Big 12 North Hits Reset Button
4 comments so far
November 25, 2008 by
So the 2008 Big 12 North Standings are all but set. Colorado is the only team that can move up or down with a tie, but head-to-head tiebreakers will keep the league in its current order. As this year's regular season starts to wind down, moving into 2009 feels like pressing the reset button on your favorite video game system. All of the Big 12 North teams are in a state of flux. There are reasons that each team may surpass all expectations and reasons the each team may disappoint. But no matter how you slice it, Nebraska has a golden opportunity to compete for a shot at a Big 12 Title in '09.
Just to refresh your memory, here are the current standings:
| Team | Conf | Ovr |
| 1.Missouri #13 | 5-2 | 9-2 |
| 2.Nebraska | 4-3 | 7-4 |
| 3.Kansas | 3-4 | 6-5 |
| 4.Colorado | 2-5 | 5-6 |
| 5.Kansas State | 2-6 | 5-7 |
| 6.Iowa State | 0-8 | 2-10 |
Please kindly take note that the Huskers are the second best team in the North. There are still five teams that are currently better than us in the Big 12 overall, but our improvement puts us in a position to be competitive with those opponents in coming years. For now, the key will be to jump past Missouri while staying ahead of the rest of the North teams.
Iowa State has a relatively young team, but took a major step back between 2007 and 2008 as they weren't able to pull out any late season surprises against anyone this year. The Cyclones have nowhere to go but up next year, but (I hope) should not contend for the North. They had three close losses, which usually indicates a likely one or two game improvement the following season.
Colorado will lose seven Seniors on their starting defense, but they are playing a huge number of underclassmen on the offense. With the way this league is going offensively, I'd rather hold onto experience on the defense as long as possible. Those defensive numbers were almost enough to keep them in games they had no right to compete in for a while, but most of their wins were close, and most of their losses ended not being competitive in the end.
The Jayhawks are going to be losing 5 defensive starters, and four on offense. Reesing will be looking at a whole new middle to the line in front of him. Couple that with a only a couple of close games this season, and I don't anticipate too much movement within the division from Kansas.
And then there are the Wildcats. Kansas State is a HUGE question mark right now. Is Bill Snyder's coaching ability enough to overcome the debacle that Ron Prince is leaving behind? KSU fans are still up in the air about yesterday's announcement of his return, but what will it mean for this team? In their losing games they looked awful and their winning ones, only mediocre. It sounds ever so familiar to bring in a member of the “family� after watching your team take a tumble. Maybe they flip flop with Colorado, but I don't think they will contend for the North either. Josh Freeman's decision to stay or go probably has no bearing on next year's outcome.
The Tigers lose their key player, Chase Daniel, to graduation after this season is over. The current two-deep has 8 players on each side of the ball graduating, but that's about the same as the Huskers. Missouri has built up enough recruiting momentum over the past couple of years that an outgoing class like this does not appear to affect them as it once did. As long as Pinkel's scheme, and not Daniel's ability, was the cause of the success, the Husker visit to Columbia could again determine the Big 12 North Champion.
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Bill in Iowa Nov 25 08
I think you are spot on. What makes next season very interesing is that he Mizzou/Husker game is the 5th game of the season with a redshirt freshman stud at the QB helm for Mizzou and a young inexperienced QB at the helm for the Huskers (whoever that may be). How each QB performs will be imperative. However, I think we will have a running game next year that will take off a lot of pressure on our QB.
Nebraska's Defense should be much improved by next year. I expect the D-line will be just as good (if Suh and Barry return) and the LB and Secondary positions should be vastly improved. Its probably crazy to make any predictions at this point, but I really think the Mizzou/Husker game is close next year, within a touchdown.
bnahusker Nov 25 08
Bill in Iowa,
Won't Gabbert be a soph at Mizzou? He had playing time this year. Or do they have someone else coming up?
GBR!
Bob
JBLING22 Nov 25 08
Yeah he had playing time, did he get hurt or something? allowing for a medical redshirt?
tom Nov 25 08
Blaine Gabbert has played in five games and is a handoff machine. He's 5 for 13 right now with 43 yards. He has also run for 22 yards (net). Right now, they have a walk-on backup to Gabbert. Recruiting has a couple of three stars with Mizzou as their top choice. One of them is named Blaine. I think it would be weird to go from Chase and Chase as your 1 and 2 QBs to Blaine and Blaine. Anyway, I wouldn't consider him a stud at this point. Zac Lee has a good measure of experience at the JuCo level and Patrick Witt (according to everyone) has a great grasp of the offense right now. I'll gladly take our QB situation over what the Tigers will have to deal with next year. It's good that we don't play him late in the season in 2009. He may have some stuff figured out by then.