First Impressions

[The_Glove_Man_rivals300278]

I don't like saying it, but I have spent the last 10 years excusing bad game 1 performances, either assuming that the opponent is better than expected or there would be a big jump between weeks 1 and 2, whatever made it OK.

I've come to the conclusion that games like last Saturday are a decent barometer for the year. How you play against inferior teams is telling. Based on that I've tempered my expectations a lot. I now figure we will get 7 regular season wins and a lower-tier bowl.

 

[Husker.Wed._rivals]

Lowered my expectations as well.

 

[NorthwoodHusker]

Last year,we looked good against the Bluffs, then AM got hurt, we looked bad, defense wasn't gelling, and so it went, even after AM returned.
Then came the purdue game, we played good enough to win that game, but we were sloppy, turnovers and way too many penalties.
After that, we almost beat NW.
This year, our defense is gelling,better than the end of last year.
Our offense will just explode at some point, and I suspect it'll be against the Bluffs.
Even when we were bad last year, we scored, we moved the ball.
I can't see us repeating last Saturday

 

[HUSKERFAN66]

Cliche but the biggest improvement comes between week 1 and week 2. Hope so. I said after watching the cu/CSU game that sCUm has enough weapons on O but their defense is suspect. If we straighten out our o woes I will still take NU for the win

 

[CC_Lemming]

A football season is too long with too many variables to get caught up on one game. In 2007 we came out with a dominating performance against a Kapernick led Nevada team. We all know how it ended.

 

[Hoosker Du]

I don't like saying it, but I have spent the last 10 years excusing bad game 1 performances, either assuming that the opponent is better than expected or there would be a big jump between weeks 1 and 2, whatever made it OK.

I've come to the conclusion that games like last Saturday are a decent barometer for the year. How you play against inferior teams is telling. Based on that I've tempered my expectations a lot. I now figure we will get 7 regular season wins and a lower-tier bowl.

Based on one game?? Jeesh. By this, you are saying that our coaching staff will put up with having poor snaps from the center all year. And that our interior OLine will continually struggle all year. Ain't gonna happen.

 

[RedSea_rivals91325]

Was expecting more, from the O and the run game especially, but we got the first win in the books. I'm not lowering W-L expectations yet, we'll see what happens in the next one.

 

[EATAFAT1]

I think we should all jump off a cliff because you think we should lower our expectations.

 

[F5Tornado]

I don't like saying it, but I have spent the last 10 years excusing bad game 1 performances, either assuming that the opponent is better than expected or there would be a big jump between weeks 1 and 2, whatever made it OK.

I've come to the conclusion that games like last Saturday are a decent barometer for the year. How you play against inferior teams is telling. Based on that I've tempered my expectations a lot. I now figure we will get 7 regular season wins and a lower-tier bowl.

I'll use Frost's former team as a comparison. They played a team very similar to USA and yet had no trouble at all, destroying them for their first game with their second year HC, yet Nebraska, a huge favorite to crush USA, had serious trouble with them, AT HOME. The mistakes made against USA are something to worry about and are not magically going to go away, just like last year.

At the same time, there were good things that happened as well, just a lot of work to be done the next few games before the conference slate fires up.

 

[TheNewNU_rivals50820]

I don't like saying it, but I have spent the last 10 years excusing bad game 1 performances, either assuming that the opponent is better than expected or there would be a big jump between weeks 1 and 2, whatever made it OK.

I've come to the conclusion that games like last Saturday are a decent barometer for the year. How you play against inferior teams is telling. Based on that I've tempered my expectations a lot. I now figure we will get 7 regular season wins and a lower-tier bowl.

Yes the over/under at 8.5 was very high and most people I know took the over. The hype machine was crazy this year and weirdly enough it was primarily from the national media, not our local homers. On my initial watch I was thinking we are headed for another 4-8 campaign, but after giving things a much closer look I think we can pull off 6 to 8 wins and play in the pinstripe bowl or a similar level game. Just where we are at right now unfortunately.

 

[LikeNebraska]

I think we should all jump off a cliff because you think we should lower our expectations.

2 wrongs don't make a right youngin' - but.....2 beers DO make you a good friend indeed.

 

[Charlie Marlow_rivals363743]

I think we will be fine.
The coaching staff will get the OL figured out
And AMart will get his new tools figured out.
I think we are better than 6-8 wins.

 

[z28craz]

My expectations remain unchanged. I thought special teams were improved. Defense was improved. Got 5 turnovers. Last year we lost to Troy, the year before we lost to N. Illinois. This time last year we would have lost that game, but we got a win. I’ve seen enough of AM to know that Saturday was the exception not the rule. Robinson is legit. Our TEs are going to be strong point. JD is JD. And I believe Washington will stay on the team and will have a big season. I fully believe our offense will be just fine. I expect this this time next week our tone will be much different. 9-3. Still stand by it.

 

[z28craz]

Just remember. Back in 1994 on our way to a national title we only beat Wyoming 42-32. It was the highest point total we gave up that season. Every year there is going to be at least one or two let down games. It happens even to the best teams in the nation. Good teams still find a way to win even during a let down. Saturday was a let down. I don’t expect two let downs in a row.

 

[Kato]

I don't like saying it, but I have spent the last 10 years excusing bad game 1 performances, either assuming that the opponent is better than expected or there would be a big jump between weeks 1 and 2, whatever made it OK.

I've come to the conclusion that games like last Saturday are a decent barometer for the year. How you play against inferior teams is telling. Based on that I've tempered my expectations a lot. I now figure we will get 7 regular season wins and a lower-tier bowl.

Maryland looks to be in the playoffs then.RollingLaugh

 

[dand84]

My expectations are unchanged as well, a bit over 6 wins and a lower tier bowl game. I just think we win some of the close games we lost last year.

 

[Cornicator]

I'll use Frost's former team as a comparison. They played a team very similar to USA and yet had no trouble at all, destroying them for their first game with their second year HC, yet Nebraska, a huge favorite to crush USA, had serious trouble with them, AT HOME. The mistakes made against USA are something to worry about and are not magically going to go away, just like last year.

At the same time, there were good things that happened as well, just a lot of work to be done the next few games before the conference slate fires up.

I won't discount your point about mistakes. But Frost also drew a FIU team in game one with Butch Davis. Hell, the following week FIU nearly lost to Alcorn State.

South Alabama was more prepared and had clearly been focusing on their Nebraska game plan for months.

 

[WoodRiverJennings]

I think we should all jump off a cliff because you think we should lower our expectations.

You're not lowering your expectations?

 

[F5Tornado]

I won't discount your point about mistakes. But Frost also drew a FIU team in game one with Butch Davis. Hell, the following week FIU nearly lost to Alcorn State.

South Alabama was more prepared and had clearly been focusing on their Nebraska game plan for months.

I hope they can clean up some of the miscues for Saturday, that was something that carried on for some time last year, they cannot afford the same mistakes against cu as they did USA.

 

[jeans15]

My expectations were always a bowl game.

We need those extra practices and game.

 

[Headcard]

I have actually found the opposite of the OP. Every year we see people fly off the handle and make assumptions on a team based off very early results and usually it is an over reaction. Teams come out sluggish and are labeled done (like PSU the year they won the B1G or Northwestern last year) and end up being pretty good. Nebraska almost lost to South Dakota State and to McNeese State at home and went on to win 9 games each of those seasons. Also teams come out hot and we assume they will just roll and their seasons fall apart, remember when we rolled Nevada and gave Callahan a contract extension at the start of his last season? Teams change alot over the course of a season. Teams gain confidence and become much better, like happened during Iowa's "12-0" season and they lose confidence and fall apart, like happened during Riley's final season. Nebraska's opener was concerning, but it's a long season and the team will continue to evolve and change, for better or worse.

 

[timnsun]

I have actually found the opposite of the OP. Every year we see people fly off the handle and make assumptions on a team based off very early results and usually it is an over reaction. Teams come out sluggish and are labeled done (like PSU the year they won the B1G or Northwestern last year) and end up being pretty good. Nebraska almost lost to South Dakota State and to McNeese State at home and went on to win 9 games each of those seasons. Also teams come out hot and we assume they will just roll and their seasons fall apart, remember when we rolled Nevada and gave Callahan a contract extension at the start of his last season? Teams change alot over the course of a season. Teams gain confidence and become much better, like happened during Iowa's "12-0" season and they lose confidence and fall apart, like happened during Riley's final season. Nebraska's opener was concerning, but it's a long season and the team will continue to evolve and change, for better or worse.

Replay like this take. Lots of good examples of teams who can’t be defined by their first game. Let the season play past the first game and see what we got.

Edit: Replay? Wow, spell check... supposed to be really.

 

[LikeNebraska]

I have actually found the opposite of the OP. Every year we see people fly off the handle and make assumptions on a team based off very early results and usually it is an over reaction. Teams come out sluggish and are labeled done (like PSU the year they won the B1G or Northwestern last year) and end up being pretty good. Nebraska almost lost to South Dakota State and to McNeese State at home and went on to win 9 games each of those seasons. Also teams come out hot and we assume they will just roll and their seasons fall apart, remember when we rolled Nevada and gave Callahan a contract extension at the start of his last season? Teams change alot over the course of a season. Teams gain confidence and become much better, like happened during Iowa's "12-0" season and they lose confidence and fall apart, like happened during Riley's final season. Nebraska's opener was concerning, but it's a long season and the team will continue to evolve and change, for better or worse.

Definitely a part of life's lessons a person can take away from playing football.

"If you don't like your situation, change it"

 

[WoodRiverJennings]

Replay like this take. Lots of good examples of teams who can’t be defined by their first game. Let the season play past the first game and see what we got.

Our first game seemed to define us last year when we struggled to 4-8 (again). We got the W this year and the defense showed signs of improvement so there's a little more hope, but this team still played poorly overall in the opener.

 

[timnsun]

Our first game seemed to define us last year when we struggled to 4-8 (again). We got the W this year and the defense showed signs of improvement so there's a little more hope, but this team still played poorly overall in the opener.

You may not like this, but I firmly believe last season was still filled with guys on the team who weren’t totally bought in. This year’s team is much further along in terms of being unified in the goals they have and their responsibilities to the team.

They played poorly offensively, no doubt. But I’m not ready to say that’s what we can expect out of our offense moving forward.

 

[WoodRiverJennings]

You may not like this, but I firmly believe last season was still filled with guys on the team who weren’t totally bought in. This year’s team is much further along in terms of being unified in the goals they have and their responsibilities to the team.

They played poorly offensively, no doubt. But I’m not ready to say that’s what we can expect out of our offense moving forward.

Not sure why I wouldn't like that. It was pretty apparent that a bunch of players hadn't bought in last year.

I think people are underestimating how important Stan, Farmer, and DJ were to this offense last year. We've downgraded massively at those three spots.

 

[nu2u]

I think we will be fine.
The coaching staff will get the OL figured out

What does that mean exactly? When it comes to the OL you either have the horses or you don't. If you are starting a converted TE rFr at Center, the only thing left to figure out is how to limit the damage.

 

[Charlie Marlow_rivals363743]

And yet our OL improved greatly from start to finish last season with the same horses.

 

[nu2u]

And yet our OL improved greatly from start to finish last season with the same horses.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the Huskers have two new horses starting this year. The snapper is generally considered the lead horse, so to speak, for any OL and Jurgens is a pony at this point. Who knows, maybe he'll get there but I expect a fairly bumpy ride this year.

 

[timnsun]

Not sure why I wouldn't like that. It was pretty apparent that a bunch of players hadn't bought in last year.

I think people are underestimating how important Stan, Farmer, and DJ were to this offense last year. We've downgraded massively at those three spots.

I guess I thought you would view it as an excuse. Acknowledging that, I think comparing last year’s team to this year’s team is comparing apples to oranges.

I agree that those seniors will be missed, and we may struggle to get the victories this year, but I want to see what happens this Saturday first.

 

[dinglefritz]

And yet our OL improved greatly from start to finish last season with the same horses.

I think it was Brendan Stai who said that the O lines he played in all the way through the NFL never really gelled and played really well until they were 5-6 games in to the season. It takes time especially with the lack of experience our center and rt guard have.

 

[cornhustler]

I think we should all jump off a cliff because you think we should lower our expectations.

 

[RedSea_rivals91325]

I think it was Brendan Stai who said that the O lines he played in all the way through the NFL never really gelled and played really well until they were 5-6 games in to the season. It takes time especially with the lack of experience our center and rt guard have.

Well, maybe so, but some teams win all of their first 4-5 games before they gel, and some don't. Must be some difference.

 

[dinglefritz]

Well, maybe so, but some teams win all of their first 4-5 games before they gel, and some don't. Must be some difference.

The point is that they are very likely to improve.

 

[HuskerBruce81]

A football season is too long with too many variables to get caught up on one game. In 2007 we came out with a dominating performance against a Kapernick led Nevada team. We all know how it ended.

Kaepernick had 3 passes that game. He was a freshman and had yet to unseat Nick Graziano.

 

[cdriftt24]

Aren’t we starting 3 new OL? We had to replaced both guards and the center correct? Line play wasn’t great but I think over time it will improve. I hope we see some big improvements this week or we may be leaving boulder with an L.

 

[Ewooc]

I don't like saying it, but I have spent the last 10 years excusing bad game 1 performances, either assuming that the opponent is better than expected or there would be a big jump between weeks 1 and 2, whatever made it OK.

I've come to the conclusion that games like last Saturday are a decent barometer for the year. How you play against inferior teams is telling. Based on that I've tempered my expectations a lot. I now figure we will get 7 regular season wins and a lower-tier bowl.

Not sure if that is 100% correct. There were many top 25 teams that didn't look great against bad opponents last week. I think some is just week 1 jitters and some is probably reality that we aren't as good as advertised. I agree I have also dropped my win prediction from 9 or 10 to 7 or 8. Maybe we need another year of S&C, maybe we need another year or 2 to develop these younger guys. I still stand by my statement of, if this team get anything less than 7 wins we have major problems going on still that can't all be blamed on MR.
I still believe Frost can get this turned around. I just am realizing it isn't going to be as quick as I want it.