Nick Saban

[husker2612]

I saw someone bring up the example of Nick Saban at Mich St. That is probably the best example I have seen of a modern coach who struggled early on and the turned into a championship level coach.

When he took over Michigan St they were in a very similar situation to us 20 years of mediocre football. The previous 4 years they went 5-6/ 6-6/5-6/3-8. His 1st 4 years at Mich St he went 6-5/ 6-6/ 7-5/ 6-6. Then year 5 he went 10-2, had them ranked 5th. Left for LSU that next year. The previous 2 years LSU they went 4-7/ 3-8. Year 1 he took them 8-4 then 10-3 8-5 13-1 (NC) 9-3.

He was a first time young coach when he took over a bad Mich state team. It took him 4 years not only to build the program but to learn how to be an HC. I am guessing and hope we are seeing similar results with Frost. The struggles are a combination of learning the coaching ropes and building a program. It took Saban 9 years of coaching to win his 1st NC. So basically we could struggle for another 2 years before we take off. My fear is I don't know if husker fans will be patient enough to have 3 more years of 5 and 6 win seasons.

 

[headcard]

We should be patient, we need stability and we need this to work.

 

[Bugeater]

I saw someone bring up the example of Nick Saban at Mich St. That is probably the best example I have seen of a modern coach who struggled early on and the turned into a championship level coach.

When he took over Michigan St they were in a very similar situation to us 20 years of mediocre football. The previous 4 years they went 5-6/ 6-6/5-6/3-8. His 1st 4 years at Mich St he went 6-5/ 6-6/ 7-5/ 6-6. Then year 5 he went 10-2, had them ranked 5th. Left for LSU that next year. The previous 2 years LSU they went 4-7/ 3-8. Year 1 he took them 8-4 then 10-3 8-5 13-1 (NC) 9-3.

He was a first time young coach when he took over a bad Mich state team. It took him 4 years not only to build the program but to learn how to be an HC. I am guessing and hope we are seeing similar results with Frost. The struggles are a combination of learning the coaching ropes and building a program. So basically we could struggle for another 2 years before we take off. My fear is I don't know if husker fans will be patient enough to have 3 more years of 5 and 6 win seasons.

Saban has proven to be an excellent coach, and one who learned from mistakes and made himself better, I would hope that Frost can attain near that level someday, he’s more than smart enough to do so, but he may have to change some of his coaching nuances as well as get his assistants to do the same.

 

[jlb321]

We shouldn’t be patient and neither should the AD if we have another 3 years of 5-6 wins seasons. My goodness Riley won 19 games in three years. - you’re setting the bar at 6 wins in years 4-5???

 

[husker2612]

Saban has proven to be an excellent coach, and one who learned from mistakes and made himself better, I would hope that Frost can attain near that level someday, he’s more than smart enough to do so, but he may have to change some of his coaching nuances as well as get his assistants to do the same.

It isn't to that point yet but I hope Frost isn't too stubborn to force things to work that just aren't. He is able to notice and make those change when/if needed. IE assistant coaches or schemes.

 

[husker2612]

We shouldn’t be patient and neither should the AD if we have another 3 years of 5-6 wins seasons. My goodness Riley won 19 games in three years. - you’re setting the bar at 6 wins in years 4-5???

Would not be ideal no, but Saban proved it is possible and still have success. The hire and fire game every 3-5 years has not worked well. At this point what do we have to lose sticking with Frost for 5-7.

 

[jlb321]

Would not be ideal no, but Saban proved it is possible and still have success. The hire and fire game every 3-5 years has not worked well. At this point what do we have to lose sticking with Frost for 5-7.

Saban took over MSU who had won 14 total games in the prior 4 years including 0-11 the year prior. Frost took over a program that had won 19 the prior 3 years - 4 wins the year prior to taking over and that team should have won a couple more and played Wisconsin tight.

Please tell me that Frosts win total will exceed Riley’s.

 

[headcard]

Saban took over MSU who had won 14 total games in the prior 4 years including 0-11 the year prior. Frost took over a program that had won 19 the prior 3 years - 4 wins the year prior to taking over and that team should have won a couple more and played Wisconsin tight.

Please tell me that Frosts win total will exceed Riley’s.

And Riley took over a team that had won 9+ for seven years in a row. You are talking out of both sides of your mouth on this one.

 

[jlb321]

And Riley took over a team that had won 9+ for seven years in a row. You are talking out of both sides of your mouth on this one.

No Riley was a shitty coach. We shouldn’t be getting Riley results in years 4-5

 

[9and4]

I'm looking at more of a Ferentz-like arc:

1. 1-10
2. 3-9
3. 7-5
4. 11-2
5. 10-3
6. 10-2
7. 7-5

With a higher ceiling after that. Fortunately for Kirk (but unfortunately for Iowa fans) three of his five 10-win seasons came in years 4-6, setting up higher expectations in years 7-21, during which he's mostly not met those expectations, 2009 and 2015 being the exceptions. This year sets up to be another season with 8 or 9 wins for Iowa.

 

[otismotis08]

For us, it's Frost or bust.

Even if there were an Urban Meyer or someone out there who we could snag, he wouldn't stay here forever. Frost will.

 

[TruHusker]

I, for one, dislike the comparisons to other coaches. They are good for looking back at their struggles and making things appear to be how you want them to be currently. So far Frost has been compared to Saban, Osborne, Dabo, Ferentz, and probably a bunch more I can't recall. He is Scott Frost in a different time period with different circumstances but yet, people expect the same results. What does one have to do with another? Its like everyone expects Minnesota and Purdue to be easy wins because they always have been. Things change

 

[husker2612]

Saban took over MSU who had won 14 total games in the prior 4 years including 0-11 the year prior. Frost took over a program that had won 19 the prior 3 years - 4 wins the year prior to taking over and that team should have won a couple more and played Wisconsin tight.

Please tell me that Frosts win total will exceed Riley’s.

If you are going to use previous records as a base line. Then you have to use what Bo left for MR. One could argue MR was left much more than what Frost was left. Hence not at much was needed to fix/ maintain and get wins.

 

[Charlie Marlow]

Saban was on the hot seat after year 4, turned it around in year 5 and said adios. I think OP makes a pretty good comparison. The good news is Frost won’t leave Nebraska once he’s had his breakthrough season.

 

[Catch50]

Would not be ideal no, but Saban proved it is possible and still have success. The hire and fire game every 3-5 years has not worked well. At this point what do we have to lose sticking with Frost for 5-7.

We can lose lots of time reading silly posts about fundamentals, etc.