For me personally, I think it's a combination of a few things.
#1 - The media loves him when he's done well - recruiting, start to improve here, it'll be noticed.
#2 - The stuff they do on offense is good, he knows it, it's good stuff - but it's been shit here for a variety of reasons, mostly OL play, Turnovers, and QB reads IMO.
#3 - I think last year showed that despite an epic bed shitting in games, they can compete with everyone.
I've listened to him several times talking football, both offense, defense, tackling. It's good stuff. If, and a big if, they can turn that shit around and quit the epic bed shitting, I don't see why they can't compete at those levels of Pelini teams, but not get the doors blown off them in big games.