[Husker] Early 2009 Prediction

[Duane Feldman]

Neither a top 25 finish this season nor a preseason B12N favorite will be easy to attain.

There are several teams who received more points than NU but did not reach the top 25 in the previous poll.  Many of those teams won their bowl game.  Whether NU actually makes the top 25 may have as much to do with luck as anything.

Preseason B12N is "iffy" as well, although we will get some votes.  I think we can rule out KSU and ISU as contenders (new coaches, KSU will have a new QB, et al).  CU probably won't be a favorite by most, but they might get a vote or two (returning coaching staff, two returning QB's, veteran defense).  Still CU hasn't shown much under Hawkins and someone would be sticking their neck out to pick them as B12N champs.

Of the remaining trio of Mizzou, NU and Kansas, only Kansas has a returning QB.  They also have the most returning starters on both sides of the ball.  Be cautious though, KU plays Texas, OU and TT from the South so they will probably be saddled with three conference losses before playing any of the B12N teams.  If so, they must sweep the North to claim a title.  Still, they ended on high notes by beating Mizzou and Minnesota and will be upbeat going into spring.

Missouri is the returning champ (OK, co-champ and B12N representative) but they lose a LOT with Chase and Chase graduating, Maclin probably going pro and perhaps the greatest number of starters overall (haven't seen the final count).

So that paves the way for NU to win the North, right?  Weeeelllll, not so fast my friends (as a former Indiana coach is wont to say).  NU plays OU and TT in the South and Baylor is improving.  And in the North, we get MU, KU and CU all away.  Our QBs have very limited experience even taken as a group.  We lose our leading receivers, all-purpose back and two Olinemen.  Defensively we lose our best CB and one or two LB's depending on who you consider starters, plus two DLinemen.  Overall, we are close to Mizzouri in lost starters.

My prediction:

Despite the above caveats, I look forward to a 10-2 season before facing Texas in the Championship game.  Look for a much improved offense (we already ranked #3 in the conference defensively) because line play continues or further improves, LB's will be much, much better next year and the safeties finally figure out pass coverage.  And while offensive production may be down, special teams will be a huge improvement over this year as Pelini finds the time to put some focus on this part of the game.  I think we return to the top 25 in takeaways/TO margin.  And look for miscues to drop substantially from last year.  Overall, we sweep the North and win 1 of VT, OU and TT next year.  Perhaps a loss in the B12CG will put us in the Cotton Bowl or the Alamo Bowl at worst.  Recruiting will continue to improve as well.  Steady improvement overall.


________________________________
From: Scott Lawson <scott71lawson at yahoo.com>
To: husker at tssi.com
Sent: Thursday, January 1, 2009 9:15:03 PM
Subject: [Husker] Early 2009 Prediction

"The Cornhuskers (9-4) finished the season with a four-game winning
streak and won six of their final seven games. They should finish the
season ranked in the Top 25 and will likely enter the 2009 season as a
preseason favorite in the Big 12 North."

So says Tim Griffin who covers the Big 12 for ESPN. I like the optimism!

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/ncfnation?tag=gator%200901


Scott in NY



      
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