Turning Point for Pelini

[suh_fan93]

I think anytime you change offensive coordinators for example, I don't know if that's considered a 'crossroads' but I think it's safe to say that's pretty 'major'.

All I know is that were losing some true studs on defense this year and returning a lot of the same starters (and off coordinator) on offense next year with a pretty brutal Big 10 schedule ahead.

I do think NU's defenses are always going to be good just because of the guys we bring in and most importantly who we have coaching them but I think always just assuming they are going to be 'great' year in and year out isn't exactly smart either. Who's to say they don't have a down year at some point? What if that's next year? Then where will we be?

Hopefully not relying on the offense.

Guess we'll find out next year...

 

[husker_99]

Bo is not "at a crossroads." Displeasure with the OC by the fans doesn't mean we HAVE to fire the OC, or that the program is in some decision-making phase. We've just finished our second straight season winning our division and barely losing the championship game. We lost to two teams with long-established coaching staffs running long-established systems, while on our end we have a guy who has yet to complete his third year of head coaching anywhere.

We are just fine. It's no fun to lose this game, but losing it doesn't destroy our season, or where this program is headed, which is UP.

You are crazy if you think you're going to see anything different next year unless changes are made to the coaching staff. We will lose at least four games in the regular season next year if nothing changes. We played some of the worst defenses in the country this year.

The point of my post is that now is the time for Bo to be proactive about making the changes that put us in the best position to win. We can't wait until we go 5-7 to realize something is off.

And if you think Bo isn't going anywhere, just wait until we have a couple 6-6 or 5-7 seasons, which will not only make Bo's sideline blow ups more frequent and intense, but less tolerable at the same time.

I am a HUGE Pelini supporter and could not have been happier when he was hired. But he is at a crossroads right now. I will lose tremendous respect for him if he refuses to pull the trigger right now and the team's offense continues to cost us games with its ineptitude.

Nebraska will not have 6-6 or 5-7 seasons while Pelini is the coach. The defense will be too good and even with a completely ABYSMAL offense in 2009, we still won 10 games.

Furthmore, knapplc isn't saying changes don't need to be made, he's just saying we're not at some climactic crossroads that you are insinuating. We didn't reach our ultimate season goal, and I for one DO think changes need to be made somewhere, but I don't think we've reached such an ultimatum in our program yet.

How do you know? The defense will get tired if the offense isn't on the field long enough. Our schedule just got tougher. Don't sit there and tell me Mizzou, Colorado, Iowa State, and Kansas State are better than Iowa, Wisconsin, Penn State, Ohio State, Northwestern, Michigan. They aren't. Our division for next year and beyond got a significant upgrade. In the Big 12 when we were good we waltzed through the North that won't happen in the Big Ten.

 

[rawhide]

I'm sure Coach Pelini had many ideas for change. How many times this year did you see him express his frustration with the offense and their ineptitude: false starts, chop blocks, poor blocking, etc. He did the same on the defensive side too.

He is far from satisfied with the team as it stands.

GBR

 

[Enhance]

Bo is not "at a crossroads." Displeasure with the OC by the fans doesn't mean we HAVE to fire the OC, or that the program is in some decision-making phase. We've just finished our second straight season winning our division and barely losing the championship game. We lost to two teams with long-established coaching staffs running long-established systems, while on our end we have a guy who has yet to complete his third year of head coaching anywhere.

We are just fine. It's no fun to lose this game, but losing it doesn't destroy our season, or where this program is headed, which is UP.

You are crazy if you think you're going to see anything different next year unless changes are made to the coaching staff. We will lose at least four games in the regular season next year if nothing changes. We played some of the worst defenses in the country this year.

The point of my post is that now is the time for Bo to be proactive about making the changes that put us in the best position to win. We can't wait until we go 5-7 to realize something is off.

And if you think Bo isn't going anywhere, just wait until we have a couple 6-6 or 5-7 seasons, which will not only make Bo's sideline blow ups more frequent and intense, but less tolerable at the same time.

I am a HUGE Pelini supporter and could not have been happier when he was hired. But he is at a crossroads right now. I will lose tremendous respect for him if he refuses to pull the trigger right now and the team's offense continues to cost us games with its ineptitude.

Nebraska will not have 6-6 or 5-7 seasons while Pelini is the coach. The defense will be too good and even with a completely ABYSMAL offense in 2009, we still won 10 games.

Furthmore, knapplc isn't saying changes don't need to be made, he's just saying we're not at some climactic crossroads that you are insinuating. We didn't reach our ultimate season goal, and I for one DO think changes need to be made somewhere, but I don't think we've reached such an ultimatum in our program yet.

How do you know? The defense will get tired if the offense isn't on the field long enough. Our schedule just got tougher. Don't sit there and tell me Mizzou, Colorado, Iowa State, and Kansas State are better than Iowa, Wisconsin, Penn State, Ohio State, Northwestern, Michigan. They aren't. Our division for next year and beyond got a significant upgrade. In the Big 12 when we were good we waltzed through the North that won't happen in the Big Ten.

The defense was on the field a lot in 2009. I still believe we won 10 games even if we had a great DT.

Sure, our division for next year looks a lot better, but it's not like Iowa, Wisconsin, and all those other teams you mentioned are some significant upgrade either. Michigan is down and probably will be for a couple years still (I'm confident Rich Rod will be fired eventually), Northwestern is coming along but they're still not exactly Top 25 caliber week to week, Penn State is probably an 8 win team until Paterno leaves maybe worse, Iowa has only come on in recent years, etc. etc.

The Big 12 probably isn't as strong across the board as the Big 10 right now, but there were MANY years prior to this one where the Big 10 had a lot of bad teams worse than what the Big 12 fielded. Parity in college football is a never-ending characteristic my friend. Don't sit there and pretend that the Big 10 hasn't been taking massive amounts of heat for most of the last decade for being a bad conference.

 

[husker_99]

Bo is not "at a crossroads." Displeasure with the OC by the fans doesn't mean we HAVE to fire the OC, or that the program is in some decision-making phase. We've just finished our second straight season winning our division and barely losing the championship game. We lost to two teams with long-established coaching staffs running long-established systems, while on our end we have a guy who has yet to complete his third year of head coaching anywhere.

We are just fine. It's no fun to lose this game, but losing it doesn't destroy our season, or where this program is headed, which is UP.

You are crazy if you think you're going to see anything different next year unless changes are made to the coaching staff. We will lose at least four games in the regular season next year if nothing changes. We played some of the worst defenses in the country this year.

The point of my post is that now is the time for Bo to be proactive about making the changes that put us in the best position to win. We can't wait until we go 5-7 to realize something is off.

And if you think Bo isn't going anywhere, just wait until we have a couple 6-6 or 5-7 seasons, which will not only make Bo's sideline blow ups more frequent and intense, but less tolerable at the same time.

I am a HUGE Pelini supporter and could not have been happier when he was hired. But he is at a crossroads right now. I will lose tremendous respect for him if he refuses to pull the trigger right now and the team's offense continues to cost us games with its ineptitude.

Nebraska will not have 6-6 or 5-7 seasons while Pelini is the coach. The defense will be too good and even with a completely ABYSMAL offense in 2009, we still won 10 games.

Furthmore, knapplc isn't saying changes don't need to be made, he's just saying we're not at some climactic crossroads that you are insinuating. We didn't reach our ultimate season goal, and I for one DO think changes need to be made somewhere, but I don't think we've reached such an ultimatum in our program yet.

How do you know? The defense will get tired if the offense isn't on the field long enough. Our schedule just got tougher. Don't sit there and tell me Mizzou, Colorado, Iowa State, and Kansas State are better than Iowa, Wisconsin, Penn State, Ohio State, Northwestern, Michigan. They aren't. Our division for next year and beyond got a significant upgrade. In the Big 12 when we were good we waltzed through the North that won't happen in the Big Ten.

The defense was on the field a lot in 2009. I still believe we won 10 games even if we had a great DT.

Sure, our division for next year looks a lot better, but it's not like Iowa, Wisconsin, and all those other teams you mentioned are some significant upgrade either. Michigan is down and probably will be for a couple years still (I'm confident Rich Rod will be fired eventually), Northwestern is coming along but they're still not exactly Top 25 caliber week to week, Penn State is probably an 8 win team until Paterno leaves maybe worse, Iowa has only come on in recent years, etc. etc.

The Big 12 probably isn't as strong across the board as the Big 10 right now, but there were MANY years prior to this one where the Big 10 had a lot of bad teams worse than what the Big 12 fielded. Parity in college football is a never-ending characteristic my friend. Don't sit there and pretend that the Big 10 hasn't been taking massive amounts of heat for most of the last decade for being a bad conference.

2009 was a lot to do with the fact we had Suh. Yes i know the Big Ten has taken heat. I'm saying is that you can't put a W to most teams in the Big Ten like you can in the Big 12. Did you really doubt who would win the North this year? Can you say the same for next year? Less bottom feeders in the Big Ten than the Big 12.

 

[Enhance]

Bo is not "at a crossroads." Displeasure with the OC by the fans doesn't mean we HAVE to fire the OC, or that the program is in some decision-making phase. We've just finished our second straight season winning our division and barely losing the championship game. We lost to two teams with long-established coaching staffs running long-established systems, while on our end we have a guy who has yet to complete his third year of head coaching anywhere.

We are just fine. It's no fun to lose this game, but losing it doesn't destroy our season, or where this program is headed, which is UP.

You are crazy if you think you're going to see anything different next year unless changes are made to the coaching staff. We will lose at least four games in the regular season next year if nothing changes. We played some of the worst defenses in the country this year.

The point of my post is that now is the time for Bo to be proactive about making the changes that put us in the best position to win. We can't wait until we go 5-7 to realize something is off.

And if you think Bo isn't going anywhere, just wait until we have a couple 6-6 or 5-7 seasons, which will not only make Bo's sideline blow ups more frequent and intense, but less tolerable at the same time.

I am a HUGE Pelini supporter and could not have been happier when he was hired. But he is at a crossroads right now. I will lose tremendous respect for him if he refuses to pull the trigger right now and the team's offense continues to cost us games with its ineptitude.

Nebraska will not have 6-6 or 5-7 seasons while Pelini is the coach. The defense will be too good and even with a completely ABYSMAL offense in 2009, we still won 10 games.

Furthmore, knapplc isn't saying changes don't need to be made, he's just saying we're not at some climactic crossroads that you are insinuating. We didn't reach our ultimate season goal, and I for one DO think changes need to be made somewhere, but I don't think we've reached such an ultimatum in our program yet.

How do you know? The defense will get tired if the offense isn't on the field long enough. Our schedule just got tougher. Don't sit there and tell me Mizzou, Colorado, Iowa State, and Kansas State are better than Iowa, Wisconsin, Penn State, Ohio State, Northwestern, Michigan. They aren't. Our division for next year and beyond got a significant upgrade. In the Big 12 when we were good we waltzed through the North that won't happen in the Big Ten.

The defense was on the field a lot in 2009. I still believe we won 10 games even if we had a great DT.

Sure, our division for next year looks a lot better, but it's not like Iowa, Wisconsin, and all those other teams you mentioned are some significant upgrade either. Michigan is down and probably will be for a couple years still (I'm confident Rich Rod will be fired eventually), Northwestern is coming along but they're still not exactly Top 25 caliber week to week, Penn State is probably an 8 win team until Paterno leaves maybe worse, Iowa has only come on in recent years, etc. etc.

The Big 12 probably isn't as strong across the board as the Big 10 right now, but there were MANY years prior to this one where the Big 10 had a lot of bad teams worse than what the Big 12 fielded. Parity in college football is a never-ending characteristic my friend. Don't sit there and pretend that the Big 10 hasn't been taking massive amounts of heat for most of the last decade for being a bad conference.

2009 was a lot to do with the fact we had Suh. Yes i know the Big Ten has taken heat. I'm saying is that you can't put a W to most teams in the Big Ten like you can in the Big 12. Did you really doubt who would win the North this year? Can you say the same for next year? Less bottom feeders in the Big Ten than the Big 12.

There are less now, but there's no saying that next year the Big 10 could be significantly worse and the Big 12 could all of a sudden be really, really good.

I knew pre-season we would win the North, but it's not like we didn't get some good competition and had plenty of close games along the way. Did you think we would face a Top 10 team in the North and beat ISU by one point in OT? I know I didn't.

Anything can happen, is my point, and things change every year. I think we will have success in the Big 10 and am not in the least bit worried about it.

 

[kchusker_chris]

The Big 12 probably isn't as strong across the board as the Big 10 right now, but there were MANY years prior to this one where the Big 10 had a lot of bad teams worse than what the Big 12 fielded. Parity in college football is a never-ending characteristic my friend. Don't sit there and pretend that the Big 10 hasn't been taking massive amounts of heat for most of the last decade for being a bad conference.

Actually - if you look at the strength of schedules for teams like Wisconsin, Ohio State, Michigan state - they are right around Boise St, Utah level (#70/#66 respectively).

Ohio St - 68

Wisconsin - 71

Michigan St - 65

Iowa - 51

Meanwhile, the Big 12 looks to be far deeper based on SOS. It just means that we had to play through a much more difficult schedule - and I can guarentee you it wasn't our non-conference games that lowered those SOS rankings, it was the conference games.

Nebraska - 30

Texas A&M - 12

Okie St - 39

Missouri - 26

Oklahoma - 8

Outide of those 3 top 10 teams (which all lost to each other beacuse none of them is that great) the Big10 isn't a very strong conference. (please don't crucify me for saying so)

 

[husker_99]

The Big 12 probably isn't as strong across the board as the Big 10 right now, but there were MANY years prior to this one where the Big 10 had a lot of bad teams worse than what the Big 12 fielded. Parity in college football is a never-ending characteristic my friend. Don't sit there and pretend that the Big 10 hasn't been taking massive amounts of heat for most of the last decade for being a bad conference.

Actually - if you look at the strength of schedules for teams like Wisconsin, Ohio State, Michigan state - they are right around Boise St, Utah level (#70/#66 respectively).

Ohio St - 68

Wisconsin - 71

Michigan St - 65

Iowa - 51

Meanwhile, the Big 12 looks to be far deeper based on SOS. It just means that we had to play through a much more difficult schedule - and I can guarentee you it wasn't our non-conference games that lowered those SOS rankings, it was the conference games.

Nebraska - 30

Texas A&M - 12

Okie St - 39

Missouri - 26

Oklahoma - 8

Outide of those 3 top 10 teams (which all lost to each other beacuse none of them is that great) the Big10 isn't a very strong conference. (please don't crucify me for saying so)

these before the season started?

 

[VA Husker Fan]

Not a crossroads. And there's no guarantee at all that bringing in a new OC is going to yield better results. My opinions.

 

[Hunter94]

Who would have thought that Pelini's coaching career at Nebraska would come down, not to the X's and O's, but the administration of his program. Pelini is at a crossroads in the players he selects and the coaches he keeps on his staff.

It should be painfully obvious to any college football fan that a head coaches' unreasonable loyalty to staff and coordinator responsibilities can destroy an otherwise good team. As much as I hate to say it, Callahan might still be coaching at Nebraska if he would have cut Cosgrove loose and brought in a solid defensive coordinator. Mack Brown's program is suffering from his failure to break ties with his old friend, offensive coordinator Greg Davis. His refusal to fire Davis may ultimately cost Mack his job. Solich might have saved himself if he'd had the desire (or ability) to clean house and bring in his own guys.

Similarly, there are plenty of occasions when head coaches meddle too much in coordinating responsibilities, particularly on the side of the ball with which they are least familiar. As a USC follower, I can tell you that USC's offensive production declined the more Pete Carroll---a defensive-minded coach---got involved. USC's offense was at its best when Carroll had an offensive coordinator (Norm Chow) that ran the show independently. Oklahoma State's offense was consistently mediocre until Mike Gundy recognized that he had to swallow his pride, step aside, and bring someone in who could call the plays.

Pelini is at a similar crossroads. It is painfully obvious that the offense is inept and that the coaches---particularly Gilmore, Cotton, and Watson---are failing to discharge their duties. In order to succeed, Pelini needs to fire several coaches, recognize that less is probably more when it comes to his involvement in the offense, and bring in someone who can build a system of their desire without too much outside influence.

But if Pelini misses this opportunity and Nebraska continues down this road, the program will slip into mediocrity. Nebraska will suffer a string of several so-so seasons with disappointing results not unlike the Callahan years. Pelini's behavior, already concerning when the program is relatively successful, will become intolerable. He will be fired and the cycle will begin anew. And Husker fans will be left wondering whether things could have been avoided had Pelini been able to swallow his pride, get out of his own way, and put his loyalty to the program ahead of his loyalty to friends on the coaching staff.

well said, i think by now it is slowly sinking in for Pelini, 3rd year and we see no steady improvement in offensive coaching or production....but i see him playing along with Watson for 2 more seasons, which may be too much.

 

[Hunter94]

Bo is not "at a crossroads." Displeasure with the OC by the fans doesn't mean we HAVE to fire the OC, or that the program is in some decision-making phase. We've just finished our second straight season winning our division and barely losing the championship game. We lost to two teams with long-established coaching staffs running long-established systems, while on our end we have a guy who has yet to complete his third year of head coaching anywhere.

We are just fine. It's no fun to lose this game, but losing it doesn't destroy our season, or where this program is headed, which is UP.

You are crazy if you think you're going to see anything different next year unless changes are made to the coaching staff. We will lose at least four games in the regular season next year if nothing changes. We played some of the worst defenses in the country this year.

The point of my post is that now is the time for Bo to be proactive about making the changes that put us in the best position to win. We can't wait until we go 5-7 to realize something is off.

And if you think Bo isn't going anywhere, just wait until we have a couple 6-6 or 5-7 seasons, which will not only make Bo's sideline blow ups more frequent and intense, but less tolerable at the same time.

I am a HUGE Pelini supporter and could not have been happier when he was hired. But he is at a crossroads right now. I will lose tremendous respect for him if he refuses to pull the trigger right now and the team's offense continues to cost us games with its ineptitude.

exactly correct, for the quality of players we recruit, our offensive production just sucks!

 

[Hujan]

I hope you guys are right, but I have a feeling you're in for a rude awakening. If Pelini doesn't make widespread changes on the offensive side of the ball, he will be fired or leave in 5 years. You can count on it.

Also, LOL at you guys saying "we're not at a huge crossroads where we need to make changes or else . . . but we should make changes on the offense."

There is a difference between what I'm saying and what you're saying.

What you are saying is essentially this - our program ABSOLUTELY NEEDS to make changes immediately because we are at a make or break point for Pelini's career. If we don't fix thinks things now at the brink of our apocalypse, then we are doomed to spiral into mediocrity for Pelini to be fired.

Whether it is your intention or not, you're turning it into some 'end of the world' type discussion.

I, on the other hand, think this. Something isn't right on the offensive side of the ball. Not changing anything will mean we are more than likely doomed to have 10-11 win seasons with sad losses and good defensive performances. I don't think we're at some ultimate decision point, but we are at a place where we need to at least evaluate what is going on. Things aren't at this terrible point that you are either intentionally or unintentionally hinting towards.

You are putting words in my mouth. I am not saying it's doomsday or that this program is in ruins. You are not understanding what I'm saying and part of that is my fault for not being clear, so let me try it like this:

This is a pivotal point in Pelini's career at Nebraska. The next 12 months will determine whether he is the type of coach that refuses to make changes to his coaching staff when it is plainly apparent that they need to be made, and thereby lets program slide into mediocrity; or whether he is the type of coach that takes the bull by the horns, refuses to accept mediocrity, and makes the changes that need to be made before it's too late.

I hope to God he's the latter and not the former; otherwise, I think his career at Nebraska will ultimately be shorter lived than it should have been.

Does this help clarify what I'm saying?

 

[Hujan]

Bo is not "at a crossroads." Displeasure with the OC by the fans doesn't mean we HAVE to fire the OC, or that the program is in some decision-making phase. We've just finished our second straight season winning our division and barely losing the championship game. We lost to two teams with long-established coaching staffs running long-established systems, while on our end we have a guy who has yet to complete his third year of head coaching anywhere.

We are just fine. It's no fun to lose this game, but losing it doesn't destroy our season, or where this program is headed, which is UP.

You are crazy if you think you're going to see anything different next year unless changes are made to the coaching staff. We will lose at least four games in the regular season next year if nothing changes. We played some of the worst defenses in the country this year.

The point of my post is that now is the time for Bo to be proactive about making the changes that put us in the best position to win. We can't wait until we go 5-7 to realize something is off.

And if you think Bo isn't going anywhere, just wait until we have a couple 6-6 or 5-7 seasons, which will not only make Bo's sideline blow ups more frequent and intense, but less tolerable at the same time.

I am a HUGE Pelini supporter and could not have been happier when he was hired. But he is at a crossroads right now. I will lose tremendous respect for him if he refuses to pull the trigger right now and the team's offense continues to cost us games with its ineptitude.

We are no more "at a crossroads" because you think we are than we are "the best team in all the land" because I think we are. One man's opinion doesn't mean we have to hit the panic button.

Again, everyone is frustrated that we lost. It doesn't mean the program is going to hell in a handbasket if we don't fire Watson.

If you want me to admit that this is my opinion, then yes, this is my opinion. What the f*ck is your point? My opinion is that right now the program has many ingredients to be something special, and that there are a few missing ingredients holding us back. If we don't make the changes now and strike while the fire is hot, this program could very easily dissolve into something completely ordinary.

 

[Hujan]

I hope you guys are right, but I have a feeling you're in for a rude awakening. If Pelini doesn't make widespread changes on the offensive side of the ball, he will be fired or leave in 5 years. You can count on it.

Also, LOL at you guys saying "we're not at a huge crossroads where we need to make changes or else . . . but we should make changes on the offense."

As long as Tom Osborne is A.D. you can take it to the bank that he will NOT fire Bo based on Win/Loss record. We're talking about a man whose own head was called for damn near every season for 22 years until he won that first national title. Osborne will stand by Bo come hell & high water, just like his predecessor Bob Devaney did for him when he was A.D. until retiring in 1993.

It's not a fair comparison. Bo has personality issues that, right or wrong, make him a bit of a liability as far as Perlman/Osborne are concerned. Those issues, however, real or imagined, are one thing when the program is winning. They are quite another when we are losing. This is something Bo faces that Osborne never did.

BTW, this is coming from someone who doesn't think Bo was out of line for yelling at A&M, etc. At all. I think the controversy was way overblown. But it's clear the administration doesn't care for it and will only tolerate so much of it.

 

[Hujan]

Bo is not "at a crossroads." Displeasure with the OC by the fans doesn't mean we HAVE to fire the OC, or that the program is in some decision-making phase. We've just finished our second straight season winning our division and barely losing the championship game. We lost to two teams with long-established coaching staffs running long-established systems, while on our end we have a guy who has yet to complete his third year of head coaching anywhere.

We are just fine. It's no fun to lose this game, but losing it doesn't destroy our season, or where this program is headed, which is UP.

You are crazy if you think you're going to see anything different next year unless changes are made to the coaching staff. We will lose at least four games in the regular season next year if nothing changes. We played some of the worst defenses in the country this year.

The point of my post is that now is the time for Bo to be proactive about making the changes that put us in the best position to win. We can't wait until we go 5-7 to realize something is off.

And if you think Bo isn't going anywhere, just wait until we have a couple 6-6 or 5-7 seasons, which will not only make Bo's sideline blow ups more frequent and intense, but less tolerable at the same time.

I am a HUGE Pelini supporter and could not have been happier when he was hired. But he is at a crossroads right now. I will lose tremendous respect for him if he refuses to pull the trigger right now and the team's offense continues to cost us games with its ineptitude.

Nebraska will not have 6-6 or 5-7 seasons while Pelini is the coach. The defense will be too good and even with a completely ABYSMAL offense in 2009, we still won 10 games.

Furthmore, knapplc isn't saying changes don't need to be made, he's just saying we're not at some climactic crossroads that you are insinuating. We didn't reach our ultimate season goal, and I for one DO think changes need to be made somewhere, but I don't think we've reached such an ultimatum in our program yet.

Really? I'm sure Texas felt the same way about Mack Brown. Five years after winning the MNC, and a year after playing for a second MNC, they go 5-7 and loses SIX games at home. And things won't get any better next year, trust me.

This stuff can happen quickly, folks. You guys seem to take it for granted that Pelini can stamp out top 10 defenses like it's nothing, but that won't always be the case, for one reason or another. And even when it does happen, it's not enough to win a conference championship in a relatively weak conference without an offense.