Neb. is a top 30-60 team: now and forever

[Paperback Writer]

Ouch!

25. Whatever happened to ...
....

Nebraska -- Do you have to be told? Since Tom Osborne retired in 1997, there has been one conference title (16 years ago), two major bowls and five coaches. The Huskers have pulled the rare double of late. They have proved not to be factors in two Power Five leagues (Big 12, Big Ten).


http://www.cbssports.com/college-foo...s-immediately/

Dennis Dodd is playing loose with the facts...
Last 5 years in the Big12
2006: Big 12 North Champs. Played in Cotton Bowl.
2009: Big 12 North Champs. Lost to undefeated Texas in CCG when a second was put back on the clock.
2010: Big 12 North Champs.
Two 10-win seasons; two 9-win seasons. Three division championships. Played in a bowl game 4/5 seasons.

Last 5 years in the Big Ten
2012: Division Champions.
One 10-win season and three 9-win seasons. One division championship. Played in a bowl game 5/5 seasons.

And there have only been four coaches since Tom Osborne retired in 1997 (not five)
Bob Devaney (1962-72) 11 seasons; 2 national championships
Tom Osborne (1973-97) 25 seasons; 3 national championships
Frank Solich (1998-2003) 6 seasons
Bill Callahan (2004-07) 4 seasons
Bo Pelini (2008-2014) 7 seasons
Mike Riley (2015 - present)

While it's true Nebraska has not won a conference championship since 1999 and has not played in a national championship game since 2001, the Huskers were a factor in the Big 12 and are a factor in the Big Ten. There were 22 years between national championships in 1971 and 1994. At present, it's been 18 years since Nebraska's last national championship.

[Paperback Writer]

A follow-up on the Nebraska-California connection. There is a third highly ranked Calabasas HS player considering Nebraska: CB Darnay Holmes.
An ESPN blogger wrote recently about Nebraska's recent success in CA: http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/bigt.../post?id=13195
In my view, the blog understates Nebraska's recruiting in California prior to 2016. Notably, the Huskers current starting RB Newby is from CA as well as recent past contributors like QB Martinez (2010-13), RB Lucky (2005-08) and RB Helu (2007-10). They might not have been as highly rated as CA players in the 2016 class but all were multi-year starters and rushed for 1,000+ yards in a season.

[Paperback Writer]

Nice. Riley is putting together a good class. I didn't follow him at Oregon State. Did he typically recruit well and then underperform?

IMO, Riley recruited well considering he was at Oregon St. As you know, Nebraska is in a different tier with respect to facilities, tradition, and $$$. Riley does appear to have some good connections in California. What I think is significant, is that Riley is bringing in the type of QB who is a true passer in Patrick O'Brien and now Tristan Gebbia; the type of QB that often plays at BYU.

[Omaha 680]

Calabasas High QB Tristan Gebbia gave has verbal committment to Nebraska.

Nice. Riley is putting together a good class. I didn't follow him at Oregon State. Did he typically recruit well and then underperform?

[Paperback Writer]

The Calabasas High QB, Tristan Gebbia, who throws to Keyshawn Jr. was in Lincoln recently on an unofficial visit. Would be nice for Nebraska to land both of them.

Calabasas High QB Tristan Gebbia gave has verbal committment to Nebraska.

[Paperback Writer]

Nebraska lands a commitment from Keyshawn Jr. I guess Mike Riley isn't ALL bad.

http://journalstar.com/sports/husker...71bc15d4c.html

The Calabasas High QB, Tristan Gebbia, who throws to Keyshawn Jr. was in Lincoln recently on an unofficial visit. Would be nice for Nebraska to land both of them.

[Omaha 680]

Nebraska lands a commitment from Keyshawn Jr. I guess Mike Riley isn't ALL bad.

http://journalstar.com/sports/husker...71bc15d4c.html

[Paperback Writer]

That also means he would have had fewer victims (on the outside) as well.

Yes. Clearly the right choice was to suspend him for longer. But as I posted in the other thread I think Osborne's stated motives were sincere and he didn't need LP to win that year.

Tom Osborne thought he could help redeem LP. He was wrong. But at what point is a person beyond redemption? At what point does probably the most influential person in a troubled person's life give up on trying to help redeem someone?

Before Tom Osborne ultimately failed at redeeming LP, he was partially successful. LP sat out the 1st half of the 1993 season Orange Bowl against FSU. It was a the de facto national championship game that Nebraska lost on a missed FG as time expired. LP then kept his nose clean the entire 1994 season. If Osborne knew LP was beyond redemption and would ultimately end up in prison, he would have cut him loose in 1995. Instead, Osborne most likely felt that by sitting out half the season and keeping LP under the supervision of the coaching staff and ultimately having a chance at the NFL, LP might possibly have learned his lesson and be redeemed.

For every Lawrence Phillips, there were many more players that Tom Osborne helped redeem. One was a player as talented as LP who did win the Heisman - Johnny Rodgers.

[Omaha 680]

That also means he would have had fewer victims (on the outside) as well.

Yes. Clearly the right choice was to suspend him for longer. But as I posted in the other thread I think Osborne's stated motives were sincere and he didn't need LP to win that year.

[creekster]

I don't know that I would describe Lawrence Phillip's treatment as coddled but the guy certainly was broken and did receive a lot of second chances due to his talent. In retrospect, LP shouldn't have gotten a second chance with Nebraska in 1995. But I do believe that Tom Osborne was doing what he felt was best for LP and not Nebraska football when he allowed LP to play again after a 6-game suspension. The guy was an early Heisman favorite after his outstanding season in 1994 and his performance against a Nick Saban coached Michigan St. team in 1995. Had Osborne kicked LP off the team in 1995, he probably would have ended up in prison sooner.

That also means he would have had fewer victims (on the outside) as well.

[smokymountainrain]

I'll never forget Phillips and Frazier running all over an undefeated Florida team in that '96 fiesta bowl for the national championship. It was as if Nebraska was playing a DII team rather than a 12-0 team from the SEC with a future Heisman winner.

[Paperback Writer]

I wasnt sure where to put this but this seemed as good a place as any, and I very quickly got tired of looking, so here it is:

Lawrence Phillips, who was extremely talented on the field but a big hot mess of trouble off the field, and who I recall being one of those coddled and protected broken people who is given pass after pass due to athletic ability, committed suicide in prison yesterday, where he was likely going to bve charged with capital murder for killing a cell mate. A sad end to his life. May he rest in peace.


http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...ison/78742058/

I don't know that I would describe Lawrence Phillip's treatment as coddled but the guy certainly was broken and did receive a lot of second chances due to his talent. In retrospect, LP shouldn't have gotten a second chance with Nebraska in 1995. But I do believe that Tom Osborne was doing what he felt was best for LP and not Nebraska football when he allowed LP to play again after a 6-game suspension. The guy was an early Heisman favorite after his outstanding season in 1994 and his performance against a Nick Saban coached Michigan St. team in 1995. Had Osborne kicked LP off the team in 1995, he probably would have ended up in prison sooner.

[creekster]

Sorry didn't see this before I posted it in the official Lawrence Phillips thread.

no worries; you found the correct place.

[Omaha 680]

I wasnt sure where to put this but this seemed as good a place as any, and I very quickly got tired of looking, so here it is:

Lawrence Phillips, who was extremely talented on the field but a big hot mess of trouble off the field, and who I recall being one of those coddled and protected broken people who is given pass after pass due to athletic ability, committed suicide in prison yesterday, where he was likely going to bve charged with capital murder for killing a cell mate. A sad end to his life. May he rest in peace.


http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...ison/78742058/

Sorry didn't see this before I posted it in the official Lawrence Phillips thread.

[creekster]

I wasnt sure where to put this but this seemed as good a place as any, and I very quickly got tired of looking, so here it is:

Lawrence Phillips, who was extremely talented on the field but a big hot mess of trouble off the field, and who I recall being one of those coddled and protected broken people who is given pass after pass due to athletic ability, committed suicide in prison yesterday, where he was likely going to bve charged with capital murder for killing a cell mate. A sad end to his life. May he rest in peace.


http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...ison/78742058/