Hans Gruber

I'm going to preface this by saying Bill O'Brien wouldn't be my first choice and I don't necessarily want him. However, it's crazy to read into anything about what Alabama fans want. Of course they want him gone. They've won what, six national titles since 2009? Their expectations are totally out of wack compared to anyone else in the country. Now, if Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State or Baylor fans wanted their head coach to leave, then that might be something to read into.

I miss Nebraska having supremely talented cats like Ameer Abdullah, Kenny Bell, Nate Gerry, Randy Gregory and Maliek Collins. Let's at least get back to those days of having guys you knew were legitimate All-American candidates. You knew they would get drafted relatively early and just wondered if they'd go in the first two rounds or not.

Two things can be true. 1: Chinander was either bad enough or mentally checked out enough (or both) that Nebraska is better off getting rid of him. Therefore avoiding a mutiny and hoping to go from atrocious on defense to just bad. Then hoping that's enough to maybe help give them a shot at making a bowl game. 2: The talent level on defense (due to recruiting failures, coaching failures and strength and conditioning failures) is so bad that they have no realistic chance to get to more than 3-4 win this year.

Completely agree.

Depending on who Nebraska gets (and assuming it's someone many fans will be happy with) I think it will have to be higher than that. If it's a current Power Five coach, I'd start at 8 or 9 million. Granted, I'm not rich or any AD, so I could be wrong.

I'm not opposed to Nebraska hiring Urban Meyer, I just don't think he'd take the Nebraska job. My assumption is Meyer is only taking a top 5-7 job, and Nebraska isn't one of those. That's not to say Nebraska is a bad job. There are a lot of positives. For the first in 60 years, there won't be a revolt if the next coach doesn't win 9 games the first season. Plus, you know, Big 10 money, stable conference and the ability to capitalize on NIL stuff.

Dude, Jennings could cut a Mutha like the best of them. That's why he didn't get fired earlier. He just kept declaring "Trial by combat," then would stab the guy talking about him losing his job. Brutal, but effective. How else do you think Bobby Bowden kept his job so long into the 20 aughts as Florida State got worse? He learned from Jennings.

I agree with a lot of this. My assumption is highly-ranked dudes from far away are OK with sticking around Lincoln if Nebraska is winning games. But if Nebraska winning just 3-6 games a year, those guys aren't going to want to stick around. Kind of like the difference between enlisted men and mercenaries historically.

Bo and Mike Riley each had at least one top 20 class too. I agree that if Nebraska wins games, they can recruit well.

I'm open to ideas. Not saying my idea is the best. But this is what I think. Hire someone that puts a premium on the offensive and defensive lines. Neither needs to be the best in the country, but they need to be physical and tough. I would lean on recruiting high school lineman, linebackers and tight ends within the 500-mile radius and build them up. Then use the transfer portal for high end skill position players. Lean on NIL to try and get those. Preach that O and D lines won't be an issue. Then transfers can hop in and (hopefully) shine quickly with good lines on O and D.

Everyone is discussing what head coach to hire next or what the expectations should be at Nebraska. I have a different question. How do you think Nebraska should build its football team and program (or progruhm for the Southerns) going forward? No coaching names. Just ingredients. Should Nebraska run the option to mask a lack of elite talent locally? Or should Nebraska find a way to get top 15 recruiting classes ever year? Should they lean on JUCOs? Or should they only give out 12 scholarships to high school kids each year and lean on the transfer portal? Do they coach up kids within 250 miles and hope they play harder? Or do they recruit more talented kids from farther away that are more likely to transfer? Do you want Nebraska to schedule nonconference cupcakes to up their win total, or schedule the best nonconference teams each season? What do you think is the best formula for success at Nebraska in the 2020s and 30s?

Maybe it's a Boise State situation. Dirk Koetter and Dan Hawkins seemed great, then were mediocre at best at Arizona State and Colorado because Chris Petersen was actually the straw that stirred the drink behind the scenes. Maybe that's Shawn Clark. Full disclosure, I couldn't name App State's coach when I work up this morning. So I'm not saying the two examples are the same.

Year one: Improvement throughout the season, and at least solid O and D line play by the end of the year. Year two: Make a bowl game. Any bowl game. It can be a bad one in Detroit or NYC. Just make one and get those extra practices. Year three: If there are still divisions in the Big 10 by then, be a contender in the division. Year four and beyond: Be a favorite (or at least heavily in the mix) to win the division every year. My hopes for Nebraska don't end at winning the division. But they haven't done that since 2012. They haven't been in the mix in mid November since 2014. Until they get there again first, everything else is irrelevant.

Semi related: I'm assuming Auburn will fire Bryan Harsin at some point this season. Nebraska and Auburn will be interesting case studies. Neither is one of the three best jobs in their conference, but both are name-brand schools. Both are in conferences that will dwarf the rest of the competition in money, so they could realistically pay a new coach 8-10 million a year. And lastly, with the 12-team playoff coming soon, both are in conferences where you could finish third in the league and still make the playoffs. The ACC, Big 12 and Pac 12 can't say that. So while it may not happen, Nebraska and/or Auburn could potentially get someone from one of those three leagues that looks very surprising on paper right now.

Wait, have you guys all been sleeping with the previous head coaches at Nebraska and not telling me? Well, I guess that explains why Frost and Riley always looked so confused on game days ...

1. Matt Rhule 2. Dave Aranda 3. Kyle Whittingham 4 Matt Campbell 5. Bronco Mendenhall 6. Carmen Electra 7. Margo Robbie

Back after a long break for the discussion on who the next coach should be. A few thoughts. 1: I don't buy that Urban Meyer or Bob Stoops actually have any interest in coaching at Nebraska. It's a moot point. 2: I'd try Chris Petersen, but it's probably a long shot too. 3: The Big 10 and SEC will make so much more money than the other conference with the ever-increasing TV deals, that I'd try and get a coach from the ACC, Big 12 or Pac 12. Tell them to join Nebraska (or the Big 10 or SEC in general) or get left WAY behind like the Big East did. And Nebraska should be able to pay any of those coaches very handsomely. 4: Get an identity again. I'm not sure the triple option is the best choice, but I like the idea of at least being good every year at SOMETHING. Specifically, since it's important in the division, I'd make having big-a$$ and tough lineman a priority. We used to be good at that. 5: Besides money, part of getting a good coach is the AD's ability to recruit the coach and sell him on a vision. I don't know if Trev is good at that or not. Hopefully he is. 6: My picks would be Kyle Wittingham, Dava Aranda, Bronco Mendenhall (don't know if he wants to unretire), Kalani Sitake or Matt Campbell. Hopefully get to a bowl by year 2 or 3. Get at least as good as Iowa, Minnesota and (hopefully) Wisconsin on the lines. Start winning 7-9 games. Then, hopefully, use Nebraska's ability to recruit better than the other schools to take the next step. 7: I can't believe I'm saying this, but they've been so bad since 2015, that I'm fine with kissing the elusive dream of national titles good bye. Let's get to a bowl game. Then try to get to winning 7-9 games regularly. Then I'll worry about the stuff after that.

It's Christmas, Theo. It's the time of miracles, so be if good cheer.

I really like this defense. I just wish they got more help. Nebraska needs a better offense like I need to find my detonators.

I wouldn't think most lineman would be upset about the QB or skill players making more money. They already get more recognition anyway. Plus, I bet most starting lineman (if they are decent) can get endorsement deals with restaurants like buffets and barbecue joints. Any smart QB making money will be paying for his offensive line's food and beer anyway.

This is the best news I've had since I took back those detonators that McClain stole from me.

I actually saw this kid play once in the season opener last year. Honestly, I don't remember him sticking out. That isn't a knock or indictment of him though. They beat Aberdeen Central 35-0. Central is terrible. It was similar to the Holiday Bowl against Arizona in 2009. The thing that stuck out wasn't individual play, but how much better one defense was compared to the other team's offense. And he may have had a good game. I truly don't remember. I had no clue there were any D-I prospects there, so I wasn't looking at the game that way. I just quickly realized that Washington was FAR better than Central.

I should have added I meant at Nebraska.

Does Frost and/or Verduzco and/or Martinez just not like tight ends? (Insert sex joke) Because it seems like they never throw to tight ends and haven't for years.

I don't think Diaco is as bad of a D coordinator as some people make him out to be. He didn't have talent at Nebraska. I think the previous two years after Diaco have shown that Nebraska has a talent issue. But he isn't going to have talent at Purdue either.