Erstad out to show he's right man for job

N

Nexus

New member
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP)—New Nebraska coach Darin Erstad loves when people say he can’t do something.
Erstad said he knows some in college baseball don’t think he’s qualified for the job after working one year as a volunteer assistant. While he said his 14 years in the major leagues should count for something, he simply plans to prove them wrong without lashing out.

“Maybe they’re right,” Erstad said. “Maybe I’m not experienced enough for it. Time will tell. I know baseball. I know kids. I know the University of Nebraska. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and we’ll see what happens.”

Continue Reading
Click to expand...
 
good read. It will be interesting to see how it all works out, we'll need to remember these first few years that he has basically no experience and is still learning. Personally, I think he'll be great from the start, but if we have to wait a couple years I'll be fine with it, as long as it's a guy like Darin running the show.

 
Comish said:
The Fighting Erstads will surprise a lot of people.......................
Click to expand...
And hopefully not in the wrong way. ^_^

I suppose this does beg the question, though--what are the expectations for this year's Baseball team? Big 10 or bust, regional tourney or bust, just get a better record than last year--what are we truly expecting?

 
matthew_m_g said:
Comish said:
The Fighting Erstads will surprise a lot of people.......................
Click to expand...
And hopefully not in the wrong way. ^_^

I suppose this does beg the question, though--what are the expectations for this year's Baseball team? Big 10 or bust, regional tourney or bust, just get a better record than last year--what are we truly expecting?
Click to expand...
My guess is we'll treat it similarly to Bo Pelini's 1st year at Nebraska as head coach. Keeping in mind that like BP, DE is a first time head coach. What helps DE though is the experience of his assistants. That should hopefully translate into actual results in their first year.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Honestly, fair or not, I'm expecting a B1G championship or only a game or two away from it. It's hard to know what to expect, though. Were MA's teams really underacheiving that much, or will it take some time to get different talent on this team. If the year starts off rough, I'll temper my expectations, but no matter what they need to be over .500 by at least a handful of games.

 
How good does NU actually have to be in the B1G? I admit, I don't know much about the conference's baseball teams and their history, but I'd have to guess that the Big 12 is a much stronger baseball conference. It'll be interesting to see how Erstad gets the guys going.

 
Foppa said:
How good does NU actually have to be in the B1G?
Click to expand...
For fans, I have the feeling it's Big 10 title or bust every year, considering the Big 10 is a weaker conference (again, thanks to Delaney and the Big 10 office).

For the tourney, we must win, place, or show in the Big 10 Season and Tourney. Anything worse, and our RPI won't be good enough to make it in. Note that only one Big 10 team made it to the tourney last year.

 
matthew_m_g said:
Foppa said:
How good does NU actually have to be in the B1G?
Click to expand...
For fans, I have the feeling it's Big 10 title or bust every year, considering the Big 10 is a weaker conference (again, thanks to Delaney and the Big 10 office).

For the tourney, we must win, place, or show in the Big 10 Season and Tourney. Anything worse, and our RPI won't be good enough to make it in. Note that only one Big 10 team made it to the tourney last year.
Click to expand...
I don't know if it's fair or not..............but I think the fan's expectation IS that we win the Big 10...........mostly based on the lack of national respect the league gets..............

 
Comish said:
Gumbercules said:
He was an absolutely idiotic hire. Tom Osborne was a fantastic head coach. He's a horrible AD
Click to expand...
May want to at least give him a few games before we rank his prowess as a coach......................
Click to expand...
There was simply no reason to hire him. There is NO WAY that Tom made the hire based on his prowess as a coach. Because he literally has NO resume as a coach. How could ANYONE know what kind of coach he is? I'm talking about the hire itself. There were plenty of accomplished and successful coaches who wanted this job. Tom admitted that himself.

To hire a dude who had never even been a paid coach was simply idiotic. Nebraska as a program should never have to be the proving ground. Proven coaches should come here. Tom has now treated two different teams as if we need to hire an up and coming coach as opposed to one who has actually been proven. It makes no sense

 
Gumbercules said:
Comish said:
Gumbercules said:
He was an absolutely idiotic hire. Tom Osborne was a fantastic head coach. He's a horrible AD
Click to expand...
May want to at least give him a few games before we rank his prowess as a coach......................
Click to expand...
There was simply no reason to hire him. There is NO WAY that Tom made the hire based on his prowess as a coach. Because he literally has NO resume as a coach. How could ANYONE know what kind of coach he is? I'm talking about the hire itself. There were plenty of accomplished and successful coaches who wanted this job. Tom admitted that himself.

To hire a dude who had never even been a paid coach was simply idiotic. Nebraska as a program should never have to be the proving ground. Proven coaches should come here. Tom has now treated two different teams as if we need to hire an up and coming coach as opposed to one who has actually been proven. It makes no sense
Click to expand...
You make some valid points........

I'll just play devil's advocate..........

Erstad DOES understand the Nebraska "culture"................(however much credibility you want to assign to that)..............and our recruiting pluses and limitations.

He has proven baseball acumen, talent, experience, and name recognition far beyond our borders.

He has donated over a million bucks back to the University so I don't think salary and/or future compensation is much of an issue..............indeed he has the flexibility to channel limited university resources to assistant coaches to hire and maintain quality.

His passion for the game and the University is not in question.

And, being on staff last year gave him an honest appraisal of just where our talent level lies..................

Now, having said all that...............he is unproven for now...........but I'm willing to give him the chance to produce before I judge him...........(just like I would with any new hire)......

Just my opinion.........

 
Back
Top