Team of the (Next) Decade?
2 comments so far
January 4, 2007 by
As happy as I am about the direction of the Nebraska football program, we have to face facts. This just hasn’t been our decade.
In the 1970’s the Husker’s had the third most wins of any team and two national championships. Only Oklahoma and Alabama had more wins and nobody won more titles. In the 1980’s, Nebraska won the most games and had the highest winning percentage but failed to win a national championship while the Miami Hurricanes won three. In the 1990’s the Huskers won three national championships (more than any other team) and were second only to Florida State in wins. In this decade, the Huskers aren’t even in the top 10 in either category.
With the current recruiting class nearly complete, the upperclassman for the 2010 team already are largely known. The senior class looks to be loaded with four-star players including transfer Zach Lee (assuming a redshirt), Quentin Castille and Marcus Mendoza, wide receiver Niles Paul, offensive linemen Chad Roark, D.J. Jones, and Jaivorio Burkes, defensive tackle Seth Jensen, linebackers Travis Lewis and Austin Stafford, and defensive backs Rickey Thenarse and David Ross. That also doesn’t include the top-shelf junior college talent that will likely be added to the mix.
For contrast, the players from the classes of 2002 and 2003 that were four-star recruits that remain are Jay Moore, Josh Mueller, and Bo Ruud. It might be fair to mention that there were several highly rated washouts from those classes including Chad Dukes, David Horne, Ryan Schuler and Brandon Teamer and some players that failed to redshirt in 2002 like Mark LeFlore and Fabian Washington. Even if we include all of these names there are still more highly rated players in the 2006 and 2007 recruiting classes than there were in 2002 and 2003. Not to mention the superior numbers of three-star players and scholarship-worthy walk-ons.
Sure, talent doesn’t automatically translate to wins, but a lack of talent can sure translate to losses (unless you believe the Frank Solich forgot everything he knew between 2001 and 2002). The major problem this decade has been talent and with that problem apparently solved for the foreseeable future, it’s easy to see the Huskers entering a new decade with brighter prospects.
Not that I’m ready to write off the next three seasons, but a lot of teams can put together a great season (see Utah 2004), what we Husker fans want to see is the order restored year after year. We want to see our team to be the best over a long period of time. That’s the way it was in the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s, and that’s the way it can be again in future decades. With the recruiting class of 2007, the future begins now.
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gregory Jan 05 07
The skill {little} guys have gotten the most attention in Callahan's three recruiting seasons and they've allowed Coach to run his "midwestcoast." But looking at the strength and quality depth of the lines, that shows where the bricks are being laid.
Callahan has learned a lot more about his team this year {more than we're learning about him.} What I think about him is: he has learned his team is physically able to play top teams "straight up". That part is back, which means the "trust factor" will be mutual. His recievers are not yet ready to win the physical matchups though. The ball still has to be served to them, unobstructed. That part of the offense will not move forward until they have that competitive "fight" for the ball. It won't matter who the QB is until then.
If Sam Keller "gets" this offense, I think we'll see even more creativity from Callahan because his other players will have matured in his system and be better able to make plays for their Quarterback. GBR!
James Moore Jan 08 07
What I am very optimistic about is something hit hard here by this site: (1) on the short list we are beating out Oklahoma, and other Big 12 rivals for some of these guys & (2) We are getting some really talented guys here (see O-Line and especially the secondary). The machine is there, we just need to feed it. Does anyone have better facilities than us? I was on Huskers.com looking at the facilities, and it makes your jaw drop. We should win 11 games next year, make the Big 12 Championship game & get a BCS berth. We do that and suddendly the team of the next decade becomes possible. Anybody already thinking about the Spring Game?