Does MR need to reshuffle the coaching staff or keep it the same?

[InOmaha]

He should have made changes on offense like he did on defense in the off season.  It's too late now and the entire staff with churn again because of it.   If nothing else, tear out the pages of the playbook that include passes to the sidelines when we get in the red zone.  It's sad when we have a better shot at winning a game if we punt on our first series then we do if we drive down to the 10. 

 

[ColoradoHusk]

I like Frost, so yeah, I don't know. I guess it's not really my call to make. I kind of figure Frost has a long road ahead of him and there's a decent argument that the lights are pretty big for him right now to be at Nebraska. There'll be time for a homecoming. Or maybe it's Frost's time. I can't really complain, either way.

If we do make a move for Frost that's really about putting all our chips in and pulling the plug on the Riley era on the basis of timing. Frost would then hopefully be able to get the space and patience that Riley never got, given that there's no rival Husker alum coach out there that I'm aware of. 

Guys, it's been a dang long time since we've been a top program. We need to stop assuming we're playing by the Alabama or Ohio State rulebook of hiring the right elite coach and then vaulting back up immediately. Instead we might look at blueprints like Michigan State, TCU, Wisconsin -- sound programs that laid foundation, had patience with solid coaches, through the tough years. Those programs didn't get to where they are today by idolizing #9wins. They stay the course. If it's Riley great. If it's Frost great. As long as these are good, conscientious coaches who recruit and rep well and are fun to follow, I'm down for the 9 win years, the 11 win years, the 5 win years. It's all part of the tide. 

Mark Dantonio went 6-7 in his third year and 3-9 in 2016. I don't care about statistical "research", which rarely considers confounders. Specific trends are made to be broken.

Mark Dantonio went 7-6 in his first year and 9-4 in his second year at MSU, taking over for John L. Smith who went 5-6 and 4-8 the 2 years preceding Dantonio.  Dantonio IMPROVED MICHIGAN STATE right away.  Riley HASN'T IMPROVED Nebraska, and based on historical data would probably never do so.  Riley has shown the coach he is, and he's a bad football coach.  I know you like him because he's a nice guy, but he's still a bad football coach for Nebraska.

 

[Ratt Mhule]

Well for conversation sake, the 1% chance that Riley keeps his job for another year he needs to fire pretty much the entire offensive side of the ball and that includes having Williams on the hot seat and if his players dont start producing/improving he needs to be gone. Ive defended Williams for the last couple weeks but after this last game, the way our receivers played, he deserves the hot seat. 

Defensive side of the ball is fine for one more year at least. New scheme, new DC. But Williams, Diaco, Bray and Booker all need to be on hot seat for next year. Our secondary is terrible. Terrible tacklers. Terrible at turning and finding the ball. Terrible at covering their guy. Williams is a good recruiter but we need someone that can coach tackling and good secondary play. Ive seen enough missed tackles from Lamar Jackson, Dicaprio Bootle and Eric Lee to last a lifetime. Linebackers have not improved from year 1. In fact, I think getting worse. There was a little jump from Pelini regime to Riley regime which is why people, including myself, thought Bray was a great coach. Now he is just average to me. Very expendable. So to answer your question, the only safe staff member this year is Parrella. 

 

[zoogs]

Guys always have goodwill in our eyes before they come in here and lose some games, which was always going to happen in the aftermath of the Bo era (probably). The proper standard is where you're going, so if you're looking at other metrics you're looking in the wrong place.

I think we had a decent, fundamentally solid group of coaches here. Projecting forward to a Frost staff, I really can't imagine how much more or less they can be expected to be. Are we going to get an OL coach that isn't getting intense heat if his line in 2019 isn't pipeline-level stout? If Nebraska drops a lot of close games? Coordinators that we won't question their ability to call a pee-wee game? We're fans and so we think that if you just fire enough guys and bring in new ones, we'll stop with that bulls#!t. But we won't. We can't help ourselves.

 

[Toe]

"The head coach is responsible for the defense and kicking game and the whole deal. That's why you're the head coach. You're responsible for hiring those people, so I was not going to tell Bill Callahan who he had to keep and who he had to let go. Bill Callahan is where the buck stops."

 - Tom Osborne, on what he said when Callahan asked him if he wanted Cosgrove to be fired

Riley needs to WIN. Ultimately, I don't really care how he does it - that's almost beside the point.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Guys always have goodwill in our eyes before they come in here and lose some games, which was always going to happen in the aftermath of the Bo era (probably). The proper standard is where you're going, so if you're looking at other metrics you're looking in the wrong place.

I think we had a decent, fundamentally solid group of coaches here. Projecting forward to a Frost staff, I really can't imagine how much more or less they can be expected to be. Are we going to get an OL coach that isn't getting intense heat if his line in 2019 isn't pipeline-level stout? If Nebraska drops a lot of close games? Coordinators that we won't question their ability to call a pee-wee game? We're fans and so we think that if you just fire enough guys and bring in new ones, we'll stop with that bulls#!t. But we won't. We can't help ourselves.

Our point to firing Riley is that he has shown in his 3 years that he's not making progress to turn NU into a championship contender.  If anything, he's going backwards.  So, based on Riley's ACTUAL RESULTS, he needs to be fired and someone else should be given a chance, whether it's Scott Frost or another viable candidate.

 

[junior4949]

We pulled the plug on a guy who never won fewer than nine.  We hired a guy who will have two losing seasons in three years.  If you want to compare our situation to Michigan State, then let's compare it.  Before Mark Dantonio was announced as coach, Michigan State had three losing seasons in four years.  This sounds very similar to what our next coach will inherit rather than what Riley inherited.  Riley inherited a team that had won nine or more games for seven consecutive years.  If you look at Dantonio's winning percentage, you'd have to go back to the late 40's to early 50's to see a Michigan State coach with as high of winning percentage.  How far back do we have to go to find a Nebraska coach with a higher winning percentage than Riley? 

I'll be the first to admit that we've made poor decisions in the past when it comes to the football program.  We fired two winning coaches.  However, this isn't what we're dealing with now.  We're dealing with a 64 year old coach who has made several staff changes in the last couple of years who still can't find a way to win.  If there was a chance Frost would still be there a year or two from now, I could live with giving Riley another year or two.  Frost will not be available in a year or two.  We either strike while the iron is hot, or we don't strike at all. 

 

[alwayshusking]

Mike needs to worry about his own butt making it through the season. If the Huskers get whacked 62-3 again he might not get through the bye week.

 

[lo country]

IMO, the only way Riley could remotely stay is to fire Langs and Cav now.  Go 7-5 at worse with close losses to PSU and OSU. Blame the complete lack of quality wins on his incompetent best friends that he bought with him from OSU....Oddly enough, prior to Langs heading to NY, Riley took over play calling duties.  The fact he brought Langs with him is really all I need to know about Riley's coaching abilities.....

Like @Toe mentioned above, the buck ultimately stops with Riley.  His hires, his plans, recruits wins and losses.......

I think SE was fired so the new AD could get a new coach....If Riley stays for some reason, like a miracle, I feel confident that it will be with a new staff..... 

 

[LaFlamaBlanca]

I know this is far fetched but lets create a dream scenario.... Fire DL and bring in Scott Frost as OC, with stipulations that he becomes the head coach in the next 1-2 years. Keeps Riley in the fold to help land a good 2018 class but also lets his geriatric behind ride gracefully into retirement, instead of being abruptly fired, which he may go for. Kind of like a poor mans Riley-Stoops scenario. 

This depends on if they feel this 2018 class could really be a game changer in terms of the future of the program. If not, can the old nice man and lets get Frosty.

I also think Diaco, both Williams' and Parella should carry over to the next staff. Obviously have the ability to recruit and I think we have seen glimpses of whats to come in Diaco's system. I think we will see a really good defense next year (if side show Bob is still around)

 

[ColoradoHusk]

I know this is far fetched but lets create a dream scenario.... Fire DL and bring in Scott Frost as OC, with stipulations that he becomes the head coach in the next 1-2 years. Keeps Riley in the fold to help land a good 2018 class but also lets his geriatric behind ride gracefully into retirement, instead of being abruptly fired, which he may go for. Kind of like a poor mans Riley-Stoops scenario. 

This depends on if they feel this 2018 class could really be a game changer in terms of the future of the program. If not, can the old nice man and lets get Frosty.

I also think Diaco, both Williams' and Parella should carry over to the next staff. Obviously have the ability to recruit and I think we have seen glimpses of whats to come in Diaco's system. I think we will see a really good defense next year (if side show Bob is still around)

Frost is a head coach at a school that is just below the P5 level.  He's not going to come in as offensive coordinator.  This is just idiotic.

 

[LaFlamaBlanca]

Frost is a head coach at a school that is just below the P5 level.  He's not going to come in as offensive coordinator.  This is just idiotic.

I know this is far fetched but lets create a dream scenario.... Fire DL and bring in Scott Frost as OC, with stipulations that he becomes the head coach in the next 1-2 years. Keeps Riley in the fold to help land a good 2018 class but also lets his geriatric behind ride gracefully into retirement, instead of being abruptly fired, which he may go for. Kind of like a poor mans Riley-Stoops scenario. 

 

[junior4949]

Especially when he could be a head coach in the SEC next year.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

I know this is far fetched but lets create a dream scenario.... Fire DL and bring in Scott Frost as OC, with stipulations that he becomes the head coach in the next 1-2 years. Keeps Riley in the fold to help land a good 2018 class but also lets his geriatric behind ride gracefully into retirement, instead of being abruptly fired, which he may go for. Kind of like a poor mans Riley-Stoops scenario. 

Then why did you even make the post?

EDIT:  How is that even a dream scenario?  Frost has run a completely different offensive system than Riley prefers, and how would that exactly work out with recruits that you are trying to save for this year?

 

[alwayshusking]

I like Frost, so yeah, I don't know. I guess it's not really my call to make. I kind of figure Frost has a long road ahead of him and there's a decent argument that the lights are pretty big for him right now to be at Nebraska. There'll be time for a homecoming. Or maybe it's Frost's time. I can't really complain, either way.

If we do make a move for Frost that's really about putting all our chips in and pulling the plug on the Riley era on the basis of timing. Frost would then hopefully be able to get the space and patience that Riley never got, given that there's no rival Husker alum coach out there that I'm aware of. 

Guys, it's been a dang long time since we've been a top program. We need to stop assuming we're playing by the Alabama or Ohio State rulebook of hiring the right elite coach and then vaulting back up immediately. Instead we might look at blueprints like Michigan State, TCU, Wisconsin -- sound programs that laid foundation, had patience with solid coaches, through the tough years. Those programs didn't get to where they are today by idolizing #9wins. They stay the course. If it's Riley great. If it's Frost great. As long as these are good, conscientious coaches who recruit and rep well and are fun to follow, I'm down for the 9 win years, the 11 win years, the 5 win years. It's all part of the tide. 

Mark Dantonio went 6-7 in his third year and 3-9 in 2016. I don't care about statistical "research", which rarely considers confounders. Specific trends are made to be broken. By the way, if Frost doesn't break out by year 3, are we supposed to support pulling the plug on that experiment? Whenever/if ever he gets here, I sure hope not.

I think the difference with Dantonio is he did make them better than they were those first two years. Even in year 3 they were better than where they were in 2006. So while there wasn't perfect linear progress there was overall progress. 

We got worse immediately under Riley and have trended downward. And he'll be 65 next season, how much time do we want to invest in a guy like that? A guy that may have 5 losing seasons in his last 8 years?