Steve Pederson's vision?

[dinglefritz]

With Dylan Raiola and Matt Rhule are we now living what Pederson's vision was for our football team? He clearly failed for various reasons to implement it but I can't help but think this is where he wanted to take us. I'm not hearing the "we have to run the option" guys much lately. Rhule has virtually all of the talking heads talking about us and we're recruiting nationally at a very high level. Rhule's communication skills and roster management are outstanding but landing Raiola was probably the single most significant event in the post Solich era other than maybe Callahan landing Suh. Suh elevated the whole team much like IMO Raiola has. Would Rhule be getting as much love now IF we were still struggling at QB this season? I think not.

 

[BugsAreQualityProtein]

I think circumstances such as NIL and the transfer portal make our current situation possible. The whole “ you can’t recruit to Nebraska” argument doesn’t hold up anymore.

 

[RedCap]

Whatever Steve Peterson thought he was doing, he needed new glasses for his vision. The glasses he was using had mirrored lens aalways looking back on himself. I originally thought he was going to be great as AD, boy was I ever WRONG about that.

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

With Dylan Raiola and Matt Rhule are we now living what Pederson's vision was for our football team? He clearly failed for various reasons to implement it but I can't help but think this is where he wanted to take us. I'm not hearing the "we have to run the option" guys much lately. Rhule has virtually all of the talking heads talking about us and we're recruiting nationally at a very high level. Rhule's communication skills and roster management are outstanding but landing Raiola was probably the single most significant event in the post Solich era other than maybe Callahan landing Suh. Suh elevated the whole team much like IMO Raiola has. Would Rhule be getting as much love now IF we were still struggling at QB this season? I think not.

IF Raiola would have gone elsewhere, McCord would be at Nebraska and not Syracuse. Or there would have been a different portal QB to come in.

 

[dinglefritz]

Whatever Steve Peterson thought he was doing, he needed new glasses for his vision. The glasses he was using had mirrored lens aalways looking back on himself. I originally thought he was going to be great as AD, boy was I ever WRONG about that.

I'm not disputing Pederson's shortcomings. I just find it interesting that we're embracing the prostyle QB and NFL style offense now 2 decades later. Clearly Rhule's embrace of our history and Osborne have helped immensely versus Callahan's disregard for the traditions and fan base.

 

[dinglefritz]

IF Raiola would have gone elsewhere, McCord would be at Nebraska and not Syracuse. Or there would have been a different portal QB to come in.

No doubt we would have landed a portal QB if we hadn't landed Dylan. Landing a legacy 5 star prostyle QB though kind of brought the whole tradition versus an NFL style offense to a screeching halt. Option football was still a talking point last year. Not so much now. Rhule has seemed to do and say all the right things. Pedie and Bill not so much.

 

[RedCap]

No doubt we would have landed a portal QB if we hadn't landed Dylan. Landing a legacy 5 star prostyle QB though kind of brought the whole tradition versus an NFL style offense to a screeching halt. Option football was still a talking point last year. Not so much now. Rhule has seemed to do and say all the right things. Pedie and Bill not so much.

A good coach adjusts to the talent he has available, he doesn't try to force fit a "square peg into a round hole".

 

[Husker.Wed.]

No doubt we would have landed a portal QB if we hadn't landed Dylan. Landing a legacy 5 star prostyle QB though kind of brought the whole tradition versus an NFL style offense to a screeching halt. Option football was still a talking point last year. Not so much now. Rhule has seemed to do and say all the right things. Pedie and Bill not so much.

I'm still waiting for Raiola to run the short side option so he can prove he is a real quarterback.

 

[drubendall]

I just felt nauseous

 

[dinglefritz]

A good coach adjusts to the talent he has available, he doesn't try to force fit a "square peg into a round hole".

For a college coach its the age old question. Do you try to adapt to your players on hand or do you rip the bandage off and implement your system on day one. Clearly last year Rhule pretty much ripped the bandage off too but he took over a team that had multiple losing seasons in a row. You have to coach what you know best. Should he have brought in an OC who was an option coach? I agree that you have to adapt to your players most specifically your QB, but you probably just delay the transition when you do it.

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

The point is that the Rhule was going to get the improvement in the QB play regardless. Perhaps not to the extent it is now, but then again maybe yes.

 

[ADV1]

I'm not disputing Pederson's shortcomings. I just find it interesting that we're embracing the prostyle QB and NFL style offense now 2 decades later. Clearly Rhule's embrace of our history and Osborne have helped immensely versus Callahan's disregard for the traditions and fan base.

and if Callahan had a defense like we see now we'd be praising the guy... lol

 

[dinglefritz]

and if Callahan had a defense like we see now we'd be praising the guy... lol

Some of us probably would be but the tradition coalition was never going to like Callahan unless he had come out and called for Pederson's head on a platter.

 

[ADV1]

For a college coach its the age old question. Do you try to adapt to your players on hand or do you rip the bandage off and implement your system on day one. Clearly last year Rhule pretty much ripped the bandage off too but he took over a team that had multiple losing seasons in a row. You have to coach what you know best. Should he have brought in an OC who was an option coach? I agree that you have to adapt to your players most specifically your QB, but you probably just delay the transition when you do it.

Rhule was the first one in my mind who knew exactly what he wanted to do on both sides of the ball and brought in guys who had the same vision and knowhow to implement it... Phase 3, the special teams still has me scratching my head but I believe Adults are in charge and they'll get that figured out... for now I'm happy with the progress I'm seeing not just on the field but in the attitude and way this team carries itself... it tells me this team is for real and on the right trajectory

 

[drubendall]

For a college coach its the age old question. Do you try to adapt to your players on hand or do you rip the bandage off and implement your system on day one. Clearly last year Rhule pretty much ripped the bandage off too but he took over a team that had multiple losing seasons in a row. You have to coach what you know best. Should he have brought in an OC who was an option coach? I agree that you have to adapt to your players most specifically your QB, but you probably just delay the transition when you do it.

Rhule is like the doctor who announces to you that he’s going to have to re-break your arm. It’s for your own good.

 

[dinglefritz]

Rhule was the first one in my mind who knew exactly what he wanted to do on both sides of the ball and brought in guys who had the same vision and knowhow to implement it... Phase 3, the special teams still has me scratching my head but I believe Adults are in charge and they'll get that figured out... for now I'm happy with the progress I'm seeing not just on the field but in the attitude and way this team carries itself... it tells me this team is for real and on the right trajectory

Callahan knew what he he wanted to do but he made some big mistakes with his staff and public relations. He screwed up bigtime when he dissed the lettermen and walk on program. I don't know for sure if he tried to embrace Tom at all but clearly Tom wouldn't have it. That was probably Callahan's biggest failure that sealed his fate.

 

[dinglefritz]

I think circumstances such as NIL and the transfer portal make our current situation possible. The whole “ you can’t recruit to Nebraska” argument doesn’t hold up anymore.

I'm not sure that NIL changes all that much in our competition with other top tier programs. IF there was no NIL, I think we still land Raiola. Maybe we don't get the transfer WRs without NIL. That all assumes Georgia wasn't going to pay Raiola under the table if there wasn't NIL.

 

[scarletred]

and if Callahan had a defense like we see now we'd be praising the guy... lol

Callahan is a pro guy, I didn’t expect him to be here that long anyway..

 

[Truewooper]

Well the option is great. But right now we seem to have landed a QB who can make all the throws. One of the arguments for a more mobile QB assumes that it's too hard to consistently find that kind of QB.

So as long as that happens u won't hear about it.

 

[Dean Pope]

With Dylan Raiola and Matt Rhule are we now living what Pederson's vision was for our football team? He clearly failed for various reasons to implement it but I can't help but think this is where he wanted to take us. I'm not hearing the "we have to run the option" guys much lately. Rhule has virtually all of the talking heads talking about us and we're recruiting nationally at a very high level. Rhule's communication skills and roster management are outstanding but landing Raiola was probably the single most significant event in the post Solich era other than maybe Callahan landing Suh. Suh elevated the whole team much like IMO Raiola has. Would Rhule be getting as much love now IF we were still struggling at QB this season? I think not.

You are giving Stevey Petersen way too much credit by even mentioning his name at this point. Petersen's visual was to sit up there in his ivory tower and totally change the culture of the athletic department. It was a sh*t show.

 

[dinglefritz]

Callahan is a pro guy, I didn’t expect him to be here that long anyway..

He actually started in college and coached there for quite a while. He was really a fit to run Nebraska's program. With a good DC, I think he would kill it at a program like USC.

 

[dinglefritz]

You are giving Stevey Petersen way too much credit by even mentioning his name at this point. Petersen's visual was to sit up there in his ivory tower and totally change the culture of the athletic department. It was a sh*t show.

well in fact the behind the scenes culture in Lincoln did need some cleaning up. Our recruiting was a mess and the alcohol, drug abuse and sex scandals were problems. I was shocked when Tom let Bo bring Carl and Marvin back. I'm not advocating for Pederson but this is in fact where he wanted to go. Big name former NFL coach who worked his ass off in recruiting. Pederson's biggest beef with Solich was the recruiting and roster management. Solich NEVER filled a class and routinely took lowly ranked guys late in the cycle to try to fill needs. He constantly undersigned which bit us in the ass.

 

[headcard]

Thank you Sneaky Pete!

 

[Mack In Motion]

With Dylan Raiola and Matt Rhule are we now living what Pederson's vision was for our football team? He clearly failed for various reasons to implement it but I can't help but think this is where he wanted to take us. I'm not hearing the "we have to run the option" guys much lately. Rhule has virtually all of the talking heads talking about us and we're recruiting nationally at a very high level. Rhule's communication skills and roster management are outstanding but landing Raiola was probably the single most significant event in the post Solich era other than maybe Callahan landing Suh. Suh elevated the whole team much like IMO Raiola has. Would Rhule be getting as much love now IF we were still struggling at QB this season? I think not.

The guy that was in the bag prior to Raiola signing has put up the below numbers to date this season.

It's possible, even probable, that our QB play this season would have been even better than it has been (due to the experience factor) had Raiola gone elsewhere.

Rhule addressed the QB play in spades this off season.

Game Log​

2024202320222021

2024 Regular Season	Passing	Rushing
Date	OPP	Result	CMP	ATT	YDS	CMP%	TD	INT	LNG	SACK	RTG	QBR	CAR	YDS	AVG	TD	LNG
Sat 9/7	vs23GT	W 31-28	32	46	381	69.6	4	0	32	1	167.8	83.7	3	10	3.3	0	15
Sat 8/31	vsOHIO	W 38-22	27	39	354	69.2	4	1	42	1	174.2	86.5	5	-1	-0.2	0	3
Total	59	85	735	69.4	8	1	42	2	170.8	85.0	8	9	1.1	0	15

 

[goldencohusker]

Pederson and Frost belong on their own Mt Rushmore in terms of home grown guys who came back to NU with overwhelming approval and failed miserably. Very poor execution negated whatever good ideas and vision they brought with them.

 

[dinglefritz]

The guy that was in the bag prior to Raiola signing has put up the below numbers to date this season.

It's possible, even probable, that our QB play this season would have been even better than it has been (due to the experience factor) had Raiola gone elsewhere.

Rhule addressed the QB play in spades this off season.

Game Log​

2024202320222021

2024 Regular Season	Passing	Rushing
Date	OPP	Result	CMP	ATT	YDS	CMP%	TD	INT	LNG	SACK	RTG	QBR	CAR	YDS	AVG	TD	LNG
Sat 9/7	vs23GT	W 31-28	32	46	381	69.6	4	0	32	1	167.8	83.7	3	10	3.3	0	15
Sat 8/31	vsOHIO	W 38-22	27	39	354	69.2	4	1	42	1	174.2	86.5	5	-1	-0.2	0	3
Total	59	85	735	69.4	8	1	42	2	170.8	85.0	8	9	1.1	0	15

He was a one year rent a player but seems like he would have been a big upgrade so far. Raiola will be here for 3 years. Big difference. It's hard to say that the fanbase would have accepted him in the same manner.

 

[Mack In Motion]

He was a one year rent a player but seems like he would have been a big upgrade so far. Raiola will be here for 3 years. Big difference. It's hard to say that the fanbase would have accepted him in the same manner.

Spot on. Undoubtedly made the correct move!

 

[61bigredfan]

well in fact the behind the scenes culture in Lincoln did need some cleaning up. Our recruiting was a mess and the alcohol, drug abuse and sex scandals were problems. I was shocked when Tom let Bo bring Carl and Marvin back. I'm not advocating for Pederson but this is in fact where he wanted to go. Big name former NFL coach who worked his ass off in recruiting. Pederson's biggest beef with Solich was the recruiting and roster management. Solich NEVER filled a class and routinely took lowly ranked guys late in the cycle to try to fill needs. He constantly undersigned which bit us in the ass.

But Steve Perfecthair Completely botched the coaching hire because he didn’t realize that Wannstadt(sp?) Was going to win a few games and not get fired from the dolphins.
Or maybe Steve convinced himself that even if the dolphins didn’t fire Wannstadt That he would be so honored to work for him that he would come to Nebraska anyway. Hiring the Raiders sloppy second who had complete disregard for Nebraska’s biggest strength it’s loyal fan base was stupid.
I would argue that that was the mistake with Pelini, that Pelini didn’t understand that if you win you will outlast A crappy, athletic Director, because of that fan base. As long as you don’t disrespect it.

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

Spot on. Undoubtedly made the correct move!

The original point was about the improved QB play, not who was a better fit.

 

[TruHusker]

A good coach adjusts to the talent he has available, he doesn't try to force fit a "square peg into a round hole".

That’s an old worn out saying that holds little water.

It’s about talent and coaching that talent. So if the talent is low, how does the coach adjust to that? His job is to get better talent, not adjust just to keep people happy.

 

[ckriley]

No doubt we would have landed a portal QB if we hadn't landed Dylan. Landing a legacy 5 star prostyle QB though kind of brought the whole tradition versus an NFL style offense to a screeching halt. Option football was still a talking point last year. Not so much now. Rhule has seemed to do and say all the right things. Pedie and Bill not so much.

As much as I like option football and still think it can be difficult to stop, it exists to make up for a lack of talent.

When you have guys like DR, Banks, Loyd, Nelson, Barney, Dowdell, etc. you don’t need to run it because you have the talent to run a pro style offense.

 

[Big bo fan]

I'm still waiting for Raiola to run the short side option so he can prove he is a real quarterback.

The Read option that he ran against NIowa is as close as you are getting.