He's been up and down. He's had good years and bad years. The troubling thing to me is the decrease in production the last three years that coincided with the increase in recrutiing class rankings. As the players got better, he got worse. I know coaching doesn't matter, only recruiting does, so these conflicting results confuse me. Must have all hung on that 2 star LB in 2007.
But it is verboten to question the almight Brewster and this decision (and really, given Brewster's track record in the area, how could you possibly do that?). Regardless of Cosgrove's results and the numbers, we need to give Cosgrove a chance and get behind him and support him and never, ever say bad things about him.
I have two questions about him:
-If he's the right guy, why wasn't he hired last year instead of Roof? We had the chance then. He was a "leading candidate".
-Wasn't he the DC that let Jim Wacker's (god rest his soul) squad ruin their NT run?
FYI.. Here are some of the players he coached at Nebraska and what they are doing now in the NFL and if they are starting or not in the NFL. I will leave it up to you to make your own assumptions about the talent he did or did not have and whether the level of success he had with it is acceptable.
Scott Shanle, LB, Saints (Starter)
Daniel Bullocks, S, Lions (Starter)
Stewart Bradley, LB, Eagles (Starter)
Barrett Ruud, LB, Buccaneers, (Starter, Nebraska all-time leading tackler)
Adam Carriker, DT, Rams (13th overall pick)
Fabian Washington, CB, Raiders (23rd overall pick)
Titus Adams, DT, Patriots
Ryon Bingham, DT, Chargers
Zach Bowman, CB, Bears
Josh Bullocks, FS, Saints (semi-finalist for Jim Thorpe Award and Sporting News All-American in 2003)
Steve Octavien, LB, Cowboys
Bo Ruud, LB, Patriots
LeKevin Smith, DT, Patriots
