Won - Loss record doesn’t tell the health of a program

[Righteous Red]

Granted, if you win more than you lose, you are a winning coach, right? The real proof in the pudding is what is your record in conference play? When you win your non conference games with the likes of Houston Baptist, you are already half way there in achieving a 6-6 record. We are definitely found wanting when you look at conference records. In the last four seasons we are 13 - 23 in conference play.

Another non scientific way to look at a program is how you win or how you lose. In our conference wins, we are not dominant, we struggle, limp, and gasp to those victories over less than average teams, which makes us look……. well, less than average. We haven’t had any real signature wins. We allow teams to snatch victories from us in the fourth quarter. We only get worse as the season progresses. October and November are dark months. The health of good/great teams hinges on the basics and the O, the D, and Special Teams all have to be complementary with each other.

In my opinion, in the last three years we have been stagnant as a team. We haven’t gone backwards nor have we gone forward. I hope I’m so wrong about the team. I’ll be thrilled if everyone is eating turkey this Thanksgiving while I’ll be eating Crow.

 

[Doc Fumble]

In my opinion, in the last three years we have been stagnant as a team. We haven’t gone backwards nor have we gone forward. I hope I’m so wrong about the team.

Our fanbase has become VERY impatient. Who can blame us? Hell, I've certainly been chomping at the bit to see the program return to our traditional perch in CFB's Top Ten for what feels like forever. I came back to Lincoln in 2002 excited and poised to watch our team's return to the Promised Land. Instead, I've suffered through every ^$*^%($#@ bump in the road---and, man oh man, there's been WAY TOO MANY of 'em.

But it cannot be underemphasized what a cluster**k the past decade had been. It started with the embarrassing Bo Meltdown, then the entire Mike Riley Fiasco, followed by the Frost Mega-Debacle. It ended with all of us hoping a new-to-Nebraska position coach (but an alum) could salvage a tiny bit of dignity by the end of the season that started with the mortifyingly BAD Ireland game.

The program was in shambles and anyone who thinks otherwise must've been sniffing glue. Matt Rhule got a little more candid last season but to put it bluntly--he inherited a mess. It didn't help any that within a few weeks of taking over the job, our interim coach was arrested for assaulting his wife. What a HUGE PR nightmare to 'kick off' the new era!!!

The only good that came out of that mess was that the charges against Mickey were eventually dropped and the usual "We've GOT to have a "Nebraska Man at the helm" Crowd stopped whining on fan boards that we hired the wrong guy. Just imagine where we'd be if they had gotten their way?

I'll readily agree that Rhule had made his fair share of mistakes--some of his biggest coming right out of the gate. For all the good things he did in Year One to turn around the sadsack culture Frost left us with, his mistakes cost us a winning record.

But for all the hand-wringing of fans, there's a quiet confidence inside the Osborne Complex now. At least, that's what I'm hearing. I believe Coach Rhule's recent hires--and this year's recruiting class--are signs the program is back on solid footing. Personally, I believe Coach Rhule has done an outstanding job of transforming the program. It hasn't shown itself (yet) in the win/loss column, but in my humble opinion, the program today is lightyears better than it was a few years ago.

 

[Husker99]

I'm looking at our schedule for 2026 and the 2nd half of the season is a murderer's row.

In 2026, of our last 6 games, 4 of them are on the road where recent history tells us we're not good. Combine that with our usual and predictable mid-October through the end of November crash, and yeah...

I mean I see the potential this team has, but I've seen this movie so many times and it always ends the same way. So until this team proves it on the field, I'm just going to expect more of the mediocre same.

 

[Pavlov's Dog]

Here is the single thing that gives me hope.
Gunnar Guttula, who started a lot of games last year, is relegated to depth. He has improved, he's a year older, and the quality of this year's Oline is such that he is now Quality Depth. Last year he was thrown into the breach in a desperate attempt to piece together a B1G Oline. I expect him to start next year, but this year, he's where he should be. He gets another year of seasoning while playing valuable minutes, preparing for his time in the sun. I don't know if anyone remembers my panic-driven posts last year at the beginning of the season lamenting our Oline. I'm the opposite this year.

 

[Doc Fumble]

I'm looking at our schedule for 2026 and the 2nd half of the season is a murderer's row.

When you're wanting to have a 'breakout' season, our schedule is tailor-made to do it.

In 2026, of our last 6 games, 4 of them are on the road where recent history tells us we're not good.

We're used to hearing we've got one of the youngest teams in the B1G. Guess what? I heard a pundit recently say that Nebraska's roster will be OLDER than every single team they'll play this year. On the surface, you might say: Oookay, so what? But in every college sport I've ever followed, the more mature your players are, the more resilient they are to adversity--especially on the road.

Given this year's schedule, I find that encouraging.

 

[Husker99]

Given this year's schedule, I find that encouraging.

I hope you're right.

 

[Uenth]

Yup, I like what we're hearing but like others have said, we've heard this song too many times. Having said that, there's still a sense of anticipation that maybe, just maybe, this is the year we start the turnaround. Only time will tell. I have no clarvoyent powers.

 

[Righteous Red]

Our fanbase has become VERY impatient. Who can blame us? Hell, I've certainly been chomping at the bit to see the program return to our traditional perch in CFB's Top Ten for what feels like forever. I came back to Lincoln in 2002 excited and poised to watch our team's return to the Promised Land. Instead, I've suffered through every ^$*^%($#@ bump in the road---and, man oh man, there's been WAY TOO MANY of 'em.

But it cannot be underemphasized what a cluster**k the past decade had been. It started with the embarrassing Bo Meltdown, then the entire Mike Riley Fiasco, followed by the Frost Mega-Debacle. It ended with all of us hoping a new-to-Nebraska position coach (but an alum) could salvage a tiny bit of dignity by the end of the season that started with the mortifyingly BAD Ireland game.

The program was in shambles and anyone who thinks otherwise must've been sniffing glue. Matt Rhule got a little more candid last season but to put it bluntly--he inherited a mess. It didn't help any that within a few weeks of taking over the job, our interim coach was arrested for assaulting his wife. What a HUGE PR nightmare to 'kick off' the new era!!!

The only good that came out of that mess was that the charges against Mickey were eventually dropped and the usual "We've GOT to have a "Nebraska Man at the helm" Crowd stopped whining on fan boards that we hired the wrong guy. Just imagine where we'd be if they had gotten their way?

I'll readily agree that Rhule had made his fair share of mistakes--some of his biggest coming right out of the gate. For all the good things he did in Year One to turn around the sadsack culture Frost left us with, his mistakes cost us a winning record.

But for all the hand-wringing of fans, there's a quiet confidence inside the Osborne Complex now. At least, that's what I'm hearing. I believe Coach Rhule's recent hires--and this year's recruiting class--are signs the program is back on solid footing. Personally, I believe Coach Rhule has done an outstanding job of transforming the program. It hasn't shown itself (yet) in the win/loss column, but in my humble opinion, the program today is lightyears better than it was a few years ago.

Doc, I whole heartedly agree with you that we don’t need a Nebraska Guy to coach us.
Frankie was a good coach, but I believe he wouldn’t have been able to recruit at high levels, or adjust to what college football was evolving to. Ohio was a great fit. He was able to recruit those guys that Ohio State didn’t want, however they were excellent for
Ohio U. You already mentioned Frost and Joseph. That leaves us with The Bob Father who was not one of us, and Tom Osborne who was not a Nebraska man. He went to college at Hastings College. So the next time we are looking for a coach, we need a
Hastings College Guy, or a Michigan State Guy. Those guys were the two greatest coaches we’ve ever had. Problem solved!

 

[Doc Fumble]

I whole heartedly agree with you that we don’t need a Nebraska Guy to coach us.

If there's any blessing that's come from our glory days becoming a distant memory, it's that we've put the old mindset that "It's gotta be a Nebraska guy" in the rearview mirror.

To be clear, I'm not saying it can't be a former player or coach, I'm simply opining it shouldn't limit who our AD considers for the job. The key is finding the right head coach.

That Old Notion gained a lot of momentum because in 2004 and 2015, our ADs mindboggingly ignored one of the classic considerations ANY good hiring manager in ANY business thinks about when making a hire: "Is this candidate a good fit for our organization?" From the get-go any fan of Nebraska football would've answered with a resounding "HELL NO" to Bill Callahan and Mike Riley.

But when TO returned as AD in 2007, he did something equally bad, he limited the final field to a choice between Bo Pelini and Turner Gill. Why? 1) they were Nebraska guys who would hire other Nebraska guys; and 2) they were cheap compared to a homerun hire.

This is how a Blueblood program who once-upon-a-time had 'the pick of the CFB coaching litter' went 0-5 in HC hires. Trev Alberts was the first Nebraska AD to employ the right strategy for Post-TO Hire #6. Will Matt Rhule work out? The jury is still out. The start has been less-than-spectacular but the future looks promising. (Fingers-crossed.)

 

[Uenth]

n my opinion, in the last three years we have been stagnant as a team. We haven’t gone backwards nor have we gone forward. I hope I’m so wrong about the team. I’ll be thrilled if everyone is eating turkey this Thanksgiving while I’ll be eating Crow.

I feel like that is the issue that most of us are struggling with. The last 3 years we have absolutely been stagnant as a team, embarrassingly so. It's not regressing, but it sure as hell isn't forward progress.

 

[Doc Fumble]

I feel like that is the issue that most of us are struggling with. The last 3 years we have absolutely been stagnant as a team, embarrassingly so. It's not regressing, but it sure as hell isn't forward progress.

I disagree, Uenth.

The tough thing about taking over as Husker head coach is that us fans view the program through misty, 20th Century eyes instead of the stark, consistently bottom-of-the-pack B1G team Rhule took over.

We've all been chomping-at-the-bit to get back to the level we were for an incredible 40-plus years so going from a sadsack loser to bowl-eligibility the last seasons hasn't generated widespread fan goosebumps.

But our HC is a good one. We'll see how the season plays out but it appears he's learned from his mistakes and has positioned us for the next jump. That IS progress, (serious progress, I'd opine, from where the program was leaving Ireland.)

We have a long, glorious history but when it comes to returning to the Big Time, the fiery exit of Pelini followed by the sadsack performances of the two HCs that followed him have made that climb back much steeper than it should've been. But we're gonna get there.

 

[Pavlov's Dog]

But our HC is a good one. We'll see how the season plays out but it appears he's learned from his mistakes and has positioned us for the next jump. That IS progress, (serious progress, I'd opine, from where the program was leaving Ireland.)

This is Top Tier College Football. A good head coach shouldn't have to keep "Learning from his mistakes" Every time I hear that he's learning I think maybe he ain't B1G HC material. This conference isn't where you come to learn, it's where you show how much you know.
I think we are heading in the right direction, but Rhule might not be the one to take us back to elite levels. I'm hoping I'm wrong, but I've been right so often it's concerning.

 

[Uenth]

I disagree, Uenth.

The tough thing about taking over as Husker head coach is that us fans view the program through misty, 20th Century eyes instead of the stark, consistently bottom-of-the-pack B1G team Rhule took over.

We've all been chomping-at-the-bit to get back to the level we were for an incredible 40-plus years so going from a sadsack loser to bowl-eligibility the last seasons hasn't generated widespread fan goosebumps.

But our HC is a good one. We'll see how the season plays out but it appears he's learned from his mistakes and has positioned us for the next jump. That IS progress, (serious progress, I'd opine, from where the program was leaving Ireland.)

We have a long, glorious history but when it comes to returning to the Big Time, the fiery exit of Pelini followed by the sadsack performances of the two HCs that followed him have made that climb back much steeper than it should've been. But we're gonna get there.

I'm not p*ssed that we're not winning the B1G. I've maintained all along that as long as we see tangible progress, I'm good. But I don't believe that we've seen progress and that's the frustrating thing. We seem to be stuck in a rut and that does frustrate the bejesus out of me. The way we ended 2025 really made it crystal clear to me that no substantial progress has been made.

I'm hopeful that HCMRh has made the necessary changes and I do have a spark of hope that we're on the right track. Gawd knows I don't want another version of the coaching carousel. We seem to come out on the short end of that stick so I really hope that things are going to change this year. Again, I don't expect a barnburner season, just tangible progress and no second half of the season like last year. To say that blows large chunks is an understatement.

 

[HuskerVotary]

To the OP, there've been a lot of chgs. to the Staff, some seem like big, good chgs. There've been similar chgs to the roster. Makes me hopeful. As-f'ing-usual.

I'm not antsy. I'll wait and see. Hoping for the best and ever-ready to believe...

...and take the pain

 

[Doc Fumble]

This is Top Tier College Football. A good head coach shouldn't have to keep "Learning from his mistakes" Every time I hear that he's learning I think maybe he ain't B1G HC material.

Not B1G HC material?

Good grief, Matt Rhule took over a football team on a SIX YEAR losing streak and has produced two straight winners.

OOPS....Silly me, I forgot, the Huskers won a Natty 28 freaking years ago. So obviously THAT means the guy must be a bum because he hasn't made the CFB playoffs or won a championship yet. Tick...tick...tick. How frustrating! Clearly, the guy's a bum, right???!??

There's A LOT of great, HOF-caliber college football coaches in the past who didn't come in like a barn burner. I remember a wet-behind-the-ears assistant coach who took over a program one year removed from a national champion. Many fans questioned whether HE was a decent HC. I mean the guy didn't win a CONFERENCE championship in a two-team dominated league for...what was it? A co-championship in Year SIX?

Bobby Bowden started his Florida State tenure at 17-15 in his first three years. Frank Beamer at Va Tech was 11-22 after three seasons--YIKES, FIRE THE BUM, right?

Let me give you one last example: Colorado's Bill McCartney. He was 7-25-1 after three seasons. What's more, his third season the Buffs were 1-10. While Buff fans wanted McCartney's head on a plate, their AD did the unthinkable--he gave Bill a contract extension!!!! The next four years he turned the trajectory around and produced four straight winning teams (but they were "stagnant;" they weren't anywhere close to Nebraska's or OU's level.) But somehow, McCartney went on to win a conference championship, produce a Heisman Trophy winner, and win a natty. Hmmm, maybe CU's AD knew what he was doing.

At my age, trust me, I'm more-than-ready for some top-tier football again. I don't have time to wait around for another couple of decades. Fans whine about the coaching carousel we see in CFB but they're always the ones fueling it. I honestly believe we've got right guy. It's not saying a whole lot, but he's the best head coach we've had since Osborne. We just need to give him time.

 

[valiantsailor]

You are what your record says you are.....Bill Parcels

 

[Jimbosc]

At this point - whatever concerns you have - we are set for 2026 and need to see how the team performs over 12 games and hopefully a bowl game (or god forbid a playoff spot). And I concede Rhule is not going anywhere for 2027.

So maybe - I just need to sit back and enjoy the ride. Some bad stuff could happen....sure. But that's been true for the last decade. AD will pull some levers to help if things go badly this season.....I am sure I will comment along the way but I'll try to refrain from blow it all up and focus on where I see improvement needed.

Going into the season it comes down to RB (but we might be fine), Dline and Special Teams (mostly due to the coaching changes). BUT - I also think this team needs to get tougher in close games - hopefully the Husker average age being older than most teams will help with that.

 

[Doc Fumble]

So maybe - I just need to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Excellent advice for all of us!

 

[valiantsailor]

Excellent advice for all of us!

Especially you Doc......winks

 

[Doc Fumble]

Especially you Doc......winks

Hey, I always enjoy the ride, Val!

...and when I don't, I try to avoid my keyboard.