Steven Sipple: Frost took far too long to adjust to style needed to win in the Big Ten; perhaps next coach will come in with a plan to be physical
Steven Sipple
•
about 12 hours
Article written by:
On3 image
Steven Sipple
steven_sipple
Mickey Joseph Nebraska football 2022 Oklahoma
(Photo: Ken Juszyk/HuskerOnline)
Tom Osborne drives home a point that surely resonates with the portion of the Nebraska football fan base that misses the days when the Huskers routinely beat the brakes off opponents physically.
“You have to develop a culture where there’s a mindset, a commitment, a mentality of being physical,” Osborne told me a few years ago.
My heavens, that part dropped off under former Nebraska head coach Mike Riley.
Scott Frost obviously didn’t help matters.
Enter Mickey Joseph, the Nebraska interim head coach. He’s a long shot at this point to be named to the permanent position.
But he spoke words of wisdom this week that could resonate with potential candidates.
You listening, Matt Rhule?
You think you understand what it takes here, Lance Leipold?
The Big Ten is a bit different than the ACC, Dave Doeren.
Chris Klieman, by the looks of your team’s style of play, you already understand where Mickey is coming from.
24 Hours Out.
pic.twitter.com/tZ8D7xclAT
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFBNation)
November 18, 2022
Exclusive Tunnel Talk: 11/18/2022
Joseph seeks to foster physicality at Nebraska
Truth be told, the other possible candidates probably do, too, although Frost didn’t seem to grasp what it takes to win in the Big Ten until three seasons into his tenure, when it was far too late.
It’s one thing to verbalize what it takes; it’s another to be able to execute a grand plan that fits the rugged Big Ten.
“One of the things I wanted to do is bring back the physicality, that we were going to be physical again,” said the 54-year-old Joseph, who has a 2-5 record in the interim chair. “We were going to run the ball and stop the run.”
This is where it gets complicated. Nebraska (3-7, 2-5 Big Ten) doesn’t have the horses up front on offense to consistently move the chains along the ground, especially against powerful Big Ten defenses that face ornery offensive lines and hard-charging running backs every day in practice.
Wisconsin (5-5, 3-4), Nebraska’s opponent Saturday in Lincoln, is typically a salty run-stopping team and it’s obvious why that’s the case. This season, imagine facing 6-foot-2, 235-pound running back Braelon Allen daily.
During Osborne’s tenure (1973 to 1997), why do you suppose Nebraska often was a good run-stopping team? It certainly helped that the Blackshirts faced guys like Mike Rozier and Tom Rathman and Lawrence Phillips and Ahman Green in practice.
My heavens, a lot of teams used fullbacks in those days.
Those were physical weekday sessions at dear ol’ NU. The offensive lines made sure of it.
I used to watch goal-line drills during Osborne’s years. Those drills were vicious. Violent.
In the Big Ten, every play in the trenches is like a bar fight.
Osborne thinks Nebraska should play certain way
Joseph now fully understands. The first-year Husker coach has learned plenty about the Big Ten.
He also learns plenty from Osborne, who recruited Joseph to Nebraska as an option quarterback.
In recent weeks, Joseph has met with Osborne on Mondays at 10:30 a.m. Joseph’s mom told him to call Osborne as soon as he got the interim job.
Osborne’s message these days is the same as it was in late 2017 when Frost took over at Nebraska.
“We gotta get back to the trenches,” Joseph said. “Get big boys in here on the offensive and defensive lines, get some depth in there and get a competitive roster.”
Joseph came to Nebraska from LSU, a Southeastern Conference power. In terms of roster configuration, Joseph said, Big Ten teams need more depth than SEC squads.
“Instead of having 12 offensive linemen, you have to have 15 or 16,” he said. “Instead of having 12 defensive linemen, you have to have 15 or 16. You have to have 12 receivers. You have to have four quarterbacks.
“It’s got to be competitive.”
There can’t be a big drop-off from the starter to the top backup, as we saw this season with Nebraska’s quarterback situation.
Big Ten teams need more depth “because you bang a whole bunch,” Joseph said. “You’re playing in the middle of the field. In the SEC, you cover every inch of the field. But in the Big Ten, you play in that phone booth. So, you’re going to lose some kids.
“They’re hitting each other like bam, bam, bam.”
𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 »
@bigolu55
Awarded to the best interior lineman in the nation
#GoBlue
pic.twitter.com/pvxJJQ4gbh
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball)
November 17, 2022
Best Big Ten teams built to win in November
What’s more, they’re hitting you like that in the cold of November. The good programs are built to win in November. Former Nebraska coach Bill Callahan used to say, “The games to remember are the games in November.”
Nebraska fans would like to forget a lot of those games. Wisconsin, however, often has enjoyed the month in recent seasons, posting a 39-9 record (.813) since 2010.
Nebraska’s record in November during the same span?
Try 21-27 (.438).
Since 2017, Nebraska’s record in November is a paltry 4-17 (.047).
Granted, Wisconsin’s formula isn’t perfect. The Badgers haven’t won a Big Ten championship since 2012. But UW reached the Big Ten title game three times in former head coach Paul Chryst’s seven seasons – 2016, 2017 and 2019.
Wisconsin also has an interim head coach guiding the ship. Jim Leonhard will attempt to lead the Badgers to a ninth straight triumph over the Huskers. UW’s running game doesn’t hit you with the force that it typically does, but it’s still strong. And the Badger defense ranks 14th nationally.
Bottom line, Wisconsin is better built than Nebraska to win in November.
That’s the cold truth.
Nebraska’s next head coach must immediately set about to build a more competitive roster, Joseph said this week.
“You have to understand where you’re at (geographically),” Joseph said. “You don’t sit in the middle of Texas, in the middle of Louisiana, in the middle of Georgia. You’ve got to be able to go down there and convince those kids to come up here.
“He’s got to understand that recruiting’s going to be a big part of it. Whoever sits in that chair, recruiting is going to be a big part and you’ve got to want to work.
“It’s not like working in Georgia, because they’re right there. You’ve got to work here. Whoever takes this job, they better be ready to work.”
That’s solid wisdom.
You wonder who’s listening.
Steven Sipple
•
about 12 hours
Article written by:
On3 image
Steven Sipple
steven_sipple
Mickey Joseph Nebraska football 2022 Oklahoma
(Photo: Ken Juszyk/HuskerOnline)
Tom Osborne drives home a point that surely resonates with the portion of the Nebraska football fan base that misses the days when the Huskers routinely beat the brakes off opponents physically.
“You have to develop a culture where there’s a mindset, a commitment, a mentality of being physical,” Osborne told me a few years ago.
My heavens, that part dropped off under former Nebraska head coach Mike Riley.
Scott Frost obviously didn’t help matters.
Enter Mickey Joseph, the Nebraska interim head coach. He’s a long shot at this point to be named to the permanent position.
But he spoke words of wisdom this week that could resonate with potential candidates.
You listening, Matt Rhule?
You think you understand what it takes here, Lance Leipold?
The Big Ten is a bit different than the ACC, Dave Doeren.
Chris Klieman, by the looks of your team’s style of play, you already understand where Mickey is coming from.
24 Hours Out.
pic.twitter.com/tZ8D7xclAT
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFBNation)
November 18, 2022
Exclusive Tunnel Talk: 11/18/2022
Joseph seeks to foster physicality at Nebraska
Truth be told, the other possible candidates probably do, too, although Frost didn’t seem to grasp what it takes to win in the Big Ten until three seasons into his tenure, when it was far too late.
It’s one thing to verbalize what it takes; it’s another to be able to execute a grand plan that fits the rugged Big Ten.
“One of the things I wanted to do is bring back the physicality, that we were going to be physical again,” said the 54-year-old Joseph, who has a 2-5 record in the interim chair. “We were going to run the ball and stop the run.”
This is where it gets complicated. Nebraska (3-7, 2-5 Big Ten) doesn’t have the horses up front on offense to consistently move the chains along the ground, especially against powerful Big Ten defenses that face ornery offensive lines and hard-charging running backs every day in practice.
Wisconsin (5-5, 3-4), Nebraska’s opponent Saturday in Lincoln, is typically a salty run-stopping team and it’s obvious why that’s the case. This season, imagine facing 6-foot-2, 235-pound running back Braelon Allen daily.
During Osborne’s tenure (1973 to 1997), why do you suppose Nebraska often was a good run-stopping team? It certainly helped that the Blackshirts faced guys like Mike Rozier and Tom Rathman and Lawrence Phillips and Ahman Green in practice.
My heavens, a lot of teams used fullbacks in those days.
Those were physical weekday sessions at dear ol’ NU. The offensive lines made sure of it.
I used to watch goal-line drills during Osborne’s years. Those drills were vicious. Violent.
In the Big Ten, every play in the trenches is like a bar fight.
Osborne thinks Nebraska should play certain way
Joseph now fully understands. The first-year Husker coach has learned plenty about the Big Ten.
He also learns plenty from Osborne, who recruited Joseph to Nebraska as an option quarterback.
In recent weeks, Joseph has met with Osborne on Mondays at 10:30 a.m. Joseph’s mom told him to call Osborne as soon as he got the interim job.
Osborne’s message these days is the same as it was in late 2017 when Frost took over at Nebraska.
“We gotta get back to the trenches,” Joseph said. “Get big boys in here on the offensive and defensive lines, get some depth in there and get a competitive roster.”
Joseph came to Nebraska from LSU, a Southeastern Conference power. In terms of roster configuration, Joseph said, Big Ten teams need more depth than SEC squads.
“Instead of having 12 offensive linemen, you have to have 15 or 16,” he said. “Instead of having 12 defensive linemen, you have to have 15 or 16. You have to have 12 receivers. You have to have four quarterbacks.
“It’s got to be competitive.”
There can’t be a big drop-off from the starter to the top backup, as we saw this season with Nebraska’s quarterback situation.
Big Ten teams need more depth “because you bang a whole bunch,” Joseph said. “You’re playing in the middle of the field. In the SEC, you cover every inch of the field. But in the Big Ten, you play in that phone booth. So, you’re going to lose some kids.
“They’re hitting each other like bam, bam, bam.”
𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 »
@bigolu55
Awarded to the best interior lineman in the nation
#GoBlue
pic.twitter.com/pvxJJQ4gbh
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball)
November 17, 2022
Best Big Ten teams built to win in November
What’s more, they’re hitting you like that in the cold of November. The good programs are built to win in November. Former Nebraska coach Bill Callahan used to say, “The games to remember are the games in November.”
Nebraska fans would like to forget a lot of those games. Wisconsin, however, often has enjoyed the month in recent seasons, posting a 39-9 record (.813) since 2010.
Nebraska’s record in November during the same span?
Try 21-27 (.438).
Since 2017, Nebraska’s record in November is a paltry 4-17 (.047).
Granted, Wisconsin’s formula isn’t perfect. The Badgers haven’t won a Big Ten championship since 2012. But UW reached the Big Ten title game three times in former head coach Paul Chryst’s seven seasons – 2016, 2017 and 2019.
Wisconsin also has an interim head coach guiding the ship. Jim Leonhard will attempt to lead the Badgers to a ninth straight triumph over the Huskers. UW’s running game doesn’t hit you with the force that it typically does, but it’s still strong. And the Badger defense ranks 14th nationally.
Bottom line, Wisconsin is better built than Nebraska to win in November.
That’s the cold truth.
Nebraska’s next head coach must immediately set about to build a more competitive roster, Joseph said this week.
“You have to understand where you’re at (geographically),” Joseph said. “You don’t sit in the middle of Texas, in the middle of Louisiana, in the middle of Georgia. You’ve got to be able to go down there and convince those kids to come up here.
“He’s got to understand that recruiting’s going to be a big part of it. Whoever sits in that chair, recruiting is going to be a big part and you’ve got to want to work.
“It’s not like working in Georgia, because they’re right there. You’ve got to work here. Whoever takes this job, they better be ready to work.”
That’s solid wisdom.
You wonder who’s listening.
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