For Your Consideration

R

robsker

Starter
OK Folks.... if the goal is to get NU to be again competitive and, as should now be obvious, such will be a process, then consider.....

The reason for starting guys like Khiry Cooper, Antonio Bell, Cody Green and some of the younger OL is not because they will necessarily make the team better now, but because they need to get their snaps in in order to prepare for the future. What we do now may make us more competitive next year (or, if we continue to keep our future on the bench, will result in our being less competitive in the future). Let the youth get the kinks out now --- in a season that is a preparation for next year (and the future). This season is not going to end with a MNC for NU no matter what we do. Nor will there be a BCS game. There will be no B12 championship. We have no hope of sniffing the top 25 no matter what we do. Even the B12 North title is somewhat of a long shot (but doable). That said, what is the value of the B12 North championship anyway --- an additional B12- Championship certain loss. Who really cares about the B12 North this season --- at least relative to our preparing for an array of consecutive such titles in the future.

I'd rather play for the future. Niles Paul, Meno Holt, Chris Brooks, etc. are not the NU future. Cooper, Bell, and Kinnie are. Every snap that Paul, Holt, or Brooks takes at the expense of Bell, Cooper and Kinnie comes at the detriment of NU's future. Every snap that Lee takes is one less snap for Green --- who is the future --- and with each snap that Green does not get he is held back from being where he needs to be for us in the future. Play Mike Caputo. Play the young players on the OL. There is no future in Paul, Holt, Brooks or Lee. The present will not be severely compromised by playing for the future. Even if it is somewhat compromised now, it will be worth it.

What do we risk? I suppose we risk potentially not being bowl eligible this season and maybe risk not having a 500 season. But.... we need to ensure that the guys are prepped for next year (and the following years).

No offense to the older players --- they gave it their best and we appreciate their efforts. Guys who are seniors (and some of the juniors) now we thank you. But they need to step aside at this point and let the freshman and sophomores play and prepare for next season.

I do not mean to abondon these older players. They should get some snaps too. But the overwhelming number of snaps need to go to the players of the future. This is the best and quickest path to competitiveness for NU.

Thoughts?

 
How about we run the ball from the I like we were doing pretty effectively in the second half, mix it up with some passes, build a lead, and then play these young guys in the second half? Oh wai...

 
robsker said:
OK Folks.... if the goal is to get NU to be again competitive and, as should now be obvious, such will be a process, then consider.....

The reason for starting guys like Khiry Cooper, Antonio Bell, Cody Green and some of the younger OL is not because they will necessarily make the team better now, but because they need to get their snaps in in order to prepare for the future. What we do now may make us more competitive next year (or, if we continue to keep our future on the bench, will result in our being less competitive in the future). Let the youth get the kinks out now --- in a season that is a preparation for next year (and the future). This season is not going to end with a MNC for NU no matter what we do. Nor will there be a BCS game. There will be no B12 championship. We have no hope of sniffing the top 25 no matter what we do. Even the B12 North title is somewhat of a long shot (but doable). That said, what is the value of the B12 North championship anyway --- an additional B12- Championship certain loss. Who really cares about the B12 North this season --- at least relative to our preparing for an array of consecutive such titles in the future.

I'd rather play for the future. Niles Paul, Meno Holt, Chris Brooks, etc. are not the NU future. Cooper, Bell, and Kinnie are. Every snap that Paul, Holt, or Brooks takes at the expense of Bell, Cooper and Kinnie comes at the detriment of NU's future. Every snap that Lee takes is one less snap for Green --- who is the future --- and with each snap that Green does not get he is held back from being where he needs to be for us in the future. Play Mike Caputo. Play the young players on the OL. There is no future in Paul, Holt, Brooks or Lee. The present will not be severely compromised by playing for the future. Even if it is somewhat compromised now, it will be worth it.

What do we risk? I suppose we risk potentially not being bowl eligible this season and maybe risk not having a 500 season. But.... we need to ensure that the guys are prepped for next year (and the following years).

No offense to the older players --- they gave it their best and we appreciate their efforts. Guys who are seniors (and some of the juniors) now we thank you. But they need to step aside at this point and let the freshman and sophomores play and prepare for next season.

I do not mean to abondon these older players. They should get some snaps too. But the overwhelming number of snaps need to go to the players of the future. This is the best and quickest path to competitiveness for NU.

Thoughts?
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I don't think a complete firesale is the right move. Some yes, play Caputo and bench Hickman? That is a terrible idea. The offensive line looked fantastic yesterday. So good that Watson decided that 9 yards a run with a lead blocker was too easy. We had to make it harder on ourselves. I guess it is too technical for us to understand.

BTW, is Hickman hurt badly?

Holt and Brooks maybe, and even though Paul had a terrible game he has shown he is the only thing close to a playmaker we have at receiver. Need to get in his head and find out why he has the dropsies.

One more comment about the receivers, and I am not trying to say they shouldn't make the catches. We were always told if if hits your hands you should catch it, but HOLY sh#t, if the ball is behind you by a yard every friggin' time how the hell are you not going to drop quite a few. Not only that, but when it is on target you aren't expecting it to be.

Drops like this, when you are inaccurate on nearly every throw, are 50% quarterbacking.

Zac Lee is not a Big XII signal caller. That's what seems to be missed by those still thinking he should be playing. He will never be even serviceable at this level. Maybe Cody Green will be, maybe Kody Spano could be next year.

Think about this, Zac Lee wouldn't start at any other Big XII school right now (barring injury to their starter). He would be third string at Iowa State.

 
Your forgetting something though. It's all about the offense in your post. What about on defense, do we sit Suh for Baker, Turner for Merideth, and Asante for an Osborne or another young guy?? You have some merit with what you say, but I think starting Green is a good thing, but the rest is something we need to continually rotate and maybe just go with who's on a role in that particular game. Let them find a groove and go. My only reasoning for Green is for a spark and what a lot have called the "it" factor that Lee doesn't seem to have, but maybe Green does.

 
Maybe we should have Caputo and Hickman in at the same time. Caputo held his own at center and Hickman can move to guard or tackle.

 
In the Deed the Glory said:
izzyhusker said:
Maybe we should have Caputo and Hickman in at the same time. Caputo held his own at center and Hickman can move to guard or tackle.
Click to expand...
This idea may have some merit....
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We heard all through camp that Caputo was playing well, maybe even well enough to move Hickman to G. Then the season starts and we never see him. Yesterday he comes into the game, and IMO looked pretty solid. I say throw Hickman out to LG or LT if he can handle it. The left side of our line is pretty awful IMO, it's rare when they get any solid yardage running to the left of the formation.

 
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robsker said:
What do we risk? I suppose we risk potentially not being bowl eligible this season and maybe risk not having a 500 season. But.... we need to ensure that the guys are prepped for next year (and the following years).
Click to expand...
We risk not being bowl eligible and under .500 this season with the older guys. If all the older players can produce is 8 turnovers, why not put in the freshmen? They couldn't do much worse than losing to Iowa State.

 
If we play the "future players" and they don't do any better, what do you do next? Bring the high schoolers in to play?

One game at a time

 
Would you feel the same way if you were here for 5 years working your tail off and they played someone worse than you in the name of preparing for the future? Play an underclassman if he is better. Otherwise, NO! Get them some snaps ok. Spring ball and fall camp is for preparing the new guys.

 
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