Who should our next HC be?

[Born N Bled Red]

I don't see many holes in Fickell's resume.  Plus his face is a couple tiers less punchable than Rhule's.

Fickell is also already in Nebraska's record books due to being the coach of the team Nebraska mounted its largest ever comeback against. - That said, he's been my number 1 realistic hire since this started. I'd be ecstatic if it was him. 

 

[caveman99]

I don't see many holes in Fickell's resume.  Plus his face is a couple tiers less punchable than Rhule's.

 

[DefenderAO]

Yeah I don't buy it.

I'd take Fickell over Rhule, without question

 

[BIGREDIOWAN]

If we get Fickell I'll be estatic 

 

[lo country]

I don't see many holes in Fickell's resume.  Plus his face is a couple tiers less punchable than Rhule's.

And he doesn't wear a smock!

 

[The Dude]

Fickell is also already in Nebraska's record books due to being the coach of the team Nebraska mounted its largest ever comeback against. - That said, he's been my number 1 realistic hire since this started. I'd be ecstatic if it was him. 

Yeah I know.   Then Pelini kissed him on the neck.  Which is fine nowadays.

 

[secretasianman]

Fickell… hmm ok.

Rhule - he would be on nobody’s list had he not been fired.  Nobody here would have said, “yeah we should try to poach the Carolina coach..” 

These are the choices?   Keep Mickey then.  

 

[Born N Bled Red]

Yeah I know.   Then Pelini kissed him on the neck.  Which is fine nowadays.

Holy crap... maybe it was a curse! The first man Pelini kissed (platonically) was to inherit Pelini's coaching ability. Like the mafia Don anointing his successor. Once that happened Fickell was able to siphon away Pelini's skill. Pelini knew it and that's why he was really so pissed after the game. 

 

[ActualCornHusker]

I respectfully disagree. There are several roster spots where the talent of the players are huge questions. As other posters have talked about, it's a talent AND development issue.

Take quarterback: even with multiple scholarship QBs, Freshman walk-on Jarrett Synek was ahead of scholarship players Haarberg and Torres.

At TE: despite having 4 healthy scholarship players behind starter Vokolek, walk-on players Brewington and Boerkircher (RFr) are backups. 

WR: Walk-on Brody Belt and converted CB Tommi Hill are higher on the depth chart than scholarship players Kamonte Grimes and Shawn Hardy II, despite both players now having nearly 2 years in the system. There are also 2 Scholarship true Freshman options Hill has also beat out for playing time. 

DT: despite having 3 RFr and 1 RSo on the roster, walk-on Colton Feist has beat out 4 scholarship players with 2 or more years in the system.

Across the rest of the defense, it's quite obvious that players like Snodgrass, Malcom, Pola-Gates, etc. are probably not P5 level players. 

There are definitely a lot of needs, don't get me wrong. But this team is a 3 win team. With this exact roster and competent coaching at the beginning of the year, add in wins:

Northwestern

Georgia Southern

Minnesota

Purdue

Wisconsin

That's 8 wins that this team should have right now based on the talent that's in the program right now, with a chance to beat Iowa and get to 9. Could have also beaten Illinois. 

Now can you imagine what this team could be if we had just an average offensive line?...

This team is a long way away from winning the conference, but it's just a quality coaching staff away from 8-10 wins

 

[ColoradoHusk]

There are definitely a lot of needs, don't get me wrong. But this team is a 3 win team. With this exact roster and competent coaching at the beginning of the year, add in wins:

Northwestern

Georgia Southern

Minnesota

Purdue

Wisconsin

That's 8 wins that this team should have right now based on the talent that's in the program right now, with a chance to beat Iowa and get to 9. Could have also beaten Illinois. 

Now can you imagine what this team could be if we had just an average offensive line?...

This team is a long way away from winning the conference, but it's just a quality coaching staff away from 8-10 wins

I agree that with better coaching, that NU should have won more games than they did this year.  However, I think it's naive to say NU would go from losing all of those close games to winning all of those games.  Bad coaching isn't the only reason NU lost those games you mentioned.

 

[chamrocck]

I don't blame Joseph for the way this season has gone and our losing streak, but the Wisconsin game was a bad look. It felt like the same old, same old. Of course there is some interest in wondering what he could do with more time, better assistants, a recruiting class, as he has done a good job of keeping the players competing and still fighting for something (Except for the offensive line). I just think if he gets announced as head coach it won't be all that exciting because these past 2 months have felt like the same old thing on repeat, even though he largely is trying to hold together scraps.

Agree Wisconsin broke the camels back. I was not impressed with the Illinois or Minny games either but losing CT hurt our chances there. Also had a hard time defending Rutgers even though we won. I think MJ could have had a real shot but no way now. Look at Leonard and the impact he’s had on Wisconsin. MJ held it together and that will get him a nice raise and position on the next staff and that is what I thought would and should happen all along.

 

[ActualCornHusker]

I agree that with better coaching, that NU should have won more games than they did this year.  However, I think it's naive to say NU would go from losing all of those close games to winning all of those games.  Bad coaching isn't the only reason NU lost those games you mentioned.

That's why I said 8-10 and not 11-12 LOL JK 

A historically bad O line is the main reason, part of which is coaching.

But the complete inability by Whipple to scheme around that has been infuriating.

And probably the biggest issue the past several years as well has been that they didn't tackle in practice. That's coaching.

 

[TGHusker]

Then, just think about the horrible boneheaded in game decisions that have been throughout Frost’s tenure that directly lead to losses. 

Oh, yes the infamous on side kick being the # 1 highlight reel play. 

 

[Enhance]

I agree that with better coaching, that NU should have won more games than they did this year.  However, I think it's naive to say NU would go from losing all of those close games to winning all of those games.  Bad coaching isn't the only reason NU lost those games you mentioned.

Agreed.

Somewhat tangentially related, your post reminded me of the 'rebuild' narrative that's been fairly prevalent. To some degree, yes, I do think Nebraska needs a sort of ground-up approach to becoming a successful program again. However, I also think that in today's college football world, you can get a program back on track with the right coach in just one recruiting cycle. This team could easily be bowl eligible next year, and divisional contenders/winners the following year. It's absolutely achievable with the portal.

Obviously, I'm not saying that it will happen. But I don't think they're 4-5 years out from being relevant. Relevancy can come at you fast with the right people in place.

 

[admo]

"NEBRASKA TO ANNOUNCE xxxxx xxxxx AS NEXT HEAD COACH"

You guys, we've come so far.  The silence to this point has been amazing.  I really don't want to hear who the coach is (leaked) before it becomes officially announced at the podium (or like an hour before on that day). 

It would be a kick in the nuts to us :nutz (for someone who already knows who it is) to ruin it beforehand.  Meaning, why not leak it 2 weeks ago?  Otherwise just shut up and don't spill the beans.  

I'm sorry but I just have a bad feeling that we get the news 1 day before Christmas morning.  I hope I am way wrong.