Mickey could be our Dabo

otismotis08

All-Conference
Jan 5, 2012
12,607
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Disagree. We need ALL those things. And we have not recruited elite athletes like we used to.
Mickey has shown the ability to find and develop talent. Not sure if he's head coaching material, but that's a decision where I trust TA. Regardless, we need several MJ's on staff to reel in the talent. Hire the best recruiters available.
 

king_kong_

Redshirt
Nov 3, 2021
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It is possible that MJ could do well, but as you said, if Trev were to pass on so many and go with MJ, and it doesnt go well, Trev is out on his ***.
which coaches can trev hire that won't put him out on his *** if they fail?

hard hitting insight, as always
 

IHATEIOWA

Redshirt
Feb 11, 2017
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If you guys hire Joseph that would mean the job was turned down by several better candidates. There could be no other explanation for such an underwhelming hire by Nebraska.
 

TheHuskerFreak

Sophomore
Dec 18, 2020
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It is amazing how many Nebraska fans want the program to lose. The same mindset of hiring Mickey is what we've seen the last several years from people saying frost deserved more time despite the losing seasons piling up. Nebraska needs to put on their big boy pants and go pay a ton of money for a proven winner. None of this emotional childlike hopes just because a guy played at Nebraska
 

TheHuskerFreak

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Dec 18, 2020
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If you guys hire Joseph that would mean the job was turned down by several better candidates. There could be no other explanation for such an underwhelming hire by Nebraska.
Yeah there is no way he is even a top 10 choice. If he is the coach, trev needs to be fired. It either means he made a terrible hire by choice or he is an ad who coaches just don't want to work for.
 

itseasyas1-2-3

All-Conference
Sep 6, 2021
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FFS, based on what? Stop letting emotions dictate choices. If Whipple was interim, would we be taking about this? MJ has 2 wins against crap teams, 2 blowout losses and one high score shootout loss. On what factual, non-emotional basis are you evaluating his talent as a HC? It is certainly isn’t on results or even fundamentals. We are still not executing fundamentals.

The fact is, MJ is a former Husker. That is the ONLY factor people are looking at.
The reality that Mickey is a former Husker plays no factor with me.

His ability to recruit and apparently connect with kids is a skill few HCs ever have.

Unlike some of the NU HC applicants, I don't think money is Mickey's driving force, although, money plays a part in everyone's life of course.

He seems very high energy and despite no HC experience, IF NU opens up the purse strings and pays the best available OC/DC/OL coaches, I see no reason why the program can't move forward.

Assuming, those coaches have proven ability in coordinating very similar types of attacks/schemes that Mickey intends to build at NU.

If he were hired, and IF it works, he will likely be here for a decade or more.

Logic says promoting a coach who has not even been a coordinator is a risky proposition, yet Dabo did it, so it is possible even though the law of large numbers says it will fail.

If Mickey isn't the guy, I intend to support the new guy for a year or two or until he shows he's not gonna get it done. I would be on Mickey's *** in the same fashion.
 
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Yantzeee

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Nov 25, 2021
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Matt Rhule, Lance Leipold, Chris Klieman, Gary Patterson, Dave Doeren, Mark Stoops, Bill O'Brien are all vastly more qualified for this job than Mickey.
interesting read on demographics there. 🤔

why isn’t Dino Babers on that list? Why isn’t Dino on most of you alls list? Seems like a guy that should be considered

And you also quickly rule Mickey out 🤔
 

itseasyas1-2-3

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Dabo had a winning record as interim coach. Mickey will likely be 2-7

Also, Clemson had a ton of talent on the roster thanks to Dabo, he was their main recruiter and brought in Top 10-20 classes every year. They just needed better coaching, and Dabo was able to bring in great assistants.

Whereas we have very little talent and will need a complete rebuild. Will great assistants want to come to a place that needs a complete rebuild under an inexperienced first-time head coach??
If they are offered enough money and their length of contract actually allows them enough time to complete a rebuild.

We know, and any coach knows, the cupboard is bare in several areas of the positions on both sides of the ball.

They need to find a way to let the fans know this will not be an overnight production but progress will be evident. (Easier said than done).

Something like, from the end of this season to the beginning of spring practice and into the spring game, the OL seems trimmed down, shows more physical aggression, all the position groups run better, and they practice while actually tackling. A ton of progress markers could be evident.
 

Headcard

Heisman
Feb 2, 2005
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interesting read on demographics there. 🤔

why isn’t Dino Babers on that list? Why isn’t Dino on most of you alls list? Seems like a guy that should be considered

And you also quickly rule Mickey out 🤔

Because he's 35-42 at Syracuse and because he went 1-10 his 5th season at Syracuse. A better question would be why do you think he should be on anyone's list?
 

Walleye 1

All-Conference
Mar 7, 2021
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interesting read on demographics there. 🤔

why isn’t Dino Babers on that list? Why isn’t Dino on most of you alls list? Seems like a guy that should be considered

And you also quickly rule Mickey out 🤔
Have you seen what Dinos overall power 5 record is and worst what his conference record is? Why would someone put him on any list?
 

itseasyas1-2-3

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Sep 6, 2021
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which coaches can trev hire that won't put him out on his *** if they fail?

hard hitting insight, as always
It doesn't matter if Trev hires Ruhle, O'Brien, Stoops or whoever, if those coaches fail in 3-4 years, there will always be that pocket of people who will say, "See, I knew they should have hired Mickey because he would have succeeded."
 
Aug 18, 2016
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Recruiting recruiting recruiting. We need better players across the board. Period. A coach has to do more than recruit of course, but that is where it starts. You can point to programs like Northwestern that do more with less. But how is that working out for them lately? We need elite athletes. All the national pundits say those days are over for Nebraska. I disagree. But it takes a coach who can recruit his *** off and a coach who builds a staff that can do the same. Is Mickey that coach? I do not know
I agree with you boss. The recruiting mentality starts at the top. If your head coach puts an emphasis on recruiting, he will hire guys who also put a mentality on recruiting. He doesn't have to be out on the weekly grind, but he has to set the expectation. Some staffs that depend on the developing, like Fitz at Northwestern, Ferentz at Iowa, and others, set the expectation to find guys that fit a system that slows the game down, limits possessions and find a way to pull out a victory. That typically works about 6-9 times per season, rarely more.

When you look at the actual recruiting rankings the past several years, Nebraska is not pulling in Top 20 classes on the regular. They are low to mid 20's and that is before attrition. The results should no doubt have been better than they have been, but lets not kid ourselves into thinking that Nebraska is recruiting at a level to win titles.

One of the biggest difficulties Nebraska has in recruiting is the apparent need to want to bring in multiple local kids that aren't top 500 players. I have written this before, and will write it as many more times as necessary, Nebraska can get a top 10 player from several states, they don't need to get the top 5 players from Texas and the top 5 players from Florida and the top 5 players from Louisiana. Recruit the entire country, have a staff that can relate to the top players and an offensive and defensive philosophy that is attractive to top players.

OR hire you can hire conservative midwest guy, because he relates to the fans.
 

itseasyas1-2-3

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If you guys hire Joseph that would mean the job was turned down by several better candidates. There could be no other explanation for such an underwhelming hire by Nebraska.
Maybe once they opened up the hood, looked at a lot of NU film, and saw all the issues that would have to be addressed, decided they couldn't turn this around in 3-4 years and chose to look elsewhere.

Mickey has been here long enough to know, or he should know, in the current state, this, this, this, this, this, this, this and that ain't gonna cut it. He likely drew that conclusion in the first 10 days of practice.
 

Yantzeee

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Nov 25, 2021
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I really hope it's not LL either
Hey I get it. Dino not on my list either. Just because he’s having a great year doesn’t mean he’s fantastic going forward. But we can state a lot of people on a lot of lists has that “one great year”. Just find it funny what I never see on most of peoples list
 

itseasyas1-2-3

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Sep 6, 2021
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I agree with you boss. The recruiting mentality starts at the top. If your head coach puts an emphasis on recruiting, he will hire guys who also put a mentality on recruiting. He doesn't have to be out on the weekly grind, but he has to set the expectation. Some staffs that depend on the developing, like Fitz at Northwestern, Ferentz at Iowa, and others, set the expectation to find guys that fit a system that slows the game down, limits possessions and find a way to pull out a victory. That typically works about 6-9 times per season, rarely more.

When you look at the actual recruiting rankings the past several years, Nebraska is not pulling in Top 20 classes on the regular. They are low to mid 20's and that is before attrition. The results should no doubt have been better than they have been, but lets not kid ourselves into thinking that Nebraska is recruiting at a level to win titles.

One of the biggest difficulties Nebraska has in recruiting is the apparent need to want to bring in multiple local kids that aren't top 500 players. I have written this before, and will write it as many more times as necessary, Nebraska can get a top 10 player from several states, they don't need to get the top 5 players from Texas and the top 5 players from Florida and the top 5 players from Louisiana. Recruit the entire country, have a staff that can relate to the top players and an offensive and defensive philosophy that is attractive to top players.

OR hire you can hire conservative midwest guy, because he relates to the fans.
I agree with 99% of what you said Tuco. Find kids from all over the country that fit into whatever style/scheme you plan to build.

At times, TO also caught flak because NU wasn't going after that 5* kid in New York. TO always said, (paraphrasing) "he's a great player, but he doesn't fit into the way we do things."

Maybe that kid was really hard to coach, maybe he wanted to go to PSU or maybe he would have been stuck behind a Mike Rozier, Keith Jones, Ahman Green, or Lawrence and likely would never be more than a backup.

Tom missed like all coaches, but when it came to scholarship kids he was looking to be able to sign, develop and then move them into a system that would be a developing player strength moving into a position strength.
 

Redmich

Redshirt
Jun 21, 2022
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for me Mickey has either done enough to get the job now or not
I don't think the results of the remaining games matter in that regard one way or another

Trev should name him now to get a boost with recruiting - any further delays are only hurting the program if MJ is the guy

any further delays tell me that MJ isn't Trev's preferred choice and a reluctant backup plan if he otherwise fails in his search - MJ might also get frustrated as he gets the sense he is more and more of a backup plan

there is only downside in waiting to name MJ if that is the choice at this point
 
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Aug 18, 2016
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I agree with 99% of what you said Tuco. Find kids from all over the country that fit into whatever style/scheme you plan to build.

At times, TO also caught flak because NU wasn't going after that 5* kid in New York. TO always said, (paraphrasing) "he's a great player, but he doesn't fit into the way we do things."

Maybe that kid was really hard to coach, maybe he wanted to go to PSU or maybe he would have been stuck behind a Mike Rozier, Keith Jones, Ahman Green, or Lawrence and likely would never be more than a backup.

Tom missed like all coaches, but when it came to scholarship kids he was looking to be able to sign, develop and then move them into a system that would be a developing player strength moving into a position strength.
The difference between those days and today is simply the number of times you have to win games against top teams. For most of Osborne's tenure, if he went undefeated in the regular season, his teams would be ranked in the top 2 or 3. He would then have to win a single bowl game. In today's game, you have to win a conference title, then win 2 more games against top 4 teams. If you don't have equal talent to the top 4 teams, the chances of winning those 3 games is slim to none.
 

Harry Caray

All-American
Feb 28, 2002
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The reality that Mickey is a former Husker plays no factor with me.

His ability to recruit and apparently connect with kids is a skill few HCs ever have.

Unlike some of the NU HC applicants, I don't think money is Mickey's driving force, although, money plays a part in everyone's life of course.

He seems very high energy and despite no HC experience, IF NU opens up the purse strings and pays the best available OC/DC/OL coaches, I see no reason why the program can't move forward.

Assuming, those coaches have proven ability in coordinating very similar types of attacks/schemes that Mickey intends to build at NU.

If he were hired, and IF it works, he will likely be here for a decade or more.

Logic says promoting a coach who has not even been a coordinator is a risky proposition, yet Dabo did it, so it is possible even though the law of large numbers says it will fail.

If Mickey isn't the guy, I intend to support the new guy for a year or two or until he shows he's not gonna get it done. I would be on Mickey's *** in the same fashion.

Recruiting as a position coach is different than recruiting as a head coach. The head coach is the closer, the position coaches do the grunt work in identifying recruits and building the relationships and making the phone calls. The head coach has a thousand different responsibilities and can't spend much time recruiting like the assistants can.

So Mickey's ability to recruit as a head coach will be dependent on the quality of assistant coaches he hires. And I just don't have a lot of confidence in him to be able to attract proven Power 5 level assistant coaches. What assistants are going to want to leave winning programs to come coach under a guy who has never even been a coordinator before?
 

TheNewNU_rivals50820

All-Conference
Dec 27, 2014
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interesting read on demographics there. 🤔

why isn’t Dino Babers on that list? Why isn’t Dino on most of you alls list? Seems like a guy that should be considered

And you also quickly rule Mickey out 🤔
I have no interest in a coach's ethnicity. I care about getting a guy that can win. Mickey got turned down for a HBCU head coaching gig. Did they not hire him because he's black? Seems awfully racist to want a hire a man simply because of the color of his skin.
 

Frozone

Junior
Sep 22, 2013
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SWAC and HBCUs are notoriously extremely conservative institutions - perhaps among the most conservative in the country - so I'm not at all surprised he went with a career SWAC coach

it's why I believe Deion's public persona is 180 degrees incorrect from his actual character
There’s something to this. I read John Feinstein’s insider book about the Ravens’ 2005 season, when Deion came out of retirement and joined the team. He came across like a leader and the consummate professional; totally different behind closed doors.
 

WHCSC

All-Conference
Feb 4, 2002
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Recruiting recruiting recruiting. We need better players across the board. Period. A coach has to do more than recruit of course, but that is where it starts. You can point to programs like Northwestern that do more with less. But how is that working out for them lately? We need elite athletes. All the national pundits say those days are over for Nebraska. I disagree. But it takes a coach who can recruit his *** off and a coach who builds a staff that can do the same. Is Mickey that coach? I do not know
Great coaches aren’t necessarily great recruiters, but they do hire great recruiters.
 
Aug 18, 2016
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Great coaches aren’t necessarily great recruiters, but they do hire great recruiters.
Tell me the great coach that wasn’t a great recruiter as an assistant? Talking current great coaches, not guys like Bill Snyder.
 

itseasyas1-2-3

All-Conference
Sep 6, 2021
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Recruiting as a position coach is different than recruiting as a head coach. The head coach is the closer, the position coaches do the grunt work in identifying recruits and building the relationships and making the phone calls. The head coach has a thousand different responsibilities and can't spend much time recruiting like the assistants can.

So Mickey's ability to recruit as a head coach will be dependent on the quality of assistant coaches he hires. And I just don't have a lot of confidence in him to be able to attract proven Power 5 level assistant coaches. What assistants are going to want to leave winning programs to come coach under a guy who has never even been a coordinator before?
Good points.
Somehow Dabo has found a way to make it work.

But, as you say, Mickey would be taking over this dumpster fire.
 

dand84

All-Conference
Oct 28, 2017
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Sorry, the logic some are using for MJ is the same that was used to keep Frost here 5 years. Not buying it. TA's moves the last year make no sense if he wanted MJ. Why give Frost the 5th year? He could have hired MJ on the spot last year. He was a known recruiter then. If MJ is the guy, why fire Frost 3 games in? He could have simply waited for the buy-out to go down and named MJ. No fuss, no muss. We just move on. He was still the same recruiter; the kids still love him. Nothing changes.

The entire rigamarole of this hiring process is nonsensical if they just turn around and name MJ. To me, that means they've asked and had every other candidate turn them down. In which case, he keeps MJ because there isn't anyone else.

We've went from wanting a proven program builder, TA's own words mind you, to handing the keys over to a risky hire. When did the criteria change? I think TA is still looking and hiring MJ is sign the hiring process failed. In that case we have to question if Trev is the guy to move us forward.
 
Oct 1, 2022
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Sorry, the logic some are using for MJ is the same that was used to keep Frost here 5 years. Not buying it. TA's moves the last year make no sense if he wanted MJ. Why give Frost the 5th year? He could have hired MJ on the spot last year. He was a known recruiter then. If MJ is the guy, why fire Frost 3 games in? He could have simply waited for the buy-out to go down and named MJ. No fuss, no muss. We just move on. He was still the same recruiter; the kids still love him. Nothing changes.

The entire rigamarole of this hiring process is nonsensical if they just turn around and name MJ. To me, that means they've asked and had every other candidate turn them down. In which case, he keeps MJ because there isn't anyone else.

We've went from wanting a proven program builder, TA's own words mind you, to handing the keys over to a risky hire. When did the criteria change? I think TA is still looking and hiring MJ is sign the hiring process failed. In that case we have to question if Trev is the guy to move us forward.
Metric options.
 

WHCSC

All-Conference
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Tell me the great coach that wasn’t a great recruiter as an assistant? Talking current great coaches, not guys like Bill Snyder.
That’s the point. People want MJ for HC based mostly on his recruiting. He’s not going to be a head recruiter if he’s hired.
 

Anon1669515999

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Feb 2, 2014
642
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If Mickey can not get to 5 or 6 wins this season we’re saying turn this program over to a guy who recruited two or three players to our team. Not blaming Mickey, but as influential as he was he couldn’t do anything with Betts, Castenetta or Manning. And how many of the juniors are so loyal to him that they’ll return for a last season? The players love him, however, what else is a player to say about an interim coach. I truly like Mickey, but if Trev goes there he’d better have some top notch assistants ready to come on board. And by top notch assistants I’m not talking, BUSCH, DUVAL or RAIOLA.
 

HuskerHusaria

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Jun 4, 2017
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Mickey is a good dude. But, I file him next to the Paul Rhoads file. You DO NOT hire on emotions. The best candidate should stand
 
Aug 18, 2016
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That’s the point. People want MJ for HC based mostly on his recruiting. He’s not going to be a head recruiter if he’s hired.
No, the point is that coaches that focus on recruiting and were good recruiters as assistants understand the importance and value of recruiting as they rise through the ranks and eventually become head coaches.

Coaches that didn’t recruit well, and on staffs where the head coach relied mainly on development and “fit” don’t put an emphasis on recruiting as they rise through the ranks and eventually become head coaches.

The first kind will hire guys who recruit the second will hire developers and “fit finders”