Huskers return home as 7 favorite over UCLA

[king_kong_]

it's been 8 years since NU clinched a bowl birth

MR's 0-6 at NU with bowl eligibility on the line

it's well past time we put an end to these embarrassing streaks

 

[redwine65]

it's been 8 years since Matt Rhule clinched a bowl birth

he's 0-6 at NU with bowl eligibility on the line

it's well past time we put an end to these embarrassing streaks

hopefully we beat a top 25 team in the bowl

we are tied with smu, baylor and houston on teams with the most conferance memberships the last 30 years.

 

[king_kong_]

hopefully we beat a top 25 team in the bowl

most likely it'll be a MAC team or a 7-8 win ACC team

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

it's been 8 years since Matt Rhule clinched a bowl birth

he's 0-6 at NU with bowl eligibility on the line

it's well past time we put an end to these embarrassing streaks

It has been 5 years

 

[mgbreis]

Listen, this is a MUST WIN game. No excuses. If this program is making any strides they need to win by double digits.

 

[scarletred]

Listen, this is a MUST WIN game. No excuses. If this program is making any strides they need to win by double digits.

It would be nice to not sweat out the final 5:00 minutes and be ahead comfortably by the start of the fourth quarter..

 

[thall_]

Like you did with Cignetti?

I’m flattered you’re imagining things about me, but no.

I don’t care to bring up Curt Cignetti’s 0.784 overall winning %, is that something you’d like to discuss?

He’s clearly a better coach than Rhule, that’s frankly a waste of time.

 

[redwine65]

it been since 1997 since we have had a real run game.
that one hurts the most

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

I’m flattered you’re imagining things about me, but no.

I don’t care to bring up Curt Cignetti’s 0.784 overall winning %, is that something you’d like to discuss?

He’s clearly a better coach than Rhule, that’s frankly a waste of time.

You cherry picked his 3/4 of a year at Indiana as proof he is turning the program around quickly.

He could just as easily be a Lance Leipold with tons of success at a lower level program that doesn't continue on at a higher level.

Matt Rhule is younger now than, after 8 1/2 years as a head college coach, than Cignetti was when he got his first HC job.

 

[headcard]

it been since 1997 since we have had a real run game.
that one hurts the most

It hasn't been quite that long.

We led the nation in rushing in 2001.

Even under Pelili, we had a couple of teams in the Top 10. 8th in 2012 and 9th in 2010.

 

[redwine65]

It hasn't been that long.

We led the nation in rushing in 2001.

Even under Pelili, we had a couple of teams in the Top 10. 8th in 2012 and 9th in 2010.

I mean without fumbeling, a real run game...the party was over after lp and green....been lameness since

 

[BugsAreQualityProtein]

I mean without fumbeling, a real run game...the party was over after lp and green....been lameness since

Solich was as reliant on Crouch as Frost was with AM. You could make an argument with Pelini and TM somewhat too.

 

[thall_]

You cherry picked his 3/4 of a year at Indiana as proof he is turning the program around quickly.

No I didn’t. I named dropped him because everywhere he’s gone he has immediately made the team better.

In 2017 he took over a 2-9 team and went 8-4
In 2019 he took over a 9-4 team and went 14-2
Now in 2024 he took over a 3-9 team and is 8-0 at the top of the Big 10.

That’s a body of work, it isn’t cherry picking “hmm well if you only look at Rhule’s 3rd season and discount the ranked teams and overlook the squeakers against losing teams he’s actually the one of the best coaches in the Big 10”

Rhule is what he is. A softer, more eloquent Bo Pelini.

I hope he gets better, and so should you

gbr

 

[redwine65]

Solich was as reliant on Crouch as Frost was with AM. You could make an argument with Pelini and TM somewhat too.

I don't want to harp on it...people are pass happy creatures now, but what I mean is something folks are unaware of any more..
I mean when 2 team are on the grid iron, and lets say 1 team is the sec champs (for example)...and the running team says I'm gonna take this pigskin and run it right down there neck and ain't a damn thing they gonna do bout it..thats what I mean, it's a lost art that people can't comprehend anymore..

I'm happy the pass happy crowd in the Lincoln office finally got a passing qb in Lincoln....hopefully they use it wisely..

but idk, maybe that fat boy cu dline coach still remembers what a real running game is..

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

No I didn’t. I named dropped him because everywhere he’s gone he has immediately made the team better.

In 2017 he took over a 2-9 team and went 8-4
In 2019 he took over a 9-4 team and went 14-2
Now in 2024 he took over a 3-9 team and is 8-0 at the top of the Big 10.

That’s a body of work, it isn’t cherry picking “hmm well if you only look at Rhule’s 3rd season and discount the ranked teams and overlook the squeakers against losing teams he’s actually the one of the best coaches in the Big 10”

Rhule is what he is. A softer, more eloquent Bo Pelini.

I hope he gets better, and so should you

gbr

And the only team Indiana has beat, that currently has a winning record, is Nebraska.

They are 0-0 against ranked teams. Unless Michigan beats Oregon, they will play 1 ranked team all year and 3 teams with winning records, at the time of the game.

Let's see what they do against Michigan and Ohio St

 

[king_kong_]

And the only team Indiana has beat, that currently has a winning record, is Nebraska.

They are 0-0 against ranked teams. Unless Michigan beats Oregon, they will play 1 ranked team all year and 3 teams with winning records, at the time of the game.

Let's see what they do against Michigan and Ohio St

They’re on alert this weekend too

 

[mgbreis]

If Cignetti goes 11-1 or 10-2, it's one of the most incredible year 1's in history (that I can remember). And - definitely flukey. Rhule probably drives to work every morning, parks, looks at his own eyes in the rearview mirror, and says, "Are you ****ing kidding me? Indiana?"

 

[thall_]

And the only team Indiana has beat, that currently has a winning record, is Nebraska.

And the only team we've beaten with a winning record is Colorado.

Indiana put up 30+ on a decent Washington team without their starting QB. I'm not sure there's a single B1G team we can put 30+ with our starting QB.

Hopefully Rhule and his overpaid buddies prove me wrong this weekend.

 

[V-Doub]

If Cignetti goes 11-1 or 10-2, it's one of the most incredible year 1's in history (that I can remember). And - definitely flukey. Rhule probably drives to work every morning, parks, looks at his own eyes in the rearview mirror, and says, "Are you ****ing kidding me? Indiana?"

Only thing comparable that I can think of is with CFB blue bloods. Day at OSU. Lincoln Riley at OU. Maybe Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame? Doeber turned UW around quick but I don’t remember his record in year one. Solich won 10 games here but like I said… These were all established winning programs. Nothing like Indiana. I honestly can’t think of one 1st time, 1st year HC that won 10 games (power conf) in his 1st season as a HC. I’m sure it happen, can’t believe Cignetti is the 1st guy to potentially do this, but I can’t think of another. 🤷‍♂️

Edit: Doeber wasn’t a 1st time HC when he took the UW job. 1st time at the P4 level, but like I said, I don’t even rember his 1st year record. Not sure if he won 10 game or not.

 

[mgbreis]

And the only team we've beaten with a winning record is Colorado.

True, but not really a relevant point. I think our record is a pretty good representation of where Nebraska is at as a program. Indiana is a hell of a story, but I'm not sure 8-0 and Top 10 is really where they're at as a program. But hey, as Parcells famously said, "you are what your record says you are."

 

[mgbreis]

Only thing comparable that I can think of is with CFB blue bloods. Day at OSU. Lincoln Riley at OU. Maybe Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame? Doeber turned UW around quick but I don’t remember his record in year one. Solich won 10 games here but like I said… These were all established winning programs. Nothing like Indiana. I honestly can’t think of one 1st time, 1st year HC that won 10 games (power conf) in his 1st season as a HC. I’m sure it happen, can’t believe Cignetti is the 1st guy to potentially do this, but I can’t think of another. 🤷‍♂️

Edit: Doeber wasn’t a 1st time HC when he took the UW job. 1st time at the P4 level, but like I said, I don’t even rember his 1st year record. Not sure if he won 10 game or not.

It's nuts. At Indiana?

 

[V-Doub]

It's nuts. At Indiana?

If they go to the playoffs it will the biggest underdog story in CFB history, IMO. And I don’t say that lightly. Taking Indi-fvcking-ana to the playoffs, in his 1st year coming off a 3 win season, would be historic. Way bigger underdog story than TCU or Cincinnati.

 

[BugsAreQualityProtein]

Only thing comparable that I can think of is with CFB blue bloods. Day at OSU. Lincoln Riley at OU. Maybe Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame? Doeber turned UW around quick but I don’t remember his record in year one. Solich won 10 games here but like I said… These were all established winning programs. Nothing like Indiana. I honestly can’t think of one 1st time, 1st year HC that won 10 games (power conf) in his 1st season as a HC. I’m sure it happen, can’t believe Cignetti is the 1st guy to potentially do this, but I can’t think of another. 🤷‍♂️

Edit: Doeber wasn’t a 1st time HC when he took the UW job. 1st time at the P4 level, but like I said, I don’t even rember his 1st year record. Not sure if he won 10 game or not.

Devaney went 9-2 his first year at Nebraska, which is about the equivalent of going 10-2 now.

 

[phoenix4nu]

Only thing comparable that I can think of is with CFB blue bloods. Day at OSU. Lincoln Riley at OU. Maybe Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame? Doeber turned UW around quick but I don’t remember his record in year one. Solich won 10 games here but like I said… These were all established winning programs. Nothing like Indiana. I honestly can’t think of one 1st time, 1st year HC that won 10 games (power conf) in his 1st season as a HC. I’m sure it happen, can’t believe Cignetti is the 1st guy to potentially do this, but I can’t think of another. 🤷‍♂️

Edit: Doeber wasn’t a 1st time HC when he took the UW job. 1st time at the P4 level, but like I said, I don’t even rember his 1st year record. Not sure if he won 10 game or not.

DeBoer was 11-2 at Washington his first year.

Probably the most successful first-year head coaching jobs in history were:
Larry Coker, Miami 2001. Went 12-0 and won a national championship in his first year as a head coach anywhere.
Chris Petersen, Boise State 2006. Went 13-0, including a Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma, in his first year as a head coach anywhere.
Barry Switzer, Oklahoma 1973. Went 10-0-1 in his first year as a head coach anywhere.

 

[headcard]

I do think it is easier to have instant success right now than it was before the portal. Coaches like Stoops and Saban won big in year two, whereas a lot of guys can win big in year one now, by quickly turning over the roster, especially if they can bring a bunch of players with them like Cig did.

I think this is one of the areas Rhule has failed in. He is using an outdated model by trying to build his roster almost entirely from the HS ranks and keeping around the players he inherited. He had a lot of success doing it that way in the past, but that was when everyone had to do it that way. Now, you are just putting yourself on the slow track.

 

[BugsAreQualityProtein]

I do think it is easier to have instant success right now than it was before the portal. Coaches like Stoops and Saban won big in year two, whereas a lot of guys can win big in year one now, by quickly turning over the roster, especially if they can bring a bunch of players with them like Cig did.

I think this is one of the areas Rhule has failed in. He is using an outdated model by trying to build his roster almost entirely from the HS ranks and keeping around the players he inherited. He had a lot of success doing it that way in the past, but that was when everyone had to do it that way. Now, you are just putting yourself on the slow track.

That’s my only real concern with Rhule, did Nebraska hire an outdated commodity? You have to remember he left college in 2019 before the liberalization of the transfer portal and NIL. He’s used to bringing in his guys( both staff and HS players) and then by year 3 he has it rolling.

 

[V-Doub]

DeBoer was 11-2 at Washington his first year.

Probably the most successful first-year head coaching jobs in history were:
Larry Coker, Miami 2001. Went 12-0 and won a national championship in his first year as a head coach anywhere.
Chris Petersen, Boise State 2006. Went 13-0, including a Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma, in his first year as a head coach anywhere.
Barry Switzer, Oklahoma 1973. Went 10-0-1 in his first year as a head coach anywhere.

All fantastic coaching jobs. But you see the theme here I’m sure. Outside of maybe Boise St (Peterson inherited one hell of team from Dan Hawkins) all those schools were perennial P5 winners and the coach inherited a very good roster. To do something similar at Indiana would be a huge outlier. Just unheard of really…

 

[V-Doub]

Devaney went 9-2 his first year at Nebraska, which is about the equivalent of going 10-2 now.

True true. Forgot about the Bob Father!

 

[Huskers123456]

Because that is so easy, right?

Big IF on whether Rhule will do that here.

And when you choose to never stay at a job for more than 4 years, at some point you don’t get to use that as an excuse for why your career win % isn’t better.

He has reached that point, but I doubt many coaches would choose a different path than Rhule when presented with his opportunities.

 

[Dean Pope]

sure, but not near as much. Tell that to Curt Cignetti.

Time will tell if Cignetti can win without bringing along a bunch of transfers from his previous stop. Michigan St and Florida St sure made it look easy too. For one year. We’ll see if he’s really a genius or just a good coach with a big mouth.

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

And the only team we've beaten with a winning record is Colorado.

Indiana put up 30+ on a decent Washington team without their starting QB. I'm not sure there's a single B1G team we can put 30+ with our starting QB.

Hopefully Rhule and his overpaid buddies prove me wrong this weekend.

Nebraska is 1-3 vs ranked teams. Indiana is 0-0. I don't care what they put up against Washington, they are not ranked nor do they have a winning record.

 

[thall_]

Nebraska is 1-3 vs ranked teams. Indiana is 0-0. I don't care what they put up against Washington, they are not ranked nor do they have a winning record.

> “this soft Big 12 team we beat is a quality ranked opponent”

> “this undefeated B1G team that beat us by 50 still needs to prove it”

I’m glad neither of us trust what you’re seeing on the field.

 

[scarletred]

DeBoer was 11-2 at Washington his first year.

Probably the most successful first-year head coaching jobs in history were:
Larry Coker, Miami 2001. Went 12-0 and won a national championship in his first year as a head coach anywhere.
Chris Petersen, Boise State 2006. Went 13-0, including a Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma, in his first year as a head coach anywhere.
Barry Switzer, Oklahoma 1973. Went 10-0-1 in his first year as a head coach anywhere.

Cocker and Switzer both had established programs don’t remember how Boise was before Pedersen..

 

[Dean Pope]

If the curve is applied to all FBS OCs, he is probably at least average, maybe good. If applied just to P4 OCs, then not so good.

I believe they are also running fewer plays and the offense supporting the defense with how plays are called. Or at least that's what they are supposed to be doing (you know, none of this three pass plays and punt stuff). That's going to affect the stats a bit. I think Satt is somewhere in the average OC range-- he could be replaced by a better guy but he better be remarkably better. Otherwise, they would be foolishly giving their five star QB a new system to learn in the middle of his career and making the matter worse.

 

[Dean Pope]

It's not Rhule - he just hates Fleck with a white-hot passion unmatched outside of the Holy Lands! LOL - I like @headcard great poster, but he gets fired up whenever I mention that Fleck is a decent coach!

And Fleck is a decent coach. He's proven that much. How many times have we brought our four star, high school has beens up against him and his unheralded guys and gotten our butts beat?

 

[Dean Pope]

The rain is concerning a little bit, but their run game stinks, so hopefully we make quick work of this game.

I plan on putting some money on NU today. I get the line move though. We've been far too inconsistent to be laying that many points against a team with a decent amount of talent like UCLA.

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

> “this soft Big 12 team we beat is a quality ranked opponent”

> “this undefeated B1G team that beat us by 50 still needs to prove it”

I’m glad neither of us trust what you’re seeing on the field.

But Washington is a juggernaut? Which was your example of a quality win

 

[thall_]

But Washington is a juggernaut? Which was your example of a quality win

> Nebraska is good because they beat Colorado who is ranked

> Indiana (who beat Nebraska) hasn’t played anyone good

Still no way to explain that one?

I’m sure we could make Washington look like a juggernaut if we played them, yes. Fisch would coach circles around Rhule

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

> Nebraska is good because they beat Colorado who is ranked

> Indiana (who beat Nebraska) hasn’t played anyone good

Still no way to explain that one?

I’m sure we could make Washington look like a juggernaut if we played them, yes. Fisch would coach circles around Rhule

First of all, I never said Nebraska was good.

And secondly, I didn’t say Indiana was not good just that they have not played anyone yet.

What happened to the argument that overall record is all that matters? Fisch has a losing overall as a head coach. If you look at his coaching methodology, it looks very similar to Rhule.

 

[headcard]

And Fleck is a decent coach. He's proven that much. How many times have we brought our four star, high school has beens up against him and his unheralded guys and gotten our butts beat?

Fleck is a used car salesman. He wins at the same rate as the two coaches before him, but tells you how amazing he is every step of the way and some people just gobble it up.

Yes he did beat Scott Frost teams, but so did everyone. Not the flex PJ fans think it is. If we are being honest the guy should have went 3-9 last year, the gifts they got to be Nebraska and Iowa were just ridiculous.