If A New Coach-Turner Gill

[Kruzu]

I just don't think he's seasoned enough to be Nebraska's head coach. He went to the worst program in NCAA D-I football in a bad conference. There is ONLY ONE WAY for that program to go and it is up so people make a huge deal out of 3 - 4 wins when a coach that offered a little guidance could and getting a couple wins can be a huge success. Now if he took buffalo to a 9-3 season or 10-2 in that conference then I would be impressed. I think he needs to move onto a bigger school in a different conference maybe in WAC or Big East or somewhere and try to win there before he comes to the Big 12 and coaches a storied program like Nebraska. Say you have a brand new Ferrari (Nebraska, LOL), would you let a 16 year old who is learning to drive on a 1960 Ford farm truck (Buffalo) take over the wheel of your car? Hell no. More HC experience is needed and with that said I'm not a fan of Pelini either....

Totally agree, Gill may be a great HC someday but not today and not here. If we bring in Gill I think we'll be looking for the next big thing in about three years.

[robsker]

Would we want to base an opinion of Turner's ability as a position coach on what he did when he was at NU. How long ago was that? He's had lots of different experiences and learned so much since then. Perhaps it might be more realistic to base an opinion on what Turner is doing now, what he has done in the past two years at Buffalo. ?

 

TLS2

 

I disagree as to Turner Gill. Turner is clearly a great man of character. But, when he was a position coach at NU he was, frankly, unimpressive. Poor technique plagued his players and little to no improvement was seen over time.

 

 

Makes sense. I agree --- that is why I qualified my statement earlier. Honestly, I have no idea how he is doing at Buffalo.

 

But Paul Johnson has won multiple National Championships (at Georgia Southern) as a head coach having had taken a good program and making it great. He took over Navy and took it from among the nations worst to a program that has been in more bowl games over the past four years than NU likely will be (assuming we do not get there this year). He has a record of rebuilding teams, as a HC, and taking those teams beyond where they have been before. This, I believe, qualifies him well ahead of Turner Gill.

 

Now is not the time, if NU can help it, to take a chance on a coach. Turner would be taking a chance. Perhaps, the program is in such a state that they have no other options other than taking a chance on a guy like Gill. I hope that that is not the case.

 

Again, give me Paul Johnson.

[melscott62]

Would we want to base an opinion of Turner's ability as a position coach on what he did when he was at NU. How long ago was that? He's had lots of different experiences and learned so much since then. Perhaps it might be more realistic to base an opinion on what Turner is doing now, what he has done in the past two years at Buffalo. ?

 

TLS2

 

I disagree as to Turner Gill. Turner is clearly a great man of character. But, when he was a position coach at NU he was, frankly, unimpressive. Poor technique plagued his players and little to no improvement was seen over time.

 

 

Makes sense. I agree --- that is why I qualified my statement earlier. Honestly, I have no idea how he is doing at Buffalo.

 

But Paul Johnson has won multiple National Championships (at Georgia Southern) as a head coach having had taken a good program and making it great. He took over Navy and took it from among the nations worst to a program that has been in more bowl games over the past four years than NU likely will be (assuming we do not get there this year). He has a record of rebuilding teams, as a HC, and taking those teams beyond where they have been before. This, I believe, qualifies him well ahead of Turner Gill.

 

Now is not the time, if NU can help it, to take a chance on a coach. Turner would be taking a chance. Perhaps, the program is in such a state that they have no other options other than taking a chance on a guy like Gill. I hope that that is not the case.

 

Again, give me Paul Johnson.

 

 

turner has buffalo in line to win the MAC. they are 4-1 in conference right now which is remarkable as BAD as buffalo has been.

 

there record in conference the last 5 years? 2002: 0-8, 1-11 overall; 2003 1-7, 1-11 overall; 2004 2-6, 2-11 overall; 2005 1-7, 1-10 overall; 2006 1-7, 2-10 overall. they were very very bad. this year buffalos losses have come to. penn state, Syracuse, rudgers, baylor and ball state.

[CornHOLIO]

I believe great coaches adapt to their personal. Great coaches do not attempt to pound a square peg into a round hole. Great coaches adapt to game circumstances.

 

Modern college football is not professional football. Hopefully, it never becomes the boring professional game. Players in college are still developing fundamental technique. Some even so as 4th or 5th year players. Players in college make mistakes. Coaching basic technique is fundamental to the college game. Great high school players, because of athletism, can get away with bad technique. At the collegiate level as the speed of the game increases lack of or poorly coached fundamentals stand out. As the speed of the game increases through the different levels sound fundamentals become more important whether it be high school, college, and on to the pros.

 

The above concepts have been violated recently at Nebraska. Nebraska needs a head coach understanding the basics of sound coaching at the collegiate level. That head coach needs to understand there is a difference between the college game and the pro game. College players are not as advanced fundamentally as professional players.

 

Two names of potential outstanding young coaches stand out, Bo Pellini and Turner Gill. Both possess the knowledge, skill, desire, energy and youth required for our program. Both would be great choices.

 

I believe Turner Gill to be the right choice, however. He understands Nebraska. He has an intimate working relationship with our Athletic Director. No question he would listen to his mentor. He has a multitude of qualified Assisstants to call upon, some with ties to Nebraska. He is not bound to the pro game offense.

 

I believe defense wins championships regardless of the sport(with the exception of the recent World Series although great pitching is also great defense) but also I believe defense is easier to coach. Attacking or even reactive aggression(defense) is far easier to coach than controlled finess(offense). We need an offensive minded Head Coach. A great defensive coordinator understanding the teachings of basic fundamentals, the development of defensive schemes against multiple offensive sets, and with the ability to inspire the necessary controlled rage can be found and hired, particularly at a school with the history of the Blackshirts at Nebraska.

 

Turner Gill has that offensive mind set.

 

I credit Bill Callahan with assembling a great recruiting staff. I think this past year getting commitments from what perhaps is a group of outstanding high school offensive lineman and announcing those commitments early was a brilliant example of outstanding recruiting. I'm sure that was a key in the decision process of certain offensive skill players. I just don't think he nor his staff has demonstrated the ability to

develop the personal recruited.

 

I believe Turner Gill witnessed in some years how Nebraska took players of perhaps lesser skill and athleticism but still maintained a level of competiveness. I believe he could assemble a staff of equal or greater recruiting prowess, take the players on hand and add to that base to make them extremely competative in short order.

 

I believe Turner Gill is the logical choice.

 

Colfax=Tom Osborne

 

Welcome, T.O.

 

Funny, when I think of Turner, I think of him as being too young and inexperienced..But he's what? 47?

If not now..When?

[Hunter94]

nope, Gill just has not had the success and time as HC.

[Wally]

Hmmmm. Sorry, but a knowledgeable source told me recently that Turner Gill didn't have a very good work ethic when he was coaching here. I think that comment came down from the top so don't count on TG to get the nod.

[junior4949]

I disagree as to Turner Gill. Turner is clearly a great man of character. He is a good role model. He was a fine player and has a fine NU background. He would love the job and work tirelessly. All this is good. But, when he was a position coach at NU he was, frankly, unimpressive. Poor technique plagued his players and little to no improvement was seen over time. As a head coach, I doubt that he would command the attention of recruits.

 

This guy knows a lot about the game, and I take seriously what he says. Eric, DaveH and anyone else, do you think Gill wasn't teaching proper techique? I recall he coached Tommie Frazier and Scott Frost, and we know what they accomplished on the field. So while this poster knows a lot more about the game than me, I question if he is right about Gill's coaching ability. In fact there was a big difference with Frost from his junior year to his senior season. And Frazier kept getting better and better from his freshman year to his senior season.

 

 

yeah I would have to question that comment as well. frazier, frost, crouch. all consecutive, all under the same guy. i'd say the only knock on turner is experience. but his work at NU is certainly not a question. he aslo did a great job with lord as well.

 

on a side note can anyone think of a group of 3 quarterbacks to come from the same school in a row that were that good? heck you could throw berringer in there as well.

 

Did you ever watch Frost when he played for Stanford? He did start a few games at QB there under Walsh. I never so much as once saw him shot put the football. I watched the spring game in 95'. Frost couldn't play that year, but he did use it as his redshirt year and was on the team. In the spring game, he had an awesome throwing motion and had a very good spring game. It wasn't until he actually started to play that I saw his great shot put motion. I have no idea how or why his motion changed, but it did. Frazier was a highly recruited option QB. It wasn't like NU was the only school after him. He turned down a scholly from Notre Dame to come to NU. He was naturally gifted well before he ever come to NU. I always thought Crouch was the best pure passer of the three mentioned. The problem with Crouch was the fact that he ran the ball so much and took such a beating. By the end of the year, his motion was definitely worse because his body was so beat up. I believe this is why he had shoulder surgery after his junior year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hmmmm. Sorry, but a knowledgeable source told me recently that Turner Gill didn't have a very good work ethic when he was coaching here. I think that comment came down from the top so don't count on TG to get the nod.

 

 

 

I heard the same thing from players back in the mid and late 90's. They all told me he was the last to practice and the first to leave.

[COHUSKER]

 

 

But, when he was a position coach at NU he was, frankly, unimpressive. Poor technique plagued his players and little to no improvement was seen over time.

 

Your kinding with this comment right? Tommie Frazier, Brook Berringer, Scott Frost and Eric Crouch. These guys were all pretty impressive under him if you ask me. What are you smokin

[robsker]

 

 

But, when he was a position coach at NU he was, frankly, unimpressive. Poor technique plagued his players and little to no improvement was seen over time.

 

Your kinding with this comment right? Tommie Frazier, Brook Berringer, Scott Frost and Eric Crouch. These guys were all pretty impressive under him if you ask me. What are you smokin

 

 

No, I am not kidding. Please read my other posts --- there you will see what I mean.

 

The QB's under Turner had passing mechanics, field vision, and the ability to check off that would make a High School coach somewhat embarrassed. And these attributes within these QB's under Turner Gill did not improve with time. Yes, Crouch and Frost were great option QB's running. They had skills and prospered. But still, you would have thought that Gill would have done something with them in terms of developing some passing skills.

 

Also, as testimony of Gill's performance, he applied for at least 5 - 7 jobs and was turned down on each until finally landing at Buffalo. Now it is true that he is more experienced now and, on that basis, more competitive now. But, he is not a major coach by any stretch of the imagination. Going in that direction, as much as I like Turner Gill as a man and as a Husker great (he was the QB when I went to school at NU) --- would be a digression and doom NU.

 

NU needs to hire well this time. This is their last chance. If they screw up again, then the slide will be a decade total or longer to fix. Each bad hire costs the entirety of the time there for that coach plus 2 -3 years for the fix when a good replacement is hired. Callahan has cost NU 4 years. If the next coach is good, NU can be competitive in 2 - 3 years (a total of 6 -7 non-competitive years). If the next hire is not a good one then it is another 4 years and then yet another 2 - 3 years with a new coach (if they are good) to fix that mess --- a total of 10 - 11 years without competing. By then would anyone even remember that NU once was a player?

 

We cannot afford a risk in this hire. Gill is a risk. Good man, great history in red. But a risk.

[seedguy]

nope, Gill just has not had the success and time as HC.

 

I trust T. O. know better than I to make a determination on Gill. But by the sentence above alone... we should have never hired Tom as head coach. Gill has more success and time now than Tom had when he was named head coach. Gill is in the running. Of course, it all depends on who else gets considered and how Tom sizes them up. But Gill should not be denied out of the box.

[seedguy]

 

We cannot afford a risk in this hire. Gill is a risk. Good man, great history in red. But a risk.

 

Any coach we hire is a risk. There is no way to totally eliminate it. Past performance is no guarantee.

[DaveH]

 

We cannot afford a risk in this hire. Gill is a risk. Good man, great history in red. But a risk.

 

Any coach we hire is a risk. There is no way to totally eliminate it. Past performance is no guarantee.

No, but you can minimize it sufficiently. I don't think Gill sufficiently minimizes it.

[seedguy]

No, but you can minimize it sufficiently. I don't think Gill sufficiently minimizes it.

 

I can't really argue with you comparing coaches and determining who's better or worse. I just am not qualified. But I would just suggest that we had better take a wide look and not exclude groups from consideration. Whether they be:

 

--former players and coaches

--newer up and coming coaches

--"proven" headcoaches

--hell maybe even NFL coaches (actually this is one group that's tempting to exclude

 

These are risky days for NU football. While I hope and have great confidence in Tom, one of the possible outcomes no matter who he hires in his best professional judgement, is that this thing could fail miserably again.

 

These are risky days for NU. The university needs us as loyal fans more than ever. I am probably preaching to the choir but again we need to all stick together no matter what. Hopefully good times but we had better be prepared just in case.

[blondeherbiesbetter]

If you never liked the mechanics on the past qb's throwing motion than I would like to hear what you have to say about kellers. Because his was horrible(he looks like he was shotputting it out there). Now when you are running an offense like the skers were at the time of frazier, berringer, and frost we really didnt want to worry about how our qbs looked while throwing the football. The goal of Gills was preparing them to read the defense to call the right traps, or count down to who the end guy on the line is to run the option at. He was teaching these kids to take care of the football and move us down the field. That offense was a very complicated offense to run and when they finally did pass the ball it didnt matter if they shot putted it, kicked it at the reciever because he was so wide open it didnt matter how it looked. He just made them good enough throwers to be successful to hit the open reciever, and that is all he was expected to do. So if you are asking me about how Gill did in coaching those kids I believe he excelled at it. Now if you are grading him on how those QBs performed when they ran the WCO or the run and shoot you are right he failed, but they didnt.

[Colfax]

I believe many of you are missing my point relative to Turner Gill "listening to his mentor."

 

How many of you think, if Turner Gill was named Head Coach, Tom Osborne and his years of experience, would not be called on occasionally for input or guidance to the "on the field activity"to benefit the rebirth of Nebraska football? How many of you think Tom Osborne does not have, one phone call away, an assortment of former retired assistant coaches willing to step up and offer insights and guidance? How would you like to be Turner Gill and perhaps a Nebraska linked offensive or defensive coordinator or position coach and not drool at the opportunity to have that sort of mentoring brain trust available? Do you think they would not be available for counsel? Do you think they would turn down Tom Osborne or Turner Gill? Charlie McBride, etc. built this program. They bleed RED more than the combined of this board.

 

Also do you think Tom Osborne would mention in his book how close he and Turner Gill were and are it he had "on time" issues with this man?

 

Turner Gill is the logical choice. He was and is a winner. Those suggesting position coaching issues relative to quarterbacking skills are just plane wrong. As mentioned one just name Frazier, Beringer, Frost, and Crouch and consider the option attack needs to discount that post. Enough said on that issue.

 

Relative to throwing motion I have never been a fan of the from the top move in the college game. I think the best throwing motion ,by far, I have ever seen in person is that of Chuck Long formally of Iowa. His was slightly side arm and a very easy ball to catch for the "collegiate caliber" receiver. I am not sure of its zip relative to todays modern pro game, however. Speed, speed speed, you know.