Nebraska's schedule is 7-8 games piece a cake year in and out. It's up to the coach to put the icing out the 1-2 to hit 9 games...if that is your bench mark. It isn't in Nebraska. They want to be able to win the conference, have a clean program and just maybe win a couple of those big games on national tv, instead of it being a national embarrassment EVERY TIME. Those objectives weren't being met....over a 7 year period. Ask yourself this hypothetical: Oregon wins the 2014 playoff, then 2015-2021 wins 9 games without one conference title, get knocked off by Oregon St two years in a row, boat raced by USC everytime they play. Are you asking for a coach change? Or are you content saying, well the Nike money was nice, gave us a boast for a while but that ship has sailed.
Nebraska's schedule is 7-8 games piece a cake year in and out. It's up to the coach to put the icing out the 1-2 to hit 9 games...if that is your bench mark. It isn't in Nebraska. They want to be able to win the conference, have a clean program and just maybe win a couple of those big games on national tv, instead of it being a national embarrassment EVERY TIME. Those objectives weren't being met....over a 7 year period. Ask yourself this hypothetical: Oregon wins the 2014 playoff, then 2015-2021 wins 9 games without one conference title, get knocked off by Oregon St two years in a row, boat raced by USC everytime they play. Are you asking for a coach change? Or are you content saying, well the Nike money was nice, gave us a boast for a while but that ship has sailed.
I'm kind of warming to the idea of Riley.....the assistants he hires will be crucial, though. Kevin Steele rumor would be nice if it pans out. His record is less than stellar, but lets be honest, every thing he did was at a shit hole with a premier program up the road. Now he gets top-end facilities to see if his overachieving/developmental style can work on the plains. I think he's stepping into a FAR more talented situation than he may have ever seen as a HC in CFB. Nebraska's biggest fault the last few years has been QB development. Riley is known for that and NU has a really nice stable of QB's but they all need major grooming. Can't say what is in store, but as I mentioned, even and average coach can win 7-8 at Nebraska. His personality is just a perfect fit for Nebraska. Perhaps only the big 8 old-timers will understand why, and that will be a big change to see on the sideline. Perhaps the psyche of the players needs that. The team often had those drastic up and downs much like the HC personality.
Exactly, putting yourself in position. Nebraska hasn't won a conference since 1999, hasn't won a big game on tv since...can't even remember, this firing/hiring was with absolutley no risk involved. I'm sure you don't follow Nebraska much, but the recruiting is on par with your team. That last hump is coaching.
I guess we'll see...... recruiting is not an exact science.... Nebraska may or may not be on par with Oregon with recruiting... despite the recruiting rankings, Oregon usually gets the player its targeting...might not be a 5* player , but for the most part Ducks aren't going after every 5* recruit..There going after what fits with the program.. Mariota wasn't a 5* recruit
We agree. It isn't an exact science, and really there can be success other than just grabbing all 4-5 stars every year. Nebraska is also a program that has tried to find the hidden gems, in fact that has been the historical case for Nebraska. You say, finding the players that fits your program......I'll further that and say developing them once you get them, I'd call that coaching.
This is true. It's always been this way. But something tell me with this new playoff format the rules could change a bit. A bluebloood like Bama will be able to prepare for their first game. It's that second game where I think they lose a little bit of their talent advantage or possibly gets out schemed. This is the one thing I really do like about the playoff as opposed to the BCS. It brings more of your non-traditional powers into play for more interesting matchups.
It definately opens it up a bit, and if they go to 8 teams then it really gives some smaller programs a chance, but at the same time you give a second chance to some of the power teams that may have stumbled early and couldn't win their division. Going to be fun to see how it unfolds. I was going to further elaborate to this exact point on why I think nebraska getting the "right" coach opens them back up into the hunt. Wisconsin-Minnesota-Purdue-Iowa-Northwestern.....it's the Big 12 north all over again, then they just need to knock off the big dog in the east. Those were the games that Bo just couldn't get. Maybe this new guy can't either, but won't know unless they try.
3-6....losses to Illinois, Northwestern and Purdue.......how? 6 losses before the month of november for the first time.....ever....in...the....history....of...nebraska...football. This is worse than the Callahan hire.....worse. A couple of posters in here got this right, perhaps not even they saw it this bad. I got the 9 game crash course on Riley. Finess offense wont work in the Big Ten. Poor, predictable D and like sooner Russ said "poor game manager". Im afraid the MSU game is setting up for the rock bottom moment. The slightest breeze will rock this house of cards. Id lay 14 on MSU and not bat an eye.
He'll be fine. Do some research.
Phil Steele had Nebraska returning 12 starters this year. We have started 20 different players on each side of the ball. Injuries and roster depth have decimated us. Only 58 scholarship recruits traveled to Purdue, and we were without 7-8 starters for most of the game, including 4 skill positions, and half our secondary. Our DEs are sub standard, our best OL, who keyed our running game, was out.
We have the most walk-ons in our 2-deep than any team in Top 50 in the country.
http://i.imgur.com/HhUWr6j.jpg
I did that research, it's legit.
There is major divison in the locker-room with key guys still staying loyal to Bo's regime and causing problems. There will be major purging of roster spots after the season ends. No leadership among the upperclassmen b/c Bo snuffed out real leaders and installed a cult-like Us vs The World mentality that left the program lacking a positive, real culture and accountability. This is a total rebuild project, whether you like it or not.
This team finished 1-3 last year same Roster minus 3-4 players, two of which were our best players in Ameer Abdullah and Randy Gregory, both early NFL draft picks. Our current QB is 3rd worst in the Big 10 in QBR and worse than Taylor Martinez.
Their is absolutely not a single player that can be trusted to have a solid game and do his job. Ameer always could, Lavonte David could be trusted to win Bo games....there is not a single player on this team who's talent transcends anything. The reads are there and we miss, the passes are there and are dropped, the defenders are there and lose the player/ball or miss the tackle. We need to upgrade talent at every position and that will be done in the next 12-24 months. Recruits, redshirts, and young players who are playing ahead of schedule this year will be key.
We had the same amt of talent as NW and Purdue:
our starters 5.57 rated on Rivals rankings, theirs 5.53, and that is WITH tommy armstrong not Fyke who is a walk-on.
http://i.imgur.com/Wt35zB4.png
http://i.imgur.com/ALcofAt.png
People overlook how difficult transitions are in football, doubly so when you have to install new systems on both sides of the ball that are polar opposites of the old ones. Most Nebraska fans have lived through four coaching changes in their lives, one of which involved no change on either side, one only a defensive change, and two that involved changes on both sides.
Mike Riley's success or failure he has little to do with his first year here. We've been living on the edge of five losses the last 7 years, and that is with 7 straights years of having at least one NFL RB on roster (Helu, Rex, Ameer) and one top 2 rounds defender (Suh, Prince, Randy). Now we have none of those guys and suddenly we're a talented team? Yawn.
Riley's long-term success is about this recruiting class and finding someone who can play QB and rush the passer. We're doing well in the first category, and with the rise of Freedom, we just need one of the Davis kids or Neal to pan out.
But the QB position is key, and that will tell us where we're going in the future. Nebraska currently has the fastest rising stud QB in the country and he enrolls early in January. We have some really good guys on RS this year who will contribute next year. Bo's best recruiting class was actually last year's class.
Currently Nebraska has 15 commits (#27 in 24/7 team rankings, #40 in Rivals) and will be taking an expanded class of 26-27 now. The only teams higher than us on rankings with 15 or less commits are USC with eight 4*, Oregon with eight 4*, Clemson with eight 4*, Baylor with four 4*. All teams with stable programs entering the season or traditional top 5 recruit ranking finishes.
Every other program above us has 17-22 commits and each guy committed drives their team rankings up with additional points earned. so we should gain considerable ground once we sign more.
Phil Steele had Nebraska returning 12 starters this year. We have started 20 different players on each side of the ball. Injuries and roster depth have decimated us. Only 58 scholarship recruits traveled to Purdue, and we were without 7-8 starters for most of the game, including 4 skill positions, and half our secondary. Our DEs are sub standard, our best OL, who keyed our running game, was out.
We have the most walk-ons in our 2-deep than any team in Top 50 in the country.
http://i.imgur.com/HhUWr6j.jpg
I did that research, it's legit.
There is major divison in the locker-room with key guys still staying loyal to Bo's regime and causing problems. There will be major purging of roster spots after the season ends. No leadership among the upperclassmen b/c Bo snuffed out real leaders and installed a cult-like Us vs The World mentality that left the program lacking a positive, real culture and accountability. This is a total rebuild project, whether you like it or not.
This team finished 1-3 last year same Roster minus 3-4 players, two of which were our best players in Ameer Abdullah and Randy Gregory, both early NFL draft picks. Our current QB is 3rd worst in the Big 10 in QBR and worse than Taylor Martinez.
Their is absolutely not a single player that can be trusted to have a solid game and do his job. Ameer always could, Lavonte David could be trusted to win Bo games....there is not a single player on this team who's talent transcends anything. The reads are there and we miss, the passes are there and are dropped, the defenders are there and lose the player/ball or miss the tackle. We need to upgrade talent at every position and that will be done in the next 12-24 months. Recruits, redshirts, and young players who are playing ahead of schedule this year will be key.
We had the same amt of talent as NW and Purdue:
our starters 5.57 rated on Rivals rankings, theirs 5.53, and that is WITH tommy armstrong not Fyke who is a walk-on.
http://i.imgur.com/Wt35zB4.png
http://i.imgur.com/ALcofAt.png
People overlook how difficult transitions are in football, doubly so when you have to install new systems on both sides of the ball that are polar opposites of the old ones. Most Nebraska fans have lived through four coaching changes in their lives, one of which involved no change on either side, one only a defensive change, and two that involved changes on both sides.
Mike Riley's success or failure he has little to do with his first year here. We've been living on the edge of five losses the last 7 years, and that is with 7 straights years of having at least one NFL RB on roster (Helu, Rex, Ameer) and one top 2 rounds defender (Suh, Prince, Randy). Now we have none of those guys and suddenly we're a talented team? Yawn.
Riley's long-term success is about this recruiting class and finding someone who can play QB and rush the passer. We're doing well in the first category, and with the rise of Freedom, we just need one of the Davis kids or Neal to pan out.
But the QB position is key, and that will tell us where we're going in the future. Nebraska currently has the fastest rising stud QB in the country and he enrolls early in January. We have some really good guys on RS this year who will contribute next year. Bo's best recruiting class was actually last year's class.
Currently Nebraska has 15 commits (#27 in 24/7 team rankings, #40 in Rivals) and will be taking an expanded class of 26-27 now. The only teams higher than us on rankings with 15 or less commits are USC with eight 4*, Oregon with eight 4*, Clemson with eight 4*, Baylor with four 4*. All teams with stable programs entering the season or traditional top 5 recruit ranking finishes.
Every other program above us has 17-22 commits and each guy committed drives their team rankings up with additional points earned. so we should gain considerable ground once we sign more.
Great analysis "shorty".....So few observers over-look potential divisiveness and "squabbling" amongst the players that you never see written about in the sports-sections. This internal "bickering" creates factions resulting in losing football games....lots of them. Many times a new coach has to "clean house".
I think he's in over his head. I've seen very little to think they can right this ship. I like the guy, he's an ideal face for the program, minus the on-field results.
Congrats on the work. Already familiar with it when it came out on cornnation. Iowa and BYU are right there with us. Some injury bug there with both teams, yet different results on the field.
It was time for Bo to go (maybe a year too late), but after 9 games and this old tired excuse is still being used? At some point the kids that want to play for the N need to play and the guys not putting in the effort can ride the pine. This staff is allowing that stuff to happen if it still is going on. Exhibit A is that C on Lewis jersey (who I said, on here, would be a bad transfer for Nebraska to take in). Exhibit B is not bringing Armstrong (another captain) on the road trip...there are a number of players that don't play and could have stayed home in his place. Stevenson for example or ANY backup Olinemen. Seriously, what program NEVER subs lineman even when they are flat out getting beat. That sounds like a good way to create division, imo.
I don't put the same value into recruiting rankings as you do....at least not in the here is point a, draw a line to point b. NW has been bad a few years now, and Purdue has won exactly 2 conference games in three years, so the linear link for rankings to results seems disconnected there. If Fyfe was such a down grade from the star-studded southern talent (and I do think he is), then why continue with the same 48 pass attempt game plan? Purdue did load the box, but they are the worst rush defense in the conference and we actually had success outside on them. Even if you are only getting 2 or 3, you stay on course and perhaps avoid those 5 turnovers that gave up at least 28 points. Not all walk-ons are average. A walk-on may be our best football player and an NFL talent. A walk-on may be one of our best WR's amongst a pretty talented group. Oh, and all those guys mentioned are no longer walk-ons, including Fyfe. They have schollies.
Some people do overlook that, sometimes that list includes coaches. And yet we see numerous successful examples around the country. Though several of those had enough "experience" to know not to do a wholesale change and keep on somebody to help with the transition, even if for a year. Big miss by Riley. If it was so toxic and that couldnt be done, then you better do a damn good job of blending the systems. That was a complete failure on the defensive side, not quite as bad offensively, but trying to make Armstrong into a west coast QB is almost as bad. Yes, they've run him some (not enough) but what about those bootleg plays that can be a big part of the west coast. That's amazing when Armstrong has shown he throws better on the run and the oline can't block anyway.
So suddenly we are untalented enough to lose to Illinois and Purdue...we might add Rutgers to that list very shortly.
That's tough to have all your eggs in one kids basket. I know O'Brien is a great character kid and he's all sold on NU, but he's not here yet. Oregon put a full court press on the kid from Oklahoma and he flipped. Don't think some vultures aren't circling above the skies of California...Harbaugh comes to mind.
I hope they turn it around, but I think it's turned wrong. The MSU game could go very bad. We've already shown to have an elementary pass coverage. Even the bottom barrel B10 Qb's are dicing it up and now the best one is coming in. Banker, I heard, can't even get his players to look at him.
RLR I think you know my feeling on this and Bo.. we disagree and see it differently but as I said previously if give me a a Bo or Reily I am taking a Bo.. he will go down with a passion you find in fighter...he may not be polished with his personal characteristics but If I had a kid I would want him playing for a guy like Bo not Riley.. Maybe the question to ask is do you want to win football games or be liked by all? I think Nebraska has a taken a huge step backwards and may take them a very very long time to climb back unless they make a hard decision and say we got this wrong and hired the wrong guy.. they are on thin ice and maybe if they bring in the right guy with Nebraska roots they can save the ship. They cant afford to go in a slump and start failing on recruiting trail, then it will get real bad.
