OT - Possible Mike Leach to Nebraska?
October 16th, 2017 at 12:47 AM ^
That pirate guy not scary.
October 16th, 2017 at 8:02 AM ^
If Nebraska fans couldn't handle Bo Pelini, there is NO WAY they could stand Leach. He is far too rough around the edges for the typical Nebraska fan.
October 16th, 2017 at 9:28 AM ^
Leach isn't an asshole like Pelini, though. He doesn't put a lot of effort into "playing nice" around big donors, but he's not going to go out of his way to intimidate or rip on people.
October 16th, 2017 at 10:04 AM ^
They tried pass oriented offenses with Callahan and Riley. Both have been disasters. Their fans would agree to this as much as a good portion of our fan base would to bringing in another spread offensive coach.
October 16th, 2017 at 10:12 AM ^
Callahan flamed out in Oakland pretty quickly and was a reach hire. Riley was a lateral hire at best. Who really thought he was going to take Nebraska to B1G titles when he couldn't win in San Diego or Oregon State?
If Leach goes to Nebraska, his offense will put up points. He'll convince a strong armed Midwest QB to run his offense, put up points and become an NFL draft pick.
October 16th, 2017 at 12:48 AM ^
Frost as HC.
October 16th, 2017 at 1:26 AM ^
..Frost will be picked before the side show (but good coach) Leach
October 16th, 2017 at 9:26 AM ^
and the Nebraska fans I met were all in for Frost.
October 16th, 2017 at 1:28 AM ^
While Frost has less experience, he's obviously done a really good job with UCF, he's a Nebraska guy (navigating politics is important at a place with high expectations), his style seems to fit better at Nebraska ("tough" guy rather than the mad professor) and he's younger and could be around for a long time.
October 16th, 2017 at 6:27 AM ^
Roughly speaking, "Scotty" is their Harbaugh (Edit: Already noted by ShruteBeetFarms ...).
He's done a good job at UCF and he'd have as a good a chance as anyone to succeed at Nebraska, I think, but (given his remarks in 1997, etc.) it would be somewhat pleasant to see him fail.
October 16th, 2017 at 1:18 PM ^
but I would love Leach, that guy is comedy gold.
October 16th, 2017 at 8:58 AM ^
for Frost.
October 16th, 2017 at 12:49 AM ^
That would be great for the BIG 10 and Nebraska in my opinion. We'll see if it actually happens though.
October 16th, 2017 at 8:01 AM ^
The Michigan Mondays after being outhit by our rival Scott Frost should be entertaining considering they may be above Rutgers on our list of rivals.
October 16th, 2017 at 12:50 AM ^
UCF is bulldozing opponents right now. Frost should be the get for them. Alum and younger than Leach.
I get that recruiting to Wazzou is difficult and that Falk is done after this year, but Leach and Wazzou just seem to click.
October 16th, 2017 at 6:25 AM ^
So physical at the line of scrimmage...
October 16th, 2017 at 6:57 AM ^
....yeah, they seem to out hit everybody.
October 16th, 2017 at 12:55 AM ^
Leach or Frost would be great hires. I think replacing their AD is really what they needed.
October 16th, 2017 at 1:09 AM ^
I want Leach's personality in the Big Ten so bad. His voice has been another colorful line running parallel to Harbaugh's in recent years. I'd predict it to be neutral or net positive (for Michigan) for a guy like that to come on board at UNL. I felt similarly about Fleck's hire, but this would be moreso and at a blueblood "Helmet" program, no less.
October 16th, 2017 at 1:00 AM ^
I don't think the Nebraska fan base will be happy with anyone else. They want one of their own. Frost is their Harbaugh.
October 16th, 2017 at 1:05 AM ^
And what about Scott Frost's mom? any input from her?
October 16th, 2017 at 4:26 AM ^
She'll miss the salty air in Florida.
October 16th, 2017 at 7:57 AM ^
Scotty doesn't know.
October 16th, 2017 at 8:32 AM ^
She'll be taking a Gwen Bush "team mom" role, except that Gwen Bush is awesome and Scott Frost's mom is un-awesome.
October 16th, 2017 at 10:52 AM ^
He's a former successful QB and "son of the program" as it were. But Harbaugh had a successful Power 5 HC position and was the 5th (or something like that) winningest coach in NFL history when Michigan hired him.
Scott Frost has a building year at UCF (admittedly dreadful before he arrived) and a 5-0 start this year.
You could even make the argument that Frost could very well be Nebraska's Brady Hoke if they hire him next year (program guy gets hired after one good year in a group of five program...)
October 16th, 2017 at 11:32 AM ^
WTF...you're saying Harbaugh is the 5th (or something like that) winningest coach in NFL history??
Jim Harbaugh won 44 regular season games and and 5 playoff games - he's not even in the top 100 of winningest NFL coaches. You should be ashamed...
October 16th, 2017 at 11:43 AM ^
I wondered about that statement as well. Winning percentage perhaps?
October 16th, 2017 at 11:57 AM ^
winning percentage.
October 16th, 2017 at 2:31 PM ^
by winning percentage (sorry for confusion)
Source: https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2014/12/27/7438415/49ers-jim-harbaugh-divo…
But my point was merely that Jim Harbaugh's record prior to coming to Michigan was/is WAY more impressive than Scott Frost's, and thus calling Frost Nebraska's Harbaugh is proabably overly complimentary to Frost.
October 16th, 2017 at 2:17 AM ^
Please don't make me like Nebraska...
October 16th, 2017 at 8:55 AM ^
Leach autographs his book, "Anybody but Craig James for Senator". No grudges held there!
Love this guy.
October 16th, 2017 at 9:18 AM ^
Isn't it alleged that Craig James killed five hookers?
October 16th, 2017 at 12:58 PM ^
Wow that's phenomenal!
October 16th, 2017 at 1:13 AM ^
Valdosta State (OC), Kentucky (OC), Texas Tech, Washington State. That's where he's spent most of his professional career. Relative outposts in the college football world where he can be creative and ply his trade and be a bit of a space cadet --- and if he isn't top-of-the-tier successful, oh well. 8-4 seasons and trips to the Alamo Bowl are more than enough to keep the folk happy.
Nebraska's much more high pressure.
He can honestly spend the next 5-10 years at WSU and not get fired, retire from there. It's beautiful country (if isolated) up there, and he's originally from the west coast.
He may not see the grass as being greener in Lincoln.
October 16th, 2017 at 6:29 AM ^
Nebraska is much more of an outpost than it used to be. The fans just don't realize it. Riley has had more recruiting scores ("Calibraska") than I would have guessed.
October 16th, 2017 at 1:13 AM ^
I think Nebraska is definitely keeping an eye on Frost. And if he keeps it up, he'll get the nod.
October 16th, 2017 at 8:40 AM ^
He's already shown enough for Nebraska.
He's in, starting next season. It's done.
The new AD clears the way for the formalities to commence.
October 16th, 2017 at 1:42 AM ^
It's easier for Frost to win where he is.
October 16th, 2017 at 6:14 AM ^
????. Like, the least relevant factor ever.
October 16th, 2017 at 6:59 AM ^
In that state? Come on man.
October 16th, 2017 at 9:44 AM ^
He doesn't have to beat UF or Miami or FSU. UCF is in the American Athletic Conference.
Being based in FL, UCF (and USF) has a better local recruiting base than any other team in that conference.
I would say that yes, it is easier for him to win there than at Nebraska.
Having said that, it's a no-brained to take the job when offered.
October 16th, 2017 at 7:34 PM ^
And that matters?
I mean by your logic, why in the hell would Harbaugh come to Michigan? I mean why take over a 5-7 team and walk into the QB room that only had Shane Morris and redshirt freshman Wilton Speight as scholarship QBs, with no feature back, and a subpar OL.
I mean he’s one of the hottest coaching names out there. He could have gotten the job at any opening at every level of football.
Easier to win... gosh the guy might as well use his great coaching acumen to coach PeeWee football. It’ll definitely be easy to win then.
October 16th, 2017 at 2:03 AM ^
I would hire Frost. He's doing great at UCF this year. Mike Leach seems like a system guy who works better at lower power 5 schools like Rich Rod.
October 16th, 2017 at 4:12 AM ^
8-4 doesn't fly there and yet you'll not put together one top 10 recruiting class after another there. Their expectations are as high as ours and even ours might just be a bit unrealistic in this day and age..but at least recruiting at Michigan isn't as difficult as it is at Nebraska. And Leach is no recruiting wizard.
I think a place like Wazzu is pretty good for him. The expectations are reasonable and the culture has some appreciation for a maverick spirit.
Just imagine the awkwardness if Leach did one of his 'my players are all bums' speeches in a place like Nebraska. They canned Pelini just because he wasn't meeting their expectation of "Nebraska Nice".
October 16th, 2017 at 9:19 AM ^
There's a HUGE difference in how Leach delivers a diatribe from how Pelini delivered one. Pelini was pissed - complete with spittle flying cuss words and angry reactions. You could tell he was angry and out of control. Leach makes you laugh your ass off while delivering his point without ambiguity.
What makes LEach a non-fit at Nebraska is the Air Raid offense. Neb fancies themselves a run first, run hard, run always offense. Doesn't really matter how that run works (IZ, power, fancy spread, option, etc), just friggen' run it. Bill Callahan tried to install a pass happy O, and failed miserably. Mostly because he couldn't coach it or recruit for it, but the locals wanted nothing to do with it, either. Sort of like how Rich Rod faired when he brought his fancy spread offense into Michigan Stadium - it wasn't what we fancy our offense to be.
IMHO, Leach needs to stay at WSU. He's a hero there, and will have the run of the town with love, despite the 8-4/9-3 finishes that are 'normal' for him.
October 16th, 2017 at 1:25 PM ^
Apparently you never heard the story about Callahan's first spring game in Lincoln. The QB threw an incomplete pass on the first play, and received an ovation. The Nebraska fans were done with the option and wanted a modern offense. At this point I imagine they just want to win and don't really care how.
October 16th, 2017 at 4:31 AM ^
hating Nebraska with Frost as head coach than with Leach.
Either way, Nebraska is going to have an extremely hard time regaining their past glory---exactly what else is there to attract recruits to the middle of nowhere?