Benning is all about the effort

[Red Five]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the story - according to many - over the last several years when the team came out flat or played uninspired was the blame was to be placed the blame on the coaches for not having the team ready to play.

Personally, its a problem of both coaches and players. Coaches can only help so much, but at some point a player has to put on his big boy pants.

Also, not sure we can compare yet since the vast majority of the guys on the field are Bo's players and have a history of laying eggs. If Riley is still having this problem when he is 3 or 4 years into his tenure (if he makes it that long), then we can draw more conclusions.

 

[NUinID]

Sometimes I feel that us fans care more about the team and wins/losses than the players do.

Definitely. And I'd wager the fans care far more about the losses than the wins. Meaning, we win and it's "ho-hum, we should have won that game." Very little excitement, very little praise. We nitpick wins because they aren't good enough, then quickly move on and forget them.

Losses, though. Whoa boy. A loss fuels every conversation for years. We talk more about our losses to Wisconsin than our wins against Michigan. We talk more about our losses to Minnesota than our wins over Northwestern. Losses are the focus. Just look at the post counts skyrocket after a loss.

And this is what is wrong with our fan base. Too many of us don't even enjoy the wins. I saw way too much about what we didn't do well against Minnesota last week from a lot of people. Sometimes you just have to enjoy the win. I guess that is a product of becoming spoiled and too used to winning.

I will cheer for Nebraska every game like I always do, but the problems with this team seem quite large. Winning 3 of the next 4 just doesn't look to promising.

 

[Red Five]

I'm looking at this still photograph and wondering what Benning is seeing there that's cause for so much consternation... is it that some back ups are sitting on the bench? Does he not believe players should sit on a bench during a game?

I rewatched the game. I don't see a lack of effort, especially defensively. This team actually played pretty well defensively on Saturday.

Benning has been a proponent of Riley for a long time, so he's making excuses now and throwing players under the bus as a result. Pretty sad.

I was waiting for the "Benning is throwing the players under the bus" comment. If he really wanted to, he said he could give names and plays where guys aren't giving it there all. But he said that he doesn't want to do that because it would serve no good purpose to call out the guys by name.

He has also said that the coaches need to get better. He said that there needs to be changes on the defensive side, either coaches or scheme or both. He has said that special teams are bad and we should be much better with a dedicated ST coach.

 

[KazLong]

Sometimes I feel that us fans care more about the team and wins/losses than the players do.

Definitely. And I'd wager the fans care far more about the losses than the wins. Meaning, we win and it's "ho-hum, we should have won that game." Very little excitement, very little praise. We nitpick wins because they aren't good enough, then quickly move on and forget them.

Losses, though. Whoa boy. A loss fuels every conversation for years. We talk more about our losses to Wisconsin than our wins against Michigan. We talk more about our losses to Minnesota than our wins over Northwestern. Losses are the focus. Just look at the post counts skyrocket after a loss.

And this is what is wrong with our fan base. Too many of us don't even enjoy the wins. I saw way too much about what we didn't do well against Minnesota last week from a lot of people. Sometimes you just have to enjoy the win. I guess that is a product of becoming spoiled and too used to winning.

I will cheer for Nebraska every game like I always do, but the problems with this team seem quite large. Winning 3 of the next 4 just doesn't look to promising.

Dont give me that.

I remember in the 90s people where complaining when we only won by 14 etc... Everyone wanted a 40+ blow out every week, and then it was just OK..... Some fans are just that way.

 

[cm husker]

It's almost worse that he won't name names and give exact examples. He makes these broad proclamations and innuendos. So instead of calling out the offenders, he effectively casts doubt on the whole team.

 

[Joe_5700]

Everything seemed flat on Saturday. The crowd, the team, the atmosphere, everything. There were many moments when the stadium was like a tomb. This was in the first half of the game, when everyone in the stands and both sidelines were thinking, "We've seen this before."



You see that sideline all mum and mopey, no energy, not engaged in the game. I often get the impression the team feels like it needs energy from the crowd to get going, and occasionally the crowd can be relied upon to do that. But it is not always the responsibility of the fans to provide an electric atmosphere.

The relationship between the team and fans often seems backwards. I'm paying to watch them play. They aren't paying to watch me cheer. If anyone has an obligation to perform, it's the team.

This team, with a few exceptions, has no intrinsic motivation to get up and perform, to improve on their own time, or to find a killer instinct because that's how it's been forever. They wouldn't know their *** from a hole in the ground if Bo didn't tell them. They had to be spoonfed their motivation by him and the concept of self-motivation and players picking up their teammates seems foreign.

So wait what you are saying is that Bo was a great motivator, but didn't train the team to be motivated without him? Very profound... Isn't that what team captains are for?

 

[ndobney]

There is no worst indictment on a coach whos players have quit on him.

 

[Red Five]

It's almost worse that he won't name names and give exact examples. He makes these broad proclamations and innuendos. So instead of calling out the offenders, he effectively casts doubt on the whole team.

Figured that would be the response. He has said watch the last drive and it will be obvious. If I had the ability/time/know how, I would love to rewatch the last drive and make gifs to illustrate. Maybe someone here can?

 

[GBRedneck]

I dunno. I keep asking who's providing the motivation for the team as it's pretty clear it's not coming from Coach Aw Shucks. I have a very hard time imagining Riley as a motivator. Thoughts?

TO was an aw shucks type guy, but the team respected him to the fullest. This current team does not seem to respect him at all!

Well, TO may have appeared to be vanilla on the outside, but the guy was extremely intense and focused and could motivate players. Riley just seems vanilla throughout.

Yep. You can't say it any better tham Lombardi did in my sig.

 

[Danny Bateman]

Everything seemed flat on Saturday. The crowd, the team, the atmosphere, everything. There were many moments when the stadium was like a tomb. This was in the first half of the game, when everyone in the stands and both sidelines were thinking, "We've seen this before."



You see that sideline all mum and mopey, no energy, not engaged in the game. I often get the impression the team feels like it needs energy from the crowd to get going, and occasionally the crowd can be relied upon to do that. But it is not always the responsibility of the fans to provide an electric atmosphere.

The relationship between the team and fans often seems backwards. I'm paying to watch them play. They aren't paying to watch me cheer. If anyone has an obligation to perform, it's the team.

This team, with a few exceptions, has no intrinsic motivation to get up and perform, to improve on their own time, or to find a killer instinct because that's how it's been forever. They wouldn't know their *** from a hole in the ground if Bo didn't tell them. They had to be spoonfed their motivation by him and the concept of self-motivation and players picking up their teammates seems foreign.

So wait what you are saying is that Bo was a great motivator, but didn't train the team to be motivated without him? Very profound... Isn't that what team captains are for?

So... you're expecting a bunch of guys who've always looked to Bo and never had to motivate themselves... to motivate themselves?

Not sure what you're getting at here.

 

[alwayshusking]

The bench is a great motivator but it's not being used. I have no idea why certain guys keep getting to trot out onto the field given their play.

You can blame some of it on the players but if the coaches keep putting those guys out there then it's on them.

 

[NUinID]

Sometimes I feel that us fans care more about the team and wins/losses than the players do.

Definitely. And I'd wager the fans care far more about the losses than the wins. Meaning, we win and it's "ho-hum, we should have won that game." Very little excitement, very little praise. We nitpick wins because they aren't good enough, then quickly move on and forget them.

Losses, though. Whoa boy. A loss fuels every conversation for years. We talk more about our losses to Wisconsin than our wins against Michigan. We talk more about our losses to Minnesota than our wins over Northwestern. Losses are the focus. Just look at the post counts skyrocket after a loss.

And this is what is wrong with our fan base. Too many of us don't even enjoy the wins. I saw way too much about what we didn't do well against Minnesota last week from a lot of people. Sometimes you just have to enjoy the win. I guess that is a product of becoming spoiled and too used to winning.

I will cheer for Nebraska every game like I always do, but the problems with this team seem quite large. Winning 3 of the next 4 just doesn't look to promising.

Dont give me that.

I remember in the 90s people where complaining when we only won by 14 etc... Everyone wanted a 40+ blow out every week, and then it was just OK..... Some fans are just that way.

Don't give you what? That is exactly what I am talking about. People complaining because it isn't a big enough win. Yes, it was done back in the 90's a lot. I remember how worried people were when San Jose St. had like 150 yards rushing against us even though we won by like 30 points. There are several guys on here last week that didn't think a 23 point win against a team that had beaten Nebraska the last 2 years was good enough. Hell, it was the most complete game by far they played all year and they still weren't happy.

When you get to the point that you are not happy that the team you cheer for won the game, because it wasn't big enough, that is a problem. It is really a problem when the team you cheer for has only won 3 game all year. At that point take the win and walk away.

 

[cornographic]

I dunno. I keep asking who's providing the motivation for the team as it's pretty clear it's not coming from Coach Aw Shucks. I have a very hard time imagining Riley as a motivator. Thoughts?

TO was an aw shucks type guy, but the team respected him to the fullest. This current team does not seem to respect him at all!

Well, TO may have appeared to be vanilla on the outside, but the guy was extremely intense and focused and could motivate players. Riley just seems vanilla throughout.

Yep. You can't say it any better tham Lombardi did in my sig.

Yup, good sig.

 

[cm husker]

It's almost worse that he won't name names and give exact examples. He makes these broad proclamations and innuendos. So instead of calling out the offenders, he effectively casts doubt on the whole team.

Figured that would be the response. He has said watch the last drive and it will be obvious. If I had the ability/time/know how, I would love to rewatch the last drive and make gifs to illustrate. Maybe someone here can?

It's on watchESPN. I just fired it up. I'm not seeing the obviousness. Here's the play progression:

1. QB scramble up the middle after the DL got pressure and I saw at least two guys make great effort in term diving to make plays. No obvious lack of effort.

2. 1 yard run with a solid tackle. Play was over in about 2 seconds. No obvious lack of effort.

3. Long pass. Some poor tackling. Rose-Ivey chased him down and 7 blackshirts in the frame at the time of the tackle 20+ yards downfield. I do think Newby let up a bit when he thought the play was made. Is that who Benning means?

4. Run play up the middle where there was either a miscommunication or a poor play when Collins attacked outside shoulder and Banderas blitzed same gap. That's not an effort thing. Newby did a poor job on that play and let himself get taken out, but I'm not sure if I call that and effort issue. I'm not seeing obvious effort issues there.

5. Short run (about 2 seconds). Collins picks up the PF on a retaliation play. No obvious lack of effort.

6. QB rollout and slide down. No obvious lack of effort.

7. Victory formation.

Before that drive, the D had played with great effort and execution (save a couple of long runs by the QB).

People need to stop taking Benning's commentary as though it's gospel.

 

[Whs from cb]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the story - according to many - over the last several years when the team came out flat or played uninspired was the blame was to be placed the blame on the coaches for not having the team ready to play.

I don't think you're wrong.

I do think fans, and apparently even some ex players, see a lackluster performance and believe that "effort" is the issue. Teams don't "effort" their way to wins (almost ever). It's about execution. And execution is about coaches preparing players during the week and then running their system in a way that leads to a higher probability of success.

"Effort" isn't really as big of a factor as many want it to be.

I will have to disagree with this. Execution is a direct result of effort.