re: Will Nebraska football ever make a comeback?

Another significant reason that hasn't been mentioned is the type of player that used to walk-on or ride the bench at Nebraska now has all kinds of FCS options in the Dakota state schools.

quote:

---

mizzoubuckeyeiowa

---

Its like I could take your post and literally insert different teams throughout college football history and itd all be true.

Solich needed to go. The option wasnt going to work another year. He was fired 4 seasons after going to the national title game. The option wasnt going to win again.

quote:

---

abandoned that for disasters like Callahan who wanted to bring WC football to Lincoln.

---

Agree with this 100%. Callahan was too much of a change. No easing in to it. He may have been good if they would have went with a more balanced coach first and then brought in Callahan after like 5 years of recruiting.

quote:

---

Nebraska has been firing coaches every few years since Tom Osborne

---

People always forget about Frank Solich. He was at Nebraska six years and finished in the top ten three of those six years (even went to national championship game in ‘01/‘02). He was fired after going 9-3. That was the beginning of the decline. Same for Tennessee firing Fulmer and Texas kicking Mack Brown to the curb.

quote:

---

It's like dude, you cheated like frick, you took criminals into your program and you rose when EVERYONE else was down.

---

quote:

---

Miami was down

---

Are you sure you aren't talking about Miami?

quote:

---

It's like dude, you cheated like frick, you took criminals into your program and you rose when EVERYONE else was down.

Miami was down, Oklahoma was a shite show, USC was down, Notre Dame was down, etc.

---

Really?

Tennessee vs. Florida was, at the time, arguably the biggest game of the year. Both teams were great. Florida State was obviously great. Penn State was great. Miami had one bad year. Colorado was really good until the late 90s. Virginia Tech was really good from the mid-90s on.

quote:

---

People who defend Solich are clueless. Nebraska was on the decline w/ him and the writing was on the wall. It was obvious that the program was headed backwards with him as HC.

---

How so? Just glancing at his record as head coach:

1998: 9-4
1999: 12-1
2000: 10-2
2001: 11-2
2002: 7-7
2003: 9-3

quote:

---

quote:
EVERYONE else was down.


Why was that? Seems really weird looking back on it.

---

Well, I wouldn't say everyone was down, but a lot of the major powers were weak-ish compared to historical norms during that time frame.

It was a weird transition time in the sport. The Florida schools really dominated outside of Nebraska. Most of formerly independent powerhouses (Penn State, Miami, FSU, Pitt, VT) were getting settled into new conferences. Four of the winningest programs in the sport (Alabama sans the 92 season, Oklahoma, Texas, SC) had, by their standards, bad decades. Notre Dame fell off a cliff in the second half of the decade. Georgia and LSU really couldn't get anything going. Michigan and Ohio State were good for most of the decade, as was Tennessee - that's about it.

quote:

---

Solich responded by running the top option QB in the country into the dirt by playing him hurt. He did the same to the top RB he inherited and kicked him off the team when he complained.

---

Which QB are you talking about? Crouch? And which RB?

My experience with Nebraska is unpleasant. I was at the '97 Orange Bowl and the '00 Fiesta Bowl. In some ways, that 2000 game hurt worse as before the game, i thought Tennessee was the better team. I thought we were better offensively and defensively. However, it really wasn't indicative of the 31-21 score. That was a big "revenge" game for Tennessee, and Nebraska outclassed them from the get-go, and in all phases of the game. I remember Bobby Newcombe streaking down the sideline on a 60-yard punt return for a TD to put them up 14-0 in the first quarter and just had this doom feeling hover over me. All the excitement and anticipation vanished and it was like a dark, funnel cloud roaming in from on the plains. In hindsight, that Nebraska team may have been the best in the country. I'd take their chances against Florida State - and certainly over Virginia Tech.

These were two great Tennessee teams loaded with talent that Nebraska just steamrolled. They were far more physically dominant that it was unreal.

quote:

---

the talent dried up the hand writing on the wall. That 9 win season came with 1 win against a team with a winning record. Solich should have been shown the door after the 2002 season

---

After the 62-36 Colorado game and the 2002 seasons, I always assumed it was his defensive coordinator, Craig Bohl. Oddly enough, Craig Bohl has turned out to be a really solid head coach. Solich made the change (Bohl to Pelini) and the team had good success - 9-3. I think Nebraska jumped the gun on that firing.

Back to the topic, "will Nebraska football ever make a comeback?" I say sure, why not? Do I think they'll reach their 70-2000 years? No. That's a hefty feat considering the amount of championships won during that time. But, outside of a couple of teams - really one, the Big Ten isn't too daunting. I see no reason why Nebraska can't consistently win 9 or 10 games with the occasional 11 win season here and there (sounds similar to LSU under Les Miles).

First, Nebraska needs to give Frost adequate time to see if he can right the ship. Since 2000, Nebraska is on their 5th head coach. Pretty incredible to think about. I think Frost is a really good, innovative coach. The Mike Riley hire was a head-scratcher and I believe more of a "filler" hire until they found someone they wanted, Fost. It'll take time for Frost to rebuild that staff and roster, but he needs to immediately address the offensive and defensive line play and address the defensive concerns/coach.

I also see no reason why Nebraska can't recruit nationally. Alabama's dominance won't last forever. USC, Michigan, FSU, Virginia Tech, Texas are all down...Nebraska can make a name for themselves and build momentum if they can just consistently beat the teams they should (Iowa, Colorado, Indiana, Purdue, Minnesota). I'm not implying that they need to be upsetting Ohio State yet, as we saw last year that they aren't in the same class as Ohio State, but they should beat these other Big 10 opponents with the occasional win against Penn State, Wisconsin, and Michigan...slowly gain steam and keep addressing the line play and defense, have a consistent quarterback, and they'll be a perennial top 15 team.