Tom Osbourne decides to go back to the roots of the program

**ISUFan22** · 11-07-2007, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by garn91

Tom Osborne is a God like figure in Nebraska and whoever he hires, will be welcomed and accepted by Husker fans.

Doesn't mean that guy will win though.

**wesley_w** · 11-07-2007, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by garn91

The talent is currently in place to run any sort of offense sans a Paul Johnson option style attack. Tom Osborne is a God like figure in Nebraska and whoever he hires, will be welcomed and accepted by Husker fans.

NU fans used to complain constantly about Osborne throughout the 70's and 80's because he rarely beat OU and couldn't win his bowl games.

**garn91** · 11-07-2007, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by wesley_w

NU fans used to complain constantly about Osborne throughout the 70's and 80's because he rarely beat OU and couldn't win his bowl games.

Very true, but that was before the national title run in the mid 90's. Many don't know this, but TO almost left Nebraska to go coach at Colorado in the early 80's, that's how bad he was being treated.

I'll probably be labeled a homer for saying this, but there's too much talent to be sitting at 4-6 and giving up 76 points to Kansas makes me throw up. From a talent standpoint, Bill Callahan is going to leave Nebraska in better shape than what he found when he arrived. Whoever the next coach is, is going to have a loaded cuppboard, similar to what Bob Stoops walked into at OU and he won the MNC in his second year.

**everyyard** · 11-07-2007, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by Wesley

Nebraska has never had such a rough year as the current team is enjoying. They are at the bottom for defense and give 38 points a game to the opponent. The only record left standing is the consecutive sellouts. Outside of downsizing thier stadium, Tom Osbourne has decded to take the program back to its roots:

Bugeaters - The Original Home of the Bugeaters

Fact: Throw enough money around and someone will bite.
Fact: Chizik does not have the record or experience they are looking for yet.

**jdoggivjc** · 11-07-2007, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by everyyard

Fact: Throw enough money around and someone will bite.
Fact: Chizik does not have the record or experience they are looking for yet.

I buy Fact #1.

I don't buy Fact #2 as then Pelini would not be a serious candidate.

**Steve** · 11-07-2007, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by garn91

The talent is currently in place to run any sort of offense sans a Paul Johnson option style attack. Tom Osborne is a God like figure in Nebraska and whoever he hires, will be welcomed and accepted by Husker fans.

Osborne isn't off to a very good start as the man in charge. His motivational talks with the FB team the past few weeks have been totally ineffective. NU is in a downward spiral while the other 5 North teams all have staffs in place that have generated momentum in their programs. NU will not be a clear favorite next year against any of these teams. The talent is too evenly spread around these days.

Osborne usually ended up disappointing fans for most of his head coaching career. It is well known that he once almost bolted to Colorado because of the heat. The stars were aligned for his last 4 or 5 years so most only remember the good times. The keys to the late success are no longer in place starting with Osborne having a magic touch. Since then he has been a do-nothing Congressman and a rejected Govenatorial candidate. Lots of very good coaches have proven to be mediocre AD's. Nebraska fans will abandon the program in droves if they struggle for the next 2-3 years.

**everyyard** · 11-07-2007, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by jdoggivjc

I buy Fact #1.

I don't buy Fact #2 as then Pelini would not be a serious candidate.

The difference is when we hired chizik he was a hot coordinator. Now he is a head coach with 2 wins late in the year. What a difference a year makes...he will have to succeed here now to get a better job. They won't hire him based on his past before ISU. What good is someone that is a great coordinator but not a great head coach...As for Pelini, well he is still a hot coordinator so they can still gamble that he will be a good head coach.

**ISUFan22** · 11-07-2007, 01:33 PM

Husker fans vastly underestimated the losses up front on the defense from last season - thinking the new guys could do a good job. They've gotten completely manhandled up front defensively and that offensive line hasn't been a whole lot better.

Having said that, ISU was in a similar situation last season, especially on the offensive line and this year things have turned around - so it can be done. But it does take a special coach to do it in just one year.

I wonder if Callahan recruited guys with similar personalities as himself (or how we perceive him). Egotistical, whiny, defensive, etc. I kinda wonder if Sam Keller fits that mold perfectly - a guy that pouted out of ASU and into Lincoln. Granted, he's gone, but that's just how I see his team right now.

If that's the case, those guys are really hard to coach.

**jdoggivjc** · 11-07-2007, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by everyyard

The difference is when we hired chizik he was a hot coordinator. Now he is a head coach with 2 wins late in the year. What a difference a year makes...he will have to succeed here now to get a better job. They won't hire him based on his past before ISU. What good is someone that is a great coordinator but not a great head coach...As for Pelini, well he is still a hot coordinator so they can still gamble that he will be a good head coach.

I'm not in the boat that Nebraska comes after Chizik - and even if they do I don't think Chizik would bolt for Nebraska simply because I think he's too ethical and too much of a stand-up guy to do that. Plus I believe he came to ISU for a reason - he was a hot coordinator and probably could have gone to whatever school he wanted to when the opportunity came to him - he saw something at ISU that most of the nation just doesn't see yet.

My argument is if Nebraska was solely looking for an established coach Pelini would not be a serious candidate.

**everyyard** · 11-07-2007, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by jdoggivjc

I'm not in the boat that Nebraska comes after Chizik - and even if they do I don't think Chizik would bolt for Nebraska simply because I think he's too ethical and too much of a stand-up guy to do that. Plus I believe he came to ISU for a reason - he was a hot coordinator and probably could have gone to whatever school he wanted to when the opportunity came to him - he saw something at ISU that most of the nation just doesn't see yet.

My argument is if Nebraska was solely looking for an established coach Pelini would not be a serious candidate.

Agree with your arguement. But if they are looking for the next hot coordinator Pelini may be it and Chizik is no longer it. It is all about what have you done lately. From now on Chizik will be judged as what he does as a head coach. If anyone wants to hire him away they will have to be satisfied that he has done a good job at ISU and I don't think that can be said yet. In other words there is 0% chance of someone hiring him away after this season. Has he done good things...yes. Is he improving...yes. Right direction...yes. But no one will impress their fan base, especially a fan base with as large of ego as nebraska's with a 2 win head coach.

**jdoggivjc** · 11-07-2007, 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by everyyard

Agree with your arguement. But if they are looking for the next hot coordinator Pelini may be it and Chizik is no longer it. It is all about what have you done lately. From now on Chizik will be judged as what he does as a head coach. If anyone wants to hire him away they will have to be satisfied that he has done a good job at ISU and I don't think that can be said yet. In other words there is 0% chance of someone hiring him away after this season. Has he done good things...yes. Is he improving...yes. Right direction...yes. But no one will impress their fan base, especially a fan base with as large of ego as nebraska's with a 2 win head coach.

Ok - we're on the same page. Just wanted to be sure.

**Steve** · 11-07-2007, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by ISUFan22

I wonder if Callahan recruited guys with similar personalities as himself (or how we perceive him). Egotistical, whiny, defensive, etc. I kinda wonder if Sam Keller fits that mold perfectly - a guy that pouted out of ASU and into Lincoln. Granted, he's gone, but that's just how I see his team right now.

If that's the case, those guys are really hard to coach.

I agree about the personalty issue. Too many guys with stars ranking and stars in their eyes who looked at NU as a short stop on the way to the NFL. Not many blue collar bad guys who carried the load for TO. The problem with going back to the bad guy formula is that it can blow up in your face and get out of hand.

**jdoggivjc** · 11-07-2007, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by Steve

I agree about the personalty issue. Too many guys with stars ranking and stars in their eyes who looked at NU as a short stop on the way to the NFL. Not many blue collar bad guys who carried the load for TO. The problem with going back to the bad guy formula is that it can blow up in your face and get out of hand.

See Kirk Ferentz for reference...

**jumbopackage** · 11-07-2007, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by Steve

Nebraska fans will abandon the program in droves if they struggle for the next 2-3 years.

I don't see this happening. Where are they going to go? Start cheering for Colorado or something? Become bball fans?
Those fans aren't going anywhere. A few of the bandwagoners might hop off, but let's be honest here, there really isn't anything else to do in Nebraska.

They'll do what it takes to get good at football again, the problem is that the Big 12 North isn't the cakewalk that it used to be.

**Steve** · 11-07-2007, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by jumbopackage

I don't see this happening. Where are they going to go? Start cheering for Colorado or something? Become bball fans?
Those fans aren't going anywhere. A few of the bandwagoners might hop off, but let's be honest here, there really isn't anything else to do in Nebraska.

They'll do what it takes to get good at football again, the problem is that the Big 12 North isn't the cakewalk that it used to be.

I never thought that I would see UNL fans give up on football like I've already seen this year.

I live in Husker territory & gauge the program pulse by the amount of husker gear I see the day after a game in church. Typical is 5-10 after a bad loss, 10-15 after a good loss, 15-20 after a win, probably 30 or more last year after winning the North. Last week - absolutely nothing.

Another example - I was at a wedding reception while the NU-UT game was on TV. Nobody even bothered to turn it on until the 2nd qtr. A few die hards got excited with the 1st half showing. Most walked by and made some type of negative comment followed by "I don't even care anymore." During the 4th qtr, even the die hards had given up and gone home.