Reality Check

Antwill

All-Conference
Dec 18, 2004
4,450
1,085
113
Most people (me included) were way too optimistic going into this season. The reality is that recruiting has been average or worse for a long time. More importantly, we have not developed players physically or mentally in this program for 20+ years. That has to happen if a program is going to be competitive. In hindsight, what did we expect?

This isn't just a strip down to the studs rebuild, it's a tear it down to the ground, dig it up, and pour a new foundation rebuild.

Frost is still the right guy and he will get this turned around.
 
Jul 9, 2009
2,168
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0
Well, it's not like the media and even the coaching staff didn't feed us everything we wanted to hear about how much better we looked and how much further along we were from last year...But, I need to learn to temper my preseason enthusiasm and ignore all the hype because seldom does reality ever pan out to match that level of expectation.
 

otismotis08

All-Conference
Jan 5, 2012
12,616
2,743
113
Reality is that we are years away from being a good football team. Just like any other team that isn't currently good. They can all say "we're a few years away".
We're nothing right now. Just another team that suits up on Saturdays to play a game. Meh.
 

dinglefritz

Heisman
Jan 14, 2011
51,663
13,103
78
Reality is that we are years away from being a good football team. Just like any other team that isn't currently good. They can all say "we're a few years away".
We're nothing right now. Just another team that suits up on Saturdays to play a game. Meh.
2 years IMO. When these current freshman, Frost's first unhurried class, get to be juniors I think we'll see some growth. I think there's going to be a lot of redshirt freshmen playing next year.
 

bshirt73

Senior
Aug 31, 2014
2,853
806
0
Well, it's not like the media and even the coaching staff didn't feed us everything we wanted to hear about how much better we looked and how much further along we were from last year...But, I need to learn to temper my preseason enthusiasm and ignore all the hype because seldom does reality ever pan out to match that level of expectation.

Haha.....me too. It's soooooo hard to be objective about the BigRedMachine. Damn near impossible....
 

bshirt73

Senior
Aug 31, 2014
2,853
806
0
2 years IMO. When these current freshman, Frost's first unhurried class, get to be juniors I think we'll see some growth. I think there's going to be a lot of redshirt freshmen playing next year.

Whatever it takes compadre'.......whatever it takes. Nobody will be a happier camper than me when we finally get some big, mean, brutal, ugly linemen.
 

Harry Caray

All-American
Feb 28, 2002
71,006
7,235
113
Well, it's not like the media and even the coaching staff didn't feed us everything we wanted to hear about how much better we looked and how much further along we were from last year...But, I need to learn to temper my preseason enthusiasm and ignore all the hype because seldom does reality ever pan out to match that level of expectation.

This summer, Frost compared Martinez to Mahomes and Jurgens to Rimington. He has no one to blame but himself for the inflated expectations.
 

dand84

All-Conference
Oct 28, 2017
3,429
1,844
0
This summer, Frost compared Martinez to Mahomes and Jurgens to Rimington. He has no one to blame but himself for the inflated expectations.
Frost speaks in too many absolutes about practices, players, any other field-related things. We either need to learn to take it with a grain of salt, or he needs to start being a bit more circumspect about what is starting to look like a 3rd straight 4-8 season.
 

Headcard

Heisman
Feb 2, 2005
192,509
20,878
113
Frost speaks in too many absolutes about practices, players, any other field-related things. We either need to learn to take it with a grain of salt, or he needs to start being a bit more circumspect about what is starting to look like a 3rd straight 4-8 season.
You think we are going to lose all 5 of our remaining games?
 

dinglefritz

Heisman
Jan 14, 2011
51,663
13,103
78
This summer, Frost compared Martinez to Mahomes and Jurgens to Rimington. He has no one to blame but himself for the inflated expectations.
That is true but Martinez's play last year certainly contributed. Heck some of what Washington did and Wandale's recruitment added to it too. What people IGNORED though was what we lost on the O line last year. We also brushed off the linebacker situation. I expected improvement in year two. Wrong. Losing Gifford hurt especially and our linebackers are having the same issues they had last year in run fills (fits for you kids).
 

dinglefritz

Heisman
Jan 14, 2011
51,663
13,103
78
Develepment is what really needs to improve. More talent will mean jack squat if that talent doesn’t even know how to get lined up, run a right route, tackle, or block properly.
We need both and we need to be able to have guys who have been in a consistent system with a consistent coaching staff for a period of time. Pelini won 8-9 games right away BUT he got blown out just like this team got blown out even in his best years. We HAVE to QUIT the instant "fire the assistants" crap when things don't go well. It helps undermine the coaching staff for players to read that sh## on social media.and message boards. Swallow it and let the people in charge worry IF staff changes are needed after the season. The instant gratification society that we live in today makes this rebuild tougher than it would otherwise be.
 

Ewooc

All-Conference
Nov 29, 2010
6,114
3,053
0
Recruiting needs to improve.
If we want to win Conf championships and NC yes it does. If we want to not get kill by teams like MN, we are more than fine. What happened on Sat was not a lack of talent issue. It was a lack of motivation, heart, and drive.
 

dand84

All-Conference
Oct 28, 2017
3,429
1,844
0
You think we are going to lose all 5 of our remaining games?
If we continue to backslide, regress and not fix the obvious mistakes being made out there, I take it as a given. We have lost our starting QB, we do not know the status of either Mo or WR. Many of the rest of our skill players are playing hurt. We have scored 3 TDs in the last 3 games and show a lack of ability to sustain any drives.

There are no sure wins left and the only home games we have are Wisc, Iowa, and Indiana. What makes you think we win any of those? I'll grant Indiana is possible, but the are also 4-2 with losses to OSU and MSU. They also score a lot of points and have 3 games where they gave up a total of 3 points. It isn't a gimmie.

We have 2 road games left: Purdue and Maryland. Both are streaky getting blown out or putting up big points. Sound familiar? Neither are a given.

I think it is likely we win 1 more, probably Purdue. If we catch breaks, show up to play, don't make too many mistakes, injuries aren't bad, we might win Indiana or Maryland or both.
 
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King Kong

Senior
May 15, 2018
1,421
901
113
We need both and we need to be able to have guys who have been in a consistent system with a consistent coaching staff for a period of time. Pelini won 8-9 games right away BUT he got blown out just like this team got blown out even in his best years. We HAVE to QUIT the instant "fire the assistants" crap when things don't go well. It helps undermine the coaching staff for players to read that sh## on social media.and message boards. Swallow it and let the people in charge worry IF staff changes are needed after the season. The instant gratification society that we live in today makes this rebuild tougher than it would otherwise be.
This is what worries me about recruiting, it's been good under Frost, not playoff good but certainly an improvement. If we don't show improvement this year, and with a tougher schedule next year, we won't get the kids we want. V
Chicken and egg.
 

Sporty

Senior
Jul 4, 2007
2,622
638
113
Gifford is the perfect example of what many of us have been trying to convey. No way anyone can tell me Gifford was so talented that replacing him would be impossible. What he did do was constantly provide effort and leadership. Somehow the COACHING staff has to get that type of effort from all 11 guys on both sides of the ball. If and only if we start seeing that type of effort will this team actually improve. I am tired of the excuse this team is lacking in talent. This team is lacking in effort and despite what anyone says that starts with leadership. The leader is SCOTT FROST. It is up to him to make that happen and delegate that power to those he sees fit. That, husker fans is NOT happening. This team is not talented enough that players can take plays off. That does mean that EFFORT has to be there every play. You put EFFORT and TALENT together and you get champions. But effort alone will get you victories! That is what the staff has to instill in this team and it is NOT happening! That falls at the feet of SCOTT FROST!!!
 

Sporty

Senior
Jul 4, 2007
2,622
638
113
 

TheBeav815

All-American
Feb 19, 2007
18,955
5,101
0
We need both and we need to be able to have guys who have been in a consistent system with a consistent coaching staff for a period of time. Pelini won 8-9 games right away BUT he got blown out just like this team got blown out even in his best years. We HAVE to QUIT the instant "fire the assistants" crap when things don't go well. It helps undermine the coaching staff for players to read that sh## on social media.and message boards. Swallow it and let the people in charge worry IF staff changes are needed after the season. The instant gratification society that we live in today makes this rebuild tougher than it would otherwise be.
Copy this into a word doc, it's going to need a lot of CTRL + V over the next couple weeks.
 

TheBeav815

All-American
Feb 19, 2007
18,955
5,101
0
If this BS was true then right now at 37 standing 6'0" and 180 lbs with probably 15 of that being bad weight I should be able to show up to the Bears facility and go get me a roster spot because I just effing want it more than some of those guys do.

But in the real world that's garbage. You can do better than you did before by working harder, but I'll still have the kind of frame that Roquan Smith would put me in the hospital the first time I got chucked on a shallow crossing route and all the inspirational posters in the world ain't gonna change that.

It requires very similar physical and mental gifts before effort can become a the difference maker. A moron going 110% the wrong direction is how you score a TD on a counter play.
 

bshirt73

Senior
Aug 31, 2014
2,853
806
0
We need both and we need to be able to have guys who have been in a consistent system with a consistent coaching staff for a period of time. Pelini won 8-9 games right away BUT he got blown out just like this team got blown out even in his best years. We HAVE to QUIT the instant "fire the assistants" crap when things don't go well. It helps undermine the coaching staff for players to read that sh## on social media.and message boards. Swallow it and let the people in charge worry IF staff changes are needed after the season. The instant gratification society that we live in today makes this rebuild tougher than it would otherwise be.

Dinglefritz, are you being serious sir?

Bo won 9 or 10 games every year for his seven years of being NU's HC. He never once had only 8 wins. Sure, he wasn't a Devaney or TO but he sure as heck wasn't the losing machine HCs we had immediately before him and after him.

And if you want to talk about blow-out losses......Oh Gawd.....oh, never mind.....just blame everything on Bo...who cares about results? :confused:
 

Kato

Senior
Dec 23, 2006
2,148
594
113
I've always considered this year to be the wait and see year. No true expectation, just get better. Guess next year will be another wait and see.
 

dinglefritz

Heisman
Jan 14, 2011
51,663
13,103
78
Dinglefritz, are you being serious sir?

Bo won 9 or 10 games every year for his seven years of being NU's HC. He never once had only 8 wins. Sure, he wasn't a Devaney or TO but he sure as heck wasn't the losing machine HCs we had immediately before him and after him.

And if you want to talk about blow-out losses......Oh Gawd.....oh, never mind.....just blame everything on Bo...who cares about results? :confused:
:oops:As I posted it I thought to myself now how many games did Bo win his first year? My point was we weren't exactly world beaters then and had some horrible losses BUT we had enough talent and effort to compete usually. I do think there were a couple of Wisconsin losses where his defense just plain quit on him.
 

bshirt73

Senior
Aug 31, 2014
2,853
806
0
:oops:As I posted it I thought to myself now how many games did Bo win his first year? My point was we weren't exactly world beaters then and had some horrible losses BUT we had enough talent and effort to compete usually. I do think there were a couple of Wisconsin losses where his defense just plain quit on him.

Oh, sure there was partner. Bo wasn't a great HC by any means....heh.....but we've seen worse. :)

Please forgive me for being harsh......I just stupidly get excited sometimes. I really do appreciate your keen insights into the BigRedMachine and sharing them. Thank you sir!!
 

dinglefritz

Heisman
Jan 14, 2011
51,663
13,103
78
Oh, sure there was partner. Bo wasn't a great HC by any means....heh.....but we've seen worse. :)

Please forgive me for being harsh......I just stupidly get excited sometimes. I really do appreciate your keen insights into the BigRedMachine and sharing them. Thank you sir!!
One thing that is of potential concern with our situation right now. What happens if/when Moos retires? He's getting up there. I'm relatively certain that Ronnie Green has his head screwed on straight and wouldn't pull something stupid with an AD hire, but man we're hiring somebody to replace Bounds too. The apple cart could really get upset if we hire somebody who wants to put their own stamp on the football program. We HAVE to be patient with Frost and give him time to grow in the position and fix the problems as they occur instead of thinking that just punting and starting over is a better way to go. We NEED Frost to be here for the next several decades.
 

bshirt73

Senior
Aug 31, 2014
2,853
806
0
One thing that is of potential concern with our situation right now. What happens if/when Moos retires? He's getting up there. I'm relatively certain that Ronnie Green has his head screwed on straight and wouldn't pull something stupid with an AD hire, but man we're hiring somebody to replace Bounds too. The apple cart could really get upset if we hire somebody who wants to put their own stamp on the football program. We HAVE to be patient with Frost and give him time to grow in the position and fix the problems as they occur instead of thinking that just punting and starting over is a better way to go. We NEED Frost to be here for the next several decades.

Oh.....I couldn't possibly agree more!

The last thing on the planet NU needs is a Pedeyshine clone. Damn.....scary as scary can get. I'm with ya 100%. Sadly I have zero influence on anybody at NU. But you betcha, we're hanging with SF.....he's our last & best shot.

You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.....