End of Pellini in Neb?

Submitted by superstringer on

Anyone thinking that today is the nail in the coffin, and Pellini gets canned at the end of the season?

They have a gaudy record, but, they aren't the program they want to be.  Nebraska can't seem to win the toughest games on their schedule -- and, frankly, they get drubbed when they try.  The Badgers utterly pwns them right now, the last couple of head to heads have been embarrassing.  Getting run over like that... Nebraska fans must be seething.  I'd say something like "seeing red" but well you know.

Hitting home more, is Nebraska a competitor of ours for coaches?  Like if Stoops were to leave OU (obviously a "big if"), would Nebraska be more attractive than UM?  Think of the delicious irony there.  Obviously Harbaugh(s) and Mullen aren't really more like to go to Nebraska than UM, but maybe some of our other candidates might see the two equally.  For instance Tom Herman -- why not go to Lincoln, get out of Urban's shadow (different division)?

alum96

November 15th, 2014 at 7:07 PM ^

Very tough spot for them.  He could go 10-3 or 11-2 this year.  Mostly since the conference is awful.   Only major win this year is Miami FL.  Minnesota and Iowa remain, plus bowl.

I wrote in the game thread they are in a form of purgatory.  It is like their form of Lloyd Carr but without a national championship.   You set a floor of 4 losses but you also have a ceiling apparently.  Do you fire him and risk turmoil like TN and UM currently?   And supposedly there are not many candidates out there this year - so I dont think he would get fired this year.  I'd wait until there was a hot mid tier candidate to grab.  This year is pretty empty and again there is risk in firing him of entering a Miami FL, Notre Dame (pre Kelly), UM, TN spin.

And no I dont think Nebraska is real competition for UM.

bronxblue

November 15th, 2014 at 7:40 PM ^

I think the problem Nebraska has is that they aren't that appealing for a big-name coach.  Osbourne was successful in a different era, and I'm not sure his success could be duplicated anyway.  But Nebraska lacks a natural recruiting ground, isn't a particularly noteworthy academic school, Lincoln is a fine city but isn't overly memorable or appealing, and it isn't close enough to a major city to make it easy for families of out-of-town players to visit and be part of the experience like you see in other places that might not have major recruiting hotbeds.

I agree they are in a tough spot, but 10/11 wins a year isn't the worst thing in the world, and the last time they tried to shake it up with Callahan they destroyed so much good will it took years for it to come back, and even now I'm not sure everyone is happy.

If they had a decent QB they'd be okay, and outside of this game they've had a decent year.  Yeah it isn't impressive, but they'll probably finish in the top-25 and that should be good enough.

Tater

November 15th, 2014 at 8:08 PM ^

Nebraska stopped being dominant when the NCAA cracked down on steroids.  The story of the "195 pound walk on who worked hard, got up to 315 pounds and started as a junior and senior" stopped happening at the very same time.  

I believe in coincidence, but not this time.  I may be going post hoc ergo propter hoc, but the pieces just fit together too well for me to not see cause and effect.  

snarling wolverine

November 16th, 2014 at 12:22 AM ^

I don't think the NCAA really has cracked down that much on steroids.  There are a few programs that are suspicious in that regard, including a couple in our conference.

However, I did read once that under Frank Solich, Nebraska voluntarily cleaned itself up - and  went from being a dominant juggernaut to a merely good program, which they've remained.

 

treetown

November 15th, 2014 at 10:35 PM ^

They already have gone through a period where the N fan base was livid with only a 9-3 performance and ran a long established coach out of town because he wasn't Bob Devaney or Tom Osborne - they decided to go in a radically new direction, hiring Bill Callaghan who had previously coached the Oakland Raiders in the NFL (note to all AD - think twice about hiring ex-Raider HC - Callaghan and Lane Kifflin) who promptly alienated local supportors (by doing away with the open try outs which usually uncovers a few high school kids from Nebraska who end up playing on the kick teams), and tried to install a pro style passing attack - his defense was awful and he lost a lot of games. Suddenly people were longing for those 9-3 years ... He ended up with a 2004-2007 time period  record of 27-22, (5-6, 8-4, 9-5, 5-7) Some of those years seem decent but in conference play it was (3-5, 4-4, 6-2, 2-6) including the worset loss in school histoyr (76-39 to Kansas, 2007)...this may seem familiar to Michigan fans.

So I don't think they'll be quick to dump Pelini ...

Danwillhor

November 16th, 2014 at 2:17 AM ^

The totally normal, no accent guy that made millions pretending to be a racist, right wing simpleton telling fart jokes and advising people to think of an objective and see it through? The guy that then forgot he wasn't actually that character for a while, making appearances, writing books and saying shit publicly that pandered to the type of people an act like that would attract? That guy? Get it done!

bluebyyou

November 15th, 2014 at 7:14 PM ^

If we were 8-2 I believe Brandon might still be here and Hoke wouldn't be talking to realtors, at least this year.

I don't see the level of talent on Nebraska that would bring them up to an elite level team even if they replace Pelini.

funkywolve

November 16th, 2014 at 12:09 AM ^

I don't know if the West is the lesser division.  OSU and MSU are probably the two best teams in the conference, but I think Nebraska, Minny and Wisky are probably 3-5.  After that it's a toss up between the remaining 7 teams.

The Big Ten isn't like the SEC or Pac-12 where if you were to name the top 6 teams almost all of them are from one division.

alum96

November 15th, 2014 at 7:35 PM ^

Ferentz is better.  Nebraska gets better talent than Iowa and people forget but Ferentz in his first half decade at Iowa had the team in multiple BCS bowls.  Nebraska is usually in the 4th slot in the Big 10 in terms of recruiting after OSU/UM and then PSU.  Iowa is more like 6th or 7th most years.

Bo is a solid coach but not anywhere near elite.  But they get better talent than TCU or KSU - both teams in a similar part of the country who are far better coached teams.

Danwillhor

November 16th, 2014 at 2:33 AM ^

ffs, have we forgotten that Bo was NOT a certain of Hoke that just happened to be a great football mind? The guy was a maniac on the sideline and I love it! I'm only sad my age made it so I only remember his last 3 years coaching. He wasn't a "it's cool you're soft, you did your best" guy. He was a great teacher/motivator but it often wasn't noticed until you were done playing for him. He wasn't "Kelly going purple because of his deep knowledge that he's failing at the moment so I'll blame the kids" wild but more "I'm going to go apeshit on refs and my players just to make a point" wild. I WANT a HC that doesn't think being buddies with refs will help him (it doesn't) or clap & pat kids on the ass after years of constant mistakes and being soft as baby shit. I want a coach that will make a case for his team to get a rematch in the title game instead of watching a snake named Urban politic his ass off on live ESPN tv as our guy quietly takes the high road. Michigan Football is not about being gentleman on the field or in instance of winning games. It's about kicking ass, building young men into gentlemen and academics at the same time. I want a crazy Jim Harbaugh on the sideline. He doesn't go overboard, throw kids under the bus, cares about winning the right way and wins. We've had 20 years of gentleman coaches. Get a maniac (that knows when/why/who to tell at) haha.

Year of Revenge II

November 16th, 2014 at 7:49 AM ^

Yes, some of the characteristics you have mentioned are ones that you would think would be embraced by a winning coach.  

Here are some others:

1. The ability to be engaged during the game.  I am not a Big Ten and national-level football coach, but I have seen them at the collegiate games I attend, and have also seen them on camera on television.  I have also slept occasionally at a Holiday Inn Express.  From my observations, the only coach I have ever seen who is not engaged in direct communications with his people in the press box is---Brady Hoke. (Maybe he cannot figure out how to turn it on or plug it in.) Seriously, does this even merit comment? Can it get more ludicrous?

2. The ability to form a grammatically correct sentence.  I am embarrassed I feel compelled to write this, and it seems a bit like piling on Brady Hoke, but, c'mon man, you are representing the University of Michigan, which you profess to love.  Go to night school if you have to, but get a grip on your grammar.  I know it does not affect  your ability to coach, but it makes you a cartoon character instead of a serious coach. If you want to be that guy..., okay...

3. I could list 10-15 others, but I think you get the picture.

UMgradMSUdad

November 15th, 2014 at 7:20 PM ^

Unless the team totally collapses their last games, I don't think Pelini has to worry about losing his job. The fans will call for his head, but I really don't see any better options waiting in the wings for them.  

Ty Butterfield

November 15th, 2014 at 7:24 PM ^

Unless there is a total collapse down the stretch it doesn't make sense. Is there really an upgrade out there for Nebraska?