[Husker] The Heritage System vs. the Brave New World of college football (at NU)

[weldoc at juno.com]

"This philosophy was an integrated system comprised of many mutually
supportive elements.  Recruiting of Nebraska kids and walk ons.
Power/option offense.  This allowed us to recruit a different kind of
player and still be successful, allowed us to run the ball and control
the game, gave us a mobile QB edge and in the process fended off
transferring (who would want our short fat linemen), took heat off our
defense, and numerous other synergistic effects.  For example, it tended
to keep our staff in place.  No one was looking at NU coaches because our
offense wasn't cool...."

"The new approach is based on recruiting - "we run a pro offense, with a
coach who was once a pro and we can maximize your chances of getting to
the NFL".  Problem is we will never ever, ever, out recruit Texas and So
Cal, etc.  Therefore, a strategy based on out recruiting our competition
will never consistently work.  The old strategy based on patience, hard
work, loyalty, and e.g. - having a unique power/option approach with our
opponents building their defenses for the typical team - was magic."

Well said, Ken K.  You said much more eloquently what I was trying to get
across. Oh sure, we have had turnover in coaches and early departures and
fizzle-outs in players before. It's just that NOW it seems much more
frequently-occurring. Money talks, and you-know-what walks. (I certainly
remember when we lost Jerry Pettibone, after we'd had him only a few
years, after he had previously jumped to NU from OU.)

The only part I's disagree with slightly in Ken's words is that the
Heritage System (his words) doesn't necessitate staying with the option
as a primary wasy to attack. Maybe not junking it entirely, but shift to
a balance between schemes. Very few schools anymore run heavy on option,
but likewise not everyone has gone whole-hog on WCO.

I'm just having a hard time getting used to this "Brave New World" of NU
trying to be like everyone else; the turnstile-approach to coaches,
players, and the constant drumbeat of "wait 'til Next Year after we have
out-recruited everyone else."

Bill Laughlin
Wichita, KS