95 Redux: I would say you summed up things fairly well in your intro post. I do believe that we are on the brink of our first really 'top ten' recruiting class since early Solich years or so. We may have had a couple thereafter but they turned out to be mirages in many ways. But, to finish this class with half a dozen more 'elite-ish' guys AND ACTUALLY SIGN THEM next Feb will be very much tied to the success on the field this fall. If we find a way to get to the conf championship game and playwell (win or lose), we will hold the class together and we will have taken a giant leap forward as a program going into 2018.
2018 will be a gauntlet of a schedule and to manage 9 or so wins then will be 'coach of the year' type results for Riley. Of course he won't be coach of the year but it will be monumental in my view.
All this being said, this fall has the potential to be Riley's make or break year as a result. If the wheels fall off and the team loses confidence, or the QB gambit blows up in Riley's face (it surely could), then all bets are off. There remains a lot of weak links in this chain, although it is getting better in some areas. As many have mentioned, the O line remains a big "if" and two or three injuries there could spell disaster. We do have several RBs with ability and WRs have skills. The defense, IF we are able to build a front "3 or 4" as it turns out to be, should be pretty good and surely ought to be sufficient to keep us in the games, and if they grow a bunch as a group, keep us within 3 or 4 TDs of the Buckeyes. The offense, by then, has the potential to be able to play some catch up and take quick advantage of any turnovers or other breaks.
The kicking game, by golly, surely can improve dramatically by year three. A senior placekicker gives a chance to make those key field goals to keep the score from getting out of hand before half time. Anything can happen in a couple quarters, especially as DBs get a little fatigue in their legs by the 4th Qtr crunch time.
We have been hopeful and overly optimistic as it turns out nearly every season for the past 20. It is not a surprise that many of us are getting a little excited and hopeful yet again. But, as to the 'state of the program', I believe there are more positives than negatives at this point in time. We have a pretty good staff, overall, and Riley is a very good coach. Can't say 'great' yet, really in regards to any of the players or the coaches but 'very good' is better than we have had for a decade or more. How many all conference preseason pickes do we have? Probably NONE. That is not a good sign but there is one important consideration that we must recognize: the Big Ten is now the premiere conference in the country, as I have predicted for years. When Nebraska joined the league, it was apparent to me that we would make the Big Ten 'elite' and the Big 12 irrelevant. It has happened. This is the gravitas that is Nebraska football nationally. Whether or not we are rated highly, we are STILL Nebraska. The difference, evidenced by the alarmingly rapid rise last fall in the rankings by simply going 7-0, is that there are many millions of college football fans and commentators, etc, who really WANT us to be back where we belong. We aren't facing the headwinds that Bill Callahan and even Pelini faced towards the end there. We will get the benefit of the doubt more because many around the college football world want to see Nebraska in the big picture. Let's hope that come January, 2018, we are there. If so, the state of the program will be GOOD. We are on the rise but we have a long way to go.
