Defending the firing or defending the coach

MichiganDad3 said:
I do not think this staff is very good. Turnovers, penalties and game management are very poor, and have been for MR's entire career. The QB position was handled terribly this year. There is no way a player like TA should have been throwing this much, and making the decisions we saw him make. Add Fyfe's 55 passes as a 1st time starter in bad weather. I don't think the RBs were handled well either. Jano didn't get a single carry today, and we chose a fade to the end zone over Jano leading Cross on 4th and 1. There were special teams miscues, and the D was bad most of the year. IMO this is a typicl MR year: upset a good team, get killed by a bad team, and finish around 500. There is no evidence to suggest MR will take a team to the top 10.

I am not sure much can be don until we get a new chancellor. SE cannot be trusted to hire another coach. If we lose the sellout streak next year, changes will happen in a hurry.
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Ryker Fyfe didn't throw 55 times against Purdue. Sorry. He went 29-48-4. He also threw for 407 yards and 4 TDs. If Fyfe doesn't throw 4 Ints we most likely win that game. Same with the Iowa game, if Tommy doesnt' throw 4 Ints we would probably have won that one as well.

 
Elf said:
MichiganDad3 said:
I do not think this staff is very good. Turnovers, penalties and game management are very poor, and have been for MR's entire career. The QB position was handled terribly this year. There is no way a player like TA should have been throwing this much, and making the decisions we saw him make. Add Fyfe's 55 passes as a 1st time starter in bad weather. I don't think the RBs were handled well either. Jano didn't get a single carry today, and we chose a fade to the end zone over Jano leading Cross on 4th and 1. There were special teams miscues, and the D was bad most of the year. IMO this is a typicl MR year: upset a good team, get killed by a bad team, and finish around 500. There is no evidence to suggest MR will take a team to the top 10.

I am not sure much can be don until we get a new chancellor. SE cannot be trusted to hire another coach. If we lose the sellout streak next year, changes will happen in a hurry.
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Ryker Fyfe didn't throw 55 times against Purdue. Sorry. He went 29-48-4. He also threw for 407 yards and 4 TDs. If Fyfe doesn't throw 4 Ints we most likely win that game. Same with the Iowa game, if Tommy doesnt' throw 4 Ints we would probably have won that one as well.
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Plenty of "ifs".

It's a shame Riley doesn't like the running game. "Ifs" wouldn't be as necessary.

 
For everyone that wants Riley gone, go ahead, fire him and see who you can get to come coach at NU. Go ahead, I triple dog dare you.

 
Elf said:
MichiganDad3 said:
I do not think this staff is very good. Turnovers, penalties and game management are very poor, and have been for MR's entire career. The QB position was handled terribly this year. There is no way a player like TA should have been throwing this much, and making the decisions we saw him make. Add Fyfe's 55 passes as a 1st time starter in bad weather. I don't think the RBs were handled well either. Jano didn't get a single carry today, and we chose a fade to the end zone over Jano leading Cross on 4th and 1. There were special teams miscues, and the D was bad most of the year. IMO this is a typicl MR year: upset a good team, get killed by a bad team, and finish around 500. There is no evidence to suggest MR will take a team to the top 10.

I am not sure much can be don until we get a new chancellor. SE cannot be trusted to hire another coach. If we lose the sellout streak next year, changes will happen in a hurry.
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Ryker Fyfe didn't throw 55 times against Purdue. Sorry. He went 29-48-4. He also threw for 407 yards and 4 TDs. If Fyfe doesn't throw 4 Ints we most likely win that game. Same with the Iowa game, if Tommy doesnt' throw 4 Ints we would probably have won that one as well.
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I sincerely apologize, 55 passes for a 1st time starter in poor weather is ridiculous. On the other hand, 48 passes should be expected of a first time, walk-on starter in poor weather when facing a team with a terrible run defense.

 
Elf said:
For everyone that wants Riley gone, go ahead, fire him and see who you can get to come coach at NU. Go ahead, I triple dog dare you.
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I think Nebraska can hire almost any coach if they are willing to ante up the money. But you are talking 7 million a year guaranteed for 5 years. That's what it will take to hire away a great coach from a great program where he is happy. You have to make him happier! A legendary rep coach to come to Lincoln gets legendary money. I see Georgia just fired Richt after 15 seasons and posting 145 wins with just 51 losses. That is almost a 10 win average over a long sustained period. That shows you that it is not just wins but championships that schools and fans want and expect. Fans pay big money for tickets and donations and hot dogs, etc. and come to the games week after week, year after year, to see their alma mater or favorite team win a title! While most fans also enjoy the atmosphere and the strategy etc of the greatest spectator sport ever invented (college football), they expect to win a trophy periodically. Apparently, in GA, that is at least every 15 years or more frequently. Nebraska is not alone in its determined quest to return to the throne. And Nebraska experienced the greatest decade of dominance in history with the best team in history! yes, we are spoiled and we remember and we want our legacy back. there is no reason it cannot happen. If the unquestionably great head coach becomes available and the AD and Regents and the boosters with a hell of a lot of extra money setting around want to spend it, go get the BEST. Nebraska can once again be the top dog program and the order can be restored in a three great recruiting classes. We have the makings of a great class right now (we need 6 4 star plus guys more). A great hire can do it. But the change needs to come internally and without fuss or muss. Riley can move up to AD as he would be a great AD IMO. Retain some of these coaches and much of this system but bring in the one HC who can immediately call any HS and contact any home and get a listen.

Otherwise, leave things alone. I think Riley will improve the program and prepare it culturally for the next big name guy. Maybe Scott Frost will land a HC job and get a couple seasons of experience and demonstrate his management and style on the national stage. He has not the reputation you need to restore Nebraska recruting wise.

 
My biggest problem with Riley, is he either won't or can't change his schemes to fit the players he has. This is a HUGE problem, one that will continue to be a problem even after he fills the teams with his guys.

There is so much talent on the current team, it's laughable that there are people that try to call it a dumpster fire. It just isn't a team built to throw the ball 40-50 times a game.

Is it any surprise we played best (and won) in the games where we balanced the offense or ran a little more than we threw the ball?

Nothing this season has shown me Riley has the ability to make changes when necessary. The ability to make changes is required to win championships in this age of college football. So sure, POB comes in and maybe we win a few more games. We are never go to win anything of consequence with Riley as head coach. And that sucks.

 
84HuskerLaw said:
Elf said:
For everyone that wants Riley gone, go ahead, fire him and see who you can get to come coach at NU. Go ahead, I triple dog dare you.
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I think Nebraska can hire almost any coach if they are willing to ante up the money. But you are talking 7 million a year guaranteed for 5 years. That's what it will take to hire away a great coach from a great program where he is happy. You have to make him happier! A legendary rep coach to come to Lincoln gets legendary money. I see Georgia just fired Richt after 15 seasons and posting 145 wins with just 51 losses. That is almost a 10 win average over a long sustained period. That shows you that it is not just wins but championships that schools and fans want and expect. Fans pay big money for tickets and donations and hot dogs, etc. and come to the games week after week, year after year, to see their alma mater or favorite team win a title! While most fans also enjoy the atmosphere and the strategy etc of the greatest spectator sport ever invented (college football), they expect to win a trophy periodically. Apparently, in GA, that is at least every 15 years or more frequently. Nebraska is not alone in its determined quest to return to the throne. And Nebraska experienced the greatest decade of dominance in history with the best team in history! yes, we are spoiled and we remember and we want our legacy back. there is no reason it cannot happen. If the unquestionably great head coach becomes available and the AD and Regents and the boosters with a hell of a lot of extra money setting around want to spend it, go get the BEST. Nebraska can once again be the top dog program and the order can be restored in a three great recruiting classes. We have the makings of a great class right now (we need 6 4 star plus guys more). A great hire can do it. But the change needs to come internally and without fuss or muss. Riley can move up to AD as he would be a great AD IMO. Retain some of these coaches and much of this system but bring in the one HC who can immediately call any HS and contact any home and get a listen. Otherwise, leave things alone. I think Riley will improve the program and prepare it culturally for the next big name guy. Maybe Scott Frost will land a HC job and get a couple seasons of experience and demonstrate his management and style on the national stage. He has not the reputation you need to restore Nebraska recruting wise.
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It's not as simple as money. See Texas 2013.

 
MO Husker said:
My biggest problem with Riley, is he either won't or can't change his schemes to fit the players he has. This is a HUGE problem, one that will continue to be a problem even after he fills the teams with his guys.

There is so much talent on the current team, it's laughable that there are people that try to call it a dumpster fire. It just isn't a team built to throw the ball 40-50 times a game.

Is it any surprise we played best (and won) in the games where we balanced the offense or ran a little more than we threw the ball?

Nothing this season has shown me Riley has the ability to make changes when necessary. The ability to make changes is required to win championships in this age of college football. So sure, POB comes in and maybe we win a few more games. We are never go to win anything of consequence with Riley as head coach. And that sucks.
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They ran zero zone read and QB draws at his time at OSU. We saw both of those this year.

 
MO Husker said:
My biggest problem with Riley, is he either won't or can't change his schemes to fit the players he has. .
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If you watch his Oregon State teams the last few years and then watch the Huskers this year he actually did alter their offense to match our strengths better.

Riley has a system he believes will work here so we saw a large portion of it but it was definitely not a complete system.

 
84HuskerLaw said:
There are some who write negatively about Riley and Company and have done so since the day he was hired. They are not being reasonable or fair to anyone involved and are being completely unrealistic. Sadly, there have been coaching hires that were mistakes dating back to Frank and continuing on through Callahan and Pelini. The facts are not all in on Riley although I think if one had to make a decision (up or down) on Riley today, the answer would be negative. But no decision has been made nor will it be made at this point in time. He will be the coach next year and most likely the year after that, no matter whether his wins total more than 5 assuming he puts a team out on the field each game that plays hard and represents the University well. Wins and losses are NOT the only thing that matters. Pelini may have won 9 games a year but he did so in such an embarrassing way that no reasonable University of Nebraska leader (Regents, Admin, faculty, AD) could support him any longer. Callahan was a professional level coach with a propfessional level mindset and attitude. He is not suited for amateur sports. Frank was a poor recruiter and had personal issues that were a risk to the University's reputation that had been kept under the rug (USC fired their coach over drinking problems so it is not unprecedented) and maybe Frank realized after his drunk driving issues in Ohio that it would be his last shot and was able to straighten himself out.

Thus far, Riley has not apparently done anything but be a good and decent person and represent the University well in that regard. His football team has not bee very successful but that did some things right and were not a complete failure, being competitive in every game, including against a few highly respected opponents. Did we win? No - we lost about 7 that - had everything gone right and with a little extra luck - we could have possibly won.

The biggest single issue, in my not so humble opinion, Nebraska football has is an overall lack of talent. We have a number of good football players and almost no great football players. We have several positions without good players. We lack depth at nearly every position. These are simply true statements. The players we have made some varying degrees of improvement through the year and that is the coach's job - make the players better football players. This team could win all of its games if it had the following: an excellent QB, , 2 quality RBs with speed and power, two more excellent O linemen, 2 exceptional LBs and 1 top notch lock down CB. Even with these additional players, the games would be tight, close and hard fought battles. To get to a dominate team, you need 3 consecutive top ten recruiting classes and in those classes you have to have at least 75% 'hits' and add another 4 quality walk ons per year. We really don't have a quality second string level group at all.

After watching this year play out, I think it is remarkable the number of wins Pelini was able to procure with the talent he had and although he did recruit well in some cases, he was not progressing and it is very likely that this year's record would have been no better than 6 - 6 with a couple uglier losses and without the upset of Mchigan State.

Going forward, there is hope and there is risk. If a great coach contacts NU about the job, you certainly need to listen and evaluate. If a 'perfect' fit pop up, you must always do your due dilligence. Riley appears to be in good health and knows the game of football. recruiting will be the challenge. Going 5-7 doesn't help but it does show there is urgent need and players with hopes of playing early have a tremendous opportunity in Lincoln. Should we get a bowl invite, we need to take the opportunity and try to get one more win this season and gain some valuable momentum and a bit more practice and experience for some more future players. Practice is how a team gets better.
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I am in the same boat as 84Huskerlaw....

 
lo country said:
Reading the posts this morning, it seems that most are not for firing based upon the perception and its crazy to fire a one year coach. It would hurt us nationally (reputation) and make it even harder to get the "splash hire". Throw in SE would then choose a complete loser out of spite and we are stuck. I did notice very few in defense of not hiring based upon his abilities. Some say to keep based upon potential of his recruits....

That's what scares me the most. Hoping that he can turn things around with his guys.... Look at OSU. His guys, system and a division he was very familiar with.
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Let me ask you this. Why would anyone really answer this thread? We have hashed and rehashed this for almost twelve months now. Most of the people who supported Riley from the start admitted that a .500 or slightly better season is possible in a transition year. Ok, it was slightly worse than that.
So....that allows all the people who never supported the hire to rant on and on and on about how horrible life is and how Nebraska is in such a pathetic state of being that we should fire every person associated with UNL from the water boy to the dean of the accounting department RIGHT NOW because life just can't go on for us the way it is.

Fact is, he won't be fired. Even if some won't admit it, the team improved as the season went and they lost some early on some freak situations.

It sucks. I hate losing and I REALLY hate coaching changes due to the fact you can have a year like this.

Now, I'm sure about ten people will be just flabbergasted that I'm not in support of firing the staff because I can see some positives happening.

So be it......rant on if it really makes you feel that much better with your lot in life.

 
Riley will get 4 years minumium, the offense is trending up, the defense is trending up, penalties are trending down, recruiting is trending up, no blowout losses, competitive in all games. The future is really looking very good.

 
RADAR said:
Riley will get 4 years minumium, the offense is trending up, the defense is trending up, penalties are trending down, recruiting is trending up, no blowout losses, competitive in all games. The future is really looking very good.
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Purdue was a blowout, penalties and the O against Iowa were both awful

 
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