[Husker] A Question for the List...

[Jeff Volk]

Andy Knipp wrote:

>JJ,  I just do not think you grasp the New (Husker) World Order (NHWO).
>You are enlightened if you blame the worlds woes on the previous
>coaching staff.  You are a malcontent and a distraction to the
>NHWO if you attempt to criticize the coaching staff. This will likely
>cause them to lose focus on the most important part of life, impressing
>the recruiting experts.

>If NU does not finish #1 in the recruiting rankings,  the blame falls
>squarely on your shoulders (and Frank, Bo, et al).

>Clear enough ?

Andy, 

If your comments are somehow pointed at me, you are a little off base. While I was critical of the previous coaching staff and do support Pederson and Callahan and believe things are on definitely looking up (despite my disappointment with the results of this year's team) - I have never said that Pederson or Callahan are not deserving of criticism. What I do take exception with are the throngs of people who so vehemently rip, bash or criticize things that they aren't really qualified to speak on.

It is one thing to ask, as an example, to wonder aloud and ask why Ira Cooper isn't starting when it seems like his athleticism is a difference maker when he is in the game. Unfortunately, too many times on this list that same question is turned into a statement such as, "If Cosgrove knew what he was doing he would start Cooper. Boy I bet Wisconsin is glad to be rid of him!" 

See the difference? One is a question that can bring about conversation and debate - the other an off base representation of fact that the writer probably has no frame of reference or knowledge base to make. Unfortunately we have more comments like the latter and less and less like the former. In fact, how many times did we hear on this list how much better off Wisconsin was without Cosgrove? How many times did we hear that same argument after Michigan State, a team with a losing record hung 49 on them? How about after the next week when Iowa put another 30 on them? 

As for recruiting, I have talked at length about the need for upgrades in talent at Nebraska and the importance of recruiting. I also believe that I have said repeatedly that recruiting rankings are highly subjective and that high rankings don't necessarily always turn into good teams. I do believe that the recruiting efforts and results under Solich had slipped and that they are dramatically better under Callahan. I also thought that the Daily Nebraskan article was pretty even handed and fair, although it certainly had a bit of an anti-Callahan slant. Further, while a lot of these recruits may or may not pan out, your margin for error as a program increases dramatically the more quality athletes that you bring on campus. Again using OU as the B12 benchmark, how many of our 2004 starters would have started for OU besides Ruud? One...maybe none? That has nothing to do with All-Big 12 Teams or the success of the team, it has to do with the quality of the players that are on the team. As an other example, how about Miami? With the exception of this season they have pretty much been in the MNC hunt for the last 4 or 5 years. Over that time they have had just about as many players drafted in the first round of the NFL draft than Nebraska has players total. That being said is there any question why OU or Miami have fared so much better than the Huskers over the last 4 or 5 seasons based on just the talent on the roster alone? 

And since I am sure that it will be asked what makes me qualified to speak on this, while my knowledge base is not necessarily college football related, I do have a pretty good knowledge base to work from when it comes to evaluating athletic talent having spent 3 years as an associate/part-time scout with the Chicago White Sox and 2 years in the same capacity with the Anaheim Angels. My final year in scouting was the year that we (the Angels) drafted Erstad #1. Colecting a paycheck for evaluating talent probably gives me a little room to talk. Further, I make my living and pay my mortgage through my involvement with collegiate and professional sports to this day and in my current career count many of the football programs in the BCS Top 25 amongst my best clients. I think combining those 2 things gives me a little insight into talent evaluation, recruiting and the inner workings of big-time college football programs (and collegiate and professional sports in general) than the average "expert" on this list. 

Have a great day.  

Sincerely, 

Jeffrey Volk