Come on Husker fans. A loss to Minnesota wasn't all that big of a deal

[Guy Chamberlin]

Well my point was that all but one Frank Solich season would have been accecptable (or better) during the Tom Osborne years.

(I personally didn't think that 2001 team had national champion talent, and thought Solich did an impressive job slipping them into the NC game)

So it's really unfair to Frank to say he introduced acceptable mediocrity. Also, there were off-the-field reasons Frank was fired.

If Husker fans actually HAD accepted mediocrity, this board would be nearly empty.

I think we accepted that there was more parity in college football, and the turnaround from Callahan might not be easy. But I think we still expected to see something damn near immediately.

And we did.

Now we'd just like to get a whiff of improvement. Doesn't seem to be happening. That's the unacceptable part.

 

[AFhusker]

I don't get this "sense of entitlement." Disaproving of lackluster recruiting coupled with poor player development / S&C, bad PR, nepotism, not putting your players in a position to win, and the head coach telling the fans to "f" themselves is not entitlement. My favorite football team is a national laughinstock (mostly due to the 6 year constant soap opera that we have endured), and you're saying I shouldn't expect / demand better.

Why is demanding excellence / accountability / professionalism = entitlement? Can you honestly look at the current coaching staff and say that they have achieved any of these? When did accepting mediocrity become acceptable?

Some fans have put the perosona / the coach above the program. Nebraska football is much bigger than Bo Pelini.

Two words for you....Frank Solich.

1998. Transition year from Osborne. Nebraska goes 9 - 4, ends year ranked #19 after 3 pt. loss to #5 team in the nation.

1999. Nebraska goes 12 - 1, ranked #2 in the nation.

2000. Nebraska goes 10 - 2, ranked #7, beats Northwestern 66 - 17 in the Alamo Bowl.

2001. Nebraska goes 11 - 2, loses the national championship game to Miami, a rival to the '95 Huskers for the best college football team of all time. Ends season ranked #7.

2002. Wheels fall off. Nebraska goes 7 - 7.

2003. With same middling talent, Huskers rebound to go 10 - 3, end season ranked #18.

So other than 2002, which one of these Frank Solich seasons would you consider unacceptable?

He was handed MNC talent by Tom, and replaced it with the same level of talent that we have now. As you can tell, the results started to get worse and the blowouts started the more Frank had to use his own recruits. That kind of sounds like another coach I know? I wonder who that is? Not to mention he broke the streaks against Iowa State, Missouri, Kansas State (never won in Manhattan 2-4 overall) and Ok State.

2001-NU didn't deserve to go after getting trunkmonkeyed by Colorado 62-36 and not winning the division, let alone the conference. Then was embarrased again in the Rose Bowl by Miami, the wheels fell off in Boulder this year and that is when the Nebraska as we knew it died.

2002- You said enough about that season

The 2003 schedule was almost as easy as this year is. We only played two games against ranked apponents (#24 oSu won 17-7, they ended up unranked, and #16 Texas and lost 31-7) We also lost to KSU in Lincoln 38-9 (the infamous game when the staidum was empty during the 4th qtr) and they ended up ranked #14. We also lost to unranked Mizzou 41-24. So going by the end of year rankings, we only played two ranked teams and lost by a combined 69-16. If you look at the offensive stats, they were better in 2002, than they were in 2003. So what is so special about that 10-3 record again? It is the same stuff that we have been putting up with Bo for the last two years after BC's recruits left.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

I don't get this "sense of entitlement." Disaproving of lackluster recruiting coupled with poor player development / S&C, bad PR, nepotism, not putting your players in a position to win, and the head coach telling the fans to "f" themselves is not entitlement. My favorite football team is a national laughinstock (mostly due to the 6 year constant soap opera that we have endured), and you're saying I shouldn't expect / demand better.

Why is demanding excellence / accountability / professionalism = entitlement? Can you honestly look at the current coaching staff and say that they have achieved any of these? When did accepting mediocrity become acceptable?

Some fans have put the perosona / the coach above the program. Nebraska football is much bigger than Bo Pelini.

Two words for you....Frank Solich.

1998. Transition year from Osborne. Nebraska goes 9 - 4, ends year ranked #19 after 3 pt. loss to #5 team in the nation.

1999. Nebraska goes 12 - 1, ranked #2 in the nation.

2000. Nebraska goes 10 - 2, ranked #7, beats Northwestern 66 - 17 in the Alamo Bowl.

2001. Nebraska goes 11 - 2, loses the national championship game to Miami, a rival to the '95 Huskers for the best college football team of all time. Ends season ranked #7.

2002. Wheels fall off. Nebraska goes 7 - 7.

2003. With same middling talent, Huskers rebound to go 10 - 3, end season ranked #18.

So other than 2002, which one of these Frank Solich seasons would you consider unacceptable?

He was handed MNC talent by Tom, and replaced it with the same level of talent that we have now. As you can tell, the results started to get worse and the blowouts started the more Frank had to use his own recruits. That kind of sounds like another coach I know? I wonder who that is? Not to mention he broke the streaks against Iowa State, Missouri, Kansas State (never won in Manhattan 2-4 overall) and Ok State.

2001-NU didn't deserve to go after getting trunkmonkeyed by Colorado 62-36 and not winning the division, let alone the conference. Then was embarrased again in the Rose Bowl by Miami, the wheels fell off in Boulder this year and that is when the Nebraska as we knew it died.

2002- You said enough about that season

The 2003 schedule was almost as easy as this year is. We only played two games against ranked apponents (#24 oSu won 17-7, they ended up unranked, and #16 Texas and lost 31-7) We also lost to KSU in Lincoln 38-9 (the infamous game when the staidum was empty during the 4th qtr) and they ended up ranked #14. We also lost to unranked Mizzou 41-24. So going by the end of year rankings, we only played two ranked teams and lost by a combined 69-16. If you look at the offensive stats, they were better in 2002, than they were in 2003. So what is so special about that 10-3 record again? It is the same stuff that we have been putting up with Bo for the last two years after BC's recruits left.

Tom Osborne also inherited national championship talent from Bob Devaney. 2001 was pretty similar to the way Osborne got schooled by Oklahoma and Bowl Opponent some years.

So other than 2002, how many Pelini seasons would you trade for Solich seasons?

The fact that you and a lot of people thought it was time for Solich to go in 2003 confirms that Frank Solich most definitely didn't make mediocrity acceptable.

Bo Pelini made mediocrity acceptable because so many people wanted to blame Bill Callahan for everything. We kept seeing improvement - or making excuses for Bo - the last four seasons when it really wasn't there. It was always the next season when the pieces were gonna fall into place. Until last Saturday when it seemed like nothing was going to change.

 

[AFhusker]

I don't get this "sense of entitlement." Disaproving of lackluster recruiting coupled with poor player development / S&C, bad PR, nepotism, not putting your players in a position to win, and the head coach telling the fans to "f" themselves is not entitlement. My favorite football team is a national laughinstock (mostly due to the 6 year constant soap opera that we have endured), and you're saying I shouldn't expect / demand better.

Why is demanding excellence / accountability / professionalism = entitlement? Can you honestly look at the current coaching staff and say that they have achieved any of these? When did accepting mediocrity become acceptable?

Some fans have put the perosona / the coach above the program. Nebraska football is much bigger than Bo Pelini.

Two words for you....Frank Solich.

1998. Transition year from Osborne. Nebraska goes 9 - 4, ends year ranked #19 after 3 pt. loss to #5 team in the nation.

1999. Nebraska goes 12 - 1, ranked #2 in the nation.

2000. Nebraska goes 10 - 2, ranked #7, beats Northwestern 66 - 17 in the Alamo Bowl.

2001. Nebraska goes 11 - 2, loses the national championship game to Miami, a rival to the '95 Huskers for the best college football team of all time. Ends season ranked #7.

2002. Wheels fall off. Nebraska goes 7 - 7.

2003. With same middling talent, Huskers rebound to go 10 - 3, end season ranked #18.

So other than 2002, which one of these Frank Solich seasons would you consider unacceptable?

He was handed MNC talent by Tom, and replaced it with the same level of talent that we have now. As you can tell, the results started to get worse and the blowouts started the more Frank had to use his own recruits. That kind of sounds like another coach I know? I wonder who that is? Not to mention he broke the streaks against Iowa State, Missouri, Kansas State (never won in Manhattan 2-4 overall) and Ok State.

2001-NU didn't deserve to go after getting trunkmonkeyed by Colorado 62-36 and not winning the division, let alone the conference. Then was embarrased again in the Rose Bowl by Miami, the wheels fell off in Boulder this year and that is when the Nebraska as we knew it died.

2002- You said enough about that season

The 2003 schedule was almost as easy as this year is. We only played two games against ranked apponents (#24 oSu won 17-7, they ended up unranked, and #16 Texas and lost 31-7) We also lost to KSU in Lincoln 38-9 (the infamous game when the staidum was empty during the 4th qtr) and they ended up ranked #14. We also lost to unranked Mizzou 41-24. So going by the end of year rankings, we only played two ranked teams and lost by a combined 69-16. If you look at the offensive stats, they were better in 2002, than they were in 2003. So what is so special about that 10-3 record again? It is the same stuff that we have been putting up with Bo for the last two years after BC's recruits left.

Tom Osborne also inherited national championship talent from Bob Devaney. 2001 was pretty similar to the way Osborne got schooled by Oklahoma and Bowl Opponent some years.

So other than 2002, how many Pelini seasons would you trade for Solich seasons?

The fact that you and a lot of people thought it was time for Solich to go in 2003 confirms that Frank Solich most definitely didn't make mediocrity acceptable.

Bo Pelini made mediocrity acceptable because so many people wanted to blame Bill Callahan for everything. We kept seeing improvement - or making excuses for Bo - the last four seasons when it really wasn't there. It was always the next season when the pieces were gonna fall into place. Until last Saturday when it seemed like nothing was going to change.

Who couldn't win when they are handed a Heisman trophy QB, even if he had to throw a temper tantrum for Frank to realize that he was light years better than Newcombe. I actually think that Frank should have gotten one more year so the 2004 season could be blamed on the right coach and he would have been the one to add the bowl streak with all of those other streaks that he broke mainly because he allowed the program to get lazy/complacent.

I am totally with you on that last line, I really liked Bo his first few years with Bill's players. He did a great job getting the most out of them and winning games he had no business winning. But he followed the Frank Solich book of recruiting and we are now seeing the result. That is why I fell of the Bo bandwagon two years ago. It was Déjà vu all over again, I thought Frank was back.

 

[True2tRA]

We screwed up in firing Frank in my opinion. End of story on that deal for me.

Anyway, I was talking to my father in law the other night and he brought up a guy I had kind of forgotten about but I now realize we might miss more than any former coach here. Mike Ekeler. I mean, don't you guys think a guy like him is just what we need right now? Not just because he's a great coach but he just brings that fire too. That fun, hop up and down get fired up kind of guy we used to see. Seems like its been downhill since he left. Downhill even with better talent at Lber in my opinion. Either way, I'm excited to see Rose at MLBer and see if he can bring the same knowledge and passion that Ekeler brought to this group.

 

[Hammerhead]

Everybody acts like if we get rid of Bo Pelini, we'll never find a coach who's A) better than Bo and B) actually willing to come to Nebraska.

A is false because there are a lot of other coaches out there doing great things with schools that haven't been relevant until now. Those guys didn't just appear out of thin air.

B is false because Nebraska isn't the only place where people actually have expectations. What do you think they're going to expect at Alabama if Saban leaves? How about OSU? They're gonna want the same thing they're getting from Urban Meyer from the next coach, and they're not gonna be happy with anything else. High expectations don't keep good coaches from considering an offer from a school, especially if the offer is good enough. Besides, do we want a coach who doesn't think he can win 10+ games a year, win at least one conference championship, and field a team that doesn't crap the bed when the spotlight's on? I sure as hell don't.

 

[TheSker]

I think this thread shows in part two things.....1) how much damage was done in 2003, and 2) we still might not have learned from it.

 

[In the Deed the Glory]

I think this thread shows just how much the "participation" trophies have hurt the American psyche.

I am so sick of the rampant defeatism that is running through not only this topic but the nation in general. Stop with the self-loathing, nobody of any consequence is interested in me, I guess I will settle for what I perceive is the best I can achieve, anybody else that aims higher is delusional. That is bullsh#t.

This country, and football program, were built on the backs of people who believed they could achieve whatever they want and they wouldn't stop because they had reached the level that they felt was achievable. They kept pushing.

STOP COMPARING THIS TO 2003. That is so out of touch with reality. We were 2 years out from 11 wins, a Heisman winner, and a NC game. 4 years out from a conference championship. We are now 14 years from a conference crown and haven't even won 11 games since we fired Solich.

For all of you that don't think we can get a better coach than Bo. FRANK SOLICH IS A BETTER FOOTBALL COACH THAN BO PELINI. I think there are many coaches better than Solich, and if we are willing to pay $4 million/year we can get a good one. Money talks, and bullsh#t walks. Some of you are doing a lot of walking right now here on Huskerboard.

The state of this program right now and the guy in charge is not comparable to 2003. Solich had Nebraska competitive for a National Championship in 3 of his 6 seasons. Pelini has Nebraska competing for division crowns in arguably the weakest division in football (twice if you count the Big 12 North). Callahan shouldn't have permanently dropped our expectations to that.

Stop letting the defeatism blind you to the truth, we don't have to settle for this.

 

[AFhusker]

I think this thread shows just how much the "participation" trophies have hurt the American psyche.

I am so sick of the rampant defeatism that is running through not only this topic but the nation in general. Stop with the self-loathing, nobody of any consequence is interested in me, I guess I will settle for what I perceive is the best I can achieve, anybody else that aims higher is delusional. That is bullsh#t.

This country, and football program, were built on the backs of people who believed they could achieve whatever they want and they wouldn't stop because they had reached the level that they felt was achievable. They kept pushing.

STOP COMPARING THIS TO 2003. That is so out of touch with reality. We were 2 years out from 11 wins, a Heisman winner, and a NC game. 4 years out from a conference championship. We are now 14 years from a conference crown and haven't even won 11 games since we fired Solich.

For all of you that don't think we can get a better coach than Bo. FRANK SOLICH IS A BETTER FOOTBALL COACH THAN BO PELINI. I think there are many coaches better than Solich, and if we are willing to pay $4 million/year we can get a good one. Money talks, and bullsh#t walks. Some of you are doing a lot of walking right now here on Huskerboard.

The state of this program right now and the guy in charge is not comparable to 2003. Solich had Nebraska competitive for a National Championship in 3 of his 6 seasons. Pelini has Nebraska competing for division crowns in arguably the weakest division in football (twice if you count the Big 12 North). Callahan shouldn't have permanently dropped our expectations to that.

Stop letting the defeatism blind you to the truth, we don't have to settle for this.

I 100% agree with this statment and I also believe that this is what is really wrong with our fanbase.

 

[TheSker]

I'm fine with the blank check concept.....not my money, right? And it might need to be closer to $6 million when you add in another $1 million per coordinator. I'm all for getting into a bidding war for another coach.....it will tell us what the market value of our program is. If Pelini is let go, then he is. I'm just saying if he is, my expectation would be the program jumps immediately.....not in year 2 or year 3 of a new coaches tenure. And saying we shouldn't have fired Solich......which I'm not going to either agree nor disagree with at this point......proves exactly the point I was making when I ask the question "did we learn nothing from 2003?".

 

[T_O_Bull]

Have no idea who this J.P. SCOTT is but I have always thought that "Know it all," is a derogatory term much like jacka$$, which he obviously is. T_O_B