2 Average Guys

We’re a hurting fanbase and have been for longer than is fair.  We’ve watched our style of play and culture be flipped upside down with glimpses of hope and promise in some years, but the past decade has been too much to ask.  We all stick together in all kinds of weather for dear old Nebraska U, so walking away will never be an option so forgive us when we are beyond frustrated.  It’s the exact same script.  Every.  Single.  Time.  I can’t fault the coaches, they willingly inherited this mess and are doing the right things to change the culture and attitude in an era where these kids are given tons of money and can change their mind if times get tough, ultimately jumping ship if they choose.  We have the best resources, fan base, and according to Matt Rhule, money isn’t an option anymore, so what the hell is it?

When Mike Riley took over as head coach of the Cornhuskers, he brought the mentality that it’s okay to just try your best because we’ll still go out for ice cream.  Recruits started coming to Lincoln to play for a storied program, thinking it would be easy solely on brand recognition.  That invited an aggressive cancer to saunter its way into the program so exit Shawn Eichorst and enter Bill Moos who mercifully fired Riley and hired Scott Frost.  Scott wasn’t a bad hire, but one could have really predicted how disastrous that would turn out.  He inherited the cancer with bravado but couldn’t stay out of his way even if he was gifted the victory.  We all know how that worked out and ultimately we hired Matt Rhule, a proven program builder who knew what he was getting into, and willingly embraced the opportunity to turn it around.  I’ll die on the hill that, yes, there are always things a coaching staff can do to adjust and correct, but this isn’t the fault of this coaching staff.  

We need to be in for the long haul with Rhule and his staff and that means understanding that they know what is best, but have to adapt to things that come up, all the while curing the cancer.  We are watching other teams dump coaches like we did with Solich and there really isn’t anything worth hiring at the moment.  Can the coaches make adjustments?  Of course, but it’s a little late in the season to be making major ones that may need to be addressed.  For instance, we don’t have the size up front to run a 3-3-5 defense, but that is what coach Butler inherited and he’s doing his best given the situation.  Hopefully that gets scrapped and they adopt a more traditional 4-3 in the offseason, however, that affects recruiting and changes what the current players are used to.  Adam Carriker has talked a lot about just switching a defensive end from the left to right side is a major adjustment, let alone changing the defensive scheme.  Cignetti at Indiana is an enigma and yes it works, but how long will that last?  One and done?  It’s likely not sustainable.  The current landscape needs continuity and consistency plus patience.  We will get there and it will be worth it.

It sucks watching teams look like perennial champions against us and showing off during the game.  I’d like to be more sympathetic to the players because of their age, but they are getting paid to play a game and in any job, you are expected to produce certain results.  They are sheltered in a way the rest of us aren’t so we are going to be short on patience.  I really believe that Rhule gets that and does preach it to his team, it’s on them to get the message.  As a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan and devout Christian, I understand what an eschatological faith means, which is one day Christ is coming back, one day the Cubs will win (which they did), one day the Huskers will fix this crap.  The Cubs were trying to overcome a century of misery and ultimately had to start from scratch, the Huskers are trying to overcome two decades of it and haven’t started from scratch.  If you’re getting killed consistently, take the loss and throw in the players that don’t let curses and cancers affect them, and play them.  No, the Blackshirts didn’t physically quit, but they mentally did.  They didn’t throw helmets but it’s obvious they weren’t willing to do the fundamental things and do what was needed.   You can’t ask anything more from a fanbase that will never quit on you.  That being said….

Damon Benning said it best, “Nebraska’s got 99 problems, but Lateef ain’t one.”  If you watched his demeanor during the game, he showed his maturity and being young, helps him not understand the cancer that plagues this team.  Sideline reporter for the Huskers, Jessica Coody, said that even though the team is getting beat badly, you’d never know it looking at Lateef.  She talked about how well he handled himself by watching video in between drives and not being rattled at all, rather staying focused and positive.  It sucks but these games are bound to happen while we are learning, however it doesn’t excuse giving up.  That is what Husker fans find unacceptable, especially when it’s been happening for 10 plus years.  Losses happen, but continuing to follow the same script when adversity rears its ugly head isn’t acceptable anymore.  There are no more excuses.  Go Big Red, but get over your stuff and move on from accepting failure.