BYU

[Saunders]

My take, is people think Bo didn't know how to coach defense, when in fact he is a defensive genius, he just doesn't know how to coach kids. Some confuse and/or don't know how to separate the two.

Gotta disagree with how you said that.

Bo knows defense. Bo knows a lot about defense.

Coaching is teaching. If Bo couldn't teach his players, then Bo doesn't know how to coach defense. I think you're actually confusing the two. Coaching is teaching others, it doesn't matter what you know if you can't get your players to execute it.

Now the way I've always seen it, Bo had some early success here in 2003 and his first couple years as a HC and I've always kind of had a theory as to why. Now, Ndamukong Suh would be the easy answer for some of that early defensive success as a HC, but thats only part of it.

I think Bo's early success can be attributed purely to K.I.S.S. Keep it simple stupid.

In 2003 Bo knew he didn't have a lot of time to teach all the philosophies, aspects, in and out's of his complicated defensive scheme, so he stuck to the basics. He got the kids on the same page quickly with some of the more simple aspects of his scheme and it worked. It paid off huge. Tons of turnovers in that 2003 year. Much the same in 2009-2010, I think the team was still executing some of the simpler aspects, like I said Suh helped a lot, but it didn't seem like the defense was as confused and we didn't hear about lack of execution after each game as much.

The further we went and the more he threw at them, the more problems it created. You lose an elite, maybe one of the best of all time talents at DT, you throw the book at the guys on defense because over time you expect them to be able to do more and more. I think it became too much and execution fell.

Simply, we got "too cute" and too complex. Bo had these grand theories of how it "should" be, but couldn't coach his guys to put it on the field.

Just a theory of mine, I could be way off though.

I'd agree with that. Methinks he got so far down the rabbit hole he tried to scheme himself out of it, and it didn't work.

 

[Mierin]

I think Bo is good at coaching a certain aspect of defense. It seemed like we often heard he was taking over a certain position, and then that position got better. What he couldn't do was manage coaches or delegate. Or pick the right coaches.

I really believe if Solich hadn't been fired we would have been very good with him as defensive coordinator. I think there was a year where Pelini was focusing on offense too, maybe in 2011? I can't remember. He didn't have coaches he trusted to do their jobs. Or he just can't trust anyone (except maybe Carl).

IMO part of what makes a good head coach is being willing to hire people who are better than you at a small aspect of the game. Pelini just hired a bunch of yes men who'd do what he told them, which meant he was telling way too many people what to do. I.e. micromanaging.

 

[The Dude]

...........so the BYU game,.....thoughts?

NU - 41BYU - 24

It'll be a tight game for 3 quarters, Huskers pull away late.

 

[Redux]

I think Bo had a lot of his success by T.O. coming back. SE is no TO. MR and SE is not a BP AND A TO.

 

[Savage Husker]

My take, is people think Bo didn't know how to coach defense, when in fact he is a defensive genius, he just doesn't know how to coach kids. Some confuse and/or don't know how to separate the two.

Gotta disagree with how you said that.
Bo knows defense. Bo knows a lot about defense.

Coaching is teaching. If Bo couldn't teach his players, then Bo doesn't know how to coach defense. I think you're actually confusing the two. Coaching is teaching others, it doesn't matter what you know if you can't get your players to execute it.

Now the way I've always seen it, Bo had some early success here in 2003 and his first couple years as a HC and I've always kind of had a theory as to why. Now, Ndamukong Suh would be the easy answer for some of that early defensive success as a HC, but thats only part of it.

I think Bo's early success can be attributed purely to K.I.S.S. Keep it simple stupid.

In 2003 Bo knew he didn't have a lot of time to teach all the philosophies, aspects, in and out's of his complicated defensive scheme, so he stuck to the basics. He got the kids on the same page quickly with some of the more simple aspects of his scheme and it worked. It paid off huge. Tons of turnovers in that 2003 year. Much the same in 2009-2010, I think the team was still executing some of the simpler aspects, like I said Suh helped a lot, but it didn't seem like the defense was as confused and we didn't hear about lack of execution after each game as much.

The further we went and the more he threw at them, the more problems it created. You lose an elite, maybe one of the best of all time talents at DT, you throw the book at the guys on defense because over time you expect them to be able to do more and more. I think it became too much and execution fell.

Simply, we got "too cute" and too complex. Bo had these grand theories of how it "should" be, but couldn't coach his guys to put it on the field.

Just a theory of mine, I could be way off though.

I understand where you're coming from, but I feel like you're mincing my words.
He knows his stuff and some people like to bash him or mock him for being penned as a "defensive genius." It's not as if he forgot how to attack an offense, he lacked relating his ideas to his players and implementing his schemes. Those that understood the defense did thrive, those that didn't were continuously out of position and made the whole team look bad.

It also doesn't help when he has players lacking discipline within the scheme or even adjusting to keys and communicating with teammates i.e. his blowup on Daniel Davie for not making a simple crack back call, instead following the WR into the LB, abandoning the flat and allowing Gordon to streak down the sideline untouched before Gerry ran him down...30-40 yards later. As a corner, that should be one of the most basic calls to make.

 

[Thanks_Tom RR]

Oops I typed that before I saw we were trying to get back on track. Carry on.....

Linebackers is what worries me in this game. That QB of theirs could expose some inexperience if we get caught with our eyes turned. Taysoms running ability is scary but he throws a nice ball.

I'll be curious to see how we line up against them. Whether we'll use more nickel and dime or go straight up 4-3 on em for the majority. Obviously depends on their personnel but I think with our lack of depth at LB'er, maybe we see some mismatched coverages or some guys like Kalu, or Cockrell coming in place of a LB'er even if they look like they're gonna run.

We need speed with eyes on that QB of theirs.

I agree with this assessment. However, Cockrell will not start practice at the being of fall camp but may be ready for BYU. Still, we will have to see his role early on.

 

[True2tRA]

So, let me get this straight. You are upset that a coach is hired (and really stretch the agent thing) and that coach hires coaches he has been with before and are comfortable with.

BUT...you indicate that what would have made you happy is if we would have done everything possible to bring back "Nebraska" guys.

There's something strangely funny about that.

No I was not upset that a coach was hired. I do not see where or how you are getting that. I think the hiring proccess could of lasted longer, yes heck yes.
MR is here, like him or not I will support him.

He has had very very good upswings in his career, he seems he was in a downward spiral at his previous gig, maybe changing the uniforms will change that.

Currently, I am upset with his support staff, and the mentality or lack thereof.

I think Bo had a lot of his success by T.O. coming back. SE is no TO. MR and SE is not a BP AND A TO.

I see SE bringing in MR as nepotism, your talking about a guy who by his own admission had never been to Nebraska or familar with our team, even when coaching pro's in the 90s not like we had any pro talent worth scouting.

I am not going to debate a straw man argument of MR we have MR now, we needed a better support staff.

Cant change the support staff now, those cards have been played.

Only thing now would be to set a rallying call, I do not see MR doing anything to do that.

A rallying call would be good for the team, for the Nation, would be bad for MR if he does not come close.

No rallying call.

A rallying call could be as simple as, if we don't have 9 wins and play for a conference title I will not take a salary for this year.

Not saying it has to be that, but something, anything.

Laugh all the way to the bank.

I expect a meh season, and Riley to maybe cry at one press conference, but to be crocodile tears.

 

[True2tRA]

Oops I typed that before I saw we were trying to get back on track. Carry on.....

Linebackers is what worries me in this game. That QB of theirs could expose some inexperience if we get caught with our eyes turned. Taysoms running ability is scary but he throws a nice ball.

I'll be curious to see how we line up against them. Whether we'll use more nickel and dime or go straight up 4-3 on em for the majority. Obviously depends on their personnel but I think with our lack of depth at LB'er, maybe we see some mismatched coverages or some guys like Kalu, or Cockrell coming in place of a LB'er even if they look like they're gonna run.

We need speed with eyes on that QB of theirs.

I agree with this assessment. However, Cockrell will not start practice at the being of fall camp but may be ready for BYU. Still, we will have to see his role early on.

Yea, I actually hadn't heard he wouldn't be back til' then until today. Welp, Kalu's a stud and maybe Charles Jackson is back in the mix to get on the field by then?

 

[papersun87]

All we need is a rallying call and we are back!

you mean a RILEYING call i'll show myself out

 

[admo]

I think this is a great opener, not just for both teams, but for the fans. I have to believe this will be back and forth throughout, and will come down to the final 4 minutes of the game. It has a nice weather, sunshine bowl game feel to it. I think both teams averaged around 37 points a game last year. I was doing some digging on their QB. We know he can run... He's got some moves, some speed, and some power. Looks very natural running. He might not be highly accurate throwing, but for his career he is averaging 31 passing attempts per game, with nearly 20 rushing attempts a game to go with it. For a career average of 213 yards through the air, 101 on the ground - PER GAME (20 starts). He's thrown it 40 times in a game 6 different times, and his best passing game went for 417 yards. So they will chuck it around. His best rushing performance went for 259 against Texas. He's got 4 games of over 150 yards on the ground. And he's had a total of 2 TDs in a game 17 times out of those 20 starts, and 3 TDs in a game 9 times. It's safe to say that if he had stayed healthy last season, we would be very, very nervous about this one. Especially if BP was still head coach.

And they also have some talented receivers that put up better numbers the Kenny Bell did from last year. One of them is 6'6. And they get a healthy Jamaal Williams returning at RB. He's had 10 games over 100 yards on the ground with his best effort being 219 in a game.

The point is, this is enough proof that BYU will definitely be a tough challenge for us. For them, they know how brutal their season starts so they have to get after it right away. Their first four games looks like this: At 9-4 Nebraska, then home against 12-2 Boise St, then at 10-3 UCLA, then on the road to play the fighting Harbaughs of Michigan. If I was a BYU fan, I would be wicked excited and nervous as heck every Saturday during that stretch - which is a great feeling to have during college football season.

I think fall practice will determine my confidence in the Huskers. If Langsdorf is still fussing about accuracy and timing issues a week before the game, then I will not have high hopes.

 

[Landlord]

Gosh, this whole conversation is just so interesting.

Like. All I can really think of is how in the hell is the guy that coached the 2009 and 2010 defenses be the same guy that let Melvin Gordon break the FBS rushing record in three quarters?

That's the most insane thing to wrap your head around, and that's Pelini and his results here in a nutshell; unable to really qualitatively assess them because they're so paradoxical, unique and a bit unprecedented.

 

[hskrfan4life]

Gosh, this whole conversation is just so interesting.

Like. All I can really think of is how in the hell is the guy that coached the 2009 and 2010 defenses be the same guy that let Melvin Gordon break the FBS rushing record in three quarters?

That's the most insane thing to wrap your head around, and that's Pelini and his results here in a nutshell; unable to really qualitatively assess them because they're so paradoxical, unique and a bit unprecedented.

Exactly, the promise we saw in year two seemingly erased as soon as we play Wisconsin.

 

[Sea of Red]

Oops I typed that before I saw we were trying to get back on track. Carry on.....

Linebackers is what worries me in this game. That QB of theirs could expose some inexperience if we get caught with our eyes turned. Taysoms running ability is scary but he throws a nice ball.

I'll be curious to see how we line up against them. Whether we'll use more nickel and dime or go straight up 4-3 on em for the majority. Obviously depends on their personnel but I think with our lack of depth at LB'er, maybe we see some mismatched coverages or some guys like Kalu, or Cockrell coming in place of a LB'er even if they look like they're gonna run.

We need speed with eyes on that QB of theirs.

I agree with this assessment. However, Cockrell will not start practice at the being of fall camp but may be ready for BYU. Still, we will have to see his role early on.

Yea, I actually hadn't heard he wouldn't be back til' then until today. Welp, Kalu's a stud and maybe Charles Jackson is back in the mix to get on the field by then?

Cjax should be in the mix. *crosses fingers

 

[huKSer]

BYU QB is confident

Hill believes BYU will be in position to win every game this season. And that’s a low-key way to describe the optimism around the program.

http://www.omaha.com/huskers/byu-qb-taysom-hill-healthy-hungry-for-season-opener-vs/article_65950be4-1d2a-11e5-9d95-1f2e5822d3e2.html

 

[Norhusker]

Oops I typed that before I saw we were trying to get back on track. Carry on.....

Linebackers is what worries me in this game. That QB of theirs could expose some inexperience if we get caught with our eyes turned. Taysoms running ability is scary but he throws a nice ball.

I'll be curious to see how we line up against them. Whether we'll use more nickel and dime or go straight up 4-3 on em for the majority. Obviously depends on their personnel but I think with our lack of depth at LB'er, maybe we see some mismatched coverages or some guys like Kalu, or Cockrell coming in place of a LB'er even if they look like they're gonna run.

We need speed with eyes on that QB of theirs.

I agree with this assessment. However, Cockrell will not start practice at the being of fall camp but may be ready for BYU. Still, we will have to see his role early on.

Yea, I actually hadn't heard he wouldn't be back til' then until today. Welp, Kalu's a stud and maybe Charles Jackson is back in the mix to get on the field by then?

Cjax should be in the mix. *crosses fingers

Would love to see Charles playing without injury this year. What is his potential? With this staff very high potential ( I hope).