Clock Is Ticking For Norvell (and Dorrell)

[Eric the Red]

Clock is ticking for Norvell

Clock Is Ticking For Norvell (and Dorrell)

By Nestor Section: Football

Posted on Sat Jan 27, 2007 at 12:16:38 PM EST

I am going to try and not be too critical of the latest uninspiring hire by Karl Dorrell. First, let's acknowledge some of the good points about this hire. FWIW Nebraska did run a WCO offense in Lincoln. So in that regard there should be a complete match in the philosophies of Dorrell and Norvell next year. KD will not be able use the same excuses he used to fire Axman and Svoboda. He is billing Norvell as a disciple of WCO, and Norvell contributed (it was Callahan who for all intent and purpose managed it) to Nebraska offense's productive output last season. Dohn on Husker's O last season:

Nebraska and Louisville were the only schools to rank in the top 25 in rushing offense, passing offense, total offense and scoring offense. The Cornhuskers were 23rd in rushing (1,705ypg) and passing (244.1ypg), 14th in total offense (414.6 ypg) and 17th in scoring (30.6 ppg).

Cornhuskers quarterback Zac Taylor was the Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year after establishing school records for passing yards (3,197) and touchdowns (26) while completing 59.6 percent of his passes.

That sounds nice and all. But here are some concerns:

Dorrell is at it again BSing the media that Nebraska was able to "quickly" establish a WCO offense in Lincoln. Not sure what the heck he means by that. It took the Huskers three years to come up with a statistically significant season like last years.

Moreover, if you look into Nebraska's 9-5 record from last season, it looks just as hollow and meaningless as UCLA's "10 win" season from two years ago. Nebraska's 5 loses came in well their 5 most significant games of 2006 season. Lot of folks here remember their pathetic 10 point performance against Trojans. They then went on to lose against Texas at home (scoring 20 points), Oklahoma State on road (29 points), losing to arch rival OU in the Big-12 championship game (scoring 7 points), and then laying egg against Auburn in the Cotton Bowl (14 points). So in the 5 biggest games of the season Husker's offense averaged a pathetic 16 points a game. That's worse than the 23 pt. per game average the Dorrell/Svoboda combination produced last season.

If you read the Nebraska message boards you will see Nebraska fans not terribly upset about Norvell's departure. In fact currently the legion of Huskers fans are split on the Callahan regime as many of them are actually nostalgic about Solich era.

So Norvell is by no means some kind of home run hire by Karl Dorrell. However, all that said I think it is pretty clear that Norvell (and more importantly Dorrell) will be under immense pressure next season. Dohn hints at it:

A lot is at stake for Norvell and Dorrell, who is expected to deliver a big season with 20returning starters on offense and defense.

Norvell is not going to get 3 seasons to put together a statistically insignificant 5 loss offense featuring losses in the 5 biggest games of season.

He will need to deliver an offense that will bring the Pac-10 championship back to Westwood next season. The clock is now ticking.

Pac-10 championship or bust.

GO BRUINS.

 

[NU fan in Denver]

Damn, i didn't know we averaged 1,705 ypg rushing. I must have missed a few games.

 

[MCAT800]

Damn, i didn't know we averaged 1,705 ypg rushing. I must have missed a few games.

And to think we were 9-5 with that running game.

 

[rawhide]

schiten

 

[husker rob]

and we are nostalgic about the Solich era???????????????

not me

 

[Glendower]

and we are nostalgic about the Solich era???????????????

not me

Well, he qualified that with "many"... not "most" or "all"... but "many." If i had 20 people in my apartment, that would be "many."

I think that what many of that "many" are nostalgic for is not the Solich era-- I consider it to be subjunctive nostalgia. After looking at the performance of the huskers in solich's last season, I just wonder what would have happened if they had let that staff stay together for another season... So, at best, I'd like to think that most fans are sane enough just to say that it was pretty shabby the way they gave him the boot and that it would have been nice to see what could have happened... If his last season had been a freak occurrence, then, yeah, boot 'im. It's entirely possible that the program would have continued downward... but we can't know... so we're nostalgic for something that never actually happened... but could have... subjunctive nostalgia.

 

[huskernumerouno]

and we are nostalgic about the Solich era???????????????

not me

Well, he qualified that with "many"... not "most" or "all"... but "many." If i had 20 people in my apartment, that would be "many."

I think that what many of that "many" are nostalgic for is not the Solich era-- I consider it to be subjunctive nostalgia. After looking at the performance of the huskers in solich's last season, I just wonder what would have happened if they had let that staff stay together for another season... So, at best, I'd like to think that most fans are sane enough just to say that it was pretty shabby the way they gave him the boot and that it would have been nice to see what could have happened... If his last season had been a freak occurrence, then, yeah, boot 'im. It's entirely possible that the program would have continued downward... but we can't know... so we're nostalgic for something that never actually happened... but could have... subjunctive nostalgia.

ok

 

[Glendower]

Damn, i didn't know we averaged 1,705 ypg rushing. I must have missed a few games.

The scary thing is that we were 23rd with that!

 

[Glendower]

and we are nostalgic about the Solich era???????????????

not me

Well, he qualified that with "many"... not "most" or "all"... but "many." If i had 20 people in my apartment, that would be "many."

I think that what many of that "many" are nostalgic for is not the Solich era-- I consider it to be subjunctive nostalgia. After looking at the performance of the huskers in solich's last season, I just wonder what would have happened if they had let that staff stay together for another season... So, at best, I'd like to think that most fans are sane enough just to say that it was pretty shabby the way they gave him the boot and that it would have been nice to see what could have happened... If his last season had been a freak occurrence, then, yeah, boot 'im. It's entirely possible that the program would have continued downward... but we can't know... so we're nostalgic for something that never actually happened... but could have... subjunctive nostalgia.

ok

Awesome. Now I see how to get three thousand posts.

 

[DJR313]

The author doesn't really take into account the nature of the offensive change here at NU and that UCLA is already set up with this type of offense. Norvell should have an impact there. A hollow 9-5? I guess you could say that, but NU beat 4 bowl teams, lost to 4 teams in the top 10 and an up and coming OK St team. We'll see.

 

[huskerdavo]

That doesnt sound like a pleasant situation to get hired into good luck to Norvell and the Bruins I would much rather see them at the top of the Pac 10 for a change but realistically not likely

 

[husker rob]

and we are nostalgic about the Solich era???????????????

not me

Well, he qualified that with "many"... not "most" or "all"... but "many." If i had 20 people in my apartment, that would be "many."

I think that what many of that "many" are nostalgic for is not the Solich era-- I consider it to be subjunctive nostalgia. After looking at the performance of the huskers in solich's last season, I just wonder what would have happened if they had let that staff stay together for another season... So, at best, I'd like to think that most fans are sane enough just to say that it was pretty shabby the way they gave him the boot and that it would have been nice to see what could have happened... If his last season had been a freak occurrence, then, yeah, boot 'im. It's entirely possible that the program would have continued downward... but we can't know... so we're nostalgic for something that never actually happened... but could have... subjunctive nostalgia.

ok

Awesome. Now I see how to get three thousand posts.

at the time of the Solich firing, i did think that he should have been given another chance because he did make changes on the staff and seemed to be shaking thinks up a little. However looking back at it now, i am glad that the change was made and BC was brought in. Looking at the lack of talent that was left in the cupboard, i really feel that it was just a matter of time before everything started crumbling down.

 

[Glendower]

and we are nostalgic about the Solich era???????????????

not me

Well, he qualified that with "many"... not "most" or "all"... but "many." If i had 20 people in my apartment, that would be "many."

I think that what many of that "many" are nostalgic for is not the Solich era-- I consider it to be subjunctive nostalgia. After looking at the performance of the huskers in solich's last season, I just wonder what would have happened if they had let that staff stay together for another season... So, at best, I'd like to think that most fans are sane enough just to say that it was pretty shabby the way they gave him the boot and that it would have been nice to see what could have happened... If his last season had been a freak occurrence, then, yeah, boot 'im. It's entirely possible that the program would have continued downward... but we can't know... so we're nostalgic for something that never actually happened... but could have... subjunctive nostalgia.

ok

Awesome. Now I see how to get three thousand posts.

at the time of the Solich firing, i did think that he should have been given another chance because he did make changes on the staff and seemed to be shaking thinks up a little. However looking back at it now, i am glad that the change was made and BC was brought in. Looking at the lack of talent that was left in the cupboard, i really feel that it was just a matter of time before everything started crumbling down.

Oh, right! I'm not holding a grudge and I'm certainly not nostalgic for seeing 3 unsuccessful options in a row... though i miss the option, I don't want to see it abused, either I think that you're mostly right and generally agree! That doesn't mean that I can't wonder occasionally Not useful, I know... certainly not productive... but if we want to start requiring that message boards be "useful" and "productive"... hmm... we're all in trouble