I joined the scrolls a ways back during Callahan's 2005 recruiting class.
We were just coming off of a our first losing season...in well, many of our lifetimes. We had a second year coach getting a chance to put together his first full recruiting class. Our fan base was getting jacked up and excited about our recruiting class and rightfully so...
We got our highly touted HS QB (Harrison Beck)
We got our skill position players (Lucky, Bowman, Octavien, Dillard, Hardy, Brooks, L Jackson)
We got our lineman (Slauson, Tomerlin, Suh, Potter, Picou, Dagunduro, B Turner)
We signed the #5 class in the country.
Needless to say, we were filled with many of the same emotions that we are experiencing today and will likely experience all the way through this recruiting class (just as soon as Parella's guys start jumping on board).
There are a few astoundingly different things I am noticing though:
1. The family feel of the coaching staff. Callahan and team got their recruits by selling them early playing time and the NFL. Our current staff is selling some of those things, but is really sealing the deal by leveraging their family environment and what Nebraska football is all about...the state, the fans, and our tradition.
2. The willingness of this staff to cut ties with coaching staff. Callahan's loyalty to Cosgrove has been long known to be his real downfall...as even with a loaded/talented defensive roster, they were just painful to watch. Most times they looked lost out on the field or were just quitting on their coaches. Having already parted with Hughes, I don't have much doubt in my mind that Riley will make the tough calls when necessary and if he feels we need to go a different direction.
3. The structure/organization of our recruiting. Callahan put together that #5 class, which was a huge accomplishment. He also brought in plenty of talent to our team...some we didn't even realize we had at that time (Amukamara, Crick, Hagg)... but there were a lot of whiffs, gambles on players with issues off the field, and so many JUCOs. I don't see that being the case with this staff...that's not to say I don't think we won't see some players not pan out, get into trouble, etc. I just don't get the sense that it will be the norm quite like it was back during the Callahan era.
Finally, maybe the biggest thing that is different and should have us the most excited...our staff. They are coaches who know how to develop talent and have had success with lesser skilled players in the past. They are passionate and the players/recruits are buying into them the same way players bought into playing defense for Pelini (the Defensive Coordinator).
We have a ways to go and this year will have it ups and downs...but the health of the program overall hasn't been where its been in the last nearly two decades.
Kool-aid is flowing, as is the coffee, but just felt like putting this down on paper. Go Big Red!
We were just coming off of a our first losing season...in well, many of our lifetimes. We had a second year coach getting a chance to put together his first full recruiting class. Our fan base was getting jacked up and excited about our recruiting class and rightfully so...
We got our highly touted HS QB (Harrison Beck)
We got our skill position players (Lucky, Bowman, Octavien, Dillard, Hardy, Brooks, L Jackson)
We got our lineman (Slauson, Tomerlin, Suh, Potter, Picou, Dagunduro, B Turner)
We signed the #5 class in the country.
Needless to say, we were filled with many of the same emotions that we are experiencing today and will likely experience all the way through this recruiting class (just as soon as Parella's guys start jumping on board).
There are a few astoundingly different things I am noticing though:
1. The family feel of the coaching staff. Callahan and team got their recruits by selling them early playing time and the NFL. Our current staff is selling some of those things, but is really sealing the deal by leveraging their family environment and what Nebraska football is all about...the state, the fans, and our tradition.
2. The willingness of this staff to cut ties with coaching staff. Callahan's loyalty to Cosgrove has been long known to be his real downfall...as even with a loaded/talented defensive roster, they were just painful to watch. Most times they looked lost out on the field or were just quitting on their coaches. Having already parted with Hughes, I don't have much doubt in my mind that Riley will make the tough calls when necessary and if he feels we need to go a different direction.
3. The structure/organization of our recruiting. Callahan put together that #5 class, which was a huge accomplishment. He also brought in plenty of talent to our team...some we didn't even realize we had at that time (Amukamara, Crick, Hagg)... but there were a lot of whiffs, gambles on players with issues off the field, and so many JUCOs. I don't see that being the case with this staff...that's not to say I don't think we won't see some players not pan out, get into trouble, etc. I just don't get the sense that it will be the norm quite like it was back during the Callahan era.
Finally, maybe the biggest thing that is different and should have us the most excited...our staff. They are coaches who know how to develop talent and have had success with lesser skilled players in the past. They are passionate and the players/recruits are buying into them the same way players bought into playing defense for Pelini (the Defensive Coordinator).
We have a ways to go and this year will have it ups and downs...but the health of the program overall hasn't been where its been in the last nearly two decades.
Kool-aid is flowing, as is the coffee, but just felt like putting this down on paper. Go Big Red!
