84HuskerLaw
All-Conference
The biggest issue is not the won/loss record per se. The fact is that last year's team started out horribly bad and slowly but surely made some gains in many areas, though not all. The improvement overall was reasonably expected to continue as a full year of training, conditioning, strength, confidence, understanding of the 'system', etc would indicate. Clearly, at this point, this is simply not true and it is really hard to reconcile. The raging debate is why? The players? The talent? The coaching? The 'culture? Bad luck? The schedule?
I think most would agree that the schedule is generally more favorable this year as compared to last.
I think most would agree that we had more bad luck last year vs this year. We've not been very lucky with kickers, injuries, etc but last year's perfect storm was seemingly about as bad as any can remember for a Husker season.
The culture, whatever that really means, ought to be improved as presumably a bunch of the problem players (with bad attitudes, poor work habits, misplaced loyalties, etc) have left the program via graduation, transfer, etc. It would appear, based on comments and reports (whatever they are worth credibility wise), should have made atleast moderate positive change.
This leaves - players and coaches.
Personally, I feel about 2/3rds of the issues are player related and one third are coaching related.
Players: we lack difference makers all over the field on both sides of the ball. We have not one lineman (offense or defense) who will even be seriously considered for all conference. We have not one LB or secondary player that will be first team all conference and none have played exceptionally well, even by recent (last decade) standards at Nebraska. Our QB play has been mediocre. Our RBs have been mediocre. Our WRs have been mediocre. The only player to be truly outstanding has been Wandale. JD has had some moments but ought to have been as good as Robinson. No TEs have made a noticeable impact positively.
Penalties, fundamental blocking and tackling mistakes are chronic all over. Our turnovers have been reduced but mostly due to Adrian cutting back on his and perhaps this is the reason Adrian is no longer a 'difference maker' because he is playing so carefully and cautiously that he is simply managing and not making the critical plays to make up for the mediocre play of so many others on the field.
Coaches: Special teams, which had so much room for improvement have been poor to mediocre at best, all season. Play calling and time management have failed to make a positive difference in very many crucial junctures, if any. Schemes have not changed or been enhanced or modified suggesting very little learning by the team in terms of variety, general execution, confidence, etc. This in turn has allowed our Big Ten opponents to easily scout and better prepare and deal with our teams competitively. We have not played a full 4 quarters of good football in ANY game, save for Bethune Cookman (barely an opponent frankly). Very few memorable strategy adjustments in second halves to enable us to pull away or recover or correct for our problems otherwise. The team obviously lacks a basic level of confidence and the kind of 'want to' and fire and determination that one would expect from the leadership of Scott Frost (the player and coach he has always been). The effort has been 'OK" to use SF's term but certainly not - as a team - been what we would have expected. Some players just hate to lose and refuse to quit and will do or die for their school, teammates, coaches, etc. Some don't. Apparently, our coaches can't motivate well enough and too many players are not interested in being motivated.
The only answer is time. We've waited for 18 years for something better. I think our best option at this point is to give Frost and Comany a couple more years to see what they can do. Frost may have to replace a few pieces of the puzzle (a few key players and or staff and or schemes) along the way. But let us all be more understanding and give them a chance.
I think most would agree that the schedule is generally more favorable this year as compared to last.
I think most would agree that we had more bad luck last year vs this year. We've not been very lucky with kickers, injuries, etc but last year's perfect storm was seemingly about as bad as any can remember for a Husker season.
The culture, whatever that really means, ought to be improved as presumably a bunch of the problem players (with bad attitudes, poor work habits, misplaced loyalties, etc) have left the program via graduation, transfer, etc. It would appear, based on comments and reports (whatever they are worth credibility wise), should have made atleast moderate positive change.
This leaves - players and coaches.
Personally, I feel about 2/3rds of the issues are player related and one third are coaching related.
Players: we lack difference makers all over the field on both sides of the ball. We have not one lineman (offense or defense) who will even be seriously considered for all conference. We have not one LB or secondary player that will be first team all conference and none have played exceptionally well, even by recent (last decade) standards at Nebraska. Our QB play has been mediocre. Our RBs have been mediocre. Our WRs have been mediocre. The only player to be truly outstanding has been Wandale. JD has had some moments but ought to have been as good as Robinson. No TEs have made a noticeable impact positively.
Penalties, fundamental blocking and tackling mistakes are chronic all over. Our turnovers have been reduced but mostly due to Adrian cutting back on his and perhaps this is the reason Adrian is no longer a 'difference maker' because he is playing so carefully and cautiously that he is simply managing and not making the critical plays to make up for the mediocre play of so many others on the field.
Coaches: Special teams, which had so much room for improvement have been poor to mediocre at best, all season. Play calling and time management have failed to make a positive difference in very many crucial junctures, if any. Schemes have not changed or been enhanced or modified suggesting very little learning by the team in terms of variety, general execution, confidence, etc. This in turn has allowed our Big Ten opponents to easily scout and better prepare and deal with our teams competitively. We have not played a full 4 quarters of good football in ANY game, save for Bethune Cookman (barely an opponent frankly). Very few memorable strategy adjustments in second halves to enable us to pull away or recover or correct for our problems otherwise. The team obviously lacks a basic level of confidence and the kind of 'want to' and fire and determination that one would expect from the leadership of Scott Frost (the player and coach he has always been). The effort has been 'OK" to use SF's term but certainly not - as a team - been what we would have expected. Some players just hate to lose and refuse to quit and will do or die for their school, teammates, coaches, etc. Some don't. Apparently, our coaches can't motivate well enough and too many players are not interested in being motivated.
The only answer is time. We've waited for 18 years for something better. I think our best option at this point is to give Frost and Comany a couple more years to see what they can do. Frost may have to replace a few pieces of the puzzle (a few key players and or staff and or schemes) along the way. But let us all be more understanding and give them a chance.
Last edited by a moderator:
