Athlon - Will Nebraska Make a Bowl Game in Scott Frost's First Season?

[alabamahusker]

Oh, yes, NU will make a bowl in SF's first year.

Bet the farm on it.

Does anyone have a farm I can borrow....
GBR

 

[bilsker]

Regarding the OP, I'm confident that HCSF will get the team to a bowl game.

I also understand and share the tempered expectations for the upcoming season. Lot of things can happen between now and Sept 1st, let alone Black Friday, November. Most immediate and positive impact would be getting Dixon approved to play in the fall.

All that said and after swilling some kool-aide, my best case scenario for the 2018 is an 8 - 4 finish & seeing what Scott Frost did w/ UCF in the Peach Bowls, I like our chances in post season play too.

Here is my 'wishful thinking in late April' after breaking the upcoming season down into three phases:

09/01 Akron W
09/08 Colorado W
09/15 Troy W
Nonconference: 3-0

09/22 @ Michigan L
09/29 Purdue W
10/06 @ Wisconsin L
10/13 @ Northwestern W
Middle: 2 - 2

10/20 Minnesota W
11/03 @ Ohio St. L
11/10 Illinois W
11/17 Michigan St. L
11/23 @ Iowa W
Down the stretch: 3 - 2

GBR!!

I see no reason to call that wisful thinking. There isn't even an upset in that scenario you painted.

 

[bilsker]

Margin for error is razor thin with the schedule. I think we could make a bowl, but this year is more about trying to get on track after years of being well off it across way too many areas in the program . . . and putting the foundation in place to get much better in year two and three. We could lose a fair number of games, but look a ton better doing it. If we only win 5, stumble against one of the toss-ups, but give Wisky, CU, tOSU, Michigan, Michigan St. and Iowa all they could handle in close/competitive losses then I'll consider that absolute progress.

5 wins would be utter failure.

 

[Cisco]

I see no reason to call that wisful thinking. There isn't even an upset in that scenario you painted.

I'm not sure but would think that we might be slight underdogs in the preseason at both Northwestern and Iowa.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I'm not sure but would think that we might be slight underdogs in the preseason at both Northwestern and Iowa.

That would be based off visions of 2017. Sorta like projecting wins in 2008 based off 2007.
New sheriff in town makes a huge difference

 

[Cisco]

That would be based off visions of 2017. Sorta like projecting wins in 2008 based off 2007.
New sheriff in town makes a huge difference

Obviously a new staff changes the dynamics quite a bit. But it's more than just based off of last year's results. It's a combination of several factors. In conjunction with us coming off a 4-8 season, we're in year one of new schemes, will have a freshman at QB, and are ranked in the 90's in returning production. I think it's fair that we'd be considered underdogs in the preseason for both of those games on the road.

 

[EastOfEden]

And, our players are not strong, as was evident watching them not just last year, but also in the Spring game. My son was a weight lifter and personal trainer for some very good athletes, and absent using PEDs, he found that it takes a long time to make someone strong - 6 months just doesn't do it. If they work diligently all summer, our players will be stronger in September than they are now, but to assume that as a team they will be big boy football strong is expecting miracles.

And, who says other teams on our schedule are not also trying to get better.

 

[bilsker]

And, our players are not strong, as was evident watching them not just last year, but also in the Spring game. My son was a weight lifter and personal trainer for some very good athletes, and absent using PEDs, he found that it takes a long time to make someone strong - 6 months just doesn't do it. If they work diligently all summer, our players will be stronger in September than they are now, but to assume that as a team they will be big boy football strong is expecting miracles.

And, who says other teams on our schedule are not also trying to get better.

Yeah...because they started out as tubs of goo. Cheezus H, people.

 

[Huskerthom]

And, our players are not strong, as was evident watching them not just last year, but also in the Spring game. My son was a weight lifter and personal trainer for some very good athletes, and absent using PEDs, he found that it takes a long time to make someone strong - 6 months just doesn't do it. If they work diligently all summer, our players will be stronger in September than they are now, but to assume that as a team they will be big boy football strong is expecting miracles.

And, who says other teams on our schedule are not also trying to get better.

I hate when people make blanket statements like this.
1. Some guys can naturally put on weight and muscle fairly easily. Some it is very difficult.
2. Late teens early 20s is the easiest time in your life to put on muscle. Your body at this age is literally a testosterone factory.
3. They are not starting at zero.
4. If we can get our lines stronger by 10-15% our speed will start to matter. Make no mistake we have speed.

Will we be OSU strong by 9/1 no. Will our strength make us way better than last year . I think yes

 

[solesrfr]

And, our players are not strong, as was evident watching them not just last year, but also in the Spring game. My son was a weight lifter and personal trainer for some very good athletes, and absent using PEDs, he found that it takes a long time to make someone strong - 6 months just doesn't do it. If they work diligently all summer, our players will be stronger in September than they are now, but to assume that as a team they will be big boy football strong is expecting miracles.

And, who says other teams on our schedule are not also trying to get better.

C

 

[Big Red Shrine]

And, our players are not strong, as was evident watching them not just last year, but also in the Spring game. My son was a weight lifter and personal trainer for some very good athletes, and absent using PEDs, he found that it takes a long time to make someone strong - 6 months just doesn't do it. If they work diligently all summer, our players will be stronger in September than they are now, but to assume that as a team they will be big boy football strong is expecting miracles.

And, who says other teams on our schedule are not also trying to get better.

That @Paramus video is just a camp man, he isn't on the team. Sorry Paramus

Seriously, you make it sound like Frost got drunk and let me and some friends on the team. Some certainly have a long way to go, and some will just fall by the wayside, but these are serious athletes who needed someone like Duval to get them turned around. All is well.

 

[CrabHusker]

Yes. Nothing top shelf, but a bowl none the less. More practices, more exposure and more football for us.

Onward and upward.

 

[CrabHusker]

Dont wanna be around here if they dont

Neither will Frost.

I shudder to think.

 

[Huskerthom]

Neither will Frost.

I shudder to think.

Actually both in BC and MR first year when they went sub .500 the fans were pretty understanding for the most part. In both cases it was the failure to see results by year three that killed them. "MOST" fans understand that Rome was not built in a day. As long as they see incremental improvement. Scott will be given a fair shot. Being a legend here also gives him a little more leash.

 

[CrabHusker]

Actually both in BC and MR first year when they went sub .500 the fans were pretty understanding for the most part. In both cases it was the failure to see results by year three that killed them. "MOST" fans understand that Rome was not built in a day. As long as they see incremental improvement. Scott will be given a fair shot. Being a legend here also gives him a little more leash.

I think Frost gets much more leeway and has a longer Honeymoon, no doubt, but I don't recall the Callahan or Riley sub .500 debuts being received with even a moderate level of understanding by the majority of the fan base. Frost will get the benefit of the doubt from most primarily because he's a Nebraska guy. Also, we're starting to get used to it. Three losing seasons of Nebraska football in my lifetime and two of those came in the last three years. The excitement generated by what most of us feel as improvement through off season conditioning and the Spring Game is evidence that we've lowered our expectations. I'd like to think the fan base is more understanding now than in '04 when Callahan dismantled the program, but I'm hoping Frost's debut is markedly better than either Callahan's or Riley's and we don't have to find out.