Transfers on the horizon

[TheBeav815]

Interesting nugget in Sam's recruiting piece:

"'Naturally, there’s going to be some attrition from guys who are looking for more opportunity to play possibly at other places,' Riley said. 'And I’ve had private discussions with guys already who are interested in doing that. They’ve got a couple weeks to make that decision.'"

http://www.omaha.com/huskers/mckewo...cle_3cd65f8b-a60a-5a74-9f59-e72314a2ca86.html

Those last two sentences are the part I like to hear. Sorry to say it, but non-contributors can't stay on the roster if this teams is going to be good again.

Taylor jumps to mind as somebody who may be gone. I've heard a lot of suggestion that Wilbon will be gone, which sounds like it's more about attitude and/or off-field stuff than his ability as a runner.

They already cleared some WRs out. I wonder if they move on from any QBs if they can get another guy in addition to POB...

 

[cubsker]

if ZD can't play, he needs to go on medical.

 

[SnohomishRed]

Interesting nugget in Sam's recruiting piece:

"'Naturally, there’s going to be some attrition from guys who are looking for more opportunity to play possibly at other places,' Riley said. 'And I’ve had private discussions with guys already who are interested in doing that. They’ve got a couple weeks to make that decision.'"

http://www.omaha.com/huskers/mckewo...cle_3cd65f8b-a60a-5a74-9f59-e72314a2ca86.html

Those last two sentences are the part I like to hear. Sorry to say it, but non-contributors can't stay on the roster if this teams is going to be good again.

Taylor jumps to mind as somebody who may be gone. I've heard a lot of suggestion that Wilbon will be gone, which sounds like it's more about attitude and/or off-field stuff than his ability as a runner.

They already cleared some WRs out. I wonder if they move on from any QBs if they can get another guy in addition to POB...

I am very concerned about the RB position - at the start of the year we looked to be loaded - now we already lost one 4 star - Taylor is gone - Wilbon may be gone - so we are left with Newby who is weak running inside and a freshman - not a good thing that this position has gone from a strength to a liability so quickly

 

[TheBeav815]

What was the deal with Drayton...he was trying to commit and NU was like, "Whoaaaaa buddy, we'll let you know on that" or what?

 

[St. Anger]

I am very concerned about the RB position - at the start of the year we looked to be loaded - now we already lost one 4 star - Taylor is gone - Wilbon may be gone - so we are left with Newby who is weak running inside and a freshman - not a good thing that this position has gone from a strength to a liability so quickly

Seems like there's opportunity there. I'm not too worried about the RB position as of now.

 

[zamzman]

Seems like there's opportunity there. I'm not too worried about the RB position as of now.

I'm more concerned about fullback than I-back. I'm not too sure who else we have there. A few other walk-ons who haven't really played I think. Doubtful they can come close to duplicating Jano. I think we'll be okay at the other position. One returning starter, one back-up who may replace the starter, and a top freshman coming in. Plus they other guys haven't actually left yet, so I haven't written them off. But FB is my concern, not tailback.

 

[JHball]

I'm more concerned about fullback than I-back. I'm not too sure who else we have there. A few other walk-ons who haven't really played I think. Doubtful they can come close to duplicating Jano. I think we'll be okay at the other position. One returning starter, one back-up who may replace the starter, and a top freshman coming in. Plus they other guys haven't actually left yet, so I haven't written them off. But FB is my concern, not tailback.

I think the answer there is we just won't use the fullback as much

 

[SnohomishRed]

I think the answer there is we just won't use the fullback as much

nor RB for that matter - of the mantra was we have no RB's this year and that is why we throw so much next year will be even worse. Langsdorf does not need anymore excuses to go to the pass over the run

 

[JustwinNU3]

Wilbon aint going nowhere. Recruiting his former teammate and he said Wilbon had good things to say and he loves it here. Why would the kid even come visit if Wilbon was leaving and saying bad things. Taylor maybe but not wilbon. Plus Taylor if he left would have to probably go FCS or Div 2 route bc he already redshirted a year. So he would lose a year if went to D1 school which no one has any film on him because he hasnt played at all.

 

[TheBeav815]

Wilbon aint going nowhere. Recruiting his former teammate and he said Wilbon had good things to say and he loves it here. Why would the kid even come visit if Wilbon was leaving and saying bad things. Taylor maybe but not wilbon. Plus Taylor if he left would have to probably go FCS or Div 2 route bc he already redshirted a year. So he would lose a year if went to D1 school which no one has any film on him because he hasnt played at all.

I hope this is accurate. I wanted to see Wilbon starting all year. It's not impossible that he could leave and still not badmouth the program, but we shall see.

 

[jlb321]

People seem to be writing off ozigbo

 

[TheBeav815]

People seem to be writing off ozigbo

I liked what I saw of him. He should be a solid piece, but you have to scratch your head a bit about how little PT he got given how good he looked when he did get touches.

 

[inWV]

I liked what I saw of him. He should be a solid piece, but you have to scratch your head a bit about how little PT he got given how good he looked when he did get touches.

Didn't pay attention to how he did in pass-pro when he was in, but that is obviously a big part of the psn. Hope DO continues to develop and Wilbon gets whatever he needs to get together.

 

[leodisflowers]

Tre Bryant looks to be a person who may get touches also..

 

[Archie Graham]

People seem to be writing off ozigbo

I don't think so. It's just we absolutely need Wilbon to stay since Stevenson is gone.

 

[Archie Graham]

I liked what I saw of him. He should be a solid piece, but you have to scratch your head a bit about how little PT he got given how good he looked when he did get touches.

How so? The reality is he had a few decent runs later in the game against Illinois. That's it. He showed nothing that Cross and/or Newby couldn't contribute. IMO the idea that Ozigbo showed that he deserved more repetitions is a fallacy.

That being said, I'm excited to see how he develop smoking forward because I think he has some very nice potential.

 

[jackdwelsh]

What was the deal with Drayton...he was trying to commit and NU was like, "Whoaaaaa buddy, we'll let you know on that" or what?

Drayton was listed as a soft commit. Like Alexander is currently.

 

[Mr.Scary13]

I am very concerned about the RB position - at the start of the year we looked to be loaded - now we already lost one 4 star - Taylor is gone - Wilbon may be gone - so we are left with Newby who is weak running inside and a freshman - not a good thing that this position has gone from a strength to a liability so quickly

Take away AA and explain when this position was a strength....

 

[maplesyrup95]

Take away AA and explain when this position was a strength....

Exactly. Without AA, we would've struggled a lot. Last time we had a solid group of contributors was when Rex Burkhead, AA, Aaron Green and Braylon Heard all vied for playing time.

 

[rrthusker]

I am very concerned about the RB position - at the start of the year we looked to be loaded - now we already lost one 4 star - Taylor is gone - Wilbon may be gone - so we are left with Newby who is weak running inside and a freshman - not a good thing that this position has gone from a strength to a liability so quickly

I don`t see Wilbon or Taylor leaving.

 

[TheBeav815]

How so? The reality is he had a few decent runs later in the game against Illinois. That's it. He showed nothing that Cross and/or Newby couldn't contribute. IMO the idea that Ozigbo showed that he deserved more repetitions is a fallacy.

That being said, I'm excited to see how he develop smoking forward because I think he has some very nice potential.

Yeah, we're not gonna do the "if you take away the times he was good, he wasn't good" thing. He got very few game touches and produced.

Ozigbo averaged 7.2 per carry on 18 carries. His highest number of carries in a game was 7 (Illinois) and other than that he never carried more than 4 times. He had 70 yards on 7 carries against Illinois.

Cross 4.1 ypc on 96 carries

Newby 5.2 yps on 143 carries.

Jano 6.5 on 36 carries

So the guy with 18 carries has a better average than everyone else...I'll stick with my statement that I would like to have seen more of him.

 

[leodisflowers]

Yeah, we're not gonna do the "if you take away the times he was good, he wasn't good" thing. He got very few game touches and produced.

Ozigbo averaged 7.2 per carry on 18 carries. His highest number of carries in a game was 7 (Illinois) and other than that he never carried more than 4 times. He had 70 yards on 7 carries against Illinois.

Cross 4.1 ypc on 96 carries

Newby 5.2 yps on 143 carries.

Jano 6.5 on 36 carries

So the guy with 18 carries has a better average than everyone else...I'll stick with my statement that I would like to have seen more of him.

JMO.. But I think OZ has pretty darn good vision. On a lot of his longer runs I just felt he hit the hole very hard, but also knew where it was. If newby would have got those same carries, he probably runs up the back of the lineman. On those same long runs that OZ has, Cross gets tackled in the backfield. OZ is a good back, but not a big time back IMO.. Hopefully Wilbon or Tre are the real deal. We have a good set of backs, but need some elite ones.

 

[headcard]

Count me in the Ozigbo fan club. Big, fast, tough.

 

[TheBeav815]

Vrzal on Friday threw out 7 as the number of scholarship players he could see departing. Dunno if he has the ol' former player inside scoop on that.

 

[jflores]

Folks on other boards have indicated Wilbon had his knee scoped, in addition to some classroom issues. Not sure if its true, but it could be a potential answer to everyone's mystery.

 

[TheBeav815]

JMO.. But I think OZ has pretty darn good vision. On a lot of his longer runs I just felt he hit the hole very hard, but also knew where it was. If newby would have got those same carries, he probably runs up the back of the lineman. On those same long runs that OZ has, Cross gets tackled in the backfield. OZ is a good back, but not a big time back IMO.. Hopefully Wilbon or Tre are the real deal. We have a good set of backs, but need some elite ones.

Agree on vision. Was really watching Langford run for the Bears on Sunday, how he would get skinny and attack a crease. It wouldn't look like more than about 1/2 a shoulder width to get through, but when he sees something he HITS it. That attack is the difference between having a block and losing it. You give the defender another .5 seconds to a full second, that's time to get off a block.

 

[rrthusker]

Folks on other boards have indicated Wilbon had his knee scoped, in addition to some classroom issues. Not sure if its true, but it could be a potential answer to everyone's mystery.

He did have a knee scoped.

 

[BornNBredRed]

Any chance that Tommy sees the obvious writing on the wall that he simply lacks the skill set for this offense? Someone mentioned recently that he would be gone next year. There is no denying that he would be more successful in a different offense.

 

[TheBeav815]

Any chance that Tommy sees the obvious writing on the wall that he simply lacks the skill set for this offense? Someone mentioned recently that he would be gone next year. There is no denying that he would be more successful in a different offense.

No. He doesn't even have a year to sit out, does he?

While some are hoping POB can take the job by next fall, the heavy advantage belongs to Armstrong as the 3-year starter. There's no way he leaves unless it was to transfer down a division. Don't see that happening.

 

[jflores]

No. He doesn't even have a year to sit out, does he?

While some are hoping POB can take the job by next fall, the heavy advantage belongs to Armstrong as the 3-year starter. There's no way he leaves unless it was to transfer down a division. Don't see that happening.

Agree, I don't think there's any writing on the wall. TA is capable of winning enough games to keep Riley's job. POB hasn't proved he can do anything yet at the CFB level. He could be Rosen, he could be Stanton.

In any case, even if POB eventually takes over, it seems likely TA will play enough next year to not go poking around Western Kentcky

 

[otismotis08]

This really needs to happen. If some guys don't fit MR's mold, then clear them out and make room for others.
...and go get some others, fast!

 

[jteten]

Any chance that Tommy sees the obvious writing on the wall that he simply lacks the skill set for this offense? Someone mentioned recently that he would be gone next year. There is no denying that he would be more successful in a different offense.

I have seen nothing or no one with credibility that is suggesting TA transfers. He is the incumbent QB1.....without any competition at all. POB would have to be a freshman phenom at QB for him to supplant Armstrong. You might want to go ahead and hope for a tremendous improvement in decision making over the offseason, because TA is our guy.

 

[SnohomishRed]

Yeah, we're not gonna do the "if you take away the times he was good, he wasn't good" thing. He got very few game touches and produced.

Ozigbo averaged 7.2 per carry on 18 carries. His highest number of carries in a game was 7 (Illinois) and other than that he never carried more than 4 times. He had 70 yards on 7 carries against Illinois.

Cross 4.1 ypc on 96 carries

Newby 5.2 yps on 143 carries.

Jano 6.5 on 36 carries

So the guy with 18 carries has a better average than everyone else...I'll stick with my statement that I would like to have seen more of him.

I thought of the backs that actually played enough to get a good look - He was the best and should have played more - I like the warrior part of cross but he looked more like a lber trying to run then a D1 running back - Newby needs S&C or just more desire to get tough yards - we still ran the ball decently even though I did not believe we played the best back(s)

 

[Archie Graham]

Yeah, we're not gonna do the "if you take away the times he was good, he wasn't good" thing. He got very few game touches and produced.

Ozigbo averaged 7.2 per carry on 18 carries. His highest number of carries in a game was 7 (Illinois) and other than that he never carried more than 4 times. He had 70 yards on 7 carries against Illinois.

Cross 4.1 ypc on 96 carries

Newby 5.2 yps on 143 carries.

Jano 6.5 on 36 carries

So the guy with 18 carries has a better average than everyone else...I'll stick with my statement that I would like to have seen more of him.

I'm not suggesting that. I'm saying he didn't do anything special. He wasn't much better than anyone else and the majority of his carries were against an average run defense. Add in the fact that coaches get to evaluate him on a weekly basis and I'm not slightly concerned with the how carries were handled.

You wanted to see more of him? Fine by me. But let's not pretend like the guy was lighting it up and was getting shafted. That's not true.

 

[TheBeav815]

I'm not suggesting that. I'm saying he didn't do anything special. He wasn't much better than anyone else and the majority of his carries were against an average run defense. Add in the fact that coaches get to evaluate him on a weekly basis and I'm not slightly concerned with the how carries were handled.

You wanted to see more of him? Fine by me. But let's not pretend like the guy was lighting it up and was getting shafted. That's not true.

I think it's more a case of Newby being so frustrating that you say, "How much worse could another back possibly be?"

 

[leodisflowers]

I'm not suggesting that. I'm saying he didn't do anything special. He wasn't much better than anyone else and the majority of his carries were against an average run defense. Add in the fact that coaches get to evaluate him on a weekly basis and I'm not slightly concerned with the how carries were handled.

You wanted to see more of him? Fine by me. But let's not pretend like the guy was lighting it up and was getting shafted. That's not true.

Archie I agree with you to a certain extent to the fact everyone was mediocre, but with both Wilbon and Ozigbo I saw a few more flashes that made me more interested in what they could do if they were the primary IB. There were some definite flashes of pure good that I never really got with Newby or Cross. I'm hoping we get an elite RB because besides potentially Wilbon, I think we are just good at the IB position. I think Wilbon could potentially be a stud (have heard a few things through the grapevine) and I guess we will see how Bryant turns out, but the fact of the matter is we need to go after some game changing potential IB's because we don't have a proven one at this point.

 

[huskerbux]

Take away AA and explain when this position was a strength....

First, you can't take away AA and then ask for reasons why we lacked strength in that position. He was an integral part of why we were strong at RB. That would be like saying take away Mike Rozier and then explain why we don't have a Heisman trophy at RB.

So PRIOR to AA, we still had plenty of strength at RB. Generally I think of a 1000 yd rusher as a pretty strong back. If you have a different criteria, please elaborate.

2015 0
2014 AA 1611 (net)
2013 AA 1690
2012 AA 1137 - TMartinez 1019 (QB- I know but strengthened the running game)
2011 Rex 1357
2010 Helu 1245
2009 Helu 1147
2008 0

So the answer appears to be a 6 year stretch of pretty good strength at that position.

 

[SnohomishRed]

First, you can't take away AA and then ask for reasons why we lacked strength in that position. He was an integral part of why we were strong at RB. That would be like saying take away Mike Rozier and then explain why we don't have a Heisman trophy at RB.

So PRIOR to AA, we still had plenty of strength at RB. Generally I think of a 1000 yd rusher as a pretty strong back. If you have a different criteria, please elaborate.

2015 0
2014 AA 1611 (net)
2013 AA 1690
2012 AA 1137 - TMartinez 1019 (QB- I know but strengthened the running game)
2011 Rex 1357
2010 Helu 1245
2009 Helu 1147
2008 0

So the answer appears to be a 6 year stretch of pretty good strength at that position.

We have most years been able to recruit and play really good RB's it has been shown this is one of our strengths and not just one or two players. This is due to fact that NU is still viewed as a running school - If we go away from that we will no longer be able to consistently recruit great backs

For all you guys saying we need to go the passing game - I say this: We will never be able to consistently recruit great passing QB's to NU but we can get RB's - So for logics sake does it make sense for this staff to go pass happy.

 

[TheBeav815]

We have most years been able to recruit and play really good RB's it has been shown this is one of our strengths and not just one or two players. This is due to fact that NU is still viewed as a running school - If we go away from that we will no longer be able to consistently recruit great backs

For all you guys saying we need to go the passing game - I say this: We will never be able to consistently recruit great passing QB's to NU but we can get RB's - So for logics sake does it make sense for this staff to go pass happy.

It's not a case of fans wanting NU to go to the pass, it's just obvious to a lot of us that's what the staff intends to do. They are not going to be coaches who have 15-20 throws per game. It's gonna be more like 30-35.

IMO you need 3-4 good RBs. You need a rotation of 2 even with everyone healthy. If one guy gets hurt, you're into your 3-deep in a big hurry.

 

[SnohomishRed]

It's not a case of fans wanting NU to go to the pass, it's just obvious to a lot of us that's what the staff intends to do. They are not going to be coaches who have 15-20 throws per game. It's gonna be more like 30-35.

IMO you need 3-4 good RBs. You need a rotation of 2 even with everyone healthy. If one guy gets hurt, you're into your 3-deep in a big hurry.

I maybe did not state that correctly - yes this staff is pass first yet so many people are supporting that and I feel this is a huge mistake one large enough that even if the defense can get itself respectable on a consistent basis, will doom this staff to failure