Chatelain: Former Nebraska players seeing great vibe with Mike Riley

[zoogs]

OWH

"We always considered ourselves family", said Bill Bryant, defensive tackle 1974 from 78. "We always felt like we could come home. It just started to feel like we were a nuisance or a reminder of a bygone era." (...)

Bryant, who grew up in Alabama, loved Nebraska because it felt like home, where you could walk down the street and talk to strangers. Under Pelini, fellowship ran deep within the players and staff. But not outside the walls of the Osborne Complex, Bryant said.

Past players are definitely a tough crowd. Of course, it's easy to navigate the waters when you're 0-0.

 

[zoogs]

Also this point:

“The last few years,” Bobbora said, “they looked like they were playing not to screw up or they were playing not to get yelled at, as opposed to just playing. Going out there with a swagger.”

Talent among Top 25 programs is pretty equal, Bobbora said. Confidence is key. “You’ve got to put ’em in the right culture and let it percolate up.”

 

[alexhortdog95]

Been saying this for years now:

No. 1: Schematic simplification and fundamental improvement. Scale back the offense and defense and get players moving instead of thinking. Get better at the little things — like blocking and tackling — and the big things will take care of themselves.

No. 2: Positive reinforcement as the ultimate motivator. Eliminate the antagonistic mentality and start having fun again.

Amen, brother. Football, at both the lowest and highest levels, is about three things.

Blocking.

Tackling.

Execution.

Do the first two well, and the third usually falls into place right along with it.

 

[NUance]

Talent among Top 25 programs is pretty equal, Bobbora said. Confidence is key.

Not sure I'd agree with this statement. It seems like there are a half dozen or so elite programs with elite talent. But the talent level of the next 20 or so FBS schools might be comparable. We're probly somewhere in the middle of that next 20 or so.

 

[BigRedBuster]

The best thing I have seen this spring is that the former players, current players and...heck...even players with no ties to Nebraska (K. Johnson) have bought into what Riley is selling. That was a HUGE hurdle he had to over come when Bo left and it appears he has gotten over it (at least for now).

The players seem to have the right attitude. That can go a very long ways to helping this program and them as players be successful.