Watson applied

[huskernation20]

I agree with the majority that it would be a no-brainer for Wats to apply for this job. Further, Bo has indicated that he'll help any of his coaches progress up the coaching ladder if he can (don't have a link, but he said this around the time Ekeler was interviewing last year). It's part of the business.

Bo has a huge rolodex (or a Blackberry, if you're younger than 40) full of coach's phone numbers across the country. He'll have a replacement for any guy who leaves within a couple of weeks, if not sooner.

I can back up knapp's statement, although I can't provide a link to the proof either. But hey, everyone knows the lochness monster exists, and this is more believable! Really though, I did read this somewhere...I want to say it was LJS. My main concern, if Wats was to leave, would be the loss of any offensive recruits we may have at that time.

 

[huskerswrkhavoc]

The only thing about this is that Watson, in a nutshell, was fired from Colorado. I don't think it'd be high on his possible HC positions.

Watson being let go(fired) by Colorado was just like Bo being let go(fired) by Nebraska in 2004. Bo came back to be a Head Coach and I think Watson would go back to CU to be Head Coach if given the chance.

While I think Wats would go back for a HC opportunity, i disagree that its the same situation. Pederson came into Nebraska with an agenda for the football team and followed through with it. Bo was never on that list. Bo came in under Solich and had TO been the AD (assuming frank was still fired, just to say) Bo would of gotten at least a serious look for the job then. If Pederson would of fired Cally and looked at Bo, i highly doubt Bo would have cared to come back.

 

[Captain K]

I bet Bo would have helped Wats in his attempt at a head coaching job. Imagine taking a head coaching job, being told (basically this is what happened) that you will keep the incumbent OC, then have that OC cost you games each season as he takes half a season to figure out what offense his players can run. Bo has stuck by his guy, even saying positive things, but what head coach wouldn't want to hand pick the guy to run the offense. It was all done for continuity, but in the end, it has backfired. Bo would drive Watson to Florida himself, even wearing one of those NASA diapers so they don't have to stop much, if it would allow him to get the guy he really wants.

If we struggle again this year to move the ball, Watson will be gone.

 

[WCHusker]

I wouldn't be surprised if a little bit of could have been NU fans talking about firing him during the 2009 season.

He ought to be happy that he hasn't had "FOR SALE" spray painted on his garage door. Somebody please hire him. While you're at it, take Cotton with him.

 

[bshirt]

I'm gonna play Nostradamus with this and say if Nebraska has a BCS year next season and Colorado has another losing season, then the Buffs will contact Wats about the HC job.

Good call. Wats had success there, and he couldn't do any worse than Hawkins. Trouble is I don't see Wats being anything more than a middle-of-the-road HC.

Heck, I would be thrilled if SW could improve all the way to a "middle-of-the-road" OC.

I wonder what AD would be stupid enough to hire an OC who just had the nation's 102nd rated offense? Even worse, for a HC??

Pedey might have gone for it.....but other than him.....

 

[sarge87]

I'm gonna play Nostradamus with this and say if Nebraska has a BCS year next season and Colorado has another losing season, then the Buffs will contact Wats about the HC job.

Good call. Wats had success there, and he couldn't do any worse than Hawkins. Trouble is I don't see Wats being anything more than a middle-of-the-road HC.

Heck, I would be thrilled if SW could improve all the way to a "middle-of-the-road" OC.

I wonder what AD would be stupid enough to hire an OC who just had the nation's 102nd rated offense? Even worse, for a HC??

Pedey might have gone for it.....but other than him.....

Like I pointed out to another poster, NCAA ranking doesn't mean squat. Iowa ranked 89th in total offense and went to a BCS bowl. The only thing that matters is wins and losses. You beat all the teams on the schedule, and you may get a chance at the NC. Simple concept and no 'rankings' involved.

 

[kansas husker]

Will the watson bashing never end? In 2008 it was his offense that gave or defense a respectable season, in 2009 he has almost noone return causing the offensive struggles we had this year and everyone acts like he has always been terrrible. If he left our offense would be in big trouble. Who knows what happens this year if Lee/Helu/Burkhead are healthy for the entire season or even if two of them were healthy the entire season.

 

[zoogs]

Will the watson bashing never end? In 2008 it was his offense that gave or defense a respectable season, in 2009 he has almost noone return causing the offensive struggles we had this year and everyone acts like he has always been terrrible. If he left our offense would be in big trouble. Who knows what happens this year if Lee/Helu/Burkhead are healthy for the entire season or even if two of them were healthy the entire season.

+1 to that. The offense had a ton of issues to deal with this year. Some of it was injuries and a lot of it was poor technique out of the OL and receivers, to go along with QBs who couldn't game it. But I can't knock Zac too much because he gutted out the tough times and criticisms and did the best he could. Receivers were supposedly just lazy. Maybe taking after their position coach. But I shouldn't bash them too much either, because postseason reports seem to indicate the entire staff clicking and being on the same page - and that could overcome things like this. Hopefully. The sum is always greater than the component parts.

Watson dealt with all these issues, took all the criticism and none of the credit, and kept as bad an offense as we were fielding in a position to help the team win the game. No glory, just grind through and do all we can to get a W. I really respect that kind of attitude, and the flexibility it shows, out of a coach.

 

[HuskerTrucker]

One day, Watson will get his chance. It will be when this offense is running like a well oiled machine, and people will not want to see him go (kind of what it was like under Callahan and people were talking about him taking a HC job somewhere). The timing for him to leave is not right for him, because whoever takes him wants to be able to point to him as a success, and to this point, under Bo, it would be kind of hard to do that.

The time is coming, though, probably in the next two years.

 

[Hunter94]

Watson dealt with all these issues, took all the criticism and none of the credit, and kept as bad an offense as we were fielding in a position to help the team win the game. No glory, just grind through and do all we can to get a W. I really respect that kind of attitude, and the flexibility it shows, out of a coach.

while i agree with all this, the fact remains, offensively we were terrible, absolutely horrible, except for several games. i did not see Watson adjust his game calling until the bowl game, he stubbornly refused to open up the playbook, which i think was a conscious decision and i am not saying it was totally wrong, but it is hard to see how he gets rewarded with a HC job, until he can put this team's offensive production in the top 10 for a couple of years......if someone else wants him as a HC based on his potential, then fine, that would be their gamble and read on the guy.....and that is all it would be.

 

[strigori]

I'm gonna play Nostradamus with this and say if Nebraska has a BCS year next season and Colorado has another losing season, then the Buffs will contact Wats about the HC job.

Good call. Wats had success there, and he couldn't do any worse than Hawkins. Trouble is I don't see Wats being anything more than a middle-of-the-road HC.

Heck, I would be thrilled if SW could improve all the way to a "middle-of-the-road" OC.

I wonder what AD would be stupid enough to hire an OC who just had the nation's 102nd rated offense? Even worse, for a HC??

Pedey might have gone for it.....but other than him.....

play calling ability does not have much to do with being able to run a program. Craig Bohl we can all agree was an average at best DC, but he runs a pretty good d-AA program. It would only really matter if he was planning on calling the plays. Most HCs don't call plays, they leave it to the OC and DC and work on steering the ship.