The Next Five Weeks

knapplc

knapplc

Active member
Frost is staying. Four offensive assistants are gone. 

Now what?

Why fire four offensive assistants with two games on the schedule? Does that mean we're punting these last two games? If so, how many guys sit out, pending a shot at the NFL?

Does Adrian Martinez get surgery? It would be stupid to continue playing him under these circumstances. No bowl game to hope for, and two likely losses on deck. 

Does Frost bring in permanent assistants now, during the bye week? That would make the most sense out of the immediate termination of the four assistants let go yesterday. We need coaches for these last two games. 

Five weeks from tomorrow is Signing Day. Installing a new offensive staff before then could rally the class - at least a little. Kids aren't going to flock here in droves after the last four seasons, but anything helps. 

My guesses:

The four assistants were let go because we have replacements in mind. Expect those announcements in the next 48 hours. This is the only reason the terminations were effective immediately. 

Martinez is done for 2021. He has surgery and starts contemplating his future. Expect Smothers to run the show the next two games. He's got this week and next to get up to speed. 

We get a couple of good players from this class that we didn't expect. The newly-installed staff has something to do with that. If there's a QB in that mix, that'll tell us a lot about Martinez in 2022. 

The next two games are a wash. Likely blowout losses. Unless the defense pitches a shutout, there's little chance we can must enough points to win. 

I think all of yesterday's moves were made with Signing Day in mind. If that pays off in some surprise recruits, awesome. 

 
Isn't Bill Busch supposedly an ace recruiter?  I would put him on the staff full-time as ST coordinator and he can be more involved in recruiting.  That's one piece of the puzzle.

The other assistants will probably be named shortly after the Iowa game, unless they are coaching in a conference title game.

As far as the final 2 games, I don't know if NU is completely punting on them, but it makes sense to start moving forward with guys who will be important in 2022.  That includes figuring out which older guys even want to play the final 2 games, and if there are opportunities to get younger guys more snaps in live games.

 
ColoradoHusk said:
Isn't Bill Busch supposedly an ace recruiter?  I would put him on the staff full-time as ST coordinator and he can be more involved in recruiting.  That's one piece of the puzzle.

The other assistants will probably be named shortly after the Iowa game, unless they are coaching in a conference title game.

As far as the final 2 games, I don't know if NU is completely punting on them, but it makes sense to start moving forward with guys who will be important in 2022.  That includes figuring out which older guys even want to play the final 2 games, and if there are opportunities to get younger guys more snaps in live games.
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Busch is a high level hire. He knows the B1G, spent time with Urban at Utah etc. Also like you mention he is a great recruiter. 

 
knapplc said:
Frost is staying. Four offensive assistants are gone. 

Now what?

Why fire four offensive assistants with two games on the schedule? Does that mean we're punting these last two games? If so, how many guys sit out, pending a shot at the NFL?

Does Adrian Martinez get surgery? It would be stupid to continue playing him under these circumstances. No bowl game to hope for, and two likely losses on deck. 

Does Frost bring in permanent assistants now, during the bye week? That would make the most sense out of the immediate termination of the four assistants let go yesterday. We need coaches for these last two games. 

Five weeks from tomorrow is Signing Day. Installing a new offensive staff before then could rally the class - at least a little. Kids aren't going to flock here in droves after the last four seasons, but anything helps. 

My guesses:

The four assistants were let go because we have replacements in mind. Expect those announcements in the next 48 hours. This is the only reason the terminations were effective immediately. 

Martinez is done for 2021. He has surgery and starts contemplating his future. Expect Smothers to run the show the next two games. He's got this week and next to get up to speed. 

We get a couple of good players from this class that we didn't expect. The newly-installed staff has something to do with that. If there's a QB in that mix, that'll tell us a lot about Martinez in 2022. 

The next two games are a wash. Likely blowout losses. Unless the defense pitches a shutout, there's little chance we can must enough points to win. 

I think all of yesterday's moves were made with Signing Day in mind. If that pays off in some surprise recruits, awesome. 
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You fire the assistants now for 3 reasons-

1- You don't send guys out recruiting during the bye week to develop relationships with potential future recruits when you don't plan on them coaching next season.

2- You waited until after the OSU game because if Nebraska would have pulled off the win, you keep the staff in tact to see if they can complete the turn around.  Once that didn't happen, the season is a bust.  Scott is still in charge of the offense, and let's be honest, can it get a lot worse?  My guess is they actually play a little better- the stress and pressure have been removed.  

3- Firing assistants now allows Nebraska to focus on recruiting assistants during the bye week.  

 
Firing now gives the fans a built in excuse as to why NU gets beat in the last two games.  It also gives fans a huge boner if they win either of the two games.  From an optics standpoint it is brilliant.  

AM starts and plays every snap in both games and then he will be done.

 
teachercd said:
Firing now gives the fans a built in excuse as to why NU gets beat in the last two games.  It also gives fans a huge boner if they win either of the two games.  From an optics standpoint it is brilliant.  
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Just my opinion, but "figuring out the optics" and how to best manage all the potential outcomes (win vs loss at OSU, etc.), was most likely TA.....

If that ends up being correct, he's already earned his paycheque for the year.  Really astute move on his part to have developed the action plan the way he has.

CB2.

 
Cdn Blackshirt Two said:
Just my opinion, but "figuring out the optics" and how to best manage all the potential outcomes (win vs loss at OSU, etc.), was most likely TA.....

If that ends up being correct, he's already earned his paycheque for the year.  Really astute move on his part to have developed the action plan the way he has.

CB2.
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Agreed.  Also, Trev's AD clock doesn't not start until he has to hire a FB coach.  So he bought himself at least one more year.  If Frost wins next year, Trev is smart.  If Frost gets canned, Trev gets to hire a new coach and now Trev's AD clock starts ticking. 

 
teachercd said:
AM starts and plays every snap in both games and then he will be done.
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If Martinez starts it's because he's likely coming back. There's no other reason to play a guy with his litany of medical issues. 

He's got four years of film for a potential new school. Nothing he'd do in the next two games would improve on that. 

 
knapplc said:
If Martinez starts it's because he's likely coming back. There's no other reason to play a guy with his litany of medical issues. 

He's got four years of film for a potential new school. Nothing he'd do in the next two games would improve on that. 
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I agree but Frost is not going to sit him.  So it will have to be up to AM to want to sit.

I also think he goes to a new school next year and has a great season.  

 
knapplc said:
Frost is staying. Four offensive assistants are gone. 

Now what?

Why fire four offensive assistants with two games on the schedule? Does that mean we're punting these last two games? If so, how many guys sit out, pending a shot at the NFL?

Does Adrian Martinez get surgery? It would be stupid to continue playing him under these circumstances. No bowl game to hope for, and two likely losses on deck. 

Does Frost bring in permanent assistants now, during the bye week? That would make the most sense out of the immediate termination of the four assistants let go yesterday. We need coaches for these last two games. 

Five weeks from tomorrow is Signing Day. Installing a new offensive staff before then could rally the class - at least a little. Kids aren't going to flock here in droves after the last four seasons, but anything helps. 

My guesses:

The four assistants were let go because we have replacements in mind. Expect those announcements in the next 48 hours. This is the only reason the terminations were effective immediately. 

Martinez is done for 2021. He has surgery and starts contemplating his future. Expect Smothers to run the show the next two games. He's got this week and next to get up to speed. 

We get a couple of good players from this class that we didn't expect. The newly-installed staff has something to do with that. If there's a QB in that mix, that'll tell us a lot about Martinez in 2022. 

The next two games are a wash. Likely blowout losses. Unless the defense pitches a shutout, there's little chance we can must enough points to win. 

I think all of yesterday's moves were made with Signing Day in mind. If that pays off in some surprise recruits, awesome. 
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I would be surprised if any permanent replacements are announced until after the season, and may be after bowl season if he is actually bringing guys in who are currently coaching at a high level.  No one would likely leave their current job mid-stream for a position job here.  Now, if he makes Ron Brown the running backs coach or hires someone out of coaching, then that is a possibility.

I truly think these changes were announced immediately for recruiting purposes only.  You really can't send them out recruiting if they are "dead men walking".  If they secure a commit and then you terminated them later, you run the risk of losing the commit.  With the small numbers, you can't mess around with any possible "get" in the class.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Smothers run the show and AM heal or just call it a career.  Then again,  Frost knows the importance to the State of the Iowa game, regardless of how crappy the season, so if he thinks AM gives us the best shot, then AM will play.  

 
teachercd said:
I agree but Frost is not going to sit him.  So it will have to be up to AM to want to sit.

I also think he goes to a new school next year and has a great season.  
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Frost will sit him. He's got the excuse of the assistants being fired for whatever happens with Smothers in the next two games. 

It will be terrible optics (if that even matters anymore) to play Martinez when you've so openly admitted he's got a broken jaw. That was all set up in the post-game pressers. 

 
knapplc said:
It will be terrible optics (if that even matters anymore) to play Martinez when you've so openly admitted he's got a broken jaw. That was all set up in the post-game pressers. 
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Agreed, especially with signing day coming up soon. You think parents are gonna want their kids to sign with a coach that is willingly going to trot a kid with a broken jaw (or some other sort of serious injury) out there?

 
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