Nebraska Football: 3 hot takes from Huskers loss to Illinois

Bielema would be so much better

It’s just one game. But you can’t help but be impressed at what Bret Bielema has already done with Illinois football. His team was nearly a touchdown underdog at home, lost its starting quarterback in the first half, and still won.

And while the final was 30-22, Illinois football actually led by three scores at one point and it made me wonder, how better off would Nebraska be if it had Bielema or someone like him?

It’s hard to understand how teams like Wisconsin, Iowa, and Northwestern can have consistent success in the Big Ten West but Nebraska can’t.

The Huskers recruit as well or better than all of those programs. So what gives? A lack of identity.

Under Tom Osborne, Nebraska football had an identity and kept it even under Frank Solich. The results weren’t as good, but those nine-win seasons sound great now don’t they?

Maybe the Huskers should have never fired Bo Pelini, who for all of his warts, won consistently in Lincoln, something Mike Riley and Frost haven’t come close to doing.

Nebraska football has had one winning season since he left. One in six years.

That’s an incredible failure and Frost needs to pay the price. If things change and this team makes a dramatic turnaround, then the conversation will change.

Short of that, and with literally no evidence that anything will change, Nebraska needs to find a coach like Bielema.

The man knows how to win Big Ten titles and build a solid program. He can recruit the Midwest and he gets the league. Illinois made a great move and after striking out on a big name, Nebraska football is facing its darkest days in 60 years.