ADVERTISEMENT

The 6 Most Attractive College Football Coaching Gigs That Could be Available in 2018

"Lincoln is no longer the destination it once was, but still affords coaches the ability to recruit top talent and sell a brand name. "

How can we to this list of if where not a destination job.
 
Last edited:
Riley haters

When Riley first came here and anyone on this board that was critical of the hire was automatically labeled a "Bo Believer". Now I see this "Riley haters" label pop up. I will say this about Mike, for someone who had no previous ties to the state or the university before he came here he sure has accrued rather quickly
a following of some very devoted and loyal supporters. I don't quite understand it, but to each his own.
 
Last edited:
Yeah this was a real ding dong article. I mean, it has a point, we may be seeing Riley's last season here if things go really poorly, and Frost may be the next guy up. But triple option? I don't think we ever really ran that scheme, and I don't think we ever will again. Our high schools don't really play with it anymore, and most teams don't bother with it. That part of the article is really silly.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wasker77
When Riley first came here and anyone on this board that was critical of the hire was automatically labeled a "Bo Believer". Now I see this "Riley haters" label pop up. I will say this for Mike, for someone who had no previous ties to the state or the university before he came here he sure has accrued rather quickly
a following of some very devoted and loyal supporters. I don't quite understand it, but to each his own.

Umm, I was using that term to counter the "Scott Frost hater" term the OP brought up in another thread. Both are stupid.
 
MEH!

Frost is staying at UCF for at least one more season. And Coach Riley will be at Nebraska for a season or more too.

GBR!
 
I quit reading when he mentioned the triple option. When are these idiots going to learn that we never ran such an offense??

OK, I will bite on this. What is your definition of triple option? Read the tackle for the fullback, read the end to keep or pitch. What am I missing?
 
OK, I will bite on this. What is your definition of triple option? Read the tackle for the fullback, read the end to keep or pitch. What am I missing?
That is the triple option. Which was ONE formation/play out of dozens and dozens that Osborne ran. Osborne's offense was so "multiple" it was a nightmare to defend. Lots of teams back in the day had a "triple option package" in their repertoire of plays. But it was really only the wishbone type offenses that were usually referred to as "triple option" offenses. The wishbone really did operate almost exclusively from a triple option approach. Its genius was its simplicity and worked great if you had great athletes. But Osborne did not run a wishbone. His base, as you undoubtedly know, was the pro set I, out of which he developed multiple formations including the five wideout spread!
 
That is the triple option. Which was ONE formation/play out of dozens and dozens that Osborne ran. Osborne's offense was so "multiple" it was a nightmare to defend. Lots of teams back in the day had a "triple option package" in their repertoire of plays. But it was really only the wishbone type offenses that were usually referred to as "triple option" offenses. The wishbone really did operate almost exclusively from a triple option approach. Its genius was its simplicity and worked great if you had great athletes. But Osborne did not run a wishbone. His base, as you undoubtedly know, was the pro set I, out of which he developed multiple formations including the five wideout spread!

Tom ran everything out of every formation. A few clarifications: He did experiment with the wishbone as I remember it in games, he ran spread sets as most don't remember Nebraska was a passing team at one time, ran power I or what some called the Maryland I, ran spread shotgun and a direct snap to the RB which later became called the wildcat, single back, two wingbacks and he would bring one around to pitch or hand off too which we call the jet sweep today and it goes on and on. I would say without hesitation that Nebraska did run the triple option and multiple variations of the triple where they blocked the end, load option I believe it was called. Now were we a consistent option team compared to others at the time? No but we did run option football.

A high school coach I coached with runs a veer where he leaves some people completely unblocked. This frees up other players to block down field or double at the point of attack. Tom did a lot of that as well.

I started watching in the Bronson, Tagge, Humm (saw him as a freshman when McCook had JC football), Feragamo, Luck and then things changed.
 
Tom ran everything out of every formation. A few clarifications: He did experiment with the wishbone as I remember it in games, he ran spread sets as most don't remember Nebraska was a passing team at one time, ran power I or what some called the Maryland I, ran spread shotgun and a direct snap to the RB which later became called the wildcat, single back, two wingbacks and he would bring one around to pitch or hand off too which we call the jet sweep today and it goes on and on. I would say without hesitation that Nebraska did run the triple option and multiple variations of the triple where they blocked the end, load option I believe it was called. Now were we a consistent option team compared to others at the time? No but we did run option football.

A high school coach I coached with runs a veer where he leaves some people completely unblocked. This frees up other players to block down field or double at the point of attack. Tom did a lot of that as well.

I started watching in the Bronson, Tagge, Humm (saw him as a freshman when McCook had JC football), Feragamo, Luck and then things changed.
Osborne's option was rarely triple. Most of the time (at the very least) the qb was not optioning with the fullback. If the fullback got the ball it was a called play. The option came on the end.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pennsyhusker
Tom ran everything out of every formation. A few clarifications: He did experiment with the wishbone as I remember it in games, he ran spread sets as most don't remember Nebraska was a passing team at one time, ran power I or what some called the Maryland I, ran spread shotgun and a direct snap to the RB which later became called the wildcat, single back, two wingbacks and he would bring one around to pitch or hand off too which we call the jet sweep today and it goes on and on. I would say without hesitation that Nebraska did run the triple option and multiple variations of the triple where they blocked the end, load option I believe it was called. Now were we a consistent option team compared to others at the time? No but we did run option football.

A high school coach I coached with runs a veer where he leaves some people completely unblocked. This frees up other players to block down field or double at the point of attack. Tom did a lot of that as well.

I started watching in the Bronson, Tagge, Humm (saw him as a freshman when McCook had JC football), Feragamo, Luck and then things changed.
Good post, and I agree. However, I still think most writers, when they say we ran the triple option offense, have in their heads that our offense was only that.
 
Osborne's option was rarely triple. Most of the time (at the very least) the qb was not optioning with the fullback. If the fullback got the ball it was a called play. The option came on the end.

Tom, not sure what "rarely" and "most of the time" mean when spanning his coaching career. When someone says we ran the triple option, that, to me is fact. I don't see the big difference with the way things are done today with RPO's. The QB makes a read on D personnel to either hand off, pass or run himself. Guess that in essence is a form of triple option. I remember highlight films where players and coaches were talking about all of the reads they were making. We're we a steady diet if triple option, no as Pennsy point s out but it was a staple of TO's and one people remember us for, right it wrong.
 
Good post, and I agree. However, I still think most writers, when they say we ran the triple option offense, have in their heads that our offense was only that.

Look at the Frost tribute I posted in another thread and you will see examples of the final evolution of Dr. Tom's offense. Shotgun, single back sets. Multiple WR, taking advantage of single coverage with vertical go routes. Of course Power I and full back leads/traps, pulling guards, counters, roll-outs. Rbs in the passing game. Genius, and it wasn't simply a triple option. He left at the top of his game like MJ and Jim Brown and I would argue his offensive innovation was on par with that type of excellence.

Now, 2 things you won't see in any type of Osborne/Frost style system. Immobile QBs and slow, unathletic OL. Especially Qbs. It is imperative for the Qb to be able to run the football. Which makes a transition tough for Scott should he consider coming to Nebraska after Riley. GBR
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pennsyhusker
There is no doubt there was an element of triple option in Osborne's offense. I think where writers and others lose this argument is that it wasn't the main staple. By saying there was an element of the triple option, I could just as easily say there was a passing game element to his offenses as well, but I wouldn't classify Osborne's 80's and 90's teams as passing teams.

The Osborne offense was a power run, I formation offense, that used a mobile QB in option runs on occasion. Many of the concepts were not necessarily unique to Osborne. He was able to combine different concepts and play calls to keep defenses off balance. Many other coaches have tried to use aspects of his offense with less success. If it was simply the offense, everyone would run it. But it wasn't simply the offense. Turner Gill, Frank Solich, were around Osborne for 30 years, yet their teams didn't have the success that Osborne's teams did, even running similar concepts. If Tom Osborne wanted to run the wishbone, he would have been successful running the wishbone. If he wanted to continue to run a Pro Style offense, he would have continued to be successful.

Bottom line, the offense didn't make Nebraska a successful team, the coach did.
 
There is no doubt there was an element of triple option in Osborne's offense. I think where writers and others lose this argument is that it wasn't the main staple. By saying there was an element of the triple option, I could just as easily say there was a passing game element to his offenses as well, but I wouldn't classify Osborne's 80's and 90's teams as passing teams.

The Osborne offense was a power run, I formation offense, that used a mobile QB in option runs on occasion. Many of the concepts were not necessarily unique to Osborne. He was able to combine different concepts and play calls to keep defenses off balance. Many other coaches have tried to use aspects of his offense with less success. If it was simply the offense, everyone would run it. But it wasn't simply the offense. Turner Gill, Frank Solich, were around Osborne for 30 years, yet their teams didn't have the success that Osborne's teams did, even running similar concepts. If Tom Osborne wanted to run the wishbone, he would have been successful running the wishbone. If he wanted to continue to run a Pro Style offense, he would have continued to be successful.

Bottom line, the offense didn't make Nebraska a successful team, the coach did.

I agree Tuco but there is an evolution here that happened, and I don't think Dr. Tom's progression with the offense argues for a reversion back to his older pro-style days. Again, look at the videos of Frost and Frazier. These guys are running Osborne's most current, dominant and progressive offense within his tenure. And I would argue neither Frazier or Frost were very good passing Qbs (average at best) yet Tom put them in position to be successful in the passing game because the defense had such a hard time identifying where Nebraska was going to attack.

Predicated on a very mobile QB and OL that can move and block. I think Scott has his own offensive philosophy but it isn't going to fall to far from that tree and his current QB at UCF can take off in the running game.

All of which makes it harder for a transition for Scott back to Nebraska, IMO. Riley is recruiting for his offense. Not Scott's. GBR
 
You are correct Tuco. He was the engine that made it all work. He had a mind that few had and was able to translate that to his assistants as well. He could make it all work today if he wanted to and probably some people would complain it didn't look like the old Husker O but in reality it could be very similar.
 
Tom, not sure what "rarely" and "most of the time" mean when spanning his coaching career. When someone says we ran the triple option, that, to me is fact. I don't see the big difference with the way things are done today with RPO's. The QB makes a read on D personnel to either hand off, pass or run himself. Guess that in essence is a form of triple option. I remember highlight films where players and coaches were talking about all of the reads they were making. We're we a steady diet if triple option, no as Pennsy point s out but it was a staple of TO's and one people remember us for, right it wrong.
point is that it wasn't triple. Oklahoma had triple option. I never recall us optioning off the tackle with the fullback. I heard Osborne one time say he didn't like the fumble possibility in the qb/fb exchange when the fb wasn't sure if he would get the ball or not.

One year I remember Osborne ran a few plays out of the wishbone. I bet it was ten or less plays. MAYBE on those plays it was triple option but I doubt it knowing how he hated fumbling.
 
Last edited:
I agree Tuco but there is an evolution here that happened, and I don't think Dr. Tom's progression with the offense argues for a reversion back to his older pro-style days. Again, look at the videos of Frost and Frazier. These guys are running Osborne's most current, dominant and progressive offense within his tenure. And I would argue neither Frazier or Frost were very good passing Qbs (average at best) yet Tom put them in position to be successful in the passing game because the defense had such a hard time identifying where Nebraska was going to attack.

Predicated on a very mobile QB and OL that can move and block. I think Scott has his own offensive philosophy but it isn't going to fall to far from that tree and his current QB at UCF can take off in the running game.

All of which makes it harder for a transition for Scott back to Nebraska, IMO. Riley is recruiting for his offense. Not Scott's. GBR
If Riley is fired I am earning towards going after Frost. However, you raise a good point. Do any of our current QB's have the skill set a Frost offense needs? Gebbia maybe? It could be a tough transition.
 
I agree Tuco but there is an evolution here that happened, and I don't think Dr. Tom's progression with the offense argues for a reversion back to his older pro-style days. Again, look at the videos of Frost and Frazier. These guys are running Osborne's most current, dominant and progressive offense within his tenure. And I would argue neither Frazier or Frost were very good passing Qbs (average at best) yet Tom put them in position to be successful in the passing game because the defense had such a hard time identifying where Nebraska was going to attack.

Predicated on a very mobile QB and OL that can move and block. I think Scott has his own offensive philosophy but it isn't going to fall to far from that tree and his current QB at UCF can take off in the running game.

All of which makes it harder for a transition for Scott back to Nebraska, IMO. Riley is recruiting for his offense. Not Scott's. GBR


You missed the point, if Osborne would have stayed at Nebraska, his offense would have continued to evolve and morph. Although his core concepts would have remained. His offenses would have continued to be successful because of him, not the offense.

The rest of your post about Frost and recruiting is irrelevant to this particular discussion. For the point of this discussion, which is a writer claiming that a return to the "triple option" is what is needed, I am simply stating that Osborne was the reason his offense was successful. A return to triple option football does not mean there will be success. That is an oversimplified and lazy discussion point by the author.

I have been very clear that the next coach either has to run a version of a pro-style offense or the Nebraska fan base is going to have to be patient as the transition to yet another offense takes place. I have repeated stated that had Eichorst hired a spread offense coach, the 2015 season is more successful than 6-7 and the transition would not have been so stark.

Of course Riley is recruiting to his offense, he is the head coach. I am not even sure why this has to be discussed.
 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT