Syracuse, California, Iowa State and Nebraska

[Huskercigar]

Watched all these upsets the last few weeks and it gave me some hope that maybe Nebraska could do the same thing. One very noticeable difference. All three of those teams came out motivated playing some inspired and great football. Nebraska was anything but that. Everyone wants to say the kids didn't give up and they played till the end. Well that is the politically correct thing to say. Of course they played to the end. But my question is did they show up to start with. They wouldn't have stood a chance against those other teams and would have lost just as bad. Mike Riley has got to find a way to get these guys motivated for the next 5 games. I do believe there is some talent there and if he could just extract it we could be favored in all the games except 1.

If not......we will be dogs in all of them.

 

[phoenix4nu]

Watched all these upsets the last few weeks and it gave me some hope that maybe Nebraska could do the same thing. One very noticeable difference. All three of those teams came out motivated playing some inspired and great football. Nebraska was anything but that. Everyone wants to say the kids didn't give up and they played till the end. Well that is the politically correct thing to say. Of course they played to the end. But my question is did they show up to start with. They wouldn't have stood a chance against those other teams and would have lost just as bad. Mike Riley has got to find a way to get these guys motivated for the next 5 games. I do believe there is some talent there and if he could just extract it we could be favored in all the games except 1.

If not......we will be dogs in all of them.

The defense didn't show up any time during the game. So I don't think anyone can say that they played to the end. That's on Diaco. And it doesn't help that he's not with them on the sidelines in my opinion.

 

[Bugeater]

Watched all these upsets the last few weeks and it gave me some hope that maybe Nebraska could do the same thing. One very noticeable difference. All three of those teams came out motivated playing some inspired and great football. Nebraska was anything but that. Everyone wants to say the kids didn't give up and they played till the end. Well that is the politically correct thing to say. Of course they played to the end. But my question is did they show up to start with. They wouldn't have stood a chance against those other teams and would have lost just as bad. Mike Riley has got to find a way to get these guys motivated for the next 5 games. I do believe there is some talent there and if he could just extract it we could be favored in all the games except 1.

If not......we will be dogs in all of them.

Nebraska has enough talent to at least be in the game going into the 4th quarter with any B1G team.

 

[cornhead1]

The defense didn't show up any time during the game. So I don't think anyone can say that they played to the end. That's on Diaco. And it doesn't help that he's not with them on the sidelines in my opinion.

I disagree getting up for tOSU game is on the players. If you can't get up for that or any big game then please find another activity besides Nebraska Football. Come on Man!

 

[Husker Sledge]

A football team is a direct reflection of their head coach. I like Riley. I believe he's a very knowledgeable coach and all but there is a reason he's a career .500 guy. His teams just don't have the toughness to compete for championships. I've tried to be supportive but I finally see the light! He's just the wrong fit for Nebraska.

 

[phoenix4nu]

A football team is a direct reflection of their head coach. I like Riley. I believe he's a very knowledgeable coach and all but there is a reason he's a career .500 guy. His teams just don't have the toughness to compete for championships. I've tried to be supportive but I finally see the light! He's just the wrong fit for Nebraska.

I agree with this.

 

[HuskerGus]

Yeah the toughness - mentally and physically aren't there. Soft west coast football

 

[NUSouth]

Watched all these upsets the last few weeks and it gave me some hope that maybe Nebraska could do the same thing. One very noticeable difference. All three of those teams came out motivated playing some inspired and great football. Nebraska was anything but that. Everyone wants to say the kids didn't give up and they played till the end. Well that is the politically correct thing to say. Of course they played to the end. But my question is did they show up to start with. They wouldn't have stood a chance against those other teams and would have lost just as bad. Mike Riley has got to find a way to get these guys motivated for the next 5 games. I do believe there is some talent there and if he could just extract it we could be favored in all the games except 1.

If not......we will be dogs in all of them.

Add in a worthless Arizona team and LSU who was humiliated on their home field in an empty stadium by Troy State. Both of those teams also knocked off top 10 teams.

 

[OneBadHuskerFan]

You could tell during the tunnel walk that the game was over before it began. A few of us noted that during the game thread at the time. For the most part this team has given up.

Here's what I said at the time (just went back and looked)...

"I said in a previous thread before the Wisconsin game that I thought if we lost that game it could be the beginning of a spiral down. Seeing the team come out uninspired doesn't make me think they want to be there. Hope I'm wrong."

Unfortunately looks like I was right.

 

[onechase]

Mike Riley always looks tired and lost on the sidelines. He just has that look like what am I doing here in the first place. His teams are soft and not physical and we play that way. I never see him talking to any
players on the sidelines and on top of that his defensive coordinator is never on the field during games talking to any players. I think MR is a really nice guy but he is in way over his head. He should never have been hired at Nebraska and it shows with each passing week.

 

[Wasker77]

Mike Riley always looks tired and lost on the sidelines. He just has that look like what am I doing here in the first place. His teams are soft and not physical and we play that way. I never see him talking to any
players on the sidelines and on top of that his defensive coordinator is never on the field during games talking to any players. I think MR is a really nice guy but he is in way over his head. He should never have been hired at Nebraska and it shows with each passing week.

I saw that same look about 15 years ago in Husky Stadium. He's a nice guy, I think he likes to be around the players and knows a little about football. Somehow he got someone to give him the head coaching job at Oregon State. He would probably be an ok OC for a dynamic head coach.

 

[cidsports]

A football team is a direct reflection of their head coach. I like Riley. I believe he's a very knowledgeable coach and all but there is a reason he's a career .500 guy. His teams just don't have the toughness to compete for championships. I've tried to be supportive but I finally see the light! He's just the wrong fit for Nebraska.

He has plenty of teams under .500.

It is a team sport. Teams rise, fall or they become .500 teams. However, each team tends to be what they are and sometimes the sum of the parts are not what they need to be.

In the NIU game, the defense performed, with the exception of matching the Huskies scoring output.

On reputation, Nebraska was paid some respect heading into 2017, but as a unit, new QB, new RB and makeover at receivers, the offense has had an adjustment.

It hasn't been a smooth development and mid-season distractions and poor performances haven't help. Losing an assistant to death can have a toll, as well.

Ohio State offensively entered the season with a major adjustment, which was a major part of the reason there lost to Oklahoma. The Buckeyes are rolling like few Big Ten Teams, ever, in points scored.

The other element this season was shift to 3-4. Smoke and mirrors only aid so much. Like with how important a QB can be for an offense, at any level, a 3-4 often hinges at BY.

It was remarkable how Wisconsin transitioned from the 4-3 to 3-4, and talent level at NG and LB were huge highlights.

The Badgers over past ten years have become a Top 10 program.

The Huskers are on paper, over program history, but the transition from Devaney/Osborne era has not kept up to high standards.

Parity has shifted, as well. Just in the past two weeks, parity has bit OU, Clemson and Washington State.

Solid programs have struggled, such as LSU, USC and others in getting back up, after reaching that elite level.

Indiana and Minnesota in the Big Ten have gone 50 years now, since last conference title, let alone talking about a Top 10 type year.

It has been 15+ years.

Losing an identity isn't often easy to reignite in college sports, such as football or basketball.