Callahan's Piss Poor Excuse for a Close Game

[alairguard]

"It became a dogfight," NU coach Bill Callahan said. "You'll get into those types of situations in conference competition. That's the nature of the North Division."

 

You screwed up, Coach - admit it. Have some cojones and take responsibility, dammit!

 

If you don't mind my asking, how the hell do you blame Coach Callahan for the LACK OF PLAYER EXECUTION?!

[DaveH]

"It became a dogfight," NU coach Bill Callahan said. "You'll get into those types of situations in conference competition. That's the nature of the North Division."

 

You screwed up, Coach - admit it. Have some cojones and take responsibility, dammit!

 

If you don't mind my asking, how the hell do you blame Coach Callahan for the LACK OF PLAYER EXECUTION?!

It's never the players fault when you seethe the coach. Rule #1.

[alairguard]

"It became a dogfight," NU coach Bill Callahan said. "You'll get into those types of situations in conference competition. That's the nature of the North Division."

 

You screwed up, Coach - admit it. Have some cojones and take responsibility, dammit!

 

If you don't mind my asking, how the hell do you blame Coach Callahan for the LACK OF PLAYER EXECUTION?!

It's never the players fault when you seethe the coach. Rule #1.

[DaveH]

"It became a dogfight," NU coach Bill Callahan said. "You'll get into those types of situations in conference competition. That's the nature of the North Division."

 

You screwed up, Coach - admit it. Have some cojones and take responsibility, dammit!

 

If you don't mind my asking, how the hell do you blame Coach Callahan for the LACK OF PLAYER EXECUTION?!

It's never the players fault when you seethe the coach. Rule #1.

Exactly

[Nigel87]

I don't think it was Cally's fault. We didn't execute plain and simple. But when you come down to it, we pulled though when we had to, and won. Someone has to lose, and it wasn't us.

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

One problem with Coz is that he subscribes to Bohl's school on LB placement. He has them too close to the line and they have no chance to react. Pelini had this corrected when he was here by backing the LBs up a couple yards.

[DaveH]

One problem with Coz is that he subscribes to Bohl's school on LB placement. He has them too close to the line and they have no chance to react. Pelini had this corrected when he was here by backing the LBs up a couple yards.

I think the bigger problem was that vs the run, the LB's were allowing themselves to get caught up in the blocking scheme. Following everyone to the right while Cornish cut back. This goes for the middle the most IMO.

[roadrat]

Everyone wants to have it both ways. Don't blame the coach cause the players didn't execute. Don't blame the players cause they are 19 & 20 yrs olds. Face the facts. When Osborne was here and the team didn't play well he always blamed himself and the coaching staff for not having the team prepared to play. You will never hear that from Callahan. You will hear the game plan went well. As for Cosgrove. If he wasn't a friend of Bills he'd be gone. His defenses are boring and I'm afraid KU just showed us and the rest of the Big 12 how bad are defense is.

[skersfan]

It still comes down to talent. Most seem to believe we have one average to good classe and we are back. It just does not happen that way. We do not have football speed. Maybe timed speed, but not on the field speed on defense. It appears the top athletes are on the offense.

 

But understand not only were we mislead, the media has made the same mistakes about the defense. All though as much as I hate to say this, ESPN has been pretty spot on on our talent level/speed. When we are able to recruit speed and get them experience we will be okay. Still another two years of dealing with what we have. The key is winning. If we are not able to win with what we have now, it will be hard to recruit what we truly need.

 

But the major thing is to stand behind what the coaches are doing. Suppor the athletes that we have and understand that we are not a top 10 program, maybe not even a top 15 program and will not be until we recruit like one. That takes time. We were phyiscally dominated Saturday nite. We are lucky and I mean very lucky to win that game. Count your blessing and move on. Support the staff. A couple of weeks ago Coz was a god, you can not have it both ways. You win some and you lose some.

 

The number one problem is most just do not realize how far this program had/has fallen. Until you accept that there is no future.

[DaveH]

Yea, they are 19 and 20 years old. True. But at the same time they are playing big time college football. If they didn't want the pressure of a big time college football game, go play somewhere else. In my mind, the coaches job is to get players in position to win the game. This includes preparation and calling a game that gives the team the best chance to win based on what the offense is good at. In the end, it's the players responsiblity to get it done. They are the ones running the plays, touching the ball, making decisions in real time. Example, I don't see how Glenn fumbling in the 3rd quarter is Jordan's fault unless he is teaching them not to secure the ball right, which I highly doubt. sh#t just happens sometimes.

 

Some might argue that Callahan hasn't played to their strengths in the past. At least fan perceived strengths (usually based on one play they saw once that if they ran that, we would win every game or some pipe dream like that). However, this team hasn't had many big strengths in the past 3-4 years. Last year, really our only strength on offense was the pass. This year, I think it has evened out a bit. In 2004 I am not sure what the team's strength was.

 

In the end, if you want to place blame, it's placed on the team. Which includes the coaches. But really, blame does nothing for the team or the rest of the season. You win as a team, you lose as a team.

[johnny_husker]

I hope this game does like it did last year and wakes them up and pulls their head out of the clouds.

 

[junior4949]

How do you coach around 3 turnovers, missed opportunities, etc.? I don't know, but the big guy in Kansas figured out a way to coach around being down somewhat big, 4 turnovers, huge missed opportunities, and then a missed extra point.

 

Someone compared Cosgrove to Bohl. I think there may not be a lot of coaching characteristics that are similar between the two, but I do think that neither one of them are very good at firing up their defense making them play inspired football. We know our secondary is definitely a liability. However, I don't think many/any of us knew our run defense was so weak. We just didn't get much of a push from the front 7 at all. I'm guessing part of this has to do with playing inferior teams we could simply push around to start the season. I know, I know we played USC but come on they only put up 20 on Arizona. USC's offense kind of plays like our defense did against Kansas, uninspired. If things don't change in a hurry, I'm afraid we're waking up to the new conference known as the WAC. The game against Kansas was like watching a WAC game. This wasn't Big 12 football at all. If someone doesn't pull their head out of their ass, it's going to be extremely difficult to win the North division. Originally, I predicted 2 or 3 losses this season (USC, Texas, Texas). Now, it appears every game will be a dogfight from here on out.

[DaveH]

How do you coach around 3 turnovers, missed opportunities, etc.? I don't know, but the big guy in Kansas figured out a way to coach around being down somewhat big, 4 turnovers, huge missed opportunities, and then a missed extra point.

Difference is, of course, the timing of the turnovers. KU sewed it up in the second half while NU let it go and couldn't get it back together in the second half.

[HuskerHank]

You wont hear Callahan admit to coaching mistakes.That's the one real problem I have with him,his response to game events that are obviously poor execution or mistakes.

 

After the USC game, I was anxious for him to explain why we shouldn't think he's an idiot, and he comes out and says" we were one or two blocks away from having a good ground game". What fricken game did he coach" There wasn't even an individual play in that game where we were less than two good blocks from having success.Then he singles out players about costly fumbles, penalty.misreads,etc. I'd have been satisfied if he'd said...'I'm an idiot,give me another chance", but not excuses.Another anoyance is how he talks to the fans with such a condesending attitude, like well,I coached in the pros, so obviusly you cant understand all this technical stuff.I can think of dozens of just common ol hayseed fans that could have coached the USC game better that it was coached,and I'm one of them.

 

I'll agree with Wild Bill on this one.....Have some cojones,Coach, man up!

[Huskrz65]

Near the end of the game is a perfect example. KU runs an option to the right, we string it out perfectly, Barnman does an awful job, he pitches to Cornish who proceeds to outrun Bradley, who has the angle on him, to the corner for the first down.

 

Bradley was not just slow, but did not play the pitch man at all. Someone has to play the pitch man, which we forgot to do.