Locked due to no posts in 60 days. Report 1st post if need unlocked Average margin of defeat back to 2008 levels

[Shevin Wiggins' Foot]

What's really going to stick in my craw this off-season isn't how many games the Huskers lost but how they lost. Between flashes of brilliance, blowout losses and shoulda won games, this whole season is getting chalked up as one giant brain cramp.

While it's fun watching Pelini get heated, I have no doubt his full-on nuclear meltdowns affect the rest of the team. This might sound dumb but maybe this off-season he should take up tennis to help work on his mental game. The way he stalks the sidelines he totally seems like the type of player who could never recover once his top was blown. When I played competitive tennis, it didn't matter how good somebody was if they were a hothead. Once steam started coming from their ears it was all over.

Here's a look at the losses over the last four years. Coming off Callahan, 2008 still seems perfectly acceptable. 2009 is looking like it will go down as one big tease as 2010 and 2011 both get the letter grade of D'OH!


2008

VT 30-35 5
MO 17-52 35
TT 31-37 6
OU 28-62 34

Avg Margin of defeat 20

2009

VT 15-16 1
TT 10-31 21
IS 7-9 2
TX 12-13 1

Avg Margin of Defeat 6.25

2010

TX 13-20 7
AM 6-9 3
OU 20-23 3
WA 7-19 12

Avg Margin of Defeat 6.25

2011

WI 17-48 31
NU 25-28 3
MI 17-45 28
SC 13-30 17

Avg Margin of Defeat 19.75

 

[Greatest Fan of All]

Yeah, but that's better than the 2007 margin...so, therefore we must be in football heaven.

 

[FeelLikeAStranger]

2008 was the 5th year of a transition class. 2011 was the 4th year of a small transition class

college football is not static. you don't "arrive".

Given the losses on defense, the youth and inexperience on offense, and losing 2 pre-season AA's for extended periods of the season, it was a good coaching job NOT to regress below 9 wins. That also takes into account a big staff shake-up and entering a new conference. There was more out there for this team than 9 wins, but it landed in quicksand in too many games.

Better seasons are just on the horizon. I expect us to be pretty salty the next couple of years based on the talent we have in the underclasses and returning experience from this season, a lot of it also in the form of younger players.