Bo Pelini had to go and Mike Riley had to be hired

[Guy Chamberlin]

Good Lord Saunders nobody said anything about expecting to win titles this year. That's not the expectations I was talking about. And no kidding if Nebraska falls on their face it won't be acceptable. The coaches nor the players will accept that. The athletic department, boosters, and regents won't accept it. Former players won't accept it. Somewhere below all of them the fans fall in line.

You're creating arguments nobody has made.

What? I said that saying 7 wins is ok is accepting mediocrity, and you said:

It can be a difficult transition and slapping expectations on a first year HC is silly and shows a sense of entitlement.

Bo was fired because he didn't meet expectations both on and off the field. If he wasn't a d!(k, he'd still be here. If he'd won a couple rings, he'd still be here.

Expecting a certain performance level isn't entitlement whatsoever.

Well I think some folks are suggesting that if Riley exceeds Bo in off-the-field behavior, it might be worth it alone. And that positive, long-term improvement might be worth a fitful first season.

So expecting a certain performance level has nothing to do with entitlement and everything to do with your definition of "certain."

Because I can't shake the feeling that other folks are already spoiling for Mike Riley to win 9 games or less, at which point they can confirm their stated belief that Riley wasn't a great hire and Bo Pelini wasn't so bad after all.

 

[Saunders]

Nah, Bo needed fired. Is Riley the answer? IDK. But IMO, he doesn't get a free pass because he's "not Bo" because that's what fans did when Bo replaced Callahan. Mike's earned the good will off the field. Now, it's time to earn it one the field.

 

[Hayseed]

Bo is a hothead and wasn't suited to coach a team with a fanbase like Nebraska's..........who knew?

Let's hope Coach Riley doesn't let the locals,...who never get fired,....... push him around.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

Bo is a hothead and wasn't suited to coach a team with a fanbase like Nebraska's..........who knew?

Let's hope Coach Riley doesn't let the locals,...who never get fired,....... push him around.

Uhm....let's hope Coach Riley doesn't look at the locals as a constant threat to his authority.

Cause that was a bit of a problem last time.

 

[JJ Husker]

Nah, Bo needed fired. Is Riley the answer? IDK. But IMO, he doesn't get a free pass because he's "not Bo" because that's what fans did when Bo replaced Callahan. Mike's earned the good will off the field. Now, it's time to earn it one the field.

Who is giving him a free pass? Where are you seeing this?Or, is your definition of a "free pass" giving Riley a year or two to implement his systems, get his type of players, and wash out the bunker mentality instilled by the previous regime? What if a byproduct of the staff change happens to be an 8 win season (btw-I don't think it will).....would not screaming for his head at that point qualify as a free pass?

Personally, I will probably be one of the first and quickest to flip flop to a "Riley isn't good enough" viewpoint if there are noticeable struggles but that change of heart sure won't be driven by any win/loss record. I fully expect success and immediate improvement but I'll judge that on many criteria that are much more meaningful than meeting or exceeding #9wins.

 

[The Dude]

I keep hearing about these 7 wins so many are expecting, but the poll results in the "Setting First-Year Expectations" thread suggest it's an extreme minority opinion.

 

[Hammerhead]

I don't totally know what people mean when they say leeway or perhaps people don't know what they mean when they say leeway.

We have been lucky enough to hire a head coach that was wanted by Bama and USC all within the last 10 years...a head coach that is clearly respected and that has about 30 years of coaching experience at the college and pro levels. Mix that in with a staff that has pro and college experience and a combined 100 years of coaching/playing experience.

I could see "leeway" if we hired a guy that never was a head coach (like we did with Bo some 7 years ago) but we hired a guy like Riley NOT to worry about leeway. We hired a top shelf, well respected super experienced coach that took his time and put together a top shelf, well respected super experienced staff.

We as Husker fans should be thrilled that we bypassed the "give it time" and "leeway" stage and hired a coach that knows what he is doing.

Don't get me wrong, I'm by no means implying that I think Riley was hired just because he's a nice guy, not because of his coaching acumen. I have no doubt that Riley is a great coach (and for the record, my vote on the number of wins this season was 10), I just think that it's easier to be a little more forgiving with Riley since he's not a raving lunatic like Bo.

 

[JJ Husker]

Keep hearing about these 7 wins so many are expecting, but the poll results in the "Setting First-Year Expectations" thread suggest it's an extreme minority opinion.

Well yeah but TheSker has not cast his vote yet....
There are 22 at 9 wins, 27 at 10 or more, and 16 at 8 or fewer.

I don't see how on earth anybody in their right mind could be more pessimistic than only 8 wins. You would be having to expect total implosion for only 8 wins. Have these few 7 wins or fewer naysayers bothered to look at our schedule? They do realize the poll is for football, right?

 

[The Dude]

49 votes for 9+

5 votes for 7

That's pretty funny.

 

[Scratchtown]

Keep hearing about these 7 wins so many are expecting, but the poll results in the "Setting First-Year Expectations" thread suggest it's an extreme minority opinion.

Well yeah but TheSker has not cast his vote yet....

There are 22 at 9 wins, 27 at 10 or more, and 16 at 8 or fewer.

I don't see how on earth anybody in their right mind could be more pessimistic than only 8 wins. You would be having to expect total implossion for only 8 wins. Have these few 7 wins or fewer naysayers bothered to look at our schedule? They do realize the pole is for football, right?

Football?

Oh I was totally voting for total wins in Basketball.

 

[Hayseed]

Bo is a hothead and wasn't suited to coach a team with a fanbase like Nebraska's..........who knew?

Let's hope Coach Riley doesn't let the locals,...who never get fired,....... push him around.

Uhm....let's hope Coach Riley doesn't look at the locals as a constant threat to his authority.

Cause that was a bit of a problem last time.

Let's hope the locals don't try to run his team......that would be a problem going forward. Or hey, let's try something new and have a vote to fire the worst reporter.

 

[Saunders]

I keep hearing about these 7 wins so many are expecting, but the poll results in the "Setting First-Year Expectations" thread suggest it's an extreme minority opinion.

I don't know who's saying that. But I have seen people say they're okay with it.

 

[Saunders]

Who is giving him a free pass? Where are you seeing this?

Or, is your definition of a "free pass" giving Riley a year or two to implement his systems, get his type of players, and wash out the bunker mentality instilled by the previous regime? What if a byproduct of the staff change happens to be an 8 win season (btw-I don't think it will).....would not screaming for his head at that point qualify as a free pass?

By free pass, I mean anything less than competing for the divsion. Saying 7 wins is ok during a transition does not fly in my book. If we're not playing meaningful games in mid/late November, something is amiss.

 

[Landlord]

I keep hearing about these 7 wins so many are expecting, but the poll results in the "Setting First-Year Expectations" thread suggest it's an extreme minority opinion.

I don't know who's saying that. But I have seen people say they're okay with it.

Mavric's huge shtick last week was all these people that were expecting 7 wins. His words, not mine. So then myself and a few people asked him who exactly was expecting that, and he made the poll for people to vote in. Turns out - hardly anyone at all.

 

[SuperBigFan69]

I have friends that are saying .500...they don't all post here. Its not shtick, there are lots of people that are saying that. Shoot vegas is putting it around 7.5 and or 8