there also. Helfrich isn't Chip Kelly, heck I don't even think he is as good as Bolotti.

 

Oregon doesn't go without a great QB. They were at the pinnicle with Mariota. With good QB the offense can still be really good. There QB and defense is a huge question mark this year. Personally I think they lose 4 game again. They could be better, but I think they lose to Nebraska and Stanford.

 

Well you were right, and I don't think you are all that wrong here.

 

I am a realistic person my man. I just kind of go caught up in the Vernon Adams hype last season because of what he was able to do at Eastern Wash. Really, if we're being serious, If Vernon Adams doesn't get hurt in some of those games, you would have likely been wrong. Either way 2015 is over, and I agree with you. Unfortunately I don't see Oregon being any better than 9-3 this year. Stanford and Washington will probably beat them. Washington is due for a win anyway after how many times Oregon has beaten them in a row now. Washington State always gives them fits, and I'm not expecting a great result vs USC. Utah is a threat as well.

 

I'm not super optimistic about Oregon this year but they have enough talent to be a danger to anyone they play imo. They have a ton of exp returning. The only thing Oregon is missing is QB play and they can't keep relying on this grad transfers to plug in. They have to develop some kids at some point. I was actually thinking earlier today that I wouldn't be all that bummed if Helfrich was let go within a couple years. Enough time for Oregon to maybe woo Tom Herman.

 

Edit: Although I kind of forgot about the coaching changes aside from bringing in Hoke. Pellum is still around coaching LB's. Lubick is the OC, and they brought in David Yost to coach the QB's. Yost served with Leach at Washington State and I believe he was at Missouri when Brad Smith, Chase Daniel and Blaine Gabbert were in school. So they have made the changes to hopefully up the QB play. Yost is a pretty well regarded QB coach around the nation.

 

 

Mark is young and will improve. He's extremely intelligent and an all around good guy. I knew him at SOU and was always impressed with him. Well, except for his softball skills. Not much of a softball player