Callahan Interview

[Hawkeyehusker]

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2007/0...bc921125072.txt

 

 

Q&A with Bill Callahan

 

Sunday, Mar 18, 2007 - 12:29:25 am CDT

 

Bill Callahan

 

The Nebraska football team begins spring practice this week intent on improving on last year’s 9-5 record, which included a 17-14 loss to 10th-ranked Auburn in the Cotton Bowl. The Huskers experienced the satisfaction of winning their first Big 12 North crown in seven years and the frustration of going 0-4 against top 10 teams. Fourth-year coach Bill Callahan expressed confidence in the direction of his program last week in an interview with the Journal Star’s Steven M. Sipple.

 

Is a breakthrough triumph against a highly ranked team especially crucial as the program works to take the proverbial “next step?”

 

“I think we’re on course. Here’s what I would say to you. I would say that there are some vital factors that have validated what we’ve achieved and how we’ve improved and how we’re progressing. I think if you look at the offensive side of the ball alone, and you look at just about every area of offense, and you compare it to our first year here, it’s not even close. I would tell you from just the standpoint of consistency, you know, if you looked at points, we had 275 our first year and 428 in ’06. That’s the No. 1 stat to me, is scoring points. We’re up there.

 

“I look at our quarter breakdown. I look at the composite of our offense by quarter. I know we didn’t have a very good third quarter last season (49 points total). But our first, second and fourth quarters in the ’06 season were better than any quarter of football that we’ve had since I’ve been here. We yanked out 117 points in the first quarter, 135 points in the second quarter. And in my opinion, that’s the best quarter of football that we’ve had in the three seasons that I’ve been here.

 

“We’ve got to improve in the third quarter. ... (However) we had 120 points in our fourth quarter. So we started fast and we finished strong. You compare 120 points in the fourth quarter to the 64 and 68 in the ’04 and ’05 seasons, respectively, and it’s not even close.”

 

How do you feel about the defense’s progress?

 

“Defensively, the No. 1 stat — the telltale to me — is scoring defense. We were 24th in the country last season (allowing 18.3 points per game). We can get better there. Of course, that has an impact on everything. We were down a little bit in our rush defense. Obviously, we were down in our pass defense. We want to shore that up.”

 

You have said that your objectives this spring are to achieve a higher level of consistency and refine details, in addition to becoming a smarter and tougher team. Are those the things that will push the Huskers to the next level?

 

“There’s no question. Here’s what you see. Here’s where we’re at in the Big 12 North. We come in and we don’t do well in our first year. Our second year, we do a little bit better. This year, we went 5-0 in the North. In the last two years, we’re 8-2 in the Big 12 North. I think that’s huge. As I’ve said to you many times, it all starts within your own division and doing the best you can to be as productive as you can in your own division. I just look at where we’re at there. I think we led the Big 12 offensively in three categories. And then you look at the Big 12 North, I think we led the North in five areas on offense. So, we’re making those strides to become a better football team consistently, year in and year out. I’m not a stat freak, but I’m just telling you, if you study it, the numbers validate where you’re at.”

 

Will there be a period of adjustment this spring for Shawn Watson, who recently was promoted to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach?

 

“We’ve hit the ground running. We’ve had ample opportunity to address the transition.

 

“I think it’ll be a very natural progression for coach Watson with the quarterbacks. Having been on the field on the offensive side of the ball (as tight ends coach last season), having been actively engaged with the quarterbacks during the course of practice, I don’t see it to be any problem. I think it’s a plus that we have a system in place where it’s not only quarterback-friendly, but the coaches, you know, with no egos being involved, can approach the quarterback and talk to him.

 

“I think Shawn’s had great dialogue with Zac Taylor and kind of talked to him about some things from last season — what he felt, what he thought. I think he’s watched a little film with Zac as well.”

 

Your team lost to graduation some strong leaders, some strong personalities, especially on defense. Who takes over?

 

“We’ve been really proactive in terms of senior leadership. Right after we got back from the bowl, I grabbed Tim McFadden, who does our senior leadership seminars with our players on a weekly basis, and I got him attached and integrated immediately to our seniors. And he has done just an outstanding job of just visiting with our players on a consistent basis and really showing them the different types of leadership profiles that are out there and trying to develop the leadership from within. Empowering the senior class is important.

 

“So what I’m saying is this: We are not waiting for summer to arrive and all of a sudden crown the senior class as the leaders of the team. This has been a real proactive approach empowering these seniors now. We did it in January and February. And we’re continuing to do that and filter down that leadership into the junior class. We see that beginning to emerge as well.

 

“Leadership isn’t for the seniors only. It’s everybody’s responsibility, and everybody can be actively engaged. And I think we’ve done a good job of that. We hope to improve it and make it better.”

 

In which particular areas of defense do you want to see improvement?

 

“You know, the big thing is, I looked at our stats — we have them all documented — and the big thing I look at is our pass defense. I think we’ve gone to considerable lengths to try to improve our coverage schematics and really protect ourselves against the pass with better coverage, better pass rush, better scheme, tactics — whatever we can do to improve team pass defense.

 

“We’ve been consistent against the run the last two years. I really felt it was a strength of our football team late in the season, especially in the (Big 12) Championship Game and the bowl game. I thought we defended the run outstandingly against some good running teams. I’m not saying (pass defense) is the sole, exclusive area. But that is one of the areas that we want to get better at, is pass defense. Become more consistent, become more productive.”

[BIGREDIOWAN]

I think this was posted before, but it never hurts to read it again.

[Hawkeyehusker]

I think this was posted before, but it never hurts to read it again.

 

 

Sorry, I did actually look but just must have missed it. It's the time of year. Nothing is really happening and I'm going out of my mind waiting for football to start.

[Hunter94]

Is a breakthrough triumph against a highly ranked team especially crucial as the program works to take the proverbial “next step?”

 

 

i think old Bill knows the answer to this one, but graciously sidestepped it. failure to set higher goals will only allow us to celebrate success in winning the Big 12 North. Considering how weak the Big 12 is in general, this is a bit of an understatement when it comes to measuring improvement and taking measure of offensive and defensive production/results. if you are going to play with the best and seek to be in the top 10 in the country, you have to measure up against their stats as well. improvement from year one means nothing at this point, as the whole system was turned upsidedown and we tried to play WCO ball with an option group of players. common Bill, give me apples to apples when you take a measurement! it is ok to be proud of the progress, but too damn early to toot your horn too loudly. we need to beat someone!

[skersfan]

May I remind you that the former staff beat no one for over 3 years. We were embarassed by K State, Colorado, Miami, Arizona. We are playing closer to real competition now. Steps are being made 94, all you have to do is look at the past and now. Yes we need that win there is no question, but it is coming. It would have never happened with what we had before. Times are changing, you have to change with them.

[DJR313]

May I remind you that the former staff beat no one for over 3 years. We were embarassed by K State, Colorado, Miami, Arizona.

I don't disagree with your post, but when did we get embarassed by Arizona? 98 Holiday Bowl? That was pretty tight if I remember.

 

common Bill, give me apples to apples when you take a measurement!

Comparing where he was at in year 1 to right now is apples to apples. His teaching, his coaches, his recruits compared to what he started with. I think that is to the very core definition of "apples to apples".

[FriscoTXHusker]

core definition of "apples to apples".

[skersfan]

DJR,

 

I know I am stretching it abit there, but that was a really bad loss. The talk that was going around then was embarassing. We talked, we got punched in the mouth. I think that loss hurt our recruiting in SoCal to.

[junior4949]

May I remind you that the former staff beat no one for over 3 years. We were embarassed by K State, Colorado, Miami, Arizona. We are playing closer to real competition now. Steps are being made 94, all you have to do is look at the past and now. Yes we need that win there is no question, but it is coming. It would have never happened with what we had before. Times are changing, you have to change with them.

 

I don't remember playing Ohio State or Florida last year to measure up against NC title contenders. K State played in a BCS game and embarrassed a NC contender the year you speak of. Miami was in the NC game. Colorado played in a BCS game, and some/many thought they should have played in the NC game. I don't remember being embarrassed by Arizona. Maybe you're thinking of 1996 being embarrassed by Arizona State.

 

In terms of being embarrassed in big games, let's go back and look at the late 80's and early 90's. Games against Georgia Tech and Miami come to mind. If you really want to talk about embarrassments, there is no way in hell you can ever forget about TT a few years ago. When TO lost like 6 or 7 bowl games in a row, I always felt like that was embarrassing.

 

In terms of the former staff beating no one in their last 3 years, what do you call the game against OU? If memory serves me right, OU was ranked in the top 5 when we beat them in 2001. If you think the Big 12 North has been anywhere close in the last 3 seasons to where they were 5 or 6 years ago, then you really need to put the pipe down and remove the rose colored glasses.

[skersfan]

No we did not play Ohio State or Florida, but we did play the team that the beat the NC, and played them damed close.

 

OU and Nebraska went on that year to show what they really were. Rated on history. We beat Oklahoma, Colorado destroyed us and Oklahoma lost their bowl game badly if I remember correctly. The day the wheels finally fell off. Oregon should have played Miami. It would have been better for the program. But it quickened the departure of the past staff so some good came from it.

 

Yes we got killed by TT. I even called the score if you remember correctly. We did not have the talent to plag with them. It would not have made a bit of difference who was coaching. We were going to get smoked. But the ass beating should have opened all our eyes. The media, the magazines were all saying we did not have the talent to play a top 20 team. I do not agree we did not have a system that would work, but the talent was not there to run the old system either.

 

I know we are not where we all want to be, but I think we are a lot closer than some give credit for. The sky is not falling, we are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel and it is bright sun shine.

[LAHusker]

Just think of how things would have been different if we had beat Texas last year, or even Oklahoma or Auburn. That would have been the signature win(s) we've all been waiting for. That would have put a lot of doubters of the current system to bed. We'll get that win, and I believe 07 will be our year!

[pigsonthewing]

Just think of how things would have been different if we had beat Texas last year, or even Oklahoma or Auburn. That would have been the signature win(s) we've all been waiting for. That would have put a lot of doubters of the current system to bed. We'll get that win, and I believe 07 will be our year!

i think about this all the time too. It would've given our guys the confidence they needed to put away the higher ranked teams.

 

quite frankly, i dont give a sh#t who believes in the system and who doesn't. Its here, the coaches are here, and unless you're the AD or in some other position of authority at the university, there is not a damned thing you can do about it.

 

This will be our year. The time is now. I havent been this excited since last spring, and prior to that, was the 97 season.

[junior4949]

Just think of how things would have been different if we had beat Texas last year, or even Oklahoma or Auburn. That would have been the signature win(s) we've all been waiting for. That would have put a lot of doubters of the current system to bed. We'll get that win, and I believe 07 will be our year!

 

 

I'm not saying you are wrong about a signature win in 07, but when was the last time NU had a signature win with a first year starting QB? Even Frazier lost to a subpar Iowa State team his first year starting. One might argue that Berringer had a signature win in 94 against CU, but Berringer was in his 4th year within the system. We've had several signature losses with first year starting QB's, but I can't really remember a signature win with a first year starting QB. If Nunn of some of the rest of the receiving corp. don't catch and secure the ball better, they could make even Peyton Manning look bad.

 

We have a lot of questions about this year's team. There are several positions where there are question marks. I don't really think we're going to know what kind of team we have until 5 weeks into the season. One could easily assume that Keller's going to try to really concentrate on his stats to lift his draft status. This could be good, but it could also be bad especially if he begins to force throws. With all of the off field distractions with the RB corp., it will be interesting to see how they respond.

[Sugalean]

May I remind you that the former staff beat no one for over 3 years. We were embarassed by K State, Colorado, Miami, Arizona. We are playing closer to real competition now. Steps are being made 94, all you have to do is look at the past and now. Yes we need that win there is no question, but it is coming. It would have never happened with what we had before. Times are changing, you have to change with them.

 

The problem with this post is... the former staff is not here anymore. This interview, whats happening at NU now and the future has nothing to do with the last staff. There are a 100 arguments about then and now. Plus its not fair to say "It would have never happened with what we had before." Thats pure speculation.

 

Bottomline. We avg 5 losses a yr since the changes. Only finished ranked once and barely at that. Yes we won the North division but lets be honest. Most of the division is in some sort of transition with changes of various degrees. One can argure that the whole division is dealing with the "gravitating toward mediocrity" syndrome. I think NU fans are hungry for more.

 

This staff needs to get more accomplished with the team before we can talk about extention of contracts and how much better off this is compared to anything we've seen in the past. Its been just OK so far. Problem is, OK doesn't fly around here long.

 

The bar was set by the admn. when this change first occurred.

 

"We will not surrender the conference to Texas and Oklahoma."

 

That still applies.

[Hunter94]

May I remind you that the former staff beat no one for over 3 years. We were embarassed by K State, Colorado, Miami, Arizona. We are playing closer to real competition now. Steps are being made 94, all you have to do is look at the past and now. Yes we need that win there is no question, but it is coming. It would have never happened with what we had before. Times are changing, you have to change with them.

 

The problem with this post is... the former staff is not here anymore. This interview, whats happening at NU now and the future has nothing to do with the last staff. There are a 100 arguments about then and now. Plus its not fair to say "It would have never happened with what we had before." Thats pure speculation.

 

Bottomline. We avg 5 losses a yr since the changes. Only finished ranked once and barely at that. Yes we won the North division but lets be honest. Most of the division is in some sort of transition with changes of various degrees. One can argure that the whole division is dealing with the "gravitating toward mediocrity" syndrome. I think NU fans are hungry for more.

 

This staff needs to get more accomplished with the team before we can talk about extention of contracts and how much better off this is compared to anything we've seen in the past. Its been just OK so far. Problem is, OK doesn't fly around here long.

 

The bar was set by the admn. when this change first occurred.

 

"We will not surrender the conference to Texas and Oklahoma."

 

That still applies.

 

 

 

 

"We will not surrender the conference to Texas and Oklahoma."

 

 

my point, exactly. time to put up or shut up!