The Program.

[DaveH]

The direction of the program is very much up in the air. We could easily be 7-5 at the end of the year and heading to another mid-tier bowl. And to say that Callahan is blowing the recruiting doors off is simply untrue - he is bringing in some good players, but definitely not great players. His #5 ranked class is turning out to be a joke because 9 of those 31 players are not even with the program any longer. With all of the JUCO players the he brought in, we should not have to be playing with Solich players any longer. But we are. So what is Callahan really doing? Granted, he has brought in a more enjoyable and up-to-date offensive scheme, and he has brought a very organized approach to recruiting. But I have a very hard time saying he is a good "COACH". Our players do not get better while they are here (Beck, Lucky, even Taylor to some extent), and our teams do not get better as the season goes on (last year we were within a whisper of losing to K-State and not making a bowl again). What Callahan is doing, others can do as well, plus I'm guessing they can coach better. Cos and Elmo clearly have to go because our defense is playing to within 10% of their potential.

Beck and Lucky? One never saw the field less K-State and it's Lucky's TRUE SOPHMORE year. How can you pass judgement on a player after 2 years when they could be here for 5?

The requirement for instant gratification is not one of the becoming traits of some Husker fans.

 

[DJR313]

The defense that Peleni used had the bullocks twins, and fabian washington in the secondary. If we had those three back we would be in good shape.

Cos has 3 big10 championships as DC at wisconsin. I dont know where elmo's hsitory.

With Ron Dayne on the other side of the ball, able to pound it at will in 98 and 99, Cosgrove engineered a #1 and #2 ranked defense in the nation. Injuries hurt us right now. An inconsistent offense hurts. Lack of depth hurts. All factors in what we are seeing now. Despite the poor showing at OSU, the offense left 5 points on the field and a turnover resulted in 7 points. That's the difference in the game.

i wish we still had bo peleni

I don't.

 

[Hunter94]

The defense that Peleni used had the bullocks twins, and fabian washington in the secondary. If we had those three back we would be in good shape.

Cos has 3 big10 championships as DC at wisconsin. I dont know where elmo's hsitory.

With Ron Dayne on the other side of the ball, able to pound it at will in 98 and 99, Cosgrove engineered a #1 and #2 ranked defense in the nation. Injuries hurt us right now. An inconsistent offense hurts. Lack of depth hurts. All factors in what we are seeing now. Despite the poor showing at OSU, the offense left 5 points on the field and a turnover resulted in 7 points. That's the difference in the game.

i wish we still had bo peleni

I don't.

i do........Pelini, like him or not, had a way with the kids, i don't see cos having nearly the rapport.....sure, Pelini did some things that were not so cool, after he left the program, but the guy is a winner and is working with a winner....LSU......cos shows me nothing.......

 

[vadernation]

The requirement for instant gratification is not one of the becoming traits of some Husker fans

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Who said anything about instant gratification??? I simply want a coach that betters his players while they are in the program. At present, I cannot think of one that has gotten marginally better while under Callahan's tutoring. Also, why do other programs get freshman and sophomores to start and play meaningful minutes, but we cannot (for the most part)? Why don't the young secondary guys play when they are clearly better and more talented than Shanle? I'm a Husker fan through and through who has contributed my time, effort, and finances to the Husker program, and it is my right and duty to call out people who are not putting their best foot forward where the program is concerned. Callahan and Cosgrove are #1 and #2 on that list, in my opinion.

 

[DaveH]

Yea, you can say whatever you want. That's fine.

Doesn't mean it's right or is anywhere close to how the kids on the team feels about the whole thing. After watching the press conferences today, I'd say they are fully past Oklahoma State and ready to play Missouri. As a matter of fact I saw that Brandon Jackson was asked if he was frustrated he didn't get the ball more in the second half. His answer was, (paraphrasing) "Kind of, but any back is going to get frustrated when they don't get the ball. I believe in the system we are using . We have good coaches who know what they are doing and are doing what they can to put us in a position to win."

Hey, if the guys on the team are happy that's really all that matters. Why? Because players don't really stand up for being put in bad positions by a coach. I think if it was really as bad as everyone makes it out to be, we'd know. After 3 year's, we'd know. In the end, having a team that is on the same page with their coaches consistently is all you can really ask. The team still has to get out there and get it done on game day. Some days, it's goes really, really sh**ty. It did Saturday.

As far as contributing time and money to the school, that's all well and good. So do I and most Husker fans. However, I don't think that gives you the right to tell the school how it should be run. If you don't think it's going well, you pull your support. That's the biggest measure of showing dissatisfaction as a booster of a team.

Bettering players. What's the yard stick for that? Tell me, please. What tangible, concrete measuring stick can we use at the end of a kid's career at a university to say "Yep, he got better". I'd love to see it. If you are just going by how guys like Marlon and Cody are playing, I would have to say that the difference is really night and day. I don't know about you, but last year I remember Cody and Lucky running up the backs of their blockers, not being patient and in no way being trusted to pick up a blitz. This year, they are doing all three of those things better. That's really not opinion, that's fact. So is that a measuring stick? I don't know. Maybe for RB's it is. What about other positions?

 

[strigori]

Look a bit close at our depth chart. From the 2 deep from huskers.com

Lydon Murtha*, 6-7, 315, So., Hutchinson, Minn. - backup

Andy Christensen, 6-3, 300, So., Bennington, Neb -backup

Mike Huff*, 6-4, 305, So., Ralston, Neb. - Starter

Jacob HIckman, 6-4, 280, Fr., Bakersfield, Calif - backup

Matt Slauson*, 6-5, 335, So., Colorado Springs, Colo - starter

NATE SWIFT*, 6-2, 195, So., Hutchinson, Minn. - starter

Todd Peterson*, 6-4, 210, So., Grand Island, Neb - backup

Marlon Lucky*, 6-0, 210, So., North Hollywood, Calif.

Cody Glenn*, 6-0, 230, So., Rusk, Texas

Barry Turner*, 6-3, 250, So., Antioch, Tenn - backup

Ty Steinkuhler, 6-3, 280, So., Lincoln, Neb. - backup

Ndamukong Suh, 6-4, 305, So., Portland, Ore. - backup

Zach Potter*, 6-7, 280, So., Omaha, Neb - backup

Clayton Sievers**, 6-4, 240, So., Elkhorn, Neb. - backup

Rickey Thenarse, 6-0, 185, Fr., Los Angeles, Calif. - backup

Major Culbert, 6-0, 200, Fr., Harbor City, Calif - backup

Corey Young, 6-0, 195, Fr., Omaha, Neb. - backup

JORDAN CONGDON*, 5-11, 175, So., San Diego, Calif. - starter

Dan Titchener, 6-0, 200, So., Cheyenne, Wyo. - starter

19 fresh or soph on the two deep, counting the kicker and punter. That is alot of underclassmen on the two deep.

 

[CoachKevin]

Good chart in World-Herald regarding recent road game debacles:

2004 523 yds Texas Tech 70-10

2004 418 yds K-State 45-21

2004 466 yds I-State 34-27

2004 511 yds Oklahoma 30-3

2005 523 yds Missouri 41-24

2005 428 yds KU 40-15

2006 496 yds OSU 41-29

Not counting 500 something yds KU had in Lincoln this yr.

So what's the problem?

Recruiting? Sure you can say these were Solich recruits. But where are the recruits from the last 2.5 yrs? Do we really need to sign 5 or 6 running backs ?

Coaching? I have no problem with Callahan. Coz needs to go. We heard all spring that we had the best front 7 we've had here in a while. The defense is constantly out of position, they have no tackling fundamentals and they blitz on 1st down, but not on third down. Remember defending the shovel pass against KU the whole game while they ran all over the field?

Injuries? Sure Bowman going down hurt. He's only one guy. Grixby was still going to play. Dilliard, yeah he's out too. We had a very deep linebacking group this yr and they've all been absent at differnt times for some reason.

I love this team. I just hate excuses.

Another troubling stat and please correct me if I am wrong but Callahan in 3 years has lost to 12 unranked teams.............vs. T.O. , and Frankie "DUI" Solich 20 losses to unranked teams in something like 20 yrs.........that is troubling.

ANything from before scholorship limits means nothing. The game is very, very different than it was 20 iears ago, hell its very different than from 10 years ago.

Parity. It evens the playing feild. No longer do players have to go to a handfull of schools to get looks from the NFL. ANywhere works. The mega programs cant stockpile all the players anymore. Offenses have changed. The majority pf the TO years, offenses were predicated on the run. Things like the spread didnt exist. The unranked teams of today are not the unranked teams of yesteryear.

The spread was around during Dr Toms era. What makes you think it wasn't? Dr Tom actualy ran some spread towards the end of his career.

 

[strigori]

By 'spread' I dont mean just spread the players out, that has been around forever. It is more the why the offense opperates. The 1 back shotgun set as the standard like OSU and WVU run, with the 'read-option' as the base play.

 

[DaveH]

Another troubling stat and please correct me if I am wrong but Callahan in 3 years has lost to 12 unranked teams.............vs. T.O. , and Frankie "DUI" Solich 20 losses to unranked teams in something like 20 yrs.........that is troubling.

I don't really think that's apples to apples. Was Kansas then the Kansas now? Iowa State? Missouri? Hell even Baylor isn't quite the doormat they once were. We'd stomp those teams in the 90's because they didn't have players like Bret Meyer, Todd Blythe, Chase Daniel, etc. They had mostly a bunch of no names and teams like NU had all the talent.

Also, those teams were usually not ranked when NU was in those days. Today, not so much. Not particularly this year, but look at recent history. At least post 1997.

I'd like to see the rosters of those teams in the 90's and who went on to play at a higher level and compare that to NU players at the time who are or did play in the NFL.

Does losing that many games to unranked opponents suck? Hell yea it does. What does it mean? Considering what I posted above, I really don't know. To me it means since then Nebraska has fallen off a bit and the competition has risen up a bit.

 

[NU fan in Denver]

Look a bit close at our depth chart. From the 2 deep from huskers.com

Lydon Murtha*, 6-7, 315, So., Hutchinson, Minn. - backup

Andy Christensen, 6-3, 300, So., Bennington, Neb -backup

Mike Huff*, 6-4, 305, So., Ralston, Neb. - Starter

Jacob HIckman, 6-4, 280, Fr., Bakersfield, Calif - backup

Matt Slauson*, 6-5, 335, So., Colorado Springs, Colo - starter

NATE SWIFT*, 6-2, 195, So., Hutchinson, Minn. - starter

Todd Peterson*, 6-4, 210, So., Grand Island, Neb - backup

Marlon Lucky*, 6-0, 210, So., North Hollywood, Calif.

Cody Glenn*, 6-0, 230, So., Rusk, Texas

Barry Turner*, 6-3, 250, So., Antioch, Tenn - backup

Ty Steinkuhler, 6-3, 280, So., Lincoln, Neb. - backup

Ndamukong Suh, 6-4, 305, So., Portland, Ore. - backup

Zach Potter*, 6-7, 280, So., Omaha, Neb - backup

Clayton Sievers**, 6-4, 240, So., Elkhorn, Neb. - backup

Rickey Thenarse, 6-0, 185, Fr., Los Angeles, Calif. - backup

Major Culbert, 6-0, 200, Fr., Harbor City, Calif - backup

Corey Young, 6-0, 195, Fr., Omaha, Neb. - backup

JORDAN CONGDON*, 5-11, 175, So., San Diego, Calif. - starter

Dan Titchener, 6-0, 200, So., Cheyenne, Wyo. - starter

19 fresh or soph on the two deep, counting the kicker and punter. That is alot of underclassmen on the two deep.

There is a lot of potential talent on the 2 deep, but BC him self said the depth chart doesn't mean squat. That is why BJax is listed #3, but is the starter.

 

[CoachKevin]

By 'spread' I dont mean just spread the players out, that has been around forever. It is more the why the offense opperates. The 1 back shotgun set as the standard like OSU and WVU run, with the 'read-option' as the base play.

Like I said it has been around a long time. Tom Landry ran it in the 70's. I faced it as a Coach in the 90's at the H.S. level.It's not unstopable and doesn't get you 400+ yards every week. If it were than everyone would run it. Nebraska doesn't have the secondary to stop it this year. The loss of Bowman has hurt the D in a big way. He had the ability to shut down the #1 reciever. Being able to man up the #1 WR would have given them the ability to help out Grixby at the other Corner.

IMO the biggest problem this team has is the O-Lines lack of Conditioning. They tire every game.

 

[DJR313]

Look a bit close at our depth chart. From the 2 deep from huskers.com

Lydon Murtha*, 6-7, 315, So., Hutchinson, Minn. - backup

Andy Christensen, 6-3, 300, So., Bennington, Neb -backup

Mike Huff*, 6-4, 305, So., Ralston, Neb. - Starter

Jacob HIckman, 6-4, 280, Fr., Bakersfield, Calif - backup

Matt Slauson*, 6-5, 335, So., Colorado Springs, Colo - starter

NATE SWIFT*, 6-2, 195, So., Hutchinson, Minn. - starter

Todd Peterson*, 6-4, 210, So., Grand Island, Neb - backup

Marlon Lucky*, 6-0, 210, So., North Hollywood, Calif.

Cody Glenn*, 6-0, 230, So., Rusk, Texas

Barry Turner*, 6-3, 250, So., Antioch, Tenn - backup

Ty Steinkuhler, 6-3, 280, So., Lincoln, Neb. - backup

Ndamukong Suh, 6-4, 305, So., Portland, Ore. - backup

Zach Potter*, 6-7, 280, So., Omaha, Neb - backup

Clayton Sievers**, 6-4, 240, So., Elkhorn, Neb. - backup

Rickey Thenarse, 6-0, 185, Fr., Los Angeles, Calif. - backup

Major Culbert, 6-0, 200, Fr., Harbor City, Calif - backup

Corey Young, 6-0, 195, Fr., Omaha, Neb. - backup

JORDAN CONGDON*, 5-11, 175, So., San Diego, Calif. - starter

Dan Titchener, 6-0, 200, So., Cheyenne, Wyo. - starter

19 fresh or soph on the two deep, counting the kicker and punter. That is alot of underclassmen on the two deep.

As one person so eloquently eluded to in another thread, "Just because they are listed on the depth chart doesn't mean they have done anything." I, of course, am being sarcastic. There is a heapin' helpin' of young players getting significant PT. There are a few guys from the 05 class that have yet to get in the mix even. Nick Covey, Chris Brooks, David Harvey, etc. The 06 class has 10 solid players that are currently redshirting. I think skersfan has said it several times, 5 years total for Callahan to really let his program take hold. I agree with that. If in 2008, NU gets schooled on the road against an OSU or Baylor, then it will be safe to say something is wrong.