Husker Football17 Jul 2007 :: Posted by: Bugeater
The Experts’ Choice Not Good Enough
The Sporting News ranks Nebraska No. 23 in its preseason poll.
This is how SN sees the season ending: 1st in Big 12 North, 9-3, Holiday Bowl.
I think 10-2 is more like it. What say you?
[UPDATE] Big 12 Conference sports writers see Mizzou coming out on top in the North this fall.
Mizzou QB, Chase Daniel, said, “We’re honored to be picked to win it, and we’ll definitely help use that as motivation/ We’ve worked really hard over the last few years to earn some respect, and now that it’s coming, we need to work even harder to keep it.”
July 18th, 2007 at 5:45 am
I’m going to be the Bold and the (Non-)Beautiful and say 11-1, but with one caviat. Please Mr. Callahan, let our boys play and don’t try to over-coach by interjecting all kinds of trick plays like the fake punt that ultimately cost us the Cotton Bowl. We are not under-manned and we can play with any team talent-wise, so let ‘em play!
July 18th, 2007 at 9:38 am
I will predict a ‘07 record of either 10-2 or 11-1, a Big 12 North cakewalk clinched in early November, and a Top 10 finish with a BCS bowl, perhaps the Cotton Bowl again although this year we will be in the high-ranking favorite position that Auburn was in ‘06. Many of our fellow bloggers here including myself have serious concerns with the last 3 years and how far the program has fallen under BC (and SP), but we are all on the same team and hope springs eternal that this year will be the start of the turnaround back to our rightful position as a national power. We definitely have the horses to compete with any team, and the other Big 12 North teams are not even in our league in terms of the players on the field.
July 18th, 2007 at 9:59 am
So many magazines and analysts say we’ll lose to missouri, be second in the north, and go to a mediocre bowl. I think we’ll loose only to USC. Texas is not that good. Sure, McCoy is great but his team really isnt that great. I predict an 11-1 record this year with a trip to the Fiesta Bowl!
July 18th, 2007 at 10:35 am
ESPN and Blue Ribbon College Football ‘07 picked Missouri to win the Big 12 North, and its “All Big 12 North team” consisted of only a couple of O-Lineman and defensive players from NU…no skilled offensive guys at all. Are they crazy? They obviously predict that the Huskers will lose to the Tigers at Missouri if they’re picking us to finish #2 in the North. I’m with you guys, 10-2 or better.
July 18th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
@Pete: I’m interested to see how McCoy bounces back. He was manhandled the last two games of the year last year and I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes out a bit gunshy this year - especially under pressure.
@Jeff: I’m still stunned by ESPN putting Missouri at the top of the North. Every single power ranking (from the gambling folks) has Nebraska ahead of Mizzou in strength.
The Admin’s official pick is 10-2 with losses to USC and Texas. However, I’ll revise to 12-0 if the Huskers soundly beat USC.
How’s that for optimism?
July 18th, 2007 at 8:03 pm
Wow, Administrator is pumping us up with a call of 12-0…that can only mean a National Championship, right? I love the optimism and the Husker pride shown here, and Pete thought he was the only youthful optimist!
I find it very interesting that myself, the Administrator, BigRedFred, Mike, Jeff P, and others have all gone on the record as documenting a number of serious concerns and issues with the current Head Coach and AD, and further that we firmly believe (along with Broderick Thomas and many ex-Huskers as indicated in the recent Omaha World Herald) that neither BC or SP are the right fits for Nebraska. Yet we all share similar bright visions of a great 2007 season for the players and coaching staff (while I do admit that Fred has still yet to be heard from in that regard). Again, it’s not about the dislike we have for BC, it’s about the love we have for our team and our community, and the hopes that what both once were, they can be again (both on the field and off). If we’ve all seemed negative about BC from time to time, it’s because 15 losses in 3 years is so foreign and unaccetable to Lincoln and Nebraska. What say you, Fred and Jeff?
July 18th, 2007 at 8:24 pm
@Art: Now I did qualify that, 10-2 unless we beat USC, then I’m revising it to 12-0. That likely gets us to a BCS game, but the Big12 Championship will still need to be fought.
Besides, how can I justify my grumbling, moaning and groaning later in the season if I don’t set the bar high.
You did hit the nail on the head about it being about the Huskers and not the like/dislike for BC or SP, nor the way the Solich dismissal was handled.
As an aside, I think people wouldn’t be so polarized about BC if SP wasn’t the person who handled the transition. I think SP lack of tact and character has tarnished the program. For his faults, you do have to give some credit to BC for the advances he had made in the recruiting game. If he were to leave after this season, for whatever reason, there would be plenty of talent there for any incoming coach.
July 18th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
@Administrator: I totally agree with you on your thoughts about SP. Ive always thought that SP was more of the problem then BC but never really thought anyone on this site would care to hear about it(I’ve noticed this is somewhat of BC hate website). I think BC is a great coach just trying to do his best at Nebraska but SP is holding him back. The reason I say this is because SP has taken tradition away from the program. I don’t know if anyone will agree with me on this one but its not easy to win when you dont have tradition(example…Kansas, Missouri, Baylor, etc.). Maybe this is why we are having trouble on the national stage. SP has stripped us of our tradition, therefore it is harder to win. Administrator, I know you are probably not very fond of BC but I am glad to see you are giving him some credit. I really believe that BC is not the problem. BC isn’t the one that gave Nebraska a bad image or took away our tradition; it was SP! Some might not agree with me. You might say BC is the problem. Who hired BC? Ohh that’s right, SP did.
July 19th, 2007 at 4:41 am
We all seem to agree that a 3-0 start (with a win over USC) will really give us a great chance to get to the top of the polls. I think many of us feel that if we beat USC, we will beat Texas and no one else will beat us. I believe that is what Administrator is saying as well. Good points about (by Administrator, Pete, Art) about Callahan and Pederson, although to Pete, this blog has never been about the dislike of Callahan as much as how much of a fall the overall program has taken.
One more point to Administrator and Pete, too. Even though I agree that SP is the root of when all the problems started with our losses in tradition and in the number of losses on the field, it’s still a taunting stamp of disapproval on Callahan to not only have piled up a non-Husker-like 15 losses in 3 years, but also being named in SI as one of the ten worst coaches in the nation. I’m sure that hurts and sticks in a lot of many fan’s craws to carry that stigma of being led by a coach who’s been disrespected nationally. Especially after we’ve had the best (Devaney, Osborne, etc.) in leadership. But as we’ve said, this year (and in particular the USC game) will be the measuring stick. Though many of us have said on many occasions that Callahan is not the right man for the job here, a win vs USC (on the way to a perfect season as Administrator qualified) will mean a return to blissful life in Husker Nation. On the flip side,another 3 or more loss season will perhaps mean a new coach is brough in, and hopefully a return to Husker tradition combined with a modern-type philosophy offensively, such as we may find in someone like Turner Gill.
July 19th, 2007 at 8:03 am
Administrator, I did realize that you qualified your offical prediction, but you still pumped us up bigtime! If the Huskers beat USC in September at Lincoln, a National Championship and undefeated season is absolutely within our grasp. I Big “Red”-ily agree.
Bah humbug to ESPN and Blue Ribbon ‘07…some of their contributing writers/analysts must be based in Columbia, Missouri.
July 19th, 2007 at 9:51 pm
I still want to hear BigRedFred’s prediction. So BigRedFred, quick lurking and let’s hear it.
On a side note, I’m in the midst of an email interview with Nevada’s football Media Director. I’ll be publishing it in the next couple of weeks.
August 25th, 2007 at 9:07 am
The Husker will lose to Wake Forest, USC,
Mizzou, and Texas. We still do not have a Defense. to win a champion ship. Look at Tech.
August 27th, 2007 at 4:37 am
Bah humbug, the west wind is blowing into town again just like TJ Simers did a few weeks ago. From what I saw and read during training camp, the defense has a lot of talent and may surprise to the upside. Plus if Keller is the stud at QB that many are predicting, the Huskers D may be able to be one that bends but not breaks. We could give up 17-20 points per game and still roll up enough points to win games comfortably. I just don’t see Mizzou as having advanced yet to NU’s level of play in the Big 12 North.
September 4th, 2007 at 2:05 pm
Amen to that Art.