2013

[Jarhead Husker]

McKewon says this about 2012:

I'll write it straight out: NU isn't a realistic national title contender next year, and it's a decided underdog in the Legends Division to Michigan.

http://www.omaha.com/article/20120104/BIGRED/701049807

I read the article and I'll somewhat disagee, mainly because Michigan has to come to Lincoln, as does Wisconsin.  Michigan State will be starting a brand new QB, breaking in two or three new WRs.

I just don't see NU beating Michigan, even being in Lincoln(look how much that helped with Northwestern). But each game is winnable, looking at it right now. But with Robinson back for Michigan and Ball back for Wisconsin, it will be tougher than most think.

Unless we find a better way to deal with mobile QB's, Shoelace, Braxton Miller, and Cain Kolter are all going to give us fits next year just like they did this year, no matter where the game is played.  A lot will hinge on what kind of defense we can play next year...... Hopefully Michigan Sate doesn't replace Cousins with a mobile QB......

[OhioHusker43065]

McKewon says this about 2012:

I'll write it straight out: NU isn't a realistic national title contender next year, and it's a decided underdog in the Legends Division to Michigan.

http://www.omaha.com/article/20120104/BIGRED/701049807

I read the article and I'll somewhat disagee, mainly because Michigan has to come to Lincoln, as does Wisconsin.  Michigan State will be starting a brand new QB, breaking in two or three new WRs.

I just don't see NU beating Michigan, even being in Lincoln(look how much that helped with Northwestern). But each game is winnable, looking at it right now. But with Robinson back for Michigan and Ball back for Wisconsin, it will be tougher than most think.

Unless we find a better way to deal with mobile QB's, Shoelace, Braxton Miller, and Cain Kolter are all going to give us fits next year just like they did this year, no matter where the game is played.  A lot will hinge on what kind of defense we can play next year...... Hopefully Michigan Sate doesn't replace Cousins with a mobile QB......

The Buckeyes will be a very tough customer in 2013.

[Busticket]

The Buckeyes will be a very tough customer in 2013.

They'll be a very tough customer in 2012.  Remember all the adversity they had this season.  Scandal, interim coach, many suspensions to impact players.

Next year for our game with the Buckeyes: excitement for Urban Meyer's first season, the game is in Columbus, no Lavonte David and I just don't think we can bank on Braxton Miller getting hurt again.  We'll be underdogs for sure.

[OhioHusker43065]

The Buckeyes will be a very tough customer in 2013.

They'll be a very tough customer in 2012.  Remember all the adversity they had this season.  Scandal, interim coach, many suspensions to impact players.

Next year for our game with the Buckeyes: excitement for Urban Meyer's first season, the game is in Columbus, no Lavonte David and I just don't think we can bank on Braxton Miller getting hurt again.  We'll be underdogs for sure.

I agree with that, but I think his year two is really going to be a chore.  Two years for Miller and he is landing some monster recruits.  I assume it would not be until the championship game, but still if you want to win the title you got to play the best team at the end.

[Big Sky Husker]

I agree, but going into the season I think Nebraska is about the 4th best team in the Big Ten. Ohio State and Michigan will be at the top followed by Wisconsin and Nebraska. Wisconsin has to replace Russell Wilson but NU has to replace Lavonte which to me is a bigger blow than Wisconsin losing Wilson, just imagine how much worse this season could have been without Lavonte.

4th best?  I'd say there are 4 teams essentially tied for 1st.

And just imagine how much better this season could have been if:

* WRs could catch passes on 3rd down,
* OL could remember snap counts,
* They weren't careless with the football so often, or
* Every player gave the type of effort Rex Burkhead did.

There's an incredibly thin line between love and hate, genius and stupidity and seeing the glass as half empty versus half full.  In other words, the '11 Huskers--while suffering through four losses--aren't as far away from an Oregon or LSU type of season as some think.

But that's the point.  We don't do the things you listed anywhere consistently enough to be more than the 4th best team in the Big 10.  I think we're looking at a 3 to 5 loss season next year.  I'm 90% sure we lose to Michigan and Ohio State.  Probably Wisconsin too.  That would be the best case scenario, IMO.  If we pull off an upset and knock one of them off, we're probably going to lose a game we shouldn't... because that's our history the last several years.  I haven't seen anything that suggests we've gotten over that trend... yet.  And I'm going to wait on the results for 2012 before I say how good we'll be in 2013.

[tfree32]

These "just imagine how much better we'd be" posts always befuddle me a bit. Of course we'd be better if we accomplished some combination of:

Committing less turnovers
Forcing more turnovers
Dropping less passes, especially in key situations
Catching more passes, especially in key situations
Playing better more consistently
Getting better effort from the players
Preventing opposing teams from scoring so many points
Scoring more points



Great teams avoid the things that lead to losses and do the things necessary to win. This team doesn't. The results reflect that.

[SUHnami]

These "just imagine how much better we'd be" posts always befuddle me a bit. Of course we'd be better if we accomplished some combination of:

Committing less turnovers
Forcing more turnovers
Dropping less passes, especially in key situations
Catching more passes, especially in key situations
Playing better more consistently
Getting better effort from the players
Preventing opposing teams from scoring so many points
Scoring more points



Great teams avoid the things that lead to losses and do the things necessary to win. This team doesn't. The results reflect that.

You forgot one:  Stop committing fundamental penalties like False starts, delay of games, not enough men on the LOS.  Stupid stuff like that.      

[redfred]

I'll write it straight out also......Pelini is going to win a national championship......I hope to h*ll it's at Nebraska.

He is a very smart man and he will figure out the finer points of winning in time. He has a thing (or two) to learn imo and like everyone else here I have my opinion as to what it is. I say this in the singular because I think that there is one area that if turned around will blast us into the upper echelon on college football.

 IMO this team doesn't have the "eye of the tiger". It's old. It's cliche.....and it's valid. The tiger, or any predatory animal for that matter, has the luxury of thousands of years of genetics. While it still needs to learn how to survive in the wild, it has a head start because it is born to kill. It doesn't hate its prey and doesn't get angry at it .....it just kills it. Once it is locked onto the goal at hand, everything in its being forces it to do whatever is necessary to achieve its goal of killing.....and feasting.

We lose focus. We back our prey into a corner (ie the red zone or third and long) and let it get away. Bo needs to learn how to instill this in the team. Make no mistake this is very, very hard. Sooner magic worked because not only did OU believe it .....but we did too. I believe however, that once a player....or a team..... is so  focused on a goal that nothing will "psyche" it out, you won't get as many dropped passes, stupid penalties, fights, missed assignments....the list goes on....and on.....and on.


Whatever the staff is doing, isn't working in this regard. Intensity can be manifest in many ways.....but one of the most productive is focus.

[Jarhead Husker]

I'll write it straight out also......Pelini is going to win a national championship......I hope to h*ll it's at Nebraska.

He is a very smart man and he will figure out the finer points of winning in time. He has a thing (or two) to learn imo and like everyone else here I have my opinion as to what it is. I say this in the singular because I think that there is one area that if turned around will blast us into the upper echelon on college football.

 IMO this team doesn't have the "eye of the tiger". It's old. It's cliche.....and it's valid. The tiger, or any predatory animal for that matter, has the luxury of thousands of years of genetics. While it still needs to learn how to survive in the wild, it has a head start because it is born to kill. It doesn't hate its prey and doesn't get angry at it .....it just kills it. Once it is locked onto the goal at hand, everything in its being forces it to do whatever is necessary to achieve its goal of killing.....and feasting.

We lose focus. We back our prey into a corner (ie the red zone or third and long) and let it get away. Bo needs to learn how to instill this in the team. Make no mistake this is very, very hard. Sooner magic worked because not only did OU believe it .....but we did too. I believe however, that once a player....or a team..... is so  focused on a goal that nothing will "psyche" it out, you won't get as many dropped passes, stupid penalties, fights, missed assignments....the list goes on....and on.....and on.


Whatever the staff is doing, isn't working in this regard. Intensity can be manifest in many ways.....but one of the most productive is focus.

Eye of the Tiger is a good analogy, IMO. Good points, Redfred.

[OhioHusker43065]

I'll write it straight out also......Pelini is going to win a national championship......I hope to h*ll it's at Nebraska.

He is a very smart man and he will figure out the finer points of winning in time. He has a thing (or two) to learn imo and like everyone else here I have my opinion as to what it is. I say this in the singular because I think that there is one area that if turned around will blast us into the upper echelon on college football.

 IMO this team doesn't have the "eye of the tiger". It's old. It's cliche.....and it's valid. The tiger, or any predatory animal for that matter, has the luxury of thousands of years of genetics. While it still needs to learn how to survive in the wild, it has a head start because it is born to kill. It doesn't hate its prey and doesn't get angry at it .....it just kills it. Once it is locked onto the goal at hand, everything in its being forces it to do whatever is necessary to achieve its goal of killing.....and feasting.

We lose focus. We back our prey into a corner (ie the red zone or third and long) and let it get away. Bo needs to learn how to instill this in the team. Make no mistake this is very, very hard. Sooner magic worked because not only did OU believe it .....but we did too. I believe however, that once a player....or a team..... is so  focused on a goal that nothing will "psyche" it out, you won't get as many dropped passes, stupid penalties, fights, missed assignments....the list goes on....and on.....and on.


Whatever the staff is doing, isn't working in this regard. Intensity can be manifest in many ways.....but one of the most productive is focus.

Eye of the Tiger is a good analogy, IMO. Good points, Redfred.

Nobody wants to admit it, but you need some stone cold killers on the team.  Get someone down and step on their throat. 

[AlbqHusker]

I'll write it straight out also......Pelini is going to win a national championship......I hope to h*ll it's at Nebraska.

He is a very smart man and he will figure out the finer points of winning in time. He has a thing (or two) to learn imo and like everyone else here I have my opinion as to what it is. I say this in the singular because I think that there is one area that if turned around will blast us into the upper echelon on college football.

 IMO this team doesn't have the "eye of the tiger". It's old. It's cliche.....and it's valid. The tiger, or any predatory animal for that matter, has the luxury of thousands of years of genetics. While it still needs to learn how to survive in the wild, it has a head start because it is born to kill. It doesn't hate its prey and doesn't get angry at it .....it just kills it. Once it is locked onto the goal at hand, everything in its being forces it to do whatever is necessary to achieve its goal of killing.....and feasting.

We lose focus. We back our prey into a corner (ie the red zone or third and long) and let it get away. Bo needs to learn how to instill this in the team. Make no mistake this is very, very hard. Sooner magic worked because not only did OU believe it .....but we did too. I believe however, that once a player....or a team..... is so  focused on a goal that nothing will "psyche" it out, you won't get as many dropped passes, stupid penalties, fights, missed assignments....the list goes on....and on.....and on.


Whatever the staff is doing, isn't working in this regard. Intensity can be manifest in many ways.....but one of the most productive is focus.

Eye of the Tiger is a good analogy, IMO. Good points, Redfred.

Nobody wants to admit it, but you need some stone cold killers on the team.  Get someone down and step on their throat. 

Where did that kind of behavior get Ndamukong Suh?

[OhioHusker43065]

I'll write it straight out also......Pelini is going to win a national championship......I hope to h*ll it's at Nebraska.

He is a very smart man and he will figure out the finer points of winning in time. He has a thing (or two) to learn imo and like everyone else here I have my opinion as to what it is. I say this in the singular because I think that there is one area that if turned around will blast us into the upper echelon on college football.

 IMO this team doesn't have the "eye of the tiger". It's old. It's cliche.....and it's valid. The tiger, or any predatory animal for that matter, has the luxury of thousands of years of genetics. While it still needs to learn how to survive in the wild, it has a head start because it is born to kill. It doesn't hate its prey and doesn't get angry at it .....it just kills it. Once it is locked onto the goal at hand, everything in its being forces it to do whatever is necessary to achieve its goal of killing.....and feasting.

We lose focus. We back our prey into a corner (ie the red zone or third and long) and let it get away. Bo needs to learn how to instill this in the team. Make no mistake this is very, very hard. Sooner magic worked because not only did OU believe it .....but we did too. I believe however, that once a player....or a team..... is so  focused on a goal that nothing will "psyche" it out, you won't get as many dropped passes, stupid penalties, fights, missed assignments....the list goes on....and on.....and on.


Whatever the staff is doing, isn't working in this regard. Intensity can be manifest in many ways.....but one of the most productive is focus.

Eye of the Tiger is a good analogy, IMO. Good points, Redfred.

Nobody wants to admit it, but you need some stone cold killers on the team.  Get someone down and step on their throat. 

Where did that kind of behavior get Ndamukong Suh?

Bout 40 million bucks

[AlbqHusker]

I'll write it straight out also......Pelini is going to win a national championship......I hope to h*ll it's at Nebraska.

He is a very smart man and he will figure out the finer points of winning in time. He has a thing (or two) to learn imo and like everyone else here I have my opinion as to what it is. I say this in the singular because I think that there is one area that if turned around will blast us into the upper echelon on college football.

 IMO this team doesn't have the "eye of the tiger". It's old. It's cliche.....and it's valid. The tiger, or any predatory animal for that matter, has the luxury of thousands of years of genetics. While it still needs to learn how to survive in the wild, it has a head start because it is born to kill. It doesn't hate its prey and doesn't get angry at it .....it just kills it. Once it is locked onto the goal at hand, everything in its being forces it to do whatever is necessary to achieve its goal of killing.....and feasting.

We lose focus. We back our prey into a corner (ie the red zone or third and long) and let it get away. Bo needs to learn how to instill this in the team. Make no mistake this is very, very hard. Sooner magic worked because not only did OU believe it .....but we did too. I believe however, that once a player....or a team..... is so  focused on a goal that nothing will "psyche" it out, you won't get as many dropped passes, stupid penalties, fights, missed assignments....the list goes on....and on.....and on.


Whatever the staff is doing, isn't working in this regard. Intensity can be manifest in many ways.....but one of the most productive is focus.

Eye of the Tiger is a good analogy, IMO. Good points, Redfred.

Nobody wants to admit it, but you need some stone cold killers on the team.  Get someone down and step on their throat. 

Where did that kind of behavior get Ndamukong Suh?

Bout 40 million bucks

I was joking Powell, But the 40 mill contract was before his recent curb stomping incident, so subtract for the two game suspension and several million more in potential endorsement deals.  I understand your point though, and agree with you.  Problem is, I think the physical and nasty nature (nothing illegal) of defense's in the past under Saint Osborne was overlooked because of his reputation.  In the Pelini Era, I think the stripes are looking for a reason to throw laundry.

[Big Sky Husker]

These "just imagine how much better we'd be" posts always befuddle me a bit. Of course we'd be better if we accomplished some combination of:

Committing less turnovers
Forcing more turnovers
Dropping less passes, especially in key situations
Catching more passes, especially in key situations
Playing better more consistently
Getting better effort from the players
Preventing opposing teams from scoring so many points
Scoring more points



Great teams avoid the things that lead to losses and do the things necessary to win. This team doesn't. The results reflect that.

You forgot one:  Stop committing fundamental penalties like False starts, delay of games, not enough men on the LOS.  Stupid stuff like that.      

Agree.  Extremely frustrating to see 2 or 3 penalties on the offense, back to back.

[redfred]

I think everyone is speaking metaphorically here.....I know I am. The ability to target ones focus to a laser sharp beam is needed on this team imo. Tigers have it, great athletes have it, elite teams have it...... and we need it if we want to get to where we want to be. NU has had it in the past. We know what it looks like and what it feels like....and everyone, including coaches, players, fans and administration want it back. We will achieve it again imo, but adjustments might need to be made before we achieve it.

BTW, the intensity and focus of the tiger happens before and during the encounter.....not after