ESPN: Is Nebraska making progress or starting over? Answer will come soon enough
- Thread starter Saunders
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junior4949
All-American
On offense, no we are not starting over. I think there's been some pretty decent progress being made on the offensive side of the ball. On defense, yes we are starting over. This is why things were a bit rough Saturday. I don't think many people thought Diaco was just going to come in here and wave a magic wand. The defense will get better this year. However, it will probably be sometime next season before the lights really go on. Bo didn't just walk in back in 08' and immediately fix the defense. It was after about three or so games into his second season that we were defensively where we wanted to be. The offense is probably going to have to carry a lot of the load this year.
RedDenver
Heisman Trophy Winner
That is far we have fallen, the urgency to win is gone from the fan base. It is always focused on the future that somehow is always better to win then, than right now.
ColoradoHusk
Heisman Trophy Winner
I don't know if it's a strange calm, but I am just not very confident going into the Oregon game. I almost expect a big loss at this point.
junior4949
All-American
I don't know about big loss, but I think we can expect a shootout.
Roll Skers
Special Teams Player
I expect a win
TGHusker
Heisman Trophy Winner
The question is - if we go 5-7 or 6-6 - should we expect a change at the top? If it is about progress and it is - I don't think we invest millions into this program for the purpose of being another NW/Iowa at best or Minn, Ill, or Purdue. While I understand many programs haven't won a conference championship in decades and seem to be somewhat content with middle of the road - that isn't who we are. We were a program built around excellence for 40+ years. Now we have lived almost half that time without a conference championship. Imaging for us older guys not seeing a championship of any kind from 1980-1998. Our younger fans know nothing of a championship, the excellence of getting there, and the feeling of that kind of school pride. It is hard to stop apathy when you have not tasted excellence. I don't want to be a program in which .500+is a good season - knowing you'll get banged up by the big boys, hope to defeat other .500+ plus a couple of smaller non-power 5 schools.
grandpasknee
All-Conference
I think I speak for almost every fan...I still have an urgent desire for the team to win every game. Truth is, my urgency, and the urgency of fans in general, has almost nothing to do with whether we win or lose. Nothing. Since we can't effect the "now' (or the future for that matter) it make sense that reasoning people would recognize that the team may not be where we'd like them to be now, but hope for them to be so in the future. Doesn't keep me from being a rabid fan for every kickoff. (PS..I'm predicting NU 42 - Ducks 38)
TGHusker
Heisman Trophy Winner
Don't get me wrong - I want MR to succeed and yes, I'd like him to have 4 years. But the schedule is even more difficult next year. So, that is why I see more urgency this year to show progress. I think on the O side, outside of still needing a stronger OL pipeline, we have vastly improve talent overall - with Kenny Bell and AA being the exception during the most recentBlitzFirst said:
Bo years. Your last statement begs the question: Is it true that a new coach would need 4 more years to be successful? I don't think so with the overall upgrade MR has done in recruiting. Unfortunately MR didn't receive the same upgrade from Bo. Maybe we need to re-frame my original question: Can we live wt 2017 and 2018 as difficult years knowing that the 2019 schedule would be more friendly and MR's system more ingrained and primed for a conference championship? Note: I hoped to be surprised by a less difficult 2 year span.
junior4949
All-American
I'm not sure I really understand this post especially when you consider where we came from. In two of the three previous years to TO becoming the head coach, we won the NC. It wasn't until TO's ninth season that we even won our first outright conference title. We haven't even allowed a coach nine seasons since TO retired. Has anyone ever considered that this might very well be why it has been so long since we won our last conference title? Ushering in a new coach and AD every 4-7 years isn't going to yield any conference titles. Heck, we could even pay the highest salary out there and it won't necessarily mean conference titles (Michigan probably doesn't win the B1G this year).
To some degree, we already have enough disadvantages when it comes to recruiting. We don't need to compound those disadvantages by constantly firing and replacing coaches. Why would any top notch kid want to come into that environment when they have no idea whether the guy recruiting them will even be there when their time is up?
Street Novelist
All-American
That's an interesting question: Would Husker fans be alright with a bunch of 8-4 or 9-3 seasons if it meant 5 or 6 years from now, winning the Big 10?
junior4949
All-American
Whether most would be alright with it, I don't know. However, we very well should be. TO's first six seasons went like this: 9-2-1; 9-3; 10-2; 9-3-1; 9-3; and 9-3. This came on the heels of winning two NCs in three years. I've been a big Mike Riley fan for quite a while (over a decade). However, I'm still not sure this was the best hire when one considers his age. Does he coach into his 70's? If not, I have to think Eichorst thought he'd build a pretty good base for the next one up.