Expectations under OC Thomas?

[innmc]

Glenn Thomas, Nebraska Co-OC/QBs​

For now, Glenn Thomas is calling the plays. The quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator for Nebraska has been the OC before in his career. He held the position at Arizona State, UNLV, Baylor (co-OC), and Temple. The Baylor and Temple spots were both with Matt Rhule as the head coach.

The 2016 Owls averaged 32.4 points and 413.6 total yards per game. That includes 176.1 yards a game on the ground.

With the Bears, Thomas and Jeff Nixon took the team from 404.9 yards and 24.3 points per game in 2017 to 421.5 yards and 33.6 points per game in 2019.

Thomas brings familiarity for Rhule, which is something the head coach has often deferred to. However, he is unlikely to bring as much change as an outsider would, which means the offense in 2027 would probably operate in much the same way as it has during the Rhule era.

MSN

 

[Crusader Husker]

RTDB!

 

[ATX_Husker]

Goodyear blimp available?

 

[ATX_Husker]

Oregon fired their OC and seem to be doing well

So far so good for Oklahoma as well

 

[OhioHusker]

Yeah, that one killed me as well. I was just glad I didn't have hot coffee in my mouth.

Be here all week. Try the veal.

 

[Pavlov's Dog]

My expectations? 6 wins and a bowl game against UCF.

 

[Hunchback Johnny]

I'll say it like this. Right to your face. If GT gets the offense in gear and starts scoring some points, Coach Matt's evaluation and decision making with coaches will be called into question. Joseph Heller has a name for it. When Matt was hired he handed the reins to Satterfield over GT. When Sat proved to be a failure he hired the best offensive mind he's ever known, Dana Holgorsen. Coach Matt said John Butler was one of the most brilliant defensive minds also.

If the O starts humming with Glenn, we will all be wondering why he wasn't given the opportunity to begin with.

 

[SUHnami]

So Rhule dropped the ax on another coordinator, this time is was OC Dana Holgorsen. I am curious what this move by Rhule does to your expectations for the remainder of the season. Feel free to explain with a comment in addition to voting!

Not really sure. This maybe the best thing for our offense and go on a 3 game winning streak? It may also be just as bad if not worse. I know very little about Thomas as a play caller. I do know he should run the ball more than pass it.

This was CYA - nothing more. The offense doesn't change. Same penalties, mistakes, drops and everything else preventing the O from scoring points.

Perhaps but it could also light a fire under them too as it has with some teams this year who have fired coordinators.

 

[Doc Fumble]

Like others here, I would like to see us run the ball more. But I would argue that our run-pass ratio to date has been determined by our inability to consistently pick up 4-plus yards running.

Our running game has been hit or miss. We look great on SOME of our off tackle plays, especially with Rule. But the fact of the matter is we also get stuffed A LOT too (loss of a couple yards, no gain, or 1 yard.) IMO, we do way too much East-West crappola!!! We also have too damn many mind-numbing illegal procedure penalties, especially after NINE games.

So when I hear we should be running the ball more, that's got to mean POUNDING the ROCK down a defense's throat for four yards on a consistent basis.

 

[redfred]

I agree we need to run it more ……….and better, but I keep coming back to the fact that we are getting beat by teams that have very little success running against us.

I’m starting to believe mental errors and missed assignments are hurting us more than our play calling. We’re not sloppy all the time, just too much at critical times.

How do you develop a team that is precise and focused? I guess that’s what I hope Matt looks for in his next hires.

 

[OhioHusker]

It's clear Rhule is an absolutely disaster at assessing coaching talent.

He's a disaster at everything other than self promotion.

 

[redfred]

He's a disaster at everything other than self promotion

I wouldn't argue that you are wrong about the part in red, but my hope is that the reason Matt is so visible on so many public avenues is that he is going for brand recognition and selling himself to recruits and donors alike. He has made it clear that he considers a major part of his job getting a team that is loaded with talent. And that includes getting the money to pay players to come AND convincing the players he will make them their best.

Now I might argue that while money is a factor, I would also suggest he should spend a good portion of his time getting the right staff and keeping them on the same goals, which in this case is getting players to have the ability to read the play, get in position to make the play and doing it without getting penalized. He should have coordinators that set the offensive and defensive systems and keep all position coaches heading in the same direction. He needs to evaluate coaches and let the coaches evaluate the players FOR THE MOST PART.

To his credit he is willing to part ways with those that he sees as not living up to those standards, but it would be nice if he was better at getting the right coaching "fits" right from the get-go. I think Matt has many personal assets, but no one is perfect at everything. A good coach, CEO, manager seeks help with their weaknesses. The coaching ranks is a pretty tight community. I think the resources are there to minimize repeated failings.

 

[OhioHusker]

I wouldn't argue that you are wrong about the part in red, but my hope is that the reason Matt is so visible on so many public avenues is that he is going for brand recognition and selling himself to recruits and donors alike. He has made it clear that he considers a major part of his job getting a team that is loaded with talent. And that includes getting the money to pay players to come AND convincing the players he will make them their best.

Now I might argue that while money is a factor, I would also suggest he should spend a good portion of his time getting the right staff and keeping them on the same goals, which in this case is getting players to have the ability to read the play, get in position to make the play and doing it without getting penalized. He should have coordinators that set the offensive and defensive systems and keep all position coaches heading in the same direction. He needs to evaluate coaches and let the coaches evaluate the players FOR THE MOST PART.

To his credit he is willing to part ways with those that he sees as not living up to those standards, but it would be nice if he was better at getting the right coaching "fits" right from the get-go. I think Matt has many personal assets, but no one is perfect at everything. A good coach, CEO, manager seeks help with their weaknesses. The coaching ranks is a pretty tight community. I think the resources are there to minimize repeated failings.

He's had multiple misses on coaches, which gives me doubt he can fix this

 

[Jimbosc]

You are who your record says you are. Up to this point - Matt Frost hasn't shown he knows how fix getting past mediocre football. I think - unless the next 3 games are a train wreck - he'll get show us if he learned anything from the first 4 seasons. The comments from former players - especially those in the NFL that have gotten direct feedback about Rhule's coaching with the Panthers - makes me think we will muddle through 1 more season under Rhule - at which point the powers that be will be forced to make a change regardless of the $$$.
I'd support a change after 2026 - but I also don't trust Nebraska to make an educated head coach hire for football. So.....can we find someone else to pick a coach for us? Maybe a blue ribbon select committee????

 

[redfred]

- but I also don't trust Nebraska to make an educated head coach hire for football. So.....can we find someone else to pick a coach for us? Maybe a blue ribbon select committee????

While most likely said tongue-in-cheek there is validity in seeking reliable outside assistance in whittling down the pool by desires, needs, and finances. I've set on boards that had to make CEO hires and by far the most successful hires were made by hiring a firm to access and condense options. Of course, the final decision was made by the board, but inevitably insights were brought up, and history was investigated which made decisions easier...........and better........often times in a different direction than what was initially expected.

 

[innmc]

So.....can we find someone else to pick a coach for us? Maybe a blue ribbon select committee????

BHF could take you up on that. There is a plethora of well known experts right here that would probably do as good of a job.
If only they would have listened to me the last time and hired that coach from Army we'd be competing for championships by now and would lead the country in rushing... but NOOO!

 

[ATX_Husker]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2119813588135338120

 

[ATX_Husker]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2119649637795819896

 

[Jimbosc]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2119649637795819896

That shows you we suck at details. Penalties, mistakes, execution......turnovers only really impacted the Washington game but our points to yards production has to be about the worst in the country the last 4-5 weeks.

 

[valiantsailor]

This was CYA - nothing more. The offense doesn't change. Same penalties, mistakes, drops and everything else preventing the O from scoring points.

Glenn Thomas was a buddy hire, look at his background. Temple and Baylor, Rhule has to go and you have to ask again, what the heck was Trev Albers thinking??