College Football is just around the corner

I am finally getting excited about the upcoming football season. After the spring game I just couldn't get excited about the season. The Redwings were dominating hockey and I still couldn't get past the disappointments of 2007. That has all changed. I have that urge to watch some football and see the Huskers run onto the field.

I think it will be a very interesting year. Last year's offense with Ganz was pretty explosive. I don't expect this year to be the same. Purify made a lot of third down catches that saved drives. Nebraska will need somebody to step up and become the go-to WR when they need a big catch. On the other hand, I expect Lucky to have a big year. Nebraska will not run as many stretch plays which will help Lucky, who is a natural slasher rather than a one cut back. I also think the OL will be the best Nebraska has had since the 99' season. The Huskers need a TE or H-back to develop into a passing threat to help keep the safeties honest. On defense I expect more effort and better team play, but Nebraska has some holes. While I like the DT's, Nebraska needs one of the DE's to step up and make plays on the edge of the line. The LB will be young but there is some talent on the roster. Moving Glenn to LB will really help. I think he'll have a big season. In the secondary, I like Nebraska's corners, but I'm still not sold on the safeties. They seem stiff and can be baited. Of course, I think the Big12 is turning into a passing/spread league and safeties really aren't needed. I still like the idea of recruiting only corners and making a few of them play safety. Run support isn't as necessary anymore, especially when the big12 forgets how to call holding penalties on pass plays. (Last year, TT threw the ball 77 times against OU and only had one holding call. That's impossible.) When it is all said in done, I think Nebraska will have a more competitive team, but not one to win the big12 north. I think Missouri will repeat as champion. I'm thinking 8-4 right now.

I've also been watching the coaching changes at Michigan and I must admit there are a lot of parallels to what happened in Lincoln when Callahan took over as Head Coach. A Beloved "son" in the "Family" forced out as head coach (think about it - Carr = Solich, only Frank never won a share of a national title). Certain faction of alums are upset that an "outsider" was brought in as a replacement. Despite the fact that it was the boosters that forced both Solich and Carr out, many alumni don't want the change. Alums cried foul when RichRod brought in his old staff en masse and completely dismissed Carr's entire staff (does this sound vaguely familiar, Husker fans?). Lloyd Carr is furious as a result. (Again, sounds familiar.) Each and every move Rodriguez makes results in complete denigration by certain Detroit newspaper columnists (again, does this sound familiar? It should...). Each step is over-analyzed in the press and the conclusions maintain the fears of the alumni. Eerily, another parallel to Nebraska is that Rodriguez is completely revamping UMich's offense. Going from a power option offense to a West Coast offense is akin to Michigan going from a pro-style offense to Rodriguez' patented spread option attack. Based on what we saw Callahan endure at Nebraska, it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that, unless Rich Rodriguez takes UMich to the Rose Bowl each of the next three years, this will end up badly for Rodriguez. It is very interesting watching this from an outside after experiencing it. But with any program, winning cures all.