I honestly feel like the coming season is the most important for NU in decades. It has to be a 9-win season minimum with a bowl appearance (a high-profile bowl would go a long way). NU really needs to turn the corner in year three under Frost or it will be very difficult to maintain the recruiting necessary to be more than a middling program. NU is now 2 full decades removed from the 90s and most of the recruits don't even remember NU being a top tier program. This has got to change now. Another losing season and I don't think there will be confidence with recruits that NU is going in the right direction under Frost. And I think we have no choice but to stick with Frost after the turmoil of the past decade-plus.
2020 Season
- Thread starter SLOHusker
- Start date
I think this is spot on. The schedule is too hard for us to get to 9 wins as we are right now, but if we hit 7 wins I will consider this to be a successful season. I think we could win our bowl game, too. And yeah, landing a Top 20 class again is crucial, but then we'll have had 3 Frost classes come in inside the Top 20, meaning this program should start kicking *** in a much more regular, stable way.
You can’t just pretend like nothing has changed, we have to build back up to that standard.
Everything has changed yet nothing has changed. The paradox of Nebraska football.
Will we ever be good again ? Maybe if we recruit players that care more about football rather than tik tok and getting sprinkles on their ice cream after giving up 400 yds rushing to Iowa. Maybe if we get players that care more about how much they can squat instead of how many likes they get on Instagram.
maybe, just maybe we will win 9 games again
Also need to get back on the juice. Other schools do it. We used to be the best at it.
I don't think having 4 or 5 win seasons is a good way to build back up to that standard.
It’s where we are. Have to keep making progress. Step by step. Can’t demand something right now, just because it’s what TO did.
That and showing no ability to improve beyond 9 wins. And in Pelini's case, also being a jack ***.
It is a huge season. And we are average at best. A lot of us need to come to grip with the fact that Tom Osbornes do not grow on trees, especially our boosters.
From the little info that squeaks its way out of North Stadium, from the way that Scott runs things internally, I still firmly believe we have the right guy at the helm leading our players. There is a firm reason why he was still able to recruit the type of players he does from out of state 2 years in a row.
I think the defense is going to get a lot better this (hopefully) fall, and I also think this season is all going to come down to the development of the offensive line. You don't win in the Big 10 without that.
All that said, Scott really, really, really needs to get 7 wins this year. Not 6, in case we lose the potential bowl game.
7.
From the little info that squeaks its way out of North Stadium, from the way that Scott runs things internally, I still firmly believe we have the right guy at the helm leading our players. There is a firm reason why he was still able to recruit the type of players he does from out of state 2 years in a row.
I think the defense is going to get a lot better this (hopefully) fall, and I also think this season is all going to come down to the development of the offensive line. You don't win in the Big 10 without that.
All that said, Scott really, really, really needs to get 7 wins this year. Not 6, in case we lose the potential bowl game.
7.
I have the same overall feeling and belief. However, I feel good about the offense and the OL. I’m not near as optimistic about the defense, especially the front 7.
2019- we were almost dead even with 28 pts per game scored and 27.8 pts per game allowed yet had 2 more L’s than W’s.
Offensively, that’s 72nd of 130 teams and Defensively 66th of 130 teams.
Simply put, both sides need to improve. My feeling is the Scott Frost offense needs to get its sh*t together and it will help the defense out tremendously by putting them in better situations.
We had 2 wins and 4 losses in games decided by one score.
That’s where the experienced OL, experienced QB, an experienced RB, and hopefully a few experienced WR’s/TE’s can really demonstrate progress.
It needs to happen now. This thing starts with the offense finding it’s groove and developing newcomers to a level surpassing last year’s sad productivity.
Frost and Co. are being paid handsomely to get the team ready to compete and win.
Players gotta do their part also.
Offensively, that’s 72nd of 130 teams and Defensively 66th of 130 teams.
Simply put, both sides need to improve. My feeling is the Scott Frost offense needs to get its sh*t together and it will help the defense out tremendously by putting them in better situations.
We had 2 wins and 4 losses in games decided by one score.
That’s where the experienced OL, experienced QB, an experienced RB, and hopefully a few experienced WR’s/TE’s can really demonstrate progress.
It needs to happen now. This thing starts with the offense finding it’s groove and developing newcomers to a level surpassing last year’s sad productivity.
Frost and Co. are being paid handsomely to get the team ready to compete and win.
Players gotta do their part also.
Not only does the players need to show improvement but the coaches need to have a improved season.
Nobody is mentioning special teams. They crushed us last year and probably cost at least 2-3 wins. That coach is gone, and even making them respectable helps a ton. Our field position on both sides was horrid, and we used more kickers than anyone thought possible.
Absolutely. Simply having a kicker that can make FG and kick it in the endzone willl be huge. Like you said would have won us multiple games last year.
At this point I think we just need to have a season and right now I'm not too sure we're even going to have that.
I definitely get that Nebraska's historically stepped off the bus and beaten teams, but Cincinnati's no gimme for anyone outside of Ohio State right now. They beat UCLA and Virginia Tech in 2018 and then beat UCLA and Boston College in 2019.
Then there's this...
G5 Teams that have won 11+ games the last two seasons:
1. Appalachian State
2. Cincinnati
End of list.
Nebraska's going to have to treat Cincinnati like a conference game.
Very true. Cincinnati is much better than any non conference team on our schedule the past two years.
I was just thinking about this. Last year everything went wrong, losing two kickers, injuries abound (especially at QB), on and on. Crazy things that cost us games (fleak flicker at CU, goal line stand against Indiana).
Last year there was so much optimism, based mostly on Frost's turnaround at UCF. This year, we have a much more talented, more experienced team and negativity abounds. The truth is, like usual, in the middle. We were proven to be far too optimistic last year and I think we will be shown to be far too pessimistic this year.
I wonder if we will just play these games in front of TV cameras and no fans, because we know this virus won't be resolved by the fall.
We're just another middle-of-the-road B1G team. Been that way for a long while. As much as I like some of our coaches, the only way this is going to get markedly better soon is to keep ratcheting up the recruiting success.
I agree with you. I think we go 7-0 or 6-1 in the first 7 (we could easily drop one to Cincy or even our opener to Purdue), and we lose either all of the next 5 games, or we may be able to knock off Iowa or Minnesota, or both, and we might even give Penn State a good game if we're having an excellent year. We're not beating Ohio State or Wisconsin yet.
Put another way, everyone on our schedule is beatable for us except for Ohio State. We're just completely out-classed by them right now. Having said that, things would have to be really, really coming together for us to hang with Penn State and Wisconsin, which to me are both half-steps down from Ohio State. I think Minnesota and Iowa are absolutely beatable, but they're teams that are well developed and well coached, which for a long time, we were not, so they are absolutely not push-over games.
So, we're not going to go beyond a 6-6 or 7-5 in my opinion, but its crucial that we show that level of improvement and hit a bowl game. This year is all about showing some progress, getting a third good recruiting class completed, and getting to a bowl game. Nothing more, nothing less. 2021 and 2022 are the years where we can expect this team to go out and kick ***.
I agree with all of this, but I think 8 wins is pretty much where we have to be. As a fan base I think most of us feel like SF is the right man for the job. Has he made some coaching blunders, yes he has. Is he too stubborn to learn from his mistakes, let's hope not. The recruiting is going to tapper off if we don't show some decent improvement. This is really a pivotal year. No excuses!
With a tough schedule and a team still trying to develop its roster/depth, I’d say 8 wins would be fantastic.
We also had foxes in the hen house in years past, reportedly trying to implode Nebraska Football.
There’s a lot to fix that recruits and fans don’t understand from the inside out. We will see improvement this year, I’m confident in that.
There’s a lot to fix that recruits and fans don’t understand from the inside out. We will see improvement this year, I’m confident in that.
Lots of good points Dudz. I go back and forth on how many wins we might tally during the first 7 games. My hunch, if we play the way we're capable of and the offense is humming, is we can go 5-2. If we can do that I think we pull off 1 upset, maybe 2 (it really depends on how Minnesota does this year with a tougher schedule), in the final 5 games.
We had a fighting chance at Ohio State in 2018 because we had actual upperclassmen leaders on that team. They graduated and what happened last year shouldn't have been a huge surprise to anyone, considering Darrion Daniels came in and took a captain spot. Bad teams have no leaders, and unfortunately that's what happened last year. I don't think we're going to have a chance against Ohio State until Justin Fields leaves. On the other hand, I do think we are going to give Wisconsin a run for insurance-looking Chryst's money this fall. I really do think we can get to 7, maybe 8 wins this year. But the offense has to straight-up HUM the way Scott is used to. The bottom line is we get 5 big swings our last 5 games; our team better be well-conditioned and Big 10 ready for the final stretch.
Isnt that they point though?
If Nebraska wants to be an elite program, Cincy shouldn’t even be a concern. So let’s back up. A top 25 program. A top 25 program still wins by two plus scores.
Last year the talk on here was NU being undefeated when OSU rolled around, possibly winning the West, etc... Now the talk is worrying about Cincy?
Programs turn around in 3 years. Happens a lot. Not being able to be bowl eligible when over half of FBS teams are is just ridiculous.
Purdue? Below .500 at home
Central Michigan? Horrible at home
S. Dakota St.? FCS at home
Cincy? G5 at home
Northwestern? Below .500
Illinois? Below .500 at home
Rutgers? Worst team B1G history
That’s the first 7 games. There is NO REASON not to start 7-0. Five are at home. And at Rutgers is a bye. At Northwestern is in front of 2,000 Wildcat fans & 20,000 Nebraska fans.
The mentality & state of this program is G5 level.
Thanks golden domer... not sure if you’ve seen the last 5 years of husker football.
Is it any surprise that we might be a bit gun shy?
I agree with most of what you said. This is probably one of the most important years in decades. Especially when it comes to being able to recruit at a top level. Year 1 and 2 recruits and even the county remembered what Frost did at UCF. Frost was able to sell the come help rebuild a power house to recruits. After 2 losing season, I don't think he can keep selling that if Neb struggles again year 3. I think we are starting to see that mistrust on the recruiting trail.
I don't think we must get to 9 as much as we need to look competitive against teams like Ohio St, Penn St. Possibly take one out. We need to beat a ranked opponent for the first time in what 5years? We need to not get butt whooped by teams like MN. We need to step on the throat of teams and not let them crawl back in it at the end of the game. We need better in game decisions from players as well as coaches.
I think 7 and a nice bowl win is the absolute min in order to attempt to save recruiting and keep confidence up as to what Frost is doing, will work. Ideally we can get 9 and a bowl win. If we can get to 10 total wins I guarantee we are going to see things explode as far as recruiting and the program. Nebraska still holds some name recognition. Recruits just want some proof we have a pulse again.
Ive actually been to as many NU games as ND games over that time. In-laws are from West O & huge donors. One was on the early 70’s title teams. They are disgusted by what has happened. I watch as a neutral party & listen to them like a fly on the wall.
Hope you were in South Bend in 2000 and enjoyed all the Red with the cherry on top with the “W”.