This team is closer to playing winning football than most of the people this board think.
I'm as tired of watching Nebraska give games away as anyone, but games like yesterday's in Iowa, the Penn State game and the loss to Northwestern have shown me enough glimpses of what they're trying to do...working....that I'm dealing with the frustration. Am I happy about losing six in a row to Iowa (or anyone for that matter)? No. Not at all. The team isn't there yet. Wanting it to be or expecting it to be doesn't just make it so and all the finger pointing and lofty expectations in the world won't change that.
I'm not sure how anyone can look at the youth on the roster, that's actually contributing on the field right now, and not be excited about the future. I watch a young line struggle through stretches of a game and temper my disappointment with the understanding that 3/5's of our line is R-Fr or Sophomores. Three of the five starters yesterday and I see the potential to be physically dominant in this group. No, it doesn't look like Wisconsin's starting five, who're all upper class-men. Let's give them a minute.
Here's a list of the Freshman, Redshirt Freshman and Sophomores who're contributing right now:
Offense:
Luke McCaffrey
Rhamir Johnson
Zavier Betts
WanDale Robinson
Marvin Scott
Cam Jurgens
Bryce Benhart
Ethan Piper
Defense:
Casey Rogers
Ty Robinson
Luke Reimer
Garrett Nelson
Myles Farmer
Noa Pola-Gates
No, it hasn't been pretty with the youth on the O line and some of the mistakes a lack of experience will get you, but you see the increased athleticism, nearly across the board, that creates issues for the opposition for a change. There are more than the kids who're seeing the field this fall as well. Kid's we've heard about who're going to be contributors sooner than later. Alante Brown, Smothers, Gunnerson, Corcoran, Conn, Hutmatcher, Hickman.
We've still got Purdue and Minnesota this fall to take steps forward and get these kids more meaningful experience for 2021 and clean up some of the mistakes of youth. For all my praise for the flashes I see in the youth on the roster, we're also going to have some big holes to fill again. Farniok has been our best O lineman this year and he's a Sr. Stille has more than held his own at DE and will be missed. Williams and Dismuke at safety. Doman at OLB, who's been our best defensive player for large portions of the 2020 season. I have mixed feelings about Bootle, but he's going to be gone.
That's the players.
What about the coaches?
Verduzco? Yeah, I'm good with him selling insurance in Florida. I don't know what he brings to the table, but there have to be better options.
OC-Frost/Lubick? I really haven't been fond of the play calling and offensive execution, so this is a big red flag for me right now. I don't know how much not having a healthy Dedrick Mills has contributed to this, but it's been pretty bad. No, really bad. Too predictable and far too reliant on variations of a handful of plays. This needs fixing first, IMO, but we have to understand the source of the issue. Is it coaching, or is our relative youth effecting/limiting the playbook? We're not going to hear that, but it sure looks that way. If that's not it, we're just not very imaginative on offense and that's not supposed to be the case.
Chinander? Everyone loves to hate EC, but he's done a very good job this fall, IMO. The Illinois game was a stinker, but that wasn't all on his shoulders. He's dialed up some very good game plans and kept an anemic offense within striking distance....again with a fair amount of youth on the field. I really like the future on D.
Special Teams.......Hit the reset button. I know Rutledge is technically just an 'Analyst' but if he's responsible for what I'm seeing, we need to talk. Special Teams was a big reason we lost to Iowa yesterday. Short kicks....because we know we can't cover and tackle. Really? Concede the 35 yard line, while NU routinely starts inside it's own 25? Fix that.
Again, I understand the frustration. Really, I do. I'm frustrated as well.
I think some folks are missing the bigger picture. Dig a little deeper.