Early expectations for this year.

[knapplc]

It will all depend on our line (on both sides). Since Suh left our d-line has been average at best, and there is absolutely no evidence to suggest that our o-line will be any better this year than they have been the last few years. I want to win titles too but I really dont see it happening in the near future.

signed, debbie downer.

I've been preaching about the lines all offseason. I don't want to be a debbie downer either, but until we see evidence that both lines have improved over last year (and there's nothing to make us believe they will, other than hope), I'm with you. I see another four-loss season.

Also, focus is a huge problem for this team. We lost to Northwestern and nearly lost to Fresno State last year because this team takes weeks off. We simply cannot do that.

 

[kchusker_chris]

It will all depend on our line (on both sides). Since Suh left our d-line has been average at best, and there is absolutely no evidence to suggest that our o-line will be any better this year than they have been the last few years. I want to win titles too but I really dont see it happening in the near future.

signed, debbie downer.

I've been preaching about the lines all offseason. I don't want to be a debbie downer either, but until we see evidence that both lines have improved over last year (and there's nothing to make us believe they will, other than hope), I'm with you. I see another four-loss season.

Also, focus is a huge problem for this team. We lost to Northwestern and nearly lost to Fresno State last year because this team takes weeks off. We simply cannot do that.

Yeah this. 4 losses. Wouldn't be entirely surprised with 3 or 5 either. Anything better or worse would be shocking though. Then again if things would finally click, and we get a break here and there it could be better than that.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

Team will be better. Schedule will be tougher.

Turnovers are part of a bigger problem: overall team focus. The entire Husker team can suddenly forget their football basics, play skittish in big games and fail to adjust anything at halftime. That's on the Head Coach. This isn't Pelini bashing. It's just football.

Weirdly enough, I think the Husker D will be better with Carl gone and Bo forced to reestablish his rep as a defensive genius. Part of this is based on numbers suggesting the Husker D has nowhere to go but up.

Season opener agains Southern Miss is a dangerous game and will freak out a lot of Husker fans, but I expect this team to show steady improvement as individual players step up, non-performers get benched and team finds some kind of collective mindset to rally around. There will be one meltdown game, but that will be an improvement over 3 or 4.

I expect a lot of love for Kenny Bell.

A 10 - 4 season with one upset for us, one upset agin' us and every game hard fought would be an improvement. Anything less and I say it's okay to panic.

 

[knapplc]

The Eternal Optimist in me wants to believe the team will be better. But we don't know they will be better.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

They have to be better.

They just have to.

 

[kchusker_chris]

A 10 - 4 season with one upset for us, one upset agin' us and every game hard fought would be an improvement. Anything less and I say it's okay to panic.

I don't see us making the B1G championship to get that 14th game. In order for us to make that, we'll need a season that is something like 11-3 with a win over Michigan, or 12-2 with a loss. Maybe even 12-2 with a win. At least 10 regular season wins anyway. 9-4 seems more likely.

Michigan has a very manageable B1G schedule, playing Purdue, Illinois, Minnesota, Northwestern. There's 4 wins. They get Michigan State & Iowa at home. Not to far fetched to think there is another 2 wins. They are on the road against Nebraska, and on the road against Ohio State. Hypothetically lets say they lose both and finish 6-2 and we have the tie-breaker. That's a fairly conservative estimate based on last year.

That means we can lose to Wisconsin and Ohio State to open B1G play, but we have to go on the road and beat Northwestern, the big win over Michigan at home, followed by a road win at Michigan State (we don't do well following emotional games). Then we need to beat Penn, Minnesota and travel to Iowa...essentially rattling off 6 straight. That would likely put us at 10-2 regular season with a tiebreaker over Michigan. I think that's what it has to be. Maybe flip the Wisconsin/Michigan St. outcomes. Regardless it will come down to owning that tiebreaker, because with 2 losses I don't see 3 losses on Michigan's schedule for us to catch a break.

 

[zoogs]

They have to be better.

They just have to.

No they don't. Look at what was lost.

Maybe if the newcomers step up and live up to the star potential we're hoping for, then we'll be better.

I think we are at a bit of an in-the-middle stage, where some past thin recruiting is biting us and it's no sure bet that the headway made more recently in that area is going to arrive soon enough to address it.

Overall I guess I just see another 4-loss year. It's not too bad I guess, on the transition.

 

[bshirt]

They have to be better.

They just have to.

No they don't. Look at what was lost.

Maybe if the newcomers step up and live up to the star potential we're hoping for, then we'll be better.

I think we are at a bit of an in-the-middle stage, where some past thin recruiting is biting us and it's no sure bet that the headway made more recently in that area is going to arrive soon enough to address it.

Overall I guess I just see another 4-loss year. It's not too bad I guess, on the transition.

I respectfully think you're under-rating the young roadgraders we have coming for the Oline. Barring massive injuries, we should see some serious improvement there and that's precisely where we need it the most.

Oh, I'm not saying we'll be anything close to traditional pancaker status but better? I think so.

 

[Mierin]

at the end of the day, what's the difference between a dropped pass and a rush for zero yards? Both feel like turnovers to you, like we just gave up the ball? I don't see it, but ok...

I don't see it either. A rush of zero yards is less often a stupid mistake, so it doesn't feel like a turnover. A rush for zero yards might be a few mistakes on the O-line or the runner's parts, but it could also be the other team just played well.When the ball touches a receiver's hands and they drop it, often times it's an idiot mistake by the receiver rather than the other team outplaying the offense. It almost always seems like a drive killer when there's a dropped ball (especially when we rarely pass it and we'd caught the defense off guard) and it doesn't seem that way with a short rush, but that's just my feeling on it. Even psychologically a dropped ball seems a lot worse than a 0 yard rush. If the people watching are gasping and can't believe what just happened, the players aren't immune either.

 

[EZ-E]

I see yet another inexperienced but talented offensive line. Granted, Garrison, Cotton, and Stai did well at points with what we had up there.

We have the potential to win every single game that we play this year. Last year each game came down to us not making the play that needed to be made to put us over that hump. I hope that mentality and maturity is now there so that we can and will make those plays.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

There's no excuse for the offense not to get better.

And there's nowhere but up for the defense.

Last year we opened up with one of the Top 5 defensive lines in the country, and even with Crick healthy they were getting manhandled by lower tier teams.

I don't expect a Big 10 Championship, but I do want to be competing for it in November.

This is the talent we have. We know they can be good. They have to be better. This is Bo Pelini's year.

 

[Whistlebritches]

NO BLOWOUTS!!! We shouldn't be losing 45-17 / 48-17 at this point in Bo's coaching career. I can stand a few losses (and I am expecting 2, maybe 3 this year), just as long as we compete the entire game and are in it until the end.

For me, the D-Line and O-Line will be the keys to having success in 2012. I think if we get significant improvement along both fronts, things will fall in place around that.

I'll be disappointed if we lose more than 3 games this year but as long as they aren't blowout losses I won't be mad about it. We've got to be competitive in the big games and keep our focus on the lesser ones.

 

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

About a month ago I posted what I thought were realistic expectations. I believe I posted 8-5 or 9-4. Since then I've been drinking the koolaid an have been swayed enough to change my prediction. Don't everyone jump on my case at once but I now feel if we can get a couple breaks we will go 13-1 and end up at # 3 in the final poll!

 

[Blackshirts007]

About a month ago I posted what I thought were realistic expectations. I believe I posted 8-5 or 9-4. Since then I've been drinking the koolaid an have been swayed enough to change my prediction. Don't everyone jump on my case at once but I now feel if we can get a couple breaks we will go 13-1 and end up at # 3 in the final poll!

I'm just curious what made you change your thoughts? I think we have the talent to go around 10-2 and play in the B1G championship. I think Michigan had a miracle season last year and will come back to reality this year, however Robinson can help them win games single handedly, but i think the team going to the B1G championship will come down to our game against them.

 

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

About a month ago I posted what I thought were realistic expectations. I believe I posted 8-5 or 9-4. Since then I've been drinking the koolaid an have been swayed enough to change my prediction. Don't everyone jump on my case at once but I now feel if we can get a couple breaks we will go 13-1 and end up at # 3 in the final poll!

I'm just curious what made you change your thoughts? I think we have the talent to go around 10-2 and play in the B1G championship. I think Michigan had a miracle season last year and will come back to reality this year, however Robinson can help them win games single handedly, but i think the team going to the B1G championship will come down to our game against them.

I think we finally stay out of our own way. Gonna be more efficient on 3rd downs on both sides of the ball. Taylor will run the offense with ease. And if we win 1st and 2nd down on offense, that greatly reduces TM need to be so good down the field passing the ball! Of course both lines are gonna need to be beastly. That goes without saying but I'll say it anyway. Taylor should be able to orchestrate the O in his sleep! If makes his natural progression in being able to read coverage, look out!
I think we are gonna be top10 in the nation on special teams. All areas. Got a lot of experience there.

I feel the defense is close. Some unknowns got to step up but I feel pelini will have em ready. And we should be 2-3 deep everywhere. So if we can get a couple breaks like i said...13-1 can be done. GBR!