Thoughts on Pelini and the State of the Program

[Touchdown Tommie]

Blah, blah, blah...I have never supported Bo, he needs to go, he is not getting it done, blah, blah, blah.

 

I am not sure there is a coach in their right mind who would come here after having 2 of the last 3 coaches get fired for winning 9-10 games every year. I am not settling on mediocrity, but if Bo goes, we are back down in the cellar trying to rebuild and then some of you people will be back here again in 5-6 years saying the same thing.

[True2tRA]

Keep him. I mean, we could be worse off. LOL...that's awesome.

 

We could, could we not?

 

We could be better, could we not?

[sd'sker]

I was never sold on Bo Pelini to be our Head Coach. I appreciated the way he coached the defense in 2003 and loved the way the defense played upon his return. But he couldn't put an even-competent offense on the field. And even more disturbingly in my mind, he seemed to lack some fundamental leadership skills that are required to be a big-time college football coach.

 

Watching the Huskers the past several seasons has been nothing short of maddening. They've been a team that seems to be completely overmatched and get blown out a couple of games a season. In at least some of those games, it's hard to avoid the sense that they simply quit. But they also have managed to gut out some close wins the past couple of seasons. So the blowouts by the likes of Wisconsin, Ohio State, UCLA and Michigan State have to be viewed with the string of comeback wins last season and the gutty wins we've managed against Northwestern, Michigan and Penn State. The former would convince you that the team is mentally weak and has a psychological issue. The latter seem to refute that and indicate that this is a team capable of mental toughness.

 

Adding to the impression that a part of the team's problem is mental is the frequency with which they commit mistakes. The turnovers are inexplicable. Martinez committed more than his share, but so do Armstrong and Kellogg. It doesn't seem to matter who plays, turnovers are a problem.

 

The physical nature of the game also is concerning. A couple of times a season we seem to be completely physically over-matched. We have some good skill position guys, but watching us get annihilated on the line of scrimmage is tough. Injuries and the resulting need to play younger players earlier in their careers is undoubtely a factor. But my take is that strength and conditioning needs to do a far better job in developing our linemen. There's no reason to have guys sucking wind early in the first half.

bo pelini is the best coach of all time. OF ALL TIME.

[It'sNotAFakeID]

Listen, I will support this program no matter who its head coach is. Whether it's Tressel or Pelini, I will cheer for Nebraska every game they play.

 

However, I don't think the negatives against this program are bad enough to get rid of Pelini and I firmly believe that we're on the right track. Do some changes need to be made? I think so. But head coach, nor DC, nor OC are changes that should happen.

[It'sNotAFakeID]

Keep him. I mean, we could be worse off. LOL...that's awesome.

 

We could, could we not?

 

We could be better, could we not?

 

Sure.

[True2tRA]

Keep him. I mean, we could be worse off. LOL...that's awesome.

 

We could, could we not?

 

We could be better, could we not?

 

Sure.

 

I feel like we are in AA and you just had a break through! Yay!

[It'sNotAFakeID]

Keep him. I mean, we could be worse off. LOL...that's awesome.

 

We could, could we not?

 

We could be better, could we not?

 

Sure.

 

I feel like we are in AA and you just had a break through! Yay!

 

Doesn't mean that I think we should fire Bo. Just because I think we could do better doesn't mean I think Bo should be fired. I think that perhaps Bo will get us to that point.

[Shockley03]

How about a 10-3 finish this year? I think that'd help coach Pelini. I seem to recall Pelini and Jammal Lord getting it done winning their bowl game over Michigan State to complete a 10-3 record back in 2003 when Pelini was NU's interim head coach. He finishes 10-3 with a bowl victory this season - and this is a moot point. After that, maybe Pelini can recruit a 5-star running back and find the next Mike Rozier.

[Ric Flair]

 

While reading comprehension isn't my best trait (apparently), I'm going to go ahead and give the "old college try" and see what I can do with this:

 

I appreciated the way he coached the defense in 2003 and loved the way the defense played upon his return.

 

So, good start. This is definitely an argument which supports Bo Pelini, no doubt about it! So let me ask you this question. You loved the why he coached the defense upon his return, but have you ever considered maybe, oh I don't know, why the defenses he coached were better? Like perhaps the defense just being more athletic? And if you can come to that conclusion that his defense was made up of more athletic players in 09 and 10 than they were 11 and 12, then you have to consider this fact: our defense is WAY more athletic and will be WAY more athletic in the future. But we're comfortable getting rid of a guy who [your words not mine] did an excellent job coaching the defense upon his return?

 

Yeah, I did love the way he coached the defense back then. I don't like the way he coaches it now. There's been less talent because in my view recruiting and player development have been problems. It looks like there may be more athletic ability among the younger guys, but it's largely speculative to assume that will translate to on-field success.

 

But they also have managed to gut out some close wins the past couple of seasons. So the blowouts by the likes of Wisconsin, Ohio State, UCLA and Michigan State have to be viewed with the string of comeback wins last season and the gutty wins we've managed against Northwestern, Michigan and Penn State. The latter seem to refute that and indicate that this is a team capable of mental toughness.

 

So I'm supposed to conveniently forget that you said this in the same line? They've been a team that seems to be completely overmatched and get blown out a couple of games a season. In at least some of those games, it's hard to avoid the sense that they simply quit.

 

That's not a statement in support of Pelini, that's a statement that is ambivalent of Pelini. So while it's not negative, it certainly isn't positive either.

 

It's a combination of a positive statement about gutty wins and a negative statement about blowouts. It also contradicts your assertion that I didn't have anything nice to say about Pelini.

 

We have some good skill position guys.

 

I'll give you this one. We do have some good skill position guys.

 

Let's take these next two compliments together:

 

I like the way we've played the last couple of games as Pelini has turned the D-Line loose and started attacking and blitzing more. So perhaps we've turned a corner there.

 

Bo seems to be a hardhat guy. His attitude is that if something isn't working, they should simply try harder, push harder, etc. There's some merit to that. Sometimes the problem is a simply lack of effort and just wanting it more and trying harder is enough to get it done.

 

But I need to add in this line from you: But I think Bo's so dug-in to that mentality that he's unable to step back and reassess problems. He's so busy ramming his head harder and harder into whatever obstacle he's confronting that he can't back off, look at the big picture and find a way around, under or over the obstacle. I think that's a big part of why he struggles to make adjustments

 

So those two lines kind of contradict each other, no? Our defense has been much different than it was earlier in the season, no? If Bo was such a hardhat guy willing to ram his head harder and harder into whatever obstacle he's confronting that he can't look at the big picture and find a way around, under or over the obstacle, wouldn't the defense be the same ole same ole?

 

I'm pointing out that the fact that Bo is a hardhat guy can be both a strength and a weakness. It's not that complicated.

 

I would be remiss not to mention the great job Bo has done recruiting and graduating quality kids. I like seeing us rack up Academic All-Americans as much as anyone.

 

Again, from you right after this line.

 

But it's also notable how deficient Bo and his staff have been in developing the type of vocal leaders who can tack over a unit or the team and simply will them to victory. It's hard to watch games and see how uninspired our sideline is and not to compare it with the insanity on the sidelines during the championship years. Who are the guys pushing the other players in the weight room and during practice? Who are the vocal leaders that rumble up and down the sideline screaming at guys and motivating them? As inspiring as it is to see guys playing through injuries for the sake of a team that doesn't have much left to play for, I'd like to see the team be a lot more vocal in support of each other. And I think Pelini and his staff could do a better job of developing vocal leaders that can lead that effort.

 

So you say that Bo does a good job recruiting quality guys, but then on the same hand criticize him for not developing what you think are quality guys? Also if you mentioned the fact that we have comeback so many times, which indicates heart, then there can't be a lack of leaders who can take over a unit and will them to victory. Those two things don't equal each other.

 

So maybe you were genuinely trying to compliment Pelini, but you compliment him in a way that contradicts your criticisms.

 

That's just simple nonsense. I'm noting that he seems to be recruiting quality kids who do well in the classroom. I'm also pointing out that he needs to do a better job of recruiting quality leaders on the football field. Those statements don't contradict each other.

[It'sNotAFakeID]

 

While reading comprehension isn't my best trait (apparently), I'm going to go ahead and give the "old college try" and see what I can do with this:

 

I appreciated the way he coached the defense in 2003 and loved the way the defense played upon his return.

 

So, good start. This is definitely an argument which supports Bo Pelini, no doubt about it! So let me ask you this question. You loved the why he coached the defense upon his return, but have you ever considered maybe, oh I don't know, why the defenses he coached were better? Like perhaps the defense just being more athletic? And if you can come to that conclusion that his defense was made up of more athletic players in 09 and 10 than they were 11 and 12, then you have to consider this fact: our defense is WAY more athletic and will be WAY more athletic in the future. But we're comfortable getting rid of a guy who [your words not mine] did an excellent job coaching the defense upon his return?

 

Yeah, I did love the way he coached the defense back then. I don't like the way he coaches it now. There's been less talent because in my view recruiting and player development have been problems. It looks like there may be more athletic ability among the younger guys, but it's largely speculative to assume that will translate to on-field success.

 

But they also have managed to gut out some close wins the past couple of seasons. So the blowouts by the likes of Wisconsin, Ohio State, UCLA and Michigan State have to be viewed with the string of comeback wins last season and the gutty wins we've managed against Northwestern, Michigan and Penn State. The latter seem to refute that and indicate that this is a team capable of mental toughness.

 

So I'm supposed to conveniently forget that you said this in the same line? They've been a team that seems to be completely overmatched and get blown out a couple of games a season. In at least some of those games, it's hard to avoid the sense that they simply quit.

 

That's not a statement in support of Pelini, that's a statement that is ambivalent of Pelini. So while it's not negative, it certainly isn't positive either.

 

It's a combination of a positive statement about gutty wins and a negative statement about blowouts. It also contradicts your assertion that I didn't have anything nice to say about Pelini.

 

We have some good skill position guys.

 

I'll give you this one. We do have some good skill position guys.

 

Let's take these next two compliments together:

 

I like the way we've played the last couple of games as Pelini has turned the D-Line loose and started attacking and blitzing more. So perhaps we've turned a corner there.

 

Bo seems to be a hardhat guy. His attitude is that if something isn't working, they should simply try harder, push harder, etc. There's some merit to that. Sometimes the problem is a simply lack of effort and just wanting it more and trying harder is enough to get it done.

 

But I need to add in this line from you: But I think Bo's so dug-in to that mentality that he's unable to step back and reassess problems. He's so busy ramming his head harder and harder into whatever obstacle he's confronting that he can't back off, look at the big picture and find a way around, under or over the obstacle. I think that's a big part of why he struggles to make adjustments

 

So those two lines kind of contradict each other, no? Our defense has been much different than it was earlier in the season, no? If Bo was such a hardhat guy willing to ram his head harder and harder into whatever obstacle he's confronting that he can't look at the big picture and find a way around, under or over the obstacle, wouldn't the defense be the same ole same ole?

 

I'm pointing out that the fact that Bo is a hardhat guy can be both a strength and a weakness. It's not that complicated.

 

I would be remiss not to mention the great job Bo has done recruiting and graduating quality kids. I like seeing us rack up Academic All-Americans as much as anyone.

 

Again, from you right after this line.

 

But it's also notable how deficient Bo and his staff have been in developing the type of vocal leaders who can tack over a unit or the team and simply will them to victory. It's hard to watch games and see how uninspired our sideline is and not to compare it with the insanity on the sidelines during the championship years. Who are the guys pushing the other players in the weight room and during practice? Who are the vocal leaders that rumble up and down the sideline screaming at guys and motivating them? As inspiring as it is to see guys playing through injuries for the sake of a team that doesn't have much left to play for, I'd like to see the team be a lot more vocal in support of each other. And I think Pelini and his staff could do a better job of developing vocal leaders that can lead that effort.

 

So you say that Bo does a good job recruiting quality guys, but then on the same hand criticize him for not developing what you think are quality guys? Also if you mentioned the fact that we have comeback so many times, which indicates heart, then there can't be a lack of leaders who can take over a unit and will them to victory. Those two things don't equal each other.

 

So maybe you were genuinely trying to compliment Pelini, but you compliment him in a way that contradicts your criticisms.

 

That's just simple nonsense. I'm noting that he seems to be recruiting quality kids who do well in the classroom. I'm also pointing out that he needs to do a better job of recruiting quality leaders on the football field. Those statements don't contradict each other.

 

Apparently reading comprehension isn't your best skill either.

 

You say we have no leaders who can will us to win, yet we've came back multiple times from double digit deficits. Those are the contradicting statements.

[knapplc]

This has been a contentious thread. There are several posts here that are being taken under consideration.

 

It is expected that people will be impassioned about the Huskers. But let's not get carried away. The rules still apply.

[It'sNotAFakeID]

So, can we lock it up? I don't see it getting any better, no?

[Ric Flair]

You say we have no leaders who can will us to win, yet we've came back multiple times from double digit deficits. Those are the contradicting statements.

 

I noted the comebacks and said that despite them we need better and more vocal leaders. Where are those leaders in the blowouts?

[knapplc]

So, can we lock it up? I don't see it getting any better, no?

 

If you don't see it getting any better, don't post in it any longer. I may not agree with tfree's conclusions, but his premise isn't inherently inflammatory.

[It'sNotAFakeID]

So, can we lock it up? I don't see it getting any better, no?

 

If you don't see it getting any better, don't post in it any longer. I may not agree with tfree's conclusions, but his premise isn't inherently inflammatory.

 

Okay.

 

Dammit, rules are difficult.