FBS games

[darell1976]

I concede that point. Would you be in favor of keeping Pelini as head coach had that incident not happened?

I think, as a Husker fan, he would have been more accepting and given another shot, although it was getting tough to see the team nearly lose to McNeese St, lose minor Bowl Games and not have a shot at a NC. Maybe us fans are spoiled and want the Huskers to mimic the years of Tom Osborne where the team rushed for 400 yards a game and put up 70 points on the lesser teams, just seems it's been missing for years and the offense hasn't been dominant. 17-0 over SDSU would have never happened under Osborne, 70-0 would've been more like it.

[darell1976]

Darrell is a fan of firing coaches.

A fan no, but I do recognize when change is needed. Still sorry about your buddy Muss, how did he do with St. Cloud State this past season?

[Cratter]

A fan no, but I do recognize when change is needed. Still sorry about your buddy Muss, how did he do with St. Cloud State this past season?

Your bit is getting old. That was your response to others too yesterday. People like myself that didn't support Mussman of all people.

[MafiaMan]

The 24 year gap was disconcerting for Husker fans (which I am not one), but unlike with Pelini, Nebraska was in big-time bowl games almost every year and was playing for the national title often. In the 1990's, they finally broke through and won three consecutive national titles. After Osborne retired, they slipped out of the upper echelon and really haven't gotten back. Pelini had 7 years to get his systems and players into place and they just didn't seem like they were moving back into the upper echelon of programs with him in charge. Nebraska is a program that should be perennial contenders in both the B1G and nationally, so I don't blame the suits in Lincoln for doing what they did.

They didn't win 3 consecutive titles, but you're openly giving a pass to Osborne for 20 years of national title failure...

[darell1976]

You're bit is getting old. That was your response to others too yesterday. People like myself that didn't support Mussman of all people.

As old as your bit.

[fightingsioux4life]

They didn't win 3 consecutive titles, but you're openly giving a pass to Osborne for 21 years of national title failure...

Really?  You are comparing Osborne to Pelini?  That's like comparing a Porsche to a Yugo.

[fightingsioux4life]

They didn't win 3 consecutive titles, but you're openly giving a pass to Osborne for 21 years of national title failure...

You are correct sir.  1994, 1995 and 1997.  Three out of four is still pretty good.  And something Pelini wasn't going to fulfill.

[dakotadan]

As old as your bit.

I have to hear this. What exactly is Cratter's bit?

[MafiaMan]

Really? You are comparing Osborne to Pelini? That's like comparing a Porsche to a Yugo.

Sure, when you count the three titles. I'm asking you to look at 1973 to 1993 pre-title run. You're telling me you'd openly back keeping a coach that long with no national championships, right?

[UND92,96]

I've always felt that it wasn't going to be Pelini's record that did him in. It was more a combination of the fact that he was, shall we say, a complicated guy who had a tendency to rub people the wrong way, and the fact that despite being a defensive guy, Nebraska had a propensity during his tenure as head coach of having some epically bad defensive performances. This year's debacle vs. Melvin Gordon and Wisconsin being just one of many examples.

 

In a day and age of college football where even Florida, Texas and USC are quite capable of having bad teams, I would hope that Nebraska fans understand that given the fact that their recruiting base is far more challenging than most other traditional powers, it's going to be very difficult to actually improve upon Pelini's record.

[jdub27]

A fan no, but I do recognize when change is needed. Still sorry about your buddy Muss, how did he do with St. Cloud State this past season?

Because you can read a box score?  And the Nebraska football players disagree very much with your personal assessment of Pelini and him being fired.

[darell1976]

Because you can read a box score? And the Nebraska football players disagree very much with your personal assessment of Pelini and him being fired.

How many UND players were mad that Muss got fired? They showed their displeasure by leaving. It happens if a player is connected with the coach.

[SiouxScore]

What would really be funny although probably not very likely would be if Pelini ends up head coach at somewhere like Florida or Michigan and continues to produce 9 and 10 win seasons while Nebraska and whoever they hire goes through a few 6 win seasons.

[darell1976]

Sure, when you count the three titles. I'm asking you to look at 1973 to 1993 pre-title run. You're telling me you'd openly back keeping a coach that long with no national championships, right?

Osborne did take NU to major bowl games while Pelini went to the Gator Bowl twice, the Capitol One Bowl twice, and the Holiday Bowl twice. 9-3 this year (pending on the bowl game) is his best record. THREE losses is not acceptable, he ranks with Bill Callahan. Frank Solich's 2000 and 2001 teams were the best NU has seen this centrury  (10-2, 11-2).

[MafiaMan]

What would really be funny although probably not very likely would be if Pelini ends up head coach at somewhere like Florida or Michigan and continues to produce 9 and 10 win seasons while Nebraska and whoever they hire goes through a few 6 win seasons.

Tennessee ran Phil Fulmer out of town...and I bet many fans in Knoxville today dream of the glory days of the Volunteers under his leadership.

[jdub27]

I have to hear this. What exactly is Cratter's bit?

The suspense is killing me!

[Goon]

SEC has a contract with ESPN, and so the SEC is given the majority of media attention due to the fact that ESPN is the biggest and one of the only major media sources for sports. Therefore the SEC will always be given the benefit of the doubt. 

 

 

 

On DirecTV we get the SEC Channel. Kind of a neat sports channel.

[darell1976]

On DirecTV we get the SEC Channel. Kind of a neat sports channel.

I would love it if the PAC 12 channel came to Directv. I like the SEC channel and the B1G Network.

[SWSiouxMN]

I had the pleasure of going home last week and ran into a few of my buddies who were Husker fans out at the bars Wednesday Night (While it is mainly Gopher country, SW Minnesota also has its fair share of Husker and Hawkeye fans as well).  They unanimously wanted Pelini gone.  I asked them about the Gopher game from last week, and they that despite the back they were up 21-7 at the half, they said they never felt that they were winning the game and were just getting lucky, which I agreed with.  They also had the sentiment that the Gophers kicked the tar out of the Huskers physically for the 2nd year in a row.

 

When Gordon shredded them the week before, you would think that they would make the adjustment outside.  Nope, Leinder made them pay with the read option and got it to the outside time and time again. 

 

If the Iowa QB made better plays last Saturday, Huskers go 0-3 in the Big 10 West round robin tourney, which many thought Nebraska would win. 

 

This comes with a  big caveat however... Nebraska needs this hire to hit, or else they start to fall behind Iowa and NW in Big 10 West supremacy.

[MafiaMan]

The 24 year gap was disconcerting for Husker fans (which I am not one), but unlike with Pelini, Nebraska was in big-time bowl games almost every year and was playing for the national title often.  In the 1990's, they finally broke through and won three consecutive national titles.  After Osborne retired, they slipped out of the upper echelon and really haven't gotten back.  Pelini had 7 years to get his systems and players into place and they just didn't seem like they were moving back into the upper echelon of programs with him in charge.  Nebraska is a program that should be perennial contenders in both the B1G and nationally, so I don't blame the suits in Lincoln for doing what they did.

 

1973:  9-2-1 (4-2-1 Big 8), #11 coaches, #7 AP - lost 13-12 at unranked Missouri, lost 27-0 at Oklahoma, beat Texas in Cotton Bowl 19-3

 

1974:  9-3-0 (5-2-0 Big 8), #8 coaches, #9 AP - lost 21-10 at home to unranked Missouri, lost 28-14 to Oklahoma, beat Florida in Sugar Bowl 13-10

 

1975:  10-2-0 (6-1-0 Big 8, BIG 8 CO-CHAMPIONS WITH OKLAHOMA), #9 coaches, #9 AP - undefeated going into final game of season, lost 35-10 at Oklahoma, lost Fiesta Bowl to Arizona State 17-14 

 

1976:  9-3-1 (4-3-0 Big 8), #7 coaches, #9 AP - lost at home to Missouri 34-24, lost 20-17 to Oklahoma, beat Texas Tech 27-24 in BlueBonnet Bowl

 

1977:  9-3-0 (5-2-0 Big 8), #10 coaches, #12 AP - lost 38-7 at Oklahoma, beat North Carolina in Liberty Bowl 21-17

 

1978:  9-3-0 (6-1-0 Big 8, BIG 8 CO-CHAMPIONS), #8 coaches, #8 AP - beat Oklahoma 17-14, then lost the next week at home to unranked Missouri 35-31, and lost to Oklahoma in Orange Bowl re-match 31-24

 

1979:  10-2-0 (6-1-0 Big 8), #7 coaches, #9 AP - undefeated going into last regular season game, lost 17-14 at Oklahoma, then lost Cotton Bowl to Houston 17-14

 

1980:  10-2-0 (6-1-0 Big 8), ##7 coaches, #7 AP - lost to Oklahoma 21-17 in last game of season that decided Big 8 title, beat Mississippi State 31-17 in Sun Bowl

 

1981:  9-3-0 (7-0 Big 8, BIG 8 CHAMPIONS), #9 coaches, #11 AP - 37-14 win at Oklahoma, lost Orange Bowl to Clemson 22-15

 

1982:  12-1-0 (7-0 Big 8, BIG 8 CHAMPIONS), #3 coaches, #3 AP - beat Oklahoma 28-14, beat LSU in Orange Bowl 21-20

 

That's the first 10 seasons under Tom Osborne.  3-7 against Oklahoma in the regular season, 0-1 against Oklahoma in bowl games.  6-4 against a Missouri team that upset the Cornhuskers several times when Nebraska was highly ranked.  2 conference co-championships, 2 outright conference championships.  6-4 bowl record, 0 national championship game appearances. 

 

Good enough to keep Tom around for 1983?  Dare I say that Tom Osborne might actually be fired in today's college coaching climate due to some big game losses and no national championships?

[fightingsioux4life]

1973:  9-2-1 (4-2-1 Big 8), #11 coaches, #7 AP - lost 13-12 at unranked Missouri, lost 27-0 at Oklahoma, beat Texas in Cotton Bowl 19-3

 

1974:  9-3-0 (5-2-0 Big 8), #8 coaches, #9 AP - lost 21-10 at home to unranked Missouri, lost 28-14 to Oklahoma, beat Florida in Sugar Bowl 13-10

 

1975:  10-2-0 (6-1-0 Big 8, BIG 8 CO-CHAMPIONS WITH OKLAHOMA), #9 coaches, #9 AP - undefeated going into final game of season, lost 35-10 at Oklahoma, lost Fiesta Bowl to Arizona State 17-14 

 

1976:  9-3-1 (4-3-0 Big 8), #7 coaches, #9 AP - lost at home to Missouri 34-24, lost 20-17 to Oklahoma, beat Texas Tech 27-24 in BlueBonnet Bowl

 

1977:  9-3-0 (5-2-0 Big 8), #10 coaches, #12 AP - lost 38-7 at Oklahoma, beat North Carolina in Liberty Bowl 21-17

 

1978:  9-3-0 (6-1-0 Big 8, BIG 8 CO-CHAMPIONS), #8 coaches, #8 AP - beat Oklahoma 17-14, then lost the next week at home to unranked Missouri 35-31, and lost to Oklahoma in Orange Bowl re-match 31-24

 

1979:  10-2-0 (6-1-0 Big 8), #7 coaches, #9 AP - undefeated going into last regular season game, lost 17-14 at Oklahoma, then lost Cotton Bowl to Houston 17-14

 

1980:  10-2-0 (6-1-0 Big 8), ##7 coaches, #7 AP - loss to Oklahoma 21-17 in last game of season that decided Big 8 title, beat Mississippi State 31-17 in Sun Bowl

 

1981:  9-3-0 (7-0 Big 8, BIG 8 CHAMPIONS), #9 coaches, #11 AP - 37-14 win at Oklahoma, lost Orange Bowl to Clemson 22-15

 

1982:  12-1-0 (7-0 Big 8, BIG 8 CHAMPIONS), #3 coaches, #3 AP - beat Oklahoma 28-14, beat LSU in Orange Bowl 21-20

 

That's the first 10 seasons under Tom Osborne.  3-7 against Oklahoma in the regular season, 0-1 against Oklahoma in bowl games.  6-4 against a Missouri team that upset the Cornhuskers several times when Nebraska was highly ranked.  2 conference co-championships, 2 outright conference championships.  6-4 bowl record, 0 national championship game appearances. 

 

Good enough to keep Tom around for 1983?  Dare I say that Tom Osborne might actually be fired in today's college coaching climate due to some big game losses and no national championships?

This may be true, with all the increased exposure that college football gets today vs. the 1970's and 80's.  But I don't think that justifies keeping Pelini as head of the biggest athletic program in the state of Nebraska.  Whether the next guy does better or not is an open question.

[MafiaMan]

This may be true, with all the increased exposure that college football gets today vs. the 1970's and 80's.  But I don't think that justifies keeping Pelini as head of the biggest athletic program in the state of Nebraska.  Whether the next guy does better or not is an open question.

 

Well, how about this?

 

From 1983 to 1993, Nebraska went 6-5 against Oklahoma.  Lost national title game to Miami in 1983, lost to Michigan in bowl game in 1985.  Beat LSU in 1984 and 1986 bowl games.  Then, Nebraska lost SEVEN straight bowl games (1987-1993), going 0-4 against Florida State, 0-2 against Miami, and 0-1 against Georgia Tech.

 

I'm not ripping on Tom Osborne at all, but was there ANY reason to think that he would wind up winning 3 of the next 4 national championships based on the 11-year span that preceded it?  Would Tom Osborne even be coaching in today's environment after losing seven straight bowl games? 

[darell1976]

Well, how about this?

From 1983 to 1993, Nebraska went 6-5 against Oklahoma. Lost national title game to Miami in 1983, lost to Michigan in bowl game in 1985. Beat LSU in 1984 and 1986 bowl games. Then, Nebraska lost SEVEN straight bowl games (1987-1993), going 0-4 against Florida State, 0-2 against Miami, and 0-1 against Georgia Tech.

I'm not ripping on Tom Osborne at all, but was there ANY reason to think that he would wind up winning 3 of the next 4 national championships based on the 11-year span that preceded it? Would Tom Osborne even be coaching in today's environment after losing seven straight bowl games?

If there was OT in 1983 would Miami have beaten NU? No way they would have gone for 2 if there was an OT.

[MafiaMan]

If there was OT in 1983 would Miami have beaten NU? No way they would have gone for 2 if there was an OT.

 

Most folks with any insight into college football figure that if Nebraska had opted for the tie, they would have been the 1983 national champions. 

 

My point is that Osborne has been held up as the gold standard in Lincoln thanks to those titles in 1994, 1995, and 1997 (and justifiably so, the guy is a coaching legend).  Yet if he coached a 20 year stretch like he had from 1973 to 1993 in today's fire-the-coach-if-there's-no-national-championship-within-about-three-years-time-mentality, Osborne would be run out of Lincoln.  ESPECIALLY with losing seven bowl games in a row.   

[MafiaMan]

Just to point out how quickly the football landscape can change...let's look at School A:

 

2000:  3-8 (Coach #1 fired)

2001:  7-5

2002:  10-3 (Coach #2 resigns)

2002-2003:  Coach #3 is removed prior to even coaching a single game

2003:  4-9

2004:  6-6

2005:  10-2 (wins later vacated due to NCAA violations)

2006:  6-7 (Coach #4 fired and wins later vacated due to NCAA violations)

 

At the start of the 2007 season, this school was on its 5th different football coach in 7 years.  In his first season at the helm, this coach and team would finish 7-6.  The program looks like a hot mess, right? 

 

7 seasons later, this program is now the gold standard for college football and no one can seem to remember when they totally sucked.  "School A" is none other than Alabama.