Fan Pressure- Causes Change or Not?

[Nebraska55fan]

All around college football we see coaches getting sacked or seemingly making changes to how they do things- coinciding with fan pressure, in places where football matters. How real is it and how big of a force for change is it?

Fans can withdraw attendance and donor support, but when they really bring the criticism and heat, is it really a catalyst for forcing change. Seemed like that happened to Mike Riley and getting rid of his good buddy Banker. Solich sacked Craig Bohl and brought in Pelini. Callahan and Riley both fired- fans wanted them gone. Some have suggested fan pressure was partially responsible for starting Luke last year

Fans were clamoring loudly over the use of the smoke and swing passes NU used so often last season- all but disappeared this season. Frost has always used it as part of his offense - not really there much this season. Maybe the hubub will force NU to make some positive changes this off-season. Adding a Special Teams coach- axing Verduzco and Austin? At this point I'm trusting Trev will make the right moves to steady a struggling ship, however HCSF can be a bit stubborn. 

 

[Stone Cold]

I hope not, we are a fickle bunch of a$$h@!es

 

[BigRedBuster]

Fans think they have more power than they do.  The only fans that have real power are the large donors.  

 

[Nebraska55fan]

Fans think they have more power than they do.  The only fans that have real power are the large donors.  

Maybe so, I'm not in that circle. 

Just seems like there has been some movement in the direction the fans seem to clamor for here- like elsewhere. Coincidence or not. 

 

[BigRedBuster]

Maybe so, I'm not in that circle. 

Just seems like there has been some movement in the direction the fans seem to clamor for here- like elsewhere. Coincidence or not. 

Only one time do I ever remember the general fan base causing a major change.  Callahan's last year when we were getting clobbered by Okie State and the fans started leaving early. 

Even then, I believe it was more because the team had quit on the coaching staff and the large donors went to the AD and talked about that and the fans leaving.

 

[Nebraska55fan]

Only one time do I ever remember the general fan base causing a major change.  Callahan's last year when we were getting clobbered by Okie State and the fans started leaving early. 

Even then, I believe it was more because the team had quit on the coaching staff and the large donors went to the AD and talked about that and the fans leaving.

That was awful- IIRK there were a bunch of former players at that game on the field in pre game for something. It was something like 35-0 at the half- our players acted like they didnt want to be there.  We left- so did about 2/3 of our fans. It was like a funeral procession, no one really complaining, just sullenly leaving.

 

[Hilltop]

Absolutely yes.

Good thread and good question.  Nebraska football is a business and we as fans are the customers.  I think all businesses have to at minimum respect customer opinions.  College football is a bit different in that the customers don't always agree on what they want or know the best path to get to what they want.  However, if the majority of customers request a change, it definitely will have an impact on leadership decisions.  

 

[FrantzHardySwag]

Adding a Special Teams coach- axing Verduzco and Austin? At this point I'm trusting Trev will make the right moves to steady a struggling ship, however HCSF can be a bit stubborn. 

I think the only obvious change right now is Verdu to analyst and hire a full-time ST coach. 7-5 or better, we run it back next year with ST coach being the only change. 6-6 and you'd see Austin on the hot seat depending on if the OL continues to struggle. 5-7 or worse, I'm not sure who is safe - because I think a 5th straight bowless season will have many fans at a breaking point. 

 

[Nebraska55fan]

Absolutely yes.

Good thread and good question.  Nebraska football is a business and we as fans are the customers.  I think all businesses have to at minimum respect customer opinions.  College football is a bit different in that the customers don't always agree on what they want or know the best path to get to what they want.  However, if the majority of customers request a change, it definitely will have an impact on leadership decisions.  

Agreed. 

How about of late?

Very few WR smoke screens or RB swing passes- after fans went full BBQ on how many bad ones we ran last season. It's always been a big part of HCSF offense ?

Starting Luke? (bad choice- I didnt support)

True Attention to Special Teams?

Do they feel the pressure- or is it always just a coincidence?

Callahan went so far as to conjure up the fallacy that we were going to run the ball a bunch- remember "Pound the Rock"?

 

[BigRedBuster]

Agreed. 

How about of late?

Very few WR smoke screens or RB swing passes- after fans went full BBQ on how many bad ones we ran last season?

Starting Luke? (bad choice- I didnt support)

True Attention to Special Teams?

Callahan went so far as to conjure up the fallacy that we were going to run the ball a bunch- remember "Pound the Rock"?

Here is where I think fans don't have the power they think they do.

Screen passes didn't go away because fans complained.  They went away because the staff looked and realized they weren't working.

Luke starting wasn't because of fans.  It was because the staff tried something new to kickstart the offense.

Frost didn't put more pressure on special teams, because of the fans.  He did it because they sucked and it was causing us to lose.

But...fans say..."See, he listened to me complaining."

The staff isn't dumb.  They aren't sitting there all content and then go on a message board and read..."our ST suck" and think....ah...haaaa....THAT'S what I need to concentrate on.

 

[Nebraska55fan]

Here is where I think fans don't have the power they think they do.

Luke starting wasn't because of fans.  It was because the staff tried something new to kickstart the offense.

Just posing the question, I certainly dont know. 

One would think that they would have known Luke was terrible as a QB from the way he practiced and wasn't a better choice than AM. 

 

[BigRedBuster]

Just posing the question, I certainly dont know. 

One would think that they would have known Luke was terrible as a QB from the way he practiced and wasn't a better choice than AM. 

You said you have done some coaching.  How often have you been on the sidelines thinking..."Oh s#!t....the fans are upset, I better make this change"?

 

[teachercd]

Media and fans play a part to some degree.

But wins and losses are the foundation. 

 

[Nebraska55fan]

You said you have done some coaching.  How often have you been on the sidelines thinking..."Oh s#!t....the fans are upset, I better make this change"?

 Well coaching never made any difference on my income level- so not much at all. 

 I know a few guys who have- not mid game but made changes because they really wanted to stay in coaching at that location. Some of the changes may have been more for perception value. In other areas of the country- yes a guy in PA I know really well changed from an offense he believed in and had coached for 20 years= was pretty successful with- to something the fans were clamoring for. His teaching job tied into his coaching gig and he didnt want to move. 

 

[Hilltop]

I'm not sure fan pressure can cause coaches to change play style in college as I believe it is rare for the majority of a fan base to be in agreement on specific style.  While a lot of us on here hated the bubble screens, I don't think we make up a significant enough portion of the fan base to move the needle.   I do think fan pressure can cause staff changes though.