Twitter Blitz, Offensive Line Edition

Not hard to read between the lines on that one…...

Is it coach’s fault that a more experienced, senior, healed from injury, reclaimed the starting job from a freshman?
Is it coach’s fault that an older junior, healed from injury, earned the starting job from a sophmore?
Is the coach treating the younger guy fairly?
Everyone reads like this is Barney’s fault, but as I see it Barney is DOING HIS JOB!  He is coaching ALL these guys, not just the youngest ones, and the ones who want it most, working hardest at it, learning the position, executing, they are getting the most attention.  Want the starting job?  Running home does not show you want the job (unless your name is Crouch).
Instead of whining about losing a 4-start recruit, how about celebrating the efforts of those who earned their spots?

I reckon we’ll know the answer to this puzzle in a few weeks…maybe some of those departing 4 Starrers are nothing but Prima Donnas that don’t get the concept of team play. (Maybe our recruiting folks need to take a more critical look at candidates)  The proof of the pudding will be in the eating, as usual.  I’ll be more than happy to eat every negative comment I’ve made, especially if Cotton manages to provide adequate depth in those critical positions where a single injury can destroy an entire season.  Time will tell.

“I want to develop that culture, like, ‘OK, here comes Nebraska’s offensive line,’ not .. ‘Oh, here’s another group of unathletic fat guys.”

I like Spencer Long.

Glad to finally see and agree with some defense of Cotton. We fans only get one side of the story. Ballfield78 hit the nail on the head. I cannot see how a coach could do something in preseason that would merit quitting. Sipple wrote that he talked to former linemen that were perfectly content with Cotton.

Hard to imagine an O lineman being a prima donna but these high star rated ones are kids who have probably been put on pedestals all their lives. Competition may not be their thing. I have not read about third stringers going home or whining about Cotton. No room for egos. They cannot expect playing time, it must be earned.

My only concern is with depth.

Sometimes, for the right talent, concessions have to be made for the athlete.  Some players just need extra attention, extra communication, and a very thorough explanation on how to get on the field.  Not that Moore was a super-talent, but see Marcus Dupree at OU for an example.  Switzer treated him like any other freshman, and lost him.  Dupree didn’t help himself, but Switzer even says that his biggest regret is the way he handled Dupree.  Then again, perhaps Moore is just a spoiled brat that cant take competition.

I respectfully disagree. I think it is Barney Cotton. I think he’s the reason we’ve lost 2, 4 star linemen in the last week, and most likely lost the services of 5 star Andreas Peat in the last recruiting class. Notice Moors dad said he liked Bo and Beck, but did not even mention Cottons name - his position coach! When asked about it, he said he did not want to comment on that. I think that speaks volumes.
The guy isn’t too impressive to look at or be with, doesn’t really fit in, no one ever says good things about him, ever, has zero personality that translates to younger guys, no fire in the belly and has absolutely no reputation for building great O lines, let alone even good ones. In short, he’s a washed up old has been. He needs to be replaced by a known name and the quicker the better. Yes, no one is saying it out of the staff or players, but they wouldn’t. They wouldn’t throw anyone under the bus no matter what. And that is to be respected. Cottons line play isn’t respected and never has been. And won’t be. If we had a top notch, proven O line coach, we’d most likely have Peat in the fold and the 2, 4 stars that just left our team would most likely still be here. After all, it is one of the most important position groups on the entire team…especially if you’re a running team!

OOOOOps, forgot the Center.  Anybody wanna play center this year?  I know, let’s make the left tackle Center, the right tackle play middle guard, the back that isn’t getting the ball can play left tackle.  There. that ought to be good enough.  How hard can it be?  Geez, you doubting Thomases out there make me weary.

I really think bo would let barney go if he felt it was necessary.  He has made tough decisions with changing the offense and firing marvin. I think give him a few more years and this team will be back on track.

PE ...you nailed it my man!!!  Thanks for mentioning :Peat who broke my heart when he put on that silly Stanford hat…it spoke volumes about why he wouldn’t want to play for NU even with his own brother there…(by the way, is he STILL there?)  I am disgusted with the whole issue of mediocre line play for what seems like forever and Bo’s “what…me worry?” attitude about it.  Oh and DennisR, love your sense of humor ...

Does Barney sons playing at NU,is that keeping Barney from losing his job. Cotton has to go.

Think its part cottons fault. But then again u r playing division 1 football. Moor said he’ll. Always be a husker. Don’t flatter Yourself you quit to and up and left all I VGA say is good riddance. And wat a waste of a scholarship

All of you anti-Cotton people: You listen to one side of the story and assume answers without hearing the other side. You advocate for your opinion, rather than truly listening. It’s the same as watching MSNBC or Foxnews and never considering alternatives. Just have a little patience and you may find yourself an answer without making rash accusations.
One thing I’ve learned in the business world is that I may disagree wholeheartedly with a decision made by upper management…but oh so often it turns out they made the correct decision once I found out both sides. My point is, Pelini and Osborne are very intelligent folks, please give them the benefit of doubt and stop stinking up the comment boards.

Horse crap! Truly listen to this…only a fool couldn’t see what’s going on. Even the radio personalities and sports writters are saying it…he has been here 5 years and not coached up or recruited one guy that has been worth a damn. Not one dominate O line. Not one award. One guy went pro…Marcel Jones and he was Callahans recruit and wasn’t even drafted. Before you go telling people on an open forum board they are wrong, maybe you ought to do some thinking for yourself without having to be told by someone else…higher up or not. Rash accusations my ass. Look at the facts dude. We’ll never know “the other side” because Bo is so infureatingly tight lipped about everything having to do with the Huskers. He held on to Sean Watson for how many years before finally letting him go? He went out and hired how many no name coaches who had never coached in college football instead of hiring experience? And you want to wait till Bo Pelini comes out and actually tells us something? Think for yourself man! Are you a duck or an eagle?

PE

No offense but it shouldnt be the position coach who has to get along with the players, it should be the other way around.. and you mention Callahan but did you also mention that we had no underclass linemen left on that team when Cotton and Pelini took over?? Dont get me wrong Cotton is on the hot seat and he should be ( he even said so himself) .. Also its not Bos job to tell the fans everything, hes suppose to do whats best for the team and the kids in the program.. Ever think maybe these kids weren’t perfect ?? maybe Pelini is not telling you because its non of our business, shit didnt work out.. Also Pelini would have been an idiot for getting rid of Watson right away ( our offense kept us going and at the time , Callahan had the roster so screwed up on the defensive side of the ball pelini couldnt do it all at once) not to mention he was told not to by good ole Coach Osborne

Also why the hell does everyone think you have to go a spend all sorts of money and hire experience at the coordinator position.. All coordinators with experience mean one of two things to me..
1.) they either didnt try or werent good enough to be a head coach
2.) they are content were they are , and I want to have guys that want to be the best

Also many of you guys on here always say how important the recruiting game is.. If you were a young kid going to school would you listen to some old geezer your dad idolized or a guy that recently came out of the league and is more like yourself????

These young guys help us get better recruits.. Not to mention are more likely to show loyalty then the big name whos just going to the next paycheck

John Garrison has been a huge addition to the staff. Barney did have a bare cupboard when he arrived and I do agree with PE, four years and no standouts is not the Husker way. Bo brought Garrison in, nurtured him in by making him grad assist, now he’s coaching. I think if we see marked improvement this year, and again next, Barney may be done and Garrison will be the man.

PE, there is no way you can say for sure that Peat went to Stanford because of Barney Cotton, that’s a Manute Bol sized-reach.  It shouldn’t be news that a degree from Stanford carries a lot more weight than one from Lincoln.  It also shouldn’t be news that Peat also signed with a heralded group of 4 and 5 star linemen for the Cardinal.  They had the best haul of any school in the country and fact of the matter is, Stanford has been a better football school than NU recently.  I’m sorry I don’t buy that logic, it sounds a Bleacher Report blog conspiracy with little basis in fact to provide a foundation for the speculation.

Good post, Huskerkc, I’m tired of the negative blowhards.  It’s turned into an episode of Gossip Girls about Barney Cotton.  Maybe some people need to take a week off and find something else to do with their time.  Guess what, Bo doesn’t owe you anything about Tyler Moore or Ryan Klachko, the public has no legitimate right to know.

I do think Cottons at the bottom of this and so does every other sports person around. If we’re such blowhards, then tell us what he has done positive for our O line…ever? Of course no one is saying it, but you do get the feeling, of course it’s speculation, but if you can read between the lines just just a little bit, it all points to Cotton. Look at it this way, if he WAS a really good coach, wouldn’t there be praise? There is for everybody else? It’s absence is telling. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck…it’s a duck. And we don’t need higher management to tell us that. Most other coaches are far better at disseminating information and general public speaking than Pelini, and it could be his downfall.
I said “most likely” Cotton was the reason Peat didn’t come here, not equivicably.
Twauto22…I am totally in favor of spending big bucks to get the best talent at coordinator there is out there, instead of hiring no names and hoping for the best. Nebraska is not the kind of place where coaches cut their teeth. I guess it is now but that is a dangerous game and has the potential to lead you into mediocrity faster than anything. Hiring proven quality is like buying insurance. You’re padding yuo’re odds. Bleacher report did an article yesterday about the top offensive minds in college football and I couldn’t help but wonder if we would had hired one of those guys away where would we be now? Look at Michigan as a model…Hoke went out and got Borges as OC (on that list…the guy has won everywhere) and a guy out of the NFL as DC (again, a proven product). Look what they did in one year, then look at Nebraska. No comparison. Even their defense was better than ours. And lets look at our recruiting since Bo’s arrival…any top 5 classes? any top 10 classes? Any top 15 classes? Top 20? No. No. no and Nope! What about Michigan…#1 one year after Brady Hokes arrival. That’s how you rebuild a dynasty. Quickly at least. Thing is with Bo, he might eventually get there his way, but I’m really not getting that feeling. And it won’t be quickly. And that’s what we want isn’t it?
Should be a pivitol year for Bo and Co. Could be really good from what I see, things seem to be lining up well in a lot of areas, but the O line is now a HUGE question mark and we don’t have that guy there where we can say “well it doesn’t look too good, but we’ve got Milt there, we’ll be fine”. Anyone who has that confidence in Barney Cotton please raise their hand…......that’s what I thought.

I would like to ask, when did we stop tracking Pancake blocks?  Is there a new rule in college football that the Offensive Linemen are not allowed to maintain there blocks for more than a second.  If you go and watch the film when Crouch was QB you’ll see most of the Defensive Linemen laying on their backs and our Offensive Linemen still blocking 5 and 10 yards downfield.

I look at the film from the last 2-3 years and the O-Line is making perfect technique blocks for 1-2 seconds then they release their man only to stand and watch as that Lineman breaks off the block and makes the tackle.  They are letting up off their block like it’s their job.  A friend of mine was a lineman for NU when Crouch was the QB and the stat that he was most proud of was his pancake blocks.  For you youngsters out there who have only seen NU play in the last 5 years, a pancake block is when the Offensive Lineman not only maintains their block until the whistle blows but they actually put the Defensive Lineman on the ground.  Again, unless there has been a rule change that I am unaware of, I would like to see the O-line tracking those stats again.

WayneRed, good point about pancakes…no rule change my man…..they just ain’t a happening ...we won’t need a calculator to keep track of them this year either…I’ll tell you something you can count this year…see how many times Taylor Martinez gets more than 1.1 seconds to find a receiver open before running for his life…

I wonder if Bo fired Cotton, like today, would Milt Tinapur come back and coach the O line for the season, if only on an interim basis until we could find a top notch O line coach? Milt, you out there? HELP!!!!!!!

PE
The following positivity may burn a bit:
Look at the quote thrown down by Garrison in the Herald about Cotton’s critics…“‘I don’t need to defend Barney at all,’ Garrison said. ‘He’s outstanding. I’ve been coached by Milt Tenopir, Dan Young and I had the opportunity to spend time with (Tennessee Titans head coach) Mike Munchak and some different guys in the NFL. And I’ll tell you what: I came back here as an intern, and I was blown away.’” Ouch.
In the last few years, we’ve had Caputo: walk-on, turned 2nd team Big Ten; Spencer: walk-on, expected to do the same or better; Choi: walk-on, starting and pretty darn good. Just b/c a website says a player is 4 stars, doesn’t always translate to good football. Just be thankful we aren’t USC with only 4&5 star players, cheating, money, and only 2 barely legal championships in 10 years to call there own.
The players are excited about this year, so therefore, I am too. Fans can learn a bit about the team concept…maybe we should rally around the team.
Oh, and you spelled Tenopir wrong. Maybe all the folks who think Cotton or someone else stinks, should clean up their resume and apply. You never know, maybe someday a bunch of fans will nitpick you out of a job too.

Huskerkc….
Nice try for a put down!!!!! Shows your trying! Did your boss tell you to do that?
Frankly, I read it too. And was surprised. And glad at least someone is sticking up for him. Can’t remember any others doing that, but if it’s true, so be it. I don’t need to be right…in fact I hope I’m wrong. I’ve always said, I don’t care what the truth is as long as I know it’s the truth. I can handle the truth, even if it makes me wrong. Lets go through this season and see. The proof is in the pudding so they say.
Bo’s selection of assistant coaches are what really bothers me. They are a huge question mark, but frankly, some of them are turning out, like terry Joseph for example. maybe Beck will too. this year should be telling and pivitol. If the players are excited about this year, and they are, I’m with you…I’m excited too. And I love all the new stuff they’re doing to build leadership…innovation. That’s what builds teams.
Those transfers really hurt though and you have to wonder why we’re having a rash of them now.
Can’t wait for the season! I believe it’s going to be a good one, hell, maybe one for the ages. Here’s in hoping so!!!
Are we done throwing rocks?

I’ve heard that Ryan K left because he got caught using steriods how is that Barney’s fault?

Still burns my butt that when Barney was at Iowa State, he was quoted as saying to his team, “let’s go show them who the real Big Red is!”  I would like to hear what he was thinking when he said that.

With that being said, I think that Barney knows what he’s doing and if he didn’t I think that Pelini would can him.

I still would like to see the Pancake blocks make a come back.  That would show me that Barney’s on the right track.  Go back to putting the D-Line on the ground and wearing them down. 

I was at the Orange Bowl for TO’s first National Championship.  Our O-Line had Warren Sapp sucking oxygen by the second quarter.  Would love to see a return of the Pipeline…...pancakes and all:)

huskerexile…where did you hear that? Anything you can post? Would love to read that article.

I found it on huskeronline.com huskerboard. I don’t know for sure if its the truth but the people saying it claim to have inside knowledge of the program and have given other information before it was announced publicly. At any rate I understand where your coming from with your feelings bout BC I’m frustrated as well. But after looking at the roster and injuries hes had to build the O line with I am cutting him much more slack. I think this year will be very telling, they claim to have much more depth and that depth has experience. If things don’t change in the penalty and blown assignment areas this year then I think its time to look for a replacement for BC.

As far as TM goes I don’t know if BC had anything to do with him leaving or not. But he got beat out by Brent Qvale. I don’t believe that BC would make that switch if it wasnt the best move for the team. Which tells me that TM got upset about losing his spot on the depth chart and that along with the homesickness made him want to leave. Maybe he didn’t like BC but if you’re on a football team you’re not always gonna like all the coaches. At this point I’m liking the 3 star players that know how to work so much more then the 4 star players with alot of talent but not much work ethic. I’ll take the 3 star everytime.

If that’s true, that sure isn’t Barneys fault. And no, he’s not here to win a popularity contest, or cater to prima donnas, although every kid is an individual and you do treat them individually, especially in the areas of learning modes. I think I read that Tyler Moor pretty much holed up in his rented house and never tried to get out and socialize with the rest of the team. If true, then he’s not a team player and we don’t need that, especially on the O line. However, it’s somewhat of a coaching issue if no one stepped in and asked if there was anything they could do if it was an adjutment issue. We’ll never know; at this point all we have is the record of the O line in general over Bo tenure, and it isn’t good…AT ALL. Regardless of the circumstances. But I don’t think we’ve recruited well for the O line either and that is squarely on Bo’s shoulders. Many games are won or lost in the trenches they say, and we’ve had plenty of good drives ended early because of O line penalties. Way too many. Probably cost us some games.
We are very close to being a great team…very close. Just a little more umph, or push and I think we could very well win our conference championship or end up in the BCS this year. Good article today in Pre Snap Read on us. I believe, among other discipline problems, it’s the performanse of the offensive line that has kept us from being scary good, as opposed to just good. If it does not improve, Bo will be forced to go out and get someone else to runthe O line…and he better go out and recruit the best O line coach we can find, like he did with coach Kaz and Terry Joseph and not promote someone with no experience from within.