True2tRA

The Firing: Was Correct

The Hiring: Was Wrong

 

How hard is this?

Bo Pelini was hired December 3, 2007.

Mike Riley was hired December 4, 2014.

Today's date is November 3, 2015.

How hard is this?

MeKewon:"It (championships) wasn't going to happen with the predecessor (Bo). I don't know if it's going to happen with Riley. But I sure as hell know it's not going to happen after one or two years. Now that, I ABSOLUTELY knew! Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, thought this team was going to win the Big Ten Championship this year. And I don't think anybody thought they were gonna win it next year. Or even the year after. You'd have to be INSANE to think that anybody could have come into that program and win a conference championsip with that roster and that group of people. Could they go 9-3 or 8-4? Yes!

To me, this is where he nails it.

This has been one of the most inconsistent teams in football for a long damn time. Why would that have vanished in ten months? How could it? This same team has been in competitive games with the very same teams we've lost to this season. At no point have we shown to be clearly better than any of these teams aside from Purdue and Illinois.

Illinois was inexcusable and ugly, I've always said that. Purdue didn't look like they were having trouble matching up with us anywhere on the field. You turn the ball over five times, you'll lose 9/10 times. Simple as that.

A little more ranting. The bolded part is SO TRUE!

McKewon: But what I know is, it had gotten to a point in the previous administration where they weren't happy with winning 9 games, because they thought it wasn't good enough. Fans weren't happy with it, and it created this political divide. Because what you really had was a group of people who were RESENTFUL of the fact that anybody wanted to do anything more than exactly what they were doing.

Pick Six Podcast link.

Wow. This is so refreshing to hear this stuff being said. McKewon absolutely is spot on with that.

POB will sign his financial aid papers next week, non binding of course. Says he realizes Riley didn't recruit most of the players on the team and fully trusts the staff. Believes the future is bright.

I like when we recruit not only good football players, but smart kids as well.

Trying to catch up on watching the game for the first time and all the radio reaction from this weekend...

Boy, DB sounds pissed at Cav during the first segment of their show from this morning. Doesn't believe we can't possibly field more capable players on the OL than the no-sub lineup we've been trotting out.

I've been an adamant supporter of this staff, but some of the personnel decisions, from OL to RB to DB, have been flat out mind-boggling. I don't get it.

That's what is shocking to me. I don't care about rotatin offensive linemen, that's a Husker fan thing, that's not a normal occurrence in football. Chemistry and familiarity are extremely important to an offensive lines success. If subbing a guy in completely destroys that chemistry and ruins any chance of success than that is disappointing. We need to get a few other guys going and we needed to a Lon time ago. I know it's easier said than done, but the way this group looks, it needs to be done. Get someone else in there and get them some reps.

I don't expect these coaches to suddenly have everyone playing at a higher level than they ever have before, but the accountability and lack of change is somewhat frustrating. It's even more disappointing if the depth is just truly that horrible behind these starting five.

That letter was nothing but an insult to our intelligence. We can smell his bullsh#t from a mile away.

Yeah, this place has smelled for a while.

 

This seems foolish to say. Especially with all of our injuries...

 

I mean, everyone's all on board now saying "They need to hit more in practice!" until we lose 2 guys before a big game. Then everyone would say "they need to be smart! Don't injure players DURING practice!"

 

There's no right answer, but the best is what everyone is doing. And that is less contact during the practice week. Everyone does it for a reason...

 

I said the same thing. With all the injuries the staff has to be leery of this. Damon comes from an era of Nebraska football that had depth to spare at every position for the most part.

 

Came to the thread wondering which opponents trolling fan created this thread.

 

It was a "Husker fan" and a Huskerboard Moderator nonetheless......

 

We're volunteers, not university employees. We aren't subject to Eichorst's "Energy Vampires" mumbo jumbo BS. We're allowed to have free thought.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Came to the thread wondering which opponents trolling fan created this thread.

 

It was a "Husker fan" and a Huskerboard Moderator nonetheless......

 

Remember, when you created a thread called Bo Pelini's QB graveyard, you were applauding his players in their effort and execution of his scheme in destroying an opponents statistics.

 

When you create a Banker QB valhalla thread, you get to point out how incredibly sh**ty the Blackshirts look. So some of you same guys, don't be going around the board in other threads crying when people are questioning the effort and talent of the players on this team. This thread is dedicated to showing the lack of both.

 

Unless of course you believe that football is all coaching and nothing else.

 

I hope sometime down the road Banker and the Blackshirts are able to get the desired results and we can end the days of celebrating an opponents successes against our own defense because it validates our agenda against a coaching staff.

 

So should we ignore that we're dead last in pass defense?

 

I've really got to know, when you read my comment, what specifically gave you the impression that I was saying we should "ignore that we're dead last in pass defense"? Seriously, I have to know because that is just unbelievable.

 

 

 

 

What's truly unbelievable is how you continue to blindly defend these coaches like they are all knowing and can fix this. They can't. Banker has a history of putting up terrible defenses and we're seeing it again this year. Halfway through the season we should at least see SOME progress, we aren't at all. In fact the defense is only getting worse. We returned most of our secondary from last year, and suddenly went from 25th to 128th in pass defense. How is that not coaching? Not one post in this thread is criticizing the effort and talent level of our team, something you've been doing constantly in other threads. We are pointing out the obvious that Banker is a terrible defensive coordinator.

 

So you didn't answer my question. Okay, anyways......

 

I've never once said this staff is all knowing or can fix this. I've said they deserve a chance at trying to. While in fact things have been ugly, unlike many of you I'm not sure how much of the ugliness I can attribute to the coaching staff yet.

 

I constantly challenge people here to show me a play where a player was not in position to make the play. There are examples, sure. But for every one example you can show me, I can show you ten more that we do have a player in great position to make the play, and we just aren't doing it.

 

Ten months into this hire, I just can't blame Banker for his players not executing his scheme. They aren't his players, and they obviously aren't comfortable in the scheme. While we all loved hearing that these coaches would come here and implement a scheme that "fit" the talent on hand, we need to realize that these guys didn't come here to coach Bo Pelini's and Tim Beck's schemes. They have their own ways of doing things too. It's hard to abandon everything you know in an attempt to force things to work. I'd really like to see them find a few pieces to plug into what they would actually like to do.

 

 

They came in saying they wouldn't let schemes get in the way of wins.....that's exactly what they've done all season. Sorry, but I've had to deal with Riley and the gang once before as a Charger fan. I didn't like what I saw then, and I'm definitely not liking what I see now. Defense isn't THIS difficult to teach. There's no reason we should have a defense that ranks 108th especially with the offenses we've played.

 

I don't think he's having a hard time teaching it. I think we are having a hard time executing it. Our blitzes do not get to the QB enough. We have some lane breakdowns in the front seven, and typically very bad timing for some breakdowns. Our defensive backs are used to being a bit spoiled and are now being challenged and while many Defensive Backs are of the mindset in which they love the challenge of being on an island, we actually had a DB coach in the past say that we very much lack that type of player in our backfield. Now, I realize the "get punched and punch back" comments were a little while back in our history, but just watching the games, it looks like when we get beat on a big play, we seem to fit that profile of not always fighting back.

 

Came to the thread wondering which opponents trolling fan created this thread.

 

It was a "Husker fan" and a Huskerboard Moderator nonetheless......

 

Remember, when you created a thread called Bo Pelini's QB graveyard, you were applauding his players in their effort and execution of his scheme in destroying an opponents statistics.

 

When you create a Banker QB valhalla thread, you get to point out how incredibly sh**ty the Blackshirts look. So some of you same guys, don't be going around the board in other threads crying when people are questioning the effort and talent of the players on this team. This thread is dedicated to showing the lack of both.

 

Unless of course you believe that football is all coaching and nothing else.

 

I hope sometime down the road Banker and the Blackshirts are able to get the desired results and we can end the days of celebrating an opponents successes against our own defense because it validates our agenda against a coaching staff.

You have a very...Soviet view of this topic.

 

 

 

 

Came to the thread wondering which opponents trolling fan created this thread.

 

It was a "Husker fan" and a Huskerboard Moderator nonetheless......

 

Remember, when you created a thread called Bo Pelini's QB graveyard, you were applauding his players in their effort and execution of his scheme in destroying an opponents statistics.

 

When you create a Banker QB valhalla thread, you get to point out how incredibly sh**ty the Blackshirts look. So some of you same guys, don't be going around the board in other threads crying when people are questioning the effort and talent of the players on this team. This thread is dedicated to showing the lack of both.

 

Unless of course you believe that football is all coaching and nothing else.

 

I hope sometime down the road Banker and the Blackshirts are able to get the desired results and we can end the days of celebrating an opponents successes against our own defense because it validates our agenda against a coaching staff.

 

So should we ignore that we're dead last in pass defense?

 

I've really got to know, when you read my comment, what specifically gave you the impression that I was saying we should "ignore that we're dead last in pass defense"? Seriously, I have to know because that is just unbelievable.

 

 

 

 

What's truly unbelievable is how you continue to blindly defend these coaches like they are all knowing and can fix this. They can't. Banker has a history of putting up terrible defenses and we're seeing it again this year. Halfway through the season we should at least see SOME progress, we aren't at all. In fact the defense is only getting worse. We returned most of our secondary from last year, and suddenly went from 25th to 128th in pass defense. How is that not coaching? Not one post in this thread is criticizing the effort and talent level of our team, something you've been doing constantly in other threads. We are pointing out the obvious that Banker is a terrible defensive coordinator.

 

So you didn't answer my question. Okay, anyways......

I've never once said this staff is all knowing or can fix this. I've said they deserve a chance at trying to. While in fact things have been ugly, unlike many of you I'm not sure how much of the ugliness I can attribute to the coaching staff yet.

I constantly challenge people here to show me a play where a player was not in position to make the play. There are examples, sure. But for every one example you can show me, I can show you ten more that we do have a player in great position to make the play, and we just aren't doing it.

Ten months into this hire, I just can't blame Banker for his players not executing his scheme. They aren't his players, and they obviously aren't comfortable in the scheme. While we all loved hearing that these coaches would come here and implement a scheme that "fit" the talent on hand, we need to realize that these guys didn't come here to coach Bo Pelini's and Tim Beck's schemes. They have their own ways of doing things too. It's hard to abandon everything you know in an attempt to force things to work. I'd really like to see them find a few pieces to plug into what they would actually like to do.

 

Came to the thread wondering which opponents trolling fan created this thread.

 

It was a "Husker fan" and a Huskerboard Moderator nonetheless......

 

Remember, when you created a thread called Bo Pelini's QB graveyard, you were applauding his players in their effort and execution of his scheme in destroying an opponents statistics.

 

When you create a Banker QB valhalla thread, you get to point out how incredibly sh**ty the Blackshirts look. So some of you same guys, don't be going around the board in other threads crying when people are questioning the effort and talent of the players on this team. This thread is dedicated to showing the lack of both.

 

Unless of course you believe that football is all coaching and nothing else.

 

I hope sometime down the road Banker and the Blackshirts are able to get the desired results and we can end the days of celebrating an opponents successes against our own defense because it validates our agenda against a coaching staff.

 

So should we ignore that we're dead last in pass defense?

 

I've really got to know, when you read my comment, what specifically gave you the impression that I was saying we should "ignore that we're dead last in pass defense"? Seriously, I have to know because that is just unbelievable.

No wonder message boarders get such a crap reputation. We're no better than these clucking hens....

To be honest, I don't see how you guys can seem to hate the man so much. It appears a lot of you genuinely hate the guy though, and I do think it's kind of sad.

While I didn't expect this team to have such a horrible season in the win/loss category, I've seen a lot bad breaks suffered by this team in the game of football and in the injury department.

I don't run around saying I like the guy because he's a nice guy either, that seems to be something most of you haters say. I think the guy is a nice guy and a good coach. I think Husker nation has grown too comfortable with the idea of firing coaches when you see so many people wanting a change after just ten months of hiring these guys.

There used to be a time when firing people was kind of the last resort. Now too many of you seem to think it's the answer. All because you've seen some success stories this season. All the while ignoring all the stories that aren't so successful, both this season and in history.

This situation is unique in the fact that our former coach won 9 games each year. What you've chosen to ignore is how truly close many of those games were to being losses. You've ignored how closely matched many Big Ten teams have actually been to us. We have not separated ourselves as a program since joining the Big Ten. We've actually shown to be right on par with the group for the most part. Capable of winning or losing big on any given Saturday.

Speaking of coaches turning programs around immediately, how's things going at Oregon State and Youngstown?

I think he's a great person. I think his priorities are exactly right.

 

He knows coaching and he's even keel and he has the right mindset.

 

 

 

 

 

Sounds like we should give him some time to figure things out then if he's got all these things going for him.

Came to the thread wondering which opponents trolling fan created this thread.

It was a "Husker fan" and a Huskerboard Moderator nonetheless......

Remember, when you created a thread called Bo Pelini's QB graveyard, you were applauding his players in their effort and execution of his scheme in destroying an opponents statistics.

When you create a Banker QB valhalla thread, you get to point out how incredibly sh**ty the Blackshirts look. So some of you same guys, don't be going around the board in other threads crying when people are questioning the effort and talent of the players on this team. This thread is dedicated to showing the lack of both.

Unless of course you believe that football is all coaching and nothing else.

I hope sometime down the road Banker and the Blackshirts are able to get the desired results and we can end the days of celebrating an opponents successes against our own defense because it validates our agenda against a coaching staff.

Didn't Bo Pelini cry about the Administration not showing their faces much or not at all? I thought that was the issue?

I think Gordon ran for 408 yards on Bo's defense, because Eichorst or Perlman didn't visit practice that week.

I am left wondering about the o-line. If there is no chance that the starters will be coming off the field during the game, what exactly is pushing them to perform at the top of their abilities?

I'll buy that the starters are the best players available. I find it hard to believe that their backups couldn't play harder and get better results.

 

I hope that makes sense. My brain to keyboard translator doesn't always synch.

It scares me that this staff does not see any other options.

Riley says they are not "saving" anybody, or holding someone off the field in an attempt to build for the future. He says the best players are playing and we are doing what we can to win NOW.

Benning still calling out effort today. But is also calling out the coaches for a bad game plan, not having "tough" enough practices, and not having any consequences for poor play.

I can see every aspect of that.

Illinois and Purdue both stand out as brutal examples of a poor game plan.

The practices do need to get tougher in my opinion. We've got too many guys taking bad pursuit angles and playing a bit un-aggressively. Maybe more game-like practices could help this, but with all the injuries on the team, I can see why the coaches are leery about anybody else getting hurt.

The effort thing has been pretty obvious and easy to spot. It's not everyone, but it is some. We are a very inconsistent team, have been for a long time. We have been in almost all aspects of the game, but Bo used to at least get a pretty consistent effort. It appears Riley does not get that same respect from the players, and I don't know if that should be all that surprising.

I still look at the talent of this team as probably better than Illinois and Purdue for sure, but if those talented players aren't executing, making plays or giving consistent effort, then it's not gonna matter. We've not been able to overcome our inconsistency with a huge play here or there like we did in the past. We've been an inconsistent team for a really long time, but we used to have that couple of guys that made up for it here or there with a few big plays per game. Abdullah's absence is huge for this team. I'd sure like a Randy Gregory at DE right now as well.

This weekend has huge implications for the future. We need these guys more than ever. Guys who want to be a part of bringing this thing back. I hope we can get some guys who are excited, fueled, and focused on taking the challenge head on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or are they not capable? It looks to me like we struggle in some very basic aspects on a regular basis. Most good teams don't struggle on the offensive line the way we do. That's very hard to overcome.

If they aren't capable or struggling in a scheme, why in the world would you continue to stick with something that isn't working? A large part of coaching is finding something that works and putting players in the best position to succeed. I'm not seeing that at all. Throwing 48 times with ANY QBs currently on the roster is a really good way to lose a game. They weren't recruited to sling it all over the field, so why do we continually do it? Why not create a run heavy game plan one week to see how it works? It's not like there is a lot to lose at this point.

 

The o-line is a total joke this year. I have seen three o-linemen consistently whiff blocks or just get flat out dominated, yet there isn't even an attempt to switch it up to see if a different combination works better. Am I to believe these things don't happen in practice? I have a really hard time believing that these things only happen on game day.

I don't wholly disagree with you. We seem to be in between what we want to be and what we actually can be. It just doesn't seem like we are good at much of anything. That can never be entirely on a coaching staff. Especially not in their first year here, at least, not in my opinion.

If we want to be a 40+ attempt per game WCO, NU will be sub .500 from here out under this staff.

I'm hoping Patrick O'Brien will have something to say about that someday......

 

If not him, then any QB that can consistently complete an accurate pass will do.

 

Passing the ball is not the problem, it's not completing the passes that is the issue.

Yeah, and in the down years, the valleys are even lower.

 

"Balanced" offenses that lean on the pass to open up the run are awful unless run by an all pro QB.

I'd like us to try and maintain balance as well, but let's not abandon our search for an all pro QB. That might be a neat new thing Nebraska could experience considering most of us have never seen on in a Husker uniform.

I don't want to be balanced. I'd rather see us hire Leach than chase the notion of "balance."

 

It's mostly ineffective at the college level unless you have top 5 talent.

 

No. No it's not. Not based on reality anyway. Most successful offenses maintain balance, and most successful offenses aren't built with top five talent.

 

 

 

 

 

Or are they not capable? It looks to me like we struggle in some very basic aspects on a regular basis. Most good teams don't struggle on the offensive line the way we do. That's very hard to overcome.

If they aren't capable or struggling in a scheme, why in the world would you continue to stick with something that isn't working? A large part of coaching is finding something that works and putting players in the best position to succeed. I'm not seeing that at all. Throwing 48 times with ANY QBs currently on the roster is a really good way to lose a game. They weren't recruited to sling it all over the field, so why do we continually do it? Why not create a run heavy game plan one week to see how it works? It's not like there is a lot to lose at this point.

 

The o-line is a total joke this year. I have seen three o-linemen consistently whiff blocks or just get flat out dominated, yet there isn't even an attempt to switch it up to see if a different combination works better. Am I to believe these things don't happen in practice? I have a really hard time believing that these things only happen on game day.

I don't wholly disagree with you. We seem to be in between what we want to be and what we actually can be. It just doesn't seem like we are good at much of anything. That can never be entirely on a coaching staff. Especially not in their first year here, at least, not in my opinion.

If we want to be a 40+ attempt per game WCO, NU will be sub .500 from here out under this staff.

I'm hoping Patrick O'Brien will have something to say about that someday......

 

If not him, then any QB that can consistently complete an accurate pass will do.

 

Passing the ball is not the problem, it's not completing the passes that is the issue.

Yeah, and in the down years, the valleys are even lower.

 

"Balanced" offenses that lean on the pass to open up the run are awful unless run by an all pro QB.

 

I'd like us to try and maintain balance as well, but let's not abandon our search for an all pro QB. That might be a neat new thing Nebraska could experience considering most of us have never seen on in a Husker uniform.

 

 

 

Or are they not capable? It looks to me like we struggle in some very basic aspects on a regular basis. Most good teams don't struggle on the offensive line the way we do. That's very hard to overcome.

If they aren't capable or struggling in a scheme, why in the world would you continue to stick with something that isn't working? A large part of coaching is finding something that works and putting players in the best position to succeed. I'm not seeing that at all. Throwing 48 times with ANY QBs currently on the roster is a really good way to lose a game. They weren't recruited to sling it all over the field, so why do we continually do it? Why not create a run heavy game plan one week to see how it works? It's not like there is a lot to lose at this point.

 

The o-line is a total joke this year. I have seen three o-linemen consistently whiff blocks or just get flat out dominated, yet there isn't even an attempt to switch it up to see if a different combination works better. Am I to believe these things don't happen in practice? I have a really hard time believing that these things only happen on game day.

I don't wholly disagree with you. We seem to be in between what we want to be and what we actually can be. It just doesn't seem like we are good at much of anything. That can never be entirely on a coaching staff. Especially not in their first year here, at least, not in my opinion.

If we want to be a 40+ attempt per game WCO, NU will be sub .500 from here out under this staff.

 

I'm hoping Patrick O'Brien will have something to say about that someday......

If not him, then any QB that can consistently complete an accurate pass will do.

Passing the ball is not the problem, it's not completing the passes that is the issue.

 

 

We started 6 guys without a single power 5 offer on Saturday...

Why does this not matter to people?

 

I thought stars (or lack of) did not matter?

 

I don't think you can have it both ways...

 

If you really think Purdue had better talent on the field you must also think that Coach Riley is going to get a few "Coach of the Year" awards for managing to get 3 wins with a team filled of players that basically less athletic than Steven hawking.

 

You completely missed the entire point about " stars don't matter".

I said stars don't make you a good Division I College Football player. I never said being a good player wasn't important.

Too many people are completely overlooking the lack of playmaking on this team. I don't think Purdue had the better talent on the field, I'd say we don't look too far apart but we were playing with our backup QB and we lost our most talented offensive player in Pierson-El. Westerkamp did a damn great job out there. Purdue looks like they execute their systems a little bit better than we do ours. They also got a couple lucky bounces that went their way. Their TE made a great catch and their QB had some good runs and throws.

Players got to make plays. Purdue did, we did not make enough..

 

 

Btw if you want a break down on those gifs...

 

the int: keep your feet moving, shoulders square to the defender, and for godsake stay in front of him. That's technique it should be coached.

 

The passing td: hard to say but looks like the corner should have turned his hips sooner, technique, and ther was no safety help over the top (an ongoing philosphy/coaching issue)

 

The rushing td: pursuit angles, basic coaching on assignments.

 

He gets caught flat footed and his head isn't on a swivel.

 

Should Cavanaugh have this player playing better? Is it Cavanaugh's fault his technique is weak and the player clearly wasn't focused? Has this player been a good player in the past that has been getting worse, not better? Has this player proven to execute consistently in the past?

 

So Stewart taught the corner poor technique? The corner is in position to make the play. He doesn't need safety help over the top. That's not the scheme we play in. Lots of teams don't put safety help over the top. The corner should be able to cover a Purdue WR right, I mean, as much more talented as we are and all?

 

The rushing TD, basic pursuit angles is basic coaching? Ha! That's basic football man. If you've been playing this game you either understand it or you don't. Don't be lazy and don't jog after the play how about that? Don't let a WR reach out and completely take you out of the play if you're a DE that outweighs him by 80 lbs.. How about #25 on that rushing play? What was he up to?

 

He didn't look back to see where the ball is. That's the way they are coached now. Hard to make a play on the ball when you don't know where it is. Is it overthrown, underthrown, right on the money, toward the center of the field, toward the sideline? Not easy to know when you aren't looking for the ball.

 

Is that the way they're coached, cause if so, I agree that is an issue. We could get better at reading the receivers eyes and body language though, and why are our DB's so hands off and unaggressive? I mean, every team in the country is getting more physical with their DB's than we are.

When is the last time Husker Defensive backs ever turned to look back for the ball when it was in the air? Now nobody lie to me and tell me we did when Bo was here, because no we didn't. The only times our DB's have looked at the ball that I can remember in the last 8 years is when the are playing so far off and the pass is in front of them, which was typical in Pelini's "bend don't break" pass defense.