Serious Question About Nebraska

Leipoldt would be an idiot to take that job unless he wants to just cash in and ruin his coaching career permanently.

He'd be going from a place where he's doing ok with zero expectations to a team where it's impossible to succeed and the expectations are unreachable.

But if he's who they're after and he just wants to make $60 million bucks and destroy his coaching career that'd be the place to do it. He'd never have to work agian.

Worked For Solich, Callahan, Pelini, Riley, and Frost so far.
Perhaps, but Leipoldt has a chance to make bank which he may never have again. Right now it looks like he worked a miracle at Kansas because of their start. Sustaining a program at KU is not gonna be easy. They started out 5-0 but will likely end up 6-6. That hot start will be long forgotten if he can't replicate it next year and he'll likely end his career at KU.

No matter what happens at Nebraska he'd walk away a multi-millionaire. If he wins there, he'll be a legend. If he doesn't he still retires in financial comfort. He's 58, I doubt he's worried about a career post-Nebraska were he to take that job. He'll walk away a wealthy man and enjoy his retirement. If he still has the passion to coach...he'd have options somewhere. The kind of lower pressure options like a 1AA school that would offer.

KU may give him enough money to accomplish the same thing. Either way, cash in, baby.
 
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Perhaps, but Leipoldt has a chance to make bank which he may never have again. Right now it looks like he worked a miracle at Kansas because of their start. Sustaining a program at KU is not gonna be easy. They started out 5-0 but will likely end up 6-6. That hot start will be long forgotten if he can't replicate it next year and he'll likely end his career at KU.

No matter what happens at Nebraska he'd walk away a multi-millionaire. If he wins there, he'll be a legend. If he doesn't he still retires in financial comfort. He's 58, I doubt he's worried about a career post-Nebraska were he to take that job. He'll walk away a wealthy man and enjoy his retirement. If he still has the passion to coach...he'd have options somewhere. The kind of lower pressure options like a 1AA school that would offer.

Cash in, baby.
I would think Nebraska would be a great place for a 58 yo to finish their career, win or lose. The facilities are terrific. Keep showing improvement and he'll get a long chain. I would think Kleiman would think the same thing.
 
One factor not present in the graph is the influence of in-state competitors. Iowa has to deal with ISU, Michigan with MSU, Illinois with Northwestern, Indiana, Purdue with Notre Dame.

I did a deep numbers dive in this not long ago. The ratio of state population to power 5/fbs roster spots. Wyoming is lowest. Idaho is quite low...2nd l think.

Iowa is 3rd I think. Very comparable to Kansas. But I'll take Iowa's results over any of the others who have even much higher ratios.

Also, the Big 10 is not regretting bringing in Nebraska.
 
I'm all for Nebraska and ISU having good teams. If you want a NC, you need to play good teams. ISU and NE in the past few years in my opinion have been faster than Iowa but just not very good overall. You need to play speed and good to be really good.
 
I'm all for Nebraska and ISU having good teams. If you want a NC, you need to play good teams. ISU and NE in the past few years in my opinion have been faster than Iowa but just not very good overall. You need to play speed and good to be really good.
We compete very directly with ISU, Nebby, Wisky, Minn, NW, and ILL for recruits.

Why would you want to lose recruits to any of them? I think, given the demographics and the number of good D1 athletes, Iowa should seek dominance in the Western BoneG region. That will get you to a conference championship and maybe a shot at a playoff berth.

I think a natty is unrealistic for Iowa, to be honest. Recruiting rankings and national champions track pretty closely. Unless Iowa can recruit better than Meeschigan and anOSU, I don't see this as being a realistic goal. AnOsu is light years ahead of Iowa in recruiting. Always has been. How would that gap be closed?
 
I did a deep numbers dive in this not long ago. The ratio of state population to power 5/fbs roster spots. Wyoming is lowest. Idaho is quite low...2nd l think.

Iowa is 3rd I think. Very comparable to Kansas. But I'll take Iowa's results over any of the others who have even much higher ratios.

Also, the Big 10 is not regretting bringing in Nebraska.
This is why Nebby, ISU, Minny, NW, ILL, and Wisconsin all need to be mediocre if possible. Iowa needs to take recruits from all of these states to be where we want to be. We can augment with good players from Indiana, FL, etc but our bread and butter is midwestern athletes.
 
We compete very directly with ISU, Nebby, Wisky, Minn, NW, and ILL for recruits.

Why would you want to lose recruits to any of them? I think, given the demographics and the number of good D1 athletes, Iowa should seek dominance in the Western BoneG region. That will get you to a conference championship and maybe a shot at a playoff berth.

I think a natty is unrealistic for Iowa, to be honest. Recruiting rankings and national champions track pretty closely. Unless Iowa can recruit better than Meeschigan and anOSU, I don't see this as being a realistic goal. AnOsu is light years ahead of Iowa in recruiting. Always has been. How would that gap be closed?

Of course a natty is unrealistic for Iowa. I just want a rose bowl. That's it. Spencer has still in contention in late November. God bless that kid.

You're spot on about recruiting. And don't forget to add Kansas to the mix - two more FBS schools scavenging the same area for "local" recruits. There ain't enough bodies up there for everybody to be "good." Plus, the city that drives the region is Chicago and they don't punch up to their weight in terms of pushing out good football talent.

I live within 100 miles from Columbia, Clemson and Athens. As the crow flies Knoxville is maybe 125 miles. That's some decent programs very close together but the talent pool is waaaaaaay deeper here than out on the Plains and those schools have all benefitted from an immense pool of talent in North Carolina, virtually none of which will stay in state to play for one of the shitty teams in NC. And the northern half of Georgia is a massive hotbed for recruiting.
 
This is why Nebby, ISU, Minny, NW, ILL, and Wisconsin all need to be mediocre if possible. Iowa needs to take recruits from all of these states to be where we want to be. We can augment with good players from Indiana, FL, etc but our bread and butter is midwestern athletes.

'Member that time when Iowa was playing Wisconsin and Melvin Gordon had committed to Iowa and was at the game and then Wisconsin... I can't even type out the rest. Damn it.
 
'Member that time when Iowa was playing Wisconsin and Melvin Gordon had committed to Iowa and was at the game and then Wisconsin... I can't even type out the rest. Damn it.
OMG yes. Ugh. Seeing that guy get the corner and fly by people. ugh.
 
Of course a natty is unrealistic for Iowa. I just want a rose bowl. That's it. Spencer has still in contention in late November. God bless that kid.

You're spot on about recruiting. And don't forget to add Kansas to the mix - two more FBS schools scavenging the same area for "local" recruits. There ain't enough bodies up there for everybody to be "good." Plus, the city that drives the region is Chicago and they don't punch up to their weight in terms of pushing out good football talent.

I live within 100 miles from Columbia, Clemson and Athens. As the crow flies Knoxville is maybe 125 miles. That's some decent programs very close together but the talent pool is waaaaaaay deeper here than out on the Plains and those schools have all benefitted from an immense pool of talent in North Carolina, virtually none of which will stay in state to play for one of the shitty teams in NC. And the northern half of Georgia is a massive hotbed for recruiting.
Exactly. There is just such a difference in talent level (and sheer population) in some of these states.

I now live in So Cal, and despite the fact that maybe 20 people show up for UCLA games, there is some serious talent in HS fball here.

Just looking at a FEW Southern California prospects per 247 sports:

2023 National #3 player: Malachi Nelson, QB, USC commit
2022 National #5 player: Domani Jackson, CB, USC commit
2021 National#2 player: Korey Foreman, DL, USC
2020 National #2 player: Bryce Young, QB (Alabama, then USC)
2020 National#10 player: DJ Uigalelei, QB, Clemson
2020 National #42 player (really low rated recruit): CJ Stroud, QB, anOSU

These players basically come from one metro area, for the most part.

There are just so many players like that, but they go all over the place (although some stay here).


By the way, my pipe dream is a Rose Bowl this year with a win Friday and a massive upset in Indy. I will buy drinks for people who come here!!!
 
Of course a natty is unrealistic for Iowa. I just want a rose bowl. That's it. Spencer has still in contention in late November. God bless that kid.

You're spot on about recruiting. And don't forget to add Kansas to the mix - two more FBS schools scavenging the same area for "local" recruits. There ain't enough bodies up there for everybody to be "good." Plus, the city that drives the region is Chicago and they don't punch up to their weight in terms of pushing out good football talent.

I live within 100 miles from Columbia, Clemson and Athens. As the crow flies Knoxville is maybe 125 miles. That's some decent programs very close together but the talent pool is waaaaaaay deeper here than out on the Plains and those schools have all benefitted from an immense pool of talent in North Carolina, virtually none of which will stay in state to play for one of the shitty teams in NC. And the northern half of Georgia is a massive hotbed for recruiting.
You win the upcoming Big and you can win a NC.
 
We compete very directly with ISU, Nebby, Wisky, Minn, NW, and ILL for recruits.

Why would you want to lose recruits to any of them? I think, given the demographics and the number of good D1 athletes, Iowa should seek dominance in the Western BoneG region. That will get you to a conference championship and maybe a shot at a playoff berth.

I think a natty is unrealistic for Iowa, to be honest. Recruiting rankings and national champions track pretty closely. Unless Iowa can recruit better than Meeschigan and anOSU, I don't see this as being a realistic goal. AnOsu is light years ahead of Iowa in recruiting. Always has been. How would that gap be closed?
What happened to Iowa being a developmental program? Actually, I don't believe that as much as KF is good at finding players that others overlook.

Iowa doesn't get a lot of players against other P5 top schools to begin with. I just don't see it as that big a deal. If Iowa had to play OSU and MI each year I guarantee you Iowa would be better. If the west were better, the BTC would be more even. Iowa lost to Kentucky last year.... Kentucky...
 
You win the upcoming Big and you can win a NC.
Yes, let's start with winning the Big and then talk about beating Georgia. I'd be thrilled, but pigs are likely to depart from LAX before I can see Iowa getting through the winner of "The game" and then beating a Georgia or someone in the playoffs.
 
What happened to Iowa being a developmental program? Actually, I don't believe that as much as KF is good at finding players that others overlook.

Iowa doesn't get a lot of players against other P5 top schools to begin with. I just don't see it as that big a deal. If Iowa had to play OSU and MI each year I guarantee you Iowa would be better. If the west were better, the BTC would be more even. Iowa lost to Kentucky last year.... Kentucky...
Iowa recruits generally anywhere between 25th-45th nationally. Other teams in that range include NW, Wisc, Minny, Neb, Purdue, ISU, etc. We certainly compete against those schools for good players, and when those better players go to Iowa it certainly doesn't hurt. Jack Campbell, anyone? He could've gone to ISU or Minny, for example. See O'Keefe's reference to Melvin Gordon, an Iowa verbal.

Iowa won't recruit top 5 nationally like anOSU. It may recruit top 25 and is flirting with that this upcoming year and the past year. It might pay dividends.

Kentucky is also a team that isn't far off from Iowa in recruiting. My point is that these games are usually quite even based on talent. Why not attempt to recruit more talent than those in our region? The best way to do that is to be better (better team, more national presence, etc). It's starting to look like Iowa has the upper hand for now in recruiting when compared to some of the teams I mentioned.

With that, Iowa ain't winning a conference championship without recruiting good players AND being a developmental program. Why do you think they are mutually exclusive?

I agree that KF finds players that others overlook. Cooper DeJean is a future NFL player. Chad Greenway is an amazing example.

Having said that, Iowa has had some success with their four star guys. I'll take a Xavier Nwampka in the mix, too. Recruiting talent is a big deal.
 
What happened to Iowa being a developmental program? Actually, I don't believe that as much as KF is good at finding players that others overlook.

Iowa doesn't get a lot of players against other P5 top schools to begin with. I just don't see it as that big a deal. If Iowa had to play OSU and MI each year I guarantee you Iowa would be better. If the west were better, the BTC would be more even. Iowa lost to Kentucky last year.... Kentucky...
I think being better than ISU and Nebby matters in recruiting Iowa players. Here's a look ahead at in-state verbal commitments from Iowa. Iowa is owning Iowa in this example. Why? We're better than ISU, Nebby, Minn.

1669243894928.png
 
Iowa recruits generally anywhere between 25th-45th nationally. Other teams in that range include NW, Wisc, Minny, Neb, Purdue, ISU, etc. We certainly compete against those schools for good players, and when those better players go to Iowa it certainly doesn't hurt. Jack Campbell, anyone? He could've gone to ISU or Minny, for example. See O'Keefe's reference to Melvin Gordon, an Iowa verbal.

Iowa won't recruit top 5 nationally like anOSU. It may recruit top 25 and is flirting with that this upcoming year and the past year. It might pay dividends.

Kentucky is also a team that isn't far off from Iowa in recruiting. My point is that these games are usually quite even based on talent. Why not attempt to recruit more talent than those in our region? The best way to do that is to be better (better team, more national presence, etc). It's starting to look like Iowa has the upper hand for now in recruiting when compared to some of the teams I mentioned.

With that, Iowa ain't winning a conference championship without recruiting good players AND being a developmental program. Why do you think they are mutually exclusive?

I agree that KF finds players that others overlook. Cooper DeJean is a future NFL player. Chad Greenway is an amazing example.

Having said that, Iowa has had some success with their four star guys. I'll take a Xavier Nwampka in the mix, too. Recruiting talent is a big deal.
You are leaving out NIL. Iowa is 14th on revenue. Iowa would be in about any given year +- 6 rankings of 14th based on money if you have a coach/system that will use it and be competitive. +6 of 14 is 8th. You get in few year cycle that high and anything can happen. In 2002, we were a Banks interception from being undefeated and not playing USC for the NC. If Banks starts in 2001, does he throw that pick?

A Stanzi ankle injury doesn't happen and what happens?

A prefer this way of looking at things rather than a lion looking at a kitty, but that kitty being the biggest baddest kitty becasue they others haven't opened their eyes yet.
1669249655095.png
 
Yes, let's start with winning the Big and then talk about beating Georgia. I'd be thrilled, but pigs are likely to depart from LAX before I can see Iowa getting through the winner of "The game" and then beating a Georgia or someone in the playoffs.

Correct. We are all middle aged or older dudes who seen every Iowa game over the course of the past several decades. There is nowhere in the data set of Iowa ever winning three huge games in a row. It literally cannot happen. My God, how many times have we seen Iowa just get utterly shit trucked in bowls? Hawkslayer. That one Rose Bowl. That other Rose Bowl. The time against Florida. That one against LSU when we didn't even cross the fifty on offense (game was close because LSU's QB was out).

And that's only talking if we get past the conference.

Man, with this conference reorg thing it might be 25 years before Iowa even has a legitimate shot at a Rose Bowl. We really need to win the next two games.
 
You are leaving out NIL. Iowa is 14th on revenue. Iowa would be in about any given year +- 6 rankings of 14th based on money if you have a coach/system that will use it and be competitive. +6 of 14 is 8th. You get in few year cycle that high and anything can happen. In 2002, we were a Banks interception from being undefeated and not playing USC for the NC. If Banks starts in 2001, does he throw that pick?

A Stanzi ankle injury doesn't happen and what happens?

A prefer this way of looking at things rather than a lion looking at a kitty, but that kitty being the biggest baddest kitty becasue they others haven't opened their eyes yet.
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Bro, the Stanzi ankle injury was irrelevant. Texas and Alabama were both undefeated and there was not a snowball's chance in hell of an Iowa team that needed two blocked FGs to beat UNI was gonna jump either one of them. Then that would have put us into a tougher bowl game matchup. We got lucky we drew GT that year.
 
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