Sunday, October 05, 2008

Bo Knows Mizery

As I drove home from Lincoln this morning, I listened to Bo Pelini take the blame for Missouri's demolition of the Huskers. And while that's fine, and there's no shortage of blame to go around, I think Missouri's 52-17 victory makes two things very clear.
  • Bill Callahan may have gotten too much of a bum rap for for his game day coaching.
  • Bill Callahan might be the worst recruiter of any head coach at Nebraska since Bill Glassford (1949-1955). And that's only because there probably (a) aren't many people still around that can remember what Glassford's players looked like and (b) the game of college football has evolved to the point that any comparison is futile.
Tom Shatel repeated his statement that Frank Solich was a better recruiter than Bill Callahan to the Columbia Tribune this past week. Is anybody going to dispute this statement? Do you see many players on the 2008 Huskers that would start for the 2003 Huskers?

I don't think we'll have many takers on that one. To be sure, there are some decent players in Lincoln, but no difference makers. None. Zippo. Nada.

We saw plenty of difference makers on the field tonight. All wearing white. Chase Daniel is a machine out there. Derrick Washington was lethal tonight. And Jeremy Maclin was, well, Jeremy Maclin.

Want some salt in those wounds, Husker fans? Jeremy Maclin seriously considered attending Nebraska...but Bill Callahan only offered Maclin a grayshirt opportunity at first. Pay your own way to Lincoln at first, and then go on scholarship. Eventually, Callahan offered a full scholarship, but by that time, Maclin had decided to go elsewhere.

It gets even worse. Derrick Washington grew up a Husker fan...but Callahan wasn't interested either.

Think Nebraska could have used those two guys tonight?

And as long as we're thinking... what does the prognosis look for the Huskers for the rest of this season? In August, I had the most optimistic prediction was 11-1. That ain't happening. My most likely prediction was 8-4/9-3. That's looking kind of high now. My pessimistic? 3-9.

Well, I'm not sure that's happening. Kansas State looked horrible this afternoon, as did Colorado tonight. Iowa State nearly upset Kansas. An awful lot of football still to play.

But first, Nebraska has to travel to Lubbock to play Texas Tech. Remember what happened last time in Lubbock, with a new coaching staff?

To be sure, Bo Pelini deserves plenty of criticism. How many penalties did the Huskers take tonight? WTF was Joe Ganz doing in the game at the end? And what about that game plan that Mike Ekeler was so pumped up about?

I don't want to throw Pelini and this staff under the bus yet. It's only their fifth game, and they are merely playing the cards they were given. Earlier this week, Bo Pelini remained silent when the Denver Post's John Henderson asked Pelini about the defensive talent he inherited.

That non-answer says it all, really.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't give up yet. You said it yourself. There is alot of football to be played. Callahan wasn't the total fool everyone thinks but Bo is a new coach. It may take a few years. Gary Pinkel needed six and here they are embarassing us on our home turf.
Teams go through down periods. Consider ourselves lucky that we get to see our team down and then (hopefully) see our team rebound. It will be all the sweeter when we come back. As for any doubters Mizzou is legit. Hopefully they take OU down and bring a national title to the Big Twelve North.

A J said...

The Huskers looked undiciplined and immature all night, flailing around like fish out of water.

Pelini's "fire" and all certainly is going to help your team in the long run, but in this case...it certainly hurt. Overpursuing on defense, their ultra-confident swagger-without-substance is going to do nothing but piss off teams with superior talent.

Until he gets better players in there, it makes him look immature and lame.

I applaud most Husker fans there for sticking to the end and cheering their team...not a lot of fans would do that for their team in that situation. But just as I told you during the off-season...there are far more deep-rooted issues at play here.

"Playing with passion" only works when you pley within yourself, don't make stupid mistakes and don't let your act motivate your opponents.

And I won't even touch on the spitting incident.

Seriously though...glad you made it home safe my friend.

Anonymous said...

Bill Callahan might be the worst recruiter of any head coach at Nebraska since Bill Glassford
------------------------------

and you think it is gonna get any better for us? Have you seen the players Pelini has in this first class? Sorry people but I wont sunshine pump. Pelini is recruiting head to head with bad programs for these players. There is a reason why at LSU he only recruited ONE 4 or 5 star player. Because he is a social misfit they didn't even really have him recruit. I hated this hire at the time and I hate it more now. That is reality folks, sorry to be so harsh but we are in big trouble.

Husker Mike said...

Yeah, where would Nebraska be now if Callahan hadn't signed all of those four and five star recruits. Sigh.

Anonymous said...

Thad, I also have read that while at LSU Pelini rarely if ever was recruiting the big time players. I did not want to believe it but after looking at this class and seeing how poor it is I am afraid it may be true.

SIGH

Anonymous said...

who in the heck thought that we would be great the year after our worst year ever??? Only the delusional. Geesh - let's not throw in the towel - let's just be fans and support our team for six years under Pelini. If things are happening then - maybe we can resume bitching. We are spoiled Husker fans.

DrewMG said...

"I applaud most Husker fans"

~aj

Now put THAT on a coin and run an infomercial!

Pretty much agree with everything said here. The players on the defense cannot graduate fast enough. Maybe Pelini's coaching techniques are great for teaching fundamental football, but even he can't unteach these guys what they have learned the past 3-4 years. Hopefully once he gets his own players things will be different, but I think if Nebraska has yet another losing season, then it's no longer about "restoring the order" but merely "restoring the dignity."

The Alamo Bowl never looked so good.

Carl said...

Random comments:

I thought the team did ok. Clearly Mizzou is very good. I'm not giving up on Coach Bo anytime soon.

Things I liked: Team didn't give up.

Things I didn't like: Starters in in the 4th.

Anyone calling for Bo's job is a numbskull. It's game 5, 5! sheesh.

I can hardly believe people still hanging their hat on recruiting numbers. Bill Callahan was a solid recruiter, but now Bo's a bum?

I'm more optimistic about Husker chances against KU, KSU and CU than at any point last year. Maybe that's more about those teams, but I still contend we're better this year than last.

Brad Clements said...

You hit the nail on the head when you said Bo is playing the cards he is dealt. It's gonna be 3 or 4 years until we can fairly judge Bo. The only thing that adds to the PAIN of saturday is being a CUBS fan as well as a HUSKER fan...

GRRRRRRRRRR.....

Anonymous said...

NU Fan in TX-
Point one- last years team would have given up after the second toucdown scored on them and the score would have been 70 or 80 rather than 52.
Point two- you have to give the coaching staff 4-5 yrs to develop players that know the system you are trying to teach.
Point three- if any NU fans hoped that we were going to win this game you were dillusional. In the Big 12 with all other things being equal the team with the better players is probably going to win. We don't and will continue to "NOT" have a horse in the race in terms of the secondary. Bo can coach his tail off but without players who can move and tackle in space without having a seeing eye dog take them to the ball carrier we will continue to struggle against spread offenses.
Point four- iregardless of what game plan you bring on the Defensive side of the ball the front line did not and will not bring enough pressure to disrupte the QB. You could have ran a high school JV QB out there with the time Chase was given and he would have picked apart the "D".
Point Five- stay behind the team and give coach Bo the chance to make a program. If five years from now the "D" cant tackle a grandmother in a broken wheel chair then you have the right to bitch about the progam.

BigRedHusker said...

Husker Mike, you nailed it perfectly. Nebraska has no playmakers. No difference makers. For as horrible a coach Callahan was, you think he would get lucky with one recruit turning into a stud.

Read my blog at:

http://nebraska-football.blogspot.com/