[personal] Re: [Husker] We really need some perspective here

[Skylar Dodds]

Hello Husker Fans,

P> This is debatable.  It's very possible that Nebraska will finish with a
P> worse record than last year.  That might not neccessarily mean we've 
P> gotten worse, but I don't know that this team is all that much better 
P> than last year.  If they are, they have yet to prove it on the field.
P> Callahan's first season was so awful that there was nowhere to go but up.

I can understand pretty much everything you wrote except this.  I
think it's a fairly commonly held opinion that this year's team is
better than last.  Here's a few supporting arguments, you decide (All
numbers posted below):

       - The offensive numbers are WAY up
       - The defensive numbers are about the same
       - We blew out weaker competition (didn't do that last year)
       - Played very well against a top 10 team (and OK against another)
       - We're scoring more and giving up less points
       - We won 2 in a row on the road, didn't do that last year
       - OSU so far is our only BAD game.  KU wasn't great, but it
       wasn't bad either.  Last year we had SEVERAL bad games.

I don't claim that the Husker's are 'BACK', but I don't think the fact
that they are better than last year is even remotely debatable.  I
would even say that if we had Bowman, our defensive numbers would be
up quite a bit as well (being able to blitz a little more with better
coverage for starters).

On defense, we're letting up 7.61 yards per game more, but allowing
3.6 points less per game.  To me that's a wash.

We've got some work to do as far as playing on the road is concerned,
that's for sure.  There is a clear difference to how this team plays
at home and how they play on the road.

DEFENSE:
2005
Rushing D - 124.3 #26
Passing D - 207.92 T#43
Total D - 332.17 #26
Scoring D - 21.0 #25
Sacks - 50 (4.17/g) #1

2006
Rushing D - 120.3 #44
Passing D - 219.44 #83
Total D -  339.78 #68
Scoring D - 17.4 #30
Sacks - 18.0 (2/g) #61

OFFENSE:
2005
Rush Yds/Game - 96.00 #107
Pass Yds/Game - 224.3 #54
Rush Yds/Att - 2.74 (no rank given)
Pass Yds/Att - 6.06 (no rank given)
Total Offense - 320.33 #96
Scoring - 24.67 #67
Turnovers - 24 turnovers (2.00 / gm)

2006
Rush Yds/Game - 189.22 #16
Pass Yds/Game - 247.60 #23
Rush Yds/Att - 4.68 (no rank given)
Pass Yds/Att - 9.06 (no rank given)
Total Offense - 436.78 #8
Scoring - 34.22 #13
Turnovers - 13 (1.44 / gm)


-- 
Go Skers,
 Skylar                            mailto:Sklarbodds at cox.net