Sporting News: Bo Pelini, Huskers confident 2012 can be their year

[Nobody]

I'm starting to get sick of this. Taylor has proven to be a gum flapper and it doesn't translate on the field. Don't you think talking like this to the media is a characteristic of a young team? I do. My theory is that huge heads like this and feeling sorry for yourself when you get down a few scores in Wisconsin go hand in hand. getting on guys behind closed doors (or in a game for that matter) for high expectations is one thing... Shouting national championship from the highest mountain is another.

It doesn't help that I feel like I'm in the twilight zone this season... All signs point to this season being Bo's worst in my eyes (im not mad about it, ive accepted it at this point, just how it works out)... and it just so happens to be the year everyone is drunk on kool aid. I just don't see it. And I'm "Mr. Bold prediction" when it comes to Husker seasons.

All signs point to disaster?

Wow.... :cry

Edit: I think he edited his post because I seem to remember reading his initial post where he did say pointing to disaster. Could be mistaken though.

But clearly this is where Nebraska's season is headed, shall we jump into the life boats now before it's too late?

:tv

don't confuse me preparing myself for a mediocre season with "this is going to be the worst season ever". do i think its going to be bo's worst season here? yes. do i think its going to be a wretched season? far from it. i just don't think we have the pieces to compete where everyone thinks we will this season.

...and no, i didn't edit my post. never said disaster.

 

[It'sNotAFakeID]

Another bold prediction.

Do elaborate, give us the reason why you think this will be Bo's worst season to date. I, along with others want to hear the reasons. If they are logical, then it brings a little "down-to earth-ness" to the discussion.

If not, then you're no better than the other "doom and gloom" posters who show up conveniently when things go bad just to say, "look at how smart I am, see I told you...lalalalala"

Believe me, I'm all for reason. If you can reason out why you think this will be a bad season, great.

Personally, I think this season could be a good one. Another year in the B1G, only one really troubling road game (Ohio State) and one troubling home game (Michigan), but a home game nonetheless. Another year of experience at most of the skill positions (QB, HB, WR, TE, DL, CB, S)--it's hard to see how that kind of carry over will make us worse. Bo won't let his defense be as bad as it was last year, this year. Despite what some think, he's learning how to be a better coach each and every day. Joseph is a great secondary coach, and we all saw what a couple of weeks being coached by Kaz did to our defensive line (mobile QB, contained for the most part)

We have reason to be excited, it could be a good year. I would be thrilled with a CC, and an appearance in the Rose Bowl.

 

['SkersRule]

don't confuse me preparing myself for a mediocre season with "this is going to be the worst season ever". do i think its going to be bo's worst season here? yes. do i think its going to be a wretched season? far from it. i just don't think we have the pieces to compete where everyone thinks we will this season.

Could you flesh out what you mean because it is a little vague at this point.

1. What will be Bo's worst season this year? 8 wins? 7 or less?

2. What pieces are missing in your estimation?

3. What will it take to acquire those missing pieces?

 

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

Have these guys ever heard of tempering expectations and quiet confidence! This has now become a make or break season IMO! Imagine if we catch a few bad breaks and finish 7-6 in a tough B1G.

 

['SkersRule]

Have these guys ever heard of tempering expectations and quiet confidence! This has now become a make or break season IMO! Imagine if we catch a few bad breaks and finish 7-6 in a tough B1G.

7-6 is not an entirely impossible outcome but it is highly unlikely.

 

[husker B-rent]

i believe we will be 10-2 in the regular season and finish out 12-2 but stranger things have happened and we could be better or worse.

 

[kchusker_chris]

Do elaborate, give us the reason why you think this will be Bo's worst season to date. I, along with others want to hear the reasons. If they are logical, then it brings a little "down-to earth-ness" to the discussion.

I'm not speaking for "Nobody" - but here would be my reasons. (for the record I really feel this season could go either way).

a) we always lose 1 game to someone we shouldn't. that's 1 loss.

b) i see Ohio State as an almost guarenteed loss. that's 2 losses.

c) i see Michigan as an almost guarenteed loss. that's 3 losses.

d) i see us losing to Michigan state after a rough home outing against Michigan. the guys won't be back into it after Halloween. that's 4 losses.

Put them together and you have a 30 day stretch in the middle where we lose 3 out of 4 (likely with a close, uninspiring road win to Northwestern in the middle). We still might finish 9-4, but that October stretch against the core of our conference schedule makes it Bo's worst season. November media could be rough on him. We don't finish in the top-25 with a stretch like that.

Now, the above is ONLY based on what we've seen so far, heavily weighted towards what we saw last year...and does not take into account all the "potential" for this season to be better. It's a strictly realistic view of where we have been leading to where we're going to be.

 

[kchusker_chris]

On the other side of what I just said....

a) it looks like we have a deeper line that we have had in some time (left tackle is still questionable).

b) all the offensive weapons are back

c) martinez is in this 3rd year, 2nd in this system

d) rex is back

e) the freshman have another year under their belt and should be better

f) Kaz should be able to fix out issues on the DL

g) Joseph will bring some spark to a spotty secondary

h) Maher is back

i) martinez is in his 3rd year, 2nd in this system (this is too important to only be counted once)

j) 2nd year in Big10

However, if you look up there...we know the OL will go through some injuries and that depth will be questioned. (we say this same thing every year) We are assuming Kaz/Joseph can shore up the secondary, and that JP/Bo is an improvement over the Carl/Bo we saw last year. I'm assuming the 2nd year in the Big10 will make a big difference, and I'm assuming that Martinez is going to improve in his 3rd year (despite not showing a lot of overall improvement last year). i'm assuming the freshman will improve and have an impact. I'm also assuming those offensive weapons will be effective, last year we had Reed/Kinnie back and neither were heard from. The prior year it was Paul that disapeared.

Overall, all the 10-2 predictions are based purely on assumptions, hope, potential (whatever other word you want to use) and almost completely disregard the last 4 years of play.

 

['SkersRule]

I'm not speaking for "Nobody" - but here would be my reasons. (for the record I really feel this season could go either way).

a) we always lose 1 game to someone we shouldn't. that's 1 loss.

b) i see Ohio State as an almost guarenteed loss. that's 2 losses.

c) i see Michigan as an almost guarenteed loss. that's 3 losses.

d) i see us losing to Michigan state after a rough home outing against Michigan. the guys won't be back into it after Halloween. that's 4 losses.

Put them together and you have a 30 day stretch in the middle where we lose 3 out of 4 (likely with a close, uninspiring road win to Northwestern in the middle). We still might finish 9-4, but that October stretch against the core of our conference schedule makes it Bo's worst season. November media could be rough on him. We don't finish in the top-25 with a stretch like that.

Now, the above is ONLY based on what we've seen so far, heavily weighted towards what we saw last year...and does not take into account all the "potential" for this season to be better. It's a strictly realistic view of where we have been leading to where we're going to be.

That's not entirely unreasonable. I think the only "sure" loss is on the road at Ohio State. Every other game Nebraska will either be favored out-right or at home. Michigan State lost a ton of starters especially on offense, guys that had been starting and playing, for three seasons or more like their QB, two senior WRs, their RB not sure about their OL though. In addition they lost Jerrel Worthy from the DT spot. MSU will be tough but it's not in this posters estimation a sure or even probable loss. We essentially own Iowa so I'm not all that worried right now. Penn State, Wisconsin, and Michigan all have to come to Lincoln. I don't think the Huskers will overlook Northwestern again will they? 11-1 is a possibility but I can also see 9-3 because Nebraska thus far under Bo have had a trend of losing two road games and one to an unranked team at home.

 

[Nobody]

I say 8 wins, no less. We may be able to pull together and do some special things, but i think the writing in the sand would suggest to not hold your breath. Taylor hasn't proven to me that he is capable of living up to his potential, way too inconsistent thus far. There are a lot of questions at linebacker. We will all see this year just how big of a deal it is losing Vonte. Anderson seems to be the quick fix, but there's not enough there to hang our hat on yet. Defensive line has me the most worried. I don't see the bodies there we need to compete at an elite level. The secondary was young, but that doesn't mean they graduate to being elite by default. Like I said, we may be able to rally together... but there is not enough there to expect anything substantial. just me.

 

[Count 'Bility]

Can someone explain to me why Ohio St is being considere a "one guaranteed loss"? They're the ones with a new coaching staff and a new offensive system, with nothing to play for.

 

['SkersRule]

DT: Steinkuhler, Peat, Rome, Williams, Guy, and Randle with Curry and Valentine coming in as freshman. That's eight pretty darn good kids manning that interior DL. I agree about the questions at LB. I'm not entirely sold on Compton as a Mike LB. We recruitied one JC LB we also have three true freshman coming in with two, Santos and Pirman, who redshirted last season. On paper the quality is there. Judging by what I've heard our new DB coach is going to be very good and preliminary indications are he's a heck of a recruiter. I guess what I'm saying is that things at least to me don't look all that bleak certainly not 8 wins bleak.

 

[Count 'Bility]

I say 8 wins, no less. We may be able to pull together and do some special things, but i think the writing in the sand would suggest to not hold your breath. Taylor hasn't proven to me that he is capable of living up to his potential, way too inconsistent thus far. There are a lot of questions at linebacker. We will all see this year just how big of a deal it is losing Vonte. Anderson seems to be the quick fix, but there's not enough there to hang our hat on yet. Defensive line has me the most worried. I don't see the bodies there we need to compete at an elite level. The secondary was young, but that doesn't mean they graduate to being elite by default. Like I said, we may be able to rally together... but there is not enough there to expect anything substantial. just me.

Taylor Martinez was the least of our worries down the stretch a year ago. He threw what, 2 whole picks, the remainder of the year following the Wisconsin game. I just dont see why he is drawing so much negativity. We have more glaring issues than our quarterback play right now.

 

['SkersRule]

Can someone explain to me why Ohio St is being considere a "one guaranteed loss"? They're the ones with a new coaching staff and a new offensive system, with nothing to play for.

On the road versus an extremely mobile and agile QB. Those two factors by themselves are usually bad news, combine them and yeah I think it is as a "sure" loss as possible. I'm not saying it is a guaranteed loss, just that it's looking "sure" at this point.

 

[kchusker_chris]

Can someone explain to me why Ohio St is being considere a "one guaranteed loss"? They're the ones with a new coaching staff and a new offensive system, with nothing to play for.

Road game. An upgraded coaching staff - and Braxton Miller in his 2nd year. We're assuming Braxton will take the leap we were all hoping Taylor would last year. They also return almost their entire defense.

Same reason why I consider Michigan an almost guarenteed loss. Robinson. If it was away I'm assuming more would join me. I personally just don't put as much value on the Memorial Stadium effect as others on here do. Perhaps because I'm younger and haven't really seen the home advantage for 10 years or more. We're 11-5 in conference home games under Bo. Michigan will likely be ranked top 10. Not sure I like our odds.