Season expectations?
- Thread starter GammaxuvirHusker
- Start date
It seems that for most of the past three years, we have had 1-2 RBs that were available and had the ability to get on the field for a B1G game and had to rely on a slot guy for production for stretches of two seasons. I would like to say the present depth is superior to the past three years, but we really don't know that. If a couple of these kids can produce at the level of a healthy Mills, AM's carries decrease and his remaining carries are probably more effective.
I don't see it either, at least not at this time. Your points are valid. How many of our starters would also start for Oklahoma or Ohio State? Is there even a single one?
As for the draft - some sobering stats:
2018 - one 6th round pick
2019 - none
2020 - one 6th round pick and one 7th
2021 - one 5th round pick and one 7th.
These are not the signs of an overly talented team.
There will be times this season when Martinez clicks with Austin and Toure, where Brown pops a big gain, and an RB will average 8 yards a carry. There will be times this season when our defense looks stout, holding teams to fewer than 21 points a game. Those times will be magical!
But, and you all know this, there will be times when Martinez is banged up and hurt, and we will have to turn to our inexperienced back ups. And it will get ugly, or at least very conservative. There will also be times when fumbles hurt us badly. Despite talent, inexperience at the RB position almost always equals fumbles.
In short, when we are at full strength and running on all cylinders, we will see glimpses of who we want the team to be. Dynamic, big play offense with a stout defense. But set backs will come, and I don't think we are deep enough to absorb them. 6-6.
But, and you all know this, there will be times when Martinez is banged up and hurt, and we will have to turn to our inexperienced back ups. And it will get ugly, or at least very conservative. There will also be times when fumbles hurt us badly. Despite talent, inexperience at the RB position almost always equals fumbles.
In short, when we are at full strength and running on all cylinders, we will see glimpses of who we want the team to be. Dynamic, big play offense with a stout defense. But set backs will come, and I don't think we are deep enough to absorb them. 6-6.
I drink coolaid until I think about what is behind Adrian at qb …. One Ankle turn and we are toast
the last 2 years I recorded all games and then watch afterwards. It's just too painfull to go through the disappointing finding a way too lose.
I did watch the Rutgers game live
acknowledge, but i think it starts to change as the current players graduate/declare for the nfl.
Spot-on. We need our running backs to be the main engines driving our ground game. But Frost’s offense does need the QB to run now and then, especially on zone read plays. So my fingers are crossed
which current players?
many say Cam Taylor-Britt is a surefire NFL guy, but I don't think he comes back if that was the feedback he received from people who matter.
I'm sure the Bankses and Corcorans have the measurables to be drafted eventually.
I've posted this before... For me, for this to feel like a success I want it to look & feel like Oklahoma did in 1999 when Stoops took over... they Won 7 games that year. I remember getting that feeling that they were a different team and you could see their future success displayed on the field that year... low and behold DONU got hammered by them the following year! so.... 7 Wins with the "Here comes a different team" feeling...
I've got some Bad A$$ seats in Norman for the game! I'd be ecstatic if we were 3-0 going into that stadium, sitting in those seats with that crowd! I've talked to quite a few OU's fans... they're pretty sure they will beat us good but in the back of their heads they have this unsettled reservation that the game may be tougher than they imagine... we weren't supposed to win the Game of the century either and here we are 50 years later....
I've got some Bad A$$ seats in Norman for the game! I'd be ecstatic if we were 3-0 going into that stadium, sitting in those seats with that crowd! I've talked to quite a few OU's fans... they're pretty sure they will beat us good but in the back of their heads they have this unsettled reservation that the game may be tougher than they imagine... we weren't supposed to win the Game of the century either and here we are 50 years later....
OK, I'll bite with my Koolaid filled Goggles on:
Illinois - Win - I agree that THIS game will set the stage for the season
Fordham - Win
Buffalo - Win
OU - Loss - Closer than predicted
MSU - Tossup - But I'll say win - Nebraska takes the momentum from playing well against OU and gets revenge on Mel
NW - Win but will be close as usual
So that's 5-1 for the 1st half of the season... get's ugly but we still have momentum
MU - Loss - as much as I can't stand Hairball and that its home I still think we lose this one
Minny - Loss - MN is going to come into this game with only 1 maybe 2 losses and it's in their house...
Purdue - Win
OSU - Loss but NU demonstrates that we have improved
WI - Win - I think Nebraska gets the best of Wisky this year and starts the process of asserting future West Div dominance
IA - Tossup but It should be a Win after we beat WI plus we'll have great momentum from a turnaround season and get them at home to close it out before bowling...
In the end I'm saying 8-4 +/- a game depending on how things swing....
Here's a conclusion about Martinez that I now firmly believe. We criticize the swing pass as if that is all Frost knows, but in reality that is an option within a play set, and not necessarily the designed play, so that's on Martinez for using it as a crutch. It's his safe space so to speak. The same is true with the quarterback run game. When you're desperate to move the chains or make a big play you trust yourself to run it and not throw it because of your experience of throwing so many interceptions. Assuming the line does a pretty good job this year which I think they will, this season will go as well as Martinez ability to make decisions. Not comforted by this thought
I think you are partially correct. The swing pass to the back out of the backfield as a check down option, where there are receivers running routes downfield, is not necessarily the main option/target in the play call. But those bubbles or the quick pass out in the flat to the RB, WR or TE is definitely not an option. On those plays, you have OL getting down field to block, even the opposite side WR(s) are blocking immediately. There is no other option for that play, except maybe a QB draw.
Edit - I know this is 2019, but it is basically every pass at or behind the LOS. Watch the offensive line, watch the weakside WRs, playside WRs. IMHO, the pseudo read option is just play action, there is no intent or real option to give the ball to the back, the blocking scheme appears to be setting up the screen or swing pass. There are far too many poor throws, dropped passes, missed blocks etc.
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Interesting, so does Martinez audible at the LOS to exercise one of his options? How much leeway does Frost give AM to call plays at the LOS whereby he chooses this deliberate swing pass?
I don't think he has much leeway at all. I think the play is called from the sidelines, and then audibled by the sideline if they don't get the look they want or a bad look from the defense against the play that was called.
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4-8 just because I don't have any faith left in this staff and I'd like to be positively surprised for once.
Better than 3-5 in 2021. Nebraska was 5-7 and 4-8 in Frost's first two seasons.
.500 would be a progression.
3-5 was B1G record last year, after back to back 3-6 seasons.
How big of step forward is yet to be seen by Nebraska.
offense basically has no identity, no running game, no downfield consistent threats. will just go with 3 wins and out the door. dont take this year too seriously friends.
defense and special teams could turnout to be very special surprises. if they do then why not 6 wins.
defense and special teams could turnout to be very special surprises. if they do then why not 6 wins.
The offense is still a work in progress. I think Martinez gets nicked up and is out a few games this year. We’ve traditionally had injuries. I see the defense stepping up and shutting down some teams, but we just can’t overcome the offense ineptitude and bone headed penalties. 4-8 or 5-7... another long cold winter in Lincoln with the only warmth coming from Frosties hot seat.
Dude everyone of your posts reads like you copied it from a paragraph in a season preview magazine.
Thank you. Looking forward to Week 1 and trip to Norman.
It isn't a hard schedule, but Kansas State has found a way to complete the last two seasons head to head, including one trip to Norman, so I hope we see some fun there for the Huskers.
Of course, the last trip to Boulder ended about the way I expected.
Too bad Mel Tucker isn't bringing his Spartans to Lincoln. Now, that would be interesting.
Anyone taking MSU over Northwestern in Week 1?
Dude, there are some awesome games from the early '70s and the entire decade of the '80s on there too.
Wasn’t meant as a compliment. Don’t care where you are going or what games you watch.
Don’t care about Kansas St
Mel Tucker sucks and so does Michigan St
only people who want to lose money
Can't be since Rambo doesn't believe there are any reads or audibles. Frost calls the play and that's what they run.
How sad is it to say in year four that our O is still a work in progress? That should tell us all something.
yep. I completely agree with @Tuco Salamanca in that AM is not allowed much leeway to change plays at the line on his own. Frost wants the entire offense to 'check with me' after the first dummy snap instead.
I do also think there are many more called keepers/handoffs than there are true read option plays, but people still blame AM for making incorrect reads (which is entirely possible) when those plays go nowhere. I tend to give him the benefit of the doubt as far as that's concerned, especially since it's his responsibility to carry out a keep fake on called handoffs to keep the backside 'read' defender honest.
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I am the one that wrote that. I believe there are reads and audibles I just don’t think Martinez makes them pre-snap. The only read he makes is when to keep and when to handoff on zone read.
I've said this in the past, too, and any casual observer can see that it is extremely rare for AM to say anything at the line other than the cadence.