Nebraska struggling with its storied past and uncertain future

Johnnyboy18

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LINCOLN, Neb. -- It is a proud Big Ten West program that used to win consecutive national championships, that used to contend every season, that used to fill Memorial Stadium. Its best player just might win the Heisman Trophy. It is a program that can see that level of success only in the rear-view mirror, the distance measured in decades, a team that occupies that unsatisfying niche between mediocrity and relevance.

That would be Minnesota. But for a Nebraska fan, the description hits a little too close to home, which explains the angst and tension that is gripping Husker Nation these days.

http://www.espn.com/college-footbal...cornhuskers-struggle-storied-uncertain-future
 

Nebraska hired Bill Moos as their new AD today too. That's an interesting hire considering Moos was at his alma mater, Washington St. Does he try to lure the pirate to Lincoln? Or does he do the smart thing and throw a ton of money at Frost, although Frost will be at the top of everyones list.
 

Nebraska hired Bill Moos as their new AD today too. That's an interesting hire considering Moos was at his alma mater, Washington St. Does he try to lure the pirate to Lincoln? Or does he do the smart thing and throw a ton of money at Frost, although Frost will be at the top of everyones list.

I would imagine they throw Tom Herman money at Frost. Seems like a similar situation to that one at least. Frost checks all the boxes so they'll give him whatever he wants. In that case, depending on who Illinois hires the West division could really have a strong set of coaches.
 

I would imagine they throw Tom Herman money at Frost. Seems like a similar situation to that one at least. Frost checks all the boxes so they'll give him whatever he wants. In that case, depending on who Illinois hires the West division could really have a strong set of coaches.

What do you mean?
 

What do you mean?

Lovie's probably a goner at Illinois after this season as is Riley at Nebraska. Fleck, Chryst, Brohm, Fitzgerald, Ferentz and potentially Frost is a pretty impressive group of coaches for any division in CFB. Illinois' AD has some pull and his first big hire of Brad Underwood on the basketball side was a tremendous get. You have to imagine he'll be looking to get his guy in and make a statement in doing so.
 


Lovie's probably a goner at Illinois after this season as is Riley at Nebraska. Fleck, Chryst, Brohm, Fitzgerald, Ferentz and potentially Frost is a pretty impressive group of coaches for any division in CFB. Illinois' AD has some pull and his first big hire of Brad Underwood on the basketball side was a tremendous get. You have to imagine he'll be looking to get his guy in and make a statement in doing so.

I don't think it'll matter in the long run, but I think Lovie gets at least 1 more year if not 2 at Illinois.
 

Nebraska lost its way. They were at one time the team you played and took two weeks to recover. The ran the ball. I formation. 50 times a game. I know that was yesterdays football, you have to throw it when it comes to big matches. They had a walkon pipeline. They were the source of strength and conditioning. When you think of Nebraska Football think about Gopher Hockey.
 

Lovie's probably a goner at Illinois after this season as is Riley at Nebraska. Fleck, Chryst, Brohm, Fitzgerald, Ferentz and potentially Frost is a pretty impressive group of coaches for any division in CFB. Illinois' AD has some pull and his first big hire of Brad Underwood on the basketball side was a tremendous get. You have to imagine he'll be looking to get his guy in and make a statement in doing so.

He also hired Lovie, dumping the interim guy a day after getting the job and after spring ball. Lovie will get another year
 

Lovie's probably a goner at Illinois after this season as is Riley at Nebraska. Fleck, Chryst, Brohm, Fitzgerald, Ferentz and potentially Frost is a pretty impressive group of coaches for any division in CFB. Illinois' AD has some pull and his first big hire of Brad Underwood on the basketball side was a tremendous get. You have to imagine he'll be looking to get his guy in and make a statement in doing so.

Lovie Smith is his guy. He was hired by current Illinois AD Josh Whitman.
 



This is really odd to me--I think it means Leach shows up in Nebraska. Moos is getting up there age-wise. Always assumed he'd retire soon, not take on another big job. And Moos and Leach seemed to be joined at the hip. My worst nightmare: Leach at Nebraska hiring Claeys as his DC.

Maybe I'm wrong. I assumed it would be Frost, but this is just a weird situation.
 

Nebraska lost its way. They were at one time the team you played and took two weeks to recover. The ran the ball. I formation. 50 times a game. I know that was yesterdays football, you have to throw it when it comes to big matches. They had a walkon pipeline. They were the source of strength and conditioning. When you think of Nebraska Football think about Gopher Hockey.

Sounds a lot like Wisconsin football since the beginning of the Alvarez era.
 

Just watched Leach's press conference. Sounds like he wasn't aware, but he's of the opinion Nebraska's getting a great AD.

As an aside, he had me laughing out loud. Funny guy.
 

Nebraska doesn't have quite as many "thugs" as they use to have and also were forced to raise the academic standard a bit to get into the Big 10. Times have changed and there isn't much to do there outside of football. Kind of like Iowa as to life outside of football.
 



Downfall of Nebraska:

1) Scholarship limits
2) Steroid testing
3) Playing in a real conference without 6 gimmes every year
4) Nationwide recruiting and the rise of lower level programs throwing scholarships at kids who may otherwise have walked on at places like Neb
 

Just watched Leach's press conference. Sounds like he wasn't aware, but he's of the opinion Nebraska's getting a great AD.

As an aside, he had me laughing out loud. Funny guy.

Did he bring up that after they lost last week he told his players they shouldn't believe everything their FAT girl friends tell them about how good they are?
 

Downfall of Nebraska:

1) Scholarship limits
2) Steroid testing
3) Playing in a real conference without 6 gimmes every year
4) Nationwide recruiting and the rise of lower level programs throwing scholarships at kids who may otherwise have walked on at places like Neb

agree. Great post
 

Downfall of Nebraska:

1) Scholarship limits
2) Steroid testing
3) Playing in a real conference without 6 gimmes every year
4) Nationwide recruiting and the rise of lower level programs throwing scholarships at kids who may otherwise have walked on at places like Neb

5) Changing nature of the game/rules.

6) NU’s aim of being taken seriously as an academic university. (Better academics, no more thugs like Phillips, Peters, Incognito, and dozens of others).


But I agree, number 3 is a huge one. Joining the B1G was bad for Nebraska football.
 


From an academic standpoint the biggest change for Nebraska was when the Big 12 was formed. The Big 8 allowed a certain number of partial qualifiers. (Those a kids that are short on either class work or SAT scores. They get 1 year to correct those short comings and are not allowed to play during that year.) The Big 12 did not allow partial qualifiers or more strictly limited the number, I don't recall which.

Then there was Callahan that emptied the walk on program and changed to a finesse style of play. The shift in the Big 12 to all passing offenses moved Nebraska further away from their former strength of lineman which made the move to the Big 10 more difficult for them.

From what I see they are trying to be a finesse team relying heavily on skill players that are difficult to recruit to Lincoln.
 

Nebraska was Alverez's blueprint.

Barry was a linebacker on the 1970 National Championship team, he went from there to Iowa High school coaching and on to Notre Dame as a defensive coordinator for Lou Holtz. His entre to Wisconsin was similar to Bob Devaney at Nebraska who was his coach at Nebraska. He has seen tradition at Notre Dame and The Big Red at Nebraska. He took and that was his blueprint.
 

I can’t believe we lost to Nebraska the past two years. That has to stop!
Armstrong was a unique talent for them and it will be harder for them to find guys like that going forward.
 




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