Locked due to no posts in 60 days. Report 1st post if need unlocked 2014 Cornhusker Football Team

[HuskerRedDread]

We have weakness at several positions/area's: OL, DL, QB, CB, and all special teams. We are good at: RB and WR. We are average at best at: LB, TE/FB, S. Fortunately, we have a weak non-conference schedule, a weak BIG schedule, and Randy Gregory. Perhaps, we will get lucky with another JUCO or two as well. All in all, it looks like more of the same...but maybe this is the year?

Yea, this team is terrible......it's a good thing Bo carries a lucky rabbit's foot in the pocket of his hoodie. Otherwise we would have no success what so ever.....

 

[HuskerRedDread]

I really like the parts we have on defense, they have a chance to be very good! I hope that all the young guys learned from their experience playing for all the injured guys on the offense. I think 2014 has the potential to be a good team. It kind of reminds me of 2009, when our defense was the strength and the offense was a work in progress. The best thing we have going is that we go Ameer back to help the young guys along.

The defense was the strength this year while the offense was on crutches most of the season. Next season I thing we will be looking at a more balance team like 2010 with playmakers on both sides of the ball.

 

[HuskerRedDread]

I agree with this. I think Alexander at S has proved to be one of our better tacklers on the team. I expect good things from him.

THIS. And Alexander didn't fully understand his duties for most of the season. He was just a sure tackler whom made plays when he could. Next year, I expect a step forward from him and we may be looking at a decent athlete coming from the secondary to provide assistance with run support.

 

[HuskerRedDread]

I think the DL needs lots of work. VV was not a force and needs at least another full year before he becomes a strong player. Clinkscales will need to produce fast. It appears we have lost Moss, who was performing at least reasonably well by year end. Maurice and Collins are a long way from being big time players at this point one to two years away. Gregory is outstanding, but needs to gain weight to become a real force on both rushing and passing downs. We will likely be better at Ankrah's position, no matter who wins it...but it is unlikely to be a strong point given the lack of experience.

OL is weak because of a general lack of experience. We have lost our three best OL's and the remaining players any clearly neither experienced nor a highly talented talented group. Our best hope is that they are hard workers...that can make up for a lot in the trenches. There is no depth at all, so any injuries will be far more devastating next year than they were this year when we did have a bit of depth.

I think we are pedestrian average at LB, with Rose the lone bright spot. Perhaps Bando can get things figured out with a year under his belt, but that's a big if...others have not impressed at all so far. Speedy? Yes...but they need top be coached up. Safeties? I think the play there was very average all year...certainly no stars, but not a glaring weakness either.

No mention of special teams? Without significant improvement all around...this could be the reason we miss out on the CCG next year. Bell is the lone bright spot, but he can't do it alone. Our punter needs to reduce the shanks by leaps and bounds...in crucial situations he reminds me of me standing over a $100 5-foot putt...yips galore.

PS--At RB, though we look "stocked," an injury to AA would hurt badly because Bo will feel obligated to give Cross and Newby the first shot at it...before we settle on the next star RB in the stable. Similarly at WR, an injury to Bell would be crippling, the others are really unproven except for Burch who is overacheiving. QB...who knows what will happen there? TA is OK but hasn't flashed anything close to star quality...maybe JS is the real deal...but maybe not.

-VV may not have had the #'s which I wouldn't expect him to have as a freshman. But he consistently demanded double and triple teams. A good reason why other players were able to make plays in the back field.

-Lack of experience was taken away last season when so many inexperience guys were called upon. We lose 4 OL's but we played enough guys and have a spring camp to get the big boys ready. For a " weak line ", I guess gaining 2900 yards on the season and being 23 in the country isn't bad. No it's not what NU is use to by far, but again, we had a weak line right.......

-LB....Rose the "lone" bright spot....I guess Z.Anderson is nothing to smile about with 52 tackles. N.Gerry with 32 only starting for 3 games this season. Bando had 28 with 4 starts. D.Santos led the group with 87 tackles. Let's not forget Trevor Roach, Courtney Love, and Marcus Newby joins this bunch next season. We haven't had this much athleticism at the position in quite some time. And they are all underclassmen which the exception of Roach as a Sr. & Santos will be a Jr. Pedestrian? Yea, whatever.........

-No argument on ST. We really need to take a huge leap forward in this area. ST has been the big difference in a lot of big games this season, especially in the bowl games. We can't expect to excel and 1/3 of the game is scraping the bottom of the barrel in rankings.

 

[HuskerRedDread]

Trust me, I watched the games so I'm well aware of Westerkamp's limitations. I'm saying under normal circumstances that a wide receiver with the best hands on the team should be a viable punt return option. Bo must have thought he fit that profile, so that's why I brought up the possibility of scheme since we all know Bo is never wrong with his talent evaluations. Guess he's wrong on both accounts with this one.

I don't think Bo put him back there for his play making ability. I think Bo wanted him there for his sure handed ways. Similar to when he put Marlowe back there instead of a healthy Abdullah or Turner or Bell. Westy had his issues a couple times, but he did what was asked of him for the most part. I don't think anyone on staff expected him to be a better returner than Newby/Turner/Abdullah/Moore, whom are the guys he was competing for the job with. We wanted to get the ball and leave our faith in the offenses hands. It was safe mode. Similar to the adjustment Bo did with the offense in 09.

 

[HuskerRedDread]

Most are conveniently forgetting that our best PR was banged up during the season and couldn't take add'l beatings if we wanted him at WR, thus JW and the "safe" return.

I'm not in that "Most" category..........Yey............:lol:

 

[SoCalRed]

G, the next time you offer an "analysis" of the football team that isn't tinged with negatives in every aspect will be the first time you've ever given an honest evaluation.

I swear to god, you are so consistently negative I do find myself wondering of which team you actually are a fan.

 

[SoCalRed]

Pops, the TEs will become a factor again when we have some that aren't injured or who have more than three weeks learning the offense.

 

[HuskerRedDread]

G, the next time you offer an "analysis" of the football team that isn't tinged with negatives in every aspect will be the first time you've ever given an honest evaluation.

I swear to god, you are so consistently negative I do find myself wondering of which team you actually are a fan.

How about just contributing to the discussion on the board rather than whining about someone being negative all the time. He's not the first, only, or last. You attacking him about his opinions/views will do nothing but lock up another decent thread.

State your opinions/views or what you disagree about and move on.......or just move on. Geez.

 

[Red October]

G, I agree with nothing you have said in this thread.

BigD, Westerkamp has sure hands but no shake. We need a PR specialist, IMO, who can also catch passes.

How many years has Sproles been doing it? He did it at KSU and carried the ball as the feature back and he still shags punts and does it at N O. Whats wrong with AA doing it too?

 

[Big "D"zasker]

I don't think Bo put him back there for his play making ability. I think Bo wanted him there for his sure handed ways. Similar to when he put Marlowe back there instead of a healthy Abdullah or Turner or Bell. Westy had his issues a couple times, but he did what was asked of him for the most part. I don't think anyone on staff expected him to be a better returner than Newby/Turner/Abdullah/Moore, whom are the guys he was competing for the job with. We wanted to get the ball and leave our faith in the offenses hands. It was safe mode. Similar to the adjustment Bo did with the offense in 09.

Agree. I'm just a big believer that greatness is rarely achieved in "safe mode."

 

[ColoREDo]

I don't think Bo put him back there for his play making ability. I think Bo wanted him there for his sure handed ways. Similar to when he put Marlowe back there instead of a healthy Abdullah or Turner or Bell. Westy had his issues a couple times, but he did what was asked of him for the most part. I don't think anyone on staff expected him to be a better returner than Newby/Turner/Abdullah/Moore, whom are the guys he was competing for the job with. We wanted to get the ball and leave our faith in the offenses hands. It was safe mode. Similar to the adjustment Bo did with the offense in 09.

He sure did drop a lot of punts for a sure-handed guy.