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Replies: 16
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Legend [17786]
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Is the level of success Nebraska enjoyed in the 90s
Jun 15, 2015, 1:22 PM
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realistically obtainable again?
The Option-running Cornhuskers had an unbelievable decade, winning National Championships in 94, 95, and 97, and coming 1 game short in 93 and 2001.
But in the last 10 years, they have lost at least 4 games each year, placing them among the most average teams in CFB. During that time, more than a few Midwest Powers have taken a similar downward trend, but none with a tradition of winning like Nebraska. I guess you could pin the decline on a number of things such as: abandoning the option game, population shifts that have favored the South and West making recruiting harder for Midwest teams, perhaps changing conferences, etc.
Maybe they should go back to the option which would help negate the recruiting disadvantages they are facing? Maybe Tommie Frazier or Scott Frost have sons that would come run the option there hehe
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Legend [17786]
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actually it might have been Eric Crouch that won the heisman
Jun 15, 2015, 1:31 PM
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not scott frost?
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110%er [9300]
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Re: Is the level of success Nebraska enjoyed in the 90s
Jun 15, 2015, 1:39 PM
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I don't think so - at least no time soon. Things have changed a lot that will prevent them from regaining that status. You outlined most of them
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CU Guru [1542]
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Re: Is the level of success Nebraska enjoyed in the 90s
Jun 15, 2015, 1:43 PM
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Moving to Big 10 also furthered their demise. Texas, A&M, Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma etc. are gobbling up their vacated recruiting territory.
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Commissioner [908]
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Bingo...they moved away from Texas recruiting***
Jun 15, 2015, 2:10 PM
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CU Guru [1400]
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Eh....
Jun 15, 2015, 11:22 PM
[ in reply to Re: Is the level of success Nebraska enjoyed in the 90s ] |
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Nebraska has always had to recruit nationally because of the lack of local talent. Sure they hit Texas, but remember that Danny & Hatfield went head to head with them in Florida on a number of players over the years, they went after west coast kids and Nebraska had a pipeline into New Jersey under Osborne.
Where their problems started was going away from an offensive identity where they had somewhat of an advantage in recruiting because they could take a chance on the 5'10" athletic QB who didn't have a great arm as a QB while the more pro style or pass oriented programs couldn't. When Bill Callahan replaced Solich and installed a west coast style offense instead of the option offense the Cornhuskers were known for they suddenly went from having a recruiting advantage to just another in a long line of pass oriented teams in the region.
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Hall of Famer [20540]
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Re: Eh....
Jun 16, 2015, 4:10 AM
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The other thing that killed them was scholarship restrictions. And, quite frankly, the end of the steroids era.
I know a bunch of kids still juice, but the Huskers were, according to a bunch of folks, doing it systematically, with the very best stuff. Their other big edge was that they'd literally trot out a huge red army - you'd literally see 150+ guys in red uniforms trot out for home games - and probably a quarter of those guys were offensive linemen. To see they "over-recruited" at OL was putting it mildly, they literally went out and got every huge farmboy in the midwest. Then they subjected those guys to a Navy SEAL-type training program and only the very best of the very best made the 2-deep, much less the starting lineup for them at OL. Those guys lifted weights and hit practice dummies and worked on their technique to an extent nobody's seen before or since. And of course, they had some of the very best chemistry available at the time.
They just blew people off the ball. It was almost impossible to stop.
Interesting article from 1988. The interviewee denies the "systematic steroids" stuff, of course, but it does show some of what made Nebraska such a power. They were a system like few others before them.
http://articles.latimes.com/1988-09-08/sports/sp-2456_1_bill-lewis
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Oculus Spirit [75714]
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Where Bama recently was was close.
Jun 15, 2015, 1:51 PM
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I really hope Ohio St. doesn't. Maybe Harbaugh can get Michigan back up and running so Myer at least has a legit speed bump.
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Orange Blooded [3820]
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Anybody that thinks Bill Callahan is the answer, ain't
Jun 15, 2015, 1:52 PM
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coming back to the table no time soon.
Just sayin'...
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Legend [17786]
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Nebraska's 1995 team = GOAT? Look at these results:
Jun 15, 2015, 2:16 PM
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Keep in mind they had just won the National Championship the year before and were doing all this while defending the trophy and winning streak:
Outscored everyone 638-174(14.5 points per game).
Opponent# Result
at OK State W 64–21
at Michigan St W 50–10
Arizona State W 77–28
Pacific W 49–7
at Wash St. W 35–21
Missouri W 57–0
#8 Kansas State W 49–25
at #7 Colorado W 44–21
Iowa State W 73–14
at #10 Kansas W 41–3
Oklahoma W 37–0
vs. #2 Florida* W 62–24
*Fiesta Bowl for the National Championship
-The team outscored their opponents 638-174 (giving up only 14.5 points per game).
-They did not allow a single sack the entire year, setting a CFB record.
-Set a D1 record by averaging 7.0 yards per rush
-Averaged a victory margin of more than 38 points, the largest of any Division 1-A team since World War II, despite regularly resting their starters in the second halves of games
-Tommie Frazier won the Heisman Trophy
-Ahman Green won the Big 8 Freshman of the Year honors
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Legend [16132]
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Tommie never won the Heisman***
Jun 15, 2015, 2:27 PM
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Legend [17786]
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oh thats right. i stand corrected. how was that possible lol***
Jun 15, 2015, 2:34 PM
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All-TigerNet [13038]
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I think Wuerffel won it just prior to Florida getting killed
Jun 15, 2015, 3:00 PM
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and dismembered by Nebraska in that championship game. Frazier is one of the best athletes I've ever seen in CFB, and he was absolutely impossible to tackle that night.
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Walk-On [113]
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Re: Is the level of success Nebraska enjoyed in the 90s
Jun 15, 2015, 2:25 PM
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Tom Osborne left, and just like when Bear Bryant left Alabama the fans weren't patient. Mr. Osborne hand picked Frank Solich, and he was doing a good job. The fans just believed that they needed to go to a passing game, and when Kansas State beat them at home Frank was done even though he won 10 games that season. What a bone headed move. Then they move to Callahan with his west coast offense. He took the program to mediocrity, and it's tough to come back from mediocrity as we all know, but they have great facilities and a tremendous fan base. They will be back, we just don't know when.
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All-TigerNet [13038]
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Alabama since 2009 is already close.
Jun 15, 2015, 3:07 PM
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3 titles in 6 years plus made the playoff last year and lost to the national champions. I think Urban Meyer could also build something scary like that at OSU unless he gets derailed eventually by Harbaugh at Michigan.
Also, 1997 Nebraska was a split title, and (IMO) Michigan was the better football team that year.
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All-In [38425]
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Re: Alabama since 2009 is already close.
Jun 15, 2015, 7:16 PM
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I think Nebraska is in that muck of the unrecognized , the CFB team that hasn't done enough during the current kids' lifetimes to warrant much serious consideration from top recruits of the day .
Also , as mentioned , they lost a lot of recruiting clout when they jumped to the B1G. They simply cannot go into Texas or the South any longer and say " Nebraska ...come with us ".
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Oculus Spirit [93650]
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My guess is that it has more to do with TV...
Jun 15, 2015, 7:55 PM
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than anything else. ESPiN has taken a shine to the southeast but I don't ever remember them pushing UN as they did Tejus, USCw, ND, OhioSU, Michigan or any of the SEC teams.
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