Name a position where we will not be better than last year
- Thread starter Pennsyhusker
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Reverse cowgirl.
Sorry...only read the thread title.
Sorry...only read the thread title.
Trick question. I would agree the TEs on campus aren't as talented as Carter BUT, I would bet this year's TEs. Have more targets, more catches, more yards and more TDs than last year.
Exactly. As I said above, I think even with a thin receiving corps and lack of experience at TE, we will actually be more productive there.
Which leads to my real motive in asking the question... are we really going to be worse than last year, in terms of production, at ANY position? If the answer to that is "no" (and I think it is), whence comes the pessimism for this season as a "transition' year?
I see this year as a potential 10-2 season with a divisional title. And spare me the damn Wisconsin is an unbeatable juggernaut nonsense, or that they are only playing high school teams this year.
I was going to write missionary, so don't feel bad.
You guys are hysterical. Yes... the title was begging for this response.
So I changed it.
Tough to compare DE/OLB those players will have distinctly different responsibilities than they had last year.
I think Weber, Young, Roberts, and Barry will be improved over last year on the inside.
Until we see if the hype is accurate, QB could be much worse.
Strictly passing wise.. I think our 3rd and 4th string QBs this year will be better than our top 2 last year.
I think running back is up in the air. Will it be better or the status quo? The reviews this spring for Tre Bryant have been great...hoping to see it on the field in the fall.
I have a tough time believe Safety will be "improved" with Gerry gone. They might not lose much of a step, but it's kind of foolish to believe someone is going to come in and be better day 1.
The TE position might be weaker but with a better quarterback it might look like an improved position.
I guess if you want to go 11 by 11, Man for man, that is a different discussion than position group as a whole. I think the DBs as a group will be more productive than last year's group, you return 4 guys with starting experience returning.
I already gave my opinion on LBs. But inside will be improved, outside are hard to gauge because it's totally different position.
I believe the DLine will be better at their responsibilities than last year's group.
I think OLine will be better.
I think RB will be better, 3 guys who played return, I think Bryant will be better as a Soph than Newby was as a senior.
WR is different, what you lose in experience you replace with equal natural talent. Spielman, McQuitty, Lindsey, K Williams have as much talent as Reilly, Westerkamp and Moore.
QB, imho is an upgrade. I know you lose the running ability of Armstrong but I think overall QB play will be improved.
This. ^^^
People are getting nervous about our wide receivers. I am not. We have recruited well. The young guys can flat out play
We will also see more passes to running backs and tight ends. Langsdorf's offense is designed to get playmakers in space, giving overstretched linebackers nightmares.
There is no more important position on a football team than the QB. That is why the NFL makes guys like Brady quadrillionaires. They ain't throwing money around like that for no reason. It is amazing how an upgrade at QB can completely change the complexion of an entire team.
And I am drinking the koolaid and buying the hype about Tanner Lee. We have had 8 years of mediocre QB play... running backs masquerading as quarterbacks. That is fine if you are running Osborne's offense. But we weren't. And I think we have forgotten what a great QB can do for a team
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What's funny about this is that you lead with center. That tells me that you are just stirring crap up, not that you actually believe it.
No more trolling please.
actually, you sort of got me there.. we could be better at that position, it's unknown, but more likely better than last year.
Center? Really? I strongly disagree with this. Anyone who watched Utter get owned all year by even mediocre lineman can see that even Betty White would be an upgrade
Weakside OLB - Pass Rusher. - you're basically replacing Dzuris, WDE in 4-3, with an OLB in Alex Davis. Sadly, the Huskers won't be better in 2017.
Kalu is a downgrade from Gerry, but his ability to move over to the Nickel will make it a wash. Kieron Williams is better than Gerry in Nickel or dime situations. If it's 3rd and long and a team needs to throw the football out of a quad formation, Nebraska will be ok without Gerry.
I'm not ready to suggest tight end will be better off. It can only be better if one of the young guys step up and make a move. Tyler Hoppes hasn't caught an actual live football pass since 2013 at Wayne State. He will be the least experienced and least talented starting tight end in the Big Ten.
WR needs an infusion of consistent health. That position haa basically been the walking wounded for a few years. If DPE stays healthy and Stan stays out if trouble, they will be more productive than last season.
Kalu is a downgrade from Gerry, but his ability to move over to the Nickel will make it a wash. Kieron Williams is better than Gerry in Nickel or dime situations. If it's 3rd and long and a team needs to throw the football out of a quad formation, Nebraska will be ok without Gerry.
I'm not ready to suggest tight end will be better off. It can only be better if one of the young guys step up and make a move. Tyler Hoppes hasn't caught an actual live football pass since 2013 at Wayne State. He will be the least experienced and least talented starting tight end in the Big Ten.
WR needs an infusion of consistent health. That position haa basically been the walking wounded for a few years. If DPE stays healthy and Stan stays out if trouble, they will be more productive than last season.
It looks like I am about the only skeptic here re QB. If we had a great line and great running backs I wouldn't be as concerned about either of the new guys, but defenses are sure to put tons of pressure on whoever is at QB. The assumption that either new guy will be better than 4-year starter Tommy seems wildly premature.
Why does it have to be a GREAT OLine and GREAT running backs? Why can't it be just efficient?
teams pressured Nebraska last year as well because they knew Armstrong would take off running or throw it in a hurry and on the run. You are assuming Lee or POB won't handle the pressure better than Armstrong did. Or that DL won't be able to gameplan to take advantage of an aggressive defense?
RB
What made Newby better production wise than the rest was 1) He could block better than the other RB's. 2) He was able to catch out of the backfield better than the other backs. 3) He was a senior which could've contributed to his abilities.
If we struggle at pass blocking and being able to consistently catch passes out of the backfield we could take a hit this year in RB category.
What made Newby better production wise than the rest was 1) He could block better than the other RB's. 2) He was able to catch out of the backfield better than the other backs. 3) He was a senior which could've contributed to his abilities.
If we struggle at pass blocking and being able to consistently catch passes out of the backfield we could take a hit this year in RB category.
I think Gerry was very average. He had good physical tools like speed and strength but his tackling ability left a lot to be desired at a position where tackling is extremely important. I don't know who has Gerry's spot next fall, is it Kalu or Aaron Williams? I think Aaron Williams will be better if he has the position.
I'm not sure either, which is why I didn't put a name. I agree that Williams (could) end up being better, but he's not going to be out there, topping Gerry from day one.
Also, when people say with such certainty things like, though, I get a bit concerned. It's a good way to get yourself very disappointed.
And I agree but we don't have any experience and id take a guy that sucked (utter) over possibly a guy that don't know the playbook or that can't snap it properly yet. I put it down as a possibility because we dont really know what we got yet.
No doubt he's a better blocker but Center adds some difficulty, we'll see if he can handle games at Center like at Oregon.
Too funny. Mike Riley and Mike Cavanaugh have such a high level of incompetence in the minds of some.
i hope we have someone on the team capable of executing a center-QB exchange. Was there a huge number of muffed snaps at the spring game that I don't remember?
i hope we have someone on the team capable of executing a center-QB exchange. Was there a huge number of muffed snaps at the spring game that I don't remember?
Yeah, I do. It's not that I had some big love for TA, but he was a good leader. The guys respected him, and he won a lot of clutch games. He was a 5th year senior and played for a long time. He was a proven talent when we needed someone to make things happen.
It's good to hear good things about TL, and it sounds like the guys respect him and he is well liked, and certainly throws a much better ball.
To me, it's an unknown when things start going live fire, in game, when the opponent is going to test him mercilessly, because he is a bit of a statue in the pocket. Is our line, and receiving core up to the task to make quick routes and keep defenders off him long enough and consistent enough to start burning the opposing defenses? I think it's possible that things start to click more like a well oiled machine later in the season or in year 2, but to bring in a bunch of new guys and have it run like a clock is more difficult than people think.
If I am an opposing coordinator, I'm selling out and want him to feel like he is at Tulane again. I would force him to beat my defense repeatedly before I called them off.
Defensively, we haven't seen what the 3-4 looks like yet from Mike Diaco. Do we actually have the right type of players on the line to run it? Maybe, Maybe not. It's a new coordinator, new system.. it could be worse for awhile.. just like the offense, it might take mid to later in the season for it to start clicking for everyone. I am more optimistic about Bob's fire and passion, and I think that helps in lots of ways, but without having seen anything yet, it's just an unknown at this point.
Defense?
I have seen Tanner Lee 3 different times and it would be an intense shock if he doesn't do well. He's mighty quick at getting the ball off. I think we're going to make a killing off the screen game this year. On top of that, he's gonna burn them with the deep ball. He's going to open up the run game too!
I do have some reservations about our new receiving corps. Lots of new guys there. I have no doubt Lee will get the ball to them but I just don't know how good we'll be at hauling them in.
The real question to me about our offense is the line. All the rest I'm not worried about. TL has been in a pro style system a long time, and is in his 2nd year under Riley. He will not be the TL of Tulane, in my opinion. As bad as our line has been, they aren't Tulane bad. And our receivers may not be experienced, but they are talented... how much time does Lee need normally, and how much time will our line provide? If those two times are close, we will be MUCH improved on offense. But we really won't know about the line until the games begin. I gotta think our line will be better with another year of experience and better depth, but who really knows?
To me we will be much improved on offense... that's what I'm anticipating at least.
You lost me with the leader and respect stuff. Its obvious you know nothing and are just reaching for anything at this point.
I hope you're right. For me, when the hype starts getting too big, I tend to take the other side of the equation. I think he's capable, but there are a lot of timing things to work on for sure.
I agree with the line concerns.. if they can get all that worked out, and the wr timing and some sort of running game, either via screen or good o-line blocking, then we could really put up some points. So much is dependent on the line.. to me, it's the foundation for everything. Also probably why Wisconsin and Iowa have had the success they have had lately and probably also why we had all those great years in the 70's, 80's, & 90's.
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