Piggy backing off Parnell’s new article, which covers this in detail, I wanted to share an outsiders view of the Nebraska job. Chris Childers and his cohost on Full Ride this morning on ESPNU radio ranked the current vacancies and said NU and Wiscy were “cherry” because they are in one of the two major conferences. Every job outside those two conferences, they said, is now much worse than a few months ago and none can hold a candle to NU or Wisconsin.
Basically, with the new playoff and media rights deals, the winners are the SEC, B1G, and “Group of Five” schools. The losers are the Big 12, ACC, and PAC 12. Thus, every team in the Big Ten and SEC now has a huge advantage in hiring coaches over every other school outside those conferences, which are now largely indistinguishable from one another. This gives Nebraska a huge advantage in its coaching search right now because most coaching jobs in the two major conferences are secure. On top of that, Nebraska’s biggest traditional disadvantage, lack of a recruiting base, has been largely mitigated by the transfer portal and NIL success.
We have, understandably, developed a bit of an inferiority complex over the last 20 years. But given the new game as it is today, we can be optimistic we will get a shot at any coach we want. It may not guarantee success, but thanks to getting in the Big Ten when we did, we can expect to get in the playoff any year we are 10-2 or better. We should be able to do that with the right coach, because we can get the players and have the money.
In a 4-team playoff, Nebraska had a real uphill struggle becoming elite again, but given its seat at the Big Boy Table, it has a much easier shot at a playoff especially is scheduling breaks its way. And any team with that kind of a shot (i.e., major football schools in the SEC and Big Ten) is going to be the preferred destination for players and coaches.
In essence, there are 25-35 programs that are willing to play the new big-time game and are vying for 12 playoff spots. That’s pretty good odds. We can feel good about the future.
Basically, with the new playoff and media rights deals, the winners are the SEC, B1G, and “Group of Five” schools. The losers are the Big 12, ACC, and PAC 12. Thus, every team in the Big Ten and SEC now has a huge advantage in hiring coaches over every other school outside those conferences, which are now largely indistinguishable from one another. This gives Nebraska a huge advantage in its coaching search right now because most coaching jobs in the two major conferences are secure. On top of that, Nebraska’s biggest traditional disadvantage, lack of a recruiting base, has been largely mitigated by the transfer portal and NIL success.
We have, understandably, developed a bit of an inferiority complex over the last 20 years. But given the new game as it is today, we can be optimistic we will get a shot at any coach we want. It may not guarantee success, but thanks to getting in the Big Ten when we did, we can expect to get in the playoff any year we are 10-2 or better. We should be able to do that with the right coach, because we can get the players and have the money.
In a 4-team playoff, Nebraska had a real uphill struggle becoming elite again, but given its seat at the Big Boy Table, it has a much easier shot at a playoff especially is scheduling breaks its way. And any team with that kind of a shot (i.e., major football schools in the SEC and Big Ten) is going to be the preferred destination for players and coaches.
In essence, there are 25-35 programs that are willing to play the new big-time game and are vying for 12 playoff spots. That’s pretty good odds. We can feel good about the future.
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