Early in year one Rhule told us about some advice he once got from coaching legends Bill Belichick and Bill Parcells, “Your first staff is never your best staff. It’s usually about two years in when you figure out who everybody is and what they need.”
I believe that advice to be true. Especially the part about figuring out who everybody is and what they need. In Rhule’s first year in Lincoln what he figured out was that he had the wrong coaches and what they needed was more experience. Rhule has a flaw of believing he can find the next diamond in the rough, or taking a river rock, buff it to a high shine and making it something it isn’t. But that’s never been what Nebraska needed.
In year one, I listened to Garrett McGuire and Evan Cooper and thought, they’re young but ambitious and hungry. But we quickly learned they didn’t know what they didn’t know.
Then I listened to John Butler and Terry Bradden. I wasn’t blown away, but I thought, these guys are from the NFL, they know what they are doing, we’re going to learn something. What we learned was, the Big Ten isn’t the NFL and they were bad fits.
In year four, Rhule figured out his coaching staff and perhaps got it right. All along he talked about development and when listening to his new defensive line coaches, I think that is what he finally has.
Now, stick with me, being your typical Husker fan, I’ve thought he’s gotten it right each year, only to realize he didn’t. But listening to Manning and Brown, there’s something different. They sound like coaches. I may be 66-years old, but I was ready to play again when listening to what they had to say. So, sign me up!
Edge Coach Roy Manning
Roy Manning comes to Nebraska with coaching credentials that include stops at places like Michigan, Oklahoma, and USC. He understands what blueblood programs look like and how they are supposed to act. He knows championship football when he sees it. So, when he talks about his defensive coordinator Rob Aurich and bubbles over, that’s a good sign. As to why he followed Aurich to Nebraska.
“Alignment and approach, alignment and how he sees the game of football. He believes in stopping the run. I think that is big. If you look over the course of my career I’ve worked for a number of different coaches and different philosophies, and you take different things from everyone. But getting around Rob it was pretty clear he puts a huge priority on stopping the run and I believe in that personally. You know, just watching how he navigates the role of coordinator. Coordinating men who all have experience and coordinating players, just his approach and how he weaves through that seamlessly and effectively.”
What did I just hear? That stopping the run is a priority for the edge coach. A position that typically thinks of nothing but getting to the quarterback. Yes, pressure on the quarterback is a must and something Rhule’s defenses the last three seasons know nothing about. But it all starts with stopping the run, and the fact that comes first with your edge coach … game changing.
Aurich is bringing a new scheme to Nebraska with the 4-2-5 alignment, but for Manning his view is this, “At it’s core, football is still football. There’s nothing unique about what we do but how we teach those guys to do it.”
Hearing Manning say that, well, that’s the difference in these coaches. It’s about teaching and getting better. No matter what, as a coach he knows it starts with him and it’s his job to get the best out of each one of his players, saying, “You have that belief you can pull that out of a guy or get them to play at a higher level.” For Manning, finding those guys is the challenge and what he finds exciting. He described it as, “Ever changing, and an ever-moving experience.”
I’ve heard repeatedly how Nebraska lacks talent. I don’t buy into that, at least not with the defensive line players we have on this roster. When asked if Nebraska had the players needed to get to the quarterback, Manning responded, “Do we have enough? Yeah, we have enough. I got to coach my tail off and we got to learn what we’re doing and how we’re doing it. I want unit strength, as far as how much individual talent we have, my goal is to have the best room. That’s how I approach it,” he said. “I’ll try to set the tone and temperament of the room. I always say speed of the leader, speed of the pack. So, they’re going to follow my lead.”
I like Manning’s approach. It’s the right one to have. You can have all the talent in the world, but if it isn’t coached right, you’ve got nothing. “Coaches put guys in positions where what they’re good at shows, or can be put on display,” Manning said. “I always want guys that have great rush ability, whether it’s a great first step, being able to bend or just have a relentless motor. There are different ways to get to the quarterback.”
Manning said he will look to have at least five solid pass rushers this season but will travel with six. He has physical traits he looks for as well. However, he doesn’t eliminate players simply because they don’t fall into what’s considered a prototypical mold. A guy can be 6’2” but needs to weigh at least 250-pounds. Naturally it’s great if he’s 6’5” to 6’7”, but he doesn’t want them over 285-pounds either. Using those numbers, he’ll have plenty to work with at Nebraska.
Coming from San Diego State, people sometimes look at group of five schools as developmental schools for the Power Four teams. In Manning’s case, that could be seen as true. An example would be players like Ryan Henderson and Trey White, who have transferred from San Diego State to Texas A&M and Texas Tech after being developed by Manning. The 6’3” 260-pound Henderson went to A&M after recording 24 total tackles, 9 TFLs and 7 sacks last season with the Aztecs. Trey White was a two-time first team All-Mountain West selection. The 6’2” 255-pound White recorded 53 total tackles, 10.5 TFLs, and 7 sacks last season.
Knowing Manning developed players like that is part of what excited UCLA’s Anthony Jones and convinced him to transfer to Nebraska. It’s also what excites current Nebraska players Cam Lenhardt, Williams Nwaneri, Kade Pietrzak, Willis McGahee, Mac Markway, Jordan Ochoa, and Dylan Rogers. With Manning leading the way, they’ll all have expectations, but Manning made his feelings clear on expectations. “Blame no one. Expect nothing. Do something. And it’s that simple.” he said. “This is a results business. This is a leave your stuff at the door business, this is a ‘rent’s due everyday’ business that we are in. Remove your egos.”
Man, how can you not like what this guy has to say. And how can you not believe development is part of who he is and what he believes in. He played in the Big Ten, coached in the Big Ten. He has confidence in his defensive coordinator and the scheme, likes what he has in the room. He’ll get the best out of these guys, and while his first priority is stopping the run, don’t be surprised if you see the most sacks from the defensive line since Rhule’s arrival.
GO BIG RED!! SIMPLE, FASY, VIOLENT!!
Photo courtesy of the Falls City Journal
Stay on top of Husker football at CarrikerChronicles.com