McElwain out @ Florida

[Exit 4]

Scout.com has their five year average recruiting ranking at 27th in the nation; below that of Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State. It has the ranking slightly above Wisconsin's, so if the expectation is to win the West division and then lose in the title game, that's fine.

Rivals.com has their five year average recruiting ranking at 22nd in the nation; below that of Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State. Slightly above Michigan State, and further above Wisconsin. Again, similar situation. You're in a 2-team battle in your division and likely a losing battle in the championship game of your conference.

Since joining the B1G, here are their records and finish:

2012 Big Ten Legends 1st 10 4
2013 Big Ten Legends T-2nd 9 4
2014 Big Ten West T-2nd 9 4
2015 Big Ten West 4th 6 7
2016 Big Ten West T-2nd 9 4
2017 Big Ten West 4 4

Again, pretty good records. We'd kill for 9-4 every year. Nebraska thinks that the world is ending, though. Well, they should get used to it, because that's who they are now. (Note: they also had 4 losses per year for four consecutive years prior to what I'm showing, while they were in the Big12).

The Tom Osborne-like 13-0 or 12-1 are possible, but they won't be possible every year and they are less likely than their B1G eastern counterparts. That's just the way it is...

Good post. There will be more programs which historically are accustom to two loss seasons having to learn to role with 4 and 5 loss seasons as the norm if they consolidate P5 to the P4 and/or get around to limiting non conf play to only fellow P5 schools. For this reason, I think the P5 never fully shuts the door on G5 games. The P5 schools need the wins for their fanbases to remain engaged.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Scout.com has their five year average recruiting ranking at 27th in the nation; below that of Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State. It has the ranking slightly above Wisconsin's, so if the expectation is to win the West division and then lose in the title game, that's fine.

Rivals.com has their five year average recruiting ranking at 22nd in the nation; below that of Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State. Slightly above Michigan State, and further above Wisconsin. Again, similar situation. You're in a 2-team battle in your division and likely a losing battle in the championship game of your conference.

Since joining the B1G, here are their records and finish:

2012 Big Ten Legends 1st 10 4
2013 Big Ten Legends T-2nd 9 4
2014 Big Ten West T-2nd 9 4
2015 Big Ten West 4th 6 7
2016 Big Ten West T-2nd 9 4
2017 Big Ten West 4 4

Again, pretty good records. We'd kill for 9-4 every year. Nebraska thinks that the world is ending, though. Well, they should get used to it, because that's who they are now. (Note: they also had 4 losses per year for four consecutive years prior to what I'm showing, while they were in the Big12).

The Tom Osborne-like 13-0 or 12-1 are possible, but they won't be possible every year and they are less likely than their B1G eastern counterparts. That's just the way it is...

I think that's how it is for every team in the country not named Alabama really. And once Saban is gone, it will apply to them too. That's been the reality at LSU, UGA, Michigan, USC, OU, A&M and nearly everybody else. The best you can hope for is to be consistently good and catch lightening in a bottle with a really strong team now and then. Penn State maybe has that this year, as does UGA. Clemson did the last two years.

My point was simply that it's still a top tier job, and a coach like Frost could recruit there just as well as he would at Florida. They are certainly capable of a one loss trip to the playoffs at some point. Nobody is going to become dominant in this era the way some of the Osborne teams were. We completely agree on that.

 

[Jax Husky]

Kids like to play at a school that is passionate about football, in front of sellout crowds and with fans that travel. They can recruit just fine. If recruiting location was everything, McElwain wouldn't be out of a job, and UT wouldn't stink.

There are 30+ schools in the country that can do this without making kids go to the middle of nowhere corn fields to do so. A coach at Nebraska has to go convince kids to leave Florida or California and come to Nebraska.

Years ago, that was possible because Osborne built an empire that was one of the very very few teams to get on tv regularly. Now, every game is televised, and you have programs like TCU and Oregon competing nationally.

 

[Jax Husky]

I think that's how it is for every team in the country not named Alabama really. And once Saban is gone, it will apply to them too. That's been the reality at LSU, UGA, Michigan, USC, OU, A&M and nearly everybody else. The best you can hope for is to be consistently good and catch lightening in a bottle with a really strong team now and then. Penn State maybe has that this year, as does UGA. Clemson did the last two years.

My point was simply that it's still a top tier job, and a coach like Frost could recruit there just as well as he would at Florida. They are certainly capable of a one loss trip to the playoffs at some point. Nobody is going to become dominant in this era the way some of the Osborne teams were. We completely agree on that.

UGA, LSU, Florida State, USC can be 9-4 with just grabbing local recruits. Nebraska has 9-4 as about their ceiling right now, and their coach has to go all over the country to find the talent to get them even to that level.

 

[HuskyHawk]

There are 30+ schools in the country that can do this without making kids go to the middle of nowhere corn fields to do so. A coach at Nebraska has to go convince kids to leave Florida or California and come to Nebraska.

Years ago, that was possible because Osborne built an empire that was one of the very very few teams to get on tv regularly. Now, every game is televised, and you have programs like TCU and Oregon competing nationally.

I'm not saying it will return to the Osborne years. But Nebraska just needs to dip into CA, TX, LA and Florida for a few speed positions really. They can fill out the roster with midwestern and mountain state kids, and don't seem to have a problem doing that. Clearly there is more competition than 20-30 years ago.

You may see Lincoln as the middle of nowhere, but that's a biased perspective. It's a nice college town. Kids are going to Boise and ND State and dozens of other places less attractive than Lincoln. Lots of kids in places like LA can't wait to get away from their gang infested neighborhoods. It's also how UConn brings basketball players to Storrs, which is even more in the middle of nowhere.

 

[UConnDan97]

I think that's how it is for every team in the country not named Alabama really. And once Saban is gone, it will apply to them too. That's been the reality at LSU, UGA, Michigan, USC, OU, A&M and nearly everybody else. The best you can hope for is to be consistently good and catch lightening in a bottle with a really strong team now and then. Penn State maybe has that this year, as does UGA. Clemson did the last two years.

My point was simply that it's still a top tier job, and a coach like Frost could recruit there just as well as he would at Florida. They are certainly capable of a one loss trip to the playoffs at some point. Nobody is going to become dominant in this era the way some of the Osborne teams were. We completely agree on that.

My point is that you're correct in saying it is the reality for most high-tier football programs, but that it's not "good enough" for that fanbase.

They fired Solich because he had more than 1 loss a couple of times, even though he was getting his team to the big bowl games.
They fired Pelini, a coach who never lost more than 4 games in any year as a head coach for Nebraska, with the following quote from the AD; "We weren't good enough in the games that mattered," athletic director Shawn Eichorst said in his meeting with the media.

THAT'S the issue at Nebraska. They don't understand that the football world has changed since the 1990's and they are unable to cope with it. And the future looks like it will get worse, not better. Oh well. I hope they enjoy the Diacoisms...

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

If you go back and re-read my post you will see that I said that about a built in recruiting base at Florida.

And, indeed you did @FDNY99 !

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Jerry1714]

Kids like to play at a school that is passionate about football, in front of sellout crowds and with fans that travel. They can recruit just fine. If recruiting location was everything, McElwain wouldn't be out of a job, and UT wouldn't stink.

Kids like warm weather, pretty girls, good facilities, and winning.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Kids like warm weather, pretty girls, good facilities, and winning.

Nebraska has all of that except the weather. But no Big Ten team has good weather. Nor Oregon or Wash St. or Colorado etc. Honestly, I think it sucks to play football in hot, humid weather.

 

[Jerry1714]

Nebraska has all of that except the weather. But no Big Ten team has good weather. Nor Oregon or Wash St. or Colorado etc. Honestly, I think it sucks to play football in hot, humid weather.

Have you been to Colorado? Denver is one of the sunniest cities in the country and has awesome weather. Also, this is not 1990, Colorado is no longer a top program. Wash St. never has been nor will be one. Oregon? You notice how they have been post Kelly, or Pre Kelly for that matter?

NCAA Champions last 20 years, you have Ohio State, and schools vastly different from Nebraska when it comes to geography and demographics:
Clemson
Alabama
Ohio State
Florida State
Auburn
Florida
LSU
Texas
USC
Miami (Fla.)
Oklahoma
Tennessee

 

[HuskyHawk]

Have you been to Colorado? Denver is one of the sunniest cities in the country and has awesome weather. Also, this is not 1990, Colorado is no longer a top program. Wash St. never has been nor will be one. Oregon? You notice how they have been post Kelly, or Pre Kelly for that matter?

NCAA Champions last 20 years, you have Ohio State, and schools vastly different from Nebraska when it comes to geography and demographics:
Clemson
Alabama
Ohio State
Florida State
Auburn
Florida
LSU
Texas
USC
Miami (Fla.)
Oklahoma
Tennessee

O
Oklahoma has a fair amount in common with Nebraska by the way. But maybe it takes a guy from Kansas to see that.

Your 20 year period conveniently omits Michigan and Nebraska in 1997. But go back a tiny bit further and Nebraska has two more in 94 and 95 and you see Washington, Notre Dame, Colorado, Penn State and BYU not long after. It doesn’t matter though. Let’s just say that I don’t think the grip that the SEC and southern ACC teams have on most of recent championships is a permanent thing. But I do acknowledge the trend. Notre Dame or a B1G team could do it this year, though I think it will be UGA or Bama.

 

[31GuardTrap]

Who? There is no chance in hell that Dan Mullen goes to Arkansas. Lashlee? Well yeah, he'd go to any SEC school that offers, but I don't see that happening.

Lashlee.
It's a family thing. He's going there if offered.

 

[Jerry1714]

 

[TheDrifter75]

Scout.com has their five year average recruiting ranking at 27th in the nation; below that of Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State. It has the ranking slightly above Wisconsin's, so if the expectation is to win the West division and then lose in the title game, that's fine.

Rivals.com has their five year average recruiting ranking at 22nd in the nation; below that of Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State. Slightly above Michigan State, and further above Wisconsin. Again, similar situation. You're in a 2-team battle in your division and likely a losing battle in the championship game of your conference.

Since joining the B1G, here are their records and finish:

2012 Big Ten Legends 1st 10 4
2013 Big Ten Legends T-2nd 9 4
2014 Big Ten West T-2nd 9 4
2015 Big Ten West 4th 6 7
2016 Big Ten West T-2nd 9 4
2017 Big Ten West 4 4

Again, pretty good records. We'd kill for 9-4 every year. Nebraska thinks that the world is ending, though. Well, they should get used to it, because that's who they are now. (Note: they also had 4 losses per year for four consecutive years prior to what I'm showing, while they were in the Big12).

The Tom Osborne-like 13-0 or 12-1 are possible, but they won't be possible every year and they are less likely than their B1G eastern counterparts. That's just the way it is...

It's not the 4 losses or "only" 9 wins. It's the fashion in which they happen. The blow out losses and or losses to teams like NIU are what is unacceptable. It's the yearly nail biters to team like Ark St and Purdue. Yes, on occasion that may happen, but it's a yearly occurrence. If they were performing at Wisconsins level, with a chance to rise above that now and then, the majority of the fan base would be good with that.

 

[UConnDan97]

It's not the 4 losses or "only" 9 wins. It's the fashion in which they happen. The blow out losses and or losses to teams like NIU are what is unacceptable. It's the yearly nail biters to team like Ark St and Purdue. Yes, on occasion that may happen, but it's a yearly occurrence. If they were performing at Wisconsins level, with a chance to rise above that now and then, the majority of the fan base would be good with that.

And I'm telling you that their fan base would NOT be good with that. And I know that because that's exactly what they had with Solich. Nope, wasn't Osborne. Wasn't good enough.

Well, now that Diaco is on board, they are going to PRAY for Pelini...

 

[TheDrifter75]

And I'm telling you that their fan base would NOT be good with that. And I know that because that's exactly what they had with Solich. Nope, wasn't Osborne. Wasn't good enough.

Well, now that Diaco is on board, they are going to PRAY for Pelini...

Actually, that's not what they had with Solich. Starting in 01 they had a very good team blown out by Colorado in the last regular season game. That game opened the flood gate and they've never really been the same since. In 02, along with 7 losses, they were blown out 3 times. In 03, they were blown out in all 3 losses. I agree that Solich should have been given at least another year. It has gotten worse since then but it was the same precedent. They were not competing in games, that at the time, they likely should have won. They want to compete and look respectable even in a loss. There is nothing wrong with that.

 

[UConnDan97]

Actually, that's not what they had with Solich. Starting in 01 they had a very good team blown out by Colorado in the last regular season game. That game opened the flood gate and they've never really been the same since. In 02, along with 7 losses, they were blown out 3 times. In 03, they were blown out in all 3 losses. I agree that Solich should have been given at least another year. It has gotten worse since then but it was the same precedent. They were not competing in games, that at the time, they likely should have won. They want to compete and look respectable even in a loss. There is nothing wrong with that.

Yes, in 2002 they had a rough year.

But in 5 of the 6 years Solich coached, Nebraska finished the season ranked in the top 19. In 3 of those 5 ranked years, they finished ranked in the top 8.

That's what's wrong with that. They didn't just have "respectable". They had extremely good teams. Fiesta Bowl - Rose Bowl type teams. But you know how it is at Nebraska...

 

[TheDrifter75]

Yes, in 2002 they had a rough year.

But in 5 of the 6 years Solich coached, Nebraska finished the season ranked in the top 19. In 3 of those 5 ranked years, they finished ranked in the top 8.

That's what's wrong with that. They didn't just have "respectable". They had extremely good teams. Fiesta Bowl - Rose Bowl type teams. But you know how it is at Nebraska...

I get that, and I understand just looking at the final record how it seems. I followed the team pretty extensively back then and something changed after the Colorado game, you could feel it. Like I said, I think Solich deserved at least another season. I stand by the reasoning though, it was how they lost and not the record.

We won't change each others minds though, so I'll drop it.

To your point on a prior post, yes Bo is preferably to Diaco.

 

[UConnDan97]

I get that, and I understand just looking at the final record how it seems. I followed the team pretty extensively back then and something changed after the Colorado game, you could feel it. Like I said, I think Solich deserved at least another season. I stand by the reasoning though, it was how they lost and not the record.

We won't change each others minds though, so I'll drop it.

To your point on a prior post, yes Bo is preferably to Diaco.

Yeah, I'll drop it too. No need to worry about Nebraska problems while I worry about UConn problems...

 

[huskymedic]