Imani Cross--yes, the guy impresses me. The guy apparently brings a great work ethic to the table, and clearly puts in his work in the weight room. He hits the o line before the hole? Why doesn't the o line perceived badness excuse come into play here. If you ask me, the guy hasn't been put even remotely close into a chance where he could succeed this year. Every time he comes in, it's painfully obvious what is about to happen. And the fumbling problem is far from solely his.
Afalava was touted non-stop as one of the showpieces for one of Bo's best recruiting classes to date, guaranteed to bring nearly instant results, and assuage all Bo Pelini angst. Now he's washed out in less than a year. Why does this keep happening? It may "happen everywhere", but everywhere seems to either handle it better or take necessary steps to make sure the next man up is actually ready and capable. I know how this story ends, losses like these tend to linger in Bo Pelini programs for multiple years.
Then there's Moss. IF he's off the team and IF it's because he couldn't stop from some pretty questionable behavior! then it cements that Bo is willing to overlook a few "character flaws for then greater good", which is cool, but it means we can end the fable that Bo Pelini is some paragon of doing things the right way above all else.
And young people at positions are the very definition of the "future of the program". I watched the defense too, I see some talent with some very glaring and alarming red flags all over the place.
Little Ameer can find holes, but big bad Imani can't? Come on man. Like I said, I admire what he has, but he isn't the great back that he has been expected to be, Imani has been in many positions this year to make plays. All 80+ carries of his weren't on short downs. Yes, he hits his OL first. This has NOTHING to do with "how bad the OL is", it has to do with his poor field vision, and inability to see the holes develop and hit them when they are there. He has no patience, something Ameer has. This is why Ameer is so successful. He is patient, he doesn't get the ball and run forward like Imani, he waits and works behind his OL, and when he sees a gap, he hits it hard.
Afalava's grades, if that is the reason, are solely his fault. Roach, Rose, Love, Bandares and Gerry got talked about WAY more than Afalava did. Bo and company never said that Afalava was one of the few people to come in and make an impact right away. If I remember it correctly, he said there are a group of young LBers who could come in and make an immediate impact. Afalava was one of them for a short time. It sucks to lose Afalava, but its not the end of the program and its quite dishonest to say it ruins it by any means. Your statement "I now how this story ends, losses like these tend to linger in Bo Pelini programs for multiple years.", is true to a certain point, but you also neglect that last year was Bo's last year with his first recruiting class, which we can all admit, lacked a lot of talent. There is depth at each and every position now, something we have never had in Bo's tenure.
Moss, its one incodent, Bo gave him a second chance. IF the kid showed himself again, then I am sure he will be gone. That somehow is the rumor, but the rumor being more favorable, is him entering a dorm that he wasn't allowed to be in. You kick a kid off the team for that? Come on. Suspend for a game or two, sure. "but it means we can end the fable that Bo Pelini is some paragon of doing things the right way above all else." So far, Bo is doing everything by the books. The kid hasn't been convicted of anything, so therefore nothing has been done on Bo's end. Would it even be fair to suspend the kid for something that happened half a year earlier? Put the kid on a short leash, and if he violates it in a big way, then do something about it.