First of all, thanks to all of you who took time to respond to my rather lengthy Husker football survey.
I have a deep respect for Husker fans. Count on them to be among the most knowledgeable and passionate of any fans on the planet. That’s why I asked readers for their opinions
Reader comments are shown in itallics. Mine are where you see HD.
On with the survey.
1.) Concerning last year’s 5-7 finish.
Most were disappointed in NU not becoming bowl eligible.
HD: Needing only one win in November to reach bowl eligibility was a huge disappointment. Instead, NU went 0-4 for the month.
2.) Matt Rhule’s first year’s job performance.
Most gave Rhule a good to average rating.
HD: With so many injuries to starters and with so many inexperienced players being forced into starting roles, it’s really difficult to assess Rhule and his staff. One thing missing from readers’ responses was the collapse of Husker QB transfer Jeff Sims. Sims never came anywhere near his preseason hype.
3.) Rhule’s coaching staff.
No surprise here. The assistant at the top of everyone’s list was DC Tony White. Conversly, the coach getting most of readers’ scorn was Husker OC, Marcus Satterfield. Some of the comments were pretty brutal.
HD: NU lost its top three receivers, two of its starting running backs, and several O-linemen missed parts of the season. To make matters worse, due to a combination of injuries and poor performance, there were three different starting QBs last fall. The one who got most of the snaps had never started a college football game before the season. Given all that, I will hold judgement on Satterfield.
4.) The hiring of co-OC/QB coach, Glenn Thomas
Most declined to opine because Thomas just arrived on the UNL campus.
HD: Last year, Matt Rhule tried to hire the OC from the ’49’ers. This year he got his man in Thomas. Smart move by Rhule. All the Husker QBs will learn a lot from him.
5.) Will NU be able to develop a starting QB this fall capable of getting Nebraska to a winning season in ’24?
Surprisingly, a good number of responses were either negative or just uncertain.
The nays cite the huge gap between playing QB high school and playing in the
Big Ten.
Scott Dreas (Bella Vista, AR)
The jump between HS and college football is much wider. Players are bigger, stronger and faster at the college level. To ask a freshman to compete against other experienced players in his first year is asking too much.
6.) Should Rhule use the portal to find another QB?
Most were on the fence on this one.
HD: Yes, if there is a good one available.
7.) Should Chubba have stayed at Nebraska?
Again, responders had mixed feelings
HD: The move was probably good for Chubba, but not for NU.
8.) Husker Running Back Room
Most people thought the RB room potentially could be much better this fall.
HD: NU added only one RB (Dante Dowdell from Oregon) in the off-season. He’s projected to be a great player at NU. The fact that Rhule took only one RB in the Class of ’24 speaks volumes about what he thinks of his running backs.
9.) Wide Receiver Room
There is a lot of hope and expectation about this year’s WRs.
HD: This could be a position of strength in this fall’s team. Returning are Jaylen Lloyd, Jaidyn Doss, Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda and Malachi Colemen. Joining them will be transfers Jahmal Banks (Wake Forest) and Isaiah Neyor (Texas). The latter two should bolster the Husker WR room.
10.) Will the defense be better this fall?
The responses were almost unanimous. NU’s defense should be better this fall because this will be Year Two of Tony White’s 3-3-5 defense. The players will be more comfortable executing the D in ’24.
HD: Ditto.
11.) Special Teams?
Loren Zimmerman (San Bernardino, CA)
We need to get better at punt returns. Watch NFL films. Nearly every punt has return yardage. NU has to hold the record for the most fair catches.
HD: I agree with Loren, but I would also like to see improvement on NU’s kick returns.
12.) Husker Play Calling
This is another area in which Husker fans weren’t very happy with last season.
Roger B Omaha, NE
Some of the plays Rhule called were really head-scratching. I believe the Huskers lost at least two games due to stupid play calling.
13.) Transfer Portal and NIL
Layton Dickerson (Saint John’s, AZ)
I think the portal and NIL could ruin the game of college football if not handled properly. I don’t want the college game to turn into a mini-NFL. When money becomes the primary consideration, I believe it screws things up.
HD: I’ve used the Interstate highway system for years, but on every stretch of the roadways (save Nevada), there are posted speed limits that are enforced. The same thing should apply to the portal and NIL issues. There should be some way of moderating them. I’m just not smart enough to figure out a legal way to do so.
14.) What will be the Impact of the expanded 18 team B1G Conference?
Jack Z (Anaheim, CA)
I think the expanded conference will be good for Nebraska in the long run. There will be no divisions in the conference, but the two best conference teams will be able to play for the championship each year. With the CFP being expanding to 12 teams, it will make for a better college football season. It will be interesting to see how the former Pac-12 teams adapt to the Big Ten.
HD: Ditto.
15.) Husker Spring Game start time
Most responses were in favor of the 11:00 a.m. kickoff.
HD: Husker football should never take a back seat to any other Husker sporting event. Ever.
16.) Who will start at QB this fall?
Nearly every responder believed Dylan Raiola will be the starter for the UTEP game on August 31st.
HD: Ditto
17.) How many games will NU win this fall?
The predictions ranged from a minimum of 5 to a maximum of 9.
HD: I would feel comfortable predicting 7 wins.
Some responses were edited for space and clarity. Not all the survey questions were included in this column.
Once again, thanks so much for taking time to answer my Husker football poll. You are the best!
How Bout Them Huskers
Our weekly podcast dedicated to Husker sports is the only known grandfather/grandson podcast. I’m not sure if that bit of information is something to salute, but it is a unique. This week’s episode recognizes the NU men’s basketball team winning its first conference road win of the season. Congratulations to coach Fred Hoiberg and the amazing Husker players. Other subjects include Husker baseball, softball and of course, Husker women’s basketball.
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