As a fan wanting to see Nebraska playing in one of the 2 playoff games, what aspect of Nebraska’s game should be the number one area for development this year based on what we saw in yesterday’s games?
What should Nebraska take from the 2 games yesterday?
- Thread starter Native Nebraskan
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Bama and Clemson are on a completely different level than other teams. Line play is vastly superior...both are just all around bigger, faster, and stronger.
We’re a long ways from having the kind of defense that Clemson and Alabama have..
The potential on offense is there with what we have and what is coming in for the future...
The potential on offense is there with what we have and what is coming in for the future...
Skip the Clemson and Alabama games and watch the Michigan and Purdue games to assess where the program stands
Vast improvements in talent along both lines. We need bigger, stronger, faster,better and tougher athletes.
Everyone sees it. Massive linemen are required but as you can also see, only two teams have amassed the type of talent in the trenches - Bama and Clemson. Even the 3rd and 4th best teams don’t have that type of talent.
Certainly the best of the B1G doesn’t have that type of talent.
Nebraska has a long ways to go before it can realistically compete for a title.
Certainly the best of the B1G doesn’t have that type of talent.
Nebraska has a long ways to go before it can realistically compete for a title.
Those weren't the 3rd and 4th best teams in the country.
College football seems to be at various levels. Clemson and Bama are clearly the better teams on a consistent basis based on overall strength and athletic ability and their depth is unreal. They are physically dominating in all positions and they come in waves if someone goes down. You can't have weaknesses, Bama had one at corner last night and even OU exploited it.
There is a second tier who all seem to have a weak area or two, can demolish most everyone else but even they have areas the big boys exploit. tosu, Michigan, Notre Dame, Florida, OU, are a few of that group, there are more coming in.
After that a group like A&M, LSU, Texas, Wisconsin, Washington and several others who have good seasons but can't get over the big hump. Still in the process of getting better at all positions.
You can argue who belongs in what group all day, that is not my intent. Just look at the spread and see where our Huskers fit. Looking realistically and not with Rose colored glasses, we have a long ways to go. Those top teams don't have to ask who the RB is going to be next year, they have several all ready to go or who is going to be the WR to take over after 2 or 3 go to the league. There is a good barometer. How long do you think Mo Washington would last in a game against the big boys? The physical play was incredible yesterday, not a place for the timid.
There is a second tier who all seem to have a weak area or two, can demolish most everyone else but even they have areas the big boys exploit. tosu, Michigan, Notre Dame, Florida, OU, are a few of that group, there are more coming in.
After that a group like A&M, LSU, Texas, Wisconsin, Washington and several others who have good seasons but can't get over the big hump. Still in the process of getting better at all positions.
You can argue who belongs in what group all day, that is not my intent. Just look at the spread and see where our Huskers fit. Looking realistically and not with Rose colored glasses, we have a long ways to go. Those top teams don't have to ask who the RB is going to be next year, they have several all ready to go or who is going to be the WR to take over after 2 or 3 go to the league. There is a good barometer. How long do you think Mo Washington would last in a game against the big boys? The physical play was incredible yesterday, not a place for the timid.
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The most physical team wins. NU has to become more physical...I think they will, too.
With the last 20 year's of crap bowls and no conference titles I would be ecstatic with winning the West first. Playing in a solid New Years day bowl second. Then winning a Big 10 title and playing in a BCS bowl. Then...once you've installed the culture and S@C program, recruiting and consistency will improve. Then and only then...we can talk playoffs and competing with Bama and Clemson. Baby steps people. We have been shit for 20 years. Not an overnight fix. This will take years but Frost will get us there. GBR
Thing that stuck out to me is that all four teams playing yesterday in the CFP, had defensive lineman who had the ability to get off blocks. They weren’t all more physically imposing, they were just technically better. Their linebackers filled gaps and again we’re better tacklers for the most part.
Offensively it was just different, none of those teams ran an offense similar to what Nebraska does. So it was hard to gauge what the main differences were. And I am not sure it’s relevant. Central Florida was able to compete with an elite defense last year without having elite athletes on the OLine.
Offensively it was just different, none of those teams ran an offense similar to what Nebraska does. So it was hard to gauge what the main differences were. And I am not sure it’s relevant. Central Florida was able to compete with an elite defense last year without having elite athletes on the OLine.
I think your over exaggerating a bit on shit the last 20 years..Last 4 years is more like it..
Going to the Citrus twice and Gator and Holiday bowls are not crap bowls either..
I think the question is, how would the Nebraska teams that went to the Citrus and Gator and Holiday Bowls have done against Clemson and Bama?
With that in mind, we have some work to do.
O line, d line, strength & speed
Plus it would be great when our dbs don't get flagged for pass interference for the same thing Clemson, Alabama and OU were doing. Big difference watching bowl games and our games this fall
Plus it would be great when our dbs don't get flagged for pass interference for the same thing Clemson, Alabama and OU were doing. Big difference watching bowl games and our games this fall
They don’t just have better athletes who are better coached on defense, they also just flat-out play much harder on that side of the ball.
That isn’t the point those teams wouldn’t have made the playoffs of course... They were good teams and not shit teams... shit teams have a losing record on my account..
Yes to everything you said!
My added take always:
#1 Who ever lands the most 4 and 5 star recruits, wins!
#2 Teams not running a spread offense are at an extreme disadvantage
#3 Frost would have to perform a miracle for us to compete in the playoff in the near future
#4 Good defense is still required regardless of how good your offense is
#5 Dual Threat QBs are now essential for a national title run. Statue QBs are a thing of the past
We are Nebraska. I grew up on New Years Day bowls. Fiesta, Orange Bowls, etc. Citrus, Holiday and Gator are OK but we are not Iowa. We shouldn't settle for OK.
There are only a handful of native Alabamans (Lots of Floridians, Louisianans, Texans, etc) on the Tide 2 deep and the population of Alabama is only a couple million more than Nebraska. Same with Clemson (handful of South Carolinians and a lot of out of state recruits). It's all about good recruiting nationally, player development, and coaching.
The scoreboard was close but we were physically dominated by Iowa. We are going to have to accept the fact that in the short term we are Iowa. Time will tell if we are going to be anything more than a perennial big ten west contender
Im talking big picture. Long term. Not being content with 8 win seasons like Iowa is every year.
3 star recruiting classes with some 4 stars sprinkled in don’t compete with 4 star classes with some 3 stars sprinkled in.
At minimum if you are serious about consistently competing nationally the recipe calls for at least an equal mix of 4 stars + 3 stars. At least 50% of every recruiting class should be 4 stars or better.
19 of the 20 schools that have made the CFP have met this 50% minimum. Alabama sits around 75-80%
We have a nice little class this year that should compete well in the big ten west.
At minimum if you are serious about consistently competing nationally the recipe calls for at least an equal mix of 4 stars + 3 stars. At least 50% of every recruiting class should be 4 stars or better.
19 of the 20 schools that have made the CFP have met this 50% minimum. Alabama sits around 75-80%
We have a nice little class this year that should compete well in the big ten west.
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I’m older than you and have seen Nebraska play in every bowl game but the first two...
Back in the 1970’s the Fiesta,Sun,Liberty and Astro- Bluebonnet Bowls were no different than the Citrus Gator or Holiday Bowls..
The Huskers have played in 3 Citrus bowls and every team they played were damn good football teams.
1990- Georgia Tech co National champions.
2011- South Carolina 11-2 best record they had in school history.
2012- Georgia 12-2 lost to Bama in the SEC CCG 32-28.
Nebraska’s takeaway should be that they need to funnel money through a church to pay recruits and take PED’s like Clemson, or hand out cash and cars to recruits like Alabama.
You're right, Nebraska is not Iowa for past several years. More like Northwestern. Zero NY6 bowls, one division title appearance, zero top ten finishes. Long road to hoe to get of the snide. Needing to go from tier 4 - tier 1 is an extremely tough task as I'm sure some of you will agree. The question: Will UNL grow weary of Frost with 7-8-9 wins with a few 10's sprinkled in?
One major thing I took away from yesterday's games is massive lineplay & defense. Something Frost has promised on only half. The ho hum about defense is a major red flag. Great teams start with the D & end with offense. It's ball control & D. If the offense can put up points, then you have a Bama.
Can’t speak for every Husker fan but winning the division 2 out of 3 years once he gets his S/C and recruiting and walk on program closer to what it once was.
Wether that is winning 8 or 9 or 10 games..
Keep in mind Nebraska has won 9+ games or more 47 out of 56 years....Think about that for a second compared to what Iowa has done the last 40 years..
Exactly, I kept thinking if our DBs did the exact same thing they would be penalized every time. These teams also have the benefit of being able to interfere and hold and get away with it.
That's great & all, but again - In today's landscape there is nothing to suggest UNL is even on that level of 8-9-10 wins. I know where you think you should be, but the rest know where UNL is at in real time. All I'm saying is there's a huge mountain to climb, Iowa is just one rung closer. It's nothing to chest pound over, but to say UNL is on Iowa's level right now is just blatantly false & is inviting. I don't know how that is up for debate?
In summation, I don't think any team in this region will ever produce a winner like Bama or Clemson - the way cfb has evolved & structured.
I didn’t say it would happen right away especially from what a mess Riley and his staff left us with but our rooster is changing quickly..
I guess we will find out next year won’t we, the B1G West is wide open next year there is no clear favorite and Nebraska has as good chance as Iowa, NW, Wisconsin and Minnesota..
And of course no one is near those two and the present time
The difference between Nebraska and Clemson/Bama is obviously recruiting. When we land a guy like Ty Robinson at DE, we put all our chips in on that guy and pray the he develops, stays healthy and eligible. And then hope that our lower rated recruits really develop and make big strides. Alabama and Clemson recruit 3-4 Ty Robinson’s (and better) every year at DE. When we get 1, they get 3.
I love this class, mainly because they’re Huskers and want to be here. But I would swap Alabama’s or Clemson’s class in a minute. They get the higher caliber recruits and more of them. Recruiting needs to be elite to compete with those guys. Look at ND’s classes. They’re good. But just not on the same level.
I love this class, mainly because they’re Huskers and want to be here. But I would swap Alabama’s or Clemson’s class in a minute. They get the higher caliber recruits and more of them. Recruiting needs to be elite to compete with those guys. Look at ND’s classes. They’re good. But just not on the same level.
I think we should take that we can also get to that level - Clemson is a perfect example
I look at Clemson and am encouraged
- In 2008 Clemson and NU were basically equal and both breaking in new head coaches - NU won the bowl game
- From 2008 to 2011 NU did ok and played in several conference title games but never broke through
- From 2008 to 2011 Clemson struggled also and despite decent seasons nothing special ending 2011 giving up 70 pts to West Virginia
- It is here we took separate turns - NU went into the Big10 and Pelini got his ass handed to him and recruiting never improved. Clemson made a change and hired the best co-ordinators money could buy and made a major financial investment in every aspect of the program. Their DC became the top paid DC in CFB
- From that point NU went down hill and Clemson continually got better
I look at Clemson and am encouraged
Defensive front is the king here. Alabama, Clemson and even Florida were disruptive as hell on the front and it made a world of difference.
I’m not too concerned about our offense. Our staff had that trending up pretty quickly but if we want to win big football games then we need to match that with a strong defensive line.
I’m not too concerned about our offense. Our staff had that trending up pretty quickly but if we want to win big football games then we need to match that with a strong defensive line.
I would love an elite defensive line that can stuff the run & rush the passer like they do. Making a team one dimensional because they can’t run against you & then make the QB run for his life is what makes Alabama & Clemson so good.
