Let's say NIL and the transfer portal existed all the way back in 2000....

[Cornicator]

Which fired Husker Coach would've been able to overcome his own shortcomings and roster issues to build Nebraska into a consistent contender? A few other aspects to add to this hypothetical:

- Huskers have a top 12 NIL budget like they do currently
- Keep in mind the rest of the Big 12 and the Big 10 NIL are also is positioned similarly.
- Facilities would've stayed the exact same. That means stadium renovation, training, weight room, and practice facilities upgrades timeline would've remained the same over the last 25 years.

My thoughts:

-
- Bill Callahan would've built a juggernaut.
- Bo Pelini would've had very similar success.
- I don't think Mike Riley ever sniffs a job at Nebraska because he would've been run out of Oregon State a decade earlier.
- If Frost ever gets hired at Nebraska I think he probably brings 30+ dudes from Central Florida and Nebraska is competitive in year one, and the offenses continue to bring in good players. But defense, special teams, and overall program management would've led to his downfall in similar fashion.


FWIW, I do think Tim Miles would've probably kept his job and been a 20 to 22 game winner every season.

 

[Jim14510]

Which fired Husker Coach would've been able to overcome his own shortcomings and roster issues to build Nebraska into a consistent contender? A few other aspects to add to this hypothetical:

- Huskers have a top 12 NIL budget like they do currently
- Keep in mind the rest of the Big 12 and the Big 10 NIL are also is positioned similarly.
- Facilities would've stayed the exact same. That means stadium renovation, training, weight room, and practice facilities upgrades timeline would've remained the same over the last 25 years.

My thoughts:

-
- Bill Callahan would've built a juggernaut.
- Bo Pelini would've had very similar success.
- I don't think Mike Riley ever sniffs a job at Nebraska because he would've been run out of Oregon State a decade earlier.
- If Frost ever gets hired at Nebraska I think he probably brings 30+ dudes from Central Florida and Nebraska is competitive in year one, and the offenses continue to bring in good players. But defense, special teams, and overall program management would've led to his downfall in similar fashion.


FWIW, I do think Tim Miles would've probably kept his job and been a 20 to 22 game winner every season.

I think Pelini would have been a little better. Not much. Maybe an extra 2 or 3 years. He was better at finding juco guys than HS recruiting. Assuming he'd be better with the portal. Would still have his shortcomings but maybe with some more talent.

 

[Juro]

Bill would have dominated.
Bo would have ran after the first few seasons of his players getting tampered with and they ultimately leaving with Bo claiming no loyalty.
Riley, wouldn’t have made it through Oregon State with all of his good players getting paid after going to the portal.
Frost wouldn’t have pulled his UCF players due to him not wanting to do that against his former school.

 

[Tonkasker]

Taylor Martinez would have never lasted past his freshman year

 

[Kazman5k]

Nothing was getting in the way of frost boozing and playing golden tee. It would have gone exactly the same.

 

[Jim14510]

Taylor Martinez would have never lasted past his freshman year

I didn't think about Martinez. Seemed like most of Beau's players loved him but Martinez would have for sure been gone after his first ass chewing.

 

[vailhusker]

John Blake with legal money?

 

[Stan Raymond]

Which fired Husker Coach would've been able to overcome his own shortcomings and roster issues to build Nebraska into a consistent contender? A few other aspects to add to this hypothetical:

- Huskers have a top 12 NIL budget like they do currently
- Keep in mind the rest of the Big 12 and the Big 10 NIL are also is positioned similarly.
- Facilities would've stayed the exact same. That means stadium renovation, training, weight room, and practice facilities upgrades timeline would've remained the same over the last 25 years.

My thoughts:

-
- Bill Callahan would've built a juggernaut.
- Bo Pelini would've had very similar success.
- I don't think Mike Riley ever sniffs a job at Nebraska because he would've been run out of Oregon State a decade earlier.
- If Frost ever gets hired at Nebraska I think he probably brings 30+ dudes from Central Florida and Nebraska is competitive in year one, and the offenses continue to bring in good players. But defense, special teams, and overall program management would've led to his downfall in similar fashion.


FWIW, I do think Tim Miles would've probably kept his job and been a 20 to 22 game winner every season.

Solich would have resigned, just to much pressure in the NIL/portal era. Would have moved down to Ohio earlier, where he belonged and was successful.

Callahan would have some really good talent, not sure how well they would have played together, but we'd be a very talented team.

Pelini would have some epic rants when players left him high and dry. The shorter recruiting cycle of transfers might have played in his favor. I think his tenure would have ended about the same, without Carl and Marvin the dude just ran out of control.

Riley probably would have been fired at Oregon State and never hired.

Frost wouldn't have won squat at UCF as those players would have moved up to better pay days. Frost's tenure at UCF wouldn't have been good enough to be hired at Nebraska.

Doubtful on Miles, he hasn't really torn it up since he left Nebraska.

 

[Flabio]

Bo needed an omega $$$ recruiting operation around him to buy talent as he didn’t like to cruit and it showed with lack of depth and overall starter talent.

It would’ve been fascinating to see where Cally would’ve had it after a couple of more years.

 

[doublewing]

Bill Callahan with Georgia, OSU or Alabama level talent is still a Bill Callahan coached team. His ceiling would be like Jimbo Fisher with all the talent he had at A&M.

 

[2010sarenevercomingback]

Bo would have benefitted the most. Didn't get supported with resources, especially post-Osborne, and being able to show HS recruits or portal guys a number instead of having to schmooze them would have eliminated one of his weakest points.

My contrarian take is that Callahan might have been worse. His selling points that were a differentiator in that era aren't as important to recruits when they can make pro money in college, and I doubt he'd have been able to retain any depth.

 

[Alcaus]

Callahan would’ve eventually gotten us a NC. Assuming he would’ve been upgrading his staff over time.

 

[CybrrMonky71]

Callahan would’ve eventually gotten us a NC. Assuming he would’ve been upgrading his staff over time.

Callahan may have won a natty in 2009 if he hired a competent DC in the Big12 & kept that 2007 offensive recruiting class together
Bo benefited from cally loading the defensive roster with NFL talent
If the 2007 defensive implosion doesn’t happen, he had it ready to take off
2009 was a national championship level defense but the offense was one of the worst in school history bc of terrible QB play. Callahan had Blaine Gabbert, Jonas Grey & Riley Reiff all committed & would have definitely landed WRs to play with that group.

 

[Flabio]

Bill Callahan with Georgia, OSU or Alabama level talent is still a Bill Callahan coached team. His ceiling would be like Jimbo Fisher with all the talent he had at A&M.

We would have killed for those kind of results vs what we went through.