Nebraska scared to play Houston?

[Mustangs35SMU]

HOUSTON -- Angry Houston athletic director Dave Maggard, calling Nebraska "gutless," accused the Cornhuskers Friday of backing out of a verbal agreement to play next fall and scheduling Division I-AA Maine instead.

"This is absolutely unprofessional in every way," Maggard said in online editions of the Houston Chronicle. "It's gutless. Spineless. They're going to have to live with it. I've lost a tremendous amount of respect for that program. I think that for college athletics, it's shameful."

Maggard said he arranged a nationally televised game between the Cougars and Nebraska.

Then, he said he learned two days ago on a phone call from Nebraska athletic director Steve Pederson that the game won't be played. Now Houston and ESPN are scrambling to find another opponent for Sept. 1 at Reliant Stadium in Houston.

"Essentially Nebraska bailed on the game," Maggard told KRIV-TV in Houston.

"Our policy has always been … we have never made comment about any potential or future opponent until such time that a contract is signed, and there was no signed contract in this case," Nebraska athletic department spokeswoman Chris Anderson said.

Anderson said Pederson would not address Maggard's comments.

Mike Soltys, vice president in charge of communications at ESPN, said the game was scheduled for the network's Thursday night opener before Nebraska decided to go in a different direction.

"We're going to figure out a solution, but they (the Huskers) are developing a reputation for hanging people out to dry. I think it's a sad commentary on the people running that athletic program," Maggard said.

[smupony94]

Nebraska saw how the Texans played at Reliant this year and want no part of it.

[Charleston Pony]

when you can pack 70,000 into your own place no matter who you play, you have the luxury of scheduling to build some early wins and confidence. With what Nebraska will earn from a home date, even after paying Maine as much as $400,000 (just a guess), they can write Houston a check and the Cougs can cover any loss they might have if they can't find a replacement to play in Reliant. It's disappointing, but this is the reality of being a "mid major". As SMU improves, this could happen to us.

[UConn/SMU]

Nebraska is in panic mode. At this point, they're scared of their own shadow.

[HorsePower]

I disagree completely. Houston needed Nebraska -- Nebraska doesn't need Houston. Charleston pointed out the biggest point: the Huskers could fill Memorial Stadium for a scrimmage against Omaha Central High. Hell, they put 50,000-60,000 in there for their Red/White game. To them, Houston and Maine are the same team: a squad with lesser talent that's not in the Big 12.

The Huskers took their lumps this year, some of which (Texas Tech) were painful. If they can use a "game" against Maine for additional practice in Coach Callahan's offense, it's the right move. It's not the popular move, but the smart move. Houston's in our new conference, so I'd like to see them get a TV game, but giving the Coogs the middle-finger salute doesn't cost Nebraska a thing.

[BrianTinBigD]

I have never been a big fan of the Children of the Corn and this just adds to the downward spiral of a once proud program. I don't care how many Corn Zombies show up for their home dates, Nebraska will have a hard time competing ever again.

They have some of the weakest facilities in the Big 12.
They have a horrible location to recruit from.
Lincoln makes Waco look like a garden spot.
The Big 12 is a lot tougher than the Oklahoma/Nebraska dominated Big 8 ever thought about.
3 games against weak mid majors and or 1-AA opponents will do nothing to improve your power ratings anymore. Lose one and you are done for the year.

Unless Nebraska hits the BCS for a couple of years running, they are not going to be able to recruit from anywhere but Nebraska and the surrounding states. With the improved teams in those states Nebraska may just keep sliding into Indiana territory.

[UConn/SMU]

Brian, I have to disagree. I married a Cornhusker. I've been in the belly of the beast. I think they're just experiencing a lull, like Oklahoma did in the 1990's. We may not see them win three more national championships in our lifetime, but they'll never be like Indiana.

And Lincoln isn't that bad. It reminded me of Plano/Allen/McKinney, surrounded by corn fields and (sometimes) snow.

I'm now divorced and no longer in touch with the children of the corn. But I knew them very well in the 1980's & 1990's. I doubt things have changed that much.

[BrianTinBigD]

Of course my opinion is colored by my incessant dislike of Nebraska and have to spend time in that part of that country but I think that the Big 12 is a Big Problem for Nebraska. With the upsurge in talent at Texas, OU, K State, Missouri, Iowa, and even Minnesota the typical fertile recruiting grounds for Neb is shrinking.

As for Plano/Allen/McKinney I was thinking that Lincoln was more like Sioux Falls or Saint Joseph without the personality.

Of course Nebraska is one of my most despised college teams so I am enjoying this more than a TCU meltdown.

[DallasDiehard]

.... They have some of the weakest facilities in the Big 12.

They do? They have cold facilities, to be sure, but Memorial Stadium isn't bad, especially considering its age, and their weightroom/training/medical facilities are pretty damn good.

.... They have a horrible location to recruit from.

Or recruit "to" (:wink: )

.... Lincoln makes Waco look like a garden spot.

While I think that's hysterical (I can't imagine any place making Waco look nice), I have to disagree. You probably were as surprised as I was to learn that Lincoln is a pretty fun city. It's not Dallas, but lo and behold, it has paved roads, electricity, running water and even some really fun drinking spots.

[ponyte]

Nebraska is a state school with money and little in the way of academics to impede its return to glory. And Nebraska also has proven that a felony record is no reason to prevent a super athlete from participating in Big Red football. All too often, people tend to think that student athletes mean some semblance of academic prowess. Also, that college football is about character building. NU is concerned with neither. With academic programs available to keep even the most remedial athlete eligible and a total distain for character, NU is posed for a quick return. Texas, OU and NU have all proven that felons make good players and nothing can stop these honored institutions from using any and every potential great athlete to better their football programs.

The day the NCAA makes a criminal record an automatic disqualification from athlete participation, is the day that one will see the TU, OU, and NUs of the world form the NCPA (National Collegiate Penal Association) so that the athletic money can keep rolling in.

[Cheesesteak]

I think that Nebraska will be a national power again by the 2006 season if Bill Callahan is the right coach. The Huskers have tradition, history, loyal fans, facilities, excellent recruiters, lax academics for needy players and institutional commitment in their favor.

Addressing some comments by posters in this thread:

“They have some of the weakest facilities in the Big 12” – Nebraska is in the middle of a $50 million football facilities upgrade project. It includes a new state-of-the-art indoor practice facility; new athletic performance complex (weight room - over 20,000 square feet), water therapy and athletic medicine areas, football locker room and offices for the strength staff, athletic medicine and equipment personnel, football coaches’ offices, football meeting rooms and the sports information office; and additional offices and facilities plus expanding Memorial Stadium seating by over 6000 seats.

“They have a horrible location to recruit from” Currently, Nebraska has the number one recruiting class (Rivals.com) in the country. They recruit nationally. In past decades, Nebraska won national (5) and Big 8/12 football championships with few top ten and infrequent top fifteen recruiting classes.

“Lincoln makes Waco look like a garden spot” – During the past 15+ years, friends and I have annually attended games at the top collegiate football stadiums / collegiate towns /collegiate programs in America. Destinations included Columbus, OH; Miami, Fl; Ann Arbor, MI; Athens, GA; Knoxville, TN; Madison, WI, etc. In 2003 we attended the Penn State at Nebraska game. Lincoln was absolutely one of our best trips. It was tremendously friendly, had enthusiastic and knowledgeable football fans, great bars and memorable game-day atmosphere. The Historic Haymarket District http://www.lincoln.org/visiting/attract ... market.htm was outstanding. I’d go back to Lincoln for any football weekend.

“The Big 12 is a lot tougher than the Oklahoma/Nebraska dominated Big 8 ever thought about” – The Big 12 North is wide open. Nebraska is as likely to dominate year after year as Colorado or Kansas State. Nebraska could again be (nationally and in the Big 12) what Oklahoma currently is.

While Nebraska and historically elite programs like them hate to lose to the mid-majors (USM in 2004) they generally look down at programs like Houston.

[Stallion]

Nebraska will return to prominance again but they will never dominate the Big 12 as in the past because there has been a fundamental shift in the power base of Big 12 football to the South. As long as UT, OU and A&M have the pick of the litter in the Texas recruiting derby and those recruits know they can annually compete for national championships in the Big 12 South as opposed to the competing for the Top 20 in the dying days of the SWC the South will rule. The Big 12 North has finally realized what a huge talent disparity exists between South and North and that is why every North team has redoubled their recruiting in Texas. Once again it is recruiting that is the great predictor of success.

[SoCal_Pony]

I agree and all things being equal, who really wants to live in Lincoln, Nebraska? It is the Waco of the North with ice. For Texas kids, Austin, College Station, even Norman is more attractive.

Years ago I read an interesting book by legendary sports agent Mike Trope, who first made a name for himself by representing Heisman Husker Johnny Rodgers. I believe the book was titled ‘Necessary Roughness’. He portrayed Tom Osborne has a self-righteous crook and the Nebraska program as corrupt. That came as a surprise to me as I thought only small private schools from Texas paid its athletes.

BTW, if you asked Trope if SMU deserved the death penalty I suspect he would laugh in your face; at a minimum he would call you extraordinarily naïve.

[Dutch]

for those of you who say that NU doesn't place an importance on academics, plese read this quote from a recent article about Kellen Huston and Chad Sievers.

"The selection of Sievers and Huston to the Academic All-America team continues Nebraska’s unmatched tradition of academic awards. Sievers becomes Nebraska’s 60th first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America selection, 22 more than second-place Notre Dame. The Huskers now boast a nation-leading 83 football all-teams certificates and 219 overall Academic All-Americans across all teams and all sports."

And whoever says that NU can't recruit, have you taken a look recently at the rivals rankings for this year's class? why don't you do that, and then come back here and recant. (i do understand that their ranking will change come Feb, when the holdouts commit at their big press conferences, but this is a huge shift for the program who rarely was in the top 25 on talent)

[Stallion]

well Ron Meyer and Bobby Collins combined recruited I believe 4 times the number of Academic All Americans as SMU has had in the 15 years since the Death Penalty. Just goes to show you that SMART GOOD players want to go to a winning program but smart players don't necessarily make a program good. As for Nebraska's class this year-it is great no doubt-but they have more numbers than other school right now. It won't be a Top 5 class in the end. Right now they are essentially 10th in per recruit average which is really more accurate in judging at the top.