Charles Thompson

[Warzone]

I think it depends on how it happens. Any first year offense is going to have its struggles. If our defense plays really well and we are in it until the end in every game, then I could go with 6-6. That said, if our D keeps us in every game then we are going 10-2.

I love SF and the record has certainly been disappointing. That said, ever since Solich we have seen our teams get pushed around. Even when we were winning 9 games with Bo, we were usually the smaller team, getting blown out by teams with a pulse, and not being able to stop the run.

Over the past 4 years Scott has done a few things that normally should result in the good trajectory of a program. He has transformed our team into a team that looks the part, is bigger than our opponents, and really has been more physical. Michigan was the most physical team we played last year. There is no way you could say they were more physical than us.

That said, something has to give. Something has to start manifesting itself into wins. For all of the transformation of the team, our team has seemed unprepared and unaware of their own weaknesses. If that changes, we could have a good year. Someone please pass the Kool aid because I really want to believe.

 

[Hville]

I've never been supportive of 15-29. Most of what you view that as support is in response to your posts. But regardless, I'm not going to rehash 2 years worth of arguments.
I'm just surprised, after tons of critical posts, that you would accept 6 or 7 wins as improvement.

I guess it’s because the critical have been due to 15-29 and how I have seen it materialize. I don’t want to rehash 2 years either but while you haven’t supported 15-29 you have supported keeping the guy that got us there. Now we can keep going back and forth on this with our black and white accusations or agree that there is gray in how we are interpreting each other’s position.

I’ll remind you I wasn’t dead set on 6-7 wins as improvement. I INCLUDED also passing the eye test of how we look and whether the sloppiness continues.

 

[Burning Bright]

See, this is where it gets dicey with me when talking about ultimatums involving W/L record. What if they go 8-4 with a win over OU, but only go 1-3 down the stretch? What if Thompson (assumiing he's the starter) gets hurts in November and the offense struggles?
I agree with you that 8 wins should be the minimum benchmark, but there are so many different ways to judge how successful a season is. Here's hoping there is no wiggle room this year, either good or bad.

I feel where you are coming from for sure. Every season has different variables that can define it differently. For me personally, I put a lot of weight on divisional games against teams you are trying to surpass. That’s why November is so crucial for me. If Oklahoma blows us out and we lose a game we shouldn’t, say Purdue on the road, I could get over that if we show we can beat Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa (pick 2). That shows upward mobility that’s needed.

We could head into November being 7-2 with our cake walk schedule. That would be fantastic to have that chance. But if we finish the year 0-4 or 1-3 against teams we need to beat to move up in our division, I can’t see a path forward.

I agree though, certain things could arise that may change how we all think. I’m just ready for football.

 

[NorthwoodHusker]

Please don't take this as a shot against you, but after the past few years, I can't believe that you would be ok with a 6 or 7 win season, regardless of how it looks. I'll be honest, I don't think I would be ok with a 6 or 7 win season at this point. There has to be some kind of defining moment that the program is headed in an upwards direction as opposed to being stuck in place.

Beating Okie but still going 7-5 with a few stronger than expected Big teams

 

[Warzone]

I guess it’s because the critical have been due to 15-29 and how I have seen it materialize. I don’t want to rehash 2 years either but while you haven’t supported 15-29 you have supported keeping the guy that got us there. Now we can keep going back and forth on this with our black and white accusations or agree that there is gray in how we are interpreting each other’s position.

I’ll remind you I wasn’t dead set on 6-7 wins as improvement. I INCLUDED also passing the eye test of how we look and whether the sloppiness continues.

I know you are not talking to me but if I can interject I might be speaking for a lot of Husker nation and why we do like SF. That said, this year he must win us some games. There is no sugar coating it this time.

Youtube is a great resource. I got to really start following Nebraska in the late 80s but I did see games in the mid 80s. I have had to see youtube videos of games before that because really I was too young. One thing you can see from that era is that we were the most physical team. We never quit. We had size, we had speed, and we had a great system. You can really see that in 2002 the team had really changed. We were no longer the biggest team, or the strongest, or the fastest. And the reason was not because everyone got so much better. Not to say that teams didn't get better, but the real problem was us. We went from being a team that was normally going to win when we lined up to a team that was not as good as other teams.

During the Callahan era we became soft. Bo brought some toughness back but his inability to focus on stopping the run and fundamentals really hurt his cause. However, he was the best DC against the pass I have ever seen. We have gone through 3 coaches that didn't recruit particularly well, didn't develop players physically very well, and didn't focus on the fundamentals particularly well.

In comes Frost and some things changed. We started recruiting better players. We started physically developing them. If you can recall back to when SF came, we were super thin at OL and the only player in our OL class that year never made it on campus. Then we our of QBs. We had 1 QB in 2AM that was amazing on paper but had just come off an injury. All the bad luck in the world hit Scott with the cancelled game, to CU having a game a under their belt, etc. But it was not all bad luck. Some of this was self inflicted. Some of this was on SF for terrible game management and play calling. He also put guys in thin positions in positions to get hurt. And they did get hurt.

We also had the most (and maybe still do) fragile psyche in football.

Lets fast forward to last year. We went 3-9. Which is terrible. That said, that 3-9 NU team could have beaten every single Nebraska team over the last 20 years. I am not saying that in a 1 game series they would have beaten every team but I am saying they could have. If we fire Scott and just go back to the drawing board we likely lose all of the good work that has been done over the last 5 years. NU has experienced so many failed philosophies and everyone is just willing to try another bad experiment. We have gone from getting blown out by everyone to losing in close calls.

All that being said. We need to win games this year. I do not like the idea of throwing 55% of the time. But if we win games and we start to return to being respected then so be it.

 

[Bald Mike]

With the changes in coaches and players, it sorta feels like a new start. Which is why I have no idea what to expect this year. I am hopeful for improvement in our record and a bowl game.......I think both will happen. If it does, I am satisfied. I am ok with those types of baby steps, after the last few years. After a year of the "new" team improving, then I can start having increased expectations. But right now, I have no idea...and probably won't until after the OU game.

 

[Bigger Ed]

It's definately not year zero, despite the change in offense. This is a do or die season for SF.

 

[N2FL]

Please don't take this as a shot against you, but after the past few years, I can't believe that you would be ok with a 6 or 7 win season, regardless of how it looks. I'll be honest, I don't think I would be ok with a 6 or 7 win season at this point. There has to be some kind of defining moment that the program is headed in an upwards direction as opposed to being stuck in place.

Agreed. There has to be clear evidence the arrow is pointing up with his program. There has to be tangible proof that he'll have sustainable success after 2022.

Best case scenario, if Nebraska wins 8 or more, you'd have to assume guys like Casey Thompson, Ochaun Mathis and Garrett Nelson will leave early for the pros. Perhaps Luke Reimer leaves too. 8+ wins likely means those guys all have exceptional seasons. Their stock would be pretty high at that point.

What happens then? I can't see being okay with Nebraska just reverting to a sub-.500 team in 2023 after replacing those guys, right?

Trev has to feel the team can sustain momentum without those guys. Because if he keeps Frost, there's a good chance he'll have to give him a contract extension.

Imagine Nebraska wins 6-8 games, Frost is extended, then the team goes 5-7 in 2023.

It's tricky because Frost hasn't built up any capital. It's hard to just be okay with him having to go into 2023 in rebuild mode. Teams you’re chasing like Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota have 8 win seasons regularly now. They aren't taking two steps forward and then taking two steps back anymore. Frost can't either at this point.

 

[TFrazier]

 

[NorthwoodHusker]

Agreed. There has to be clear evidence the arrow is pointing up with his program. There has to be tangible proof that he'll have sustainable success after 2022.

Best case scenario, if Nebraska wins 8 or more, you'd have to assume guys like Casey Thompson, Ochaun Mathis and Garrett Nelson will leave early for the pros. Perhaps Luke Reimer leaves too. 8+ wins likely means those guys all have exceptional seasons. Their stock would be pretty high at that point.

What happens then? I can't see being okay with Nebraska just reverting to a sub-.500 team in 2023 after replacing those guys, right?

Trev has to feel the team can sustain momentum without those guys. Because if he keeps Frost, there's a good chance he'll have to give him a contract extension.

Imagine Nebraska wins 6-8 games, Frost is extended, then the team goes 5-7 in 2023.

It's tricky because Frost hasn't built up any capital. It's hard to just be okay with him having to go into 2023 in rebuild mode. Teams you’re chasing like Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota have 8 win seasons regularly now. They aren't taking two steps forward and then taking two steps back anymore. Frost can't either at this point.

In all fairness, theres guys behind them. Chubba, Gunnerson, Ernest etc.
It seems more a can he develop going forwards with guys he's recruited.
And he has to prove that.
He dug himself a hole it could take several years to get out of.

 

[NorthwoodHusker]

CT says "i'll pass"

 

[Husker In Oklahoma]

I don’t think 9-3 is out of the question. If we are 3-1 after OU we just need to continue winning all the games we are favored to win. Michigan would probably be the only remaining team we wouldn’t be favored in.

I think they need to beat OU. At home, first year coach, new players everywhere, not all world at QB…..just a game you need to win imo.

 

[Husker In Oklahoma]

Maybe CT is still pissed about 1988, 7-3? Broke his leg in that game, and soon after, was in an orange jumpsuit on the cover of sports illustrated.

 

[Husker In Oklahoma]

I’d suspect, that at years end, regardless of what the record says, 5-7, 6-6, 7-5, 8-4, 9-3, whatever it is, most reasonable humans will be able to tell whether he needs to stay or go. We’ll know what the season looked like, and whether he needs to stay or go. In other words, you’ll be able to tell, and feel how the season went. I think, it will be obvious either way.

 

[Husker In Oklahoma]

Beating Okie but still going 7-5 with a few stronger than expected Big teams

Well, that might not be complete defining. What if OU goes 7-5? What if they aren’t what they’re supposed to be? Lots of scenarios that could unfold. That’s why I think, by seasons end, we’ll be able to tell which way things are going, probably fairly easily.