Podcast Episode 12: If Indiana Can Do It, Why Can't Nebraska?

[Seaofred92]

Simple as that. If IU can win the national championship, why can't Nebraska? Lots of lessons to learn from the Hoosiers' title won on Monday night and how NU can learn from them going forward. Plus, Nebrasketball talk as we continue our dream season.

@HuskerGarrett

 

[Fargo Husker]

 

[Flabio]

 

[2010sarenevercomingback]

Simple as that. If IU can win the national championship, why can't Nebraska?

 

[Mavsker]

Because they have a competent head coach

 

[Alcaus]

Feels more like a Cignetti thing than an Indiana thing.

 

[Alcaus]

Because they have a competent head coach

Hell of an understatement

 

[Cavalot]

I've said this before. We're not going to do it doing what everyone else does.

 

[Quint]

There is little Nebraska ‘Can’t’ do.

There is a ton we likely won’t do for various reasons that change every year.

I’m excited to hear the Spring camp hype come out this year. I’m sure we’re ahead of the curve.

 

[Dell Husker]

@Seaofred92 @HuskerGarrett You guys talked about pictures of Indiana and Miami stadiums when they weren’t good. Then you compare it to Nebraska fans always selling the stadium out.

Do we think that it’s part of the problem? Rhule came here knowing there was always fan support during the bad times and we would be okay with his “3 year turnaround.” He even doubled down in a presser after two years that his history shows that 3 years is where he sees change.

Any other school doesn’t support the bad times and creates pressure and a sense of urgency. I think we enabled this.

 

[Seaofred92]

@Seaofred92 @HuskerGarrett You guys talked about pictures of Indiana and Miami stadiums when they weren’t good. Then you compare it to Nebraska fans always selling the stadium out.

Do we think that it’s part of the problem? Rhule came here knowing there was always fan support during the bad times and we would be okay with his “3 year turnaround.” He even doubled down in a presser after two years that his history shows that 3 years is where he sees change.

Any other school doesn’t support the bad times and creates pressure and a sense of urgency. I think we enabled this.

I go back and forth on this…. I feel like the fact that people care enough here still is reason that it can/will eventually turn around.

On the flip side, there are plenty of examples of teams who do not support their team with in-person attendance the way NU does that have wound up in better positions over the last 15 years. Miami, Indiana, Florida State, Florida, Pitt, Michigan State, etc etc etc

The year 3 Rhule thing winding up at 7-6 with 3 straight 3 score losses is an abomination. But the fan support IMO is not why he isn’t on the hot seat going into year 4 - that is because of the extension.

However, I do think you’re onto something with the fan support enabling “longer term” turnaround mindset. 7-5 next year and we’re all talking about how we are building for when Tre Taylor and them all come in 2027. Then they’re freshmen and we just need to wait until 2028. Meanwhile, Cignetti just wrapped up 3 in a row.

What do you think?

 

[Dell Husker]

I go back and forth on this…. I feel like the fact that people care enough here still is reason that it can/will eventually turn around.

On the flip side, there are plenty of examples of teams who do not support their team with in-person attendance the way NU does that have wound up in better positions over the last 15 years. Miami, Indiana, Florida State, Florida, Pitt, Michigan State, etc etc etc

The year 3 Rhule thing winding up at 7-6 with 3 straight 3 score losses is an abomination. But the fan support IMO is not why he isn’t on the hot seat going into year 4 - that is because of the extension.

However, I do think you’re onto something with the fan support enabling “longer term” turnaround mindset. 7-5 next year and we’re all talking about how we are building for when Tre Taylor and them all come in 2027. Then they’re freshmen and we just need to wait until 2028. Meanwhile, Cignetti just wrapped up 3 in a row.

What do you think?

I agree with you. I think we can spin things however we want but it definitely made me think when you guys were talking about Cignetti & Indiana winning right away.

Cigs came in and said “I win, Google me.” He wanted to win the first year and did.

Rhule came in and the media & himself said “He does it in 3 years, we just have to wait. Look at his prior two college stints’”

Lower standards, less pressure. I think we all got sold on culture was our big issue here. Nobody should be convinced that Indiana had a culture better than ours when he arrived.

 

[Quint]

@Seaofred92 @HuskerGarrett You guys talked about pictures of Indiana and Miami stadiums when they weren’t good. Then you compare it to Nebraska fans always selling the stadium out.

Do we think that it’s part of the problem? Rhule came here knowing there was always fan support during the bad times and we would be okay with his “3 year turnaround.” He even doubled down in a presser after two years that his history shows that 3 years is where he sees change.

Any other school doesn’t support the bad times and creates pressure and a sense of urgency. I think we enabled this.

It will be interesting to see how ’26 (and maybe beyond) plays out.

Barring an unreal level of development at key positions and an unexpected level of contribution from incoming freshman and portal players, ’26 looks like a step back or at best a ‘hold serve’ in the W/L department. What does the always loyal fanbase do with a 6-6 regular season this fall? I don’t see anything happening to Rhule & Co unless we finish 5-7 or worse and even then the buyout is steep. Barring a complete collapse, he’s going to be the coach heading into ’27. The hype will be vapor. Does he keep Taylor in the ’27 class with his seat getting hot? Is that even going to matter at that point?

W/L record be damned, Nebraska football needs to make some significant strides in a hurry or we’re shaking the Etch A Sketch again no later than after the ’27 season.

 

[Quint]

I agree with you. I think we can spin things however we want but it definitely made me think when you guys were talking about Cignetti & Indiana winning right away.

Cigs came in and said “I win, Google me.” He wanted to win the first year and did.

Rhule came in and the media & himself said “He does it in 3 years, we just have to wait. Look at his prior two college stints’”

Lower standards, less pressure. I think we all got sold on culture was our big issue here. Nobody should be convinced that Indiana had a culture better than ours when he arrived.

The bolded is a great point. Indiana was a loser program. Period. Not a chance the players on the roster that stayed with him year one had any better a culture than what Rhule inherited.

I know for years we heard that too many of the kids on the Nebraska roster thought they’d just show up and we’d win, but the ‘Winning’ is so far in the rear view mirror, none of the current players on the roster were even around for it. Not even for 2001, so I don’t buy that. I don’t think our culture was good. At all. Frost was arrogant and didn’t put in the work and as a result his players were lazy and unprepared. Cignetti is arrogant, expects to win and works his ass off. His teams have been prepared and play selflessly and like they belong, regardless of the opponent.

 

[Milo-of-Croton]

Rhule has made critical changes. Offensive line and DC are both upgrades. Defensive line is an upgrade. Same OC. Different quarterback, Trae Taylor and a very good recruiting class comiing in ‘27 if he can keep that class together. Keeping Taylor in the fold is the key, and that appears to be a done deal.

Winning a National Championship is never going to an overnight deal at NU and may never be replicated by anybody again in this day and age of college football. Cignetti was almost magical in what he did. We can get back to that level, hopefully we can do that with Rhule, but in my opinion, Rhule has to evolve as a coach (every coach evolves). Despite his public statements, I am still not sure what his core principles are and what offensive and defensive system of play he believes in, based on what I’ve seen.

That being said, my response to can NU win a Natty…is yes, maybe, but not real soon.

PS - Nebraska was a loser program when Devaney took over, not much different than Indiana in terms of success in football. Devaney took a few more years than Cignetti, but he did it. And so did Osborne…and Osborne evolved. What Osborne was doing at the end of his career did not resemble what he did when he took over after Devaney retired.