What's your outlook for the season after the BYU game?

[The Dude]

I wasn't exactly sure what to expect going into the BYU game. The optimist in me thought we would win by 17, pessimist in me thought we would lose by 17.

Reality was somewhere in the middle.

I think we have a decent team on our hands that will struggle early, but come on late.

The next 5 weeks are going to be . . . not fun. 3-3 in the first half of the season with losses to Miami and Wisconsin. Not trying to be a downer here, I just think Miami is more talented than BYU and they'll give us a lot of the same fits BYU did. We're not quite on Wisconsin's level yet, but I'd like to think we can keep it close. I think our run defense will be much better this season.

5-1 to finish the season, with a loss to Michigan State. The offensive line will start to mesh and we'll be a more balanced offense down the stretch. A lot of youth and inexperience on the line. Not ready to give up on them yet. I think we match up well against Iowa and Minnesota and we'll beat those teams. Northwestern could give us some of the same problems as BYU & Miami, but I don't think they're as talented as those teams, and we will have learned from some of our mistakes.

I think we'll be 8-4 going into the bowl game looking for that 9thWin#.

Now you go.

 

[In the Deed the Glory]

I think if we find a way to run the ball we'll have a decent season. If not, we're going to be one dimensional and we'll be gobbled up by the competition regardless if they are a cellar dweller or a top tier. Until that is fixed, we're in trouble.

Yep, run the ball more efficiently and we can get to 9 or 10 wins.

Don't, and we are 7 or 8.

 

[BigRedPowerWagon]

Given what i saw on sat and the way the troops have seemed this summer im batting 6-6.

 

[commando]

it's going to be fun. wins will be fun to celebrate...and losses will be fun to come on here and play whack-a-troll. still think we probably get 9 wins.

 

[It'sNotAFakeID]

I'm not as high on Wisconsin or Miami as you are, Dude. I really don't think Wisconsin is all that great of a team. Despite the fact they played an unbelievably talented and stout Alabama defense, 10 points is really...not a lot.

I think, offensively, BYU might have posed the biggest matchup problem for our defense for the entire year. I think Wisconsin's offense and Minnesota's offense play pretty well into our defensive system.

I'm thinking we go down to Miami, beat them in a close game, then probably go 1-1 against Wisconsin/Minnesota. From there the only potential loss I see is Michigan State which puts us at 9-3 going into bowl season. That's not bad, especially for a first year.

 

[Red Five]

I said 10-2 before the season, having BYU as a W. I'll say 9-3 now.

Would anyone's viewpoint of how the season would progress have changed in the Hail Mary fell incomplete?

 

[RedOrDye]

Hey guys I've been reading on this forum for a month or so now and figured I'd create an account to join on the chat.

I'm probably more optimistic than most on this year still. I trust in what MR is doing and I think our team will be able to figure things within the next month. I see us beating Miami and Wisconsin. I think our toughest games that we will be favored in will be Minnesota and Northwestern. I see us losing one of those and then losing to Mich St. So 9-3 and having a chance at making it to the B1G CG.

 

[Scratchtown]

I picked NU to go 10-2 at the beginning. However I'm starting to think 8-4 just because of how NW, and Minnesota looked this weekend. I still think we beat Wisconsin. Iowa is going to be a tougher game too now that they have an athletic QB.

I could see 10-2 though too, I just think more games will be nail biters than I previously thought.

 

[southernoregonhusker]

Riley lost a lot of early games year after year at OSU. His better teams then would go on runs. I don't know if it's the system, but some of those OSU teams needed a game or two under their belts before they got rolling.

 

[True2tRA]

Injuries are hurting us in spots we can't afford them. That may make a "toss up" game a little less even.

I knew the offensive line was gonna struggle.

Nothings changed for me really. We knock that ball down and we win that game.

I pegged Miami, Wisconsin, and Minnesota as tough games. Northwestern has been a team that has proven capable of competing/beating us, looks like that might be the case again. Noone should be surprised there.

Won't be surprised if we drop any of those games. Thats the same way I felt coming into the season.

 

[Redux]

Mines been shaken a bit, and not by the loss. I think we will have to fight tooth and nail to win 9 now honestly. We can do it but it won't be easy.

 

[4skers89]

I can see the season playing out as the OP figures it. I was skeptical that an upgrade in coaching would significantly improve a 9 win team in the first season. After the BYU game apparently there are a lot of things to fix but won't be by the Miami game. Wisconsin is a good team but we won't get blown out. For the remainder of the season we might be upset in a game we should win but we may also surprise someone ourselves. I think it will take the bowl game to get to 9 wins but I do expect it. Nothing to get excited about in terms of W-L but looking for improvement throughout the season and a hint that the program is on an upward trajectory rather than flat lining.

 

[ScottyIce]

I said 1 loss before, so now I say 2 losses. I'm not losing any faith. WE PLAYED PRETTY WELL SANS 2nd QTR and HAIL MARY.

 

[JJ Husker]

My outlook after the BYU game is probably now a lot more realistic than it was before.

I predicted 10 or 11 regular season wins before, now I would say 8-4 regular season and looking for that 9th win in our bowl game.

And that is if the OL comes into their own and we are able to run the ball with some effectiveness. If that doesn't happen, then it might be that terrible transition year that some have predicted. I was not buying into that previously because I knew we improved across the board in coaching ability. But what I failed to account for was the real effort it is going to take to switch directions in most every aspect of our schemes and the apparent lack of top talent and depth almost across the board.

TA has shown signs of improving in the passing game but, if they are going to limit his running and force him into more of a pocket passer, then it may not be pretty until the next QB is up. We should be ok at RB. The key offensively is that OL. Was not overly impressed with the BYU edition and not impressed that we didn't see some subs in that heat. They're young and that will pay dividends down the road but maybe not this year so much.

I think the defense will come around. I was a little disappointed that the DL and DB's did not appear to be all they were billed to be. But I do think there is enough talent there that they will improve and be more than sufficient. Our DL was solid but seemed to just be coming up short on the big play, sack, or TFL. The LB's will likely be an on going issue this season. Hopefully a lot of our line shortcomings from the BYU game will be shown to be because of better than average line play from BYU. They seemed to be pretty solid up front both ways so, we might not be quite as far away as it may have appeared.

Special teams should be okay except for our kicking game. Field Goal kicking was a dumpster fire and that likely will haunt us all season. Dare I say that will probably directly cause 2 more of our losses. IMO, it definitely caused this one. Hate to be hard on the kid but that is not going to cut it. And our punt game took a bad hit with the loss of Foltz so it won't be all it could be. 2 injuries (DPE & Foltz) and 1 bad kicker sort of puts a dent in what otherwise should be an outstanding special teams package.

 

[kchusker_chris]

Armstrong was the big question mark going into the game - and I think he played relatively well. Not sure what his deal was rolling to the right, but otherwise he was fairly efficient. What I wasn't expecting was a non-existent rushing attack - specifically the OL struggles. So QB play has been switched with the rushing attack - which I think is easier fixed.

I also think this team improves as the season goes on, which wasn't something I expected out of the Huskers the last few years. Usually what you saw week 2 was what you'd watch against Iowa the last week. There were also a lot of young faces out there, and that's only going to continue w/ injuries. IMO with Rose-Ivey we win that game. With DPE we win that game. It never comes down to a HM. So, they'll struggle early - but improve late. I'm going for 2008ish replay, slow start that picks up steam at the end. 9-4 w/ a toilet bowl win.