Do we need top 5 classes to be successful?

[junior4949]

People have been saying something to this effect for years with every new coaching hire OSU has had. Trouble is they have never been down outside of the very rare single season.

Ohio State is like the one single program who has never had a down period in the modern era. 

Most Ohio State fans would not agree with the bolded.  They call them the John Cooper years. 

 

[Jeremy]

Callahan had a top 5 class, and we know how that turned out. I hope these kids Frost is bringing in now are studs, but all I'm hoping for is 6 wins and a bowl. 

The good news is that history has shown good coaches can turn things around, albeit somewhat slowly in our case. 

Saban went 6-6 his 1st year with a home loss to mighty Louisiana Monroe. That gives me hope for future success because I'd like to think Frost is as good a coach as old Nick Saban. 

 

[Hedley Lamarr]

Callahan had a top 5 class, and we know how that turned out. I hope these kids Frost is bringing in now are studs, but all I'm hoping for is 6 wins and a bowl. 

The good news is that history has shown good coaches can turn things around, albeit somewhat slowly in our case. 

Saban went 6-6 his 1st year with a home loss to mighty Louisiana Monroe. That gives me hope for future success because I'd like to thank Frost is as good a coach as old nick Saban. 

Callahan did have a top 5 class and the result was one of the best defenses in the country once they had someone who could match talent with scheme. 

 

[southernoregonhusker]

If we're using history as our guide, then Oregon's run up to their National Championship appearance in 2014 has to be the best comparison. They went something like 30, 12, 12, 14, 19 in the years leading up to it. So, I'd say we need consistent top 15 classes. Also, you could say that had Oregon had consistency at coaching it may have helped result in an eventual NC.

Oregon's bugaboo was they couldn't get any good sized defensive linemen.  Their offense masked that deficiency until they played really good teams like Auburn, Ohio State, etc.  

 

[OTHusker]

Callahan had a top 5 class, and we know how that turned out. I hope these kids Frost is bringing in now are studs, but all I'm hoping for is 6 wins and a bowl. 

The good news is that history has shown good coaches can turn things around, albeit somewhat slowly in our case. 

Saban went 6-6 his 1st year with a home loss to mighty Louisiana Monroe. That gives me hope for future success because I'd like to thank Frost is as good a coach as old nick Saban. 

Winning helps

nebraska handily beats:

southern alabama

illinois

maryland

northern illinois

nebraska wins with room:

colorado

indiana

minnesota

thats 7 wins 

nebraska wins half of the 50/50 games:

purdue at home

iowa at home

northwestern at home

nebraska wins one where we are the underdog:

wisconsin at home

osu at home

bowl game 50/50 

lots of momentum and a heisman talked about qb in 2020 makes a team with 9-11 wins pretty hot commodity in the recruiting game

easily top 15

 

[Jeremy]

Callahan did have a top 5 class and the result was one of the best defenses in the country once they had someone who could match talent with scheme. 

Was that 09 defense mostly Callahan's top 5 class? I suppose maybe Prince, Suh, Thenarse, Turner and Dillard. But Asante, Hagg, Gomes, Allen, Crick, Dennard, Lawrence, O'Hanlon (walk-on), West; I don't know about them. Also, didn't they convert Cody Glenn into a LB the year before because of the glaring need there? A top 5 class is a big deal, but some of the hype is contrived. We should know that better than most. 

 

[Jeremy]

Winning helps

nebraska handily beats:

southern alabama

illinois

maryland

northern illinois

nebraska wins with room:

colorado

indiana

minnesota

thats 7 wins 

nebraska wins half of the 50/50 games:

purdue at home

iowa at home

northwestern at home

nebraska wins one where we are the underdog:

wisconsin at home

osu at home

bowl game 50/50 

lots of momentum and a heisman talked about qb in 2020 makes a team with 9-11 wins pretty hot commodity in the recruiting game

easily top 15

I like your optimism, and I hope you're right, but I have learned after Southern Miss 04, SDSU 10, Illinois 15, Northern Illinois 17, and Troy 18 NEVER to put a W down before the boys in Red have the lead with triple zeroes on the clock. And even then it isn't totally sure. (texas 09)

 

[OTHusker]

I like your optimism, and I hope you're right, but I have learned after Southern Miss 04, SDSU 10, Illinois 15, Northern Illinois 17, and Troy 18 NEVER to put a W down before the boys in Red have the lead with triple zeroes on the clock. And even then it isn't totally sure. (texas 09)

I’m not that guy

i had us on 6 wins this season 

and 5 in 2017 

 

[Mavric]

Was that 09 defense mostly Callahan's top 5 class? I suppose maybe Prince, Suh, Thenarse, Turner and Dillard. But Asante, Hagg, Gomes, Allen, Crick, Dennard, Lawrence, O'Hanlon (walk-on), West; I don't know about them. Also, didn't they convert Cody Glenn into a LB the year before because of the glaring need there? A top 5 class is a big deal, but some of the hype is contrived. We should know that better than most. 

The Top 5 rating was a bit contrived.  It was greatly helped by taking 32 commits.  Probably didn't hurt that Callahan was good buddies with one of the big-wigs at Rivals as well.  Looking at the 247 Composite, it didn't have any more 4/5 stars than Pelini had in the middle of his time here.  Plus the averages star rating was less, though that is tougher to maintain with more recruits.  And it wasn't like that class produced a bunch of four-star studs - there were plenty of busts (just like most classes) with Rodney Picou, Chris Brooks and Harrison Beck not exactly turning into household names.

That being said, the class did have some headliners.  Marlon Lucky was a consensus five-star.  Rivals also had Zach Bowman as a five-star (though he was gone by the time Pelini got here).  And Suh was obviously the stud of the class as a high-four-star.  

But as to @Hedley Lamarr's claim that the 2005 class resulted in one of the best defenses in the country, I don't think that's really the case.  Suh and Dillard were the two leading tacklers.  Turner was a very solid starter.  But those were the only three left from the 2005 class by the time 2009 rolled around.  The other defenders in the class were mostly gone by 2009 - Potter, Bowman, Glenn, Dagunduro, Cryer - or non-contributors.

 

[Huskers93-97]

The Top 5 rating was a bit contrived.  It was greatly helped by taking 32 commits.  Probably didn't hurt that Callahan was good buddies with one of the big-wigs at Rivals as well.  Looking at the 247 Composite, it didn't have any more 4/5 stars than Pelini had in the middle of his time here.  Plus the averages star rating was less, though that is tougher to maintain with more recruits.  And it wasn't like that class produced a bunch of four-star studs - there were plenty of busts (just like most classes) with Rodney Picou, Chris Brooks and Harrison Beck not exactly turning into household names.

That being said, the class did have some headliners.  Marlon Lucky was a consensus five-star.  Rivals also had Zach Bowman as a five-star (though he was gone by the time Pelini got here).  And Suh was obviously the stud of the class as a high-four-star.  

But as to @Hedley Lamarr's claim that the 2005 class resulted in one of the best defenses in the country, I don't think that's really the case.  Suh and Dillard were the two leading tacklers.  Turner was a very solid starter.  But those were the only three left from the 2005 class by the time 2009 rolled around.  The other defenders in the class were mostly gone by 2009 - Potter, Bowman, Glenn, Dagunduro, Cryer - or non-contributors.

I like the analysis. But to be fair the 09 defense was basically Suh then our DBs. Without Suh you have 2010. Good but not elite. 1 Guy was that good 

 

[ColoradoHusk]

I like the analysis. But to be fair the 09 defense was basically Suh then our DBs. Without Suh you have 2010. Good but not elite. 1 Guy was that good 

I know Suh took the most attention of the opposing o-lines, but Crick and Pierre Allen were also All Big 12 in 2009.  Bo was able to play D with 4 stud d-linemen, one good LB, and 6 DB’s. Gomes and Hagg took the D to a different level when they started playing more. 

 

[Nebfanatic]

I know Suh took the most attention of the opposing o-lines, but Crick and Pierre Allen were also All Big 12 in 2009.  Bo was able to play D with 4 stud d-linemen, one good LB, and 6 DB’s. Gomes and Hagg took the D to a different level when they started playing more. 

Yep I always remember how beastly those two were. They were playmakers and allowed Bo to play that peso D. Loved watching those 2

 

[Mavric]

I like the analysis. But to be fair the 09 defense was basically Suh then our DBs. Without Suh you have 2010. Good but not elite. 1 Guy was that good 

One one hand, Suh was obviously a once-in-a-generation (at most) player.  But that still doesn't prove the statement that the 2005 class was was the foundation of the 2009 defense.  All that says was that Suh was the foundation of the defense.

Second, I think you're being a bit harsh on the 2010 defense.  The 2010 defense was still #11 in the country in Total Defense (2009 was #7).  There were only a handful of Power 5 teams ahead of us (Ohio State, Alabama, Texas, and Florida). 

"Elite" is up to semantics.  But that's pretty darn good.

 

[Hedley Lamarr]

The Top 5 rating was a bit contrived.  It was greatly helped by taking 32 commits.  Probably didn't hurt that Callahan was good buddies with one of the big-wigs at Rivals as well.  Looking at the 247 Composite, it didn't have any more 4/5 stars than Pelini had in the middle of his time here.  Plus the averages star rating was less, though that is tougher to maintain with more recruits.  And it wasn't like that class produced a bunch of four-star studs - there were plenty of busts (just like most classes) with Rodney Picou, Chris Brooks and Harrison Beck not exactly turning into household names.

That being said, the class did have some headliners.  Marlon Lucky was a consensus five-star.  Rivals also had Zach Bowman as a five-star (though he was gone by the time Pelini got here).  And Suh was obviously the stud of the class as a high-four-star.  

But as to @Hedley Lamarr's claim that the 2005 class resulted in one of the best defenses in the country, I don't think that's really the case.  Suh and Dillard were the two leading tacklers.  Turner was a very solid starter.  But those were the only three left from the 2005 class by the time 2009 rolled around.  The other defenders in the class were mostly gone by 2009 - Potter, Bowman, Glenn, Dagunduro, Cryer - or non-contributors.

Callahan's recruiting provided the vast majority of bodies for the elite defense we observed with Bo. Obviously the 09 class wasnt the only contributing class but it did provide the foundation known as Suh. 

 

[Jeremy]

Yep I always remember how beastly those two were. They were playmakers and allowed Bo to play that peso D. Loved watching those 2

A little off topic, but along the lines of how a program needs accountability and top-notch coaching to compliment recruiting. 

Pelini's peso was a great scheme and taylor-made to slow down the Big XII's spread systems, but we don't have that luxury in the B1G. One week we'll be facing the big bully lines and play action of Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa or Michigan State, but then the next have to prepare for the spread attacks of Ohio State, Purdue, Indiana, and Northwestern . (And now others are having to deal with our spread attack, as well.) 

One could make a compelling argument that defense is as big a task in the B1G as any other conference, probably tougher than the Big XII for sure.