How did Bo manage to get so much right during his tenure here?

[huskerj12]

We all know the regularly-scheduled blowouts were awful, and his relationships with the bigwigs and, well, everyone around him, were unsustainable. But it's time to reassess with rose colored glasses. The guy managed to win 9-10 games for seven straight seasons as our coach, his W/L record seems untouchable now compared to his 3 successors, his offenses seem downright electric compared to what we've gotten accustomed to since, he turned more 3-stars into beloved star playmakers than seemingly all of our 4-stars combined in the time since, all while being a certifiable rageaholic with deep paranoia issues and a hatred of playing the recruiting game or doing anything to even attempt to improve NU's public image off the field.

I don't get it. How was Bo Pelini of all people the clear high water mark of the past 20+ years, what did he do so differently that allowed us to be a 9-10 win team year in and year out? All while dealing with his myriad personality issues as well as what is now CLEARLY some sort of mystical curse plaguing our program? Was he somehow a coaching savant to be able to pull off so many wins? I know the Big Ten was weaker then, but it was still Power 5 football.

The guy was nuts and his career absolutely fell of a cliff after leaving NU, but clearly he did a whole lot right to get those results and have so many players who loved him like family. I don't know that we will ever see heights like that again. It's just bizarre to think about.

So anyway:

 

[Ext. 55]

 

[huskerj12]

 

[Ext. 55]

 

[Bootleg11]

We all know the regularly-scheduled blowouts were awful, and his relationships with the bigwigs and, well, everyone around him, were unsustainable. But it's time to reassess with rose colored glasses. The guy managed to win 9-10 games for seven straight seasons as our coach, his W/L record seems untouchable now compared to his 3 successors, his offenses seem downright electric compared to what we've gotten accustomed to since, he turned more 3-stars into beloved star playmakers than seemingly all of our 4-stars combined in the time since, all while being a certifiable rageaholic with deep paranoia issues and a hatred of playing the recruiting game or doing anything to even attempt to improve NU's public image off the field.

I don't get it. How was Bo Pelini of all people the clear high water mark of the past 20+ years, what did he do so differently that allowed us to be a 9-10 win team year in and year out? All while dealing with his myriad personality issues as well as what is now CLEARLY some sort of mystical curse plaguing our program? Was he somehow a coaching savant to be able to pull off so many wins? I know the Big Ten was weaker then, but it was still Power 5 football.

The guy was nuts and his career absolutely fell of a cliff after leaving NU, but I don't know that we will ever see heights like that again. It's just bizarre to think about.

So anyway:

He coached in The Big 12 north and then joined the big 10 while Michigan, Penn St and Ohio St were down.

 

[kaz36]

The Big Ten today >>>>> The Big Ten when Bo coached.

 

[Pepe Silvia]

90% of his success was inheriting a young, talented roster recruited by Callahan that allowed him to hit the ground running. he peaked in years 2/3 and then when that roster graduated he struggled to replace them

the Big 10 was also really weak when he joined. MIchigan was coming off the RichRod years, OSU had tattoogate and PSU had Sandusky

 

[macmoolah]

He coached in The Big 12 north and then joined the big 10 while Michigan, Penn St and Ohio St were down.

Wisconsin and Nebraska being one of the first B1G Title Games is so weird.

 

[doublewing]

There was a sense of continuity to what they were doing on offense and defense. Now we swap out coordinators and/or don’t have coherent schemes.

It’s why Cockeye has had more success than NU. They know how to recruit players to their system, the players develop within it, and you are not starting from scratch every year.

 

[huskerj12]

90% of his success was inheriting a young, talented roster recruited by Callahan that allowed him to hit the ground running. he peaked in years 2/3 and then when that roster graduated he struggled to replace them

On defense I see your point, but on offense a whole lot of his best players were from his recruiting. Rex, Ameer, Bell, Martinez, Enunwa, Reed, Westerkamp, Armstrong, Pierson-El, those guys were all Bo recruits who seem like downright heroes compared to just about anyone from any offenses since, up until EJ this year.

 

[king_kong_]

The Big Ten today >>>>> The Big Ten when Bo coached.

This would make sense if we had to play any of the top teams in the league this year

But we didn’t

 

[Pepe Silvia]

On defense I see your point, but on offense a whole lot of his best players were from his recruiting. Rex, Ameer, Bell, Martinez, Enunwa, Reed, Westerkamp, Armstrong, Pierson-El, those guys were all Bo recruits who seem like downright heroes compared to just about anyone from any offenses since, up until EJ this year.

his first team in 2008 was carried by the offense, with Ganz, Lucky, Swift, Peterson, McNeil and Niles Paul. the OL was all callahan recruits, too.

 

[2010sarenevercomingback]

He definitely had some things fall in his favor with inheriting a decent roster & stud defensive talent; plus the B1G not being down somewhat, but he was also a top defensive mind for a long time until...

the rest of the country figured out how to attack him?... his cokehead man behind the curtain brother had to leave?... being undermined by his own administration drove him to insanity?

I think a decent amount of his success was his ability to get the most out of his guys. They weren't always up for being able to play with the elite teams, but when you get a C+ team all pointed in the same direction going balls to the wall, you can get B+ results.

 

[the insider]

The Big Ten today >>>>> The Big Ten when Bo coached.

by far. not even remotly close too.

 

[Southendzonehusker]

I think a decent amount of his success was his ability to get the most out of his guys. They weren't always up for being able to play with the elite teams, but when you get a C+ team all pointed in the same direction going balls to the wall, you can get B+ results.

All of the guys he coached still absolutely love him. It’s too bad how things ended with him.

 

[Ext. 55]

Well played troll OP…getting some real bites here. Respect.

 

[huskerj12]

Well played troll OP…getting some real bites here. Respect.

I thought it was pretty obvious I was being half tongue-in-cheek/half real in the post haha.

Clearly he would never in a million years be successful in the current version of CFB, but at this point I think it’s also clear he was by far the tallest midget when it comes to post-glory days NU football. Just part of the absurdity of it all.

 

[Ext. 55]

I thought it was pretty obvious I was being half tongue-in-cheek/half real in the post haha.

Clearly he would never in a million years be successful in the current version of CFB, but at this point I think it’s also clear he was by far the tallest midget when it comes to post-glory days NU football.

I thought it was and is brilliant. Seriously, well played!

 

[HerbRedman]

The guy managed to win 9-10 games for seven straight seasons as our coach, his W/L record seems untouchable now compared to his 3 successors,

@huskerj12 I like your posts but this one is a bit naive. It shows a lack of understanding of where the B1G is top to bottom now vs where it was 2011-2014.

Two main things that helped Bo were: (1) they played 4 noncon games every yr (chance for an extra win). (2) the mid to bottom tier B1G programs were in the STONE AGES compared to where they are now. BTN $$$ have lifted up even the bottom feeders.


Here's the test to prove this. Ask these two questions to anyone who says 'Bo was 9-3 every yr, why can't every NU coach just do that?' Here's the question you ask to prove how mickey mouse the B1G was in those days:

Tell off a Bo-liever Question:
Can you name me the two prior HCs for both these schools (without Googling it)?

• Illinois BEFORE Lovie Smith (last 2 HCs)
• Purdue BEFORE Jeff Brohm (last 2 HCs)

VERY few people can name all 4 of these HCs. You know why? Because the B1G was mickey mouse in those days. The mid to bottom tier had JV programs compared to what they have now. Illinois has fuckin Brett Bielema now with a gigantic assistant coach pool. Purdue had Jeff Brohm. All of these schools now can pay top dollar for legit HC hires. And assistants. And facilities. And for recruits.

The B1G from 2011-2014 was a joke. Bo's teams would be 6-6 at best in this current B1G w/ only 3 noncon games. Zero chances he'd win 9 games.

 

[SlumpBuster]

Bo would get run through today. There's a reason he sucked everywhere else he went.

With so much money in the Big 10 these days, even the crap programs have decent rosters and coaches