How is Michigan an instant contender after two season with a new coach?

[California Husker]

http://247sports.com/Season/2016-Football/CollegeTeamTalentComposite

Anyone who thinks we are "close to" Michigan in talent on this 2016 roster should check out 247's talent composite.

Bama is in a class by itself.

Ohio State has top-five talent, similar to USC, LSU, and Florida State.

Michigan has top-ten talent, similar to Georgia, Auburn, Norte Dame, and Clemson.

Penn State and Michigan State have top-25 talent similar to Oregon and South Carolina.

Nebraska is ranked #25, but is similar to #24-#28, so I would characterize the Huskers as having a top-30 roster. Similar to Washington, Arkansas, Arizona State, and Mississippi State.

A reasonable goal would be to surpass PSU and MSU into the top-20, but even that will require sustained recruiting effort over multiple years. I think we can get there, but we need patience and persistence.

Yes it's true that Nebraska is not elite in its talent. However, it is top 25 and should be able to do better than it does with what it has. Washington is #24 just ahead of NU and they are one of the top teams in the country. So....does coaching matter? Texas is #11 and they are really bad....does coaching matter? Notre Dame is even better at #9 in talent and they are worse than Texas....does coaching matter?

Riley is a .500 coach. That is all he will ever be. I know, NU started off 7-0 this year, but who have they beaten? The only team with a winning record was Wyoming (looking back I honestly don't know how they won that game).

Remember NU was only up 17-10 on Wyoming in the 3rd quarter before their QB melted down.

Remember NU was down late in the 4th quarter to a really bad Oregon team

Remember NU was only up 17-13 on Northwestern in the 3rd quarter

Remember NU was down 16-10 against Illinois in the 3rd quarter and only up 17-16 into the 4th quarter

Remember NU was only up 24-22 on Indiana mid-way through the 4th quarter

Remember NU was down 14-10 to Purdue (EFFING PURDUE) until half way through the 3rd quarter

Remember NU was down to Wisconsin the entire game before mounting a comeback only to lose in OT.

....and then there was tOSU.

For those who want to defend Riley by quoting this year's win-loss record, just remember who NU has beaten and how close many of those games were to losses. Most of the teams on that list don't even belong on the same field with Nebraska in terms of talent....go ahead click on IA State Husker's link. Wyoming, Illinois, Indiana, and Purdue are not in the top 50 in talent and Northwestern comes in at only 45.

Nebraska could legitimately lose two of its remaining 3 games and then would have a very good shot at losing a bowl game. If that scenario were to play out, do you know what Riley's winning percentage would be in two full seasons at NU? .538

If he can manage to win two of the last four counting the bowl game his winning percentage would be .577 still basically a .500 coach. We knew what he was, so we shouldn't be surprised with what he does. My contention has always been that Nebraska fans deserve better.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Man, California Husker, you sure use a lot of "Remembers". Did you get a case of Member Berries from the grocery store this week? Member Chewbacca?

 

[Kernal]

Michigan is playing well so far, but let's pump the brakes on this "Harbaugh will go down as one of the greatest of all time coaches" stuff. He hasn't really accomplished jack yet, except for owning social media. Until he wins something he's just the college football version of Kim Kardashian.

 

[California Husker]

Man, California Husker, you sure use a lot of "Remembers". Did you get a case of Member Berries from the grocery store this week? Member Chewbacca?

So are you just giving me sh!t (which is okay) or do you disagree with the point that I am making? It's hard to tell from the way you responded.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Man, California Husker, you sure use a lot of "Remembers". Did you get a case of Member Berries from the grocery store this week? Member Chewbacca?

So are you just giving me sh!t (which is okay) or do you disagree with the point that I am making? It's hard to tell from the way you responded.

I'm just give you crap. You probably aren't watching the current season of South Park.

 

[Magnus]

Of course he's a better fit. It's his alma mater. All coaches fit at their alma mater. Doesn't always mean they're good, obviously (look at Neuheisel and UCLA), but Harbaugh is up on the level with Saban and Urban. He has the ability to turn teams around overnight, something that not even Saban could do. I mean, he gave USC their first loss at the Coliseum in 6 years back in 2007. Riley is obviously not the kind to turn teams around at the flick of a switch, which is why we need to be patient before we call for his firing. We are 7-2, no way he will be fired after this year. Neither will Banker unless his defense is as bad as last night. Langsdorf and Read could be shown the door and I'd be fine with that. A good HC fires his incompetent coordinators, and we need to see if HCMR can do that first.

Who hired the incompetent coordinators? Banker has been with MR for many years, MR should know his capabilities by now.

I don't think Banker was Riley's first choice for DC when he came to Nebraska.

IIRC, when Banker and Bray were the first announced for the defensive staff, neither were designated as coordinators. I think Riley was probably still looking for someone else for DC. When nothing panned out, Banker was the default.

 

[Savage Husker]

Man, California Husker, you sure use a lot of "Remembers". Did you get a case of Member Berries from the grocery store this week? Member Chewbacca?

So are you just giving me sh!t (which is okay) or do you disagree with the point that I am making? It's hard to tell from the way you responded.

I'm just give you crap. You probably aren't watching the current season of South Park.

Weiners out!

 

[GBRHouston]

Man, California Husker, you sure use a lot of "Remembers". Did you get a case of Member Berries from the grocery store this week? Member Chewbacca?

So are you just giving me sh!t (which is okay) or do you disagree with the point that I am making? It's hard to tell from the way you responded.

I'm just give you crap. You probably aren't watching the current season of South Park.

Ooooo I member the current season of South Park.

Member 1995?

 

[GBRHouston]

Harbaugh might not be a better coach (or he may be) but he certainly is a better leader. And a better fit for MU than Riley for NU

In college football you have to get "The" coach. Not "A" coach. They did. You can look back at what I typed here then: Michigan got Harbaugh and suddenly they are good.

College is about emotion. When the players know they are playing for "The Man" they will buy in completely. Like huskers bought in for Osborne. Bama for Bryant. KSt. players for Snyder.

Of course he's a better fit. It's his alma mater. All coaches fit at their alma mater. Doesn't always mean they're good, obviously (look at Neuheisel and UCLA), but Harbaugh is up on the level with Saban and Urban. He has the ability to turn teams around overnight, something that not even Saban could do. I mean, he gave USC their first loss at the Coliseum in 6 years back in 2007. Riley is obviously not the kind to turn teams around at the flick of a switch, which is why we need to be patient before we call for his firing. We are 7-2, no way he will be fired after this year. Neither will Banker unless his defense is as bad as last night. Langsdorf and Read could be shown the door and I'd be fine with that. A good HC fires his incompetent coordinators, and we need to see if HCMR can do that first.

Who hired the incompetent coordinators? Banker has been with MR for many years, MR should know his capabilities by now.

defense has carried us this year. Better tailor the Banker hate for a bit.

I don't see Banker ever getting fired by MR. He has been his buddy for many years.

With the exception of this one sh#t game, I cannot see a single bad performance by the defense. Banker can stay provided he gets sternly told to work against the spread, as we play OSU and Oregon again next year. If he doesn't fire Read and Danny because they're his buddies at the end of the season, then I'll question him.

 

[lincoln84]

Harbaugh is light years from Riley. His players are too. Michigan and Ohio State will own the conference while we fight to be (or not to be) Iowa.

 

[California Husker]

Man, California Husker, you sure use a lot of "Remembers". Did you get a case of Member Berries from the grocery store this week? Member Chewbacca?

So are you just giving me sh!t (which is okay) or do you disagree with the point that I am making? It's hard to tell from the way you responded.

I'm just give you crap. You probably aren't watching the current season of South Park.

Yeah, I don't watch South Park so I didn't get the reference, sorry. To be clear though, I don't mind someone giving me a little sh!t; I think people on this board take themselves WAY too seriously. But...I was trying to make a point....

 

[Count 'Bility]

defense has carried us this year. Better tailor the Banker hate for a bit.

Scary thing is, it still hasn't been great. Reminds me a lot of our 2005-2006 defenses.

No, not great. But it's progress. This is the thing that's getting missed here. We're seeing some progress. Not this season. But big picture, long term progress. We havent seen really any kind of big picture progress since the end of 2009/early 2010. We've been flat and very predictable since. There were A LOT that thought we would win Saturday. We've actually competed with Wisconsin. 2 years in a row. We're making progress. Now. does that mean it will be constant? No steps backward will be taken at some point. Progress is not constant. So overreacting to one or two games is extreme, and only shows lack of understanding of a greater process.

I youtubed the Purdue game the other night. I'm still mesmerized at where we were just a year ago.

 

[ThroughTheseGates]

Mike Riley is a nice guy who will run a respectable program that could occasionally (read: maybe once in his career here) contend for the playoff. Jim Harbaugh is one of the brightest minds in football. He's right there with Saban, Meyer, Belichick. The 49ers wanted to control him but he knows that he knows best, and he decided enough was enough. I love Riley but there's no comparison. And then not to mention recruiting to Michigan is unbelievably easier than to Nebraska.

 

[suh_fan93]

We just got smashed again on national television this time by Ohio State 62-3. How in the hell are we making progress?????!!!!!! Because we have a winning record???!!! *cough*

Wow.......

 

[Count 'Bility]

We just got smashed again on national television this time by Ohio State 62-3. How in the hell are we making progress?????!!!!!! Because we have a winning record???!!! *cough*

Wow.......

duh

but if cant see in some facets the some guys, and some units, are playing better, then i dont know what to tell you.

You can debate the amount of progress. Fine. But it is progress

I know you. Youre gonna be pessimistic no matter what happens. i havent seen a positive outlook comment from you in years. That's fine. but dont let it cloud your judgement on what's really going on.