The "What if" game...

[Husker Missionary]

What if MJ ends the season 5-6; wins the next 4 games but loses the last 4. Do you look for a new coach?

What if MJ ends the season at 7-5, beats everyone except gets blown out by Minn. and Mich., do you replace him with a proven quantity? Does MJ need a victory over a quality opponent to prove himself?

So far I like MJ and Busch and am intrigued by their comments and enthusiasm (They need to prove it on the field). But there is still the unknown of their ability to keep it going. If you take a chance on MJ and he bombs out next year, there will be very good coaches who will be off the table next year...

What would be your most difficult scenario to end the season to replace MJ and company? Not what are the minimum requirements to keep MJ.

 

[Jimbosc]

The chances of this team winning 4 games is less than 1% - getting to 7 wins is probably 0.001%

Still not enough to retain this staff if he does manage to pull it off a 5-7 record.

Making a bowl game probably opens the door for MJ to be considered - but I suspect a decision on the next head coach will be made WAY before we get to that point of the season.

 

[GIJoeRed]

...

Making a bowl game probably opens the door for MJ to be considered....

IF MJ makes NU reach a bowl.....ummm....THAT'S a Hallelujah moment I'd think.

 

[ramelbm]

The team finishing 9-3 and a bowl would be the toughest decision to let him go. Finishing 8-4 should have him in the conversation, and anything less should not.

 

[innmc]

If MJ can take this team and make it to a bowl game under these circumstances would be a hell of a job.

 

[Removed Spleen of Jordan]

Merge these what if threads.

 

[Huskergod84]

What if MJ ends the season 5-6; wins the next 4 games but loses the last 4. Do you look for a new coach?

What if MJ ends the season at 7-5, beats everyone except gets blown out by Minn. and Mich., do you replace him with a proven quantity? Does MJ need a victory over a quality opponent to prove himself?

So far I like MJ and Busch and am intrigued by their comments and enthusiasm (They need to prove it on the field). But there is still the unknown of their ability to keep it going. If you take a chance on MJ and he bombs out next year, there will be very good coaches who will be off the table next year...

What would be your most difficult scenario to end the season to replace MJ and company? Not what are the minimum requirements to keep MJ.

Who would be off the table that is on it this year?

 

[MRJFB]

The danger in all this is a manifestation of the one hit wonder scenario we just slogged through.
Mickey winning 4 or 5 games would be tremendous at this point but would you want to go all in on a hand like that? Like a lot of you, I don't have an endless supply of years to wait around going in all kind of foolish(Riley) and spurious(Frost) directions.

Just hire Urban and get on with it.

 

[Husker Missionary]

Merge these what if threads.

Did I do it again?

 

[RED ED]

Did I do it again?

 

[Meanfarmer]

The danger in all this is a manifestation of the one hit wonder scenario we just slogged through.
Mickey winning 4 or 5 games would be tremendous at this point but would you want to go all in on a hand like that? Like a lot of you, I don't have an endless supply of years to wait around going in all kind of foolish(Riley) and spurious(Frost) directions.

Just hire Urban and get on with it.

 

[HuskersNC949597]

This team had hands on hips in the second quarter against Northwestern. I do not expect anything miraculous by any of the remaining coaches but admire their attitude. I believe Mickey is doing everything possible, but I don't believe the top-to-bottom dysfunction can be fixed this year.

But I also don't buy for two seconds that the "right hire" will need any more than 1 or 2 years to get it stable.

 

[Huusker]

With the exception of the last five minutes of the first half (defense looked lost and gave up 14 points), I think the defense played quite well tonight, especially considering how absolutely helpless they were against Ga. Southern and OU. Bill Busch has done quite a job in two weeks. I'm looking forward to seeing what his defense can do against Rutgers and Purdue.

If Mickey gets Nebraska to 6-6, I'd give strong consideration to lifting the "Interim" part of his job title. Even after tonight, I think that result is highly unlikely... but waiting to see what the staff can do in the next game, and then the next, etc. So far, so good.

 

[Pavlov's Dog]

The reality is we won a game at home against Indiana. There was enough penalties on both sides for 3 games. Neither team was physically dominant and the combined missed tackles and blocks must number in the hundreds.
Having said that, MJ had these guys playing with passion and refused to let them quit. He was actively coaching on the sideline, working with the assistants, and making adjustments. We haven't seen that in a long time here. It's what the team needed desperately, and he deserves a lot of credit. I don't know what humiliation the rest of the season gives us and the team, at least we had one night here. Congrats to MJ and the team.

 

[toddj99]

you don't hire based off of one year's success. you hire (or don't hire - mike reilly coming to mind) based off a measureable record of success. look at mich st right now. they threw everything at their current coach and now are in the tank.. hiring the interim coach has rarely ever gone well. someone here may be able to bring up an example when it worked out but i can't.

 

[Doc Fumble]

hiring the interim coach has rarely ever gone well. someone here may be able to bring up an example when it worked out but i can't.

Dabo Swinney became the interim HC at Clemson midway through the 2008 season and has had quite a run as the head coach there.

 

[SalinaHusker]

If MJ van get this team to a winning record or even 7 wins territory after the start we had I think he'd need to at least be a candidate.

But we will see.

No matter who the HC is next year though, I think MJ will have done a lot of the heavy lifting towards turning around and repairing the culture. Whomever gets the job will have a group of young men heading the right direction.

 

[Huskergod84]

you don't hire based off of one year's success. you hire (or don't hire - mike reilly coming to mind) based off a measureable record of success. look at mich st right now. they threw everything at their current coach and now are in the tank.. hiring the interim coach has rarely ever gone well. someone here may be able to bring up an example when it worked out but i can't.

I think Mickey has a proven record as a great coach and recruiter. Yes not as a head coach but every head coach needs to start somewhere.

 

[NebSailor]

you don't hire based off of one year's success. you hire (or don't hire - mike reilly coming to mind) based off a measureable record of success. look at mich st right now. they threw everything at their current coach and now are in the tank.. hiring the interim coach has rarely ever gone well. someone here may be able to bring up an example when it worked out but i can't.

That’s exactly what we did with Frost.

 

[Cigarman]

MJ has head coach qualities. He has only been in control for about 3 weeks; had a change at DC and was clobbered by Oklahoma. To wash all that and change the culture as much as he did that fast is impressive. He took a team that looked lost at halftime and came out to dominate the second half. He didn't let them get down, he made the needed adjustments and played the game. Instead of the quit and self-destruction we are used to, they came out on fire and played to win. The end of that game looked like the old NU. 7-minute drive and a score to seal the game. That is winning football. In reality, without the bone head penalties, they would have had a couple of more scores. He carries himself well and walks the talk. He has been in the business a long time and has been successful. He is also a top tier recruiter.

We will have to see how the rest of the season goes. They have a lot to clean up. But I have the feeling this team will continue to get better. I also think if MJ is not the HC at NU he will be a hot commodity for that position at other top tier schools. UM is not going to take this job and personally other than having experience as HC, I don't see anyone else on the list that is more qualified or a better fit than MJ.