What's up guys & gals? (GITT with your .02)

[itseasyas1-2-3]

And transfer as I stated and it doesn't sound it's over yet.

That's true, and yet, NU will sign players to hopefully replace the 3 good players they've lost.

 

[timnsun]

IMHO, Rhule, even with the accolades has holes in his resume. He hasn't stayed anywhere very long to get over the hump of playing for championships and beating championship caliber teams. This tells me two things, that is as far as he can/wants to take a team or his ability to find the diamond in the rough and develop them as limits. Neither could be true but until he proves it otherwise, all is speculation.

I don't buy into the talk. It does help with recruits families and the press but in my career I have seen some smooth talkers who didn't fulfill the expectations.

The OC will have a tough time as they all have even Tom. He will never call the right play or run the ball enough, that my be more than just sarcasm as his record seems to tilt that way.

Like the D coordinator, seems like an enthusiastic guy who relates to kids and gets them to play for him. Comes from a good tree but has to prove it in the B1G. Always a catch.

Other assistants don't wow but may be wonderful. We need great people and teachers, the rest like recruiting can come. So, for me jury is out on that group.

I expect to see some good progress this first year. We lose a lot via graduation and transfer, need to find that leadership piece as well.

I guess I’m curious about “not playing for championships”. He won the the conference 2x at temple and played for the conference championship in the big 12. So 3 out of 7 years of college head coaching would suggest otherwise.

Maybe I’m missing something and wouldn’t mind some clarification.

 

[cruelhalo]

More satisfied than I thought I would be. Glad we didn't get the ISU, KSU or KU coach. Something about Rhule seems right.

The assistant coach hires are a 6/7 out of 10. Tough to get too excited because us fans have been in college football purgatory.

 

[TTown Tom]

We needed an adult leading the room and Rhule is just that. I'm sure there was cringing going on when our higher ups in the university had to interact with any of our last four coaches.

Rhule is right to go with young, energetic assistants that have a focus upon recruiting. I'm not crazy about the OC but believe he will be balanced knowing we won't win without running the ball. I'm not worried about Raiola. He will be told how Rhule wants them coached. I'm sure Rhule will focus here more than anywhere else.

I like the DC. He seems like a teacher that won't over complicate the defense.. I disagree that the 3-3-5 is gimmicky. It's easy to drop an outside backer onto the end and the rover down. Boom...it's a 4-3. The key will be getting two to three safeties that are tweeners at 205-210 (think Mike Brown). Then getting a couple outside backers at 225-235 (think Lavonte types) who can run. We won't have a bunch of SEC defensive lineman so this defense fits us.

 

[itseasyas1-2-3]

We needed an adult leading the room and Rhule is just that. I'm sure there was cringing going on when our higher ups in the university had to interact with any of our last four coaches.

Rhule is right to go with young, energetic assistants that have a focus upon recruiting. I'm not crazy about the OC but believe he will be balanced knowing we won't win without running the ball. I'm not worried about Raiola. He will be told how Rhule wants them coached. I'm sure Rhule will focus here more than anywhere else.

I like the DC. He seems like a teacher that won't over complicate the defense.. I disagree that the 3-3-5 is gimmicky. It's easy to drop an outside backer onto the end and the rover down. Boom...it's a 4-3. The key will be getting two to three safeties that are tweeners at 205-210 (think Mike Brown). Then getting a couple outside backers at 225-235 (think Lavonte types) who can run. We won't have a bunch of SEC defensive lineman so this defense fits us.

I think NU currently has 3 (Singleton, Martin, Williams) who could get a look at that rover position. I think with Luke and maybe Gbayor are kids that run well enough to play outside backer. Size and speed are key ingredients to the defenses that Rhule has employed in college.

Some of these kids, you just don't know where they might excel until you try them at a different spot. Rhule has a history of moving kids around with the type of size or speed he feels need to fill a role on the defensive side of the ball. Spring ball should provide some of these previous unused players the opportunity to see if they have a place on this team.

There is no doubt, NU has kids on the defense that just don't fit the bill, but college football is full of examples of players who lingered on the bench, changed positions, and then became real productive members of the unit. I'm willing to let White/Rhule experiment as much as they choose in order to find the right personnel to play this scheme.

If NU lacks those types of players, I expect a full-court press in the next portal cycle to fill in a gap or two.

 

[konaki]

Like the Rhule hire. From there we’ll have to see how it works. I’m a little concerned about installing a new defense which looks kind of gimmicky to me. Rhule has had a good record of mentoring young coaches so I’ll sit back and watch. I’m probably the only person on earth who didn’t mind him retaining Raiola given the O line experience of Rhule and his other assistants. I’m always apprehensive when you start from scratch with a new offense or defense. Need some quality transfers at a couple of key spots

No, you're not the only one on earth who doesn't mind Raiola being retained.

 

[itseasyas1-2-3]

No, you're not the only one on earth who doesn't mind Raiola being retained.

This is a staff with guys who have been OL coaches in their careers, so it's not like Raiola will be a one-man show. I was not as down on Raiola as most on here. When Cam declared, Nouilli got suspended, Teddy goes down early, and Raiola is stuck with a couple of RTs like Benhart and Hunter, as well as just the raw material to work with, I'm sure even Milt Tenopir could not have turned that into a good, functioning unit.

It will be interesting to see what the OL looks like by the time NU gets to fall practice.

 

[TruHusker]

I guess I’m curious about “not playing for championships”. He won the the conference 2x at temple and played for the conference championship in the big 12. So 3 out of 7 years of college head coaching would suggest otherwise.

Maybe I’m missing something and wouldn’t mind some clarification.

You are correct @timsun, the point I was wanting to make is that Rhule doesn't have a stellar record against top ten teams and hasn't stayed anywhere long enough to establish a consistency. Playing for one B12 is not a pattern although I give him credit for the 2 at Temple.

It is much like Leipold at KU winning at White Water, few think that translates to D1. There is also a huge difference, in my opinion, to having good years to building a team to win consistently and staying on top. For ME, that is a challenge, he hasn't overcome yet, i.e. beating the top 10 teams. He will have plenty of opportunities in this league to do that.

 

[9and4]

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

You are correct @timsun, the point I was wanting to make is that Rhule doesn't have a stellar record against top ten teams and hasn't stayed anywhere long enough to establish a consistency. Playing for one B12 is not a pattern although I give him credit for the 2 at Temple.

It is much like Leipold at KU winning at White Water, few think that translates to D1. There is also a huge difference, in my opinion, to having good years to building a team to win consistently and staying on top. For ME, that is a challenge, he hasn't overcome yet, i.e. beating the top 10 teams. He will have plenty of opportunities in this league to do that.

But I thought everyone was just going to be happy if Nebraska got back to 8-9 wins per year. At least that is what I was told

 

[kidofSN]

Team very well should be better just from the fact they will be holding real practices this spring and next pre-season. Rarely if ever happened under Frost!