ze bop Nov 24 07

So the deed is done.

Can't say I think any of the other rumored candidates has a better mind for offense as Calli, but he's responsible for the whole thing--including the shoddy D--so I guess TO knows what he's doing rgdg the 'systemic' problems.

Godd luck to coach Callahan and Coz, good people, but it just didn't work out.

Didn't think all the character assassinations were at all appropriate or accurate.

I hope Brian Kelly is in the mix....

ze bop Nov 24 07

KOZN is typically off the mark in their assessment of Calli's O, not giving any specifics as to what it should/should've been. "It wasn't NE style FB", blah, blah, blah.

What will happen is that they'll bring in some guy that'll run the spread option with the passing attack that is in vogue these days, which is pretty much what Calli's O was all about--especially yesterday with Ganz they looked like TTech.

If they think they're going to return to 'smash mouth' they're just fooling themselves. That's not what is happening in today's cfb world.

NOBODY--not LSU, OU, OSU, USC--has come up with any answers to the spread/spread option, but anybody--even COZ--can stop 'smash mouth'.

J Mo Nov 24 07

ze bop,

I'm also sick of hearing about "NE style FB." I think the majority of the fans were more than willing to give the West Coast offense a chance. I don't think that has anything to do with why we've wanted to see Callahan fired. I think Nebraska fans will accept any offense, as long as it works, even if the next coach also ran the WCO. What we will not accept is having one of the worst defenses in the country. That is and will always be unacceptable.

ze bop Nov 24 07

J Mo,

Absolutely right! I think the whole spread/option thing is pretty much impossible to stop when it comes right down to it--it only stops itself.

I think they'll be doing a WV, FL type thing and I think BO P will be the next HC, though I would maybe prefer Brain Kelly.

BO P's D isn't infallable, they struggled this year frequently with D players that were among the top 3 in the country--gave up 50 points yesterday vs ARK which has arguably one of the worst O schemes going(but they have McFadden).

I haven't seen any team stop the spread this year--though OU did pretty well against Mizzou.

I am looking forward to having an HC that unites Husker Nation, though, so the pan b*&tching can come to an end.

But it's, 'just win baby'--THAT's ALL there is, basically, to NE, or any, 'tradition', in sports. Geez, I live in MA and you can't believe all the fans calling for Francona's head midseason when they lost a few games only to shut up when they were winning again. This is a guy who's brought two WS championships in 4 years!

Calli will end up an OC in the League in 1-2 years. Good for him.

OU7times Nov 24 07

Nebraska fans, I really hope you all know just how lucky you are that Tom Osborne is affiliated with your university as well as your football team. After watching the press conference, you just get this "warm" feeling (when he speaks)of one of the only high profile individuals, in life, that when they tell you something you can take it as sage. Seriously, how many people can you honestly say that about? Enjoy him while you can as when he is gone, there will never be another quite like him. GBR!

kyle Nov 24 07

I agree with you OU7times DR. Tom is going to make this change a whole lot easier with him Nebraska will get alot of money from people that haven't be happy with the program lately. So when this new coach comes in he will be getting some of the top facility's in the nation. If the new coach has a good record his first year say 8+ the money and support should pour in. But if he doesn't win we will lose the record of most sold out games and our record will get worse and worse. We cant just keep going through coaches we need to find a 10 year coach that will deliver each year

Josh Nov 24 07

If Gill or Johnson become head coach, I'm out as a Husker fan. Can you say....3 yards and a cloud of dust??????

Bmaxbuffalo Nov 24 07

Turner Gill calls the plays for Buffalo's offense.. They run a lot of spread formations...3 and 4 wr sets....Plus they run the ball alot...The current qb is not a option guy so they really use it.. Hey we hope turner stays ....It was dead up here before he came ..Being a Big Red fan of the past Johnny rodgers days.. I can understand why some want him to return.. The guy is a great motivator and leader.

Dwayne Nov 24 07

Josh,
It's prejudice and mis-informed fans like yourself that this program probably doesn't need anyway. Keep an open mind about this whole thing is all I have to say. I think there are probably a lot smarter people than your or myself making the decisions that need to be made.

sb Nov 24 07

Josh-
With a comment like that you're already out. A Husker fan is not a fickle fan. And like OU7 said, we're in good hands.

scott Nov 24 07

Josh is not a fan with a comment like that. That's been a problem this year along with the coaches.

Josh Nov 24 07

Dwayne,

Don't launch an assasination on my character and brand me as prejudiced and mis-informed. I am a realist and a student of the game.

I have been a Husker football supporter through the good times and the bad. I just will not stand for a tedious and uninteresting offense. And, I firmly believe that if Gill or Johnson were selected to be the next Husker head football coach that's exactly what Husker Nation would get.

So, Dwayne, sb, and scott, what you're telling me is that fans cannot criticize or offer their opinion? As fans must we drink the Husker "kool-aid" all of the time?

Sure, Turner Gill, is a man of great character. But, in MY opinion, he is not the man to lead this program back to prominence. If he would join the next staff as a position coach, fine, I have no issues with that.

Before you attack my character, please support your declaration with substance rather than hot air and rhetoric.

The Count Nov 24 07

Josh Nov 24 07

If Gill or Johnson become head coach, I'm out as a Husker fan. Can you say....3 yards and a cloud of dust??????

Don't let the door hit you in the ass Callafan!

Happy days are here again!!!!

CU Dave Nov 24 07

Gary Barnett......

The Count Nov 24 07

CU Dave Nov 24 07

Gary Barnett......

That would kill the buzz.

ze bop Nov 24 07

I still think BO is going to get the nod, but if Buffalo Guy is correct and Gill runs the spread/read option thingy, then I don't have a prob with it.

Besides, he would be given the most slack by Husker Fan at large: Rational HF is already tolerant of subpar seasons in a transitional period(ongoing saga) and Naggy HF would wait it out "bein's he's a Nuh-brask-uh guy, shucks".

(p.s., Turner, BRING A DEFENSE WITH YA...!)

CU Dave Nov 24 07

Gary Barnett:

* Has 2 Big 10 titles with (no, not Michigan or Ohio St)- Northwestern. That's like winning 2 Big 12 titles with Iowa State!
* Serveral Big 12 North titles
* One Big 12 title
* National champion assistant coach for CU in 1990
* Looking for a job.

No, I'm not related to him, just think he's a good coach.

dwayne Nov 24 07

Josh,
I fully disagree with you. I feel the head coach is a very important representation of how you want your program portrayed, however, it also hinges on the abilities of the rest of the staff that a candidate can bring. So in that, I'm just as interested in what the next staff will be composed of. My point is, you or myself would have no way of knowing who the offensive or defensive coordinators are going to be and what Johnson has done at Navy or what Gill has done at Buffalo may not be indicative of what either of these two would do at Nebraska. I really don't feel what I mentioned has anything to do with your character. I was just commenting on your thoughts of pre-judging what either of these two coaches would do.

ze bop Nov 24 07

So this Paul Johnson guy must truly be a total fb genius in the eyes of some since he currently runs the triple option, but of course that wouldn't fly here, so that means he would have to install a whole different system of O which apparantly seems quite nonchalant for him according to his supporters.

I'm impressed!

Oh, I just figured out that he WOULD be running the triple O here and that's exactly what retro Husker Fan wants.

It's all becoming clearer....

ze bop Nov 24 07

So, are there(will there be) any departing remarks from Calli and Coz(besides, "screw you f'ing hicks")?

scott Nov 24 07

So I think what Josh is saying is that he doesn't want a tedious or uninteresting offense like Osborne used to run. I can understand his point...I mean...since it never worked for Osborne.

Josh Nov 24 07

Scott,

If you think the offense we ran in the 90's would work consistenly these days, then, you, my friend are truly living in the Land of Oz. No way are you going to get marquee athletes to play for a 3 yards and a cloud of dust offense these days. No way!!

The Count,

I never once said I was a "Callafan." So, as I mentioned to Dwayne, if you're going to make accusations, please support them with substance rather than assumption.

James Moore Nov 24 07

CU Dave, Gary Barnett? Uh no thanks. OU7Times, thanks for the GBR at the end of the post. Please beat Missouri in the Big 12 Championship game (typing this with 4 minutes left in the 2nd with Missouri leading 14-0). . .

Started looking for Buffalo games after the rumor started to circulate that Turner Gill was being spoken up in Husker circles. He's got a sharp mind. As Bmaxbuffalo said, Turner runs a lot of sets and it's safe to say that besides being able to teach the system he ran he's been able to incorporate, and implement a lot of new ideas as well. Very good football mind. A pragmatist open to whatever works. He's done quite well for himself at Buffalo. . .

Huskerextra.com had a feature of some possible cantidates including Kelly at Cincinnati, Virginia Tech's Bud Foster, Auburn's Will Muschamp, and some others. Looks as if we will be trying to get a head that coaches the defense and gives the offense over to another mind. Bo Pelini and Turner Gill would be a good combo for this. . .

Seems that the spread option is going to be inevitable. Like ze said it's impossible to cover speed and defend so much space but for 2 years running South Florida stopped West Virginia so to look at those two games would give some insight as to where to start to slowing down what we'll see with Oklahoma St., Kansas and Missouri for the forseeable future. USF is the only team to slow down West Virginia these past 2 years (I'm sure that all Husker fans love watching WVU play). USF's defensive coordniator was at Florida State during the 1980's and early 90's and mentioned that they spent nearly every year preparing in bowl games for Nebraska's option. More insightful was his mentioning that with the exception of Nebraska post-1995 that it's been nearly 10 years until the option came back. A lot of these young kids these days haven't had to defend option principles. It'll take a few years to get the people in place. Like Switzer trying to run the wishbone against Royal's 'bone in the early 70's and being initially stifled, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma St, and others will be ready for it. . .

However I will say this. Although the top 25 has several members of the single-wing/spread option club(Florida, West Virginia, Oregon, Kansas, Missouri, and some others) you still have more teams with conventional attacks prominently represented in the top 25 (USC, Oklahoma, LSU, Georgia, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, Boston College, Tennessee). . .

James Moore Nov 24 07

For all to check and see: doombob had our point total correctly guessed on a Nov. 15th post, 51, bang on the dot. Good for you brother. Since you have some potential for seeing into the future, how many wins do we get next year? Only if Colorado had obliged us with the 30 points. . .

Dwayne Nov 24 07

Josh,
I disagree with you again on the fact that an option-based offense wouldn't work today. Those teams in the 90's had great defenses and people then were saying that NU would never win "the big one" with that type of offense. I believe that's what was said prior to the Florida game in the Fiesta Bowl. I'm not saying that is what I would prefer to see, but I wouldn't disregard it with the right personnel. And that personnel doesn't take 4 and 5 stars like those teams didn't consist of. You can look at Texas's roster and see all the 4 and 5 stars but how many championships has that brought them? Give me a quarterback that can move from the pocket and throw a decent ball, and I'll build my team around that any day to win a few games.

scott Nov 24 07

Okay everyone,

Josh is going to teach us about Buffalo's offense here in a little bit.

ze bop Nov 25 07

Any team with a superior O LINE and great defense can run just about anything and be successful, even the triple option(I recall that FL was the fav in that '95 game even though we were #1 at the time--NE's run attack was a thing of beauty).

Just look at what USC did to NE this year: up the gut, off tackle, they rarely needed to pass.

Actually, after watching Mizzou again tonight, I will say that the spread O of MO and TTech is kind of tedious to watch, even though it IS the great equalizer and works very well. Like the WCO, it was designed to give the 'little guy' a fighting chance against power teams: dink dunk, perimeter, spacial game, moblile QB burns ya when the play breaks down.

At least this year, WV kind of beat themselves against USF with turnovers, but at the time USF's D line WAS defeating WV's O line and that's what it takes to stop/slow the spread or ANY O.

I think VT will be doing more of the WV style read/spread option with Tyrod Taylor next year, they're doing it with him already this year.

I like what OU runs and I want an O that has a strong running attack(really, Calli's O was quite balanced in that respect and I thought it was a great scheme, too bad the deplorable D this year kept him from developing a deep and consistent team here, but I suppose that's his fault).

Please, OU MUST beat Mizzou in the CC game! Mizzou is good, a top ten team, but should not be in the NC game IMO. KU was not ready for the big stage yet and I'm still scratching my head as to how no one else beat them this year--including Big Red.

But I'm already tired of watching teams like Mizzou and KU play for all the marbles in the Big XII: Big Red MUST RETURN!

OU must beat Tigs!!!

Also, my only reservation with Gill(other than he's 'green') is that maybe he's too nice a guy. I like BO P's fire and bad a$$ mentality.

p.s., Buffalo and Ohi-uh won today!

omarhuskerfan Nov 25 07

Hey it took me a while to figure out how to leave a comment. I think that you should add the leave comment link at the bottom of the artical.

I think that dr tom has got to chose the right dude...All I can say is that I am behind who ever he choses except Glenn coach of Wyoming.

I am a huskerfan and will back everyone who wears the jersay. our coaches those that wear the jersay.

Marv Nov 25 07

Josh
Do you discount entirely Johnson's time with Georgia Southern. There he ran a pass happy spread.

ze bop Nov 25 07

Line 'em up, dudes!(ala James Taylor):

la, la, la....

"Oh,I remember Billy Calli back on eleven two four,

And the final scene at the Hawks front door,

All the staff lined up just to say goodbye,

A tiny little tear, then a sparkle in his eye.

He said, 'NOOOO-body knows me, NOOOO-body understands,

Li'l Red people were sure good to me, oh I wanna shake some hands......

Somebody line 'em up, line 'em all up, whooooa, line 'em up, line 'em all up....."

doombob Nov 25 07

James Moore: Since I can see into the future, I predict 9 wins. Doesn't matter who the coach is. You heard it here first, folks.