Super Official "Burn it all down if we can't beat" Rutgers game week thread
- Thread starter ATX_Husker
- Start date
We're stuck with Rhule, even if he loses out. He'll use the excuse that we just need another year to get over the hump with a new offensive coordinator. And we're also stuck with AC, which is not good for this program because TJL is gone.
If AC struggles next season like we have seen at times this year the fans will be clamoring for Trae Taylor to get on the field (assuming he is still coming which he seems adamant about). With them eliminating the redshirt year and going with the 5 for 5 plan there is no reason Rhule can't put him in and see how ready he is.
We don't play like we want to win and I've felt that way going back to Riley. Whatever the "go get it" factor is for a football team - we don't have it. Bo specifically would recruit players that played on HS championship football teams because he wanted the mentality of kids that would do whatever it takes to win. Not saying that is the cure - but somehow we haven't coached and developed team leaders to ensure we optimize things in tough games. Not sure Matt Frost knows how.
My point had nothing to do with Rhule's buyout. It's hard to speculate what lays ahead with three games remaining. (Who would have thought Holgorsen would have been fired four weeks ago?) But I believe Dannon has no interest in a head coaching search this year unless we end up 5-7 with a couple humiliating, season-ending blowouts.
Look I'm every bit as frustrated and angry as our board's "FIRE RHULE!" crowd. But I'm of the opinion that you can't allow your emotions in the moment to overrule your better judgement. Way too often in CFB circles, emotional decisions turn out to be really bad ones.
Nebraska Football has made numerous 'really bad' ones over the years that we've spent countless threads talking about. On the other hand, nobody every talks about one of our BEST decisions: Retaining TO.
Tom Osborne was informed by a Board of Regents member after his team's Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl win in December 1976 that he had been on the verge of being fired because fans were so angry with him over the team's season performance.
Stop and think about all the great football we would have lost? To be clear, I am NOT comparing Rhule with Osborne. But I've seen considerable off-the-field progress and some (but not enough) progress on-the-field since Matt Rhule got here. I know we live in an instant gratification society nowadays, but I'm not ready to 'throw the baby out with the bathwater.' ***
*** Pending the outcome of Saturday's game with Rutgers.
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I saw an interview clip of Jason Peter and Grant Wistrom and the point was they had complete faith that their coaches were always going to put them in a position to win. They never had a doubt.
These players clearly have doubts.
These players clearly have doubts.
Look I'm every bit as frustrated and angry as our board's "FIRE RHULE!" crowd. But I'm of the opinion that you can't allow your emotions in the moment to overrule your better judgement. Way too often in CFB circles, emotional decisions turn out to be really bad ones...
....Stop and think about all the great football we would have lost? To be clear, I am NOT comparing Rhule with Osborne. But I've seen considerable off-the-field progress and some (but not enough) progress on-the-field since Matt Rhule got here. I know we live in an instant gratification society nowadays, but I'm not ready to 'throw the baby out with the bathwater.' ***
*** Pending the outcome of Saturday's game with Rutgers.
I think it's clear that you disagree w/ folks who want Rhule gone. But it's a bit dismissive to say they're allowing their emotions to overrule their better judgment.
I've read some pretty persuasive arguments for his dismissal, w/ some pretty cold metrics to support them.
And as far as a need for "instant gratification" goes, I'm not sure we can claim that that's the source of gripes, since (1) we're in the fourth season of this series; and (2) the vast majority of folks were simply seeking visible improvement and not a championship. Whether we've seen that is at least questionable.
Also, I agree that it's good that we're not comparing TO w/ MR. The distinctions b/w the two and their respective FB environments are simply too many to list.
But HCTO never fielded a team that has had the litany of recurring, seemingly unaddressed issues that our team displays this yr.
Tough season for all of us.
GBR, Doc.
Speaking of Rutgers...apparently they are bringing Schiano back again next season.
If we lose to Rutgers on Saturday by any margin. Dannen is going to he hard pressed to keep Rhule no matter his buyout. I hope to heck we don't as that would be the ultimate embarrassment. Losing to lowly Rutgers. He loses out he's toast IMO. I'm probably wrong but you don't start out 5-0 then lose 7 straight and keep your job.My point had nothing to do with Rhule's buyout. It's hard to speculate what lays ahead with three games remaining. (Who would have thought Holgorsen would have been fired four weeks ago?) But I believe Dannon has no interest in a head coaching search this year unless we end up 5-7 with a couple humiliating, season-ending blowouts.
Look I'm every bit as frustrated and angry as our board's "FIRE RHULE!" crowd. But I'm of the opinion that you can't allow your emotions in the moment to overrule your better judgement. Way too often in CFB circles, emotional decisions turn out to be really bad ones.
Nebraska Football has made numerous 'really bad' ones over the years that we've spent countless threads talking about. On the other hand, nobody every talks about one of our BEST decisions: Retaining TO.
Tom Osborne was informed by a Board of Regents member after his team's Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl win in December 1976 that he had been on the verge of being fired because fans were so angry with him over the team's season performance.
Stop and think about all the great football we would have lost? To be clear, I am NOT comparing Rhule with Osborne. But I've seen considerable off-the-field progress and some (but not enough) progress on-the-field since Matt Rhule got here. I know we live in an instant gratification society nowadays, but I'm not ready to 'throw the baby out with the bathwater.' ***
*** Pending the outcome of Saturday's game with Rutgers.
I don't think it's instant gratification when Rhule has had as much time as it took for us to win WWII.
To be clear, I haven't checked out the 'Fire Rhule and everybody else' thread. I'm depressed enough without going there. But much of the stuff I've read here in other places strike me as gut reactions to our inability to score more points and finish games. Franklin was fired by Penn State essentially for his inability to 'win the big one.' That was Tom Osborne back in the day. How better off is Penn State now?
FWIW, my instant gratification take was meant as general comment about CFB fans (i.e Ohio State, Michigan, etc. But judging 'improvement' for us is a season-long thing. We still have three games left. The final word will depend entirely on how we finish out the season.
GBR, Votary!
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That's my summation. Now I would prefer that Rhule starts winning games but if we start 5-0 and finish 5-7, I don't know how Dannen cannot fire Rhule.
Especially since 4 of the 5 wins were against teams at the bottom
I mean Ohio Bobcats are doing good... Maybe they are our best win.
Our best almost win was... IDK
I guess that's what I'm referring to. Apparently, at the risk of appearing to dismiss the 'Fire Rhule' people, you don't make executive decisions involving hundreds of millions of dollars because we're all pissed off that we lost some games we "should've won."
For the record, I'm not a knee-jerk 'protectionist.' Some here will remember I questioned whether Frost was truly 'the answer' as early as Year 2 and 3. And I felt he should've been dismissed after both Years 3 and 4. The difference is that I thought Frost was over his head and didn't know how to run a program of our size. I believe Rhule has done a lot to put our program in a position to 'take off.' This season started off looking like this could be it--and then bombed.
Bottom line? A decision of this magnitude has to take into consideration a tremendous number of critical factors. Time will tell.
Unless the athletic department finds a magic pot of gold I think they simply don't have the resources to do anything else but keep Rhule with the stadium project going on. It's fine to think he should be let go but I just don't see Nebraska making a move like that.
Penn State beat Washington on the road. We lost to Washington on our home field in close to humiliating fashion (can't make one stop on 4th and forever???). I'd argue Penn State is already in a better place with a coach that was knee capped by his hiring process on getting recruits and portal players. Campbell will get a full class for 2027 and I suspect the results will improve. Will ours under Rhule? Ever? I understand the hesitation but you are who your record says you are. Rhule is a very mediocre head coach. Maybe the powers that be are OK with that. I am not - but also don't have a say in the decision process.
