Nebraska Football 2021-

[Busguy2010]

Just heard effective immediately, fans will be allowed at Big Ten venues for all sports. Announcement seems to me to coincide more with the end of regular season basketball, and the start of baseball more than anything with football, but the football program has had the biggest voice about the news. I saw they will allow 50% capacity at the spring game which is May 1st. I don't know if that 50% rule comes down from the Big Ten, The state of Nebraska, or the school, or if that is just for now or will apply to the football season when that comes around.

[Busguy2010]

Yeah, Bill Moos is just talking out of his behind. It would be just short of a miracle for the Huskers to win 9 games. Only way that happens is if they in ALL the games I labeled as tossups, and they would have to be good to do that. Not happening.

Illinois Tossup
Buffalo W
Oklahoma L
Michigan State Tossup
Ohio State L
Northwestern Tossup
Purdue Tossup but leaning W
Michigan Tossup
Iowa Tossup
Southeastern Louisiana W
Wisconsin L
Minnesota Tossup

They are at best a 6-6 team, but realistically I see 4-8 or 5-7. Only good thing you can say about this team is the defense slightly improved last year. Any more praise they get is just grasping at straws. If Martinez could just play like he did his freshman year, and if there is another Ozigbo and Stanley Morgan hiding somewhere on the team, they might be able to eek out 7 wins. I think 2018 when they lost 5 games by 5 points or less was the best recent chance at anything close to 9 wins. Hard to believe Frost's first year they team performed the best. Ever since, watching them has been like drinking warm, flat beer.

[Cermak]

2-10, 3-9 is also a possibility if they can’t solve the turnover bug and penalties that have now plagued this program for years. Martinez interception today in the spring game just made me wonder if anything has actually improved or are we just being sold false optimism.

[Busguy2010]

My post above is basically my first post in this thread, where I did say 2-10 is definitely possible.

But is it just me, or would it have been absolutely miserable to play football today?

[GrandpaaSmucker]

2-10, 3-9 is also a possibility if they can’t solve the turnover bug and penalties that have now plagued this program for years. Martinez interception today in the spring game just made me wonder if anything has actually improved or are we just being sold false optimism.

Martinez can't solve the interception problem. He does not have the accuracy to ever play the quarterback position correctly. Add on to that the fact that he has no running back to take the pressure off. Hes going to get killed worse then ever this year because even though Nebraska coaches do not know this all the rest of the coaches in college football do. They are going to blitz Martinez almost every down because they know there is no run threat and that every time Martinez throws the ball it is an interception waiting to happen. Martinez is going to get killed this season and it will manifest itself in the first couple of games.

[Busguy2010]

I just saw that the White team beat the Red team. Might mean nothing, but isn't the Red team supposed to be the starters and the White team is the backups? Doesn't the Red team usually win? Is the fact the Red team got beat by the backups a bad omen for the Huskers?

[Big E]

I just saw that the White team beat the Red team. Might mean nothing, but isn't the Red team supposed to be the starters and the White team is the backups? Doesn't the Red team usually win? Is the fact the Red team got beat by the backups a bad omen for the Huskers?

It was a nonsense practice with nonsense rules and a feel good moment for the fans and program, and someone got to unthaw last year's Runzas. Nothing more.

Now, if we can somehow convince Oklahoma and Ohio State not to tackle in the first half of those games, we might have a shot at a bowl.

[nebport5]

Over thinking (and over reacting to) the spring game much? As Big E alluded it's basically a prep rally for the fans. Co-vid or not, that's true every year. Also, the Martinez hate needs a reality check. The best chance at a "successful" winning season involves keeping him healthy and the O-line protecting and pushing people around. Think it's a co-incidence that Martinez's best stat season was also the best O-line since he's played here? It also helps having receivers who can catch the ball. The back field is young, yes, but there's enough talent there if again the O-line... I actually think Martinez looks a step faster with his off season trim down. Throwing an int. in 30mph winds in a *bling* *bling* scrimmage? Yep, there goes the season.

[GrandpaaSmucker]

... I actually think Martinez looks a step faster with his off season trim down.

Being a step too slow was not one of Martinez's big problems last year. Fact of the matter is he ran strong and fast and was arguably the best runner on the team. Martinez's obvious problems last year were that he lacks the passing skills to deliver the ball to the open man quickly. Being a step faster this year is not going to help Martinez one bit when he is under constant heavy blitz and the pass he needs to make is beyond his skill set.

[Busguy2010]

Yeah, I know its basically the Pro Bowl. Definitely to be taken with a big fat grain of salt. But when was the last time the white team won?

[Big E]

https://www.huskermax.com/all-the-games ... e-history/

[Busguy2010]

Oh nice, thanks. So the Red team usually wins, but it looks like the times the White team won more resulted in better seasons historically. Maybe due to depth, better competition, or I'm reaching.

[nebport5]

Oh nice, thanks. So the Red team usually wins, but it looks like the times the White team won more resulted in better seasons historically. Maybe due to depth, better competition, or I'm reaching.

Are you aware that the coaches move players from Red to White and vice versa during the same game? Also many of the starters get pulled at half time.

[nebport5]

... I actually think Martinez looks a step faster with his off season trim down.

Being a step too slow was not one of Martinez's big problems last year. Fact of the matter is he ran strong and fast and was arguably the best runner on the team. Martinez's obvious problems last year were that he lacks the passing skills to deliver the ball to the open man quickly. Being a step faster this year is not going to help Martinez one bit when he is under constant heavy blitz and the pass he needs to make is beyond his skill set.

Actually, being a step faster allows the ability to create something out of nothing and yes that includes the passing game. Patrick Mahomes makes a living off of it. I'm not saying Martinez is that good or will even be drafted. However, I wouldn't be so worried with Martinez's passing ability so much as just taking care of the ball(an issue with most of the skill set players last year). Granted in only seven games last year, Martinez threw three picks(one of which if I remember correctly the receiver was at fault). Furthermore, we all know the receiver and OL situation last year and yet Martinez still had a career high 72% completion rate. Meanwhile, your boy Mccaffrey had a 63% completion rate and 6 INTs. Yeah, if only he would've started more... Mccaffrey, may have likely improved in 2021, yet it was his choice to not come back and win the job. Maybe he knew he couldn't . You can't blame the coaches when the stats don't lie. Like it or not this coming season Martinez is Husker Nation's Obi Wan.

[damonhynes]

Fordham? Wat--was Northwest Missouri busy?

[GrandpaaSmucker]

Fordham? Wat--was Northwest Missouri busy?

They should of bought both those games because 1 win is not going to get them to the 6 wins they need to earn a bowl game. This cupcake team game gives the Huskers a 5 win season at best and more then likely a 4 win season.

[GrandpaaSmucker]

The point spreads have come out on a few of the Nebraska games. They have Nebraska as a 9 1/2 point favorite at Illinois on August 28th. Wow what a great bet Illinois is getting 9 1/2 points at home against lowly Nebraska. Nebraska has no better then a 50/50 chance of winning this game!

Nebraska is a 17 1/2 point underdog at Oklahoma on September 18th. No way Nebraska wins this game and it is unlikely that they cover the point spread as well. This game is going to be a beat down and that is why Frost and Moos were drying to duck this game and get out of it.

They got Nebraska at home as a 6 1/2 point favorite over Northwestern on Oct 2nd. This is another game Nebraska will be lucky to win so Northwestern is a great bet.

Michigan at Nebraska on Oct 9th is a 2 1/2 point favorite.

Iowa at Nebraska November 26 is a 6 1/2 point favorite.

[Uffda]

The Big Ten on Thursday released start times for six Husker games and TV designations for five:

» Aug. 28 at Illinois, noon on FOX

» Sept. 4 vs. Fordham, 11 a.m. on BTN (home opener)

» Sept. 11 vs. Buffalo, 2:30 p.m. on BTN

» Sept. 18 at Oklahoma, 11 a.m. on FOX (50th anniversary of the Game of the Century)

» Oct. 2 vs. Northwestern, 6:30 p.m. TV to be determined

» Nov. 26 vs. Iowa, 12:30 p.m. on BTN (Black Friday)

Nebraska's Nov. 20 game at Wisconsin will be televised on one of ESPN/ABC's networks but a time has not yet been designated.

[Greg S]

So far I like how there is a mix of times. Tough but a very interesting schedule this year.

Greg

[jag42]

I would've thought the Oklahoma game might be at 2:30 game, but I get that the TV execs think it'll be a slaughter on Oklahoma's part. Also, the Big 10 needs to get over their thing of not playing 7pm games in November. I know it's cold in Big 10 country at night in November but that's some good TV time

[GrandpaaSmucker]

Luke McCaffrey just bailed out of Louisville and it looks like he got dissed pretty good by the head coach of Louisville. The Louisville coach is saying McCaffrey wanted to be the starter and that was not happening. Luke just does not have the passing arm to get the ball where it needs to go. We all saw that.

Speaking of the Transfer portal an interesting article came out yesterday on 247 Sports that listed the teams that got decimated the most this year. Wouldn't you know it there was Nebraska on the list. The one thing that all the teams that got killed by the portal had in common was they were sinking ships! https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/C ... 66255507_1

The article had this to say about the Huskers-

"You could argue no individual transfer portal loss was more harmful for an individual program than Wan'Dale Robinson leaving Nebraska for Kentucky. Robinson is not only a game-changing presence, but he accounted for 31.2% of the team’s non-quarterback rushing and receiving production in 2020. Without Robinson, the Huskers don’t return a receiver who posted 150 yards or more last year. That’s a massive blow.

The losses don’t stop there. Backup QB and rushing weapon Luke McCaffrey transferred to Louisville. Nebraska’s recruiting gains in Florida during the 2020 cycle all but evaporated with Marcus Fleming (Maryland), Keyshawn Greene (FAU) and Ronald Delancy (Toledo) each opting to transfer. That doesn’t even include Henry Gray (FIU) and Jaiden Francois (UCF), both of whom who transferred ahead of last season.

Throw in several other losses of depth across the roster, and the pieces Nebraska lost far outweigh some of the contributors it was able to add via the portal."

[GrandpaaSmucker]

The under/over came out last week for Nebraska for the number of games they will win this year. It is 6! Are those odds makers good or what? To win the over the Huskers have to win 7 games and that is just short of impossible to happen. The under is not a great bet but it is a good one!

The under over for season wins for Nebraska's first Big 10 opponent Illinois is 3. They must just think that Illinois fell apart with head coach Lovie Smith being fired in the off season. I don't think Illinois should of fired Smith.

[Greg S]

I saw where former Husker McCaffrey is already leaving Louisville. Sounds like it was after 1 week.

Nebraska picks up a 5 star DB transfer from Ohio State.

https://saturdaytradition.com/nebraska- ... raska/amp/


Greg

[Coyote]

Denver Broncos claim Devine Ozigbo off waivers

Former Nebraska running back Devine Ozigbo is headed back to the AFC after being claimed off waivers by the Denver Broncos on Monday afternoon. There were a flurry of moves on Monday as NFL teams had to cut down from 85 to 80 players on their preseason rosters. Ozigbo had been with the New Orleans Saints in the preseason before being waived. Ozigbo spent part of last season with the Saints and Jaguars before signing a futures contract with the Patriots late in the season. Ozigbo was waived by New England in May and ending up with the Saints, the team, which signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Nebraska.

[Coyote]

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy explains decision to go with Brett Maher at kicker
The Dallas Cowboys surprised a lot of fans Tuesday when they cut Lirim Hajrullahu, leaving Brett Maher as the only kicker on the roster. Hajrullahu and Maher had previously been in a battle for the starting job, but coach Mike McCarthy had apparently seen enough through two preseason games to make his decision.


Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

[Uffda]

Both the younger Farniok and McCaffrey have entered the transfer portal.

Greg

Team Captain Kade Warner also

Saw this in the Tampa bay paper

Bucs receiver Kade Warner is Kurt’s son but his own man

https://www.tampabay.com/sports/bucs/20 ... U9rp1h7VnY