Comparing what Riley and Bo had to work with

[HUSKERBILL]

I sent this text to an ex Husker buddy of mine and he said "Dude you have to post this to the message boards". So here it is.
--------------------

It's all about recruiting and Bo left us shit. Just like Frank did. Callahan would have had the #2 recruiting class in the country to add to this roster of talent. And we fired him for Bo who took entire summers off from recruiting and put us right back where we were circa 2003.

Here is Bo's first team he inherited.

DB
Larry asante
Prince amukamara
Eric Hagg
Alfonzo Dennard
Matt O'Hanlon

LB
Phillip Dillard
Lavonte David
Cody Glenn

DL
Zach Potter
Jared Crick
Ndamokong Suh
Barry Turner

OL
Keith Williams
Matt Slauson
Lyndon Murtha
Marcel Jones

WR
Nate Swift

RB
Marlon Lucky
Roy Helu

K
Alex Henery


Bo's ENTIRE defense from his first year got signed to NFL squads! That includes 5 defensive backs (enough to where they could run a nickel package and everyone would still be NFL talent).

On the offensive side of the ball, 4/5 of his OL, 2 RBs, 1 WR were signed by NFL squads. And his kicker was the most accurate kicker in the history of college football.

Compare that to what Riley is starting with after supposedly inheriting "a steady 9 win program".

It's about the Jimmys and Joes. Let's let Riley build the talent back up to Nebraska standards before we reach a verdict.

 

[VortecHusker]

Wasn't Levonte recruited by Pelini?!

 

[headcard]

Wasn't Levonte recruited by Pelini?!

Yep. David didn't come to Nebraska until 2010.

 

[HUSKERBILL]

My bad on David. You guys are right. That's a big error. The rest are correct.

And I need to apologize or clarify. Bo didn't leave us "shit". These are great kids and with time might be NFL stars. I believe in these kids and their heart. But Bo certainly didn't leave us depth.

 

[HuskerTimOmaha]

Dennard and David were recruited and signed by Pelini, Callahan had nothing to do with either. Matter of fact, interesting thing about those two - Dennard was specifically recruited by Sanders, couldn't get in to North Carolina and ended up switching his commitment to Nebraska after Marvin was hired. David, pure dumb luck, thanks to Jamrog's relationship with Jeff Sims at Fort Scott. When Carl got a hold of that film, he did everything in his power to assure David was signed. Lucky for David, injuries in his first fall camp leaped him to the starting spot....

That isn't to undermine Bo signing either player, just brought back some thoughts.

 

[HUSKERBILL]

Would have been interesting to see what Callahans addition of talent from that #2 ranked recruiting class could have done with these existing players. Cosgrove was still an anchor he was unwilling to let loose so maybe they would have never reached their potential.

 

[huskerssalts]

Yep its night and day, Bo had a monster hook up of talent when he got here, that talent made him look like a great hire to start with. But pretty quickly after i seen the recruiting falling apart with Bo and had my concerns on how hed do with a lot less talent. Id love to see how this current staff would of done with the exact same talent like Bo got when he started. Riley would of had a ton of toys to play with on offense and Banker would have his true shut down corners and a elite defense line to help out. Bo's 2nd year he had an elite defense with not much of an offense. I think this staff would of had that same defense around the same ranks but would of had us a solid offense to go along with an elite Defense. I think we would of killed Texas in the Big 12 championship that 2nd year if we had this staff then, compared to Bo's staff.

 

[SnohomishRed]

Here is Bo's first team he inherited.

DB
Larry asante - good player
Prince amukamara m- was a wide receiver
Eric Hagg - was a soph 5.5 3 start but good player flourished in Bo's system in another maybe not
Alfonzo Dennard - 2008 recruit true freshman
Matt O'Hanlon - was a walk on I believe that according to this board makes him a bad player

LB
Phillip Dillard - was over weight with a bad attitude problem
Lavonte David - was a Bo recruit
Cody Glenn - was a running back that Bo converted to LB * Imani Cross anyone*

DL
Zach Potter - decent player good recruit local boy
Jared Crick - was unknown at the time came into his own in 2009
Ndamokong Suh - was going to leave I believe and had not shown anything prior to 2008 - 2009
Barry Turner - good recruit and player but had been injured a lot

Looking back the talent level on defense was good but it was not evident at the time. In fact most thought of the talent as sub par or just OK. I did not go through your offensive list - but the 2008 defense had big holes at LBer and a very uncertain secondary - a DLine that had not performed very well at all up to that point

 

[VortecHusker]

While we a missing "difference makers" on offense and defense this year, I think our biggest problem is overall depth. We have average to good players at most positions.

In the fourth quarter against Purdue I thought Westerkamp and Reilly looked completely gassed. We were behind and had go exclusively to the pass and they were asked to run route after route without any break.

Depth would give some guys a much needed play or two off and create competition.
It is amazing how much better a player can become when they know they have to fight everyday, every snap and every rep for their playing time.

 

[huskerssalts]

Thats simple to explain, they had Coz coaching them up on defense. Any decent defensive Co would have those guys playing exactly like Bo did, hence elite level defense.

 

[HUSKERBILL]

Here is Bo's first team he inherited.

DB
Larry asante - good player
Prince amukamara m- was a wide receiver
Eric Hagg - was a soph 5.5 3 start but good player flourished in Bo's system in another maybe not
Alfonzo Dennard - 2008 recruit true freshman
Matt O'Hanlon - was a walk on I believe that according to this board makes him a bad player

LB
Phillip Dillard - was over weight with a bad attitude problem
Lavonte David - was a Bo recruit
Cody Glenn - was a running back that Bo converted to LB * Imani Cross anyone*

DL
Zach Potter - decent player good recruit local boy
Jared Crick - was unknown at the time came into his own in 2009
Ndamokong Suh - was going to leave I believe and had not shown anything prior to 2008 - 2009
Barry Turner - good recruit and player but had been injured a lot

Looking back the talent level on defense was good but it was not evident at the time. In fact most thought of the talent as sub par or just OK. I did not go through your offensive list - but the 2008 defense had big holes at LBer and a very uncertain secondary - a DLine that had not performed very well at all up to that point

You can try to soften the evidence but however you try to spin it, Bo had an entire defense of future NFL players on defense for his first game. Period

And 4/5 of his offensive line, RBs, WR and kicker got signed.

Quite a difference from where we are at today.

 

[HuskerTimOmaha]

Prince amukamara m- was a wide receiver

Stopped right here, he was NEVER a wide receiver at Nebraska.

 

[Harry Caray]

And Bo had nothing to do with developing them into NFL talent? Most of those guys didn't accomplish anything before here got here. I don't think Bo is fit to be a head coach, but he's got a decent track record of developing players.

 

[HuskerTimOmaha]

And Bo had nothing to do with developing them into NFL talent? Most of those guys didn't accomplish anything before here got here. I don't think Bo is fit to be a head coach, but he's got a decent track record of developing players.

Of course he does but one doesn't get to develop anything if they aren't on campus. Let's not act like these guys were chopped liver though.

 

[Wasker77]

What is new about this story? I thought it was pretty common knowledge that Bo and his staff sucked at recruiting. Isn't anyone concerned that Callahan's best recruiter was John Blake. I think we were fortunate that he went with Butch to North Carolina. Who knows how many of our kids he recruited to Nebraska had a little dirt on them. Anyway Callahan good recruiter, Bo bad recruiter. Mike Riley still bad coach. Our talent is better than Illinois and Purdue, probably Wisconsin, too. Anderson had troubling recruiting to Madison, too.

 

[leodisflowers]

Here is Bo's first team he inherited.

DB
Larry asante - good player
Prince amukamara m- was a wide receiver
Eric Hagg - was a soph 5.5 3 start but good player flourished in Bo's system in another maybe not
Alfonzo Dennard - 2008 recruit true freshman
Matt O'Hanlon - was a walk on I believe that according to this board makes him a bad player

LB
Phillip Dillard - was over weight with a bad attitude problem
Lavonte David - was a Bo recruit
Cody Glenn - was a running back that Bo converted to LB * Imani Cross anyone*

DL
Zach Potter - decent player good recruit local boy
Jared Crick - was unknown at the time came into his own in 2009
Ndamokong Suh - was going to leave I believe and had not shown anything prior to 2008 - 2009
Barry Turner - good recruit and player but had been injured a lot

Looking back the talent level on defense was good but it was not evident at the time. In fact most thought of the talent as sub par or just OK. I did not go through your offensive list - but the 2008 defense had big holes at LBer and a very uncertain secondary - a DLine that had not performed very well at all up to that point

Jared Crick also wasn't an unknown. He went to the Under Armor game, and took unofficials at Texas, Oklahoma, and A&M. Had offers from most in the Big 12, Miami, and others. He was known.

 

[ExxHusker]

You can't do this kind if analysis until players careers play our. Everyone thought Scott Shanle was a poor linebacker, and Will Compton. There may be NFL talent on our defense. Time will tell. There is however with certainty poor game management and game planning by the coaching staff. #excusesareforlosingprograms

 

[jeans15]

Post above says it all.

Riley has a returning starting QB, WRs, All American punt returner, 2 of the best DTs we have had since Crick and Suh. 4 star Rbs to choose from plus Cross. And a secondary with 3 returning starters.

LB coaching has been awesome imo.

Oh and now walk ons are not talented at Nebraska even though everyone talks about how important they are.

And Bo developed a walk on OL to be an All American in Spencer Long.

This board loses credibility by the day defending Riley, by bringing up Bo

Oh and he promised to play to the players strengths. Yeah right. You never sacrifice wins for scheme implementation.

 

[ExxHusker]

Sorry but this excuse/apologist rhetoric is weak. Tom Herman inherited a bad situation but he says the game we are playing this week has to be won. You can't win them all unless you win this week. "I don't even know what our remaining schedule is because this week is all that matters".
He also says the you do have to be able to run and pass because defenses can decide to run two deep cover two to stop the pass or 8 our 9 in the box to stop the run. But, regardless of what they do there will be times we run the ball because "that is who we are are". The urgency to win every game and the who we are comment highlighted to me what is lacking in our staff. Who are we?

 

[HuskerTimOmaha]

Jared Crick also wasn't an unknown. He went to the Under Armor game, and took unofficials at Texas, Oklahoma, and A&M. Had offers from most in the Big 12, Miami, and others. He was known.

Recreating history, you shouldn't be surprised.

 

[SnohomishRed]

Jared Crick also wasn't an unknown. He went to the Under Armor game, and took unofficials at Texas, Oklahoma, and A&M. Had offers from most in the Big 12, Miami, and others. He was known.

I will defer to you on this but I thought Crick was second string in 2008 - Also I thought he was recruited as a DE - so when I say unknown this refers to how well he would play at DT in 2009 up to that point he was not some lock DT we had recruited.

 

[SnohomishRed]

Stopped right here, he was NEVER a wide receiver at Nebraska.

I stand corrected - I thought at some point he started there or maybe it was they were thinking at putting him at RB - thought it was one of the two - I believe he was recruited as an athlete and wasnt he part of that Ariziona haul of 4-5 recruits in 2007?

Point was not to minimize the talent Pelini had on hand - In fact it was pretty obvious who the better recruiter was Callahan or Pelini - but my point is that no one thought the 2008 team was loaded at the time most people thought the talent level was low or just ok - Pelini ultimately flamed out but he did do a good job in 2008 and 2009 taking what was on hand plugging holes - LBer was a huge hole in 2008 we were playing a converted RB and a converted RSFR safety ( May) there in 2008

 

[StrongArm517]

I stand corrected - I thought at some point he started there or maybe it was they were thinking at putting him at RB - thought it was one of the two - I believe he was recruited as an athlete and wasnt he part of that Ariziona haul of 4-5 recruits in 2007?

Point was not to minimize the talent Pelini had on hand - In fact it was pretty obvious who the better recruiter was Callahan or Pelini - but my point is that no one thought the 2008 team was loaded at the time most people thought the talent level was low or just ok - Pelini ultimately flamed out but he did do a good job in 2008 and 2009 taking what was on hand plugging holes - LBer was a huge hole in 2008 we were playing a converted RB and a converted RSFR safety ( May) there in 2008

Don't really agree here. My impression at the time was that Bo inherited a boatload. Didn't every body know Suh was ready to explode without Cosgrove? I wa certainly optimistic at that time. Totally opposite of today's cupboard.

 

[NorthWillRiseAgain]

Stopped right here, he was NEVER a wide receiver at Nebraska.

He was a rb in high school on offense.....maybe he's thinking currenski Guillien(sp)?

 

[SnohomishRed]

Don't really agree here. My impression at the time was that Bo inherited a boatload. Didn't every body know Suh was ready to explode without Cosgrove? I wa certainly optimistic at that time. Totally opposite of today's cupboard.

Suh was thought to be a bust honestly and was very very close to transferring - In fact was it not even TO who said something to the effect when firing Callahan - The talent level is not great but reasonable

No one thought that 2008 team was very talented except maybe you and some other people who are now looking for any vague justification for why Riley is having the worst season in Modern history of NU football

 

[HuskerTimOmaha]

He was a rb in high school on offense.....maybe he's thinking currenski Guillien(sp)?

Yep, Prince played both ways in high school. I can't remember which announcer it was but one of the dolts commented that Bo switched Prince from offense to defense and so the story was built.

Not sure why, Curenksi didn't switch to defense. He redshirted under Callahan, played WR under Pelini up till his last year when he switched to RB.

 

[HuskerTimOmaha]

No one thought that 2008 team was very talented except maybe you and some other people who are now looking for any vague justification for why Riley is having the worst season in Modern history of NU football

12 guys that played in 2008 were drafted. Let's revisit this to see how many are drafted that played this season.

I don't know about you or anyone else but I sure can't come up with 12 guys.

 

[Archie Graham]

Anyone that is making an argument against the OP is a moron. Period.

 

[huskerhomie]

Suh was thought to be a bust honestly and was very very close to transferring - In fact was it not even TO who said something to the effect when firing Callahan - The talent level is not great but reasonable

No one thought that 2008 team was very talented except maybe you and some other people who are now looking for any vague justification for why Riley is having the worst season in Modern history of NU football

Not true at all. Suh made the Frosh all B12 team, and his stats were on par each year with another Monster DT that MSU had a few years ago Jerel Worthy. Suh was also named as our best NFL prospect on our team going into the 2008 season. (AKA before Bo got a chance to coach him).

So, your statement is kind of not true at all considering Suhs stats were on par each year with other great DT's, he just had not "blown up" as of yet, but it was only a matter of time. AKA needing one more year. But he was certainly not considered a bust.

 

[headcard]

12 guys that played in 2008 were drafted. Let's revisit this to see how many are drafted that played this season.

I don't know about you or anyone else but I sure can't come up with 12 guys.

If we do eventually have some guys off this team drafted they are likely going to be Freshmen like: Gates, Freedom, Williams, Morgan and Young.

 

[huskerhomie]

I sent this text to an ex Husker buddy of mine and he said "Dude you have to post this to the message boards". So here it is.
--------------------

It's all about recruiting and Bo left us shit. Just like Frank did. Callahan would have had the #2 recruiting class in the country to add to this roster of talent. And we fired him for Bo who took entire summers off from recruiting and put us right back where we were circa 2003.

Here is Bo's first team he inherited.

DB
Larry asante
Prince amukamara
Eric Hagg
Alfonzo Dennard
Matt O'Hanlon

LB
Phillip Dillard
Lavonte David
Cody Glenn

DL
Zach Potter
Jared Crick
Ndamokong Suh
Barry Turner

OL
Keith Williams
Matt Slauson
Lyndon Murtha
Marcel Jones

WR
Nate Swift

RB
Marlon Lucky
Roy Helu

K
Alex Henery


Bo's ENTIRE defense from his first year got signed to NFL squads! That includes 5 defensive backs (enough to where they could run a nickel package and everyone would still be NFL talent).

On the offensive side of the ball, 4/5 of his OL, 2 RBs, 1 WR were signed by NFL squads. And his kicker was the most accurate kicker in the history of college football.

Compare that to what Riley is starting with after supposedly inheriting "a steady 9 win program".

It's about the Jimmys and Joes. Let's let Riley build the talent back up to Nebraska standards before we reach a verdict.

Good post, but you kind of missed a LOT of good college talent that BO inherited as well as NFL guys here are the guys you missed;


QB

Joe Ganz


TE

Mike Mcneil


OL

Ricky Henry

DJ Jones

Jacob Hickman


WR

Niles Paul

Todd Peterson

Your list along with this list means BO inherited a LOT Of talent when he got to NU.

 

[NorthWillRiseAgain]

Yep, Prince played both ways in high school. I can't remember which announcer it was but one of the dolts commented that Bo switched Prince from offense to defense and so the story was built.

Not sure why, Curenksi didn't switch to defense. He redshirted under Callahan, played WR under Pelini up till his last year when he switched to RB.

Couldn't remember where Curenski switched to because all I remember was his dropped deep balls, thanks for the clarification.

 

[Marine8365]

I think we can all agree that POB will make or break HCMR. We lose him, we are in deep kimchee in 2017 and beyond.

 

[huskerssalts]

And if anyone viewed Suh as bust, well there weren't watching our d line very well. His Sophomore year he played a lot of snaps and i remember telling a group at the spring game that year that Suh looks pretty dam good and i wouldn't be surpirse if he wasnt something special in the future and that's when he was a sophomore. He exploded his junior year i believe and all the rest we all know about. I remember people worrying he would go pro after junior year was up, like i hope with Collins, he returned and killed it his senior year, should of been a Hiesman winner.

 

[huskerssalts]

I agree with Huskertim, L David got his break that year when an injury happend to a starter (was it Compton? ) and that first year he had a solid year, he was out of place some but his true talent kept him in on ever play. Dude turned into a monster.

 

[Nebraska Gator II]

Not true at all. Suh made the Frosh all B12 team, and his stats were on par each year with another Monster DT that MSU had a few years ago Jerel Worthy. Suh was also named as our best NFL prospect on our team going into the 2008 season. (AKA before Bo got a chance to coach him).

So, your statement is kind of not true at all considering Suhs stats were on par each year with other great DT's, he just had not "blown up" as of yet, but it was only a matter of time. AKA needing one more year. But he was certainly not considered a bust.

I can't prove this...but I think Suh played really well as a freshman and as such, as a sophomore got a lot more double teams--so to a lot of people it seemed like a bit of a sophomore slump. By the time he was a junior-he was so dominant it didn't matter.