Scary stats for Bo, but interesting

[HuskerNMO]

From ESPN

 

Since 2000, Nebraska is 2-16 against top-10 teams (1-6 under Bo Pelini), allowing more than 33 PPG, while scoring fewer than 20. Eleven of those 16 losses have come by double digits including six by at least 20 points.

 

They haven't won a road game against a top-10 team since beating Washington 27-14 on September 20, 1997

[gobiggergoredder]

When Bo goes down, he goes down in flames.

[junior4949]

From ESPN

 

Since 2000, Nebraska is 2-16 against top-10 teams (1-6 under Bo Pelini), allowing more than 33 PPG, while scoring fewer than 20. Eleven of those 16 losses have come by double digits including six by at least 20 points.

 

They haven't won a road game against a top-10 team since beating Washington 27-14 on September 20, 1997

 

While those stats may seem bad, I really don't see them as that bad. Since 2000, just how many times have we finished the season in the top 10? I can only recall one. If you're not a top ten team, it seems quite likely that you'd lose the majority of the games you play against top 10 teams.

[shyndy]

From ESPN

 

Since 2000, Nebraska is 2-16 against top-10 teams (1-6 under Bo Pelini), allowing more than 33 PPG, while scoring fewer than 20. Eleven of those 16 losses have come by double digits including six by at least 20 points.

 

They haven't won a road game against a top-10 team since beating Washington 27-14 on September 20, 1997

 

While those stats may seem bad, I really don't see them as that bad. Since 2000, just how many times have we finished the season in the top 10? I can only recall one. If you're not a top ten team, it seems quite likely that you'd lose the majority of the games you play against top 10 teams.

This is right on, and it also makes the point that we are still not a top ten team.

[junior4949]

If one would exclude the 94, 95, 96, and 97 seasons; I'd venture to guess TO's record against top 10 teams wasn't exactly stellar either.

[California Husker]

If one would exclude the 94, 95, 96, and 97 seasons; I'd venture to guess TO's record against top 10 teams wasn't exactly stellar either.

TO (not counting the seasons you excluded) was 16-33 against top 10 opponents....you're correct in your assessment that his record "wasn't exactly stellar", however at .326 it was a lot better than the .111 we have been against top 10 teams since 2000. Of course this means nothing, but since you made the comparison, just thought I'd get the numbers out there.

[California Husker]

If one would exclude the 94, 95, 96, and 97 seasons; I'd venture to guess TO's record against top 10 teams wasn't exactly stellar either.

And just for fun...and because I love to re-live Husker glory....TO was 11-0 (11 and freaking 0) against top 10 teams in the years you mentioned. Damn I miss those good old days.

[robsker]

When Bo goes down, he goes down in flames.

 

 

And when he wins it is against poor teams and it is ugly.

 

Bo has simply done a very poor job as a head coach.

 

Poor preparation. Teams fielded w/o heart or passion. Teams unprepared, poor assignment football --- worse than any team I have seen.

 

They play flat, lifeless against weak competition. And freak out against good competition --- imploding and killing themselves.

 

Poor offensive game plans. And now, oddly, even the defense is not fundamentally sound.

 

I think that Bo has to be viewed now as coaching for his job --- that is, from here on out this season, he better improve a great, great deal or he will be on the hot seat.

 

This game did not at all surprise me. I predicted a big loss and even stated that the potential for a blow out was there --- I went on record and said Wisconsin by 21-35 pts. Why? Because of our poor coaching (and the resulting play of under-prepared players who are not focused). Thus, my stating that Bo has been doing a poor job as a head coach is not an over reaction to one game. I cannot over-react to a game that I predicted, essentially would go precisely as it went. I have been softly posting for the past year that Bo is wildly over-rated by most posters here --- and that he has done well, well below average as a head coach. He is seemingly not getting better. I now fear that he has lost this team... or... at the very least, is losing the team.

 

I predicted before the season began that NU would lose 4 games in conference. That again was predicated upon the past inability of Bo to ready his teams. We will lose 3 more times in conference --- maybe 4 more.

 

That Bo has not played Carnes for at least 1 quarter of each of the first four games against the cream puffs is inexcusable. the kid needs reps. He may not be a D1 QB either... but the one starting is CERTAINLY not. As much as I wish it was not the case, Martinez is no D1 QB. That is clear now and it was clear long ago. An... he is not really that good of a runner either -- check his stats against conference competition. Last night, Martinez needed to sit some and get unrattled --- but Bo did not provide a context for such as he did not prepare his back-up earlier in the season.

 

None of this is a surprise. It all plots as a pretty straight line --- Bo has been consistent from the start --- over his time here the NU team has game in and game out under-performed --- always weak on fundamentals, passion, drive, physicality, and focus --- almost always with poor coaching on offense, poor roster management from the start, and now even (and this is both new and odd) coaching problems on defense.

 

Buckle up folks... this season is set for much of the same. The past always is the best predictor of the future.

[huskered17]

Robsker, I won't say your right or wrong time will tell, but I still see this team with all its trouble at this time, still winning 9 to 10 games this season. Michigan being the next lose if the defense isn't righted by then.

 

GBR!!!

[robsker]

Robsker, I won't say your right or wrong time will tell, but I still see this team with all its trouble at this time, still winning 9 to 10 games this season. Michigan being the next lose if the defense isn't righted by then.

 

GBR!!!

Huskerred:

 

I hope my friend that you are right! And I agree with the GBR!!!

 

And... if I am wrong, I will be among the first to admit it and smile and tell everyone that I am glad I'm wrong... because that means our beloved Big Red is doing better.

 

I do not think though that I am wrong..

 

You are thinking that Ohio State is a win... why?

[Husker_x]

When Bo goes down, he goes down in flames.

 

 

And when he wins it is against poor teams and it is ugly.

 

Bo has simply done a very poor job as a head coach.

 

Poor preparation. Teams fielded w/o heart or passion. Teams unprepared, poor assignment football --- worse than any team I have seen.

 

They play flat, lifeless against weak competition. And freak out against good competition --- imploding and killing themselves.

 

Poor offensive game plans. And now, oddly, even the defense is not fundamentally sound.

 

I think that Bo has to be viewed now as coaching for his job --- that is, from here on out this season, he better improve a great, great deal or he will be on the hot seat.

 

This game did not at all surprise me. I predicted a big loss and even stated that the potential for a blow out was there --- I went on record and said Wisconsin by 21-35 pts. Why? Because of our poor coaching (and the resulting play of under-prepared players who are not focused). Thus, my stating that Bo has been doing a poor job as a head coach is not an over reaction to one game. I cannot over-react to a game that I predicted, essentially would go precisely as it went. I have been softly posting for the past year that Bo is wildly over-rated by most posters here --- and that he has done well, well below average as a head coach. He is seemingly not getting better. I now fear that he has lost this team... or... at the very least, is losing the team.

 

I predicted before the season began that NU would lose 4 games in conference. That again was predicated upon the past inability of Bo to ready his teams. We will lose 3 more times in conference --- maybe 4 more.

 

That Bo has not played Carnes for at least 1 quarter of each of the first four games against the cream puffs is inexcusable. the kid needs reps. He may not be a D1 QB either... but the one starting is CERTAINLY not. As much as I wish it was not the case, Martinez is no D1 QB. That is clear now and it was clear long ago. An... he is not really that good of a runner either -- check his stats against conference competition. Last night, Martinez needed to sit some and get unrattled --- but Bo did not provide a context for such as he did not prepare his back-up earlier in the season.

 

None of this is a surprise. It all plots as a pretty straight line --- Bo has been consistent from the start --- over his time here the NU team has game in and game out under-performed --- always weak on fundamentals, passion, drive, physicality, and focus --- almost always with poor coaching on offense, poor roster management from the start, and now even (and this is both new and odd) coaching problems on defense.

 

Buckle up folks... this season is set for much of the same. The past always is the best predictor of the future.

 

Hey Rob,

 

There's an unfortunate side effect of being dedicated to reason--we get honest, hard posts like these. I can't jump on the fire Pelini bandwagon, which I don't think is what you're suggesting anyway, but his miraculous defensive turnaround in two years speaks volumes about his potential abilities, and I'm as surprised as anyone about his defense this year. Part of me thinks if it were even playing something like on par with last year we wouldn't be having this conversation, but we are. I'm sure you're about to get jumped on big time, so let me be the first to back you up, sir.

 

What I see right now in this team is what we've been seeing for years. We're a team living in the shadow of Osborne, and while no serious person expects in this day and age to legitimately compete for a national championship every single year, the fact that we can't transcend surviving games we should dominate and occasionally knocking off teams of comparable or greater talent is frustrating. We're a program feeding off an image of days long gone by, expectations always surpassing performance by a considerable margin.

 

I wasn't a fan of Pelini's timidity in his offseason hires and nothing between then and now has forced me to rethink that skepticism. For the third straight year we witnessed an offensive implosion when the lights came on. Not a bad play, a bad break--a complete and utter breakdown at every level. The penalty flags were flying as were the errant passes. You would ask someone what happened, but who has a clue? They haven't for three years and they won't tomorrow. We've heard plenty of guff about Nebraska 'finding an identity' on offense, but the gag is they've had an identity all along, and it's been right in front of our faces. Like you, I'm willing to call a spade a spade.

 

I said the real criticism of Martinez would begin when his athleticism against weak opponents no longer outweighed his mistakes against better ones. Well, it has begun. I thought he had grown a bit since last year. I hoped by game 5 we would have seen it. I think we've all seen enough of Martinez. the results speak for themselves.

 

I'm with you on Bo as far as this: the "I trust Bo" and "Don't underestimate Beck" crowd can sit down now. We've heard enough. Trust is earned. You want it, earn it. If the season goes as you predict--and I conceded it may well do just that--we'll be having this conversation as fans with a lot more edge in our voices. One terrible game into the season isn't the time, but that time could show up soon, which is a sad enough story as it stands.

[robsker]

When Bo goes down, he goes down in flames.

 

 

And when he wins it is against poor teams and it is ugly.

 

Bo has simply done a very poor job as a head coach.

 

Poor preparation. Teams fielded w/o heart or passion. Teams unprepared, poor assignment football --- worse than any team I have seen.

 

They play flat, lifeless against weak competition. And freak out against good competition --- imploding and killing themselves.

 

Poor offensive game plans. And now, oddly, even the defense is not fundamentally sound.

 

I think that Bo has to be viewed now as coaching for his job --- that is, from here on out this season, he better improve a great, great deal or he will be on the hot seat.

 

This game did not at all surprise me. I predicted a big loss and even stated that the potential for a blow out was there --- I went on record and said Wisconsin by 21-35 pts. Why? Because of our poor coaching (and the resulting play of under-prepared players who are not focused). Thus, my stating that Bo has been doing a poor job as a head coach is not an over reaction to one game. I cannot over-react to a game that I predicted, essentially would go precisely as it went. I have been softly posting for the past year that Bo is wildly over-rated by most posters here --- and that he has done well, well below average as a head coach. He is seemingly not getting better. I now fear that he has lost this team... or... at the very least, is losing the team.

 

I predicted before the season began that NU would lose 4 games in conference. That again was predicated upon the past inability of Bo to ready his teams. We will lose 3 more times in conference --- maybe 4 more.

 

That Bo has not played Carnes for at least 1 quarter of each of the first four games against the cream puffs is inexcusable. the kid needs reps. He may not be a D1 QB either... but the one starting is CERTAINLY not. As much as I wish it was not the case, Martinez is no D1 QB. That is clear now and it was clear long ago. An... he is not really that good of a runner either -- check his stats against conference competition. Last night, Martinez needed to sit some and get unrattled --- but Bo did not provide a context for such as he did not prepare his back-up earlier in the season.

 

None of this is a surprise. It all plots as a pretty straight line --- Bo has been consistent from the start --- over his time here the NU team has game in and game out under-performed --- always weak on fundamentals, passion, drive, physicality, and focus --- almost always with poor coaching on offense, poor roster management from the start, and now even (and this is both new and odd) coaching problems on defense.

 

Buckle up folks... this season is set for much of the same. The past always is the best predictor of the future.

 

Hey Rob,

 

There's an unfortunate side effect of being dedicated to reason--we get honest, hard posts like these. I can't jump on the fire Pelini bandwagon, which I don't think is what you're suggesting anyway, but his miraculous defensive turnaround in two years speaks volumes about his potential abilities, and I'm as surprised as anyone about his defense this year. Part of me thinks if it were even playing something like on par with last year we wouldn't be having this conversation, but we are. I'm sure you're about to get jumped on big time, so let me be the first to back you up, sir.

 

What I see right now in this team is what we've been seeing for years. We're a team living in the shadow of Osborne, and while no serious person expects in this day and age to legitimately compete for a national championship every single year, the fact that we can't transcend surviving games we should dominate and occasionally knocking off teams of comparable or greater talent is frustrating. We're a program feeding off an image of days long gone by, expectations always surpassing performance by a considerable margin.

 

I wasn't a fan of Pelini's timidity in his offseason hires and nothing between then and now has forced me to rethink that skepticism. For the third straight year we witnessed an offensive implosion when the lights came on. Not a bad play, a bad break--a complete and utter breakdown at every level. The penalty flags were flying as were the errant passes. You would ask someone what happened, but who has a clue? They haven't for three years and they won't tomorrow. We've heard plenty of guff about Nebraska 'finding an identity' on offense, but the gag is they've had an identity all along, and it's been right in front of our faces. Like you, I'm willing to call a spade a spade.

 

I said the real criticism of Martinez would begin when his athleticism against weak opponents no longer outweighed his mistakes against better ones. Well, it has begun. I thought he had grown a bit since last year. I hoped by game 5 we would have seen it. I think we've all seen enough of Martinez. the results speak for themselves.

 

I'm with you on Bo as far as this: the "I trust Bo" and "Don't underestimate Beck" crowd can sit down now. We've heard enough. Trust is earned. You want it, earn it. If the season goes as you predict--and I conceded it may well do just that--we'll be having this conversation as fans with a lot more edge in our voices. One terrible game into the season isn't the time, but that time could show up soon, which is a sad enough story as it stands.

 

 

HuskerX:

 

Good to hear from you, my friend. And nice post.

 

I, like you and all other Husker fans, hopes this staff turns this thing around.

[The Dude]

A few more meltdowns like this and Bo will absolutely be on the hot seat at season's end. I think his biggest mistake is hiring his buddies as coordinators and assistants instead of qualified coaches.

[zoogs]

Spotlight should be hot on that decision, especially the choice of LBs coach, I think.

[Husker_x]

A few more meltdowns like this and Bo will absolutely be on the hot seat at season's end. I think his biggest mistake is hiring his buddies as coordinators and assistants instead of qualified coaches.

 

Excellent point, and I think Bo will bolt Nebraska before he gives up the Good Old Boy strategy.