Final 11 Games

[HuskerFever]

Forget how the season has ended up so far. We've had some real highs and some real lows. We're sitting at that lowest low right now losing 5 of our last 7 games. But it is what it is. We have 11 more games remaining.

 

Here's where we are:

Q1: 2-5 (1-4)

Q2: 3-2 (0-2)

Q3: 3-0 (2-0)

Q4: 4-0 (0-0)

N/A: 1-0 (0-0)

 

Here's what we have left:

Q1: (7) at MSU, at Mich, at Purdue, vs Purdue, vs Wisc, vs MD, vs Iowa

Q2: (4) vs NW, vs Minn, at PSU, at Illinois

Q3: (0)

Q4: (0)

 

Last season we were 15-8 on Jan. 26, 2018. We are 13-7 right now. The big difference? Last season we only had 1 more Q1 opportunity. This season? We have 7. Last season I'm assuming our RPI was around 60. This season our NET is around 25.

 

This is probably our best chance to even make the NCAA tournament in the next 5 years no matter if we have the same coach next season or not. We might have to crawl into the tournement this season, but at least we still have a reasonable chance right now. Forget the last 7 games and let's try to make something out of these last 11.

[100 words or less]

  On 1/26/2019 at 7:52 PM, HuskerFever said:

This is probably our best chance to even make the NCAA tournament in the next 5 years 

Expand  

 

Most bizarre thought of the day?

[tcp]

we've run into a systemic team problem, though, contributing to this funk. and that has to be accounted for in order to expect that there will be a change to the remainder of the schedule. 

 

I'm not sure these guys have it in them to will themselves to a higher level of competitive intensity needed to be successful in a brutally competitive conference. 

 

Maybe they do, but they have to show it, first. 

[HuskerFever]

  On 1/26/2019 at 7:55 PM, 100 words or less said:

 

Most bizarre thought of the day?

Expand  

 

We're either dealing with a rebuild with a new coach or roster attrition under Miles who has one of the most senior rosters in the NCAA.

[hskr4life]

I was thinking about this.  As low as we are... as bad as we’ve been... we set ourselves up for this scenario with a solid non-con.  Need  7 more wins.

[tcp]

  On 1/26/2019 at 8:01 PM, HuskerFever said:

 

We're either dealing with a rebuild with a new coach or roster attrition under Miles who has one of the most senior rosters in the NCAA.

Expand  

 

If this is a cultural problem in the program itself--at least according to the AD--then you're looking at a full rebuild anyway a la football. 

That's something that'll have to wait until the end of the season.

 

I'm just going to hope our guys can salvage what they can and enjoy the rest of their season. 

[Cazzie22]

At the current quality of our play, 7 wins is asking a lot.

[HuskerFever]

  On 1/26/2019 at 8:09 PM, Cazzie22 said:

At the current quality of our play, 7 wins is asking a lot.

Expand  

 

Definitely is. Our team didn't deal us the best cards in 2019 so far. And it's even more demoralizing to think that we're bound for worse seasons in the near future.

[PimpMario]

  On 1/26/2019 at 8:01 PM, HuskerFever said:

 

We're either dealing with a rebuild with a new coach or roster attrition under Miles who has one of the most senior rosters in the NCAA.

Expand  

 

For 5 years?

[HuskerFever]

  On 1/26/2019 at 8:29 PM, PimpMario said:

 

For 5 years?

Expand  

 

If I'm catching what you're really asking, we're more likely to rebound quicker under a solid new hire than under Miles.

 

5 years is just a number thrown out there. I'd have to look at past successful coaches but I'd imagine it would be around the 3-5 year range. There's no way Miles lasts even a fifth of that without a tournament appearance. So essentially I'm saying it's either this year or we're rebuilding.

[Cowboy Kermit]

Getting to .500 in the league may be asking a lot, but it needs to be the goal in the grand scheme of things. Just my opinion, what do I know

Edited January 26, 2019 by NebrasketballJake

[hskr4life]

  On 1/26/2019 at 8:46 PM, NebrasketballJake said:

Getting to .500 in the league may be asking a lot, but it needs to be the goal in the grand scheme of things. Just my opinion, what do I know

Expand  

 

May this point, that has to be the goal.  That’ll get them at least last 4 in.  Also, games we are going to win to be above .500 we’ve already lost.

[PimpMario]

  On 1/26/2019 at 8:35 PM, HuskerFever said:

 

If I'm catching what you're really asking, we're more likely to rebound quicker under a solid new hire than under Miles.

 

5 years is just a number thrown out there. I'd have to look at past successful coaches but I'd imagine it would be around the 3-5 year range. There's no way Miles lasts even a fifth of that without a tournament appearance. So essentially I'm saying it's either this year or we're rebuilding.

Expand  

 

It wouldn't take a new coach 5 years to build a program.  5 (or 7) is more than enough time to build a program, in my opinion.

[PimpMario]

  On 1/26/2019 at 8:46 PM, NebrasketballJake said:

Getting to .500 in the league may be asking a lot, but it needs to be the goal in the grand scheme of things. Just my opinion, what do I know

Expand  

 

Thats such a depressing thought.  Both that we have fallen so far and it may be a struggle to get to .500

[ConkTrifecta3]

If we dont make it to .500 its going to give Moos a lot of ammo to make a change. He specifically pointed out a while ago that how we play in the Big 10 is going to be a major determining factor in Miles being retained.  And that the league games are the real measuring stick. 

[HuskerActuary]

  On 1/27/2019 at 12:38 AM, ConkTrifecta3 said:

If we dont make it to .500 its going to give Moos a lot of ammo to make a change. He specifically pointed out a while ago that how we play in the Big 10 is going to be a major determining factor in Miles being retained.  And that the league games are the real measuring stick. 

Expand  

Agreed. And, not getting to 0.500 is nearly a given at this point. If Miles can pull that off, he certainly deserves to be retained. Going 7-4 needs we need to go undefeated at home and beat Illinois or Penn State on the road. Or, drop one at home (Purdue seems most likely) and beat Illinois and Penn State on the road. So unlikely at this point.

[Chuck Taylor]

The schedule is favorable, and I'd say .500 was very doable even with our recent stumbles. Six home games, all of them very winnable, two of five road games very winnable. But Copeland changes the equation so much. While the pressure's off in a lot of ways now, the giant hole in the roster might be too much to overcome. Doc's 2008-2009 team somehow went 8-8 in the Big 12 with a weak roster, so there's that.

[Huskerpapa]

I am not going to bank on the following, but it is worth a small bit of optimism...sometimes when a team loses a player of value such as Cope, the team will draw closer together and accomplish significant tasks.  I am sure most of you are not old enough to remember Bob Griese and the '71 Dolphins.  Griese was sort of the Drew Brees of his day (both short and both played at Purdue).  He went down with a severe injury at the beginning of the season and the team could have folded and went away.  Instead they started winning with Earl Morrall at QB.  Morrall was sort of a career back up.  They went on to an undefeated season and celebrate each year when all the NFL teams finally lose a game.  Heck, as recently as last year the same sort of thing happened with the Eagles.

 

Bottom line, I still hold out hope...but oh man, this is going to mean a lot of players, fans and coaches step up, big time.

[timofarmer]

Huskerpapa beat me to the punch with his post.  I’m not overly optimistic that the team will draw closer but it was a thought I had last night.  Maybe it can serve as a catalyst to focus the rest of the team.  Not necessarily an addition by subtraction scenario like with Biggs a few years ago, but a huge wake up call for JPJ, Glynn and Roby. 

 

[hhcmatt]

  On 1/27/2019 at 4:48 PM, Huskerpapa said:

I am not going to bank on the following, but it is worth a small bit of optimism...sometimes when a team loses a player of value such as Cope, the team will draw closer together and accomplish significant tasks.  I am sure most of you are not old enough to remember Bob Griese and the '71 Dolphins.  Griese was sort of the Drew Brees of his day (both short and both played at Purdue).  He went down with a severe injury at the beginning of the season and the team could have folded and went away.  Instead they started winning with Earl Morrall at QB.  Morrall was sort of a career back up.  They went on to an undefeated season and celebrate each year when all the NFL teams finally lose a game.  Heck, as recently as last year the same sort of thing happened with the Eagles.

 

Bottom line, I still hold out hope...but oh man, this is going to mean a lot of players, fans and coaches step up, big time.

Expand  

 

This is more popularly known as the Ewing theory based on the same thing with Patrick Ewing in the 90s

[cipsucks]

  On 1/27/2019 at 4:48 PM, Huskerpapa said:

I am not going to bank on the following, but it is worth a small bit of optimism...sometimes when a team loses a player of value such as Cope, the team will draw closer together and accomplish significant tasks.  I am sure most of you are not old enough to remember Bob Griese and the '71 Dolphins.

Expand  

 

Don't have to go back that far.  I haven't read every page of every thread since the game yesterday, so maybe this has been posted.  1986.  Dave Hoppen blows out his knee at Colorado.  When I was at the game yesterday, and I saw Cope on the floor, I said, "Been there, done that." He's not coming back from that one.  Here's what happened after Hoppen went out in 1986:  Bernard Day, Brian Carr, Harvey Marshall and Anthony Bailous stepped up their fricking games.  NU went 6-4 after Hoppen went down and we made the Tourney.  We go 6-4 in our next 10 because Palmer, Watson, Roby, Allen and everyone else decide they will take it upon themselves to "will" us to victories in the NCAA Tourney.

[throwback]

  On 1/28/2019 at 1:46 AM, cipsucks said:

 

Don't have to go back that far.  I haven't read every page of every thread since the game yesterday, so maybe this has been posted.  1986.  Dave Hoppen blows out his knee at Colorado.  When I was at the game yesterday, and I saw Cope on the floor, I said, "Been there, done that." He's not coming back from that one.  Here's what happened after Hoppen went out in 1986:  Bernard Day, Brian Carr, Harvey Marshall and Anthony Bailous stepped up their fricking games.  NU went 6-4 after Hoppen went down and we made the Tourney.  We go 6-4 in our next 10 because Palmer, Watson, Roby, Allen and everyone else decide they will take it upon themselves to "will" us to victories in the NCAA Tourney.

Expand  

Don't forget about 6-5 center Chris Logan taking over for Hoppen.  

 

Hope this team can follow the same path.

[FredsSlacks]

problem i see is that the wins we thought were really good are now looking really bad. clemson, seton hall, creighton, indiana may all miss the tournament.

 

if roby picks up his production, i don't think we'll be all that much worse without copeland. like others have said, copeland injury might inspire the other guys to take their game to a new level.

Edited January 28, 2019 by TimSmiles

[hhcmatt]

  On 1/28/2019 at 1:46 AM, cipsucks said:

 

Don't have to go back that far.  I haven't read every page of every thread since the game yesterday, so maybe this has been posted.  1986.  Dave Hoppen blows out his knee at Colorado.  When I was at the game yesterday, and I saw Cope on the floor, I said, "Been there, done that." He's not coming back from that one.  Here's what happened after Hoppen went out in 1986:  Bernard Day, Brian Carr, Harvey Marshall and Anthony Bailous stepped up their fricking games.  NU went 6-4 after Hoppen went down and we made the Tourney.  We go 6-4 in our next 10 because Palmer, Watson, Roby, Allen and everyone else decide they will take it upon themselves to "will" us to victories in the NCAA Tourney.

Expand  

 

 

[hskr4life]

So what’ll it take to energize you and get you back up to happy?  Interested in that answer from everyone.

 

For me personally, getting to 5-6 would have me happy, and getting back to 6-6 would be absolutely huge.

 

Right now any win is a good win though.  We just need a win baby!