McKewon: Huskers’ problems run deep, and aren’t necessarily new

[huskerfan92]

Problem is ........ we could hire Urban Meyer or Nick Saban and still not get anything more out of this group of players. They're lost and apathetic to the cause.

....you can't be serious

 

[SuperBigFan69]

Problem is ........ we could hire Urban Meyer or Nick Saban and still not get anything more out of this group of players. They're lost and apathetic to the cause.

I don't think that is the case...I think they feel like they fired a "good coach" and brought in an "average coach"...that was (in their minds) mistake one. Mix in losing a bunch of games and it only validates that.

If a stud had been brought in OR a guy with no proven track record...there would be (I think) a very different vibe.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Problem is ........ we could hire Urban Meyer or Nick Saban and still not get anything more out of this group of players. They're lost and apathetic to the cause.

I don't think that is the case...I think they feel like they fired a "good coach" and brought in an "average coach"...that was (in their minds) mistake one. Mix in losing a bunch of games and it only validates that.

If a stud had been brought in OR a guy with no proven track record...there would be (I think) a very different vibe.

Exactly. There were numerous fans who had no idea who Mike Riley was, so I am sure the players were thinking "we hired who?". Then they think "the Oregon State coach? Don't they usually suck?". Then a few players send a mass text with a link to Mike Riley's wikipedia page where it shows his career record, and it is basically .500. So, the players are only thinking about the win-loss record. Then when losses start to mount for the Huskers, the doubt in the coaches just grow further. They probably even think "man, we won a bunch of close games under Bo, but now we seem to lose every close game under Riley".

 

[huskerfan92]

Problem is ........ we could hire Urban Meyer or Nick Saban and still not get anything more out of this group of players. They're lost and apathetic to the cause.

I don't think that is the case...I think they feel like they fired a "good coach" and brought in an "average coach"...that was (in their minds) mistake one. Mix in losing a bunch of games and it only validates that.

If a stud had been brought in OR a guy with no proven track record...there would be (I think) a very different vibe.

Exactly. There were numerous fans who had no idea who Mike Riley was, so I am sure the players were thinking "we hired who?". Then they think "the Oregon State coach? Don't they usually suck?". Then a few players send a mass text with a link to Mike Riley's wikipedia page where it shows his career record, and it is basically .500. So, the players are only thinking about the win-loss record. Then when losses start to mount for the Huskers, the doubt in the coaches just grow further. They probably even think "man, we won a bunch of close games under Bo, but now we seem to lose every close game under Riley".

Yep basically this. If we hired a rock star like Urban Meyer or Saban the players reaction would be, "Hell yeah we're going to win a championship!". The Riley hire was like...."Why?". That said there was less than a 0% chance we could've hired Meyer or Saban, but to say it doesn't matter what coach came in, we would still be terrible, is flat out wrong.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Problem is ........ we could hire Urban Meyer or Nick Saban and still not get anything more out of this group of players. They're lost and apathetic to the cause.

I don't think that is the case...I think they feel like they fired a "good coach" and brought in an "average coach"...that was (in their minds) mistake one. Mix in losing a bunch of games and it only validates that.

If a stud had been brought in OR a guy with no proven track record...there would be (I think) a very different vibe.

Exactly. There were numerous fans who had no idea who Mike Riley was, so I am sure the players were thinking "we hired who?". Then they think "the Oregon State coach? Don't they usually suck?". Then a few players send a mass text with a link to Mike Riley's wikipedia page where it shows his career record, and it is basically .500. So, the players are only thinking about the win-loss record. Then when losses start to mount for the Huskers, the doubt in the coaches just grow further. They probably even think "man, we won a bunch of close games under Bo, but now we seem to lose every close game under Riley".

Yep basically this. If we hired a rock star like Urban Meyer or Saban the players reaction would be, "Hell yeah we're going to win a championship!". The Riley hire was like...."Why?". That said there was less than a 0% chance we could've hired Meyer or Saban, but to say it doesn't matter what coach came in, we would still be terrible, is flat out wrong.

It didn't even need to be Meyer or Saban. It could have been Frost or Herman (who I think had already taken the Houston job) or even another name coach, and it would have created excitement. When Bo was hired in '07, I am sure the players were thinking "sweet, LSU's defense is awesome. They are gonna win the National Championship this year." With Riley, the thought is "huh?"

 

[ndobney]

why not ask frank solich to come back

 

[sd'sker]

why not ask frank solich to come back

why not try to get vince lombardi? he's good.

 

[mel4red]

Problem is ........ we could hire Urban Meyer or Nick Saban and still not get anything more out of this group of players. They're lost and apathetic to the cause.

I don't think that is the case...I think they feel like they fired a "good coach" and brought in an "average coach"...that was (in their minds) mistake one. Mix in losing a bunch of games and it only validates that.

If a stud had been brought in OR a guy with no proven track record...there would be (I think) a very different vibe.

I still don't get a "vibe"from this group of players, regardless of coach. They seem fractured and lacking interest in even trying to become a better football team.

As Sam mentioned in his article, nothing really has changed in them. Same mistakes, same efforts, simply different outcomes this year, which leads to a losing record. I think I their "luck" was used up the past couple of years. NU could have easily had a similar record in a couple of the last 4-5 years. Many have mentioned that on here previously.

This generation of players is still in "everybody gets a ribbon" mode. Not the "die for your team mate" mentality of twenty or thirty years ago. There are not enough "players" in this group.

I'm sorry, but our close losses this year can be attributed to the efforts of Riley's staff, versus the blowouts and the perennial four losses of the last regime. They are being put in a position to be in every game, but the luck has run out, and the desire to want the win simply isn't there. You can't teach desire. You can speak to it all you want, but the kids have to get it on their own.

 

[lo country]

B.Y.O.G...........

Bring Your Own Guts... Coined by Dabo Sweeney after Clemson beat ND. He said that when the guys get there, we can pay for their room, board and books, but can't buy them guts or heart. They have to bring their own...... he's got their minds right.

Riley, not so much. He has a huge uphill battle to change that mindset.

 

[mel4red]

Read the comments on the "Benning" post is all I'm saying. Riley may turn out to be a horrible hire, but with the effort from the players so far, it's hard to tell.

I'm as frustrated as any of you, but I find myself yelling at the TV screen due to dumb mistakes and brain farts out there between the sidelines, not outside them.

I'l mention one that happens every game. TA trying for the TD bomb and the ESPN moment. Happens every game. Offense needs 2-3 yards, he, invariably, launches one 40 yards up field.

Tuck and run the damn thing for the first down and keep the drive alive, or use the tools given to you and read down your shorter yardage options.

Now this doesn't sound like a lack of desire, but it is a repeated mistake every game that he never seems to learn from. It's happened every game. In the last couple of years he has manged to pull off a couple of winners, but the percentages are higher that he

throws long, short, wide or to the pick, killing the drive and the momentum.

 

[Kernal]

Like most of you, the Banker hire was a huge let down and a red flag for me. Riley, more than anyone else, knows Banker and what to expect from his defenses...and he brought him here. We should be looking for a new DC at a minimum at year's end, but Riley won't be doing that.

Riley is who is because of decisions like that. He presumably had the option to open up the checkbook and attract some innovative coordinators. Maybe the clash of personalities would be a challenge, but getting the talented minds in a room together should make everyone better. I mean, the mantra on Riley is how positive and easy to work with he is, so he's a perfect candidate to lead a room full of coaching egos to relevancy. Instead....he hires the guys he's 'comfortable' with. I wonder if, when he handed out assistant jobs to his friends , he thought about how that comfort level might change when he loses more than he wins in Lincoln....which is not Corvallis in terms of College Football landscape.

Throw in Langsdorf being allowed to flat out fail on the job as he learns, Cavanaugh trotting out the same 5 guys over and over to the tune of 2.2 yards a carry, and Stewart's dead last pass defense contribution......I mean...if you're a CEO of a company and these are the guys you've hand picked to run the operation...how safe can you, SHOULD YOU feel in your position?

I haven't been one to call for Riley's job, and until I wrote this post, I thought I was willing to give him some time...but the early returns are so discouraging. I don't want him fired, I guess. Not yet. I suppose I'm just reserved to watching this slow moving rain cloud settle over the team for a couple years, minimum. And then starting over again.

I wasn't so much disappointed in Banker as I just didn't know anything about him and was hoping for a "name-brand" DC. But I was also happy with some of the other coaches Riley brought to NU: Cavanaugh and Bray for example.

So I don't think it's bad that Riley brought Banker and the other coaches here. That's fine. NU is a different program than OSU, and it's understandable why Riley would want to give those guys the opportunity to coach with him at NU, rather than most likely be let go by the incoming OSU staff.

I still think it's too early to write off any of the coaches. There is so much turmoil within the program and the schemes are different enough that singling out any coach this soon with only an outsider perspective is probably not going to be very accurate.

The real test for Riley will be what he does if and when it becomes apparant that some of his guys aren't getting the job done. It's not easy to fire guys whom are also your friends.

 

[louisianared]

I still think it's too early to write off any of the coaches. There is so much turmoil within the program and the schemes are different enough that singling out any coach this soon with only an outsider perspective is probably not going to be very accurate

That's my mindset right now. I felt there was a toxic environment surrounding this team last year. Add that in with an entirely new system and it will take time before we can accurately judge the coaches. I think next year will be the big test with this staff as they will have had the ability to weed out the negative influences while also bringing in their own players who better fit their system.