LSU after Bo.

[Cy the Cyclone]

You can't jump from 112th to 50th on strength of will alone. Sure...there will be a lot of improvement both in team and individual play but two and possibly three things are going to get in the way of a 50-60 spot jump for the defense...

 

First - It's going to take some time to get the "Cosgrove" out of the blood of the veteran players. Most of em have been playing his style for 2-3 years and while it might not be uber-difficult to change systems, it's going to take a while to break old habits and gain the confidence needed for the system to work. Some guys may never catch on or feel cmfortable...which leads to:

 

Second - I think the defense is going to be unsettled for most of the season as Pellini looks for a combination that works. That might mean pulling out Seniors who just aren't performing and replacing them with a Sophmore or Junior. Some of these guys will have to learn on the job and there are going to be mistakes by both the inexperienced newcomer and the veterans who suddenly find a new guy on the unit that they need to get used to.

 

Finally - We'll have to see if the talent is really there. Lots of people have said "The talent is there...the coaching screwed it up" That might be true....but what happens if it wasn't? What happens if it turns out that Cosgrove was doing the best he could with the talent available? It's really iffy because it was hard to tell from the play last year. This year could get scary.

 

I'm hoping a jump of 40-50 places into around 60th-70th in the nation. That would be a good indication of progress and a lot of hope for the future as some of the new guys get on the field experience.

[melscott62]

I dont think Bo will put up with losing, or anything less than a 100% effort. And if the effort is there, but still underperforming players, I bet he will get someone else in there to get it done. He's got the schemes, he knows what he wants, & he knows who he needs. Simple stuff.

 

I think it really will be a week-to-week challenge; no looking ahead. Preparing his team to get the most out of them. Challenging them, pushing them.

 

If you cant even get to the battlefield, how you gonna win the war?

 

Expectations, predictions = fun stuff for fans & media outlets. The only expectation needed at this time is coming straight from Pelini to his team.

 

I really hope everything works out. I'm anxious, but I'm only looking foward to the first game of the season. One at a time.

 

 

it wont show up in stats....but by the end of the year i actually expect our D to not only not suck, but be slightly better than ok. i think ku will be a dog fight, and ksu and CU should be wins. by bowl season i expect our d too look like a NU type defense again

[melscott62]

It is too bad my Husker glasses fell off my head last year at the SC game. I just do not see things as red as some of you guys.

 

There is not a snow balls chance in well you know where, that we will be even remotely close to the level of LSU's defense. I could not drink that much Kool Aid in ten years to even fathom how someone could consider it a possiblity. Ocean front property in Nebraska is more likely.

 

And I want to remind you that most of the turnovers that Bo's Nebraska team had were against the low lifes on the schedule. When we played the top teams we did not dominate the turnover margin When we played teams with a pulse we got hammered. And with a lot more talent on the field than he now has to work with.

 

Williams, Bulloch twins and a few more.

 

I am afraind we are going to see this team play well for the first few series and then the wheels come off just like last year. The talent is not there for Bo to do what he has every where else. Talent loaded situations. Motor determins some of LSU's defense, and we have lacked that primary ingredient for the last two years.

 

Be ready for 7-5, and in honesty that is a great improvement.

 

 

 

not in less the chiefs let us borrow dorsey....

 

but i dont see our talent being much worse the his last trip here.

 

and i think this article is pointing out that LSU was not nearly as talented as it might appear. NFL scouts seem to agree with the article

[captain obvious]

I'm not making any major predictions, although I anticipate crying myself to sleep slightly less often this season.

[Ohio Pete]

I'm not saying Nebraska will have this happen, but meteoric turn-arounds are not unprecedented. In 2005 Oklahoma State had the 96th rated offense. They've had a top 20 offense the past 2 years. The year before June Jones arrived at Hawaii they had lost 18 games in a row. His first year they were 9-4. Kansas total defense ranking in 2006 was 94th and in 2007 they ranked 12th

 

One other thing that I feel needs to be mentioned in comparisons between 2003 and today is Bo might just be a better coach than he was back in 2003. He's worked under some of the best college coaches and has much more experience than he had the first time around when he was able to take the 55th ranked defense (even with all that talent?) to 11th.

 

I don't know if Nebraska has the "Jimmys and the Joes" necessary for a crazy turn-around, but maybe something similar to his first go around improving 40-50 spots would be a reasonable expectation which should at least put Nebraska past Buffalo or Ohio. Who knows? If Nebraska manages to make it to a bowl game against a crummy Big 10 offense, might even be able to pass Colorado and Kansas State.

 

Of course as stats go, I'd rather see a gigantic change in the W-L record. Ohio State would certainly swap total defense rankings with LSU if they could have got one more win.

[Hunter94]

You can't jump from 112th to 50th on strength of will alone. Sure...there will be a lot of improvement both in team and individual play but two and possibly three things are going to get in the way of a 50-60 spot jump for the defense...

 

First - It's going to take some time to get the "Cosgrove" out of the blood of the veteran players. Most of em have been playing his style for 2-3 years and while it might not be uber-difficult to change systems, it's going to take a while to break old habits and gain the confidence needed for the system to work. Some guys may never catch on or feel cmfortable...which leads to:

 

Second - I think the defense is going to be unsettled for most of the season as Pellini looks for a combination that works. That might mean pulling out Seniors who just aren't performing and replacing them with a Sophmore or Junior. Some of these guys will have to learn on the job and there are going to be mistakes by both the inexperienced newcomer and the veterans who suddenly find a new guy on the unit that they need to get used to.

 

Finally - We'll have to see if the talent is really there. Lots of people have said "The talent is there...the coaching screwed it up" That might be true....but what happens if it wasn't? What happens if it turns out that Cosgrove was doing the best he could with the talent available? It's really iffy because it was hard to tell from the play last year. This year could get scary.

 

 

I'm hoping a jump of 40-50 places into around 60th-70th in the nation. That would be a good indication of progress and a lot of hope for the future as some of the new guys get on the field experience.

 

well said........

[BOBELIEVER]

well said Ohio Pete !!

[Husker_x]

It is too bad my Husker glasses fell off my head last year at the SC game. I just do not see things as red as some of you guys.

 

There is not a snow balls chance in well you know where, that we will be even remotely close to the level of LSU's defense. I could not drink that much Kool Aid in ten years to even fathom how someone could consider it a possiblity. Ocean front property in Nebraska is more likely.

 

And I want to remind you that most of the turnovers that Bo's Nebraska team had were against the low lifes on the schedule. When we played the top teams we did not dominate the turnover margin When we played teams with a pulse we got hammered. And with a lot more talent on the field than he now has to work with.

 

Williams, Bulloch twins and a few more.

 

I am afraind we are going to see this team play well for the first few series and then the wheels come off just like last year. The talent is not there for Bo to do what he has every where else. Talent loaded situations. Motor determins some of LSU's defense, and we have lacked that primary ingredient for the last two years.

 

Be ready for 7-5, and in honesty that is a great improvement.

 

No offense, but I'm amazed at both the National Championship-a-year group of optimists and the group you appear to be in, the head for the bunker because the bombs are already falling crowd.

 

My group? I like facts.

 

You're right, it's very, very unlikely that we'll be anywhere in LSU's league, but saying the defense would be glad to break 70th, I think that's a bit...well...presumptive. Bear in mind we had perhaps the worst d-coordinator in the business. When your players take the field with no faith in the scheme, they're just not going to play at their maximum. Therefore it's nearly impossible to tell how much talent we really have. We could be sitting on Saudi Arabia reserves of speed, instinct, and ferocity but have lacked the equipment to draw it to the surface. Or, on the other hand, we could be sitting on one piddly salt water well.

 

I agree with you, though. The Virginia Tech game should give us a good idea. Even if we manhandle our first three opponents, it won't tell us as much as that game (provided Tech doesn't implode before that time for one reason or another). But I'd hold off the doom and gloom predictions until we actually see what Bo and his staff are capable of producing.

 

GBR

[HUSKER 37]

I believe that Coach Pelini will be able to do something with the current players that the previous staff could not: ADAPT. While Nebraska does not currently have the athletes that LSU did I believe Coach Pelini will be able to maximize what we do have.

 

That's pretty much what I got from these articles..That Bo isn't going to wait around for "His players" to be on campus and instead, will work around with the strengths we have...Maybe even adopt these guys as "His Players"..

 

Defense is so contingent on attitude at this level..That's what makes it more exciting than the NFL.

 

Somehow, I believe we'll be a top 20 DEFENSE until we play Texas Tech and maybe still finish in the top mid twenties (~#25)..I have a little less confidence in our Offense. (~#35)

 

just to whet your appetite for Defense

YG7641hHkvQ&feature

 

Has anyone else heard anything about a DVD called "Big Red Rock"?

[sarge87]

If the team gives a 100% win or lose, I'll be happy. The give up I saw last year made me ill.

[junior4949]

When Pelini came in after the 2002 season, we saw huge improvement. However, the 2002 defense was athletic and there was speed. The reason the 2002 defense looked like a failure was because they were on the field 3/4 of the game, and they tended to bite on misdirection plays just like they did in 2001 against the Buffs.

 

This year when he comes in, he inherits what I believe to be soft unseasoned players who have not played up to their potential. I think he will have a tougher time turning the D around this time around than he did in 2003. However, I do expect to see a much leaner meaner D than what we saw the past couple of years. This year's D is going to make some mistakes. I can live with mistakes as long as they don't repeatedly occur and that they are aggressive mistakes. Two things have to happen to have a successful D this year. The players have to have faith in the coaches, and the coaches have to have faith in the players they put on the field. If this happens, everything else will work itself out.

[ray233]

I think when we look at the staff changes here, we are focusing way too much on schemes. Don't discount how poorly our defense was 'coached' during Callahan's tenure.

 

Was Cosgrove responsible for everything that was wrong with Nebraska the last few years? Certainly not. Was Cosgrove responsible for our horrific defenses? Absolutely.

• He did NOT adjust.
  
• He did NOT scheme appropriately for the variation of offenses he faced.
  
• He did NOT motivate players to play with passion.
  
• He did NOT teach players fundamentals.
  
• He did NOT develop players.
  
• He did NOT create leaders.
  

Adjustments: How many times did you scratch your heads when Cosgrove's scheme would get destroyed by the same plays over and over again, quarter after quarter?

 

Schemes: How many times did Cosgrove open up with a scheme that in no way matched up with the opponent we were facing? How many turnovers did we create?

 

Motivation: I remember more Huskers with mugshots, than I do with awards. The guys who were self-motivated, did okay. The guys who needed a push from the coaches, not so well. Where was the driving, the pounding, the screaming, the 'hair on fire'? I miss it.

 

Fundamentals: Missed tackles. Enough said.

 

Development: Barry Turner was a freshman All-American. He's been largely ineffective for 2 straight years. McKweon was a promising Sophomore. He would not have played for most schools the last two years, let alone been a starting MLB. Suh has the talent. Dillard has the instinct. Our walk-on program made nobodies into All-Americans like it was a bad habit in years past. How many walk-ons did Cosgrove develop? How many kids got molded? Coaching is what truly levels the playing field between star ratings.

 

Leadership: This is sorely missed. Aside from the 'Zack Bowman turns in his Blackshirt' story, can anyone really define the leaders on these past few teams? Adam Carriker? Scary man-beast, but not a field general by my standards. Ricky Thenarse? Passionate, but not a grab you by the facemask kind of guy just yet. Corey McKweon? Promising early, but did not play at a high enough level to be bossing other guys around. Courtney Grixby? Played with a lot of heart, but did not inject it into his teammates. He was a quiet leader when someone needed to be screaming. Maybe you saw something different, but I saw a group of guys, with no leader and no consistency.

 

Cosgrove could not build kids into better football players. Promising players have not been coached to success during his tenure, in fact, most of them had lost the passion they started out with. He had a penchant for being inflexible and playing favorites. His inflexible schemes were the cause of many yards gained, many games lost and ultimately his job.

 

From the outside looking in, his approach was a wildly optimistic hope that the kids on the roster would simply "get it". If not, better luck with the next set of recruits.

 

That's NOT coaching; that's management.

 

You can get away with that in the NFL, mainly because if a multi-million dollar contract won't motivate a kid, not much will. The only currency you have with college kids...is passion. Let them acquire it in buckets and make them spend every cent.

 

When I think about Bo Pelini in terms of adjustments, schemes, motivation, fundamentals, development and leadership, I see exciting times. I see talent becoming each kids starting point, not their peak. I see flexibility and adjustments saving yards and preserving wins.

 

I see Bo doing the little things. The little things that matter. The basics of his philosophies. Tackle or be replaced. Go hard or go home. Be a leader or we'll make one.

 

Expect Pelini to bring small changes with big impact. The coaching mentalities between him and Cosgrove alone will reshape this defense immediately. I can't predict numbers or stats, but I predict VAST defensive improvement with confidence.

 

Don't be surprised if Bo's staff changes just as much within the players as he does schematically. As a team, a change in attitude can take you from the bottom to the top faster than any X's or O's.

 

GBR

[SOCALHUSKER]

We have in Bo Pelini one of the best defensive minds to coach the game!! Our defense will be more than alright. We have athletes, they might not be Rivals, Scout or ESPN150 5-star athletes, but who cares about that crap anyways. We have guys who want to play for Nebraska and Pelini will make sure they are ready the second they step on the field, what more can we ask!?!

 

The defense we will see come Aug 30th will be aggressive, sharp, smart, fast, unyielding, and best of all WINNERS!! I have faith and I think we'll see more than just an improvement, we'll see a top 20 team with a top 10 defense!! Just watch!! GBR!!!

[Husker_x]

I think when we look at the staff changes here, we are focusing way too much on schemes. Don't discount how poorly our defense was 'coached' during Callahan's tenure.

 

Was Cosgrove responsible for everything that was wrong with Nebraska the last few years? Certainly not. Was Cosgrove responsible for our horrific defenses? Absolutely.

• He did NOT adjust.
  
• He did NOT scheme appropriately for the variation of offenses he faced.
  
• He did NOT motivate players to play with passion.
  
• He did NOT teach players fundamentals.
  
• He did NOT develop players.
  
• He did NOT create leaders.
  

Adjustments: How many times did you scratch your heads when Cosgrove's scheme would get destroyed by the same plays over and over again, quarter after quarter?

 

Schemes: How many times did Cosgrove open up with a scheme that in no way matched up with the opponent we were facing? How many turnovers did we create?

 

Motivation: I remember more Huskers with mugshots, than I do with awards. The guys who were self-motivated, did okay. The guys who needed a push from the coaches, not so well. Where was the driving, the pounding, the screaming, the 'hair on fire'? I miss it.

 

Fundamentals: Missed tackles. Enough said.

 

Development: Barry Turner was a freshman All-American. He's been largely ineffective for 2 straight years. McKweon was a promising Sophomore. He would not have played for most schools the last two years, let alone been a starting MLB. Suh has the talent. Dillard has the instinct. Our walk-on program made nobodies into All-Americans like it was a bad habit in years past. How many walk-ons did Cosgrove develop? How many kids got molded? Coaching is what truly levels the playing field between star ratings.

 

Leadership: This is sorely missed. Aside from the 'Zack Bowman turns in his Blackshirt' story, can anyone really define the leaders on these past few teams? Adam Carriker? Scary man-beast, but not a field general by my standards. Ricky Thenarse? Passionate, but not a grab you by the facemask kind of guy just yet. Corey McKweon? Promising early, but did not play at a high enough level to be bossing other guys around. Courtney Grixby? Played with a lot of heart, but did not inject it into his teammates. He was a quiet leader when someone needed to be screaming. Maybe you saw something different, but I saw a group of guys, with no leader and no consistency.

 

Cosgrove could not build kids into better football players. Promising players have not been coached to success during his tenure, in fact, most of them had lost the passion they started out with. He had a penchant for being inflexible and playing favorites. His inflexible schemes were the cause of many yards gained, many games lost and ultimately his job.

 

From the outside looking in, his approach was a wildly optimistic hope that the kids on the roster would simply "get it". If not, better luck with the next set of recruits.

 

That's NOT coaching; that's management.

 

You can get away with that in the NFL, mainly because if a multi-million dollar contract won't motivate a kid, not much will. The only currency you have with college kids...is passion. Let them acquire it in buckets and make them spend every cent.

 

When I think about Bo Pelini in terms of adjustments, schemes, motivation, fundamentals, development and leadership, I see exciting times. I see talent becoming each kids starting point, not their peak. I see flexibility and adjustments saving yards and preserving wins.

 

I see Bo doing the little things. The little things that matter. The basics of his philosophies. Tackle or be replaced. Go hard or go home. Be a leader or we'll make one.

 

Expect Pelini to bring small changes with big impact. The coaching mentalities between him and Cosgrove alone will reshape this defense immediately. I can't predict numbers or stats, but I predict VAST defensive improvement with confidence.

 

Don't be surprised if Bo's staff changes just as much within the players as he does schematically. As a team, a change in attitude can take you from the bottom to the top faster than any X's or O's.

 

GBR

 

Absolutely fantastic post. I don't think the LEADERSHIP angle can be stated enough times. When any organization, a football team or some other group, doesn't have proper teaching, motivating, listening, and preparedness to assist the team in meeting a standard, what can you expect from them? I don't think the "we never had as much talent as we thought" rationale is valid. I don't think there's any possible way to determine how much talent we really have. You absolutely cannot use last year's games for some of the very reasons you just mentioned.

 

I watched Jason Peter break down some USC game film once, and from the four or five plays he critiqued, it was obvious nobody had any clue what they where doing. If Cosgrove was so incompetent he couldn't even teach tackling or filling a gap, how could you expect him to develop a believable game plan to bring down the star-studded USC Trojans?

 

What fires me up about Bo is that he is fundamentally a different coach. During the Spring Game he was on the field every play, watching, teaching, correcting. Same during Spring Practice. He teaches core principles about effort and accountability, things that obviously never happened in our wanna-be NFL combine under Callahan.

 

I don't think our defense was fundamentally sound but lacked execution last season (like Callahan believed). I believe they were fundamentally flawed and therefore played poor football. What they are capable of, however, with the best defensive coordinator in the business, is something that remains to be seen. And I hope it's something spectacular.

[OLDMAN]

My feeling is that we will not improve to the level that Bo wants until we purge thru graduation the remaining

Callahan recruits. A losing mentality persists in their psyche.