Eichorst Statement About Football Program

[I am GLORIOUS]

Riley and championships are like oil and water. Anyone who thinks we're going to win a title of any kind with Riley at the helm is either blind or in denial. I say 6-6 next year, and that's being generous. 5-7 is more likely.

 

[Elf]

Riley and championships are like oil and water. Anyone who thinks we're going to win a title of any kind with Riley at the helm is either blind or in denial. I say 6-6 next year, and that's being generous. 5-7 is more likely.

Those are the only two options? I'm not really a glass half-full or half empty kinda guy. I'm more of a 'the glass is refillable" kinda guy.

 

[cornstar]

Gotta stop bringing up Bo and the reasons he was fired. Most who do care and bring it up seem to be defending Riley. Me personally, I'm not defending either of them at this point. This is about x's and o's and Riley never talks about that. I seriously question his work effort when it comes to game planning for other teams and actually coaching his team. His team.

But.

Bo.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Lee Barfknecht pointed out that Eichorst was on the sidelines in the middle of the players during the entire game, and would often pat the players on the back. Lee said he's never seen an AD do this stuff in 37 years of covering college football.

I understand the AD wanting to support the coaching staff and players, but this is something he never would have done under Bo. The amount of public appearances Eichorst seems to do shows me that he's desperate for Riley to succeed at NU.

 

[cornstar]

Riley and championships are like oil and water. Anyone who thinks we're going to win a title of any kind with Riley at the helm is either blind or in denial. I say 6-6 next year, and that's being generous. 5-7 is more likely.

Considering that our schedule has 9 easy wins built in, I disagree.

I'd say 8 and 4 or 7 and 5.

2018 may be another below .500 season.

 

[84HuskerLaw]

Many have pointed out that the entire discussion of 'what's wrong with Nebraska football?' really boils down to the same issues that have been the problem for about 18 years or so now. To win the championships, we need to have the best facilities, best fans, best coaches, best players; all working together like a well practiced symphony.

Let's look at each then.

Coaching:

Frank Solich is still coaching and winning quite a few games in college football after all these years and has remained in ONE place since. Apparently some people think he is a good coach.

Bill Callahan is still coaching, at the NFL level btw, and considering the very few NFL coaching spots available for so many possible coaches, he apparently is a good coach.

Bo Pelini is still coaching and winning in college football. Apparently some people think he is a good football coach.

Mike Riley is still coaching and has been coaching at the college and pro level and apparently some people think he is a good coach.

Facilities

We have modernized our stadium and other facilities and they are as good as they have EVER been. I believe we have all the plant and equipment and tangible assets we need to win titles.

Fans:

We are still selling out the stadium even with more and more seats being added and despite being less than championship on the field for a LONG time, and the fans still get pretty loud at games and we cheer and suppor the team pretty well. I think the fans are still somewhere near or at a championship kind of level. We had a decent contingent go to Nashville TN (not exactly a vacation destination in winter months or any other time really).

THEREFORE, we have only one area left to consider. We are all hasing and rehashing the same topics because the underlying problems REMAIN the same as they have been for more than a decade and a half.

Players:

Ever since the fourth season of Frank Solich, we have NOT had the 'best' players in order to win those championships. I think you will find, if you go back and look at the depth charts and look at the winning point margins, total offense stats, total defense stats, etc etc etc. you will find that our general decline from supremacy to medocrity is evident as the talent in the players declined. Our 'depth' chart has gone from a three or even 4 deep across all positions to the current one of really barely 'one deep' in some spots. We used to be able to substitute wholesale across the offensive lines, defensive lines, even secondary at time and certainly we could start one of three or four different I backs and expect similar production. NOT ANYMORE. Now, we have a 'starter' and we are practically lost and the next question is always "Oh my goodness, who will will bring in now?" We used to know most of the names of the third stringers and expected them to play 10 or 15 snaps a game. NOT ANYMORE. Now, most fans have no idea who the starting 22 are and have not a clue if we even have a third string left side offensive tackle let alone what his name, height, weight and class may be ?

This therefore, in my view, identifies the most important problem ---- talent. A championship talent = three deep 'starting' caliber players across ALL positions.

 

[BoNeyard]

Lee Barfknecht pointed out that Eichorst was on the sidelines in the middle of the players during the entire game, and would often pat the players on the back. Lee said he's never seen an AD do this stuff in 37 years of covering college football.

I understand the AD wanting to support the coaching staff and players, but this is something he never would have done under Bo. The amount of public appearances Eichorst seems to do shows me that he's desperate for Riley to succeed at NU.

Of course it is. Because if Riley fails, he fails and he is likely out of a job.

Rarely do you see AD's get two chances to hire a head football coach if the first one fails.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Lee Barfknecht pointed out that Eichorst was on the sidelines in the middle of the players during the entire game, and would often pat the players on the back. Lee said he's never seen an AD do this stuff in 37 years of covering college football.

I understand the AD wanting to support the coaching staff and players, but this is something he never would have done under Bo. The amount of public appearances Eichorst seems to do shows me that he's desperate for Riley to succeed at NU.

Of course it is. Because if Riley fails, he fails and he is likely out of a job.
Rarely do you see AD's get two chances to hire a head football coach if the first one fails.

I agree, but shouldn't he be in a luxury box gladhanding some boosters. Maybe he doesn't want to be around some boosters during a bad loss.

 

[BoNeyard]

Lee Barfknecht pointed out that Eichorst was on the sidelines in the middle of the players during the entire game, and would often pat the players on the back. Lee said he's never seen an AD do this stuff in 37 years of covering college football.

I understand the AD wanting to support the coaching staff and players, but this is something he never would have done under Bo. The amount of public appearances Eichorst seems to do shows me that he's desperate for Riley to succeed at NU.

Of course it is. Because if Riley fails, he fails and he is likely out of a job.
Rarely do you see AD's get two chances to hire a head football coach if the first one fails.

I agree, but shouldn't he be in a luxury box gladhanding some boosters. Maybe he doesn't want to be around some boosters during a bad loss.

Possibly one of two things going on here.

1.) He knows regardless of the programs performance, those boosters will continue to pour money into Nebraska athletics because those boosters are so desperate to see Nebraska succeed, and we all know that Nebraska football is more then just a game, its a way of life for many, those boosters included. No matter how bad the product is, we continue to support the program win or lose, that's what is special about Nebraska and their fans.

2.) He isn't liked by those boosters and doesn't want to be around them.

And its a possibility both are true and happening.

 

[Elf]

Gotta stop bringing up Bo and the reasons he was fired. Most who do care and bring it up seem to be defending Riley. Me personally, I'm not defending either of them at this point. This is about x's and o's and Riley never talks about that. I seriously question his work effort when it comes to game planning for other teams and actually coaching his team. His team.

It'll stop being brought up when people stop blaming depth issues on the current staff. When folks stop claiming it was his W/L record that got him fired, other folks will stop correcting them. When folks accept that Mike Riley is here for at least the next two years whether they like it or not, this board will be a lot more fun.

Like Callahan, Solich, Osborne, Devaney and all the other coaching predecessors at Nebraska, Bo will always be brought up in our discusions of Nebraska football simply because they are all part of the history of the team we all love so much.

 

[Elf]

Lee Barfknecht pointed out that Eichorst was on the sidelines in the middle of the players during the entire game, and would often pat the players on the back. Lee said he's never seen an AD do this stuff in 37 years of covering college football.

I understand the AD wanting to support the coaching staff and players, but this is something he never would have done under Bo. The amount of public appearances Eichorst seems to do shows me that he's desperate for Riley to succeed at NU.

Of course it is. Because if Riley fails, he fails and he is likely out of a job.
Rarely do you see AD's get two chances to hire a head football coach if the first one fails.

I don't think that is necessarily true. If Eichorst refuses to fire Riley when called upon to do so, then I could see him being fired. If Eichorst were to fire Riley because expectations are not being met, or because we regress, then I don't see Eichorst being fired, he'll get to hire another coach.

 

[BoNeyard]

Lee Barfknecht pointed out that Eichorst was on the sidelines in the middle of the players during the entire game, and would often pat the players on the back. Lee said he's never seen an AD do this stuff in 37 years of covering college football.

I understand the AD wanting to support the coaching staff and players, but this is something he never would have done under Bo. The amount of public appearances Eichorst seems to do shows me that he's desperate for Riley to succeed at NU.

Of course it is. Because if Riley fails, he fails and he is likely out of a job.
Rarely do you see AD's get two chances to hire a head football coach if the first one fails.

I don't think that is necessarily true. If Eichorst refuses to fire Riley when called upon to do so, then I could see him being fired. If Eichorst were to fire Riley because expectations are not being met, or because we regress, then I don't see Eichorst being fired, he'll get to hire another coach.

Maybe, I guess it depends on the new chancellor if he wants to keep Eichorst around to try yet again.

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't Eichorst hire Al Golden at Miami?

 

[Husker Psycho]

Lee Barfknecht pointed out that Eichorst was on the sidelines in the middle of the players during the entire game, and would often pat the players on the back. Lee said he's never seen an AD do this stuff in 37 years of covering college football.

I understand the AD wanting to support the coaching staff and players, but this is something he never would have done under Bo. The amount of public appearances Eichorst seems to do shows me that he's desperate for Riley to succeed at NU.

Interesting

My first reaction to his "statements" was that they were a sign of desperation.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Lee Barfknecht pointed out that Eichorst was on the sidelines in the middle of the players during the entire game, and would often pat the players on the back. Lee said he's never seen an AD do this stuff in 37 years of covering college football.

I understand the AD wanting to support the coaching staff and players, but this is something he never would have done under Bo. The amount of public appearances Eichorst seems to do shows me that he's desperate for Riley to succeed at NU.

Of course it is. Because if Riley fails, he fails and he is likely out of a job.
Rarely do you see AD's get two chances to hire a head football coach if the first one fails.

I don't think that is necessarily true. If Eichorst refuses to fire Riley when called upon to do so, then I could see him being fired. If Eichorst were to fire Riley because expectations are not being met, or because we regress, then I don't see Eichorst being fired, he'll get to hire another coach.

Maybe, I guess it depends on the new chancellor if he wants to keep Eichorst around to try yet again.
Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't Eichorst hire Al Golden at Miami?

Golden was not hired by Eichorst.
Riley is Eichorst's first hire as a head coach in football at the D1 level.

It appears Eichorst was more concerned if Riley was a guy that he could get along with rather than focusing on his win-loss record.

 

[BoNeyard]

Lee Barfknecht pointed out that Eichorst was on the sidelines in the middle of the players during the entire game, and would often pat the players on the back. Lee said he's never seen an AD do this stuff in 37 years of covering college football.

I understand the AD wanting to support the coaching staff and players, but this is something he never would have done under Bo. The amount of public appearances Eichorst seems to do shows me that he's desperate for Riley to succeed at NU.

Of course it is. Because if Riley fails, he fails and he is likely out of a job.
Rarely do you see AD's get two chances to hire a head football coach if the first one fails.

I don't think that is necessarily true. If Eichorst refuses to fire Riley when called upon to do so, then I could see him being fired. If Eichorst were to fire Riley because expectations are not being met, or because we regress, then I don't see Eichorst being fired, he'll get to hire another coach.

Maybe, I guess it depends on the new chancellor if he wants to keep Eichorst around to try yet again.
Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't Eichorst hire Al Golden at Miami?

Golden was not hired by Eichorst.
Riley is Eichorst's first hire as a head coach in football at the D1 level.

It appears Eichorst was more concerned if Riley was a guy that he could get along with rather than focusing on his win-loss record.

I think there is a lot of truths to that, and to get a guy completely opposite of Bo.

Again, I am not ready to give up on Riley. There were glimpses of great things this season and he did a heckuva job early on. He is also a guy you want traveling the country recruiting players and representing your university. I think it is silly to think Riley's job is in any jeopardy right now.