Do We Have the Talent We Need?

[Mavric]

I was thinking about this earlier and then Frost mentioned it in his presser.  I do think we have the talent but I also think there is something to it being young and still a work-in-progress.  I was going to go through the last few recruiting classes to illustrate this, especially on offense.  I'll try to get to that soon but I thought I'd post these quotes from Frost for now.

 

[Wistrom Disciple]

@Mavric I agree, the talent is in the program. The outcomes this season also indicate that we aren't far off from winning these close games but we're playing down to our competition in a lot of facets. I think the coaches need to do a better job of finding ways to get the talented players on the field in whatever fashion best suits them at this stage. If Nance only runs Go routes well, send him out there a few times a game and have him run that route. If Hickman can only consistently execute a 5 yard out, throw him out there once in awhile. 

Having these guys stand on the sidelines all year and expecting everything to just click in practice the following week hasn't proven to work yet. Getting some game reps in can not only boost their confidence but it can help keep their attention to detail in film study and practices. In addition, the players get more familiar with game speed and can begin to build on concepts. Also, putting the guys on the field gives another wrinkle for opposing coaches to try and prepare for when facing us. 

Praying Wandale is able to hit multiple +25 yard plays a game for us is not a viable solution long-term so this coming spring and offseason will be a big indication of where this program is heading.

 

[TGHusker]

We need a QB who can make the plays and someone to stretch the field.  So what ever happened to our # 1 JUCO receiver- Omar?  Why was he never on the field?  Is he jumping into the portal?  Grades, attitude, sickness, unable to grasp the playbook??  Does he have 2 years of eligibility remaining?

 

[Husker in WI]

We need a QB who can make the plays and someone to stretch the field.  So what ever happened to our # 1 JUCO receiver- Omar?  Why was he never on the field?  Is he jumping into the portal?  Grades, attitude, sickness, unable to grasp the playbook??  Does he have 2 years of eligibility remaining?

Lots of rumors, but the only thing from the staff was he wasn't healthy. This year doesn't count for eligibility, so he'll have 2 left.

 

[Mavric]

Here is the point I was getting at:  I think we went through four years of most terrible recruiting on the offensive side of the ball. FOUR YEARS!!!  It's just a lot harder to recover than we thought, especially when a couple guys who could have been contributors didn't last.

Running Back Signees:

2015 - Ozigbo: had a very good senior year

2016 - Tre Bryant: limited contributions due to injuries which were known when he was recruited

2017 - Bradley: non-contributor

2018 - Washington: stud but didn't last a season; Bell: starter but left mid-season; Jones: non-contributor

Wide Receiver:

2015 - Morgan: stud; Alston: non-contributor

2016 - Spielman: very good player but left early; Grim: non-contributor

2017 - McQuitty, Johnson & Lindsey: non-contributors

2018 - McGriff, Williams, Woodyard & Hunt: basically non-contributors

Tight End:

2015 - Snyder: non-contributor

2016 - Stoll: solid starter; Engelhaupt: non-contributor

2017 - Allen: solid starter; Rafdal: non-contributor

2018 - LaGrone: non-contributor

Offensive Line:

2015 - Decker, Barnett, Gaylord: all non-contributors

2016 - MFarniok: solid starter; Wilson & Brokop: part-time starters; Raridon: non-contributor

2017 - Jaimes: excellent starter; Bando, Sichterman & Walker: non-contributors

2018 - Jurgens: solid starter; WFarniok: nothing yet

So in four years we recruited one RB who would make a meaningful contribution.  Two wide receivers who were pretty good but one left early.  Two solid starters at TE.  And three offensive linemen that didn't get recruited over.  That's it.  We couldn't even fill one complete starting lineup in four years of recruiting.  That's pathetic.  And that's mostly on Riley.  So when people say "quit blaming Riley" I think a lot of it still is his fault because he left barely anything for Frost to work with.

Now there are a lot of incompletes on the report card for the last two classes.  And you can say that the guys getting to play early may only be playing early because of the lack of older guys who are any good.  But here's what we know so far from the last two classes:

Running Back:

2019 - Mills: starter when healthy; Johnson & Thompkins: both in the mix this year

2020 - Scott: in the mix this year; Morrison: has been injured

Wide Receiver:

2019 - WRobinson: absolute stud; Nance, Chase & Houston: non-contributors; Manning: TBD

2020 - Betts: looks to be a stud; Brown: seeing the field as a true frosh; Nixon: injured; Fleming: saw the field but left; Martin: looking like a good contributor

Tight End:

2019 - Vokolek: solid contributor; Hickman: little contribution

2020 - None

Offensive Line:

2019 - Benhart & Piper: starting as a RSFrosh; Four others in the class

2020 - Two in the class

So there are four RBs who have been in the mix to some extent.  Two WRs look to be very good going forward plus two more that have been in the mix already;  Not much from the TE spot.  Two OL already starting.

So we've basically already seen as much production (in terms of number of guys) from the last two classes in the first 22 months on campus as we saw in the previous four classes in their entire careers.  

That doesn't mean the coaches get a complete pass.  But I don't think many realize what a total void this staff inherited.

 

[Hilltop]

If we have the talent, why aren't we winning? Why aren't more players being drafted into the NFL? If the talent is there, both of these things should be happening.

I'm tired of the excuse that the players need to be developed, Frost has been here three years and that development should be evident. Is it though? It doesn't seem to evident with our quarterbacks.

Did you even read what Mav posted above?  Many of the players you saw on the field Saturday weren't even here to be developed during years 1 and 2.  Coaching does need to improve but I'm not sure many coaches would have done better IF they were truly focused on changing the entire culture of the program.  

 

[Mavric]

[No message]

 

[Wistrom Disciple]

If we have the talent, why aren't we winning? Why aren't more players being drafted into the NFL? If the talent is there, both of these things should be happening.

I'm tired of the excuse that the players need to be developed, Frost has been here three years and that development should be evident. Is it though? It doesn't seem to evident with our quarterbacks.

Did you read the rest of the post or stop after the first sentence? 

Talent alone does not win games and talent alone does not equal draft picks. Coaching and play calling are crucial to putting the talent in the correct spots and plays called that favor the skills of the talented players. Hell look at Texas every year or Michigan. Programs with more pure talent than 90% of the teams in the country. Where the failures are in large part is due to coaching errors. Running a bad scheme (s/o Bob Diaco), poor play calls and misusing players fall on coaching. The caliber of talented players in our program is enough to win the Big Ten West division. 

 

[Mavric]

So my answer to the thread title is yes, I do think we have the talent that we need.  But we have depth issues to fix yet.  And a lot of the talent we have is really young and missed out almost completely on spring practice, summer work and had a limited fall camp this year on top of everything else they had to deal with.

 

[junior4949]

Back when it was being decided how many years a high school player needed to be removed from their senior year before they could go pro, it was heavily discussed by position groups with NFL GM's and coaches.  The only position group that most NFL people agreed upon that could make the leap from high school to the pros was the WR position.  It is mind boggling why our young receivers aren't making more of an impact.  

 

[gossamorharpy]

So my answer to the thread title is yes, I do think we have the talent that we need.  But we have depth issues to fix yet.  And a lot of the talent we have is really young and missed out almost completely on spring practice, summer work and had a limited fall camp this year on top of everything else they had to deal with.

To me, its two fold. 

1.  We definitely have the talent in the program to win the west but its young.  While great in the locker room, I cannot think of a senior on the team who also shows leadership by being a true difference maker on the actual field during the game. Perhaps CTB fills this role but his (and other DBs) propensity to lead with the helmet and get booted from the game disqualifies him for this consideration.

2.  Where we are most deficient in talent needed for consistent success happens to be the most vital single position in all of sports- Quarterback.  One could argue our lack of a guy on the d line who can singularly disrupt an opposing offense and require OCs to gameplan around that guy is almost as important, but I still think its #2 behind QB play...It was on full display this past weekend, even against a porous defense down a lot of starters, we dont have a single QB who can simply get an open guy the ball when it needs to be there.  

#2 above creates an uphill scenario for any RB to succeed when defenses know we're 99% running based.  It creates an uphill scenario for any of these young WRs to show growth and progress when they cant get the damn ball in space.  And it creates an uphill scenario for real difference makers, like wandale, when he is not only our top weapon but safety valve and spot running back 

Glass half full/half empty take: 

Half full: With this year being free of eligibility we essentially gained a year of experience for some real young dudes on the O line and elsewhere (WR, rb, etc)

Half empty: Because of frostys need to stack wins and our consistent mode of playing to the level of the opponent- we didnt have a single opportunity to get playing time for other young guys who have potential because every single game was close or we got our asses kicked.

We don't hang w/ NW and Iowa if we don't have the talent.  Perhaps a little more seasoning would turn these into wins... I'd aruge a bit more seasoning for both the players and this coaching staff is whats really needed

 

[gossamorharpy]

Back when it was being decided how many years a high school player needed to be removed from their senior year before they could go pro, it was heavily discussed by position groups with NFL GM's and coaches.  The only position group that most NFL people agreed upon that could make the leap from high school to the pros was the WR position.  It is mind boggling why our young receivers aren't making more of an impact.  

I dont think its mind boggling at all.  Rewatch this past weekends game and the noodle arm on display throughout.  Luke cannot be trusted to throw more than 5 yards, AM seems to have the arm but his accuracy and precision is just no where close to sufficient for consistent results.  At least not the results this fan base expects

 

[junior4949]

I dont think its mind boggling at all.  Rewatch this past weekends game and the noodle arm on display throughout.  Luke cannot be trusted to throw more than 5 yards, AM seems to have the arm but his accuracy and precision is just no where close to sufficient for consistent results.  At least not the results this fan base expects

OK, then what about Smothers?  Are we just completely screwed for the next several years because of the QB position?  

 

[All Hail Herbie]

Without question we have the requisite talent.  This is the standard over-analysis that takes place after yet another inexplicable loss.  Simple game; block, tackle, and avoid turnovers and penalties.  

Case in point, Northwestern.  A program that encounters a significant barrier to recruiting top-shelf talent given the academic requirements in place in Evanston.  Yet, despite those challenges, Coach Fitzgerald somehow produces a consistent winner each and every year with a reliance on fundamentals.  Just imagine if we possessed this caliber of coaching with the talent we recruit every year.  

Poor culture and complete lack of fundamentals are the persistent issues. 

I once thought our downward cycle was something akin to Oklahoma (90's) or USC (90's - 00's), but I am now beginning to believe we are in a trough similar to Arkansas (post-Broyles).  Arkansas is yet to come out of their 40 year downturn.  

 

[Born N Bled Red]

Without question we have the requisite talent.  This is the standard over-analysis that takes place after yet another inexplicable loss.  Simple game; block, tackle, and avoid turnovers and penalties.  

Case in point, Northwestern.  A program that encounters a significant barrier to recruiting top-shelf talent given the academic requirements in place in Evanston.  Yet, despite those challenges, Coach Fitzgerald somehow produces a consistent winner each and every year with a reliance on fundamentals.  Just imagine if we possessed this caliber of coaching with the talent we recruit every year.  

Poor culture and complete lack of fundamentals are the persistent issues. 

I once thought our downward cycle was something akin to Oklahoma (90's) or USC (90's - 00's), but I am now beginning to believe we are in a trough similar to Arkansas (post-Broyles).  Arkansas is yet to come out of their 40 year downturn.  

Northwestern, year in and out? Really? Don't get me wrong they've had some good seasons, but "consistent winners," they are not. Fitzy gets fired at Nebraska potentially in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, and certainly 2019. 






2006


Pat Fitzgerald


4–8


2–6


T–8th


 


 


 




2007


Pat Fitzgerald


6–6


3–5


T–7th


 


 


 




2008


Pat Fitzgerald


9–4


5–3


T–4th


L Alamo


 


 




2009


Pat Fitzgerald


8–5


5–3


T–4th


L Outback


 


 




2010


Pat Fitzgerald


7–6


3–5


T–6th


L TicketCity


 


 




2011


Pat Fitzgerald


6–7


3–5


5th (Legends)


L Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas


 


 




2012


Pat Fitzgerald


10–3


5–3


3rd (Legends)


W Gator


16


17




2013


Pat Fitzgerald


5–7


1–7


6th (Legends)


 


 


 




2014


Pat Fitzgerald


5–7


3–5


T–5th (West)


 


 


 




2015


Pat Fitzgerald


10–3


6–2


T–2nd (West)


L Outback


22


23




2016


Pat Fitzgerald


7–6


5–4


T–4th (West)


W Pinstripe


 


 




2017


Pat Fitzgerald


10–3


7–2


2nd (West)


W Music City


17


17




2018


Pat Fitzgerald


9–5


8–1


1st (West)


W Holiday


19


21




2019


Pat Fitzgerald


3–9


1–8


7th (West)