Comparing Nebraska's most colorful coaches of late

[sd'sker]

I didn't say you were. You've said several times that you're not. I know a few from back home that just don't like him because "he's mean" and "yells" and they wouldn't care if he won a title because they want quiet Tom O 2.0

i agree. i was just stating that for the record. and bo's yelling and screaming does not bother. obviously the iowa game and presser were over the line.

there are always a contingency of fans that just support bo. they seem to defend him over the program.

 

[StPaulHusker]

Also, not to mention, our administration wouldn't hear the end of the criticism for years if they hired a no-name like Tim Miles was before Nebraska. They really aren't comparable.

tim miles at least had head coaching experience before coming here.

Bo is heading into his 7th year as a HC. I think he has the experience now. Let's let this argument go.

 

[carlfense]

I get the feeling from some people that they don't care what success Bo has (Conf Champ, National Champ, etc), they want him gone no matter what.

That might be true for some but I doubt that we'd be having these conversations if he had won those games in the past 6 years.

The real issue for me is that past results seem to show that he isn't capable of winning big games. I'd sure love for him to prove me wrong but I think that we all have a point where we say that he has had more than enough time.

I'm there now. More will join every season until Bo leaves or wins something.

Edit: if you think that this offseason is long and exhausting . . . just imagine 2015 . . . or god forbid, 2016 . . . if we have similar results.

 

[sd'sker]

Also, not to mention, our administration wouldn't hear the end of the criticism for years if they hired a no-name like Tim Miles was before Nebraska. They really aren't comparable.

tim miles at least had head coaching experience before coming here.

Bo is heading into his 7th year as a HC. I think he has the experience now. Let's let this argument go.

my point was that if tim miles was a "no-name" hire, which i disagree with, then what was bo? bo had some cache from the one year he coached here, but was he a big name coach? any more than miles was, who was making waves at csu?

also, the fact that bo now has experience vs. when he first got here does not offer much solace.

 

[Landlord]

Also, not to mention, our administration wouldn't hear the end of the criticism for years if they hired a no-name like Tim Miles was before Nebraska. They really aren't comparable.

tim miles at least had head coaching experience before coming here.

Head coaching experience is really not much of an indicator of future success in college football. At any given time about half of the Top 25 is first-time head coaches.

Edit: To your post right above mine, I think it's revisionist history to claim that any of us had a clue who Tim Miles was before he was hired, unless people lived in Colorado or grew up in the NSIC conference or something. Bo wasn't a head coach, but he was a much bigger name - was being looked at by a number of schools, was our interim head coach in 2003, DC at Oklahoma in 2004 who went to the championship game, and DC at a big-time SEC program that won a championship after that.

People knew who he was, the same way people knew who Will Muschamp, Kirby Smart, Steve Sarkisian, Scott Frost, Pat Narduzzi and other big-time coordinators were/are.

 

[sd'sker]

Head coaching experience is really not much of an indicator of future success in college football. At any given time about half of the Top 25 is first-time head coaches.

you said he was a no-named coach. he was a head coach at a place that was doing good things. i think he had as much of a name as when bo got here.

but i guess everyone wanted bo here at the time, so the administration had a pretty safe bet. i will concede the point. but i still disagree about the administration hearing about it forever if they hired a 'no-name' coach for football. they could find someone to get us excited about. but they did miss their chance and bo will have to do something more than just a 4 loss season to sour us on him again to be a safe fire.

 

[StPaulHusker]

Also, not to mention, our administration wouldn't hear the end of the criticism for years if they hired a no-name like Tim Miles was before Nebraska. They really aren't comparable.

tim miles at least had head coaching experience before coming here.

Bo is heading into his 7th year as a HC. I think he has the experience now. Let's let this argument go.

my point was that if tim miles was a "no-name" hire, which i disagree with, then what was bo? bo had some cache from the one year he coached here, but was he a big name coach? any more than miles was, who was making waves at csu?

also, the fact that bo now has experience vs. when he first got here does not offer much solace.

Bo was a big name coordinator at big name schools. That goes a long way in CFB.

Barry Collier and Doc Sadler both had HC experience and they both sucked so having experience doesn't make you a worthier hire.

 

[kchusker_chris]

He also brought up "getting another Miles", and while that's hard I see optimism in how they got Miles. The Nee/Collier/Sadler processes were a nightmare, so the dept sat down, learned from past mistakes, and got it right. And that was for basketball, clearly not the alpha sport at Nebraska. I see no reason why the same thing wouldn't be done, with more care, for the bread winning flagship sport of the University when a change is made. The claim that it's be "just another Callahan" is insane.

And maybe Bo isn't the Nee of this equation. Maybe he's the Sadler. Our nightmare process in football has been Solich/Callahan/Pelini. I am pretty confident they'll get it right the next time.

 

[NUpolo8]

As usual Knapp goes succinct and accurate. He's such a jerk that way.

He also brought up "getting another Miles", and while that's hard I see optimism in how they got Miles. The Nee/Collier/Sadler processes were a nightmare, so the dept sat down, learned from past mistakes, and got it right. And that was for basketball, clearly not the alpha sport at Nebraska. I see no reason why the same thing wouldn't be done, with more care, for the bread winning flagship sport of the University when a change is made. The claim that it's be "just another Callahan" is insane.

Miles was a gold mine hire but only in hindsight, and also only after 2 years (who didn't love Bo after 2009?), and believe it or not, I think our basketball program was an easier sell to a good coach than our football program would be. Miles had all of the advantages (minus a recruiting hotbed) of a major bigtime program, without the expectations of one. That makes your job so much more comfortable.

Hmmmmm,

You make an interesting point, it's far easier to start from scratch and build something than it is to take over the reigns and steer it back towards past prominence. The only real problems I have in that statement is that many here insist Bo took over a dumpster fire and had to start over from scratch (not saying you have said that, but obviously it's all over the place here). Or, that Means Pedersen knew that, blew it up on purpose and just needed more time with his project and BC (obviously i do not believe this and I'm sure you don't).

Anyway, I would say Bo had a similar starting point to Miles. The facilities in North stadium were finally done or about to be done, I'm a believer in saying the program wasn't in shambles but it was without question down, and I remember thinking that 08 was not likely going to be a winning year, and many shared my belief. And that was going to be fine, these things take time. So really, both coaches had lowered expectations and brand new shiny toys in their chest to go start their programs. Sure there are championships in the past in football, but as everyone has taken great joy in telling me lately, they were a long time ago and do not factor I'm today's game. So, why would they affect Bo then?

Bo won early, and so has Tim. Bo still had some detractors then, which seems weird, but they were a small minority. And obviously Bo has languished a bit. Now, accountability was spot on about this year being the "salad year" for Nebrasketball. Now, it's possible, but I suppose Miles could start getting short with the new expectations, start barking at officials more, cut off fan interaction, curse out people, and demand what he's doing is good enough, and so on, but I kinda doubt it.

Which brings me to my point, look at the first few steps each coach took when starting. Miles has made calculated, smart steps to involve everyone, make them feel part of something, put some good will in the bank, and generally made the program everyone's. Bo....well Bo didn't do that, let's just leave it at that. Unfortunately I believe some of the first critical choices Bo made were absolutely wrong, and he's paying for it now. And unfortunately, I think some of the incorrect choices he made he should have known better, and he should suffer the consequences. I think that's why he's scrambling around letting media back in, tweeting at people, etc. sure it's the right move, but it was the right move six years ago too. And this all feels a little desperate to me.

 

[NUpolo8]

I get the feeling from some people that they don't care what success Bo has (Conf Champ, National Champ, etc), they want him gone no matter what.

i am not one of those people.

I didn't say you were. You've said several times that you're not. I know a few from back home that just don't like him because "he's mean" and "yells" and they wouldn't care if he won a title because they want quiet Tom O 2.0

I also am not one of those people. I do think that if. Bo does have that kind of success, he's outta here, and quite frankly, I wouldn't blame him. I just would rather the University have the control as to when the coach leaves, not the coach.

 

[sd'sker]

Bo was a big name coordinator at big name schools. That goes a long way in CFB.

Barry Collier and Doc Sadler both had HC experience and they both sucked so having experience doesn't make you a worthier hire.

i agree. but i do remember being excited about miles. thinking they really got it right.

just for a separate discussion, it seems like many successful coaches these days started out as head coaches rather than as coordinators.

 

[NUpolo8]

Also, not to mention, our administration wouldn't hear the end of the criticism for years if they hired a no-name like Tim Miles was before Nebraska. They really aren't comparable.

tim miles at least had head coaching experience before coming here.

Head coaching experience is really not much of an indicator of future success in college football. At any given time about half of the Top 25 is first-time head coaches.

Edit: To your post right above mine, I think it's revisionist history to claim that any of us had a clue who Tim Miles was before he was hired, unless people lived in Colorado or grew up in the NSIC conference or something. Bo wasn't a head coach, but he was a much bigger name - was being looked at by a number of schools, was our interim head coach in 2003, DC at Oklahoma in 2004 who went to the championship game, and DC at a big-time SEC program that won a championship after that.

People knew who he was, the same way people knew who Will Muschamp, Kirby Smart, Steve Sarkisian, Scott Frost, Pat Narduzzi and other big-time coordinators were/are.

???

I knew that Miles was the head coach at CSU, and had them in the dance with some Nebraska talent when he was hired here. And I'm far from a passionate college basketball fan.

 

[TheSker]

I think it would be hard to find an athletic director anywhere in the country who would consider a coach who wins 70% of his games and runs a clean program off the field to be considered the "wrong hire".

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

As usual Knapp goes succinct and accurate. He's such a jerk that way.

He also brought up "getting another Miles", and while that's hard I see optimism in how they got Miles. The Nee/Collier/Sadler processes were a nightmare, so the dept sat down, learned from past mistakes, and got it right. And that was for basketball, clearly not the alpha sport at Nebraska. I see no reason why the same thing wouldn't be done, with more care, for the bread winning flagship sport of the University when a change is made. The claim that it's be "just another Callahan" is insane.

Miles was a gold mine hire but only in hindsight, and also only after 2 years (who didn't love Bo after 2009?), and believe it or not, I think our basketball program was an easier sell to a good coach than our football program would be. Miles had all of the advantages (minus a recruiting hotbed) of a major bigtime program, without the expectations of one. That makes your job so much more comfortable.

Exactly. Lets say Nebrasketball wins a conference tourney game or two, and, god-willing, even wins an NCAA tourney game. I can guarantee you 100% that next season's basketball team wont be feeling the no-pressure, sunshine and rainbows, let it all hang out, environment they have under Miles to this point. The expectations will be immediately jacked to an unprecedented level in regards to the Nebraska basketball program. Then let's see how great and fabulous they all are.

It's a whole hell of a lot easier to do a little when youre expected to do nothing than it is to do a lot when youre supposed to.

Yeah, that was the wrench I'd hesistated throwing into this thread. Tim Miles might be everything we say he is and still lead Nebraska to a 15-14 and out season next year. It's not easy catching lightning in a bottle. An injury here, a misjudged recruit there, locker room chemistry, etc. It's fair to say Miles has turned the program around, and the feelgood vibe is no small thing, but the Husker basketball team hasn't yet achieved the equivalent of six consecutive 9/10 win football seasons, much less a Solich, Osborne or Devaney era.

Great beginning, though.

 

[sd'sker]

also, i think we are over-stating the lowered expectations for miles. yes, nebraska fans were going to be patient with him, but the administration obviously wanted the basketball program to be competitive. especially with the upgraded facilities. miles has not faced the pressures of bo, i am not arguing that. but he did come here with expectations. he has exceeded those and i am thinking his success will be sustained.