What must the 2017 team do

[Savage Husker]

Savage - we'll likely have a more accurate passer but I think you're underestimating how many hairy situations Armstrong escaped from with his legs. We will take more sacks and opposing teams won't have to worry about the QB run.

Also, we're losing 2-3 of our best receivers and our best 2 TEs.

The WR position willl be very thin, with only Morgan and DPE (somewhat Reimers) having significant playing experience. The TE position loses the 3 players who played significant snaps at the position.

I understand that the offense may not be worse statistically, but I don't expect the offense to suddenly be fixed with a QB who's a better passer. The young players at WR and TE will cause the offense to be inconsistent, especially with a greater emphasis on passing.

Moiraine- I agree, we probably will see more sacks. Tommy did a great job escaping, but I'd be willing to bet there were more moments of Tommy sitting in the pocket having a ball batted down, throwing behind a receiver, or sailing a receiver, where I'd take the sacks over a season

CoHusk- forgot about the TE position. Yeah we really need Snyder, Stoll, Engelhaupt(sp?) or any walk-on to step up. The TE had been a big part of Riley's offense at OSU and losing Cethan plus Foster and Cotton are big shoes to fill.

Overall, I just believe the offense bouncing back is more realistic with any of the 3 QBs and another year of development at OL, than what we saw this year.

 

[AFhusker]

Michigan lost two games by single digits on the road. I sure the hell would take that! They played with heart and nastiness all season. No -one was going to blow them out! Yeah, who wouldn't take that.

That would be trending up for this program. That would carry some optimism for the next few years. That would fuel the fire for at least 12 more months of discussion. What we get is nothing in those terms. USC got there doors blown off against Bama, but made a QB change and now are often talked about as being maybe the best team in the country not named Bama. They responded. Coaches, players, fans, they all responded, competed. Thats what you should see.

You do realize that they only played three games outside the state of Michigan and went 1-2. Talk about an easy schedule.

 

[HuskerNation1]

Savage - we'll likely have a more accurate passer but I think you're underestimating how many hairy situations Armstrong escaped from with his legs. We will take more sacks and opposing teams won't have to worry about the QB run.

Also, we're losing 2-3 of our best receivers and our best 2 TEs.

The WR position willl be very thin, with only Morgan and DPE (somewhat Reimers) having significant playing experience.The TE position loses the 3 players who played significant snaps at the position.

I understand that the offense may not be worse statistically, but I don't expect the offense to suddenly be fixed with a QB who's a better passer. The young players at WR and TE will cause the offense to be inconsistent, especially with a greater emphasis on passing.

Moiraine- I agree, we probably will see more sacks. Tommy did a great job escaping, but I'd be willing to bet there were more moments of Tommy sitting in the pocket having a ball batted down, throwing behind a receiver, or sailing a receiver, where I'd take the sacks over a season

CoHusk- forgot about the TE position. Yeah we really need Snyder, Stoll, Engelhaupt(sp?) or any walk-on to step up. The TE had been a big part of Riley's offense at OSU and losing Cethan plus Foster and Cotton are big shoes to fill.

Overall, I just believe the offense bouncing back is more realistic with any of the 3 QBs and another year of development at OL, than what we saw this year.

I think you are both right, and it's tough to predict how the offense will turn out. My guess is that things will be clunky to start the season. With that said, we will still have some decent WRs on the roster with DPE, Morgan, Spielman, Reimers plus the good recruits coming. Imagine having a QB consistently hitting them in stride, whether that's on the quick out, intermediate passes, or the deep ball. I also expect our O-line to improve quite a bit next year and that should help both the running and passing games.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Savage - we'll likely have a more accurate passer but I think you're underestimating how many hairy situations Armstrong escaped from with his legs. We will take more sacks and opposing teams won't have to worry about the QB run.

Also, we're losing 2-3 of our best receivers and our best 2 TEs.

The WR position willl be very thin, with only Morgan and DPE (somewhat Reimers) having significant playing experience. The TE position loses the 3 players who played significant snaps at the position.

I understand that the offense may not be worse statistically, but I don't expect the offense to suddenly be fixed with a QB who's a better passer. The young players at WR and TE will cause the offense to be inconsistent, especially with a greater emphasis on passing.

Moiraine- I agree, we probably will see more sacks. Tommy did a great job escaping, but I'd be willing to bet there were more moments of Tommy sitting in the pocket having a ball batted down, throwing behind a receiver, or sailing a receiver, where I'd take the sacks over a season
CoHusk- forgot about the TE position. Yeah we really need Snyder, Stoll, Engelhaupt(sp?) or any walk-on to step up. The TE had been a big part of Riley's offense at OSU and losing Cethan plus Foster and Cotton are big shoes to fill.

Overall, I just believe the offense bouncing back is more realistic with any of the 3 QBs and another year of development at OL, than what we saw this year.

Tyler Hoppes will be the best TE next year, but there is no experience behind him.

I understand that Armstrong was not good as a passer, and it will be good to have a QB that can hit receivers consistently. However, I don't like it when the QB is not threat in the run game, which we will get with Lee. Also, an o-line that is learning on the job is not ideal for a less mobile QB.

 

[Herbie87]

I honestly just need to see a LOS on both sides that look good and a quarterback that can manage the game. I feel like we can compete in the west with that alone. Our skill positions are already better than most west teams.

 

[MyBloodIsRed16]

I think there is an important detail people are missing on this TA was a good runner and Lee is a better passer so he is a statue. Lee is not a statue. He moves well in the pocket and has active feet. Now if we are sending RB on routes like we have been and he can hit those constantly then teams have to account for that. If we are hitting open guys across the middle and so forth then those things are occupying LBs. If Lee scrambles he will pick up chunks of yards just like TA. I don't remember TA running for any 60+ yard tds. I think a lot of times what got TA in the trouble he was scrambling away from (aside from poor blocking) was the fact he didn't see the underneath routes that were open right away and he was waiting for the longer route to open up. I'm not saying Lee can read a defense because I'm not sure, but if he can that will help out a struggling O-line.

 

[JJ Husker]

For 2017, in addition to offering Vals hamburger in the stadium, they must also offer the Special pizza. If not, it will be a failure.

 

[GBRFAN]

Considering this is our boat next year .....

At least, not starts for us.

https://twitter.com/Tradition/status/803319621256417280

Franklin couldn't wait to get rid of the Hack, and play a QB who wasn't a statue.

Just like MR and DL couldn't wait to get a QB that can see the field. Time will tell how that worked out for both.

 

[BoNeyard]

PLEASE beat Wisconsin.

 

[Cdog923]

This is our complete schedule next year:

09/02 Arkansas State Lincoln
09/09 Oregon Eugene
09/16 N. Illinois Lincoln
09/23 #Rutgers Lincoln
09/29 #Illinois Champaign
10/07 #Wisconsin Lincoln
10/14 #Ohio State Lincoln
10/28 #Purdue W. Lafayette
11/04 #Northwestern Lincoln
11/11 #Minnesota Minneapolis
11/18 #Penn State State College
11/24 #Iowa Lincoln
Anything less than 9-3 will mean that this set of coaches can't get it done here at Nebraska (barring serious injuries to key players). even 9-3 will probably make me stop expecting success with Mike riley.
We get both wisconsin and iowa at home. OSU is also in lincoln, but i doubt we can win that with riley as motivator. our toughest away games are at penn state and oregon. i would hope/i think a decent staff with nebraska's talent should be able to split those games.

We should not lose a single game with that schedule.

 

[Cdog923]

Considering this is our boat next year .....

At least, not starts for us.

https://twitter.com/Tradition/status/803319621256417280

Franklin couldn't wait to get rid of the Hack, and play a QB who wasn't a statue.

Just like MR and DL couldn't wait to get a QB that can see the field. Time will tell how that worked out for both.

I love Armstrong, but the amount of open receivers he missed in his career would be staggering. If Lee/O'Brien can just do better in that one area, our passing offense will increase immensely.

 

[BigRedBuster]

I want a season where we go through all 12 games and actually look competent and look like the players have actually played the game before. We did that in ten games this year. Two games however, we looked like we didn't belong on the field.

Once that is done, I want to continue winning the games we should win and beat Wisconsin and Iowa. There is no reason why we should have the record we have against those two teams since joining the BiG. I want to give OSU a good game and actually have a chance of winning it.

IF we do those things, getting into the CCG will take care of itself.

I believe we have a chance to do this. I think the talent is on the team to do it. We took a step back in the right direction this year compared to last year. Now we need to keep pushing forward and exceed what we have had for 10 years.

I'm sick and tired of blow out losses in the biggest games.

And...I'm very very very much looking forward to seeing what a new QB can do in this offense.

 

[Redux]

So here's the deal.

2016 was a bust of sorts. We beat Oregon in what was hands down my best experience at a game. They ended up tanking and we lost our 3 most important conference games in heartbreaking, embarassing and embarassing fashion. We ended 9-3, not too shabby.

2017...this will be Riley's team. No more adapting to players from a different scheme, no more players trying to learn and adapt to a new style. This is Rileys team in 2017. Year 3 is when you see what a staff can truly do and that will never be more apparent than at Nebraska. We will see a completely new type of QB for the first time in almost a decade. We have seen a couple of big staff changes that were made in a clear atempt at changing the future direction of the team.

This will be Riley's team. What he envisioned for Nebraska, back in 2014 while we watched Abdullah sing his swan song against USC, will be unveiled. Some will not like it, some will want a more traditional offense and some will completely reject it. But one thing is for sure, if it is going to work here it will be clear next season.

Next years team has the chance to not only show vast inprovement, but it has a chance to defeat all 3 teams it lost to at home! If we are going to turn a corner or get over the proverbial hump, next year is when it must happen.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

I want to win the Big 10 as much as anybody, but in case you didn't notice it's a very strong conference with several programs that now feel just as entitled to excellence as Nebraska.

If you can look at next season's schedule and think we should pencil in 10 or 11 wins, you are living 20 years in the past.

 

[Making Chimichangas]

So here's the deal.

2016 was a bust of sorts. We beat Oregon in what was hands down my best experience at a game. They ended up tanking and we lost our 3 most important conference games in heartbreaking, embarassing and embarassing fashion. We ended 9-3, not too shabby.

2017...this will be Riley's team. No more adapting to players from a different scheme, no more players trying to learn and adapt to a new style. This is Rileys team in 2017. Year 3 is when you see what a staff can truly do and that will never be more apparent than at Nebraska. We will see a completely new type of QB for the first time in almost a decade. We have seen a couple of big staff changes that were made in a clear atempt at changing the future direction of the team.

This will be Riley's team. What he envisioned for Nebraska, back in 2014 while we watched Abdullah sing his swan song against USC, will be unveiled. Some will not like it, some will want a more traditional offense and some will completely reject it. But one thing is for sure, if it is going to work here it will be clear next season.

Next years team has the chance to not only show vast inprovement, but it has a chance to defeat all 3 teams it lost to at home! If we are going to turn a corner or get over the proverbial hump, next year is when it must happen.

Exactly.

We have Northwestern, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Iowa...ALL IN LINCOLN.