Future Expectations and Benchmarks

[Walleye Hunting Husker]

Reading threw some of the threads lately I have noticed differences in expectations and what benchmarks are used to measure a good season. With the playoffs coming next year and going forward after this years bowl game, what do you consider a good season? For example, lets say we would make the orange bowl or the rose bowl or what was a BCS bowl and win but not make the playoffs. Would you consider it a good season or is it a playoff or bust mentality? Personally I would feel that making one of the "old BCS games" would be considered a good season but not great because we missed the playoffs. Thoughts?

 

[JTrain]

Let's start with a B1G title. That will make 99% of us quite happy.

 

[Walleye Hunting Husker]

Let's start with a B1G title. That will make 99% of us quite happy.

True but I'm asking if the season is seen as a good season if we make a major bowl but not the playoff. Winning a conference title and making a major bowl aren't mutally exclusive.

 

[Hunter94]

Let's start with a B1G title. That will make 99% of us quite happy.

True but I'm asking if the season is seen as a good season if we make a major bowl but not the playoff. Winning a conference title and making a major bowl aren't mutally exclusive.

winning a CCG would be great, compared to what we have done so far.....yes, it would make for a good season, but it is still a tough climb for this team.

 

[kchusker_chris]

Let's start with a B1G title. That will make 99% of us quite happy.

True but I'm asking if the season is seen as a good season if we make a major bowl but not the playoff. Winning a conference title and making a major bowl aren't mutally exclusive.

Anyone thinking that just because we "missed" the playoffs we can't have a great season needs to catch up on the last few years of Husker football. Playoffs include 4 teams. Not 8, or 16, or 32. If we have to be in the top 4 to have a great season we're soooo screwed. Isn't happening.

At this point, I think a lot of people are looking for progress, meaning a 20ish type ending, a competitive team that plays 100%, no blowouts, reduced turnovers, quit beating ourselves, no national headlines for coaching meltdowns, etc. Most of those happen, and it will be a "good" season. A great season it probably top 10 season, even a loss in the championship game could be a great season considering where we are now. We're starting from a ways back. There's a lot of room for improvement.

 

[HuskerShark]

Win the conference. Anything less will be falling short of goals/expectations.

 

[Walleye Hunting Husker]

Let's start with a B1G title. That will make 99% of us quite happy.

True but I'm asking if the season is seen as a good season if we make a major bowl but not the playoff. Winning a conference title and making a major bowl aren't mutally exclusive.

Anyone thinking that just because we "missed" the playoffs we can't have a great season needs to catch up on the last few years of Husker football. Playoffs include 4 teams. Not 8, or 16, or 32. If we have to be in the top 4 to have a great season we're soooo screwed. Isn't happening.

At this point, I think a lot of people are looking for progress, meaning a 20ish type ending, a competitive team that plays 100%, no blowouts, reduced turnovers, quit beating ourselves, no national headlines for coaching meltdowns, etc. Most of those happen, and it will be a "good" season. A great season it probably top 10 season, even a loss in the championship game could be a great season considering where we are now. We're starting from a ways back. There's a lot of room for improvement.

I agree totally with this KC. While I feel there is some potential in this team to get us to the next level, there are a lot of things that need to change before they can make that jump. The two biggests problem in my mind are turnovers and special teams play. As I stated in my OP, I feel that just because Nebraska doesn't win the the BIG Championship doesn't mean the season can't be a success. While conference championships are on #1 or #2 on most lists doesn't mean the season should be solely defined by winning or not winning one.

 

[kchusker_chris]

I agree totally with this KC. While I feel there is some potential in this team to get us to the next level, there are a lot of things that need to change before they can make that jump. The two biggests problem in my mind are turnovers and special teams play. As I stated in my OP, I feel that just because Nebraska doesn't win the the BIG Championship doesn't mean the season can't be a success. While conference championships are on #1 or #2 on most lists doesn't mean the season should be solely defined by winning or not winning one.

I want to clarify...this is not an indication of me lowering any expectations. But you've got to be realistic about next season after what we just saw. We'll be going through the battle of replacing a 4 year starter at QB. We'll be thin in the back 5 on defense. We're counting on the defense continuing it's improvement. We'll still have the same coaching staff. We MUST break the patterns that have been established over the last 3 years though...or else this staff is done.

(ok, maybe I have lowered my expectations...crap)

 

[Hooked on Huskers]

Made Top25 rankings every week

#18 in 2013 preseason polls.

after Wyoming game, #19

after S.Miss game, #15

after UCLA game, #NR

after SDSU game, #25

after Illinois game, #24

after Purdue game, #21

after Minnesota game, #NR

after remaining games in regular season, #NR

after Georgia game, #????

 

[NUpolo8]

Championships should be the standard at Nebraska.

If they won one next year, they'd be in the discussion for the playoff, and that would be a great, great year for this team.

If they played for it and lost a competitive game, a lot of people would be angry, but it would be an improvement.

Getting their doors blown in the CCG, or not playing for it, should be cause for coaching change next year if the current head coach is still the coach.

 

[huskerinacaveman]

Win the games were suppose to win some of the games were not and I don't think anyone will have a lot to complain about.

Generally that means we should have a pretty good season.

EDIT****

I don't mean get blown out in the games were not expected to win.

 

[kchusker_chris]

Getting their doors blown in the CCG, or not playing for it, should be cause for coaching change next year if the current head coach is still the coach.

I don't know. The only team with an easier schedule than Nebraska is Wisconsin. We have to go up there. I could easily see us only having 1 conference loss, and still missing out on the CCG. If we are 11-1 at the end of the season, is that still cause for a coaching change? or 10-2?

 

[alwayshusking]

Top 15 finish is a good, solid season. I think with a good coach we should finish there at least 60% of the time. Win the conference 25-30% of the time. Finish in the top 25 90% of the time.

 

[Glendower]

A major bowl would be unbelievably positive (in that I don't believe it will happen). I guess I don't know what our schedule is next year, but I don't think that we'll be beating the best teams from the other division, but who knows? It really depends on the coin-flip chance of the team showing up and not melting down. But we'll at least win the three garbage games at the beginning, probably lose to Miami, Wisconsin, and Michigan State...

(ETA: looked up the schedule at this point) Good lord, what a terrible (boring) schedule next year! When we moved to the Big Ten, I had this image of playing OSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, and Wisconsin; now, we're burning three weeks playing scrubby non-conference teams, a decent (maybe) non conference, and the rest of the time battling for the basement of the Big Ten. I like Northwestern, but ugh. Well, at least if I'm working Saturdays again next season I won't feel like I'm missing much. I mean, even if NU does win out, what does that even mean? If I were on the selection committee, I'd probably pass us over for a one loss team from a good conference, too.

I don't remember the last time I cared less about seeing games. I'd rather work and get paid.

 

[huskerinacaveman]

Getting their doors blown in the CCG, or not playing for it, should be cause for coaching change next year if the current head coach is still the coach.

I don't know. The only team with an easier schedule than Nebraska is Wisconsin. We have to go up there. I could easily see us only having 1 conference loss, and still missing out on the CCG. If we are 11-1 at the end of the season, is that still cause for a coaching change? or 10-2?

No, you can't fire a coach because a team just has a better year then we do.

The CCG should be something we strive for, but it shouldn't be the benchmark. Wisconsin is going to be good for a while, and Iowa looks to be on up end towards a peak. Chances are next year is just as hard on us.