History repeats itself

[KState Wildcat]

Interesting article about Solich and his job security for next year.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=1659459

 

The reason why I called this History repeats itself for the non-History majors in Husker trivia:

In 1968 KState beat Nebraska at home 0-12 and had a very disapointing season. After the season a petition went around asking for Devaney's firing. As you know he wasn't fired and turned the program around wining 2 national titles before turning it over to Oz. I don't see Solich turning the program around that fast, but will history repeat it self and Solich keeps his job or will they go looking for a new coach? Options-former Turner Gill or Mike Stoops who is reportedly not wanted at OU and a deserter from KState.

[Blackshirt]

Thanks for the post State. That is interesting. And in my opinion a bunch of bullshat. Absolutely ridiculous, and just an excuse for the media hacks to have somethin to yap about. No way Solich is rolled the year after he ressurects the team from the ground up. After all, who do they think orchestrated this entire season? I know our new coaches are good, but someone had to put the pieces in place.

 

The only way Solich isnt here next year is if he leaves on his own terms. I believe that even if we DO somehow bonk on Saturday and lose to Kstate, he still wont be shown the door. I do honestly think the pressure is starting to get to him though, and I could see him leaving just b/c he isnt happy personally, nothing more than that. Frank just doesnt seem like he was built to be a head coach. He isnt that comfortable with the media, and doesnt have that demeanor about him that most head coaches do, and need to have in order to persist - mentally and physically. What do the rest of you think?

 

Bshirt

[Hagg]

I know I know, it's an ancient thread here.  But.  Wow.  Re-living that .. how the 7 - 7 season felt HORRIBLE, and demeaning to the state of Nebraska itself, let alone the football program. 

 

First shaky feeling about Nebraska football in that generation, and the following year went exemplary:  9 - 3.  And the Head Coach was released!

 

The talk about Scott Frost "maybe" remaining HC here if he makes 6 - 6 in his 5th season underlines how far we've fallen.  Okay we all know that, but do we know anything that can give us hope that Mr. Frost can be even half as good a coach as Mr. Solich was?  Can he even perennially attract the caliber of recruits?  O and D? 

[chamrocck]

I have not been impressed with our recruiting.  We have to be top 15 annually to win some B1G west divisions and get a chance to compete for more. I have watched a lot of college and high school football. At these levels better players win, period. Saban, Urban, Spurrier all flame outs in the NFL but with top college recruits they are the “best coaches”. Need a home run hire in recruiting or we will ceiling at 8 wins. 

[Hilltop]

3 minutes ago, chamrocck said:

I have not been impressed with our recruiting.  We have to be top 15 annually to win some B1G west divisions and get a chance to compete for more. I have watched a lot of college and high school football. At these levels better players win, period. Saban, Urban, Spurrier all flame outs in the NFL but with top college recruits they are the “best coaches”. Need a home run hire in recruiting or we will ceiling at 8 wins. 

Top 15 to win the west?  You do realize where the teams that have been winning the west rank, right?  Our problem hasn't been recruiting rankings, it has been retention, development, and coaching.  As far as hitting a ceiling at 8 wins, go back and look at Pelini's recruiting rankings.  He won at least 9 every year with an average well outside the top 15.    

[TGHusker]

12 minutes ago, Hilltop said:

it has been retention, development, and coaching.

  - which makes the coaching part redundant   In the end, it is all about the coaching - responsibile for recruiting, retention, development and game planning and adjustments.  Yes, the players aren't robots out there - they need to do their jobs but the hole we are in goes back to coaching - 3 years of Mike Riley and 4+ for Frost.

[Born N Bled Red]

Also want to point out recruiting and developing depth has changed TREMENDOUSLY in the last 5 years.

[Nebhawk]

Recruiting a 5 star player is one thing.  Getting them to buy into what your doing is another.  We do have talent gaps in this program.  Bo could not compete against Wisky, Ohio St and Michigan.  Those games show you the talent gap.  Sure, most programs don't have Ohio ST's talent.  But in order to get above 7-8 wins, you have to have that next caliber player at QB, at WR, and most importantly on your OL and DL.  OL and DL is where we are not getting the right recruits.  If you have those two elements on your football team, it won't matter who is throwing, running or catching the ball.  This is where this program has failed for years now.  Callahan at least always had really good OL lineman.  He recruited SUH.  Pelini had good DL's for the most part.  That is the issue with this program right now.  If we had a decent DL, we would be 2-0.  If we had a decent OL last season, we are no worse than 8-4. 

[Nebhawk]

That is key in building any football team.  I don't know why its so hard to do here now, when we produced so many, for so many years in the 70's, 80's, and 90's.  Why won't they come here?  Thats the question right now.  Callahan was a great O-line coach.  He developed them and sent some to the NFL.  We brought in Raiola with NFL expererience( really to recruit his nephew) nevertheless, should have some respect among HS talent or even transfers.  Right now, if I am a Top 100 0-line recruit, I am not liking what I am seeing and won't even visit Lincoln.  This is what needs changed.  And yes, I think we all know that now the Raiola thing was a hoax to garner ONE QB RECRUIT.  This is the problem with Frost.  He continues to go after the WOW players or as I see it, the quick fix instead of building this program with hard work and determination and basic football knowledge.  He is lazy when it comes down to it. 

[chamrocck]

3 hours ago, Hilltop said:

Top 15 to win the west?  You do realize where the teams that have been winning the west rank, right?  Our problem hasn't been recruiting rankings, it has been retention, development, and coaching.  As far as hitting a ceiling at 8 wins, go back and look at Pelini's recruiting rankings.  He won at least 9 every year with an average well outside the top 15.    

Agree with the retention, coaching, and development but it’s a different era now. I always thought Pelini could never get over the hump because recruiting needed to be better. And he had some good players, future NFL’ers. Recruiting wins you games in spite of bad coaching. Don’t want that but we need coaching and recruiting. I don’t want to win once in awhile like Minny or Iowa, we need to take over the west if we really want to be back. With the money and NIL we need a major draw. If we don’t do this yes 8 wins is the ceiling. 

[lo country]

To win the NC, you need 60% plus Blue Chip players (4*-5*) kids.  This is over the 4 previous recruiting classes.  NU has done "well" under Frost, but no where near this.  Factor in the dismal classes of Riley and he was left with a mess.  His first true class turned out 60th after re-ranking.  All the feel good stories are great.  But NU will never compete in the modern era with multiple walk-ons starting.  We need to recruit much better.  We need to develop and retain much better. Can't find the quote, but I thought it was Mickey who told the receivers "I can't teach you to be more athletic".  

 

This article does a good job of breaking down the teams and their blue chip numbers. The need for 4 cycles because of injury and most highly recruited kids that go to good programs will have success and leave to draft early. 

 

https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/Blue-Chip-ratio-2022-college-football-15-teams-who-can-win-the-national-championship--190039196/#190039196_2

 

Coaching matters. But recruiting is by far the most important piece when it comes to separating the good from the great.

[thexyz]

Is this a ridiculous concept to entertain? 

 

Things are spherical. Attempting to win a zero sum game ultimately ends in failure whereas playing an infinite one produces success. Beating an opponent has a beginning, middle and end.

 

Improving oneself is ongoing and never ending. Isn't that how desired results are achieved? Players who best themselves again and again know this. History makes you to the extent one engages oneself in the process! 

[Hagg]

3 hours ago, Born N Bled Red said:

Also want to point out recruiting and developing depth has changed TREMENDOUSLY in the last 5 years.

 

I don't know.. I really don't think so.  Not "tremendously," for sure.  Some followed him.. not much there, though.  A bit of improvement.  There are dynamics to recruiting that have more going on than finding star high school players or even juco. 

 

Here's a year-old article that brushed up against things that helped me understand:

 

https://247sports.com/Article/Nebraska-football-recruiting-Scott-Frost-Florida-signees-169706326/

[gossamorharpy]

5 hours ago, Hilltop said:

Top 15 to win the west?  You do realize where the teams that have been winning the west rank, right?  Our problem hasn't been recruiting rankings, it has been retention, development, and coaching.  As far as hitting a ceiling at 8 wins, go back and look at Pelini's recruiting rankings.  He won at least 9 every year with an average well outside the top 15.    

2 things-

 

1. I think you’re both right. We’re fine as is recruiting wise to compete and win the west. I will say tho there’s nuance to that. We’re rated higher over the years but often it’s sporadic across position groups. I’m a big believer that above average to excellent line play, on both sides, is the most critical part to success in football (outside of a top qb which few qualify here). Sure we rank higher than a lot of big ten teams in total rankings yet for whatever reason, quality recruits and development of the lines has been lacking tremendously since 2012ish. I guess what I’m trying to say is I’d take Wisconsin’s/Iowa’s recruiting profile of killing it with line recruits but not as much skill players as it’s the foundation. Cracked foundation leads to issues across the board which is a way over simplified description of our program for close to 15 years now.

 

2. Posters were so respectful and cordial back then, I miss that 

[admo]

2003..  More fullbacks...?