Where I'm at after 2 years... (TL;DR)

[Redux]

First off, this is going to be winded so either turn back now or get comfy. Either way it doesn't matter, this is more for me than it is anyone else. I've found typing up a tangent makes me feel better after discouraging losses, probably why I've taken such a liking to this place.

Well, we went 9-3. Many people, including myself, predicted just that back in August. Personally, I said losses to Ohio State and Iowa which were on the money. Also predicted Indiana so missed that one You would think that since I hit it on the head I would be thrilled with that result. I'm not. I'm actually pretty annoyed with it considering everything we know now. I can't stand seeing what this team COULD be year in and year out only to watch us get in our own way. Let's face it, this team should be 11-1 right now. That's not based solely off coaching or players and it's not blamed solely on players and coaches and injuries. Put schemes aside. Put player turmoil, sh**ty ST coaching, injuries on the O-Line, depth, and motivation away and let's look at this season as a whole. We should be 11-1 in spite of all those things.

We started things off winning games that we couldn't win last year yet had to overcome ourselves anyways to do so. We finally put together a strong performance in Madison against a hated "rival" on the road and came sooooooooo damn close it hurts. Seriously, that game kinda ruined the season for me but I was still hopeful we could hang with Ohio State. That pretty much fizzled me for the year a week later when we did something we had gotten too used to under the old staff by losing in beyond embarrassing fashion. Win a few lackluster ones against patsies and then we go ahead and lose by 30 to Iowa. What am I getting at? I didn't expect 2 of those 3 losses I expected in August to be by a f'ing combined 102-13 margin. That's unacceptable. We fired grump a$$ for the same reason. Even during last years sh#t show season we could hang our hat on the fact that we were playing with everyone we took the field against. This year, at one time or another, almost every team we lined up against looked like they could beat us at some point in the game. We were finding ways to win and I LOVE that! Then we kinda quit doing that and stopped that extra effort we put out there in the final quarter of games.

Yesterday was pathetic. I know, we are banged up. And let's be honest, did any of us here REALLY want to see Nebraska hobble into a game against one of the best from the East next weekend? I want a conference title more than anything, but I didn't want to play PSU, tOSU or UM next week. We have no QB and that was blatantly obvious yesterday. Our O-Line can't contain pressure. Our Defense is giving up 70+ yard plays (yes, plural) to freaking Iowa.......yikes. The cold honest truth is....this season needed to end. We still have a big bowl game to win and get some momentum to cap things off for recruiting and next years returning players. But the regular season needed to be over with. It went from something that could be special and turned into something pretty familiar.

I haven't soured on this staff, let me make that clear. I think what they are doing in recruiting is pretty great, and once they get those guys in place we could really have something here. I'm beyond excited to see what we do on offense next year with a true QB battle. I think the raw talent we have on Defense is going to be much more hardened and ready to do what needs to be done to be successful. I think Special Teams will be better because they can't be much worse. I said this summer over and over how I thought 2017 could be our year. I stand by it. But, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little more skeptical about it now. I have serious doubts in our Offensive and Defensive coordinators. Doubts I am hoping solve themselves once the next crop of players begins contributing. It's said that a staff needs 3 years to turn the team into what they envision. If after 3 that doesn't happen, hit reset. I got that from a 2009 LINDY's pre-season magazine and it has stuck with me since. I didn't always agree with it, but there is definitely some truth there. If it weren't for the conference switch we could have had a new coach in 2012 or 2013 or maybe we still have Bo Pelini. Lot's of what if scenario's there. Hell if we never get that Big Ten invite we could potentially be an SEC team right now in all actuality. But I digress.

In a nutshell, I'm just disappointed in how this year played out. I can't describe to you how elated I was when we dropped Oregon's QB to cap off that win, hands down my best experience at a game. I let myself drink the kool-aid after that, and anyone who knows me personally can attest that when I drink I can chug with the best of em. I thought we were going to do great things. We should have a strong team, playing for a title next weekend. Instead we have a MASH unit watching the game from Lincoln waiting to hear what bowl they are going to. We can still go 10-3 which is awesome. I'm just ready to see what this team will be next year. This was a weird season, not just for us. I'm cautiously nervous but optimistic next season will bear some fruit that we are all quite parched for. I'm willing to give this crew one more year to get us over the damned hump. I wanted to be posting today about how good it felt to only have a loss or two at this time.

I'm just ready to be relevant again.

 

[Sadie]

Totally agree except right now I'm not real optimistic about next season. GBR

 

[84HuskerLaw]

All very interesting and many of us will find a good deal of common ground but I am absolutely scared about next year at this point. Can you enlighten me as to what and who you see on this team as a two-deep (we need three but let's hope and pray for a minimum of two) group that can actually win even half their games?

 

[ColoradoHusk]

I'm not optimistic about next season at all, especially on offense.

 

[Redux]

All very interesting and many of us will find a good deal of common ground but I am absolutely scared about next year at this point. Can you enlighten me as to what and who you see on this team as a two-deep (we need three but let's hope and pray for a minimum of two) group that can actually win even half their games?

I think our WR corp will be good again.

I think our RB stable will be deep again.

I think our QB battle will be strong.

O-Line....we'll see, maybe some fresh talent will do wonders.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

All very interesting and many of us will find a good deal of common ground but I am absolutely scared about next year at this point. Can you enlighten me as to what and who you see on this team as a two-deep (we need three but let's hope and pray for a minimum of two) group that can actually win even half their games?

I think our WR corp will be good again.

I think our RB stable will be deep again.

I think our QB battle will be strong.

O-Line....we'll see, maybe some fresh talent will do wonders.

The WR corp loses 3 seniors. I really like Morgan, but DPE is inconsistent as a WR, and there is nobody else except Spielman, walk-ons, and incoming freshmen. Those guys are not going to be as strong as they have been the past few years.

EDIT: I forgot to mention the TE position. The top 3 TE's are gone next year. I know Matt Snyder was a big recruit, but he has been completely off the radar. Tyler Hoppes could be good, but that's only one TE.

For RB's, I like Bryant but I think Ozigbo is just ok. I just don't see a game breaker (Bryant may get there) at RB on the roster.

QB's will be better in terms of passing the ball, but the QB run game won't be there, especially if Lee wins the job (which is expected). I know this will allow Langsdorf and Riley to go back to coaching offense to what they know, but it requires so many great parts.

 

[Redux]

Maturity can change players into more than we have seen and we have some serious talent coming in at WR, maybe they see early time. RB's should be better by experience alone. QB's will push each other and ultimately be better fits for the coaches offense.

This is all my optimistic side. My pessimistic side...

 

[NUance]

First off, this is going to be winded so either turn back now or get comfy. Either way it doesn't matter, this is more for me than it is anyone else. I've found typing up a tangent makes me feel better after discouraging losses, probably why I've taken such a liking to this place.

Well, we went 9-3. Many people, including myself, predicted just that back in August. Personally, I said losses to Ohio State and Iowa which were on the money. Also predicted Indiana so missed that one You would think that since I hit it on the head I would be thrilled with that result. I'm not. I'm actually pretty annoyed with it considering everything we know now. I can't stand seeing what this team COULD be year in and year out only to watch us get in our own way. Let's face it, this team should be 11-1 right now. That's not based solely off coaching or players and it's not blamed solely on players and coaches and injuries. Put schemes aside. Put player turmoil, sh**ty ST coaching, injuries on the O-Line, depth, and motivation away and let's look at this season as a whole. We should be 11-1 in spite of all those things.

We started things off winning games that we couldn't win last year yet had to overcome ourselves anyways to do so. We finally put together a strong performance in Madison against a hated "rival" on the road and came sooooooooo damn close it hurts. Seriously, that game kinda ruined the season for me but I was still hopeful we could hang with Ohio State. That pretty much fizzled me for the year a week later when we did something we had gotten too used to under the old staff by losing in beyond embarrassing fashion. Win a few lackluster ones against patsies and then we go ahead and lose by 30 to Iowa. What am I getting at? I didn't expect 2 of those 3 losses I expected in August to be by a f'ing combined 102-13 margin. That's unacceptable. We fired grump a$$ for the same reason. Even during last years sh#t show season we could hang our hat on the fact that we were playing with everyone we took the field against. This year, at one time or another, almost every team we lined up against looked like they could beat us at some point in the game. We were finding ways to win and I LOVE that! Then we kinda quit doing that and stopped that extra effort we put out there in the final quarter of games.

Yesterday was pathetic. I know, we are banged up. And let's be honest, did any of us here REALLY want to see Nebraska hobble into a game against one of the best from the East next weekend? I want a conference title more than anything, but I didn't want to play PSU, tOSU or UM next week. We have no QB and that was blatantly obvious yesterday. Our O-Line can't contain pressure. Our Defense is giving up 70+ yard plays (yes, plural) to freaking Iowa.......yikes. The cold honest truth is....this season needed to end. We still have a big bowl game to win and get some momentum to cap things off for recruiting and next years returning players. But the regular season needed to be over with. It went from something that could be special and turned into something pretty familiar.

I haven't soured on this staff, let me make that clear. I think what they are doing in recruiting is pretty great, and once they get those guys in place we could really have something here. I'm beyond excited to see what we do on offense next year with a true QB battle. I think the raw talent we have on Defense is going to be much more hardened and ready to do what needs to be done to be successful. I think Special Teams will be better because they can't be much worse. I said this summer over and over how I thought 2017 could be our year. I stand by it. But, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little more skeptical about it now. I have serious doubts in our Offensive and Defensive coordinators. Doubts I am hoping solve themselves once the next crop of players begins contributing. It's said that a staff needs 3 years to turn the team into what they envision. If after 3 that doesn't happen, hit reset. I got that from a 2009 LINDY's pre-season magazine and it has stuck with me since. I didn't always agree with it, but there is definitely some truth there. If it weren't for the conference switch we could have had a new coach in 2012 or 2013 or maybe we still have Bo Pelini. Lot's of what if scenario's there. Hell if we never get that Big Ten invite we could potentially be an SEC team right now in all actuality. But I digress.

In a nutshell, I'm just disappointed in how this year played out. I can't describe to you how elated I was when we dropped Oregon's QB to cap off that win, hands down my best experience at a game. I let myself drink the kool-aid after that, and anyone who knows me personally can attest that when I drink I can chug with the best of em. I thought we were going to do great things. We should have a strong team, playing for a title next weekend. Instead we have a MASH unit watching the game from Lincoln waiting to hear what bowl they are going to. We can still go 10-3 which is awesome. I'm just ready to see what this team will be next year. This was a weird season, not just for us. I'm cautiously nervous but optimistic next season will bear some fruit that we are all quite parched for. I'm willing to give this crew one more year to get us over the damned hump. I wanted to be posting today about how good it felt to only have a loss or two at this time.

I'm just ready to be relevant again.

Great post. +1. I'm pretty much on the same page. Seems like the torch and pitchfork crowd wants to string up Langsdorf after yesterday. But really, what sort of game was he supposed to call with a hobbled running QB, and a M*A*S*H unit O-line patched together with walk-ons? As for the Blackshirts, I am very disappointed with yesterday's defensive outing. Our defense has looked pretty good all year. (With a couple notable exceptions. Like in Columbus.) Yesterday the Blackshirts got torched. Repeatedly. Not sure you can lay the blame on only the coaches or the players. Probably a combination of both. But whatever the problem was, it needs to be fixed. And fast.

The biggest thing we need to address in the offseason—besides QB—before we'll have a shot at winning in Indy is our lines. On both sides of the ball. Props to our D-line this year. They stepped up big time this year after our top players left early. I've been pleasantly surprised with D-line play this year, considering all the talent that walked out the door last spring. Our O-line is a different story. Gates is awesome. We have a couple others who are serviceable. But our O-line mostly needs to be rebuilt from the ground up before we can handle the likes of Wisconsin and Iowa—like we should be doing.

I just don't think firing the staff every couple of years is the best course of action. I think these guys know football, and they'll get us moving in the right direction. /knocks on wood

 

[marko polo]

All very interesting and many of us will find a good deal of common ground but I am absolutely scared about next year at this point. Can you enlighten me as to what and who you see on this team as a two-deep (we need three but let's hope and pray for a minimum of two) group that can actually win even half their games?

I think our WR corp will be good again.

I think our RB stable will be deep again.

I think our QB battle will be strong.

O-Line....we'll see, maybe some fresh talent will do wonders.

If this isn't fixed it will not matter. Are the chances good of the O-line really getting better? odds say no.

 

[TonyStalloni]

This may be totally out in left field. It has to do with a persons response to tragic death and the aftermath of the depression that sets in. When Sam was killed in the accident this summer, I wondered then if this team would run on false emotion for a few games, then as they were reminded week after week of the tragedy, the reality would sink in. Few if anyone deals with grief in a week or two after a death like this. For most of these young men it was their first real exposure to the death of someone they were close to. Now for 12 weeks their emotional scars were reopened and they were forced to deal with grief at a time when they should be focused on the game of football. In a span of a few years my family experienced the death of my father, brother in law, sister and mother. My parents were older and I had prepared my mind that their health was failing. The loss of my brother in law and sister were much more difficult to process. It took me years to get over this and the journey took me to places I'm not proud of and nearly cost me my marriage.

As much as I wanted this team to succeed, I understand where they are mentally. Since middle school they were told football is life and it would take them to high places. This summers accident showed them life is life and football is a game. I'm happy and surprised they made it to 9-3 and I'll take it without casting guilt their way or declaring them to be "soft".

 

[ColoradoHusk]

All very interesting and many of us will find a good deal of common ground but I am absolutely scared about next year at this point. Can you enlighten me as to what and who you see on this team as a two-deep (we need three but let's hope and pray for a minimum of two) group that can actually win even half their games?

I think our WR corp will be good again.

I think our RB stable will be deep again.

I think our QB battle will be strong.

O-Line....we'll see, maybe some fresh talent will do wonders.

If this isn't fixed it will not matter. Are the chances good of the O-line really getting better? odds say no.

I think the o-line will struggle again next year. They could be more talented, but those guys are going to be so young and inexperienced they will probably continue to struggle, and the fans will say "the o-line needs more time to get experience and gel together".

 

[marko polo]

All very interesting and many of us will find a good deal of common ground but I am absolutely scared about next year at this point. Can you enlighten me as to what and who you see on this team as a two-deep (we need three but let's hope and pray for a minimum of two) group that can actually win even half their games?

I think our WR corp will be good again.

I think our RB stable will be deep again.

I think our QB battle will be strong.

O-Line....we'll see, maybe some fresh talent will do wonders.

If this isn't fixed it will not matter. Are the chances good of the O-line really getting better? odds say no.

I think the o-line will struggle again next year. They could be more talented, but those guys are going to be so young and inexperienced they will probably continue to struggle, and the fans will say "the o-line needs more time to get experience and gel together".

bingo!

 

[Kernal]

It's unfortunate we didn't get into the CCG this year as Penn State, the likely representative from the East, will be a much "easier" game than OSU. Though, playing like we did yesterday we would have lost to most of the East div teams.

I'm optimistic for next year. I love Tommy, but I'm glad he's graduating. He would have been terrific in Osborne's option. He's not really a traditional QB though. That's just not his game and it's not knock on him, it just is what it is. Our QB play won't be perfect next year, but I'm almost certain we'll have a guy who is better at getting the ball to our WRs and RBs.

The O-line should be much better. Not only will we have a good group of starters across the board, we should also have a few very good backups. We won't see what we did this year where guys are playing just because there's not another body to put in there. The big question there is whether they can develop the right attitude. I believe Nick Gates has the attitude we need in O-linemen.

Morgan should be very good at WR again next year. DPE has been ok as a WR, but we're also bringing in a lot of highly-regarded guys there, as well as redshirting some this year. RB should be good next year with Ozzy, Tre and Wilbon.

D-line has guys coming back. We need to get more production out of DEs. LB will be an adventure. Secondary should be solid. K/P should be solid.

I think another year removed from the old regime will be beneficial too. Next year will be three years and many of the players will have only played under this staff and culture. Whether or not you liked the old staff, the conflict of two different cultures certainly causes issues.

We need to "promote" Bruce Read into an administrative role, hire Tavita Thompson full-time (probably), and have somebody like Riley himself take over special teams coaching.

Hopefully the staff closes out strong with the recruiting class for 2017.

 

[Landlord]

Weird how perceptions change, huh?

At the beginning of the season we all would have been pretty jazzed with the notion of going 9-3. But then it happens and we look at the context and decide that instead of, "Yay, this was pretty cool" we decide, "Ew. This is it?"