HuskerNative

I live in Detroit. Don't like Michigan, the football team that hid in the Rose Bowl in '97 and still wants to claim a national championship. I'm eager for it to cool off so I can wear my new long-sleeved Appalachian State T-shirt. But it seems relevant to pass on some items from a book of the late Schembechler's leadership advice just published: Respect history One of the most common mistakes new leaders make — and I just can’t for the life of me understand this one — is to ignore the history of the organization they just took over, or even to disrespect it. That, to me, is the mark of a weak leader — and one who’s probably not going to last very long. Let me be as clear as I can be about this: When you become the leader, do not start your reign by dismantling or ignoring the contributions of those who came before. The history of your organization is one of your greatest strengths, and if you’re new to the organization, it’s your job to learn it, to respect it and to teach it to the people coming up in your company. Rebuild with the basics If you lead long enough, sooner or later you’re going to suffer through a disappointing year. When that happens, get down to the core problem immediately — and fix that, and only that! Too often I see leaders panic, and throw away all the things that got them there in the first place. The worst thing you can do is abandon all the things you were already doing right, and make everything else a lot worse. No, you need a surgical strike. And usually, that’s simply a matter of figuring out what’s gotten out of whack, then getting that aspect of your organization back in line with the same fundamental values you built it on years ago.

Thanks. So this is merely for a reunion of these players? Maybe also a ploy to attempt to instill inspiration into the players for these final games of the season? no chance, the current coaches will kill that. you know, "don't look back guys, things were different way back then". yeah, right, things are sure DIFFERENT right now! The '94 championship team was back the week of the Missouri game in '04, and McBride and some of the real Blackshirts from then talked to the team. And the Huskers played their best defensive game under Cosgrove. They won 24-3 after losing at K State the week before 45-21. Then they lost the next week at ISU. I was at both games, and the defense was a completely different group against Mizzou than they were all year. (This was the defense that gave up 70 to Texas Tech.) Still Missouri outgained NU that day; Dailey completed only 4 passes. It was the day Herrion's leg was broken. 1 2 3 4 - Final Missouri 0 3 0 0 - 3 Nebraska 3 7 7 7 - 24 1st quarter NU - DeAngelis 41 field goal 11:14 2nd quarter UM - Tantarelli 39 field goal 14:46 NU - Ickes 16 return of blocked punt (DeAngelis kick) 9:42 3rd quarter NU - Ross 15 run (DeAngelis kick) 1:34 4th quarter NU - Ross 86 run (DeAngelis kick) 2:56 UM NU First downs............... 19 8 Rushes-net yards.......... 35-51 41-209 Net yards passing......... 277 26 Comp.-Att.-Int.......... 24-56-1 4-18-0 Total offense............. 328 235 Fumbles-lost.............. 1-1 1-0 Penalties-yards........... 6-35 7-58 Punts-average............. 9-31.7 11-36.1 Punt returns-yards........ 1-15 6-57 Kickoff returns-yards..... 1-22 2-64 Possession time........... 31:38 28:22 Third-down conversions.... 7 of 24 1 of 15 Fourth-down conversions... 1 of 4 0 of 1 Red-zone scores-chances... 0-2 2-2 Sacks by-yards............ 3-30 4-30

Not this team.

I don't think Pederson can say anything else during the season. His own job is on the line now, and I don't think the volleyball team is going to save him. Maybe to save his neck, he's working with donors to get some NFL team to make Callahan an offer that gets NU out of its contract.

How about TO as athletic director, Lane Kiffin as head coach, Gill as assistant head coach and Dan McCarney as defensive coordinator?

LOVE the idea of bringing Osborne in as AD to fix the program. He's 70 and fit. Give him a five-year deal and we'll be back on our feet.

This is going to happen. This team isn't going to win two more games. Unless they beat Okie State next week, they won't win another. 4-8. Maybe that will be enough of a low -- losing to Okie State at home, losing twice as many in a season as winning -- to get the house cleaned. I love the Huskers, the university and the state. I'm a Nebraskan, a grad, a (small) university donor. I won't stop cheering for the Huskers, wearing my gear or making my annual trip home for a game. I feel for the kids. All that said, I feel like the best thing that could happen for the program is to finish this year 4-8 so the university MUST make BIG changes. If they go 6-6, the changes will be too incremental. Cosgrove might go if that happens, but I now don't think that's enough.

i DOnt know how easy it will be to find that coach though...... I think we will probably have to ride this out atleast another year...... esp with that huge contract What's the buyout number? And I disagree that we can't find the right coach rather quickly. There are plenty of talented, young assistant coaches in both the college ranks and the NFL out there who are ready to run a program. Let's get Callahan the hell out of here and get this thing on the right track. As pissed off as I am right now, there's no reason to believe we can't turn this thing around. I'm convinced a change in attitude - a change at the top - will make a huge difference. I think it takes an entire housecleaning, starting with Pedersen. I haven't thought this before -- I've been unimpressed with Cosgrove since he was hired, and until the last couple weeks thought we could be a top 10 program if we got a better defensive coordinator. But the offense is a failure -- maybe it's just too complicated, but we can't run for one freaking yard when we need it, either -- and Callahan isn't getting the most out of kids. There's not an atmosphere of confidence and excellence. Pedersen's losing top fundraising talent. It's time to blow up the leadership. With the right hires, we can be top 10 in three years.

We can't run a yard! Can't get a d*m@-d YARD!!!

C-0-A-C-H-I-N-G

You mean there's somewhere lower than this? Oh, Ames. Right. Sigh.

The team has lost all confidence, the program is in meltdown. I don't see another win this year. Maybe Okie State, but that's no sure thing. 4-8 or 5-7. Pederson has lost control of the athletic department and the team has sunk well below mediocrity. Understand: I love Nebraska. I love the Huskers. I'm a grad, I give money (to my college, not the athletic department). It's my state, my school. I'm not being negative. This is a recognition of a miserable reality.

I am 40 years old and have been either listening or watching the Huskers since I was a kid....I honestly cannot say I remember a Nebraska D being as bad as it is this year. Our D has had some problem areas over the years but not as a whole. Our line..bad..our secondary bad....overall BAD!!! I HOPED today that our D would want to prove all of us who have been critical wrong....it has not happened. However...I still bleed red....GBR. There is always HOPE!!!! I'm almost 50 and grew up believing in the Blackshirts and learning to love a good 7-0, 7-3 game (like the back-to-back wins against Colorado and Oklahoma in '88). This is so sad. Really. Real Nebraska defenses would be going after the QB, forcing him to throw at future NFL corners playing man-on-man. Bring it. This defense is "rushing" three and playing soft. That's not the athletes' fault. Couple this soft, passive defensive scheme with an offense that has given up on the idea of running for 2 yards on third down (for good reason; we've failed at it all year), and this is not Nebraska football. Something has to happen after this year to truly restore some order.

I am 40 years old and have been either listening or watching the Huskers since I was a kid....I honestly cannot say I remember a Nebraska D being as bad as it is this year. Our D has had some problem areas over the years but not as a whole. Our line..bad..our secondary bad....overall BAD!!! I HOPED today that our D would want to prove all of us who have been critical wrong....it has not happened. However...I still bleed red....GBR. There is always HOPE!!!! I'm almost 50 and grew up believing in the Blackshirts and learning to love a good 7-0, 7-3 game (like the back-to-back wins against Colorado and Oklahoma in '88). This is so sad. Really. Real Nebraska defenses would be going after the QB, forcing him to throw at future NFL corners playing man-on-man. Bring it. This defense is "rushing" three and playing soft. That's not the athletes' fault.

That's coaching, guys.

No, no. There's improvement. It took 10 plays or so.

Sounds like Nebraska against Ball State AND ISU. I was at ISU game, and it was a miserable contest against two sub-par teams. If ISU hadn't faltered in the Red Zone, turned the ball over and stunk on special teams, we lose that game. IMHO, our only hope for wins the rest of the way is to get into shootouts and hope that our conditioning holds up and the other QB makes more mistakes than Keller. Keller is at his best no-huddle; we ought to make these basketball games. At least it would be entertaining. Our defense is miserable -- and I don't think it's for lack of athletes. In fact, I question the whole coaching staff's ability to manage and motivate young people and help them grow up (which is a big part of college coaching). I think we are getting good athletes in the door, but aren't keeping some and aren't helping others come anywhere near their potential. Understand: I LOVE Nebraska. Born there, went to school there, have lived and died with the Huskers since the '60s, when I was first old enough to understand what was going on over the radio. I fear that we will be lucky to make a bowl game this year. While I fear that, I HOPE we pick up some wins by hook or crook. At a minimum, Cosgrove MUST go at the end of the season. Beyond that, Callahan still must show he can do more than recruit. He must foster a system where kids from a variety of backgrounds mature, thrive and play up to their potential. Haven't seen that.

Well, he did make a pretty much game-saving play. Maybe he needs to be coached more than benched.

You can't be a Nebraskan, then, because we can't get the Huskers out of our blood. Cosgrove absolutely sucks and should have been fired long ago. If Callahan won't can his buddy after these last two weeks, he should go, too. It was fans leaving Memorial Stadium during a Kansas State blowout that was the last straw for Pederson in firing Solich. The empty seats on national TV were an embarrassment as are the boos today. Fire Cos and set the program right, or Callahan and Pedy go, too. But I'm not done with the Huskers. That's my school, my state, my team.

We lost those games, so we allowed too many points. Gave up a late drive to lose against Texas. And you forget Oklahoma State.

Thing is, this is the fourth season we hear about how the guys just didn't execute. At some point -- and I think it was about two years ago -- you have to wonder if repeated lack of execution has to do with coaching. The first year was "a lot of guys didn't buy into the system." Whatever. He can't coach. He's Bill's buddy and wouldn't keep the job based on performance. If "mediocrity" and fans leaving Memorial Stadium when KSU blew us out in '04 cost Solich his job, all those empty seats on national TV last night has to have Pederson's attention.