SBNation Nebraska Preview: Nebraska's set up for success in 2015. Can Mike Riley capitalize?

[Saunders]

SBNation Nebraska Preview

Careful what you wish for ...

It was obvious how this marriage was going to end. It was only a question of when.

When a coach raises the bar for a program but then stops raising it, fans get impatient. And impatience can bring iffy decision-making.

-- 2015 Minnesota preview

But even though Nebraska has experienced the phenomenon of dumping a good coach because he's not great -- Frank Solich went 58-19 and got dumped after going 9-3; he was replaced by Bill Callahan, who went 27-22 -- one gets the impression Pelini isn't going to last much longer without a breakthrough season.

-- 2014 Nebraska preview

If they want to fire me, go ahead. I believe in what I have done and I don't apologize for anything I have done.

-- Bo Pelini

Warts and all, Bo Pelini won at a consistent level. Since ranking eighth in F/+ in 2009, Pelini engineered a finish between

20th and 30th in four of five seasons. Following a blip in 2013 -- the Huskers still went 9-4, as was customary, but ranked just 55th -- Pelini's charges rebounded to 30th, playing better than that for three-quarters of the year but suffering significant blips in big games.

The improvement didn't fend off what was certain. Nebraska fired Pelini, forgoing nine wins a year for the dream of more. It was a frustrating end for an obviously good coach, but it was a fresh start we knew would come.

But if Pelini's firing wasn't a surprise, Nebraska's replacement certainly was.

In Mike Riley, Nebraska elected to bring in a guy who a) is the opposite of Pelini in demeanor and b) only won more than nine games once in 14 years at Oregon State. The minuses (he won only 29 games in the last five years) and pluses (he won 70 games in 10 years at Oregon State ... just think of what he could do at a bigger program) of his hire were evident, and honestly, that makes it difficult to know what to expect. His friendly grandpa carriage means he will earn a level of goodwill that Pelini never did, and perhaps that means that on-the-field bar won't be as high.

Then again, Solich was a super-nice guy. He got dumped after averaging 9.7 wins. So forget that part.

We can debate whether Nebraska sets the bar too high, but we know that the 61-year-old Riley will get at least a few years to prove himself. He has crafted one of the most unique résumés in college football -- he won two Grey Cups with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, went 14-34 in the NFL, and won 93 games for a power-conference underdog -- and this will likely be his final entry. He inherits a roster that is fun but flawed.

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2015/6/3/8694665/nebraska-football-2015-preview-schedule-roster-mike-riley

 

[Saunders]

Based on the ordering, they've got use slated 4th in "power" in the B1G, 2nd in the West behind Wisconsin.

The Big Ten is a strangely clustered conference. Ohio State is the clear No. 1, and I think Michigan State will still be a clear No. 2, but any of five teams (Wisconsin, Nebraska, Penn State, Michigan, Minnesota) could jump to No. 3, and there's barely any separation among the other seven.

I'd say that's about right. I did find the notes (and numbers) about the OL a bit interesting. They performed better than I had thought.

 

[zoogs]

If ever there was a time for NU to both a) kick Minnesota and Iowa into the second tier where they came from, and b) finally topple Wisconsin, it's this one.

Let's hope NU can do at least one of those things.

 

[Redux]

If ever there was a time for NU to both a) kick Minnesota and Iowa into the second tier where they came from, and b) finally topple Wisconsin, it's this one.Let's hope NU can do at least one of those things.

Agreed.

I know it's a transition year and all, but the division sets up nicely for us to capitalize.

 

[SuperBigFan69]

If ever there was a time for NU to both a) kick Minnesota and Iowa into the second tier where they came from, and b) finally topple Wisconsin, it's this one.Let's hope NU can do at least one of those things.

Agreed.

I know it's a transition year and all, but the division sets up nicely for us to capitalize.

No kidding, there is a chance that Nebraska is favored in every game or at worst no more than a touchdown underdog in any game. This entire season is basically a coin flip.

 

[papersun87]

Funny, he's bullish on the offense and offensive line and seems skeptical about the d-line . . . pretty much the opposite of most Nebraska fans.

 

[Hoosker]

Solid read.

I agree with pretty much everything they said.

So many unknowns and a whooooole lot to prove this Fall.

 

[junior4949]

Funny, he's bullish on the offense and offensive line and seems skeptical about the d-line . . . pretty much the opposite of most Nebraska fans.

He's looking at the D-Line based upon our run defense or lack there of last year. It's really nothing we don't already know. The D-Line plus the LB's stunk up the place last year with regards to stopping the run. The D-Line got pinched into the middle time and time again while the runner got to the corner and waved bye. What some of us don't know is how much of this was ability of the D-Line and how much of it was scheme? Personally, I can't imagine any sort of reason for having a defensive end pinch inside.

 

[lo country]

I throw up in my mouth every time we are compared to two wannabe programs in Minnie and Iowa. That alone should light a fire in the guys that can be seen from space.

 

[Enhance]

Funny, he's bullish on the offense and offensive line and seems skeptical about the d-line . . . pretty much the opposite of most Nebraska fans.

He's looking at the D-Line based upon our run defense or lack there of last year. It's really nothing we don't already know. The D-Line plus the LB's stunk up the place last year with regards to stopping the run. The D-Line got pinched into the middle time and time again while the runner got to the corner and waved bye. What some of us don't know is how much of this was ability of the D-Line and how much of it was scheme? Personally, I can't imagine any sort of reason for having a defensive end pinch inside.

I would say it's almost entirely reliant upon scheme and execution of the scheme. To me, it's no coincidence that our run stopping abilities took a significant hit after losing some very good talent along the defensive line. But, in my opinion, the people we put in place in the years following shouldn't have been as inconsistent as they were.

Our rushing defense stats from 2009, to 2014, by year:

2009: 2.8 ypc

2010: 3.9

2011: 4.0

2012: 4.8

2013: 3.8

2014: 4.7

So, in the years without Suh, we gave up 4.24 YPC on average. That's pretty telling to me. Every team needs to find a balance of talent, scheme and coaching to be successful, but I always thought a lot of our players underperformed, which goes right back to coaching and development. There's no reason our defense should've been that bad some years when there are other teams out there in the country that play in Power 5 conferences, have lesser talent in my opinion, but put up way better defensive stats.