Where I'm at after 2 years... (TL;DR)

[Apathy]

 

 

O-line is the most important part of upcoming teams. John Elway couldn't complete 40% of his passes with our current line play.

 

We're 5th in the nation in sacks allowed.. :

It helps that we have a mobile QB though. I'd be interested to see how many QB hurries we've allowed

[Dagerow]

That if we have a mediocre coach, we will have a mediocre team.

 

Yes, I know I'm going to get sh#t for this. But that how I feel, and have thought so for a while. What's really bad is at least most of you have hope. I do not. I don't see it getting much better. That makes the losses hurt more.

[Landlord]

It definitely helps, but to act like our offensive line is a porous sieve in pass protection is a pretty gross overexaggeration. Especially the bit about John Elway not being able to complete 40% of his passes.

 

 

Zac Taylor played behind an offensive line about 10x worse than this one, got hit on virtually every single play, and completed 50+%

[HuskerNation1]

That if we have a mediocre coach, we will have a mediocre team.

 

Yes, I know I'm going to get sh#t for this. But that how I feel, and have thought so for a while. What's really bad is at least most of you have hope. I do not. I don't see it getting much better. That makes the losses hurt more.

 

I think many will agree with you on this. Riley has historically proven to be a middle of the pack coach. We can talk about his difficulty recruiting at OSU, but he was also just average in the NFL. To really build and sustain an elite program, you must have an elite coach with a record of being elite, such as Meyer, Harbaugh, Saban, etc.. Those guys have won everywhere they have been. When one of those guys comes along, NU must be willing to outpay all other schools to get that level of talent at the coaching position, or else we will be left arguing on this board 10 years from now how NU cannot compete with the elite programs in the nation.

[Frustrated]

 

That if we have a mediocre coach, we will have a mediocre team.

 

Yes, I know I'm going to get sh#t for this. But that how I feel, and have thought so for a while. What's really bad is at least most of you have hope. I do not. I don't see it getting much better. That makes the losses hurt more.

 

I think many will agree with you on this. Riley has historically proven to be a middle of the pack coach. We can talk about his difficulty recruiting at OSU, but he was also just average in the NFL. To really build and sustain an elite program, you must have an elite coach with a record of being elite, such as Meyer, Harbaugh, Saban, etc.. Those guys have won everywhere they have been. When one of those guys comes along, NU must be willing to outpay all other schools to get that level of talent at the coaching position, or else we will be left arguing on this board 10 years from now how NU cannot compete with the elite programs in the nation.

 

why must we wait 10 years??? We haven't competed with the elite programs in the nation for the last 17 years! And I am pissed off about that!

[Moiraine]

There's always next season. The rest of the conference will continue to pencil the game against us as a W until we improve. That's the sad reality.

 

I hope so. That's another 5 automatic conference wins next year.

[Landlord]

why must we wait 10 years??? We haven't competed with the elite programs in the nation for the last 17 years! And I am pissed off about that!

 

 

You should stop giving them money and being a fan to show them how upset you are.

[Frustrated]

 

why must we wait 10 years??? We haven't competed with the elite programs in the nation for the last 17 years! And I am pissed off about that!

 

 

You should stop giving them money and being a fan to show them how upset you are.

 

OK. Maybe I should. But...being a fan to me is way more that that. It is something I was born with. I have lived and breathed being a Husker my entire life. So, I think it is fair to criticize. it's my right as a citizen. We aren't relevant. I can say that because it is true. I can say that because I am a sad fan who is coming to terms with the reality that our glory days may be behind us. That those of us who are old enough to remember aren't likely to see that kind of success again. And I am pissed. I have earned that right.

[Mavric]

lo country,I have no idea, that is why I am asking. How do you or anyone else know they were 40 yard pass plays. How do you know that Tommy did not decide to just go for the goal posts. It seems to me over the last 4 years is that is what Tommy does. Pays little attention to the under routes, the open receivers. He wants the glory of the big TD and places that in front of winning the game with shorter routes.Not trying to be a smart ass, I just can not imagine that a OC who has done this for years, looks at Tommy and his past and says, yea we need to throw the deep ball a lot.I know he has won some games for us doing that, but I wonder how many of those were truly called for that purpose and the purpose only. Ignoring check downs and going for the endzone. He seems to do it lot to me.

I'm no TA fan. He gets plenty of blame in my book.

 

But how long does it take to figure out that if you give the guy the option he's going to throw the deep ball? So if you don't want him to throw the deep ball, don't call a play where that is an option - which Langs has done very well in several games this year.

 

Same story at Ohio State. The coaches said after the game that the game plan going in was they thought they could beat Ohio State deep. And we kept trying to do it all game even when it wasn't working.

 

By the way, Michigan didn't throw a single pass over 20 yards downfield today, so it's interesting to see the difference in strategy.

[skersfan]

I can understand that. But if we can't run and we don't send receivers deep, don't we clutter the shorter routes?

 

I think the staff was just in a no win situation with Tommy. He controlled the team. Keeping him happy may have been more important this year.

 

Still feel he needed competition this year, but really have no idea if POB could have given it to him.

 

I have not been a fan of Tommy the QB, but always of Tommy the Husker. Sad to see his last game end that way, but honestly glad he is moving on. We have had two pretty good running QB's and neither have truly finished their senior years. Both dealt with injuries and could have used healing time it seems.

[Landlord]

And I am pissed. I have earned that right.

 

 

How have you earned it?

 

The football program doesn't owe you anything. You can get mad if you want to, nobody is stopping you, but it doesn't accomplish anything other than making you waste oxygen to your amygdala and put you in a bad mood when you don't need to be.

[Elf]

 

All very interesting and many of us will find a good deal of common ground but I am absolutely scared about next year at this point. Can you enlighten me as to what and who you see on this team as a two-deep (we need three but let's hope and pray for a minimum of two) group that can actually win even half their games?

I think our WR corp will be good again.

I think our RB stable will be deep again.

I think our QB battle will be strong.

 

O-Line....we'll see, maybe some fresh talent will do wonders.

 

We need the offensive line to step up and play. We aren't going anywhere until we upgrade the line. Heck, both lines.

[Savage Husker]

Doesn't mean it equates to pipeline status or even close to, but IF healthy, the OL returns 4 starters. Mix in next year; redshirt freshman, the two sophomores, plus Cole Conrad, there will be more depth and more competition. OL should be more of a strength than we've seen in I don't know how many years.

 

RBs- from what it appears, seems there are more issues between the ears than talent. I thought Newby was a bust up until this year - didn't know he was dinged up as badly as he was last season - he ran hard and will be missed, but will easily be replaced.

 

QBs - the biggest question mark, but with 3 kids to compete for the starting role and with the direction DL wants to take the offense, its addition by subtraction. Hold onto your butts, it's going to be a new look. Maybe DCs are going to be scrapping much of previous Nebraska game film

 

WRs - going to be a step back on overall talent, depth, and leadership(?) I know we have Stanley, DPE, but after that it's just high school hype. Hoping Reimers can be a guy to step into that big body role, until the the noobs are ready to roll. Joseph Lewis, come on dowwwn!

 

TEs - going to need those young bucks to step up. The TEs are a good chunk of the offense that Riley/Langs liked to utilize at OSU, losing Cethan is a blow.

 

DL - It sure would be nice to have a DE standout again. Freedom benefitted in 2015 from offenses keying on MC and VV, I think with the development of the Twins and Stoltenberg, our DEs could see more success next year. Carlos is a wrecking ball already.

 

LBs - I have confidence in Bray, but I don't know who to point to that will anchor this unit. Next year will really show how well of a LBs coach he is. It's going to be baptism by fire outside of Young, Newby, and Weber. Those three have shown flashes, but nothing really that makes me feel confident

 

DBs - A ton of flashes of success, followed by games like yesterday where they aren't lined up correctly and taking real bad angles. Aaron Williams has so much potential, but he stuck out not in a good way to finish the season. Really hope none of these kids leave early, we need their depth and development.

 

I'm optimistic because that just tends to be my nature. I generally think the staff has done a well enough job given some circumstances, but if there isn't improvement defensively, Banker may need to go join Read who will have had a year headstart of retirement.

[84HuskerLaw]

2017 outlook, by player, by position, by grouping, on my subjective rating scale/system. I believe you get some good 'objectivity' from this subjective approach because you break it down in the sum of the parts. It seems easier to evaluate individual players and assign scores and the total up to get a team score. Each position needs a minimum of 4 players of Sub or better so if there are not enough, add a zero for each one you are short to arrive at the average.

 

Pts Grade Subjective judgment of player's ability/talent/skills in his role on the team

 

10 Great He is all conference caliber" and as such he could start at most other Big Ten schools

8 Good He is capable of starting at Nebraska or several conference schools

6 Fair Typical second Nebraska or third string Big Ten player

4 Sub 3rd or 4th string at best skills. Would not start anywhere in the big Ten

2 Unknown Just have not seen him in live game action enough to judge. Score as Sub only if highly regarded by independent third party

 

Once the individual players are assigned their grade, you can average up the scores of each position group and arrive at a position score. Average the various positions on each side of the ball (offense, defense, special teams) and arrive at a set of three to then total up for a 'team' score.

 

Quarterbacks - POB - 2, Lee - 2, Gebbia - 2, Darlington - 2. total = 8 Average grade - 2

 

Tailbacks - Wilbon - 8, Ozigbo - 8, Bryant - 8, Others - 4 total = 28 Average grade - 7

.

Fullbacks - Unknown. McNitt - 2, others ??? - 2 4 Average grade - 1

 

Tight End - Unknown. Good recruits/unidentified backups 4 Average grade - 1

 

O Linemen - 4 returning starters and 6 others played @ 6 each 60

20 others @ 4 (Sub only), 10 unknowns @ 2 each 100 160 / 40 ave. - 4

 

Receivers - 3 returning starters @ 8, 3 others Subs @ 4 36 Average grade 6

new recruits with good potential

 

Offense: 21 divided by 6 = 3.5. This is the LOWEST SCORE BY FAR I have ever come up with on this system in past 20 years, by far. Of course, the TEs and QBs drop the score terribly but it is typical to have a number of 8s and 6. Past 15 years have been around a 6.5 to 7. Scary

 

Without going into details, I will say my defense score comes up with a more normal 7.1. Special teams I score an 6 and that is dropped mostly because of the poor punting this year and our punter returns. Hopefully we find a better one or he improves dramatically. Terribly inconsistent and far too many muffs, clunkers and even blocked kicks. His net punting average is worst in the country. We are usually in the top ten.

 

By comparison, our championship caliber teams had many scores in the "9" range with great players two or three deep at times across many positions.

[stargazer]

Look at it this way... the season was no worse than what Bo would have delivered, except without the embarrassing sideline demeanor. I'm actually excited to see what a QB can do, who hopefully can see more than one receiver on the field... although I feel a little bad, that they won't have the same stable of experienced talent to work with in their first year. It may be optimistic to expect the same 9-3 record next year with all the new faces/change-up in offense.