If you take a few steps back, Jimbo's tenure seems to be a lot like that of Scott Frost @ Nebraska: generally respectable performances, generally hang with the big dogs, but then [strictly] pile up a ton of close losses.

I watched a couple of games and it seems like NU's players were individually well-prepared and motivated. I also didn't notice any schematic innovation or exceptional talent. But I'm not sure if it's one of those factors or something else that would most directly account for his failure.

Did anyone follow NU closely enough back then to comment on similarities with Jimbo now?

Scott Frost never got even a top 20 recruiting class..

NU sucked during Frosts tenure- period. We're mediocre. Big difference.

Scott Frost lost a whole lot more often than Jimbo. Plus, Nebraska plays in the Big 10 West, so the schedule is much easier than what Jimbo faces. I'm not here to pump up Jimbo in any way...just saying that Scott Frost at Nebraska was bad, bad, bad, bad, bad.

2018
4-8 overall, 3-6 in the B1G

2019
5-7 and 3-6

2020
3-5 and 3-5 (Covid year)

2021
3-9 and 1-8

2022
1-2 and 0-1 before he was fired

That's 16-31 (.340) overall and 10-26 (.278) in conference play. Yikes.

I think he lost a lot of 1-score games, but the bottom line is he lost a lot. A whole lot.

Im not sure we saw the same Nebraska.

They were the single worst prepared team ive seen on multiple occasions. Fundamental errirs all over the field- it was genuinely shocking.

infortunately, we are becoming not unlike them under Fisher. Thank you. rich iidiots whi have put us in this position.

I am an NU alum so followed the Frost debacle closely. He had multiple non-FB related issues that bled over onto the field and his coaching. He just didn't put in the time required to be successful. Jimbo is more put-together than Frost ever was, but that's a really low bar. I said at the time that A&M hired him that I felt that they threw him a life preserver because his days at FSU were numbered. Without overwhelming talent, he (Jimbo) is an average coach at best. He has never been able to out-coach talent deficits (QB, etc) like the great coaches.

I thought Frost was going to bring NU back but as the pressure started mounting it seemed to me Frost totally lost his own confidence. NU repeatedly lost close games due to poor in game decisions by Frost. He's another example why NOT to guarantee huge sums like we have. I've seen too many can't miss, next great coach candidates crash and burn to know nobody is a sure thing.

Easier schedule, but so much harder to recruit

but Sterling, we HAVE to pay a fortune to bring the next CANT MISS coach to A&M, because NO COACH IN AMERICA WHO IS ANY GOOD would agree to come here for just a few million, no buyout, and a make-good contract with big incentive rewards.

Don't you know that?

I don't know if we would have to go through that again, but whatever it takes is what I hope we pay. Trying to win championships on a budget is how we fell so far behind in the 90s and on through the 2000s.

2000AgPhD said:

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I am an NU alum so followed the Frost debacle closely. He had multiple non-FB related issues that bled over onto the field and his coaching. He just didn't put in the time required to be successful. Jimbo is more put-together than Frost ever was, but that's a really low bar. I said at the time that A&M hired him that I felt that they threw him a life preserver because his days at FSU were numbered. Without overwhelming talent, he (Jimbo) is an average coach at best. He has never been able to out-coach talent deficits (QB, etc) like the great coaches.

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Jesus Pete, he built ridiculously good offenses with JaMarcus Russel and Christian Ponder.

I know y'all hate Jimbo. And I wish we were winning more, but Scott Frost is a terrible comparison. Nebraska would kill for our record over the last 10+ years. Bo Pelini was their best hope and they blew it. They'll never be relevant again.

Might be a little premature to shovel dirt on Matt Rhule just yet.

Did he have some major personal issues or something like that?

I really thought he would succeed seeing what he did R UCF but seeing all of his close game losses showed he didn't have his teams prepared.

NoahAg said:

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I know y'all hate Jimbo. And I wish we were winning more, but Scott Frost is a terrible comparison. Nebraska would kill for our record over the last 10+ years. Bo Pelini was their best hope and they blew it. They'll never be relevant again.

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There's a reason why Pelini is no longer in coaching. He is a sick human being. There are also untold reasons why Nebraska canned him. They basically HAD to.

Fatboy Thaddeus said:

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If you take a few steps back, Jimbo's tenure seems to be a lot like that of Scott Frost @ Nebraska: generally respectable performances, generally hang with the big dogs, but then [strictly] pile up a ton of close losses.

I watched a couple of games and it seems like NU's players were individually well-prepared and motivated. I also didn't notice any schematic innovation or exceptional talent. But I'm not sure if it's one of those factors or something else that would most directly account for his failure.

Did anyone follow NU closely enough back then to comment on similarities with Jimbo now?

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I followed them, there are no similarities other than a bunch of disappointed fans.

NoahAg said:

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I know y'all hate Jimbo. And I wish we were winning more, but Scott Frost is a terrible comparison. Nebraska would kill for our record over the last 10+ years. Bo Pelini was their best hope and they blew it. They'll never be relevant again.

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Check back in five years. Ruhle is doing what it takes to rebuild a program the right way - a program that Frost, Riley and several ADs and University presidents tried very hard to wreck. WRT Frost, he has a lot of issues, period. Not all were coaching related, but he couldn't compartmentalize them and it showed in the results.

I don't like or dislike Jimbo, but A&M was nuts to pay that kind of money to a guy that was on his way out at FSU anyway.

2000AgPhD said:

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NoahAg said:

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I know y'all hate Jimbo. And I wish we were winning more, but Scott Frost is a terrible comparison. Nebraska would kill for our record over the last 10+ years. Bo Pelini was their best hope and they blew it. They'll never be relevant again.

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Check back in five years. Ruhle is doing what it takes to rebuild a program the right way - a program that Frost, Riley and several ADs and University presidents tried very hard to wreck. WRT Frost, he has a lot of issues, period. Not all were coaching related, but he couldn't compartmentalize them and it showed in the results.

I don't like or dislike Jimbo, but A&M was nuts to pay that kind of money to a guy that was on his way out at FSU anyway.

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Agreed, I'm excited to see what Ruhle ends up doing there. I have zero love or interest in Nebraska, and nothing vested in Ruhle. But he's a hell of a coach with an accomplished record of turning programs around. And especially at current Nebraska where you are at a huge disadvantage, but I suspect he will get it done and outclass the likes of the Jimbo's out there.

Divining Rod said:

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but Sterling, we HAVE to pay a fortune to bring the next CANT MISS coach to A&M, because NO COACH IN AMERICA WHO IS ANY GOOD would agree to come here for just a few million, no buyout, and a make-good contract with big incentive rewards.

Don't you know that?

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I keep hearing it…on Texags. I'm beginning to conclude a big part of our issue is, in addition to the contract terms, a lazy vetting process. For Sherman, who I believe was the best pure coach of the last 3, it was a connection to McKinney. For Sumlin, another BMA connection. For Fisher, he had won a national title. I just don't get the sense a lot goes into it.

When tu was making the Mack Brown hire, his interview was a courtesy…everyone was zoned in on Gary Barnett. But Brown appealed to the interviewers to such a degree (I think because he was Royalesque) they made a 180 and hired him instead and had a great 10 year run. We just decide who, throw out what the guy wants and hope it works out.