Benning's Thoughts. Worth Your Time.

[Danny Bateman]

For those of you that are questioning the direction of this team, this coach, this program, or anything else Nebraska related, please do yourself a service and listen to Benning's rant at the beginning of this podcast after yesterday's game. This is coming from a coach and a former player. I know most of us love to hear former player's thoughts on the program, and he's certainly one of the most vocal and most accessible.

I think we'd all like for it to be as simple as just "Insert good coach. Win. Restore glory. Win Championships." Unfortunately, that's not the situation we're up against here. You can argue that Harbaugh or McElwain are undefeated at Michigan or Florida. Those are VERY DIFFERENT situations than Riley inherited here. On top of installing completely new systems on both sides of the ball (that we're currently ill-equipped to run), he's also got to try to find a way to piece together the shattered psyche of this team courtesy of our former coach.

The guy deserves a chance to acclimate himself to coaching at NU. I don't give two rips about past experience. Coaching here is different than coaching at OSU. Coaching here is different than coaching in the NFL. Have there been clock mismanagement, play-calling, strategy issues? Hell yeah there have been. Can't excuse those away.

But you're living in a pipe dream if you expect it to be simple to fix all the issues this guy has on his plate with this team while churning out a W every week.

https://soundcloud.com/1620-the-zone-1/wisconsin-seg-4-mike-riley-is-a-good-coach

As much as I'd like to put all the blame for bad psyche on the last coaching group, I really think it goes back to when T.O. left. The team psyche, mentality and identity have all been battered for 15 years or more. Not something that is fixed in 9 months. I am the biggest of sunshine pumping, koolaid swilling fans there is, and I have serious concerns about coaching decisions I've seen the last several weeks. But I also know I only have the tiniest of views into what is going on in terms of the big picture.

I knew a young lad that suffered from multiple demons in his life, depression, bad family environment, social outcast after moving to a new school as a freshman. For folks seeing him in public, it was easy for them to criticize he awkwardness and introverted nature. For the few of us who knew the whole thing, him even leaving the house was a victory in the largest sense. Perspective. Might not be the case here, as I said, I don't know. But I do know I can give some time to see what shakes out.

How often do we find out at the end of the season that a player who"sucked" was playing with a bad ankle, or torn tendons and just toughed it out. Wouldn't be surprised after the season to learn just how bad thing were for this team after the transition.

There were guys out there gutting it out yesterday. Newby came out and went back in multiple times for that cramp or calf issue he was dealing with. Weber hurt his forearm. Kalu looked like he tweaked a hammy at one point to me. The LBs had no choice... Our depth is absolutely shot. That much for CERTAIN is on Bo. We also lost Gates yesterday. The injuries are the most disturbing thing to me. Is this just horrible luck? Is it S&C related? This is once again something that sorely (Ha!) examined in the offseason.

We've seen some absolutely mind-boggling decisions from them so far, that's true. The Illinois loss is so inexcusable in so many ways. Again, I'm clinging to hope that it is just a small sample size fluke and that going forward, as this staff gets more used to can comfortable with the players they have and what they can do, they are better able to utilize them to not only close games, but throughout the game as well.

A bit that I don't think gets enough run: As much as the players are learning to play within the system, the staff too is learning what the players can and can't do within it. I think both will improve. It just takes time.

 

[admo]

Admo, you're right. Learning to win, learning to close are both processes. This year's roster is starkly different from last year. We lost our #1 WR, #1 RB (not to mention heart and soul of the team and focal point of the entire offense), and our best defensive playmaker from last year.

I personally believe it takes time for all these guys to learn how to gel and do those things together, as well as the coaches. None of these guys are really used to closing without an AA to hand the ball to to salt away a game, or without a Randy Gregory looming and disrupting everything the opposing offense wants to do. They've got to learn how to do it on their own, and I think they're getting there.

I think once they do get there and start to have some confidence in themselves and the system-- start to play fast and aggressive and within the system-- the sky is the limit.

I agree, well said. Kind of tough right now knowing you don't have the security of seeing AA in the huddle to look up to that demands greatness and the ball, or a guy like DPE to make a play on a punt return to change momentum (even Kenny Bell at times), or 1st round pick RG44 taking up a few lineman and altering an OC's game plan a bit (or direction). New guys, new leaders breaking in on both sides of the ball this year. They have to learn how to get over the hump and perform consistently well without them. It's been tough to see especially later in games so far. Can hope to believe the players will step up to the challenge that's all in their hands for the taking. If they are ever going to do it, now is the time. Can't go backwards and redo it unfortunately. But reviewing the past, it's amazing to see how closely these games have been. A few plays here and there and W-L changes. Time for these guys on the field to put it together already.

 

[TheSker]

.

Lol...so if a coach starts out with a sh**ty career, he will always be sh**ty?

I keep hearing Riley is just starting out?........

 

[Kernal]

The coaching hasn't been any worse this year than any of the coaching we fans have been bitching about for the past 20 years. We b!^@h about it every game, every year, as sure as the sun keeps coming up.

 

[Apathy]

Who gives a crap on what Benning has to say. Who gives a crap about what Keyshawn Johnson had to say. Who gives a crap what anybody has to say.

What does matter is results. After 6 games we are 2-4 and this coaching staff is still struggling maintaining good clock management, poor playcalling, an offensive identity, running back issues, secondary issues, etc.

None of those issues have gotten better week after week but have gotten worse......and that's concerning coming from a coaching staff with a lot more coaching experience than the previous staff.

 

[TheSker]

Who gives a crap on what Benning has to say. Who gives a crap about what Keyshawn Johnson had to say. Who gives a crap what anybody has to say.

What does matter is results. After 6 games we are 2-4 and this coaching staff is still struggling maintaining good clock management, poor playcalling, an offensive identity, running back issues, secondary issues, etc.

None of those issues have gotten better week after week but have gotten worse......and that's concerning coming from a coaching staff with a lot more coaching experience than the previous staff.

This. Is a good post.

 

[74Hunter]

Zero supporting data? Good, respected coaches have not fared poorly or cut their teeth at one place only to succeed in another? And vice versa?

What's the objective, non-conjecture, data-supported approach to predicting future coach performance based on past performance? Who was the scientifically correct choice?

Jim Harbaugh. DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

And wouldn't you believe it? All we had to do was throw briefcases of money at him and he'd come here in a heartbeat, because who wouldn't want to coach at their former school?

That was the reasoning behind the narrative to can Bo.

Yet now we're stuck with Riley.

I hope that the cry babies understand that we can support the program, support the coach ( not one in the same ), yet still be critical of the coach and still expect him to not be successful.

They are not one or all in the same.

 

[Stumpy1]

Some of you make me laugh...

Coaching at Oregon State =/= Coaching at Nebraska

But coaching=coaching. Either you got it or you don't.

I call bullsh#t on this. A coach can be sh**ty at one place and wonderful at another. It could be opposite also.

That doesn't change my equation.
Sure, you can have bad coaches that get lucky circumstances and do well. You can also have good coaches who get stuck in bad situations and don't do well. But you either got it or you don't. Sub500 has a long track record showing he is simply not a very good coach.

Lol...so if a coach starts out with a sh**ty career, he will always be sh**ty? I find that logic of thinking very stupid and it doesn't surprise me coming from you.

And that's the exact opposite of what I said. Not surpising coming from you.

Don't fall on your a$$ while you back pedal.

 

[It'sNotAFakeID]

Zero supporting data? Good, respected coaches have not fared poorly or cut their teeth at one place only to succeed in another? And vice versa?

What's the objective, non-conjecture, data-supported approach to predicting future coach performance based on past performance? Who was the scientifically correct choice?

Jim Harbaugh. DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

And wouldn't you believe it? All we had to do was throw briefcases of money at him and he'd come here in a heartbeat, because who wouldn't want to coach at their former school?

That was the reasoning behind the narrative to can Bo.

Yet now we're stuck with Riley.

I hope that the cry babies understand that we can support the program, support the coach ( not one in the same ), yet still be critical of the coach and still expect him to not be successful.

They are not one or all in the same.

I understand that, and I'm not disagreeing with people who are being reasonably critical. Calling for a head coach to be fired after 6 games is unreasonable.

I hope that the other side can understand the desire to be patience with the coaches and still not be satisfied with being 2-4.

They are not one or all in the same.

 

[ladyhawke]

Thanks for sharing the interview. I like hearing from DB not so much from a coaching perspective but from a players perspective he's been there.

 

[MichiganDad3]

Some of you make me laugh...

Coaching at Oregon State =/= Coaching at Nebraska

But coaching=coaching. Either you got it or you don't.

I call bullsh#t on this. A coach can be sh**ty at one place and wonderful at another. It could be opposite also.

That doesn't change my equation.

Sure, you can have bad coaches that get lucky circumstances and do well. You can also have good coaches who get stuck in bad situations and don't do well. But you either got it or you don't. Sub500 has a long track record showing he is simply not a very good coach.

You can also have a mediocre coach who changes schools and brings all his mediocre buddies with him, and hopes he will not have mediocre results.

 

[MichiganDad3]

The coaching hasn't been any worse this year than any of the coaching we fans have been bitching about for the past 20 years. We b!^@h about it every game, every year, as sure as the sun keeps coming up.

By definition, this is the worst record we have had in 56 years. You can't blame the drastic record change on the players. It is the coaching staff, and I am not a Bo supporter.

 

[MichiganDad3]

Zero supporting data? Good, respected coaches have not fared poorly or cut their teeth at one place only to succeed in another? And vice versa?

What's the objective, non-conjecture, data-supported approach to predicting future coach performance based on past performance? Who was the scientifically correct choice?

Jim Harbaugh. DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

And wouldn't you believe it? All we had to do was throw briefcases of money at him and he'd come here in a heartbeat, because who wouldn't want to coach at their former school?

That was the reasoning behind the narrative to can Bo.

Yet now we're stuck with Riley.

I hope that the cry babies understand that we can support the program, support the coach ( not one in the same ), yet still be critical of the coach and still expect him to not be successful.

They are not one or all in the same.

There was good reason to get rid of Bo, but there was no reason to hand the program over to a 62 year old coach with a 500 career record that had 12 wins in his last two years. And to make matters worse, he was allowed to bring in a mediocre staff. If we had hired a coach with potential, I would have more patience.

 

[Nebhawk]

Every one thinks that Nebraska has a trunk full of talent and Riley was just supposed to waltz in a score big from the start. This team isn't very talented, not very mentally tough, and now have lost 7 of their last 10 games back to last year. This losing just didn't start this season, it started last year. Wins against Iowa, Southern Miss, and South Alabama. Losses to Miami, BYU, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisky, Wisky, Michigan St. Other than Illinois and Iowa from last season, the rest at one time have been ranked in the Top 25. What does that say.

Were looking at a very mentally challenged bunch that won 9 games last year, had their head coach fired, and now replaced with a new coach, new system, and new challenges. The one thing that hasn't changed is the mental toughness of this group. TA has a losers mentality. Face it, until Riley has his players, in his system, this won't work. I dare to have anyone on here look up and see how many players Bo put into the NFL, and how many Riley has. That should tell all of us something.

Face it, its a process thats going to take at least 3 years to get in place. Its going to take 3 years to get Bo's crap out of that locker room. Its going to take 3 years for the current staff to get enough talent to even compete against top 20 schools. Isn't that what were after in the long run???

 

[stargazer]

Good post.