Haillie Grossman wonders, Is Nebraska football too far gone, even for Scott Frost? I haven't read all of her story; as a Cornhusker fan myself, I find the subject somewhat depressing.
But it got me thinking that the conference re-alignments did Nebraska no favors. In the old Big 8, Nebraska played seven conference and four non-conference games (an 11-game regular season was, well, a regular season back then). The scheduling flexibility often led to high-profile match-ups around the country, and the recruiting base was national.
The breakup of the Southwest Conference and the formation of the Big 12 in 1996 reduced the non-conference schedule even as it traditional powers as conference rivals in Texas and Texas A&M. When Tom Osborne retired from coaching after the 1997 season, Nebraska was a greater recruiting disadvantage with an unknown replacement in Frank Solich and fewer non-conference games. The move to the Big Ten in 2011 then hurt Nebraska's traditional strong recruiting in Texas.
In the Big 8, Nebraska was a brand; since 1996 it's been just another traditional power in conferences that have lots of them.
But I've noticed another trend since Nebraska's last National Championship in 1997. I'll just list here names of the towns of national champions in the past 40 football seasons. I'll explain the asterisk below:
2018: Clemson, South Carolina
2017: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
2016: Clemson
2015: Tuscaloosa
2014: Columbus, Ohio*
2013: Tallahassee, Florida
2012: Tuscaloosa
2011: Tuscaloosa
2010, Auburn, Alabama
2009: Tuscaloosa
2008: Gainesville, Florida
2007: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
2006: Gaineseville
2005: Austin, Texas
2004: Los Angeles, California
2003: Baton Rouge; Los Angeles
2002: Columbus*
2001: Miami, Florida
2000: Norman, Oklahoma
1999: Tallahassee
1998: Knoxville, Tennessee
1997: Lincoln, Nebraska;* Ann Arbor, Michigan*
1996: Gainesville
1995: Lincoln*
1994: Lincoln*
1993: Tallahassee
1992: Tuscaloosa
1991: Seattle, WA*; Miami
1990: Boulder, Colorado*; Atlanta Georgia
1989: Miami
1988: South Bend, Indiana*
1987: Miami
1986: State College, Pennsylvania*
1985: Norman, Oklahoma
1984: Provo, Utah*
1983: Miami
1982: State College*
1981: Clemson
1980: Athens, Georgia
1979: Tuscaloosa
The towns with asterisks are on or north of the 40th parallel. Eleven of the 44 national champions (including split champions) were northern schools. The other 33 are all south of the 36th parallel. But the trend is more pronounced recently. Of the 22 national champions since Nebraska's last one, only Ohio State (twice) is a northern school, whereas of the 22 champions from 1979 through 1997, ten were northern schools.
The talent in the talent-rich South seems to want to stay close to home rather than venture out to northern schools. It is hard to believe that if, say, Urban Meyer never went to Florida or Nick Saban hadn't gone to Alabama, that a northern school like Nebraska could have won over their recruits. It looks to me they would have just gone elsewhere in the South, such as LSU or Florida State.
It's yet another a hurdle a rebuilding program like Nebraska will have to overcome.
If you find value in James Leroy Wilson's articles, your support through Paypal helps keep him going. If you'd like to hire James, you may contact him at jamesleroywilson-at-gmail.com.
But it got me thinking that the conference re-alignments did Nebraska no favors. In the old Big 8, Nebraska played seven conference and four non-conference games (an 11-game regular season was, well, a regular season back then). The scheduling flexibility often led to high-profile match-ups around the country, and the recruiting base was national.
The breakup of the Southwest Conference and the formation of the Big 12 in 1996 reduced the non-conference schedule even as it traditional powers as conference rivals in Texas and Texas A&M. When Tom Osborne retired from coaching after the 1997 season, Nebraska was a greater recruiting disadvantage with an unknown replacement in Frank Solich and fewer non-conference games. The move to the Big Ten in 2011 then hurt Nebraska's traditional strong recruiting in Texas.
In the Big 8, Nebraska was a brand; since 1996 it's been just another traditional power in conferences that have lots of them.
But I've noticed another trend since Nebraska's last National Championship in 1997. I'll just list here names of the towns of national champions in the past 40 football seasons. I'll explain the asterisk below:
2018: Clemson, South Carolina
2017: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
2016: Clemson
2015: Tuscaloosa
2014: Columbus, Ohio*
2013: Tallahassee, Florida
2012: Tuscaloosa
2011: Tuscaloosa
2010, Auburn, Alabama
2009: Tuscaloosa
2008: Gainesville, Florida
2007: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
2006: Gaineseville
2005: Austin, Texas
2004: Los Angeles, California
2003: Baton Rouge; Los Angeles
2002: Columbus*
2001: Miami, Florida
2000: Norman, Oklahoma
1999: Tallahassee
1998: Knoxville, Tennessee
1997: Lincoln, Nebraska;* Ann Arbor, Michigan*
1996: Gainesville
1995: Lincoln*
1994: Lincoln*
1993: Tallahassee
1992: Tuscaloosa
1991: Seattle, WA*; Miami
1990: Boulder, Colorado*; Atlanta Georgia
1989: Miami
1988: South Bend, Indiana*
1987: Miami
1986: State College, Pennsylvania*
1985: Norman, Oklahoma
1984: Provo, Utah*
1983: Miami
1982: State College*
1981: Clemson
1980: Athens, Georgia
1979: Tuscaloosa
The towns with asterisks are on or north of the 40th parallel. Eleven of the 44 national champions (including split champions) were northern schools. The other 33 are all south of the 36th parallel. But the trend is more pronounced recently. Of the 22 national champions since Nebraska's last one, only Ohio State (twice) is a northern school, whereas of the 22 champions from 1979 through 1997, ten were northern schools.
The talent in the talent-rich South seems to want to stay close to home rather than venture out to northern schools. It is hard to believe that if, say, Urban Meyer never went to Florida or Nick Saban hadn't gone to Alabama, that a northern school like Nebraska could have won over their recruits. It looks to me they would have just gone elsewhere in the South, such as LSU or Florida State.
It's yet another a hurdle a rebuilding program like Nebraska will have to overcome.
If you find value in James Leroy Wilson's articles, your support through Paypal helps keep him going. If you'd like to hire James, you may contact him at jamesleroywilson-at-gmail.com.
Comments
Post a Comment