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For Each Coaching Transition You Were Around for (or Know about) - Name At Least One Positive Thing For Each Coach

MonagHusker

Recruit
5 Year Member
I was thinking about different things the various Cornhusker football coaching hires have brought to the table or the fact that even those some may want to forget still spent three or more years coaching the team.

I wanted people to maybe chime in and say at least one positive thing that a new coach brought to the table. It could be something that you thought at the time or something that was borne only out of hindsight. It could be a style of play, a coach or recruit brought in, you name it.

The only thing I'd ask is that it actually be something they brought to the table and not things like "I liked when they left the program."

I was born in the mid 70s, so I won't speak to the Devaney to Osborne transition.

Solich -- I liked some of the different formations he utilized and tweaks in the running game. I recall in the UAB game his inaugural season when he ran a pass play on 4th and 1, which I remember thinking "TO wouldn't have done it" and at the time I liked it.

Callahan -- I think I'm a run-the-ball guy for sure, but I did have some excitement for Callahan's offense and opening up the passing game more. I felt like he recruited from a ratings standpoint really well and made Nebraska a place in a lot of prospects were looking at.

Pelini -- I liked his passion. Despite four years in between, it felt pretty seamless as if it went from Solich right to Pelini. I liked that I thought we would be a dominant defense and at times we really were.

Riley -- I liked the national attention when he was hired and how it seemed like everyone was backing us or thought we would start competing for titles. I loved some of the players he was able to pick up like Divine Ozigbo.

Frost -- Whatever attention I thought we had with Riley paled in comparison with the pundits once Frost was hired. His opening press conference was fantastic. Even with an underwhelming first year, there has been no loss of confidence locally or nationally. I don't think we will be outworked by other teams.

You can go back as far as you are comfortable going or as recent.
 
I really liked Pelini's fire & passion...to a point. He lost a few good assistants which led to bad hires & Bo trying to do too much, which ultimately led to his demise.
 



I was alive for Devaney, but didn't pay attention until '71, so I can't really comment.

Osborne = Consistency. Even in his 'bad years' he didn't have terrible teams, always was in the mix for conference titles and took Nebraska to a bowl every year he coached. It was a given back then, but obviously not now.

Solich = Kept the tradition. He wasn't the coach or recruiter Osborne was, but he did keep the Nebraska tradition going.

Callahan= Suh.

Pelini = Red ass. I know many here don't like him because of his temper and it was ultimately part of the reason he ended up gone, but his fire was a plus for a lot of his time in Lincoln.

Riley = Left.

Frost = Return to the basics. We've not gotten back to playing great or even really good football yet, but it's coming. He knows what it looks like and what it takes to get there. Appears to be a tireless recruiter and ambassador for the program and IMO will eventually be thought of as a great Nebraska coach.
 
I really liked Pelini's fire & passion...to a point. He lost a few good assistants which led to bad hires & Bo trying to do too much, which ultimately led to his demise.
Pelini = Red ass. I know many here don't like him because of his temper and it was ultimately part of the reason he ended up gone, but his fire was a plus for a lot of his time in Lincoln.
Monag: I think you make a good point about the later assistant hires. When his brother was the DC he did a great job of helping keep him under control. I also believe that he was the one guy not afraid to stand up to Bo. Bo needed someone who had the marbles to tell him. "Bo your acting like an idiot." Once his brother left that was gone.

Crab: Originally I did not mind his temper. I started to see after a few years that the team followed his lead. When he would lose it so would his players and it turned into an almost guaranteed loss. Watching the 2001 OU/NE game. Stoops would lose his temper as well. The difference is Stoops would get upset for about 30 seconds and then he would go back to normal. Bo would sometimes go on for minutes at a time and the team would not settle down until he did.
 



Monag: I think you make a good point about the later assistant hires. When his brother was the DC he did a great job of helping keep him under control. I also believe that he was the one guy not afraid to stand up to Bo. Bo needed someone who had the marbles to tell him. "Bo your acting like an idiot." Once his brother left that was gone.

Crab: Originally I did not mind his temper. I started to see after a few years that the team followed his lead. When he would lose it so would his players and it turned into an almost guaranteed loss. Watching the 2001 OU/NE game. Stoops would lose his temper as well. The difference is Stoops would get upset for about 30 seconds and then he would go back to normal. Bo would sometimes go on for minutes at a time and the team would not settle down until he did.

I can say with little doubt that my temper was very similar in my twenties and thirties. When I lost it, I lost it. Thankfully that's past me, but it seems to be holding on for Bo. There is no denying there was a negative impact caused my his loss of control in a few games. He created a group that fed off his energy, good or bad. Sometimes that's a great thing. The point about Carl can't be overlooked not only from a 'keeping him in line' standpoint, but also the football side of things. NU had better teams when Carl was on the sidelines. I still think he could have been one of the best DC's ever, especially if he had a calming influence at head coach like maybe Osborne.
 
I really liked Pelini's fire & passion...to a point. He lost a few good assistants which led to bad hires & Bo trying to do too much, which ultimately led to his demise.
Monag: I think you make a good point about the later assistant hires. When his brother was the DC he did a great job of helping keep him under control. I also believe that he was the one guy not afraid to stand up to Bo. Bo needed someone who had the marbles to tell him. "Bo your acting like an idiot." Once his brother left that was gone.

Crab: Originally I did not mind his temper. I started to see after a few years that the team followed his lead. When he would lose it so would his players and it turned into an almost guaranteed loss. Watching the 2001 OU/NE game. Stoops would lose his temper as well. The difference is Stoops would get upset for about 30 seconds and then he would go back to normal. Bo would sometimes go on for minutes at a time and the team would not settle down until he did.

Wanted to give credit where credit is due. Husker Gene had the post about the later assistant hires. :)
 
BD... started the incredable sell out streak and brought Nebraska to national prominence is so many ways.
TO... to many superlatives to list but he embodied the true spirit of Nebraskans in his teams.
FS... A good man who gave everything he had as a coach and player to the program.
BC... A good recruiter not so good game day coach.
BP... No losing seasons, a bowl every year and got close to a couple of conference championships.
MR.. Managed to get himself quickly fired thus saving the program from further disaster.
SF... A dawn of a new era and brings hope to every Husker fans for the future.
 



I can start with Bill Jennings. He was an exceptional recruiter but not a very good head coach. He was known for tyrannical practices and his players hated him. Then Devaney. He started the winning culture and succeeded with the players Jennings recruited. He was very charismatic but ran into issues in 67 and 68. He then then let Osborne refine his offense and recruited very well and won back to back national championships in 70 and 71. Then Osborne. He started off with controversy as other coaches on staff didnt agree with him being chosen as head coach. Won a lot of games but had trouble with Switzer and OU. Was plagued by being perceived as not being able to win big games. He had to learn to beat Oklahoma and accomplished that then it was Miami that plagued him in bowl games. He finally got over the hump when he changed his defense to 4-3 and recruited speed on defense plus was able to develop great linemen on both sides of ball. And the final piece was being able to recruit the perfect QBs like Frazier and eventually Frost that fit his option based offense and the rest is history. Then Solich was Osborne's hand picked successor and he did well but couldn't seem to recruit the qb he needed. Plus he was saddled with aging staff that really didnt want to go on road and recruit. He wasn't the offensive mind that TO was and had some issues with recruiting. Probably should have been let go before he hired new coordinators and turned his record around. The whole situation was handled badly. Then Callahan. A lot of hype as he coached in a super bowl and seemed to be a monster recruiter but hired poor coaches and that was probably his undoing. A lot of arrogance and he just didnt get Nebraska. He recruited Suh but even he didnt flourish until the next staff came in. Then Bo Pelini. The fans and media loved his hire. He was a great defensive coach along with his brother Carl. He didnt have an offensive identity and his defensive scheme didnt fare well in Big 10. Couldn't stop a power run game and mobile QBs ate his lunch. Loved his passion but him coming unglued on sideline made his team lose their composure. He just wore out his welcome and he hated to recruit. Riley was a nice human being but was in over his head. Frost was the number one coach that everything wanted. Hopefully he will lead us back to respectability. If he doesnt, nobody can!
 

Solich - maintained continuity and culture. Had only one rough season. Won our last conference championship and had the Huskers playing for a national championship.

Callahan - Retained Turner Gill for one season.

Pelini - got some of the band back together and had conference championship contender teams most seasons. Played for 3 conference championships in 2 leagues in 7 seasons. Told a vocal minority of the fan base what the majority of us were thinking. Tried to expose Shawn Eichorst before it was cool.

Frost - No-nonsense and knows what good football is. Has the support of the overwhelming majority of the fan base. Gives us our best chance to get to championship football before Osborne leaves this earth. Looks like he'd still run over and through linebackers if given the opportunity. Years ago saw him at a Council Bluffs casino with a chick on each arm... my kinda fella.

Edit: Oops, forgot Riley.

Edit 2: No I didn't.
 
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