Does Nebraska need to be "different" to be on top again?

Sker4Ever

Sker4Ever

Special Teams Player
Do you think that Nebraska needs to be unique in college football to return to greatness? I don't mean specifically returning to the option, but that would be an example of being different. If Langs and Riley offense were to run how they want I'd imagine it looking very much like Washington. Balanced, multiple, and a chess match. Can that realistically work here with the inherent disadvantages or does Nebraska need to have a unique identity to return to relevance?

 
Well being average isn't getting us any close to winning a conference title/playoff berth. So yeah, I would like to see something get spiced up.

Go talk Beamer out of retirement to come coach our Special Teams.

 
Yeah, we probably do. Even if we would have kept Clownahan around for several more years insisting on a new defensive coordinator, we probably wouldn't be any better off. We will never consistently recruit top 10 recruiting classes year in and year out. I know Nebraska high school football has changed some over the last couple of decades, but I've gotta think we have at least a hand full or two of potential great run blocking offensive linemen. Other than Suh, some of our best defensive linemen in the past decade have been from or near Nebraska. We have to win the trench war before we ever will be successful.

It's not that we can't be successful running a pass heavy offense. However, we'll be a lot like KState if we do. We'll be just one injury away from everything going down hill. I'm sure we can land one great highly sought after QB, but it will only be once every three or four years. We've had some pretty good/great receivers lately, but I don't think we'll be able to recruit well enough to continue being very deep there either.

Some of our highest ranking recruiting classes have been filled primarily with skill position players. This isn't what's going to get us over the hump. A great OL and DL will cover up deficiencies elsewhere almost every time. Look at just how many games we won in 2009 because of a great DL. I know a lot of people love to hate CM, but what he says about the OL is spot on. These guys are primarily going to have to come from within the 500 mile circle around Lincoln. There's not a lot of great pass blocking OL within that circle.

 
How different is Wisc or MSU? They have won at the Conference Championship level and have been in or near the playoff picture (except this year for MSU). They have an identity and recruit to it. Wisc isn't anything fancy but they have been successful. Not a every year success like Bama or OSU but they do consistently well enough to play often enough for the CCG with different coaches over the past 7 or so years.

I think we need to pick an identity, recruit to it only (don't worry about 5 stars who don't fit it), and then execute. Executing implies excellent coaching and mentoring. Think of Tom's team - everyone knew what we were going to do. We had a lot of 3 star players with enough 4 and 5s sprinkled in. But we executed so well - that not only takes good players but excellent coaching. Practice makes perfect IF the practice is perfect. Coaches make sure the practice is perfect. Look at our history since then

Frank had so so recruits but that was fading and his coaches were motivated like they were under Tom

BC - brought in some decent recruits but coaching was another story

Bo - recruiting never was great but then the coaching fell into the pits as Bo the maniac took over after all of BC's good recruits graduated.

MR - up grade in recruiting hopefully will see a match in coaching during the next 2 years.

On D I'd like to see much more team speed and recruit towards it. If that means turning RBs into LBs then so be it - recruit some athletes wt attitude on the D side and get the skill guys on O and build the OL pipeline again.

 
TGHusker said:
How different is Wisc or MSU? They have won at the Conference Championship level and have been in or near the playoff picture (except this year for MSU). They have an identity and recruit to it. Wisc isn't anything fancy but they have been successful. Not a every year success like Bama or OSU but they do consistently well enough to play often enough for the CCG with different coaches over the past 7 or so years.

I think we need to pick an identity, recruit to it only (don't worry about 5 stars who don't fit it), and then execute. Executing implies excellent coaching and mentoring. Think of Tom's team - everyone knew what we were going to do. We had a lot of 3 star players with enough 4 and 5s sprinkled in. But we executed so well - that not only takes good players but excellent coaching. Practice makes perfect IF the practice is perfect. Coaches make sure the practice is perfect. Look at our history since then

Frank had so so recruits but that was fading and his coaches were motivated like they were under Tom

BC - brought in some decent recruits but coaching was another story

Bo - recruiting never was great but then the coaching fell into the pits as Bo the maniac took over after all of BC's good recruits graduated.

MR - up grade in recruiting hopefully will see a match in coaching during the next 2 years.

On D I'd like to see much more team speed and recruit towards it. If that means turning RBs into LBs then so be it - recruit some athletes wt attitude on the D side and get the skill guys on O and build the OL pipeline again.
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I agree with having high school players change positions. Many of the best players are RBs in high school, but not good enough to play Power 5 RB. Get the best athletes, then figure out where to put them, with an emphasis on being fast.

 
Do we need to be "different" no. Using Wisconsin as an example. They have been competitive against everyone they've played for a couple years. With 3 and 4 star player's. We need player's that play 100% every play be it 3 star or 5 star player's. A 3 star that plays 100% will beat a 4 star playing 95% IMO.

Playing with 100% effort will make a mistake not look so bad.

 
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Just gotta follow the blueprint laid out by teams like Bama, Michigan, Ohio State -- shell out top dollar for a big-name coach that top recruits will actually want to come to Lincoln, Nebraska to play for. Only other option is to hope to catch lightning in a bottle with a young up-and-comer like Frost.

 
This is a great topic imo. If we can't compete in local area talent (which we won't) we have to be different absolutely.

Not by running gimmicky offenses though, in the way we evaluate and recruit prospects.

We have to do what Wisconsin seems to do year in and out, take 2 and 3 star prospects and develop them into all conference players. That along side our brand being able to grab 4 star and the occasional 5 star and we will be talking championships.

 
TGHusker said:
How different is Wisc or MSU? They have won at the Conference Championship level and have been in or near the playoff picture (except this year for MSU). They have an identity and recruit to it. Wisc isn't anything fancy but they have been successful. Not a every year success like Bama or OSU but they do consistently well enough to play often enough for the CCG with different coaches over the past 7 or so years.

I think we need to pick an identity, recruit to it only (don't worry about 5 stars who don't fit it), and then execute. Executing implies excellent coaching and mentoring. Think of Tom's team - everyone knew what we were going to do. We had a lot of 3 star players with enough 4 and 5s sprinkled in. But we executed so well - that not only takes good players but excellent coaching. Practice makes perfect IF the practice is perfect. Coaches make sure the practice is perfect. Look at our history since then

Frank had so so recruits but that was fading and his coaches were motivated like they were under Tom

BC - brought in some decent recruits but coaching was another story

Bo - recruiting never was great but then the coaching fell into the pits as Bo the maniac took over after all of BC's good recruits graduated.

MR - up grade in recruiting hopefully will see a match in coaching during the next 2 years.

On D I'd like to see much more team speed and recruit towards it. If that means turning RBs into LBs then so be it - recruit some athletes wt attitude on the D side and get the skill guys on O and build the OL pipeline again.
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This^. Being different means getting back to what NU was. Power football. Counters, traps, dives, PA passing game. Throw in a little option. Road grading OL hulks. Kids raised in the farm belt. On defense, recruit like McBride. Guys who could run, then hitters and lastly size. "If they couldnt fly, we didn't look at them". Recruit mean. Recruit nasty. Scour the country for skill guys. Get guys we can get ready with S&C and coaching.....Develop an identity in both scheme and mentality and recruit for that and only that. Much easier to recruit and build depth IMO, when we get a "plug and play scheme". i.e. not a shifty back, not a big back, not nickel backs...Recruit guys who can ball. Plain and simple.

The reality is this. Iowa and Wisky who have owned the West since we moved in are us. Or were us. Or we were them..... We have lost all of that identity. They face the same if not worse recruiting disadvantages that we have yet have performed better. (and its getting old) We have a richer history, better facilities, Lincoln, IMO, is better.........

 
Might work. I'm unsure. Sometimes I see Navy or GT running the option and beating teams w/ superior talent and it makes me wonder if Neb could revert to the option and have significant success.

 
I think the answer is yes.

Having a heavy run base, with option would help NU like it used to. This would allow NU to recruit athletes nation wide other teams arent looking at. Also would allow the team to make best use of big Nebraska farm boys, walk ons. Defensive ends, linebackers, Fullbacks. I backs from Omaha.

Reinstate the pipeline.

If you look at the old successful teams around 40% at any given time were Nebraska boys.

There have only been ten players in College football to win the Outland and Lombardi trophy. 4 of those were from Nebraska U. We need to get back to that!

 
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