Wednesday, February 2, 2011

2 Coaches-1 Day-2 Problems

February 2nd was about a lot more than recruiting at Iowa and Nebraska.  It was about 2 coaches and their ability to perform under pressure.  Their ability to face the music.  Their ability to take the tough questions.  Their ability to attack a problem in public.

Pointing Out The Problem
Iowa Football Coach Kirk Ferentz has been taking a beating over the past week.  He deserved a lot of it.  He new he would eventually have to face the questions about 13 of his players admitted to the hospital because of team workouts.    He new he could only run from reporters for only so long.  

On a day when Iowa should be bragging about its recruiting class, Ferentz was left defending himself.  Read Hawk Central Story Here

Bo Pelini
February 2nd actually started getting weird at Nebraska on February 1st.  Out of left field Head Coach Bo Pelini says he will hold a teleconference only and talk about only the recruiting class and no other questions will be allowed.    I guess its easier to hang up with nobody in room than to walk out with all the cameras rolling.

 Pelini's actions look even more juvenile when an hour before he was to get on the phone, Indiana Head Coach Kevin Wilson announced that Corey Raymond will leave the Hoosier staff to become the secondary coach at Nebraska.  What?  Talk about a red alert siren going off!  At last check Marvin Sanders was coaching the defensive backs in Lincoln.  Sure Bo has one job open on the defensive side of the ball, but he would surely be the one to announce it right?  Instead it looks like a new conference foe (Indiana of all teams) is doing the talking for Pelini.  Welcome to the Big 10. 

Knowing he would be bombarded with questions, Bo sticks to his guns, well sort of Read Lincoln Journal Star Story Here  and Thursday morning the Omaha.com as a great read with the staff no shows at the annual recruiting dinner in Omaha.

All Bo did is make his life miserable until these "staff" changes are announced.  The rumor will run wild.  His cell phone will ring off the hook from every reporter form Scottsbluff to South Sioux City.  This was an easy fire to put out instead he fanned the flames.

2 Coaches, 1 Day, 2 Problems, both serious but in different ways.   We watched one coach with experience handle his problem with grace, some humility and some answers. 

We watched the other act with inexperience, defensiveness and a lot more questions remain than answers.

Iowa.... Nebraska... The rivalry... The comparisons... It's all just beginning.

1 comment:

  1. Bo's handling of the situation yesterday was rather poor. It wasn't long after Bo's "presser" that Tom Dienhart tweeted that Raymond had left Indiana for Nebraska.

    If Pelini or the SID don't get in front of the situation very early this morning, this could blow up on them much like the Iowa situation did last week.

    GBR!

    ReplyDelete