Cisco

If it was as simple as bringing a blank check to negotiations then schools like Tennessee wouldn't get turned down by the head coaches at Duke and Air Force when they were replacing Kiffin still under the shadow of running off Phil Fulmer. I've seen over and over. Schools get rid of a winning coach thinking they can do better and nine times out of ten, it backfires.

Comparing Bo's record to Alabama's leading up to their hiring of Saban is questionable, at best. In the years leading up to that hire following the 2006 season, Alabama went: 3-8 7-5 10-3 4-9 6-6 10-2 6-7 People can try to rationalize the point away as much as they want. It doesn't change the fact that if Nebraska fires a second coach with a record most others in the profession would love to have in the span of just over a decade, it will make the job much less desirable to many potential candidates.

They looked a lot more athletic when they were just playing and attacking instead of thinking.

Bo has a better record than Dabo Swinney. They have the same number of losses but Bo has won 8 more games. Dabo has two divisional titles. Bo has three. Dabo does have an ACC title from a couple years back. He also has a losing season under his belt. Clemson is definitely on a strong three year stretch. Might have a bit of a slide next year, though. They have a truly special player in Watkins. Their other top receiver almost went pro last year. Both of those guys are gone after this year. So is Boyd. So is their top running back. Dabo and Chad Morris may not look like such geniuses next year.

UNC has been hurt by scandal and sanctions, but Fedora and his staff have been a train wreck at times this year. They gave the Miami game away with one of the biggest coaching blunders I've ever seen. Their game management has been laughable. In one of their games this year they ran a play on defense with ten players. Apparently that wasn't good enough, so they ran another with nine! In a later game they had another defensive snap with ten players. ECU dropped 56 points on them at home. I know a lot of UNC fans. Their general opinion thus far is that he's been heavy on style and light on substance.

Not sure how a guy who is 61 would be here for the long haul.

I just can't imagine Harvey signing off on anyone controversial or with well known baggage, including guys like Leach, Tressel, or Petrino.

I'm not sure that Golden would really be an upgrade. He did a great job at Temple, but living in ACC country, I've not been overly impressed with what he has done at Miami. Yes, I know he has Miami undefeated and ranked in the top 10. But his first couple of seasons were filled with flat and uninspired play. This season they returned virtually EVERYONE (close to 20 starters). Despite all the experience and talent they have struggled beating a probation plagued 1-4 UNC and came within a hair of losing at home to Wake Forest. Minnesota is better than Wake. Miami is about to get exposed Saturday. My expectation is that Miami will slide back into the 7-5/8-4 range after this season.

If it comes to this, my guess is that Lembo and Frost would bear watching. It's hard to say at this point. I seriously doubt Harvey would be on board with bringing in one of the coaches with well known baggage. And a lot of the other names being thrown around range between unlikely and just silly.

Sounds like message board fantasy. Rarely do successful guys at top programs leave to directly go to another big job. I can only think of one recent move like that - Kiffen leaving Tennessee to go to USC. Look at other major programs. Michigan hired a HC from a mid-major. Ohio State hired someone who had been out of coaching for a year. Alabama hired someone who was failing in the NFL. Florida hired a DC. Oklahoma hired a DC. FSU promoted a HCIW. Clemson hired a WR coach. Oregon promoted a OC. Miami hired someone from Temple. Texas A&M hired from a mid-major. Richt himself was an OC. Wisconsin hired from a mid-major. But Richt is just going to walk away from a powerhouse he rebuilt to come to Nebraska. Sure.

Matthew_m_g, you believe Richt is realistic because he is from Omaha? Being from somewhere isn't enough of a reason to leave a great program you have built back up just to make a lateral move. He has stronger connections to Miami. He played there. Why didn't he take that job if he's open to leaving Georgia? You're reaching here. The chances that he leaves Georgia to make any lateral move are very slim.

Tressel has a NCAA Show Cause for several years. No major program is going to touch him right now.

Saban did not leave LSU for Alabama. He left LSU for the NFL.

He wouldn't unless it was Alabama. Maybe Texas. That's about it.

Mark Richt isn't realistic. Fitzgerald isn't realistic. Patterson isn't realistic. Swinney isn't realistic. Petersen is highly unlikely. Golden isn't an upgrade. Johnson isn't an upgrade. If we make a move we are likely looking at an up and coming coordinator.

I don't understand the Kirby Smart appeal. Bama has the nation's best talent. They have easily the largest support staff in the nation. They have consistently over signed, which we will not do. And they have Saban running that program, who is heavily involved in the defense. I honestly don't know much about Smart, but he has advantages at Bama that would be hard to replicate elsewhere.

The reality is that there aren't really all that many legitimate and proven potential candidates out there. Quite frankly, most of the existing HC names being thrown around are either unrealistic or aren't upgrades. People better get used to the idea that if we make a change it very well may mean taking a risk on someone unproven like Frost or Chad Morris. Sometimes it works out. Dabo Swinney was merely a WR coach before getting the job at Clemson. He had one poor year but now seems poised for a long and successful career.

Yeah, Fitzgerald has blown off interest from other big programs. He's not leaving the school he played at and loves to go to a divisional rival. There's no chance of that. As for Chris Petersen, people should go read some of his comments about where he fits in and his self perceived strengths and weaknesses. He enjoys coaching and teaching and hates all the extra stuff that comes with being a head coach. If you think Bo doesn't like dealing with the media and the fish bowl part of the job, well Petersen makes Bo look like Mack Brown in comparison. I'd be shocked if he took a job like Nebraska.

The result on defense seems pretty simple. 1. We are very green on that side of the ball. We are unusually inexperienced in the front seven. We will get better. 2. B. Smith is a player an offense that really fits his strengths. He's among the top group of quarterbacks we'll face this season. 3. Schemes and adjustments to them are part of a constant cat and mouse game. Over time coaches develop ways to attack almost all schemes. Sometimes it can be tweaked and it remains viable. Sometimes you have to swallow your pride and make a wholesale change. I think we may have reached the point where the latter needs to happen with this defense. Bo obviously understands defense but he's married to a system that he has previously been wildly successful with. Baring radical improvement, Bo needs to strongly consider divorcing himself from his system and bringing in an outside DC. The book seems to be out on how to attack his scheme. Not every team is equipped to do it, but too many opposing offenses are having their way with us.

Darlington reminds me of Conner Shaw at South Carolina. Similar size and athletic ability. Has a chance to grow into a pretty competent passer at the next level.

I believe we'll actually see regression from the level the defense played at last year in the majority of games. On the positive side, I think we'll be less vulnerable to being exposed against some of the more talented opponents who were able to take advantage of weaknesses with containment on the edge and matching up with athletes in space.

Taylor

The NFL scouts love these two tests. This shows true explosiveness and says he will move piles and fall forward most of the time. They love seeing that. A yard or two after contact is huge in the NFL. Makes big differences in play calling. And they know numbers like this are true when they turn on the film and see him doing just those things. And these test are exact. The 40 is not, despite being "electronic". It's better than a simple hand held time, but the NFL doesn't use a fully automated system like you have in track and field. So, there's still room for error.