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Lessons from the McWilson situation

  • In actuality, I'm glad this McWilson situation happened. It provides some very eye-opening lessons for both the Nebraska coaching staff and fan base.

    1. This ain't "show friends." It's "show business." Don't take any recruits for granted. I see a lot of whining about Vince Marrow not having any class. What was he supposed to do? He got hired to be a full-time position coach likely BECAUSE of his recruiting prowess. Time to earn your check. He had a connection, he used it. Kentucky has a long, hard climb and needs every good player they can get. Hopefully, this cold truth slaps Nebraska's staff in the face. You can trust the guys on your staff...and no one else. Good. That's how it should. be.

    2. Bo Pelini needs to make every choice every day as a cold-blooded calculation to better his football program. If you're having Vince Marrow as one of the primary recruiters, then clearly you recognize his ability to bring something to the table. If you value that, you make a place for him. You cut a lower-producing member loose. Maybe that's an old pal. Maybe that's someone you hired a year or two earlier. You do it, because this is a results-driven business. You hire guys who get you results. Bo had every chance to ensure this didn't happen, and he chose inaction.

    This lays at Bo Pelini's feet. I hope he lets it burn in his gut and remembers this feeling the next time he has a choice to make.

    Milkman Dan

  • Milkman Dan said...

    In actuality, I'm glad this McWilson situation happened. It provides some very eye-opening lessons for both the Nebraska coaching staff and fan base.

    1. This ain't "show friends." It's "show business." Don't take any recruits for granted. I see a lot of whining about Vince Marrow not having any class. What was he supposed to do? He got hired to be a full-time position coach likely BECAUSE of his recruiting prowess. Time to earn your check. He had a connection, he used it. Kentucky has a long, hard climb and needs every good player they can get. Hopefully, this cold truth slaps Nebraska's staff in the face. You can trust the guys on your staff...and no one else. Good. That's how it should. be.

    2. Bo Pelini needs to make every choice every day as a cold-blooded calculation to better his football program. If you're having Vince Marrow as one of the primary recruiters, then clearly you recognize his ability to bring something to the table. If you value that, you make a place for him. You cut a lower-producing member loose. Maybe that's an old pal. Maybe that's someone you hired a year or two earlier. You do it, because this is a results-driven business. You hire guys who get you results. Bo had every chance to ensure this didn't happen, and he chose inaction.

    This lays at Bo Pelini's feet. I hope he lets it burn in his gut and remembers this feeling the next time he has a choice to make.

    Starting strong. Glad your aboard.

    Mike77

  • Milkman Dan said...

    In actuality, I'm glad this McWilson situation happened. It provides some very eye-opening lessons for both the Nebraska coaching staff and fan base.

    1. This ain't "show friends." It's "show business." Don't take any recruits for granted. I see a lot of whining about Vince Marrow not having any class. What was he supposed to do? He got hired to be a full-time position coach likely BECAUSE of his recruiting prowess. Time to earn your check. He had a connection, he used it. Kentucky has a long, hard climb and needs every good player they can get. Hopefully, this cold truth slaps Nebraska's staff in the face. You can trust the guys on your staff...and no one else. Good. That's how it should. be.

    2. Bo Pelini needs to make every choice every day as a cold-blooded calculation to better his football program. If you're having Vince Marrow as one of the primary recruiters, then clearly you recognize his ability to bring something to the table. If you value that, you make a place for him. You cut a lower-producing member loose. Maybe that's an old pal. Maybe that's someone you hired a year or two earlier. You do it, because this is a results-driven business. You hire guys who get you results. Bo had every chance to ensure this didn't happen, and he chose inaction.

    This lays at Bo Pelini's feet. I hope he lets it burn in his gut and remembers this feeling the next time he has a choice to make.

    I agree with your first point. And a good percentage of your second. Here is the thing we don't know. And some have speculated on this point. A few have wondered if Vinny is similar to John Blake, excellent recruiter but below average coach. Is Vinny a very good recruiter, but just an average coach? I was not impressed by the progress or lack thereof that Ben and Kyler made under Vinny. In fact, I was disappointed.

    Also, it appeared than Vinny was a loose cannon. He made an offer to Antoine Miles, yet none of the rest of the coaching staff knew that to be the case. That is a real problem in the making, and possibly why Bo was more than willing to let him go with his blessings.

    signature image signature image signature image

    ...It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to. W. C. Fields

    Zonie87

  • You mention the two separate parts of a coach's job as though one was part of the job requirement and one isn't. Recruiting is "part" of a coach's job....just like player development and motivation. Every coach is going to be better at one part than another. It's up to the head coach to build a staff that complements each other with their skills. There is room on a staff for someone who is a better recruiter than X's and O's coach.

    Milkman Dan

  • Milkman Dan said...

    You mention the two separate parts of a coach's job as though one was part of the job requirement and one isn't. Recruiting is "part" of a coach's job....just like player development and motivation. Every coach is going to be better at one part than another. It's up to the head coach to build a staff that complements each other with their skills. There is room on a staff for someone who is a better recruiter than X's and O's coach.

    You can ask the question, but you nor I know the answer as to how a coaching staff is utilized to key in on each of the coach's best talents. How do we know there are two separate parts of a coaches job ...I suspect that are more components than that.

    To assume that every coach must be equal parts of the elements that make up an idealized icon of a good to great coach is not realistic. It is the H.C.'s job to ensure that all areas of responsibility are in tact and functioning well for the program in total. It doesn't mean that every coach has identical skills of equal parts. Some may be just average at recruiting but way above average in player relations, coaching techniques and organization.

    As fans we oversimplify just what goes into managing and developing an organization to be better than the sum of its parts.

    signature image signature image signature image

    ...It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to. W. C. Fields

    Zonie87

  • Great Posts Milkman.

    signature image signature image signature image

    Landohusker

  • Like it milk man.
    Zonie I get what you are saying. Maybe Vince is a good recruiter and below average
    Coach.
    Why then do we have others on staff that are below average in both areas?
    How ever you dice I Bo hires his staff and is responsible for recruiting.

    signature image

    cool picture from space

    Scooby

  • Losing Marrow sucks. We lost Sandland and McWilson when he left. It appears that Bo made a big mistake letting Marrow recruit from the beginning. It is the nature of the business but it is callous and possibly unethical on Marrow's part. However, in the grand scheme of things, this situation is truly minor. Next season we will have the same coaching staff in place for a second year in a row. Has that even happened before in Bo's time as coach here? The recruits, next season, will belong to a coaching staff that is not going anywhere most likely. We will not be in danger of losing recruits due to a GA recruiting, and getting a job and taking his recruits with him. It is what it is. Let's move on.

    domichae ●

  • This aint going to faze Bo in any way..He is very hard headed and thinks he knows it all..Look at his asst coaches he hires.Nothing more then his puppets...

    obobbo

  • Milkman Dan said...

    In actuality, I'm glad this McWilson situation happened. It provides some very eye-opening lessons for both the Nebraska coaching staff and fan base.

    1. This ain't "show friends." It's "show business." Don't take any recruits for granted. I see a lot of whining about Vince Marrow not having any class. What was he supposed to do? He got hired to be a full-time position coach likely BECAUSE of his recruiting prowess. Time to earn your check. He had a connection, he used it. Kentucky has a long, hard climb and needs every good player they can get. Hopefully, this cold truth slaps Nebraska's staff in the face. You can trust the guys on your staff...and no one else. Good. That's how it should. be.

    2. Bo Pelini needs to make every choice every day as a cold-blooded calculation to better his football program. If you're having Vince Marrow as one of the primary recruiters, then clearly you recognize his ability to bring something to the table. If you value that, you make a place for him. You cut a lower-producing member loose. Maybe that's an old pal. Maybe that's someone you hired a year or two earlier. You do it, because this is a results-driven business. You hire guys who get you results. Bo had every chance to ensure this didn't happen, and he chose inaction.

    This lays at Bo Pelini's feet. I hope he lets it burn in his gut and remembers this feeling the next time he has a choice to make.

    Every single point you've stated here had been mentioned by someone, someway somewhere on this board! If on the other hand, the coaches did not know; now they do; the aftermath.

    Coach Bo is a rookie rookie Coach still feeling his ways and like anyone he will stumble a few times and more to come

    Would i want him to do a better job in all facets? Absolutely; there is always room for improvement. I am not speaking for or defending Coach Bo either; because he is getting paid x amount of mega $$$$ to put a winning team out there. Also he will be held accountable for his actions / performance; i don't have a dog in this fight.

    As a matter of fact i feel sorry for him or any other CFB coach; i sure don't want that job; heck no.

    This post has been edited 2 times, most recently by Khoolshady on 1/29/2013 at 7:17 AM

    Khoolshady

  • Khoolshady said...

    Every single point you've stated here had been mentioned by someone, someway somewhere on this board! If on the other hand, the coaches did not know; now they do; the aftermath.

    Coach Bo is a rookie Coach still feeling his ways and like anyone he will stumble a few times and more to come

    Would i want him to do a better job in all facets? Absolutely; there is always room for improvement. I am not speaking for or defending Coach Bo either; because he is getting paid x amount of mega $$$$ to put a winning team out there. Also he will be held accountable for his actions / performance; i don't have a dog in this fight.

    As a matter of fact i feel sorry for him or any other CFB coach; i sure don't want that job; heck no.

    A rookie coach?

    nustudent

  • nustudent said...

    A rookie coach?

    CORRECTION: Rookie HC,,,my bad!!

    Khoolshady

  • Khoolshady said...

    CORRECTION: Rookie HC,,,my bad!!

    6 years in?

    This post was edited by nustudent on 1/29/2013 at 7:13 AM

    nustudent

  • Khoolshady said...

    Every single point you've stated here had been mentioned by someone, someway somewhere on this board! If on the other hand, the coaches did not know; now they do; the aftermath.

    Coach Bo is a rookie rookie Coach still feeling his ways and like anyone he will stumble a few times and more to come

    Would i want him to do a better job in all facets? Absolutely; there is always room for improvement. I am not speaking for or defending Coach Bo either; because he is getting paid x amount of mega $$$$ to put a winning team out there. Also he will be held accountable for his actions / performance; i don't have a dog in this fight.

    As a matter of fact i feel sorry for him or any other CFB coach; i sure don't want that job; heck no.

    Honest question. When is Bo no longer a rookie HC?
    He has been one for 5 years.

    signature image

    cool picture from space

    Scooby

  • I think 4 years how long the rookie coach title lasts

    He is no longer a rookie coach.

    I believe he deserves more time, but if he was fired today and found a job next season no one would call him a rookie coach there. That title should be taken away i think.

    This post was edited by beardown2489 on 1/29/2013 at 8:12 AM

    signature image signature image signature image

    beardown2489


  • We need to quit taking for granted that we are "NEBRASKA". That just doesn't work anymore. Everybody has facilities and as far as tradition goes, these recruits look at results pertinent to their age group which means the last ten years or less. Have we been a factor in the last ten years? I don't think so. We missed out on Marrow and his ability to recruit. That outweighs any coach we have. We don't have a closer and that's what we need because we don't carry the aura that we used to. We need to be as cutthroat as Urban Meyer when it comes to recruiting, with some class thrown in. I don't blame him a bit, even though I despise him, for going after Oregon's or any other teams recruits. Until the NCAA levels the recruiting playing field for everybody this will keep happening. The SEC will continue to dominate college football with the unbiased help of ESPN. Come on, do you really believe players are going to Kentucky for their football tradition? They are committing there because it is an SEC school and secondly they now have a name coach, even though unproven, and a closer on the recruiting front.

    sturg

  • Milkman Dan said...

    In actuality, I'm glad this McWilson situation happened. It provides some very eye-opening lessons for both the Nebraska coaching staff and fan base.

    1. This ain't "show friends." It's "show business." Don't take any recruits for granted. I see a lot of whining about Vince Marrow not having any class. What was he supposed to do? He got hired to be a full-time position coach likely BECAUSE of his recruiting prowess. Time to earn your check. He had a connection, he used it. Kentucky has a long, hard climb and needs every good player they can get. Hopefully, this cold truth slaps Nebraska's staff in the face. You can trust the guys on your staff...and no one else. Good. That's how it should. be.

    2. Bo Pelini needs to make every choice every day as a cold-blooded calculation to better his football program. If you're having Vince Marrow as one of the primary recruiters, then clearly you recognize his ability to bring something to the table. If you value that, you make a place for him. You cut a lower-producing member loose. Maybe that's an old pal. Maybe that's someone you hired a year or two earlier. You do it, because this is a results-driven business. You hire guys who get you results. Bo had every chance to ensure this didn't happen, and he chose inaction.

    This lays at Bo Pelini's feet. I hope he lets it burn in his gut and remembers this feeling the next time he has a choice to make.

    DV for the use of "show friends" due to lack of originality, cliched or any real point. Otherwise a decent post.

    cmurchison ●

  • Boom, upvote for the Milkman.

    Juke17

  • I get the disappointment over Marrow, McWilson, Sandland, Walker, etc., but some of you are letting your emotions get away from you and are not seeing the entire picture because of recent events. Coaching staffs are fluid. These days they typically change from year to year. Mississippi supposedly came after Terry Joseph. Much conjecture on this board that Beck might not be around long and could have even been tapped to be HC this year or next. So what did Bo do? He used his connections and what was available to him and essentially obtained a mostly free coach in Marrow for last season whom he could groom to step in and hit the ground running as a full time assistant if there was indeed staff attrition. Yes, he ended up taking a position somewhere else because opportunity presented itself (and I think mostly because of the timing related to bowl prep and the TO/Eichorst transition), but who other than a Stoops getting a new gig would have done that? That was a risk, and it materialized, but a risk that was well worth it. If some of you are correct (I'm not a believer) that Marrow was a recruiting guru then we would never have gotten McWilson to start with (evidence to the contrary) and Sandland was nothing more than a maybe. Things go wrong! "The best laid plans . . ." I think most of this hand wringing over the last few weeks connected to Marrow is an emotional reaction to something going wrong rather than a realistic analysis of the strategy that Bo employed, for which he should be commended even though the best possible result did not occur.

    westoaksarthur

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