Athlon: Big Ten Coaches Talk Anonymously About Conference Foes for 2016

[Saunders]

Nebraska

“It’s not really a rebuild, it’s more of a teardown. They’re playing one style with players who were recruited for a totally different offense, so it’s just how many steps backward they have to take before they go forward.”

“A lot of their problems started up front. They had some veteran guys, but trying to go from the read-option blocking scheme to the inside zone, it seemed those guys were not really on the same page.”

“Some people were surprised how well they threw it, but they have a solid group of receivers. Tommy Armstrong is kind of a square peg in a round hole in a pro-style offense, but it looked like he bought into what they’re trying to accomplish. He made some questionable decisions in late-game situations, but that may have been their staff trying to get a feel for what he can and can’t do.”

“I think they could be better on offense, but they need another recruiting class or two to get their guys on the field. The problem with that is it’s Nebraska and they just ran the last guy out for winning nine games a year.”

“Defensively, they were really good plugging gaps and making sure you didn’t run the ball, but they did not have a pass rush last year at all, and the biggest difference in their team was that they didn’t create many turnovers.”

“They’ve got some different pieces going in there in the front seven, but you’ve got to have a guy who can get off the edge and pressure the quarterback. I don’t know who that’s going to be.”

“Linebacker is probably the strongest group on their defense.”

http://athlonsports.com/college-football/big-ten-coaches-talk-anonymously-about-conference-foes-2016#sthash.r4VujJGL.dpuf

 

[knapplc]

Big Ten coaches talk anonymously about Nebraska (and other schools)

Nebraska

“It’s not really a rebuild, it’s more of a teardown. They’re playing one style with players who were recruited for a totally different offense, so it’s just how many steps backward they have to take before they go forward.”

“A lot of their problems started up front. They had some veteran guys, but trying to go from the read-option blocking scheme to the inside zone, it seemed those guys were not really on the same page.”

“Some people were surprised how well they threw it, but they have a solid group of receivers. Tommy Armstrong is kind of a square peg in a round hole in a pro-style offense, but it looked like he bought into what they’re trying to accomplish. He made some questionable decisions in late-game situations, but that may have been their staff trying to get a feel for what he can and can’t do.”

“I think they could be better on offense, but they need another recruiting class or two to get their guys on the field. The problem with that is it’s Nebraska and they just ran the last guy out for winning nine games a year.”

“Defensively, they were really good plugging gaps and making sure you didn’t run the ball, but they did not have a pass rush last year at all, and the biggest difference in their team was that they didn’t create many turnovers.”

“They’ve got some different pieces going in there in the front seven, but you’ve got to have a guy who can get off the edge and pressure the quarterback. I don’t know who that’s going to be.”

“Linebacker is probably the strongest group on their defense.”

Interesting that the first comment talks about the rebuild. Lots of good stuff in there about every Big Ten school.

 

[Redux]

Wow, is that an echo I hear? Feel like many of these points have been made on this very board only to be ridiculed as excuses. Funny how actual coaches think these things, who woulda thunk it?

 

[Mierin]

“they just ran the last guy out for winning nine games a year.”

Yep that was why.

 

[knapplc]

“they just ran the last guy out for winning nine games a year.”

Yep that was why.

That stuck out to me, too.

I would invite that coach to behave the same as Bo, both on the sidelines and at pressers, and see how long it takes for his administration to fire him. Nine wins or not, that kind of behavior will get you canned from nearly every single Big Ten school. It's not what we want representing Nebraska.

 

[zoogs]

I'm not surprised a coach would make that comment. If I'm a coach by default any coach being fired is an injustice and a sign of the times.

That said, apart from that, there are a lot of apt football comments here. I like the observation of the DL, and also about OL blocking schemes.

 

[NUance]

“they just ran the last guy out for winning nine games a year.”

Yep that was why.

That stuck out to me, too.

I would invite that coach to behave the same as Bo, both on the sidelines and at pressers, and see how long it takes for his administration to fire him. Nine wins or not, that kind of behavior will get you canned from nearly every single Big Ten school. It's not what we want representing Nebraska.

Exactly! We didn't run the last guy out for winning nine games. He was let go *despite* winning nine games. For an entirely different reason.

 

[Redux]

“they just ran the last guy out for winning nine games a year.”

Yep that was why.

Lets play "Which Quote Is Urban Meyer's?"

 

[cm husker]

they just ran the last guy out for winning nine games a year.

Yep that was why.

That stuck out to me, too.

I would invite that coach to behave the same as Bo, both on the sidelines and at pressers, and see how long it takes for his administration to fire him. Nine wins or not, that kind of behavior will get you canned from nearly every single Big Ten school. It's not what we want representing Nebraska.

Exactly! We didn't run the last guy out for winning nine games. He was let go *despite* winning nine games. For an entirely different reason.

Which implies that had he won 12 games, he would have still been dismissed.

Which we know is untrue.

Coaches know the score. And they seem to have a very low opinion of how realistic Husker people are. Hiring our next coach is going to be a real struggle, if we aren't careful.

 

[Redux]

they just ran the last guy out for winning nine games a year.

Yep that was why.

That stuck out to me, too.

I would invite that coach to behave the same as Bo, both on the sidelines and at pressers, and see how long it takes for his administration to fire him. Nine wins or not, that kind of behavior will get you canned from nearly every single Big Ten school. It's not what we want representing Nebraska.

Exactly! We didn't run the last guy out for winning nine games. He was let go *despite* winning nine games. For an entirely different reason.

Which implies that had he won 12 games, he would have still been dismissed.

Which we know is untrue.

Coaches know the score. And they seem to have a very low opinion of how realistic Husker people are. Hiring our next coach is going to be a real struggle, if we aren't careful.

Him winning 12 games would have meant he didn't get his a$$ handed to him....by Wisconsin....for a third time..... in 4 years. But he did. But that also wasn't the sole reason he was fired. And you know that.

 

[Apathy]

When coaches are quoted anonymously, they don't hold back anything and at times do make a point but come off as douches. Funny how their tones change when the camera's are in their faces and their names are plastered next to the quotes.

 

[zoogs]

Hiring our next coach is going to be a real struggle, if we aren't careful.

That's what they said -- for years -- back when Bo Pelini was coach. That we had to keep Bo, because nobody would ever want to come here if we let him go.

 

[Husker Psycho]

We are a program that is in complete disarray and dysfunction.

We have an athletic director who hired a round hole coach to coach square peg players with no regard for who we are and our history. How that was allowed to happen will go down as one of the strangest things that's happened in the last 18 years.

We have no way to get where we want to be... and anyone who's claiming we will improve in 3 or 4 years is full of it. There's absolutely no way to know where we are headed from here.

With that said... I am hoping we find a way to have a better season this year... somehow.

 

[lo country]

I initially read this and was pi$$ed. Had the wife read and she said it's the same stuff I and the board) has been saying. Really a kick to the nuts. Not much respect from the league about our team. Really not anything good IMO. Not a big believer in bulletin board material, but I'd read it out loud every day......

 

[knapplc]

Some of our fans are comically depressed. Every post seems like an Eeyore impression.