What's Behind the Staff Changes

[Enhance]

First post and fairly new reader but life long husker fan (like everyone here), but I have a theory on this on, right, wrong or indifferent, these are my thoughts on who is calling the shots:

I think when SE fired bo, he didn't have the reins or the trust to open up the pocketbook to start pumping money at this program, which in my opinion is needed to help make us relevant again. So he went and got MR because was a good buy for the money, and he had 10 years or so left in his career. Shawn's a smart guy and knows you don't hire an older coach without thinking about his replacement. With Riley coming in with a bunch of old buddies, it's easy to start replacing them with new and high $ guys until the last piece of the pussle will be rileys replacement when he retires. Which will be after 5-6+ years and a really good season (12-2 or somewhere along those lines). Then SE will promote someone from the staff and have a new, fresh, high quality, high dollar coaching staff to bring us up to par without the sticker shock of doing it all at once. I think MR knew this was the plan when he got hired on so this is all just a part of the plan.

First, welcome to the board!

Second, I see what you're saying, but I don't buy it. I don't think SE hired MR knowing they would eventually fire several assistants. We also don't live in an era where you can bank on your assistants being around long term. How many coordinators or position coaches last two or even three-plus years at a university? We've lost four in two years if my memory serves. Furthermore, although I think Nebraska is a destination job, there are plenty of jobs out there that are better than this one.

 

[CornhuskerCornPicker]

I totally agree Nebraska is destination job, the only things missing are some level of satisfactory success, and a truckload of $$$. The doors to the truck just opened with the hiring of diaco as long as that hire turns out. I think if Nebraska has a breakout season like penn state had this year, you open the door to a lot of guys that wouldn't get near Nebraska. Because at that point you inherit a much, much, much happier fan base who aren't wanting your head at every moment of everyday.

 

[Enhance]

I totally agree Nebraska is destination job, the only things missing are some level of satisfactory success, and a truckload of $$$.

And a vibrant recruiting base, which is probably the university's largest weakness, and a significant one.

I agree a winning season with a conference title would mean a lot for the school, but that's also a little bit of a different discussion than what SE/MR's "plans" are/were.

 

[chainsaw]

It's hard to promote from within. jealousy runs rampant. Frank fought that problem when TO promoted him. All the other assistant coaches, knew his weaknesses and if the promoted guy doesn't address them, which most don't, it starts the pot boiling before the first game. Everyone has weakness's, including TO and MR. MR took this job with his eyes wide open. He knew he HAD to win. He has to make adjustments/improvement or be shown the door! As long as he shows improvement every year, i'll back MR. 2018 schedule is looming and it could really be a tuff one, but that's why we hired him to be good in both the easy and hard seasons!

 

[jdhusker]

This is tall tale signs of a head coach in panick mode trying to scramble to save his and SE job

 

[cornstar]

Considering that most of Riley's original staff had no business being brought to Lincoln, it's no surprise and no credit to him that 4 of the 9 are gone. I remember hearing about how great of a staff this was, experienced and a huge upgrade. Yet they haven't come close to what the previous staff accomplished.

The bad thing is that the whole offensive side is intact. None of them have any business being in Lincoln. I'll give Cav and Davis one more year of a pass, but that whole crew is an embarassment. Awful.

 

[Xmas32]

Considering that most of Riley's original staff had no business being brought to Lincoln, it's no surprise and no credit to him that 4 of the 9 are gone. I remember hearing about how great of a staff this was, experienced and a huge upgrade. Yet they haven't come close to what the previous staff accomplished.

The bad thing is that the whole offensive side is intact. None of them have any business being in Lincoln. I'll give Cav and Davis one more year of a pass, but that whole crew is an embarassment. Awful.

Lol seriously? Keith Williams has no business at Nebraska?

It's ok to have an opposing viewpoint, but for people to take your opposing viewpoint seriously, it has to at least make sense.

 

[84HuskerLaw]

I totally agree Nebraska is destination job, the only things missing are some level of satisfactory success, and a truckload of $$$. The doors to the truck just opened with the hiring of diaco as long as that hire turns out. I think if Nebraska has a breakout season like penn state had this year, you open the door to a lot of guys that wouldn't get near Nebraska. Because at that point you inherit a much, much, much happier fan base who aren't wanting your head at every moment of everyday.

Actually a breakout season with some level of success (presumably a conference title or something major) would likely put even more pressure on the coaches and no amount of money is going to 'fix' that in a way. Nothing like a little taste of success will cause the craving for more to explode.

Coaches who would shy away from Nebraska are not going to become championship level coaches anywhere because they lack the courage and the convictions and confidence to get R done. I give Mike Riley credit for having the guts to walk away from a dam good gig in a very comfortable place like Corvallis. He could have coasted the last 6 or 8 years there with his close friends and family and retire without a great deal of fan or media pressure. No silly 'reporters' from local and or national media orgs asking 'hard' or suggestive questions about you, your coaching decisions, your players and their misdeeds, etc.

Instead of relaxing with a nice job in a comfortable quiet life, he chose to take on one of the biggest coaching challenges in the country - resurrecting Nebraska football. Undoubtedly one of the toughest jobs in the Nation (in the coaching realm). Bigger money but I am sure Riley is very well set financially before he came here. A few more million in the bank won't change the way they live much. Family, friends, weather, homes, workload, recruiting, fan pressure, etc etc. Nothing would be 'the same' in Lincoln as it was. You have to give Riley some acknowledgement for his guts, determination, grit and energy. He is making changes and I believe he is doing everything that he can and has been asked of him by the Athletic Department and his bosses in the course of his job. He understands what his job is and what is being asked - to Make Nebraska Great Again (and it can't take too long to do it either). Figuring out what's right and what's wrong and then going about making it all work together well takes some time and the rules don't let you make wholesale changes overnight. Rotating a few coaches after a couple years is not uncommon. It is likely we will see a couple more replacements next year and maybe the year after. Some will leave for new opportunities while others will be asked to leave. This is the nature of college coaching. Even Nebraska (a great place without question) has some unhappy campers who move on to find comfort elsewhere.

 

[PaulCrewe]

Considering that most of Riley's original staff had no business being brought to Lincoln, it's no surprise and no credit to him that 4 of the 9 are gone. I remember hearing about how great of a staff this was, experienced and a huge upgrade. Yet they haven't come close to what the previous staff accomplished.

The bad thing is that the whole offensive side is intact. None of them have any business being in Lincoln. I'll give Cav and Davis one more year of a pass, but that whole crew is an embarassment. Awful.

Lol seriously? Keith Williams has no business at Nebraska?

It's ok to have an opposing viewpoint, but for people to take your opposing viewpoint seriously, it has to at least make sense.

Pretty sure it was geared towards the OSU guys he brought with. He even says Langs and Cav. There was no connection with KWilliams prior to this job.

 

[In the Deed the Glory]

Considering that most of Riley's original staff had no business being brought to Lincoln, it's no surprise and no credit to him that 4 of the 9 are gone. I remember hearing about how great of a staff this was, experienced and a huge upgrade. Yet they haven't come close to what the previous staff accomplished.

The bad thing is that the whole offensive side is intact. None of them have any business being in Lincoln. I'll give Cav and Davis one more year of a pass, but that whole crew is an embarassment. Awful.

Lol seriously? Keith Williams has no business at Nebraska?

It's ok to have an opposing viewpoint, but for people to take your opposing viewpoint seriously, it has to at least make sense.

Pretty sure it was geared towards the OSU guys he brought with. He even says Langs and Cav. There was no connection with KWilliams prior to this job.

Not when he references the 4 staff members that have been let go or moved on. Two of those were not Oregon State guys either. He is just delusional if he thinks Trent Bray and Keith Williams have no business at Nebraska.

 

[Landlord]

Haven't come close to what the previous staff accomplished?

Didn't the previous staff go 9-4 the last two years of their regime here?

 

[PaulCrewe]

Haven't come close to what the previous staff accomplished?

Didn't the previous staff go 9-4 the last two years of their regime here?

But it did take the previous staff to let them get six wins in year one............

Just sayin

 

[cornstar]

Considering that most of Riley's original staff had no business being brought to Lincoln, it's no surprise and no credit to him that 4 of the 9 are gone. I remember hearing about how great of a staff this was, experienced and a huge upgrade. Yet they haven't come close to what the previous staff accomplished.

The bad thing is that the whole offensive side is intact. None of them have any business being in Lincoln. I'll give Cav and Davis one more year of a pass, but that whole crew is an embarassment. Awful.

Lol seriously? Keith Williams has no business at Nebraska?

It's ok to have an opposing viewpoint, but for people to take your opposing viewpoint seriously, it has to at least make sense.

Pretty sure it was geared towards the OSU guys he brought with. He even says Langs and Cav. There was no connection with KWilliams prior to this job.

Not when he references the 4 staff members that have been let go or moved on. Two of those were not Oregon State guys either. He is just delusional if he thinks Trent Bray and Keith Williams have no business at Nebraska.

Never said anything about Bray. That being said, his crew didn't take the step forward that I expected last year.

KWill is a good recruiter and may be a good coach. I'm no so sure that the play we saw out of his crew in 15 wasn't the residual from his predecessor. They certainly didn't impress in 16 considering that many said it was the best position on the team and the best WR group in the conference. Regardless of his coaching acumen, he never should have been hired due to his legal issues. Even though he was hired he should have been fired after his arrest in Lincoln last fall. That's a total embarassment to the university.

 

[In the Deed the Glory]

Considering that most of Riley's original staff had no business being brought to Lincoln, it's no surprise and no credit to him that 4 of the 9 are gone. I remember hearing about how great of a staff this was, experienced and a huge upgrade. Yet they haven't come close to what the previous staff accomplished.

The bad thing is that the whole offensive side is intact. None of them have any business being in Lincoln. I'll give Cav and Davis one more year of a pass, but that whole crew is an embarassment. Awful.

Lol seriously? Keith Williams has no business at Nebraska?

It's ok to have an opposing viewpoint, but for people to take your opposing viewpoint seriously, it has to at least make sense.

Pretty sure it was geared towards the OSU guys he brought with. He even says Langs and Cav. There was no connection with KWilliams prior to this job.

Not when he references the 4 staff members that have been let go or moved on. Two of those were not Oregon State guys either. He is just delusional if he thinks Trent Bray and Keith Williams have no business at Nebraska.

Never said anything about Bray. That being said, his crew didn't take the step forward that I expected last year.

KWill is a good recruiter and may be a good coach. I'm no so sure that the play we saw out of his crew in 15 wasn't the residual from his predecessor. They certainly didn't impress in 16 considering that many said it was the best position on the team and the best WR group in the conference. Regardless of his coaching acumen, he never should have been hired due to his legal issues. Even though he was hired he should have been fired after his arrest in Lincoln last fall. That's a total embarassment to the university.

Dude MULTIPLE NFL WR come to work out with @wideouts every off-season, in Lincoln. I will take that as proof of his knowledge and ability to transfer it to the player over your uninformed, agenda driven, bias influenced opinion. As far as I'm concerned the DUI's are a different animal than your original point.

 

[Xmas32]

Considering that most of Riley's original staff had no business being brought to Lincoln, it's no surprise and no credit to him that 4 of the 9 are gone. I remember hearing about how great of a staff this was, experienced and a huge upgrade. Yet they haven't come close to what the previous staff accomplished.

The bad thing is that the whole offensive side is intact. None of them have any business being in Lincoln. I'll give Cav and Davis one more year of a pass, but that whole crew is an embarassment. Awful.

Lol seriously? Keith Williams has no business at Nebraska?

It's ok to have an opposing viewpoint, but for people to take your opposing viewpoint seriously, it has to at least make sense.

Pretty sure it was geared towards the OSU guys he brought with. He even says Langs and Cav. There was no connection with KWilliams prior to this job.

Not when he references the 4 staff members that have been let go or moved on. Two of those were not Oregon State guys either. He is just delusional if he thinks Trent Bray and Keith Williams have no business at Nebraska.

Never said anything about Bray. That being said, his crew didn't take the step forward that I expected last year.

KWill is a good recruiter and may be a good coach. I'm no so sure that the play we saw out of his crew in 15 wasn't the residual from his predecessor. They certainly didn't impress in 16 considering that many said it was the best position on the team and the best WR group in the conference. Regardless of his coaching acumen, he never should have been hired due to his legal issues. Even though he was hired he should have been fired after his arrest in Lincoln last fall. That's a total embarassment to the university.

The legal issues are troubling, but should be looked at separately to his coaching ability.

It's hard for me to judge the WR talent when the QB play was pretty sub-optimal in the passing game. If they can't get the ball, it's hard for them to showcase their skills. Would you agree with that?

With that being said, starting this year I feel the offensive side of the ball needs to show some pretty marked improvements. It was downright painful watching Nebraska try to pass last year. I personally really like Langsdorf as a play caller, I feel like Nebraska's WRs/TEs/RBs were open all year long they just didn't have a QB that could deliver the ball to them with any regularity.

Bold prediction for next year...Stanley Morgan eclipses 1000 receiving yards next year.