Where's Tulsa Tom when you need him?

[timnsun]

It is laughable how people's opinions change. Before the season we were hearing anything from 5-7 to 8-4... 9-3 was gonna be a successful season. Well guess what? We got there, with injuries galore and no depth at key positions... and people are pissed!

Armstrong injured down the stretch... OLine a mash unit with several starts from walkons, 3 in one game... Carter, Westercamp, Moore, Reilly, Ozigbo... who am I forgetting? MRI at times, Dedrick Young, Marcus Newby...

Disappointing and frustrating game today, no question. But to start threads saying this is the best it's gonna get with these coaches, or all the good will built up to this point is gone seems a bit over the top.

I'm probably gonna regret saying this, but I kind of wish Tulsa Tom were here to point out how so many on this board have all of a sudden moved the goal posts...

9-3, people, with 2 of those losses to top 10 teams, both of whom could be playoff bound... it's one thing to be angry. It's another thing entirely to change your expectations after they have met because you are angry. The way I see it, the only ones who should be royally pissed are the ones who said 10-2 or better... all the rest should be happy with 9-3 and looking for continued improvement down the road.

I'm not saying no one should be upset... today was awful. But what did you expect this season to be in August? If you predicted 8 wins or fewer, why are you so pissed?

 

[Truehuskerfan]

Agreed-at 9-3, we have met or exceeded most people's preseason expectations. And yet you wouldn't notice it by the reaction from most people. I understand why people are upset after this game. It shouldn't happen. I get that and I agree. But sometimes I wonder whether people use the blowout losses as an excuse to "move the goalposts" in terms of their expectations. People claim that they would have been happy with 9 wins before the season, but now claim that they aren't happy because we got blown out by Iowa. But would those people have been any happier with a 1 point loss to Iowa? I doubt it. 9-3 is 9-3, blowout losses or not. And you can downplay the 9 wins all you want because we only beat the teams we were supposed to beat-but there's a good number of teams this season that essentially played themselves out of a playoff spot or are longshots because they couldn't beat all the teams they were supposed to beat. Beating all the teams you are supposed to beat isn't as easy as people make it out to be.

Really, though I think many of those that predicted 6 or 7 wins this year and claim to still be upset shows that they really were unserious in one way or another about their preseason predictions in the first place. I think some artificially set low expectations this year so they didn't get their hopes up too much but in their mind reserving the right to be upset even if we exceeded those low expectations. I think some of those actually wanted us to only win 6 or 7 games because they don't like Mike Riley, so you know those people are going to complain no matter what happens regardless of whether the team beat their expectations or not.

I think the bottom line is-for a lot of people, they look for reasons to be upset. It's like some people think you can't be a real fan if you aren't angry all the time. Sure there are reasons to be upset this season, but there are plenty of reasons to be happy too. A 4 game turnaround in the regular season in one year, and yet some people try to legitimately claim that we haven't improved. All last season they lamented our inability to finish out games, and this year we finish out games, and they claim we haven't improved. Several of our games this year we probably would have lost last year. Turning those losses into wins is improvement. Maybe not as much improvement as you want because you want us to be competing with Ohio State and not getting blown out by the likes of Iowa. I agree that needs to be done, but that's the next step. Give the staff time to show they can do that.

 

[Snickerdoodle70]

It is laughable how people's opinions change. Before the season we were hearing anything from 5-7 to 8-4... 9-3 was gonna be a successful season. Well guess what? We got there, with injuries galore and no depth at key positions... and people are pissed!

Armstrong injured down the stretch... OLine a mash unit with several starts from walkons, 3 in one game... Carter, Westercamp, Moore, Reilly, Ozigbo... who am I forgetting? MRI at times, Dedrick Young, Marcus Newby...

Disappointing and frustrating game today, no question. But to start threads saying this is the best it's gonna get with these coaches, or all the good will built up to this point is gone seems a bit over the top.

I'm probably gonna regret saying this, but I kind of wish Tulsa Tom were here to point out how so many on this board have all of a sudden moved the goal posts...

9-3, people, with 2 of those losses to top 10 teams, both of whom could be playoff bound... it's one thing to be angry. It's another thing entirely to change your expectations after they have met because you are angry. The way I see it, the only ones who should be royally pissed are the ones who said 10-2 or better... all the rest should be happy with 9-3 and looking for continued improvement down the road.

I'm not saying no one should be upset... today was awful. But what did you expect this season to be in August? If you predicted 8 wins or fewer, why are you so pissed?

One (compound) word: blowouts.

That's why some people are upset. Because we're back to where we win 9 games, but once again, we have to sit through blowouts. Ohio State was one thing, but getting ass-blasted by a 7-4 Iowa team and not even being competitive (even with injuries) is another. And the blame pelini crowd can only use that excuse for so long.

If our depth was such an obvious issue to all the internet warriors here all season, then it was or should've been to our coaches, too. It's their well-paid jobs to rectify the issue, be that getting jucos, axing scholarship players, walk-ons, what have you. Nebraska's coaches have the power to make necessary personnel changes, and yet, it seems they just say, "meh, let's just wait until year 4-5 when our players are here."

I realize getting a respective coach's recruiting classes in and matures is a part of college football. But new and great coaches also make non-traditional moves as needed. We haven't done that. And the assumption it will change in year 3 is, thus far, based on faith and faith alone.

 

[B1G RED RULES]

It is laughable how people's opinions change. Before the season we were hearing anything from 5-7 to 8-4... 9-3 was gonna be a successful season. Well guess what? We got there, with injuries galore and no depth at key positions... and people are pissed!

Armstrong injured down the stretch... OLine a mash unit with several starts from walkons, 3 in one game... Carter, Westercamp, Moore, Reilly, Ozigbo... who am I forgetting? MRI at times, Dedrick Young, Marcus Newby...

Disappointing and frustrating game today, no question. But to start threads saying this is the best it's gonna get with these coaches, or all the good will built up to this point is gone seems a bit over the top.

I'm probably gonna regret saying this, but I kind of wish Tulsa Tom were here to point out how so many on this board have all of a sudden moved the goal posts...

9-3, people, with 2 of those losses to top 10 teams, both of whom could be playoff bound... it's one thing to be angry. It's another thing entirely to change your expectations after they have met because you are angry. The way I see it, the only ones who should be royally pissed are the ones who said 10-2 or better... all the rest should be happy with 9-3 and looking for continued improvement down the road.

I'm not saying no one should be upset... today was awful. But what did you expect this season to be in August? If you predicted 8 wins or fewer, why are you so pissed?

Good grief - this season record measurement has become so laughable. Check out where the playoff committee puts their respect for this 3 loss bunch of misfits when they come out. I can picture you whistling down the hallway like Barney Cotton bragging "9 wins baby" or "only 3 losses man". At the end of the day - who did this team beat? And what about the losses? Three hard fought losses where you came up short is one thing. Two brutal ass pounding where the players where so thoroughly outmanned that all they could do is watch somebody take their lunch money and in return thank them for it is another.

Oh, but I know we have injuries. I noticed Iowa has had a few too - as every other program has this year too. But I know, we have it worse because we are victims and everything is tougher for us - if only the world could understand our plight???

I feel like we are watching Bill Callahan 2 unfold - he brought in a pro mindset, brought in all his buddies, he produced the first losing season in decades, had blowouts and mind boggling losses, recruited better than his predecessor, then turned around in second and third season, only to be completely exposed in year four. We had hope, but the signs were there all along. We have hope again now that we have recruits like Harrison Beck and Sam Keller coming in to save the day.

Anyhow - I now have a new proud moment in Husker history. Walking out of Kinnick Stadium and having opposing fans not belittle me, but pity our program and pat me on the back and say "you guys really did have an impressive program at one time". And the worst part - to know they are 100% correct.

 

[hddude55]

9-3 is fine for this team, maybe even bordering on great. If we replayed the same teams we'd just as likely be something like 6-6. Therein lies the problem. If we were 9-3 looking at bigger and better things in 2017 and beyond, that would be fine. But who really believes that?

 

[Snickerdoodle70]

But who really believes that?

My faith has certainly been compromised.

 

[wreckitralph]

It is laughable how people's opinions change. Before the season we were hearing anything from 5-7 to 8-4... 9-3 was gonna be a successful season. Well guess what? We got there, with injuries galore and no depth at key positions... and people are pissed!

Armstrong injured down the stretch... OLine a mash unit with several starts from walkons, 3 in one game... Carter, Westercamp, Moore, Reilly, Ozigbo... who am I forgetting? MRI at times, Dedrick Young, Marcus Newby...

Disappointing and frustrating game today, no question. But to start threads saying this is the best it's gonna get with these coaches, or all the good will built up to this point is gone seems a bit over the top.

I'm probably gonna regret saying this, but I kind of wish Tulsa Tom were here to point out how so many on this board have all of a sudden moved the goal posts...

9-3, people, with 2 of those losses to top 10 teams, both of whom could be playoff bound... it's one thing to be angry. It's another thing entirely to change your expectations after they have met because you are angry. The way I see it, the only ones who should be royally pissed are the ones who said 10-2 or better... all the rest should be happy with 9-3 and looking for continued improvement down the road.

I'm not saying no one should be upset... today was awful. But what did you expect this season to be in August? If you predicted 8 wins or fewer, why are you so pissed?

We are a badly coached team from top to bottom..... case in point, that special teams play is some of the worst I have ever seen. Absolutely no changes or improvement to special teams coaching or philosophy during the year. None. Kick return horrible, should I down it in the endzone or jog to the 12. Kickoffs not reaching the endzone and coverage struggling to keep the return from the 30. Nobody on the team that can punt a football?? Punt coverage looks like 7th grade walk-through practice. Consistently poor special teams play is an indication of lazy, sloppy coaching. It's one area that can see considerable improvement rapidly with proper emphasis and coaching but can turn and remain a shitshow if allowed. In the end, it will cost you dearly to neglect. This is one of the reasons I am pissed.

 

[timnsun]

It's ok to be pissed about the game yesterday. I get that. What I don't get is how 9 wins in August would have been a really good year, but in November it is a fireable offense. Yes, these coaches still have work to do. And if changes are made to the coaching staff, that will most likely be a good thing. But as I said in the original post, I don't get the pull the plug mentality after the 4 game turnaround.

I get the frustration that these coaches didn't bring in jucos to help us with depth. That decision has bitten us in the butt. But if you are pissed that we lost to Iowa as bad as we did, look at the line play and tell me we had the horses yesterday. We need to improve in the trenches. Until that happens, games like yesterday will still be possible. The coaches seem to know this and are trying to rectify the situation, albeit going the traditional route with high schoolers and not juco players.

Please understand, I'm not celebrating 9-3 as some milestone we have achieved a la Barney Cotton... this is minimum level stuff. what I am doing is holding people accountable for their preseason predictions andadking why 9 wins are no longer good enough now that we have gotten there. Should we settle for 9 win seasons moving forward? Absolutely not... we are not satisfied with 9 wins. That's why we fired Frank, and it's one of the reasons we fired Bo. But for this season, this is a step in the right direction. Let's keep taking steps in the right direction. If we don't, the coaches will be gone soon enough, along with Eichorst for this if you that still blame him as well.