Player Leadership on the team

TGHusker

TGHusker

Heisman Trophy Winner
Last night at our Husker Club banquet, we had a NU official speak to us who was on the sideline and went into the locker room at half time of the CCG. He said in all of his years of football (grade school to the highest level) he never saw anything like what he saw during the game. He saw NO player leadership. No one trying to motivate the team and pick up and challenge the other guys.

That begs the question - Why Not?

Why do we not have a vocal leader like we did wt the Peter Brothers, Wisdrom, Frost, Tommy Frazier, etc?

Who would you identify as our vocal leaders on O and D?

I cannot identify anyone on D. Maybe TM will become that on O - he showed more leadership in leading back in those 4 come from behind wins.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
TGHusker said:
Last night at our Husker Club banquet, we had a NU official speak to us who was on the sideline and went into the locker room at half time of the CCG. He said in all of his years of football (grade school to the highest level) he never saw anything like what he saw during the game. He saw NO player leadership. No one trying to motivate the team and pick up and challenge the other guys.

That begs the question - Why Not?

Why do we not have a vocal leader like we did wt the Peter Brothers, Wisdrom, Frost, Tommy Frazier, etc?

Who would you identify as our vocal leaders on O and D?

I cannot identify anyone on D. Maybe TM will become that on O - he showed more leadership in leading back in those 4 come from behind wins.
Click to expand...
Sipple on Big Red Wrapup really made a good point. He thinks this team was so worn out physically and mentally from the grind of the 6 straight wins, that when they were punched in the mouth to start the game, it was hard enough to respond to get it to 14-10. Then when Wisonsin rattled off a couple more scores, there was just not enough in the tank to respond and spiraled out of control. He thinks this team was worn out. It's a forgotten aspect that these are college STUDENTS, and at that point had finals around the corner. And football is a very emotional and mental game, and in that aspect, this team was probably at the bottom of the barrel.

I've been to every home game this year, and I have seen things on the sideline that suggest leadership. That CC game was just a screwed up deal from minute one.

 
TGHusker said:
Last night at our Husker Club banquet, we had a NU official speak to us who was on the sideline and went into the locker room at half time of the CCG. He said in all of his years of football (grade school to the highest level) he never saw anything like what he saw during the game. He saw NO player leadership. No one trying to motivate the team and pick up and challenge the other guys.

That begs the question - Why Not?

Why do we not have a vocal leader like we did wt the Peter Brothers, Wisdrom, Frost, Tommy Frazier, etc?

Who would you identify as our vocal leaders on O and D?

I cannot identify anyone on D. Maybe TM will become that on O - he showed more leadership in leading back in those 4 come from behind wins.
Click to expand...
I don't think you come back and win the type of games we did this year without leadership of some sort. I couldn't tell you who it is because I'm not in the huddle or in the locker room (most likely Cotton on offense and Compton defense), but judging by the results of the season as a whole there was plenty of leadership on the team.

Also what accountability said.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Exactly. You can't say that this team didn't have heart because if they didn't, we wouldn't have those second half comebacks or 6 straight wins. That just doesn't happen.

 
Not from minute 1, I don't buy that. But by the time we went into the half down 42-10, I guess I can see why the team would be shell shocked. Still, the end result and the 70 total points, very disheartening.

 
This is totally conflicting with what I heard. One of the players (PJ Smith maybe? Or Compton?) said after the game that they were still energetic in the locker room, saying that they were going to pull off the biggest comeback in history.

Then we came out the first drive, Beck thought Peyton Manning was our QB, and Taylor threw a pick. Game over.

 
JTrain said:
Sipple's sunshine pump still works! Phew!
Click to expand...
Acutally what Sipple said is exactly what I have felt. I have coached football, trust me a team can definitely be spent and have nothing in the tank. It may sound like a cop out but it does happen.

 
My senior year in high school we were a very good team. Not great but very good. We FINALLY beat our cross town rival in the 1st round of playoffs after 3 straight losses to them. We had a legitimate chance at a state title, but honestly, we as a team overall (individual mindsets here and there withstanding) were so satisfied with that win that prep for next game was lackluster.

These are young men. Technically, they are not paid to play. They are not video game likenesses with zero emotions. To think that it was not possible for them to be mentally and physically drained after the "winning out" is being ignorant to athletics alltogether. In fact, looking back, Bo putting such an emphasis on winning out that night may have been a mistake in the long run.

JTrain said:
Sipple's sunshine pump still works! Phew!
Click to expand...
Guess I dont understand what was sunshine pumping about his statement. You really believe Nebraska is 39 points less talented than Wisconsin? That emotional and physical stamina played zero role in that game whatsoever?

 
Account I think a lot of people really have a hard time understanding why a team can't be up and mentally ready for a big game like the CCG. It is tough to understand. I mean if people don't think our players wanted to win and wern't giving there best effort that is just silly. That six game stretch really took it out of them. The whole motivation was to win out. That was the goal. Mission accomplished. Maybe there wasn't anything left.

 
I don't know if this was true but Taylor looked like he didn't feel well. Like maybe he had a bad cold. He was really puffing alot during the game. Fatigue, both mental and physical can just strip you. I felt badly for these boys. They played so hard for the past 6 weeks and to get kicked in the teeth like they did was just so sad for them. I'm hoping that they can come back and play an excellent game against Georgia. They may or may not win but if they are competitive that will be good enough for me.

 
TGHusker said:
Last night at our Husker Club banquet, we had a NU official speak to us who was on the sideline and went into the locker room at half time of the CCG. He said in all of his years of football (grade school to the highest level) he never saw anything like what he saw during the game. He saw NO player leadership. No one trying to motivate the team and pick up and challenge the other guys.

That begs the question - Why Not?

Why do we not have a vocal leader like we did wt the Peter Brothers, Wisdrom, Frost, Tommy Frazier, etc?

Who would you identify as our vocal leaders on O and D?

I cannot identify anyone on D. Maybe TM will become that on O - he showed more leadership in leading back in those 4 come from behind wins.
Click to expand...
This is a great point to be discussing heading into the bowl game.

NUinID said:
Account I think a lot of people really have a hard time understanding why a team can't be up and mentally ready for a big game like the CCG. It is tough to understand. I mean if people don't think our players wanted to win and wern't giving there best effort that is just silly. That six game stretch really took it out of them. The whole motivation was to win out. That was the goal. Mission accomplished. Maybe there wasn't anything left.
Click to expand...
The people who have a hard time understanding this aspect of the game, are those who have not played it. On any level.

ladyhawke said:
I don't know if this was true but Taylor looked like he didn't feel well. Like maybe he had a bad cold. He was really puffing alot during the game. Fatigue, both mental and physical can just strip you. I felt badly for these boys. They played so hard for the past 6 weeks and to get kicked in the teeth like they did was just so sad for them. I'm hoping that they can come back and play an excellent game against Georgia. They may or may not win but if they are competitive that will be good enough for me.
Click to expand...
You can sit here and say Taylor, Stafford, bop bop bop bop, it was a breakdown on every level. I would say Taylor was the last one to look terrible, IMHO. What can he do when he throws a tight pass to arguably the best WR in the B1G and the WR not only blows the catch, but tips it over into the D's hands.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
The team has leadership IMO. The way Martinez played this year showed leadership. The guy might be a TO machine, but he is a baller. IMO, his upside is far better than his downside. Bells block showed leadership. Rex could patent leadership and sell it etc...

I think we might be missing the "verbal" leader that we had in guys like Peter, Wistrom etc..... I am a firm believer in lead by example, but folks respond differently. For every guy that says I want to have Crosses work ethic and be like that guy. You have another that responds to "in your face" leadership.

IMO, I would have permanent captains, verbal guys picked by the staff and team. From experience, a lot of guys will grow into this role and really hold guys accountable in a way coaches can't. It is a human dynamic when in a temporary position, to not really say much as the person feels "I am not really a permanent captain, so I will not say much." Permanent Captains can set the standard and continually hold people accountable. Then you make game to game decisions to allow guys to walk out on the field with the permanent captains. Earned through practice and game performance. Gives an incentive to produce.

 
NUinID said:
Account I think a lot of people really have a hard time understanding why a team can't be up and mentally ready for a big game like the CCG. It is tough to understand. I mean if people don't think our players wanted to win and wern't giving there best effort that is just silly. That six game stretch really took it out of them. The whole motivation was to win out. That was the goal. Mission accomplished. Maybe there wasn't anything left.
Click to expand...
Bo should have made the goal to win the CCG. ;) I can see if they were overachieving and we lacked depth at some positions that the season could really wear them down. I wonder if injuries that Rex and Baker received are related to too much playing time. I don't like the scholarship limits as they are and I hated to see this playoff system. It makes the season too long and really benefits the teams that have a lot of depth. You see teams like Alabama playing freshmen because they are getting the 5 star players. We don't usually get those players and need to develop 3 star players so that they can start for a couple of years. Sorry for the disconnected thoughts but they are all kind of related.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top