Your Predictions For The West

[VectorVictor]

I’ll suggest that Nebraska goes 7-5, and is a few boneheaded plays from going 9-3 and winning the West outright. 
 

It’s enough to buy time for Frost, show progress, and go back to the transfer portal to shore up areas we need help in for a 2023 campaign. 

Just now, Undone said:

 

I was hoping the little emoji conveyed that the comment was mainly tongue in cheek.

Dude, I’m sorry. I’m on my phone and the drunk emoji was cut off. That’s my bad. 

[Undone]

5 minutes ago, VectorVictor said:

Dude, I’m sorry. I’m on my phone and the drunk emoji was cut off. That’s my bad. 

 

Oh no worries at all, haha.

[Loebarth]

My prediction is much less complicated than everyone else's. Considering my limited knowledge of the game and especially coaching I'll simply say, we win enough for Frost to remain but also, gain security and extended contract. That's my prediction on the season. A side note, I think we win the Northwestern game on a lucky fluke as a sign that fate is turning in our favor

[Red Five]

26 minutes ago, Mavric said:

What is the point of having depth if you're not going to use it?

 

I would argue we don't have the depth to be throwing out 3rd and 4th teamers consistently on special teams.

 

27 minutes ago, Mavric said:

You really want a bunch of starting defensive players running a 70 yard sprint right before going out on the field?

 

These guys are highly trained athletes, they can recover after a minute.  Also half the time there is a commercial break between kickoff and the ensuing 1st play of a drive.

[Mavric]

35 minutes ago, Red Five said:

These guys are highly trained athletes, they can recover after a minute.

 

Recover, sure.  Be back to 100?  Probably not.

 

35 minutes ago, Red Five said:

Also half the time there is a commercial break between kickoff and the ensuing 1st play of a drive.

 

Pretty sure this is not correct.  Especially after the opening kickoff of the game that you keep to which you keep referring.

[gossamorharpy]

1 hour ago, Lorewarn said:

 

 

 

2006 Nebraska was 9-4 with no blowouts and non-november losses and wasn't top 25.

 

2008 Nebraska was 8-4 and then 9-4 with only one november loss and wasn't top 25.

 

2013 Nebraska was 8-4 and then 9-4, not ranked for six weeks before barely squeaking in at #25 after beating Georgia.

 

2014 Nebraska was as high as #11 in November and was 9-4 and didn't end up top 25.

 

2016 Nebraska was 9-4 and didn't end up top 25.

 

 

 

So if the point is that there is a possible scenario that depends on context and circumstances where we might be top 25 at the end of the season with an 8 or 9 win record, sure. But if the point is that one specific set of criteria will absolutely make us top 25, nah, you can look back at our own recent history and see that isn't a guarantee.

My point was more addressing a previous post saying only 2 teams with 4 losses were in the top 25.

 

That wasn't true, there were actually 4: Iowa, Oregon, Arkansas, and Utah.

 

Obviously context matters but i dont agree saying a 4 loss team wouldnt be top 25 when literally 16% of the top 25 last year had 4 losses.

 

Seeing how we play: Oklahoma, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa- all teams who are consistently top 25, I would think we would need to beat at least one of these teams to not have more than 4 losses- I'd say a 4 loss resume that includes a win over one of these would surely land us top 25.

 

Also, some of your years pointed out are a bit borderline.  We ended the 2006 season ranked in the top 25 and slipped right outside of it due to a bowl game loss to auburn that happened after losin gin the big 12 title game.  2014 and 2016 we had horrific losses, on national tv, in the last few weeks of the season. 

 

Storylines matter, if frosty puts together a 8-4 campaign that doesnt have a horrific blow out in november, and includes a win or 2 over the progrums listed above, we are 100% going to be top 25  

[Guy Chamberlin]

Re: special teams. If you're on the team, it means you're a good athlete. Maybe still raw, maybe just stuck behind a veteran at your position. But special teams is where you get on the field and get the coaches attention. It requires special teams techniques and strategy and reps, but ST is often a huge factor in games, so it's not like it's taking second and third stringers away from more important work. Show your skills on ST, maybe you earn a shot at your O or D position. Happens all the time in the NFL, which also drafts players they know can be valuable on special teams while providing depth at their position. A special teams gunner is one of the coolest positions in football. 

 

No reason to have starters on special teams: it's the showcase for the great athletes who practice their asses off all week and take pride in ST.

 

Special teams is a coaching decision, not a talent decision. 

[Guy Chamberlin]

Just a reminder: at this point last year we were all pointing at the tough schedule as the reason why 6-6 was a reasonable floor for our expectations. 

 

6-6 likely won't cut it with this year's schedule. 

 

And just to mess with us, it would be very Nebraska for Frost to go 6-6, get us to an unremarkable bowl game, beat or lose to a fellow 6-6 opponent, and leave us (and Trev Alberts) with another off-season trying to figure out how to measure progress. 

 

I'm optimistic, like I have been every season since the Johnson administration, but I have stopped making predictions. I have absolutely no idea what this team will do. 

[Mavric]

1 hour ago, Guy Chamberlin said:

And just to mess with us, it would be very Nebraska for Frost to go 6-6, get us to an unremarkable bowl game, beat or lose to a fellow 6-6 opponent, and leave us (and Trev Alberts) with another off-season trying to figure out how to measure progress. 

 

6-6 would be undeniable progress.  Maybe not as much progress as people want.  Probably not where anyone thinks we should be in year five.  But definitely progress.

[lo country]

40 minutes ago, Mavric said:

 

6-6 would be undeniable progress.  Maybe not as much progress as people want.  Probably not where anyone thinks we should be in year five.  But definitely progress.

6-6, even in year 5 is much better than losing.  It means bowling.  The first time in 6 years IIRC.  Extra practices.  Helps recruiting.  I think that people sometime mistake  progress as "where we want to be".  No one should ever be satisfied with 6-6, but it's progress.  Throw in new staff, scheme, players etc....and 6-6 is honestly higher (and a sign we are doing something right) than I think we will end up at.  

[Mavric]

Quote

1. Wisconsin (7-2)
2. Purdue (7-2)

3. Minnesota (5-4)

4. Iowa (4-5)

5. Nebraska (4-5)

6. Northwestern (2-7)

7. Illinois (1-8)

 

247

[teachercd]

Okay, you can only pick 2 wins from these four...

 

OU

Michigan

Iowa

Wisconsin

[The Dude]

People are saying 6-6 wouldn't earn Frost another year as if 3-9 didn't just earn him another year.

[Mavric]

20 minutes ago, The Dude said:

People are saying 6-6 wouldn't earn Frost another year as if 3-9 didn't just earn him another year.

 

I mean ... the circumstances are quite a bit different now.  So it's not that far-fetched.

[funhusker]

1 hour ago, teachercd said:

Okay, you can only pick 2 wins from these four...

 

OU

Michigan

Iowa

Wisconsin

OU and Iowa.

 

but I wouldn’t bet money on either!