kid nickels

Man just imagine Cowher as our coach. Every kid in the country would want to play for him.

I used to think Bo was our guy, but the realization of his lack of recruiting ability has finally set in.

Bill Cowher would be my top pick, even though there is zero chance of that happening, since he has his pick of NFL jobs. Would love to have Saban of course, but he's not leaving the SEC. Others: Rich Rodriguez Dan Mullen Chris Petersen Gary Patterson Bobby Petrino Jon Gruden I also wouldn't mind Pete Carroll or Jim Tressel. Yes there would be sanctions to deal with, but the payoff in the long run would be worth it. Or what about former Tennessee coach Philip Fulmer? Won a NC at Tennessee, very underrated.

When he's an abysmal failure in Dallas, like he is everywhere else he goes, can we finally put this myth to bed? He's off to a great start. Fielding arguably the worst offensive line in the NFL with his own hand-picked guys. This Tennessee Titans fan disagrees with you on "worst offensive line in the NFL" that belongs to my Titans. Now that I've had time to think about it and let my emotions cool off, I can make a coherent post. I like Bo. I want Bo to be the guy. I can take losing to a more talented team/team with a great quarterback. However, what I cannot take, and most of you will agree, are the meltdown loses. Say we lose by 7 or 10 or 14, I don't think any of us thought we would go into Columbus and win unless we played 100% perfection. But Bo's teams have the ability to make a respectable loss into a complete meltdown disaster. I thought we had a chance if we did a few things: Contain Miller, which we didn't do after the first quarter. No turnovers, which did not happen. Minimize penalties and do not put us in bad positions, which we did not. Bo's first few recruiting classes were crap and it's showing now. I know the guys are giving their hardest effort, at least I hope, and I want them to succeed, and I try not to rail on the players but it just isn't working. We got some good players on the sideline and in the recruiting wings, so there is hope for the future. We can take loses. Just look at Nebraska from 1972-1993. 1998-2001. It's okay, we don't expect to go undefeated every year, or every 2 years or go 60-3 in five years. But we DO expect to at the very LEAST win the division, compete for the Conference title, which gives us a BCS Bowl game shot and an outside shot at the National Title. Those are my expectations at least. I want Bo to be the guy, but the inability to hire experienced coordinators and the combination of crappy first two recruiting classes are REALLY showing this year and in a bad way. I can take losses. But what I cannot take are the meltdowns on national TV. Those have got to stop. It's just a joke. That and the penalties, mental errors, and Mr. Turnover bug. The offense has made improvements. Taylor showed heart while having a terrible night. Kenny Bell has amazing hands and the running backs are impressive. We have play-makers on offense but the offensive and defensive lines are terrible. We are too slow on defense and have been for two years. I knew we were in trouble when I saw the Southern Miss game, too slow on defense. We don't tackle well and we can't keep guys in front of us. I remember a quote from McBride that was posted on here a while ago that summed it up as "if you don't have a defensive [or offensive line] you can go home." We need: Speed on defense, speed on defense, and more speed on defense. Improve the lines and we are where we need to be. Competing for the Conference title, giving us a shot at a BCS bowl, and an outside chance of a National Title. But it has to start with Bo admitting faults and make changes whatever it maybe. Scheme, personnel, players on the field, take over the defense completely, make drastic changes in the off-season, or just play the best athletes on defense and hope for the best. Do we put Stafford at linebacker? Change up the safeties? Where is Andrew Green at? Where is the zone defense? Zone blitzes? Cortney Osborne? Younger athletic linebackers? The defensive line is a mess and I don't think it can be cured during the season. Where are the JUCOs that can make an immediate impact? Seisay anyone? I don't know what we can do on the defensive line. Martin shows flashes, but no one else really does. Compton can get to the quarterback but he has problems finishing off the play. We need speed on defense and sure tacklers. We continually give up 5 or 6 yards a pop on a run. We get pushed back. We are timid and do too much reading and not enough attacking. I never thought we'd see a Bo Pelini defense look so inept. But when you don't have the horses, you can't be competitive. I figured at worst, we would be in 2003 mode under Bo. Below average offense but a great defense to keep us in EVERY game. That is not the case anymore. We have talent in some spots, but not enough to be where we need to be. And we have to fix that as soon as possible. I just hope Bo is the guy that can get it done because if not we will be rebuilding for even longer. We cannot afford to fire Bo for anything less than consecutive losing seasons or NO ONE will want to come here. That is a fact. Bo is the guy until we have back to back losing seasons. I just hope he can get it figured out so we don't have to go through it again. Unless someone has a crystal ball and knows all the answers.... I agreed with what you said, except for this part. I think it's pretty much impossible for us to have back-to-back losing seasons, simply because of our non-conference schedule and the other similar teams in the conference. IMO, back-to-back seasons with 8 wins or less would constitute a change. I also don't agree that "no one" would come here -- money talks.

I say anything less than 9 wins is unacceptable.

All I gotta say is, we have TWO weeks to prepare for Northwestern and their mobile QB. Two weeks. That game will tell a lot. If we come out flat yet again and can't contain Colter and self-destruct yet again, with the fumbling and turnovers and same old BS (and I really have no reason not the believe that this won't be the case), then I'll be at a complete loss. Then again, I guess it doesn't really matter -- Pelini has had 5 years to prove that he can recruit elite talent, and he hasn't been able to do it. I don't see that changing. Until we get an established recruiter who can lure kids to NU, then we will be stuck with mediocrity and disappointment. We need a coach that kids nationally know of and actually WANT to play for.

Say what you want about Pelini, but the national perception of him is that he's a hothead who verbally abuses his players. I hate to say that, but it's true.

Once again, that is exactly why we need a coach who is a proven recruiter who can recruit top talent.

^^This. We don't have the talent on the DL or LB to stop a mobile QB. Scheme all you want, but if you don't have the guys to pull it off, it won't work. Amd we never will, until we get a proven recruiter.

The season sucks because we're 1-1 in the big ten after losing on the road to a team 10 ranks higher than us and in the other division? Was hoping to see some perspective and the realization that we're not in a bad position Big 10 wise, except for a relatively tough schedule. Ohio State also beat MSU, making our job easier. We showed we have strength, talent, and can make big plays as well as big mistakes, but this was not a must win game nor were we favored. I suggest we come back down from the edge, stop acting like Iowa fans- who actually have something to really complain about, and just breathe into a paper bag for 2 weeks. I'm sorry you apparently missed the game and the press conference afterwards. In your conveniently coy Football-For-Dummies version of what actually happened last night, you forgot to mention that our quarterback 'improved' from bad to miserable, our defense was Cosgrovian in the non-hyperbole sense of the word, and afterwards our coach looked like a guy who just came out of the trenches in World War 1. Forget winning the division. There's no logical reason to think it will happen. Forget the title. That won't happen either. What did happen (or is happening, I should say), is Nebraska has been completely exposed. Every minor fault and crack many decided to ignore in favor of fantasies of a psychologically matured, disciplined football team split into canyons. We have massive systemic issues within the program and no amount of excuse-peddling or sunshine-pumping is going to alter that fact. It will continue to prove itself over. . .and over. . .and over. . .until the issue is addressed. It's Groundhog Day at Nebraska as long as self-delusion is the modus operandi. My feeling is, this staff as it stands is completely incapable of addressing its problems. Pelini is largely responsible for this. Now, finally, after last night, I think he's beginning the process of coming to terms with it. We're not on the ledge. We've fallen off it. Recognize it. Admit it. If you don't, I hope Bo does, else I fully believe we are sunk. You're sunk. Gone! I suggest you follow Alabama this year since they're the only team that won't lose a big game under pressure. Any of the other top 10 can and likely will. OSU is a better team, and Braxton Miller is a better QB. There was no way we were coming out of that stadium with a win unless those two factors didn't bother showing up. Since they did, our turnover problems only made a loss into an embarrassing one. Who the hell cares? I suggest you let go of your personal, posterior pain and sandy nether-region affliction and realize that we're 1-1 in our division, it's early, and the worst game is probably over. I'll admit that our program has its challenges but there is no reason to expect, even hope for out of spite, the same kind of result in any of our remaining games. Please tell me you are joking. I have EVERY reason to believe that they'll perform exactly the same way -- they've been doing it throughout Bo's entire tenure!

Maybe not a big name, but at least a proven recruiter. Our biggest problem is that we can't recruit. I'm sticking with RichRod and Petrino

Some of you shoot down ideas without even giving it a shot. It's at least worth a TRY to get one of the big names. Yeah, they'll probably say no, but at least you send a message about the level of coach you want. Show people that you are SERIOUS about fixing this program. Give the guy a blank check and tell him, "OK, work your magic."

Damn right. Offer Cowher 10 mill and make him say no.

After we lost to UCLA, there were nimrods still saying, "Come on, it's only Game 2." No, it was Game 2 of Season 5. Big difference.

Forget winning the division. There's no logical reason to think it will happen. Forget the title. That won't happen either. What did happen (or is happening, I should say), is Nebraska has been completely exposed. Every minor fault and crack many decided to ignore in favor of fantasies of a psychologically matured, disciplined football team split into canyons. We have massive systemic issues within the program and no amount of excuse-peddling or sunshine-pumping is going to alter that fact. It will continue to prove itself over. . .and over. . .and over. . .until the issue is addressed. It's Groundhog Day at Nebraska as long as self-delusion is the modus operandi. +1. It's time for the sunshine-pumpers to get their heads out of their asses and face reality. We are going nowhere fast.

I am not a fan of Les Miles at all. He has a great support staff -- mainly his recruiters, who are amazing. Not to mention he is in Louisiana, the recruiting hotbed. He had chances to jump to Michigan (his self-proclaimed "dream" job) and didn't go.

Man, I wish we could lure Bill Cowher out of retirement. He'd be a perfect fit.

If Bo's seat wasn't already warm, it definitely is now.

IMO, we need someone with big-name appeal, someone who kids know of and want to play for. Someone along the lines of a Saban, Spurrier, Meyer, Carroll...

I agree -- while I like Papuchis, he simply was not ready to be a DC.

I doubt Pete Carroll would leave the Seahawks, unless his job is in jeopardy and he is looking for an out.

I'll add Rich Rodriguez and Bobby Petrino to the mix, although I know I'm in the minority on those. Although I'd have to say that at this point I think Petersen and Patterson would be the top 2 candidates.

Sounds good to me, Paul.

The Martinez bashing must stop. I admit he had some bad throws last night, but he did everything he possibly could to keep us in that game. He has tremendous heart and I'm glad he's ours.

I don't consider Saban to be a slimeball. He might not be loyal or long-term, but he gets things done, and he does it well. Where has he ever had issues with violating sanctions?