Pretty good Nebraska/Rhule year 3...
- Thread starter Kakdawg
- Start date
It would appear that we’ve added talent at multiple positions. Turnovers will still be key and decide games. Could it be possible that our new DC is better than our old one? Replacing our big guys up front is likely going to determine our success on D.
Can't imagine there is another team in college football more overdue to finally meet or exceed preseason hopes and expectations.
Obviously hoping and praying for the best BUT at this point after many seasons of disappointment I have to actually see it on the field before I'm buying any optimistic pre-season projections.
With this much roster turnover, it’s anyone’s guess how it plays out.
We’ve added a lot of skill talent but I’m still hesitant about our DT and OTs.
Dylan will also need to make a big jump this year. Obviously he is talented but he struggled against man coverage last year and the sophomore slump is common.
I’m hopeful, but can see anywhere from 6-10 wins.
We’ve added a lot of skill talent but I’m still hesitant about our DT and OTs.
Dylan will also need to make a big jump this year. Obviously he is talented but he struggled against man coverage last year and the sophomore slump is common.
I’m hopeful, but can see anywhere from 6-10 wins.
I am not sure on the wording of your post.......but Beating Michigan, Iowa and USC would be great, I am not sure they are the most important. Nebraska could lose all 4 of those games and still be 7-5, including a loss to Penn St. If Nebraska loses to Cincinnati, Maryland, UCLA and Michigan St, then Nebraska is having a losing season. To me that makes them more important.
I hope like he'll our new DC can be better than the old one but I don't think he will be. I think Tony's defenses biggest problem was getting off the field on third and fourth downs. For whatever reason be it too predictable, too much cushion to WRs or whatever else. Teams seem to have our number on third and fourth and long situations.
Maybe Butlers defense will be designed to attack QBs and offenses more on those downs but how does it do on the other two downs.
Remains to be seen but I agree with the guy saying we have probably upgraded big time on offense with Dana but down graded on defense with Butler. If we can just get off the field more efficiently on 3rd downs and add offensively big plus maybe it's a net plus overall when u throw in Eck and special teams.
Hollla
Had they cleaned up the poor tackling vs BC, I'd say Butler would have graded an A for the bowl game. The dude has a lot of coaching experience and has a lot of incentive to have a successful rookie outing as DC. He has Phil Snow as an advisor and coach of the younger DBs, and the DB coach who came from UCF has coordinator experience. Watson-Trent and McCullough have been productive defenders elsewhere. It should be more difficult to throw on the current DB lineup and that should help the pass rush.
As noted in the article, Butler has one year (1) as a DC at PSU and it was not great. One game against a BC team that was missing players and yet we still almost gave the win away, does not tell me much. Yes, Phil Snow can be a big help if he listens to him.
What I saw with our previous D was we tried to protect the middle of field with our zone coverages. That left us open to anything to the outside in those situations. The only way to change that is go more man to man. Pressure certainly helps, thats a no duh but then you have to ask where it's going to come from on this D? Blitzing is the first answer but there is a high price to pay if you don't get there.
We will see, I think lots of unknowns and Butler is under the gun and will need to show he belongs as the DC. Just my opinion.
From the little we saw of Butler coordinating the defense he was much more willing to send the blitz, hopefully that alone will result in more 3rd down stops. I understand TW had a lack of trust in the secondary, but he seemed too content with the bend but don’t break approach.
Butler's experience
Has coached DBs and LBs, plus special teams.
Defensive passing coordinator at Buffalo (NFL) and NU (D1)
DC at Catholic (D3), Midwestern State (D2), PSU and NU (D1)
Has been coaching at the college or pro level since 1995. I'd say that is a lot of coaching experience.
I have absolutely no reservations about Butler coordinating NU's defense. I don't think there are a lot of unknowns. There are 8 guys on D who have started games at the P4 level and about 20 who have been on the 2-deep of a P4 team. Butler has an experienced staff and a defensive guru in Snow who will provide critical input.
Not being able to get off the field on 3rd and 4th down was a huge problem. It’s why I think there is the potential for Butler to be better. The obvious problem for him is losing Ty and Nash.
Single-handedly lost us games like Illinois.
Improved 3rd down defense would skyrocket this team
I sure hope not. I can’t say either way at this point cause we’re gonna have new guys back there I haven’t seen play. (And a new DC) Many have speculated that we may see a drop off on the DL losing Robinson and Hutmacher. If we are weak on both the backend and the front 4, we’re just gonna be a bad defense overall. Can’t suck at stopping the run and rushing the passer, and also suck at covering and tackling on the backend.
Would like to see a couple few new faces step up and take some minutes from those guys. Just don’t know about that yet, until we get some reports from fall camp and see them play.
I think it’s pretty clear that our LB and secondary will be improved from the last 2 seasons. The question is up front. What will it look like?
The wildcards to me on defense are Keona and Nwaneri. If those guys hit and have a breakout you could see this defense become elite nationally and one of the very best in the conference.
I think RVP is part of that wild card as well. If he can step up along with Davis.
3/5 of our secondary are returning underperformers
How can people type this stuff with a straight face? All due respect
The corners will be much better. Our top 3 is very solid. Ceyair is an NFL corner, Marshall clearly is talented and I think Amare could even become better than the former 2. I agree the safeties have something to prove after last season, but I believe we will be much better with just replacing Gifford.
Wright is one year removed from quitting football to act
Does he love it? Is he dedicating himself to doing what it takes to be great?
Suppose we will find out
Who cares? Act, shoot commercials, he'll film a movie in the summer. Show up be a big time player making big time plays and it doesn't matter. Too much is put into his acting.
It sounded to me like he was frustrated with his coaches more than just “quitting” football. IF he continues on his current trajectory he’s going to make millions in football and set himself up to raise his profile for that acting career while doing it.
Well, none of us can look into the kids heart and see if he’s truly 100% committed to football. But from his interviews last season (and his play on the field) he said that is the very reason he picked Nebraska when he transferred. He said he wanted to focus 100% on football and said he didn’t want any distractions from football.
So he’s said the right things, seemed very authentic and honest in doing so, and he’s been our best DB on the field. As of now, he’s never given you or anyone a reason to doubt him other than our own cynicism.
Everything about our football program is a reason to doubt positive outcomes
Whenever people think a guy is a sure thing, he’s anything but
Add to that most people here wouldn’t know an NFL player if they kicked them in the shorts and I think we have proper expectations that he’s at best a 3rd team all-conference player and not some future first rounder
Hey, maybe I’m wrong and he becomes the lockdown guy we desperately need
Well yes, there’s that. Hard to really trust anything involved with our football program. But they have to figure it out at some point. Hopefully this year…
Yeah. there is a resaon he has been a DC for one year out of whatever. Red Flag. I guess we will see what happens. I think I already know the outcome. Hopefully he will prove me wrong. The talent level is very low and has been for 13-14 years. Not holding my breath, and the offense may have to carry them. Probably not going to happen, unless Dana proves to be the stud that everyone makes him out to be.