I’ve been mulling something over that’s been bugging me lately. It comes down to a simple question - the title of this article - what do you want from me when it comes to Husker football? Let me explain.

Let’s take a look at next season’s schedule. In a three week period, Nebraska will playing the following:

• Virginia Tech
• Missouri
• @Texas Tech

Those are three games we’re more than likely to lose. If we do, it won’t be because we’re not that good but because they are damned good. Virginia Tech and Missouri will be Top Ten teams going into next season and they won’t be overrated. The Tigers return arguable the nation’s best quarterback in Chase Daniel. Texas Tech return their starting quarterback Graham Harrell, all five of their offensive lineman and 2007 First-team All-American, Biletnikoff and Paul Warfield award-winning receiver Michael Crabtree.  

If we lose those three games, we’ll be starting the season at 3-3. If you asked me right now what I think we’ll do next season, I’d say we’ll be at 7-5 or 8-4, neither of which is a bad season for first-time head coach working with a depleted (mangled?) defense. It will take

You might think I’m being negative, but I’m not. I’m excited about the start of the Bo Pelini era at Nebraska. The coaches are enthusiastic, the players are enthusiastic and there is nothing wrong with that. They should be, especially the players. It’s clear that this coaching staff has brought the dead back to life.

What I’m not excited about is the unrealistic expectations that seem to be popping out all over the place.

And that’s the problem. I’m as hopeful (sometimes to a fault - last season Husker Mike told me when we met right after the Iowa State game last season that we wouldn’t win a game in November and I as much told him he was full of nasty stuff) as the next guy, but what do you want? Do you want me to write nice fluffy rosy puff pieces about how great everything is, or do you want a realistic take on Husker football?

Since it’s spring, I could keep everything fluffy and sweet like a Three Musketeers bar and then get more realistic as fall approaches. I could do that. But these predictions of 9-3, 10-2 and 11-1 and a BCS Bowl or a Big 12 Championship? I don’t think I can do that.

So, what do you want from me?