FanPost

If Not Bo, Who?

Anyone that knows me knows I was a Boliever. Even down to the Red "Bo Knows" shirt. I embraced his return. I craved a return to old school, physical, ground and pound Husker teams with a punishing, aggressive, fast defense that had some swagger with it that made other people hate us again, even if that hate was disguised in envy.

I realized quickly that offensively, we never would really have an identity. That was a little disappointing but I still held hope that our defense would be the thing that would keep us in games. I was a Boliever after all. I love his passion. I'm not one that bagged on him for getting in an officials face, or a player's face, for that matter. Heck, that passion is what I love about it. I loved that he got surly with media when they asked stupid questions. I loved it all.

What I couldn't understand was the disconnect between a defensive minded head coach trying to run a fast paced, turn over prone offense that makes it nearly impossible to have a good statistically sound defense. It made no sense. It has been this way for years. Slowly, I started realizing Bo sees defense and offense like a coordinator but not as a big picture head coach should.

Bo is a good coach. I do think once he is fired, faces failure and regroups and changes, he will be a great head coach. But like many others, including Saban, he needs to face failure for him to actually decide to change things. He's Bo, he'll do it his way and you aren't going to change it. Change coordinators? Okay. He'll hire another Graduate Assistant type that will be a yes man for him. No, I'm afraid the time has come. He has done good but I really believe we are what we are. So, if our quiet AD makes the move, who do you want us to look at? Personally, I want someone with COLLEGE HEAD COACHING EXPERIENCE. Being a successful coordinator is no guarantee to P5 success and none of our last 3 coaches have had any Head Coaching experience at the College Level. Sure, there have been situations of success from coordinators but personally, I want someone that has led a program at the college level, whether it be P5, G5 or DII, FCS, whatever. I want to know they understand how to lead a total program. Here are some realistic options (years and current compensation in parenthesis):

(And of course, since we didn't do it last year, my James Franklin pick is gone!)

  1. Mark Hudspeth (100-37) - Louisiana (46 years old, $825,000) - Dude wins. Won big at North Alabama and now at Louisiana. Many people think he is patiently waiting for the right SEC job. However, the Huskers could offer a massive pay hike for him.
  2. Jim McElwain (22-15) - Colorado State (54 years old, $1.5 Mill) - Not known as a lights out recruiter but is great at evaluating what he can get. He has coached in the NFL and under Saban as an OC and took a down trodden CSU team, improving them every year significantly including 10 wins this year, his 3rd year. I might like him even more than Hudspeth but those are probably my top two.
  3. Bronco Mendenhall (89-38) - BYU (48 years old, $2 Mill) - Bronco has won consistently and done so despite what I feel was a dis-service to the Cougars when they went Independent. At a bigger program, what could he do? However, would he leave a Morman school?
  4. Rich Rodriquez (145-96) - Arizona (51 years old, $2 Mill) - Rich Rod's last B1G experience was a disaster. Would he want to risk it again? Would the opportunity to take down Michigan again be worth it. Doubtful but worth the call obviously.
  5. Jerry Kill (152-97) - Minnesota (53 years old $2.1 Mill) - I don't see him leaving for a division rival and I don't see him leaving a school that stood by him and his troubles with health. But dang would his style with better athletes be fun with the Big Red.
  6. Craig Bohl (108-39) - Wyoming (57 years old, $1 Mill) - Would he leave that quickly after signing on with Wyoming? Dude can win. Would understand Nebraska. No coach would fit better. He would be an instant fan favorite and unite a base but do you really want to hire a former Husker?
  7. P.J. Fleck (9-14) - Western Michigan (34 years old, $500,000) - Went from 1 win to already 8 this year and known for a being a recruiting wizard. He's an up and comer. Wouldn't be bad to just take a shot now.
  8. Matt Wells (18-8) - Utah State (41 years old, $600,000) - Getting a lot of hype as another young, great future coach. He has coached a great season despite a myriad of injuries.
  9. Willie Fritz (146-65) - Georgia Southern (54 years old, $500,000) - This is kind of the dark horse pick who has won everywhere he has been in lower ranks. Started at JuCo, then DII, then FCS, and now D1.
  10. Todd Graham (76-40) - Arizona State (50 years old, $2.5 Mill) - He has a great job now but has proven in the past, he will jump for the right pay check. Just pay him and he'll be interested at the least.
  11. Dino Babers (25-11) - Bowling Green (53 years old, $500,000) - He is killing it at Bowling Green and has done so at Eastern Illinois as well.

Honorable Mentions: Justin Fuente, Paul Johnson, Mat Campbell, Ken Niumatalolo (Because, you know, the option. Same with Paul Johnson). Bobby Wilder, Kyle Whitingham, Joey Jones, Greg Schiano, Jim Tressell, Pete Lembo.
So, those are realistic options. Of course Saban would be awsome. Not happening. Stoops I even thought possibly but I think his friendship with Pelini will prevent that. So, is any of those 10, or someone you add in comments, better than Bo? That is really the question.
We know what we will get with Bo. Do any of the guys on this list, OR someone you might suggest, make you believe they can do BETTER than Bo? That is really what the AD needs to think. If not, put it off a year and wait until you see someone that you believe can take you higher.

This FanPost created by a registered user of Corn Nation.