The 2009 Season Preview

“But AJ…if you really are closing the blog down…how are we going to get our Husker hating data for next season.” Seems this is the burning question on everybody’s mind these days (heh), and yes…you are going to have to find somewhere else to get your anti-Nebraska propaganda from next season. No, I'm not going Bret Favre. No, I'm not going to "suddenly realize my own team sucks" and pick this whole thing back up again. It's not going to happen. I've proven my point. I'm done dealing with you. I already won.

But fear not my friends. Before I strike the match, and burn this place to the ground, I do have some thoughts on how I see next season shake out. No don’t get me wrong…I’m WELL aware that things change, just as I'm well aware that by July, you'll already be making your reservations for Dallas in the first week of December. I’m also aware that although the BLOG is retiring, I most likely will be back…somewhere…in some capacity to inform you of these matters.

But in the interest of time and our impending together, I thought I’d give you a chance to see where you’re going…before you even know where you’ve been. SO with that, let’s take a look to see how the north is going to shake out:


1) Kansas
Key Strengths in 2009: Reesing, Briscoe and Sharp; The Fat man can coach
Key Weaknesses in 2009: They’re KU
Schedule Breakdown: @Tech, @Texas, vs OU, @UTEP and @S.Miss
Early Bird Predicted Record: 8-4
Comments: Do you know how hard it is to pick KU to win the North? I mean, they’ve been a sham for quite some time, and haven’t had the depth to keep up with the rigors of the Big 12 this past year. Unfortunately, they return way more skilled players on offense, which still in this league…is the key to success. Reesing is going to need some help with his offensive line, and I don’t think Sharp can be an everyday back…but still. Anybody not giving KU the early nod is fooling themselves.

2) Missouri
Key Strengths in 2009: Experienced skill players
Key Weaknesses in 2009: Inexperienced DB’s New QB as well as new O-coordinator
Schedule Breakdown: vs. Illinois, @Nevada, @OSU, vs. Texas, vs. Kansas in KC
Early Bird Predicted Record: 8-4
Comments: The defense can’t get worse right? If you’re losing a bunch of bad players, isn’t that addition by subtraction? This is exactly what NU fans told the world last season, and it may apply to Mizzou here. Missouri is a wildcard to me, mostly depending on the development of the defense…as well as the improvement of Blaine Gabbert. If Gabbert lives up to the hype, relies on the best returning running back in the north and doesn’t make mistakes, Mizzou shouldn’t take a huge hit on offense. On defense, the key is getting better at pretty much any area.

3) Colorado
Key Strengths in 2009: Best young RB tandem in the conference
Key Weaknesses in 2009: No offensive identity, touch schedule
Schedule Breakdown: @West Virginia, @Texas, vs. Kansas, vs. Mizzou, @OSU
Early Bird Predicted Record: 7-5
Comments: OK, I always pick Colorado to be good, but this year I mean it. NO team in the conference was damaged by injuries like Colorado was. Scott and Stewart are electric and Cody Hawkins showed signs of life in a fluke loss at Lincoln last season. The Buffs get Nebraska at home, and Mizzou/KU at home as well. If Dan Hawkins is ever to make significant progress..this is the year.

4) Kansas State
Key Strengths in 2009: Bill Snyder and his merry band of Juco defensive players
Key Weaknesses in 2009: New QB if freeman leaves, bevy of other issues
Schedule Breakdown: @UCLA, @Tech, @OU, vs. KU, vs. Mizzou,
Early Bird Predicted Record: 6-6
Comments: The old man is back, and he’s bringing his juco mentality (and scheduling) with him. Look for that trip to UCLA to get banged faster than Lindsey Lohan at a post-production party, only to be replaced by more cupcakes. KSU gets KU and Missouri at home, but must possibly rely on replacing Josh Freeman if he bolts. If he does, the odds of a sub .500 season grow quite a bit.

5) Nebraska
Key Strengths in 2009: Abundance of confidence, key returning players on defense
Key Weaknesses in 2009: Abundance of confidence, new QB, new WR’s
Schedule Breakdown: @VT, @Mizzou, vs. Tech, @Baylor, vs. Oklahoma, @KU
Early Bird Predicted Record: 5-7
Comments: Seriously, why do you think you’ll win more than 5 games? You realize you have no QB right? You realize even if you did, you’d have nobody to throw to right? You realize you have Tech and OU this year, along with road trips to Mizzou, Kansas, Baylor and Colorado right? (And not to mention Va Tech). There are way too many holes here for me to POSSIBLY take you seriously. Well, that and I’ve heard this whole, “We’re back” bullshit mantra way too many times. If some hotshot QB transfer from the Pac-10 shows up…then maybe I’ll change my mind. Oh wait…maybe not.


6) Iowa State
Key Strengths in 2009: None that I can see. Cool uniforms?
Key Weaknesses in 2009: You name it
Schedule Breakdown: @Kent, @KU, vs. Baylor, @A&M, vs. OSU, @Mizzou
Early Bird Predicted Record: 2-10
Comments: So a disaster of a season gets worse when your shitty coach dumps your shitty team to go work for some guys in the SEC who obviously have no clue what they’re doing. I honestly can’t find anything ISU can look forward to. None. I’ve tried for 20 minutes now, and it’s just not happening.

Quick South prediction:

1) Oklahoma
2) Texas
3) Baylor
4) Okie State
5) Tech
6) A&M

Big 12 Champion: Oklahoma (way to go out on a limb there)
Player of the year: Colt McCoy
Easiest thing to predict of the year: Nebraska’s offensive production drops by 100ypg.