Nevada Husker

The receivers are getting a lot of love right now but my concern is: Are any of them a game-breaker? We "think" Turner might be but it hasn't been proven. They are all pretty serviceable and mostly reliable but can they change a game in the 4th quarter if needed (and there will be a few games we'll need it)? I think that's something yet to be known...

My opinion, but Pelini hasn't shown anything other than being able to produce good but not great teams in four seasons. The ball is in his court, it's time for him to produce. I think the University has done more than enough to show it's loyalty to him, significant progress must be shown this season.

Pelini will never admit it, but his change in demeanor and rosy proclamations are because he is feeling the hot seat and knows he has no choice but to produce this year. What that definition of producing is this for 2012 is open for debate, but I would think he should be no more than a game back of the Leaders division winner. Coming in middle of the pack again will leave certain boosters asking for a change. No excuses now, these are his recruits & coaches.

In my opinion, he comes off like a petulant child with a "it's someone else's fault" (media, fans) attitude instead of looking in the mirror. I don't believe Bo will ever get Husker football to the point that we will finish a season ranked in the Top 5 let alone get to a BCS Championship game. A pattern has emerged through 4 years that I don't see changing with him.

Callahan's a guy that's found his niche and accepted it. There are many former HC's out there that are doing well and happy being a position coach or coordinator. They tried and failed at the big job but are well suited for a lesser role, no shame in that. I wouldn't be shocked to turn on the TV four years from now and see Bo Pelini on the sidelines as DC for an NFL team. He could stay somewhat behind the scenes (let's be honest, he's not comfortable as the CEO and face of Husker football) and could concentrate on what he likely enjoys most.

ha, then runs straight into a light pole that is standing before him! lol 2011 version: "taylor martinez makes a 30 degree cut slower than slug running from saltwater - then runs into his own offensive lineman and falls over" Would love to know what happened to the guy. I know he was dinged up the last 1/2 of 2010, but even this year he doesn't have the explosiveness and seems to run so tentatively like he's scared to get injured.

Two very different guys. Tebow is built like a linebacker, was a better passer in college than Crouch, and has an incredible will & drive to lead his team. Crouch could beat Tebow in a foot race, but in all other areas I believe Tebow comes out further ahead in terms of having NFL success.

Frost. In my opinion, Frost was a leader and Crouch was just an individual with a lot of physical talent.

It's very worrisome to me that even with a small class we are having a hard time holding onto kids we thought were locked up. It's a reflection of what these recruits feel (or don't feel) about our staff & program.

A little easier to make that argument back in 2001 when the team you are referencing was beaten by 32 points...not the same as losing in overtime to the #1 ranked team.

I understand everyone's frustrations with Pederson's time here at Nebraska, and I wanted him gone as much as anybody, BUT all of the "hate" against him is ridiculous in my opinion. I doubt he was trying to hire bad coaches at Nebraska, and make bad decisions. Was he best for Nebraska? No. But does he deserve to be hated by a whole state? No. Part of me feels bad for the guy because he was a Nebraska boy, and that has to be hard for him to know that he let his whole state down, and sent the Nebraska football program down a bad path, that we are just now coming out of. I would assume that most of us are from Nebraska. Can you imagine if you were responsible for the demise of Nebraska Football? That would be gut-wrenching as a native of the great state. I think the guy was dreaming of NC's and thought Frank was slipping into mediocrity. He figured he'd let Solich go and he'd be able to get a home-run type hire. Wasn't Callahan 4th or 5th down on the list after we'd been turned down by a few others? I don't think Pederson thought Callahan would be the best available to give us a "yes".

The problem with the "what if" argument is that you have to be honest and then also add in the close games we won that could have gone in the other direction.

This is where I start to wonder. I talked to PJ's dad while sharing his (excellent) crawfish boil after the Northwestern game, and I asked him why PJ wasn't playing. He said it was "the coach's decision." Asked if he was banged up and dad said no. I think we joke a lot about the "doghouse," and for the most part I tend to believe that's an urban legend. But conversations like that with PJ's dad make me wonder. This worries me at times. Do you remember how everyone and their mother had "a story to tell" about all the problems going on with the team and athletic dept when Steve Pederson was fired? None of these people seemed to talk about them until he was let go. I really hope there aren't underlying dysfunctionality issues with the way Pelini runs the team that we won't hear about till later.

Show's what the guy can accomplish when he has talent. If he could supplement his staff with experienced coordinators and a top notch recruiter we'd be in pretty good shape.

Both Bo and Dr. Tom have talked on a number of occasions about how much they talk. Tom isn't a micro-manager, but Bo does use his wisdom. They disagree, they have different philosophies on a lot of things, but Bo has a very capable mentor right down the hall and he uses him. I'd be happy if you were correct, but I don't think Osborne really steps in much at all to give direction.

Great points. A couple of concerns I have is that who is really developing our Offensive Coordinator Beck? This is Bo's first gig as a HC, how would he even know how to develop Beck? People like to think that Osborne is giving Beck help but I don't know if that's happening much at all given Pelini's stubborness and the fact that Osborne seems to love letting every one know that he stays out of Bo's business. That obviously goes back to Osborne's days as a HC when he wished he had more autonomy. But, there are times like this that Osborne should be stepping in as Bo's boss and directing him. I think we're stuck in a situation with an inexperienced HC with stubborness issues with an AD that likes to be hands-off. Because of this I don't see how we become a stable Top 10 caliber team.

It makes me laugh when people reply simply to point out typing errors. Grammar policing at its best. And because I think some of our coaching staff is Conf-USA caliber, I am a troll? Pump that sunshine! Why is it so hard for someone to be a fan, yet not be clouded by red colored glasses? I think you raise some valid points FWIW Sadly the teams we're trying to compete with in the league (Michican, Ohio State, Wisconsin) have strong & experienced staffs that keep getting stronger. We have a staff filled with inexperience at all positions, including head coach.

Agreed. I don't think Bo would want to deal with inexperienced playcalling on both sides of the field. The only knock on Stoops is he is another one of Bo's friends. I would really like to see him go out and interview some coordinators from other programs. Stoops is proven and qualified, however. I think the 'Bo hiring his buddies' thing is only a problem when it's a problem. It's natural to want to work with someone you know and trust. The issue comes when you constantly gamble by putting underqualified people in positions of massive responsibility. The offensive (and defensive) shakeup last year was a symphony of timidity. Just once I'd like to see Bo go out and hit a homerun. Bring in a known, respected, successful, seasoned coordinator who will bring a spark and a new set of eyes to the program. Pap may be a great coach. He may one day make a great coordinator. But I'm sorry, for most of his career at Nebraska, he coached D-ends. Not even the entire line. This season the line was soggy toast. Why is Nebraska all of the sudden a place where any teenage coordinator can learn his trade? If a guy's with the program a decade and successful, sure, promote him. IMO Pap ain't earned it yet. The opportunity is there for the taking to knock one out of the park. I hope Bo doesn't pussyfoot around on this one. Couldn't agree more. The B1G is now filled with very senior coaching staffs that Nebraska is going to not only compete with on the field but also on the recruiting trail. "On the job training" is not going to be acceptable for both the OC and DC positions. This is Bo's chance to step up his game as a head coach.

I have a more personal side to this debate. I went to Nebraska from 2003-2008. I'm from Houston, TX as was David Dyches. He went to my high school and I knew him form a kid, so it was pretty cool that he was going to Nebraska too. At the time he was one of the highest recruited kickers in the nation. He had an offer from Ohio ST. but chose Nebraska. His freshman year I roomed with him at Abel. Dyches was one of the most athletic guys Ive ever known, and this showed his freshman year when he played very well. And yes, he did single handidly save us in the Penn ST. game. Unfortunately for him, the guy that recruited him, Solich was fired that year and in came ole' Bill Callahan. I was able to see first hand how David reacteed to the new coach. He never said anything bad about Callahan, but you could tell that the two butted heads and did not get along. How do you explain David being a Freshman All-American one year & then the next year, the guy he beat out, Sandro De-suckass starting over him. Didn't make sense. This seemed to wear on Dyches & his work ethic seemed to take a toll & I believe this showed in his kicking. Needless to say, compared to the kicking greats we've had in the Browns & Henery, Dyches and Congdon pale in comparison. Just wanted to share a more personal story on the matter. One more thing, Dyches was always reading the paper & would always ask me about the negative comments toward him. Do you guys think the players on this team get caught up in what the media says about them? If I were a player I don't think I would ever read an article or watch anything that pertained to our team or myself. Seems that would be the best way to keep your head clear. You know people are starved for coaching news when a "DC Candidates" topic is devolving into arguments about kickers...

Unfortunately I remember the delay didn't help when it came to recruiting either...too many kids weren't sure what kind of offense we'd run.

My problem with Jason is he makes a lot of broad statements like that yet he's not around the team. How does he know there aren't leaders on the team? Apparently he didn't watch Rex at all this year or talk to any players at all. David was the same way on the defense. I'm sorry, just because you beat down some freshman on the team and demoralize him and bully him (a guy who's supposed to be your teammate BTW) it doesn't mean you're not a leader. As far as the defense he's so against, he doesn't consider the fact that there are more than one way to skin a cat so to speak. Just because we ran a defense one way almost 20 years ago it doesn't mean any number of defenses wont work. BTW. . .McBride who he's pimping so hard likes this defense. I think it comes from the fact that there seem to be a couple "lead by example" guys on the team (David, Burkhead) but no apparent vocal leaders on the sidelines during the actual games.

Hiring Ron Zook would be a very interesting and a very intriguing hire by Nebraska. This whole week I have thought that we would go after Mike Stoops, and I still think that he has a high possibility of coming to Lincoln, but I could also see where Ron Zook would be a great hire for us as well. I could see a scenario where Bo promotes John Papuchis to Defensive Coordinator and has Ron Zook help coach the D-Line and take over JP's role as Recruiting Coordinator. I think that could be a very strong set-up for Nebraska. No matter who we hire I have complete faith in Bo & in Tom Osborne to make a strong hire for this football program. You can't honestly think Ron Zook would come for anything less than a Defensive Coordinator title? He isn't going to take a job as a position coach after being a head coach at two major universities.

I hope you're right. As much as people get a warm & fuzzy feeling about "keeping it in-house", I think for Nebraska to get to Top 10 relevant we should be going to the outside for proven candidates at the coordinator positions. With equal talent a more senior staff will beat a junior staff 90% of the time...I think we saw that a couple of times this year, unfortunately. I think JP gets a move up no matter what. I think he needs to. He'll be a head coach in the next 5 years. Personally I'm fine with him solely at DC if some duties are moved around. If we end up with just JP and no splash hire which is just as strong a possibility Els will probably take over special teams. Just tough to tell who does RC. I feel really good no matter what way it ends up. Personally (I could be wrong) I don't think the boosters will give Pelini a long enough leash to allow for a brand new DC like JP to "grow" into their new role. I would suspect the boosters are pushing hard for Pelini to shake up a so-so staff with some proven commodities. I don't buy this "proven" mantra whatsoever. There's wayyyyyy to many variables involved. What kind of synergy do they bring between the coaches, the schemes, the players and so on? A couple of years ago UCLA brought in one of the the most "proven" OCs in cfb with N. Chow and he failed miserably. We bring in a "proven" Clownahan (Superbowl coach!) and he fails miserably. Sherman with TAM, etc, etc. It happens everywhere. I'm fine with whoever BO chooses. "Proven" resume or not. My point being I hope Pelini is doing an extensive search of the best defensive minds in the country and hires a great candidate. My fear is he'll keep it in his inner-circle.

Exactly...high level success = discussion

Great point of perspective for Husker fans...It's rare that anyone outside of the B1G watches that channel, I never sought it out before this season. Concerning when it comes to recruiting nationally...