Leaderboard

Come on "miscommunication" So a guy that has been a DC and HC didn't know that they media...in a state that is crazy for its college football team...would want to chat with him? And Riley...a head coach for two decades just sort of "forgot" to mention that they chat with the media after the games? Did Riley also have to tell Bobby how many yards it takes to get a first down? Riley is graciously covering for him and I admire that.

Hello Huskers! I know you have all missed my amazingly insightful posts over the past few years but I have returned with many gifts of good news which will help bouy up your spirits concerning the current football season that has just begun! 1. Iowa State is still undefeated. 2. Iowa State sits atop the Big 12 Conference...alphabetically. 3. Iowa State is still in the running for the National Title 4. Texas has pretty much been eliminated from winning the National Title 5. The entire state of Texas has pretty much been eliminated from winning National Title 6. Iowa looked very average beating a severely overhyped Wyoming team 7. Iowa State shall demolish Iowa next weekend, removing them from contention for a conference title There was some other stuff but I forgot what it was. Meanwhile...I was able to see most of the Husker game Saturday but missed some of the 2nd half cuz we were on stage and there was this nice looking blonde with big boobs and...well...you know how it is. The main thing I took away from it was that your Corners better learn to shed blocks a little more aggressively or you'll be looking at that stupid flat screen all year AND if you have to play a 3-4, you need to find a hybrid linebacker in the old Randy White mold to make it effective or you're gonna get shelled. The 3-4 will work if you flex to present unpredictably but playing it straight up for an entire game is just asking for exploitation. Have a nice week. There will always be a place for you in the Big 12 when you come to your senses. Apparently we still have a couple extra numbers.

If he were a head coach yes. But there are plenty of programs where coordinators do not routinely address the press. Look, I understand why some people want to hear the bullsh#t coach cliches that you are going to get in these situations. I just came to the conclusion a long time ago that they offer no value to me personally. However, regardless of what side of the fence you may be on, I think most would agree that this is not an issue that needs to be front and center going into an important game. It's a stupid distraction. Shatel is a whiny ass for writing a column about it and Diaco is stupid for rising to take the bait. It could have been resolved privately through Riley I'm sure

So he was just an elite coach before Bama, and now he's possibly the GOAT. Ok. I hope Riley's story has a happy ending, but I just don't know if it will. He's the second most experienced coach in college football, and the story is still the same.

There's a tiny loud minority of people who were really hurt when Bo was fired. They've become miserable fans, can't find a single positive with any aspect of the program and are now committed to spreading their misery to others. At the end of the day, they rejoice in N deficiencies and point them out ad naseum while ignoring or minimizing strengths/successes. Then there are the folks who live in the past. All they remember are the highlights and measure the present against those highlights. Problem is, they don't recall anything but the highlights so their measure is more than just unrealistic it's fairy tale stuff. In the game of myth vs reality, myth will always win out in their way of seeing things. Believe it or not, there were plenty of low light moments and performances that went into building the glory years. It took time, trial and error, and years in the making. Finally you have the impulsive/immature poster. The difference between a baby and a man is, the baby wants something and wants it now and if he doesn't get it will start crying. A man has the mental capacity to discern there aint no such thing as a fee lunch. Things aren't served on a silver platter and just handed to you on a whim in the real world. You actually have to put in time and some work to get what you want. Message boarding is the perfect medium for the immediate gratification crowd who still have a lot of baby left in them.

They were talking about this on "Over Reaction" as well, and stated they thought he didn't speak after games at ND either. I don't see an issue with it. As long as he don't talk to the press when they do well in a game. That would be a major issue for me. All or nothing is fine with me. I don't need to hear from him anyway, he is not the Head Coach.

Of course. but we certainly have the ability to rotate guys between series as well as have times after penalties, injuries, TV timeouts, etc. If your defense is tired, you may need to think about the consequences of having CBs trailing the receivers and LBs not able to move fast enough or DL simply not able to rush the QB. My primary point is, however, that this is the first game of the season and these are 20 year old men that should be in the best physical shape of their lives. Playing 89 snaps spaced out in groups of 6 to 12 snaps over a 4 hour period with all sorts of stoppages for scores, timeouts, quarters, half times, etc should mean we do NOT get fatigued. The essential point of the discussion is why are our players NOT in good enough physical shape to be able to be play hard in the 4th quarter. We likely had almost double the number of players suited up as Ark State, being at home. Our players should have been fully rested and ready to go. This is game one, long before any issues of playing a long, tough season. Substitute guys. Take a time out before you give up a TD or more first downs. Adjust your defense to get a stop. That is the point. We are Nebraska! We have literally tens of millions of dollars invested in the finest strength and conditioning program on the planet!

Fine won't go in the books as a drop. But it hit him in chest and then in the hands and the score board operator didn't have to change a 0 to a 6. He dropped it and that's a ball that should have been caught.

Deontre Thomas. I saw a few nice quick spurts out of him breaking through - including the second to last play of the game when he came very close to a sack. For a young kid, in that sort of pressure situation, I was impressed. I'm psyched to see him grow in our program.

Well, I will say right now that I'm a Husker fan through and through and I'm rooting for Riley to go undefeated this season, win the B1G and play for a national championship. I promise now, that if ANY of that happens (or even if he gets close to any of that), I will humbly admit that I misjudged him. But sitting here 2 seasons and a game into his tenure, he has done nothing to change my opinion of him when he was first hired.

My life revolves around Husker football as much as yours does. I'm on a message board making a comment after a disappointing game and pointing out that, at least so far, this is pretty much what I expected from a .500 coach. It's not what I wanted, but what I expected. I guess I just don't have the exciting life you do...you know, the one where you read huskerboard posts and comment on them and hurl insults at people who are expressing their opinion.

Week 1 had some good feedback, so we are doing it again! Nebraska beats Oregon (take the over on this one) Ohio State rolls OU again Auburn goes to Clemson and escapes with a win Arkansas State beats Miami U in Arkansas Northern Colorado gives Florida a scare Saquan Barkley has over 250 yards of total offense vs Pitt AND Spielman or DPE houses another special teams play vs Oregon! What are some other bold predictions for week 2?

Yes, it was a win. But nothing yet has convinced me that Riley is other than what he has always been; a .500 coach. I would love to be proven wrong. I was very excited about this season, despite my trepidation about Riley's past performance, but a game like tonight's just makes me think that this "nice guy" needs to retire so that the Huskers can hire a coach with more desire to win. Riley was a bad hire. I am not calling for his firing, that would just make NU look like a bigger dumpster fire than it already does...but he should just get out of the game. He was fine as an Oregon State coach, but he doesn't have what it takes to coach at a place with the expectations that are placed on the coach the way they are at NU. ...one more thing...before someone tries to "correct me" and say that Riley is above .500 at NU, I know what his record is, but playing like a .500 coach will keep us middle of the pack (at best), which is what Riley has done in his first couple of years at NU.

Diaco not answering questions after a truly BAFFLING season-opening performance from his unit was puzzling. There's nothing unfair about that. It could easily, easily have been mea culpa'd away. Instead he went to the podium, called the whole thing ridiculous, and threw his head coach under the bus in the process. He even went as far as pointing out he got stuck in a freight elevator. Look, there was an easy response to this and it's an "our bad". I'm frankly surprised it didn't come from Riley himself. If this is how he's responding now, I shudder to think how ugly it's going to get when they start losing games, and they will. "Us Against The World" develops when small moments and honest questions are interpreted as crucifixion. Accountability goes by the wayside when your team leaders can't say "Oops, my bad" in the easiest opportunity you will ever have to do so. Just look through this thread. In order to stick up for Diaco in this episode it's almost necessary to adopt a "Media are the devil" posture. Yeah, sure, the media and the coaches have different goals and this has always been the case. But we've seen this story before from an NU coaching staff. It doesn't end pretty. The current staff at NU has banked quite a bit of goodwill. Diaco is burning through that capital. It's confusing more than anything.

He'd be the starting CAT game 1.

So in the offseason there were some complaining that Riley/Langs don't run the ball enough. Then in camp some complained that we must not have good RBs because there was going to be a committee. Then in the first game, we have a RB run 31 times and almost reach 200 yards. However, some people still complain. Classic.

Yes! There were other ways Shatel could have dealt with this without immediately resorting to what amounts to a public hit piece. Maybe talk to Riley and ask him about it. Talk to media relations. Now I really wish Diaco hadn't taken the bait but instead just gave incredibly bland press conferences with one word answers. Or even just go full Maarshawn Lynch on them and keep repeating the same thing

Only an idiot would have hired him in the first place for this job. Also...who cares about how much they have to pay for a coach? No one

Completely on Diaco's side on this one. The media let their hurt feelings/egos get in the way of their (supposedly) unbiased reporting. They were clearly out for Diaco after he skipped out on the post game interviews, despite not knowing what he and Riley might have had planned. Their work since Saturday has been nothing but careless opinion pieces, rather than legitimate journalistic work. And Diaco's response was perfect. Well thought out, and direct. Which can't be said for Bo, and his responses to the media.

I dunno. His job is to coach football. The media is secondary. If you could pick between a winning coach who never says a word, and a losing coach who siits down and spews BS till somebody turns off the lights what would you pick? What wiuld Shatel pick? Personally if he is gonna do a lot of talking, I'd rather that he talk to his players than Tom Shatel. Also, time from now until Oregon is finite. Maybe he just wanted to get right to film.

Put me in the crowd that thinks this is a stupid story. I don't care if he doesn't talk after the game. Making a mountain out of a molehill.

sorry Bob, this is a new program here, you need to man up and stand up and give an assessment, when it is good will you be around? i expect so, assuming we ever become good on D. personally i don't think he has the guys to play a 3-4......its square peg, round hole.........no speed up front, no pressure,

Diaco's response has me shaking my head. Wtf, Bob. Expected better. This was a Bo move. The only thing "ridiculous" or "disappointing" here is to see a coach in Riley's program being so easily baited into this response after his first game, a win no less.

Yep. Seriously, screw the media. This is just a distraction we don't need during prep for Oregon. The media is just mad they didn't get a chance to embarrass Diaco after the game. The defense already did that. They sucked. Enough said. He will either fix it or he won't have a job. Do you really think a guy who based on reports has always avoided press conferences is going to give you an informative press conference. I wish Riley would just say that the buck stops with him and he will address the media on behalf of his staff.

Diaco firing back

Rewatching the 60 minute replay: -Lee throws a beautiful ball, and he is eager to perform well -Bryant isn't a break away speed guy but damn he can truck, give him a line to work behind and look out -The little pressure we put on thr QB comes FAR too late -Secondary looks like it learned nothing in fall camp, just terrible -Stupid stupid penalties, gotta clean that up quickly -Receicers are going to be our biggest strength down the stretch -Short pass defense we still refuse to close the gap, play too far off the line and away from receivers -Tackling is so so most the time, looks soft -Absolute joke they were gifted that FG at half -Kalu may be our most important Defensive player -I really think Arkansas State has a special defensive unit this year

Not really.

Saturday's game reminded me of the 2013 opener vs Wyoming. G5 team came in and lit us up for 600 yards thanks to a questionable defensive game plan and execution by the Huskers. Never put the game away and had to hold on late. Hopefully this defense catches on quicker bc that team took awhile before they started playing better defense.

Of course the media is ticked Diaco didn't show up. How else would they get their pound of flesh? I've never really understood the allure of the post-game presser unless you have to be there. Rarely, if ever does the coach say anything of substance.

Did he say that word-for-word? 'cause that would be awesome.

Wait...if he can't be judged by his time at OSU what can he be judged on? I am assuming nothing. Toss out the record and look at what OSU fans said about him forever... Bad clock management and bad game management. Doesn't matter what school you are at when it comes to those things.

What I learned: That some people can't handle their liquor before football games. That some people leave after the 1st qtr and don't return. That Sam McKweon is a blimp. That some people didn't get the clear bag memo. That some girl left her panties on the corner of 15th & Vine. That the person that won the HyVee $250 tailgate gift card didn't need the $250 to use towards their next tailgate. That the old timer next to me was in the Air Force and seemed disappointed that I was never in the service. That when people leave games early the drive back to Omaha goes a lot quicker. That Nebraska won and still has a lot of stuff to work on.

ok

Saban had success at Toledo before he got Michigan State. At MSU, after a couple years, he lead them to their first double digit win season in 30 years. Then he went to LSU and won a national title, before going to the Dolphins. He was also learning the ropes at those gigs, and hadn't been coaching for four and a half decades at that point.

It's weird how blind/forgetful some Nebraska fans suddenly are about what college football is like when this happens to Nebraska. The thing that I love about college football is that bad teams can get up for good teams and manage to pull out a win. Maybe we're not a good team this year, but one game absolutely does not show that. FFS look at Tennessee last year. They almost lost to an FCS team and ended up having a decent season.

I will say this. Despite his career record I don't know if there's a more likable coach out there. I definitely like and respect Mike Riley as a person. Even though I don't think ultimately he's the guy to get Nebraska 'back' at least for now I don't have to worry about him embarrassing himself like Bo did on a weekly basis.

You do understand if the offense doesn't substitute the defense does not have time to against a hurry up, right? It is literally written into the rulebook and talked about in every game you watch with an up tempo team. You have watched "tempo" based offenses before, haven't you?

There's no way a team like Arkansas State should be able to get 20 first downs on us. Let alone 32. If that's really Disco Bob's strategy then cut him loose right now.

1. We were plus 2 in turnover margin with QB making his first start for N. Zero turnovers on a night a new QB passed the ball 32 times and we ran the ball 38 times. 2. A punting game like last night can decide close games later this season. 3. We showed explosive big play capability on the ground and through the air. That's a defenses worst nightmare. 4. We showed we can pound the rock, have a go to back, and capable backups. 5. Lee showed composure, accuracy, good decision making, and that he can lead this offense and get all the playmakers around him involved. 6. FG's 2 for 2 7. D playing new positions and scheme, generated 2 important turnovers. In 82 plays defended, allowed just one to go for more than 30 yards. I think aTm gave up 10 times that many in the 2nd half tonight. 8. I learned Husker football in 2017 is off to an exciting start. If you weren't entertained by that game, maybe you've forgot how to enjoy them one week at a time and not worry about the future implications of every single play. We WON.

alright " a snow balls chance in hell' there better! unless you happen to be a snow ball

It's not really a viable strategy. It's just something coaches say to justify giving up too many first downs and not forcing enough 3-&-outs.

Word on the street is that he yelled "FAKE NEWS" as he ran by.

Well, this is a discussion board...isn't it? I mean, I guess they could change the rules and make it a board just for posting unicorns and rainbows and showing much love and support for everything that the coaching staff does. But I thought we were allowed to come and voice concerns, vent frustrations, criticize coaching decisions....These coaches make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to do a job...if they aren't doing it...then I think they should be open to criticism. You will never (NEVER) see me going after the players, calling them out individually or as a group; they are kids brought here to live out their dream and play Husker football. But I feel that the coaching staff is fair game. I was not sold on Riley as a choice for Nebraska head coach. I am from So Cal and I remember him as the Chargers head coach, and since I see a lot of Pac 10/12 football, I remember him as the OSU coach. I know that he ran one of those programs where everyone was absolutely thrilled if he could upset one of the big boys once a year...and if he could manage a season with double-digit wins every 5 or 6 years. I don't think that's enough for Nebraska. As locountry said above, this .500 coaching seems to be in his blood. It doesn't even seem to bother him. So reading threads like this is "Very tiring"? Then why do you read them? There are many topics on Huskerboard that don't interest me...I just don't click on them. Maybe you should try that if reading my post is so "tiring".

Should this team do well this season, the goombas who are over-reacting now will saying something to the effect of "Well, I'm glad things turned out well....Husker fan through and through" while conveniently omitting how they pissed in every thread they could find. There's a difference between mature criticism of a game/staff versus a compulsion to puke in every thread.

Guess I saw things differently. Late in the game Carlos Davis was fighting so hard he had to be tackled. Gifford was running hard til the whistle. OTOH, playing confused, like some of the DBs seemed to do, stresses you out like crazy. Instead of the game slowing down it speeds up. I did see some of that. The Oline was pushing hard on run support til the end. Kinda of a mixed bag but on balance I didn't think the kids looked too bad at the end.

Nebraska football is where you'd figure it would be with the current circumstances. We are a middle of the pack B1G team. When Mike Riley was hired, it spoke volumes about where the commitment to being a top program was.

First game, and he's already declining post-game interviews. Not a good sign. What's worse is that people are already making excuses for him. Next week will be telling. If adjustments haven't been made an Oregon drops 50+ on us, then I'll start to worry.

That's called being a fan. Maybe you should find a new team? We won. Be happy and hope for the best going forward. Glad to see some reasonable folks hovering around.

If you had to Google who Mike Riley was, I'm kinda thinking you shouldn't have been one to judge his career at the time. It just amazes me that people didn't know who Mike Riley was at the time. But hey, my wife said something about Mike Riley at work the other day and she said none of her coworkers knew who she was talking about. She works at Starbucks though, so it was a bunch of "sports are stupid" hipsters.

doesnt ASU have a guy on the verge of becoming the all time sack leader in college football? and werent they near the top of cfb in tfl's?