The addition of John Parrella to the Nebraska coaching staff is a hopeful sign. It will turn out to be a good move for Mike Riley and the Cornhuskers, and there will be more bite in the Blackshirts this fall.
Parrella is in Lincoln because Hank Hughes didn’t get the job done as a recruiter. He brings positive energy to the program.
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</div>Hughes was a good teacher and his techniques worked well enough to stop the bleeding when it came to stopping the run, which should be top priority for any defensive line coach in the Big Ten. The Huskers improved their run defense dramatically under Hughes, giving up 109 yards rushing per game and 3.8 yards per attempt in 2015 compared to 177 and 4.7 in 2014. Parrella needs to maintain that work while developing a better pass rush.
If Parrella proves to be a small improvement over Hughes as a teacher and technician, and a much better recruiter, his hiring is a home run. I think Parrella will improve recruiting in Nebraska enough to make this switch more than worthwhile. If he can land a couple of four-star defensive linemen around the nation over the next two years, so much the better.
Most observers are calling the defensive line a question mark for Nebraska in 2016, and that’s understandable with the departure of three starters, including potential NFL draftees Maliek Collins and Vincent Valentine. But the skill level of the Husker d-line will improve. If Parrella can steadily develop his group of athletic but inexperienced defensive linemen, the ceiling is very high.
Parrella has plenty of work to do, but his chances of success are very good. Barring major injury, Nebraska will be solid on the two-deep at tackle with Kevin Williams and Kevin Maurice as legitimate starters and the Davis twins as backups. If the new coach can figure out a way to motivate Greg McMullen at tackle (which seems a more natural position for him than end) and if he gets a decent season from Peyton Newell coming off knee surgery, Nebraska may actually be better at DT than it was in 2015.
Developing effective depth at defensive end is where Parrella will face his biggest challenge, especially if McMullen moves inside. Here’s the biggest question mark of the year for Parrella: can he mold Freedom Akinmoladun into a good pass rusher? If the sophomore can put consistent pressure on the passer, he will take a lot of pressure off the secondary. Ross Dzuris will be steady at base end, but if Sedric King, Alex Davis or DaiShon Neal can earn playing time, it will be a very good sign. A good pass rush makes Nebraska a 10-game winner, a Top 20 team this fall if Tommy Armstrong can cut his turnovers by one-third. Even if the young ends struggle, a simple repeat of last year’s erratic pass rush likely means an eight-win season, because the linebacking is solid and the secondary will be improved.
I think he’ll be a good teacher, but Parrella’s primary value will be the energy and recruiting vigor he brings to the table. And there’s another benefit; the 46-year-old Parrella brings a much-needed connection to the Osborne years. He’s a refreshing reminder of the Husker brand – a disruptive Blackshirt unit built around a strong defensive line, and that will bring in a few more home-grown Nebraskans of the kind who made a big difference during the 1980s and 1990s. That in itself is worth a lot.
I like Riley’s respect for Husker history. He certainly talks a good game, and for a while, I thought it might have been just a show. But the hiring of Parrella is evidence that Riley thinks he can actually learn something important from the Osborne era. If nothing else, it’s a shrewd move that could go a long way toward uniting what has been a fractured fan base.
Maintaining the ability to line up in the I formation and pound opponents with the run is part of the Nebraska brand. Equally so is a defense that recaptures its ability to force turnovers. Much is expected of Nebraska’s newest favorite son. If Parrella can deliver, things will get exciting in Lincoln.
Formerly the sports editor at the North Platte Bulletin and a sportswriter/columnist for the North Platte Telegraph, Tad Stryker started writing for this website in 2008. You can e-mail him at tad.stryker@gmail.com. Stryker is a freelance writer, favoring topics related to Nebraska history or Christianity. You can buy his recent book at this link.
Parrella is in Lincoln because Hank Hughes didn’t get the job done as a recruiter. He brings positive energy to the program.
<div style="width:198px; max-width:198px; float:left; margin:3px 20px 12px 0;">
If Parrella proves to be a small improvement over Hughes as a teacher and technician, and a much better recruiter, his hiring is a home run. I think Parrella will improve recruiting in Nebraska enough to make this switch more than worthwhile. If he can land a couple of four-star defensive linemen around the nation over the next two years, so much the better.
Most observers are calling the defensive line a question mark for Nebraska in 2016, and that’s understandable with the departure of three starters, including potential NFL draftees Maliek Collins and Vincent Valentine. But the skill level of the Husker d-line will improve. If Parrella can steadily develop his group of athletic but inexperienced defensive linemen, the ceiling is very high.
Parrella has plenty of work to do, but his chances of success are very good. Barring major injury, Nebraska will be solid on the two-deep at tackle with Kevin Williams and Kevin Maurice as legitimate starters and the Davis twins as backups. If the new coach can figure out a way to motivate Greg McMullen at tackle (which seems a more natural position for him than end) and if he gets a decent season from Peyton Newell coming off knee surgery, Nebraska may actually be better at DT than it was in 2015.
Developing effective depth at defensive end is where Parrella will face his biggest challenge, especially if McMullen moves inside. Here’s the biggest question mark of the year for Parrella: can he mold Freedom Akinmoladun into a good pass rusher? If the sophomore can put consistent pressure on the passer, he will take a lot of pressure off the secondary. Ross Dzuris will be steady at base end, but if Sedric King, Alex Davis or DaiShon Neal can earn playing time, it will be a very good sign. A good pass rush makes Nebraska a 10-game winner, a Top 20 team this fall if Tommy Armstrong can cut his turnovers by one-third. Even if the young ends struggle, a simple repeat of last year’s erratic pass rush likely means an eight-win season, because the linebacking is solid and the secondary will be improved.
I think he’ll be a good teacher, but Parrella’s primary value will be the energy and recruiting vigor he brings to the table. And there’s another benefit; the 46-year-old Parrella brings a much-needed connection to the Osborne years. He’s a refreshing reminder of the Husker brand – a disruptive Blackshirt unit built around a strong defensive line, and that will bring in a few more home-grown Nebraskans of the kind who made a big difference during the 1980s and 1990s. That in itself is worth a lot.
I like Riley’s respect for Husker history. He certainly talks a good game, and for a while, I thought it might have been just a show. But the hiring of Parrella is evidence that Riley thinks he can actually learn something important from the Osborne era. If nothing else, it’s a shrewd move that could go a long way toward uniting what has been a fractured fan base.
Maintaining the ability to line up in the I formation and pound opponents with the run is part of the Nebraska brand. Equally so is a defense that recaptures its ability to force turnovers. Much is expected of Nebraska’s newest favorite son. If Parrella can deliver, things will get exciting in Lincoln.
Formerly the sports editor at the North Platte Bulletin and a sportswriter/columnist for the North Platte Telegraph, Tad Stryker started writing for this website in 2008. You can e-mail him at tad.stryker@gmail.com. Stryker is a freelance writer, favoring topics related to Nebraska history or Christianity. You can buy his recent book at this link.
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