And so it begins...(tracking Coach Prime decommits/transfers)

[Cornicator]

I’m not convinced that we will be able to run the ball this year. Have we really upgraded our RB room? What evidence do we have that our OL is going to be better than last year? Will our DBs be able to hang with their WRs.

Whether Nebraska can run the ball well in 2024 should be a seperate concern from whether they will run it well vs Colorado.

CU is transitioning to the 4-2-5. Its naturally leaky vs the run game anyway, but it might even be more succeptible because the interior of their Dline is going to include the following:

5"10 290 lb Chidoze Owinko, a transfer from Houston. This kid is a Thad Randle body double. He is a decent pass rusher, but struggled vs the run last season in the Big 12 and he's going to be paired up with the interior of Nebraska's offensive line that will abuse him physically. Next to Owinko is one of only 7 returning starters for CU, Shane Cokes. This kid is 6'3 275 and will be one of the leanest starting Dtackles Nebraska faces in 2024. He played on the edge a lot last season, but will be moving inside in their new scheme.

CU brought in Anquin Barnes from Alabama. He has legit size at 6'5 315. But he's never played a single snap in 2 seasons. This kid is a Corey Collier caliber transfer. His presence is inconsequential.

Arkansas transfer Taurean Carter is another Big bodied dude who will be better than Barnes, but the knock on him at Arkansas was that he struggled vs the run.

Regardless of the combination CU trots out there, we are talking about 4 interior defensive linemen with only 23 combined starts at the Power 5 level. If you compare that to Nebraska's interior offensive line, you're looking at a group with over 90 total starts amongst any combination of Scott, Mazz, Jenkins, Lutovsky, or Corcoran.

And all 4 of those CU players will be playing in only their 2nd game of that defensive scheme. Its a significant advantage for Nebraska

CU is trying to build a defense that will generate a consistent pass rush in the Big 12. I think it's a smart move and with their pass rusher additions on the edge, the scheme change, and the addition of their new DC, I think they will be able to generate a lot of pressure.

But that will come at a cost IMO - they're gonna struggle stopping the run.

It will be very interesting to see if Nebraska can effectively run the ball vs teams like Illinois and Rutgers early on in the season. That will tell us if they can run it effectively later on in the schedule.

But I don't think they will have any trouble accumulating big chunk plays in the run game vs CU.

 

[Bootleg11]

Whether Nebraska can run the ball well in 2024 should be a seperate concern from whether they will run it well vs Colorado.

CU is transitioning to the 4-2-5. Its naturally leaky vs the run game anyway, but it might even be more succeptible because the interior of their Dline is going to include the following:

5"10 290 lb Chidoze Owinko, a transfer from Houston. This kid is a Thad Randle body double. He is a decent pass rusher, but struggled vs the run last season in the Big 12 and he's going to be paired up with the interior of Nebraska's offensive line that will abuse him physically. Next to Owinko is one of only 7 returning starters for CU, Shane Cokes. This kid is 6'3 275 and will be one of the leanest starting Dtackles Nebraska faces in 2024. He played on the edge a lot last season, but will be moving inside in their new scheme.

CU brought in Anquin Barnes from Alabama. He has legit size at 6'5 315. But he's never played a single snap in 2 seasons. This kid is a Corey Collier caliber transfer. His presence is inconsequential.

Arkansas transfer Taurean Carter is another Big bodied dude who will be better than Barnes, but the knock on him at Arkansas was that he struggled vs the run.

Regardless of the combination CU trots out there, we are talking about 4 interior defensive linemen with only 23 combined starts at the Power 5 level. If you compare that to Nebraska's interior offensive line, you're looking at a group with over 90 total starts amongst any combination of Scott, Mazz, Jenkins, Lutovsky, or Corcoran.

And all 4 of those CU players will be playing in only their 2nd game of that defensive scheme. Its a significant advantage for Nebraska

CU is trying to build a defense that will generate a consistent pass rush in the Big 12. I think it's a smart move and with their pass rusher additions on the edge, the scheme change, and the addition of their new DC, I think they will be able to generate a lot of pressure.

But that will come at a cost IMO - they're gonna struggle stopping the run.

It will be very interesting to see if Nebraska can effectively run the ball vs teams like Illinois and Rutgers early on in the season. That will tell us if they can run it effectively later on in the schedule.

But I don't think they will have any trouble accumulating big chunk plays in the run game vs CU.

Thanks for the break down.

Personally I think the Big 12 has kind of taken a turn and isn't as pass happy as it was. The likely top 4 teams in the Big 12 this year: Utah, K State, KU and Ok St will all gash you up front. Of course that means all 4 of those DTs would even have to make it to those teams. They end their season with Utah, @ KU and Oklahoma State. Rushing yards will be had.

 

[Alcaus]

It's hard to judge how good or bad a QB or RB is when the OL is terrible. Well the opposite is true as well, it was hard to tell how good or bad our OL were last year because of the awful QB play. But I do agree with you that I thought out OL was much improved from the previous season and I expect a similar jump this year.

I don't think they were any better at pass pro but we didn't pass as much. Run blocking was up from terrible to ok.

Some interesting charts. I don't have any from the year prior so can't say if Jim is right, but compared to college football as a whole... surprisingly better than I expected. I mean 3s to throw per drop back is alarming.

 

[HerbRedman]

Whether Nebraska can run the ball well in 2024 should be a seperate concern from whether they will run it well vs Colorado.

CU is transitioning to the 4-2-5. Its naturally leaky vs the run

This is a great breakdown, @Cornicator . Thank you.

This reminded me of a CU fan convo I saw on that Bill Simmons clip earlier. I've been trying to figure out why CU fans have this insane confidence coming off a 4-8. This kind of explains their rationale.

 

[Cornicator]

Holy shit.. NBC wants this game at Night... Almost exactly 10 years after this game:

 

[HerbRedman]

Holy shit.. NBC wants this game at Night... Almost exactly 10 years after this game:

Where did you see this?

 

[BIG TONE SOPRANO]

It's not recent.

Yeah it is

 

[jickey moseph]

Where did you see this?

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This morning, I got a promising report regarding the Colorado vs. Nebraska kickoff time. The TV networks started meeting yesterday to begin their selection draft. We already know that Texas at Michigan for that week is set for Big Noon on FOX.

This morning, I got word that NBC has already started to make some preliminary moves that the game is headed for a prime-time kickoff in Lincoln. Nothing official yet, but things look promising for this game to be a prime-time kickoff.

 

[Alcaus]

Holy shit.. NBC wants this game at Night... Almost exactly 10 years after this game:

Easily the best gameday crowd I've ever experienced

 

[Stan Raymond]

This is a great breakdown, @Cornicator . Thank you.

This reminded me of a CU fan convo I saw on that Bill Simmons clip earlier. I've been trying to figure out why CU fans have this insane confidence coming off a 4-8. This kind of explains their rationale.

View attachment 37170
View attachment 37171

Returning Colorado starters
WR - Hunter, Horn
QB - Sanders

DT - Cokes
LB - Bentley, Woods
CB - Hunter
S - Sanders, Silmon-Craig

Starters that started at previous school
WR - Sheppard (Vanderbilt)
G - Mayers (UTEP), Brown (Jackson St)
C - Walker (UConn)
T - Benson (Indiana)
DT - Nwankwo (Houston)
DE - Hayes (Pitt), Green (ASU)
CB - Hodge (Liberty)

New Starters
T - Seaton (HS)
TE - Hart (tOSU)
RB - Hayden (tOSU)
NB - McKinney (Oklahoma St)

Number of Colorado starters that started their career at Colorado = 1, Seaton, a true freshman LT.

 

[BIG TONE SOPRANO]

Returning Colorado starters
WR - Hunter, Horn
QB - Sanders

DT - Cokes
LB - Bentley, Woods
CB - Hunter
S - Sanders, Silmon-Craig

Starters that started at previous school
WR - Sheppard (Vanderbilt)
G - Mayers (UTEP), Brown (Jackson St)
C - Walker (UConn)
T - Benson (Indiana)
DT - Nwankwo (Houston)
DE - Hayes (Pitt), Green (ASU)
CB - Hodge (Liberty)

New Starters
T - Seaton (HS)
TE - Hart (tOSU)
RB - Hayden (tOSU)
NB - McKinney (Oklahoma St)

Number of Colorado starters that started their career at Colorado = 1, Seaton, a true freshman LT.

They are gonna be like the USA men’s Olympic basketball team in the 90s

 

[Cornicator]

Returning Colorado starters
WR - Hunter, Horn
QB - Sanders

DT - Cokes
LB - Bentley, Woods
CB - Hunter
S - Sanders, Silmon-Craig

Starters that started at previous school
WR - Sheppard (Vanderbilt)
G - Mayers (UTEP), Brown (Jackson St)
C - Walker (UConn)
T - Benson (Indiana)
DT - Nwankwo (Houston)
DE - Hayes (Pitt), Green (ASU)
CB - Hodge (Liberty)

New Starters
T - Seaton (HS)
TE - Hart (tOSU)
RB - Hayden (tOSU)
NB - McKinney (Oklahoma St)

Number of Colorado starters that started their career at Colorado = 1, Seaton, a true freshman LT.

I believe they have 4 really good transfers who should impact them positively, and the rest of their newcomers are average players or even borderline scrap heap guys:

1. Sheppard from Vanderbilt - This kid could start damn near anywhere in the country. When added to Hunter and Horn, CU has 3 very elite pass catchers for Shadeur.

2. Hayes from Pitt and Green from ASU- These dudes are legit edge rushers who will give their pass rush some credibility.

3. Benson out of Indiana is a solid Power 5 offensive tackle. He will be a nice upgrade over what they had last season.


CU has some serious depth issues in their secondary. I question how much time Hunter can spend playing both ways. Shilo will be out vs. the Huskers. The Buffs will only have 3 trusted corners and 2 safeties who have any experience when they come to Lincoln. You would think Deion would've made his defensive backfield a major priority since he was a former DB.

When an FBS football team is under their scholarship limit, its going to impact the DBs and Offensive Line the most. Those are spots where you need a shit ton of scholarship players. And they are two spots where CU is really lacking.

 

[Jim14510]

Some interesting charts. I don't have any from the year prior so can't say if Jim is right, but compared to college football as a whole... surprisingly better than I expected. I mean 3s to throw per drop back is alarming.

That comes back to the question of how is that timed. I've never put much stock in it because I assumed it was total time from snap to throw. If it's time from snap to pressure then it's a lot more meaningful.

If you look at pressure per drop back we were 98/324 vs 110/405. So .302 vs .272.

Not all pressures are the same so that's not a definite.

Sacks were worse too. 17/324 vs 13/405

 

[HerbRedman]

Returning Colorado starters
WR - Hunter, Horn
QB - Sanders

DT - Cokes
LB - Bentley, Woods
CB - Hunter
S - Sanders, Silmon-Craig

Starters that started at previous school
WR - Sheppard (Vanderbilt)
G - Mayers (UTEP), Brown (Jackson St)
C - Walker (UConn)
T - Benson (Indiana)
DT - Nwankwo (Houston)
DE - Hayes (Pitt), Green (ASU)
CB - Hodge (Liberty)

New Starters
T - Seaton (HS)
TE - Hart (tOSU)
RB - Hayden (tOSU)
NB - McKinney (Oklahoma St)

Number of Colorado starters that started their career at Colorado = 1, Seaton, a true freshman LT.

Thank you for this breakdown.

So basically 13 of the 22 have started at a FBS level before. That commenter said 22/22 have started at FBS level, which surprised me.

Like I said, I'm just trying to see if I'm missing somethings RE: Colorado. I don't see an 8-9 win team. They may look like that in first couple of games, but depth will always get them.

 

[BIG TONE SOPRANO]

We’ve got some folks here that think Colorado is going to be better than even the ESPN analyst folks

 

[Stan Raymond]

I believe they have 4 really good transfers who should impact them positively, and the rest of their newcomers are average players or even borderline scrap heap guys:

1. Sheppard from Vanderbilt - This kid could start damn near anywhere in the country. When added to Hunter and Horn, CU has 3 very elite pass catchers for Shadeur.

2. Hayes from Pitt and Green from ASU- These dudes are legit edge rushers who will give their pass rush some credibility.

3. Benson out of Indiana is a solid Power 5 offensive tackle. He will be a nice upgrade over what they had last season.


CU has some serious depth issues in their secondary. I question how much time Hunter can spend playing both ways. Shilo will be out vs. the Huskers. The Buffs will only have 3 trusted corners and 2 safeties who have any experience when they come to Lincoln. You would think Deion would've made his defensive backfield a major priority since he was a former DB.

When an FBS football team is under their scholarship limit, its going to impact the DBs and Offensive Line the most. Those are spots where you need a shit ton of scholarship players. And they are two spots where CU is really lacking.

Sheppard and Green were very good pickups for them, hated to see that.

But so many of their transfers are just scraps from other teams, be surprised if they do much better than who they replace. Sanders acts like he's only bringing in studs but doesn't address that over 60% of these so called dawgs that he brought in last year left in the portal this year. His hit rate has not been good.

 

[ShortSideOption]

I think you also have to remember he’s promising everything to get kids there, whether it be NIL, playing time, etc. That gets the lockerroom toxic in a hurry when losses start happening or you aren’t a starter even though he said you would be.

 

[Alcaus]

That comes back to the question of how is that timed. I've never put much stock in it because I assumed it was total time from snap to throw. If it's time from snap to pressure then it's a lot more meaningful.

If you look at pressure per drop back we were 98/324 vs 110/405. So .302 vs .272.

Not all pressures are the same so that's not a definite.

Sacks were worse too. 17/324 vs 13/405

Does PFF not define these terms? I'd be curious to know.

What I'm seeing in the charts is better than average OL play which is not what most people would say about our OL last year.

 

[BIG TONE SOPRANO]

If they aren’t in the playoffs gonna be a LOT of eggs on faces in here.

 

[HerbRedman]

I think you also have to remember he’s promising everything to get kids there, whether it be NIL, playing time, etc. That gets the lockerroom toxic in a hurry when losses start happening or you aren’t a starter even though he said you would be.

Reason #223 why it's great to see Colorado on your schedule for November