Wait, wait, wait...we're holding people "accountable for doing the job that they were hired to do"? Nice. I like that concept. So what is the list of mandatory accountability's requirements for the head football coaching job at Nebraska? I'd offer (in order of importance):
1. Winning more games than losing (and that's the polite, low expectation way of putting it. You could also add a number to quantify that stipulation & add a bowl game requirement too)
2. Maintain a high talent level of player personnel (retention, recruiting, transfer, juco's, grad transfers)
3. Running a "clean" program
4. Graduating players
5. Putting players in the pro's
6. Public relations (a category I didn't put much stock into until we experienced a major failure)
Thoughts?
Man, the attackers were fierce in this thread my way (reminds me of somebody else who used to post here). Someone should remind others that differing opinions and maintaining expectations aren't a dirty or demeaning concept. For the record, I do think Mike Riley can accomplish all 6 of those concepts I listed above.
GBR
Nice post, Jay. First, apologies to the board for being a bit harsh in my responses to the other poster. I think I went a little bit overboard with my comments, I'll tone it down going forward.
As for your 6 criteria, I think those are the correct 6 broad topics. I think I'd build out item 1 a little bit more, and add something about just showing up to play, and not getting blown out on the big stage like we did so often in the Pelini years. I'd probably also build out item 2, and talk about all-conference players, All-Americans, national award winners, etc.
For Nebraska to get back onto the national stage, we really need to show up in the big games (even if we do end up losing, we just can't get stomped 63-14 or something, for example), and we need guys who are all-conference players and finalists for the major awards, like Outland, Heisman, Doak Walker, etc. It looks like we're trending in that direction with some of the young players we have and are recruiting (at least I'm hoping we are!).
I think if the team can accomplish 1 and 2, 5 will take care of itself. Points 3 and 4 will also help feed into 1 and 2, as they are selling points to land solid recruits and win games.
