What are your minimum requirements for a successful season?

[commando]

it's been ages since we went to a bowl game.    get to a bowl is obviously the answer.   injuries and the ball taking bad bounces happen so anything over 6 wins after our long dry spell should be good enough....but anything better would be great.

 

[Caveman]

A bowl game is my absolute minimum, but I will also be disappointed if we end worse than 7-5. 

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

If Rhule somehow only won 6 games you have to seriously consider firing him.

This is kind of wild. 

Honestly, Nebraska has equal talent and money compared to most of the middle to bottom of the conference. I wonder why people think Nebraska is a lock to beat a team like Rutgers, for example. They beat Miami in a bowl game last year and Nebraska doesn't significantly out recruit them. This is tossup game, along with most of the conference opponents we play. 

 

[BigRedBuster]

This is kind of wild. 

Honestly, Nebraska has equal talent and money compared to most of the middle to bottom of the conference. I wonder why people think Nebraska is a lock to beat a team like Rutgers, for example. They beat Miami in a bowl game last year and Nebraska doesn't significantly out recruit them. This is tossup game, along with most of the conference opponents we play. 

We don't out recruit Rutgers?

Nebraska since 2020 in Big Ten recruiting rankings: 4, 5, 10, 5, 6

Rutgers since 202 in Big Ten recruiting rankings: 13, 9, 8, 11, 11

Not sure how you can say we don't out recruit them significantly.

 

[Cornfed]

We don't out recruit Rutgers?

Nebraska since 2020 in Big Ten recruiting rankings: 4, 5, 10, 5, 6

Rutgers since 202 in Big Ten recruiting rankings: 13, 9, 8, 11, 11

Not sure how you can say we don't out recruit them significantly.

I don't even bother reading his posts. I just roll on by. 

 

[Enhance]

A bowl. That is the bar, no matter how we get there.

My thoughts, as well. I think a bowl game would invigorate the fan base and show clear signs of progress.

 

[Enhance]

Nebraska won't "seriously consider" firing Rhule if he wins six games. He'd probably have to do something like only win 2-3 and show reversion in some other KPI's before that conversation was flirted with.

 

[Mierin]

This is kind of wild. 

Honestly, Nebraska has equal talent and money compared to most of the middle to bottom of the conference. I wonder why people think Nebraska is a lock to beat a team like Rutgers, for example. They beat Miami in a bowl game last year and Nebraska doesn't significantly out recruit them. This is tossup game, along with most of the conference opponents we play. 

I think Rutgers and Maryland are the only B1G teams we’ve never lost to. 

 

[floridacorn]

Encouraging progress is more of an eye test thing for me, but minimum success is top 25.  

 

[knapplc]

I think Rutgers and Maryland are the only B1G teams we’ve never lost to. 

We lost to Maryland last year in the exact same way we lost to Minnesota. Tied 10-10 late in the game, Nebraska has the ball and is looking for a game-winning score. Instead, we turn it over and the opponent kicks a field goal as time expires to win 13-10.

 

[Undone]

A few posts back I said 7 wins was the bare minimum for "success."

The minimum for me to keep my hope that Rhule can get us back to at least Bo Pelini levels of wins is to get rid of the ridiculous turnover issues.

 

[brophog]

My thoughts, as well. I think a bowl game would invigorate the fan base and show clear signs of progress.

No it wouldn't show progress , for the reasons I said. These little tiny steps make logical sense, but it just aren't how this works. When you have the right guy, you make big steps.

Nebraska won't "seriously consider" firing Rhule if he wins six games. He'd probably have to do something like only win 2-3 and show reversion in some other KPI's before that conversation was flirted with.

The way the contract is written, it would be extremely hard to fire him. If he is fired without cause he gets 90% of the remaining value, and since his contract escalates over time, very little was paid in Year 1. It would take a significant scandal, something so big that the damage in keeping him would make it impossible to keep him. The guys negotiating the coaching contracts know the value of Year 2/3 as well.

Saying they wont fire him in Year 2 for losing football games isn't the same as saying they should fire him for it. History shows if he only wins 6 games and our ultimate goals are much higher than that, then we're just wasting our time every day he's still around.

 

[Vince R.]

6 wins is progress and I would be happy. 

People saying the schedule is easy aren't looking in detail imo.  We play several teams after their bye week.... more than any other B1G team I believe and we have a true freshman under center.   5 stars or not,  there will be some mistakes. 

6 wins would be a complete failure. You can live with a freshman mistake or two when he can throw 4 touchdowns. 

 

[Vince R.]

I'm sure you're used to being disappointed already, you are a Nebraska fan after all so... :lol:

I was told probably a dozen times during the Frost administration that not all good coaches show significant progress during year two. The situation here is soooo bad, that he needs more time!  I'm sure Rhule does too, don't ya think?

I have high expectations for this program no matter what. I watched Riley win 9 games with an underdeveloped C+ roster. Rhule is a better coach, has significantly more talent, and a favorable schedule. I expect this team to go toe to toe against OSU, and I expect them to beat Wisconsin and Iowa this year. 6-6 would warm his seat and he knows that. 

 

[Vince R.]

This is kind of wild. 

Honestly, Nebraska has equal talent and money compared to most of the middle to bottom of the conference. I wonder why people think Nebraska is a lock to beat a team like Rutgers, for example. They beat Miami in a bowl game last year and Nebraska doesn't significantly out recruit them. This is tossup game, along with most of the conference opponents we play. 

Good coaching and adequate talent will beat s#!t coaching and good talent 9/10 times at this level. Miami is a bad example.

Nebraska having equal talent to the Illinois/Purdues/Minnesota's is a stretch. Nebraska has significantly more talent. They have more talent than Wisconsin and Iowa, and right now have as much if not more productive talent than Penn St. Our rosters were never close to maxing out or being developed and finally we have a staff who can do that.