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December 25th, 2009
A review of Husker Faithful's 2009 pre-season predictions
Sitting here on Christmas Day, stuck in Lincoln thanks to copious amounts of snow, it’s time to review our preseason predictions. Without checking, I’m confident I didn’t predict losing to Iowa State in Lincoln, nor did I predict a win over Oklahoma. Of course, that was before Sam Bradford was taken out of the equation. Without further qualifications, let’s see how we did. The original paragraph is italicized and our updated commentary is in bold.
Who steps up on the defensive line to replace Ty Steinkuhler? Without a formidable defensive tackle playing next to Ndamukong Suh, opponents will be able to double the big man and put the kibosh on Suh's hopes for a great senior season. Well Jared Crick answered the bell in a big way. The sophomore proved to be a “formidable defensive tackle” and helped create havoc for opposing offensive linemen throughout the 2009 season. The comment about Suh being double-teamed is laughable now. As we saw in the Big 12 Championship game, it doesn’t really matter how many people you put in Suh’s face, if he wants to “rag doll” the quarterback, he’s going to. Ndamukong leaves Nebraska as the most decorated Cornhusker of all-time, winner of the Bednarik, Lombardi, Outland, and Nagurski awards. The big man vaulted onto the national scene with his performance against Texas and made a respectable push to win the Heisman, a.k.a. the Offensive MVP Award, as a defensive guy.
On the offensive side of the ball, the line should be able to hold its own. That needs to be the case for the Huskers to establish a strong run game behind Roy Helu and Quentin Castille. Hard to say the offensive line held its own. In fact, the play of the line has a lot to do with NU’s offensive struggles this season. It’s hard to figure out why we couldn’t explode off the line and dictate a run game to the defense, especially against weaker opponents this season. Our offensive woes in 2009 were as equally upsetting as our defensive ineptitude from 2007. As for the “strong run game,” the loss of Quentin Castille before the season and Rex Burkhead absence for a good chunk during the season really dented the Husker’s ground attack.
Virginia Tech is widely considered to have the toughest and most hostile environment for opposing teams to play in. Blacksburg will be a true measuring stick for how good the Huskers can be in 2009. A win there and the momentum could carry the Big Red through a difficult Big 12 schedule. A loss to the Hokies makes the remaining road games look a little tougher. My prediction: Virginia Tech 28 - Nebraska 24. We should have known this was going to be a defensive battle, with neither team showing signs of being an offensive juggernaut. The Huskers dominated the Hokies in every category except the one that matters, losing 16-15 in the final seconds.
Road trips to Missouri, Baylor, Kansas and Colorado all could end up as losses for Nebraska. Mizzou's reign of terror in the North might be over, but Columbia is still a tough place to win. Without Chase Daniel, Jeremy Maclin, and Chase Coffman, the Tigers don't have enough horsepower to rely on their offense alone this season. The Huskers should be well-rested and healed up for the October 8th Thursday night matchup. My prediction: NU 34 - Mizzou 30. So much for these road games presenting a challenge. Playing in a deluge in Columbia, the Big Red finally got traction in the fourth quarter to take down the Tigers 27-12 behind NU’s best big game offensive quarter in 2009. Baylor losing Robert Griffin, the ultra-talented quarterback, paved the way for an NU road win in Waco. Mark Mangino had one foot out the door when the Huskers came to town and took care of business. Somehow, Dan Hawkins retained his coaching job at Colorado, where a last second touchdown by the Buffs made the game appear closer than it should have been.
Texas Tech comes to town sans Michael Crabtree and Graham Harrell. I'm sure pirate fanatic and offensive wizard Mike Leach has another quarterback and receiver ready to plug in, but the Big Red won't let the Red Raiders steal another game in Lincoln. My prediction: NU 38 - Texas Tech 27.
Just like Nebraska hit a rough patch in the middle of the season, so did Husker Faithful’s predictions. Little did we know that NU would come back from Columbia and lay an egg at home to the Red Raiders. Sure enough, Leach inserted backup QB Stephen Sheffield into his system and the Tech offense didn’t miss a beat. Nebraska did everything in their power to prevent their own comeback, including dropping would-be touchdown passes and overthrowing wide open receivers. No LeKevin Smith fumble was needed for this Red Raider victory in Lincoln.
Poor Iowa State. My prediction: NU 42 - the Clones 21.
Christmas came two months early for the Cyclones, as Nebraska gift-wrapped this game with eight turnovers, including four inside the ISU five yard line. Husker Faithful can’t recall seeing a game that involved such one-sided generosity and hopes that in the future NU is on the receiving end of the turnover gift basket.
Ok-la-homa is the team to beat. This game has the potential to be a big one. College Gameday could be in town if the Huskers take care of business early in the season. ESPN will talk incessantly about the Bo Pelini and Bob Stoops childhood connection. Is there anyone who doesn't know this story by now? With Sam Bradford back, an offense that scores with ease, and a stout defense, the Sooners will be too much for NU. My prediction: OU 48 - NU 27.
Basically predicting a repeat of the 2008 loss in Norman, minus the 28-spot we gave the Sooners, the loss of Bradford changed everything. Backup QB Landry Jones threw five interceptions (three to Matt O’Hanlon) thanks to a ferocious Blackshirt defensive effort. Still, Husker fans were waiting for OU to tie the game in the final minutes after Alex Henery missed a field goal that would have iced the game. Why again is this not an annual matchup? Oh, that’s right…Texas and money conquered college football tradition and sportsmanship. What a shame.
Kansas is the game that will decide the Big 12 North in my opinion. The Jayhawks return Todd Reesing at the quarterback position and their scrappy style is tough to contend with. A big win by the Huskers last year over KU will be fresh in the minds of Mangino's boys. My prediction: Kansas 35 - Nebraska 32. Poor Kansas State. Do you think Bo Pelini has forgotten when Bill Snyder ran up the score on his boys in 2003? Do you think Bill Snyder has forgotten his tongue lashing after that game courtesy of Bo Pelini? The table sets up nicely for Bo to have his sweet revenge in Manhattan. My prediction: NU 38 - Kansas State 17.
Boy was I wrong here. While being right that a game against a Kansas school would determine the North, little did I (or anyone else) know that it would be Bill Snyder’s Wildcats, not the Jayhawks. Regardless, NU beat both KU and K-State by two touchdowns to claim the Big 12 North title.
The final regular season game is always a big one and a trip to Colorado is never an easy win. CU's coach, Dan Hawkins, was on the record of guaranteeing 10 wins this season, but during Big 12 media days he backed off that a bit and simply said standards are high this year. Few will forget last season's "miracle" finish with Alex Henery booting a 57-yard field goal and Big Suh running over CU quarterback Cody Hawkins on his way to paydirt. My prediction: NU 34 - Colorado 28.
Other than a defensive breakdown at the end of the game, the Huskers easily handled the Buffs and carried their momentum on to Dallas to face Texas.
So if I add up my predictions, I see that I'm pretty optimistic with a 9-3 regular season. Depending on how KU does in their other conference games, Nebraska should be in the hunt for the North title and a chance to play OU or Texas in the new Cowboys Stadium.
Similar to NU’s up and down season, with its twists and turns that few could have expected, our predictions arrived at a 9-3 regular season record. Evidently my crystal ball was too cloudy to foresee the one point, one second loss to Texas in the Big 12 title game. On a bright note, Texas travels up to Lincoln next year. Too bad Suh and Colt “Rag Doll” McCoy won’t be suiting up for the rematch.
Here’s a link to our original post "Husker Faithful’s 2009 Season Preview."
Happy Holidays from Husker Faithful!
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