A good read for everyone

[Enhance]

Sorry, didn't mean to shoot the messenger.

I just detest getting painted into black and white corners.

I also really dislike how Bo has cultivated a distrust and dislike of NU fans that serves no purpose and is entirely off base.

NU has good fans. NU has knowledgeable fans. Sometimes their critique is nonsense. Sometimes perhaps it is a bit too on target.

The writer is entitled to their position. As am I.

I don't see him painting anyone into a corner. He specifically references some fans calling for Pelini's head, and he's right. There are some fans who think Pelini should be fired, and there's no way of disproving that because we've had many such discussions on this board. Furthermore, I don't think he's talking about those being critical of Pelini, nor is he saying we can't be critical of him. He's merely pointing out that Nebraska nearly got rid of two coaches and some fans want to risk another 2004-2007 situation all over again.

Pelini has every right to be pissed off at some people. Yes, he's the head coach and criticism is part of the job. But nobody can sit here and tell me they wouldn't get peeved if they were in Pelini's shoes. I don't feel distrusted or disliked by him at all.

 

[junior4949]

That may or may not be true (about the 80%) but don't you also think it's the minority here calling for Bo's head? I don't think the majority wants him canned, but those who do talk a lot.

Yes, I would agree with this. I guess my point is that the majority of OU fans want someone fired primarily Venables while the majority of NU fans don't really want anyone fired. I was simply refuting the claim that if Bo had Stoops pedigree that his blowout losses would be easier to take because the majority of OU fans want someone fired while the majority of NU fans do not.

 

[Chaddyboxer]

"So why should two bad losses and one close one to a bad team mean that Pelini can't be successful at Nebraska? It doesn't have to. Not to slander the departing seniors, but look at the class that's about to leave. Lavonte David and Alfonzo Dennard will be missed. Jared Crick is already missed. Beyond that, there's also a handful of nice contributors. But relative to what other schools are about to lose, it's really not that much. With so much coming back from an 8, 9, or 10-win team (against one of the toughest schedules in the country) plus some new talent coming off their first spring in the program, next season could be a very strong one. It will be another tough schedule to navigate, but in some ways it will be kinder. Wisconsin (without Russell Wilson), Michigan, and Penn State all must come to Lincoln. Do this year's games in Madison or Ann Arbor really have any bearing on what will happen next season?"

This is the point I have been trying to make the whole time after the Michigan loss (just couldn't put it into words as well as he did). He does his work and sets it right out on the table. People need to stop panicking. If we go 10-3 with the current team we have, that is quite impressive seeing how many young athletes we have as starters. For the first time this season, I will say the cliche statement, THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT.

Well, you (and the writer) are glass half full (and the writer's may be full of Jack).

I see losing the 2 best defenders (by far) off of a very mediocre defense and I only see large voids. The writer says that it "it's really not much" and I say he is ridiculous.

There will certainly be "opportunity" for players to step up. We can agree on that.

It does scare me a bit that we are losing two very important players on defense. I do agree with your statement that there will be plenty of opportunities for players to fill in and make considerable contributions.

 

[junior4949]

What is everyone's definition of mediocracy? If by definition you mean top 5 or top 10 every year, then yes we'll be mediocre more times than not. If we're going to play this card, then basically every conference out there with the exception of the SEC will be mediocre.

 

[robsker]

What is everyone's definition of mediocracy? If by definition you mean top 5 or top 10 every year, then yes we'll be mediocre more times than not. If we're going to play this card, then basically every conference out there with the exception of the SEC will be mediocre.

I am thinking that you were not referring to me as I never used the word mediocre. Anyway...

I think the 'Skers will likely be again somewhere between #20 and #30 next season as will be the case this year and has been the case for some time now. But that is well above mediocre to me. I'd guess if we need categories it might go from bad to weak to decent (mediocre) to good to very good to excellent. On that scale, where NU has been of late and what I'd envision they will be in the immediate future is in the upper middle or towards the top of the "good" range. Lots of programs would like to finish ranked that do not. To continually be a fringe top 25 program is indeed good --- well above mediocre. We are not, as a program, nationally relevant --- not very good or excellent --- but also not mediocre.

Finishing ranked, even in the 20's, is good.

 

[Pedro Guerrero]

Yes, I would agree with this. I guess my point is that the majority of OU fans want someone fired primarily Venables while the majority of NU fans don't really want anyone fired. I was simply refuting the claim that if Bo had Stoops pedigree that his blowout losses would be easier to take because the majority of OU fans want someone fired while the majority of NU fans do not.

Shawn Watson says hello.

And Ted Gilmore, Barney Cotton, and possibly Carl Pelini.

 

[knapplc]

Don't forget Charlie McBride circa 1989-ish.

 

[majech]

Look, articles like these frustrate me. This isn't an "all or nothing" situation.

Just because a fan is critical of Bo doesn't mean she/he thinks Bo should be fired. Just because we criticize the game played doesn't mean we are, to paraphrase Will Compton, "the world."

I had concerns about Solich too, but I definitely didn't think he should have been fired in 2003 -- that staff deserved more time. And, frankly, I think that staff had some serious potential.

Bo will earn his contract or get fired all on his own.

But self righteous, passive aggressive junk like that is what really causes division.

Best line in the whole article... "Which leads you to wonder, do Husker fans even know a good coach when they see one?". My guess mainly NO. Unless they win a NC, the fans he's speaking of will think coaches are bums.

Just out of curiosity, why do you say no? Keep in mind that no coach will ever get a 100% approval rating. I wasn't around for Devaney, but I bet he was revered. I was around for TO, pre and post 90's. While there were naysayers before the mid-nineties, the majority of Husker Nation loved TO.

Solich followed TO and there was a lot of disention with Solich even if we don't consider all the crapola caused by Peterson. Love him or hate him, I'm not sure a very strong case can me made that Solich was great coach. Was he a good coach? Maybe, maybe not, the early firing ended the possibility of a final verdict being passed imo, but the program did slip a lot under his direction.

The next coach was Bill Callahan, clearly not a good coach. Some liked his offense, but we are talking about Head Coaches, not offensive style. Huskers had 2 losing seasons in 4 seasons....not a good coach. A large portion of Husker Nation did not like Bill, and it was shown that he was not a good coach.

This is Bo's 4th season and there have been many improvements, but I'd say the jury is still out on him, but I think it should be. He has only been a HC for less than 4 seasons. I'm not sure any coach can be qualified as good, bad, or ugly, well, maybe ugly, in their first four seasons. I honestly think that Bo could go on to be a great HC, but I could also see him going on to being just another elite coordinator that wasn't HC material. I'm not bashing, just saying the jury is out. Some of Husker nation are "Bolievers" and some don't think he has what it takes. Overall, I don't think "Husker Nation" has really decided how good, or bad, Bo really is as a HC.

Bo has continually grown, adjusted, and makes effort to improve, which is vital to a young HC imo. I hope Bo is here for 20 more years and wins several NC's, but we'll have to wait and see if he can grown into greatness.

All in all, I'd say the Husker faithful have been pretty good in spotting a good HC. They spotted two great ones, spotted one that was close, but didn't quite cut it, and spotted one that was a lumpy turd despite all the Pedieshine that was rubbed on it.

 

[jwmann2]

Whenever you are confronted with a coach on the hot seat that has achieved success; ask yourself this, if not him, then who? Does anyone have any coaches in mind that they would like to see here?

 

[HuskerTrucker]

I don't think it is time to get rid of Bo yet, but I do think that there are some coaching changes that need to be made. This team is not progressing, the o-line has not gotten better over the last 2 years, the running game is based solely on the raw ability of Taylor and Burkhead.

The defense has times when it looks adequate to good, and then it has moments that they look worse than any defense we have had since BC. There is only 3-4 players on this defense that should be wearing a blackshirt, if that. Ranking as the 7th best defense in the B10 is a disgrace, as is being ranked as the 42nd best in the country for total defense, and 109th for TFL's (last in the B10) - sorry, but that isn't being a blackshirt. This team barely gets more yards on offense than it gives up, which is not acceptable (391 to 358 yds per game) and unlike any successful Husker team of the past. Bo is supposed to know defense...where is it?

These numbers are cold hard facts, not the rantings and ravings of fans that are irrational. We have gone from being seen as a dominant team to an average team since Osborne retired, no thanks to Bill Callahan, but the recovery under Bo has seemingly come to a stand still, or even taken a small step backwards. Looking at the projected depth charts for next season gives nobody cause for real hope that we will do any better, if Burkhead goes down there has been no backs that show very much promise, and Martinez has not improved his mechanics very much at all and will most likely remain a QB that is either real hot or cold, if he wins the starting spot next year, which is not a given and will leave us if he doesn't with a QB with really no game experience.

There is reason to worry. It isn't panic time yet, and for most programs having a potential 3 loss season would be a successful season - but this isn't most programs, we have higher standards and are not willing to let those standards slide. That is a problem, especially for those that think there is supposed to be some kind of parity in the NCAA that should make everyone equal. Something has to give, and I don't think the die hard fans that have high expectations are willing to give. So if there aren't some seen improvement with this team between now and the end of next season, expect the cracks to open and someone to fall in.

 

[bshirt]

Look, articles like these frustrate me. This isn't an "all or nothing" situation.

Just because a fan is critical of Bo doesn't mean she/he thinks Bo should be fired. Just because we criticize the game played doesn't mean we are, to paraphrase Will Compton, "the world."

I had concerns about Solich too, but I definitely didn't think he should have been fired in 2003 -- that staff deserved more time. And, frankly, I think that staff had some serious potential.

Bo will earn his contract or get fired all on his own.

But self righteous, passive aggressive junk like that is what really causes division.

Not sure he's talking about people just being critical towards Bo. He's speaking about people calling for Bo's head. Which has been evident even on this board ALL year long...hell even after wins. That's who's he's speaking of.

Best line in the whole article... "Which leads you to wonder, do Husker fans even know a good coach when they see one?". My guess mainly NO. Unless they win a NC, the fans he's speaking of will think coaches are bums.

I would definitely say "no".

Most NU fans simply loved firing Frank/Bo for only having a bowl winning 10 - 3 season in 2003. To this day, most of them still say it was the right move (despite the horrendous Clownahan replacement). Their mind was made up and no facts will ever change it. They're fully ready for another blood bath now for only winning 9 -10-10-(8 to 10) games a year.

U. Meyer laughed at their titanic stupidity in 2003 and any other good HC will again if/when they get their way.

NU has the best fans and the easily most stupid.

GBR!!

 

[TonyStalloni]

I certainly hope we aren't ready for a bloodbath! Granted not many are excited about our mostly unexciting year, especially when we started the season with such high expectations. Bad things happen to good people and bad things happen to good teams. Players get hurt. Players don't develop like coaches think they will. Coaches don't develop like fans think they should. Fans get their feelings hurt if we aren't Big 10 champions or national contenders. Only one team will be a champion at the end of the year. The rest are also rans with disappointed fans.

That being said I wish whoever thinks we need a coaching change would let us know which current college coach is dying to come here? Yes there are coaches who would want the job but would they face the same problems we already have? Players not suited for the new system. Players not focused on the game at all times. Underachievement. I think our coaching staff can identify the problems and I do hope the current crop of redshirts and new recruits can be the solution.

 

[nebraskaart]

Bob Stoops has also won a National Championship, 7 Conference Championships, played in 8 BCS bowls and has a winning percentage of 81%. His teams have also finished ranked 1, 6, 5, 3, 3, 22, 11, 8, 5, and 6. I think if Bo had that pedigree his blowout losses would be easier to take.

Yep!

I can see Carl being gone next year, and Bo will have some big choices to make.

 

[Hunter94]

I certainly hope we aren't ready for a bloodbath! Granted not many are excited about our mostly unexciting year, especially when we started the season with such high expectations. Bad things happen to good people and bad things happen to good teams. Players get hurt. Players don't develop like coaches think they will. Coaches don't develop like fans think they should. Fans get their feelings hurt if we aren't Big 10 champions or national contenders. Only one team will be a champion at the end of the year. The rest are also rans with disappointed fans.

That being said I wish whoever thinks we need a coaching change would let us know which current college coach is dying to come here? Yes there are coaches who would want the job but would they face the same problems we already have? Players not suited for the new system. Players not focused on the game at all times. Underachievement. I think our coaching staff can identify the problems and I do hope the current crop of redshirts and new recruits can be the solution.

i honestly think we are paying the price for Bo's underwhelming new assitant coaching hires.......if that is a big part of our letdown, then we are several years from seeing marked improvement, new coaches in college ranks, new kids, lots of inconsistency going on.....i suspect the kids may be over coached by now and losing some agressiveness, afraid to make a play or get out of position......indecision is a b!^@h.

 

[COMPTON]

There's a lot of people on here that are o.k. that we have a mediocre football team with a less than mediocre coaching staff that didn't live up to our goals we set out to get this season (you know win the division/conference title, get back to a BCS bowl, show the new conference that we're Nebraska and here to own the Big 10). But hey Nebraska is back and we are here to stay....an average football program just like we've been since 2002.