Redux Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 Looking over the 2020 schedule and I'm honestly just gut punched by it. I'm so incredibly fearful that next year will be like Mike Riley's 2nd season. We start hot and get to 7-0 only to get slammed back to reality. That 2016 season was awful. We were winning games, but it was clear we were skating by on a ton of luck. We finished 9-4 that year, which by today's standards sounds like cause for celebration. Take a gander at this pud schedule, then the gauntlet that follows: Now I don't know about anyone else, but I see no current reason to be hopeful those last 5 games don't look like a giant goose egg. At best we start 7-0 and then find out what we are made of. Worst case, we go 3-3 in the first half and the second half feels like this year, wondering if we will ever play in a bowl again. Right now we have plenty of QB depth, but it doesn't mean squat if the starter continues playing the most uninspiring football he possibly can. RB should be a little more sorted out, but we don't have a brekaout rusher to head into next season with. WR is still Spielman and whoever can step up that week, we need another consistent threat....but that comes back to QB play. The Line may be improved just because they got smacked around for a full season so they will at least be battle scarred. Defensively we can hope Frost fires Chinander or we can be realistic and accept this is who we are for another year. We lose a lot of experience, I'm not excited about this unit next year. Kicking...we can't get any worse so that'll improve by default. The rest of ST are hot and cold week by week so I would expect that trend to continue. And of course turnovers and 3 and outs were a plague this season, a smidge of improvement would go a long way. Right now if I had to call it, I expect some of that year 2 jump to happen in year 3....hopefully. But I wouldn't expect much more than 7-5 or 8-4. I'm numb to this season, it can't end soon enough. Just saying that makes me a little sad. I'm tired of being terrible. I'm tired of not being excited for Football. I'm tired of saying "Next year". Lets just hope something clicks between now and September 5th 2020. 1 Quote Link to comment
LumberJackSker Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 Just make a bowl game. 3 Quote Link to comment
Caliborn72 Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 Good post. A really tough schedule but at least we don’t leave Lincoln much in the first 7 weeks. I would say I’m less concerned about QB. I think another spring and fall camp will solidify that the best QB plays, even if that’s not Martinez. I believe that Vedral would have come in at some point last week if he was available and that Luke might have if he was healthy (and there). I’m really worried about WR. I don’t think Spielman has anything left to prove and I wouldn’t be surprised if he jumps to the NFL regardless of draft projection. KW left us in a hole, but Frost and Walters have had a lot of unlucky or bad attrition at this position since taking over. DLine and OLB are my biggest concerns currently. From everything I’ve read, Damion Daniels is just not in the kind of shape that it takes to be a (mostly) every down lineman. He can rotate in here and there but I don’t think we can expect him to replace his brother’s snaps next year unfortunately. We have some potential at DE but they will be inexperienced. We may have no choice but to go transfer heavy in a few places. Quote Link to comment
Igetbored216 Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 Based on what we have seen the last two seasons, why is anyone thinking we will start 7-0 next season? Wishful thinking? 8 Quote Link to comment
Redux Posted November 7, 2019 Author Share Posted November 7, 2019 1 minute ago, Igetbored216 said: Based on what we have seen the last two seasons, why is anyone thinking we will start 7-0 next season? Wishful thinking? Assuming you gleaned that post and didn't read it? Quote Link to comment
Landlord Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 1 minute ago, Igetbored216 said: Based on what we have seen the last two seasons, why is anyone thinking we will start 7-0 next season? Wishful thinking? Never underestimate our fanbase and players' ability to forget how bad we actually are and quickly jump back into the world of unrealistic expectations solely based on the fact that we're Nebraska. If the team that starts next year isn't a big step up from this one currently, we'll be lucky to start 3-3. Purdue, Cincy and either Illinois or NW could easily beat us. 4 1 Quote Link to comment
MasterPulverizer Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 I'm hopeful for 6-6 but 4-8 isn't hard to imagine, either. 2 Quote Link to comment
Cdog923 Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 ....will be worse than 2019. 1 Quote Link to comment
Red Five Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 We’re a 4-8 team until proven otherwise. 4 Quote Link to comment
Red Five Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 The ‘21 schedule has a non-con at OU plus crossover games of OSU, Mich, and Mich St. 1 Quote Link to comment
WyoHusker56 Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 Counter point, when we go undefeated in 2020 that's a playoff worthy schedule! 1 2 Quote Link to comment
Red Five Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 28 minutes ago, Landlord said: If the team that starts next year isn't a big step up from this one currently, we'll be lucky to start 3-3. Purdue, Cincy and either Illinois or NW could easily beat us. Don’t sleep on SDSU. Currently #4 in FCS with 2 losses, Minnesota (who they took the wire) and NDSU. 2 1 Quote Link to comment
Nebfanatic Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 36 minutes ago, Landlord said: Never underestimate our fanbase and players' ability to forget how bad we actually are and quickly jump back into the world of unrealistic expectations solely based on the fact that we're Nebraska. The players kept talking preseason about how they are 4-8 until proven otherwise so I'm not sure what you are talking about there. Fans on the other hand..... 10-2 next year! Quote Link to comment
Igetbored216 Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 24 minutes ago, Redux said: Assuming you gleaned that post and didn't read it? Oh no, I read it. It was just difficult to read the the whole thing with blurry vision from laughing and crying so hard after I saw, "I'm so incredibly fearful that next year will be like Mike Riley's 2nd season. We start hot and get to 7-0 only to get slammed back to reality." I mean, I wish that was my only fear for next year's team. Going 7-0 to begin the season. Hell, even getting 7 wins total. I think of all the things to be fearful of, going 7-0 to start the season, and then getting "slammed back to reality" is probably one of the last things on my list. 1 1 Quote Link to comment
Atbone95 Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 I honestly think if you give this team some confidence, even "fake" "lucky" confidence, that will go a long way to the result we want. This team needs to feel what it's like to win a few games in a row. Fun fact: we have yet to win more than 2 games in a row under HCSF. I'll take 6-0 against the s#!ttiest teams, idc. Let this team get a feel for what winning should feel like. 4 Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.