This is something I have been thinking for a long time. So I was thinking what if I was in the recruits shoes.
We sit here before National Signing Day all freaking out about what recruit we are going to get. How they are going to make Nebraska better. How it will bring us back championships if it all goes right!
Well this is a post to think about the other side of things and how our wants and needs could be affecting the student athletes emotional psyche. I'm not going to sit here and say I know that this is fact for all student athletes, but I do believe it plays a great deal into their lives.
What am I talking about exactly?
Consistency!
How do we keep it? We need to let this coaching staff build from each other. Not more than two weeks ago we had a Defensive Coordinator in Mark Banker. Now we have Bob Diaco(I hope all goes well with him, and I have nothing against him or the move to get him). While I agree Banker wasn't producing a championship caliber defense, I would bet he building quite a few relationships with the kids he was coaching.
At Nebraska it is different ball game. At Nebraska we don't have a beach, and fantastic weather. We aren't close to anywhere of relevance. So when a kid commits to Nebraska it is easy to say "You are playing for the name on your Jersey not for the Coaches!".
Are they?
Growing up in Nebraska it is easy to know that Nebraska football is everything. We live and breath it, so we know how important it is. These kids coming from California, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Delaware, Ohio ect... they don't live and breath Nebraska football like us. They may say it interview, but they don't.
These kids do know that our fans are as passionate as they come, but that is not why they are committing to Nebraska. These kids grow relationships with a coach, and the rest of it they come to know about later. Once they start going to school here, and actually play a few football games.
That brings me to this. If I was a recruit that committed to play for Banker, Hughes or Stewart back in 2015 how would I be feeling right now? I left my family and friends to go play football in the middle of the United States, 1,500 miles away from home. Only to find out that the person I had the closest relationship with is now gone.
Once again if that recruit was me, I know that I would feel like I lost the reason I joined the school. I most likely would have made multiple friendships outside of football, but the main reason I committed is now no longer there.
I know it is a business, and these kids soon will find out that all things in life revolve around business. At the age of 18, I can tell you I would make my decision off of what coach I get along with the most. Not even thinking about he could be gone, before my college days are over.
Since 2002, there has been no consistency and I honestly think that the emotional investment these kids have when they commit leave at every coaching change. Mike Riley is doing it a little different than the last few coaches. He looks to be making decisions to better our staff. All while keeping a familiarity around the program.
Things like cleaning house can't happen. Kids aren't going to want to play for a completely different coaching staff that they have no relationship with. At Nebraska it is even worse when we do something like that, because most of our kids live more than 500 miles away.
I'm not going to get into the details of how I felt about each Firing of our head coaches, but the only one I was a 100% on board with was Bo Pelini, because he was making the players play for themselves and not the school. That is not how Nebraska works!
This coaching staff seems to get it. This coaching staff seems to be doing everything the right way. I know wins and losses may be the end all, be all. Keeping the consistency and familiarity with Riley and who he appoints on his staff is far more important IMO.
I know there are people that aren't on board with Riley. Some people want a new coach. Some just like to complain to complain. In my opinion we let Riley continue to coach here until he is ready to leave, and when he leaves we need to keep some of his coaches on board and maintain the consistency that is needed for success.
Here's to all the recruits that think Nebraska is the place for them, and here's to the coaches for making Nebraska a "Home" again.
Thank You
AND
GBR!
We sit here before National Signing Day all freaking out about what recruit we are going to get. How they are going to make Nebraska better. How it will bring us back championships if it all goes right!
Well this is a post to think about the other side of things and how our wants and needs could be affecting the student athletes emotional psyche. I'm not going to sit here and say I know that this is fact for all student athletes, but I do believe it plays a great deal into their lives.
What am I talking about exactly?
Consistency!
How do we keep it? We need to let this coaching staff build from each other. Not more than two weeks ago we had a Defensive Coordinator in Mark Banker. Now we have Bob Diaco(I hope all goes well with him, and I have nothing against him or the move to get him). While I agree Banker wasn't producing a championship caliber defense, I would bet he building quite a few relationships with the kids he was coaching.
At Nebraska it is different ball game. At Nebraska we don't have a beach, and fantastic weather. We aren't close to anywhere of relevance. So when a kid commits to Nebraska it is easy to say "You are playing for the name on your Jersey not for the Coaches!".
Are they?
Growing up in Nebraska it is easy to know that Nebraska football is everything. We live and breath it, so we know how important it is. These kids coming from California, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Delaware, Ohio ect... they don't live and breath Nebraska football like us. They may say it interview, but they don't.
These kids do know that our fans are as passionate as they come, but that is not why they are committing to Nebraska. These kids grow relationships with a coach, and the rest of it they come to know about later. Once they start going to school here, and actually play a few football games.
That brings me to this. If I was a recruit that committed to play for Banker, Hughes or Stewart back in 2015 how would I be feeling right now? I left my family and friends to go play football in the middle of the United States, 1,500 miles away from home. Only to find out that the person I had the closest relationship with is now gone.
Once again if that recruit was me, I know that I would feel like I lost the reason I joined the school. I most likely would have made multiple friendships outside of football, but the main reason I committed is now no longer there.
I know it is a business, and these kids soon will find out that all things in life revolve around business. At the age of 18, I can tell you I would make my decision off of what coach I get along with the most. Not even thinking about he could be gone, before my college days are over.
Since 2002, there has been no consistency and I honestly think that the emotional investment these kids have when they commit leave at every coaching change. Mike Riley is doing it a little different than the last few coaches. He looks to be making decisions to better our staff. All while keeping a familiarity around the program.
Things like cleaning house can't happen. Kids aren't going to want to play for a completely different coaching staff that they have no relationship with. At Nebraska it is even worse when we do something like that, because most of our kids live more than 500 miles away.
I'm not going to get into the details of how I felt about each Firing of our head coaches, but the only one I was a 100% on board with was Bo Pelini, because he was making the players play for themselves and not the school. That is not how Nebraska works!
This coaching staff seems to get it. This coaching staff seems to be doing everything the right way. I know wins and losses may be the end all, be all. Keeping the consistency and familiarity with Riley and who he appoints on his staff is far more important IMO.
I know there are people that aren't on board with Riley. Some people want a new coach. Some just like to complain to complain. In my opinion we let Riley continue to coach here until he is ready to leave, and when he leaves we need to keep some of his coaches on board and maintain the consistency that is needed for success.
Here's to all the recruits that think Nebraska is the place for them, and here's to the coaches for making Nebraska a "Home" again.
Thank You
AND
GBR!
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