Difference between NU and OU

[jarens]

Thought I can't get rid of is why OU is flourishing while Nebraska struggles. What do they have that we don't? These things look pretty similar:

Athletic Dept Revenue 2017-18______NU 142mil, OU 175mil
Gear Sponsorship___________________NU Adidas 128mil/11yrs, OU Nike-Jordan 70mil/10yrs
Avg GPA of University________________NU 3.6, OU 3.6
Student Population__________________NU 26K, OU 31K
Wins________________________________NU 902, OU 907
National Championships_____________NU 5, OU 7
Conference Championship ___________NU 46, OU 48
Heisman winners____________________NU 3, OU 6
Unanimous All-Americans____________NU 22, OU 35
Location____________________________NU Midwest, OU Midwest
Population of college town___________Lincoln 284K, Norman 123K
Population of neighboring city________Omaha 466K, OK City 643K
Population of state__________________Neb 2mil, Okla 4mil
Avg Annual Hi/Low Temp____________Neb 62-40 degrees, Okla 72-50 degrees
Football facility upgrades____________NU yes, OU yes
Football top sport___________________NU yes, OU yes

I can only think of three things:
1. Nebraska left the Big XII while OU stayed.
2. Oklahoma just geographically closer to Texas and other recruiting hotbeds.
3. OU had administrators in positions that ultimately benefited football more so than NU.

But then, even take a look at each school's "down period".
NU: 2004-19, 16 years: 121-84 (0.59 win ptc), 5 losing seasons
OU: 1989-99, 11 years: 68-55 (0.55 win ptc), 3 losing seasons

That's pretty darn similar as well. Maybe this means there really isn't much difference. Just ebb and flow. So long as Nebraska keeps striving it is destined to reach prominence again. Help me out here with some insights and explanations for this.

 

[Bugeater]

Thought I can't get rid of is why OU is flourishing while Nebraska struggles. What do they have that we don't? These things look pretty similar:

Athletic Dept Revenue 2017-18______NU 142mil, OU 175mil
Gear Sponsorship___________________NU Adidas 128mil/11yrs, OU Nike-Jordan 70mil/10yrs
Avg GPA of University________________NU 3.6, OU 3.6
Student Population__________________NU 26K, OU 31K
Wins________________________________NU 902, OU 907
National Championships_____________NU 5, OU 7
Conference Championship ___________NU 46, OU 48
Heisman winners____________________NU 3, OU 6
Unanimous All-Americans____________NU 22, OU 35
Location____________________________NU Midwest, OU Midwest
Population of college town___________Lincoln 284K, Norman 123K
Population of neighboring city________Omaha 466K, OK City 643K
Population of state__________________Neb 2mil, Okla 4mil
Avg Annual Hi/Low Temp____________Neb 62-40 degrees, Okla 72-50 degrees
Football facility upgrades____________NU yes, OU yes
Football top sport___________________NU yes, OU yes

I can only think of three things:
1. Nebraska left the Big XII while OU stayed.
2. Oklahoma just geographically closer to Texas and other recruiting hotbeds.
3. OU had administrators in positions that ultimately benefited football more so than NU.

But then, even take a look at each school's "down period".
NU: 2004-19, 16 years: 121-84 (0.59 win ptc), 5 losing seasons
OU: 1989-99, 11 years: 68-55 (0.55 win ptc), 3 losing seasons

That's pretty darn similar as well. Maybe this means there really isn't much difference. Just ebb and flow. So long as Nebraska keeps striving it is destined to reach prominence again. Help me out here with some insights and explanations for this.

Unless Nebraska suddenly gets the "it" factor, starts to pull in talent like OU, and starts to coach as a whole like OU, Nebraska current will be far behind OU.

 

[WestCoastCornhusker2]

Thought I can't get rid of is why OU is flourishing while Nebraska struggles. What do they have that we don't? These things look pretty similar:

Athletic Dept Revenue 2017-18______NU 142mil, OU 175mil
Gear Sponsorship___________________NU Adidas 128mil/11yrs, OU Nike-Jordan 70mil/10yrs
Avg GPA of University________________NU 3.6, OU 3.6
Student Population__________________NU 26K, OU 31K
Wins________________________________NU 902, OU 907
National Championships_____________NU 5, OU 7
Conference Championship ___________NU 46, OU 48
Heisman winners____________________NU 3, OU 6
Unanimous All-Americans____________NU 22, OU 35
Location____________________________NU Midwest, OU Midwest
Population of college town___________Lincoln 284K, Norman 123K
Population of neighboring city________Omaha 466K, OK City 643K
Population of state__________________Neb 2mil, Okla 4mil
Avg Annual Hi/Low Temp____________Neb 62-40 degrees, Okla 72-50 degrees
Football facility upgrades____________NU yes, OU yes
Football top sport___________________NU yes, OU yes

I can only think of three things:
1. Nebraska left the Big XII while OU stayed.
2. Oklahoma just geographically closer to Texas and other recruiting hotbeds.
3. OU had administrators in positions that ultimately benefited football more so than NU.

But then, even take a look at each school's "down period".
NU: 2004-19, 16 years: 121-84 (0.59 win ptc), 5 losing seasons
OU: 1989-99, 11 years: 68-55 (0.55 win ptc), 3 losing seasons

That's pretty darn similar as well. Maybe this means there really isn't much difference. Just ebb and flow. So long as Nebraska keeps striving it is destined to reach prominence again. Help me out here with some insights and explanations for this.

Excellent Coaching and Recruiting vs Bad Coaching and average recruiting

 

[Sinomatic]

Excellent coaching and the fact they are kissing Texas on the head according to the map.

Such close proximity to a huge pool of recruits shouldn't be under valued when comparing Oklahoma to Nebraska.

 

[9and4]

NCAA probations of football program: NU 0, OU 6.
1956
1960
1973
1980
1988
2007

 

[tpmcg]

Excellent coaching and the fact they are kissing Texas on the head according to the map.

Such close proximity to a huge pool of recruits shouldn't be under valued when comparing Oklahoma to Nebraska.

even with tx nearby theres an appreciable amount of talent here...

 

[Husker Hambone]

OU is geographically closer to more talent than Nebraska.

 

[ShinobiWolf]

NCAA probations of football program: NU 0, OU 6.
1956
1960
1973
1980
1988
2007

who gives a shit

 

[Swiv3D]

who gives a shit

People who are trying to have a reasonable conversation on this topic and may not understand or have a different idea. With all the trollish threads you could choose to be a dickhead in, why would you be one here?

 

[jmliehr]

Bob Stoops vs Solich/Callahan/Pelini/Riley. Not that difficult.

 

[NebChicago]

I would say twice the in-state population, and better HS football players is a big factor for a nice base level of local talent.

 

[WuTang_Husker]

OU is geographically closer to more talent than Nebraska.

This would be the correct answer.Their 500 mile radius has a lot more talent than ours.

 

[HuskerLLM]

How about Lincoln Riley inheriting a team with back to back Top 5 finishes with Stoops

Vs

What was left from the dysfunction of Pelini and M Riley

 

[husker2612]

Excellent Coaching and Recruiting vs Bad Coaching and average recruiting

This is exactly why. After Switzer retired, OU bounced around for 10 yrs from 9 wins to 4 win season. 3 different coaches in the time frame. Nothing great. 3 losing season. No season with greater than 9 wins. It looks alot like our last 20 yrs. They just happened to find Stoops who pulled them out of it sooner. We never found our stoops, so ended up stuck in mediocrity. Every single once top level program in the country will go through the same thing. The difference is how fast they can find the right coach to pull them out. Nebraska took some chances and made one horrible bad hire, this set us back farther and farther.

 

[Bugeater]

The past two years recruiting and 2020 have OU with a total of 66 commits, 9 of which are from Oklahoma, the Sooners are terrific at raiding Texas and many other states.

Nebraska needs to start grabbing like talent or the Huskers will be sitting in the same chair they've been in for the past 5 years.

 

[redli]

They made the right hire back in 98-99? It's that simple really. They struggled until they made the right hire, just like any school does. Their run from 89-98 is as bad as any blue blood stretch.

 

[huskerfan66]

Excellent coaching and the fact they are kissing Texas on the head according to the map.

Such close proximity to a huge pool of recruits shouldn't be under valued when comparing Oklahoma to Nebraska.

The past two years recruiting and 2020 have OU with a total of 66 commits, 9 of which are from Oklahoma, the Sooners are terrific at raiding Texas and many other states.

Nebraska needs to start grabbing like talent or the Huskers will be sitting in the same chair they've been in for the past 5 years.

Ok. This is old school and some will say it's racist. But back in the early 80s my dad was looking for tractor parts. Checking all around and ran across this place in Oklahoma. They had what we needed and bought several things from them. On one phone call my Dad said, " you know we get along great except when it comes to football. You guys keep beating us." To which he said "well we've got a secret. You see there's a pipeline that goes from ok to TX. They put them in down there and when they come out up here they're shiney black". Just saying. We all knew what it meant and wasn't racist at all. Ok got all the good talent from TX. Look it up. I miss the days of ou and nu

 

[Charlie Marlow]

Thought I can't get rid of is why OU is flourishing while Nebraska struggles.

I can only think of three things:
1. Nebraska left the Big XII while OU stayed.
2. Oklahoma just geographically closer to Texas and other recruiting hotbeds.
3. OU had administrators in positions that ultimately benefited football more so than NU.

1 and 2 are not true at all.
It's really all about 3.

 

[Baxter48]

Ok. This is old school and some will say it's racist. But back in the early 80s my dad was looking for tractor parts. Checking all around and ran across this place in Oklahoma. They had what we needed and bought several things from them. On one phone call my Dad said, " you know we get along great except when it comes to football. You guys keep beating us." To which he said "well we've got a secret. You see there's a pipeline that goes from ok to TX. They put them in down there and when they come out up here they're shiney black". Just saying. We all knew what it meant and wasn't racist at all. Ok got all the good talent from TX. Look it up. I miss the days of ou and nu

Oklahoma had bagmen in the 1950’s way before Alabama and the sec conference. That oil money brought in a lot of talent

 

[huskerfan66]

Oklahoma had bagmen in the 1950’s way before Alabama and the sec conference. That oil money brought in a lot of talent

Bingo. Wish corn or beef could do the same, eh.

 

[bleed husker red]

I've heard that the Dallas area is like 50 percent sooner, 50 percent Longhorns. Obviously Baylor and TCU mix in, but the Dallas metroplex is huge and loaded with talent.

 

[SOCALHSKR]

Lot of info here and comments but I think the answer is simply recruiting. Many more talented players than NU
Several reasons why but doesn't change the answer, it's talent thru recruiting.

 

[Nebraska_Reality]

They made the right hire back in 98-99? It's that simple really. They struggled until they made the right hire, just like any school does. Their run from 89-98 is as bad as any blue blood stretch.

89-94 was, for them, bad....but it wasn't bad compared to 4-8 and 5-7.

OU under Gary Gibbs went to 3 bowls in 6 seasons, and would have gone to 2 more if they weren't on probation. Gibbs went 7-4, 8-3, 9-3, 5-4-2, 9-3, and 6-6. Again...bad for them, but not as bad as 5-7.

95-98 was bad by any measure-- 5-5-1, 3-8, 4-8, and 5-6.

 

[Solana Beach Husker]

Thought I can't get rid of is why OU is flourishing while Nebraska struggles. What do they have that we don't? These things look pretty similar:

Athletic Dept Revenue 2017-18______NU 142mil, OU 175mil
Gear Sponsorship___________________NU Adidas 128mil/11yrs, OU Nike-Jordan 70mil/10yrs
Avg GPA of University________________NU 3.6, OU 3.6
Student Population__________________NU 26K, OU 31K
Wins________________________________NU 902, OU 907
National Championships_____________NU 5, OU 7
Conference Championship ___________NU 46, OU 48
Heisman winners____________________NU 3, OU 6
Unanimous All-Americans____________NU 22, OU 35
Location____________________________NU Midwest, OU Midwest
Population of college town___________Lincoln 284K, Norman 123K
Population of neighboring city________Omaha 466K, OK City 643K
Population of state__________________Neb 2mil, Okla 4mil
Avg Annual Hi/Low Temp____________Neb 62-40 degrees, Okla 72-50 degrees
Football facility upgrades____________NU yes, OU yes
Football top sport___________________NU yes, OU yes

I can only think of three things:
1. Nebraska left the Big XII while OU stayed.
2. Oklahoma just geographically closer to Texas and other recruiting hotbeds.
3. OU had administrators in positions that ultimately benefited football more so than NU.

But then, even take a look at each school's "down period".
NU: 2004-19, 16 years: 121-84 (0.59 win ptc), 5 losing seasons
OU: 1989-99, 11 years: 68-55 (0.55 win ptc), 3 losing seasons

That's pretty darn similar as well. Maybe this means there really isn't much difference. Just ebb and flow. So long as Nebraska keeps striving it is destined to reach prominence again. Help me out here with some insights and explanations for this.

Bobs Stoops vs. Frank Solich

Failing with Frank was a forgone conclusion for a ton of reasons, this meant his successor would almost be guaranteed to throw away the baby with the bathwater which then guaranteed a complete overhaul of a program that was reliant on a single system, the option. Once the option was gone we lost every advantage outside of legacy.

 

[nudan92]

NCAA probations of football program: NU 0, OU 6.
1956
1960
1973
1980
1988
2007

Cheaters prosper in the NCAA. This is a good argument for Nebraska to start cheating (again) like OU and the rest of the top teams. Louisville was hit hard by the NCAA only just a few years ago in basketball and they are currently the number one team in the polls.

 

[husker2612]

Lot of info here and comments but I think the answer is simply recruiting. Many more talented players than NU
Several reasons why but doesn't change the answer, it's talent thru recruiting.

Recruiting is a part of the problem, but I think coaching is the biggest. If our issues were mainly related to location and recruiting, Solich or Cally or Bo or Smilin Mike would have went on to other top p5 schools and and be successful HC. Solich has had mild success at Ohio, but no other P5 program took a shot with him. Cally has never been more than an NFL assistant coach, Bo is struggling and will probably be fired at Youngstown st. Not even Oregon st wanted MR back. Basically my point is all our past coaches sucked while here and sucked after here. You get a good coach into almost any program and everything else takes care of itself.

 

[jarens]

Part of the reason I brought this up, is because of those like Cowherd who have said basically, "Who wants to go to Nebraska, they will never be dominant again. College football has changed." To which I want to respond, LOOK AT OKLAHOMA YOU'RE WRONG. There's so much similarity between them that you've got to think it's quite possible for NU to get back winning consistently.

I liked @Solana Beach Husker point about we inevitably had to hit the reset button after deciding Solich wasn't good enough for us anymore. Oklahoma's drought wasn't as bad as ours because they didn't have that drastic of an identity crisis and their savior Stoops swooped in at a convenient time. Also seeing some posts about the Dallas area, maybe that is a Sooner secret to success too.

 

[Redgator]

Thought I can't get rid of is why OU is flourishing while Nebraska struggles. What do they have that we don't? These things look pretty similar:

Athletic Dept Revenue 2017-18______NU 142mil, OU 175mil
Gear Sponsorship___________________NU Adidas 128mil/11yrs, OU Nike-Jordan 70mil/10yrs
Avg GPA of University________________NU 3.6, OU 3.6
Student Population__________________NU 26K, OU 31K
Wins________________________________NU 902, OU 907
National Championships_____________NU 5, OU 7
Conference Championship ___________NU 46, OU 48
Heisman winners____________________NU 3, OU 6
Unanimous All-Americans____________NU 22, OU 35
Location____________________________NU Midwest, OU Midwest
Population of college town___________Lincoln 284K, Norman 123K
Population of neighboring city________Omaha 466K, OK City 643K
Population of state__________________Neb 2mil, Okla 4mil
Avg Annual Hi/Low Temp____________Neb 62-40 degrees, Okla 72-50 degrees
Football facility upgrades____________NU yes, OU yes
Football top sport___________________NU yes, OU yes

I can only think of three things:
1. Nebraska left the Big XII while OU stayed.
2. Oklahoma just geographically closer to Texas and other recruiting hotbeds.
3. OU had administrators in positions that ultimately benefited football more so than NU.

But then, even take a look at each school's "down period".
NU: 2004-19, 16 years: 121-84 (0.59 win ptc), 5 losing seasons
OU: 1989-99, 11 years: 68-55 (0.55 win ptc), 3 losing seasons

That's pretty darn similar as well. Maybe this means there really isn't much difference. Just ebb and flow. So long as Nebraska keeps striving it is destined to reach prominence again. Help me out here with some insights and explanations for this.

TEXAS!!!!

 

[bshirt73]

Recruiting is a part of the problem, but I think coaching is the biggest. If our issues were mainly related to location and recruiting, Solich or Cally or Bo or Smilin Mike would have went on to other top p5 schools and and be successful HC. Solich has had mild success at Ohio, but no other P5 program took a shot with him. Cally has never been more than an NFL assistant coach, Bo is struggling and will probably be fired at Youngstown st. Not even Oregon st wanted MR back. Basically my point is all are past coaches sucked while here and sucked after here. You get a good coach into almost any program and everything else takes care of itself.

Good post sir!

Well, I think Frank would have had more success if we didn't then have the worst AD in the nation (Pedeyshine). But it doesn't matter now.

I fully agree a damn good HC is absolutely essential. We were sooooo lucky to get Devaney and he picked TO to replace him. Great, great times. But maybe even a great HC may need some time to upgrade a horrible junk pile.

We'll see....I think Frost will get it done. He listens carefully to TO which is a good thing imo. But who knows?

 

[Baxter48]

Bingo. Wish corn or beef could do the same, eh.

And fresh water. That’s is Nebraska’s biggest natural resource, it’s water!!!

 

[Baxter48]

Cheaters prosper in the NCAA. This is a good argument for Nebraska to start cheating (again) like OU and the rest of the top teams. Louisville was hit hard by the NCAA only just a few years ago in basketball and they are currently the number one team in the polls.

Sadly in today’s world you are 100%correct

 

[Row80]

Bob Stoops vs Solich/Callahan/Pelini/Riley. Not that difficult.

Some of you are probably too young to remember this but Oklahoma had a 9 year drop off when Barry Switzer left in 1988. Oklahoma got to be pretty bad during that time until Bob Stoops arrived in 1996.

So the real question should be "Why did Oklahoma have only a 9 year drop off while Nebraska has had a 20 or so year drop off?"

The main answer is coaching. At pretty much any school it takes elite coaching to keep a team at the top over a long period of time. To some of you, Alabama has always been an upper echelon team. Heck, even when Bear Bryant was their coach they had some bad years. Once Bear Bryant left, Alabama was pretty up and down until Nick Saban arrived.

I remember thinking that Pete Carroll and USC was going to be the dynasty forever but once Carroll left, they have been mostly mediocre.

Nebraska may have a little tougher job because of distance from talent pools but elite coaching is the main issue.

 

[oldjar07]

OU has been the best football program in the modern era imo. They've been strong in every decade besides the 90's. Recently coaching has been the big issue for us. Fix that and maybe we can catch up to OU again.

 

[mkbrkloster]

Thought I can't get rid of is why OU is flourishing while Nebraska struggles. What do they have that we don't? These things look pretty similar:

Athletic Dept Revenue 2017-18______NU 142mil, OU 175mil
Gear Sponsorship___________________NU Adidas 128mil/11yrs, OU Nike-Jordan 70mil/10yrs
Avg GPA of University________________NU 3.6, OU 3.6
Student Population__________________NU 26K, OU 31K
Wins________________________________NU 902, OU 907
National Championships_____________NU 5, OU 7
Conference Championship ___________NU 46, OU 48
Heisman winners____________________NU 3, OU 6
Unanimous All-Americans____________NU 22, OU 35
Location____________________________NU Midwest, OU Midwest
Population of college town___________Lincoln 284K, Norman 123K
Population of neighboring city________Omaha 466K, OK City 643K
Population of state__________________Neb 2mil, Okla 4mil
Avg Annual Hi/Low Temp____________Neb 62-40 degrees, Okla 72-50 degrees
Football facility upgrades____________NU yes, OU yes
Football top sport___________________NU yes, OU yes

I can only think of three things:
1. Nebraska left the Big XII while OU stayed.
2. Oklahoma just geographically closer to Texas and other recruiting hotbeds.
3. OU had administrators in positions that ultimately benefited football more so than NU.

But then, even take a look at each school's "down period".
NU: 2004-19, 16 years: 121-84 (0.59 win ptc), 5 losing seasons
OU: 1989-99, 11 years: 68-55 (0.55 win ptc), 3 losing seasons

That's pretty darn similar as well. Maybe this means there really isn't much difference. Just ebb and flow. So long as Nebraska keeps striving it is destined to reach prominence again. Help me out here with some insights and explanations for this.

They had Stoops; we didn't have anything close.

 

[Eph97]

Biggest difference is OU plays in a lousy conference with Texas as its only real competition the last 15 years. Nebraska has to deal with Wisconsin, Iowa, Ohio State, Michigan, PSU

 

[ShinobiWolf]

People who are trying to have a reasonable conversation on this topic and may not understand or have a different idea. With all the trollish threads you could choose to be a dickhead in, why would you be one here?

It's a losers argument, just like when Iowa fans complain about how we had a team full of felons that won Natty's.

Oklahoma has won over a dozen conference championships since we've won one. I don't feel like a satisfied fan because we've had fewer menial infractions that we got slapped on the wrist for. In fact, maybe that we don't have any speaks to our new culture of being fine with a losing attitude.

 

[Baxter48]

Biggest difference is OU plays in a lousy conference with Texas as its only real competition the last 15 years. Nebraska has to deal with Wisconsin, Iowa, Ohio State, Michigan, PSU

Yep, ou benefited the most from nu,cu,mo,atm, leaving. The big 12 is garbage now, all ou has to do is beat Texas and there almost a shoe in for the playoffs. Hell they lose to a 500 team in kst and they still make the playoffs. Everyone is saying the pack 12 is garbage top tp bottom there probably a better one than the big 12

 

[BigRedBeliever]

I've heard that the Dallas area is like 50 percent sooner, 50 percent Longhorns. Obviously Baylor and TCU mix in, but the Dallas metroplex is huge and loaded with talent.

You heard wrong. There is a mixture of all fans in DFW. TTU, BU, SMU, TCU, UT, OSU, OU, OHIO STATE, MICHIGAN and even five chapters of the North Texans for Nebraska. We have a huge recruiting base here and its about time Nebraska utilizes it to its full potential. Did I say SPEED, SPEED AND MORE SPEED?

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

I would say twice the in-state population, and better HS football players is a big factor for a nice base level of local talent.

but you also have to consider that Oklahoma has two otherFBS football teams in the state, so that sort of cancels out the twice the population argument. As far as Talent goes, Nebraska has signed at least a few Allstate Oklahoma players in the past few years that didn’t even get an Oklahoma offer. They didn’t have an Oklahoma offer because Oklahoma was out recruiting players from all over the country that were higher ranked.

 

[Swiv3D]

It's a losers argument, just like when Iowa fans complain about how we had a team full of felons that

It's a losers argument, just like when Iowa fans complain about how we had a team full of felons that won Natty's.

Oklahoma has won over a dozen conference championships since we've won one. I don't feel like a satisfied fan because we've had fewer menial infractions that we got slapped on the wrist for. In fact, maybe that we don't have any speaks to our new culture of being fine with a losing attitude.

See, was that so hard?