Nebraska...not feeling Frosty anymore

[Hannibal]

Any guy who would be scared off by firing Bo Pelini after his performance at Nebraska is a guy that you don't want anyways.

[entropy]

I think that is easy to say as a fan. But with a career on the line.... The TO shadow still looms

[entropy]

By BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star

Defensive tweaks could mean major role for Rose

“Coach Bo said you started off as a freshman at the start of the season,” Michael Rose said. “You’re no longer looked at as a freshman at this… Read more

Bo Pelini, the last man on Nebraska’s team bus after Saturday’s game at Minnesota, was met by two men ready to give their reaction to the Huskers’ 34-23 loss.

It’s not what you might think.

They were cheering and offering encouragement, said Pelini, who shared the story Monday at his weekly news conference.

“My son looked at me and said, ‘Dad, those are two great fans,’” Pelini said. “I said, ‘You know what, Patrick? That’s the 99 percent.’”

It’s the 1 percent that Pelini warns his players to shield themselves from. The 1 percent that is significantly more vocal and critical, especially on social-media outlets, such as Twitter.

“We live in a day and age where it’s pretty hard to ignore it,” Pelini said. “You have to work hard to stay away from it. You have to discipline yourself to stay away from it. It’s out there. It’s a distraction. It’s noise. It’s outside noise that you want to try and control.”

Offensive tackle Jeremiah Sirles said his Twitter mentions were “probably 99 percent positive” after Saturday’s game.

“Then you have those one or two people who sit at home in their basement, on their couch, and think they’re the best football coach in America, and they tweet you things they have no idea what they’re talking about,” Sirles said. “You just have to ignore those people. Sometimes after a loss, it’s tough. I mean, it’s hard, it’s emotional.”

Sirles' philosophy: Don’t give glory to the 1 percent.

“You want to give the glory to those 15,000 people that came to Minnesota,” he said, referring also to the Husker fans last year at Northwestern and UCLA. “Those are the Husker fans that we enjoy.”

* PADDING UP: Nebraska began practicing on Sundays following its first loss, Sept. 14 against UCLA. Those days are usually lighter workouts, where players are in helmets, shirts and shorts.

Not so last Sunday. Players were told to pad up.

“It was a little different, a little bit more physical than we’re used to on Sunday,” defensive end Randy Gregory said. “But like I said earlier about us not playing physical on Saturday, I think that played into the fact that’s why we were in pads.”

Sirles had no qualms.

“Sometimes it’s nice to do something familiar after a loss like that,” he said. “Sometimes it’s nice to get the pads on, go out there and hit someone, get some frustration out, get back in the groove of things.”

Pelini was pleased, saying the team got some good fundamental work in, as well as an introduction to this week's opponent, Northwestern.

“I think if the guys could’ve played last night, they would’ve played last night,” Pelini said. “I like the way they responded yesterday.”

* GETTING IN SYNC: Nebraska allowed more sacks against Minnesota (four) than it had all season before Saturday (three).

What went wrong?

Well, if you want the short answer, a better question might be what didn’t go wrong.

“Just things that haven’t happened all year just kind of happened,” Sirles said. “I gave up a pressure because they did an inside stunt, I stepped in, I went to kick back out and me and Jake Cotton’s foot got caught with each other.”

Assignment-wise, Sirles said, players were right almost every time.

“Pass protection comes down to technique and want-to,” he said. “There were times we got beat a couple of times, and it’s just hard. It’s hard to let up sacks like that, because it doesn’t matter what quarterback’s back there, no quarterback’s going to feel comfortable in the pocket getting hit as much as Taylor (Martinez) did.”

Pelini said at times, Nebraska was simply beat up front, and other times, Martinez held on to the ball too long. But adding to the problem was too many long-yardage situations.

“The game becomes a lot easier, and it’s a lot easier to become efficient when you are having success on first down,” Pelini said. “That wasn’t necessarily the case. When we stayed ahead of the sticks, we were pretty good the other day. When we took lost-yardage plays and got behind in the count, that’s when you kind of struggle.”

* INJURY UPDATE: Pelini said junior receiver Jamal Turner didn’t practice Sunday because of a lower calf injury. Turner had just returned to full health after battling hamstring injuries over the first half of the season.

Pelini said Turner is day-to-day. That’s the same status Pelini gave for tight end Jake Long, who’s missed Nebraska’s last two games with a hamstring injury.

[entropy]

http://www.knowitallfootball.com/2013/10/28/nebraska-football-fans-sense-entitlement-history-media/

hmmmmm....

[Hannibal]

I think that is easy to say as a fan. But with a career on the line.... The TO shadow still looms

I don't know how much coaches keep up with other programs, but as a neutral observer, I look at what Pelini is done and I am not impressed. If I am a young, ambitious coach, I think that I can do more. If I don't feel that way, then you probably don't want me. Nebraska's recruiting base is definitely problematic, but with the tradition and resources that Nebraska has, dominating the Western half of the Big Whateverthefuckitis should be expected. Add on top of that Pelini's antics and foot-in-mouth moments. The guy has pissed away the benefit of the doubt.

To me, the fact that you are hoping that 9-4 turns into 6-7 tells me that in your heart, you know this. You want your coach to lose badly in the short term so that you can win in the long term, and you know that you can do better than you are doing now. I think that other people in their hearts know this too.

Outside of ESPN, I think that the college football world understands. Don't let the bad Callahan hire scare you off. You can certainly do worse than Pelini, but I think that it would have to be a pretty lazy or cheap hire to do that. Or it would have to just be a really bad year to hire a coach, which might be the case in 2013.

[entropy]

the response has not been as great as many would have hoped... even when TO fired BC, he had a very limited response.

[entropy]

hanny..another item for you to chew on..

when UNL loses, it is not because of the other team. It is because of things UNL did wrong. Sometimes it is the refs, but historically, it's been an inward focus. UNL shouldn't lose unless someone messes up. The opponent is never better.

it is the way it's been for a long time in Nebraska... that's pressure. UNL fans travel like nobody else and people donate who should be saving their money... it's a religion. But it also has some negatives.

[Hannibal]

What opposing fans are afraid of can provide some clarity in these things.

So, as a fan of a team that will still be playing Nebraska on occasion, let me say this -- I want Pelini to stay. I am more afraid of you guys hitting a home run with a new hire than I am of Bo Pelini. I think that if you ask most informed Iowa, Northwestern, Minnesota, Wisconsin, or OSU fans, they would say the same thing.

[entropy]

I would say you'd be smart for wanting that, based upon the past few years..

[entropy]

I've not given my opinion on Bo being let go this year.. just what I think will most likely happen and provide some thoughts why it may not be as easy as some think.

[Hannibal]

when UNL loses, it is not because of the other team. It is because of things UNL did wrong. Sometimes it is the refs, but historically, it's been an inward focus. UNL shouldn't lose unless someone messes up. The opponent is never better.

Given the conference that you are in, I would argue that approach has a lot of merit. At the very least, there is nobody that you have played in the Big Ten who should have been able to beat you guys as easily as Michigan beat you in 2011 or Wiscy and OSU in 2012.

[entropy]

and it's been that way since 1970..

[Hannibal]

IMHO if you are afraid of scaring off coaches with unreasonable expectations, you can overcome it with money. Make the guy financially secure and you're fine.

[entropy]

that's what hoss said to me..

[entropy]

btw.. my opinion is.....

it is always better to fix what you have then start over. But that requires faith, and i'm losing mine