The Common Fans bring you Episode 6 of The Reckoning series. This episode, featuring long time Nebraska sports reporters Mike'l Severe and Brandon Vogel, focuses on the promise of Matt Rhule.

Before getting into Coach Rhule and the future of Nebraska football, the Common Fans talk through the post-Osborne era with Mike'l, and get his take on the missteps, the memories, and the what-ifs.

The crew then examines:

• The thoughtfulness and humility of Coach Rhule.
• His attention to detail and commitment to focusing on problems until they get fixed.
• Mike'l's belief that a Matt Rhule team will never have a bad defense.
• What to make of this offense?
• The challenge of winning the B1G in the new world of college football.
• How CFP appearances will replace conference titles as the measuring stick for programs.
• As goes Dylan Raiola, so goes Matt Rhule?

And so much more.

Special thanks to Brandon Vogel of the Counter Read for joining the Common Fans for all of The Reckoning episodes. Make sure to check out www.counterread.com for Brandon's excellent coverage of Nebraska football, college football, and other Nebraska sports.

And make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/@commonfangbr.

GBR for LIFE!

The Common Fans bring you Episode 5 of The Reckoning series. This episode, featuring long time Nebraska reporters Evan Bland and Brandon Vogel, focuses on the question: How in the World Did Scott Frost Not Work at Nebraska?

The crew looks at:

• The absolute elation of Husker Nation when Frost was hired.
• His goal of combining Husker Power with Oregon speed.
• What if the Akron game hadn't been canceled?
• What if they get to a bowl game in Year 1?
• Struggles to adjust to the Big 10.
• Struggles to play complementary football.
• Struggles to get over the hump in close games.
• So many what-ifs. So many struggles.
• The COVID season.
• Reports of being late to practice, not calling recruits, lack of focus on details.
• How much do fans have a right to know?
• The weight of trying to get it right.

And so much more.

Special thanks to Brandon Vogel of the Counter Read for joining the Common Fans for all of The Reckoning episodes. Make sure to check out www.counterread.com for Brandon's excellent coverage of Nebraska football, college football, and other Nebraska sports.

And make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/@commonfangbr.

GBR for LIFE!

PROGRAMMING NOTE: This episode was recorded nearly two months ago, prior to the passing of Dee Riley. We want to extend our sincere condolences to Mike Riley and his entire family on the loss of their wife, mother and grandmother. As both Brian and Brandon point out in the episode, Mike Riley is one of the nicest and best people they have worked with. He and Dee touched countless lives during their time in Lincoln, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Riley family.

****

The Common Fans bring you Episode 4 of The Reckoning series. This episode, featuring long time Nebraska reporters Brian Christopherson and Brandon Vogel, focuses on the question: Was Mike Riley the Biggest Miss of the Post-Osborne Era?

The crew looks at:

• The very brief coaching search by then Athletic Director Shawn Eichorst as he quickly zeroed in on Riley.
• The challenging environment Riley walked into - a divided locker room, extremely high expectations, and the demand to win right away.
• The 2016 season, when the Huskers got out to a 7-0 start and were ranked in the top 10 before the bottom fell out.
• The forced firing of Mark Banker, Riley's longtime friend and defensive coordinator, and the installation of Bob Diaco as DC.
• The Riley team's recruiting efforts: Calibraska, Friday Night Lights, and more.
• Biggest wins of the Riley era, including the 2015 Michigan State game and the 2016 Oregon game.
• The major turning points: the end of the 2016 season, and ultimately, the 2017 loss to Northern Illinois.
• In the end, Riley was not the right fit for Nebraska, at a time when the Big Red really needed to get it right.

Special thanks to Brandon Vogel of the Counter Read for joining the Common Fans for all of The Reckoning episodes. Make sure to check out www.counterread.com for Brandon's excellent coverage of Nebraska football, college football, and other Nebraska sports.

And make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/@commonfangbr.

GBR for LIFE!

The Common Fans bring you Episode 3 of The Reckoning series. This episode, featuring long time Nebraska reporters Sam McKewon and Brandon Vogel, focuses on the question: Bo-liever or Bo-leaver?

The crew looks at:

• The hiring of Bo "restored the House of Osborne," according to Sam McKewon.
• Pelini's fire was a welcome change from the more stoic Callahan, but it was evident from early on that his temper was fierce - and perhaps a detriment to the team.
• Pelini's early success - two conference championship game appearances in his first three years - contrasted with the volatile and, at times, dysfunctional way he ran the team.
• Two massive turning points in the middle of Bo's tenure: Nebraska's move to the Big 10, and the unexpected blowout loss against Wisconsin in the 2012 Big 10 championship game.
• The impact of Shawn Eichorst coming in as Athletic Director in 2012.
• The infamous tape after the 2013 UCLA game.
• The 2014 Wisconsin game that sealed his fate.
• And much, much more.

Special thanks to Brandon Vogel of the Counter Read for joining the Common Fans for all of The Reckoning episodes. Make sure to check out www.counterread.com for Brandon's excellent coverage of Nebraska football, college football, and other Nebraska sports.

And make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/@commonfangbr.

GBR for LIFE!

The Common Fans bring you Episode 2 of The Reckoning series. This episode, featuring long time Nebraska reporters Mitch Sherman and Brandon Vogel, focuses on the question: Would Bill Callahan Have Worked with More Time?

The crew looks at:

• The prolonged, messy coaching search that ultimately led to Callahan - Nebraska's fifth choice in the process - being hired.
• Upending tradition - installing the West Coast offense, moving away from the walk-on program, ignoring former players, and more.
• Callahan took the Huskers to the Big 12 title game in 2006, before it all fell apart just one season later. Was he one good defensive coordinator away from putting it all together at Nebraska?
• Callahan went 5-6 in year 1; Matt Rhule went 5-7 in his first year. If Rhule goes 8-4 in year 2 and wins a bowl game, and then goes 9–3 and plays for the conference championship in year 3 (identical to Callahan), would he survive a 5-7 season in year 4?

Special thanks to Brandon Vogel of the Counter Read for joining the Common Fans for all of The Reckoning episodes. Make sure to check out www.counterread.com for Brandon's excellent coverage of Nebraska football, college football, and other Nebraska sports.

And make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/@commonfangbr.

GBR for LIFE!

The Common Fans launch The Reckoning - a series of episodes focused on the post-Tom Osborne era of Nebraska football. This episode, featuring long time Nebraska reporters Mike Babcock and Brandon Vogel, focuses on the question: What if Nebraska had never fired Frank Solich?

The crew looks at:

• Osborne's promise to retire after the 1996 season.
• Was the hiring of Solich always a sure thing?
• Solich's support (or lack thereof) among the other assistants.
• The high points: 2001 win over Oklahoma, 1999 Big 12 championship game, and more.
• 2002 - first season without 9 wins since 1968, and first time without a winning record since 1961.
• Did the majority of Husker fans side with Pederson after the firing of Solich?
• The next-to-impossible task of following not one, but two hall of fame coaches.
• What would have been good enough for Nebraska fans? Were the Huskers always bound to fire a 9-win coach?
• Could Frank Solich have gotten Nebraska back to winning conference championships and competing for national championships?

Special guest Brandon Vogel joins the Common Fans for all of The Reckoning episodes, and the featured guest for this episode is Mike Babcock. Make sure to check out the Counter Read at www.counterread.com for Brandon's excellent coverage of Nebraska football, college football, and other Nebraska sports.

And make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/@commonfangbr.

GBR for LIFE!

The Common Fans announce The Reckoning, a series of episodes looking back at the post-Tom Osborne era of Nebraska football. Beginning June 17, we will release one episode a week for six weeks, looking at the different coaching tenures, the highs and lows, the missteps, the what-ifs, and so much more (see below for the full schedule of episodes).

Special thank you to Brandon Vogel of the Counter Read newsletter, who joined the Common Fans for all six episodes, and made significant contributions to this series. Make sure to subscribe to his newsletter at www.counterread.com. Brandon is a fantastic source for all college football fanatics, and a friend of the Common Fan.

In addition to Brandon, six different members of the Nebraska media - one per episode - joined us for an in-depth discussion of the era being examined. These episodes will make you think, make you laugh, possibly make you cry, and hopefully, they'll be somewhat therapeutic after all Husker Nation has been through.

We believe we are at the dawn of a new era of greatness for Nebraska football. But sometimes you have to look back before you can move forward.

The Reckoning

June 17 - What if Nebraska Had Never Fired Frank Solich?

June 24 - Would Bill Callahan Have Worked with More Time?

July 1 - Bo-liever or Bo-leaver?

July 8 - Was Mike Riley the Biggest Miss of the Post-Osborne Era?

July 15 - How in the World Did Scott Frost Not Work at Nebraska?

July 22 - The Promise of Matt Rhule

The Common Fans have a fun and hilarious discussion about the most annoying coaches the Husker football team will square off against in 2024. Some usual suspects (hint: certain border state rivals) make the list, along with some surprising ones as well. Make sure to let us know if you have any to add to the list by emailing us at commonfangbr@gmail.com.

Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@commonfangbr - the Common Fans will help you get your Husker football fix all offseason long as we roll toward kickoff on August 31.

Thanks for listening as always, fellow Common Fans, and GBR for LIFE!