Are you surprised at where we are at?

[Toe]

I always say it's one thing to lose and another thing to look like you never had a chance. The Huskers should never look like they didn't have a chance.

 

[KingBlank]

6-6 isn't good. What'd be worse is tying our judgment of a coach's ability to his first season. 

I don’t think I ever said that, but continue to put words in my mouth. I will tell you though both coaches with that similar first season record were failures here.  So you know there’s that fact.

Immediately following an inept, cultureless and laughable 4-8 season, no less.

Ya you know Bo seemed to take care of that just fine in his first year.

 

[Mierin]

Haven't seen this posted. Farmer says the previous staff played "mind games," e.g. one week they had him working with the 2nd string the entire week then on Saturday they told him he was starting.
 

 

[Landlord]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in 2008, wasn't it after the Missouri debacle and before the Texas Tech game that the coaches changed the entire offensive scheme to more of a ball control/milk the clock scheme in an effort to keep the defense of the field since the D was such a liability at that point?

No, that was in 2009. He leaned very heavily on the defense that year.  

You're both right. After the Missouri game in '08 we did a major simplification of the offense with stripping the playbook and maximizing TOP (somewhere around the end of the season we were 2nd in the nation in TOP), and in '09 we intentionally shut the offense down after Va Tech/Missouri (due in large part to Lee's torn elbow and inability to effectively pass the ball at all) and relied on safe ball control mixed with a dominant defense to stay in and win games.

 

[It'sNotAFakeID]

I don’t think I ever said that, but continue to put words in my mouth. I will tell you though both coaches with that similar first season record were failures here.  So you know there’s that fact.

Ya you know Bo seemed to take care of that just fine in his first year.

Then I don't know what point you're trying to make saying that 6-6 is completely unacceptable, like it's an ultimatum or something. Yeah 6-6 wouldn't be good.

 

[Landlord]

Well then, put a f#&%ing helmet on and get out there and show these boys how it's done! You need to stop telling me what I need to think or what I should find acceptable! I really hope your University of Nebraska donations exceed 6 figures to justify your vitriolic criticism of others expectations. I understand the difference between expectations and aspirations. The only thing that I really am critical of is effort. Anything else, unless I have first hand involvement in, is beyond my control, therefore, I don't demand outcomes that please me. I enjoy watching competition. 

And I never even stepped on your lawn....

 

[JJ Husker]

That's drinking some kool aid, imo.  We're basing this turnaround off a coach.  Our offensive line is unproven, little depth at secondary, our dline wasn't good last year, new starting qb, new scheme on both sides of the ball, our conditioning isn't where it needs to be.  We had a bad year last year with an easy schedule yet we are going to make this huge jump? Here's a list of coaches who were 6-6 or 7-6 in their first year:

Bob stoops started 7-5

Nick Saban was 7-6 in his first year with Alabama 

Pete Carroll was 6-6 in his first year

John McKay was 4-6 in his first year 

Woody hayes was 4-3 in his first year

Jimmy Johnson was 8 5 in his first year at Miami.

Jim harbaugh was 4 8 in his first year 

Bear Bryant was 5 4.

Bobby bowden was 5-6

Just because we got a great coach doesn't mean it will translate to 3 or 4 extra wins the first year.  The second year is where the jump will be.

And I can list about a dozen first year coaches that won 10 or 11 or 12 games in their first year. A few of them ...

Ara Parseghian (only 9-1)

Urban Meyer

Chuck Fairbanks

Barry Switzer

Fred Akers

Earle Bruce

Terry Bowden

Larry Coker

Chris Peterson

Gus Malzahn

John Robinson

Doesn't mean it will or won't translate to 3 or 4 more additional wins in Frost's first season. But yes, season 2 should see the bigger jump. I just think we're in for a heckuva jump this season also. I guess that's the good thing about going 4-8, plenty of room for significant improvement in multiple years.

 

[Enhance]

Ya you know Bo seemed to take care of that just fine in his first year.

And he lost his job despite, so it's a bit of an absurd benchmark.

6-6 is unacceptable as a general standard. You won't get an argument from me there, but, there are differences between reasons and excuses. Reasons evolve into excuses when someone tries to use them to avoid responsibility. I could list several reasons why Nebraska may go 6-6 this year but, if they do, it feels a bit stubborn to ultimately boil these down to a 'mantra of BS.'

 

[Huskers93-97]

I think I am slightly surprised at how fast they have moved and shifted the culture. But I think no one could have seen it coming because this has never happened before where an entire staff followed a coach so no one could have guessed the results. I think it goes to show how great of a decision it was to keep the whole staff- it eliminated all the staff learning curves and they were allowed to focus on the athletes. I think if we come out and kick some a$$ this year, say go 9-3 or do something crazy like go 10-2. You may see that become a trend where coaches try to keep their staff together. BUT I dont think it will be easily replicated because Frost and his staff have a culture- I would assume most staff's dont have the loyalty this staff does. Or get along like this staff. Not only has it helped our current players and team to flip the culture and their bodies. But I have heard multiple recruits say their parents and them were impressed by the closeness of the staff- it is helping us recruit.

 

[Landlord]

And I can list about a dozen first year coaches that won 10 or 11 or 12 games in their first year. A few of them ...

Ara Parseghian (only 9-1) - In 1964

Urban Meyer - Took over a roster with an average yearly recruiting ranking of 8th, one year removed from a 12-1 season

Chuck Fairbanks - In 1967

Barry Switzer - In 1973, taking over a juggernaut that finished the year before ranked #2

Fred Akers - In 1977

Earle Bruce - In 1979, again taking over a very good team with top talent

Terry Bowden - I'll give you this one. Good call.

Larry Coker - Took over a team that finished the previous three years ranked #20, #15, and #2.

Chris Peterson - Took over a G5 that had already been turned into a well oiled machine winning 11 to 13 games a year before he took over.

Gus Malzahn - Another one I'll give you, although we all know there's some twisted spooky voodoo going on down at Auburn. Nothing there ever makes any sense.

John Robinson - Took over in 1976, leading a team that finished the previous four years ranked #1, #7, #1, #19.

Doesn't mean it will or won't translate to 3 or 4 more additional wins in Frost's first season. But yes, season 2 should see the bigger jump. I just think we're in for a heckuva jump this season also. I guess that's the good thing about going 4-8, plenty of room for significant improvement in multiple years.

I'm just bored at work. 

 

[JJ Husker]

After hearing a fair amount of the fall practice pressers the thing that has really grabbed my attention is the unity of purpose and consistency. These guys to the man seem to all be on the same page. The players and coaches are all saying the same things and they seem to be confident in the direction and are having a good time. I don’t think we can begin to understand what an impact that is going to have once these guys get into the games. It just hasn’t been that way for such a long time. I am excite.

 

[The Dude]

The 2 biggest reasons we went from a 9-4 team to a 4-8 team were Bob Diaco and Tanner Lee.  It was kind of obvious.

Stop being traumatized about last season already.

 

[admo]

I wanted Scott Frost here as much as anyone, maybe even started a thread to that effect. I wanted him here when Riley was hired. I posted many times how fast schools with tradition turn it around when they make the correct hire. I once said, and still mean it, that I'd fire Scott Frost after year 3 if he hadn't made the kind of progress necessary to achieve our goals. That's the kind of pace these turnarounds take, and I fully realize that.

I will admit, I'm still surprised at the place we are at, currently, hours away from the first fall camp of Scott Frost's tenure. I say that because of how exhaustive the change has been. Sites like this one, where we've all taken a new leaf. The fans, administration, faculty, support staff...everyone is working towards making this thing work.  From what we know of the spring and the summer, the culture has changed almost overnight. Then there is the roster. Lots of new talent, and massive buy-in from returners. Players stepping up to take charge. 

This doesn't feel like Year 1. It's not Year 2, either, something in between. The expectations I normally would have for a Year 1 staff are much too low, though, and the players in today's press conference just reiterated that. If they had the kind of summer it sounds like they may have had, and we may have an answer for that by the time the next press conference hits, then hang onto your hats. I'm not prone to hyperbole, but I can't sleep at night. September can't get here soon enough. 

Not surprised with anything sinc HC Solich went 7-7. The game was changing and we hired coaches that made me displeased the instant they all were announced until HC Frost. He might do well. It's the most excitement I've had for the football team's direction since TO stepped down. So in many ways, I am very happy to be surprised of this hire and Moos  :thumbs

 

[brophog]

To the OP.  I am more amazed than surprised at where we're at.  The pace at which this is all transforming is mind boggling to me.  Almost like Frost has Miracle Grow for FB programs.  The amount of infrastructure that has been put in place since December is incredible.  Much of this would be not be possible if any part of the organization wasn't aligned with Frost's vision.  Think of all the people that have to be on the same page.  Tain't easy that.

All the ingredients are there for success, and the last piece is really a matter of players executing the vision the admins and coaches have.  Sounds like they're well on their way of doing just that.

This is really what I was more getting at, and I agree 'amazed' is a good word. When a new head coach takes over, they always want to do xyz...but they don't have the pieces for x, the time for y, and may never get to z. Even relatively poor staffs show an improvement in year 2 because it usually takes at least two full off seasons to start making progress. 

One of those pieces is usually a QB. We had that before Frost's plane landed, and have the next two classes before the first kickoff. Ditto with a full coaching/support staff. Administration is working magnificently with the coaching staff, another common issue. Leaders have emerged amongst vets in the offseason, newcomers are making a big impact in the first week of fall camp. Even the coaches themselves can't help but hype how far these guys are in Year 1 vs where they'd expect them to be in Year 2. 

I think surprised is still my word of choice because I have no right to expect this kind of progress this fast. I don't know what it does in terms of immediate wins, but it's easy to be proud again of these young men, and it seems they feel proud again to be our representatives. They look to be on their way to a fun season, and that's what this is all about.