A Little Venting On Riley Hire

[JJ Husker]

Am I the only one who likes a good passing game?

I think the problem has been Nebraska's passing game, not a passing game in general. When you try slinging the ball around with Martinez or Armstrong and an O line that is struggling, that will sour a lot of people very quickly. I'm old school Nebraska, I prefer a run first power game. But, if Riley can make us better at the passing game and if he stops our tendency of cramming square pegs in round holes, maybe some of us can evolve to appreciating a good passing attack more.

[HuskerinSunDiego]

My first thought was to tell the OP to "shut up." However, I read his whole post and found it to be fair. He's not dissing on Riley, rather, he's just objectively airing his concerns. I did agree with his comment that I don't want to be a pass happy school (that's how I interpreted it). I agree. I don't want to go back to being a team that throws the ball all over the field.

[Igetbored216]

I'm trying to be optimistic but my biggest fear is that he will try to bring in that pass happy crap that Callahan tried when he was here. Considering what he did this season at OSU raises my fears. Hoping he takes the tradition and history into consideration when deciding what type of offensive philosophy to use. Would love to see some smash mouth, physical Nebraska football once again (and bring back the fullback!).

 

If you watch his offenses, he caters to what his players do well. He had a great QB this year, one that broke many records, so they passed the ball. When he had the Rodgers brothers, they ran the ball more. Haven't we all been bitching that the former staff didn't utilize players correctly?

[hskerholic]

I don't think a pass happy offense will work here in the Midwest come Late October early November. If the winter winds kick up nebraska is gonna need to be able to run the ball effectively.

[TonyStalloni]

After the Whisky game this year I finally and completely jumped off the Bo P wagon. It was time to clean house and go a different direction. He was a defeated coach and unwilling or unable to make the necessary changes. When I first heard of the Riley hire I was about as dejected as I could be. The more I read about him, I have a bit more hope. He seems like a coach who will work with what is on the plate instead of trying to make square players fit a round hole. My biggest concern is why he seemed to constantly work at place with few assets and resources? I know he had offers to move to bigger universities. My experience with people who constantly like to be overcomers are that they will occasionally win the big prize but rarely achieve consistancy. My hope is that he gets a great bunch of assistants who can get kids to achieve the maximum and create a team atmosphere.

[HuskerinSunDiego]

He did an interview with the Big10 Network and they asked him 'Why Nebraska, why now?' and after trying he literally couldn't come up with the words to even answer the question. I just shook my head.

 

 

Let's be fair. He was asked on Monday. He knew it was a great job and should take it. He had not time to think of it. Had to jump and figure out later. The guy has to be in some shock. And let's be realistic: He couldn't say, "I had no idea anybody was interested in me."

[ladyhawke]

What do we really need here at Nebraska right now?

 

>Change of national perception: I think one of the biggest areas of concern is national perception. Even if Pelini would've started winning games, there is still that perception of him yelling at people on the sidelines, yelling at Refs, it was ridiculous and embarrassing. Mike RIley has the same kind of laid back personality that TO had. To get the healing started here in our state is going to be huge so from that vantage point I like what I see and hear about Riley.

 

>His age bothers me but sometimes people get rejuvenated when they are given a new challenge.

 

>Coaching Staff: I loved hearing him say that he likes to surround himself with people who are better than he is. Considering who have been our assistant coaches THAT is uber encouraging.

 

>Player Development: From what I've read-this is his gift. He has developed players that we see on Sundays. But he also develops young men. Bo did that too but I think given this man's experience he will do it better.

 

>Pro-Style Play: Hmmm. Well, he did mention playing power football. I'm ok with passing the ball IF we have a quarterback that can do that. No offense to TA but he ain't that guy. I want to see what this Stanton kid can do. Riley wanted this kid badly so let's see what he can do but also what Riley can teach Tommy.

 

>Uniting the Fan Base: Let's face it-Husker Nation is a mess. Perhaps Riley can be that uniting factor. I really enjoyed reading the letter he sent to the former players. He's almost like a balm to a hurting fan base.

 

Good points from the OP. I think we're all a little shaky here but being an eternal sunshine pumper I say let's give this guy a chance. If he falls on his face we will pick up the pieces and move on but I think he's going to be successful and I want to be part of that success. GBR!

[TITANIC VS LUSITANIA]

 

Am I the only one who likes a good passing game?

I think the problem has been Nebraska's passing game, not a passing game in general. When you try slinging the ball around with Martinez or Armstrong and an O line that is struggling, that will sour a lot of people very quickly. I'm old school Nebraska, I prefer a run first power game. But, if Riley can make us better at the passing game and if he stops our tendency of cramming square pegs in round holes, maybe some of us can evolve to appreciating a good passing attack more.

Yes. Execution is key. Martinez was recruited as a DB. Armstrong (only throws the bomb, can't run the bootleg pass) was recruited to run zone reads. I like power formations, but power + pass game is the best because oponents have to respect the deep ball. MSU and WI keyed the run the whole time aND the offense struggles.

[TheSker]

Definitely not sold either. I think he was hired for his 'personality' more than anything which is one way to address one issue. Obviously Bo wasn't fired just because he 'didn't win the games he was supposed to' as Eichorst said in the press conference. I'll watch but my enthusiasm while maybe slightly more than what it would have been with Bo going into next season isn't much higher. Take Armstrong off the field. That would be a start and get me slightly more excited for next year. He did an interview with the Big10 Network and they asked him 'Why Nebraska, why now?' and after trying he literally couldn't come up with the words to even answer the question. I just shook my head.

Agreed. For Riley, this is an opportunity to "see what he can do" with resources. I'm not sure his hiring puts much fear in the Urban Meyers, Jerry Kills, or Mark Dantonios. Nebraska is paying upward of $12 million in buyout money.......for Mike Riley's resume.

[ajt1970]

@HuskerinSunDiego - you are correct. I am not personally against Riley. I just don't wanna go back to a passing offense. He mentioned they need to establish an "identity" at Nebraska. I agree. Nebraska used to have a tough, aggressive, grind it out, very physical offense (defense, too) that opponents feared. And what little research I have done on Riley's teams so far, it seems his teams/offenses play to throw first and run later. My wanting Frost was more to do with the fact that he himself was a tough son of a gun running the ball, and even blocking....and he would have a highest appreciation of the Old School Nebraska way of running the offense and get us back to this physical style of power and option running game play. .....ex. The Pipeline mowing down defenders, pancake city, while fullbacks and I-backs ran thru holes AND over and thru potential tacklers.

 

Maybe Riley will implement something like this with tough old school running the ball, but my concerns are based on what I have seen from statistics and what I have seen on gamefilm of OSU so far. I find more beauty in a 5 yard fullback trap then any kind of passing game. Run it down an opponents throats is demoralizing to a defense, knowing they know what's coming and cannot do anything to stop it. That is what I wanna get back to. That should be the "identity" for Nebraska. It's unique, it's hard to defend, and it was the Nebraska trademark way.

[Hedley Lamarr]

The reason he took the job is simple. He feels that he has one last hoorah left in him to try to win a title either conference or national. NU just happened to be the school to give him one last try. I actually like this hire the more I think about it. He will do what is needed to be successful here IMO.

[Scratchtown]

To the OP

TL ; DR

[ajt1970]

CoachPowerT - Yes! Exactly.

 

 

Even better....put your shoulder down and run over the defender......Crouch at Iowa 1999.....I don't know how to post a clip like you have but here is the link...

 

 

 

 

Extremely rare to see a QB these days even attempt to do that.

[ajt1970]

I typed out the link and the video automatically showed up. Very cool.

[ajt1970]

You'd never catch P. Manning, Drew brees, A. Rodgers, or whoever in the NFL (I don't watch NFL so I don't know too many QBs) try running thru a defender. Give me the Crouch run over an 80 yard TD pass any day of the week. This is football! Tough, grit, power, lower your shoulder and hit somebody.......ALL players, including QBs.