How do you define success?

by Jon Johnston on Oct 31, 2006 7:25 AM CST in Nebraska Husker Football

Last week Nebraska lost a game we were expected to win. We lost it while playing poorly, and we gave up 41 points.

This week, Husker fans are all over the message boards, posting comments, wanting Bill Callahan fired, Cosgrove fired, and on and on.

So.... let me ask you, dear reader (or Mom, as I like to call you), what is your definition of success for Nebraska football?

Where does Nebraska have to be year after year in order for us to declare a coach successful? I don't want to hear comparisons to Osborne, Solich, Devaney, or about what Steve Pederson did or didn't do. I want to know - what defines success at Nebraska for any football coach, not just Bill Callahan.

p.s. This post was inspired by the large number of Google's I see coming in with the phrase "Fire Bill Callahan", or "Bill Callahan sucks", or "Steve Pederson is a donkey's butt". If you got here by doing that, I'd like to hear your opinion.

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win a big 12 title

within the next couple years.
be a top ten team most of the time. be ranked over the next three years.
and keep the academic tradition we have always had at nebraska

by maizey on Oct 31, 2006 10:11 PM CST reply actions

easy...

win all the games you should win and some of the ones you shouldn't.
be consistently ranked in the top 20
challenge for the B12 title every year
before every season, give fans hope that, with a little luck, the team could be playing in the BCS championship

Can you hear this or should I turn it up for you?

by Ignignokt on Oct 31, 2006 11:18 PM CST reply actions

I like this response

mine would have been - contend for a Big 12 title on a yearly basis.

I think the rest will take care of itself.

Go Big Red!

by Jon Johnston on Nov 1, 2006 10:37 PM CST up reply actions

Problem is that the Solich firing...

...is going to haunt Nebraska for years to come and frame the discussion...

What is success? At this point, a clear trend of improving. The ultimate goal is to be in the national title picture and consistently be in the race for the Big XII championship. At this point, we're close, but only if the Huskers win on Saturday.

by Husker Mike on Nov 1, 2006 1:28 PM CST reply actions

you're probably right.

It's going to haunt us at least until Callahan does better on a continual basis or is gone.

Go Big Red!

by Jon Johnston on Nov 1, 2006 10:37 PM CST up reply actions

It wont matter

if Callahan is gone or not if the Huskers dont start winning Big XII championships and contend for the MNC. If they dont then we will always hear, and not just from the Solich fans but the media and others, how we should not have fired a coach who went 9-3. And I dont really disagree with that.

by taflorom on Nov 1, 2006 11:30 PM CST up reply actions

Success...

I would have to define it as: No more then 3 regular season losses. 9-3 and a top 15 ranking. With the championship game and a bowl game I think 10-4 is not asking to much. That should give us a top 15 ranking at seasons end. Being able to compete with the top ranked teams in the country (top 10). Winning the Big XII North when it is as weak as it is now and at least having the chance to win it when it returns to what it was. Not just making the Big XII championship game but to be competitive in it and having a realistic chance to win it. Being in the MNC picture at seasons end. Having coaches and players who conduct themselves as gentelmen and sportsmen both on and off the field. Keeping the high academic standards that have been set by past teams. (by that I mean having some academic all-americans as well as athletic all-americans).

by taflorom on Nov 1, 2006 11:55 PM CST reply actions

no more than 3 regular season losses

every year?

I don't think we can do that anymore.

Go Big Red!

by Jon Johnston on Nov 2, 2006 8:59 AM CST up reply actions

Why?

oh yeah that parity carp all NU fans are talking about now that we are down. I bet you dont hear the Ohio St. fans or the Texas fans talking of parity. How about USC? We can do it and we should, if we hire the right coach.

by taflorom on Nov 3, 2006 7:00 AM CST up reply actions

Think about it

you think we're going to go the next 20 years without a down season, even a losing season?

Go Big Red!

by Jon Johnston on Nov 3, 2006 7:39 AM CST up reply actions

it's not just parity

NO ONE wins nine games every year anymore. Successful coaches don't stay at developing programs and the demands at the top programs (like Nebraska) push good coaches out after a few years.
Viz:
Michigan (2005) - 7-5
Nebraska (2005) - 8-4
Florida State (2005) - 8-5
Oklahoma (2005) - 8-4
Tennessee (2005) - 5-6
Florida (2004) - 7-5
LSU (2002) - 8-4
USC (2001) - 6-6
Ohio St. (2001) - 7-5
Texas (1997) - 5-6
Miami (1997) - 5-6

Every one of those programs has won a national title since 1996. They've all also had down years. No program in the country has won nine games every year for a decade (though Texas will make it 10 this year). TO, Devaney, and Frank did it for nearly 40!

That level of sustained success is simply impossible today. Hell, it was nearly impossible then - that's why no one else did it. The program's goals, whoever the coach is, should be to challenge for the B12 title every year and be in the national title conversation every few years. That's the best anyone can do these days. And we should expect nothing but the best.

Can you hear this or should I turn it up for you?

by Ignignokt on Nov 3, 2006 5:21 PM CST up reply actions