Where is the HuskerSpot crowd?

Wake up everybody!  Football season is upon us.  It is mid August, all teams, Pro and College, are in camp.  It is time to get serious and start concentrating on what the Huskers are going to do this season. 

First, I must discuss recruiting.  I have to admit I was only luke warm on the idea of hiring Mike Riley.  OSU was not exactly a world  beater and frankly to the average fan Riley did not have much of a reputation.  He was a “nice guy” was really all we heard immediately following his hiring.  Another Tom Osborne was another description I heard.  I knew that one was crap but since there was nothing hair raising I decided to give it a chance.  Putting aside the season we had in 2015 for a moment after reading about all of his recruiting I have to say I am impressed.  The guy must have quite a reputation in California among football people.  Keyshawn Johnson’s kid got it rolling.  And then the quarterback from that same team.  Patrick O’Brian is another one I am really excited about.  I was at the Husker/Gopher game (with a sideline pass) last year when I was talking to a friend of Rick Spielman told me the Spielman kid was signing with the Huskers.  There are more 4 star recruits committed to the Huskers right now than any year I can remember.  I admit I don’t follow recruiting as close as many but my sense is that the Huskers will show a dramatic upturn in 2017 and 2018. 

Back to 2016.  Tommy Armstrong obviously holds the key.  He simply has to improve for the Huskers to make a dramatic jump in the rankings.  Turnovers and stupid decisions plagued him last year and it will be terrible to sit and watch him repeat that performance.  I am not sure Mike Riley will allow that frankly and here is why:  Most writers who cover the Big Ten have rated the Nebraska receivers the best in the conference.  It would be terrible to waste the talent of Jordan Westercamp, Stanley Morgan Jr, and De’Mornay Pierson-El bring.  Not to mention Brandon Reilly or Alonzo Moore who ranked 2nd and 3rd respectively in receiving for the Huskers last year.   If TA brings Good Tommy to the game, we will win the conference championship.  But if Bad Tommy shows up there will be a collective sigh of disappointment from the stands. 

I miss the days where we said the Huskers were reloading vs. rebuilding.  One of the highlights last year was at fullback.  Andy Janovich surprised most of us but brought a solid performance every week last year.  (He is currently the only rookie on the first team on the Denver Broncos offense).  Right now the Huskers are undecided about who the fullback will be and are looking seriously at three guys, all with a different skill set.  Whomever it ends up being, I am happy that Riley will have options.  It is very difficult for any team to excel without a solid fullback.  I will be keeping a close eye on that position. 

Of course, the Huskers will miss their punter.  Sam Fultz was a gamer and from everything I read a great team mate.  It was obviously a tragedy, bigger than any football game.