junior4949

Hoyamann,

I have to ask you some questions about being spectacular and Solich not doing that. You say TO wouldn't have let us slip into mediocracy if he'd have stayed another 5 years. Well in life and in football, timing is everything. TO knew the recruits we had coming in, his recruits, were very young and the next year or two was going to be very difficult. He supposedly retired due to health reasons. Within a year or two he was running for Conress. To me, this is jumping from the frying pan into the skillet if stress was causing his health problems.

If you think Jamal Lord is the worst QB to play at NU in the last 30 years, then you've simply forgot about some of the QB's of NU past. Remember Mike Grant, Mickey Joseph, McCants, etc. None of these guys were very good, and they played when the Big 8 was less than steller. In the late 80's-mid 90's until the Big 12 was formed, the Big 8 really only had one or two teams ranked. OU was bad, Iowa State horrible, Missouri was bad, K-State was just emerging, OSU was bad, CU had some very good teams, and KU horrible. NU basically only had to worry about one game on the conference schedule to be in the hunt. Because our non-conference was and still is a joke, we basically only had to worry about the CU game.

Even after the Big 12 was formed, there weren't really any dominant teams in the late 90's except for NU. I still remember being embarrassed in 96 in the Big 12 championship game against an unranked Texas team. IMO if TO had stayed, we'd be asking the same questions Penn State fans are asking themselves. Should we fire the man who has brought so much to this program now, or should we wait until the coach makes the decision to move on?

ESPN made a very good point last week in stating that teams in colder climates are having extreme difficulties in getting the best players because these players want to play in fun cities where the weather is usually warm. Ok, so they were talking about Notre Dame. However, I believe it is just a shift in culture. The better players are staying down south or on the West Coast to play. This is why we need a coach that can develop talent from lesser athletes instead of a coach who "needs" the best athletes. One of the reasons we got a player into NU like a Tommie Frazier was simply because he wasn't heavily recruited as a QB at most schools because they didn't run the option. I really believe getting away from an offense that most teams don't run is a mistake because you can get the best players that run that offense. If NU has to go out and recruit against the Florida schools, Texas, OU, California teams, etc. each and every year; we aren't going to lure a lot of the best athletes away from them.

I'm afraid this recruiting class coming in could be a ticking time bomb just like Texas had a couple of years ago. If BC is making playing promises to these guys like Mack Brown did Sims, then we are sitting on a time bomb. IMO, Mack Brown cost Texas a NC by playing Sims instead of Applewhite. However, he had made a promise to Sims and his dad and stuck to it. If BC is promising Beck and Lucky instant stardom next year, then we could be in for a long season once again. As far as I'm concerned, college athletes might as well be paid for their services because for most of the better recruits college is just a stepping stone. They don't care about the game, and they don't care about championships. They care about being seen on TV, and they care about their stats. How many people really think the OU freshman would be back next year if the NFL would let him in?

With high profile athletes coming to your school, there is always a price. Just ask Ohio State about how much Claurett is costing them. We all know Blake can recruit, but we also know how much he gets out of these recruits by looking at his record at OU.

I think the one NU player that got shafted the most is our punter. Near the end of the season, almost half of his punts were inside the opponents 20 yard line. I believe he was something like 22 for 50 punts inside the 20. I realize his average wasn't as good as CU's punter, but with stats like he had you can't have a real long average when trying to pin someone deep. Those punts could have been real game changers had our offense & defense played a little more consistent.

If I were a pro scout, I would look a lot longer and harder at NU's punter than CU's punter. Our punter put up All American stats in my opinion. He was probably the MVP of the team along with Ross!

Unless I've missed something, Beck is not a lock meaning he hasn't officially signed yet. The buzz out there is that we may not get him anyway since Spurrier took over as HC for the Gamecocks. So, if he isn't coming here anyway why would it concern him if NU looks for another QB? Even though Beck is supposed to be a sure lock, I'm putting him at 50% right now because if Spurrier really wants him who do you think he will go with?

Looking at how we're giving scholarships out to RB's, I don't know why anyone is surprised at us looking for another QB. It seems as though the philosophy of this coaching staff is to get the best recruits on offense so we can just out score everyone. I mean Cosgrove is the DC, so we know the defense will never be any good. Look at his track record with Wisconsin!

I actually voted for Solich going to ND. Even though it is a stretch, I believe he could be a good fit there. Work with me on this. A lot of you say he can't recruit. Well that is okay because ND says they will not lower their academic standards for incoming recruits meaning they won't get a lot of the best players out there anyway. He runs an offense similar to what Lou Holtz ran with Tony Rice and Bettis. For the most part, there were no scrapes with the law when Solich was at Nebraska. ND needs consistency and who knows about consistency better than Solich/Osborne at keeping coaches around for a long time.

Solich seems to get players except for Lord to play better than they are. This is what ND is going to have to have because lets face it the best players aren't going to ND any time soon. At ND, you don't have to win every game just 8 or 9 to be in the hunt.

I know he won't get the ND job, but IMO he could be a good fit there. To me, I just don't think any coach right now will look seriously at the ND job. If Meyers turns down his dream job, then that should tell you something right there. ND is going to have to make a lot of concessions in order to get a big time name right now.

I just think that it is sad when you think about how far college football has sunk. Ole Miss fires a coach for one bad season? Bill Snyder probably doesn't even feel secure any more. Don't these schools know that you can't win them all every year? Bobby Bowden and Paterno are two of the most winning coaches ever. They don't win a NC every year. Bowden doesn't even have as many NC's as Osborne.

In my opinion, we simply need a lot of HEART! It's not that the players we have aren't good enough or gifted enough in some/most cases, but they just aren't playing with any heart. Also, they need some confidence. If this team this year would have had those two things alone, we'd be going to a bowl game and would have been representing the Big 12 North.

It's too difficult to say what the needs on offense are as the offense played so sparatic this year. It all starts with the QB, but that isn't what you are looking for in this thread. At RB, it appears as though we are going to have way too many. Some of them are going to have to move to another position. This looks like it could be an area of having too many roosters in the hen house which could cause a lot of friction next year. Time will tell. As far as receivers, I would like to see at least one game breaker. A Roy Williams type receiver plus another decent receiver and TE who can take some of the pressure off. The OL appears to be okay. I mean we did rush pretty effectively against OU.

The defense needs an extremem makeover. No offense to the LB's we have now, but we need some barn burners back there. We need a lot of speed in a lot of areas on defense. The Bullocks brothers will be fine, but we need some others to go along with them. The DL needs to be more physical, and they need to be quicker.

The one point that I would like to emphasize is that all these recruits coming in while they may be great will be TRUE FRESHMEN! I don't think we can expect the program to do a 180 next year or the year after. We will struggle again next year especially if we have a true freshman at QB. It's more than likely going to be year 4 for BC before we can expect any kind of title run whether it be Big 12 or NC!

If if's and but's were candy and nuts, it would be Christmas every day. Does it really matter? It's all speculation anyway. Just think how good we would have been if every INT Dailey threw would have been a TD instead.

Mike Stoops? Mike Stoops was already hired by Arizona before Solich was ever even fired. If "Pud" wanted Stoops, then he should have fired Solich long before he did. I doubt Stoops would have taken the job anyway because I doubt he would have wanted to coach in the same conference as his brother. From the sounds of it, he will have the #1 recruiting class down there at Arizona. Only time will tell I guess.

I would have taken Mike Stoops anyday over current staff. At least the defense would have looked like a football defense instead of the current basketball defense we have now (look, no contact)!

Arkansas who has that promising young coach according to "Pud" won't be going bowling this year either. Their record matched ours this year at an outstanding 5-6. Makes you wonder what the fabulous Nutt would have been able to accomplish here if he wouldn't have used the job offer as a bartering chip with Arkansas. Of course, I'm sure he didn't have much talent either. I mean how talented can a 6-4 QB with 4.3 speed be?

Wasn't this outstanding coach Nebraska's 1st choice? Or second, if you buy into the Steve Spurrier visiting Lincoln rumor. Wow, "Pud" sure can pick them!

Do you think this idiot along with "Pud" have anything to do with the enrollment being down 12% this year compared to last year? I for one being an alum do! The reprocussions from this season do harm not only our football program but to our university as well. These two idiots need to be hung up by their nut sack and left to hang!

I've never heard much radio advertising for students to enroll at UNL until the last month or so. Now, I hear as many as 4 advertisements per day. Makes you wonder what is really going on with the university? This guy's ineptness goes a lot deeper than just the football program. He was on TV bashing one of the 2 year schools enrolled in the UNL system. What kind of an idiot is this guy?

These two had better pray that BC turns things around fast, or all 3 will be looking for new jobs in a couple of years. From a fan's perspective, I don't think being 6-5 or 7-4 next year will satisfy many. BC will have to be better than 10-3 for most people to be satisfied next year because this is how well the ex-coach did that was fired. Unfortunately for BC, Joe Dailey isn't capable of running the WCO and finishing the season this well. With a new QB coming in, there will be a lot of ups and downs next year as well. With Spurrier entering the scene, I'll be surprised if we get the highly touted Beck. Even if we do, he'll be a true freshmen. Even Frazier struggled at times his freshman year. Now that we've joined the ranks of a lot of other programs (Florida, Stanford, Notre Dame, etc.) BC will have to put up or be gone by year 3!

I'm sorry DaveH, but I just don't share your opinion. While I'm willing to give BC another two years, I think it is one hell of an idea to fire "Pud". In fact, I would get great pleasure to see "Pud" in front of a firing squad begging for forgiveness. I hate that pompus bastard. He's the one that has put us at our lowest point in 40 years. I see no reason to let him continue.

P.S. If anyone has put a hit out on "Pud", let me know I'll chip in a few extra bucks!

I'll add my two cents worth. What would be wrong with Butch Davis? He took a Miami program that had been completely destroyed by recruiting violations and brought it back to dominance. Now that his recruits are long gone and in the NFL, old Coker is having a tough time of it. Let's face it, Butch Davis's days are done in Cleveland. I would have been more than happy to see him come here. At least he's shown what he can do as a head coach in college!

I remember how excited the fans and alumni were when Ty Willingham was announced as the coach of Notre Dame. Everyone just knew that they were going to get better with a fiery new coach and that great NFL WCO that Willingham was bringing in. Do any of you know any Notre Dame fans? How do they feel about Willingham now? How many years has he been there?

It's total speculation, but I would guess Solich goes 9-3. With Solich, we beat Southern Miss., ISU, Colorado, and Texas Tech. KState is a maybe, and we definitely lose to OU. Eric the Red, I'm calling you out. Solich already played for a National Championship. Until BC plays for one, I wouldn't go spouting off about not going any higher. I wouldn't be surprised if you were one of those saying that about T.O. back in the 70's and 80's.

We took a real beating this year. BC is doing the best he could with what he had, and I'm not talking about players. It's amazing how well Arkansas is doing this year. Isn't their coach the one we really "wanted"? It appears as though "Pud" has a great sense about him as to what a coach should be like. We've had a malignant tumor growing on this program for 3 years now. It just continues to grow bigger. It's amazing how all of you say Al Davis is impossible to work for. It appears to me as though "Pud" is trying to micromanage just as much as Davis. It's simply amazing that he took one of Davis's rejects to come do whatever the hell he is doing here.

I've said it time and time again. I'll give BC 3 years, and he's just spent 1. Cosgrove only gets one more because I'm afraid he's just simply awful. However, "Pud" must go along with Pearlman. We broke a lot of records this year with them at the helm. How long before we break the sell-out streak?

Actually, T.O. took more than a chance on a lot of players on the 94 & 95 NC teams. This was before the Big 12 when we were still in the Big 8. Back then, the Big 8 allowed teams to bring in Prop. 48 players. Lawrence Phillips and others got into Nebraska this way. There were only 2 teams in the Big 8 that allowed Prop. 48's. When the Big 12 was formed, it was passed in the by-laws that Prop. 48 sudents wouldn't be allowed.

If we would have been in the Big 12 in 94 & 95, it's very likely we wouldn't have gotten 4 or 5 of the excellent athletes even into the program. These are the few from those teams that you get to watch play on Sunday's. This is why KState and some others recruit heavily from the JuCo's. This is the only way to get a Prop. 48 student in, and that is only if they complete the necessary classes and have grades good enough to get into a 4 year.

Fighting over this is futile, but lets take a good look at each program and break it down. CU had its program going great in the 90's just like Nebraska did. The coach retires, and the AD replaces him with Neuheisel. Neuheisel tries to bring in the WCO, and basically destroyed the program leaving violations with him. Barnett is brought in to rebuild the program, but I'm just not sure he has the ability to get it done. Just remember every NU fan, our beloved T.O. damn near went and made CU his program!

NU had its program going full steam in the 90's winning 3 NC. The coach retires, but unlike CU the coach names his replacement. The replacement struggles the first year, but then plays for and loses a NC a few years later. AD decides to move on, and a new AD or should I say "program killer" is hired. AD wants his guy, so he fires coach. AD brings in an unsuccessful coach from the NFL to implement WCO. Now, NU is on the brink of its first losing season in forever, no bowl game, etc.

If you ask me, the programs are very comparable. I realize CU doesn't have as many NC as NU, but look at how these programs seem to be following the same path. The only difference I can see is that CU hired its Neuheisel first while NU just hired their Neuheisel.

Keep in mind that it is far too early to compare BC to Neuheisel, but they do tend to coach a lot alike. I agree with what a poster said either in this thread or another about BC's inability to get the best out of the players. Maybe these players played above their potential last year, but hey the coaches got them to do it. The players this year are playing beneath their potential. If a coach can't motivate a team to win, it really doesn't matter if he has superior talent. Name one program other than Miami that hasn't had a superior coach instead of superior talent the last 10 years. If this were the case, Texas would have won every NC the last 4 or 5 years because that's how many years they've had the #1 recruiting class! Mack Brown will eventually win a NC, but Texas will have to go independant first. I'm thinking of requesting that NU leave the Big 12 and either join the MAC or drop to division 2.

If we give Callahan his 3 years as you say and we're still pathetic, then yes you are right we will have the ability to get a quality coach. However, most are calling for his head this year. If that happens, we won't have any quality coaches even consider an interview!

Because there are a lot on here who believe we should fire Callahan, I have to ask one simple question. Do you really believe we will get a quality coach if we fire Callahan? I mean really, Callahan wasn't even on the list when "Pud" began searching for a replacement for Solich. This may have been because he wasn't fired from the Raiders yet, but I won't speculate there. There is no way Urban Myers or any quality coach will come in here if we fire someone every year.

We fired Craig Bohl two years ago, Solich and co. a year ago, and Callahan this year? Who in their right mind with that kind of pressure would possibly come here? I can't think of anyone! Now firing "Pud" and Pearlman would be a step in the right direction, but firing Callahan would cause way more chaos than we currently have. Let's face it, Solich isn't coming back and Pelini wouldn't take the job even if "Pud" got on his hands and knees. Hell, I'm not even a coach and I wouldn't take the job. Firing coaches isn't always the answer.

You guys are dreaming if you think a quality coach would even look at this program if we fired Callahan after this season. If for some reason Callahan would resign, we won't find a quality coach either. With this kind of pressure, why in the world would you want to come here if you were an up and coming coach?

Looking back and looking forward, it sure would have been great if the great "Pud" would have waited just one more year on Solich. If we were having this kind of season with Solich, I don't think his firing would have caused so much chaos. Also, it appears as though Butch Davis may get the axe after this year. It would have been great to see Butch Davis wearing the Red and White next year. Let's face it, Miami just isn't the same without Davis's recruits. If Coker continues to lose games in the next two seasons, he will probably be let go. It's amazing how spoiled some programs get. Look at Florida. Ron Zook did an amazing job at recruiting. Whoever takes over that program inherits a wealth of talent. It's a shame they didn't give Zook another 2 years to get out from underneath the looming shadows!

OK Mr. Knowitall, what kind of players did TO recruit his first 5 years? What kind of success did TO have in his first 5 years? How many title games did TO make his first 5 years? It's amazing how one little decision in TO's life could have really affected this program. What was that decision? He all but took the CU head coaching position back in the mid to late 70's. Why? Because he wasn't having the success Devaney had and some fans were calling for his job.

I really do see a mirror image between Frank and TO other than Frank wouldn't have coached nearly as long as TO. We gave TO 20+ years to bring us back to the promise land. We gave Frank basically 3. "Pud" was going to fire Frank no matter what. Why he didn't just give him the boot after the 7-7 season still has me wondering, but Frank was gone no matter what when "Pud" came in. If you look back at some of TO's recruits, then how can you say Frank was leading us down a path of destruction. Mike Grant? Mickey Joseph? A secondary they timed on the sundial because they were so slow?

IMO, TO decided to hang it up after the 97' season because he looked at the cupboard and it was bare. He had two freshmen for QB, and he didn't have anyone who even resembled a half back returning. A lot of his line was graduating, so he decided to retire on top. I can't blame him for that as I would have done the same thing. However, you can't tell me that he wouldn't have sustained some losses in 98' as the talent wasn't there.

I laugh when I read a post one here earlier that said Crouch made Solich. Who in the hell do you think made TO? Answer: Frazier, Phillips, Frost, and Green. And by the way, Frost was a gift from Walsh for retiring early from Stanford and Green was an in-state player. So really, Frazier and Phillips made TO. Why do you think TO played Phillips in the bowl game? He knew he owed him a lot and wanted to get him into the pro's!

Yes, but it's all based on promises. What are these promises? That they will see a lot of playing time next year. IMO, a true freshman shouldn't be starting unless A) they are just that good (OU's Peterson) B) you have nobody else. Freshmen need to get accustomed to the big leap from high school to college. Mack Brown made a lot of these same promises, and it has kept him from a championship (Major Applewhite vs. Simms).

Look at Texas now. OU came into Texas during the 04 recruiting year and picked it clean. Even Mack's promises can't get them to Austin anymore. If we don't turn this thing around quickly, these outstanding recruits will begin to fade. Recruiting based on promises can be a ticking time bomb that can blow up in your face!

Last year we finished the season 10-3 and were ranked in the top 25. "Pud" fires the coach because he "will not surrender to Texas and OU". I have to ask, where would NU rank this year with our record? Considering I believe we rank in the 50's or 60's, what in the hell is mediocrity? How far do we have to fall before we begin to rise again?

I know there is a lot of "just wait until next year" coming out. However, Texas and OU had very good recruiting classes coming into 2004. Do you really think true freshman will be able to overcome either redshirt freshman or true sophomores from those schools? We have to give both the talent coming in and the coaching staff time. However, this isn't the point of this thread. I want to know how far NU has to fall before any kind of recovery takes place.

I didn't get the chance to see the NU vs. OU game until Sunday, but I have to say that I didn't see a lot of talent difference between the two teams. When OU tried to run outside, we had guys there giving up very minimal gains. Our secondary played way too soft in my opinion giving up the short passes. The biggest problem I saw on D was that our secondary never and I repeat NEVER turns their head back to see the ball coming. Very few times were the receivers wide open. However, it is very difficult to defend against the pass if you're just going to tackle after the reception is made. On offense, our O-Line did a pretty good job moving the OU D which is ranked #1 in the Big 12 against the run. Corey Ross did a great job running the ball as did Jackson when given the chance. This team just isn't clicking.

I listened to the game on the radio. After the game, they always talk to some of the players. I have to say I was disappointed. There was only one player after the game who wasn't upbeat and satisfied with the way the team played. I guess I missed where getting your asses handed to you was satisfying. I don't think there is a talent issue going on at NU. I believe it is an attitude problem. Somewhere along the line, we have lost our fire and passion for the game. A better question should be: if Callahan goes 9-2 or 10-3 next year, do we fire him? The players especially the defense have been through a lot having 3 coaches in 3 different years. For some reason, I believe the A.D. has been given way too much power over the football program. Let's put the coaches on a 3 year probationary contract and fire the A.D. "Pud" should be blamed a lot more for the dibacle this year rather than the coaching staff or the players!

To all of you who think we have the most class and best fans need to really go back about a decade. I was a student back then and was appalled at how we treated the CU fans during the night game. The student section for some reason that year was above the opposing fans. Hefty bags were filled with urine and thrown down upon the CU fans. The only saving grace was that it was raining to kind of water it down, but it was disgraceful to say the least. I don't know how you guys can say we have the all the class in the world and those who beat us have none.

We may have the most loyal following in the country but to say we have the best class is just wrong. Every team has those fans who just get stupid during an intense rivalry. We at NU have them also, so don't play it off like we don't. Have you ever walked around in the parking lot after a CU game when the game is in Lincoln? I mean seriously cars keyed, windows broken, cars waxed, etc. Is this class? I think maybe the feelings of NU fans, coaches, etc. are just a little tender these days considering how things have gone. It's time we NU fans begin calling a spade a spade. We are not the God almighty some of you portray us to be just like OU isn't full of saints nor is CU or KSU.

What's up with the 40 time? Is it 4.5 or 4.72? IMO, that is a lot of difference. That's the difference between making the tackle or being juked out of your shorts. I'm assuming he's really good being the #3 LB in the country, but if 4.72 is as fast as he gets let USC have him. Terrel Farley ran in the high 4.3's. This is the kind of LB we need. I'll take a 200 lb. super fast LB over a big slower LB anyday.

Another note. Peterson went to OU because A) they have an outstanding line to run behind and B) Stoops promised they would run more like they are doing. If OU wins out and Peterson wins the Heisman, what else is there to play for? I would bet money if Claurett would have won his court case Peterson would be playing in the NFL next year. National Championships are nice and all, but millions of $$$$$$$$$$ are a lot better. Of course any young stud entering college is dreaming of the millions rather than the college championships.

I'm glad we are recruiting some speed, but only being 5'8 covering 6'2 to 6'4 receivers will be a challenge unless he has a 40 inch vertical. Why not make him like a Daunte Hall. Put him in as a wingback/receiver and special teams specialist. With that kind of speed, he could really give us the spark we're missing on special teams especially punt returning.

Nothing against Ross, but as the season progresses I believe Jackson will get the nod as I-back next year. Lucky will get some time in the rotation as will Ross, but Jackson gets the nod. He's made his freshman mistakes this year putting the ball on the turf, but he's made a lot of progress. Hell, the guy was a Hodge 150 player coming in this year. Lucky won't start because he'll make the same freshman mistakes as Jackson. However, by the end of the year he'll be playing a lot. It's a shame Ross will ride the pine, but that's how it is when a new coach comes in during your tenure. It's just like when a new manager is hired for a company. There are a certain amount of employees that are replaced because the new boss wants his/her people.

Tierre Green really gets the shaft in my opinion. I doubt he'll see the field other than special teams. Hopefully Lucky is smart enough to redshirt. I believe that a skill position player should almost always redshirt unless there just isn't enough depth. Jackson probably should have redshirted this year because we did have Ross and Green.

Unfortunately, next year we will again be having a first year starting Quarterback. I'm afraid we may see a lot of the same as this year until we get a QB with adequate experience. Hopefully, we have some blowouts (when we're blowing someone out) so that 2 or 3 QB's can gain that vital gametime experience. Joe D. was patient sitting behind Lord, but I don't think his ego can manage that the rest of his career. He's athletic. I hope he is willing to change positions, or he will just be another player riding the pine complaining while locking up a scholarship.

There should be string of young receivers playing a lot. I'm sure Callahan will bring in some speed and heighth. As long as they can catch the ball and not let coverages confuse them, we should be fine here. The defense needs a makeover especially at the Linebacker position. I hate seeing freshman Linebackers, but as long as they have speed they can make up for some of their mistakes. The secondary needs experienced players. We will have the Bullock brothers, but we need more to go with them. We have played freshmen here before, so I would expect to see a couple or more play a lot.

Next year IMO really hinges on the QB position. This is where success or failure as a team will take place.

Maybe I'm all wet, but I don't see a high scoring game here. Nebraska probably won't even score, but I don't see OU scoring more than 30 points either. The first quarter, Stoops will simply have the freshman run it down our throats. If that doesn't work, he'll have last year's Heisman winner throw some short easy passes. By the time the fourth quarter, our defense will be totally exhausted. The freshman will have a big day, probably 30+ carries and well over 200 yards rushing.

If the game were in Lincoln, I'd give us a better chance. For some reason, we just play better in Lincoln like we did against Mizzou. However, we have been horrible on the road. The crowd is going to be loud and fired up for this one. I don't think there is any way OU will put 50 up on us. Stoops likes having Heisman winners on his teams. He's trying to win the freshman one this year. He'll just run it and run it and run it down our throats exposing our D-line and Linebackers backing of Bo's previous remarks about NU's D!