[NU Sports] Football experiment

[Tom Maycock]

> We now have a real world opportunity to test the "cost" of firing at
> a 
> couple of institutions (ND and Stanford) that have high academic 
> standards (yes ND has become a lottery school).  So let's see what 
> happens. 

Academics aside, there's actually a similar test case already under way
at Nebraska. The program had declined under Solich, but had rebounded
significantly last year with a new set of assistant coaches. But,
citing declining recruiting results, the AD determined the turnaround
in '03 wasn't enough to justify keeping him, and he was shown the door
after a 9-3 season. I'm sure you recall the criticism that followed.

The short term results were even uglier than most expected--first
losing season in approximately forever (longer than I've been alive).
The offense was the expected square-peg/round-hole affair all season,
but the defense also took a surprising nosedive. Questions arose about
whether the current defensive players had "bought into" the new system
and staff, etc.

I don't think there's much question in Husker land that Solich and his
staff would have produced a better record in 2004. The question is, of
course, whether the misery of the transition will be worth it. Early
reports have the Husker recruiting class ranked #1 in the country. 

Tom