Week 7 Preview: Indiana

[Red Five]

For some reason, I am not nearly as worried as most about this game. I don't know why. Maybe it was the way we handled business in Evanston a few weeks ago where we were seeing a similar sentiment.

[NUinID]

For some reason, I am not nearly as worried as most about this game. I don't know why. Maybe it was the way we handled business in Evanston a few weeks ago where we were seeing a similar sentiment.

 

I was worried a lot more about this game before the season started. I don't think Indiana is sneaking up Nebraska, I think they have Indiana's undivided attention.

[Hoosker]

 

 

 

Yeah, Sam still on the talent drum.

 

Indiana has one four-star on the team and he's out indefinitely with an injury. And Indiana is in the bottom 15 of the Power 5 in roster talent. But do what ya gotta do....

 

https://twitter.com/swmckewonOWH/status/786379039560785920

So the question for Sam is does he not think Riley and Co can't coach up their players to the same degree? I also don't get how someone who reports on recruiting can downplay the past recruiting of NU so much.

 

I don't understand.

 

He said the talent matchup is decent. Is this not true?

He said we have the edge. Is this not true?

 

Are you guys saying we have a much greater talent edge than Sam is implying?

I don't doubt we have more talent, but I'd argue that the talent gap between Nebraska and say Ohio State is larger than Nebraska and Indiana (at this point anyway)

 

Yes.

 

http://247sports.com/Season/2016-Football/CollegeTeamTalentComposite

 

Injuries can screw with those numbers, but as we've heard forever, every team has injuries, so we just gotta overcome them.

 

 

Thanks for sharing the talent composite rankings link. That essentially proves my point.

 

We're much closer to Indiana (+134.55) than we are Ohio State (-225.09), like I imagined we would be.

 

I think Sam's assessment is fair.

[Nebfanatic]

 

 

For some reason, I am not nearly as worried as most about this game. I don't know why. Maybe it was the way we handled business in Evanston a few weeks ago where we were seeing a similar sentiment.

I was worried a lot more about this game before the season started. I don't think Indiana is sneaking up Nebraska, I think they have Indiana's undivided attention.

This is where all my confidence has stemmed from as well. This team seems to stay focused on the hurdle directly in front of them and that goes a long way

[Red Five]

 

 

For some reason, I am not nearly as worried as most about this game. I don't know why. Maybe it was the way we handled business in Evanston a few weeks ago where we were seeing a similar sentiment.

I was worried a lot more about this game before the season started. I don't think Indiana is sneaking up Nebraska, I think they have Indiana's undivided attention.

This is where all my confidence has stemmed from as well. This team seems to stay focused on the hurdle directly in front of them and that goes a long way

 

Plus a bye week. And they are coming off the OSU game.

[Landlord]

 

 

I'll be honest, I think their performance against tOSU was an anomaly.

 

Totally fine to think that, I hope you're right and I'll be very glad for it if so, but that's not based on any actual data - it's just a hunch.

What data do you have to support the contrary? Ohio State is the only team of that caliber they have faced.

 

 

 

Nope. That's why you don't see me making predictions. I'm not saying what will happen, I'm just trying to do my part in keeping you off of the internet meltdown recaps because in your own words you'd be devastated if we'd lose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's fine, but let's not act like this, "It's ridiculous that people are so down on the Huskers against opponent _________" mindset hasn't been proven wrong plenty of times over the last decade.

 

 

Remember 2008 Virginia Tech?

 

VA Tech was favored in that game by more than ten, IIRC. Not arguing against your point, just the facts. Early in that season most oddsmakers weren't high on the Huskers after the 2007 debacle.

 

 

 

 

I'm referring to the majority messageboard sentiments, not the vegas odds. The, "I don't get why people are so high on _________, they haven't beaten anybody, they're on the road, we're coming off a bye week, we've got better coaching, they don't have the conditioning, etc. etc." arguments we hear about pretty much every team we face.

[Redux]

 

 

 

I'll be honest, I think their performance against tOSU was an anomaly.

 

 

Totally fine to think that, I hope you're right and I'll be very glad for it if so, but that's not based on any actual data - it's just a hunch.

What data do you have to support the contrary? Ohio State is the only team of that caliber they have faced.

 

Nope. That's why you don't see me making predictions. I'm not saying what will happen, I'm just trying to do my part in keeping you off of the internet meltdown recaps because in your own words you'd be devastated if we'd lose.

 

I'll probably be okay if we lose. It would suck, but I'll probably be okay. I'm fully aware we aren't navigating a 12-0 season.

[Mavric]

 

 

 

 

Yeah, Sam still on the talent drum.

 

Indiana has one four-star on the team and he's out indefinitely with an injury. And Indiana is in the bottom 15 of the Power 5 in roster talent. But do what ya gotta do....

 

https://twitter.com/swmckewonOWH/status/786379039560785920

So the question for Sam is does he not think Riley and Co can't coach up their players to the same degree? I also don't get how someone who reports on recruiting can downplay the past recruiting of NU so much.

 

I don't understand.

 

He said the talent matchup is decent. Is this not true?

He said we have the edge. Is this not true?

 

Are you guys saying we have a much greater talent edge than Sam is implying?

I don't doubt we have more talent, but I'd argue that the talent gap between Nebraska and say Ohio State is larger than Nebraska and Indiana (at this point anyway)

 

Yes.

 

http://247sports.com/Season/2016-Football/CollegeTeamTalentComposite

 

Injuries can screw with those numbers, but as we've heard forever, every team has injuries, so we just gotta overcome them.

 

 

Thanks for sharing the talent composite rankings link. That essentially proves my point.

 

We're much closer to Indiana (+134.55) than we are Ohio State (-225.09), like I imagined we would be.

 

I think Sam's assessment is fair.

 

Just because we're closer to them than Ohio State doesn't mean that it's a "decent talent matchup". We're also closer to Arkansas State and Kansas than tOSU. Would you try to give the impression that they have similar talent to Nebraska?

 

The top five teams in that metric are quite a ways ahead of the field.

[seaofred92]

 

 

 

Yeah, Sam still on the talent drum.

 

Indiana has one four-star on the team and he's out indefinitely with an injury. And Indiana is in the bottom 15 of the Power 5 in roster talent. But do what ya gotta do....

 

https://twitter.com/swmckewonOWH/status/786379039560785920

So the question for Sam is does he not think Riley and Co can't coach up their players to the same degree? I also don't get how someone who reports on recruiting can downplay the past recruiting of NU so much.

 

I don't understand.

 

He said the talent matchup is decent. Is this not true?

He said we have the edge. Is this not true?

 

Are you guys saying we have a much greater talent edge than Sam is implying?

I don't doubt we have more talent, but I'd argue that the talent gap between Nebraska and say Ohio State is larger than Nebraska and Indiana (at this point anyway)

 

Yes.

 

http://247sports.com/Season/2016-Football/CollegeTeamTalentComposite

 

Injuries can screw with those numbers, but as we've heard forever, every team has injuries, so we just gotta overcome them.

 

responding to this but creating a new thread so as to not taint this one.

[BigRedBuster]

I hate bye weeks. It's good for the team and I was able to get some things done on Saturday. But, it seems like it's been a month since we played a game.

 

Hopefully the team feels the same way and they are chomping at the bit to go kick some honey buns.

[VectorVictor]

I just cannot fathom how we are supposed to be the underdogs here. I'm to the point where even if Fyfe had to play, we should win this freaking game. I'm over this Indiana crap, let's beat em and then wait for the Purdue could pull the upset talk.

 

Then you haven't been paying attention--they're potent, and they're playing better defense. And DoNU hasn't exactly been consistent (save for the 4th quarter) this season.

[Count 'Bility]

I still see this game much like NW and Illinois. 4 qtr game. Never a forgone conclusion, but never in doubt.

[Redux]

 

I just cannot fathom how we are supposed to be the underdogs here. I'm to the point where even if Fyfe had to play, we should win this freaking game. I'm over this Indiana crap, let's beat em and then wait for the Purdue could pull the upset talk.

 

Then you haven't been paying attention--they're potent, and they're playing better defense. And DoNU hasn't exactly been consistent (save for the 4th quarter) this season.

We are almost perfectly balanced on offense and wear out every team we play to the point we demolish them in the final quarter. We are undefeated over mostly better teams than Indiana has faced. We aren't and should not be considered underdogs. If we lose it should be an upset.

[HuskerExpat]

I think a lot of people are pumping up Indiana based upon their games against Michigan State and Ohio State. Michigan State is garbage this year, so I don't give that much weight. Indiana played Ohio State relatively tough, but they had a decent plan, defensively, against Ohio State. Indiana decided to try and shut down the running game at the expense of giving OSU opportunities in the pass game, because OSU has the 85th best passing offense in the nation (not a stat you hear very often). But then OSU countered with 22 QB runs, which is the weakness of a lot of run defenses (including ours). If Indiana takes a similar approach, defensively, against us, TA will get his yards running but will more effectively punish the Indiana secondary in pass game. It might seem weird, but TA and Nebraska is more effective in the passing game than OSU and JT Barrett.

[Hoosker]

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, Sam still on the talent drum.

 

Indiana has one four-star on the team and he's out indefinitely with an injury. And Indiana is in the bottom 15 of the Power 5 in roster talent. But do what ya gotta do....

 

https://twitter.com/swmckewonOWH/status/786379039560785920

So the question for Sam is does he not think Riley and Co can't coach up their players to the same degree? I also don't get how someone who reports on recruiting can downplay the past recruiting of NU so much.

 

I don't understand.

 

He said the talent matchup is decent. Is this not true?

He said we have the edge. Is this not true?

 

Are you guys saying we have a much greater talent edge than Sam is implying?

I don't doubt we have more talent, but I'd argue that the talent gap between Nebraska and say Ohio State is larger than Nebraska and Indiana (at this point anyway)

 

Yes.

 

http://247sports.com/Season/2016-Football/CollegeTeamTalentComposite

 

Injuries can screw with those numbers, but as we've heard forever, every team has injuries, so we just gotta overcome them.

 

 

Thanks for sharing the talent composite rankings link. That essentially proves my point.

 

We're much closer to Indiana (+134.55) than we are Ohio State (-225.09), like I imagined we would be.

 

I think Sam's assessment is fair.

 

Just because we're closer to them than Ohio State doesn't mean that it's a "decent talent matchup". We're also closer to Arkansas State and Kansas than tOSU. Would you try to give the impression that they have similar talent to Nebraska?

 

The top five teams in that metric are quite a ways ahead of the field.

 

 

Can you explain why it's not a decent talent matchup? If we're closer to Arkansas State and Kansas than tOSU, then are you saying the metric is bogus? Is it just based on the eye test? If so, then how can you criticize Sam for his comment? That's all I wanted to understand. It seems like, based on the data that was linked in the previous post, the matchup could certainly be defined as "decent". I'm not trying to argue, I just have a lot of respect for most of Sam's opinions on Husker football and wanted to understand exactly where you were coming from.