John Blake

[hack]

okay, remember when i said that wouldn't pass judgement until i knew who Callahan was going for as defensive cordinators. right?

 

just to let you all know, i've just broken the glass case on my panic button and i'm smashin' it like a mutha-fawker.

 

according to the Lincoln Journal-Star, Kevin Cosgrove looks to the new DC. ten years under Barry Alvarez, he knows his stuff. badgers had a bum year in 2k3 (7-6), but Cosgrove isn't who has me worried.

 

no, friends, it's Callahan's possible choice of Defensive Line Coach that has me concerned. according to the Journal-Star, John Blake may be up for the job.

 

who is John Blake? think back to the last game Osborne coached against Oklahoma?

 

yah... now you remember.

 

his last job was with Mississippi State and he was the DL coach.

 

this past year Mississippi State was "ranked last in the 12-team SEC and was among the worst nationally in every major defensive category. The Bulldogs were last among all 117 Division I-A teams in scoring defense (39.2 points a game), while finishing 115th in pass defense (283 yards a game) and 113th in total defense (474 yards)."

 

if you wanted to put a good spin on MSU's 2k3 record, the only way you could do it is by saying they weren't as bad as Army... but not by much.

 

friends: i do not want Blake coaching my beloved Blackshirts in any way, shape or form.

 

i've been trying to find some sort redemption for Blake... ANYWHERE. and there is some. he was the DL coach for the Cowboys under Johnson and Switzer and was with them when they won a couple of Super Bowls. but that was over ten years ago. since then, well... he's sorta been the FREAKIN' ANGEL OF DEATH for two college programs.

 

okay... maybe it's a bit of an over-statement.

 

was he completely responsible for Mississippi State? no. but it sure doesn't look like he really helped, either. and his time at Oklahoma? the Sooners weren't exactly boomin' under Gibbs or Schnellenberger... maybe if he had more time, it could have been different.

 

which brings us to the one, bright and gleaming positive thing you can say about Blake... if there's anything... ANYTHING... positive about Blake is that he's got a good eye for talent.

 

the year Blake was dismissed from OU, the Stoops Boys road into Norman and were pleasantly surprised to find quite a crop players... including Rocky Calmus and Josh Heupel. the next year, OU won the national championship.

 

who is to say that could have been Blake holding up the Sear Trophy in 2000? it might have happened. but though Blake recruited the team, but it was Bob Stoops who drove it. i dunno...

 

look, i want to trust Callahan... really, i do. i can go with Cosgrove... but the prospect of Blake being a coach has me freaked.

 

totally, d00dz.

[BigRedMachine]

First of all great post Hack. Interesting opinion and real good references and background for all your points. instead of just posting a link and splitting.

 

Not trying to be some kindof professor here but that is an ideal post and one that should go on the "how to" list. I know there isnt time to break it down like that every time, and Im not trying to slam others for their posts, b/c we appreciate everyone's opinion no matter the size - and diversity is crucial, so keep those conflicting opinions coming. But I felt this was at least worthy of a cartman "kick ass".

 

Anyway, yes that does seem to be a jagged pill to swallow. Might be just the antidote we need in the end, but right now it stings a bit!!

 

Dont have a whole lot more to add right now, just wanted to add a quick nickel bags worth. What do the rest of you think about this "FREAKIN' ANGEL OF DEATH"..?

 

brm

[Pile]

I dont think he is being brought in to really coach... Blake is one amazing recruiter... Look at the players he had at UO when he left... the Freshman and sophmore classes were SICK in talent...

 

I say bring him in... I want 6'8" d-line that run 4.8 40's... <--- thats a joke so dont post saying how stupid I am... and Eric... lick my balls

 

BEST POST OF MY LIFE!

 

 

or maybe not...

 

 

-Pile

[BigRedMachine]

Good work Pile. that post has earned you one free ball licking from eric. get some.

[RedCountry]

eric I could do wout the licking, I have a dog and his name is huckfuskers. but just wanted to drop in.

 

This does not concern me. I trust that BC knows something that we dont know. as pile said maybe its his recruiting edge. although we do need some major help @ DL, so I hope he isnt lacking. I thought our d line was the weakest link of our entire team last season.

[Redout]

It's kind of tough to bash Blake for the OU crap. He was at the end of all that controversy with Ou and Switzer. He had crap to work with.

 

Although it is a curious pick. The Lincoln paper ran a great article on the coaching situation. Lemmings from rivals said two of the five best recruiters in the nation are interviewing now.

 

Perman, UNL chancellor, said the program was gettin' stale and I see his point. NU just couldn't get those big name recruits in here.

 

redout

[BigRedMachine]

Well it appears to be official:

http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?PR...2&DB_OEM_ID=100

[AR Husker Fan]

It's kind of tough to bash Blake for the OU crap. He was at the end of all that controversy with Ou and Switzer. He had crap to work with.

 

***SNIP***

Also a good point. Since I live in a state whose team is in the SEC, I kind of got a close look at Mississippi State this year, and I'm not sure you can fault Blake for this year's team. Most, looking at the players, thought it was quite talented.

 

However, for whatever reason, the players just up and quit on the coaching staff. I don't know why - Jackie Sherril has been on the hot seat for the last few years, and that didn't help. Also, Mississippi State, more than just about any other SEC team, relies on junior college transfers. While there are good people in the junior college ranks, there are also a fair number of them that are there because they wouldn't accept authority or follow the rules - wouldn't study, wouldn't listen, etc.

 

I'm not saying Blake is a good choice - to be honest, I don't know whether he was at Mississippi State when they were winning. All I'm saying is that I don't think you can judge him on those the final two years of Oklahoma (they were trying to obtain talent, and without talent even the best coach will look bad) or last year at Mississippi State (where the players plain and simply gave up before the season began).

[BigRedMachine]

Okay, now Im contradicting myself with all these drive by links, but heres another interesting one. Apparently old J Blake is a successful businessman also. A VP of football ops at Protect Mgmt Corp.

http://www.protectmanagement.com/john_blake.htm

[hack]

it's all a moot point now, as it looks like John Blake is offically NU's new defensive line coach.

 

Callahan must see something in Blake that he really likes. Lemming says Blake is a monster recuiter. maybe he just got a bum rap @ OU and Mississippi State.

 

maybe he'll find us the killer kids who will get us to a national championship in the next three or four years... that would rawk.

 

here's hoping.

[HuckFuskers]

Hack! Love the picture. Seriously I do.

 

Hey can anyone tell me where to find Grant Mulkey? I heard he was the guy to see. That's what the Alamo police told me anyways. Let me know.

[Guest lost husker]

Don't want to rain on the party but, if recuiting was the answer to winning it all, someone should have told Texas and Colorado this .They usually have top 10 class but,don't seem to win the big one. What scares me is I haven't seen any new coaches from great winning teams.Everybody hired seems like an old buddy or friend. hope I'm all wrong.

[hack]

notice that, too?

 

i'm not sure what Callahan's connection to Blake is; probably ran into him a couple of time on the recuitin' trail and liked what he saw. Blake is coming from DL duties @ Mississippi State, and to say that they had a rough year would be an understatement ("2-10 and BOTTOM of the SEC?! oh, baby... gimme some o' THAT action..!")

 

i'm willing to keep an open mind, however. and the irony that Blake is formerly the HC of Oklahoma is *NOT* lost me, either.

 

Cosgrove looks like he's a qualified DC; according to some of the Badger faithful that have been posting on Rival's boad, Cos might not be with NU for that long. He's been looking for his ship to put his flag on for a while now. he lost out on the Missouri job last year and he's also been sniffin' around the NFL, too.

 

but i'm thinking that he came to nebraska because 1) Callahan convinced him that they could really do some magik fer husker nation and 2) he's gettin' quite a nice chunk of change for making the switch. i've heard in and around the $225K range for Cos.

 

anyhow, here's hoping...

[HuskerBob]

Im not sure what to think about Blake or these others recntly brought in. Im w/ Hack about not passing judgement, but someone has to. hopefully SP and BC did too. I just hope he isnt only brining in his old buddies and these alleged recruiting gurus. it seems that this is more an all star team of Lemmings favorites than anything else.

 

The only tangible stuff we have on these guys is their history. and their stats speak for themselves. the one thing they have in common is that they have all not been very succesful. if so they wouldnt still be coordinators at 2nd rate programs. I just dont know how they justified hiring a Blake with his recent ineptitudes. How much can you know about someone you interview once? not much, so that leaves you with their record. and Blakes record isnt very redeeming. didnt BC and Steve kinda wonder when they didnt see ANY football coaching referenes on Blakes resume? instead there were those dive jobs at walmart and chuckecheese from 1982-88. hmm, whats the deal with this employment gap Mr Blake?.... Oh dont worry about that Steve, I was the President of the US during that time. Oh you were, okay then youre hired.

[hack]

hmm, whats the deal with this employment gap Mr Blake?

In 1982 a John Blake was sent to prison by a military court for a crime he didn't commit. He promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by Husker Nation, he survives as defensive line co-ordinator. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find he, maybe you can hire the... John Blake...