Ok, we are now only a month away from the 19th anniversary of that faithful day in November 2003 when Steve Peterson decided to put a stake through the heart of Husker Football and fire Frank Solich. Frank Solich was clearly not Tom Osborne, we all know that, but it's what this firing represented that changed the course of our program, for the far worse, to the dismal state that it's in now. No longer would Nebraska be unique. No more power, no more option. Instead, we would make feeble attempts to get NFL level QBs, WRs, and OT into the program and run soft, spread offenses or in Callahan's case, the WCO.

Except for a short period of time 2009/2010, this "mindset" corrupted and ultimately destroyed our defense too, making them fundamentally unsound, un-aggressive, and weak. It only took one season to where we had a defense who was fairly sound and only gave up significant points to really good teams, to a team giving up 70 points to Texas Tech the first season after Solich. What's funny is that you saw this happen to OU also after Stoops left and Lincoln Riley's high flying passing offense flourished while his defense disintegrated, to a level where not even Brent Venables can resuscitate it.

Unless we want to continue this feckless pursuit at becoming Alabama where we recruit 20 4 and 5 star players every year, we need to make the same changes that Bill McCartney made in Colorado in the mid-1980, where he proclaimed that trying to run a college program with a pro-like offensive and defensive system is a loser at Colorado and as such, he decided to go to a power/option offense supplemented by play action passing and an attacking 4-3 defense and recruit to that end. By 1989, CU moved from a loser in 1984 to being in the hunt for the NC by 1989.

To do this at Nebraska, we need the right leader and the right OC (maybe Mickey is that guy, I don't know). We have a good stable of running backs, but we need to recruit quite differently at QB, WR, and on the OL. The first priority of the QB should be toughness, physicality, speed, and mental edge. Passing skills are secondary. We need to recruit as good of WRs we can get who can block and block well. We need OLs who maybe aren't as tall as we have now, but can road grade and get good leverage. We need some big fullbacks.

On defense, we need a 4 man front with massive tackles and DEs who can rush the passer. We need big MLBs and SLBs who are as fast as possible and really fast WLBs. We need corners who can cover man to man and safeties who can come up to the line and make plays against the running game.

This isn't the best system for Nebraska, it's the only system for Nebraska. Bringing in some spread guru with a 3-4 defense is the recipe for us to having the discussion on who our next coach is going to be again 4 years from now.

T the top of my list…besides winning more recruiting battles with some of the top teams….

We have got to get out of the mindset of the old school Nebraska walk on thinking…. especially on special teams.
same thing with defense and most of the skilled positions they’re just not good enough to cut it 99% of the time anymore. we won titles in the 90s cause most of those walk on’s got beat out by better scholarship players especially on D so we have to recruit well enough to push those guys to the back it’s not mean it’s the way it has to work if you’re going to win at a high-level now

I’m so tired of seeing lackluster special teams play week after week with players are just too slow out there. Osborne had seven or eight real athletes and scholarship players on his kick off coverage teams especially and always the best player typically returned kicks not just the person with the best hands, but you gotta force somebody to do both.

but the days are long gone where we can just insert in State Nebraska walk on and expect success. It’s never happening again. Everybody else is too good. We don’t play enough inept teams anymore for that to work.

His complete failure to catch a wide open pass was a huge, critical fxxx up. It completely broke momentem. That pass had touchdown written all over it. It would have put us up 16-6. Major, major screw up.

I hope he complains no further about about loss of playing time.

Just had a hernia repaired, am home recovering now.
Any of you gone through this?

What were your experiences with it, and how long was recovery?

i have office duty only starting tomorrow for 10 days.

Former Huskers RB coach will take over as North Alabama’s interim head coach.

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“Every time we play Nebraska, we always look across the 50-yard line and I’m like, ‘Man, that’s a good-looking football team.' They’re all above the rim."

It's Minnesota week, and PJ Fleck is talking Nebraska.

Some Sunday thoughts. Hit the link:

I have been looking for it on these boards and on the Youtube page. Cannot find it. Was there actually a live chat as the main page says or did something happen?? @Steve Marik

I hate to say this because I sound like a grumpy old man. But every coach on this team needs to address the finger waving after he gets beat on a play. Please bench him, it's the dumbest shit I've seen a player do. God it's frustrating.

Cam Taylor-Britt getting starting reps for the Bengals due to an injury.

I thought the SI article was interesting and covered things we already know. The one thing the author said, and I think it’s critical to finding a HC, and that‘s passion. He said mickey had a passion for the University of Nebraska and a passion for Nebraska football. I cant remember a cinch since Solich that had a passion for Nebraska and
Nebraska football. I certainly don‘t think Scott had it. Maybe Bo. There are a lot of good coaches out there, but it‘s hard to find a coach, or any executive, that actually has a passion for building something. Some are blaming MJ for the loss to Illinois, or for poor O-line and defensive play, but another important point the author made was lack of development. Mickey has already changed that. In short, he is the man for the jib.

Hey, everyone. I'm excited to get the first official Blackshirt Breakdown Live Chat with Jay Foreman going.

@Foremanjay5655 will be in this space answering any questions you have, and I'll stick around as well. We'll go until 9 p.m. and do these every Monday night, starting at 8 p.m.

What's on everyone's mind?

Just finished watching Baylor - Kansas game. I thought nBaylor was going to embarrass KU, but the J-Hawks came back in the second half. Looking at the future of the Big 12 I dont know why either woiuld want to to leave their positions to come to DONU and comp-lately rebuild a program which is close to the bottom of the BIG. Both Kansas and Baylor will be very competitive in the BIG 12 and be in competition for a playoff spot.

Coming to Nebraska is a huge challenge with a huge upside, but even greater downside. Of course, Nebraska has all the resources they need and we do play in the BIG and some of the bloom has come off theBig 12, but it is still a power 5 conference and their teams can continue to improve.

Aranda currently makes $4,000,000, but if Baylor see he is a candidate for NU I think they sweeten the pot considerably. Leipold just signed a six year contract worth $16.5 million. Leipold said it was a very humbling experience. Im sure KU could sweeten that deal if they thought he was interested in NU. I wonder if there are penalties in his contract that say he or his new school has to pay a significant financial penalty if he leaves. Same question regarding Aranda.

I think some viewed me as being a huge supporter of Mickey Joseph getting the head coaching job beyond this year. I actually just wanted him to have the opportunity and there’s a difference. I wanted him to earn it, and he really hasn’t.

I think the only thing that has improved is team morale. Aside from Trey Palmer’s heroics, there is nothing special about any aspect of our team.

Mickey Joseph would represent us well, he is one of us, and he is extremely likable. He is also hard working and likely would be an excellent recruiter (based on his past success).

If his interim label is removed, I would support him with apprehension. Our team is pitiful, and I don’t know that he really has done anything to earn the job.

If so anyone who hated Scott Frost for calling out players can't be happy with Mick can they? Not that I have a problem because he is right.

Hearing Thompson has a broken hand?

The Huskers need players that can be in the rotation next year. I spoke with recent DL offer from Independence CC Denver Warren about his recruitment and he has a couple Husker connections. Hit the link...

be eligible to coach us in the bowl game?

This is agonizing....just name Aranda, Rhule or Mickey and let's go!


Signed,
Miserable Husker Fan

Time for another edition of "Conversations with Clouse." Let's see those questions!


Fire away!

I think we’re all on the same page, that this will be Hoiberg’s last season in Lincoln. A team without an identity, four years in, is not who anyone expected us to be. How far into the season does he make it before Trev gives him the Frost treatment?

I think he’ll likely get shown the door in late January. We’ll probably be 0-8 in the Big Ten after Ohio State and 4-17 overall. Not gonna cut it, I fear.

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The betting line is not looking good for Nebraska this week. Circa has opened up with the Huskers being an 11-point dog to Minnesota at home.

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The Golden Gophers shutout Rutgers 31-0 at home on Saturday, a game in which the Golden Gophers got quarterback Tanner Morgan back from injury. The status of Nebraska starting quarterback Casey Thompson will likely have a big impact on this line continuing to move one way or the other through the week.

Not a good look

Snap counts and PFF grades for the offense & defense against Illinois + snap count totals for the season:

Offense:


Defense: