How is this possible?

[Sargon]

On a brighter side old OU teams used to be a lot like that. So maybe football powerhouse is just around the corner for MR's Huskers

[Elf]

 

 

I don't know if NU played so great in the 4th quarter today. NU got a FG and then a turnover on the ensuing kickoff. Yes, the offense took advantage of the short field, but it only took 4 plays for Tennessee to score a TD and make it a 14 point game again.

The offense came alive for a bit and then went to crap again. Our line seemed to get worse as the game went on and we finally gave that DE his sack to pass Reggie White.

 

For years now we've complained about the lines, and the o-line especially. It's really hard to run a successful offense when your line isn't getting it done.

 

Oh yeah, the line really struggled this year, as it in recent history.

 

I know Riley and Cav wanted to redshirt the true freshmen and build for the long term, but I don't see how those young guys wouldn't have been better than the guys that have played for the last half of the season. I think that was an error by the staff this year.

 

I understand the desire to have those young guys play, and, you're right, it's hard to imagine them being any worse than what we put on the field.

 

If I was doing the recruiting plan and trying to fill the huge depth hole on the o-line, I wouldn't. Let me explain.

 

We have a scholarship limit of 85, that's 3 deep at every position on the field plus room for specialists and a few extras. We can't recruit to many players at any one position or we leave other positions short handed. I would shoot for 4 o-line recruits per year and make red shirting mandatory unless your name is Will Shields.

 

I would build for the future right now. You have to do it sometime because if you don't the pain never ends, so if not now, then when? Osborne did a crap load of things right for a lot of years and red shirting all incoming freshmen lineman was one of them. We didn't have poor line play when those guys got to come in, redshirt, eat at the training table, and be in Epley's S&C program for 2-3 years before starting. That's when we had the Pipeline and if we want that Pipeline again we're going to have to rebuild it with quality players and quality development. It isn't very likely that we will get back to that if we don't spend the time developing those young guys first.

[lo country]

 

 

 

 

I don't know if NU played so great in the 4th quarter today. NU got a FG and then a turnover on the ensuing kickoff. Yes, the offense took advantage of the short field, but it only took 4 plays for Tennessee to score a TD and make it a 14 point game again.

The offense came alive for a bit and then went to crap again. Our line seemed to get worse as the game went on and we finally gave that DE his sack to pass Reggie White.

 

For years now we've complained about the lines, and the o-line especially. It's really hard to run a successful offense when your line isn't getting it done.

Oh yeah, the line really struggled this year, as it in recent history.

 

I know Riley and Cav wanted to redshirt the true freshmen and build for the long term, but I don't see how those young guys wouldn't have been better than the guys that have played for the last half of the season. I think that was an error by the staff this year.

Thats the excuse I heard as well. Right now, it seems like an excuse. Just wait until next year. Just wait till Riley has his guys. Just wait til the QB whisperer works with the QB......Dude, this is NU. Not OSU. 9 wins and blowouts suck for this school. It made you a god in OSU, but year 2, you are in a line of dudes who didn't cut it at NU. It doesn't get much more simple than that. Building for the future my a$$. Thats a cop out excuse. What other Power 5 school has ever said we are saving all of these world beaters to build for the future. You know the best way to build for the future? Friggin win. Kids want to play for a winner. Kids want to be winners......

 

(rant not aimed at the posters above)

I agree that Cav and Riley mismanaged the o-line this year. Yes, they will have a year of development under their belts next year, but they still won't have game experience. I think they could have been developed and gained game experience by playing this year. I dont like how Riley has played the "long game" during his tenure at NU.

 

Good description. The "long game". That might work at OSU, but not here. IMO, long term is getting the younger guys playing time so every year or every other we are not starting a brand new set of guys. Get younger guys reps. Get them some experienced so next year we don't have a brand new center trying to make the calls who has never taken a snap for the entire game as an example. Or a brand new RS QB, or whatever....The best way to get long term development is to get as many guys playing time when you can. We have had such gaps in recruit misses and poor classes we need to dump bodies at the problem. Another way, go wild Bill and hit the Juco ranks for a stop gap QB or a rush end or DB or whatever...

 

We just have enough depth to sit guys IMO. Maybe in another 2 years we can, but right now, short on talent, short on depth and short on pit bull mentality

 

Just disappointed for sure in this season and staff decisions.

[Elf]

Just disappointed for sure in this season and staff decisions.

I'm not really disappointed, I didn't expect to beat OSU or Wisconsin anyway. I was hoping for 10-3 but we ended up 9-4.

[lo country]

 

Just disappointed for sure in this season and staff decisions.

I'm not really disappointed, I didn't expect to beat OSU or Wisconsin anyway. I was hoping for 10-3 but we ended up 9-4.

 

I really thought we'd be competitive.

[Elf]

 

 

Just disappointed for sure in this season and staff decisions.

I'm not really disappointed, I didn't expect to beat OSU or Wisconsin anyway. I was hoping for 10-3 but we ended up 9-4.

 

I really thought we'd be competitive.

 

I thought we'd be more competitive against Iowa and Tennessee. And while I kinda expected a loss to Ohio St, I didn't expect to get boat raced like that.