Bo and High School Coaches

[It'sNotAFakeID]

This probably isn't the point you were trying to make, but it sticks out with me. Do you think Saban walks into a coaches office and asks if there's a chance the kid will come to Bama' and then when told no doesn't even meet with the kid? This scares the crap out of me. If everyone involved with sales took this approach, they'd either be fired or starve to death. Nebraska itself doesn't exactly sell itself. Bo is going to have to go above and beyond in recruiting to ever have a chance.

 

Do you think Saban has to ask the question, "Do we have a chance with this kid?" While all schools have the luxury of being able to pick who they give scholarships to, not all schools have the assurance that nearly every kid in the nation if given a scholarship would want to play for that school.

[Goal-line]

If you can't see all of the young talent on defense then you should think about some glasses. As far as Bo being a angry man. I played for coaches that got in your face when you weren't getting it done and they really didn't care what the parents thought about their coaching style. I would run thru a brick wall for those guys even today and count those guys as some of my best friends. I think your the angry man.

No, I am not angry. Simply looking at the program for where it has been, where it is going and what it is. I don't mask over the issues, no matter how much I cheer for the Huskers.

[Guy Chamberlin]

Recruiting is absolutely about long term relationships and earning the trust of the high school coaches who create your pipeline. Bo cutting his losses while engaging the coaches is a solid strategy.

 

These anecdotes speak well of Bo Pelini. But he really needs a product on the field to match.

 

Along with those incredibly sexy cheerleaders I've been lobbying for.

 

But the 2011 "I'm f'ing out of here!" rant, coupled with his actively lobbying for other HC jobs didn't help Bo's recruiting position. That's not on the Pelini haters. That's on Bo. If he's long term on Nebraska, I hope he can prove it through his recruits.

 

[EZ-E]

This probably isn't the point you were trying to make, but it sticks out with me. Do you think Saban walks into a coaches office and asks if there's a chance the kid will come to Bama' and then when told no doesn't even meet with the kid? This scares the crap out of me. If everyone involved with sales took this approach, they'd either be fired or starve to death. Nebraska itself doesn't exactly sell itself. Bo is going to have to go above and beyond in recruiting to ever have a chance.

 

You are absolutely correct. The proof is in the pudding. Why should Pelini even ask the question, "Do we have a chance with this kid?" Pelini's main problem is two fold: (1). His on and off field demeanor/temper and (2). Losing big games by lopsided scores on national TV, repeatedly. Neither perception is an isolated incident. His lambasting Martinez on national TV and his expletive filled "fan rant" are real visual and tangible events. It will take a long time to recover from those types of situations, if ever. He can be the nicest guy in the world to coaches, but those two perceptions are out there for everyone to see. Thus, causing him to have to as the ridiculous question, "Do we have a chance with this kid?" Recruits see these things as do HC coaches and parents. NU has lost out on some very significant recruits, a couple from in state. That bleeding needs to stop.

 

You have got to be shatting me......this is unreal.

1) why waste valuable time recruiting a kid who isnt coming in the end?

2) NU loses out on more recruits because of snow than Pelinis yelling

3) Bo runs a clean and well adjusted program, parents see that

4) The grass isnt always greener on the other side my friend

So, you don't think those lopsided losses mean anything to young kids? If there were only one, then maybe. But the repeated drubbing NU gets on National TV is beyond real. Kids do see those things. They do pay attention to those things. Also, you think his rants and unprofessionalism on and of the field don't weigh in? If you don't think those things make a difference, you are sadly mistaken. I have a very close friend that I worked with for 20 years and who was recruited by Tom Osborne back in the early 1980's. He said his folks could not believe the manner in which TO presented himself and his presence with regard to honesty, integrity, and respect for the kids. My friend had many other D-1 offers but when TO entered his living room, the recruiting process stopped. I can't imagine that TO ever asked a head coach, "Do you think we have a chance with this kid."

 

I don't know where to begin with this post.

 

Like I said earlier in this thread, its not even worth it with this guy. I haven't seen him post one positive thing since he joined

 

 

Go to this thread: http://www.huskerboa...re-at-nebraska/

 

Read the stats that Hudson has so diligently researched. It is all there right in front of you. Or, if you go to the games, take a good look at our "talent" on defense. Our defensive line has a long, long ways to go. What are we averaging on yards given up per game? Over 400? And, that is against some pretty weak competition. Several years ago, we were lucky to get Lavante David. He was a Juco kid. Without him, we would have been a very average team. Now, we have Gregory, another Juco kid. What does that tell you about going into high schools and recruiting outstanding defensive players, particularly the front seven? I can appreciate your enthusiasm for the Huskers. However, after 5-6 decades as a fan, the product I see on the defensive side of the ball does not measure up to the standards of the "Blackshirts" I, or many other Husker Fans, are used to seeing on the field. When Pelini starts winning conference championships and puts back in the hunt for a National Title, then you will find your positive posts from me. Sugar coat it all you want! It seems to me that Pelini is an angry man who can't recruit. I am now, and always have been, a huge supporter of NU sports.

 

So you realize that you are using basically the same argument that I used about turnovers against NW in 2011 the other day and was blasted for right??? "Without Lavonte David, we are a very average team." I'll have you know that the JUCO we got LD from was a Husker factory for the longest time until Sims went to coach with Carl Pelini. Coach Jeff Sims was pissed that Jason Pierre-Paul chose South Florida over us. It was for the longest time when Sims was down there that if we wanted a kid from Fort Scott, we got him. Plain and simple. Our coaching staff did a damn good job of fighting off South Florida right there at the end when they started lurking right before signing day. Almost got him. You can't negate the hard work our staff did to sign that young man.

 

I believe I saw a stat on this board somewhere that said we are something like second in the Big Ten in tackles for a loss and ranked near the top in sacks.

 

If you can't see the improvement in overall talent on our DL you are absolutely crazy.

 

I spoke to someone on this board awhile ago that went to "The Opening" for all of the top HS prospects. He told me that the Big Boys from the south, will stay in the south to go to school. Face the music. We have to outwork people to recruit and this is a huge way to do it. Recruiting is all about relationships and leverage. Why do you think Tim Beck can pull a lot of kids out of the Dallas-Fort Worth area?????

 

If you took anything but positives away from the OP, you are nuts.

[It'sNotAFakeID]

If you can't see all of the young talent on defense then you should think about some glasses. As far as Bo being a angry man. I played for coaches that got in your face when you weren't getting it done and they really didn't care what the parents thought about their coaching style. I would run thru a brick wall for those guys even today and count those guys as some of my best friends. I think your the angry man.

No, I am not angry. Simply looking at the program for where it has been, where it is going and what it is. I don't mask over the issues, no matter how much I cheer for the Huskers.

 

I don't think any one of us mask over the issues; why can't it be possible that what you feel is an issue may not be an issue at all and what some people feel an issue is not may be an issue after all?

 

It's all about opinion. You and I could have two completely opposite POVs, and each one of us could find statistics that back our claims. Does it make it an issue or a non-issue? Depends on who you ask. You can look at the program and see concern where I can look at the program and see hope. You could say, "look at the blowout losses!" and I could say, "the defense is athletic and young, and it is only a matter of time before we cross that 10 win mark." Each of us is right.

[Redux]

Sooooooo, Goal Line and Hudson are the same person?

[Goal-line]

Sooooooo, Goal Line and Hudson are the same person?

 

 

Nope! Swing and a miss for ya !

[Redux]

Sooooooo, Goal Line and Hudson are the same person?

 

 

Nope! Swing and a miss for ya !

 

I guess we cant all be right all the time, of course I dont have to tell you that. You think were recessing instead of progressing. How cute is that?

[Goal-line]

If you can't see all of the young talent on defense then you should think about some glasses. As far as Bo being a angry man. I played for coaches that got in your face when you weren't getting it done and they really didn't care what the parents thought about their coaching style. I would run thru a brick wall for those guys even today and count those guys as some of my best friends. I think your the angry man.

No, I am not angry. Simply looking at the program for where it has been, where it is going and what it is. I don't mask over the issues, no matter how much I cheer for the Huskers.

I don't think any one of us mask over the issues; why can't it be possible that what you feel is an issue may not be an issue at all and what some people feel an issue is not may be an issue after all? It's all about opinion. You and I could have two completely opposite POVs, and each one of us could find statistics that back our claims. Does it make it an issue or a non-issue? Depends on who you ask. You can look at the program and see concern where I can look at the program and see hope. You could say, "look at the blowout losses!" and I could say, "the defense is athletic and young, and it is only a matter of time before we cross that 10 win mark." Each of us is right.

 

The difference in my opinion and your opinion (as you stated in your example) is that my opinion is, based on the actual blow outs, a fact. Your opinion is, at this point in time, purely speculation. What is 10 wins if you don't win a conference championship, a BCS bowl game or a national championship?

 

And yes, I agree that everyone has an opinion.

[Goal-line]

Sooooooo, Goal Line and Hudson are the same person?

 

 

Nope! Swing and a miss for ya !

 

I guess we cant all be right all the time, of course I dont have to tell you that. You think were recessing instead of progressing. How cute is that?

 

The appropriate word would be regressing. But, if you are referring to recruiting, I would go along with recessing!

[QMany]

If you can't see all of the young talent on defense then you should think about some glasses. As far as Bo being a angry man. I played for coaches that got in your face when you weren't getting it done and they really didn't care what the parents thought about their coaching style. I would run thru a brick wall for those guys even today and count those guys as some of my best friends. I think your the angry man.

No, I am not angry. Simply looking at the program for where it has been, where it is going and what it is. I don't mask over the issues, no matter how much I cheer for the Huskers.

I don't think any one of us mask over the issues; why can't it be possible that what you feel is an issue may not be an issue at all and what some people feel an issue is not may be an issue after all? It's all about opinion. You and I could have two completely opposite POVs, and each one of us could find statistics that back our claims. Does it make it an issue or a non-issue? Depends on who you ask. You can look at the program and see concern where I can look at the program and see hope. You could say, "look at the blowout losses!" and I could say, "the defense is athletic and young, and it is only a matter of time before we cross that 10 win mark." Each of us is right.

The difference in my opinion and your opinion (as you stated in your example) is that my opinion is, based on the actual blow outs, a fact. Your opinion is, at this point in time, purely speculation. What is 10 wins if you don't win a conference championship, a BCS bowl game or a national championship?

 

And yes, I agree that everyone has an opinion.

Impossible to reason with.

[Redux]

Sorry, smart phone-dumb spelling. The recruiting is getting better. We had to adjust to a new format with the conference switch. It has an effect in a big way. We are easily on track to sign a great class. Sorry we couldnt have 23 commits befre NSD.

[Goal-line]

Sorry, smart phone-dumb spelling. The recruiting is getting better. We had to adjust to a new format with the conference switch. It has an effect in a big way. We are easily on track to sign a great class. Sorry we couldnt have 23 commits befre NSD.

 

 

Well, I hope you are correct.

[Redux]

It just seems to me like it would be difficult to sell kids on a program in the midst of a league switch. Especially if you need to reconfigure what kind of personnel you need to adjust to the transition, more so on Defense. That is something Tom Osborne never had to deal with, Bo and his staff handled it admirably I think considering Nebraska isnt on everyones short list these days.

[It'sNotAFakeID]

If you can't see all of the young talent on defense then you should think about some glasses. As far as Bo being a angry man. I played for coaches that got in your face when you weren't getting it done and they really didn't care what the parents thought about their coaching style. I would run thru a brick wall for those guys even today and count those guys as some of my best friends. I think your the angry man.

No, I am not angry. Simply looking at the program for where it has been, where it is going and what it is. I don't mask over the issues, no matter how much I cheer for the Huskers.

I don't think any one of us mask over the issues; why can't it be possible that what you feel is an issue may not be an issue at all and what some people feel an issue is not may be an issue after all? It's all about opinion. You and I could have two completely opposite POVs, and each one of us could find statistics that back our claims. Does it make it an issue or a non-issue? Depends on who you ask. You can look at the program and see concern where I can look at the program and see hope. You could say, "look at the blowout losses!" and I could say, "the defense is athletic and young, and it is only a matter of time before we cross that 10 win mark." Each of us is right.

 

The difference in my opinion and your opinion (as you stated in your example) is that my opinion is, based on the actual blow outs, a fact. Your opinion is, at this point in time, purely speculation. What is 10 wins if you don't win a conference championship, a BCS bowl game or a national championship?

 

And yes, I agree that everyone has an opinion.

 

I think you haven't read that my opinion is based on a lot of statistical work, too. I've done a lot of stats on the Huskers and taken a long look at some of the games we've the past season and during this season. But...here they are for your convenience:

 

http://www.huskerboard.com/index.php?/topic/66772-pelinis-best-wins-and-worst-losses/ ---Pelini's Best Wins and Worst Losses

 

This is from the Predict the season outcome thread:

 

The blowouts, they are incredibly frustrating. We'd all be more content going 9-3 if the 3 losses were by a combined 10 points to respectable teams (Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan, etc...)

 

But that hasn't been the case. We got blown out by Wisconsin by 39 points. We got blown out in Ann Arbor by the tune of 28 points. Those suck, and they hurt. And it makes us very prone to just ignoring the really important numbers and facts about those games. But there's a common trait shared by all the games in which we have been embarrassed. Take a look:

 

2011 Wisconsin: Nebraska eventually lost by 31 points, but held the lead against Wisconsin 14-7 in the 2nd quarter before surrendering 35 straight points.

2011 Michigan: Nebraska started 10 points down, rallied to tie the game in the 2nd quarter before surrendering 21 unanswered points eventually losing 45-17.

2011 South Carolina: Nebraska leads 13-9 nearing the end of the half before again surrendering 21 unanswered points in the eventual 30-13 loss.

 

2012 Ohio State: Nebraska held a 17-7 lead into the 2nd quarter before begin outscored 28-7 to trail at half 35-24. The Huskers got the game to 31-35 before surrendering another 21 unanswered points in the 63-38 loss.

 

2013 UCLA: The Huskers lead 21-3 halfway through the 2nd quarter before surrendering 38 unanswered points in a 41-21 loss.

 

 

In every Pelini blowout (sans Wisconsin Big Ten Championship Game), we have been tied or holding the lead before losing it badly. That doesn't necessarily point to a talent or depth issue. If that was the case, we would've been blown out from the start. That speaks to a mentality issue. Which makes it all the more frustrating. Mentality should be the easiest thing to change, yet we still struggle.

 

Bo has always been an excellent Xs and Os guy. But he needs to start becoming a coach who can constantly keep his players fired up and motivated to fight back when the going gets tough.

 

And from the Illinois thread:

 

No need to overreact.

 

I like looking at stats, but you should know as well as I do that the overall stats don't tell the whole story. It is fair to evaluate a defensive performance differently given how and when they allowed the stats they allowed. A defense which surrenders 500 yards, 245 of which came in one quarter should be evaluated differently than a defense that allowed 500 yards of which 125 yards of it came in each quarter.

 

So, I took a look at the drives against our defense by Wyoming, Southern Miss, UCLA, and South Dakota State as well as the overall yards and points allowed. Big Plays are runs that went for 10 or more yards and passes that went for 15 or more yards.

 

Wyoming

 

1st Quarter:

133 yards (22.1%), 7 points (20.6%), 21 plays = 6.33 yards per play (-1.8) | Big Plays = 2 (9.5%), 50 yards (37.6%) | Adjusted = 19 plays, 83 yards = 4.37 YPP

 

2nd Quarter:

152 yards (25.2%), 7 points (20.6%), 20 plays = 7.6 yards per play (-0.53) | Big Plays = 5 (25%), 106 yards (69.7%) | Adjusted = 15 plays, 46 yards = 3.07 YPP

 

3rd Quarter:

128 yards (21.2%), 7 points (20.6%), 15 plays = 8.53 yards per play (+0.40) | Big Plays = 2 (13.3%), 32 yards (25%) | Adjusted = 13 plays, 96 yards = 7.38 YPP

 

4th Quarter:

190 yards (31.5%), 13 points (38.2%), 18 plays = 10.55 yards per play (+2.42) | Big Plays = 7 (38.9%), 165 yards (86.8%) | Adjusted = 11 plays, 25 yards = 2.27 YPP

 

Total: 602 yards, 34 points, 74 plays = 8.13 yards per play | Big Plays = 16 (21.6%), 353 yards (58.6%) | Adjusted = 58 plays, 249 yards = 4.29 YPP

 

Southern Mississippi:

 

1st Quarter:

134 yards (47.2%), 3 points (23.1%), 25 plays = 5.36 yards per play (+0.92) | Big Plays = 3 (12%), 68 yards (50.7%) | Adjusted = 22 plays, 66 yards = 3.00 YPP

 

2nd Quarter:

20 yards (7%), 3 points (23.1%), 12 plays = 1.67 yards per play (-2.77) | Big Plays = 1 (8.3%), 18 yards (90%) | Adjusted = 11 plays, 2 yards = 0.18 YPP

 

3rd Quarter:

54 yards (19%), 7 points (53.8%), 11 plays = 4.91 yards per play (+0.47) | Big Plays = 1 (9.09%), 15 yards (27.8%) | Adjusted = 10 plays, 39 yards = 3.9 YPP

 

4th Quarter:

73 yards (25.7%), 0 points (0%) = 16 plays = 4.56 yards per play (+0.12) | Big Plays = 2 (12.5%), 34 yards (46.6%) | Adjusted = 14 plays, 39 yards = 2.78 YPP

 

Total: 284 yards, 13 points, 64 plays = 4.44 yards per play | Big Plays = 7 (10.9%), 135 yards (47.5%) | Adjusted = 57 plays, 149 yards = 2.61 YPP

 

UCLA:

 

1st Quarter:

99 yards (19.6%), 3 points (7.3%), 20 plays = 4.95 yards per play (-1.35) | Big Plays = 2 (10%), 72 yards (72.7%) | Adjusted = 18 plays, 27 yards = 1.50 YPP

 

2nd Quarter:

107 yards (21.2%), 7 points (17.1%), 20 plays = 5.35 yards per play (-0.95) | Big Plays = 4 (20%), 78 yards (72.9%) | Adjusted = 16 plays, 29 yards = 1.81 YPP

 

3rd Quarter:

243 yards (48.2%), 28 points (68.3%), 22 plays = 11.04 yards per play (+4.74) | Big Plays = 7 (31.8%), 164 yards (67.5%) | Adjusted = 15 plays, 79 yards = 5.27 YPP

 

4th Quarter:

93 yards (18.4%), 3 points (7.3%), 18 plays = 5.17 yards per play (-1.13) | Big Plays = 1 (5.55%), 18 yards (19.3%) | Adjusted = 17 plays, 75 yards = 4.41 YPP

 

Total: 504 yards, 41 points, 80 plays = 6.3 yards per play | Big Plays = 14 (17.5%), 332 yards (65.9%) | Adjusted = 66 plays, 172 yards = 2.61 YPP

 

South Dakota State:

 

1st Quarter:

170 yards (36.5%), 17 points (85%), 20 plays = 8.5 yards per play (+1.86) | Big Plays = 7 (35%), 162 yards (95.3%) | Adjusted = 13 plays, 8 yards = 0.61 YPP

 

2nd Quarter:

103 yards (22.1%), 0 points (0%), 16 plays = 6.44 yards per play (-0.20) | Big Plays = 3 (18.7%), 49 yards (47.6%) | Adjusted = 13 plays, 54 yards = 4.15 YPP

 

3rd Quarter:

158 yards (34%), 3 points (15%), 26 plays = 6.08 yards per play (-0.56) | Big Plays = 4 (15.4%), 62 yards (39.2%) | Adjusted = 22 plays, 96 yards = 4.36 YPP

 

4th Quarter:

42 yards (9%), 0 points (0%), 8 plays = 5.25 yards per play (-1.39) | Big Plays = 2 (25%), 52 yards (124%) | Adjusted = 6 plays, -10 yards = -1.67 YPP

 

Total: 465 yards, 20 points, 70 plays = 6.64 yards per play | Big Plays = 16 (22.9%), 325 yards (69.9%) | Adjusted = 54 plays, 140 yards = 2.59 YPP

 

OVERALL: 1855 yards, 108 points, 288 plays = 6.44 YPP | Big Plays = 53 (18.4%), 1145 yards (61.7%) | Adjusted = 235 plays, 710 yards = 3.02 YPP

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

For fun, let's imagine if Nebraska was able to cut back on a quarter of the amount of big plays and yardage. Doing that would put Nebraska at:

 

OVERALL: 1569 yards, ?? points, 275 plays = 5.70 YPP | Big Plays = 40 (14.5%), 859 yards (54.7%) | Adjusted = 235 plays, 710 yards = 3.02 YPP

 

That's a little bit of rough math because cutting down on the big plays doesn't mean that those plays just don't happen. So, let's readjust the imagined numbers so that 6 of those plays are passes of 8 yards and the remaining 7 are rushes of 5 yards. That's an additional total of 83 yards, which will make the stat line look like:

 

OVERALL: 1652 yards, ?? points, 288 plays = 5.74 YPP | Big Plays = 40 (13.9%), 859 yards (52%) | Adjusted = 248 plays, 793 yards = 3.20 YPP

 

By comparison, that would put us at 78th in YPG allowed instead of the 108th place we currently hold. And that's just by reducing the amount of big plays by 25%, turning those into 5 yard rushes and 8 yard passes. What if we reduced the amount of big plays by 50 and 75%, respectively?

 

50%:

 

OVERALL: 1451 yards, ?? points, 288 plays = 5.04 YPP | Big Plays = 27 (9.37%), 572 yards (39.4%) | Adjusted = 261 plays, 879 yards = 3.37 YPP

 

Nebraska would jump to 45th in YPG allowed.

 

75%::

 

OVERALL: 1248 yards, ?? points, 288 plays = 4.33 YPP | Big Plays = 14 (4.86%), 286 yards (22.9%) | Adjusted = 274 plays, 962 yards = 3.51 YPP

 

Nebraska would jump to 28th in YPG allowed.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

With just a serviceable defense (cutting down the big plays by 25-50%), Nebraska's offense should have all the room it would need to breathe easy and we wouldn't continually suffer the embarrassing blowouts on the national stage. This has to be Pelini and his coaching staff's PRIMARY concern. How they go about it is up to them.