Collegefootballnews.com Big 10 Preview 2011

[GBRsal]

tOSU is kinda like texass - one title in the modern era and they think they're all good. i don't get how anyone can predict Meatchicken will go 9-3 after a decade of suckage. with wins over tOSU, us and michigan gay to boot. smells of homer to me.

 

[BIG ERN]

Steinkuhler is our 3rd best player? and Fisher is our 9th?/he's not even top 20 IMO. Michigan winning the division? Our linebackers could be the best thing about our D? Cmon Scout your better than this. Wait..thats why rivals owns you.

 

[huskerfan333157]

In all honesty i think we will lose one game but we COULD lose 4 games. Penn st, iowa, wisconsin, tosu, and michigan state are all capable of beating us. In fact, we are about equal to them talentwise except tOSU. In my opinion, tOSU has a lot more talent than we do but we beat them in the aspect of coaching and drawing up gameplans. I dont see why husker fans are getting mad when a person says tOSU has more talent than us or the fact that we could possibly lose 4 games. This team is not proven, our wr's arent exactly gamebreakers, Martinez is a question mark against good defenses, our lb corp isnt very good outuside of david,our secondary is unproven outside of dennard, our oline is always injured. But, i feel the big 10 is a weak conference and have felt this way for the past 4 years.

 

[robsker]

Throwing out predictions is one thing, but saying there is a chance we will win or lose each game is just kind of a no brainer.

In saying we can win or be beaten in any of these seven games what is being said is we will likely be near a split on those games --- 4-3 or so. Not too complicated --- just saying we are pretty comparable +/- a little from those 7 teams. The only team that stands out in terms of talent over us is OSU... yet they too are a toss up with us. The others on the schedule are gimmes --- no chance of losing. So... 9-3 is about right. Again, predictions of an undefeated season are unfounded and we have no basis upon which to defend such a prediction.

 

[robsker]

In my opinion, there is a chance that we could lose any of the games on our schedule. There is also a chance that we could win any of the games on our schedule. If we prepare the way we are taught, work as hard as we can, show devotion to ourselves and to our teammates, then the talent and abilities of the players on our rosters has a very good chance to outshine the talent on other rosters. Thank God we play the games. It makes Saturdays so much more fun. I couldn't imagine if all we had was this preseason bull crap to read.

Some of the quotes here lately are hilarious. Robsker from above, not to single you out but you sound like a lot of folks I hear........ "Michigan State, Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Washington, and Iowa as regular season foes... it is easy to see us losing to any one of these teams (it would not be a surprise at all). It is also easy to see us beat any of these teams... again that would be no surprise." I mean, isn't that pretty much a Captain Obvious quote of the year. So your saying you wouldn't be surprised if we won or lost half of our schedule? Ummmmm......no kidding? Isn't that kind of the way football works? Two teams line up, and one of them loses in the end of the 60 minute game? I think they designed it to where if there's a tie, there is a thing called overtime to determine the winner even yet.

I know I'm being a smartass, but folks need to lower their expectations and let the damn season play out. Watch the games, have a blast, have a beer, have some friends, just have a good time. It's football season. What the hell would we do without it? Win or lose, you know your gonna watch, and if you don't root the boys on even in losing fashion, then your fanhood is revoked in my opinion. So if we go 9-3 so what? What the hell is wrong with that? Not too bad if you ask me. Of course, we'll have the same band of rednecks that ran around calling for Solich's head calling for Martinez to be benched, Bo to be fired, or Beck to be banished. It makes me laugh, but also gets old.

When you say that this ---

"Michigan State, Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Washington, and Iowa as regular season foes... it is easy to see us losing to any one of these teams (it would not be a surprise at all). It is also easy to see us beat any of these teams... again that would be no surprise." I mean, isn't that pretty much a Captain Obvious quote of the year.

I agree that this should obvious --- it should be obvious that we should be about a split with these teams (which is, of course, the obvious meaning of my initial statement --- when one describes a series of games as basically toss-ups, you assume that over the span of games that a near split in terms of wins-losses is in view)--- we will likely go 4-3 or so (maybe 5-2 if all goes surprisingly well... or 3-4 if it does not). Yes this should be obvious. That said, there is a reasonable subset of the posters here who predict an undefeated season or a one loss season --- it should be obvious that NU is +/- a small amount from the seven teams listed in the original post --- not substantively better (or worse) than this grouping --- and as such, going 7-0 or 6-1 against that group is not rational.

One aside --- a detail that I left out earlier --- Washington is the weakest team in that grouping and I think that NU is actually better than Washington by a reasonable amount (more than a little --- making Washington the outlier in that group --- as NU is truly +/- very little from the others)... but I put them in that group anyway... how can I not, they owned us in our very last game --- I do think that Washington is, in that grouping, the most likely victory... but again they did beat us in our most recent game. The next most likely victory is Michigan. Anyway...

Now... I love your statement ---

"Watch the games, have a blast, have a beer, have some friends, just have a good time. It's football season. What the hell would we do without it? Win or lose, you know your gonna watch, and if you don't root the boys on even in losing fashion, then your fanhood is revoked in my opinion. So if we go 9-3 so what? What the hell is wrong with that? Not too bad if you ask me."

That I agree with entirely. It should be a great season and very enjoyable --- just not an undefeated (or one-loss) season.

 

[robsker]

In all honesty i think we will lose one game but we COULD lose 4 games. Penn st, iowa, wisconsin, tosu, and michigan state are all capable of beating us. In fact, we are about equal to them talentwise except tOSU. In my opinion, tOSU has a lot more talent than we do but we beat them in the aspect of coaching and drawing up gameplans. I dont see why husker fans are getting mad when a person says tOSU has more talent than us or the fact that we could possibly lose 4 games. This team is not proven, our wr's arent exactly gamebreakers, Martinez is a question mark against good defenses, our lb corp isnt very good outuside of david,our secondary is unproven outside of dennard, our oline is always injured. But, i feel the big 10 is a weak conference and have felt this way for the past 4 years.

Every statement you made is very reasonable to me. I do think we will lose more than one game though... but otherwise, great summary of where NU is with respect to its competition.

 

[kchusker_chris]

In all honesty i think we will lose one game but we COULD lose 4 games. Penn st, iowa, wisconsin, tosu, and michigan state are all capable of beating us. In fact, we are about equal to them talentwise except tOSU. In my opinion, tOSU has a lot more talent than we do but we beat them in the aspect of coaching and drawing up gameplans. I dont see why husker fans are getting mad when a person says tOSU has more talent than us or the fact that we could possibly lose 4 games. This team is not proven, our wr's arent exactly gamebreakers, Martinez is a question mark against good defenses, our lb corp isnt very good outuside of david,our secondary is unproven outside of dennard, our oline is always injured. But, i feel the big 10 is a weak conference and have felt this way for the past 4 years.

I really hope we have more talent that these 7 you all keep talking about being toss ups.

(2007-2011 rankings)

Iowa - #28, #50+*, #50+*, #42, #30 [AVG=#40]

Wisconsin - #34, #41, #43, #50+*, #40 [AVG=#42]

Michigan St. - #42, #47, #17, #30, #31 [AVG=#33]

Penn St. - #24, #43, #24, #12, #35 [AVG=#27]

Ohio St. - #15, #4, #3, #25, #11 [AVG=#11]

Michigan - #12, #10, #8, #20, #21 [AVG=#14]

Washington - #36, #24, #50+, #28, #23 [AVG=#32]

Nebraska - #13, #30, #28, #22, #15 [AVG=#21]

Right there, we've ruled out Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan St, and Washington in the "talent" department. Before you go off, Wisconsin does NOT have equal talent/speed, etc to NU so don't try arguing that...and if you want to - start a new thread.

That leaves Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan with comparable talent. But dig deaper...take Michigan for instance...

2008 top recruits

Cissoko GONE

O'Neil GONE

Stonum GONE

B. Smith GONE

2009 top recruits

Turner GONE

Forcier GONE

LaLota GONE

...these are the basis for those rankings. We're talking 6.0 4* recruits, some of the top guys at their position. All gone. You look at Ohio State and you'll see very similar.

2008 top recruits

Pryor GONE

L. Thomas GONE

Mobley GONE

2009 top recruits

D. Bell GONE

Carter GONE

...couple of these are 5* recruits. One of which (Pryor) will have a dramaticaly negative impact on their talent level on offense.

If you compare the current roster at NU, to the current rosters at Michigan we're a couple notches above. Penn State might be similar but they're still Penn State and coached by the poster boy for early dementia.

Ohio State is a mess, but they do have a lot of talent. How much of that is just "because they are tOSU" I'm not sure. But they've still bleed a lot of that talent to attrition over the last couple of years so I'd say our roster would match up nicely to theirs now. The gap certainly isn't very large.

IF we lose 3 games, it won't be because we're out-coached, or lack talent on the field. It'll be an Iowa State, or A&M situation. The days of getting entirely outplayed (Texas Tech 2009, Missouri 2008) are OVER

 

[caveman99]

As regards athletes... I would have to think that the overall size/speed/football skill of the OSU squad is at least one level... if not two levels above that for the Huskers. They have a talent-base on that team that is likely among the top 5 most talented teams in the nation. The Huskers do not have top 15 talent (though are likely pretty close to top 15).

Anyone thinking that OSU is anything less than a major, major hurdle to get through is fooling themselves. OSU will be favored over the Huskers.. and justifiably so. They have talent the likes of which the Huskers can in no way contend with. To beat them we have to out-coach them, out-gameplan them and play with greater heart and intensity than them (and likely will need a break or two as well)... on talent alone, we do not match up.. at all.

I love the Huskers as much as anyone... but be real folks --- OSU has way, way more talent than we do --- perhaps OSU is a distracted team with issues off the field.. but their talent is very, very high. Actually, if they play with a chip on their shoulders and focus in view of their "adversity" --- then look out --- OSU could be better than usual. Of course, they may implode in view of the pressures. Who knows? But again, talent alone makes them the favorites in the conference. And clear favorites over us.

I think you're on crack. I cannot fathom that you honestly believe OSU is that damn good. OSU may be one-two levels better on O over the past 3 years (not this year) but no way on D. Our D has played in a league that puts scoring points as a priority, and yet, NU finished with a top 10 D the last 2 years (#1 in '09). It's easy to be good on defense when all the offenses you're playing aren't very good. Case in point? The bowls.

NU is already favored to beat OSU by vegas (was -7 last I saw). In fact, we're favord in every game but Wisconsin (-2.5) Here's a vegas insider preview for the Big Ten: http://www.vegasinsider.com/by-the-book/story.cfm/story/1159598

We killed 2 1st round NFL draft pick QB's last year. It wasn't pretty. And the fact is, OSU is more than likely starting a freshman (not redshirt, just freshman) QB. Look at the Pelini QB graveyard, it ain't pretty. Expect Braxton Miller to be added to that list this year, if he starts.

I think it will be a close game, because OSU has talent on D (though they only return 4). But come the frick on. There is no way in hell they come in and drop a 40 point bomb on us, and shut us out. Because that's the argument you're making, that NU shouldn't even be on the field with them.

You extrapolate a great deal from someones post --- certainly I did not even imply that they would score 40 points and shut us out! Where did that come from?!! I said, directly, that their beating us would not be a surprise --- and our beating them would also not be a surprise --- that two-fold assertion in my post certainly can only rationally be interpreted as saying that the two teams are fairly comparable. Yes they have more talent --- by a large margin on offense and by a small amount on defense (or, perhaps comparable talent on D). We have what is, seemingly, the best coaching on D of anyone in the country and get more out of our talent there than anyone else... including OSU. So... on talent alone, OSU should be well favored.. but we have Bo & company coaching up our D and they have off-the-field issues (that I also point out) -- so who knows... as I said before and I'll say again --- we could quite well win that one --- or lose it. Either way would not be surprising. You somehow read that "we do not belong on the same field with OSU" in my post --- seems odd given that I stated that a win or loss either way would be no surprise.

Some suggest that OSU will not be a major obstacle... that is not rational. Some suggest that we will roll through all of our seven major opponents. Also not rational.

I am simply stating that we have 7 teams that could conceivably beat us --- and it would not be an upset overly if any one of them did in any given game --- and we could beat each of the seven in any given game --- and if we did it would as well not be an upset. But with seven such games, to suggest beating all seven... not likely at all. 4-3 against that group? Sure. Maybe 5-2. Not unrealistic. Better than these two records is really unlikely (as is worse than these two records).

Finally, and this was my point in the previous post --- altogether too many here are writing off OSU as a team that somehow will be not so tough an obstacle to surmount --- and I say that they will be tough --- they have an enormous amount of talent --- more than anyone in the conference... including us. That does not mean they are invincible and that we cannot play with them... but it does mean that they are a beast and unless we play exceeding well we will have trouble.

For all those thinking NU can go undefeated, watch the bowl game last year. Be humble my fellow Huskers... our favorite team is getting the hype because they are new to the conference and it sells magazines and stirs people up --- but on the field, NU --- even under Bo --- has done nothing, absolutely nothing to warrant undefeated talk this season. OSU, Wisconsin and Michigan State have all had much more recent success nationally than us... give credit where credit where credit is due... NU has everything to prove --- for we have as of yet proven nothing....except that are fans are delusional!

Robsker I think you need to re -read the line that Saunders bolded in your original post again. Not sure how you take it, but I take the same way the others do. In regards to talent, you are mistaking potential for talent. OSU does not have more talent than NU just because they have had better recruiting classes. Recruits are potentially talented, that doesn't mean they will be a talented player. NU has 3 legitimate AA candidates on the Defensive side of the ball alone, that is talent and frankly for outmatches OSU. On O, OSU will go with an unproven QB who has potential. NU has a player that has gone through the ups and downs of his Frosh campaign already and set records in the process. Not sure how you presume that OSU is 3 levels better than NU.

 

[caveman99]

In all honesty i think we will lose one game but we COULD lose 4 games. Penn st, iowa, wisconsin, tosu, and michigan state are all capable of beating us. In fact, we are about equal to them talentwise except tOSU. In my opinion, tOSU has a lot more talent than we do but we beat them in the aspect of coaching and drawing up gameplans. I dont see why husker fans are getting mad when a person says tOSU has more talent than us or the faict that we could possibly lose 4 games. This team is not proven, our wr's arent exactly gamebreakers, Martinez is a question mark against good defenses, our lb corp isnt very good outuside of david,our secondary is unproven outside of dennard, our oline is always injured. But, i feel the big 10 is a weak conference and have felt this way for the past 4 years.

Don't necessarily disagree with assessment of the offense, but I think, rather hope, that maturity at QB, greater oline depth, and the addition of a couple of potential game breakers at wr solves those concerns. I think everyone would admit that we have seen this offense hum and that it is possible they will be very good.

I really disagree with your assessment of the defensive side of the ball. First how do assert the LBs aren't any good outside of David? Compto isn't an AA candidate like David is, heck very few nationally are on David's level. Compton is a solid contributer however, he proved that last year. Fisher was out last year, but before that the coaches were GUSHING over him. He was supposed to be the star but got hurt. The question is will he return to form, fair question that I can't answer, but to say the LBs are not good is a stretch IMO.

Also don't get how you say that the secondary is unproven outside of Dennard. 3 out four starters return from a top notch pass D. The only question mark is the other CB spot, but Ciante showed well as a Frosh and reports are that he will have to fight to earn that spot as the others are pushing hard. Hopefully we get a playmaker out of that bunch, but I like the options.

 

[Saunders]

You extrapolate a great deal from someones post --- certainly I did not even imply that they would score 40 points and shut us out! Where did that come from?!! I said, directly, that their beating us would not be a surprise --- and our beating them would also not be a surprise --- that two-fold assertion in my post certainly can only rationally be interpreted as saying that the two teams are fairly comparable. Yes they have more talent --- by a large margin on offense and by a small amount on defense (or, perhaps comparable talent on D). We have what is, seemingly, the best coaching on D of anyone in the country and get more out of our talent there than anyone else... including OSU. So... on talent alone, OSU should be well favored.. but we have Bo & company coaching up our D and they have off-the-field issues (that I also point out) -- so who knows... as I said before and I'll say again --- we could quite well win that one --- or lose it. Either way would not be surprising. You somehow read that "we do not belong on the same field with OSU" in my post --- seems odd given that I stated that a win or loss either way would be no surprise.

I'm not the only one seeing that in your post. Let's look at a few things.

"Yes they have more talent --- by a large margin on offense and by a small amount on defense (or, perhaps comparable talent on D)."

No, just no.

The last 2 years, Ohio State has had 9 players drafted. All defensive players. And they only return 4 defensive players.

Nebraska had 10 players drafted. 6 on defense, 3 on offense, and a kicker. We also return the majority of our Defense. And we'll see 2 go in the first, and the other in the top 3. More guys drafted, from a smaller pool.

Ohio State is also breaking in a true freshman QB, and you have to give the edge to TM over Braxton Miller. They have 1 proven RB (like us) and 1 proven RB (also like us). But, both of their guys are suspended for almost half the season.

I think the problem is, you're confusing talent, with unfounded potential.