Pelini hopes second year’s a charm

The Jump is real. Just ask Oklahoma, Ohio State or Florida.

Each school won a national championship in its second year with a new head coach.

Year two under the leadership of coach Bo Pelini is an important time for a Cornhusker program attempting to return to consistent success. Improved team chemistry and development as well as a better understanding of team expectations could set NU's players up for a big season.

"This is the most excited we've been heading into camp since we've been here," junior defensive end Pierre Allen said. "We set the bar high last year."

The Jump isn't a magical occurrence based entirely on luck. It requires relentless effort and dedication as well as a solid foundation established in year one.

"We're worried about putting in a good, hard day's work every single day and keep putting that money in the bank, so when it comes to Saturday, we're prepared and ready to go," coach Bo Pelini said at the Big 12 media days last month.

Is NU ready to cash in and enjoy The Jump?

"This team is poised for that moment," tight ends coach Ron Brown said. "The second year is very important. You make a big jump. When you get something under your belt and you get your paradigms figured out, you're able to discover your identity."

Brown compares the shift to a flywheel. A team slowly builds its momentum, and when things start to click and that momentum kicks in, it's a hard force to stop.

After a 9-4 season that ended with a four-game winning streak and a gritty Gator Bowl win over Clemson, NU entered winter workouts and spring practices with considerable momentum.

That run also earned the Huskers a No. 22 preseason ranking and predictions that NU will return to the Big 12 title game this fall.

Those expectations start with a foundation established in year one. Establishing the right blueprint for winning is vital, especially considering the fact most players in the program will need to buy in right away for progress to occur.

One of the first things Pelini attempted to improve when he took over in December 2007 was player accountability.

Senior receiver Menelik Holt said the emphasis on being responsible has improved team chemistry - which is essential for The Jump - and brought forth significant changes from the years under Bill Callahan.

"Callahan, he's an NFL guy," Holt said. "He'd say things like, ‘I shouldn't have to tell you how to be a man, you're old enough now.' I feel like a coach can't force team chemistry, and we had a lot of individual guys back then."

Since most players on the team weren't recruited by their current position coaches, a coach's ability to make players buy into the new system is vital for getting back on the right track.

Ndamukong Suh is the shining example of a player recruited by Callahan's staff who benefitted from the coaching change. The former four-star prospect finally lived up to his potential in his breakout junior season and is now considered a top-5 - and possibly top overall - selection in next year's NFL Draft.

"I found a new level last year," Suh said at last month's Big 12 media days. "As a freshman and a sophomore, I wasn't in tune with my fundamentals, and I was just trying to use my strength. But in this day and age, with everybody being ‘freaks,' everybody is as strong as you. You have to get back to fundamentals."

Suh could have gone pro last year and cashed in on his big junior season, but he wanted another chance to play for Bo and Carl Pelini.

"Last year, I had only about six months with (Pelini's) staff, and one reason I wanted to come back was to see what I could become if I had another year with them," he said.

Guys who don't buy in, of course, have the option to leave. As is standard with any coaching change, NU has had more than a dozen players transfer or quit football since Pelini took over, most notably quarterback Patrick Witt and safeties Major Culbert.

Their departures, of course, open up playing time for those who have learned the new system and are ready to contribute. Zac Lee is poised to lead NU as its signal caller this fall, and Culbert's exit will open up more playing time for Eric Hagg and P.J. Smith.

Having a roster full of players who trust the new coaching staff is essential for having a successful offseason.

"I think a lot of guys were on the bandwagon with them last year," Allen said. "I felt comfortable with the staff when they first got here, and we definitely have some chemistry with them now."

One thing that can affect chemistry is the influx of new talent that signed with NU this spring. Year one offers a new coaching staff its first full chance to recruit exactly the players necessary to rebuild a program, and history has shown true freshman can make a big impact on The Jump.

Florida added Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin for its 2006 title team, and Ohio State brought in Maurice Clarett. Whether or not NU has these types of instant impact newcomers remains to be seen, but their addition is a strong step towards Pelini establishing the program he envisions.

Perhaps the biggest reason why The Jump occurs is the improved bond between coaches and players in year two. Coaches can expect more of their players, and players know what standards they're being held to.

Brown first began coaching at NU in 1987 and knows the continuity of a coaching staff makes a significant difference for a player's development.

"It's important for them," he said. "That's why the second year is so crucial. The first year, you're told a lot of things, and it's kind of hitting you. If you keep preaching and drilling the same thing, it becomes habit and sinks into your bloodstream. Then it's a matter of them stepping on the gas pedal."

The improved relationship between coaches and players in fall practices has already made a noticeable difference.