2011 vs 2003

[majech]

I was driving across the state of Iowa today and was thinking of Husker football. For some reason I got to thinking of how this season, at least on the surface, compared to 2003 which resulted in the firing of Solich. In both seasons we finished 9-3, in both seasons we had just revamped our coaching staff, in both seasons we had some very ugly losses, in both seasons we lost late to get knocked out of the ccg, and in both seasons our regular season final ranking was in the 20's. We actually had a worse loss this season than we did in 2003, but we also had a close loss this season which we did not have in 03. The two seasons seem surprisingly similar.

 

I cannot imagine seeing Bo fired at this point, but we saw that happen in 03 and it was not shocking. Looking back, I'm not sure we are much different now than we were then, but our road has been much worse than it would have been had Solich not been fired, imo. With all we have been through and all the changes I just find it interesting to see that we've gone "full circle." And for the record, this is not intended to be a fire Pelini thread, it is just an observation that I find interesting.

[Scratchtown]

I was driving across the state of Iowa today and was thinking of Husker football. For some reason I got to thinking of how this season, at least on the surface, compared to 2003 which resulted in the firing of Solich. In both seasons we finished 9-3, in both seasons we had just revamped our coaching staff, in both seasons we had some very ugly losses, in both seasons we lost late to get knocked out of the ccg, and in both seasons our regular season final ranking was in the 20's. We actually had a worse loss this season than we did in 2003, but we also had a close loss this season which we did not have in 03. The two seasons seem surprisingly similar.

 

I cannot imagine seeing Bo fired at this point, but we saw that happen in 03 and it was not shocking. Looking back, I'm not sure we are much different now than we were then, but our road has been much worse than it would have been had Solich not been fired, imo. With all we have been through and all the changes I just find it interesting to see that we've gone "full circle." And for the record, this is not intended to be a fire Pelini thread, it is just an observation that I find interesting.

 

 

one GIANT difference.

 

2003 - AD Steve Pedersen

 

2011 - AD Tom Osborne

[NebraskaShellback]

I was driving across the state of Iowa today and was thinking of Husker football. For some reason I got to thinking of how this season, at least on the surface, compared to 2003 which resulted in the firing of Solich. In both seasons we finished 9-3, in both seasons we had just revamped our coaching staff, in both seasons we had some very ugly losses, in both seasons we lost late to get knocked out of the ccg, and in both seasons our regular season final ranking was in the 20's. We actually had a worse loss this season than we did in 2003, but we also had a close loss this season which we did not have in 03. The two seasons seem surprisingly similar.

 

I cannot imagine seeing Bo fired at this point, but we saw that happen in 03 and it was not shocking. Looking back, I'm not sure we are much different now than we were then, but our road has been much worse than it would have been had Solich not been fired, imo. With all we have been through and all the changes I just find it interesting to see that we've gone "full circle." And for the record, this is not intended to be a fire Pelini thread, it is just an observation that I find interesting.

 

 

one GIANT difference.

 

2003 - AD Steve Pedersen

 

2011 - AD Tom Osborne

Yeah, Pedersin is not AD. Tom will not give Bo walking papers! Tom knows what it takes to build a team.

[NUpolo8]

It's been touched on already but it bears repeating.

 

2011: an Athletic Director with a brain and a plan.

 

2003: an Athletic Director with a room temperature iq

 

Frank, in my opinion was put in a situation pretty impossible to succeed in, and his micromanaging and shortfalls exacerbated them. Bo has certainly made his mistakes over the years, but he's learning and correcting them a whole lot faster than Frank did.

 

But I really can't stress the fact enough how unbearably stupid Pedersen was/is. The man actualy thought he had to abandon Nebraska's history and alumni and make it his own.

[Omaha-Husker]

Also Solich was following Obsorne, a literal walking legend in the state. Pelini followed Callahan, probably the most hated person in the state's history.

[bshirt]

It's been touched on already but it bears repeating.

 

2011: an Athletic Director with a brain and a plan.

 

2003: an Athletic Director with a room temperature iq

 

Frank, in my opinion was put in a situation pretty impossible to succeed in, and his micromanaging and shortfalls exacerbated them. Bo has certainly made his mistakes over the years, but he's learning and correcting them a whole lot faster than Frank did.

 

But I really can't stress the fact enough how unbearably stupid Pedersen was/is. The man actualy thought he had to abandon Nebraska's history and alumni and make it his own.

 

100% on the money. This is so well said I having nothing to add.

[dutch91701]

I was driving across the state of Iowa today and was thinking of Husker football. For some reason I got to thinking of how this season, at least on the surface, compared to 2003 which resulted in the firing of Solich. In both seasons we finished 9-3, in both seasons we had just revamped our coaching staff, in both seasons we had some very ugly losses, in both seasons we lost late to get knocked out of the ccg, and in both seasons our regular season final ranking was in the 20's. We actually had a worse loss this season than we did in 2003, but we also had a close loss this season which we did not have in 03. The two seasons seem surprisingly similar.

 

I cannot imagine seeing Bo fired at this point, but we saw that happen in 03 and it was not shocking. Looking back, I'm not sure we are much different now than we were then, but our road has been much worse than it would have been had Solich not been fired, imo. With all we have been through and all the changes I just find it interesting to see that we've gone "full circle." And for the record, this is not intended to be a fire Pelini thread, it is just an observation that I find interesting.

We didn't go 7-7 last season.

[huskerjack23]

Thanks for starting this thread. I'm gonna hijack it with a similar tagential question.

 

What are the differences between the schemes of Pelini as DC in '03 to now? Was it 2-gap then? It seemed like the 'skers played more aggressive and attacked more in '03, forcing record amounts of turnovers. Were Ruud, Bullocks, and co. just that good? Did they have a better supporting cast? Or did he use a scheme that Solich wanted him to run and the scheme now is totally his own?

[NUpolo8]

It's been touched on already but it bears repeating.

 

2011: an Athletic Director with a brain and a plan.

 

2003: an Athletic Director with a room temperature iq

 

Frank, in my opinion was put in a situation pretty impossible to succeed in, and his micromanaging and shortfalls exacerbated them. Bo has certainly made his mistakes over the years, but he's learning and correcting them a whole lot faster than Frank did.

 

But I really can't stress the fact enough how unbearably stupid Pedersen was/is. The man actualy thought he had to abandon Nebraska's history and alumni and make it his own.

 

100% on the money. This is so well said I having nothing to add.

 

 

Well, you COULD spell "actually" correctly. Because I can't, it seems.

[shyndy]

I also think it was pretty important that one of the drubbings that year was K-State and it was at home, IIRC. I remember at some point reading an article in the paper that said Pedey was going around telling people (boosters?) that "we're doing something about this."

[shyndy]

Thanks for starting this thread. I'm gonna hijack it with a similar tagential question.

 

What are the differences between the schemes of Pelini as DC in '03 to now? Was it 2-gap then? It seemed like the 'skers played more aggressive and attacked more in '03, forcing record amounts of turnovers. Were Ruud, Bullocks, and co. just that good? Did they have a better supporting cast? Or did he use a scheme that Solich wanted him to run and the scheme now is totally his own?

I was thinking about that the other day myself. I think it might have been a little bit of everything. Pelini has said you always have to change stuff to adjust to the trends in the game, but I remember us being more aggressive in terms of penetration/ rushing the QB as well. I remember him using players like Demorrio as rush end for the sole purpose of trying to put heat on the QB as fast as possible

[TonyStalloni]

In addition to having different athletic directors and the night and day attitudes each brought to the table, the other big difference is the mindset of Husker fans. We were coming out of the 90's run that TO had and that was still fresh in the minds of fans. That 6 year run was what we considered normal and our "right" to have a top 5 team every year. Frank had had his troubles but 03 was a step in the right direction. Petersen thought he could improve on the brand and kick us into high gear. "Little Stalin" did a torch and burn that nearly brought the program to it's knees. Bo rode in on his white horse and brought us to respectability. We have a ways to go but we're going in the right direction.

[True2tRA]

I was driving across the state of Iowa today and was thinking of Husker football. For some reason I got to thinking of how this season, at least on the surface, compared to 2003 which resulted in the firing of Solich. In both seasons we finished 9-3, in both seasons we had just revamped our coaching staff, in both seasons we had some very ugly losses, in both seasons we lost late to get knocked out of the ccg, and in both seasons our regular season final ranking was in the 20's. We actually had a worse loss this season than we did in 2003, but we also had a close loss this season which we did not have in 03. The two seasons seem surprisingly similar.

 

I cannot imagine seeing Bo fired at this point, but we saw that happen in 03 and it was not shocking. Looking back, I'm not sure we are much different now than we were then, but our road has been much worse than it would have been had Solich not been fired, imo. With all we have been through and all the changes I just find it interesting to see that we've gone "full circle." And for the record, this is not intended to be a fire Pelini thread, it is just an observation that I find interesting.

I actually disagree with that part. I thought it was very shocking when Solich got fired. As everybody else said though, the man running the show Pedey boy, was a bit out of his league. I would feel the same level of shock if Bo was to be let go anytime soon. These coaches have got to get more time to do their jobs. We don't want to look like the idiots running the program down in Kansas.

[Joe_5700]

I was driving across the state of Iowa today and was thinking of Husker football. For some reason I got to thinking of how this season, at least on the surface, compared to 2003 which resulted in the firing of Solich. In both seasons we finished 9-3, in both seasons we had just revamped our coaching staff, in both seasons we had some very ugly losses, in both seasons we lost late to get knocked out of the ccg, and in both seasons our regular season final ranking was in the 20's. We actually had a worse loss this season than we did in 2003, but we also had a close loss this season which we did not have in 03. The two seasons seem surprisingly similar.

 

I cannot imagine seeing Bo fired at this point, but we saw that happen in 03 and it was not shocking. Looking back, I'm not sure we are much different now than we were then, but our road has been much worse than it would have been had Solich not been fired, imo. With all we have been through and all the changes I just find it interesting to see that we've gone "full circle." And for the record, this is not intended to be a fire Pelini thread, it is just an observation that I find interesting.

I actually disagree with that part. I thought it was very shocking when Solich got fired. As everybody else said though, the man running the show Pedey boy, was a bit out of his league. I would feel the same level of shock if Bo was to be let go anytime soon. These coaches have got to get more time to do their jobs. We don't want to look like the idiots running the program down in Kansas.

 

+1000 Majech, were you locked in a closet when this went down? It was huge and very shocking news that a 9 win coach was fired. There were many articles and comments made on ESPN in regards to it. Why do you think we had such a hard time hiring a new coach? Callahan was like our 6th pick? The previous 5 turned us down because you would have to be a complete fool to work for a guy that fires you after a 9 win season.

[kchusker_chris]

What are the differences between the schemes of Pelini as DC in '03 to now? Was it 2-gap then? It seemed like the 'skers played more aggressive and attacked more in '03, forcing record amounts of turnovers. Were Ruud, Bullocks, and co. just that good? Did they have a better supporting cast? Or did he use a scheme that Solich wanted him to run and the scheme now is totally his own?

we blitzed/applied pressure - we caused turnovers. we have 10 interceptions this year. Bullocks had 10 himself in 03'. 32 total for the team. Add in 15 fumbles and we caused 47 turnovers compared to 18 this year. And that is the difference between 03' Pelini and 11' Pelini. Imagine if we caused almost 2.5 more turnovers per game this year. We wouldn't be sitting at 9-3.