Is Bo Pelini a game changer?

A

arkiehusker

Four-Star Recruit
Or moreover a Conference changer. I was talking with some football friends at work and one of them (an SEC fan) said that NU's defense was the best in the Big 12. We talked some more and I got to thinking: Will Bo Pelini's attitude and focus on defense make the rest of the Big 12 change their philosophies on defense. I realize that it is early, but I wonder if other Big 12 coaches will eventually think "Hey, if we want to compete with NU we better start getting better on defense."

I remember back in the day when the SEC was known as the "offensive" conference and the Big 12 was the "defensive" conference. Now those roles have reversed. Is NU on the cusp of getting back to a dominating, lights out defense and will it change the Big 12?

Just wondering. :dunno

 
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Good question. Just don't have the answer to that. I think eventually in the years ahead that the conference will be known as a defensive conference like the SEC will be known as an offensive conference. :D

 
What's kind of sad about it all is the fact that Stoops is supposed to be a defensive coach as well. He came into the Big 12, and his D rocked for several years until his brother took the Arizona job. Texas has a decent D. I don't think the conference changes much though. Leach has always and will always be an offensive coach. It has served him well as he's beaten the big boys in the conference. I don't see many/any teams changing philosophies due to Bo Pelini.

 
junior4949 said:
What's kind of sad about it all is the fact that Stoops is supposed to be a defensive coach as well. He came into the Big 12, and his D rocked for several years until his brother took the Arizona job. Texas has a decent D. I don't think the conference changes much though. Leach has always and will always be an offensive coach. It has served him well as he's beaten the big boys in the conference. I don't see many/any teams changing philosophies due to Bo Pelini.
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Good analysis. Can't say I disagree at all with you. :clap

 
The jury is out. We are thrilled at the potential, but like our President getting a Nobel Prize for doing very little, the time to talk about great coaches is after they have established a winning tradition, where championships are expected and in reloading years they are in every game they play. Some reach that status quite quickly but it does take a few seasons to judge. Playing with someone else's recruits can be great for one coach because he doesn't recruit as well as his predecessor but is better at getting the most out of a team. When he doesn't recruit well, the cupboard runs dry and things go to h***. You really can't translate how one does as an assistant to being a great HC. Bo has a great start, shows a lot of promise but it's way to soon to be talking about changing the game or the conference until he has time to establish himself. The "coach of the year" voters are a little more careful than Nobel grantors. :)

Let's hope that in time he sets up a dynasty that TO would be jealous of. But we haven't won a trip to the conference championship yet. I will be very happy if we beat TT Saturday. I will feel a whole lot better if we show that Lee and his recievers primarily but our offense as a whole show that they can dominate in Big 12 play. Otherwise these lofty threads will look really silly. We're in a great spot right now; but hardly need to break our arms patting ourselves on the back for accomplishments. We've won one big game that really matters. Let's win the rest of them and then talk about how great our coach and his staff has performed!

 
arkiehusker said:
Or moreover a Conference changer. I was talking with some football friends at work and one of them (an SEC fan) said that NU's defense was the best in the Big 12. We talked some more and I got to thinking: Will Bo Pelini's attitude and focus on defense make the rest of the Big 12 change their philosophies on defense. I realize that it is early, but I wonder if other Big 12 coaches will eventually think "Hey, if we want to compete with NU we better start getting better on defense."

I remember back in the day when the SEC was known as the "offensive" conference and the Big 12 was the "defensive" conference. Now those roles have reversed. Is NU on the cusp of getting back to a dominating, lights out defense and will it change the Big 12?

Just wondering. :dunno
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Great post. I think about this a lot and have come to the realization that it is cyclical. Dominate defenses will be back in the big 12, it just might be another 5-10 years. We will probably see a resurgence of running the football again in that same time frame. I'm not saying the triple option will be back but I wouldn't be suhprised to see some sort of variation in our game down the line.

Just like how the earth goes through cool and hot trends (yes - i believe global warming caused by humans it BS), the big 12 will have big time defenses again. Heck, the sec could all move to BS Mizzou/TTU offenses in a few years....

 
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arkiehusker said:
Or moreover a Conference changer. I was talking with some football friends at work and one of them (an SEC fan) said that NU's defense was the best in the Big 12. We talked some more and I got to thinking: Will Bo Pelini's attitude and focus on defense make the rest of the Big 12 change their philosophies on defense. I realize that it is early, but I wonder if other Big 12 coaches will eventually think "Hey, if we want to compete with NU we better start getting better on defense."

I remember back in the day when the SEC was known as the "offensive" conference and the Big 12 was the "defensive" conference. Now those roles have reversed. Is NU on the cusp of getting back to a dominating, lights out defense and will it change the Big 12?

Just wondering. :dunno
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I sure hope so!!! :)

 
arkiehusker said:
Or moreover a Conference changer. I was talking with some football friends at work and one of them (an SEC fan) said that NU's defense was the best in the Big 12. We talked some more and I got to thinking: Will Bo Pelini's attitude and focus on defense make the rest of the Big 12 change their philosophies on defense. I realize that it is early, but I wonder if other Big 12 coaches will eventually think "Hey, if we want to compete with NU we better start getting better on defense."

Just wondering. :dunno
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The conference changer will be Osborne. He had the wisdom to hire a defensive minded coach in the teeth of an offensive explosion in the Big XII, then had enough sense to keep Watson on the staff no matter which coach was hired.

BRILLIANT!

 
huskertommy said:
arkiehusker said:
Or moreover a Conference changer. I was talking with some football friends at work and one of them (an SEC fan) said that NU's defense was the best in the Big 12. We talked some more and I got to thinking: Will Bo Pelini's attitude and focus on defense make the rest of the Big 12 change their philosophies on defense. I realize that it is early, but I wonder if other Big 12 coaches will eventually think "Hey, if we want to compete with NU we better start getting better on defense."

Just wondering. :dunno
Click to expand...

The conference changer will be Osborne. He had the wisdom to hire a defensive minded coach in the teeth of an offensive explosion in the Big XII, then had enough sense to keep Watson on the staff no matter which coach was hired.

BRILLIANT!
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Touche'! Great thought and reply! :clap :clap

 
arkiehusker said:
Or moreover a Conference changer. I was talking with some football friends at work and one of them (an SEC fan) said that NU's defense was the best in the Big 12. We talked some more and I got to thinking: Will Bo Pelini's attitude and focus on defense make the rest of the Big 12 change their philosophies on defense. I realize that it is early, but I wonder if other Big 12 coaches will eventually think "Hey, if we want to compete with NU we better start getting better on defense."

I remember back in the day when the SEC was known as the "offensive" conference and the Big 12 was the "defensive" conference. Now those roles have reversed. Is NU on the cusp of getting back to a dominating, lights out defense and will it change the Big 12?

Just wondering. :dunno
Click to expand...

I suspect they think-- "Hey, if we want to compete in the B12 we better get better on defense."

I also suspect they think-- "Hey, if we want to compete in the B12 we better get better on offense."

and maybe-- "Hey, if we want to compete in the B12 we better get better on special teams."

but opinions vary.

 
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