Bleacher Report: Five things standing in the way of a Nebraska Conference Title

True2tRA

True2tRA

Banned
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2440959-nebraska-football-five-things-standing-in-the-way-of-a-b1g-championship

I foresee all of these things improving for the most part.

I expect QB play to either improve or at the very least, become less hindering to the team. If its not the QB himself improving, I think the coaching staff will make the necessary changes to ensure we don't shoot ourselves in the foot repeatedly.

With that comes the improvement in the turnovers department which has really been all the difference to some of our recent teams failures. Turnovers have easily cost Nebraska a game per year the last 7 seasons.

Will aggressive defense instantly equate to a positive turnover ratio? I'm hoping so. Valentine and Collins could be very disruptive up the middle. Quick hits on the QB or RB can force fumbles or force mistakes in both the run and passing game. If Gangwish and McMullen are turned loose as rush ends, it could result in a lot of QB pressure. Gonna be fun to watch them get after it regardless.

Maybe the most important issue in my opinion is stopping the run. It's vital to success in this conference. Let's face it, this league isn't stacked with all-world QB talent. Cook at Michigan St. and Kaaya at Miami may be the only two passers I truly give legitimate respect to. What does that mean? Stop the run first, and success should immediately follow. Every team we face stacks the box and forces us to throw. There's no reason we shouldn't be applying the same pressure. If Nebraska stops the run and forces teams like Wisconsin, Minnesota, Rutgers and so forth to beat us with their QB's arm, I truly don't think they have the ability to do so.

I'm excited to see the defenses aggressiveness in the upcoming season.

 
I don't see TO margin improving all that much in year 1. I also don't see the QB play being improved enough either.

I still see Nebraska as a 4 loss team this year. Not because of coaching, but because of learning curve.

 
You see OSU improving? Dangit
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I don't see our QB play improving, at all. Especially with these guys going to be more of a pocket passer. I see the INT's going up and sacks going down due to less QB runs with a much improved OL. I don't think TA's accuracy will be much better than what we have seen these past two years, and I don't believe his decision making will get much better either. I would love to see someone else on the field, but sadly enough, I don't feel anymore comfortable with any of the other guys, with MAYBE the exception of Darlington.

I do see our mental mistakes going down, and improving. This team already looks more disciplined, and its not an "us against the world" or as some (including myself) a "cult" mentality.

Kicking should be improved.

Rushing defense has to improve right? I mean with more experienced Valentine and Collins, with a much more simplistic defense (responsibility wise) as a whole, it has to, especially on paper. I believe we have a much better LB coach, who can/will teach these LB'ers to hit the right gaps, and be those guys to distrupt the offense's timing.

Ohio State, the biggest stump in our way to winning one, period. This team isn't althletically better, and I don't believe we are better coached, or have better coaches. If we were to make it, we would have to win off of shear WANT. Grind it out, make less mistakes and just never give up. We have talent, but can we play better as a unit than tOSU?

 
I think some of that is very wishful thinking. We are not on a talent level with Ohio State, not even close yet. Coaching goes hands down to Ohio State, and for one reason only. Urban and his NC's. I think Coach Riley is of that caliber, but you have to prove it first. The staff he has put together has experience at all levels and they have worked together at many levels. This will given them a better insight as to where each player can fit, does fit or will fit.

I hope we do not get over confident on the talent level. Ohio State has recruited very well, are three deep at QB that could start pretty much anywhere in the country, and I would guess, they are pretty good 2 deep everywhere else.

Give this staff time to figure out what they have, how it fits with what they know and the time to teach it and recruit the talent they need to run what ever they want.

I really do not want to predict a win/loss number, but I do predict we see improvement in the team, at almost every level and position. I think we see happier kids on the sideline, more confident and less under the gun/eye look of the past head coach. Playing more relaxed and in a system that maybe easier for them to adapt to.

Go Big Red!

 
HuskerNationNick said:
I don't see our QB play improving, at all. Especially with these guys going to be more of a pocket passer. I see the INT's going up and sacks going down due to less QB runs with a much improved OL. I don't think TA's accuracy will be much better than what we have seen these past two years, and I don't believe his decision making will get much better either. I would love to see someone else on the field, but sadly enough, I don't feel anymore comfortable with any of the other guys, with MAYBE the exception of Darlington.

I do see our mental mistakes going down, and improving. This team already looks more disciplined, and its not an "us against the world" or as some (including myself) a "cult" mentality.

Kicking should be improved.

Rushing defense has to improve right? I mean with more experienced Valentine and Collins, with a much more simplistic defense (responsibility wise) as a whole, it has to, especially on paper. I believe we have a much better LB coach, who can/will teach these LB'ers to hit the right gaps, and be those guys to distrupt the offense's timing.

Ohio State, the biggest stump in our way to winning one, period. This team isn't althletically better, and I don't believe we are better coached, or have better coaches. If we were to make it, we would have to win off of shear WANT. Grind it out, make less mistakes and just never give up. We have talent, but can we play better as a unit than tOSU?
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Don't think we need to worry about Ohio State, yet.

Gotta figure out a way to beat Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Ohio State is light years ahead of those two.

It's going to be a while. If people don't see that or think that, then they need to put down the kool aid. This year is going to be a struggle. In my opinion.

 
Correction, we all need for him to have a monster year. What ever happened to being Nebraska fans? This place has turned into such a hate fest it really sucks anymore.

The kid was not recruited, walked on and now is in a position to start. I would guess he is one of, if not the hardest workers on the team. I hope the kid does not read this stuff. Be on the coaches, the program, but never the kids. He represents what Nebraska was about in our hay days.

 
We can improve the TO margin and run defense this year. Would make a world of difference if they could improve in those two areas.

Can't make Ohio State worse though.

 
skersfan said:
Correction, we all need for him to have a monster year. What ever happened to being Nebraska fans? This place has turned into such a hate fest it really sucks anymore.

The kid was not recruited, walked on and now is in a position to start. I would guess he is one of, if not the hardest workers on the team. I hope the kid does not read this stuff. Be on the coaches, the program, but never the kids. He represents what Nebraska was about in our hay days.
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If it hasn't been a decade and a half since the last important win, maybe the hate fest wouldn't be so bad.
But that's not the case. Combine that with mediocre recruiting and the vast improvement in the conference (OSU and Michigan State), it's hard to see Nebraska winning a conference championship before the dreaded 'two decades ago we won an conference championship' conversation starts taking place.

 
skersfan said:
Correction, we all need for him to have a monster year. What ever happened to being Nebraska fans? This place has turned into such a hate fest it really sucks anymore.

The kid was not recruited, walked on and now is in a position to start. I would guess he is one of, if not the hardest workers on the team. I hope the kid does not read this stuff. Be on the coaches, the program, but never the kids. He represents what Nebraska was about in our hay days.
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I didn't know stating the obvious was considered a hate fest. Has TA shown to be a conference winning QB yet? Flashes sure, but every other QB to win their conference are lightyears of what TA has been. I am rooting for him to prove myself, including others wrong, but I am tired of drinking that Kool-aid and getting my nuts stepped on. I mean, its only been 16 years since our last Conference Championship.


Coach Power'T said:
Don't think we need to worry about Ohio State, yet.

Gotta figure out a way to beat Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Ohio State is light years ahead of those two.
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I am sorry, but didn't the title say "Five things standing in the way of a Nebraska Conference Title"? Wouldn't tOSU be one of those things in winning one? Of course you have to get there first, but its Conference Title, not division title.


 
skersfan said:
I really do not want to predict a win/loss number, but I do predict we see improvement in the team, at almost every level and position. I think we see happier kids on the sideline, more confident and less under the gun/eye look of the past head coach. Playing more relaxed and in a system that maybe easier for them to adapt to.

Go Big Red!
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I agree about seeing kids happier, and they seem to know what they are doing out there, and not looking lost. Predicting W/L is way to premature, and could be even through the non conference schedule. BYU and Miami will be our biggest test, especially away.

 
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