I write for a few sports outlets and when one of them approached me, knowing I am a die Hard Husker and Alum, I jumped at the chance to do a short article about the state of affairs in Husker Nation. Thought I would share it with the forum here
Huskers need a new Direction
By Tony George
One cannot make an argument for firing Bo Pelini. His sideline demeanor aside, he has won more games out of the gate in his 6+ years at Nebraska than either Tom Osborne or Bob Devaney, both legendary coaches at Nebraska, and both coaches who won multiple National Titles. How do you fire a guy like that, who goes to a bowl game every year, and beat an SEC team in last year’s bowl game, albeit their stud starting QB was out with injury. How do you make a case for firing him, and bear in mind the last time Nebraska fired a 9 win coach was Frank Solich, who had the Huskers in the national title game the year before, and the Huskers have never been the same since. Interesting fact is that Bo Pelini was the interim head coach for that years Alamo Bowl Game after Solich was fired, and Nebraska beat Michigan State.
On the other hand being a true Nebraska fan since I was 6 years old, and an alum, (and yes a guy who took 6 points with them on Saturday), I have to question where the program is going. On the national NCAA Football landscape the once mighty and feared Huskers are not even a footnote in College Football, and not because they are not in the SEC, it is because every time the Huskers reach a point where a game they have matters, they fail in embarrassing fashion. As a Husker, I compare watching big games they play in to Seinfeld re-runs, while you are entranced to watch them, the ending is always the same no matter how many times you watch it, George never gets the girl and the Soup Nazi is mean! The Soup Nazi just told Bo Pelini, “No Big 10 Title for You”.
On Saturday the highly ranked Huskers traveled to Madison Wisconsin with arguably the West Division on the line off a bye week, and the once proud and mighty Husker Black shirts were turned into Pink shirts by RB Melvin Gordon, who went for 408 yards against them (16.3 yards per carry), a national yards allowed to a RB record, many of them in big chunks as Wisconsin destroyed the Huskers on a nationally televised game on ABC. Did I mention the Wisconsin coaching staff actually showed mercy by pulling Gordon after 3 quarters or he would have had 500+ against a Nebraska defense actually touted as being better than average? Nebraska’s own Heisman Hopeful Ameer Abdullah ,who had the majority of headlines coming into this game on a national level, looked like a redshirt sophomore backup. Wisconsin out gained Nebraska by a whopping and embarrassing 627–180 in total yards. This is inexcusable for a program like Nebraska, with players, facilities and resources that rival any team in the top 40 in college football. Bo Pelini said after the setback that the program “was on the right track”? What track is that I wonder, obviously one where the train de-rails.
As I looked through game to game stats on RB Gordon it was interesting to note that Western Illinois held him to 38 yards rushing on 17 attempts. Did anyone during the bye-week watch the game film of Western Illinois? Did anyone during the bye week devise a plan to shadow this guy, dedicate a LB to follow his every move, think to bring the safety up for run support on this guy and play man to man defense on the receivers since Wisconsin hardly throws it? Do you think the Defensive Coordinator, John Papuchis, really has any control over the defense or game strategy as you watch Pelini scold him like a 4 year old on sidelines? First up Mr. Papuchis needs to be fired, as Nebraska has had so many defensive debacles under his rein it warrants it, and that scenario should have happened last year. This past weekend calls for a new direction on the defensive side of the ball for Nebraska, and a serious look at the head coaches involvement in the defense, which is what Pelini is known for.
Face it Husker Nation, and I am one of you, but we just do not matter in College Football anymore. Everyone from Nebraska likes to live in the glory days, and that was 1997 to be exact, when Osborne went out on top after a shared national title and a defeat of Peyton Manning and Tennessee. Boy how times have changed since the Big 8 and Big 12 days. The Big 10 is a weak conference and there are at least 3 teams as good as if not better than Wisconsin, and the Badgers just woodshed butt kicked us into submission and a lower tier bowl and reduced Nebraska to an “also ran” in the Big 10. I have seen this movie going on 7 years now, the ending is always the same. Beat up every weak sister and below average to average team, play anyone in the Top 20 and get hammered on national TV. Barry Alverez, an ex-Nebraska player, built Wisconsin as a coach and AD as a mirror to what the Huskers have done over the years, and the offense and defense of Wisconsin looked like the Huskers of past glory days this Saturday. Big ol dose of humble pie and in your face. The Badgers have surpassed us using the Nebraska recipe for success.
At days end, Husker AD Shan Eichorst (formerly from Wisconsin I might add), has to step up and have Pelini look at the DC position as one that is open, and go on national search. Looks like Bud Foster from Virginia Tech might be looking for a job, Muschamp from Florida is out of work at seasons end, numerous other defensive minded coaches and coordinators with solid resumes are out there. One thing that needs to occur, is Bo Pelini needs to get a strong personality in there as a DC and let the guy coach, period. Whoever is there, they cannot submit to being a Pelini puppet like the current coach is, because quite frankly it is embarrassing. Do not get me wrong, numerous schools out there would love a 9 or 10 win season and Bowl Game every year, but people from Nebraska have a different take on 9 or 10 wins, and when those rare losses do come, it is unacceptable to look like a Jr. High team versus and NFL team, which is what is occurring in to many cases at Nebraska. Time for a change, what that is I do not know, but the time is now, or Nebraska will continue to be an “also ran”, and honestly the loyal fans of Husker Nation deserve more.