Wins over ranked teams in the last decade...

[HuskerShark]

To have gone 10-24 against ranked teams over the past 10 years is testimony that NU football fell off the ledge --- making a sensationally rapid transition from being a 30-year national power to a program that has been irrelevant for the last 10-12 years. One poster above, in evaluating the data, stated that NU has been somewhere around the #21-25 program nationally over the past decade. That is about correct — this, after having been a top 3 or so program over the preceding 30 years.

This is not news to anyone... to be sure. Yet, the current team seems to be right about where the program has been for the past 10-12 years — ca. # 20-25 or so. Positive movement in the proper direction for the program has not been evident, or... if there has been movement in the right direction, it has not been sustained (a step forward, then a step backward... no net progress).

This year? It is tough to tell if a step forward will be made. I hope so. NU is dangerously close to having been irrelevant for so long as to make a positive move that much less likely in the future. Recruits do not look back more than a few years --- and what they see for NU over the immediate past (10-24) does not situate NU well in competing against the better programs for recruits. NU needs improvement --- massive improvement --- fast.

I think in these past four years with Bo as a head coach, we haven't been able to put it all together for one season. When I say all, I mean solid defensive play, solid offensive play, and solid play on the special teams.

If you mash in the 2008 offense or the 2011 offense with the 2009 defense or the 2010 defense, you would have a hell of a team. The problem is, the 2008 offense was matched with the 2008 defense, the 2009 defense was matched with the 2009 offense, the 2010 defense was matched with the 2010 offense, and the 2011 offense was matched with the 2011 defense.

Here is what gets me excited about this upcoming year. Our biggest problem last year, in my opinion, was our defense. The defense was, for the most part, a pretty young defense last year; and a defense that was ravaged by injuries (especially along the defensive front and in the secondary). The offense has pretty much the same personnel from 2009. You throw in an experienced offense with at least a more experienced defense than last year, and you should get out a better season than the last. If the team can't get above that 9 win gap, then to me it will be a disappointing year--not one to get Pelini fired, but a disappointing year nonetheless.

This is the first time Pelini has had any semblance of experience on both sides of the ball. The great coaches, well I think the great coaches are a product of having the right combination of players on both sides of the football. Bo has a chance now to a least stem the tide of his critics by putting together by going out and winning a conference championship. If he can beat Michigan, beat Wisconsin, and go to Michigan State and Ohio State and secure wins there, I think that will go a long way in making this team even more better for the following year.

Beating Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Ohio State would make for an impressive year in 2012.........

Unless we lose to Northwestern, UCLA, and/or Minnesota. Then it's a disaster.

 

[robsker]

To have gone 10-24 against ranked teams over the past 10 years is testimony that NU football fell off the ledge --- making a sensationally rapid transition from being a 30-year national power to a program that has been irrelevant for the last 10-12 years. One poster above, in evaluating the data, stated that NU has been somewhere around the #21-25 program nationally over the past decade. That is about correct — this, after having been a top 3 or so program over the preceding 30 years.

This is not news to anyone... to be sure. Yet, the current team seems to be right about where the program has been for the past 10-12 years — ca. # 20-25 or so. Positive movement in the proper direction for the program has not been evident, or... if there has been movement in the right direction, it has not been sustained (a step forward, then a step backward... no net progress).

This year? It is tough to tell if a step forward will be made. I hope so. NU is dangerously close to having been irrelevant for so long as to make a positive move that much less likely in the future. Recruits do not look back more than a few years --- and what they see for NU over the immediate past (10-24) does not situate NU well in competing against the better programs for recruits. NU needs improvement --- massive improvement --- fast.

The complete and utter failure of 2002-2007 greatly affects the average "ranking" of the past decade. We are obviously a much, much better team than under Pelini than we were from 2002-2007. Now, we have a looong way to go to get back to where we were, but you have to admit that there has been progress.

We are better in certain areas under Pelini than under Callahan --- and not as good in others. Overall, NU is better under Pelini than Callahan --- but likely no better than (or slightly less good) under Pelini than under Solich (or, I suppose potentially comparable to or very modestly better... in any event, not overly different in any direction). Viewed over the three eras, there has been positive movement and negative movement. NU has not often or consistently threatened to be a BCS team or a conference champion in any of the eras (that is, in all three eras, NU was not a consistent championship contender --- and currently is not a conference championship contender). Yes, the Callahan years were the worst to be sure --- but NU is no more competitive now than it was during the Solich era (or, if so, only very modestly). The mediocrity that was to be avoided by the transition away from Solich has not been avoided (now... mediocre here is defined as not being a conference championship contender. NU as a top 20ish program is not mediocre in the general sense as there are many more programs less competitive relative to NU than there are that are more competitive) --- just not nationally significant either.

My point is simply this --- with the retirement of Osborne, NU plummeted rapidly. The rise up from the ashes has been slow...slow... slow. NU is in no significant manner farther up from the fall than they were 10 years or so ago. In the past 10 years the arrow went the other way (under Callahan) and is about back to where NU was 10 years ago --- a fringe top 20-25 program. That move up from there has to take place soon --- or any vestige of who NU once was will be lost on all but us few Husker faithful with good memories. If NU wants to compete in the B1G we must recruit well --- and the context for doing so requires past success --- immediate past success. We better get some success soon or competing for recruits will get even harder. Basically, there is no overall momentum in either direction (towards overall improvement or overall regression) under pelini --- the team has not really showed positive or negative movement overall under Pelini (comparing Pelini year 1 to years 2,3 &4). NU has stagnated as a #4-6 conference team. This has to change quickly.

 

[Saunders]

To have gone 10-24 against ranked teams over the past 10 years is testimony that NU football fell off the ledge --- making a sensationally rapid transition from being a 30-year national power to a program that has been irrelevant for the last 10-12 years. One poster above, in evaluating the data, stated that NU has been somewhere around the #21-25 program nationally over the past decade. That is about correct — this, after having been a top 3 or so program over the preceding 30 years.

This is not news to anyone... to be sure. Yet, the current team seems to be right about where the program has been for the past 10-12 years — ca. # 20-25 or so. Positive movement in the proper direction for the program has not been evident, or... if there has been movement in the right direction, it has not been sustained (a step forward, then a step backward... no net progress).

This year? It is tough to tell if a step forward will be made. I hope so. NU is dangerously close to having been irrelevant for so long as to make a positive move that much less likely in the future. Recruits do not look back more than a few years --- and what they see for NU over the immediate past (10-24) does not situate NU well in competing against the better programs for recruits. NU needs improvement --- massive improvement --- fast.

The complete and utter failure of 2002-2007 greatly affects the average "ranking" of the past decade. We are obviously a much, much better team than under Pelini than we were from 2002-2007. Now, we have a looong way to go to get back to where we were, but you have to admit that there has been progress.

We are better in certain areas under Pelini than under Callahan --- and not as good in others. Overall, NU is better under Pelini than Callahan --- but likely no better than (or slightly less good) under Pelini than under Solich (or, I suppose potentially comparable to or very modestly better... in any event, not overly different in any direction). Viewed over the three eras, there has been positive movement and negative movement. NU has not often or consistently threatened to be a BCS team or a conference champion in any of the eras (that is, in all three eras, NU was not a consistent championship contender --- and currently is not a conference championship contender). Yes, the Callahan years were the worst to be sure --- but NU is no more competitive now than it was during the Solich era (or, if so, only very modestly). The mediocrity that was to be avoided by the transition away from Solich has not been avoided (now... mediocre here is defined as not being a conference championship contender. NU as a top 20ish program is not mediocre in the general sense as there are many more programs less competitive relative to NU than there are that are more competitive) --- just not nationally significant either.

My point is simply this --- with the retirement of Osborne, NU plummeted rapidly. The rise up from the ashes has been slow...slow... slow. NU is in no significant manner farther up from the fall than they were 10 years or so ago. In the past 10 years the arrow went the other way (under Callahan) and is about back to where NU was 10 years ago --- a fringe top 20-25 program. That move up from there has to take place soon --- or any vestige of who NU once was will be lost on all but us few Husker faithful with good memories. If NU wants to compete in the B1G we must recruit well --- and the context for doing so requires past success --- immediate past success. We better get some success soon or competing for recruits will get even harder. Basically, there is no overall momentum in either direction (towards overall improvement or overall regression) under pelini --- the team has not really showed positive or negative movement overall under Pelini (comparing Pelini year 1 to years 2,3 &4). NU has stagnated as a #4-6 conference team. This has to change quickly.

I agree with most of what you said, but look at it this way. 10 years ago, we were hitting the nosedive portion. The 2002 season was awful, and 2003 was a slight rise, followed by another nose dive and the crappy 2004-2007 seasons. From 2008 - 2010, the team got better each year, and last year we had a hitch in the rise. It happens to the best of coaches. I also think the move to the Big 10 really hurt us in the short term, because we had been recruiting a specific type of athlete, and built a Defense to stop the Big 12 spreads.

IMO, 2012 is the key to knowing if we're going to get any better.

 

[bshirt]

I agree that this year will tell us a lot. 2nd year in the Big10, 2nd year for Beck, Garrison, etc but maybe the most important is this year we should start to get finally have some talent & depth for both lines. Especially the Oline. Something we haven't had for like forever.

I'm on the kool-aid with that. So, we'll see.....either we make some positive strives this year or we're in trouble (excepting huge injuries).

 

[kchusker_chris]

except last year remember how deep we were on the D-Line at this point? that was going to be our strength. we're always deep this time of year. so is every other team. i just can't judge this team right now - or get hopeful for this season based on something like that. it just changes to quickly - and under Pelini it seems to be an almost every-year thing when it comes to the trenches.

i do think this offseason is a little rougher than most. at least for me. there were a few times last season where i realized what it must feel like to be a KU football fan. it was that bad. that embarrassing. but i don't think we can judge this team or Pelini too much until after this season - and maybe not even until after the next. Until then it's just all talk and speculation. The "process" he'd been working on had to seriously be altered the last couple years with the move to the B1G. we'll see where it leads us...some will be full of hope and faith, others like myself skeptics. but the games will still be played on saturdays, and the world goes round. ahh the off-season.

 

[bshirt]

except last year remember how deep we were on the D-Line at this point? that was going to be our strength. we're always deep this time of year. so is every other team. i just can't judge this team right now - or get hopeful for this season based on something like that. it just changes to quickly - and under Pelini it seems to be an almost every-year thing when it comes to the trenches.

i do think this offseason is a little rougher than most. at least for me. there were a few times last season where i realized what it must feel like to be a KU football fan. it was that bad. that embarrassing. but i don't think we can judge this team or Pelini too much until after this season - and maybe not even until after the next. Until then it's just all talk and speculation. The "process" he'd been working on had to seriously be altered the last couple years with the move to the B1G. we'll see where it leads us...some will be full of hope and faith, others like myself skeptics. but the games will still be played on saturdays, and the world goes round. ahh the off-season.

Well, "maybe" the Dline but losing Crick basically all year took a lot of wind out of that sail.

But the Oline was, as usual, on a huge band-aid and needing walkons everywhere. Some of the games we even had to start two or three walkons IIRC. So it's reasonable to say that situation should start to improve this year. Now, is that enough of a difference to project we'll see better results? Maybe. I don't know. I like our chances though.....

 

[HuskerShark]

except last year remember how deep we were on the D-Line at this point? that was going to be our strength. we're always deep this time of year. so is every other team. i just can't judge this team right now - or get hopeful for this season based on something like that. it just changes to quickly - and under Pelini it seems to be an almost every-year thing when it comes to the trenches.

i do think this offseason is a little rougher than most. at least for me. there were a few times last season where i realized what it must feel like to be a KU football fan. it was that bad. that embarrassing. but i don't think we can judge this team or Pelini too much until after this season - and maybe not even until after the next. Until then it's just all talk and speculation. The "process" he'd been working on had to seriously be altered the last couple years with the move to the B1G. we'll see where it leads us...some will be full of hope and faith, others like myself skeptics. but the games will still be played on saturdays, and the world goes round. ahh the off-season.

Well, "maybe" the Dline but losing Crick basically all year took a lot of wind out of that sail.

But the Oline was, as usual, on a huge band-aid and needing walkons everywhere. Some of the games we even had to start two or three walkons IIRC. So it's reasonable to say that situation should start to improve this year. Now, is that enough of a difference to project we'll see better results? Maybe. I don't know. I like our chances though.....

I don't feel like losing Crick hurt the D-Line's performance at all. It's true, we had plenty of depth on the D-Line last season before all the injuries, but it wasn't the depth we needed. Hopefully Kaz can coach them up and get them playing with a little aggression this year. We haven't seen a mean attitude on the DL since Suh left.

 

[Treand3]

except last year remember how deep we were on the D-Line at this point? that was going to be our strength. we're always deep this time of year. so is every other team. i just can't judge this team right now - or get hopeful for this season based on something like that. it just changes to quickly - and under Pelini it seems to be an almost every-year thing when it comes to the trenches.

i do think this offseason is a little rougher than most. at least for me. there were a few times last season where i realized what it must feel like to be a KU football fan. it was that bad. that embarrassing. but i don't think we can judge this team or Pelini too much until after this season - and maybe not even until after the next. Until then it's just all talk and speculation. The "process" he'd been working on had to seriously be altered the last couple years with the move to the B1G. we'll see where it leads us...some will be full of hope and faith, others like myself skeptics. but the games will still be played on saturdays, and the world goes round. ahh the off-season.

Well, "maybe" the Dline but losing Crick basically all year took a lot of wind out of that sail.

But the Oline was, as usual, on a huge band-aid and needing walkons everywhere. Some of the games we even had to start two or three walkons IIRC. So it's reasonable to say that situation should start to improve this year. Now, is that enough of a difference to project we'll see better results? Maybe. I don't know. I like our chances though.....

I don't feel like losing Crick hurt the D-Line's performance at all. It's true, we had plenty of depth on the D-Line last season before all the injuries, but it wasn't the depth we needed. Hopefully Kaz can coach them up and get them playing with a little aggression this year. We haven't seen a mean attitude on the DL since Suh left.

Far too often the opposing OL dictated the LOS and our DL didn't disrupt blocking schemes and play development.

 

[Enhance]

Losing Crick hurt the defensive line, just maybe not as much as losing Suh in '09 would have hurt the line. The line wasn't great when Crick was in there, but it also wasn't great when he was out. Crick commanded double teams (not like Suh, but often enough), and still played pretty well within the scheme.

 

[zoogs]

I don't think we thought we were deep on the DL last year. We were deep at DT, which is an important distinction.

 

[knapplc]

Carl was quoted a few times talking about how deep we were across the D Line. He talked about using various DEs situationally because of that depth. We had: Camstache & Ankrah, Carter & Williams, and E Mart. That was a legit two-deep, with Martin ranging around in there... somewhere. It wasn't just at D Tackle that we felt secure. It was across the whole D Line. That means either we were getting a lot of sunshine pumped at us by the coaching staff or they didn't evaluate the talent very well or (and this is my personal belief) the scheme sucked. It sucked big-time.

 

[zoogs]

I dunno, that doesn't sound like a very legit 2-deep to me. EMart is everyone's favorite special teams linebacker who was a DE convert but hadn't/hasn't distinguished himself there. Neither Ankrah nor Williams had started and were completely unproven. Carter was a newcomer that we were just hoping would step up. So it was just Cam, and while very good and reliable, i don't think he was thought of as a star.

Contrast to the DT spot, where the unproven-but-touted young talent were the backups to the talented, savvy veteran backups to the All-American. There was a world of difference in DE and DT depth last season.

I think what is overlooked about the scheme is that our DL scheme is tied to the scheme in the defensive backfield. One cannot change without the other. Maybe we could have had adjustments but we need the guys to run that scheme instead of changing the entire defense. It didn't work out but I think it was a matter of the players not stepping up when we needed them to.

 

[knapplc]

Regardless, Carl was billing the entire line as very deep. Several times.

 

[kchusker_chris]

^ and most of the "depth" that we talk about on the O-Line is in the same boat Zoogies. Half this depth is unproven. Heck, a good chunk of our starters will be unproven. Last year we at least had returning starters at 3 of 4 on the DLine at this time. You could make an argument all 4 were "proven".

 

[Saunders]

Regardless, Carl was billing the entire line as very deep. Several times.

According to "insiders" Carl was half-assing it alot last year, and nobody is sad to see him leave town.