Saunders Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Here's what I had emailed him in response: Stew, following up on your comments today on Bo, the biggest debate is about "9 wins." Some see it as a crutch for keeping Bo around, and others see it as a hangup in making a change. 10 years ago, Nebraska fired a coach who won 9 games, and it changed the perception of Nebraska. "They have great tradition," LSU coach Nick Saban said. "It's unusual to get rid of a coach who goes 9-3. Maybe some people are skeptical of the standards." http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-01-08/sports/0401080438_1_frank-solich-football-coach-college-football Urban Meyer: “We actually were contacted by a third party. Not directly. I remember thinking about it. I had such great respect for Solich — he's an Ohio guy who's a good friend of mine — and I didn't agree with everything that went down. He won 10 games that year, right? That was alarming to me. I'm a coach, and whenever I see that happening to a coach, I think there's got to be something behind Door No. 1 to fire him after he won 10 games. I remember having great respect for the school but being concerned about what happened — and why it happened. If 10 games isn't good enough, I'm not sure what is.” http://www.omaha.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110427/HUSKERS/704289869/0 Guys on the HC candidate list for NU were Dave Wandstadt, Bo Pelini, Turner Gill, Urban Meyer, Houston Nutt, Mike Zimmer, Brad Childress, and surely there were others. Nebraska ended up with Bill Callahan, the fired coach of "the dumbest team in America." The last time NU fired a 9 win guy, they screwed up big time, and it haunted the team for a long time. I really think this is the reason AD Shaw Eichorst didn't make a change. Coaches don't want to come in with a 9 win floor. Until Bo falls on his face, or leaves on his own accord, he's going to be here. 1 Quote Link to comment
NUpolo8 Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Just will leave this here when the #9wins bugle sounds... Alabama v. BCS opponents over past 6 years: 56-8 Oregon v. BCS opponents over the past 6 years: 57-10 Nebraska v. BCS opponents over the past 6 years: 39-24 Not all 9 win seasons are created equal. You are completely correct, that Oregon and Alabama have definitely looked better over the last 6 years than Nebraska. There is no arguing that, but again if it is such an insignificant event in your mind how come no more than 3 teams have done it? I think the 9 win stuff is much more significant to the outside casual fan than to most Nebraska fans. When they hear that statistic they say, "Oh, I wouldn't have guessed Nebraska was the third team.". Because not every team gets a Big 12 North or Big Ten schedule, with stacked home games and at least one Idaho St a year thrown in as well. Quote Link to comment
C N Red Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 This was NEWS last week. Been hashed and rehashed on here and on the radio. Quote Link to comment
Morrison Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Just will leave this here when the #9wins bugle sounds... Alabama v. BCS opponents over past 6 years: 56-8 Oregon v. BCS opponents over the past 6 years: 57-10 Nebraska v. BCS opponents over the past 6 years: 39-24 Not all 9 win seasons are created equal. Maybe this is beating this thread to death, but the important thing about the 9 win milestone(s) is not the company we share it with, it's the company who didn't make it. Both you and Mandel make the same argument: the statistics lack meaning because the company we share it with is superior to Bo/DONU. There is no doubt about this - nobody is comparing Bo to Osborne and Switzer at this point, and no one is saying DONU has been as successful as Oregon and Alabama over the last few years. The reason why the number(s) are impressive are because of who hasn't achieved it: Guys like Nick Saban, Pete Carroll, Urban Meyer, and Bob Stoops (to name a few) didn't win 9 games each of their first six years as college coaches. These guys are contemporaries of Bo and any program would be happy to have them at the helm - yet Pelini has had more sustained success than any of them at this point in his career. Anytime as a coach you can say that you've done something that none of these guys have done, it's pretty compelling. This is just a fact. Programs like LSU, Georgia, Ohio St., Michigan, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, UCLA, Florida, Stanford, USC, Florida St, and Auburn haven't had the sustained success in terms of winning 9 games as we have over the past few years, despite playing comparable schedules. Just because Oregon and Alabama did it better than us doesn't invalidate the fact that great programs like these have had down years while we've been able to avoid them. I'm not saying I don't want Bo's track record to improve (who doesn't). The point is that these statistics are compelling not because of who else has done them - they're compelling because of who hasn't. 2 Quote Link to comment
StPaulHusker Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Just will leave this here when the #9wins bugle sounds... Alabama v. BCS opponents over past 6 years: 56-8 Oregon v. BCS opponents over the past 6 years: 57-10 Nebraska v. BCS opponents over the past 6 years: 39-24 Not all 9 win seasons are created equal. You are completely correct, that Oregon and Alabama have definitely looked better over the last 6 years than Nebraska. There is no arguing that, but again if it is such an insignificant event in your mind how come no more than 3 teams have done it? I think the 9 win stuff is much more significant to the outside casual fan than to most Nebraska fans. When they hear that statistic they say, "Oh, I wouldn't have guessed Nebraska was the third team.". Because not every team gets a Big 12 North or Big Ten schedule, with stacked home games and at least one Idaho St a year thrown in as well. Oregon during the Bo's coaching tenure played: Portland St, Missouri St, Tennessee Tech, Utah St, Arkansas St. Alabama played: Chattanooga, Florida International, North Texas, Georgia State, Kent State, Western Kentucky, Arkansas St, Georgia Southern, Florida Atlantic, Western Carolina. And I would venture to guess that the win loss records of the conference opponents are similar as well 1 Quote Link to comment
NUinID Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Just will leave this here when the #9wins bugle sounds... Alabama v. BCS opponents over past 6 years: 56-8 Oregon v. BCS opponents over the past 6 years: 57-10 Nebraska v. BCS opponents over the past 6 years: 39-24 Not all 9 win seasons are created equal. You are completely correct, that Oregon and Alabama have definitely looked better over the last 6 years than Nebraska. There is no arguing that, but again if it is such an insignificant event in your mind how come no more than 3 teams have done it? I think the 9 win stuff is much more significant to the outside casual fan than to most Nebraska fans. When they hear that statistic they say, "Oh, I wouldn't have guessed Nebraska was the third team.". Because not every team gets a Big 12 North or Big Ten schedule, with stacked home games and at least one Idaho St a year thrown in as well. You can't be serious, go back and look at Alabama's schedule for the last 3-4 years. Don't act like they play LSU, A&M, Florida, Georgia, USC, and Auburn all in a row. Every team plays at least 1 Idaho St. a year. Quote Link to comment
StPaulHusker Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Just will leave this here when the #9wins bugle sounds... Alabama v. BCS opponents over past 6 years: 56-8 Oregon v. BCS opponents over the past 6 years: 57-10 Nebraska v. BCS opponents over the past 6 years: 39-24 Not all 9 win seasons are created equal. You are completely correct, that Oregon and Alabama have definitely looked better over the last 6 years than Nebraska. There is no arguing that, but again if it is such an insignificant event in your mind how come no more than 3 teams have done it? I think the 9 win stuff is much more significant to the outside casual fan than to most Nebraska fans. When they hear that statistic they say, "Oh, I wouldn't have guessed Nebraska was the third team.". Because not every team gets a Big 12 North or Big Ten schedule, with stacked home games and at least one Idaho St a year thrown in as well. You can't be serious, go back and look at Alabama's schedule for the last 3-4 years. Don't act like they play LSU, A&M, Florida, Georgia, USC, and Auburn all in a row. Every team plays at least 1 Idaho St. a year. In Alabama's case it is twice per year Quote Link to comment
junior4949 Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 I always get a bit sick to my stomach when people try to compare TO's first five or six years to Bo's. TO inherited one of the best teams and programs in the country. We were just one year removed from winning back to back titles. Bo inherited a dumpster fire. Sure, there was some talent inherited by Bo. However, there was also a loser attitude inherited as well. I have no problems with people comparing Bo's first few years to Bob Stoops as they both inherited similar situations. Bo did not inherit they keys to a ferrari like TO did. He inherited the keys to a ford pinto. There was more NFL talent on that team than there is right now. Stop with that foolish argument. Bo inherited a very talented team that had quit on their coach. Dumpster fire teams don't have a top 3 draft pick playing DT for them, several starting NFL cornerbacks, a few NFL running backs and returning sr at QB Never once did I say there wasn't talent. OU won a NC their second year under Stoops. The talent there didn't just appear. Like I said, I have no problem with people comparing Bob Stoops to Bo in their first five or six years. However, it is rather naive to try and compare where TO's first five years teams ended the season ranked to Bo's because Bo didn't inherit near the team or program TO did. A foolish argument would be saying Suh would have been a top 3 draft pick had Clownahan and Coworthless been allowed to stay. TO basically inherited a team like Alabama of today if Nick Saban were to all of a sudden retire right now. Quote Link to comment
Branno Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Just will leave this here when the #9wins bugle sounds... Alabama v. BCS opponents over past 6 years: 56-8 Oregon v. BCS opponents over the past 6 years: 57-10 Nebraska v. BCS opponents over the past 6 years: 39-24 Not all 9 win seasons are created equal. You are completely correct, that Oregon and Alabama have definitely looked better over the last 6 years than Nebraska. There is no arguing that, but again if it is such an insignificant event in your mind how come no more than 3 teams have done it? I think the 9 win stuff is much more significant to the outside casual fan than to most Nebraska fans. When they hear that statistic they say, "Oh, I wouldn't have guessed Nebraska was the third team.". Because not every team gets a Big 12 North or Big Ten schedule, with stacked home games and at least one Idaho St a year thrown in as well. Nebraska's SOS Rankings... 2013: 63 2012: 28 2011: 37 2010: 44 2009: 3 2008: 27 Avg SOS: 33.66 I'd say plenty of teams - about 86 of them - play a weaker schedule than Nebraska, and yet they don't consistently get 9 wins. Quote Link to comment
Chaddyboxer Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Just will leave this here when the #9wins bugle sounds... Alabama v. BCS opponents over past 6 years: 56-8 Oregon v. BCS opponents over the past 6 years: 57-10 Nebraska v. BCS opponents over the past 6 years: 39-24 Not all 9 win seasons are created equal. You are completely correct, that Oregon and Alabama have definitely looked better over the last 6 years than Nebraska. There is no arguing that, but again if it is such an insignificant event in your mind how come no more than 3 teams have done it? I think the 9 win stuff is much more significant to the outside casual fan than to most Nebraska fans. When they hear that statistic they say, "Oh, I wouldn't have guessed Nebraska was the third team.". Because not every team gets a Big 12 North or Big Ten schedule, with stacked home games and at least one Idaho St a year thrown in as well. I'm with StPaulHusker and Knapp on this one....... Plenty of teams receive a "stacked" home game schedule, play plenty of "cupcake" teams, and still fall flat on their faces. Don't get me wrong, I am totally fine with identifying Bo's shortcomings as a headcoach, but you we all have to identify his strengths. If he was to leave tomorrow, fine with me. Am I willing to let him stay and see how future seasons pan out? Yes, but if the wheels start falling off, the signs will start to point to Pelini's departure being warranted. Winning 9+ games a year, 6 years in a row........is nothing to sneeze at....period. I believe that is an impressive accomplishment, however, NEB needs to start winning the BIG games against BCS foes more often if NEB wants to be "relevant" again. Quote Link to comment
zoogs Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 9+ wins: 2013: 39 schools (incl. NU) 2012: 38 schools (incl. NU) 2011: 34 schools (incl. NU) 2010: 33 schools (incl. NU) 2009: 34 schools (incl. NU) 2008: 35 schools (incl. NU) 10+ wins: 2013: 27 schools 2012: 26 schools (incl. NU) 2011: 27 schools 2010: 23 schools (incl. NU) 2009: 21 schools (incl. NU) 2008: 20 schools 11+ wins: 2013: 16 schools 2012: 19 schools 2011: 16 schools 2010: 15 schools 2009: 12 schools 2008: 13 schools 12+ wins: 2013: 8 schools 2012: 8 schools 2011: 7 schools 2010: 8 schools 2009: 7 schools 2008: 8 schools sources: ncaa.com, ncaa.org A hopefully accurate illustration of how many FBS coaches win 9+ games, 10+ games, 11+ games, and 12+ games every year. I would argue that there is nothing especially noteworthy about exclusion from the top two tiers of college football six years running. Which isn't to say that the record is bad (it's not), or that the consistency isn't interesting. 1 Quote Link to comment
knapplc Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Stewart must laugh his butt off when he reads threads like this. Quote Link to comment
Foppa Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 The title of this thread is misleading. I've heard Stewart on local sports radio plenty and he has plenty of praise for Bo when the situation merits. Stewart is selling clicks. He's going to get plenty of clicks hitting this beehive with a stick. And he's swinging away. Also, because we've danced this dance before and we know what's expected here's the obligatory "If winning nine games a year is so easy, more coaches would do it." Quote Link to comment
StPaulHusker Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 I bet Husker fans can be directly correlated to his salary. Anytime he is in a bind on writing something, he just goes back to the old standard of writing something about Nebraska. Good or bad, we dissect the sh#t out of it. Especially during the offseason. Stewart Mandel-Like a Boss Quote Link to comment
Chaddyboxer Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Stewart must laugh his butt off when he reads threads like this. Laughing all the way to the bank, yes! Gettin' those hits. Quote Link to comment
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