- Apr 24, 2005
- 43,678
- 8,689
I see you lurking RoT dre. That Matthew Thomas saga got you shook huh?
Duh, of course.
2013 College Football Thread (Realer than Real Deal Holyfield -->S/O Craftsy)
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by gunna get it,
- Start date
Duh, of course.
dacomeup
Supporter
- Jan 20, 2006
- 26,588
- 37,534
Only UGA. ND doesn't have a chance.
- Apr 24, 2005
- 43,678
- 8,689
- Feb 9, 2009
- 9,622
- 783
Can Nebraska regain elite status?
After a major drop, the Huskers are primed to rise again -- with some fixes
Updated: March 29, 2013, 1:20 PM ET
By Brian Fremeau | Football Outsiders
In the mid-1990s, the Nebraska Cornhuskers reigned atop the college football world. Nebraska claimed three national championships in a four-year span from 1994 to 1997 and lost a grand total of three games between September 1993 and October 1998. The Huskers won many of those games in blowout fashion, including a 62-24 Fiesta Bowl thrashing of the Florida Gators at the end of the 1995 season.
According to our Program FEI ratings, a five-year measure of possession efficiency, the strength of the Nebraska program peaked following its 1997 championship season. In the last 25 years, only six programs have held the top position in our PFEI ratings: Miami (1988-92; 2002-03), Florida State (1993-94; 1999-2000), Nebraska (1995-9, Florida (2001, 2009), USC (2004-0
Just as it would be hard to imagine Alabama plummeting from its lofty position today, it would have been difficult to imagine in 1997 that Nebraska would fall so far. From 1998 to 2008, Nebraska fell steadily from the No. 1 PFEI rating to the No. 57 PFEI rating, a drop matched by only a handful of programs in the last 25 seasons, only one of which (Washington) had ranked as a top-five program before its precipitous nose dive.
Nebraska coach Bo Pelini injected new life into the program upon his arrival in 2008, claiming Big 12 North division championships in each of his first three seasons. Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011 and played for the conference championship last season. In his five seasons at the helm, Pelini has won at least nine games each campaign, and as a result, Nebraska's program ratings are on the rise. Entering this fall, the Cornhuskers have a PFEI ranking of No. 21, fourth best in the Big Ten and tops in the Legends division.
We are measuring program advancement with the PFEI ratings even while casual observers may be inclined to think Nebraska is treading water. Pelini's Nebraska teams have lost four games each season, and the Cornhuskers failed to live up to their top 10 preseason rankings in 2010 and 2011. The Cornhuskers are likely to be ranked around No. 20 heading into this fall, and our preliminary projections agree with that assessment.
In order to exceed expectations this season -- and continue its climb back to the top of the college football world -- Nebraska needs to improve in the following key areas.
Reduce three-and-outs
The offensive side of the ball should be bright spot for Nebraska this fall, with the potential to be among the nation's best. The Cornhuskers ranked outside the top 25 in traditional measures like yards and points per game last season, but they were much more impressive when we adjust those numbers for the strength of the defenses faced. Nebraska played the No. 1 offensive strength of schedule according to FEI last season, and its drive and play efficiency were strong considering the competition. Nebraska ranked eighth overall in Offensive F/+, best in the Big Ten.
With nine returning offensive starters, including quarterback Taylor Martinez, Nebraska should be able to equal or exceed its efficiency marks last season. Martinez already owns Nebraska career records for total offense and passing yards and, among returning players, leads the nation in rushing yards.
What he and the Huskers need is more consistency. Nebraska earned at least one first down on only 66.9 percent of its drives last season, which ranked 63rd in the nation. In Pelini's first season at the helm, the Cornhuskers ranked 13th in that category. The difference amounts to avoiding three-and-out only once or twice more per game.
Limit big plays on defense
Pelini's defenses at Nebraska have had modest success, but big plays have been a killer. Nebraska gave up 386 points last season, but 214 of those points were surrendered in its four losses (53.5 points per game) while it gave up only 17.2 points per game in its 10 wins. The Cornhuskers allowed 13 percent of opponent drives to average at least 10 yards per play, a category Nebraska has fallen in each of the last four seasons. In 2009, the Huskers were the nation's best in limiting explosive drives. Only four defensive starters return this fall, and the front seven will feature new players almost across the board. The pressure will be ramped up for this unit if the offense and special teams aren't firing on all cylinders.
Improve special teams
Special teams were a major albatross last season and a complete aberration from Pelini's first four Nebraska teams. The Cornhuskers ranked among the top 20 in our special-teams efficiency measure from 2008 to 2011, but last season they ranked 103rd. The punt and punt-return units were terrible, costing the Cornhuskers an average of 0.5 points per punt over the course of the season. A game features 9.8 punts on average, so if Nebraska had managed just average punt and punt-return performances, it would have increased its season-long scoring margin by nearly 70 points.
Win the field-position battle
The combination of poor special teams and mediocre success in avoiding three-and-outs put Nebraska in a field-position hole in 2012 that may be the most important area for improvement this fall. The Cornhuskers had a field-position deficit in nine games last season and ranked 110th nationally in our field-position advantage rating, a measure of expected scoring based on starting field position.
How much of a difference can field-position improvement have this fall? Consider that Nebraska forced opponents to start only 13 percent of their possessions from inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Only four Football Bowl Subdivision teams were worse in 2012. Meanwhile, the Huskers were forced to start 24 percent of their offensive drives from inside their 20-yard line, which ranked 88th in the nation. If Nebraska can find some balance in the field-position game, it will be in great shape. And if the Cornhuskers can flip it in their favor, watch out.
There have been several examples in recent years of programs rapidly elevating their PFEI ratings, but for historically powerful programs, a steady ascent is more common. If Nebraska remains on pace, its return to glory may be within reach.
- Jul 23, 2007
- 31,964
- 1,056
the hip hop generation has Head football coaches in Major college football... Incredible
mr marcus
Banned
- May 3, 2010
- 26,572
- 5,415
hope kliff flourish.....dude was a beast when he played
still 5 months away from the start of the season though
still 5 months away from the start of the season though
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- May 30, 2009
- 4,747
- 34
these Georgia folk really think they matter don't they? At first I just thought everyone was foolin, but they keep talkin like they've done anything in our lifetime.
Has anyone even seen them in a title game, playin for it all, ever? Pretty sure every team in the SEC got a trophy cept them boys. **** is goin on there?
And he call us, The whU?
If Miami played UGA last season the living hell would've got beat out of them...you haven't been relevant for a long time Doggy...and it's gonna stay that way
do work son
Banned
- May 22, 2010
- 17,118
- 5,186
Dead @ 33 is only 5 in dog years lmaoooooo
- Apr 24, 2005
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- Jul 11, 2006
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- 12,583
Man I remember playing w/ Kliff on NCAA '03 and now he's a head coach
- Apr 7, 2008
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- 1,975
- Jul 23, 2007
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#19 Stay getting Demolished
- Nov 26, 2012
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yall old
- Apr 24, 2005
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- 8,689
#NotInDawgYears
- Nov 26, 2012
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Has anyone even seen them in a title game, playin for it all, ever? Pretty sure every team in the SEC got a trophy cept them boys. **** is goin on there?
And he call us, The whU?
If Miami played UGA last season the living hell would've got beat out of them...you haven't been relevant for a long time Doggy...and it's gonna stay that way
You haven't been relevant, ever, doggy...and it's gonna stay that way.
#DawgsOnTop
#OfEachOther
- Apr 7, 2008
- 11,430
- 1,975
In UGA News, as of now, Freshman Tray Matthews and Soph Josh Harvey-Clemons are our starting safeties
- Nov 26, 2012
- 7,165
- 1,812
THE U > UGA
nobody would ever make a doc about the #dawgs
u fugazi boyz get your shine on while u still can
the dominos gonna start to fall next febuary
nobody would ever make a doc about the #dawgs
u fugazi boyz get your shine on while u still can
the dominos gonna start to fall next febuary
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- May 30, 2009
- 4,747
- 34
Quit poppin them pimples on your face so fast..fact is no one takes that bum squad Ulose seriously..each year you bums pile up on here happy as hell about ya recruits...only to look stupid when ya school ends up unranked at the end of the season...your own student body won't fill up that trash stadium
mr marcus
Banned
- May 3, 2010
- 26,572
- 5,415
David Greene couldn't do it...Aaron won't either....classic preseason uga hype...been going on since I was in middle school
- Feb 17, 2007
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Since when did UGA and The U even think about one another?
- Aug 21, 2012
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Well if UM has roughly 10,000 undergraduates and Sun Life stadium holds about 75,000 during football season, it would be quite difficult to fill up a stadium with 10,000 students.
- Dec 30, 2008
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Since never. This is what happens when you argue with Keef. Pointless arguments
- Apr 24, 2005
- 43,678
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Long standing arch enemies.
Their respective fans should fight to the death IMVHO
- Nov 17, 2004
- 37,287
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Agreed. It's the only way for this to end.
