Nebraska - Texas A&M Post Game Reaction

by Jon Johnston on Oct 20, 2007 4:58 PM CDT in Football Comment 11 comments

Before today, Bill Callahan was ranked at #2, Dennis Franchione at #4 at Coaches Hot Seat. Any guess as to how that ranking will change by tomorrow?

4-4, probably on our way to 4-8. It's going to be a tough, tough, tough season.

I heard if you apply, they'll give you free tacos. They're just looking for answers too.

Was there a loss in this game? If Nebraska won, we'd have won the game and been one more step to a bowl game. That's a good thing. If we lost, Bill Callahan has driven one more nail in his coffin. I'd rather have a Nebraska win.
Once again, the offense let us down. That's the most shocking thing about this season. We knew the defense sucked after the USC game, so that shouldn't continue to be a surprise. The offense sucking? It wasn't supposed to be this way.
With Helu, Castille, Lucky, and Mendoza coming back, whomever the coach is next season will have a good group of running back to work with. (Trying to be positive here, okay?)
Sam Keller - goat. His single-season audition for the NFL tells me he'll be playing in the CFL or Arena League. The guy just can't make the throws. Under pressure, not under pressure, it doesn't matter.
I listened to the KRNU feed for the game. UNL students, write, produce, and do everything. It wasn't bad. Some of the play by play stuff was the detail I was looking for, and whoever did color did all right. The play by play guy needs to learn his football a little better, i.e., but hey, they're young and learning.
Rumors rumors rumors. Bill Callahan will resign tomorrow. Kevin Cosgrove will commit Seppuku. Not going to happen. Resign yourself to living through this season with these guys as your coaches. Why? Because if you're a coach, you don't desert your players, and don't forget that these players came to Nebraska to play for Callahan and Cosgrove. Consider it penance for all the glory years. I can handle that, can't you?

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I think you hit...

the nail on the head when you said, "these players came to Nebraska to play for Callahan and Cosgrove.", we used to have players that came to play FOR Nebraska.

by taflorom on Oct 20, 2007 7:20 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Nebraska kids probably did that. But I bet if you asked Tommie Frazier or the Peter brothers, they'd tell you they came to play for Tom Osborne. There's nothing wrong with that. That's how it is everywhere (yes, even at dear old NU).

Can you hear this, Denver, or shall I turn it up for you?

by Ignignokt on Oct 20, 2007 7:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nebraska players USED to be the heart of the team

Back when the walk-on program was strong, players from all over the state of Nebraska wanted to play for the Big Red for the love of the game and the team. Those players filled a lot of the line and support roles, allowing the coaches to recruit players for the skilled positions from outside (e.g., Tommie Frazier, Mike Rozier, Turner Gill, etc.). When Callahan demolished the walk-on program, these players realized they would never have a chance to play for the Big Red under the current regime and turned their attention to neighboring schools (e.g., Iowa State, Kansas State, Wyoming). Call me a romantic if you will, but that was a big part of what made Cornhusker football special for a lot of us.

Nebraska can't get rid of Callahan and company fast enough to suit me.

by twh7920 on Oct 20, 2007 8:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

in 2008

If you look at the incoming recruiting class, that looks like what's happening. Baker Steinkuhler and Trevor Robinson are both Nebraska kids who'll end up starting on the O-line before long. That's gotta be worth something.

The walk-on program can never come back the way it was under TO. It started to fade under Solich due to new NCAA regulations about external scholarships. In the 80s and early 90s, it wasn't uncommon for some small town to have a pot-luck dinner or a casino night or something to raise money for the local "scholarship fund" paying for their favorite sons to play in Lincoln. I remember going to a few of them when I was younger. You can't do that anymore. More importantly, with the new scholarship limits and increased visibility of smaller 1-A schools, Nebraska kids can go to the places you mentioned without experiencing a significant drop in quality of experience. There will always be a few guys (like Sean Hill) who walk-on and become contributors.

There were 162 players on the 1994 roster. I don't see how that could be manageable today.

I'm someone who wants the best, most passionate players and coaches we can get. If they're Nebraska kids or former Nebraska coaches, great. If they're not, they'll develop a love for the program and its history while in Lincoln. Scott Frost initially rejected NU. Ahman Green didn't want to deal with snow. Both were Nebraska kids but neither of them came into Lincoln bleeding Husker red; their passionate play made them legends. The coaching staff and experience of Lincoln made them fall in love with Big Red and want to give everything for the team. We used to develop passion in our players rather than rely on the desire and heart they brought with them. I believe that's what we should be trying to do now, not trying to rebuild some romanticized history that regulations and reality have made impossible.

Can you hear this, Denver, or shall I turn it up for you?

by Ignignokt on Oct 20, 2007 10:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

What made...

1994 so different from today? Why was it so much more easy to manage 162 players then, then it would be now? I dont get it. Maybe the coaches were just better then?

by taflorom on Oct 20, 2007 11:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

lots of things

smaller travel squads and fewer dressed on game-day. What do you tell the 65+ guys who can't dress on Saturday?
the 20-hour practice week limits how many guys you can prepare. With the limited time it's a lot easier to prepare three or four RBs, for example, than to prepare eight or nine.
academic support rules. The NCAA has regulations about how frequently the Athletic Dept can make contact with players to provide academic support. If you add 50+ guys to the roster, they're draining time from other players.
as I noted above, Nebraska kids have more options now. Why would a kid like Noah Keller (a great LB from Kearney) walk-on at NU when he could get a scholarship at a MAC school, earn playing time, and be just as likely to be discovered by NFL scouts thanks to regional TV exposure.

Of course TO was a better coach than BC. No one's saying otherwise. But coaches today face different challenges than TO did. If we decide to get a new coach after this season, we should get one who can succeed in these new conditions rather than try to resuscitate what succeeded in "the good old days" of ten years ago.

Can you hear this, Denver, or shall I turn it up for you?

by Ignignokt on Oct 21, 2007 12:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

the rules!

...along with Ignignokt's list, don't forget that in the new rules also placed limits on the total roster, not just the travel roster. That means the walk-on program HAD to be diminished, but Callahan's fault wasn't in reducing the numbers but in reducing their likelihood to play.

by quiller on Oct 21, 2007 1:11 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe .....

you should just go check out Jason Peters blog. Ask him what made NU so special.

by taflorom on Oct 20, 2007 11:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

double nickel

JP's a perfect example of what I'm talking about. He had no particular love for the state or the program before he got here. He liked Tom Osborne and took the opportunity to play for him. His passion developed in his time in Lincoln. He wasn't a Nebraska kid, but name me a Nebraska kid who played with more passion. Great coaches get players to play hard no matter where they come from. That's what we need more of.

Can you hear this, Denver, or shall I turn it up for you?

by Ignignokt on Oct 21, 2007 12:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

well

It looks like we'll be replacing our coaching staff this next season.

If Lucky, Helu, Castille, and Mendoza run all over people under a new coaching regime, does it make that big a difference?

They came to Nebraska to play football. Should they all leave with the coaches?

Or if they win, are we going to declare them all "Nebraska boys" and cheer them all the way?

I'm betting we will. Is that so bad? I don't think so.

Go Big Red!

by Jon Johnston on Oct 20, 2007 11:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Calli's #1!

You say that he was #2 this week on the hot seat this week so I hate to see the guy who was #1 since he's probably a charcoal redition of his former self.

Actually, Calli was cleatly numero uno hot seat dude, but after this game he doesn't even have a seat as it has vaporized into thin air.

I'd hate to see what things would be like if he and Coz didn't make the necessary changes from week to week, this season could be ugly!!!

NE is the surest bet in a crazy cfb world. At least parity hasn't effected them, they just consistently s*&ck!

McGee, an average option QB has career day vs Husker D--go fig.

Calli and Coz can 'speak to the hand' 'cause Husker Fan's 'face' ain't listenin'.......

These coaches are so gone.

'za blang thang

by Ze Robertinho on Oct 21, 2007 2:57 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs