Signature Semantics
Talk this week and next will be about whether or not a victory over Virginia Tech would constitute a “signature win�. You can find the term thrown around a lot but there doesn't appear to be a consistent definition applied.
Many people felt former Husker coach Bill Callahan failed to capture a signature win despite a number of possible candidates. In 2004, he beat an unranked Pittsburgh team on the road that ended up playing in a BCS bowl. No one considered that to be a signature win. A year later, he beat 23rd ranked Iowa State. That team fell out of the rankings and wasn't much of a brand name. Later that season, the Huskers beat 20th-ranked Michigan. A big brand name, but again it didn't seem to meet many people's definition of a signature win. The dramatic win over 24th-ranked Texas A&M in 2006 that delivered Nebraska the Big 12 North didn't seem to fit the bill nor did an early season win at defending ACC champion Wake Forest a year ago.
The one thing we can say about all of those “non-signature wins� is that none of the teams ranked in the top fifteen nationally and none of those teams were even ranked at all at season's end. You could also say that the games were not a leading news story nationally. If teams ranked 20th or below lose, what's the big deal?
Virginia Tech comes to Lincoln unranked. A loss to East Carolina and two close calls in the ACC make the Hokies look very vulnerable and they are even an underdog (by 6.5 points) to the Huskers. Would it be a nice win, or even a statement for Nebraska? Absolutely. But it probably won't come to be regarded as a signature win.
Even a win over fifth-ranked Missouri might not garner that status outside Nebraska because prior to last year no one took Missouri seriously. The same might be true of a win in Lubbock over Texas Tech as the Red Raiders still aren't considered college football royalty even if they've been consistently good for years. In fact, it might only be the game at Norman that truly qualifies as a signature win opportunity. The Sooners are ranked second and could be top-ranked by then and they tend to get much the same respect as say Ohio State.
None of this addresses the relevance of a signature win. Frank Solich racked up any number of wins in his tenure that could have been called signature wins. But they hardly improved his standing at Nebraska. Rather, it simply meant he'd lived up to expectations against those teams. I wouldn't trade a three game win streak over Virginia Tech, Missouri and Texas Tech for a win at Norman this year. Consistent success means a lot more than sexy wins. Ron Prince beat Texas twice as head coach at Kansas State but still has a losing record in the Big 12. He can have those wins. I'd rather see Nebraska win another Big 12 North championship.
9/23/2008
Signature win or not, it is a big game that will show us (and the country) where NU football stands. A loss will be devastating, and a 3-3 record very likely.
9/23/2008
Screw finding the signature win, any win at this point is a win, regardless if its New Mexcio State, San Jose, Missouri, Baylor, Colorado or whomever… If heard alot about signature wins, but they mean jack… With a new coaching staff and new defense scheme, you have to be happy to come away with any win… Good, bad, or even ugly…
9/23/2008
Steve,
What do you define as a “signature win?” In my view, a person usually only has one signature. So, likewise, a coach should usually only have one signature win in his/her career.
Devany’s was probably the 1971 game against OU. Osborne’s was probably the 1996 NC game against Florida. Solich’s, the 2001 win over OU.
It seems like a signature win comes very rarely… like once every 10-20 years. Maybe, given another 5 years, Callahan would’ve had one. Who knows how long it will take Bo?
Kansas City, MO
9/23/2008
Bo should have one in the next 3-4 years.
9/23/2008
On another blog, I actually referred to the win over the ‘06 Aggies as “signature.” I was quickly rebuked, so of course I told the rubuker to “take a fiber!” Ah, in season action…
In hindsight, what I was looking for was improvement markers. Something to hint at possibly good, consistent play. Which, never happened.
I’d guess a signature win could be one where a Coach’s philosophies and goals culminate in an unmistakable performance against a representative opponent. Not a dragon slaying underdog, but a dragon winning in a league of dragons.
Frank just had so much talent to work with, until the 5th year guys graduated. Style points counted for too much and much too unfairly.
As for young Bo, (who I have by a couple a years) he could be the first since Tom to inspire impressions of “Yeah! That’s how you do it!”
I look at saturday’s game as a developmental marker, which I think a lot of people do. I think Callahan’s ‘06 team beats this Hokie team, in it’s current form. Does this ‘08 team beat Callahan’s ‘06 team?