What a year. I took a bet from a guy in my office this summer that NU would win the North, maybe not win the big 12, but win the North. His was just an uneducated(lol) bet against NU and mine was based upon the following analysis at the moment.
At the time it seemed simple. the NU program was headed in the right direction. we had just gone 8-1 after the OT loss to TT on a bad decision by Ganz. we won against CU and Clemson in BIG come-from-behind fashion which was not typical at NU. We were returning most of what I thought was a good base set of guys on offense, 2 good guys at RB with a developing bullpen behind them. The big ? was QB1 and the loss of couple big play recievers. We had put together one of the best defenses in the country and they were mostly all coming back. Suh was going to play his senior year( which I thought said something)
Our competition favored our run to Dallas in December.
MU was depleted at almost every position and had a tough schedule but they were MU and we needed to beat them at home
KU basically had no defense and had the 4 guys left Briscoe, meyer, sharp and Reesing. KU also had a tougher schedule. We beat them last year and I thought we had come farther than them by the time would meet again
CU's program seemed to be in disarray with the Hawkins(s)
KSU was trying to figure out who the hell the coach was going to be and going after Juco players because they had obvious problems with recruiting.
ISU never really entered my mind with a new coach, they were still ISU
NU had an easier schedule, returned a bunch of starters, hadd swagger and momentum. it looked like we building back to a winning program, not the 90's, but a strong program
Then Castille gets let go for being stupid, VT showed us our O could not score in the red zone and we left a lot of points on the field in that one just like yesterday, and then all the injuries to our backs, WIL, etc.
Now? if this trend continues we could be onto the worst season since 1961 if we lose to Baylor and all the way out( which at this point is arguably a possibility unless the offense has a miraculous turn around). Now the talk is of maybe we should let a few coaches go? how will recruiting be impacted? 2010 is a rebuilding year? wait, 2010 we were supoosed to really be loaded!
For all the red a$$ meltdown on this board right now, I think this is less about the losses to TT and ISU and more that deep down we are all questioning the viability of this program. Nebraska Football is maybe at the greatest risk it has been in 40 years. Don't get me wrong, I think we have a lot of the right pieces, but this is still very fragile.
I am just hoping and praying we get it figured out. And as wacky as this season has been, I think you could argue it can happen. When ISU and CU can come out of nowhere to lead the north, when A & M can get destroyed week after week and then shell TT, when OU is fighting to stay bowl illigible after being a legit contender for heisman and NC, I have faith and hope this funk we are in will lift. But make no mistake about it, the organization and program is still at great risk. that is what bothers me the most. just my thoughts on a sunday morning.
At the time it seemed simple. the NU program was headed in the right direction. we had just gone 8-1 after the OT loss to TT on a bad decision by Ganz. we won against CU and Clemson in BIG come-from-behind fashion which was not typical at NU. We were returning most of what I thought was a good base set of guys on offense, 2 good guys at RB with a developing bullpen behind them. The big ? was QB1 and the loss of couple big play recievers. We had put together one of the best defenses in the country and they were mostly all coming back. Suh was going to play his senior year( which I thought said something)
Our competition favored our run to Dallas in December.
MU was depleted at almost every position and had a tough schedule but they were MU and we needed to beat them at home
KU basically had no defense and had the 4 guys left Briscoe, meyer, sharp and Reesing. KU also had a tougher schedule. We beat them last year and I thought we had come farther than them by the time would meet again
CU's program seemed to be in disarray with the Hawkins(s)
KSU was trying to figure out who the hell the coach was going to be and going after Juco players because they had obvious problems with recruiting.
ISU never really entered my mind with a new coach, they were still ISU
NU had an easier schedule, returned a bunch of starters, hadd swagger and momentum. it looked like we building back to a winning program, not the 90's, but a strong program
Then Castille gets let go for being stupid, VT showed us our O could not score in the red zone and we left a lot of points on the field in that one just like yesterday, and then all the injuries to our backs, WIL, etc.
Now? if this trend continues we could be onto the worst season since 1961 if we lose to Baylor and all the way out( which at this point is arguably a possibility unless the offense has a miraculous turn around). Now the talk is of maybe we should let a few coaches go? how will recruiting be impacted? 2010 is a rebuilding year? wait, 2010 we were supoosed to really be loaded!
For all the red a$$ meltdown on this board right now, I think this is less about the losses to TT and ISU and more that deep down we are all questioning the viability of this program. Nebraska Football is maybe at the greatest risk it has been in 40 years. Don't get me wrong, I think we have a lot of the right pieces, but this is still very fragile.
I am just hoping and praying we get it figured out. And as wacky as this season has been, I think you could argue it can happen. When ISU and CU can come out of nowhere to lead the north, when A & M can get destroyed week after week and then shell TT, when OU is fighting to stay bowl illigible after being a legit contender for heisman and NC, I have faith and hope this funk we are in will lift. But make no mistake about it, the organization and program is still at great risk. that is what bothers me the most. just my thoughts on a sunday morning.
