Bo Pelini positive achievements

[commando]

I think each year his sideline demeanor and overall control improved.

I have seen you say this multiple times and its just not true. He was still a raving lunatic this past year at YSU and cost his team a chance for an upset against NDSU because he couldn't control himself.

That is an inconsistent sample -- too many changed constraints/variables. It could easily be spun either way.

opcorn:

Wut?

You want apples and oranges to go with that popcorn?

just watching the show and waiting for an explanation about how that WASN'T an epic meltdown at YSU

 

[Saunders]

Gordon should never have been allowed to rush for 408 yards against Nebraska. That was a nasty combination of his talent, bad coaching and bad execution.

It's kind of how I always felt about Helu's performance against Missouri in 2010. He should never have been able to run for more than 300, and while a lot of that is due to his talent, a lot of it was also thanks to Missouri just having one hell of a bad day.

That Wisconsin game was the point I quit supporting Pelini.

The way he followed our DB around just screaming and yelling and cussing all the way to bench the kid just wanted out of there. That's NOT coaching, it's just being an a-hole.

I liked Pelini and defended him every season and always thought we were close to turning corner so many times. Pelini had many many good achievements but it was time to go.

I actually LIKE watching HCMR in front of the media, it's so refreshing.

That game was my turning point, as well. That was somewhat of a last straw in a long list of attempts to get the program over the edge.

Ditto.

 

[Saunders]

I think each year his sideline demeanor and overall control improved.

I have seen you say this multiple times and its just not true. He was still a raving lunatic this past year at YSU and cost his team a chance for an upset against NDSU because he couldn't control himself.

That is an inconsistent sample -- too many changed constraints/variables. It could easily be spun either way.

opcorn:

Wut?

You want apples and oranges to go with that popcorn?

just watching the show and waiting for an explanation about how that WASN'T an epic meltdown at YSU

Myself, I have no idea, because frankly, I don't care anymore. He's gone, and not coming back. I think there's a segment of the fanbase that needs to let it go and move on with the future instead of acting like a scorned ex.

JMO.

 

[Red Dead Redemption]

I think each year his sideline demeanor and overall control improved.

I have seen you say this multiple times and its just not true. He was still a raving lunatic this past year at YSU and cost his team a chance for an upset against NDSU because he couldn't control himself.

That is an inconsistent sample -- too many changed constraints/variables. It could easily be spun either way.

opcorn:

Wut?

You want apples and oranges to go with that popcorn?

just watching the show and waiting for an explanation about how that WASN'T an epic meltdown at YSU

Did I say it wasn't? If you're waiting for explanations for things I didn't say, then I hope you have a lot popcorn...

It's proven that Bo has an anger problem. His meltdown at YSU is further evidence of that. But the meltdown at YSU does not prove, or disprove, that his demeanor was getting better, or worse, at UNL.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

Bo looked pretty bad when the Iowa debacle in 2013 officially put him on the hot seat. Not just by Nebraska fan standards. By college football standards.

His public image and press demeanor definitely improved during that off-season, because Bo honestly put some effort into it, and the Athletic Department -- the one overseen by Shawn Eichorst -- also put some time and resources behind it. Bo was given every chance to improve his situation.

In 2014, Bo's sideline demeanor and overall control improved. Until it didn't. When things went south, spittle-flying, finger pointing Bo came back in a flash.

Or worse, he looked like a man who had already given up. And in fact he'd already made it known in 2011 that he was "so out of here!" -- an outburst he backed up by having his agent quietly shop him to any plum CFB job that opened up. No one was biting.

MSU in 2014 was a disappointment. Wisconsin was an all-to-familiar nightmare. Yet Bo Pelini could have totally screwed Shawn Eichorst if he had rallied his team the next week to beat Minnesota. But he didn't do that, either. By now the lack of control in Bo's sideline behavior and blame-throwing public pronouncements matched the product he put on the field in Games That Mattered.

So who was the real Bo?

Well it's pretty rare when you're given private insight into a man, but we actually had two audio tapes that revealed the private Bo as a man ruled by spite. We also have a video of him spitting on his assistant coach. And all that other sideline footage. And those testy press relations. And that eerily familiar scene at Youngstown State that made you realize this wasn't about the unique pressures at Nebraska at all. There's absolutely no reason to assume these were rare moments that caught Bo off-guard. And no reason to assume he wasn't a perfectly nice guy in other, less high-pressure interactions.

Bo had his good moments. They have long since been outweighed by the bad.

The main reason for not retaining Bo Pelini in 2014 was that he didn't want to be here — a claim he clearly stated in both audio tapes, three years apart. Ignore everything else and you would still have a coach that any AD would be pressed to replace.

I just don't see any other way to spin this.

 

[NUance]

Gordon should never have been allowed to rush for 408 yards against Nebraska. That was a nasty combination of his talent, bad coaching and bad execution.

It's kind of how I always felt about Helu's performance against Missouri in 2010. He should never have been able to run for more than 300, and while a lot of that is due to his talent, a lot of it was also thanks to Missouri just having one hell of a bad day.

Yeah. That, and failure to make game time adjustments. I always thought Bo was a better coach Sunday through Friday, than on Saturday afternoons. It seemed like he became so unhinged during games that he couldn't adjust to what other teams were doing sometimes. I'm talking about defense, since the DC under Bo was just a puppet position.

Personally, I think that's what we should have realized we were getting by hiring a first time HC who most feel had a ton of upside.

So finally, FINALLY, you realize that Riley[SIZE=12pt]—[/SIZE]with all the experience he brings to the table[SIZE=12pt]—[/SIZE]is great hire. MUCH better than the last three guys. Now that we've settled that...

 

[TheSker]

Bo looked pretty bad when the Iowa debacle in 2013 officially put him on the hot seat. Not just by Nebraska fan standards. By college football standards.

His public image and press demeanor definitely improved during that off-season, because Bo honestly put some effort into it, and the Athletic Department -- the one overseen by Shawn Eichorst -- also put some time and resources behind it. Bo was given every chance to improve his situation.

In 2014, Bo's sideline demeanor and overall control improved. Until it didn't. When things went south, spittle-flying, finger pointing Bo came back in a flash.

Or worse, he looked like a man who had already given up. And in fact he'd already made it known in 2011 that he was "so out of here!" -- an outburst he backed up by having his agent quietly shop him to any plum CFB job that opened up. No one was biting.

MSU in 2014 was a disappointment. Wisconsin was an all-to-familiar nightmare. Yet Bo Pelini could have totally screwed Shawn Eichorst if he had rallied his team the next week to beat Minnesota. But he didn't do that, either. By now the lack of control in Bo's sideline behavior and blame-throwing public pronouncements matched the product he put on the field in Games That Mattered.

So who was the real Bo?

Well it's pretty rare when you're given private insight into a man, but we actually had two audio tapes that revealed the private Bo as a man ruled by spite. We also have a video of him spitting on his assistant coach. And all that other sideline footage. And those testy press relations. And that eerily familiar scene at Youngstown State that made you realize this wasn't about the unique pressures at Nebraska at all. There's absolutely no reason to assume these were rare moments that caught Bo off-guard. And no reason to assume he wasn't a perfectly nice guy in other, less high-pressure interactions.

Bo had his good moments. They have long since been outweighed by the bad.

The main reason for not retaining Bo Pelini in 2014 was that he didn't want to be here — a claim he clearly stated in both audio tapes, three years apart. Ignore everything else and you would still have a coach that any AD would be pressed to replace.

I just don't see any other way to spin this.

The good news: Bo Pelini is long gone.

The bad news: Shawn Eichorst's hiring decision has made the justification debate rage on.

 

[HuskerExpat]

Gordon should never have been allowed to rush for 408 yards against Nebraska. That was a nasty combination of his talent, bad coaching and bad execution.

It's kind of how I always felt about Helu's performance against Missouri in 2010. He should never have been able to run for more than 300, and while a lot of that is due to his talent, a lot of it was also thanks to Missouri just having one hell of a bad day.

That Wisconsin game was the point I quit supporting Pelini.

The way he followed our DB around just screaming and yelling and cussing all the way to bench the kid just wanted out of there. That's NOT coaching, it's just being an a-hole.

I liked Pelini and defended him every season and always thought we were close to turning corner so many times. Pelini had many many good achievements but it was time to go.

I actually LIKE watching HCMR in front of the media, it's so refreshing.

Same here. I adamantly defended him throughout his tenure (including the Ohio St. audio tape, innumerable other sideline tantrums and blowout losses) but Wisconsin 2014 was the turning point for me for so many reasons. I should have known earlier, but that is when I finally understood he had to go.

 

[Enhance]

Gordon should never have been allowed to rush for 408 yards against Nebraska. That was a nasty combination of his talent, bad coaching and bad execution.

It's kind of how I always felt about Helu's performance against Missouri in 2010. He should never have been able to run for more than 300, and while a lot of that is due to his talent, a lot of it was also thanks to Missouri just having one hell of a bad day.

Yeah. That, and failure to make game time adjustments. I always thought Bo was a better coach Sunday through Friday, than on Saturday afternoons. It seemed like he became so unhinged during games that he couldn't adjust to what other teams were doing sometimes. I'm talking about defense, since the DC under Bo was just a puppet position.

Personally, I think that's what we should have realized we were getting by hiring a first time HC who most feel had a ton of upside.

I think each year his sideline demeanor and overall control improved. I think relative to other 1st time HCs, Bo was amonth the top 10% in terms of game time coaching. For example, not one of Callahan's teams ever came back when trailing at half (90% certain on that staff). Conversely, several of Bo's did, which indicates he made adjustments and manufactured wins as well as most.

I also disagree that DC was a puppet position under BO, at least anymore than under TO, Frank, and to a lesser degree Tenopir's, position was as a puppet. Being the eye in the sky and making most of the calls as a coordinator is immensely important, even if the HC has a hands on approach to negating/altering such calls.

Interesting points here. I do agree that his demeanor and behavior improved, and I actually do appreciate the efforts he made to get better in this area, at least when he was on the sideline. It's pretty clear he took a lot of steps to improve, and as always, I believe that if he had won more games, the behavior would have been less of a concern.

As to your second point, being in the top 10 percent of game time coaching suggests he was one of the 12 best coaches in the country at it, which I personally disagree with. I think there are 15 or so coaches at the division one level I'd rather have in crunch time than Bo. Part of that was because of his behavior and the times that it cost the team in penalty yardage. Part of that is also because of blowout losses to tOSU and Wisconsin, or losses to MSU/IOWA late in the season where mistakes proved costly in the second half.

 

[cm husker]

I wasn't very clear, but I meant compared to other first time HC's, he performed very well relative to those coaches.

We forget that being an HC requires a learning curve. It's why I personally thought that Bo's most important years, in terms of a valuation, would be years 7-10. Unfortunately he never got there.

 

[cm husker]

I am happy to see a lot of people admit that it was on the field results, in this case the wisky game, that caused people to want a change.

I wonder if people will want Riley fired also, despite his nice guy persona, if he has similar on field results.

I hope not. Unless we have a serious and real upgrade lined up.

 

[dvdcrr]

Pelini had the quarterback freaking graveyard. Riley will never have a quarterback graveyard. Nor will he ever produce a quarterback Valhalla. Riley should owe every lifelong husker fan a big mac for every screen pass called inside the 25 that immediately goes for a pick six. And I am not a Pelini fan. Toward the end I dont know what was up, but when Pelini was seriously just running the D they were impressive. He would make a great D coordinator somewhere. Just not HC. But results speak for themselves. 9 wins. Bowls. Something to aspire to right here and now don't you think?

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

Pelini had the quarterback freaking graveyard. Riley will never have a quarterback graveyard. Nor will he ever produce a quarterback Valhalla. Riley should owe every lifelong husker fan a big mac for every screen pass called inside the 25 that immediately goes for a pick six. And I am not a Pelini fan. Toward the end I dont know what was up, but when Pelini was seriously just running the D they were impressive. He would make a great D coordinator somewhere. Just not HC. But results speak for themselves. 9 wins. Bowls. Something to aspire to right here and now don't you think?

I gave Pelini 6.5 years before deciding what he'd never do at Nebraska.

Gonna give Riley at least 3.

 

[Enhance]

I am happy to see a lot of people admit that it was on the field results, in this case the wisky game, that caused people to want a change.

I wonder if people will want Riley fired also, despite his nice guy persona, if he has similar on field results.

I hope not. Unless we have a serious and real upgrade lined up.

Personally, there are obviously a lot of factors I would weigh. But at the core, I believe Nebraska is a place that should be competing for, but most importantly winning, conference titles. If I had to put a rough number on it, in a five year time frame, I think Nebraska should be in the title game 1-3 times. I think they should be able to win it at least once every five or so years.

That's based on our recruiting capabilities, financial situation, etc. Truthfully, we should be more successful at this than we've been, particularly in comparison to Iowa and Wisconsin.

So, if in year 6-7 there is no obvious upward trend, the program is stagnating, and there's no significant hardware, I'll think the situation needs re-evaluating.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

I wasn't very clear, but I meant compared to other first time HC's, he performed very well relative to those coaches.

We forget that being an HC requires a learning curve. It's why I personally thought that Bo's most important years, in terms of a valuation, would be years 7-10. Unfortunately he never got there.

Bo Pelini just enjoyed his 8th year as a head coach.

Took a 7-5 Youngstown State squad and coached them up to 5-6.

And it was that last game that made you realize Bo hasn't learned a thing.