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Best, Worse Case Scenarios

Best case - preseason camp develops dependable depth for the offensive line (center) and at linebacker. No major injuries. Lower ranked players get a chance to be in live game action to gain much needed experience. In the end, even with some bumps in the road, the team will be much stronger in November (and December) than it will be in August and September.

Worse case - the team never quite gels together. Critical injuries happen to limit depth development at already thin positions. Scandals are brought to light (legal and others) caused by individuals doing something stupid. Players who are more concerned about "what they deserve" rather than what is best for the team. This could cause some fractures in the locker room that reveal themselves on the field. In the end, the team stagnates or falls apart and ends up worse in November than it starts in August.

My prediction is for the best case. I believe the coaching staff has this group inspired enough "to all stick together, in all kinds of weather" and "Dear Old Nebraska U" will be looked upon very favorably by the talking heads going into the 2020 season.
 
We were 4-2 our last 6 games. The two losses were close and the OT loss before going 4-2 to NWU was close. If we had a better defense we should have won 2 of those losses [NWU, Iowa]. Our D played well in the Spring game but was it because they improved or because our O line is weaker? Hopefully both lines improved. We lost from last years team:

Freedom Akinmoladun DL 6-4 295 7 Sr. Grandview, Mo. (Grandview)
Cole Conrad OL 6-5 300 7 Sr. Fremont, Neb. (Archbishop Bergan)
Tanner Farmer OL 6-4 325 7 Sr. Highland, Ill. (Highland)
Jerald Foster OL 6-3 335 7 Sr. Lincoln, Neb. (Southeast)
Luke Gifford OLB 6-4 245 7 Sr. Lincoln, Neb. (Southeast)
Mick Stoltenberg DL 6-5 315 7 Sr. Gretna, Neb. (Gretna)

http://www.huskers.com//attachments1/files/100/638703.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=100

Starts for both sets of SRs.:
NAME....Starts 2018...Career

Farmer.....10............ 29
Foster .....11............ 27
Conrad .....4............ 16

Akinmoladun...11.......40
Stoltenberg.....4...... 25
Gifford ........11.......18

So, we lost some experience from last year but we have Gaylord, Rairdon, and Wilson on the O Line with playing experience and a host of D line and LB playing experience coming back. Our Defense should be better. Defense wins games.

With that being said, as long as we don't turn the ball over [CU] and have too many penalties at key downs [or key injuries], we should go 8-4.
 
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We were 4-2 our last 6 games. The two losses were close and the OT loss before going 4-2 to NWU was close. If we had a better defense we should have won 2 of those losses [NWU, Iowa]. Out D played well in the Spring game but was it because they improved or because our O line is weaker? Hopefully both lines improved. We lost from last years team:

Freedom Akinmoladun DL 6-4 295 7 Sr. Grandview, Mo. (Grandview)
Cole Conrad OL 6-5 300 7 Sr. Fremont, Neb. (Archbishop Bergan)
Tanner Farmer OL 6-4 325 7 Sr. Highland, Ill. (Highland)
Jerald Foster OL 6-3 335 7 Sr. Lincoln, Neb. (Southeast)
Luke Gifford OLB 6-4 245 7 Sr. Lincoln, Neb. (Southeast)
Mick Stoltenberg DL 6-5 315 7 Sr. Gretna, Neb. (Gretna)

http://www.huskers.com//attachments1/files/100/638703.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=100

Starts for both sets of SRs.:
NAME....Starts 2018...Career

Farmer.....10............ 29
Foster .....11............ 27
Conrad .....4............ 16

Akinmoladun...11.......40
Stoltenberg.....4...... 25
Gifford ........11.......18

So, we lost some experience from last year but we have Gaylord, Rairdon, and Wilson on the O Line with playing experience and a host of D line and LB playing experience coming back. Our Defense should be better. Defense wins games.

With that being said, as long as we don't turn the ball over [CU] and have too many penalties at key downs [or key injuries], we should go 8-4.
Speaking only to the defensive losses. Stoltenberg was injured most of the year. When he was out we were really hurting. Without him we really got no push. We brought in Daniels and now Jakheem Green. Two top notch DTs . The elder Daniels certainly showed that he will make a difference in the spring. This allows us to use the big, athletic Davis Twins as DE. That is pretty much what you want as a 3/4 DL. Add in a Daishon Neal for pass downs and you do not need as much help from the LBs.

Then you have a guy like JoJo that allows you to change from run to pass defense without needing to replace a player on the field. THAT IS HUGE!!! As it keeps you from having a LB who is to slow to cover a RB or Wing back getting you caught with your pants down.

Gifford may be harder to replace but the LBs looked good filling in the spring.

I actually feel that overall the defense front 7 will be so much better than last year that we may not eve recognize them. Not sure we will be 97 good. Maybe 2010 good though.
 



Speaking only to the defensive losses. Stoltenberg was injured most of the year. When he was out we were really hurting. Without him we really got no push. We brought in Daniels and now Jakheem Green. Two top notch DTs . The elder Daniels certainly showed that he will make a difference in the spring. This allows us to use the big, athletic Davis Twins as DE. That is pretty much what you want as a 3/4 DL. Add in a Daishon Neal for pass downs and you do not need as much help from the LBs.

Then you have a guy like JoJo that allows you to change from run to pass defense without needing to replace a player on the field. THAT IS HUGE!!! As it keeps you from having a LB who is to slow to cover a RB or Wing back getting you caught with your pants down.

Gifford may be harder to replace but the LBs looked good filling in the spring.

I actually feel that overall the defense front 7 will be so much better than last year that we may not eve recognize them. Not sure we will be 97 good. Maybe 2010 good though.

I feel pretty good about the defense in general. I mean the defense gave up 32 a game last year I think. Cut 10 off of that and we win a lot more games.

After watching the spring game I think the look we saw had more to do with the defense being that much better vs. the O-line being not as good. The defense has good depth on the line and the 1st string guys at the second and third level are good. They are a little thin at LB and CB but we will see someone will step up. I look for Joey Johnson and Paup to get some playing time at LB.

I think the O-line is at least as good as last year. I was never that impressed with Foster, he was a bad fit for the offense. He would have been a great guard 20 years ago. You also have to remember AM played like 3 series so we didn't see much from the offense. Yes if he goes down for an extended time we are in trouble, but how many teams aren't in trouble if the starting QB goes down.

I still think 8-4 is a no brainer for this team.
 
I feel pretty good about the defense in general. I mean the defense gave up 32 a game last year I think. Cut 10 off of that and we win a lot more games.

After watching the spring game I think the look we saw had more to do with the defense being that much better vs. the O-line being not as good. The defense has good depth on the line and the 1st string guys at the second and third level are good. They are a little thin at LB and CB but we will see someone will step up. I look for Joey Johnson and Paup to get some playing time at LB.

I think the O-line is at least as good as last year. I was never that impressed with Foster, he was a bad fit for the offense. He would have been a great guard 20 years ago. You also have to remember AM played like 3 series so we didn't see much from the offense. Yes if he goes down for an extended time we are in trouble, but how many teams aren't in trouble if the starting QB goes down.

I still think 8-4 is a no brainer for this team.

I think so. I can see an absolute worst case scenario of 7-5 or 6-6, but a huge number of things would have to go wrong there.

8-4 seems reasonable, and if things go right more than average we could even see 10-2, IMO.

Worst case, we fight for our division, but can't quite get there. Best case, we win our division and have a reasonable shot in the B10 title game.

agree on Foster, and also, even when AM played, the QB run game was more or less negated by the lack of tackling for QB's (not that it was worth it to risk injury in a practice game like that)
 
Before August [or around that time], the Huskers have 20 more scholarship players joining the roster: four offensive linemen (Bryce Benhart, Michael Lynn, Matthew Anderson and Jimmy Fritzche), four defensive backs (Noa Pola-Gates, Myles Farmer, Quinton Newsome and Javin Wright), four defensive linemen (Ty Robinson, Jahkeem Green, Ethan Piper and Mosai Newsom), three running backs (Dedrick Mills, Rahmir Johnson and Ronald Thompkins), two inside linebackers (Garrett Snodgrass and Jackson Hannah), two receivers (Demariyon Houston and Darien Chase), and outside linebacker Jamin Graham.
Who will REDSHIRT, and who will vie for playing time or pressure the starters to be better players?
 



Before August [or around that time], the Huskers have 20 more scholarship players joining the roster: four offensive linemen (Bryce Benhart, Michael Lynn, Matthew Anderson and Jimmy Fritzche), four defensive backs (Noa Pola-Gates, Myles Farmer, Quinton Newsome and Javin Wright), four defensive linemen (Ty Robinson, Jahkeem Green, Ethan Piper and Mosai Newsom), three running backs (Dedrick Mills, Rahmir Johnson and Ronald Thompkins), two inside linebackers (Garrett Snodgrass and Jackson Hannah), two receivers (Demariyon Houston and Darien Chase), and outside linebacker Jamin Graham.
Who will REDSHIRT, and who will vie for playing time or pressure the starters to be better players?

Not very many. Maybe Benhart, but I think ideally he plays in 4 games and keeps the RS. I think Pola-Gates plays, I think he is that good. Maybe Ty Robinson, but we are deep at DT. Green will play. Mills and Johnson will play at RB. Hannah may have to play even if he isn't ready. Chase might play. WanDale Robinson will play and I actually think Garrett Nelson plays at OLB. I think he is good and they have some depth issues.
 
Not very many.
"Not very many?!?" You just listed 10 players who are coming into the program that you think could end up playing this year. I agree with who you said--maybe add the other WRs, too--but I think that that's a lot of new people contributing, right away.
Who will REDSHIRT, and who will vie for playing time or pressure the starters to be better players?
The thing that I love about the new redshirt rules is that they can now challenge for playing time AND redshirt this year. The only true freshman that I expect to start for us against South Alabama is WanDale, but I'm hoping that both Green and Mills will also be starting or very close to it by then. I agree with pretty much everything that @NUinID said as far as Johnson, Benhart, Pola-Gates, Nelson, and Hannah all pressing for playing time, but ideally we'd be able to redshirt them all while getting heavy minutes from them at the end of the season. Anybody else is likely either a bonus (the WRs and DBs) or a crisis (LBs).
 
"Not very many?!?" You just listed 10 players who are coming into the program that you think could end up playing this year. I agree with who you said--maybe add the other WRs, too--but I think that that's a lot of new people contributing, right away.

The thing that I love about the new redshirt rules is that they can now challenge for playing time AND redshirt this year. The only true freshman that I expect to start for us against South Alabama is WanDale, but I'm hoping that both Green and Mills will also be starting or very close to it by then. I agree with pretty much everything that @NUinID said as far as Johnson, Benhart, Pola-Gates, Nelson, and Hannah all pressing for playing time, but ideally we'd be able to redshirt them all while getting heavy minutes from them at the end of the season. Anybody else is likely either a bonus (the WRs and DBs) or a crisis (LBs).

Mills and Green aren't freshman so they should play. They are here to play right away. I said could, not that they would. I really only see WanDale Robinson and probably Polo-Gates getting a ton of time this year. I am sure there will be a surprise in camp and some freshman shows himself to be way better than expected. I think Nelson may get a lot of ST play. I expect 4 or so freshman to contribute but not much more.
 
I believe Frost will play his BEST players regardless of age or class! If a freshman is the best player at any position I believe they will get playing time. Don't believe we're going to stock pile younger players if they are better than more senior players imo. Frost wants to win NOW and stated as much in several articles. He's not going to be satisfied with anything less then playing in CCG this year....
 



I can't put on this thread a numerical wins/losses.....but I can point out the obvious....first of all, there isn't a gimme on the schedule. S Ala? Maybe the closest to a gimme. Other than that, there are games NU "Should". Other games? A lot of you are saying Minnesota, Maryland, and Purdue are "wins". NU can't fall asleep against any of those teams (nor ANY team). After we blew out Minny, they did what we did, get hot late, except they won games they were NOT suppose to win. Plus they return almost everyone. Maryland? They lost like a lot to injuries but have a lot of experience back. And Purdue is returning good experience. Plus I can throw in we are something like 1-11 against Iowa, NW, OSU, and Wisky the last 3 years. If Martinez gets injured seriously and misses a good chunk of games, we will probably still get 6 wins but I would not bet that in Vegas.

Now on the other side, we know that our players are night and day stronger and in better shape than anytime in the last 4 years. We know the attitude of the players and the team as a whole is the highest in a LONG time. We have some real exciting young players that should make a difference (we need Washington back). We stay healthy and we can be really good. I am very optimistic of the OL. I just see better conditioned, stronger players playing on the OL than I ever did during FHCMR time here, though Center is slightly worrisome at this time, though I think it will be way better by fall season. We do need some WR's to step up but the talent is there.

My biggest point of optimism is the staff...they are leaps and bounds ahead of the last regime, and, you could argue, the last few years of Bo's regime. That is why I think "4-8, 6-6" will be more of a rare anomaly in the future. They just seem to have the "it" factor.
 
Worst case= more Xanax

Best case= celebration which could be more Xanax as well
 


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