Early expectations for this year.

[kchusker_chris]

Pelini doesn't need saving, though. He's not going to be ousted by UNL anytime soon. If he leaves for a different gig that's another story, but he's not going to be fired for what he's done here.

Not yet. It won't be long before the discussion is more frequent unless the status quo that gets us the same thing year in and year out is broken. Tom won't be here, and Pelini might not put up with the BS. Whether he leaves like Frank, Cally, or Carl really makes no difference. The discussion will get louder, and the voices bigger.

 

There is ZERO chance we fire Pelini unless the wheels completely fall off. We made that mistake with Solich and it backfired on us badly. We will not slam our hands in the car door again. Bo might leave on his own, but he won't be fired for maintaining the status quo.

I disagree. I see the Pelini and solich scenarios as entirely different and the circumstances as very different. Less championships, less wins, less support, more drama, and in a different era of college football. Lot has changed in the last decade.

You can disagree all you want. It's not going to happen.

Unless you are the one that will be making the decision that is no less of an opinion than mine. I doubt you are Tom/Harvey

[knapplc]

You can disagree all you want. It's not going to happen.

Unless you are the one that will be making the decision that is no less of an opinion than mine. I doubt you are Tom/Harvey

 

Mine is an informed opinion.

[tschu]

Yeah, we're not firing Pelini

[Saunders]

And every one of those above him has won something of substance....including many below him.

Yeah, but not in their first 4 years. In fact, only the top four on the list won a major conference, or played in a BCS (or similar bowl) in their first four years. And only one (Stoops) has a National Championship. Spurrier, Saban, and Les Miles didn't win jack squat their first 4 years, and they have 5 National titles between them.

[kchusker_chris]

And every one of those above him has won something of substance....including many below him.

Yeah, but not in their first 4 years. In fact, only the top four on the list won a major conference, or played in a BCS (or similar bowl) in their first four years.

I judge Pelini no different than I judge the rest of D1 coaches. You can add the notes and caveats to his performance, but at the end of the day he's in a top-15ish job, and I could care less if he's in his 4th or his 14th year. I expect him to perform like he is at a top-15 job. (which for the most part he has) - but we can't continue to be a #25ish program. there has to be measurable progress.

[kchusker_chris]

You can disagree all you want. It's not going to happen.

Unless you are the one that will be making the decision that is no less of an opinion than mine. I doubt you are Tom/Harvey

 

Mine is an informed opinion.

based on what? because we've never fired a coach with 9 wins?

[Nebula]

You guys probably don't want to hear excuses, but we have had a remarkable degree of adversity and uniquely challenging circumstances over the last six years. Callahan's (thankful) departure gutted that recruiting class and Bo came into the program as a first time HC. Tough transition, and learning through experience usually involves some scars. Bo molded that first team nicely, and frankly, that '08 team improved from game 1 to game 13 more than any other team I've seen. I was highly encouraged.

 

Then came '09. One of the most frustrating years I've ever experienced as a Nebraska fan, because our defense was championship caliber quality....we just beat the hell out people. We got pressure up the middle with a front four rush every time, never needed to blitz. Our special teams unit was incredibly strong as well, featuring the most accurate kicker in the history of cfb. The offense made me want to eat a bowl of broken glass every time they took a snap. If that offense had been average, we would have easily made a BCS game. That was the most futile, infuriating thing I've ever seen, zone read with Lee, loss/gain of one yard, false start, incomplete pass bouncing off of Niles...yeesh. Yet, Bo was figuring out the Big 12. We had a defense uniquely suited to counter-act the spread style of the conference.

 

2010 felt like a step back, even though we made the CCG again and really should have beaten Oklahoma. It was a feast or famine year offensively, Martinez either going for 80 or quick three-and-outs. The defense sagged, but when you lose a guy like Suh, that's going to happen. I've always thought Bo focused more on the offensive side of the ball that year, and the performance of the defense reflected that. (And that defense was still pretty damn solid. Just not as brutally dominant as they were the year prior.) Still, we won the (abysmal, granted) North. That whole year was one of near unprecedented awkwardness and bitterness. The league suspending our players, Beebe clearly poisonous towards our program, I mean, football is a hard enough game on its own. We had all kinds of additional BS to deal with. I don't put that on Bo or his staff.

 

And last year we joined a new conference. A conference that plays a markedly different style of football. Yes, football is football, and the goals and the rules don't change. But tell me you didn't watch those games last year and think "Jay-sus this is a physical conference." Bo structured his defense to eliminate the strengths of a pass happy spread, and Big 10 offenses are like the antithesis of the spread. (Except for Northwestern, of course. Who beat us. So figure that one out, because I still can't.)

 

I guess what I'm rambling towards is that we've had five years of extenuating circumstances that have added a trying element. Like I said, football is hard enough without the additional challenges we've faced for Bo's entire tenure. Adopting to the new conference is particularly tough. It takes awhile to formulate how you want to attack a specific style of offense, and at least a full season of play and spring and summer camps of practice to install the playbook. It takes reps and time for the players to gain familiarity with a system, a system we've had to make significant changes to due to the entirely different style of play we're encountering in the Big 10.

 

I'm patient, to a point. The SC bowl game left me very irritated. I pouted, bitched, said "I dunno about this guy." But I think he ought to get at least a bit of a reprieve for the conference realignment situation. I want to see consistency this year, and I sure as hell don't want to get embarrassed by Michigan again. I don't mobile quarterbacks to make us look likes pigs on roller skates...getting tired of that. But I still believe in Bo, and additionally, I think Beck will find his stride. That's all I've got. Sorry for the novel.

[kchusker_chris]

Agree w/ everything you said Nebula. But man I really hope all these "excuses" come to an end eventually. Eventually we have to be held accountable and execute with the product we have.

[Saunders]

And every one of those above him has won something of substance....including many below him.

Yeah, but not in their first 4 years. In fact, only the top four on the list won a major conference, or played in a BCS (or similar bowl) in their first four years.

I judge Pelini no different than I judge the rest of D1 coaches. You can add the notes and caveats to his performance, but at the end of the day he's in a top-15ish job, and I could care less if he's in his 4th or his 14th year. I expect him to perform like he is at a top-15 job. (which for the most part he has) - but we can't continue to be a #25ish program. there has to be measurable progress.

Right, and I'm saying that you're entirely unrealistic, and you're looking at it wrong. We knew it was going to be a learning process when we hired Bo. It took Tom Osborne 9 years to win the Big 8, and he took over a team a team loaded with talent, and kept a lot of the same staff. Bo's a first time head coach, and is learning on the job. Compared to his peers, he's not great, but he's not doing a bad job.

[skersfan]

Knapp, thanks for dragging me out of the fire.

 

I feel just like you on this. We have many problems, very little proven on the coaching side the last few years. I think Bo is in over his head, if we had some seasoned proven assist coaches I would feel better about it. Bo needs help, which in fact means he needs more time to learn to be a head coach.

 

If we get knocked off by Southern Miss or UCLA, watch out, it could get ugly and a downhill runaway very easily I think. I am very afraid that is what is going to happen this year. If Bo can keep it all together this year, it will be his best year of coaching. We really have no leaders, the best defensive players are gone, no one to really hang our hats on on the defensive side so to speak. Rex will be the leader on offense, and hopefully Taylor is healed so he can become the threat he was as a freshman. I am not concerned about the WR and TE. good, great , fantastic or lousey, no OL it will make very little difference.

[Saunders]

You guys probably don't want to hear excuses, but we have had a remarkable degree of adversity and uniquely challenging circumstances over the last six years. Callahan's (thankful) departure gutted that recruiting class and Bo came into the program as a first time HC. Tough transition, and learning through experience usually involves some scars. Bo molded that first team nicely, and frankly, that '08 team improved from game 1 to game 13 more than any other team I've seen. I was highly encouraged.

 

Then came '09. One of the most frustrating years I've ever experienced as a Nebraska fan, because our defense was championship caliber quality....we just beat the hell out people. We got pressure up the middle with a front four rush every time, never needed to blitz. Our special teams unit was incredibly strong as well, featuring the most accurate kicker in the history of cfb. The offense made me want to eat a bowl of broken glass every time they took a snap. If that offense had been average, we would have easily made a BCS game. That was the most futile, infuriating thing I've ever seen, zone read with Lee, loss/gain of one yard, false start, incomplete pass bouncing off of Niles...yeesh. Yet, Bo was figuring out the Big 12. We had a defense uniquely suited to counter-act the spread style of the conference.

 

2010 felt like a step back, even though we made the CCG again and really should have beaten Oklahoma. It was a feast or famine year offensively, Martinez either going for 80 or quick three-and-outs. The defense sagged, but when you lose a guy like Suh, that's going to happen. I've always thought Bo focused more on the offensive side of the ball that year, and the performance of the defense reflected that. (And that defense was still pretty damn solid. Just not as brutally dominant as they were the year prior.) Still, we won the (abysmal, granted) North. That whole year was one of near unprecedented awkwardness and bitterness. The league suspending our players, Beebe clearly poisonous towards our program, I mean, football is a hard enough game on its own. We had all kinds of additional BS to deal with. I don't put that on Bo or his staff.

 

And last year we joined a new conference. A conference that plays a markedly different style of football. Yes, football is football, and the goals and the rules don't change. But tell me you didn't watch those games last year and think "Jay-sus this is a physical conference." Bo structured his defense to eliminate the strengths of a pass happy spread, and Big 10 offenses are like the antithesis of the spread. (Except for Northwestern, of course. Who beat us. So figure that one out, because I still can't.)

 

I guess what I'm rambling towards is that we've had five years of extenuating circumstances that have added a trying element. Like I said, football is hard enough without the additional challenges we've faced for Bo's entire tenure. Adopting to the new conference is particularly tough. It takes awhile to formulate how you want to attack a specific style of offense, and at least a full season of play and spring and summer camps of practice to install the playbook. It takes reps and time for the players to gain familiarity with a system, a system we've had to make significant changes to due to the entirely different style of play we're encountering in the Big 10.

 

I'm patient, to a point. The SC bowl game left me very irritated. I pouted, bitched, said "I dunno about this guy." But I think he ought to get at least a bit of a reprieve for the conference realignment situation. I want to see consistency this year, and I sure as hell don't want to get embarrassed by Michigan again. I don't mobile quarterbacks to make us look likes pigs on roller skates...getting tired of that. But I still believe in Bo, and additionally, I think Beck will find his stride. That's all I've got. Sorry for the novel.

Agree 100%.

[knapplc]

I guess what I'm rambling towards is that we've had five years of extenuating circumstances that have added a trying element. Like I said, football is hard enough without the additional challenges we've faced for Bo's entire tenure. Adopting to the new conference is particularly tough. It takes awhile to formulate how you want to attack a specific style of offense, and at least a full season of play and spring and summer camps of practice to install the playbook. It takes reps and time for the players to gain familiarity with a system, a system we've had to make significant changes to due to the entirely different style of play we're encountering in the Big 10.

 

I'm patient, to a point. The SC bowl game left me very irritated. I pouted, bitched, said "I dunno about this guy." But I think he ought to get at least a bit of a reprieve for the conference realignment situation. I want to see consistency this year, and I sure as hell don't want to get embarrassed by Michigan again. I don't mobile quarterbacks to make us look likes pigs on roller skates...getting tired of that. But I still believe in Bo, and additionally, I think Beck will find his stride. That's all I've got. Sorry for the novel.

 

I agree with pretty much all of this. I'm realistic about our chances this year, but with all the caveats, I'm willing to ride out the storm. We knew Bo was going to learn on the job. We're banking on him being good in the future, and while all of us wish the future would get here already, it's understandable that we're a bit behind schedule.

 

I think this will be a rocky year. Next year and the year after, though, should be much better - for many, many reasons.

[Guy Chamberlin]

 

I think this will be a rocky year. Next year and the year after, though, should be much better - for many, many reasons.

 

I think last year was the rocky year, and this is the year without excuses. There's no shame not winning the Big 10 this year, but the team needs to be much more disciplined, and our defensive guru needs to reestablish his creds. No more deer in the headlights blowouts, not with 14 returning starters and a 5th year coach.

[robsker]

For those suggesting that a long-term status quo level of performance will not get Pelini fired...

 

You really think so? You may be right, but to me the status quo is what... 4th or 5th in the conference, finishing just within the top 25 (say #20-#25) or just outside of the top 25; not competing against the elite --- blow-out losses, or, at least, clear losses with little sense of having a chance. If that continued for say... this next year and the next two after that --- do you really think Pelini would not get fired?

 

Seems to me that he would... and, if not, then that would seemingly indicate that NU has relegated themselves to being OK with being a national non-factor in football.

[knapplc]

Eh... not all returning starters are equal, though. Just because we have a lot of bodies coming back doesn't mean those are conference-championship bodies. And if the gurus are correct, this figures to be an even more difficult schedule this year than last year.