What is this year about?

[BigRedBuster]

I am a bit shocked with the moral victory stuff...

It's not just a moral victory to play competitively and not get embarrassed. That is a very real, tangible, good thing. It is just as important, if not moreso, than hanging a W on some nobody.I feel sorry for anybody who can't grasp this. If that W is the ultimate thing, why even watch the games? You can get all you need by checking the scores Saturday night.

Ahhhhh, I get your point now. You mean it more from an "entertainment" point of view, yes, I agree with that. Close games (either way, win or loss) are usually more entertaining.But, I feel sorry for any fan of a team that doesn't think the W is the ultimate thing. That is why they keep score.

No. You don't get it at all. It doesn't have anything to do with entertainment value. Absolutely nothing.It has to do with pride and fielding a good team. Any half a$$ team can go out and get a win against the Purdues and Illinois and McNeese States of the world. But what happens when we play a team with a heartbeat... a Wisconsin or a MSU? That is my point. The 9 wins we've been getting don't mean sh#t if we can't line up and play ball with the big boys.

Analogy time. I pride myself on being a good basketball player. I play 12 neighbors every year. Nine of them are 5 year Olds and the other 3 are men my age. Do you see where this is going.......?

Yeah, I see where it is going, you like playing basketball against 5 year old kids. Do you lower the rim or does it just depend which driveway you are playing on?

Mav did the stats...3 losses last year by 1 score...why are people acting like NU got blown out 4 times a year?

Maybe you should stick to being most concerned about tailgating and boozing and beave.......

I want the team to play good enough to win them all. Wins don't manifest in a vacuum. They might just happen against lesser competition but you have to earn the ones that matter. I want the Huskers to play well enough to win them all. If they play good but fall just short in a couple, well that is much better than another victory against Little Sisters of the Blind. If that type of win means more to you than how the team plays, I am at a total loss to explain it any better.

I think what you are trying to say and I agree with (correct me if I'm wrong). You want a good team that is well prepared and motivated to show up and play every Saturday. You want the team to be competitive with the best teams in the conference/country. Now, there is a lot that goes into actually winning a game and some of it is damn luck. If we come out and play competitively and the losses are right down to the wire and the game was well played, well prepared for and we appear to belong on the same field but lose because of some fluke play or the ball bounced the wrong way....then well....so be it. Good game and we fight on to the next. That is a big difference between what we have seen against teams like Wisconsin, OSU and Michigan at times over the last 8 years.

And...yes...winning the games is what is most important.

 

[SuperBigFan69]

I am a bit shocked with the moral victory stuff...

It's not just a moral victory to play competitively and not get embarrassed. That is a very real, tangible, good thing. It is just as important, if not moreso, than hanging a W on some nobody.I feel sorry for anybody who can't grasp this. If that W is the ultimate thing, why even watch the games? You can get all you need by checking the scores Saturday night.

Ahhhhh, I get your point now. You mean it more from an "entertainment" point of view, yes, I agree with that. Close games (either way, win or loss) are usually more entertaining.But, I feel sorry for any fan of a team that doesn't think the W is the ultimate thing. That is why they keep score.

No. You don't get it at all. It doesn't have anything to do with entertainment value. Absolutely nothing.It has to do with pride and fielding a good team. Any half a$$ team can go out and get a win against the Purdues and Illinois and McNeese States of the world. But what happens when we play a team with a heartbeat... a Wisconsin or a MSU? That is my point. The 9 wins we've been getting don't mean sh#t if we can't line up and play ball with the big boys.

Analogy time. I pride myself on being a good basketball player. I play 12 neighbors every year. Nine of them are 5 year Olds and the other 3 are men my age. Do you see where this is going.......?

Yeah, I see where it is going, you like playing basketball against 5 year old kids. Do you lower the rim or does it just depend which driveway you are playing on?

Mav did the stats...3 losses last year by 1 score...why are people acting like NU got blown out 4 times a year?

Maybe you should stick to being most concerned about tailgating and boozing and beave.......

I want the team to play good enough to win them all. Wins don't manifest in a vacuum. They might just happen against lesser competition but you have to earn the ones that matter. I want the Huskers to play well enough to win them all. If they play good but fall just short in a couple, well that is much better than another victory against Little Sisters of the Blind. If that type of win means more to you than how the team plays, I am at a total loss to explain it any better.

I think what you are trying to say and I agree with (correct me if I'm wrong). You want a good team that is well prepared and motivated to show up and play every Saturday. You want the team to be competitive with the best teams in the conference/country. Now, there is a lot that goes into actually winning a game and some of it is damn luck. If we come out and play competitively and the losses are right down to the wire and the game was well played, well prepared for and we appear to belong on the same field but lose because of some fluke play or the ball bounced the wrong way....then well....so be it. Good game and we fight on to the next. That is a big difference between what we have seen against teams like Wisconsin, OSU and Michigan at times over the last 8 years.

And...yes...winning the games is what is most important.

I get what you are saying...that is what happened vs Minnesota last year...a "fluke" fumble at the one yard line. A few years before NU caught a break vs PSU with a "fluke" fumble and won the game.

I am going to guess that the close game with Minnesota did not make you feel good. I bet the win over PSU did!

 

[BigRedBuster]

This really is an argument about nothing. We all want wins and if we win every body will be happy. When we lose (and all teams lose games) it's a loss and nobody likes losses. Even though nobody likes losses, and everyone is for preventing them as the main goal of the program, there are ways to look deeper into a loss to see are their major issues in the program or is the program on a good foundation.

I'm not sure why anyone would disagree with that.

 

[SuperBigFan69]

This really is an argument about nothing. We all want wins and if we win every body will be happy. When we lose (and all teams lose games) it's a loss and nobody likes losses. Even though nobody likes losses, and everyone is for preventing them as the main goal of the program, there are ways to look deeper into a loss to see are their major issues in the program or is the program on a good foundation.

I'm not sure why anyone would disagree with that.

Totally agree...

Wins first. That is what matters the most.

And with the schedule we have this year I think we all agree there are not many games that we should be happy with a close loss since they all seem winnable.

GO BIG RED!

 

[BigRedBuster]

I am a bit shocked with the moral victory stuff...

It's not just a moral victory to play competitively and not get embarrassed. That is a very real, tangible, good thing. It is just as important, if not moreso, than hanging a W on some nobody.I feel sorry for anybody who can't grasp this. If that W is the ultimate thing, why even watch the games? You can get all you need by checking the scores Saturday night.

Ahhhhh, I get your point now. You mean it more from an "entertainment" point of view, yes, I agree with that. Close games (either way, win or loss) are usually more entertaining.But, I feel sorry for any fan of a team that doesn't think the W is the ultimate thing. That is why they keep score.

No. You don't get it at all. It doesn't have anything to do with entertainment value. Absolutely nothing.It has to do with pride and fielding a good team. Any half a$$ team can go out and get a win against the Purdues and Illinois and McNeese States of the world. But what happens when we play a team with a heartbeat... a Wisconsin or a MSU? That is my point. The 9 wins we've been getting don't mean sh#t if we can't line up and play ball with the big boys.

Analogy time. I pride myself on being a good basketball player. I play 12 neighbors every year. Nine of them are 5 year Olds and the other 3 are men my age. Do you see where this is going.......?

Yeah, I see where it is going, you like playing basketball against 5 year old kids. Do you lower the rim or does it just depend which driveway you are playing on?

Mav did the stats...3 losses last year by 1 score...why are people acting like NU got blown out 4 times a year?

Maybe you should stick to being most concerned about tailgating and boozing and beave.......

I want the team to play good enough to win them all. Wins don't manifest in a vacuum. They might just happen against lesser competition but you have to earn the ones that matter. I want the Huskers to play well enough to win them all. If they play good but fall just short in a couple, well that is much better than another victory against Little Sisters of the Blind. If that type of win means more to you than how the team plays, I am at a total loss to explain it any better.

I think what you are trying to say and I agree with (correct me if I'm wrong). You want a good team that is well prepared and motivated to show up and play every Saturday. You want the team to be competitive with the best teams in the conference/country. Now, there is a lot that goes into actually winning a game and some of it is damn luck. If we come out and play competitively and the losses are right down to the wire and the game was well played, well prepared for and we appear to belong on the same field but lose because of some fluke play or the ball bounced the wrong way....then well....so be it. Good game and we fight on to the next. That is a big difference between what we have seen against teams like Wisconsin, OSU and Michigan at times over the last 8 years.

And...yes...winning the games is what is most important.

I get what you are saying...that is what happened vs Minnesota last year...a "fluke" fumble at the one yard line. A few years before NU caught a break vs PSU with a "fluke" fumble and won the game.

I am going to guess that the close game with Minnesota did not make you feel good. I bet the win over PSU did!

Sure. I'm always going to feel better after a win than a loss.....But the blow out loss to Wisconsin I stopped watching at half time because I was so disgusted with the coaching staff melting down on the side lines while the team was still trying to fight and win a game.

Also, I am pretty darn sure that everyone is happier after a win than a close loss. If you are thinking that people equate them emotionally to be the same thing then you are missing the point.

 

[BigRedBuster]

This really is an argument about nothing. We all want wins and if we win every body will be happy. When we lose (and all teams lose games) it's a loss and nobody likes losses. Even though nobody likes losses, and everyone is for preventing them as the main goal of the program, there are ways to look deeper into a loss to see are their major issues in the program or is the program on a good foundation.

I'm not sure why anyone would disagree with that.

Totally agree...

Wins first. That is what matters the most.

And with the schedule we have this year I think we all agree there are not many games that we should be happy with a close loss since they all seem winnable.

GO BIG RED!

Again....nobody is going to be "happy" with any loss. BUT, there is a big difference in emotions between a close loss of a well played game and getting blown out (Like Wisconsin last year) where the staff even appears to not have a clue as to what they are doing or how to handle the situation.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

The talk about "losing close games" is more about people just wanting to see some type of "progress" after NU getting a$$-whipped in a number of games under Bo. However, I would rather see 11 wins and 1 blowout loss over 8 wins and 4 close losses. I just want to see wins. I don't sit at home thinking "wow, I am glad this is a close game". In fact, I want NU to win every game by 40.

 

[NUinID]

This feels like bill's first year is gonna be a repeat...

Man doesn't feel like that at all to me. The personalities of the 2 coaches couldn't be more different.

Callahan was very cold and analytical about everything. He looked at the game and season like it was a business, like it was the NFL. Riley is a college coach he gets the PR stuff, he understands how to treat people.

Riley wants to run a similar style offense, but he is not about installing his system at the expense of losing games. He understands he still has to win games. There was nothing wrong with Callahan's offense, in theory. the problem was how he went about it. His player development was non existent.

Riley has been known as a player developer his whole career. He has had to be because he hasn't gotten the top tier talent. Just think what he can do with some high 3* and 4* players to work with.

As far as number of wins vs. blow out losses. I would never take 1 more loss just so we don't have any blowouts. Blow out loses are taking place all the time in college football, it is the way the game is going. Really good team are getting blown out. Wisconsin got beat by 59 points last year. Oregon killed FSU in the playoffs. Blow outs are just a part of the game anymore. A loss is a loss, i'll take the extra win.

 

[BigRedBuster]

I don't know of anyone who would take a close loss over a win.

 

[JJ Husker]

I can tell you what I am not concerned about...hoping that NU earns some close losses!

They are favored in 10 out of the 12 games this year. The biggest dog spread they have is +7. They have better talent (according to rankings) than all but one or two teams that they face. I don't see close losses as some great thing. They had 3 close losses last year. I was not thrilled about those either.

You are explaining yourself just fine I just don't understand why you think that way. I could kind of understand if they were playing a few teams where they were 20 point dogs or even double digit dogs but that is not the case.

They are favorites in almost all their games and they might only play 2 ranked teams. I don't get why we should be happy for close losses.

I will continue to be concerned about booze and beave.

I get what you are saying I just do not see how it fits for this upcoming season.

All things being equal, I am not saying I would prefer a close loss to a win. I feel it is important that the team plays well enough to win any game they are in. I agree, there are no teams on our regular schedule that we should not be able to compete against. So given that, yes I expect wins. The concern is this is really where the program has been for quite some time. Very few of Pellllini's 4 losses were against unbeatable competition. And quite a few of those losses were blowout embarrassments IMO. Yes, we only really got "blown out" in one game last year but, losing to MSU the way we did should not happen and it should never be acceptable to lose to Minny. That leaves a close loss to USC and a blowout embarrassment to Wisconsin, a team we should be able to compete with. Maybe it is just a moral victory of sorts but IF we're going to only be 9-4, I would sure prefer those 4 to be well played closely contested contests. Of course 10-3 or 11-2 or 12-1 would be better but I believe the way we get to those better records is by playing better. Not being made a laughingstock on a national stage has quite a bit of value IMO, not the least of which is in recruiting.

But, I am done trying to explain the nuances of this. I realize some people will take any 10-3 over any 9-4, all the time. I just don't agree with that. Of all the games that define the Husker program, the number one of those was an Orange Bowl loss to Miami, because TO went for 2 and failed. If wins are all that mattered, then that point of view has us kick the extra point, tie the game, and back into TO's first national championship by default. Personally, I prefer the way it went down even though it hurt and I would sure rather win that game. But being able to take some pride in what the team does on the field has some value that transcends just another W.

 

[SuperBigFan69]

I can tell you what I am not concerned about...hoping that NU earns some close losses!

They are favored in 10 out of the 12 games this year. The biggest dog spread they have is +7. They have better talent (according to rankings) than all but one or two teams that they face. I don't see close losses as some great thing. They had 3 close losses last year. I was not thrilled about those either.

You are explaining yourself just fine I just don't understand why you think that way. I could kind of understand if they were playing a few teams where they were 20 point dogs or even double digit dogs but that is not the case.

They are favorites in almost all their games and they might only play 2 ranked teams. I don't get why we should be happy for close losses.

I will continue to be concerned about booze and beave.

I get what you are saying I just do not see how it fits for this upcoming season.

All things being equal, I am not saying I would prefer a close loss to a win. I feel it is important that the team plays well enough to win any game they are in. I agree, there are no teams on our regular schedule that we should not be able to compete against. So given that, yes I expect wins. The concern is this is really where the program has been for quite some time. Very few of Pellllini's 4 losses were against unbeatable competition. And quite a few of those losses were blowout embarrassments IMO. Yes, we only really got "blown out" in one game last year but, losing to MSU the way we did should not happen and it should never be acceptable to lose to Minny. That leaves a close loss to USC and a blowout embarrassment to Wisconsin, a team we should be able to compete with. Maybe it is just a moral victory of sorts but IF we're going to only be 9-4, I would sure prefer those 4 to be well played closely contested contests. Of course 10-3 or 11-2 or 12-1 would be better but I believe the way we get to those better records is by playing better. Not being made a laughingstock on a national stage has quite a bit of value IMO, not the least of which is in recruiting.
But, I am done trying to explain the nuances of this. I realize some people will take any 10-3 over any 9-4, all the time. I just don't agree with that. Of all the games that define the Husker program, the number one of those was an Orange Bowl loss to Miami, because TO went for 2 and failed. If wins are all that mattered, then that point of view has us kick the extra point, tie the game, and back into TO's first national championship by default. Personally, I prefer the way it went down even though it hurt and I would sure rather win that game. But being able to take some pride in what the team does on the field has some value that transcends just another W.

I hear you my man.

 

[Joe_5700]

There are things I do not want to see, one of which is the constant focus on our coach's temper.

What I would like to see is some good coaching on the fly and be able to react to things when they go south.

 

[bleedNUred]

Winning and a lot of it.

First off...Riley is not taking over some downtrodden team with zero experience coming back.

He is not facing some daunting schedule, there is a chance they only face 2 ranked teams

He has a QB with 20 starts

Riley is a seasoned vetern with a super experienced staff

This is not a rebuild. Riley was hired, not to rebuild and not to maintain. He was hired so that a 9 win season starts to look like the floor and not the ceiling.

Perfect, couldn't have said it better myself. My expectations have not dropped for this years team or the future. Sticking to my 10-2 prediction for regular season.

 

[knapplc]

This year is about unlearning bad habits and instilling a new culture into the program. Anyone expecting "X" number of wins is fooling themselves, and is likely setting themselves up for disappointment. No analysis of our schedule makes any sense without first understanding our own team, and absolutely nobody can have any idea who or what we are until maybe after the non-con schedule.

 

[NUance]

There are things I do not want to see, one of which is the constant focus on our coach's temper.

What I would like to see is some good coaching on the fly and be able to react to things when they go south.

^^ What he said.

Pelini's temper tantrums became a distraction for the team, and did not represent our university well. And during games Bo would get so wound up that he couldn't seem to make basic adjustments to what the other team was doing. Since we didn't have a real DC on the staff we were helpless. Other coaches exploited this and racked up huge blowout wins against us.