What Happens had NU hired Pelini in 2003 instead of Clownburger??

[Husker In Oklahoma]

We would have NEVER had a losing season and would be a top 5 power today. Amazing that someone who makes that much money and has that kind of power (pederson) could have made such a boneheaded stupid decision. What the hell. Just utterly amazing NU fans had to suffer through 4 miserable years of crappy football . Any thoughts?

[Pedro Guerrero]

We would never have had the pleasure of watching Zac Taylor or Mo Purify or Marlon Lucky or Brandon Jackson or Joey Ganz or Ndamukong Suh or Roy Helu or Prince or Phillip Dillard or Larry Asante or Barry Turner. (There would have been other players but who’s to say they would have been as good)

 

The only thing that I would have been interested in seeing was if he would have kept Barney as his OC, which if he would have would have been a huge mistake. (A in its own that has been beaten just as much as this topic)

[Nexus]

We would have NEVER had a losing season and would be a top 5 power today. Amazing that someone who makes that much money and has that kind of power (pederson) could have made such a boneheaded stupid decision. What the hell. Just utterly amazing NU fans had to suffer through 4 miserable years of crappy football . Any thoughts?

 

It says a lot about the Husker fans who continued to support them through it all, even though it wasn't always pretty, but the sellout streak continues.

 

Pelini gets it. He comes from a school that also celebrates their football tradition the same way we do. Which is part of the reason why he is successful.

[holvy83]

Although very happy with the direction things are going with Pelini, I am not ready to call him successful yet at the head coaching position, has a winning record yes, but there is no guarantee we won't see more road bumps ahead, especially with this offense. Back to OG post, I would say that Pelini would have more than likely struggled if he was HC the first go round.

[EZ-E]

We wouldnt have Ekeler or Papuchis. Carl Pelini would not have been ready for a DC job either. Barney Cotton would be our OC.

[Nexus]

Although very happy with the direction things are going with Pelini, I am not ready to call him successful yet at the head coaching position, has a winning record yes, but there is no guarantee we won't see more road bumps ahead, especially with this offense. Back to OG post, I would say that Pelini would have more than likely struggled if he was HC the first go round.

 

I'm not measuring success solely on win/loss. It's bigger than that. I'm basing it off of Pelini's holistic understanding of Husker culture and his ability to right the ship in the proper direction. Of course there are gonna be bumps ahead. Every HC goes through it, regardless. Pete Carroll & Bob Stoops are going through it this year. Dr. Tom went through it. That's inevitable.

 

While win/loss is part of the equation, it isn't the whole thing.

[jayhawk]

Hard to say, since Bo himslef says he benefitted from a few more years as a defensive cooridinator at LSU. I obviously don't know, no one really does, but he may not have been the same coach if you had gotten him a few years earlier. His temper still gets the best of him too often, so maybe those few years were critical...

[teachercd]

I know there is a lot of Cotton haters, espeically from the old Cant-coach-a-han supporters, but to think that Cotton could not have gotten better and better as an OC is crazy. That being said, he could have gotten worse too, maybe as bad as Watson was this year.

 

I mean, basically what you are saying then is that you are born a good OC and you can never get better, you are stuck at one level of coaching forever. That doesnt make sense.

 

Now, I am not a Cotton fan or Cotton hater but some of those "oh my gosh we would have Cotton as the OC'' posts make no sense to me.

 

Back on topic, having Cant-coach-a-han here as HC has really made me appreciate Husker football again. He brought the team to such a low that the losses stopped hurting and started to make me laugh. Now, they hurt again because Pelini knows what he is doing and has put the team back on track.

[Billyball]

Although very happy with the direction things are going with Pelini, I am not ready to call him successful yet at the head coaching position, has a winning record yes, but there is no guarantee we won't see more road bumps ahead, especially with this offense. Back to OG post, I would say that Pelini would have more than likely struggled if he was HC the first go round.

 

I'm not measuring success solely on win/loss. It's bigger than that. I'm basing it off of Pelini's holistic understanding of Husker culture and his ability to right the ship in the proper direction. Of course there are gonna be bumps ahead. Every HC goes through it, regardless. Pete Carroll & Bob Stoops are going through it this year. Dr. Tom went through it. That's inevitable.

 

While win/loss is part of the equation, it isn't the whole thing.

 

That "holistic understanding" and 50cents will get you 1/3 a cup of coffee somewhere. It will be about wins and losses, you can make book on that. Carroll and Stoops, both had down years this year and their recruiting is such that I'd about guarantee you that they will be back in the top 5 and vying for a national title in the next couple years. Right now Bo has done an excellent job with what he has had to work with. Last year a good offense and this year a great defense. Obviously the same coach being HC this year did not have the same results on O. There is not the guarantee that the same HC can have the same results on D next year.

 

Looking at threads about recruits who spurn us for another school will give you a look into how quickly a clunker of a season will turn around most of folks on Husker board. Check the job on Wats' --before season some were worried about Ohio State firing their coach and hiring Wats. After the offense tanked, there were many who wanted him fired. Same will happen to Bo if we misfire. It's the nature of the beast. If stoops or Carroll had a losing season next year, there would be intense pressure for a buyout. Bo will have 5 years to show what he can do with his recruiting and coaching at a minimum. I think he will do fine, annointing him as the messiah is a little premature.

 

It is unfair to do anything but be happy with the W/L Bo has put up. Whether he turns out to be the next coach to lead Husker football to a national title will depend on his ability to recruit. It always does. Here's hoping he becomes a master at recruiting.

[Pedro Guerrero]

I mean, basically what you are saying then is that you are born a good OC and you can never get better, you are stuck at one level of coaching forever. That doesnt make sense.

 

So if you really believe this then shouldn’t you call Billy C by his real name instead of “Can’t-Coach-A-Han”? Since he probably wasn’t born a good Head Coach but he can get better over time. You know since he probably isn’t stuck in his one level of coaching forever and he has also proven through his years in the NFL that he can coach the OL and he is a pretty good OC.

 

 

I know there is a lot of Cotton haters, espeically from the old Cant-coach-a-han supporters, but to think that Cotton could not have gotten better and better as an OC is crazy.

 

FWIW: I was a Cotton basher in 2003 when he was hired because Solich could have hired someone a lot better but by hiring Cotton he could still have his hand all over the offensive play calling even though he supposedly stepped down from that role. So technically that was before Billy C was ever hired so that doesn’t stick.

[EZ-E]

 

Now, I am not a Cotton fan or Cotton hater but some of those "oh my gosh we would have Cotton as the OC'' posts make no sense to me.

 

 

That isnt what I ment with my post if you thought that. I was just stating what would have been.

[zoogs]

We would have NEVER had a losing season and would be a top 5 power today.

 

Wow. Way to make an INCREDIBLE leap! It's really, really difficult to sustain a program at the top. The best programs have down years. We might have had losing years anyway. And to say we'd be a top 5 power is just wishful thinking. Sure it's possible, but really, really unlikely. There are only 5 of those in the entire country and a host of good programs jostling for the spot.

[teachercd]

I mean, basically what you are saying then is that you are born a good OC and you can never get better, you are stuck at one level of coaching forever. That doesnt make sense.

 

So if you really believe this then shouldn’t you call Billy C by his real name instead of “Can’t-Coach-A-Han”? Since he probably wasn’t born a good Head Coach but he can get better over time. You know since he probably isn’t stuck in his one level of coaching forever and he has also proven through his years in the NFL that he can coach the OL and he is a pretty good OC.

 

 

I know there is a lot of Cotton haters, espeically from the old Cant-coach-a-han supporters, but to think that Cotton could not have gotten better and better as an OC is crazy.

 

FWIW: I was a Cotton basher in 2003 when he was hired because Solich could have hired someone a lot better but by hiring Cotton he could still have his hand all over the offensive play calling even though he supposedly stepped down from that role. So technically that was before Billy C was ever hired so that doesn’t stick.

 

No, it shouldnt mean that. Cant-coach-a-han started off good, went to a super bowl, then kept getting worse and worse. See, he started at one level, good, and changed and got sh**ty. Just like all coaches can change, he just went from good to sh**ty.

 

So, do you see what I mean now?

[krc1995]

As painful as the BC era was, I think it was necessary.

 

1. Speaking only of myself, but I was a football egomaniac. I now appeciate how powerful Nebraska was and how it is gone in a blink of an eye. I really thought ESPN had a secondary office in Lincoln and that the rest of the college football country woke up and checked to see what the Huskers ate for breakfast. Silly, silly me.

 

2. I respect other football program more- even losing ones. I currently teach school in Rajin Cajun land. They do not have alot of fan in terms of numbers, but they still think they could play with anyone and will play anyone. They could give a crap less about the BCS. I like that attitude. It's fresh and that is what college football is all about.

 

3. I like watching other great programs stuggle- from a distance. USC, Miami, Oklahoma, FSU, ND. I feel more humbled; more experienced and definately more wise. When I hear an ego- fueled Texas fan, , I can think to myself "Your time is a comin and how sweet it will be'"

 

4. Although the changes in the program during that last 10 years have not always been linear, it is a testiment that evolution does exist in terms of sports. We had a great option-offense that may(or may not) have run its course as in it became defendable and unproductive-so we moved on. Regardless of what you may thought of BC- his offenses were pretty darn good. Now I am not saying that the option is obsolete- I love it, but many of us were clamoring for some passing. Personally, I believe the answer is in the middle- a nice balanced attack made up of players with talent and heart that are dedicated and focused on winning.

 

5. If Bo was named the HC in 03, he would never been to Oklahoma for a year and LSU for three. We, and he, only gained from this experience.

 

6. It is nearly impossible to stop evolution and look at the "now". It's like the trees and the forrest theory. But try; what is happening right now? Well, Bo is refining and honing his craft. But at some point in the future, when Ohio State needs a HC- will he leave? If he so chooses to go, look at how evolution is priming one Turner Gill in the ways of a fairly major program in a state that is close enough to touch.

 

7. My point to all this rambling is: BC happened, don't spend your energy on changing the past, but take the lessons learned and focus on the future. Some times you have to fall down to learn how tough you really are.

[Nexus]

As painful as the BC era was, I think it was necessary.

 

1. Speaking only of myself, but I was a football egomaniac. I now appeciate how powerful Nebraska was and how it is gone in a blink of an eye. I really thought ESPN had a secondary office in Lincoln and that the rest of the college football country woke up and checked to see what the Huskers ate for breakfast. Silly, silly me.

 

2. I respect other football program more- even losing ones. I currently teach school in Rajin Cajun land. They do not have alot of fan in terms of numbers, but they still think they could play with anyone and will play anyone. They could give a crap less about the BCS. I like that attitude. It's fresh and that is what college football is all about.

 

3. I like watching other great programs stuggle- from a distance. USC, Miami, Oklahoma, FSU, ND. I feel more humbled; more experienced and definately more wise. When I hear an ego- fueled Texas fan, , I can think to myself "Your time is a comin and how sweet it will be'"

 

4. Although the changes in the program during that last 10 years have not always been linear, it is a testiment that evolution does exist in terms of sports. We had a great option-offense that may(or may not) have run its course as in it became defendable and unproductive-so we moved on. Regardless of what you may thought of BC- his offenses were pretty darn good. Now I am not saying that the option is obsolete- I love it, but many of us were clamoring for some passing. Personally, I believe the answer is in the middle- a nice balanced attack made up of players with talent and heart that are dedicated and focused on winning.

 

5. If Bo was named the HC in 03, he would never been to Oklahoma for a year and LSU for three. We, and he, only gained from this experience.

 

6. It is nearly impossible to stop evolution and look at the "now". It's like the trees and the forrest theory. But try; what is happening right now? Well, Bo is refining and honing his craft. But at some point in the future, when Ohio State needs a HC- will he leave? If he so chooses to go, look at how evolution is priming one Turner Gill in the ways of a fairly major program in a state that is close enough to touch.

 

7. My point to all this rambling is: BC happened, don't spend your energy on changing the past, but take the lessons learned and focus on the future. Some times you have to fall down to learn how tough you really are.

 

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