Year One Success

[olddominionhusker]

The only coach I think can be fairly judged right now under current circumstances is Raiola. And he actually does need to go

[Wistrom Disciple]

The focus should always be on sustained success and improvement. Many coaches have benefited from inheriting talented rosters or finding splash recruits early to earn them praise. Numerous examples including: Mel Tucker, any Florida coach since Urban Meyer, Auburn, Texas A&M, etc. The challenge is building the program into a sustainable model that can be replicated year after year. Those are harder to find: Ryan Day, Harburgh, Saban, Smart with a few others in the conversation. 

 

Our key is to find continuity with the coaching staff and players that focuses on development and sound game strategy with excellent fundamentals. As @ColoradoHusk mentioned, coaches being on the same page and a consistent message and strategy could go a long ways. However, that may take a year or two to sink in to where every player on the team is working in unison. Hopefully we can continue building this year and see more success as the year goes on.

 

For a local example: it is unquestionable that Pelini inherited a lot of talent from Callahan's staff. The key that made Pelini a really good coach was that he was able to maintain success with his own recruits and developed many into professional players.

-- I still think his success is underrated as he did so while switching conferences and recruiting footprints. 

[Red Five]

2 hours ago, TGHusker said:

we need better coaches in key positions including WR

We can have the best WR coach of all time this year and I don’t think it’d matter at that position.  We’ve lost 3 starters (Betts, IGC, Washington).  Besides Kemp, every other scholarship WR is a freshman.

 

The one freshman everyone wants to see didn’t enroll in the spring and practiced 1/2 the time in fall camp (and he played 50 some snaps vs Illinois). The one freshman that was most prepared to play broke his wrist at the end of fall camp and is just getting back up to speed.

[PasstheDamnBallGuy]

10 hours ago, Cornfed said:

100%. Rhule has got to get an impact transfer this off-season. 
 

What I can see is the mentality of our guys changing. They are fighting harder than I’ve seen since.. probably the Bo era. 

I’m optimistic. 

 

I feel like we have all been burned too many times to have true optimism now, but the mentality of the team especially the defense seems to be changing. I think that Illinois game felt like one we would have collapsed and lost in previous years.

 

For a second I thought Rhule was a genius on Friday as was going to let them score so everyone would be happy that we won a one score game 

[lo country]

10 minutes ago, PasstheDamnBallGuy said:

 

I feel like we have all been burned too many times to have true optimism now, but the mentality of the team especially the defense seems to be changing. I think that Illinois game felt like one we would have collapsed and lost in previous years.

 

For a second I thought Rhule was a genius on Friday as was going to let them score so everyone would be happy that we won a one score game 

Especially the bolded.  I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and NU collapse as we have seen way too many times in the previous 8 years.  Great to see them stop that first drive.  To date, Rhule appears to say what he means and not a lot of coach speak.  I like that.  Calling out the team and himself prior to Friday's game says a lot to me.  He is attentive and active on the side lines.  Again, something I haven't observed in a while.  The D is definitely developing that dog mentality.  Winning is obviously the biggest thing to do/get to have a lot more by in.  Most guys seem to be responding to it.

[Slow yer Roll]

I'm not a football head, you know, like a gear head.

 

 

Coach Rhules' press conferences the last 9 months it seems like his brain is out racing his mouth. He's trying to say too many things at once.

 

Now that we got some real games, complete with good and bad results ,

 

Especially the bad results...he settles down and handles the press conference in a good way.

 

That gives me confidence more than anything. 

[admo]

From the offseason Q&A's he answered about the future of Nebraska football, I like Rhule and give him the benefit of the doubt.  He definitely has had the microphone in his face since Day 1 and never said anything wrong.  

 

So having said that, I can see the pressure mounting up on him from the media and crazies that want to win today and now.  Even though he always said it would be a rebuild and that it will take time to get the Huskers back on track and winning every year.  

 

On defense, I see the young players getting PT and rotating in.  On offense, not so much unless it was an injury.  That's a red flag, because it means he is nervous about the offense screwing up and losing games like in years past.  Hopefully as the season goes on, we will see more rotations with the younger guys on offense getting opportunity as we build toward the future and possibly get to a bowl game this season.  

 

Next year though, we need to clean house and do some purging, but also understand we will have new guys at OL, RB, WR, and hopefully QB.

 

This is who needs to be purged after the year:

 

Defense:  Purge these guys - 

TyRob, Henrich, Tommie Hill, Sanford, Newsome, Javin Wright.

 

And unfortunately Reimer will be gone/graduated.  

 

 

Offense:  Purge these guys - 

Rhamir Johnson - he's done - gave his all

Anthony Grant - he's 24 this year and done next year

Casteneda - he's older too, injury prone; just let him go

Washington will be gone

OLinemen - purge them please:

Benhart, Corcoran, Nouili N, Piper and possibly Ben Scott (maybe)

Sims - the experiment that didn't work out

Gabe Irvin - not purged, but limited role as a 3rd string guy; I just don't think his body can handle much more.

Bleekrode - kicker - SR bye

Buschini - punter - can't punt anything other than 26-40 yards.  Terrible

Billy Kemp - SR bye

Fleeks - SR bye

 

A lot of older guys from the Frost system, some transfers that really haven't made a difference, and some guys who have the injury bug.

 

And also: 

Coach Raiola - purge - after 2 years learning to be a P5 OL coach.

 

Next season we will have a relative inexperienced O-Line.  The only lineman that Raiola has rotated in this year is Lutovsky, and we are losing 4 guys next year, maybe 5.  Ridiculous.

 

Next year - Prochaska (if healthy ??), Lutovsky, and who knows if madman Ben Scott will be back.  Just purge the others (Piper, NN, Benhart, Corcoran).

 

Next year will be real tough for sure.  But we have to purge these guys out across the team, and hopefully the transfer portal will be good to us.

 

Purge them.  Tell them to move on.  And keep building.

[ColoradoHusk]

Those saying we need a new WR coach are only saying it because they didn’t like the McGuire hire in the first place. McGuire hasn’t done anything to deserve to be fired. 

[runningblind]

Just now, ColoradoHusk said:

Those saying we need a new WR coach are only saying it because they didn’t like the McGuire hire in the first place. McGuire hasn’t done anything to deserve to be fired. 

Exactly.  Let the kid buy beer on his own first before we talk about firing him.

[ColoradoHusk]

4 minutes ago, runningblind said:

Exactly.  Let the kid buy beer on his own first before we talk about firing him.

Nice not-so thinly veiled jab at McGuire’s age. 

[Enhance]

17 hours ago, lo country said:

If Louisville can have this success, why has NU wandered aimlessly for years.  Coaching?  Missing on recruits?  Scheme? Missing that "1" guy? Truly wondering.  Duke is now ranked....Elko turned them around in year one (2022). We continually recruit top 25, but we are still struggling.  Thoughts?  

I think we've all been lamenting this very thing for a decade now, so the answers aren't really anything new. Pick your poison IMO. The program has struggled with all of them (except maybe missing that "one guy." It seems like their problems have gone deeper than anything one great player could fix).

I'm impressed with what Louisville is doing under Brohm in year one. Might have a high ceiling if he ever chooses to leave Louisville. So, I think the straight answer to your question might be the most obvious: Louisville has a good coach, they're decently talented, and they have a good quarterback. You're going to win a lot of games if you can get those three things in a football program. Nebraska hasn't.

But, exclusive of Brohm and Louisville, I don't think year one success or year one disappointment is necessarily indicative of much. I've seen coaches struggle early in a tenure only to turn a program around, and I've seen coaches be very successful early and then the program stagnates or gets worse. For Rhule I think the two top priorities are to find a winning QB and continue to raise the talent floor of the program.

[runningblind]

13 minutes ago, ColoradoHusk said:

Nice not-so thinly veiled jab at McGuire’s age. 

Correct.  An age joke.

[McGuillotine]

31 minutes ago, admo said:

From the offseason Q&A's he answered about the future of Nebraska football, I like Rhule and give him the benefit of the doubt.  He definitely has had the microphone in his face since Day 1 and never said anything wrong.  

 

So having said that, I can see the pressure mounting up on him from the media and crazies that want to win today and now.  Even though he always said it would be a rebuild and that it will take time to get the Huskers back on track and winning every year.  

 

On defense, I see the young players getting PT and rotating in.  On offense, not so much unless it was an injury.  That's a red flag, because it means he is nervous about the offense screwing up and losing games like in years past.  Hopefully as the season goes on, we will see more rotations with the younger guys on offense getting opportunity as we build toward the future and possibly get to a bowl game this season.  

 

Next year though, we need to clean house and do some purging, but also understand we will have new guys at OL, RB, WR, and hopefully QB.

 

This is who needs to be purged after the year:

 

Defense:  Purge these guys - 

TyRob, Henrich, Tommie Hill, Sanford, Newsome, Javin Wright.

 

And unfortunately Reimer will be gone/graduated.  

 

 

Offense:  Purge these guys - 

Rhamir Johnson - he's done - gave his all

Anthony Grant - he's 24 this year and done next year

Casteneda - he's older too, injury prone; just let him go

Washington will be gone

OLinemen - purge them please:

Benhart, Corcoran, Nouili N, Piper and possibly Ben Scott (maybe)

Sims - the experiment that didn't work out

Gabe Irvin - not purged, but limited role as a 3rd string guy; I just don't think his body can handle much more.

Bleekrode - kicker - SR bye

Buschini - punter - can't punt anything other than 26-40 yards.  Terrible

Billy Kemp - SR bye

Fleeks - SR bye

 

A lot of older guys from the Frost system, some transfers that really haven't made a difference, and some guys who have the injury bug.

 

And also: 

Coach Raiola - purge - after 2 years learning to be a P5 OL coach.

 

Next season we will have a relative inexperienced O-Line.  The only lineman that Raiola has rotated in this year is Lutovsky, and we are losing 4 guys next year, maybe 5.  Ridiculous.

 

Next year - Prochaska (if healthy ??), Lutovsky, and who knows if madman Ben Scott will be back.  Just purge the others (Piper, NN, Benhart, Corcoran).

 

Next year will be real tough for sure.  But we have to purge these guys out across the team, and hopefully the transfer portal will be good to us.

 

Purge them.  Tell them to move on.  And keep building.

Some of thos names you suggest purging are insanity

[ColoradoHusk]

19 minutes ago, McGuillotine said:

Some of thos names you suggest purging are insanity

He also might want to see who can actually come back for another season. 

[TGHusker]

It is frustrating seeing basketball schools Duke, Kansas, Louisville, Kentucky as well as perennial under achiever Oregon State in the top  25.  Glad for them but hard seeing our Huskers still trying to figure out how to climb out of the bottom of our division.  Man HCSF really screwed us up.  I think Rhule is the right guy but the slow build may have to become a fast build in order to compete in the Big 10 much less making the playoffs.