Honestly, I just don't understand. We have so many things playing against us from all new coaches, to a lack of depth, to new schemes, to injuries... I mean literally you name a problem and we likely have it. That doesn't mean we can't improve and get better but jeesh... Nebraska, right now, isn't in a position to claim supremacy over a lot of teams and that includes BYU.
Alot of that has to do with the offseason drivel of the new coaching staff vs the old. For 9 months, we've seen post after post and thread after thread on how any average coach could win 9 games with our schedule, that the last staff was awful, and that every new coach is superior to the guy he replaced. If that's the case, then we should see an upgrade in the W/L column, just by fixing the issues that have plagued us for 7 years.
But.... it's simply not black and white like that.
I agree with all you have posted in this thread. Let me add some things in...
1. We are treating BYU like we did Wyoming a few years ago..."Oh the QB is amazing and will play on Sunday's" and "This was their Super Bowl"
2. I am a huge Riley fan and I still think they win 10-11 games this year BUT the mantra was, over and over, that any coach, chair, monkey, table, dart board, cup or Huskerboard poster could coach NU to 9 wins every year.
They could not convert short 3rd downs...could not make FG's, I guess the clock management might have been a bit poor but I am not sure and they let a guy catch a jump ball. Oh and they had 12 penalties?
I guess I see most of those things as very fixable.
What might be a concern...letting up over 500 yards of offense and I guess I did not think the D Line looked all that great.