[Husker] Birkel to Transfer

[Kenneth McKillip]

What I see going on here is another significant departure from the Heritage 
Husker tradition.  I'm not saying it is bad - Texas does it, etc.

TO used to recruit players that cared about team goals and never promised 
them anything other than a fair shot at playing for him.  He actual quit 
recruiting guys that persisted in asking about individual honors.  They 
weren't his kind of player.

The Pederson (yes Pederson, Callahan is a pawn these days) approach is to 
convert Nebraska to an NFL style offense so we have a shot a players that we 
wouldn't otherwise have a shot at by bringing in an NFL coach and selling 
these big name players on Nebraska being the place to maximize their shot a 
playing in the NFL.  I don't hear much team talk these days.

That is the pitch in a nutshell.  Maximize your shot at playing in the NFL 
by coming to play for Nebraska.

This is another sharp contrast between the Heritage Husker and the Pederson 
Huskers.  The Pederson approach may work.  It is going to be an up or out 
thing.  This is all going to be about talent and self interest.  Where as 
TO's approach was team comes first.  Excellence in every aspect of the 
"program"  - academic, everything of the highest integrity, everything done 
with class, etc.

In the past we didn't sell the program as a path to individual honors and 
NFL $'s because TO saw a lot of negatives in this.  (This is not me talking 
I've heard him say this in person.)  With the Pederson way we'll no doubt 
get more big name recruits who want to play in an NFL farm system type 
program.  Again, however, we are now just like Texas et al but with less 
population, less money, and a poor climate.  They even have a better 
academic reputation.  I still don't see our competitive advantage.  But one 
thing for sure is being a Nebraska high school star isn't going to count for 
much in the future.  Maybe it never did.  I also see the academics side 
being at risk as we prepare player for the NFL.

All I know is the "love" for each other that Charlie Mac used to talk about 
was a wonderful thing when the chips were down and the blackshirts needed to 
get us the ball back.  Defense in particular is about team.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dick Karre" <dkarre at comcast.net>
To: "Husker List" <husker at tssi.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 4:44 PM
Subject: Re: [Husker] Birkel to Transfer


> Good point, though I would add that he might have gotten feedback over the 
> season that he chose to disregard. Hard for me to believe he didn't hear 
> something, at least from his position coach; I don't think Turner would 
> have blown him off the way he claims Callahan did.
> Dick Karre
> dkarre at comcast.net
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Theodore Heise" <theo at heise.nu>
> To: "Husker List" <husker at tssi.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 2:23 PM
> Subject: Re: [Husker] Birkel to Transfer
>
>
>>
>>
>> On Wed, 15 Dec 2004, Dick Karre wrote:
>>
>>>   Birkel is a guy who quit because he wasn't getting enough
>>> playing time.
>>
>> I don't think it's as simple as that.  My take on it after reading
>> the article was that he quit because he wasn't playing and because
>> he couldn't get any feedback as to why or what he could improve on.
>>
>> -- 
>> Theodore (Ted) Heise     <theo at heise.nu>     Bloomington, IN, USA
>>
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>
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