Can somebody please explain this attitude NU fans seem to have regarding how low our program has fallen and how it's going to take years to rebuild because the cupboard is so bare? Aren't we one year removed from playing for the conference title? I felt like we outplayed both OU and Auburn at the end of last year and I always heard about how great Callahan recruited, but all of a sudden we've fallen so hard that we have to expect to "rebuild" and "fall on hard times" before we can expect to win again? Until the MU and OSU games this year I thought NU was still on the rise, not going through a 10 year spell of crappiness after a big scandal a-la OU in the '90s. This "rebuilding" attitude sucks and is horrible - that will only lead to a sustained attitude of mediocrity. It's THAT attitude that is the FIRST thing that needs to go and if Ganz can help NU win next year and get back some swagger and confidence, then he needs to start. Period.
How many more games would NU have won this year with even a semblance of defense? I honestly think that Texas, KU, and CU would have been wins if NU's D had been even remotely good (look at how many points NU scored in those games). Weren't we ahead of CU at halftime? Are they really THAT much better? Didn't we go toe-to-toe with KU until our defense just rolled over? Don't you think a Pelini coached defense could have stopped KU's offense a few times out of 11? Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't see the cupboard being so bare, and I don't think NU's talent level and overall program has fallen so far that any "rebuilding" is necessary and if there's a defense next year (and I think we all know what Bo can do on defense) that can go along with the numbers Ganz and the offense are capable of putting up (18 total TDs and 1400+ passing yards in only 3 games) then why should NU have to settle for anything? Why can't they EXPECT to WIN? Why do we need to start "rebuilding" and conceding whole seasons before we can get better?
Realize that many of the points that the NU offense scored were in games where they were way behind and the opposition was scoring at will. The opposition played a pseudo-prevent defense or a prevent defense and were less than intense --- allowing cheap meaningless points in blowouts. people see the Ganz numbers and their eyes light up. Well. Wait and see. Those numbers were good and I do not want to take anything away from Ganz or the offense --- but context matters.
How anyone can not see that NU is rebuilding and is nowhere near the level of Missouri or Kansas and likely behind Colorado as well --- well, I do not get that.
If you watched any bowl game this year at or around new years, then did you not notice how much faster and more explosive the skill position players were than ours. Did you not notice the guns on the LB's and the lineman on other teams? Then see our LB's (in physical terms) or our big-bellied soft lineman (not all of course --- but generally speaking). No, in terms of sheer physicality, NU is way, way, way behind.
Callahan's recruits that initially signed on had horrific attrition rates. Much of the recruiting hype came from the ones NU were in on --- but most of those we did not get. There has been, I think, more hype than there has been production from Callahan's recruits. That said, it is still early and some of the younger guys may be the real deal. We just do not know.
Anyway. A 5 - 7 team that has gone to only two bowls in four years and has a new, unproven coach (and an unproven staff) coming off of the #100 something defense. Well.... yeah, rebuilding is an appropriate description.