Looking back, I would say we didn't really make any progress. Yes, our record is better, but our wins came against garbage teams, and we lost to every decent team we played. And that was all with 30-some seniors on the team this year. Another 9-4 season means we haven't really made any progress so far. I'm hopeful for next season and the future though.
Progress
- Thread starter SilentCommit
- Start date
Hard to argue that progress was made. Simply winning those close games alone suggests that. No, this team is not where we want to be yet, but progress takes time and sometimes there is a sudden jump when you least expect it. Look at Colorado who was seemingly taking baby steps then this year happened and they took a huge leap.
I am confident we are in the right coaching staff's hands and when the talent continues to grow we will be thankful.
I am confident we are in the right coaching staff's hands and when the talent continues to grow we will be thankful.
People have a tough time differentiating between progress from last year to this year and progress from 1998 to 2016.
The program is in better shape than it was last year but is not near where it needs to be.
The program is in better shape than it was last year but is not near where it needs to be.
Agreed. I also think people have a hard time differentiating progress from last year to this year and progress from 2 years ago to this year.
Our coaches made progress (which is what this has turned into these days).
Ready for some new faces (QB, OL, and D) and hopeful the improved recruiting shows up on the field.
GBR
Ready for some new faces (QB, OL, and D) and hopeful the improved recruiting shows up on the field.
GBR
Which would you take:
2016 Huskers, going forward or 2014 Huskers, going forward?
It's significant progress from year one - no question. In my opinion, the future for this coaching staff will largely be decided with the 2017 and 2018 recruiting classes. We need massive talent upgrades at multiple positions.
Thanks for the welcome back comment. I didn't post much during the season because I wasn't terribly interested in riding the up/down waves that so many fans ride. I wanted to enjoy the season.
2016 hands down.
Just curious, if our former coach wins the FCS (or whatever it is called) title, do you think he gets a sniff as a head guy at maybe a MAC type school?
I don't, not this year. I see Bo eventually going the NFL route as a DC.
Ya you, thanks for the reply.
It's a question asked at the office this morning, figured it was a good question to bring to the board.
So if you have an absolute dumpster year, you can improve upon it and call it progress. That logic works at Iowa State, Kansas, Indiana, and apparently now Nebraska.
That logic works in life. Progress doesn't mean you have arrived, it means you have taken positive steps. From last year to this year, we have taken some positive steps. But we need to continue to move forward and make progress in the next few years.
I don't know why people are struggling with those who say progress has occurred... No one is saying we are where we need to be or want to be. Just that this year was better than last year.
It's OK, BIG RED RULES, you can say this year was better than last year without actually saying you support this staff. No one will think you support the staff for acknowledging progress this year... We have all seen enough of your posting history to know that you aren't a fan of this staff.
No, so I'll ask you two questions.
2016 Huskers, going forward or 2014 Huskers, going forward?
Is the program in better hands now, compared to November 2014?
Both teams are very similar my friend. Both teams had road games against top 10 teams in which we almost won. Both teams got their asses handed to them late in the season in another road game. Neither were happy times for NU.
Both teams finished terrible at the end of the year and lacked heart IMO. But sadly, we showed way more life in our bowl game against USC then we did against the Vols. We actually outplayed USC in that game IMO. Honestly, I see no difference. Team didn't leave us very optimistic in either year. Recruiting is not what many swore it would be this year. I am hoping we can finish strong these next few weeks giving guys like me hope. But IMO at this time, your question is asking to pick the lesser of the 2 evils.
As for 2015 vs 2016, its really hard to judge off of record. 2015 had a signature win. 2016 did not.
It's a pretty simple question to answer, giving they are the only two realistic options.
As you know, I am a glass half full kind of guy. So while I agree we didn't have that signature win, we did avoid the signature losses, which balance that out some in my opinion.
Timnsun, I do respect your "glass half full" outlook. And I really am pulling for our program. I really want to be optimistic like that again. Gets so hard sometimes
2016 Huskers, going forward or 2014 Huskers, going forward?
I really don't know. Your question is based on what I thought at the time, right? The end of this year and the end of 2014 may be the 2 worst I remember or at least in a very long time. 2002 & 2003 were both bad too. 2004 didn't hurt so much because I felt like with all the recruiting buzz, we were going to be ok. 2007 - the hire of Bo gave us all hope (or at least most of us). Yes back then I was a Boliever. Most were. We didn't know any better... Can you take the 1997 huskers? Laughing
Is the program in better hands now, compared to November 2014?
Better hands, where? Riley over Bo, for sure. But I'd take Garrison over Cav. I
I was willing to give Cav the benefit of the doubt. But I am still stupefied by how horribly our line played in the running game against a historically awful Tennessee rushing defense
The problem is that theres no way to prove that.
What we do know is that Bo suffered many blowout losses and would eek out nine win seasons.
Seems a lot like this year.
Fair enough. Apologies if I jumped the gun with being rude.
At the same time, most decent coaches can make significant progress if their baseline is 5 regular season wins. I have no problem with Riley, but as you said, we need a massive upgrade in talent, as well as in the areas we are lacking in both talent and depth.
And not filling a class, as well as not recruiting quality talent, as you said, isn't going to get anything done, progress-wise.
So, it's realistic if someone answers, "I want the 2014 Huskers going forward." In 2017. ?
Do you have a DeLorean with a functional flux-capacitor, access to plutonium, and hopefully an in with the NCAA in order to grant redshirt status to players due to time travel?
Absolutely it was realistic to expect that back then. A 9-10 win coach was fired, so it is completely reasonable to expect the guy hired to be better than the last guy, who wasn't good enough, to improve on that.
Now, however, it is not realistic.
Not sure who is/was saying "aha". When that jackass Pelini was canned, I was figuring better results were coming and fast. Most of the time, that's why you fire a coach I figured.
Now, like I stated earlier, I'd take Riley in 2016 going forward over Pelini in 2014 going forward, but why am I an idiot for expecting a new coach to get better results than the in-over-his-head fired coach? Why can't we have 9 win 2014 team + new coach who is supposed to be better than old coach + 2 years going forward instead of 2 years trying to figure this out + very negligibly better than 2014 going forward?
In my very flawed opinion, I'm convinced Riley is a great choice to lead the program. He's disciplined, knowledgeable, and appears to be a solid teacher. His "niceness" isn't a negative at all IMHO, it's a benefit for NU. I'm not sold on all of our assistants, however. Some things that should be better by now, aren't. Overall, we're better off right now than we were at the end of the Pelini tantrum/era. We just are.
I can agree with this. There really cant be a better face of the program than riley. I just think hes going to have to look in the mirror and make changes to get it done. He can. And he has proven he will make changes.
I just think it will take more, and a philosophy adjustment as well. Just my .02.