Offensive Line and Cotten's future

[T_O_Bull]

We now are missing 2 outstanding recruits from the 2011 class, Klatchco and Moore. The OL that was once a symbol of pride for the Big Red . I don't totally blame Cotton for this decline. Boyd Epply once told me, "We recruit bone structure, and build linemen." Evidentially its not happening anymore. Unfortunately Cotton is the figure head and will have to suffer the consequencies and the S&C coach should be right behind him. Husker success on offence lives and dies with these young men.

T_O_B

G>B>R

[shyndy]

I'm pretty sure Dobson is widely regarded as an excellent S&C coach, and that he has won awards. Also, this needed its own thread?

[bshirt]

I wonder why internet posters always crucify Barney but give Garrison & Stai free passes? Our Oline was marginal at best during the Clownahan era too (of course, due to Barney).

[suh_fan93]

I'm not real confident in several of our coaches right now. Waiting for Martinez to somehow blossom into a quarterback, magically losing some of our best recruits. Tim Beck's 'offense'. Sticking with Barney. Personally I would love to see some big changes for my beloved Huskers. Having said that I am excited for the season as always but think some things definitely need to change if we're going to make a run or sniff any sort of National Championship and over time they hopefully will. GBR

[Goal-line]

As much as I cannot stand to listen to Lou Holtz, I remember how correct he was when he criticized Callahan by saying, (paraphrasing) "The hardest thing for a head coach is not the recruiting, the x's or o's, or the game plan on Saturdays. It is firing the friends you have hired as assistant coaches when they are costing you your own job". Barney Cotton is the Kevin Cosgrove of Bo Pelini. Cotton is the albatross of the current Husker program. Simply put, as a head coach, you have to hire coaches that get the job done, not former friends and acquaintances.

[Husker Richard]

I'm pretty sure Dobson is widely regarded as an excellent S&C coach, and that he has won awards. Also, this needed its own thread?

 

This. Strength is not the issue here. It's technique, fundamentals, and lack of mental focus (ex: penalties).

[lo country]

I wonder why internet posters always crucify Barney but give Garrison & Stai free passes? Our Oline was marginal at best during the Clownahan era too (of course, due to Barney).

 

This^. Those guys, while not thee O line coach" are associated with the performance as well. Can't say the line stinks, but these two guys get a free pass.

 

I said on another board about two years ago was that with the new OC, Cotton will get at least 3 more years. Year one under Beck, "We were all learning a new "scheme", year two we are finally getting up to speed, BUT it is only year one with guys we have recruited for this new scheme and year three he either makes it or breaks it. If there is no marked improvement, IMO, Cotton stil gets one more year.

[The Dude]

Who replaces him? Does Garrison go too?

[Stumpy1]

The false starts and holding penalties are hardly Cotton's fault. It is up to the players to play the right way and do the right things.

[KJ.]

The 2007 defense giving up 67 points per game was hardly Cosgrove's fault. It is up to the players to make tackles and keep them from scoring.

[AFhusker]

As much as I cannot stand to listen to Lou Holtz, I remember how correct he was when he criticized Callahan by saying, (paraphrasing) "The hardest thing for a head coach is not the recruiting, the x's or o's, or the game plan on Saturdays. It is firing the friends you have hired as assistant coaches when they are costing you your own job". Barney Cotton is the Kevin Cosgrove of Bo Pelini. Cotton is the albatross of the current Husker program. Simply put, as a head coach, you have to hire coaches that get the job done, not former friends and acquaintances.

 

 

Very well said. But Cotton is gone (as a coach) after the season...Beck has already taken away the schemes and blocking assignments from Barney. It's just a matter of time before he is given a new job somewhere else in the AD so he can continue to steal more money from the school.

[AFhusker]

I wonder why internet posters always crucify Barney but give Garrison & Stai free passes? Our Oline was marginal at best during the Clownahan era too (of course, due to Barney).

 

This^. Those guys, while not thee O line coach" are associated with the performance as well. Can't say the line stinks, but these two guys get a free pass.

 

I said on another board about two years ago was that with the new OC, Cotton will get at least 3 more years. Year one under Beck, "We were all learning a new "scheme", year two we are finally getting up to speed, BUT it is only year one with guys we have recruited for this new scheme and year three he either makes it or breaks it. If there is no marked improvement, IMO, Cotton stil gets one more year.

 

Did you ever think that those two were brought on solely to help an incompetent coach try to save his job? If Barney wasn't so "well connected" in the AD, he would have been gone a long time ago. The second paragraph is pure lunacy....stop making excuses for poor performance.

[True2tRA]

I wonder why internet posters always crucify Barney but give Garrison & Stai free passes? Our Oline was marginal at best during the Clownahan era too (of course, due to Barney).

Good point. It's ridiculous that our offensive line has three staff members devoted to it's progress, yet it's not up to par. Three coaches ought to have this thing firing on all cylinders.

 

That said, some of you seem to blame the offensive line for all of the offenses struggles, it's clearly not the only problem. I remind you. The Husker rushing record of 310 yards in a single game was set by Roy Helu behind a Barney Cotton coached offensive line. Not an offensive line of the 90's. Not only that, this offensive line is faced with the task of blocking 8 defenders in the box every single snap last year. Every team knew who to watch. They were collapsing on our run game as soon as the ball was snapped. I can't see how you expect these guys to be overly successful facing that every snap. Rex still had 1300 yards rushing by the way. Developing a passing game will do wonders for this offense and it's offensive line. You have to be able to throw the ball effectively.

[Stumpy1]

Stai is a volunteer coach and is limited in what he can do with the players. The coaches that should get the blame are Cotton AND Garrison.

[Norhusker]

Stai is a volunteer coach and is limited in what he can do with the players. The coaches that should get the blame are Cotton AND Garrison.

 

I disagree. Garrison came on board and we saw an uptick in performance. That combined with his recruiting prowess makes him an asset to the coaching staff. He basically has filled some of the many deficits created by our head offensive line coach. He should not be blamed for what Cotton is doing. They share duties, but Cotton makes the final decisions. I think if the line under achieves once again this year, then Barney could take a "lateral" position in the AD department.