Poll: what is progress

[huskerfan1414]

im curious to see what posters think about progress this year.
In one camp, people want to see where we go from this loss and if we improve. Nothing wrong with that.
Another camp, including myself, is afraid that the bar has simply been lowered and every win regardless of how many or what opponent will be seen as great coaching and progress.
While I will always feel the NIU game to be inexcusable, I think if we manage 9 wins in the regular season that is significant progress

Disclaimer: I know there are other factors such as blowouts and who we are beating or losing to, etc. for the sake of this poll just try to find a win total, even if not completely absolute.

 

[huskerfan1414]

This also isn't necessarily about firing. Progress and coaching grades.

 

[jlb321]

Given the conference schedule I would count 6-3 in the BIG as progress. Don't see that we get there but am willing to look past the out of conf debacle.

 

[RedMyMind]

It's about playing better and competing in big games.

 

[timnsun]

I'm gonna say 9... if we get to 8 wins, we hold serve the rest of the way beating the teams we thought we would beat before the season began. 9 means a victory over PSU or OSU.

I would be happy with 8 wins, but don't see it as progress from what I thought would happen at the start of the year.

 

[WHCSC]

8-4 with no blowouts would have been progress. Losses to the big 3 and a win over either Oregon or Iowa.

 

[huskerfan1414]

I'm gonna say 9... if we get to 8 wins, we hold serve the rest of the way beating the teams we thought we would beat before the season began. 9 means a victory over PSU or OSU.

I would be happy with 8 wins, but don't see it as progress from what I thought would happen at the start of the year.

You have interpreted the poll correctly. Bravo sir.
It's not asking for happiness or firing or not firing. It's simply asking for what people need to see to declare our team as progressing in the right direction which is the job of the staff.

 

[jflores]

For me its not about wins at this point. As RK pointed out in chalk talk, there's just too much inconsistency unit to unit week to week that I can't realistically forecast that 7 wins equals good, 5 wins equals bad.

To me, it seems very possible we could win 6 games, but by the end, we start to looking like a developing, consistent ball club. I would feel much better about that situation, than having the circus rotate through the various units all year, and somehow backing into 7 or 8 wins.

 

[JohnRossEwing]

Progress? A new AD and new staff.

 

[jflores]

I think the worst of all world's to me is that we win 7 games, but the recruiting class falls apart. I think I'd rather see us collapse now, or win whatever requisite games are needed to keep the talent on-board, than somewhere in the middle.

 

[huskerfan1414]

For me its not about wins at this point. As RK pointed out in chalk talk, there's just too much inconsistency unit to unit week to week that I can't realistically forecast that 7 wins equals good, 5 wins equals bad.

To me, it seems very possible we could win 6 games, but by the end, we start to looking like a developing, consistent ball club. I would feel much better about that situation, than having the circus rotate through the various units all year, and somehow backing into 7 or 8 wins.

Is that improvement over the past year?
So you're saying even if we finish with 4 wins this team could be progressing from where it was when Riley took over?
I find that impossible to believe, sorry.

 

[nebcountry]

9 wins would be pretty good. 8 wins + new D = last year. 7 wins is a step back. Less than 7 wins and we're moving backwards.

 

[timnsun]

For me its not about wins at this point. As RK pointed out in chalk talk, there's just too much inconsistency unit to unit week to week that I can't realistically forecast that 7 wins equals good, 5 wins equals bad.

To me, it seems very possible we could win 6 games, but by the end, we start to looking like a developing, consistent ball club. I would feel much better about that situation, than having the circus rotate through the various units all year, and somehow backing into 7 or 8 wins.

I could agree with this to a point... if the inconsistency were relegated to the defense.

The fact that our OLine and receivers are showing wild inconsistency after three years is disheartening.

 

[jflores]

Is that improvement over the past year?
So you're saying even if we finish with 4 wins this team could be progressing from where it was when Riley took over?
I find that impossible to believe, sorry.

I'm of the opinion that Riley has a very tall task ahead of him. My opinion, he's not bowl eligible, he's gone. I think even if he wins 7, he might save us the bowl but lose the recruiting class, and he's basically delayed the inevitable at that point.

So while I think its possible to win 4 or 5 games and look like a well put together team at the end...it not going to save his job if he manages so few wins in the interim.

 

[jflores]

I could agree with this to a point... if the inconsistency were relegated to the defense.

The fact that our OLine and receivers are showing wild inconsistency after three years is disheartening.

This is what makes it so hard to predict whats going to happen. We thought the OL looked decent for 2 games, then they look like they don't belong on the field.

I would be totally unsurprised if we come out and just dominate someone, or win 8 or 9 games. But I have no idea if that switch will be flipped or not, and even if it is, for how long.

We haven't played consistent football for 20 years around here, if we only won the last 3 games of the year, but started looking like a machine week to week in that stretch, that would be the most improvement we've seen in a long time, regardless of win totals.

 

[Toms Wife]

I don't see how anything other than 10 wins can be considered progress. On the day we hired Riley I can't imagine anyone thinking that in year three that 7 or 8 or even 9 wins would be considered progress. This whole discussion is proof that the bar has been lowered.

 

[timnsun]

I don't see how anything other than 10 wins can be considered progress. On the day we hired Riley I can't imagine anyone thinking that in year three that 7 or 8 or even 9 wins would be considered progress. This whole discussion is proof that the bar has been lowered.

Of course the bar has been lowered... did you see the team on Saturday? Expectations change as circumstances dictate.

But consider this... If we win 9 games this year that means we will have beaten either PSU or OSU, or maybe even both. We will have beaten Iowa or Wisconsin, or both. 9 wins means one loss in conference against OSU, PSU, Wisconsin, Iowa, etc...

Tell me here and now that if we get to 9 wins this season that is not progress. If you claim 9 wins is not progress, you will have earned your trolling reputation yet again.

 

[otismotis08]

If we get to 9 wins, then there has clearly been progress. And MR can stay one more year.

 

[Toms Wife]

Of course the bar has been lowered... did you see the team on Saturday? Expectations change as circumstances dictate.

But consider this... If we win 9 games this year that means we will have beaten either PSU or OSU, or maybe even both. We will have beaten Iowa or Wisconsin, or both. 9 wins means one loss in conference against OSU, PSU, Wisconsin, Iowa, etc...

Tell me here and now that if we get to 9 wins this season that is not progress. If you claim 9 wins is not progress, you will have earned your trolling reputation yet again.

Stop acting like someone saying something you don't agree with is trolling. You are better than that. Once again, this staff was not hired three years ago to come in and be Bo Pelini-esque. (Winning nine to ten games with at least one horrendous loss was Bo's MO.) No one would have thought nine wins in year three of a new coach was progress.

 

[swissticuffs]

With the resources the program has at its disposal and considering the division they play in anything less than 8 wins is never acceptable unless something catastrophic takes place.....9 wins should be expected...... You should be able to win this division on a somewhat frequent basis as well but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Bottom line...the fans wouldn't even get so bent out of shape if the program could just matter nationally.

 

[jflores]

Stop acting like someone saying something you don't agree with is trolling. You are better than that. Once again, this staff was not hired three years ago to come in and be Bo Pelini-esque. (Winning nine to ten games with at least one horrendous loss was Bo's MO.) No one would have thought nine wins in year three of a new coach was progress.

I took the OP as meaning progress this year, and not progress Globally.

Me personally, while I was happy with the 9 wins last year, I was upset at the ability to play consistent football. Hence, my posts in thread.

 

[timnsun]

Stop acting like someone saying something you don't agree with is trolling. You are better than that. Once again, this staff was not hired three years ago to come in and be Bo Pelini-esque. (Winning nine to ten games with at least one horrendous loss was Bo's MO.) No one would have thought nine wins in year three of a new coach was progress.

See JFlores' comment... the OP is talking about this year.

And yes, I came on strong in the previous post, but how can one conference loss when playing PSU, OSU, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, etc. not be seen as progress? When is the last time we only had 1 loss in the conference?

If you think that isn't progress then I disagree. Sorry for the troll blast, but that's how I see it.

 

[timnsun]

See JFlores' comment... the OP is talking about this year.

And yes, I came on strong in the previous post, but how can one conference loss when playing PSU, OSU, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, etc. not be seen as progress? When is the last time we only had 1 loss in the conference?

If you think that isn't progress then I disagree. Sorry for the troll blast, but that's how I see it.

Not to mention, if we finish 8-1 in conference we would be in the CCG... again, that is progress no matter how you slice it. A bad loss against NIU doesn't take away the progress that would have been made should we finish regular season 9-3.

 

[Solana Beach Husker]

Taking the hundreds of millions we have spent on this mediocre product or the last 20 years and investing it into education, science, and technology. Now that would show progress. I would imagine most NU fans are free market lovers, who think demand and supply should move hand in hand, but in our case we continue to show up and fill a stadium and pay huge dollars to watch a product not worthy of such attention. The irony is not lost on me.

 

[huskerfan1414]

Taking the hundreds of millions we have spent on this mediocre product or the last 20 years and investing it into education, science, and technology. Now that would show progress. I would imagine most NU fans are free market lovers, who think demand and supply should move hand in hand, but in our case we continue to show up and fill a stadium and pay huge dollars to watch a product not worthy of such attention. The irony is not lost on me.

What's ironic? People get to spend their money doing what leisure activity they wish.
I don't wanna go, but I cant tell others what to do.

 

[oldjar07]

Taking the hundreds of millions we have spent on this mediocre product or the last 20 years and investing it into education, science, and technology. Now that would show progress. I would imagine most NU fans are free market lovers, who think demand and supply should move hand in hand, but in our case we continue to show up and fill a stadium and pay huge dollars to watch a product not worthy of such attention. The irony is not lost on me.

If the product continues to not be worthy of the attention, the demand for it will meet the "supply" much sooner than you'd think.

 

[cubsker]

I don't see how anyone can make the argument that we have ever been better on offense under Riley than we were between 2011-2016. That's what I want to see. The guy who was brought in to run our program, who is supposed to be an offensive coach, needs to generate an offense that's better than what we were able to come up with two non QBs playing the position.