2007 Husker Football Review..... the concept, the words, bring forth that stuff still coming up when you've thrown up everything else left in your stomach. The dry heaves leaves your body finding fluid from places you didn't know you know had fluid and yet you somehow continue on.
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Not a pretty picture, but neither was the 2007 season. It was one to forget. Cornhusker fans grasp little things as ways to look for sunshine moving forward - "We scored 983 points against Kansas State!" - but those are quickly overshadowed by the big picture of a historically bad defense.
This 2007 review is about how I did in predicting what the season would hold. Every year at the beginning of the season I take a shot at predicting how things will turn out. It's mostly done in the spirit of fun, never had it crossed my mind that it would be such a painful experience. Hey, life is tough sometimes, so best take it like a man and keep on moving.
Let's start out with the big 'un, my prediction of the Big 12 North order of finish. Here's my prediction from July 27th:
Nebraska
Kansas State
Missouri
Kansas
Colorado
Iowa State
This wasn't too far off of how my fellow Big 12 bloggers voted in a pre-season poll.
And here's how the Big 12 North actually finished:
Missouri
Kansas
Colorado
Kansas State
Nebraska
Iowa State
Hey! I got Iowa State right, but who wouldn't given the team they had, bringing in a new coach and all. Other than that.... wow. I sucked. If that weren't bad enough, here's what I had to say about Missouri:
Given their history of choking, I don't understand how anyone can put Missouri at the top of the Big 12 North unless it's out of sheer boredom. The Tigers' offense will be better than Nebraska's overall, but Nebraska's defense will be better which is why they will win the Big 12 North. I see Kansas State coming on later in the season while Missouri starts to falter.
I can feel the bamboo shoots going deeper underneath my fingernails at this very moment.
The pain can't get worse than that and I can handle it. Hell, I'm 45, way past manhood. A couple of belts of Southern Comfort and I'll be back in business.
Let's take a look at how I did on the Big 12 South:
Oklahoma
Texas
Texas A&M
Oklahoma State
Texas Tech
Baylor
Versus the actual order of finish:
Oklahoma
Texas
Oklahoma State
Texas Tech
Texas A&M
Baylor
Three out of six in the correct positions, not bad. Even better considering I correctly predicted the top two and, well, was it that hard to predict where Baylor is going to end up every season?
On to individual awards:
A gob o' Big 12 bloggers got together in pre-season voting and picked our individual awards. We were asked to vote on the Big 12 offensive player of the year, and I correctly picked Chase Daniel of Missouri with this statement:
- Chase Daniel, Missouri
Senior quarterback with plenty of starting experience, good receivers and a good running back. Missouri's offense will not be a problem this coming season.
I'm a genuis, eh? Yessirreee! Whooeee!
Most Big 12 blogging prognosticators were pulling for superboy Colt McCoy in this position and here's what I said about him.
- Colt McCoy, Texas
Showed poise last year as a true freshman. The biggest evidence of future stardom was the 'Horns come back win over Nebraska. As a sophomore, I can see McCoy trying too hard as the harsh reality of him being a true replacement for Vince Young and the expectations exact too much a mental price.
Not too far off on Colt. He'll come around in 2008. It's that poise thing. He's more Applewhite than Simms and Texas will reap that sowing in the year to come.
As for predicting the Big 12 defensive player of the year:
For the Big 12 defensive player of the year, I selected Alvin Bowen a linebacker at Iowa State. I figured (correctly as it turns out) that the consensus pick would be Reggie Smith of Oklahoma. He's the best player on the best defense in the Big 12.
That award went to linebacker Jordan Dizon of Colorado, a guy who didn't even show up on the pre-season voting.
Overall, not too bad on what basically amounts to guessing. No one, and I mean no one could have predicted what happened to Nebraska this year, well, unless you're one of those people for whom the Big Red sky is always falling.
No one could have predicted that Dennis Franchione would be discovered as being a complete moron this past season either, well, other than Coach Fran himself. Just goes to show what arrogance and denial will do to a guy.
Our 2007 review is not yet complete. I have at least one more coming, if for no other reason than to hold myself accountable.