2014 CFN Preview - The Consistent Huskers

Saunders

Saunders

Heisman Trophy Winner
What’s your problem with Bo Pelini?

He’s always on the hot seat, Nebraska fans are always grouchy about him for one reason or another, and it always seems like he’s one bad loss away from getting canned, but this isn’t 1985 anymore. The days of relying on a walk-on program, bringing in a few national recruits, and then rolling through an awful schedule before losing to Oklahoma at the end of the year are over. Considering the landscape of college football at the moment, Pelini is doing a fantastic job.

Nebraska is in a tough spot – and I don’t mean Lincoln. Actually, I sort of do.


http://cfn.scout.com/2/1408119.html
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What you need to know & Top Players:


What You Need To Know About The Offense: The Huskers are always known for trying to run the ball effectively, and this year they have the potential to be dominant. The attack might not be as balanced as it was last year, but it should be more effective. Offensive coordinator Tim Beck has a terrific array of running backs to work with, starting with Ameer Abdullah, who should be in the NFL but came back for a final year. Tommy Armstrong turned into a promising starting quarterback after Taylor Martinez went down, and now he knows what he’s doing with a good array of weapons around him. He can take off from time to time, but his job will be to hand off, keep the interceptions down, and find Kenny Bell deep whenever possible. The line should be terrific with a little bit of time, and if injuries don’t strike. The left side should be terrific with Colorado transfer Alex Lewis combining with Jake Cotton.

What You Need To Know About The Defense: Defensive coordinator John Papuchis isn’t going to change things up too much, if at all, but he’ll need to come up with the right combination in the back seven. The veterans are there at linebacker, and there’s a ton of talent and athleticism, but now he needs to find the playmakers who can be more disruptive and come up with more big moments. The secondary needs some tweaking, but there are some terrific pieces to build around and a great pass rush to make everyone’s life easier. Randy Gregory might be the best defensive end in college football, but he needs someone on the other side to take a little of the heat off and the tackles need to be more consistent. Overall, the defense should be a bit better if everyone stays healthy.
http://cfn.scout.com/2/1408118.html
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<ahem>

"The Schedule: The Huskers might have a dangerous-looking game at Fresno State, but this isn’t the same Fresno State team of last year. After opening up with tune-ups against Florida Atlantic and McNeese State, Nebraska has to rebound from the trip to Fresno and be ready for a national spotlight game with Miami. Win that, and it’s almost certainly 5-0 after opening up the Big Ten season with Illinois. And then comes the fun.

The schedule isn’t that bad overall, but going to Michigan State as the tail end of a six-game start to the season without a break stinks. Getting the week off before going to Northwestern will help, and then home games against Rutgers and Purdue should boost the record before getting another week off to prepare for the West showdown at Wisconsin. Closing out with Minnesota and a trip to Iowa isn’t that bad. "

Since everyone is going to take the first paragraph as gospel about how impossible it is to be anything but 9-4 in Lincoln, his thoughts on the schedule are interesting.

 
NUpolo8 said:
<ahem>

"The Schedule: The Huskers might have a dangerous-looking game at Fresno State, but this isn’t the same Fresno State team of last year. After opening up with tune-ups against Florida Atlantic and McNeese State, Nebraska has to rebound from the trip to Fresno and be ready for a national spotlight game with Miami. Win that, and it’s almost certainly 5-0 after opening up the Big Ten season with Illinois. And then comes the fun.

The schedule isn’t that bad overall, but going to Michigan State as the tail end of a six-game start to the season without a break stinks. Getting the week off before going to Northwestern will help, and then home games against Rutgers and Purdue should boost the record before getting another week off to prepare for the West showdown at Wisconsin. Closing out with Minnesota and a trip to Iowa isn’t that bad. "

Since everyone is going to take the first paragraph as gospel about how impossible it is to be anything but 9-4 in Lincoln, his thoughts on the schedule are interesting.
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I'd agree. As we sit here right now, the only team I see as "better" than NU on paper, is MSU. Anything less than 10-2 regular season will be a disappointment.

 
saunders45 said:
NUpolo8 said:
<ahem>

"The Schedule: The Huskers might have a dangerous-looking game at Fresno State, but this isn’t the same Fresno State team of last year. After opening up with tune-ups against Florida Atlantic and McNeese State, Nebraska has to rebound from the trip to Fresno and be ready for a national spotlight game with Miami. Win that, and it’s almost certainly 5-0 after opening up the Big Ten season with Illinois. And then comes the fun.

The schedule isn’t that bad overall, but going to Michigan State as the tail end of a six-game start to the season without a break stinks. Getting the week off before going to Northwestern will help, and then home games against Rutgers and Purdue should boost the record before getting another week off to prepare for the West showdown at Wisconsin. Closing out with Minnesota and a trip to Iowa isn’t that bad. "

Since everyone is going to take the first paragraph as gospel about how impossible it is to be anything but 9-4 in Lincoln, his thoughts on the schedule are interesting.
Click to expand...
I'd agree. As we sit here right now, the only team I see as "better" than NU on paper, is MSU. Anything less than 10-2 regular season will be a disappointment.
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Indeed.

 
The author of this article thinks basically the way I do about BP and Nebraska as a whole in the grand scheme of college football. I wouldn't go so far as to say he is doing a fantastic job, but I would say he is doing a good job.

Recruiting is the life blood of any program and Nebraska is definitely at a disadvantage geographically as the author says. BP has not done a good job of recruiting, and that is his fault. I don't think he really thought it was as important as it is to a program.

I do feel that the last 2 recruiting cycles have been much better and the 2015 class is looking outstanding so far. I think BP and his staff have figured some things out in regards to recruiting and things are looking up.

I think Pelini has done a good job so far with very average talent for a team with the kind of history as Nebraska. I think this is by far has the most overall talent Nebraska has had in BPs tenure

I think they can have a nice season.

 
NUinID said:
The author of this article thinks basically the way I do about BP and Nebraska as a whole in the grand scheme of college football. I wouldn't go so far as to say he is doing a fantastic job, but I would say he is doing a good job.

Recruiting is the life blood of any program and Nebraska is definitely at a disadvantage geographically as the author says. BP has not done a good job of recruiting, and that is his fault. I don't think he really thought it was as important as it is to a program.

I do feel that the last 2 recruiting cycles have been much better and the 2015 class is looking outstanding so far. I think BP and his staff have figured some things out in regards to recruiting and things are looking up.

I think Pelini has done a good job so far with very average talent for a team with the kind of history as Nebraska. I think this is by far has the most overall talent Nebraska has had in BPs tenure

I think they can have a nice season.
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yes, anything less than 3-4 losses would be stellar.

 
Ten Best Husker Players

1. DE Randy Gregory, Jr.

2. RB Ameer Abdullah, Sr.

3. WR Kenny Bell, Sr.

4. QB Tommy Armstrong, Soph.

5. RB Imani Cross, Jr.

6. S Corey Cooper, Sr.

7. OG Jake Cotton, Sr.

8. OT Alex Lewis, Jr.

9. LB Davis Santos, Jr.

10. RB Terrell Newby, Soph.
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Ya.....he's obviously not watching Husker games. No Rose, Valentine or Mitchell? Armstrong at 4 and Santos at 9 is silly also.
 
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NUpolo8 said:
<ahem>

"The Schedule: The Huskers might have a dangerous-looking game at Fresno State, but this isnt the same Fresno State team of last year. After opening up with tune-ups against Florida Atlantic and McNeese State, Nebraska has to rebound from the trip to Fresno and be ready for a national spotlight game with Miami. Win that, and its almost certainly 5-0 after opening up the Big Ten season with Illinois. And then comes the fun.

The schedule isnt that bad overall, but going to Michigan State as the tail end of a six-game start to the season without a break stinks. Getting the week off before going to Northwestern will help, and then home games against Rutgers and Purdue should boost the record before getting another week off to prepare for the West showdown at Wisconsin. Closing out with Minnesota and a trip to Iowa isnt that bad. "

Since everyone is going to take the first paragraph as gospel about how impossible it is to be anything but 9-4 in Lincoln, his thoughts on the schedule are interesting.
Click to expand...
Well, if you want people to buy into this guy's thoughts on SOS, then I assume you are game to buy into the rest of the article. Otherwise, it seems like biased cherry picking.
So now itll be up to Pelini to put it all together and win the new Big Ten West and at least get to the Big Ten championship. And if he doesnt, the Husker nation will have to once again settle for a really, really good year that most programs would kill for.
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Here, he is saying it is on Bo to get this team humming this season in order to get to a CCG (something I know you will agree on). He also is saying that the stats quo for the last six years should be perceived as "really, really good".
Last season, Nebraska lost its star starting quarterback and still finished second behind Michigan State in the Legends division not exactly anything to get in a twist over making it just the second time that a Pelini team hasnt won at least a share of a division title. He broke a bowl slide with a good win over a beat up Georgia team in the Gator Bowl
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Here, he is saying last year was a good year, not to "get in a twist over".
Anyway, the point I am trying to make here is not that you are wrong in your opinions. It is that this article is mostly someone's opinion, with some facts sprinkled in. I am not sold on this season being any easier or harder by reading this, just as I am sure you are not bought in to a 9-10 win season for six seasons, with four top division finishes and three resulting CCG appearances, and a bowl win as a solid record.

 
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