ColoradoHusk

I think it's hilarious when people's answer to NU's problems is to "play like they did in 1995".

A lot of the criticism of Riley is veiled defense of Pelini, which we saw in full bloom following the first game with threads such as "I hope you're happy now." There's no legitimate justification for the Riley hate after one, two or three games, and there's no other explanation other than Pelini's fans are still butthurt. I wish they would take their carnival to Youngstown where I understand Pelini has gotten the old gang back together again. At the same time, a lot of "defense" of Riley is veiled criticism of Pelini. My question is "Can we have legitimate discussions about the performance of Riley and his staff without turning it into a Riley vs. Bo debate?"

Yeah, I do. I am shocked that Chelsea has gotten off to such a poor start in defending their EPL championship.

HA!!! BOOK IT!!!

So, if a coach gets a free pass for 4 full years and he can't receive any blame for doing poorly, does that same coach get no credit if he gets the team to play well in those first 4 years? He would get credit for bringing talent. Just like people credit Callahan for leaving Bo with Suh, Amukamara, Dennard, etc. And how people credit Michigan's Sugar Bowl win a couple years ago to the talent Rich Rodriguez brought in. I'm not talking about the previous coach's credit, I am talking about the current coach's credit. If the NEW coach gets no blame for 4 years, then does he deserve any credit for 4 years, too?

So, if a coach gets a free pass for 4 full years and he can't receive any blame for doing poorly, does that same coach get no credit if he gets the team to play well in those first 4 years?

I think my point is that it doesn't need to be EVERY conversation. Can't we discuss Riley's gameplan or Banker's D without it turning it into a Bo vs. Riley conversation? Riley should be able to be evaluated by fans without having the previous guy used as context.

Look, I know we are only 3 games into the Mike Riley tenure, and that Riley is playing with a roster that was put together nearly 100% by Bo and the previous staff. But, at what point do we stop bringing up the negatives of Bo and his staff, just in the effort to defend Mike Riley and his staff? I fully supported the firing of Bo. Although I didn't care as much about his sideline demeanor as most fans, Bo's win-loss record and performance in big games wasn't getting it done. When Mike Riley was hired, I fully knew he who he was, and was aware of his performance at Oregon State. He had some good and bad years at OSU, in a very difficult situation. But, I could understand a lot of concerns with him from fans. I came into this season with moderate expectations. I was very concerned about the overall talent and depth on the team. But, I thought that Riley and his staff could get the team to improve in the on-field performance. The first 3 games have produced extremely mixed results. Yes, the BYU game was lost on a fluke Hail Mary, but NU was also almost blown out in the first half and didn't finish the game in the 4th. The Miami game was also very alarming. I think Miami has more speed and talent than NU, but that doesn't excuse the poor start, lack of execution, and overall lifelessness shown for most of the game. A 1-2 record is still a 1-2 record. Yes, BYU and Miami are good teams, but it's not like NU was starting out with 2 teams ranked in the top ten. I state the above because it seems like whenever someone brings up negative items regarding the Riley and the new staff, it seems like someone has to follow-up with a negative point or comparison to Bo. Yes, I guess it's good to see a calm demeanor on the sidelines, but it doesn't do much good if the coach doesn't win. Yes, it's a positive is a good representative of the University, handles the media well, and is universally well-liked. But, frankly, those are minor aspects of a coach for me, and winning is the biggest aspect of a coach for me. But, all of these "positives" about Riley seem to be in comparison to the previous guy. When can we let it go with Bo (insert Frozen GIF) and just talk about Riley and his team's performance, and not have every thread be a comparison to Riley and Bo?

That is because it doesn't compute with you that they could and can play good football. We are Nebraska, we have always been better than those teams and we will always be better than those teams. It would be no different if we were still in the big 12 beating TCU, Baylor, Okie St, W. Va. should be no problem. This is what all the Texas fans are saying right now. I already said it, NU is not as good as they used to be. combine that with other teams being better and you have what you have. The football world has changed. The worst thing that happened to Nebraska was TO retiring. I think to some degree, the formation of the Big 12 is what caused TO to retire. We definitely gave up some things when the conference went from the Big 8 to the Big 12. For starters, we could no longer bring in prop 48 players. This was somewhat of a big hit considering three of the starters on the 95' NC team were brought in as prop. 48 recruits. When haggling over everything leading up to the formation of the Big 12, it seemed like TO basically lost every battle. The prop 48 recruits was lost 11-1. The championship game was lost I believe 10-2. Nebraska didn't get the commissioner it wanted, and we didn't get the home office in Kansas City like we wanted. When we joined the Big 12 or merged into it or whatever, I believe it was a wake up call to TO that his time was basically up. I would say that was part of the problem, but not the main one. TO IMO retired for three reason's 1. I think he felt he owed it to his wife to step down and be more of a husband. Of coarse his Type A personality wouldn't allow that as his stint in congress showed. 2. He promised FS the job and set up a time table to do it. He wanted to pick his successor. 3. His health, I truly believe he thought his health was going to start failing soon. It didn't of coarse. I think TO regretted retiring fairly soon after he did. I think he would have liked to have stayed another 5 years or so. I think you are correct in that TO regretted quitting coaching. When did the Michigan State AD offer their job to TO? Was that after Saban left Michigan State for LSU? TO was very close to taking that job.

I'm guessing many have no education experience at all by reading the past few game threads from this season. RABBLE, RABBLE, RABBLE! Maybe. Then again, some of the people with the most education are the biggest dicks. /takes diplomas off the wall. Hides them under desk. "Diplomas"? Nice humblebrag.

I think goals and expectations are two different things. I am sure NU has the National Championship as a season goal, but I don't think those are the team's expectations. Expectations for a National Championship are realistic for the teams in the early 1980's and mid to late 1990s. Those expectations haven't been realistic since 2001.

Wow, you must really enjoy watching the Huskers play on Saturday, or have you quit watching because they most likely won't be making the playoffs this year. I was just thinking Nebraska has played football for what, about 125 years or so. All but 5 have been failures in your eyes. No kidding, what a terrible way to go through life.

Man, you sound like the worst fan ever.

Why do you hate Michigan? Michigan is Oklahoma in that scenario. Michigan State is A&M. A&M won a few divisions and a fluky conference championship in the Big 12, but have never been players on the national level.

That is because it doesn't compute with you that they could and can play good football. We are Nebraska, we have always been better than those teams and we will always be better than those teams. It would be no different if we were still in the big 12 beating TCU, Baylor, Okie St, W. Va. should be no problem. This is what all the Texas fans are saying right now. I already said it, NU is not as good as they used to be. combine that with other teams being better and you have what you have. The football world has changed. The worst thing that happened to Nebraska was TO retiring. But, are Iowa, Northwestern, and Minnesota playing a lot better football? Not really. It's not like they are TCU or Baylor and jumping into the top 5/top 10 in the country. Iowa, NW, and Minny are in the top 20-40 teams in the country NU has declined to the level of the 2nd tier/3rd tier Big Ten teams, and that's what sucks to see.

As a side note, I never understood why "we have to root for the conference because it makes Nebraska look better". Screw that. I hate everyone else in the conference, let them lose. I just want to worry about what NU is doing. Also, if the rest of the conference is doing well in the games, wouldn't that theoretically allow them to do better in recruiting, by attracting better plays who are seeing how well those other schools are doing? Screw that, I want those great players to go to Nebraska, not another school in the conference. Yes, I know it's about perception, but I don't agree with that philosophy.

Fat chicks need loving too.

I agree with all of this...I think it will be about two years (from now) where it is OSU and Michigan as the top dogs. I think there will be second tier of teams that will include 2-3 teams but I am not really sure who that will be, I think people will be quick to say MSU is one of them but I just have this feeling that they start losing to Michigan and OSU most years. I lumped MSU, OSU, and Wisconsin as the "top tier" because they have won conference titles since NU joined the league. I agree that MSU will have a tough time staying at the top. I think they will get solid players, but the reason they are currently elite is the play of Connor Cook. I wonder if they will be able to continue that down the road. It won't be long before Michigan and OSU are the top 2, mainly because of facilities, recruiting, and coaching.

I never had much respect for the members of the Big Ten. I thought the games were slow and boring. When NU joined the conference, I thought NU would have no problem beating teams like Northwestern, Iowa, and Minnesota. It's upsetting that NU is basically at the same level as Northwestern, Iowa, and Minnesota and a level below Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Michigan State. I think Michigan will soon be at the top tier level with those schools, as long as Harbaugh coach there. I have serious doubts if Riley can get NU to the level of those teams. It will be interesting to see if Wisconsin can stay at that level under Chryst, and if Penn State can get to that level under Franklin.

My favorite play of all time was the option that NU ran at the end of the 1984 Orange Bowl. It was truly a pass-run option with 3 options for Gill. First he reverse pivots and looks for Fryar on the slant. That is covered so Gill starts down the right side of the line on the run. When he is met by the defense he slips an option pitch to a streaking Jeff Smith on the outside. Smith takes it the rest of the way for the TD. It was an amazing play call and execution on 4th and 8 at the end of the game.

When Gangwish comes back, I would assume that he will take his starting job back at the open DE. Freedom should take over the Base DE from McMullen. Gangwish doesn't have the size to play the Base DE, and he likes to freelance too much for that position.

UNC wiped the field with ILL last weekend, I think we'll be ok there. For 80% of the game, NU was getting wiped the field by Miami. Also, the source of the program disarray was fired a week before the season started.

Enjoy your time in undergrad, I know I had my share of fun.

I was a 5-year old kid, going to my first Husker game ever at that Auburn game. I had thought that Jackson was on the team, but you are right, he was a freshman in 1982 (winning the Heisman as a senior in 1985). The big thing with 1981 was the emergence of Turner Gill. The QB play was awful in NU's first 2 losses that year.

A road trip to Illinois won't be a gimme.