PSW Nov 09 09

No question this class is shaping up nicely but obviously a big win over another great program helps tremendously. We are going to be in the hunt for the forseeable future.

James Moore Nov 09 09

I trust this coaching staff's ability to judge talent and more importantly develop it but per the WR's (a position we BADLY need to upgrade) it is not too reassuring some of the pople that we are beating out for their services, but again I will defer to Coach Pelini. After all he DOES know quite a bit more about football than I do. Having said that it seems that the defensive side of the ball is now strategically stocked, in depth, for the forseeable future. At all positions there is depth, and lots of it. There's every reason to expect that the results from this years Blackshirt edition can be replicated at comparable levels from here on out. You've got to like the talent waiting in the wings: Meredith, Ankrah/Williams, Steinkuhler, Martin, Compton, Fisher, Dennard & Smith and some others I probably forgot but also deserve mention. . .

I suppose patience is in order because we will have Callahan offensive linemen for the next 2 years getting regular snaps. Unfortunately it seems reasonable to expect that the shortcomings displayed this year by the current edition of linemen has a strong probability of repeating itself next year too. We will probably have to wait to see Coach Pelini's guys make the field before things sort themselves out there with the mental mistakes. It just seems that the WR's will probably be last on the upgrade list for the current coaching staff. Makes sense I suppose, after all you build a house from the foundation up. Not from the windows in. . .

caveman99 Nov 09 09

James Moore,
The WR recruits they have brought in are pretty good ones. Elite no, but pretty good. Curtis Carter in this class is possibly an elite recruit. The biggest change I like about this staff's recruiting process is the O-Linemen they are bringing in. All high quality, I thought the recruits that Callahan and Co brought in were good, but that was on paper only. The current O-Line is ok, but the recruits Bo and Co have brought in the past 2 years and what they stand to bring in next year is an improvement. Already 3 recruits from last year have pushed for time, if not for injuries Qvale might be starting already. The O-Line is a big key to the future and the future looks bright when you add that to the dominant Defense.

DT Nov 10 09

Mr. Moore:
I want to preface this by saying that it all comes from a place of utmost respect for your frequent insightful additions to the discussions of this forum. It's regular commenters like yourself that make this site such a treat for me to read.

While it is really quite rare for me to take exception to something you've said in this forum, I feel this is a case of such. The take that I've most recently been peddling (on thoughts such as the ones you present) is this:
I feel that the main difference in the performances we witness from the offense/defense sides of the ball on Saturdays is more aptly laid at the feet of those who have been tasked with coaching these players day-in and day-out for the better part of the last two years.

It makes little sense to me, as you seem here to credit the same source as being responsible for BOTH the defensive revival we've witnessed this year AND the cause of our current offensive malaise (Bill Callahan Recruits). In other words, "Unproven and mostly untested Pelini recruits are a reason to believe that we will continue the success that Pelini has established with Callahan's recruits on defense" isn't really any sort of justification that in any way necessarily jives with "Once we run through the recruiting cycle another time or two, we'll get better on offense, since it's Bill Callahan recruits that are holding us back in that area." I don't know that the two thoughts were even intended to be connected...as I'm even more confused than ever after I put it out there in the way that I did right there.

I may be reading you wrong, but if not, I don't really follow the train of thought you've seemed to establish there. But it seems to me that you can't basically give credit to the outstanding job of "this year's blackshirt edition"...while in the next breath go alluding to the poor performance of the offense being rooted in the recruiting shortcomings of former coaches. (After all, a cursory inspection of the facts reveals that a full three-quarters of the players responsible for our defensive resurgence fall into the category of "Bill Callahan recruits.") From my vantage, what you're doing here is trying to have it both ways. And I've come to expect more from your well-reasoned submissions.

Myself, I'm a little more concerned about addressing the question of the current offensive coaching staff's ability to "coach-em-up" (on or near to any sort of similar level of player performance as the defensive staff's proven themselves as being capable of achieving with their unit) than I am in debating Bill Callahan's former worth as a recruiter. I mean, am I really expected to excuse away pi$$-poor offensive line play for ANOTHER TWO YEARS, in the name of Bill Callahan?! At what point in time do you suggest we turn our thoughts to the guy who's been charged with the O-Line's development in the months and years that have passed since Callahan's departure? I guess if I'm hearing you right...we can't call the current offensive coaching staff into question for two more years (or at best, the end of next year)...at least not the offensive coaches who were not directly responsible for the recruitment of a certain, as yet undetermined, number of offensive players. That sounds like nothing more than a convenient way to excuse away current ineptitude, if you ask me.

In short (if that's even remotely possible by now) my point is:
If a bunch of highly-sought 3 and 4-star athletes were recruited by Bill Callahan and were coached by Bo Pelini's coaching staff into a formidable defensive outfit...how is one not logically expected to assume that the same cannot be expected from Bo Pelini's staff in the case of the highly-sought 3 and 4-star athletes that were recruited by Bill Callahan on the offensive side?! I don't know if that's lending too much of a black and white approach to what should be considered shades of gray...if so, it probably wouldn't be the first time I've been guilty of doing so.

But ultimately in this case, I'd submit that it'd be a little more realistic for everyone to just get with the times and lay a lot more blame at the feet of the guys Pelini's left in charge of teaching and preparing these players for the last twenty-two months (while he's quite apparently focused the better part of his attention to the area of his own personal wealth of experience and knowledge...ironically, not entirely unlike his predecessor, one Bill Callahan).

James Moore Nov 10 09

DT,

I have to say that I will be intellectually honest enough to admit when someone has pointed out better logic than me and in this case I can say that you've made your point quite well to the point that I'm willing to concede. Thank you for your kind words as an introduction, it is greatly appreciated as I can say I enjoy the moments that I am able to see your posts here as well. Truth is (with hindsight) right or wrong I'm glad that I threw something out there that got you to jump the keyboard. . .

"Myself, I'm a little more concerned about addressing the question of the current offensive coaching staff's ability to "coach-em-up"

THAT'S what I was looking to say, but you were able to do so, and quite well at that. I think that we can all be in agreement that there was, at best, very poor player development under the previous regime. The offense is suffering the most from that (see Paul needing redshirt year as freshman for prime example) and appears to be our program's lagging indicator. The defense is stocked with personnel from the previous regime, yes, but again as you say the ability to coach them up is OBVIOUSLY there on the defensive side of the ball. So I would say that you found the words that I couldn't. The defense has been restored, magnificently at that. THAT'S Coach Pelini and Coach Pelini. . .

As for Coach Cotton, I believe it comes down to two things: Are these guys being asked to do too much (aka learn a massive playbook for the sake of being multiple) at the expense of sound technique or are they just soft? I don't think your approach to this topic and my post is too black-and-white. In football you have to have 11 people carrying out 11 assignments to make one play work. That's just football, and it all starts from that premise. Not black-and-white but reality. BUT there's a LOT of bad habits, and tendencies to be purged from the offensive line. They're just not mashers and not too terribly stout in protection either. Their versatile, sort of, but not excelling in any one skill set. Decent in zone run at times but not capable of blowing holes in the box. I just don't think that this bunch has what it takes to impose themselves physically on a defensive line. Either you want to do it or you don't. Coach Pelini is just starting to get his guys in there so I don't think that you can make linemen get fired up to mash the guy in front of them. If you don't want to do it, then you're just not ready to compete in the trenches. You either want to do it or you don't. I would say the current ills of the offensive line it is a combination of coaching technique merged with soft linemen. The first you can address and lay on Coach Cotton, the second is just desire. . .

I'm just questioning the ability of the WR staff to "Coach them up" while not ready to throw Coach Cotton under the bus, yet. For what we are looking to run we need some big, quick route runners that are capable of making a variety of catches. It's a hard sell to a prospective recruit a successful track record of player development from our WR's. We urgently need playmakers on the edge to run this West Coast/Spread with one-back/10/11 principles. Last year's offensive line wasn't quite the project this one has turned out to be. Maybe this bunch is young. Maybe they're being asked to do much at the expense of technique. Maybe Ganz, Swift and Peterson bailed them out through sheer guts and playmaking hiding their shortcomings until this year. But this bunch is stuggling to find something they do well. I'll concede by saying that it's up to the coaching staff to put these guys in situations where they can excel AND it is on the coaching staff to "coach them up."

Thanks for your response and I think I might sabotage my future posts to get you back here!!! Hope all is well and look forward to hearing from you again. Hopefully after a wins at Kansas and at home against Kansas State talking about Coach Pelini's first outright Big 12 North title in just year two. . .

P.S. Caveman99 always enjoy your posts here as well. Great article Steve. You got the keyboards hot with this one!!!

Dwayne Nov 10 09

DT and James,
What are you two, attorneys?