PSU - What Did We Learn?

[ranch boy]

The Cignetti comparison has become a cop out to excuse the lack of progress. People will dismiss people's criticism with, "You can't expect Cignetti results." No one is expecting a championship team. I think most people just wanted competent football. A team that looks good against bad teams and competitive against good teams. We have not seen that at the end of year three.

It does not take three years to get the team to play up to its talent, let alone to get the talent you need to compete against a weak Big Ten schedule.

I think it's worth considering after these devastating losses, when has Nebraska under Rhule looked good? Cincinnati was a good win, but Nebraska didn't look great in that game. Wisconsin last year, but Wisconsin was pretty bad. The first half of Colorado last year?

Year three and Nebraska has to scratch and claw to beat bottom half Big Ten teams and are still liable to get beaten badly, even against teams like Minnesota.

 

[Undone]

In the portal this offseason, these are the top three priorities, in order:

1. A running back (because nobody on the roster right now can come close to filling up Emmett's production next year).
2. A good inside linebacker.
3. One big, relatively talented nose tackle for the D line.

Offensive linemen don't even really scratch the top three.

Rhule did a great job of getting offensive players in here and also boosting special teams. He deserves a lot of credit for that. But there were major voids with defensive recruiting in that first class and now we're really feeling it.

 

[commando]

You learned your program is an irrelevant joke, can’t compete in the B1G and probably belongs in the MAC conference

i remember my first beer

 

[lo country]

In the portal this offseason, these are the top three priorities, in order:

1. A running back (because nobody on the roster right now can come close to filling up Emmett's production next year).
2. A good inside linebacker.
3. One big, relatively talented nose tackle for the D line.

Offensive linemen don't even really scratch the top three.

Rhule did a great job of getting offensive players in here and also boosting special teams. He deserves a lot of credit for that. But there were major voids with defensive recruiting in that first class and now we're really feeling it.

This is why I am not a fan of Barthel. Year 3 and we are still looking for RB 2 or in a perfect world RB 1b. Has he ever "developed" a stable of backs here? If chat boards/social media is correct, EJ was an after thought until Dana got here and saw what he could do. And then Rhule ponied up money to keep him. He has shined this year (and last) in spite of his position coach. We shouldn't search each year for the new RB 1. And kudos to Penn St keeping both Allen and Singleton in the age of NIL and the portal.

As much as I have maligned the DL, hard to fault them when we are playing a 3-3-5 base without dudes like Ty and Nash who are both in the NFL....Really, really hard as evidenced by our inability to stop the run. I also fault Butler for struggling (eye test) to try and help out the DL. DE's and LB's really struggled on setting the age against better teams and it showed. If we can't get the correct guys in the portal, any chance we go to a 4-3 D? Next season is looking like it's going to be brutal.

 

[huskerfan74]

So...is the end of year three the appropriate point to start asking whether this is the best these coaches can do, or whether they can actually do better?

I don't want to fire Rhule, and doing so is cost prohibitive anyway.

But I'm asking: is it the time to start asking whether this is the best Rhule can do here, or is that significantly more appropriate at the end of year four?

There's some young talent on the D line if we can get those guys much bigger & stronger than they are now. But we need a lockdown middle linebacker in the portal for next season or we're kind of screwed. I'm not really convinced that Shavers can get us there.

Firing Rhule is cost prohibitive because our AD is an idiot who fell for a PR trick. Penn state would have never hired Rhule. No one other than our fans actually thinks Rhule is a competent coach. Rhule gets outcoached by everyone. The only reason we win games is because we have better athletes than our opponents. All our wins have been against teams that have less talent than us. We have yet to beat a team with superior talent. If a horrible Wisconsin team can beat a ranked team and we cannot do that in 29 tries, that is all the evidence anyone needs to make an assessment on Rhule. Instead, we panic and give him an undeserved extension. We just delayed the inevitable. This is the BEST Rhule can do. Next year will be difficult to even get bowl eligible. So, my magic ball tells me, we endure a bad season next year, and then Rhule gets fired in 2027. So, we have at least three more years of 7-5, 6-6, or 5-7 seasons to look forward to and hope that next coach is a Cignetti type of coach that can get results immediately. We should bask in the glory of our volleyball dominance.

 

[huskerfan74]

It took them a last minute FG to beat MSU this week. Two weeks before they lose by a last minute FG to Oregon.

Definately an up/down team.

Somehow though, they will bring their “A” game to Lincoln and beat us in the most painful way possible. Rhule can then talk about how much he loves this team on his podcast.

 

[chamrocck]

In the portal this offseason, these are the top three priorities, in order:

1. A running back (because nobody on the roster right now can come close to filling up Emmett's production next year).
2. A good inside linebacker.
3. One big, relatively talented nose tackle for the D line.

Offensive linemen don't even really scratch the top three.

Rhule did a great job of getting offensive players in here and also boosting special teams. He deserves a lot of credit for that. But there were major voids with defensive recruiting in that first class and now we're really feeling it.

Don’t completely disagree but I would spend the big money on OL and DL. We can get the best RB and QB (we had best in recent years this season!) but without OL to protect and block it won’t get us far, especially with a more difficult schedule next year.

 

[huskerfan74]

Don’t completely disagree but I would spend the big money on OL and DL. We can get the best RB and QB (we had best in recent years this season!) but without OL to protect and block it won’t get us far, especially with a more difficult schedule next year.

We can get great OL players but if coach is useless, that does not help. You can get the fastest car on the pitch but if your driver sucks, you ain’t winning any races. I honestly do not think it is a lack of talent with this team but bad coaching all around. Other than our special teams coach who has shown major progress in one season, our HC, OC, DC, and OL coach are out of their league.

 

[Big Red Viking]

The Cignetti comparison has become a cop out to excuse the lack of progress. People will dismiss people's criticism with, "You can't expect Cignetti results." No one is expecting a championship team. I think most people just wanted competent football. A team that looks good against bad teams and competitive against good teams. We have not seen that at the end of year three.

It does not take three years to get the team to play up to its talent, let alone to get the talent you need to compete against a weak Big Ten schedule.

I think it's worth considering after these devastating losses, when has Nebraska under Rhule looked good? Cincinnati was a good win, but Nebraska didn't look great in that game. Wisconsin last year, but Wisconsin was pretty bad. The first half of Colorado last year?

Year three and Nebraska has to scratch and claw to beat bottom half Big Ten teams and are still liable to get beaten badly, even against teams like Minnesota.

Right on, Rhule isn't the answer. Bo was able to get to 9 wins every season. I was told we would see improvement in year 2 and things would take off in year 3. With this pud scehdule 10 wins should have been the expectation

 

[Big Red Viking]

Firing Rhule is cost prohibitive because our AD is an idiot who fell for a PR trick. Penn state would have never hired Rhule. No one other than our fans actually thinks Rhule is a competent coach. Rhule gets outcoached by everyone. The only reason we win games is because we have better athletes than our opponents. All our wins have been against teams that have less talent than us. We have yet to beat a team with superior talent. If a horrible Wisconsin team can beat a ranked team and we cannot do that in 29 tries, that is all the evidence anyone needs to make an assessment on Rhule. Instead, we panic and give him an undeserved extension. We just delayed the inevitable. This is the BEST Rhule can do. Next year will be difficult to even get bowl eligible. So, my magic ball tells me, we endure a bad season next year, and then Rhule gets fired in 2027. So, we have at least three more years of 7-5, 6-6, or 5-7 seasons to look forward to and hope that next coach is a Cignetti type of coach that can get results immediately. We should bask in the glory of our volleyball dominance.

Bullseye

 

[Nebhawk]

So you don't believe a 19 - 22 year old young guy is heavily influenced to come to a team if he's offered more money there than he would be at a better team?

I'd have to disagree with that.

I think we can get players, but I do not think we will get difference makers. Every big time playoff contender is losing seniors/draft picks each season and reloading with the best available talent and paying for what they need. If we were just reloading-yes portal players would be massive. We have never climbed that hill yet. We need to get to a position where we are reloading-needing just a few players. Honestly, this roster is far from elite level at any one position. We have QB to build around- we might have some db's. Need linemen on both sides, then linebackers, running backs, upgrade on WR's. Where would you suggest we start? I say linemen on both trenches. At least add some depth to what we do or do not have. Like I have said, window is closing again. Wisconsin is starting to get better-Purdue won't be this bad for long, Michigan St will improve, UCLA will improve. IF we fall behind all of these teams once again, we won't ever be relevant.

 

[Nebhawk]

We are not the only program experiencing growing pains at the start of this NIL era. From afar I think Klieman is a really solid coach at KSU, but doesn't like the portal. They are experiencing the same thing right now. Dabo is in the same position right now. Norvell at FSU. In a way Franklin at Penn St was about to encounter the same thing. The next 2 seasons will define us in either be a contender or pretender. If we can not find that magic potion, we won't. If we just look at the last 20 years- we have no relevance. Won no conference titles. No BCS or playoff contention. We are not thought of as a powerhouse even by HS coaches anymore. The era changed years ago, Trev understood this and left because its not the gig it was and might not ever be again. Trev signaled something when he left. That signal was football landscape changed and Nebraska is not thought of in the same way it once was. I guarantee that if Trev thought Rhule was the savior, he does not leave for the Aggies. IF he thought Nebraska was just a few seasons away from being great, he doesn't leave. He knew this job was insurmountable for the expectations involved.

 

[Crusader Husker]

You’re delusional. Just like the rest of your fanbase. The rest of the country is laughing at you clowns. Dr. Tom ain’t walking through that door. The only way you’re ever winning another conference chip is if you go to the MAC, sweetheart.

Is that you, Scott?

 

[chamrocck]

We can get great OL players but if coach is useless, that does not help. You can get the fastest car on the pitch but if your driver sucks, you ain’t winning any races. I honestly do not think it is a lack of talent with this team but bad coaching all around. Other than our special teams coach who has shown major progress in one season, our HC, OC, DC, and OL coach are out of their league.

I am not saying I know but this is a chicken and egg dilemma. Is it players or is it coaches? Probably some of both. I think we can fix things quicker with players. That is the name of the game, get players with NiL, portal, transfer rules, etc. Have we finished in top 20 in recruiting like ever? College football is like high school football, superior players and rosters are going to win a large majority of the time.

Rhule is here to stay. Most agree he is a good spokesperson and head for the program. But he absolutely has to get better players and upgrade some coaches. I’d tend to go after significant player upgrades before coaches.

 

[Undone]

We have yet to beat a team with superior talent. If a horrible Wisconsin team can beat a ranked team and we cannot do that in 29 tries

We beat Cincinnati, who was inside the top 25 for at least two weeks over the course of this season. Just mentioning that because for some reason you mentioned Wisconsin in your rant.