Wagner pulls at emotions

[hskernation]

Published Friday | November 30, 2007

Big Red Breakfast: Offensive line coach defends his guys

BY MITCH SHERMAN

WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

 

Nebraska ran the football just four times all season — twice after the season-opening blowout of Nevada — on third down and 3.

 

Click to Enlarge

 

NU offensive line coach Dennis Wagner

On third and 2, the Huskers called only 11 rushing plays.

 

Dennis Wagner knows the numbers. The NU offensive line coach said today at the Big Red Breakfast he would have preferred a different approach.

 

"I am going to defend my guys on that end and tell you that I think they can push people off the ball," said Wagner, who continues to recruit one week after the firing of coach Bill Callahan. "But they have to be asked to push people off the ball."

 

His response drew applause at the Holiday Convention Centre.

 

Wagner, a 49-year-old Waverly, Iowa, native whose coaching stops before Nebraska included Fresno State and UNLV, talked today of his respect for Callahan. Wagner said he's appreciated the opportunity to coach at Nebraska but that he didn't always agree with his boss.

 

"He is the head coach," Wagner said. "If he says this is what you do, this is what you do. If you don't, then you have problems within your group. It isn't always that you want to do it that way, but it's the way you're supposed to do it. That's just part of doing the things you're asked to do by the person who hired you."

 

In particular, Callahan's short-yardage play-calling didn't always sit well with Wagner.

 

"I want to hit somebody in the mouth before I sit off and protect with my hands," he said.

 

NU rushed the ball 34.8 times per game in finishing 5-7 this fall for an average of 4.2 yards per carry and 144.4 per game to rank eighth in the Big 12. The numbers were down from 39.5 attempts, 4.3 yards per carry and 173.5 yards per game in 2006.

 

As for Callahan, Wagner said: "The man is very smart as a football coach. No one can take that away from him."

 

Wagner said he would benefit from coaching under Callahan, be it at Nebraska or another school. The fourth-year assistant said he hopes to remain on staff after a new coach is hired.

 

He devoted much of his 45-minute talk today to recruiting.

 

NU continues to communicate with its 22 oral commitments and other prospects as Interim Athletic Director Tom Osborne searches for a new coach.

 

Osborne joined the recruiting effort this week, visiting two Omaha schools Thursday. He was scheduled to make stops today in Kansas and Missouri.

 

"You just keep talking to them about what Nebraska can do for them," Wagner said. "I want guys who want to be here. If I have to convince them to be here, that's probably not a good thing."

 

Wagner told of his recent visit to a recruit long committed to Nebraska. Wagner said he entered the high school gym to find coaches from Iowa, Illinois, Missouri and Kansas awaiting time with the prospect.

 

"All of a sudden, it's like there's a deal animal on the prairie and the birds are circling," Wagner said, drawing laughter. "I tell him to not make any moves until you know what's going on here. The guy chose Nebraska because of Nebraska. He's already seen those schools that were in the gym, so what's to say they're different?" ?

 

* * *

 

Wagner hopes Luck will stay

 

Nebraska assistant coach Dennis Wagner said today he hoped junior I-back Marlon Lucky would pick Nebraska next year over the NFL.

 

Lucky said this week he had no plans to enter the draft. But with the January deadline approaching, clearly Lucky is considering his options. He rushed for 1,019 yards and caught a school-record 75 passes this year.

 

"Every kid's dream is to be an NFL player," Wagner said, "and if it wasn't we wouldn't want them here. That's a driving force. But it should be their dream to get an education.

 

"In today's world with all the media, the more you read about yourself, you hear how good you are, what you can do, where you're going to get drafted, how much money you can make, that's an outside influence. Hopefully, when the new coach gets here, he'll sit down with Marlon and sway him toward being here."

 

Senior I-back Kenny Wilson, who redshirted after suffering a fractured femur while carrying a television in March, appears recovered and ready to play next year, Wagner said. Big Red Breakfast

[Wally]

He implys in his comments that Callahan didn't ask the O line to be physical off the ball on running plays.

 

Was Callahan nuts?

[General Blackshirt]

Well there you have it, Kenny Wilson will play that year. I heard he might not have, glad this is settled.

[ironmike]

in his comments that he didn't always agree with Cally's playcalling, is he being truthful or just trying to save face (and job) by kicking Billy when he's down?

[Dundermifflinite]

He implys in his comments that Callahan didn't ask the O line to be physical off the ball on running plays.

 

Was Callahan nuts?

 

nope, this guy is nuts

 

Callahan was just stupid.

[admo]

I didnt read to deeply into what Wagner said. I thought he was being open and honest.

 

Good to hear KWilson has recovered. I havent given up on him yet. The RB spot will be loaded.

 

Lucky

Glenn

Castille

Wilson

Helu

Mendoza

Okafor

*possibly Culbert (wildcard - he did rush for 2000yds his senior year, and did great in his only game for NU. I think the only reason he is not considered on offense anymore is b/c the defense needs help. His true talent though is at RB).

[Blackshirt316]

Culbert is a fine linebacker, though he could be a great HB as well..

Also don't be shocked if Kenny Wilson is playing Safety next year, HB is stacked and he has the speed and wingspan to be a good physical safety where we need will quality depth next year.

[Husker_x]

You can tell by what he said there was at least some measure of in-staff disagreement which probably caused some riffs. I wonder how many of these mini confessionals will sprout up in the coming months and years.

[REDSTEEL]

You can tell by what he said there was at least some measure of in-staff disagreement which probably caused some riffs. I wonder how many of these mini confessionals will sprout up in the coming months and years.

 

Well David Benning hinted at staff disagreements for the last 3 - 4 months.

[Hunter94]

I didnt read to deeply into what Wagner said. I thought he was being open and honest.

 

Good to hear KWilson has recovered. I havent given up on him yet. The RB spot will be loaded.

 

Lucky

Glenn

Castille

Wilson

Helu

Mendoza

Okafor

*possibly Culbert (wildcard - he did rush for 2000yds his senior year, and did great in his only game for NU. I think the only reason he is not considered on offense anymore is b/c the defense needs help. His true talent though is at RB).

 

 

no, culbert's true talent is on defense and that is where he wants to play and where he needs to play.

[numarimba82]

I don't think Wagner was implying anything. No need to try and pick apart his comments or make them into something they are not. He was just being honest about how he felt. I know I forget sometimes that Callahan hired all his assistants. As Dennis said, you do it they way they want to. I'm sure they have mutual respect for each other and work together but at the end of the day, the boss has the final word about how things will be run. I can imagine it being frustrating to feel like you are in a cage of sorts and not able to teach things you believe in.

 

I admire Wagner to the extent of being open about that and not trying to sugar coat things.

[REDSTEEL]

"Every kid's dream is to be an NFL player," Wagner said, "and if it wasn't we wouldn't want them here. That's a driving force. But it should be their dream to get an education.

 

 

I think this statement was part of the problem with this last coaching staff. Tying everything with program and players to the NFL.

[T_O_Bull]

 

I have one difference of opinion with this coach. He says he wants players who want to play in the NFL, I want a player who wants to play for the University of Nebraska and win National Championships here. If after they graduate they are good enough to play pro ball then wonderful but I don't want kids who look at the Huskers as merely a stepping stone to the pros. I think this is the major problem with college basketball. Kids playing hop, skip and jump from HS to College to the NBA. This not good for college ball or the NBA. Let's find kids who want to be Huskers, let's rebuild the program so that the pros want to draft kids from the University of Nebraska because if you played as a Husker you were just plain good and just rock solid tough.

 

...T_O_B

 

[SkerMin8r]

Well David Benning hinted at staff disagreements for the last 3 - 4 months.

 

Who is "David" Benning? Did you mean Damon Benning?

[Bleeding Husker Red]

 

 

Was Callahan nuts?

 

I think we've covered this already....