'97 Huskers Say 'Refuse to Lose' Attitude is Now Missing

In the Deed the Glory said:
Dude, so much this.  All the bitching and moaning would go away if we could just start winning.  Be it with this staff or the next.  Just win, baby.
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We've dropped one we shouldn't (Riley's MO) so I am guessing if Riley stays true to career form, we should beat OSU, PSU or Wisky.  I'll take a win over Wisky myself.

 
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GBRFAN said:
So what is the "problem"? - i'm guessing you are going to insult someone, just not the "guys"
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Maybe we should start with the coach who rushes three against 5-6 blockers and has the DB's play off ten yards? Or the coach who calls low percentage passes on 2nd and 3? Or the coach whose team looks shallow and ill prepared most of the time?
Just throwing out some ideas.

 
I know everyone likes to bring up our overall talent level from a recruiting perspective but I don't think our recruiting has really been that bad.  It has been overall coaching and mostly player development.  

Programs like Wisconsin are bonafide player development factories.   They will take a talented kid and develop him physically and get the most out of him playing wise.  That is what we need to do first and foremost... develop the talent we have to the best of our abilities. 

Our staff has never been confused with Urban Meyer. Are we preaching to be fierce competitors like the Osborne days?

 
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On Big Red Over-Reaction replay this morning, I listened a bit.  DB was saying that toughness is missing.  He did a great job of saying that being tough doesn't mean you are the biggest, baddest, strongest player on the field.  It sometimes means being willing to take an occasional beat down....and come back for the next play.  Too many guys diving for tackles, or sliding outside rather than going head on into a pulling lineman, knowing you'll get crushed, but also knowing you'll jam things up to help stop the play.  I'm not able to make all the points that they did but you get the picture.  Sometimes the toughest guy is the 90 lb weakling that takes a lick, and keeps getting back up until the other guy just gives up.

 
grandpasknee said:
On Big Red Over-Reaction replay this morning, I listened a bit.  DB was saying that toughness is missing.  He did a great job of saying that being tough doesn't mean you are the biggest, baddest, strongest player on the field.  It sometimes means being willing to take an occasional beat down....and come back for the next play.  Too many guys diving for tackles, or sliding outside rather than going head on into a pulling lineman, knowing you'll get crushed, but also knowing you'll jam things up to help stop the play.  I'm not able to make all the points that they did but you get the picture.  Sometimes the toughest guy is the 90 lb weakling that takes a lick, and keeps getting back up until the other guy just gives up.
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Lots of people tried to dismiss reports of the players laughing and joking in the lockerroom after losing to Tennessee.

There have been other reports of similar not-a-big-deal attitude at other times in the last couple years.

I don't think those are trivial observations.

 
Mavric said:
Lots of people tried to dismiss reports of the players laughing and joking in the lockerroom after losing to Tennessee.

There have been other reports of similar not-a-big-deal attitude at other times in the last couple years.

I don't think those are trivial observations.
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And that is definitely a problem.  There is no one problem with the Huskers right now.  Some of it is coaching, some of it is talent and some of it is attitude.  The three are inseparable when it come to success I think.  It does start at the top.  Recruit the right bodies (and to some degree attitudes), instill additional attitude, coach up the ones you've got and have coaches that are creative and current.  

After being at the game last night, the one thing we do still have is rabid fans.  Time and time again the fans rose to the occasion, but there is a point where the performance just overcomes the enthusiasm.

 
Not the victory but the action; Not the goal but the game; In the deed the glory.

That saying has nothing to do with fairweather fans, or bandwagon fans, or only caring when the team is winning.

84HuskerLaw said:
I think "refuse to lose" is not just about confidence combined with ability.  Rather it is "never say die" and never quit mentality.  It is essentially an approach that says we are going to give every ounce of strength and effort on every play until we win.   It is a bunch of very good football players, playing their very best, as a team, with one goal in mind - winning every game.  Football is a game of guts, determination, will power, desire and effort.  Assuming relatively comparable athletic ability (speed, quickness, agility, strength, execution, strategy, etc.), the team that wants to win the most usually does.  It is that 'want to' mindset.   You have to care deeply and give everything you've got.  No half hearted efforts and never taking a play or two off.  You run and hit hard EVERY PLAY until the whistle blows and you play within the rules and in accord with the coaching and each player does HIS job as close to perfection as possible.  

To have the right attitude, players have to truly, madly deeply CARE about the results.  It should hurt to let any of your teammates down by NOT excelling in your role on the team - whether it be as long snapper, QB, third string IB, scout team water boy, or whatever.  Every member must excell.   It is that simple.  
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I know people give you a hard time for being long winded, but you just basically explained one of the most misconstrued sayings that Husker fans use. It has to do with exactly what you said. It's not about winning and losing, it's about giving your all. And I don't think that's something that's preached by our current staff, because outside of JP, they don't understand it.

 
grandpasknee said:
On Big Red Over-Reaction replay this morning, I listened a bit.  DB was saying that toughness is missing.  He did a great job of saying that being tough doesn't mean you are the biggest, baddest, strongest player on the field.  It sometimes means being willing to take an occasional beat down....and come back for the next play.  Too many guys diving for tackles, or sliding outside rather than going head on into a pulling lineman, knowing you'll get crushed, but also knowing you'll jam things up to help stop the play.  I'm not able to make all the points that they did but you get the picture.  Sometimes the toughest guy is the 90 lb weakling that takes a lick, and keeps getting back up until the other guy just gives up.
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Mavric said:
Lots of people tried to dismiss reports of the players laughing and joking in the lockerroom after losing to Tennessee.

There have been other reports of similar not-a-big-deal attitude at other times in the last couple years.

I don't think those are trivial observations.
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I was listening to it this morning too. I thought it was interesting that one of the first things they discussed was riley's demeanor of disinterest, and how he appears disengaged. Last night a caller pointed out that he seemed to spend the whole game with his hands in his pockets, not talking to anyone. I haven't rewatched yet to how true that was.

 
saunders45 said:
Not the victory but the action; Not the goal but the game; In the deed the glory.

That saying has nothing to do with fairweather fans, or bandwagon fans, or only caring when the team is winning.

I know people give you a hard time for being long winded, but you just basically explained one of the most misconstrued sayings that Husker fans use. It has to do with exactly what you said. It's not about winning and losing, it's about giving your all. And I don't think that's something that's preached by our current staff, because outside of JP, they don't understand it.
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This kind of stood out to me yesterday, but in small ways. On the pick six, ball hits Ziggy in the face,flies away. I don't have a huge problem, it sucks and it happens. However, instead of finishing the play, as the Wisconsin player was running off to score, he was taking to the ref. I don't know if he could have stopped the score, but I miss having players that almost all go until the play is over or even a little past when it's over. 

That motor that jp has and that he seems to be teaching to a few linemen. That's what I want to see again. Our dline got beat at the end of the game. I don't mind that. Wisconsin is good this year. But the don't stop won't stop attitude needs to come back.  

 
They weren't shocked by what they did in Maryland and they weren't shocked by what happened on Saturday. They were excited. They were happy, but this team expected to win those games. That's a fast turnaround from where we were, where they expect to beat really good teams. I think they're going to expect to win going forward. That doesn't mean we're going to win them all. I know they're going to go into games thinking they can win every one. I think that kind of confidence carries over to success on the field.

Satisfaction is the wrong word. I'm happy for the guys. I'm never going to say we're satisfied. That's three games. That's all it is. Saying I'm satisfied is like patting myself on the back. That's what I'm telling the team not to do. Winning is better than losing. All we've done is win three. We're going to keep going and maybe we'll have time to be satisfied at the end of the year.
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 - Scott Frost

Man, wouldn't it be nice to have a head coach with that kind of attitude? I wonder where we could find a coach like that...

 
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saunders45 said:
I was listening to it this morning too. I thought it was interesting that one of the first things they discussed was riley's demeanor of disinterest, and how he appears disengaged. Last night a caller pointed out that he seemed to spend the whole game with his hands in his pockets, not talking to anyone. I haven't rewatched yet to how true that was.
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It is very true. I noticed it 95% of the game. Same s#!t in his press conference, he just continues the, "oh, golly they just beat us. That's really what it came down to lol" crap.

 
saunders45 said:
Not the victory but the action; Not the goal but the game; In the deed the glory.

That saying has nothing to do with fairweather fans, or bandwagon fans, or only caring when the team is winning.

I know people give you a hard time for being long winded, but you just basically explained one of the most misconstrued sayings that Husker fans use. It has to do with exactly what you said. It's not about winning and losing, it's about giving your all. And I don't think that's something that's preached by our current staff, because outside of JP, they don't understand it.
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Yep.  Refuse to lose means you never lose, you just run out of time sometimes.  Saturday night, Riley was wishing the game was over halfway through the 4th quarter.

 
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