This team has the ingredients

[NorthwoodHusker]

The play time, the keeping of red shirts, the success shown by our freshmen tells me a lot about this staff.
In years past, we'd take a frosh and grind him all the live fire. Many never lived to perceived potential or seemed to progress, they played good then they stayed good later.
The development is light years ahead of where we were.

I'll add, the reason for permanent frosh starting in the past? No depth.
While some was being built under SF and Mickey, appreciated by MR, SF had plenty of time to fix this and only cranked it up late.

 

[Woodhead]

I suggest that in terms of other programs adjusting to what is taking place with either Husker D or O, one key as to why this would be difficult stands out. It is more and more the case that coaching has gravitated towards working designs with a significant regard for the pieces available to place on the board.
Certainly some programs have the chops to bring in a wealth of player talents, but for most, one has to create attack and defense around the players. In this, modern offenses and defenses challenge coaches to constantly create. Given how much a talent pools change annually via the portal, in theory, coaches don't really know all they themselves possess, much less what others do.
Do you think both Husker coordinators aren't erasing some elements and adding changes to scheme after seeing Spring Ball? I would guess that the best clues as to what the Huskers will do won't come until after game film of our first few games.

 

[wcbsas]

I'd feel better if we had at least one offensive lineman who could realistically be considered an all-big ten-caliber player. We don't have that right now. It would also be nice to have a true difference-maker at the running back position. We have some nice RBs, but none of them are going to make any all-conference or all-American lists anytime soon, IMO. If we had those two things, then we could have a truly dangerous offense. If Raiola stays healthy and sticks around for a couple years we might get there.

Benhart has NFL talent per HCMR. That’s a start.
I also think All B1G honors also involve team success a bit too.

 

[NorthwoodHusker]

I suggest that in terms of other programs adjusting to what is taking place with either Husker D or O, one key as to why this would be difficult stands out. It is more and more the case that coaching has gravitated towards working designs with a significant regard for the pieces available to place on the board.
Certainly some programs have the chops to bring in a wealth of player talents, but for most, one has to create attack and defense around the players. In this, modern offenses and defenses challenge coaches to constantly create. Given how much a talent pools change annually via the portal, in theory, coaches don't really know all they themselves possess, much less what others do.
Do you think both Husker coordinators aren't erasing some elements and adding changes to scheme after seeing Spring Ball? I would guess that the best clues as to what the Huskers will do won't come until after game film of our first few games.

I think in the past, scheme was too prioritized. Adjustable scheme with ever changing talent works best.
It would seem we have that now as opposed to the past which leaned too heavily on scheme.

 

[NorthwoodHusker]

Those Swiss army knife types? Key in all this. A player can learn a play, and how to play within that play in regards to how or what your opponent is throwing at you.
Having those Swiss army knife types let's your scheme expand in real time

 

[wcbsas]

The next step(s) is/are the most challenging. Learning how to win … the Wisconsin game, the Iowa game … games we should’ve won but lost in large part because we were our own worst enemy, we pee’d down our legs, we simply didn’t know who to finish. Learning to win is a culture and experiential thing.

We have a challenging end of season stretch like last year. Are we able to survive tough back to back to back games?

 

[HuskerBred]

If we stand still on D this is true. And natural progressions are offense ahead of defenses with defenses catching up.
I wouldn't say it the other way around.
There've been plenty of HCs saying this defense is the worst to play against, its the box of chocolates in football, the opposing offenses simply don't know what they're going to get.

If we can stop teams that dare us to stop them without changing anything on our D, the progress you talk about won't happen.
If We can't stop a great power run game, we switch out of our D to stop it, then they catch us doing so. Same for a great passing game, we start blitzing, they catch us doing so.

NU is getting bigger, stronger, faster, and smarter by the day, including on D. I don’t disagree with anything you say. My primary point is that no matter how difficult it is to play against the 4-2-5/2-4-5/3-3-5 defense (maybe akin to teams prepping for old school option teams back in the day?), more teams are playing D with 5/6 DBs (or DB-like bodies) and, more importantly, the conference now has a full season of film on Coach White’s Blackshirts. I love the scheme. But now the conference is a little more educated about NU’s version and personnel. I’m saying that I think the D can have a better year than last year, even if the stats — or the impression of the stats and results — aren’t as good. I just would hate for the fan base to make the mistake always made: assuming last year was the baseline for the unit and all stats/results will be better every year thereafter. It’s too dynamic to work that way.

 

[NorthwoodHusker]

NU is getting bigger, stronger, faster, and smarter by the day, including on D. I don’t disagree with anything you say. My primary point is that no matter how difficult it is to play against the 4-2-5/2-4-5/3-3-5 defense (maybe akin to teams prepping for old school option teams back in the day?), more teams are playing D with 5/6 DBs (or DB-like bodies) and, more importantly, the conference now has a full season of film on Coach White’s Blackshirts. I love the scheme. But now the conference is a little more educated about NU’s version and personnel. I’m saying that I think the D can have a better year than last year, even if the stats — or the impression of the stats and results — aren’t as good. I just would hate for the fan base to make the mistake always made: assuming last year was the baseline for the unit and all stats/results will be better every year thereafter. It’s too dynamic to work that way.

I may agree here, but let's look elsewhere as to why not to.
Iowas D has done this very thing, created their 'cash' player, same coach, just evolved into it from the 4-3.
Things don't have to change unless there's better competition imo.
Our perceived worries were with a 3-3-5 we wouldn't stop the run.
We finished ninth nationally against the run.
Again, I think you'll have to beat this D heads up to really beat it.
Better competition will do that, but for year one, not bad.

 

[HuskerBred]

I may agree here, but let's look elsewhere as to why not to.
Iowas D has done this very thing, created their 'cash' player, same coach, just evolved into it from the 4-3.
Things don't have to change unless there's better competition imo.
Our perceived worries were with a 3-3-5 we wouldn't stop the run.
We finished ninth nationally against the run.
Again, I think you'll have to beat this D heads up to really beat it.
Better competition will do that, but for year one, not bad.

For year one, fantastic. And I like how year two is shaping up too! Just keeping it real. One thing I REALLY like about this D is that plays well with different athletes — not as cookie-cutter. (You made the point earlier about Swiss Army Knife athletes). This is only good for NU in the future, as they will never be able to recruit/stockpile all the NFL-ready front seven types out of HS that other programs seem to have by the dozens. But NU can recruit athletes/speed all day long. And turn them into NFL-ready guys.

 

[NorthwoodHusker]

For year one, fantastic. And I like how year two is shaping up too! Just keeping it real. One thing I REALLY like about this D is that plays well with different athletes — not as cookie-cutter. (You made the point earlier about Swiss Army Knife athletes). This is only good for NU in the future, as they will never be able to recruit/stockpile all the NFL-ready front seven types out of HS that other programs seem to have by the dozens. But NU can recruit athletes/speed all day long. And turn them into NFL-ready guys.

There are some similarities used here like the 49ers are doing.
When an offense perceives you as a weakness, and if you are your D has to cover somewhat. If you have the abilities to do several things their offense' chances of success goes down.
Not saying its perfect, that would be the perfect sized/talented player for a given play, but cutting down success forces an offense to do other things and may force turnovers in doing so.
I look at it as an equalizer much like the spread game is, plays within plays, where you can still run well without that big bruising O line in front of a very good rb.

In essence, once again the D's have caught up to the O's.

 

[Venture]

10 passing TD’s versus 16 INTS is so bad it’s hard to comprehend. Improve that ratio to AT LEAST 2 TD’s to 1 INT and we’ll having a winning season imo.

View attachment 106752

And the worst in the nation 2.6 fumbles per game.

 

[HuskerBred]

And the worst in the nation 2.6 fumbles per game.

No one wins when they turn it over a lot. And it’s also hard to win when you don’t create turnovers. Obvious, but total butt-kickers if it works against you. Imagine the staff is emphasizing both every day.

 

[Nightman Cometh]

I'd feel better if we had at least one offensive lineman who could realistically be considered an all-big ten-caliber player. We don't have that right now. It would also be nice to have a true difference-maker at the running back position. We have some nice RBs, but none of them are going to make any all-conference or all-American lists anytime soon, IMO. If we had those two things, then we could have a truly dangerous offense. If Raiola stays healthy and sticks around for a couple years we might get there.

I appreciate your perspective. That’s what worries me.

 

[BigRedMachine]

I personally am very excited about the WR/TE corps. A lot of solid young talent with a lot of speed. Not to mention multiple legit RBs. Should be the best offensive attack we've had in quite some time. The CU game will be critical. Win that game, and the buzz starts to grow and the momentum starts to build.

 

[FullbackSympathy]

I’ve been very positive generally about HCMR, his staff, the roster, recruiting, etc. And I’m very positive about the direct of the program and — I’ll call it — the feel or vibe of the program now. And I want nothing more than 8…10…12 wins and a lot of kids getting drafted. All that.

But… I want to tap the breaks on expectations a little. All this doesn’t happen in a lab or environment where the other variables can be controlled. A lot of very talented, well-coached teams play in the Big10+ (and the conference is getting more talented and better coached over time). Other teams are recruiting and coaching their kids up, including about how to beat NU.

The faithful should be prepared for a possible backslide with the success of the defense, not because the talent and coaching and scheming aren’t improving and working hard. But because teams adjust and will be better prepared to play against Coach White’s defense. The same is true on the other side of the ball. Last year, teams dared NU to throw it. NU may have better luck in the air this year (amen), but teams will scheme better against the running game.

I guess what I’m trying to say is this: NU will be better. A lot better. But so will the conference. And they will be better and smarter AGAINST NU. So of course the Huskers get better and, more importantly, play better. But it’s a heavyweight matchup every week. So although I’m very excited about how HCMR’s team plays, I’m keeping my powder dry about wins/losses until next October or so.

Yep. I don’t expect our defense to be quite as good statistically this season. There’s a lot of film out now. But I still expect them to be very good.

Six wins in the regular season and I’ll personally do a little dance. Anything beyond just further indicates Rhule is that dude.