texas - I would not waste a tear on them. Unfortunately, they got a real coach and we got Barney. texas plays for keep - think back to the formation of the Big 12. It was suppose to be the Big 8 rescuing the 4 schools from texas -- in the end, it became the 4 schools dominating the other 8, and stealing our dance partner - OU from us. It was the proverbial camel nose in the tent. texas got its ugly nose in there and took over.
Us on the other hand - no resolve or expectation from the top brass to believe we are worthy of being on top. Not to get political here but I'll use this illustration -
There were those who thought that Obama was elected to take the USA down a notch. That the USA should be guilty of being/feeling 'exceptional'. Therefore Obama felt it necessary to lower the expectations and estimation of our 'greatness'. Well in the same way, the administration has acted like NU football, Tom, & all things Huskers was too exceptional, too great in comparison to the rest of the university. Therefore the football program had to be taken off of its lofty perch. Perhaps out of jealousy.
Now I use that illustration not to hijack the thread into a political discussion (so don't go there) but to communicate a general feeling and frustration of "What the heck are they doing with their cash cow, their Window to the World??" Nothing justifies the hiring of a .500 coach at a university like NU unless you have very low expectations for the program. Many of us believed MR could do better wt NU resources, recruits, tradition and we swallowed that line of thinking - after all "He's sent several QBs to the NFL" - as if that was enough of a qualifier. However, the experiment has proven to be invalid. So, while texas, PSU, Washington and so many other schools will push ahead (even Purdue now it appears :facepalm: ) of NU because of the hiring of quality coaches, we cut ourselves out contending for the best and brightest coaches. We settled for a NFL reject (BC), an unproven DC coordinator (Bo) and a .500 coach with no real accomplishes :bang . This is not the fault of the fans, the players but the administration itself which has a limited, self-defeating view of the football program and its importance to the Univ system and the state as a whole, and to the fans scattered across the USA. I say this because if they had a high opinion of the program, they would have made different decisions. It is time for a major reboot and for the regents to wake up and hire the best if they expect excellence. Get rid of the current AD & don't hire a .500 coach and expect .800 results - that is unfair to the coach, hurts the reputation of the Univ, and insults the fans and players who expect more. :rant