Athlon: Big Ten Coaches Talk Anonymously About Conference Foes for 2016

[cm husker]

Because they have a much better set of tools available at those programs. Namely, proximity to more people.

NU has Alabama expectations but not Alabama tools.

Easy test: would Saban or Meyer ever taken a Nebraska job?

 

[jsneb83]

"The problem with that is it’s Nebraska and they just ran the last guy out for winning nine games a year.”

I never understood the argument that firing Solich and Bo deterred other coaches from coming to Nebraska. I f Nebraska is firing above average coaches, then why aren't other schools snapping them up? If our ex coaches were so unjustly fired, then why aren't they at top 25 programs, or at least coaching at Power 5 schools?

Agree, the other Power 5 schools certainly haven't clamored for our unjustly fired coaches.

But surely there's some truth to coaches -- and coach's agents -- being concerned about the expectation level at Nebraska. It's always sexier to turnaround a lousy program with low expectations, or revitalize a legacy program coming off a bad season or two, but it's a harder sell to inherit a 9 win team, knowing you have to do better immediately. There are probably easier campuses to recruit to than Lincoln, and nicer places for your wife to live.

So if good coaches have choices -- and they do -- they might not put Nebraska on their list.

But there's certainly a reward for the coach who wants to refurbish Nebraska to greatness, and plenty of resources at his disposal. The coach we need will know all about the expectations and pressures at Nebraska, and take the job precisely because he likes the challenge. He may already be here -- Mike Riley could have retired as a legend in his hometown. Or he may be the young coach we need to recognize before he gets hot and in demand.

No there's no truth to that at all.

There are no football programs with higher expectations than Alabama and Ohio State.

And yet those two programs attracted the two best coaches in college football.

They also didn't fire a coach because 9 wins wasn't good enough.

 

[Husker Psycho]

Ohio States current recruiting class includes players from... 3 from Florida, 2 from Nevada, Colorado, Texas and California.

Ohio State recruits from all over the country.

Alabama's current recruiting class includes players from... 3 from Texas, 2 from California, Hawaii, Kansas, Arkansas and Arizona.

Alabama recruits from all over the country.

 

[cm husker]

Psycho, what % of their classes were from instate or within 300 miles?

I get that they can cherry pick but you're nuts if you think Meyer and Saban would recruit as well to NU as they do their current schools.

You really need to deal in reality. Not how you wish the program was situated.

 

[Redux]

Lol , I think Saban and or Meyer would continue recruiting top 10 classes if they were at Nebraska. In both those cases, their name value sells the recruit.

 

[cm husker]

Lol , I think Saban and or Meyer would continue recruiting top 10 classes if they were at Nebraska. In both those cases, their name value sells the recruit.

Maybe maybe not. Point is we'll never know because those guys wouldn't take on the challenge of NU. Because they don't have to.

 

[Husker Psycho]

Lol , I think Saban and or Meyer would continue recruiting top 10 classes if they were at Nebraska. In both those cases, their name value sells the recruit.

As much as you and I have disagreed in the past...

I agree with you 100% on that comment.

You're exactly right.

 

[84HuskerLaw]

I think that ANY coach on any level including NFL would have considered carefully the Nebraska job when TO retired, had the position been opened up to all comers! I would argue that at that time, Nebraska's was the VERY BEST program in the country! We certainly had top 3 or maybe the most talent of any program on hand. Yes, some top notch coaches would have likely opted not to take the job because of the location or the pressure or the recruiting challenges. But, I would suggest the single biggest reason why some of the top names would have hesitated would have been the legacy of being one of only a small handful of 'option' oriented ground attacks with a fan based that loved that style offense and wanted nothing more than to continue that forever! I, for one, would have preferred we stay with the "Oz bone" and continued to dominate with an offense that few other competitors would even contemplate. But, times changed, Frank let us all down with his disappointing recruiting and less than stellar staff choices, not even mentioning his off the field issues (real or not).

I think Nebraska remains one of the top 15 jobs in the country as we are positioned to win the west and compete for a Big Ten title and arguably the Big Ten is the hottest football conference (yes, even more attractive than the SEC in my view). Any top coach would come in with Nebraska's fan base welcoming them with open arms and he'd get plenty of extra time and deference as the hunger for a return to greatness is deep.

We've all been through all of this stuff to the point of nausea I'd say.

Let's talk of future games and future wins and leave the past in the past.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

"The problem with that is it’s Nebraska and they just ran the last guy out for winning nine games a year.”

I never understood the argument that firing Solich and Bo deterred other coaches from coming to Nebraska. I f Nebraska is firing above average coaches, then why aren't other schools snapping them up? If our ex coaches were so unjustly fired, then why aren't they at top 25 programs, or at least coaching at Power 5 schools?

Agree, the other Power 5 schools certainly haven't clamored for our unjustly fired coaches.

But surely there's some truth to coaches -- and coach's agents -- being concerned about the expectation level at Nebraska. It's always sexier to turnaround a lousy program with low expectations, or revitalize a legacy program coming off a bad season or two, but it's a harder sell to inherit a 9 win team, knowing you have to do better immediately. There are probably easier campuses to recruit to than Lincoln, and nicer places for your wife to live.

So if good coaches have choices -- and they do -- they might not put Nebraska on their list.

But there's certainly a reward for the coach who wants to refurbish Nebraska to greatness, and plenty of resources at his disposal. The coach we need will know all about the expectations and pressures at Nebraska, and take the job precisely because he likes the challenge. He may already be here -- Mike Riley could have retired as a legend in his hometown. Or he may be the young coach we need to recognize before he gets hot and in demand.

No there's no truth to that at all.

Well this thread started with a Big 10 coach making that claim, so you may want to stretch your mind around some truth as opposed to no truth.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

Mike Riley could have retired as a legend in his home town? That's an interesting take on his legacy there. And the fact there was talk he would be asked to move on or at least shake up his staff.

Oh absolutely. Things had gone stale for at least two seasons at OSU.

But he still would have retired a legend in Corvallis, given a program with precious few legends.

If he fails at Nebraska, that's likely what he'll be remembered for.

 

[cm husker]

NU was the Most Successful program in the country in '97.

It wasn't and never has been the best or most enticing for an outside coach

 

[cm husker]

Mike Riley could have retired as a legend in his home town? That's an interesting take on his legacy there. And the fact there was talk he would be asked to move on or at least shake up his staff.

Oh absolutely. Things had gone stale for at least two seasons at OSU.

But he still would have retired a legend in Corvallis, given a program with precious few legends.

If he fails at Nebraska, that's likely what he'll be remembered for.

Fair enough. I agree.

I like Mike. I hope he ends his career on a high note.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

"The problem with that is its Nebraska and they just ran the last guy out for winning nine games a year.

I never understood the argument that firing Solich and Bo deterred other coaches from coming to Nebraska. I f Nebraska is firing above average coaches, then why aren't other schools snapping them up? If our ex coaches were so unjustly fired, then why aren't they at top 25 programs, or at least coaching at Power 5 schools?

A myriad of reasons. Including smear campaigns.

Nope.

The rumors about Frank Solich were true. He got a DUI within weeks of taking the Ohio job. The other rumors were true, too. Influential alums could have protected Frank better, but they thought the program was trending downward and Frank couldn't recruit. Fair or not, any Power 5 school had the last 11 years to capitalize on Nebraska's mistake, but didn't. Since Nebraska got lots of grief for firing a coach with Solich's stellar record, a smear campaign makes no sense. Nebraska didn't state it's rationale for legal reasons. They had no one better lined up. I think it all could have been handled better -- including not firing Frank at all -- but nobody smeared an innocent man. Wish you could get over that.

There was no smear campaign against Bo Pelini either. Bo was an open book for the world to see and hear. In fact the athletic department enlisted a pretty aggressive PR campaign to warm up Bo's image after the 2013 season. The job was still Bo's to keep until Bo screwed the pooch in very Bo-like manner. Then when safely at his hometown school of Youngstown State, with friends and protectors in the administration, Bo went off on the YSU fans for only filling half their 14,000 seat stadium, publicly undercut the staff he was asked to retain, resumed his ref-baiting antics, and finished his 5-6 season by committing consecutive unsportsmanlike penalties that pinned his own offense back at its goal line after they'd been near midfield with a chance to win the game.

 

[Landlord]

Ohio States current recruiting class includes players from... 3 from Florida, 2 from Nevada, Colorado, Texas and California.

Ohio State recruits from all over the country.

Alabama's current recruiting class includes players from... 3 from Texas, 2 from California, Hawaii, Kansas, Arkansas and Arizona.

Alabama recruits from all over the country.

Ohio State's class has 5 players from Ohio, 4 of them 4 stars or higher.

Alabama's class has 6 players from Alabama, 4 of them 4 stars or higher.

 

[Landlord]

"The problem with that is its Nebraska and they just ran the last guy out for winning nine games a year.

I never understood the argument that firing Solich and Bo deterred other coaches from coming to Nebraska. I f Nebraska is firing above average coaches, then why aren't other schools snapping them up? If our ex coaches were so unjustly fired, then why aren't they at top 25 programs, or at least coaching at Power 5 schools?

A myriad of reasons. Including smear campaigns.

Nope.

The rumors about Frank Solich were true. He got a DUI within weeks of taking the Ohio job. The other rumors were true, too. Influential alums could have protected Frank better, but they thought the program was trending downward and Frank couldn't recruit. Fair or not, any Power 5 school had the last 11 years to capitalize on Nebraska's mistake, but didn't. Since Nebraska got lots of grief for firing a coach with Solich's stellar record, a smear campaign makes no sense. Nebraska didn't state it's rationale for legal reasons. They had no one better lined up. I think it all could have been handled better -- including not firing Frank at all -- but nobody smeared an innocent man. Wish you could get over that.

There was no smear campaign against Bo Pelini either. Bo was an open book for the world to see and hear. In fact the athletic department enlisted a pretty aggressive PR campaign to warm up Bo's image after the 2013 season. The job was still Bo's to keep until Bo screwed the pooch in very Bo-like manner. Then when safely at his hometown school of Youngstown State, with friends and protectors in the administration, Bo went off on the YSU fans for only filling half their 14,000 seat stadium, publicly undercut the staff he was asked to retain, resumed his ref-baiting antics, and finished his 5-6 season by committing consecutive unsportsmanlike penalties that pinned his own offense back at its goal line after they'd been near midfield with a chance to win the game.

what is this REVISIONIST HISTORY