Nebraska went into November last season needing just one game in their last four to become bowl eligible. They couldn’t make it happen. Is there anyone out there that honestly saw that coming? I was telling everybody I talked to, hell yeah, they’ll get one of those games. It’s Michigan State, Maryland, Wisconsin and Iowa. No way they lose all four. And then they did.
So, what is it that makes me think this team is different? What makes me think we won’t see a four-game collapse again this year? Forget what that team did. Forget what that group of coaches did. It’s a new season and a new team, and here are my six reasons as to why.
- Coaches, coaches, coaches. I don’t care what Matt Rhule says about this team needing to learn how to win. Last season Rhule didn’t always play to win. There were times he played scared. He played not to lose. He’s learned his lesson and has said this year they are going to turn it loose. Tony White is back. He knows the players better and the players know the system better. John Bulter brings experience and aggressiveness to the secondary that wasn’t there before. He’s coaching players to contest passes and go for the ball. He’s also a strong voice in Tony White’s ear. These two guys will feed off each other. Marcus Satterfield will also be better with the addition of Glenn Thomas. Thomas is a second set of eyes and another guy to bounce ideas off. He also has a calming influence on the QB room. On field assistants, Mozee, Potenza, Bringuel, Brown, Coeling, and Melvin are now actually on the field. There is a big difference between talking to a guy in a meeting room and looking him in the eye on the field and coaching him up.
- Wide receivers. Injuries plagued the wide outs last season and set them back from the start. They never recovered. Garrett McGuire was forced to play young inexperienced guys. McGuire is a great young coach, but he didn’t have a chance last year. Rhule made sure that wouldn’t happen again. He gave McGuire the talent to succeed. This is the deepest, most talented receivers’ room I have ever seen, and that’s saying a lot since I’ve followed Nebraska since 1970.
- Micah Mazzccua. Nebraska hasn’t had an offensive line with a mean nasty attitude since Bo Pelini left. I loved hearing Mazzucca say during a presser, “People are going to have to deal with us.” How long has it been since we’ve seen a Nebraska offensive lineman with that attitude? It’s just the type of leadership the young guys in that room need. If you can play aggressively without getting penalties, you can’t be too mean and nasty. Look for the offensive line to crank it up a notch.
- QB play. Last season, just having mediocre QB play and eliminating the turnovers would have won Nebraska two of those last four games, putting them at 7-5. This room is mega talented compared to last year. And none of them must be Superman. It’s an ugly term, but all they really need to be is a game manager. But with Dylan Raiola as the starter, you will see more than a game manager. You’ll see a leader with arm talent that can and will be Superman at some point. I love this room, and I think Gramstad is going to play a big role down the road.
- Venom Back. Isaac Gifford is the type of player capable of willing his team to a win. He’s passionate and driven to go out a winner and wants to be a part of the resurgence of Nebraska. In honor of the Rattlesnake Boys, I call him the ‘Venom Back’. You’re aware of his presence, but you never know where and when he might strike, and if he does, chances are he’ll have a neutralizing effect. He’s the most important and influential player on this football team. He is more than just a ‘Rover’ and he deserves a position title that suggest that.
- Say what you want, scheduling has played a big role in Nebraska’s demise. Nebraska has played their opening game on the road four of the last five seasons, and all four were against BIG 10 opponents. To put that in perspective, Minnesota played North Carolina at home last night. It was their twelfth straight opening game at home. This year Nebraska gets their first four games and BIG 10 opener at home. That’s big. It gives the players and coaches a chance to get their legs under them.
These six examples may not seem like much, but they are a big deal and give this season a different feel. If this team only wins six or seven games, I’ll be disappointed. Happy, but disappointed. Everything points to this being an eight-to-nine-win team.
Good Things are about to happen.
-Lyle Harmon
