The Glass Half Full Thread

Guy Chamberlin

Guy Chamberlin

Heisman Trophy Winner
I realize nothing much changes until the Huskers win meaningful games, but it's never too early to talk about progress and expectations, and there a few positives worth discussing.

• It's crazy not to appreciate the complete makeover in special teams. They are difference makers and it happened virtually overnight with a new coach and a commitment.

• A lot of us have PTSD regarding Husker turnovers and stupid penalties over the course of multiple coaching regimes, but suddenly that's not a problem for this team. We've lost 3 fumbles in 10 games and our 4.41 penalties per game are 11th fewest in the NCAA. Raiola's 6 interceptions in 250 attempts is fairly reasonable, and somehow he followed his worst interceptions by leading the Huskers on near flawless fourth quarter touchdown drives.

• Nebraska is 2nd in the nation in completion percentage, and has the second most productive running back in the nation. At some point we may have to admit our offensive line is pretty decent after all. If we're looking at Raiola's 27 sacks, we may have to admit many of those are on Raiola, especially after watching a less-sackable QB run the offense.

• While we expect and demand 3rd year progress, we knew we were taking a hit when Robinson and Hutmacher left, and that's been borne out by the lack of a pass rush and occasionally leaky run defenses. So we leaned on our defensive secondary which is currently ranked #3 in the nation in pass defense. The combo is enough to win games but it's pretty dangerous when trying to defend a running quarterback. Since a lot of other parts are working pretty well, we could go heavy for defensive linemen in the portal. I don't buy all the Butler hate.

• I would have loved if UCLA had turned into a blowout just so I could have one relaxing fall Saturday, but the Huskers and their true freshman quarterback salted the game away with a clock-burning drive of well-chosen plays executed with cool confidence. In fairness to Raiola, he had a couple of those, too. If I can't have a blowout, I will settle for getting the one-possession monkey off our back, which seems to be happening.
 
Guy Chamberlin said:
• While we expect and demand 3rd year progress, we knew we were taking a hit when Robinson and Hutmacher left, and that's been borne out by the lack of a pass rush and occasionally leaky run defenses. So we leaned on our defensive secondary which is currently ranked #3 in the nation in pass defense. The combo is enough to win games but it's pretty dangerous when trying to defend a running quarterback. Since a lot of other parts are working pretty well, we could go heavy for defensive linemen in the portal. I don't buy all the Butler hate.
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I really hope we can win at least one of these last two (regular season) games. Not only because either would be a nice win but an eight-win regular season would be another nice display of the progress that has been made. As you pointed out, I think there has been a lot of progress regardless, but having the record to go with it would help.
 
At the risk of counting our chickens before they've hatched (and assuming Rhule isn't just blowing smoke when he says we can afford to keep everyone and get whoever we want from the portal), I actually think the current DL is primed for a big year in 2026. Nwaneri and Davis have at times looked really good, and they are only second year players. Gabe Moore has popped from time to time and is also in his second year. RVP hasn't been the game wrecker that I'd hoped yet, but he's made some plays in his first year with extended snaps. Pietrzak flies around and does not look physically outmatched, and he will only get better. So we should absolutely try and grab more difference makers anywhere we can and DL is near the top of the list, but even just running with the same group (minus Jeudy) it should be a good unit.

Lost in all of the conversation around the streak of losing to ranked opponents, is the fact that nobody nationally is talking about us always losing one-score games anymore.

To nitpick a little on the OL - I agree, people need to admit it's pretty solid. Which is especially impressive given both of our starting tackles from week 1 are out for the year and other guys are playing hurt. But I do think they're still below average in pass protection. The lack of sacks recently has as much to do with only attempting 15 passes and facing a UCLA team that only has 6 sacks on the entire season than it does great pass pro and QB mobility. Raiola ran into or waited for some sacks for sure, but we've also just stopped calling many pass plays that ask the OL to protect for long.

I love watching guys stick it out and play well to finish out their careers - Javin Wright, Henry Lutovsky, Deshon Singleton, and I actually think Elijah Jeudy is playing well right now. Turner Corcoran hasn't exactly become a great player, but he's pushing guys around and hilariously flopping when he's touched after the whistle. And as much as I'm enjoying seeing them finish strong, I also don't look at anyone set to leave (pending EJ's NFL decision) and worry about how we will fill their roles next year.
 
Mavric said:
I really hope we can win at least one of these last two (regular season) games. Not only because either would be a nice win but an eight-win regular season would be another nice display of the progress that has been made. As you pointed out, I think there has been a lot of progress regardless, but having the record to go with it would help.
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Agree. Just remember we will lose to a talented Penn State team who will take their entire season out on us, then we will defeat Iowa to finish the regular season. Those are both stone cold locks.
 
This is a great thread. I like where this team is heading. I like Rhule. I wish NIL & the Portal didn't throw so many unknowns into next year's team but it is what it is, I guess.
 
I'm a bit frustrated with just how bad the run defense has been, one thing to be weak, another to be a real liability.

That said, yes, there has been improvement. Next season will say a lot, it's going to be a lot harder, if we can win 8 next season that would be huge.
 
I've got some reservations about tendencies and scheme issues with Butler, but overall, what he's done with this defense and this roster, in the Big Ten, deserves plenty of praise and recognition.

We flat out do not have the guys for elite in conference play, and make no mistake our run defense is baddddd, but he has somehow made it work, and the defense has not cost us a game, and has even had a big hand in winning a few. Great job overall in his first year with the pieces he's got.

Remember when we were cursed with one score games? We're 5-2 in our last seven one score games, with the two losses coming against the current #16 and #17 teams who both have a significant talent advantage over us, and we weredefinitively in both games, with our starting QB going down in one.
 
Great post @Guy Chamberlin - I think the 2 biggest things for me are 1. special teams improvement 2. One score games - we are finally winning them - which follows the process: lose big > lose small > win small > win big. Hopefully next year we can start winning big.
 
Lorewarn said:
I've got some reservations about tendencies and scheme issues with Butler, but overall, what he's done with this defense and this roster, in the Big Ten, deserves plenty of praise and recognition.

We flat out do not have the guys for elite in conference play, and make no mistake our run defense is baddddd, but he has somehow made it work, and the defense has not cost us a game, and has even had a big hand in winning a few. Great job overall in his first year with the pieces he's got.

Remember when we were cursed with one score games? We're 5-2 in our last seven one score games, with the two losses coming against the current #16 and #17 teams who both have a significant talent advantage over us, and we weredefinitively in both games, with our starting QB going down in one.
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Nebraska will return some very good players. In the off chance EJ stays, we will be pretty well set at the skill positions. I'm just wondering if the portal strategy allows us to make that leap more quickly if we target and throw money at select defensive linemen rather than spreading it around.
 
Guy Chamberlin said:
Nebraska will return some very good players. In the off chance EJ stays, we will be pretty well set at the skill positions. I'm just wondering if the portal strategy allows us to make that leap more quickly if we target and throw money at select defensive linemen rather than spreading it around.
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Yes, we need 1 real good guy on the D line that is a disrupter. The last guy who could take over a game like that was Gregory. While Ty and Nash were good, they single handedly could disrupt like Gregory did or of course like SUH did and for a certain part the way Crick did.
Now if we could get a SUH like guy on the line, A L David like guy on the LB level and a Prince in the secondary - I wouldn't complain. I'll take a disrupter at each of the 3 levels.
 
Yeah, Guy; the first thing that came to my mind as well was the drastically improved special teams play versus the complete embarrassment that we were in that phase during the Frost era.
 
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