What did you expect?

Captain K · September 29, 2008

Our coaching staff has only been together for eight months now. Coaching changes are hard enough when a majority of a staff moves to a new school, but when you get one guy from here, one guy from there, another guy who hasn't coached for a while, it's gonna take time to come together as a group. Guys have to learn to work with each other. Imagine last spring's practice. A guy who essentially has not head-coached before. Almost all new assistants that didn't really know each other and more importantly had no real relationship with the players. Not knowing what motivates each individual player - a pat on the back here a kick in the pants there. Outside of the Watson-Ganz thing, we were starting from SCRATCH.

If you practice like you play, then you perform in fall camp based on spring. We couldn't have had much momentum going for us after what must have been a less than smooth-running, feel-each-other-out, spring. Think of the difference between our situation and a team that had bowl practices and all of their coaching staff back. They hit the ground running.

Also, our team is somewhat lacking in talent, not to mention the state of confusion they were in, coming out of last year.

Compare that to Beamer being at Tech like 22 years or whatever. Things start taking care of themselves when you have that type of continuity. We at NU should know that better than anyone. Everyone knows what is expected of them, what their duties are etc. They know the talent they have, and how to get the most out of it.

I think the Stoops thing in year two at OU was a near miracle and he probably had better talent. That is the exception to the rule.

My guess is that we will steadily improve this year, if for no other reason than things start running more smoothly just because of experience. After looking like less than a juggernaut early, I say we surprise somebody later, possibly KU, and things get a lot better next year.

Yes, I think Bo has what it takes.

P.S. You gotta wonder what Dr. Tom thought of Helu working on his dance moves on the sideline, when he was supposed to be on the field.

HuskerT · September 29, 2008

I definitely think Bo has what it takes to succeed, but I thought he said his goal was to simplify things on defense. The mistakes I'm noticing this year are mental breakdowns and missed assignments rather than lack of effort and scheme like last year. I'd like to think that if things were more simplified we would have less mental breakdowns and missed assignments.