The fallacy of "Close"

[NorthwoodHusker]

Appreciate a thoughtful piece. I agree “never quit” was a key characteristic of team and expectations might be overly affected by “close” mentality.

Still, I think 4th quarter leads (2 on the road) against 3 ranked teams where crazy meltdowns - errant punt, QB held up and mugged, and horrible punt blocking - showed a team close to being a bowl team at least. Add spotting another ranked team in Wisconsin a TD on a kick return and then knocking on end zone to tie or win at end of game. Not too mention road game at Oklahoma with blocked FG for points and still having ball in your hands with time to win.

Those all show close from a talent standpoint. Many aspects contributed. Not anywhere close like a 1993 to National Championship,

Funny,those were the losses the players hated most,except for Okie.
MSU was the one I've heard most lamented. Michigan too.

They were nipping at Okie, they knew it, blew the other games.

 

[FullbackTrap]

Actually, they do. They are called "passes defended".

Not really. Not all passes defended were interceptions that weren't caught. A pass can be defended - in other words knocked down and not allowing a catch - yet was done so with the tip of a finger while nearly parallel to the ground. Not a catchable ball, but a pass defended nonetheless.

 

[TFrazier]

 

[NorthwoodHusker]

Not really. Not all passes defended were interceptions that weren't caught. A pass can be defended - in other words knocked down and not allowing a catch - yet was done so with the tip of a finger while nearly parallel to the ground. Not a catchable ball, but a pass defended nonetheless.

So, do linebackers get the same,or D linemen when tipped at he line?

 

[FullbackTrap]

So, do linebackers get the same,or D linemen when tipped at he line?

I don’t know, do they?

 

[NorthwoodHusker]

I don’t know, do they?

No,its way down in the weeds in the stats, but they are kept.
Not sure at the cfb level, have never seen them

 

[Frank The Tank]

So, do linebackers get the same,or D linemen when tipped at he line?

Suh had 10 his senior year in college.

 

[Hville]

lol so you think that's off the beaten path? Anyway have it your way the bottom line is to many fumbles recovered or not is an offense killer imo. I believe an interception that wasn't caught is called an incomplete pass! lol

Well for comparison then your quote should have been 28 fumbles and 137 passing since a missed pass must ultimately be a drive killer also. Now if that seems like a stupid comparison than you understand how I feel about adding recovered fumbles to the turnover tally.

 

[Hville]

I also do not agree with the thesis … close losses do not necessarily mean anything but that we lost a bunch of games by 8 points or less.

I can agree that NU was probably the best 3-9 team in the nation.
I can also agree that improvement in say special teams could’ve meant 2 or 3 more wins.

But … there are not many (if any) here on this board that didn’t see anything but a flawed team, particularly with coaching (ex: o-line), scheme (ex: 2AM right, 2AM left, 2AM up the middle).

If NU could’ve had some of those close losses converted into wins say 6-6 or 7-5 last year they still would’ve been a flawed team. There are some of us, including me that think an 8, 9 or gasp even a 10 win season is possible if all these changes coalesce in a positive manner.

Point being the assumption that we were “close” last season is not the same as a bunch of close losses. The author is right … 8 close losses don’t necessarily make us “close” … but there aren’t many (in my opinion) who think that we will be good this year because we were “close” last year.

This is very well stated. My take on last year is thankfully we seem to have the talent. But yes the team was flawed….possibly a little unlucky. However the coaching staff has to bring out the talent in these individuals in the form of 110 percent synergy effect. Instead they are getting 80%. This has happened for 4 straight years. I hope replacing the 5 coaches is the answer but I can’t stop thinking getting the 110% relies on the head coach.

 

[Warzone]

Close.

No other word is used to define the 2021 #Huskers season more than "close".

But in the big picture, the 2021 Huskers were nowhere close to close.

And that's actually a better thing than you think it is.

Here's why: https://www.si.com/college/nebraska/football/dave-feit-the-fallacy-of-close-huskers-2021-season

I could not agree with the article more. But at the same time we stayed with some really good teams. When you are unable to attempt field goals in the red zone it puts you in bad spot points wise. Certainly the Minnesota and Purdue game are deceptive. But at the same time we really should have beaten MSU, Wisconsin, and Michigan. At that point JoJo and AM play against Iowa and we win.