Two years in....no growth

[It'sNotAFakeID]

Until we open up our check books and pay high dollar to a high caliber coach, Nebraska will be stuck in mediocrity getting beat by teams like the Northwesterns and Iowas of college football.

 

For Christ sakes we throttled by Iowa........IOWA people

 

To be fair, this wasn't the first time in the past few years we've been throttled by Iowa. Iowa beat Nebraska 38-17 in Lincoln in 2013.

[cornstar]

 

 

Until we open up our check books and pay high dollar to a high caliber coach, Nebraska will be stuck in mediocrity getting beat by teams like the Northwesterns and Iowas of college football.

 

For Christ sakes we throttled by Iowa........IOWA people

To be fair, this wasn't the first time in the past few years we've been throttled by Iowa. Iowa beat Nebraska 38-17 in Lincoln in 2013.

You must not have watched those 2 games. The score alone is not indicative of how those games played out.

[cornstar]

 

 

 

 

Bad coaching disguises good talent.

 

Far more than bad talent disguises good coaching.

 

Wake up.

I'd say good coaching disguised a 7-8 win team and got us 9 wins. Heck maybe 10 if they can get the right bowl matchup. Not to mention they are running an offense they have to run not one they want to run.

 

You never bothered to wonder why your lord and savior Bo Pelini couldn't do better than 9-4/10-4 in his 7 seasons? Lack of talent bc he didn't recruit enough of it. He put a ceiling on the program that can only be broken through with recruiting and development.

 

Whether Riley does that remains to be seen but I can hardly hold a 9 or 10 win season against him in year 2.

This Nebraska team was more talented than anyone on this schedule, other than OSU and maybe Oregon. And we see what Oregon is.

Well see how that plays out when the Big Ten season awards come out. I wonder if we'll get anybody in the first or second team.

So you're telling me that a player or two on the all league team is a reflection on overall team talent?

 

I hope that you're not one of those who claims that recruiting rankings are trending upward, because the recruiting rankings show that we out recruited everyone but OSU and Oregon the past few years.

[It'sNotAFakeID]

Here's what I saw in today's game:

 

1) No creativity in the run game early on. Defensively, Iowa is very good. I don't think they're in the Top 10, but they're definitely Top 25. If you looked at just the last three weeks, Iowa's defense is without doubt Top 15. So it wasn't surprising that Nebraska wasn't able to get anything going between the guards early on. It was, however, surprising that Nebraska didn't mix up the running game, especially with how well it worked on the 3rd quarter drive. Langsdorf opted for the NFL method of opening up the run game...

 

2) A matter of inches in the passing game. Iowa was--wisely--stacking the box and forcing Tommy to beat them with his arm, which he didn't. However, there were several passes that were just slightly overthrown or under run that, had that not happened, would have probably lead to a much different outcome. One play that comes to mind is the pass that just missed Reilly right before the half that would've made it 20-10 going into the break with Nebraska receiving the ball to start the second half. Tommy was consistently overthrowing the ball today. Part of me wonders if that was rust from not playing and/or overcompensating for not being able to fully step into his passes.

 

3) The defensive line got mauled, and the second-level guys didn't do their jobs. Now, for the most part, the defense did okay. Not their best performance to-date, but certainly not their worst performance. The problem was that, for 4 to 6 plays the defensive line was dominated and there was nobody in the second level to cover up their mistake. Those led to a couple 60+ yard runs and a 60+ yard pass that accounted for 50% of Iowa's total offense.

 

4) Please, can we let go of Bruce Read already? I know he's had to deal with adjusting to the loss of Sam Foltz, but that should've only made a difference in one area of special teams: punting. I'm giving Lightborne a pass on this year because he wasn't supposed to be out there this year, and I hope he comes back next year much improved. That said, special teams has been abysmal this season and all the blame lies squarely on Read's shoulders. 12 men on the field against Minnesota, 10 men on the field twice against Maryland, and now today. Our only hope for a DPE return was the punter out-kicking his coverage, otherwise we completely neutralized one of our biggest weapons. The rugby-style punt worked well today, and yet we didn't do it when we were backed up and needing a long punt. Iowa had a long punt return that led to a TD. Special teams did the team no favors this year, and that should cost Bruce Read his job.

 

All year, Sagarin had Nebraska between #20-25, and I think that's where we'll ultimately end up, and where we deserve to be all things considered. Also, the door is still wide open for a NYD bowl in Florida, thanks in part to the politics involved in bowl selection. It's unfortunate that they couldn't get the job done in Madison, which was probably our most complete game we played all season. The losses to Iowa or Ohio State wouldn't have mattered had they just found a way into the end zone.

 

Not a bad season, but definitely not the season that was shaping up after a 7-0 start. Still, it's a 4-win improvement from 2015 against a slightly more difficult schedule. Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Iowa all come to Lincoln next year, we'll see what happens in 2017.

[It'sNotAFakeID]

 

 

Until we open up our check books and pay high dollar to a high caliber coach, Nebraska will be stuck in mediocrity getting beat by teams like the Northwesterns and Iowas of college football.

 

For Christ sakes we throttled by Iowa........IOWA people

To be fair, this wasn't the first time in the past few years we've been throttled by Iowa. Iowa beat Nebraska 38-17 in Lincoln in 2013.

You must not have watched those 2 games. The score alone is not indicative of how those games played out.

 

 

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you're wrong. I was in Memorial Stadium that day. It was my last game as a student. Though Iowa had fewer yards that day, Nebraska's 3 turnovers and lack of offense led to their demise that day. Which would you have: 3 careless turnovers or 4 explosive plays that led to 4 TDs? To me they're equally bad.

 

Let's also not forget that, barring a miraculous 4th quarter comeback in 2014, Iowa would have won 4 straight against us. They were kicking our ass in 2014 before the comeback happened.

[cm husker]

"They were kicking our ass... until we kicked theirs. "

 

Husker fans are the best at twisting.

[2ndNnine]

Twist this then cm. We already have TWO big money HCs on the payroll.

Saban already coached in the Big 10. He was a bottom feeder. Not coming.

Meyer - lost to Penn St. Not coming.

Harbrah - lost to Iowa. Not coming.

Who else you got? They ain't coming. Especially if we fire Riley after 2 years.

 

This program is a shell of its former self due in large part to the last 3 bad hires. We have a massive geographical disadvantage.

At least Riley has some guys looking at us.

He's going to finish his contract no matter what, so STFU and get behind him or go be a Youngstown St. fan. Simple as that.

[TITANIC VS LUSITANIA]

I think the prosperity of Wisconsin will get worse over time, just saying...I'm not blown away by Christ.

[teachercd]

Wait...so now it is talent level? We hired a coach that was known for doing way more with way less.

[marko polo]

 

 

 

 

I see MR recruiting his butt off unlike Bo, who left the cupboard pretty bare. The depth is just not there like with other teams. Its not MR fault.\

The recruiting rankings say otherwise.

 

Are we top ten? No way.

 

But "bare?"

 

We've out recruited our division by a fair margin over the last few years (aka, talent on the roster) and the team that beat us today by 30 friggin spots.

 

So let's stop moving the goalposts.

 

You can live in fairy world if you want and feel Bo left the cupboards stocked. He did not. This is one of the reasons why the team struggles. He didn't master the number game and had to many that did not pan out. Feel free to put the goal posts in their proper place.

 

I'm hearing that all these great recruits didn't "pan out," like its a valid excuse. Why is it that we appear to be the only team with recruits that consistantly do not pan out and that we are always so overly devasted by injuries.

 

 

It's not a valid excuse if the coach has had time to build his program through recruiting and development, but in year 2 it is a valid excuse. Pelini did miss on recruits and it's a major reason he couldn't do better than 9-4/10-4. It's the reason we aren't better now.

 

Plenty of programs have players that don't pan out. A lot of programs are scuffling right now and wish they were 9-3. Hopefully the Huskers get better in the coming years with Riley's recruiting and development.

 

lose the 9-3 deal that is not a marker of sucess if the teams you beat weren't very good. It is how you do against decent teams that let you measure where you stand.right now and unless something really changes we are the 3-4th best team in the west and that is a fact!

[marko polo]

Twist this then cm. We already have TWO big money HCs on the payroll.

Saban already coached in the Big 10. He was a bottom feeder. Not coming.

Meyer - lost to Penn St. Not coming.

Harbrah - lost to Iowa. Not coming.

Who else you got? They ain't coming. Especially if we fire Riley after 2 years.

 

This program is a shell of its former self due in large part to the last 3 bad hires. We have a massive geographical disadvantage.

At least Riley has some guys looking at us.

He's going to finish his contract no matter what, so STFU and get behind him or go be a Youngstown St. fan. Simple as that.

No we are screwed now, that is the part that really sucks. but how do you get behind this sh#t!!!!! and it ain't got nothin to do with the asswipe in youngstown, it is about this staff "their" failure.

[marko polo]

Here's what I saw in today's game:

 

1) No creativity in the run game early on. Defensively, Iowa is very good. I don't think they're in the Top 10, but they're definitely Top 25. If you looked at just the last three weeks, Iowa's defense is without doubt Top 15. So it wasn't surprising that Nebraska wasn't able to get anything going between the guards early on. It was, however, surprising that Nebraska didn't mix up the running game, especially with how well it worked on the 3rd quarter drive. Langsdorf opted for the NFL method of opening up the run game...

 

2) A matter of inches in the passing game. Iowa was--wisely--stacking the box and forcing Tommy to beat them with his arm, which he didn't. However, there were several passes that were just slightly overthrown or under run that, had that not happened, would have probably lead to a much different outcome. One play that comes to mind is the pass that just missed Reilly right before the half that would've made it 20-10 going into the break with Nebraska receiving the ball to start the second half. Tommy was consistently overthrowing the ball today. Part of me wonders if that was rust from not playing and/or overcompensating for not being able to fully step into his passes.

 

3) The defensive line got mauled, and the second-level guys didn't do their jobs. Now, for the most part, the defense did okay. Not their best performance to-date, but certainly not their worst performance. The problem was that, for 4 to 6 plays the defensive line was dominated and there was nobody in the second level to cover up their mistake. Those led to a couple 60+ yard runs and a 60+ yard pass that accounted for 50% of Iowa's total offense.

 

4) Please, can we let go of Bruce Read already? I know he's had to deal with adjusting to the loss of Sam Foltz, but that should've only made a difference in one area of special teams: punting. I'm giving Lightborne a pass on this year because he wasn't supposed to be out there this year, and I hope he comes back next year much improved. That said, special teams has been abysmal this season and all the blame lies squarely on Read's shoulders. 12 men on the field against Minnesota, 10 men on the field twice against Maryland, and now today. Our only hope for a DPE return was the punter out-kicking his coverage, otherwise we completely neutralized one of our biggest weapons. The rugby-style punt worked well today, and yet we didn't do it when we were backed up and needing a long punt. Iowa had a long punt return that led to a TD. Special teams did the team no favors this year, and that should cost Bruce Read his job.

 

All year, Sagarin had Nebraska between #20-25, and I think that's where we'll ultimately end up, and where we deserve to be all things considered. Also, the door is still wide open for a NYD bowl in Florida, thanks in part to the politics involved in bowl selection. It's unfortunate that they couldn't get the job done in Madison, which was probably our most complete game we played all season. The losses to Iowa or Ohio State wouldn't have mattered had they just found a way into the end zone.

 

Not a bad season, but definitely not the season that was shaping up after a 7-0 start. Still, it's a 4-win improvement from 2015 against a slightly more difficult schedule. Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Iowa all come to Lincoln next year, we'll see what happens in 2017.

Most are not going to want to see it, but hey it's all good right?

[Saunders]

 

 

 

 

I see MR recruiting his butt off unlike Bo, who left the cupboard pretty bare. The depth is just not there like with other teams. Its not MR fault.\

The recruiting rankings say otherwise.

 

Are we top ten? No way.

 

But "bare?"

 

We've out recruited our division by a fair margin over the last few years (aka, talent on the roster) and the team that beat us today by 30 friggin spots.

 

So let's stop moving the goalposts.

You can live in fairy world if you want and feel Bo left the cupboards stocked. He did not. This is one of the reasons why the team struggles. He didn't master the number game and had to many that did not pan out. Feel free to put the goal posts in their proper place.

Lets see, I have actual data, you have.... opinion.

[gorp512]

The offensive line is being held together by duct tape and spit, there is no way TA was functionally healthy yesterday (in typical TA fashion, he likely left everything he had on the field this year), the loss of Sam Foltz, and the lack of depth at every position script except wideout.... All things considered, it's really not as doom and gloom as it looks. It sucks losing to Iowa. It sucks getting annihilated by Ohio State, it sucks losing the Big Ten West to Wisconsin.

 

I'm proud of this team, the direction of the program. Tanner Lee, come in and do your thing, if not, POB time. When was the last time they had two capable QBs? Tommy and TA? I truly believe they will get one of these 5 star guys and a few more 4 stars. They don't have Urban or Harbaugh and depending on how you view Fitzgerald, they have the 4th or 5th best coach in the conference. It would be of great benefit to the program if MR made some assistant changes this off-season, but even if he doesn't, they will be better next year. They aren't or weren't going to hire PJ Fleck, Matt Rhule, or some other rising star coach. I'm proud of this squad and looking forward to big things. GBR!!!

[84HuskerLaw]

I had hoped we would have a group of about 21 or so 'committed' and pretty well locked up by now and only be waiting, hoping anxiously for a couple of those 4 stars to finish the class. At this point, though, we need a solid 6 to 8 or more. To finish out, we are gonna have to win this bowl game certainly. We need ten wins and a nice finish. These 3 losses have been rough on the national image no doubt. They have also been rough on the team's psyche although it is troublesome to me that today's young people seem to not care so much about winning or losing. 10 or 15 years ago it seemed that most of the players would really be upset about a loss like this. The few I heard interviewed on the locker room radio show seemed to be talking about it like it was the spring game. Just quite shocking. I know we as fans are far too used to these beatings when we should really be boiling mad, the 'pain' is all but over by five minutes after game's end.

 

I have not been in the locker room after a game in 10 years so I don't know and never was after a bad loss. At one time, the radio interviewer didn't even go in after a loss because of the upset players and nobody being in a frame of mind to be interviewed 'safely'. Now, one can hardly tell by tone if it was a win or a loss. This is as I say troublesome for me. Am I the only one seeing this?