Is HuskerNation divided more than ever

[Guy Chamberlin]

If I may take the Husker Nation Divided question to slightly different territory.

I live in California. My brother lives in Lincoln. Not only does my brother think Bo Pelini should not have been fired, he thinks Bo represented everything good about college football (players love him, graduation rate, clean program.) I was relieved by Pelini's dismissal without even knowing his replacement. My brother was appalled by this.

He sees a divide between In-State Huskers and Out-State Huskers. His friends who moved away disliked Bo for two or more seasons, considered him a black eye to Nebraska. My brother's friends in Nebraska were far more apt to defend Bo. My brother contends that EVERYONE he talked to in Lincoln thought the firing was a huge mistake, hates Eichorst (Perlman puppet), and thinks the team is doomed to another Callahnesque era. He claims Lincoln's high school football coaches are considering not funnelling players to UNL, they're so disgusted. He says every article in the Lincoln Journal was critical of the firing, every conversation with strangers either sad or angry.

My brother exaggerates like a billion times more than I do, but I'm also well-aware that Internet bulletin-boards don't represent the silent majority.

Do in-state Nebraskans tend to circle the wagons and defend Bo Pelini against perceived outsiders more? And do your casual conversations with real people match up with HuskerBoard trends?

Do out-of-state Nebraskan take their cues from national media sources, missing out on the local scuttlebutt? Is one perception more valuable than the other?

Is this post pellalucid or willful obfuscation?

For what it's worth, my brother has really warmed up to Mike Riley in the past 72 hours.

 

[SWAMI]

It seems that an even greater rift is occurring in Huskerland. There was a Bo-leaver vs Bo-liever split but this hire seems to have made the division even wider. There appear to be 3 general groups:

1. Kool-aid/eternal optimist group. They believe that this is a good hire and the future is bright. Their main argument is that he did not have the resources at OSU that he will at NU. Or they just hated Bo and MR is a "nice guy".

2. "Wait and See" (probably the biggest group). They want Dear Old Nebraska U to succeed. Maybe don't know a lot about MR, uncertain but hoping for the best.

3. Downgrade hire. I fall into this group. The reason we are unhappy is because we care about Nebraska and feel this hire sets us back 5 years (1-3 until he's gone, another 1-3 to turn it back around) just to get back to where we are now. I am highly confident that this will be the case. I therefore have very little hope for the next few years. That is depressing. Maybe he will prove me wrong. But I said the same thing the day BC was hired and it was an extremely long and painful 4 years.

Whichever group you fall, this could be considered a bad hire simply b/c of the division created. SE could have united HuskerNation with a different hire:

1. A proven successful coach, Jon Gruden, Jim Harbaugh, even Jerry Kill, Lance Leipold. Everyone would see a history of success and have hopes for the program. Riley obviously does not have a history of success.

2. A Nebraska tie. Turner Gill or Scott Frost. Each would have questions; Gill success at Buffalo and Liberty but not at Kansas, Frost inexperience. But both hires would have the full fan base behind them, some would be unsure but all would be excited to see the future. Riley has no connection to NE.

3. Nebraska "style". Paul Johnson, Troy Calhoun, Jerry Kill would have a lot of Husker fans remembering the dominant option/power running years. Riley's west coast offense will not peak interest a significant group of Huskers.

I think Riley already has a big group with serious doubts and will quickly lose the fan base with a loss to an inferior team. The other hires would have more backing and longer leashes. He must have immediate success to get everyone to believe in him. We have a lot of talent returning so should not take a step back. A new coach/system would be another excuse. Good coaches know how to best use their talent.

Reasons I'm not optimistic:

Mike Riley had 14 years at OSU to change the program. He brought a bad team to a mediocre team but not above that. Making excuses for having a bad team is very disappointing. Good coaches will find a way to win and improve the program, WITHOUT EXCUSES. There are many cases of good coaches lifting bad programs to good programs (KSU, Mizzou, TCU, Miami, FSU, Baylor, Boise State, etc...). MR never improved the program to above mediocre, never increased the interest, the coaching, the recruiting. He has never even won his division. Heck, Dennis Erickson coached Riley's players to more success than MR.

MR coached the San Diego Charger to their WORST RECORD IN FRANCHISE HISTORY! Good coaches simply do not do that. The Chargers do not have less resources than all other NFL teams. He just has a long history of non-success.

Why would anyone have confidence in SE to know football coaching? He has never hired a football coach. He never coached football. He didn't play in the NFL. Where is all of this football knowledge you speak of? He played at UW-Whitewater so he must know everything? All he has done in regards to football coaches is extend the contract of Al Golden, who went 6-6 this year with the Miami Hurricanes. And many Miami fans would like to see gone but it's more difficult b/c of his contract that SI extended. SE is a lawyer with no previous ties or cares for Nebraska. I repeat, he is a lawyer.

Not one thing I can argue with.

 

[RileyMan]

Guys...as an OSU alum and long time follower of Riley here's something you should think about:

OSU is not even in the same stratosphere as Nebraska when it comes to resources and talent but if OSU (under RIley) and Nebraska (Under Pelini) played I would have felt pretty good OSU could pull off the upset or, at the very least, make it a very very close game. All of the entirely due to Riley. If Nebraska were to play Oregon you would feel good about Nebraska having a decent chance to pull out the win...Purely based on Nebraska HISTORY and not because of Pelini.

OSU has no real history (post 1960s) beyond Riley (and a lucky Dennis Erickson).

Nebraska has tons of history...very little of it to do with Pelini beyond a hilarious twitter feed and questionable sideline video clips.

All of OSU is now going to be watching Riley very very closely simply so it can finally be known if it was a lack of ability on his part (and those of his assistants) or he was the gem that most of football 'experts' believe him to be. Unfortunately for Nebraska, that's going to be revealed while he's the coach for Nebraska. You are the petrie dish.

He will struggle the coming year based on all of his experience at OSU. He runs a difficult offense to pick up. You will see flashes of brilliance just before the QB throws another interception. By season's end you'll be thinking "we can be great next year if....." and that's the same question OSU fans have had: Will the resources and talent at Nebraska, the qualities OSU could not offer, allow Riley to turn the corner and produce the "IF" and take the team to the top level. For those who have said Riley has done nothing...He took a team that hadn't won more than 5 games a year for 28 years and made them the 3rd most successful PAC12 team over a decade. That would be harder to do than to turn Kansas into a top team in the Big12 for a decade or Indiana in the Big10 mentioned in the same breath as tOSU, Nebraska or Michigan (lloyd carr era) for 10 years. Most of you don't follow the PAC12 but there wasn't a program who ever took OSU lightly during the Riley era when, prior to his arrival, they feared playing Montana more than OSU.

I get the angst but he will win at least 9 games a year and not embarrass you. You'll find yourself thinking "man, we looked good the last month of the season. With our starters returning we just might be conference champs next year". Will Nebraska's advantages over OSU be the difference? Trust me, everyone at OSU will be watching too.

 

[NebraskaShellback]

3. Downgrade hire. I fall into this group. The reason we are unhappy is because we care about Nebraska and feel this hire sets us back 5 years (1-3 until he's gone, another 1-3 to turn it back around) just to get back to where we are now. I am highly confident that this will be the case. I therefore have very little hope for the next few years. That is depressing. Maybe he will prove me wrong. But I said the same thing the day BC was hired and it was an extremely long and painful 4 years.
People who fall into this category scream ignorant to me. People who stayed isolated in the Big10 and didn't stay up to watch any Pac-12 football the last 10 years and don't understand how good and diverse that conference is and didn't watch Riley knocking off #1 USC in consecutive years...and didn't watch his physical teams with smart run games and future all-pro running backs.

The only people who hate the Riley hire are ignorant fans with a small college football TV watching history...if you didn't know Mike Riley before this hire, you are not a true fan of CFB but an insular and sheltered idiot and your opinion doesn't matter.

3. Downgrade hire. I fall into this group. The reason we are unhappy is because we care about Nebraska and feel this hire sets us back 5 years (1-3 until he's gone, another 1-3 to turn it back around) just to get back to where we are now. I am highly confident that this will be the case. I therefore have very little hope for the next few years. That is depressing. Maybe he will prove me wrong. But I said the same thing the day BC was hired and it was an extremely long and painful 4 years.
People who fall into this category scream ignorant to me. People who stayed isolated in the Big10 and didn't stay up to watch any Pac-12 football the last 10 years and don't understand how good and diverse that conference is and didn't watch Riley knocking off #1 USC in consecutive years...and didn't watch his physical teams with smart run games and future all-pro running backs.

The only people who hate the Riley hire are ignorant fans with a small college football TV watching history...if you didn't know Mike Riley before this hire, you are not a true fan of CFB but an insular and sheltered idiot and your opinion doesn't matter.

 

[JJ Husker]

Guys...as an OSU alum and long time follower of Riley here's something you should think about:

OSU is not even in the same stratosphere as Nebraska when it comes to resources and talent but if OSU (under RIley) and Nebraska (Under Pelini) played I would have felt pretty good OSU could pull off the upset or, at the very least, make it a very very close game. All of the entirely due to Riley. If Nebraska were to play Oregon you would feel good about Nebraska having a decent chance to pull out the win...Purely based on Nebraska HISTORY and not because of Pelini.

OSU has no real history (post 1960s) beyond Riley (and a lucky Dennis Erickson).

Nebraska has tons of history...very little of it to do with Pelini beyond a hilarious twitter feed and questionable sideline video clips.

All of OSU is now going to be watching Riley very very closely simply so it can finally be known if it was a lack of ability on his part (and those of his assistants) or he was the gem that most of football 'experts' believe him to be. Unfortunately for Nebraska, that's going to be revealed while he's the coach for Nebraska. You are the petrie dish.

He will struggle the coming year based on all of his experience at OSU. He runs a difficult offense to pick up. You will see flashes of brilliance just before the QB throws another interception. By season's end you'll be thinking "we can be great next year if....." and that's the same question OSU fans have had: Will the resources and talent at Nebraska, the qualities OSU could not offer, allow Riley to turn the corner and produce the "IF" and take the team to the top level. For those who have said Riley has done nothing...He took a team that hadn't won more than 5 games a year for 28 years and made them the 3rd most successful PAC12 team over a decade. That would be harder to do than to turn Kansas into a top team in the Big12 for a decade or Indiana in the Big10 mentioned in the same breath as tOSU, Nebraska or Michigan (lloyd carr era) for 10 years. Most of you don't follow the PAC12 but there wasn't a program who ever took OSU lightly during the Riley era when, prior to his arrival, they feared playing Montana more than OSU.

I get the angst but he will win at least 9 games a year and not embarrass you. You'll find yourself thinking "man, we looked good the last month of the season. Withour starters returning we just might be conference champs next year". Will Nebraska's advantages over OSU be the difference? Trust me, everyone at OSU will be watching too.

I like your posts. Please do more of it. Not all of us are brain damaged Riley doubters- actually very few of us are but sadly they seem to be the outspoken minority so far.

One correction to your post however- there is no chance in hell that Nebraska with Pelini would ever come close to staying with Oregon. None.

 

[kchusker_chris]

Do in-state Nebraskans tend to circle the wagons and defend Bo Pelini against perceived outsiders more? And do your casual conversations with real people match up with HuskerBoard trends?

Do out-of-state Nebraskan take their cues from national media sources, missing out on the local scuttlebutt? Is one perception more valuable than the other?

There is absolutely a differing of opinions between in-state Husker fans and out-of-state Husker fans IMO. I've been saying that for a couple of years now. Like it or not our opinion of him is influenced by the opinion of others - and outside of Nebraska Bo is not a liked character. He's shifted the opinion of the Nebraska brand outside of the state - I've been watching it happen for the last few years. I have run into dozens of Husker fans since the firing and none show any concern. I've also run into a number of Iowa fans, and most expressed some jealousy that they can't pull the plug. Other's fans' reaction started with "about time".

In Nebraska, I don't think you run into as diverse of a fan base as in KC - and the ones that are there are in such a minority they are jaded. Same goes for Husker fans in NE - they kind of have a "pack" mentality in-state. Get outside and you're usually on your own. Defending Pelini became virtually impossible around 2 years ago, and it just got old after a while. Wearing Husker gear at a bar was just inviting someone to sling sh#t your way about Pelini.

 

[nebraskaart]

 

[knapplc]

If I may take the Husker Nation Divided question to slightly different territory.

I live in California. My brother lives in Lincoln. Not only does my brother think Bo Pelini should not have been fired, he thinks Bo represented everything good about college football (players love him, graduation rate, clean program.) I was relieved by Pelini's dismissal without even knowing his replacement. My brother was appalled by this.

He sees a divide between In-State Huskers and Out-State Huskers. His friends who moved away disliked Bo for two or more seasons, considered him a black eye to Nebraska. My brother's friends in Nebraska were far more apt to defend Bo. My brother contends that EVERYONE he talked to in Lincoln thought the firing was a huge mistake, hates Eichorst (Perlman puppet), and thinks the team is doomed to another Callahnesque era. He claims Lincoln's high school football coaches are considering not funnelling players to UNL, they're so disgusted. He says every article in the Lincoln Journal was critical of the firing, every conversation with strangers either sad or angry.

My brother exaggerates like a billion times more than I do, but I'm also well-aware that Internet bulletin-boards don't represent the silent majority.

Do in-state Nebraskans tend to circle the wagons and defend Bo Pelini against perceived outsiders more? And do your casual conversations with real people match up with HuskerBoard trends?

Do out-of-state Nebraskan take their cues from national media sources, missing out on the local scuttlebutt? Is one perception more valuable than the other?

Is this post pellalucid or willful obfuscation?

For what it's worth, my brother has really warmed up to Mike Riley in the past 72 hours.

My anecdotal experience has been that in-State fans have been more accepting of Bo, but that really began to change in the past couple of years. I'd say there's been a steady progression here from pro-Bo to "meh" to accepting of the termination.

It has not been my experience in Lincoln that people are up in arms about the termination. I don't read the LJS much anymore, but the few articles I've glanced at - even one by Sipple, whom everyone thinks loves Bo unconditionally - are in agreement that a termination was in order. Nothing I've seen from the local sports pages makes me think the LJS is aghast at the move.

Most think it should have happened last year, me included.

I tend to hang out with people who are pretty level-headed, who have a pretty balanced assessment of the state of Husker football. I have yet to speak to anyone (in person) who is enraged by Bo's termination. I've really only seen that here and another Husker online source.

"Exaggerates like a billion times more than I do."

 

[commando]

i live in nebraska and still have not met anyone in person that is angry about bo being fired. the ex players that i know say it was time for bo to go. and the current player i know says he is sad for bo....and happy for the new coach.

 

[NUinID]

Do in-state Nebraskans tend to circle the wagons and defend Bo Pelini against perceived outsiders more? And do your casual conversations with real people match up with HuskerBoard trends?

Do out-of-state Nebraskan take their cues from national media sources, missing out on the local scuttlebutt? Is one perception more valuable than the other?

There is absolutely a differing of opinions between in-state Husker fans and out-of-state Husker fans IMO. I've been saying that for a couple of years now. Like it or not our opinion of him is influenced by the opinion of others - and outside of Nebraska Bo is not a liked character. He's shifted the opinion of the Nebraska brand outside of the state - I've been watching it happen for the last few years. I have run into dozens of Husker fans since the firing and none show any concern. I've also run into a number of Iowa fans, and most expressed some jealousy that they can't pull the plug. Other's fans' reaction started with "about time".

In Nebraska, I don't think you run into as diverse of a fan base as in KC - and the ones that are there are in such a minority they are jaded. Same goes for Husker fans in NE - they kind of have a "pack" mentality in-state. Get outside and you're usually on your own. Defending Pelini became virtually impossible around 2 years ago, and it just got old after a while. Wearing Husker gear at a bar was just inviting someone to sling sh#t your way about Pelini.

Having went to school in Missouri and having many friends from the KC area I can truly say you are correct in the way people feel about Nebraska football. I went to Northwest Missouri State and the small amount of Nebraska fans always caught a lot of sh#t from the people from that state. I am sure that you have caught a lot of grief about BP over the years.

With that being said, I just don't come in contact with a whole lot of anyone that has any opinion about Nebraska football up here in the great Northwest. I don't know a lot of diehard football fans though in this neck of the woods.

 

[kchusker_chris]

Having went to school in Missouri and having many friends from the KC area I can truly say you are correct in the way people feel about Nebraska football. I went to Northwest Missouri State and the small amount of Nebraska fans always caught a lot of sh#t from the people from that state. I am sure that you have caught a lot of grief about BP over the years.

With that being said, I just don't come in contact with a whole lot of anyone that has any opinion about Nebraska football up here in the great Northwest. I don't know a lot of diehard football fans though in this neck of the woods.

I defended BP the first 3-4 years, ignored it the next couple and flat out avoided it (by limiting my Husker gear) the last couple. No one was ever vulgar, I'm old enough now the bars I hang out with are full of plenty of respectful people - Kevin Keitzman being one that is around frequently and obviously has an opinion on college football.

There is one guy that I ran into early in the season who's a decent size donor - goes to every game, travels with the team - has a suite I think. I was talking to him for a couple hours one night. I thought he was going to fight me by the time the night was over talking about Bo. He was so upset his wife made him leave. (i think she was kind of on my side) He was 100% in Bo's corner, and flat out despised anyone with an opinion otherwise. Bo was the best thing that has happened to Nebraska in years, etc. Called me an idiot for even thinking Bo could be fired this season. I saw him last week but didn't say anything - figured I'd let it play out before I got an opinion on things since the firing. And part of me wants to laugh at him.

 

[Cbody]

47 years old, Nebraska born and raised. Attended UNL. Can't swing a dead cat without hitting a coach in my family. Began to question Bo a few years ago.

I was in the minority at the time and was until 2012 when I began hearing others express doubts. The staunchest supporters bailed after Wisconsin this year based on my anecdotal research. Of course, small town Nebraska being what it is, after that game it was all you heard discussed any where you went.

I hadn't heard a single voice of dissent on the firing until yesterday. I had a customer ask me what I thought and during the discussion he mentioned he was against the firing........because we would be paying for Bo after he was gone. Not because he won 9 games, or was unfairly treated. Just because of the money.

Of course this is farm country here, the thoughts may be totally different once you get into the "cities"

It will be nice to leave the state and not have to fend off questions about Bo to everyone who notices your licence plate anymore.

 

[NUance]

47 years old, Nebraska born and raised. Attended UNL. Can't swing a dead cat without hitting a coach in my family. Began to question Bo a few years ago.

I was in the minority at the time and was until 2012 when I began hearing others express doubts. The staunchest supporters bailed after Wisconsin this year based on my anecdotal research. Of course, small town Nebraska being what it is, after that game it was all you heard discussed any where you went.

I hadn't heard a single voice of dissent on the firing until yesterday. I had a customer ask me what I thought and during the discussion he mentioned he was against the firing........because we would be paying for Bo after he was gone. Not because he won 9 games, or was unfairly treated. Just because of the money.

Of course this is farm country here, the thoughts may be totally different once you get into the "cities"

It will be nice to leave the state and not have to fend off questions about Bo to everyone who notices your licence plate anymore.

The buyout is a bit less than it initially sounds like. I believe NU owes Bo $7.65 million, or $150k/month for 51 months. That works out to $1.8 million per year. But Riley is being paid $2.7 million per year, about $400k less than Bo. Plus if Pelini takes a job somewhere, I believe the buyout will be reduced by the amount of his new salary.

Let's say Bo takes a position coaching job for $600k per year. If my math is right his firing would cost us $800k per year for just over four years. ($1.8 - .4 - .6). For a total of $3.2 million.

But let's say Bo lands another HC gig (likely) at $2 million per year. His firing wouldn't cost us anything. In fact, we'd be $400k per year in the black. (Or the delta from Pelini's salary to Riley's salary--which will likely increase if he is successful.)

====================

btw, Cbody: Welcome aboard!

 

[Beemer13]

I hear a lot of folks saying MR is a down grade or a crap hire, blah blah blah. So I will pose a philosophical question for you. If you were a hiring manager and one applicant went to an IVY league school, not one of the big name ones (say Brown University), majored in biochemical engineering and had a 2.5 GPA, would you assume that they were a crappy hire because their grades weren't straight A's? Or would you think, holy crap! This guy got into an IVY League school and still pulled a decent GPA with one of the toughest majors around, hmmm, maybe I'll give him a shot. If you said no, then I bet you aren't a hiring manager and probably couldn't run a football program either.

 

[Count 'Bility]

I hear a lot of folks saying MR is a down grade or a crap hire, blah blah blah. So I will pose a philosophical question for you. If you were a hiring manager and one applicant went to an IVY league school, not one of the big name ones (say Brown University), majored in biochemical engineering and had a 2.5 GPA, would you assume that they were a crappy hire because their grades weren't straight A's? Or would you think, holy crap! This guy got into an IVY League school and still pulled a decent GPA with one of the toughest majors around, hmmm, maybe I'll give him a shot. If you said no, then I bet you aren't a hiring manager and probably couldn't run a football program either.

Mike Riley coached at an Ivy League school?