Agree. In retrospect, those expectations were way out of whack, and I think will continue to be. College football isn't what it was in the 1990s, and I've now accepted that any expectations of returning to that era of Husker football are a pipe dream. I honestly don't think there's a reasonable chance of winning a NC in the next 20 or 30 years, if ever. Too much has changed, and too much time has passed since the glory days. Too many teams in the Big 10 have as many or more advantages as NU, especially in recruiting areas (geography). I've decided to just enjoy the game for what it is, without dreaming about national, conference or even division titles. Bowl seasons with 6 or 7 wins, with an occasional 9-win season? I'll take it. I don't think anyone should expect more in this new era.
Husker Football In a New Decade
- Thread starter Roundball Shaman
- Start date
10_point_buck
Banned
Great post.....best on this board in a LONG time. As Nebraska lost itself, the game changed, the whole thing changed and we will continue to chase a phantom as what many Kool Aid drinkers on here want just doesn’t exist anymore.
krc1995
Heisman Trophy Winner
But isn’t it the unrealistic expectations that has kept our dormant program somewhat in the national spotlight for the last 20 years? I bet we have the highest TV viewership and revenue of teams with comparable records over the past 29 years.
I hope fans keep having high expectations every single year.
I hope fans keep having high expectations every single year.
BigRedBuster
International Man of Mystery
Dreaming of getting back to the 90s level isn’t a pipe dream and it’s possible. What is unrealistic is to expect Nebraska to be there in a couple years....and if not, you’re an upset fan telling everyone else that are enjoying football that they lowered expectations are a problem.
When we make a bowl game next year, enjoy it. When we make it to the CCG, enjoy it.....even though all of us ultimately want to be in the playoffs winning games.
UniversalMartin
Starter
hskrfan4life
Heisman Trophy Winner
Ziebol
All-Conference
10_point_buck
Banned
At least his expectations are reasonable and he is not drunk on the Kool Aid. As we have learned the last 2 years, just cause Frost is here, it does not automatically equate to W’s.You have the expectations of this guy:
hskrfan4life
Heisman Trophy Winner
But to say we shouldn't expect anything more in the next ten years is a Debbie downer thing to say. That's the point. Who gives a sh1t we haven't done much the next two years, unless you can see the future I'm expecting and hoping for the best each year. Y'all must be fun at parties.
Huskers93-97
All-American
You just sound like someone who is defeated and wants to aim low so you won’t be disappointed. It’s hard to achieve much if you don’t expect much. Let’s hope the university and the players we recruit never share your idea of success or the program truly will he dead. Expectations and the willingness by the fans to show up and the university to dump money into the program is what separates us from a former fallen power like Minnesota who gave up and was happy to be like Iowa.
Sorry for seeming to be a "Debbie Downer," but there's a difference between being optimistic and being realistic. Look, the 90s were a special time. Things have changed in college football, and there's no reason to expect Nebraska, a school that hasn't won anything in two decades and is basically in the middle of nowhere, to regularly compete at the highest levels anymore. Sure, it could happen once in a great while – I mean anything's possible – but it's been nearly a quarter of a century since the last NC and 20 years since even a conference championship. (Heck, even KState – KState – has won 2 conference championships during that span.)
Sorry to seem pessimistic, but I'm trying to bring everybody down to earth. I would have thought the past 20 years of no championships would have done that. I guess there was so much outrageous success in the 90s that it made people think Nebraska was some magical place where failure or even mediocrity could never happen. Well, that's obviously been shown to be false and the product of delusional thinking. There's nothing wrong with 6 or 7 wins in most years and maybe a 9-win season every once in a while, especially when you're trying to compete with schools that have the same or even more advantages these days. But there's everything wrong with a track record of firing coaches who win 9 games a year. That's what leads to successive 4-5 win seasons and no bowl games.
So I think I actually AM being optimistic. It's just that my optimism isn't irrational. Given location – a lightly populated Midwestern state on the far western edge of the conference – geographic recruiting challenges, and today's overall parity (except for 3-4 perennial national powers), winning an average of 7 or so games a year isn't bad at all. To me, that's being realistically optimistic. And it's a helluva lot more sensible – and fun – than living life as a fan who's infuriated every year. Life is too short for that.
Last edited by a moderator:
runningblind
All-American
You and I disagree on what is fun by a country mile. You are correct that life is too short. It's too short to not live and to crush any hope before it even appears. Sounds like you'd be better off learning how to deal with disappointment and not letting it infuriate you. It's definitely possible to be optimistic, have some kool aid and still easily get on with life if things don't turn out well.
All the things you mentioned are correct, middle of the country, population, etc. However you're completely glossing over the effect that Nebraska's history of success and the fan base can have. Did you not see how this staff has recruited even while winning only 9 games in two years? Imagine what they can do with 9 or 10 wins. Did you not see how close the team was to 3/4 more wins even this year despite poor line and QB play? This team is close to turning the corner on this slump and averaging 7 wins isn't close to being the goal.
At the end of the day, it's a game. Enjoy it as much as you can, but realize it's not close to being important in life beyond entertainment.
Huskers93-97
All-American
Honestly all the excuses as to why Nebraska can’t be good are just that excuses. College football is all about the combination of the right coach and talent. Osborne was a great coach who could recruit talent so we were good. Many people believe frost is a great coach and he is recruiting very well so as soon as that talent gets a few years in the program I think we will be back. Notre dame, Michigan, Tennessee, Florida state, Texas, USC, Oklahoma. The list could go on and on schools that have tons of talent but in their history not the right coach and they have been through decades where they suck and most of those schools I mentioned have every advantage, so that’s why all those things are just excuses. Sure it may be a little harder, but you make the right hire and you overcome them.
Florida state, Miami and Tennessee are great examples. They have struggled like we have trying to find the right coach. Tell me other than not having the right coach why they are not good? All south eastern
it all boils down to coach and we have been trying to find our way for 20 years. But I think we got him. Poor Tennessee has been looking just as long and still hasn’t
Last edited by a moderator:
Huckleberry Muhammad
Five-Star Recruit
JJ Husker said:
The flat earthers are from the past, in mind, as are other "this is what I experience" thinkers. As are the ones who can't wrap their mind around the simple fact that decades begin with a 1 and end with a 0.