An awkward, uncomfortable signing

[Enhance]

Gray matter began to ooze into the picture shortly before Pelini's midafternoon teleconference, when new Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson, during his own signing day news conference, revealed that Hoosiers assistant coach Corey Raymond was leaving to coach the secondary at Nebraska.

 

So what becomes of Marvin Sanders? His work with the Nebraska secondary has been exemplary. He coached arguably the best secondary in the nation this past season. However, two sources told me recently that Sanders may face disciplinary action by the school for a nonfootball issue. Asked if NU had taken any action against Sanders, athletic director Tom Osborne said at the time he didn't have any information.

 

LINK

 

Sorry if already posted. I didn't see anything with a quick look.

[zoogs]

Sipple is the most sunshine guy there is, probably. So this is definitely news coming from him.

 

I know a lot of people think we are overreacting about Bo's presser. But it is not the reacting fans that are taking away from the day being a day to celebrate the new class. Bo did that and it is plain to see.

 

Look at signing pressers across the country, and you will see a publicity stunt in each and every one. One used to pump up the program and shine the spotlight on the incoming class.

 

Not so at Nebraska, where it was an awkward standoff with reporters. Yes, some of that is on a guy like Dirk being really gutsy. But Bo took the bait, is the thing. Bo didn't keep it just about the recruits, as promised and as specified to reporters. He made positive affirmations regarding staff changes - specifically, that there are none - when asked, instead of taking the "You know, we're talking about these kids today and I'll address everything else later" route. That might have left people buzzing with speculation and guessing...but instead of that, it's left people knowing that Bo is playing games with them. Bo comes off like the message board insider that dangles juicy, shocking information out there and then refuses to tell you what it is, just because.

 

And while today is/was a day to celebrate our recruits, there will also be a day, probably soon, to celebrate our incoming coach, Corey Raymond. Bo managed to take away from both at the same time, which I know is not his intention.

 

In the end, there are only excuses to be made from him, and no, it isn't that bad - but it was pointless and unnecessary and all-too familiar by now. I will point this out as a clear misstep by our Head Coach without losing faith in his abilities as head man, and can only hope that the school's Chancellor/AD and its boosters feel the same patience about what happened to this annual free chest-thumping, positive publicity opportunity for our football program.

[Hujan]

I really think it is kind of hard to blame Bo too much for this. He was sort of thrust into this position by the Indiana HC. I am sure Bo has plenty of good reasons not to just come right out and say, "Yup, we hired him." It's quite possible, for example, that Sanders did not know he would be dismissed. I think it's equally likely that Bo did not want this to distract from the recruits.

 

Could he have chosen his words better? Yes. I would have simply said, "I will not comment on staff changes today," over and over and over. But this is not a Bo issue. TO is apparently saying similar things. I think this is a human issue. It's easy to dissect how someone should have responded, but when the question is somewhat unexpectedly hurled at them, it is natural to blurt out something that is not totally honest in an effort to deflect the question. Answers like "I have no information on that," or "We have not made any decisions yet," are reflexive for guys like TO and Bo.

 

BTW, if we sent Ekeler to Indiana and they gave us Raymond, does that count as a trade?

[zoogs]

No, because we sent them Ekeler AND Raymond (via recommendation), and then we took Raymond from them. It's like, "Here, have this awesome guy coaching at Utah State currently! He's awesome! Alright! OH WAIT OOPS WE NEED HIM, okay, find someone else, sorry!"

 

I think Sanders assuredly knows what's going on. And if Bo did not want to distract from recruits, he did a bad job of it. I chalk this up to human issues, but on the flip side of that, put almost ANYONE out there for this presser instead of Bo, and we don't have the issue. I am very confident of that. And again, being blindsided by Kevin Wilson on this goes back on Bo as well. But even if you want to pin all that on Wilson, it was Bo's poor response to it that was the problem. He didn't ignore it, is the thing. I get the human element, but I think it's more accurately the 'Bo' element. It's unfortunate, but we will move on from this. Unless we don't win a lot of games next year, in which case it will unfortunately be brought up by just the wrong people: media, boosters, etc. To that extent, it does freak me out a bit that this happened.

[Hujan]

No, because we sent them Ekeler AND Raymond (via recommendation), and then we took Raymond from them. It's like, "Here, have this awesome guy coaching at Utah State currently! He's awesome! Alright! OH WAIT OOPS WE NEED HIM, okay, find someone else, sorry!"

 

I think Sanders assuredly knows what's going on. And if Bo did not want to distract from recruits, he did a bad job of it. I chalk this up to human issues, but on the flip side of that, put almost ANYONE out there for this presser instead of Bo, and we don't have the issue. I am very confident of that. And again, being blindsided by Kevin Wilson on this goes back on Bo as well. But even if you want to pin all that on Wilson, it was Bo's poor response to it that was the problem. He didn't ignore it, is the thing. I get the human element, but I think it's more accurately the 'Bo' element. It's unfortunate, but we will move on from this. Unless we don't win a lot of games next year, in which case it will unfortunately be brought up by just the wrong people: media, boosters, etc. To that extent, it does freak me out a bit that this happened.

 

Is it possible that because Bo was isolated on the road, he didn't know that Wilson had spilled the beans? I didn't hear the presser, but it seemed like it wasn't until later that one of the questioners related the Wilson comment. Is that possible at all?

[zoogs]

I think Dirk's first question specifically mentioned Wilson, and Wilson's comments were again brought up in detail later in the presser. Bo's most sweeping statements about no staff changes also came later, but I suppose at that time you could say he was being consistent.

 

In any case, regardless of whether he knew the cat was let out of the bag by someone else or not, it's a good example of why it's better not to mislead. Just say nothing and the whole issue would not exist.

[ladyhawke]

I think Dirk's first question specifically mentioned Wilson, and Wilson's comments were again brought up in detail later in the presser. Bo's most sweeping statements about no staff changes also came later, but I suppose at that time you could say he was being consistent.

 

In any case, regardless of whether he knew the cat was let out of the bag by someone else or not, it's a good example of why it's better not to mislead. Just say nothing and the whole issue would not exist.

 

I had an opposite take. I don't understand why the media, who were told before the meeting that Bo wouldn't be addressing coaching changes, kept harping on him about coaching changes. Say what you will about the media 'doing their job' but he did tell them in advance, of the press conference agenda. Why do they insist on pressuring the guy to go against what he planned to say? Bo did TRY to not say anything but it's like a little kid who keeps whining about getting a toy after you've told him a dozen times NO, you sometimes break down and say OK already.

Bo was trying to make this about those boys but the media was fighting him almost the whole time. If anyone took away from making this a special time it was the media-not Bo. Why didn't they ask more questions about the recruits? It almost seemed like they cam only prepared to pepper Bo with questions about coaching changes. What about those kids? Good grief! I couldn't believe that they had come so ill prepared when they knew the agenda weeks in advance.

I really don't think this press conference is going to make or break our program. Bo has a ton on his plate right now and not giving the media the kind of press conference that they wanted is the least of his worries. Getting his team ready for the fall season is his first priority. Come fall this press conference will merely be a faded memory in the minds of many. Just my take

[ladyhawke]

Gray matter began to ooze into the picture shortly before Pelini's midafternoon teleconference, when new Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson, during his own signing day news conference, revealed that Hoosiers assistant coach Corey Raymond was leaving to coach the secondary at Nebraska.

 

So what becomes of Marvin Sanders? His work with the Nebraska secondary has been exemplary. He coached arguably the best secondary in the nation this past season. However, two sources told me recently that Sanders may face disciplinary action by the school for a nonfootball issue. Asked if NU had taken any action against Sanders, athletic director Tom Osborne said at the time he didn't have any information.

 

LINK

 

Sorry if already posted. I didn't see anything with a quick look.

 

Thanks for posting the link. Again, I thought Bo handled the presser just fine. He talked about the recruits and the recruiting process. When asked about coaching changes he said this is not the time or place but that he WOULD address that issue at a later time. I guess I don't know why everyone has their panties in a twist over this (no offense zoogies-just agree to disagree because I like what you write and encourage you to carry on! You've done great things on this board. Keep up the great work!) I think it was uncomfortable for the press because they came to the meeting with a different agenda-they had hot news from Kevin Wilson and by gosh they were going to get some answers. I can appreciate their wanting to know everything about that issue but Bo wasn't going to budge. However, they pushed him into a corner and he starting tripping up. I think maybe that's what's bothering everyone.

[knapplc]

I had an opposite take. I don't understand why the media, who were told before the meeting that Bo wouldn't be addressing coaching changes, kept harping on him about coaching changes. Say what you will about the media 'doing their job' but he did tell them in advance, of the press conference agenda. Why do they insist on pressuring the guy to go against what he planned to say? Bo did TRY to not say anything but it's like a little kid who keeps whining about getting a toy after you've told him a dozen times NO, you sometimes break down and say OK already.

Bo was trying to make this about those boys but the media was fighting him almost the whole time. If anyone took away from making this a special time it was the media-not Bo. Why didn't they ask more questions about the recruits? It almost seemed like they cam only prepared to pepper Bo with questions about coaching changes. What about those kids? Good grief! I couldn't believe that they had come so ill prepared when they knew the agenda weeks in advance.

I really don't think this press conference is going to make or break our program. Bo has a ton on his plate right now and not giving the media the kind of press conference that they wanted is the least of his worries. Getting his team ready for the fall season is his first priority. Come fall this press conference will merely be a faded memory in the minds of many. Just my take

 

The simple answer is that the coaching changes are a bigger story than the recruits. Great, we signed 20 guys who seem like nice young men, and we're all really happy to have them aboard. Get to work and let's hope you amount to something.... sometime.... months or years from now. That's the reality of recruiting - it doesn't pay off for years. So today's class is tomorrow's news.

 

The fact that a much-loved coach, former player, hugely popular with the fans, is apparently being replaced when there had been nothing by way of advance warning is a far larger story. It was right for the reporters to ask those questions. That's their job.

[The Dude]

It's really too bad for the recruits that their day was overshadowed by a manufactured controversy.

[knapplc]

It's really too bad for the recruits that their day was overshadowed by a manufactured controversy.

Agreed. This should have been their day, a big day to welcome them into the program and start off on a positive note. It sucks that this story came out when/how it did.

[The Dude]

It's really too bad for the recruits that their day was overshadowed by a manufactured controversy.

Agreed. This should have been their day, a big day to welcome them into the program and start off on a positive note. It sucks that this story came out when/how it did.

Yeah that kinda sucks. What really sucks is the controversy created because "Bo didn't answer questions to my liking". "Bo's a big meanie liar!" And so on and so forth,

[knapplc]

It's really too bad for the recruits that their day was overshadowed by a manufactured controversy.

Agreed. This should have been their day, a big day to welcome them into the program and start off on a positive note. It sucks that this story came out when/how it did.

Yeah that kinda sucks. What really sucks is the controversy created because "Bo didn't answer questions to my liking". "Bo's a big meanie liar!" And so on and so forth,

Yeah, reality does suck, doesn't it? It's a real story and it deserves to be talked about. Whining about it doesn't make it go away.

[knapplc]

Speaking of our recruits, the OWH has another in a series of great photo galleries, this one focusing on our latest recruits and Signing Day.

 

Well worth checking out.

[macroboy]

Good article. Summed up the situation, discussed the future, lacked the manufactured drama around the way he answered questions.