Scanning magazines: What do they say about the Huskers?

[Mavric]

In the end they had one player out, and we had more. Both teams fully healthy I think we still beat them and probably convincingly as our offense would have been much better with Martinez at QB (remember Georgia was able to make the game close because of turnovers).

If only we could see Nebraska and Georgia play against each other with a healthy Taylor Martinez and Aaron Murray so we could know for sure how convincingly we would have beaten them...

Hmmm....Does this count? ==> http://www.omaha.com/huskers/georgia-qb-murray-shines-against-nu/article_bbcb78f2-a4c6-5d31-aec8-d9fc5794fa3f.html

So the only two variables between those two games were the health of the quarterbacks? Being that confident in the Huskers is probably an overstatement but so is comparing those two games.

 

[Branno]

In the end they had one player out, and we had more. Both teams fully healthy I think we still beat them and probably convincingly as our offense would have been much better with Martinez at QB (remember Georgia was able to make the game close because of turnovers).

If only we could see Nebraska and Georgia play against each other with a healthy Taylor Martinez and Aaron Murray so we could know for sure how convincingly we would have beaten them...

Hmmm....Does this count? ==> http://www.omaha.com/huskers/georgia-qb-murray-shines-against-nu/article_bbcb78f2-a4c6-5d31-aec8-d9fc5794fa3f.html

Yeah, cause it's not like we replaced our entire defensive unit with a much improved version or anything like that

 

[Ulty]

In the end they had one player out, and we had more. Both teams fully healthy I think we still beat them and probably convincingly as our offense would have been much better with Martinez at QB (remember Georgia was able to make the game close because of turnovers).

If only we could see Nebraska and Georgia play against each other with a healthy Taylor Martinez and Aaron Murray so we could know for sure how convincingly we would have beaten them...

Hmmm....Does this count? ==> http://www.omaha.com/huskers/georgia-qb-murray-shines-against-nu/article_bbcb78f2-a4c6-5d31-aec8-d9fc5794fa3f.html

So the only two variables between those two games were the health of the quarterbacks? Being that confident in the Huskers is probably an overstatement but so is comparing those two games.

Of course not. The 2013 versions of those teams were both worse than the 2012 versions, and each had lots of injuries in more than just the QB position. But to say that we would have convincingly beat Georgia if both teams were healthy is not grounded in reality. Not saying it couldn't have happened, but some of the arguments in this thread are silly, and now people are splitting hairs between numbers of injuries against Georgia. Murray and Martinez are both great QBs, but I think it hurt them more to lose theirs.

Yes, we were hit unusually hard by injuries last year, but the games we lost in 2013 were ones that most of us expected to win going in. Injuries weren't the difference in those games - it was mostly turnovers and lack of discipline, the same issues that have reared their heads in losses throughout the Pelini era regardless of injuries.

 

[Branno]

In the end they had one player out, and we had more. Both teams fully healthy I think we still beat them and probably convincingly as our offense would have been much better with Martinez at QB (remember Georgia was able to make the game close because of turnovers).

If only we could see Nebraska and Georgia play against each other with a healthy Taylor Martinez and Aaron Murray so we could know for sure how convincingly we would have beaten them...

Hmmm....Does this count? ==> http://www.omaha.com/huskers/georgia-qb-murray-shines-against-nu/article_bbcb78f2-a4c6-5d31-aec8-d9fc5794fa3f.html

So the only two variables between those two games were the health of the quarterbacks? Being that confident in the Huskers is probably an overstatement but so is comparing those two games.

Of course not. The 2013 versions of those teams were both worse than the 2012 versions, and each had lots of injuries in more than just the QB position. But to say that we would have convincingly beat Georgia if both teams were healthy is not grounded in reality. Not saying it couldn't have happened, but some of the arguments in this thread are silly, and now people are splitting hairs between numbers of injuries against Georgia. Murray and Martinez are both great QBs, but I think it hurt them more to lose theirs.
Yes, we were hit unusually hard by injuries last year, but the games we lost in 2013 were ones that most of us expected to win going in. Injuries weren't the difference in those games - it was mostly turnovers and lack of discipline, the same issues that have reared their heads in losses throughout the Pelini era regardless of injuries.

It's funny that you point out our big issues last year were turnovers and lack of discipline... as if injuries had nothing to do with this. A healthy Martinez with a healthy offensive line would have lessened our turnovers and greatly improved our passing completion percentage. This is a fact, compare Martinez' stats from 2012 to Armstrong's and RK3's from last year.

I don't think it's crazy to think that if both Georgia and Nebraska were fully healthy that we wouldn't win, and convincingly at that. Our 2nd string QB with a 2nd string line was able to fairly easily score against Georgia's 1st line defense. Adding Martinez and a healthy offensive line would have greatly increased the number of points scored. Our defense in the last 5 games was what... top 5 in the country? I have a feeling they still would have held a Murray led Georgia to a score similar to what they ended up with.

 

[Junior]

It's funny that you point out our big issues last year were turnovers and lack of discipline... as if injuries had nothing to do with this. A healthy Martinez with a healthy offensive line would have lessened our turnovers and greatly improved our passing completion percentage. This is a fact, compare Martinez' stats from 2012 to Armstrong's and RK3's from last year.
I don't think it's crazy to think that if both Georgia and Nebraska were fully healthy that we wouldn't win, and convincingly at that. Our 2nd string QB with a 2nd string line was able to fairly easily score against Georgia's 1st line defense. Adding Martinez and a healthy offensive line would have greatly increased the number of points scored. Our defense in the last 5 games was what... top 5 in the country? I have a feeling they still would have held a Murray led Georgia to a score similar to what they ended up with.

1. The entire line was 2nd string?

2. We were able to score easily? We scored 24 points and 307 total yards, 7 points and 99 yards of which came from a single play. 17 points and 208 yards of offense the rest of the game is not what I would consider a good performance.

 

[Saunders]

Every team has injuries, its a fact of football.

Yes but some are more serious than others.

Yes, but if we want to declare that Nebraska's injuries were worse than every other top 25 team (or anything along those lines) someone will have to present hard data.

I'll take "Things nobody actually said" for $500, Alex.

 

[Saunders]

You have to admit we've had some pretty bad luck for some of those seasons though.

you have to admit we've had some pretty spectacular luck for some those seasons though.

hail mary, refs against MSU (lol, that game was a crock both ways), OSU backup QB, (Nebraska did it) d. robinson injury (nebraska did it), heisman QB Murray (lol) and entire receiving corp injured...

 

[Saunders]

In the end they had one player out, and we had more. Both teams fully healthy I think we still beat them and probably convincingly as our offense would have been much better with Martinez at QB (remember Georgia was able to make the game close because of turnovers).

yes, i'm sure with martinez in the game turnovers would have not been an issue. nebraska did not have any inclination towards turning the ball over prior to armstrong starting.

And once taylor was done, the offense didnt turn the ball over.

 

[Branno]

It's funny that you point out our big issues last year were turnovers and lack of discipline... as if injuries had nothing to do with this. A healthy Martinez with a healthy offensive line would have lessened our turnovers and greatly improved our passing completion percentage. This is a fact, compare Martinez' stats from 2012 to Armstrong's and RK3's from last year.

I don't think it's crazy to think that if both Georgia and Nebraska were fully healthy that we wouldn't win, and convincingly at that. Our 2nd string QB with a 2nd string line was able to fairly easily score against Georgia's 1st line defense. Adding Martinez and a healthy offensive line would have greatly increased the number of points scored. Our defense in the last 5 games was what... top 5 in the country? I have a feeling they still would have held a Murray led Georgia to a score similar to what they ended up with.

1. The entire line was 2nd string?

2. We were able to score easily? We scored 24 points and 307 total yards, 7 points and 99 yards of which came from a single play. 17 points and 208 yards of offense the rest of the game is not what I would consider a good performance.

1. Enough of the offense was injured that I will generalize by calling it 2nd string, it seemed to be the consensus back in Dec/Jan here (do a search).

2. Taking into consideration the crappy field conditions and who was playing on offense? Yes I think scoring 24 points and getting 300 yards on a stout SEC defense with the team we had was a pretty good performance.

 

[Saunders]

I do think Cody Green and Brion Carnes transferred for a reason. I'm not saying they ever were going to start, but I damn sure remember a lot of complaining that Carnes never got reps. Especially after the 2011 Iowa game, for example.

Pretty sure the amount of complaining has no bearing on it's validity.

Green threw more INTs that TDs at Tulsa and ran for 9 yards per game. Carnes barely played at Northern Iowa, was a 50% passer and threw more INTs than TDs. Pertty sure their not playing was much more based on ability than the complainers want to believe.

Good thing we recruited them then.I mean, I don't remember much about Carnes but I thought Green came with a pretty good pedigree. As for their struggles once they left, well, they didn't get much of a chance to hone their craft under game conditions.

You lost some credibility with this post. Complete reach here. Nobody knows what kind of player a recruit will turn into. If they lose a competition and transfer and still suck at another program, somehow thats Bos fault too? Gimme a break

That's not my point. And apparently if you lose a competition you're getting zero snaps at the university of Nebraska. And yet we wonder why there's depth issues.

Nothing like outright lies passed as facts.

 

[Ulty]

It's funny that you point out our big issues last year were turnovers and lack of discipline... as if injuries had nothing to do with this. A healthy Martinez with a healthy offensive line would have lessened our turnovers and greatly improved our passing completion percentage. This is a fact, compare Martinez' stats from 2012 to Armstrong's and RK3's from last year.

I don't think it's crazy to think that if both Georgia and Nebraska were fully healthy that we wouldn't win, and convincingly at that. Our 2nd string QB with a 2nd string line was able to fairly easily score against Georgia's 1st line defense. Adding Martinez and a healthy offensive line would have greatly increased the number of points scored. Our defense in the last 5 games was what... top 5 in the country? I have a feeling they still would have held a Murray led Georgia to a score similar to what they ended up with.

So we add Martinez and Long back to the lineup and it makes a huge difference (I actually agree with that), but if Georgie adds in Aaron Murray and their entire squad of injured WRs and RBs, it wouldn't make much of a difference at all. I see.

Look, of course injuries hurt us last year, and the QB stats were way off of what we hoped to see from a healthy T-Mart. But turnovers and focus have always been problems. With fewer injuries and better QB play in 2012, what was our record and ranking? It's difficult to pin this team's problems on a glut of injuries when the results are the same every year regardless of the number of injuries.

There is not a nationwide stat that I'm aware of that measures how much injuries effect each team so we can compare ourselves to the rest of the country. But there are nationwide stats for turnover margin, and they are consistently bad. And that is a controllable issue that coaches can correct, and it is an issue that distinguishes the Huskers from other teams and directly plays a hand in our losses. Fix that, and we'll be getting somewhere. Unfortunately, coaches can't control the injury bug (unless it is an issue of having softer locker doors or thicker shoes).

 

[Saunders]

Hey, if only Bo were to model our QB position after Bama, and Saban, we'd be just swell.

I meant, yeah they have to rely on a transfer QB from Florida State that hasn't taken more than a handful of snaps (gee, it even happens at FSU) because the couple backups they did have didn't take snaps behind AJ, and were just bad, but they've just gotta be better than Nebraska.

Seriously, this witch hunt is getting old.

 

[Ulty]

2. Taking into consideration the crappy field conditions and who was playing on offense? Yes I think scoring 24 points and getting 300 yards on a stout SEC defense with the team we had was a pretty good performance.

I agree with that. I was very, very happy with the bowl game and glad we won. It made me feel good and still does. But it that game did not prove anything about the 2013 or the 2014 seasons except provide some much needed goodwill.

This thread is about predicting how good 2014 will be, and what it will take to get over the hump, is it not? To me, injuries have not been the deciding factor in losing 4 games every year. I don't want to dismiss the impact of injuries last year, but we need to realize that there have always been other issues, coachable issues, that we would like to see improvement on before getting too optimistic.

 

[Junior]

1. Enough of the offense was injured that I will generalize by calling it 2nd string, it seemed to be the consensus back in Dec/Jan here (do a search).

2. Taking into consideration the crappy field conditions and who was playing on offense? Yes I think scoring 24 points and getting 300 yards on a stout SEC defense with the team we had was a pretty good performance.

Georgia was 45th in the country in total defense, allowing 375 yards per game. (Nebraska was 40th) Georgia was 78th in the country in scoring defense, allowing 29 points per game. (Nebraska was 50th) Is that a stout defense? I'd call that average to below average.

 

[Branno]

It's funny that you point out our big issues last year were turnovers and lack of discipline... as if injuries had nothing to do with this. A healthy Martinez with a healthy offensive line would have lessened our turnovers and greatly improved our passing completion percentage. This is a fact, compare Martinez' stats from 2012 to Armstrong's and RK3's from last year.

I don't think it's crazy to think that if both Georgia and Nebraska were fully healthy that we wouldn't win, and convincingly at that. Our 2nd string QB with a 2nd string line was able to fairly easily score against Georgia's 1st line defense. Adding Martinez and a healthy offensive line would have greatly increased the number of points scored. Our defense in the last 5 games was what... top 5 in the country? I have a feeling they still would have held a Murray led Georgia to a score similar to what they ended up with.

So we add Martinez and Long back to the lineup and it makes a huge difference (I actually agree with that), but if Georgie adds in Aaron Murray and their entire squad of injured WRs and RBs, it wouldn't make much of a difference at all. I see.

Look, of course injuries hurt us last year, and the QB stats were way off of what we hoped to see from a healthy T-Mart. But turnovers and focus have always been problems. With fewer injuries and better QB play in 2012, what was our record and ranking? It's difficult to pin this team's problems on a glut of injuries when the results are the same every year regardless of the number of injuries.

There is not a nationwide stat that I'm aware of that measures how much injuries effect each team so we can compare ourselves to the rest of the country. But there are nationwide stats for turnover margin, and they are consistently bad. And that is a controllable issue that coaches can correct, and it is an issue that distinguishes the Huskers from other teams and directly plays a hand in our losses. Fix that, and we'll be getting somewhere. Unfortunately, coaches can't control the injury bug (unless it is an issue of having softer locker doors or thicker shoes).

Our biggest issue in 2012 was defense, you can bring up turnovers (they did occur), but it doesn't change that we had issues with our defense and made great strides to correct that in 2013. It also doesn't change the fact that we actually made it to the conference championship.

I hate playing the guessing game, but if T-mart doesn't get injured before the UCLA game we might have had a completely different season record wise. Maybe we still don't beat UCLA, but we sure as hell don't lose to Minnesota, Michigan State, and Iowa... which means another CCG appearance and with the way our defense was playing at that point in the season a possibly trip to the fricken Rose Bowl. Injuries RUINED 2013.

But at this point none of the matters. We have a capable Sophomore QB with starter experience, a Heisman candidate and All-American Senior RB, a good offensive line, amazing receivers, and a stout defense. Which brings me back to my original point which somehow got turned into this dumpster fire... if we can avoid the injury bug I honestly don't see any obvious losses on our schedule this year.