Reason for not being apathetic right now

[timnsun]

I agree. One extrapolation piled on top of another.
Don't look at it mathematically, instead look at our team.Does this look like a 9-3 football team you?
This happens a lot during basketball season. Fans start picking games the rest of the way we should or could win. Math wise, yes, we can make it to a tourney invite but don't do that. Instead, look at your team. Does it play like a tourney team.
Your Nu Cornhuskers were sliding along on a very thin margin and now injuries have decimated them. It's going to take much more than just running on the field to win seven more games. Our passing game is anemic and our running game isn't much better. We can't even kick a field goal.

Solid. Don’t often agree with you, but this is pretty accurate. I’m hoping for 6 wins. Any more than that will be a bonus.

 

[cavalot]

I wouldn’t call them a great team yet. I think they were punched in the mouth and didn’t respond well, and this will serve them well moving forward. This Friday, I see the defense playing with a chip on their shoulder. They shut down Minnesota’s run game, and Minnesota is a strong rushing team. So I see them hitting it hard this week in practice, not running scared.

But I could easily be wrong.

This defense on Saturday was the same one we saw in the second half against Colorado. Minnie is not very good. We do not have an alpha, and this program hasn't played with a chip on its shoulder since 08.

Im just done looking through rose colored glasses (have been for years). We are a bad football program right now. And it pisses me off because all of this could have been avoided years ago.

 

[timnsun]

This defense on Saturday was the same one we saw in the second half against Colorado. Minnie is not very good. We do not have an alpha, and this program hasn't played with a chip on its shoulder since 08.

Im just done looking through rose colored glasses (have been for years). We are a bad football program right now. And it pisses me off because all of this could have been avoided years ago.

Fair enough. You may be right. But I hope I’m right. Not so I can say I told you so, but this board will be more peaceful if we see a pulse this week.

 

[Big bo fan]

We are NOT going 9-3. If we split the next 4 I will be surprised. We are not good offensively, and our defense is getting exposed as more film is available.

If we get to 6 wins I would be absolutely shocked.

Who exposed our defense? The number 2 team in America.,the biggest issue on d right know we had 3 starters out for the game ( Singleton hurt 2nd play) yes the offense is not good, but our d if healthy would fine us a chance the rest of the way.

 

[goldencohusker]

I not sure that even if the balance of the season doesn't go well and the team doesn't get to a bowl that it really changes Rhule's rebuild plans or views. But it would do wonders for fan enthusiasm and momentum if they could rattle off some wins and possibly finish with a winning record and a bowl. Its hard to remember the last time we finished the season with momentum. Last year's win over Iowa might have been the closest thing, and we had 5 days to enjoy that before Lucy pulled the football again and Mickey got arrested.

 

[romaman]

If Michigan can line it up and run straight at our defense you can be sure Bert will attack our defense as well. He has my respect as a coach. It’ll be a dogfight in a half full stadium.
I like Rhule so far. I like that he’s not about the excuses and he builds from week to week. I’m looking forward to seeing this program being built up.
Going physical in practice each week will give us a chance each week. Thought that Michigan Nebraska would be closer
No apathy here, Go Huskers

I get your point about physically style running game, but hopefully you are not trying to compare Michigan's running attack to Illinois running game who only scored 14 points on Purdue. I bet that Michigan has at least two to three draft picks on that oline. It did seem like a yeoman effort by the defense on Saturday, but almost a continuing play from the la tech after the weather delay. Our offense has to sustain drives to give our defense a chance to rest and regroup. I have been a Husker fan for 30 years and still seem to get excited when they play, but i don't know how much i have left in me to watch coach after coach fail here. This 4 game stretch will be very telling on how Matt Rhule will do as coach at Nebraska.

 

[cavalot]

Who exposed our defense? The number 2 team in America.,the biggest issue on d right know we had 3 starters out for the game ( Singleton hurt 2nd play) yes the offense is not good, but our d if healthy would fine us a chance the rest of the way.

did you watch the 2nd half of the Colorado game? Im not saying our defense isn't the strength of this team. What Im saying is that our defensive rankings prior to Michigan were a bit misleading. Lets see how we look as we traverse through the rest of this schedule before we tout the Blackshirts are back!

 

[cavalot]

Fair enough. You may be right. But I hope I’m right. Not so I can say I told you so, but this board will be more peaceful if we see a pulse this week.

I hope you are right. Because I want us to play good football and beat teams that we should beat. We should be 4-1 or at least 3-2 right now. We should win the next 4 games because we are better athletically then these teams coming up. But there is something wrong in Big Red land and no amount of money and pampering is going to cure what ales us. The whole damn program needs to toughen up.

 

[timnsun]

I hope you are right. Because I want us to play good football and beat teams that we should beat. We should be 4-1 or at least 3-2 right now. We should win the next 4 games because we are better athletically then these teams coming up. But there is something wrong in Big Red land and no amount of money and pampering is going to cure what ales us. The whole damn program needs to toughen up.

Totally agree. Toughening up needs to happen now! And hopefully it is…

 

[WHCSC]

This is a direct quote from Rhule regarding the Illinois game. If we crap the bed it could get ugly

This is a litmus test game for Rhule

“Everyone in Nebraska will find out about this team next Friday night,” Rhule said. “We’ll find out about me. We’ll find out about (the players).”

It's personal?

 

[ssmill777]

As I posted in another thread, as ugly as the Michigan game was it did not tell us anything we did not already know. Very, very few people thought we would beat Michigan this year. This game did not therefore tell us anything new. Michigan is better than we are. But we knew that. So personally I have just shaken the dust of that game off of my shoes and am setting my sights on the rest of the season.

We have seven games ahead of us all of which are winnable. I am not saying we will win them all. We probably won't. But assuming we get some guys healthy (Reimer, Lenhardt, Singleton, Teddy, Sims) there is not a team left on our roster that we cannot beat if we get a few breaks for a change. The Big Ten West is an absolute dumpster fire of awfulness this year. in fact, the only team that really scares me on our schedule is from the East -- Maryland. But even they are not world beaters and the game is in Lincoln.

Believe it or not we have a chance to go 9-3 this year and with a bowl win we could end up 10-3. And even if we do not do that we can end up 8-5 or 9-4.

Rhule is not going anywhere. So now is not the time to give up on this season and to check out. There is still a ton of things to play for and we need to start building for the future.

Forget Michigan. Time to turn our attention forward. Let's go beat the snot out fat Biliema and pound Illinois into the turf.

Love the optimism, however, the flip side of the coin tells us that all 7 remaining games could be losses, at least 3 we will be underdogs, and the other 4 are toss-ups. With all the injuries and lack of talent - I see 5-7 as best case scenario. This team looks a lot like Frost teams.

 

[JOHNNY N]

 

[JOHNNY N]

Love the optimism, however, the flip side of the coin tells us that all 7 remaining games could be losses, at least 3 we will be underdogs, and the other 4 are toss-ups. With all the injuries and lack of talent - I see 5-7 as best case scenario. This team looks a lot like Frost teams.

All that is true. But 4 of games are at home. Rhule needs to manufacture a win Friday night against the B1G worst defensive team.

 

[BroskiRed]

I get your point about physically style running game, but hopefully you are not trying to compare Michigan's running attack to Illinois running game who only scored 14 points on Purdue. I bet that Michigan has at least two to three draft picks on that oline. It did seem like a yeoman effort by the defense on Saturday, but almost a continuing play from the la tech after the weather delay. Our offense has to sustain drives to give our defense a chance to rest and regroup. I have been a Husker fan for 30 years and still seem to get excited when they play, but i don't know how much i have left in me to watch coach after coach fail here. This 4 game stretch will be very telling on how Matt Rhule will do as coach at Nebraska.

No I’m not making a direct comparison. I‘ll say this for context, Bielema beat Frost in his first year with Art Sitkowski at QB, in Champaign. I was shocked at both the physical play of Illinois and our coaching staff getting out coached that game by a brand new staff at IL. What I am saying is I fully expect Bielema to try to exploit any weakness or if our D doesn’t come to play Illinois will expose that. This is a nut check type of game
I have grown very weary of underwhelming play and coaching and missed opportunities to re-establish the Nebraska football program.
Agree 100% that this game, the bye week, and setting up for a November homestretch is a critical point of Rhule’s early tenure.

 

[dinglefritz]

This is certainly a different kind of 2w 3L heading into October than it ever was over the last 20 years. Hope still exists. We got puppies out there on Defense that are growing up fast. 1-0 each GameDay going forward is the task. Seems like the kids are up for it. Winning goes viral on teams, and the kids will catch it and run if we can hit on these next three.

Not having Reimer and Singleton is a big problem. While Reimer might not be our most talented defender he seems to a a team leader that makes big plays. The drop off when Singleton went down was obvious.

 

[BrighteRed24]

A loss will be a bad look for Rhule and co. Will make the rest of the season 100x more toxic throughout the fanbase.

Have to wonder if Rhule rips the bandaid off if we lose to Illinois. By that I mean, he starts inserting the youth (OL, WR, etc) and starts playing for the future

 

[bob5150]

Not having Reimer and Singleton is a big problem. While Reimer might not be our most talented defender he seems to a a team leader that makes big plays. The drop off when Singleton went down was obvious.

I agree. Hope these guys can step up, and that we can mask the weakness as best as possible.