Nebraska Football: Seven Crazy Predictions for 2011
Hey, I'm not too proud to latch onto the meme of the moment.
Spring football kicks off March 12, so it's time to start looking ahead. With the coaching changes during the offseason and the stuttering end to the 2010 campaign, Nebraska football left the Children of the Corn with a lot of unanswered questions. So as we get ready for spring practice and await our annual April pilgrimage to Memorial Stadium, I thought it would be a good time to go on record with some of the crazier things that we could see next fall.
Apparently, I've taken a little Charlie Sheen myself, although my face hasn't melted. At least not yet.
Now, let's be clear. I'm not saying these things WILL happen. But ride along with me and I think you'll agree; there's at least a chance they COULD happen. And if they do, remember where you heard it first.
So what are you waiting for? Let's start winning!
(Photo originated from NYDailyNews.com here)
Cody Green Will Start at Quarterback
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This one's actually not that far-fetched. Remember, Cody Green was a much-hyped recruit when he arrived in Lincoln, much like Jamal Turner and Bubba Starling. Heck, during last year's spring game, it was Green, much more than Taylor Martinez, that was the hyped superstar Nebraska fans wanted to see.
New offensive coordinator Tim Beck said the number one trait he wanted in his quarterback was leadership. If the competition is on that trait alone, Green beats out Martinez hands down. Plus, remember that Green is undefeated in games that he's started. That means, even in an offense not built to his strengths, Green was able to win games when given a chance to succeed.
It's not at all difficult to see a scenario where Starling plays pro baseball, Green beats out Martinez and Brion Carnes in a quarterback duel running an offense more suited to his abilities, and Turner is converted to an H-back to get his explosive speed on the field.
Don't be shocked, trolls, if you see No. 17 as the main man next fall in Lincoln.
Nebraska Won't Miss Prince Amukamura
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Prince Amukamura will almost assuredly be a top 10 pick in this year's NFL draft. Plus, he was an incredible leader and character guy for the team. It's crazy to think Nebraska won't miss his skills, right?
Maybe if you don't have enough tiger blood in you it is. Last year, Amukamura actually ended up not getting much work, because teams were throwing away from his side of the field. That allowed Alfonzo Dennard to get a lot more experience. Dennard, while not as big as Amukamura, is an instinctive ball-hawk who some observers thought was a better corner as the season wore down.
Throw in sophomore Ciante Evans, who got valuable playing time last year, along with incoming freshman Charles Jackson (brilliantly previewed by one of the real winners here), and Nebraska's secondary may be the same strength in 2011 that it was in 2010.
They might even be rock stars. Gnarly.
Nebraska's Offense Will Stretch the Field
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After the 2011 recruiting class was signed, some loser troll wrote here that one of Nebraska's weaknesses was a lack of speed and explosiveness at wideout, making it difficult for NU to stretch the field on defenses. What drug was THAT guy on?
Daniel Davie might be the fastest player in the 2011 recruiting class. Bo Pelini and Tim Beck will know how much their offense needs a downfield threat, so it's likely Davie will play offense. Jamal Turner, while coming to Lincoln as a quarterback, could very well be moved to wideout if he finds himself buried on the QB depth chart. Kyler Reed is NU's best returning deep threat, and with the coaching staff change, a move to wideout for Reed could be much more successful than the Mike McNeil experiment of 2010. And that's not counting the speed in the backfield from Taylor Martinez, along with incoming freshman Aaron Green and Ameer Abdullah.
These guys might not be Vatican assassins, but they could do a lot of damage to opposing defenses next season.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Nebraska Will Miss Shawn Watson
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Settle down now. Go back to your small houses and your bratty children and hear me out.
The Children of the Corn breathed a collective sigh of relief when Watson was (ahem) encouraged to find alternate employment. Much faith has been placed on new offensive coordinator Tim Beck. But remember that in Beck's first interview, he talked about not being afraid to junk everything and start over.
While that sounds good in general to anyone watching NU's offense over the last two years, keep in mind that starting from scratch ain't easy. Nebraska's offense might not be the flavor of ugly we've seen in the last two years, but that doesn't mean we might not see a whole new flavor of ugly as the new system gets put into place.
And that's not something you can cure with the power of your brain, even if you have Adonis DNA.
(photo originated from HuskerExtra.com here)
Nebraska's 2011 Conference Schedule Will Be Easier Than 2010's
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Ever since it was rolled out, Nebraska fans have observed (or complained, depending on who you asked) how difficult their conference schedule was for 2011. But is it really? Let's take a look
at WISCONSIN: Yeah, that's a little salty. But Wisconsin has some questions to answer as well. If they can't put everything together, the '10 Texas A&M game might end up tougher
OHIO STATE: Sure, the Buckeyes are talented. But Terrell Pryor and the rest of his swag-for-tats crew will be playing their first game of '11 in Lincoln. Not an easy task. Could be that the '10 Texas game (the one solid game Bevo played, apparently) could be tougher.
at MINNESOTA: Goldie had a nice resurgence at the end of 2010, but that was still a pretty bad football team. Not hard to make the case NU's trip to Ames in '10 could end up tougher.
MICHIGAN STATE: Sparty was the co-champ of the Big Ten in 2010, but a lot of their wins were of the miracle variety, and they got destroyed by Alabama in their bowl. Missouri in '10 could end up a tougher opponent.
NORTHWESTERN: Nebraska's new Purples are giant killers, but the other NU is still a school that will not have the caliber of athletes state schools will bring in. Colorado in 2010 might be a tougher opponent.
at PENN STATE: JoePa is still there, and State College is still a tough (and nasty) place to visit. But Daniel Thomas and Bill Snyder (who has to be at least close to as old as JoePa) might make Kansas State from 2010 a tougher opponent.
at MICHIGAN: NU fans know what a change in offensive schemes looks like, and it isn't pretty. Especially when your defense was as non-existent as Michigan's. Oklahoma State from 2010 looks like a much tougher (although just as defense-optional) opponent.
IOWA: The Hawkeyes lose a LOT of skilled position players, and it remains to be seen what fallout comes from the hospitalization of a dozen players in the offseason. Kansas in 2010 might be a tougher game. OK, almost assuredly that's not true, but I ran out of teams to compare.
So maybe Nebraska fans shouldn't be dreading the 2011 conference schedule. Instead, they should face it with the attitude of a very wise (and by wise, I mean unbelievably crazy) man.
"Bring it."
Nebraska Will Win the BCS National Championship
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Winning. That's what we're all about here. Winning here, winning there, and winning everywhere.
Nebraska would have to do a lot of winning to take home the Shiny Crystal Football in 2011, particularly with their conference schedule. But is a Cinderella NU run to a title that crazy?
What if Tim Beck gets the offense right? Either he's able to put the T-Magic back into Martinez or Bubba Starling turns down the majors (after all, he could get drafted by Cleveland) and becomes the Next Great Thing at quarterback. Bo Pelini continues his defensive wizardry and the Blackshirts remain a dominant force, but now with an offense that can at least keep up.
Wisconsin at Camp Randall still shakes out to be Nebraska's toughest game of the season, but anything's possible in a one-game situation. NU gets Ohio State with Terrell Pryor and others coming off suspension and playing their first game of the year in Lincoln.
Games against Michigan State and Iowa look salty but are at home. Penn State and Northwestern are dangerous road games but not ones that look impossible to win. Particularly if NU opens up 2-0 in Big Ten play, having beaten Wisconsin and Ohio State, Nebraska could bring a lot of momentum into an inaugural Big Ten title game.
And, hey, there's no Dan Beebe on hand to keep an eye on things in Indianapolis this year.
So if you think there's no way Nebraska can win the whole kettle of fish this year, then you're the crazy one. Keep quiet then, while I fly around the world in a private jet with these two smoking hot goddesses.
(UPDATE: Both my wife and my bank account inform me that there will be no private jets and no smoking hot goddesses. Apart from my wife, of course.)
Pelini Adds a Long-Lost Brother to NU's Coaching Staff
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Fair enough. This one's really not likely at all to happen, as Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino is not, in fact, Bo Pelini's long lost brother. Plus, I don't think Sorrentino's particular brand of...coaching is quite the atmosphere Pelini is looking to foster in Lincoln.
But you've got to admit, they do look alike. At least a little.
(Photo of Sorrentino originated from TV at spreadit.org here)
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.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
