The Benchmark

[jflores]

Lets talk about that. Seems foregone that Riley is getting a year 2, barring something unexpected.

What does year 2 have to look like to keep his job? And year 3?

It might be easiest if you classify it as "what I want it to be" and "what the powers that be actually set it at" if you need to make the distinction.

I'll throw out a vanilla first guess, but assuming we win 3 or 4 this year, then winning 6-7 and going bowling next year I think he keeps his job. I think 9 in year 3 would probably be enough. After that, we basically have lived out a full first contract and figure out if we go coaching change or not for year 5, and Riley haters have probably long since died of aneurysms.

That's what I think the powers that be will set it at.

 

[bkrrrrr]

Dear lord people, please STOP bringing up the number 9! 9 means NOTHING

 

[jflores]

Dear lord people, please STOP bringing up the number 9! 9 means NOTHING

You were more than welcome to draw your own line.

 

[Archie Graham]

Lets talk about that. Seems foregone that Riley is getting a year 2, barring something unexpected.

What does year 2 have to look like to keep his job? And year 3?

It might be easiest if you classify it as "what I want it to be" and "what the powers that be actually set it at" if you need to make the distinction.

I'll throw out a vanilla first guess, but assuming we win 3 or 4 this year, then winning 6-7 and going bowling next year I think he keeps his job. I think 9 in year 3 would probably be enough. After that, we basically have lived out a full first contract and figure out if we go coaching change or not, and Riley haters have probably long since died of aneurysms.

That's what I think the powers that be will set it at.

Agree with all of this and support it so long as recruiting is going well. 2017 looks to be a strong year for us if things move along as I think they will.

 

[cubsker]

either it will look like things are going in the right direction or it wont. player development, recruiting, coaching/game mgmt are the three areas i would look at. All have to be evaluated and Riley better get improving marks in each or the shitstorm after another year similar to this one will have him packing his bags.

 

[jflores]

Totally agree. This magical number 9 is more annoying than most posts are.

My benchmark is however many games it takes to get to the Big 10 Championship Game. I think next year is a bust already but we better improve some. Year 3 we need to be back at least competing for a shot at the CCG. WE ARE F*(&ING NEBRASKA FOR F*(K SAKE. We are better than a mid/lower tier team in a terrible division in one of the weakest P5 conferences.

That's where 9 comes from. If you are winning 9 games, you are "competing for a shot at the CCG". Doesn't mean you'll make it (this year one loss bumps you out), but you have a reasonable chance at it.

In fact under Pelini, I think 9 wins basically netted us 50% appearances in a title game of some sort.

 

[Gimmered]

I think player development is a must. If the team isn't playing better football in game 10 than game one next year, then it is a pretty good indicator that Riley just isn't getting it done.

 

[barney44]

I can say much for wins and losses next season but the way the team plays and improves should be in the fold. We had a bunch of close losses this season and even though they were close games they were due to Nebraska playing like garbage. They're just not a very crisp or disciplined team in many areas and that hurts us. If Nebraska played as a team, put in a lot of effort and didn't do stupid things to get penalized as well as some better calls and decisions and we would look far better. People often blame Bo, talent, rifts, etc. but they underestimate the importance of playing together as a team and playing well. You cant have Gerry standing around thumbing his ass during play, if I was his coach I would chew his ass so hard you guys would be calling for my head because I tore him a new one on live TV. Sorry but it's football and you deserve to know that our roster has no room for laziness. You play at 100% from whistle to whistle and then some, nothing less or we'll find someone else that wants to.

We need to be much improved in many areas, mainly in the mental department, decision making and don't know what to expect from the secondary. If we cant play well as a team then it doesn't matter what talent sits on the roster because they'll still look like crap.

 

[Archie Graham]

Here's the outcome, jflores. Lots of posters just want to bitch rather than talking about the future. The post count here is evidence of that.