Not going to spend any time rehashing last week or talking about the thumping everyone expects us to get in Madison.
Instead, I want to discuss the need for all of us to just take a deep breath and relax a little. Perhaps in the process gain a wee bit of perspective about the current state of Husker football and how long this rebuild will likely take.
I have every confidence still that Scott & Co. will get this turned around. More dead weight left the program this week and that is a good thing.
We are struggling mightily right now, no doubt, but please take a moment and consider that every program has had its struggles. EVERY SINGLE PROGRAM has had down years.
For some perspective on this, here is the current Top 25, with a reference to when each program struggled (losing seasons) in their more recent history:
25. Oklahoma State – 2005 (4-7), 2001 (4-7), 2000 (3-8)
24. Virginia Tech – 1992 (2-8-1), crappy seasons prior coached by Frank Beamer.
23. NC State – 2013 (3-9), 2006 (3-9)
22. Colorado – 2017 (5-7), 2015 (4-9), 2014 (2-10), 10 losing seasons in a row.
21. Florida – 2017 (4-7), 2013 (4-8)
20. Mich St. – 2016 (3-9), 2006 (4-8), three consecutive losing seasons
19. Texas – 2016 (5-7), 2015 (5-7), 2010 (5-7), 1997 (4-8), several prior losing seasons
18. Oregon – 2016 (4-8), 2004 (5-6), 1991 (3-8), several losing seasons prior to that
17. Miami – 2014 (6-7), 2007 (5-7), 1997 (5-6), Really bad in the 1970’s
16. Wisconsin – 2001 (5-7), 1990 (1-10), Barry Alvarez first season, bad before that
15. Michigan – 2014 (5-7), 2009 (5-7), 2008 (3-9), not good all through the ’60’s
14. Stanford – 2008 (5-7), 2007 (4-8), 2006 (1-10), many losing seasons before that
13. Kentucky – 2015 (5-7), 2014 (5-7), 2013 (2-10), 2012 (2-10), more losing seasons…
12. UCF – 2016 (6-7), 2015 (0-12), 2011 (5-7), 2008 (4-8), 2004 (0-11)
11. Penn. St. – 2004 (4-7), 2003 (3-9), 2001 (5-6), 2000 (5-7)
10. Washington – 2009 (5-7), 2008 (0-12), 2007 (4-9), 2006 (5-7), 2005 (2-9), 2004 (1-10)
9. West VA – 2013 (4-8), 2001 (3-8), 1999 (4-7)
8. Auburn – 2012 (3-9), 2008 (5-7), 1999 (5-6), 1998 (3-8)
7. Oklahoma – 1998 (5-6), 1997 (4-8), 1996 (3-8)
6. Notre Dame – 2016 (4-8), 2007 (3-9), 2003 (5-7), 2001 (5-6)
5. LSU – 1999 (3-8), 1998 (4-7), 1994 (4-7), 1993 (5-6), 1992 (2-9), 1991…1990…1989….
4. Clemson – 2010 (6-7), 1998 (3-8), 1994 (5-6), 1992 (5-6)
3. Ohio St. – 2011 (6-7), 1988 (4-6-1), way back to 1959 (3-5-1)
2. Georgia – 2010 (6-7), 1996 (5-6), 1993 (5-6), 1990 (4-7)
- Alabama – the mighty Crimson Tide…2006 (6-7), 2003 (4-9), 2000 (3-8), 1997 (4-7)
Other notables…
Florida St. – 1976 (5-6), 1975 (3-8), 1974 (1-10), 1973 (0-11)
UCLA – 2017 (6-7), 2016 (4-8), 2011 (6-8), 2010 (4-8)
USC – 2000 (5-7), 1991 (3-8),
And of course Nebraska – 2017 (4-8), 2015 (6-7), 2007 (5-7), 2004 (5-6). Keep this in mind, prior to 2004, our last non-winning season was 1961. An incredible run that frankly no other program can touch…not even Alabama or Ohio State.
Perspective.
Everyone has been rotten from time to time, some schools…several times. Nebraska is not immune. As long as day by day we get better and better, that is about all we can ask for at this point.
Here is some more perspective. In Barry Alvarez first season at Wisconsin, the Badgers went 1-10, then two back to back 5-6 seasons before they had their first winning season in year 4. Many people say (and I would agree) that Wisconsin has gotten really good at out-Nebraska-ing Nebraska. Alvarez brought that Nebraska-based mindset to Madison.
Scott is the right guy at the right time to right this ship. It is going to take a few more years than any of us wanted it to, but I have no doubt that somewhere in the not-so-distant future, Frost & Co. will get Nebraska in a position to be better at being Nebraska than Wisconsin currently is. Even Barry himself said this week that he doesn’t think we are as far away as people think.
Having said this, we are not there yet. I think we are perfectly capable of playing with the Badgers and making things interesting. We are also capable of making mistakes and letting that snowball into getting boat-raced right out of Camp Randall Stadium.
Those of you who know me know that I will never predict the Huskers to lose…and I am not going to start now…
Enjoy the game. Go Big Red.
HuskerVibe 