Overachieving and Underachieving Coaches & Seasons

[drew95]

I don't get why there is all the hand-ringing over Bo's record against "bad" teams. Part of being a good coach is beating the teams you are supposed to beat. What makes a coach "great" is beating nearly every team he should, along with winning the games against the tough opponentns. I know that it's frustrating when NU was losing to the top teams in the conference, and that's why Bo was fired. I was in favor of Bo getting fired, because of his record against the top programs in the conference.

However, Mike Riley doesn't get a pass from me because NU was able to pull off a big win against Michigan State and a decent win against UCLA. NU lost to 2 horrible teams (Illinois and Purdue) and I also thought the losses to BYU and Northwestern should be considered "bad losses". Riley's teams have a history of being wildly inconsistent, and that's what concerns me about him and his coaching staff.

Every first year coach installing a new program gets a pass or mulligan especially one that is installing an offense that is mostly 180 degree different than what the players that will be running it were recruited for.

I tend to look at results of 2015 in this way; How would Bo have done if he had been HC in 2015? Never can say for sure but I do know one thing. In 2015 he would have been without the services of 4 difference-makers, playmakers, some call them game-changers. Kenny Bell, Ameer, Randy Gregory, and DPE all gone in 2015. How would Bo have done without those four in 2015? Well, take away those four players from Bo's 2014 team and Nebraska is a 6-6 team at best. I can point to three games in 2014 that Nebraska doesn't win without those 4 players; 1) Miami; Ameer and K. B. account for 300 yards total offense and 4 total td's. Randy Gregory is in backfield harrassing, if not pressuring and sacking Kayaa. 2) Mcneese St. Ameer Abdullah. McNeese St wins this game if not for Ameer. They had a great defense that lmited Ameer all day until final play. Ameer only had 54 yards rushing. and 3) Iowa Over 250 all purpose yards from Ameer, K.B. and DPE and 4 td's. Two words; Difference makers.

Nebraska doesn't win either of those games in 2014 without those players. And Nebraska is 6-6. Spin it forward to 2015 and Nebraska gets a better Miami team in Miami, a better Iowa team and a BYU team in OOC that was better than every OOC team on 2014 schedule, as well as likely better than 3/4 of every Big 10 team in 2015.

Bo often got his butt handed to him at NEbraska with those 4 players. I have a pretty solid premonition what happens without those 4 players had he remained. Rilet did all this installing a new culture, beating back the poisonous culture left behind and was a handful of plays from 10-2

 

[ColoradoHusk]

I don't get why there is all the hand-ringing over Bo's record against "bad" teams. Part of being a good coach is beating the teams you are supposed to beat. What makes a coach "great" is beating nearly every team he should, along with winning the games against the tough opponentns. I know that it's frustrating when NU was losing to the top teams in the conference, and that's why Bo was fired. I was in favor of Bo getting fired, because of his record against the top programs in the conference.

However, Mike Riley doesn't get a pass from me because NU was able to pull off a big win against Michigan State and a decent win against UCLA. NU lost to 2 horrible teams (Illinois and Purdue) and I also thought the losses to BYU and Northwestern should be considered "bad losses". Riley's teams have a history of being wildly inconsistent, and that's what concerns me about him and his coaching staff.

Every first year coach installing a new program gets a pass or mulligan especially one that is installing an offense that is mostly 180 degree different than what the players that will be running it were recruited for.

I tend to look at results of 2015 in this way; How would Bo have done if he had been HC in 2015? Never can say for sure but I do know one thing. In 2015 he would have been without the services of 4 difference-makers, playmakers, some call them game-changers. Kenny Bell, Ameer, Randy Gregory, and DPE all gone in 2015. How would Bo have done without those four in 2015? Well, take away those four players from Bo's 2014 team and Nebraska is a 6-6 team at best. I can point to three games in 2014 that Nebraska doesn't win without those 4 players; 1) Miami; Ameer and K. B. account for 300 yards total offense and 4 total td's. Randy Gregory is in backfield harrassing, if not pressuring and sacking Kayaa. 2) Mcneese St. Ameer Abdullah. McNeese St wins this game if not for Ameer. They had a great defense that lmited Ameer all day until final play. Ameer only had 54 yards rushing. and 3) Iowa Over 250 all purpose yards from Ameer, K.B. and DPE and 4 td's. Two words; Difference makers.

Nebraska doesn't win either of those games in 2014 without those players. And Nebraska is 6-6. Spin it forward to 2015 and Nebraska gets a better Miami team in Miami, a better Iowa team and a BYU team in OOC that was better than every OOC team on 2014 schedule, as well as likely better than 3/4 of every Big 10 team in 2015.

Bo often got his butt handed to him at NEbraska with those 4 players. I have a pretty solid premonition what happens without those 4 players had he remained. Rilet did all this installing a new culture, beating back the poisonous culture left behind and was a handful of plays from 10-2

Again, I am not making excuses for Bo. I have never pointed out that Bo should have been retained, so I don't know why you bring up the 2014 games.

I understand the talent at NU wasn't great or deep, but keep making excuses for Riley. You are new to this board, but it happened all year last year. I will love it if Riley is able to make Nebraska great again, but I just don't see it with him. He is what he is.

 

[Landlord]

I don't get why there is all the hand-ringing over Bo's record against "bad" teams. Part of being a good coach is beating the teams you are supposed to beat. What makes a coach "great" is beating nearly every team he should, along with winning the games against the tough opponentns. I know that it's frustrating when NU was losing to the top teams in the conference, and that's why Bo was fired. I was in favor of Bo getting fired, because of his record against the top programs in the conference.

However, Mike Riley doesn't get a pass from me because NU was able to pull off a big win against Michigan State and a decent win against UCLA. NU lost to 2 horrible teams (Illinois and Purdue) and I also thought the losses to BYU and Northwestern should be considered "bad losses". Riley's teams have a history of being wildly inconsistent, and that's what concerns me about him and his coaching staff.

Bo didn't just beat the bad teams and lose to the good ones, just like Riley isn't just beating the good ones and losing to the bad ones.

2009 Iowa State was a bad team. 2011 Northwestern was a bad team. 2010 Texas. 2012 Wisconsin pt 2. There were also a good handful that we didn't lose, but man it would have been tough to feel good about our program afterwards. South Dakota State, McNeese State, 2012 and 2013 Iowa, 2009 Texas Tech, etc.

Similarly, while Riley should have performed far better against Illinois and Purdue, he also outperformed against MSU and UCLA, and lost in respectable fashion to some fairly solid opponents in BYU, Northwestern and Wisconsin, who finished 9-4, 10-3 (ranked #21), and 10-3 (#23).

These two coaches are not nearly as opposite in the regards of actual on the field performance as they are in other areas such as warm cuddly personalities.

 

[drew95]

Not making excuses for anyone. I wanted Bo to succeed. And want Riley to do well Facts are facts. I am just nuts and bolts, meat and potatoes, see things as they are type fan.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Not making excuses for anyone. I wanted Bo to succeed. And want Riley to do well Facts are facts. I am just nuts and bolts, meat and potatoes, see things as they are type fan.

I am a "facts are facts" guy, too. Riley and his staff (especially Banker) flat out sucked last year, that's a fact. I hope he does better and turns things around, but he will have to make vast improvements from his historical performance in order to make NU a champion program again.

 

[Mavric]

A partial list of schools that were never able to beat Bo Pelini:

Alabama

LSU

Mississippi

Florida

USC

Oregon

Stanford

Notre Dame

Also, he never lost a national championship game or playoff game.

No context needed. The facts are right here.

 

[drew95]

Not making excuses for anyone. I wanted Bo to succeed. And want Riley to do well Facts are facts. I am just nuts and bolts, meat and potatoes, see things as they are type fan.

I am a "facts are facts" guy, too. Riley and his staff (especially Banker) flat out sucked last year, that's a fact. I hope he does better and turns things around, but he will have to make vast improvements from his historical performance in order to make NU a champion program again.

You can be mad at Riley all you want, your right. Not going to tell you how to feel or think. But given what Riley inherited was amazing that Nebraska was competitive in all games. I guarantee you that had Bo remained that the record, given no Ameer, no Kenny, no Randy, no DPE, is probably near identical to Rileys, maybe one game better at best, but know full well Nebraska would have been dismantled a time or two. We know that because it happened with those 4 players while Bo was head coach

 

[Saunders]

Not making excuses for anyone. I wanted Bo to succeed. And want Riley to do well Facts are facts. I am just nuts and bolts, meat and potatoes, see things as they are type fan.

I am a "facts are facts" guy, too. Riley and his staff (especially Banker) flat out sucked last year, that's a fact. I hope he does better and turns things around, but he will have to make vast improvements from his historical performance in order to make NU a champion program again.

You can be mad at Riley all you want, your right. Not going to tell you how to feel or think. But given what Riley inherited was amazing that Nebraska was competitive in all games. I guarantee you that had Bo remained that the record, given no Ameer, no Kenny, no Randy, no DPE, is probably near identical to Rileys, maybe one game better at best, but know full well Nebraska would have been dismantled a time or two. We know that because it happened with those 4 players while Bo was head coach

And I guarantee he would have won 9 games, because that's the established trend. Hell, if Bo was still here, there's no guarantee that Randy leaves early, or DPE gets hurt.

See how useless this argument is?

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Not making excuses for anyone. I wanted Bo to succeed. And want Riley to do well Facts are facts. I am just nuts and bolts, meat and potatoes, see things as they are type fan.

I am a "facts are facts" guy, too. Riley and his staff (especially Banker) flat out sucked last year, that's a fact. I hope he does better and turns things around, but he will have to make vast improvements from his historical performance in order to make NU a champion program again.

You can be mad at Riley all you want, your right. Not going to tell you how to feel or think. But given what Riley inherited was amazing that Nebraska was competitive in all games. I guarantee you that had Bo remained that the record, given no Ameer, no Kenny, no Randy, no DPE, is probably near identical to Rileys, maybe one game better at best, but know full well Nebraska would have been dismantled a time or two. We know that because it happened with those 4 players while Bo was head coach

You and I disagree on how things would have been last year under Bo, but again I am not trying to bring Bo back.

The team took a step back last year under Riley, and there were games lost that shouldn't have happened. Riley's task is not to bring NU back to the level they were under Bo, but it's to bring NU back to championship levels. His recruiting looks to be making progress to achieving that task, but I have sincere doubts in Riley's overall coaching ability to get NU to the consistent 10-2 or 11-1 regular season level.

 

[drew95]

Not making excuses for anyone. I wanted Bo to succeed. And want Riley to do well Facts are facts. I am just nuts and bolts, meat and potatoes, see things as they are type fan.

I am a "facts are facts" guy, too. Riley and his staff (especially Banker) flat out sucked last year, that's a fact. I hope he does better and turns things around, but he will have to make vast improvements from his historical performance in order to make NU a champion program again.

You can be mad at Riley all you want, your right. Not going to tell you how to feel or think. But given what Riley inherited was amazing that Nebraska was competitive in all games. I guarantee you that had Bo remained that the record, given no Ameer, no Kenny, no Randy, no DPE, is probably near identical to Rileys, maybe one game better at best, but know full well Nebraska would have been dismantled a time or two. We know that because it happened with those 4 players while Bo was head coach

And I guarantee he would have won 9 games, because that's the established trend. Hell, if Bo was still here, there's no guarantee that Randy leaves early, or DPE gets hurt.

See how useless this argument is?

Keep dreaming buddy. When I already establishd that in 2014 Bo and Nebraska don't win 7 games against an inferior schedule to that of 2015, with Ameer, Kenny, Randy and DPE. Bo's house of cars was about to fall at Nebraska; recruting misses, roster mismangement, player development. But I digress

 

[Saunders]

Not making excuses for anyone. I wanted Bo to succeed. And want Riley to do well Facts are facts. I am just nuts and bolts, meat and potatoes, see things as they are type fan.

I am a "facts are facts" guy, too. Riley and his staff (especially Banker) flat out sucked last year, that's a fact. I hope he does better and turns things around, but he will have to make vast improvements from his historical performance in order to make NU a champion program again.

You can be mad at Riley all you want, your right. Not going to tell you how to feel or think. But given what Riley inherited was amazing that Nebraska was competitive in all games. I guarantee you that had Bo remained that the record, given no Ameer, no Kenny, no Randy, no DPE, is probably near identical to Rileys, maybe one game better at best, but know full well Nebraska would have been dismantled a time or two. We know that because it happened with those 4 players while Bo was head coach

And I guarantee he would have won 9 games, because that's the established trend. Hell, if Bo was still here, there's no guarantee that Randy leaves early, or DPE gets hurt.

See how useless this argument is?

Keep dreaming buddy. When I already establishd that in 2014 Bo and Nebraska don't win 7 games against an inferior schedule to that of 2015, with Ameer, Kenny, Randy and DPE. Bo's house of cars was about to fall at Nebraska; recruting misses, roster mismangement, player development. But I digress

Your opinion does not equal fact, because the variables will change simply by virtue of who was the HC. And I was fine with Bo being gone, but let's not start revising history to change how we feel about today.

 

[Landlord]

in 2014 Bo and Nebraska don't win 7 games against an inferior schedule to that of 2015, with Ameer, Kenny, Randy and DPE. Bo's house of cars was about to fall at Nebraska; recruting misses, roster mismangement, player development. But I digress

Prove it.

 

[drew95]

Not making excuses for anyone. I wanted Bo to succeed. And want Riley to do well Facts are facts. I am just nuts and bolts, meat and potatoes, see things as they are type fan.

I am a "facts are facts" guy, too. Riley and his staff (especially Banker) flat out sucked last year, that's a fact. I hope he does better and turns things around, but he will have to make vast improvements from his historical performance in order to make NU a champion program again.

You can be mad at Riley all you want, your right. Not going to tell you how to feel or think. But given what Riley inherited was amazing that Nebraska was competitive in all games. I guarantee you that had Bo remained that the record, given no Ameer, no Kenny, no Randy, no DPE, is probably near identical to Rileys, maybe one game better at best, but know full well Nebraska would have been dismantled a time or two. We know that because it happened with those 4 players while Bo was head coach

And I guarantee he would have won 9 games, because that's the established trend. Hell, if Bo was still here, there's no guarantee that Randy leaves early, or DPE gets hurt.

See how useless this argument is?

Keep dreaming buddy. When I already establishd that in 2014 Bo and Nebraska don't win 7 games against an inferior schedule to that of 2015, with Ameer, Kenny, Randy and DPE. Bo's house of cars was about to fall at Nebraska; recruting misses, roster mismangement, player development. But I digress

Your opinion does not equal fact, because the variables will change simply by virtue of who was the HC.

Kenny, Ameer, Randy and DPE not being on the team in 2015 and being difference makers that allowed Nebraska to win games in 2014 ( McNeese St, Miami, Iowa) that they otherwise don't without them, isn't opinion. Straight fact

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Not making excuses for anyone. I wanted Bo to succeed. And want Riley to do well Facts are facts. I am just nuts and bolts, meat and potatoes, see things as they are type fan.

I am a "facts are facts" guy, too. Riley and his staff (especially Banker) flat out sucked last year, that's a fact. I hope he does better and turns things around, but he will have to make vast improvements from his historical performance in order to make NU a champion program again.

You can be mad at Riley all you want, your right. Not going to tell you how to feel or think. But given what Riley inherited was amazing that Nebraska was competitive in all games. I guarantee you that had Bo remained that the record, given no Ameer, no Kenny, no Randy, no DPE, is probably near identical to Rileys, maybe one game better at best, but know full well Nebraska would have been dismantled a time or two. We know that because it happened with those 4 players while Bo was head coach

And I guarantee he would have won 9 games, because that's the established trend.

See how useless this argument is?

Keep dreaming buddy. When I already establishd that in 2014 Bo and Nebraska don't win 7 games against an inferior schedule to that of 2015, with Ameer, Kenny, Randy and DPE. Bo's house of cars was about to fall at Nebraska; recruting misses, roster mismangement, player development. But I digress

Maybe Ron Brown does a better job of utilizing the talent at RB to replace the production that Ameer had in 2014. Maybe Beck does a better job of calling plays that are the strength of Armstrong. Maybe the defense doesn't completely fall apart like it did numerous times in 2015. Maybe Bo manages the clock better against BYU and it doesn't come down to a Hail Mary. Maybe Beck doesn't call a pass play against Illinois with 1 minute left in the game.

If you are all about facts, you clearly are putting in a lot of hypotheticals in your arguments.

 

[Saunders]

Not making excuses for anyone. I wanted Bo to succeed. And want Riley to do well Facts are facts. I am just nuts and bolts, meat and potatoes, see things as they are type fan.

I am a "facts are facts" guy, too. Riley and his staff (especially Banker) flat out sucked last year, that's a fact. I hope he does better and turns things around, but he will have to make vast improvements from his historical performance in order to make NU a champion program again.

You can be mad at Riley all you want, your right. Not going to tell you how to feel or think. But given what Riley inherited was amazing that Nebraska was competitive in all games. I guarantee you that had Bo remained that the record, given no Ameer, no Kenny, no Randy, no DPE, is probably near identical to Rileys, maybe one game better at best, but know full well Nebraska would have been dismantled a time or two. We know that because it happened with those 4 players while Bo was head coach

And I guarantee he would have won 9 games, because that's the established trend. Hell, if Bo was still here, there's no guarantee that Randy leaves early, or DPE gets hurt.

See how useless this argument is?

Keep dreaming buddy. When I already establishd that in 2014 Bo and Nebraska don't win 7 games against an inferior schedule to that of 2015, with Ameer, Kenny, Randy and DPE. Bo's house of cars was about to fall at Nebraska; recruting misses, roster mismangement, player development. But I digress

Your opinion does not equal fact, because the variables will change simply by virtue of who was the HC.

Kenny, Ameer, Randy and DPE not being on the team in 2015 and being difference makers that allowed Nebraska to win games in 2014 ( McNeese St, Miami, Iowa) that they otherwise don't without them, isn't opinion. Straight fact

You can't prove that Randy leaves and DPE gets hurt if Bo stays.

Fact.

In fact, I can say with near certainty that DPE doesn't get hurt simply because of chance & probabilities.