[Husker] Players defend Callahan

[jonlists at cbsol.com]

husker-bounces at tssi.com wrote on 11/09/2005 07:33:43 PM:

> Coaches get fired. Not players. I find the blame-the-players argument
> laughable. Ultimately it's both scheme and performance that land on the
> coach, because the coaches have to get their players to perform, even in 
the
> pros, but more so with college kids.

Correct, players don't get fired. They leave early for the NFL, quit 
football entirely (Ross Pilkington), or they transfer (Joe Dailey). 

Find blame the player argument laughable? Let's go back to (from a public 
opinion perspective) last year's goat, Joe Dailey. He had the passing 
accuracy of a four year old blind kid. He replaced Jammal Lord who was 
booed at home and also couldn't complete a pass to save his life, who 
replaced Eric Crouch who was a ball hog so he could win the Heisman and 
then let us all down when he quit in the pros, who replaced Scott Frost 
who had the gaul to go to Stanford first so we booed  him (besides, 
weren't his parents just plain  arrogant?), and all of them sinned because 
they replaced Tommie Frazier, who might have been the best college 
quarterback ever, if only he hadn't lost 19-10 at Iowa State in '92. If 
Jesus Christ played quarterback for Nebraska, we'd find something to blame 
him for. 

If this coaching staff is entirely responsible for getting this team up to 
play at home AND win against Kansas State, then these kids don't belong in 
Husker uniforms. Perhaps the coaches can come and dress them in the 
morning, tie their shoes and make sure they're eating a good breakfast, 
too. If they can't get themselves up for THIS game, they have no heart, 
and if they expect to be a winning football team regardless of who's 
coaching them, they'd better find one. 

[snip]
> 
> How much did the OU game - a tough opponent that the team made a valiant
> comeback attempt against - take out of these kids? Look at the scores of 
the
> losses and the only embarrassing loss is Kansas. In fact it's out of
> character with the rest of the season. Are we over-reacting to this 
loss,
> especially when it comes at the point of culmination of the other 
losses?
>
They're at Nebraska, not Vanderbilt. You say things like "that loss took a 
lot out of them" as an excuse for losing about kids playing at Vanderbilt, 
not Nebraska. Come to think of it, you say that about Minnesota too. They 
typically lose to Michigan, then blame the rest of the year on that game. 
It's called "mental toughness". Goes along with heart. 

> 
> See what happens against KSU. I predict the Huskers win - even with two
> freshmen offensive tackles, starting. I won't predict the margin, but I
> wouldn't be the least bit surprised if we win big. It won't make a great
> season, and only puts us in position for a crappy bowl, but it also 
stops
> the skid, helps recruiting and puts the team in a position to go after
> Colorado with some momentum.
> 
It'd make the season for me. All I want is a crappy bowl. 

Honestly, I cannot believe that this Nebraska team will lose to Kansas 
State Saturday. But if they do, it is their fault and not the coaches. KSU 
is a lousy opponent and we get them at home. We can all blame Bill 
Callahan and Kevin Cosgrove for the rest of the season, but not this game. 



> Discontented? Me too. Impatient? See what happens Saturday.
> 
> Go Huskers!  Alan Siporin
> 

I'll wait and see and hope I'm completely wrong about all of this. I'd 
hoped that I'd get to the game, but that doesn't look likely now. 

Jon Johnston
http://www.huskerjon.com