What's the Better Coaching Job - Nebby or BADgerland?

[Full Speed Ahead]

A "there's no game this weekend so other stuff to talk about" quesiton. If both schools were knocking on your door offering you the job, which one would you take???

 

[Full Speed Ahead]

The "Pair and a Spare" podcast brought up this question. I'm going with Nebby because of the NIL money that Nebby can offer 'cruits. WisconSIN is primarily a pro-football state where the Packers overshadow the BADgers. In Nebraska, it's just the Huskers, no in-state competition so all fans flock to them.

 

[GophersInIowa]

Wisconsin. Despite what their fans think, Nebraska will never be a national power again. But they could be essentially what Wisconsin has been IMO. Wisconsin is in much better shape right now with a similar ceiling, so it's gotta be them.

 

[skiumah1]

Nebraska. Still have national following. Sell out every game even at 3-9 record. You can win there. Should also be able to recruit for those reasons.

I'm convinced a good coach should do very well at NEB.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

Wisconsin (including their AD) is truly delusional. A nearly impossible w/l bar for any new coach to meet or exceed. Huge Hindenburg potential for next coach.

Nebraska is a few decades away from their glory years. They would (for the most part) probably be somewhat satisfied just getting back to a competitive level, much less competing for championships. Crawl, then walk.

Nebraska likely has better NIL sponsors/donors/bribes. Neither has fertile recruiting grounds but Nebraska typically garners top 20-25 classes year in and year out.

Winner: Nebraska and it isn’t that close.

 

[Spaulding!No!]

Maybe Alvarez will Unretire and coach NE.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Interesting question. I would probably lean towards Nebraska but I am not sure there is a massive difference between the two in terms of the kind of coaches they will be able to attract.

 

[Panthadad2]

The Fadgers have a recruiting advantage being located near greater Chicagoland, the third largest metro in the U.S., plus a reputation advantage from the past two decades. Current 17-year old recruits were 11 when Nebraska last had a winning record in conference and weren't alive the last time Nebraska had a top-ten team. Wisconsin is the better job right now.

 

[Otis]

Considering Chryst just provided the following season records:
10-3
11-3
13-1
8-5
10-4
4-3
9-4
With a 6-1 record in bowl games.
AND HE GOT FIRED AFTER A 2-3 start!
I mean, he could have still ended up with a good record.

Expectations have outgrown Madison.

Nebraska, more money, great facilities, fans, NIL, blueish blood status, would be happy with playing in a bowl! Let alone winning one.

Give me the Husker job and a massive buy-out. I’ll lose less hair.

 

[gopherjay]

It is Wisconsin. Who wants to try and recruit Nebraska?

 

[Panthadad2]

Considering Chryst just provided the following season records:
10-3
11-3
13-1
8-5
10-4
4-3
9-4
With a 6-1 record in bowl games.
AND HE GOT FIRED AFTER A 2-3 start!
I mean, he could have still ended up with a good record.

Expectations have outgrown Madison.

Nebraska, more money, great facilities, fans, NIL, blueish blood status, would be happy with playing in a bowl! Let alone winning one.

Give me the Husker job and a massive buy-out. I’ll lose less hair.

The last point makes sense. The last coach was the worst in 75 years, got paid a lot annually, and still walked out with a cool $15 million. You changed my mind. Nebraska is the place to be head coach.

 

[GopherPoke]

I'd lean Wisconsin, as they're closer to (still have) a winning tradition. Nebraska would be tough to turn down, though, due to the easy trip to the College World Series every year. Ha!

 

[Word]

I think Wisconsin is the safer bet for your career. Nebraska is higher risk but with the potential for higher reward as if you won 10 games there, they'd probably back up the Brinks truck to your house. I don't think Wisconsin would do that.

 

[STPGopher]

The Fadgers have a recruiting advantage being located near greater Chicagoland, the third largest metro in the U.S., plus a reputation advantage from the past two decades. Current 17-year old recruits were 11 when Nebraska last had a winning record in conference and weren't alive the last time Nebraska had a top-ten team. Wisconsin is the better job right now.

Better recruiting area?, but insane expectations?

 

[Gophers1992]

It is Wisconsin. Who wants to try and recruit Nebraska?

Nebraska typically brings in better recruiting classes than Wisconsin.

 

[Gophers1992]

Considering Chryst just provided the following season records:
10-3
11-3
13-1
8-5
10-4
4-3
9-4
With a 6-1 record in bowl games.
AND HE GOT FIRED AFTER A 2-3 start!
I mean, he could have still ended up with a good record.

Expectations have outgrown Madison.

Nebraska, more money, great facilities, fans, NIL, blueish blood status, would be happy with playing in a bowl! Let alone winning one.

Give me the Husker job and a massive buy-out. I’ll lose less hair.

There were way bigger issues with Chryst that aren't explained by the record.

 

[Gophers1992]

Wisconsin would be less of a rebuild right now, and more poised for immediate success, but Nebraska has the higher ceiling and better resources IMO.

 

[gophernut1]

Nebraska has the NIL, fan support and a surprisingly patient fan base after everything they recently went through. I think they will give the new coach a three-to-four-year window to turn this thing around.

WI has a defense and OL that has a solid foundation. If you get a QB and a few people to catch the ball, you could have something special in a year or two. I think the fan base will expect the new coach to bring in some transfers to answer these problems and be contenders by two years.

WI is better if your goal is to win soon. NE is better is your goal is to build something and have the time to do it. NE is better if you want time to produce a winner / less short term stress.

 

[Goldmember]

Both jobs have now left the careers of several consecutive experienced, talented coaches in total ruins, each time in more dramatic fashion.

There’s no reason to think that the next coach of both won’t have their good reputations destroyed by these programs just like NE/WI did to Frost and Chryst.

 

[Some Day...Maybe]

It’s not even close.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

Nebraska recruits better than Wisconsin, sells out every game, and has better boosters. Nebraska is far and away the better job. Just needs a competent coach.

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

Both suck! #BetterDeadthanRed

 

[cjbfbp]

Wisconsin (including their AD) is truly delusional. A nearly impossible w/l bar for any new coach to meet or exceed. Huge Hindenburg potential for next coach.

Nebraska is a few decades away from their glory years. They would (for the most part) probably be somewhat satisfied just getting back to a competitive level, much less competing for championships. Crawl, then walk.

Nebraska likely has better NIL sponsors/donors/bribes. Neither has fertile recruiting grounds but Nebraska typically garners top 20-25 classes year in and year out.

Winner: Nebraska and it isn’t that close.

Agree 100%. The stereotype of Nebraska fans being arrogant and having inflated expectations is long outdated. Right now those fans would be happy with a modest level of success. I would much rather go there as a coach than go to Wisconsin.

 

[disco]

Wisconsin.
I have to believe it would be easier to convince kids to go to Madison than Lincoln, NE.
Madison is a pretty nice midwestern city, despite our hatred of the Badgers.

Lincoln is a fairly remote, flat place not near anything very interesting.

And if the education actually matters to a player, UW is a much, much, much better school than Nebraska.

 

[Ron Johnson Super Fan]

Agree 100%. The stereotype of Nebraska fans being arrogant and having inflated expectations is long outdated. Right now those fans would be happy with a modest level of success. I would much rather go there as a coach than go to Wisconsin.

I think there’s a lot of truth in that. Seems like many NE fans are getting behind Mickey Joseph for the job because he delivered a home win against Indiana. Who would have thought it?

 

[BilldGopher]

Gut says Wisky...

 

[gopherbadgerman]

I’d say Nebraska has more potential, but god they’ve been bad for a long time.

 

[Catechol]

Wisky has more recent success, better city, better university, better recruiting territory. Depends on what a coach wants. You could obviously generate a “bigger” turnaround after Neb has hit near rock bottom, and use that as a stepping stone to a bigger job or buyout. Or perhaps have a chance at something more sustainable at Wisky who’s “been there” much more recently. I don’t think Nebraska will ever be able to get back to where they were before. Even Kansas is closer to better recruiting territory.

 

[GopherGod]

Nebraska. They have recruited higher ranked classes than Wisconsin most years, even when they have been losing. They just need a good coach who can develop the talent when it gets on campus. They have more NIL money than Wisconsin, easier to get recruits into school there than Madison, and better facilities.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

Nebraska has out-recruited Wisconsin pretty much every year. In the era of instant transfers and NIL cash bribes rebuilding and filling roster holes isn’t going to take years. Without an insider’s knowledge of Nebraska roster attrition or of Wisconsin NIL cash flows I have to believe that a good coaching staff may have Nebraska competitive within 1-2 years.

The better question regarding the OP might be which team has the higher ceiling, with lower pressure to post 10-12 win seasons immediately in a suddenly more competitive Big Ten. Have to think Nebraska.