hastingshusker

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Surrendering control of the defense worked well for Brad Childress in his first season as head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. So he will do that again in 2007. Leslie Frazier became the first assistant to leave the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts on Thursday when he accepted the job as defensive coordinator of the Vikings. A special assistant to Colts coach Tony Dungy and also in charge of the team's defensive backs, Frazier couldn't interview for the position until after the Super Bowl. But Childress was willing to wait for someone with a diverse background and a strong familiarity with the Tampa Cover 2 scheme run primarily by Minnesota under Mike Tomlin this past season. A couple rings, including one won by Frazier as a player in 1986 with Chicago, didn't hurt, either. Though Tomlin was here for only one year before he became Pittsburgh's head coach last month, Childress wasn't concerned that Frazier also aspires to run his own team eventually. "I think you want guys that have an aggressive mentality," Childress said. Frazier was Cincinnati's defensive coordinator in 2003 and 2004 but was fired by coach Marvin Lewis following problems the Bengals had stopping the run and preventing big gains. Lewis presided over some of the league's best defenses as a coordinator, so it was difficult -- according to Frazier -- for him to hand over some decision-making go and give Frazier room to make his own impact. "If you hire me, let me do my thing," Frazier said. Childress spent little time or energy on the defensive side during Tomlin's season. "I have some things that are important to me," Childress said, "but I think you screw it up as a head coach that has been involved offensively to think you are going to jump in and say, 'You know I've done offense my whole life, but in this job I'm going to jump in and I'm going to get real involved with the defense.' "You hire guys to be experts and stay in their lane and be experts at what they do and then you let them do their job," he said. The Vikings went 6-10 because of offensive struggles and a pass defense exploited by opposing quarterbacks Tom Brady, Brett Favre and Chad Pennington. Frazier, a cornerback for the Bears from 1981-86 before a serious knee injury suffered in the Super Bowl ended his career, helped Indianapolis improve its pass coverage during his two years there. "We'll improve the pass defense. History says so," Frazier said. The seventh defensive coordinator employed by Minnesota in the last nine seasons, Frazier worked with Childress when they were Eagles assistants. Frazier was defensive backs coach from 1999-2002, and their existing relationship was another attraction. "We've hugged each other after some big wins in the locker room," Frazier said. He plans to copy some blitzing strategies that Philadelphia defensive coordinator Jim Johnson uses, and signs of Buddy Ryan's famous 46 defense that Frazier played in Chicago might also show up. In the bigger picture, Frazier eagerly described his goal to get another championship before worrying about the next step in his career. "If you win, things happen for you in this league. ... Whatever happens after that, so be it," he said. Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press Looks like Coz will be around next year.

I've heard from friends who have attended that CU is right up there with Mizzou. Then again, that was before they stopped allowing alcohol into their stadium so that might change things (ha ha ha i made a joke). Also, I had some friends go to Lawrence and they said that is one of the nicest games they have gone too. Some food for thought.

Hey, if hes happy in SoCal then by all means be happy hes gone. If he doesnt want to be here (obviously by now) then im glad he is gone. It sounds to me like Kunalic could be a better kicker then Congdon anyway. Lets just hope that he performs up to the hype that surrounds him.

The thing that I thought was Lucky's biggest problem is that he seemed to have difficulties reading blocks and finding holes. We have been so blessed with the power backs that can just make holes that when we get one that has issues being that type of runner people tend to panic. I for one believe, and hope, that this will be a breakout year for Lucky. I think we are finally going to see what he can do this year and I for one am EXCITED!!!!!!!

This is obviously going to be the first hurdle next season. Hopefully losing players gives us a glimmer of hope. However, today will be a HUGE day for Nebraska Football. Good luck to the QB though. Its refreshing to see someone take academics so seriously.

I agree with the previous posters. This will be the tell tale year for Nebraska. Last year we saw glimpses of what the WCO should look like. I think to make the offense click we have to get big time receivers in there (Niles Paul). I think the offense finally comes around this year and takes pressure off of the defense. This is Cally's year. GBR

I know that there are several hungry linebackers on the scout team that are getting attention. Most of them are walkons so maybe that is something we will see in the coming years (and hopefully this season).

Am I the only one who thinks that Mel Kiper Jr's projections are a little off? It kind of seems, to me at least, that he tends to project based on who his agent friends are. Not saying BJax doesnt deserve to be this high cause he was one heck of a workhorse for us, but with some of his past projections it makes me wonder. If I remember correctly last year on ESPN radio Jay Cutler brought up that fact and it got me thinking. What does everyone else think?

Half of those championships are such a joke. They were the only schools playing real football. If I were the only one doing something then yes I can declare myself the national champion as well. Just like Michigan fans after the Alamo Bowl bragging about how many more wins then us their program had. Ridiculous

Also remember that Solich had his infamous 10-3 season when he gave the play calling duties to Cotton. It seems to work sooooo much better whenever an OC calls plays and a HC gameplans and <gasp> makes adjustments. Lets hope that BC and the staff finally start to make in game adjustments rather then stick to the gameplan all the time. Great coaches adjust, we saw a lot of them this year.

Since you brought up coaches. Does anyone listen to The Jim Rome show on radio? We get it in Hastings and when we were headed out to USC to play he kept refering to, and will until Callahan wins, Beau Bridges. Dont have a picture of him but i found that amusing.

Hart Foundation......Old School. awesome The Carriker one is hilarious as well. Kudos

Great Point!!!! In fact didnt the highly regarded, on some blogs and message boards, Bo Pelini Leave? Am I wrong in thinking that it is a great thing that coaches are leaving? That can be seen two ways, one that we are a sinking ship, the way I view it (ill admit that it is optomistic) is that Nebraska is now being viewed as a good program where the coaches are doing something right and are WANTED by other schools. I mean does anyone know how Solichs next to last staff is doing now that they are gone? What about that D-Coordinator whats his name.

Lets not get too overcinfident. Anderson has a lot of work to do to solidify some big issues last year. We have a young team. Instead of shooting for Omaha, how about we hope for winning a game in the Supers this year. We need these new guys to step in and step it up.

Chase Daniel? What a joke. The thing that held Taylor back this year, and could be Kellers biggest problem next year is inconsist play from Wideouts. We need guys to step it up, its one thing to miss a poorly thrown ball, its another to drop one that hits you in the hands. Not a knock on Purify but the man can make Unworldly catches, he just cant catch a routine ball. Keller definitely has a shot at the Heisman, he just has to help the Big Red turn that Metaphoircal corner we always hear about. I have a feeling, ok call it a hope, that the Heisman favorite will come out of Memorial Stadium September 15th. Go Keller

1) How long have you been a member of Husker Nation? 23 years old, Husker Nation member since I was 5 (Thank you Grandma) 2) What/who led you to The Nation? Whoops....Grandma I didnt know why, but I didnt like Colorado....I understand now 3) Where are you from originally? Hastings NE 4) Where do you live now? Hastings NE 5) Favorite Husker memory? This years Texas game, welcome ot memorial stadium Longhorns....you got DAMN lucky 6) Worst Husker memory? Watching Joe Dailey run out of bounds 2 yards shy of the sticks on 4th down to secure a Southern Miss Victory 7) Number of home games attended? 26 8) Number of away games attended? 1 9) Favorite Husker memorabilia/apparel? My #13 Jersey 10) Favorite place to watch a Husker game? (section in Memorial, bar, friends house etc.) Just being in the stadium is the greatest place on earth 11) Favorite all time player? Eric Crouch 12) WCO or Option? Spread....oh wait West Coast. Option was/is a dead offense 13) Stevie Pederson or Billy Byrne? Pederson, it took me a while to come around but the man knows his stuff 14) Lil Red or Herbie Husker? Herbie 15) Favorite Husker play? Pitch Right, half back option pass 16) Favorite game-day beverage? Depends on the location 17) How did you find HuskerBoard? (referral source) I have no idea.

If I am not mistaken isn't Blake also the Assistant Coach at North Carolina? I thought I read that somewhere. I understand that Norvell wants to be a head coach somewhere but this just doesn't look like a logical move to me. All I can think of is there must be something that no one knows about driving him to want to head to the left coast. Whatever happens I wish him the best of luck because the Big Red will roll on like it has before. Watson would be one heck of an OC, in fact if he doesnt get the position here I would be afraid he would be leaving us to take the position somewhere. He seems to be able to fill the gap that Blake left in recruiting. Lets keep him around. I say Adios Norvell, have fun getting owned by USC year in and year out (this year was THE exception, not an exception) P.S. Keller can't enter the draft, its too late.