1-on-1 with DP – 93.7 The Ticket KNTK - Nebraska MBB back at PBA vs Michigan State: January 2, 12:00pm

Episode Date: January 2, 2026

Nebraska plays its biggest game of the season at this point against Michigan St. What to expect from Cornhuskers and Spartans. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Coming at you live from the heart of Lincoln America, a 93-7-the-ticket and the ticketfm.com. Sponsored by the Downtown Lincoln Foundation. Here is your host, Derek Pearson. Our number two, one-on-one, appreciate y'all hanging out with us on the text line. Great text. Great texting you today. Quality effort. quality effort by you all. Bach fair.

Is that a fair statement? Yeah, yeah. It's been a good to interact with. High level texting. Thoughtful, considerate. Man, I love a good sports conversation. I love a good sports conversation. Bach, good, sir.

It's 12 o'clock. It's 1205, actually, in the city. Pay the bills, sir. Pay the bills. Yes, it is. to an hour. That means it's lunchtime. Lunchtime of the ticket here sponsored by our friends at Mulberry Barbecue, now with two locations at 11th in Cornhusker and at 61st in Applesway right off a highway two by Lowe's. Both locations are open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m.

to 8 p.m. Lots of good stuff there. Try their burnt-in sandwich or brisket burrito, barbecue nachos, full slab of ribs, a half-smoked chicken, much much more plus incredible sides. Get fueled for lunch today or make dinner plans at Mulberry Barbecue located 11th in Cornhusker and at 61st in Apples Way just off a highway 2 by Lowe's. Thank you, kind, sir. Greatly appreciate it, you texters. Here's what we're going to do.

I'm going to rapid fire through these texts and get them in, and then we will get into deeper into the conversation. Bill and Bennett says, could you imagine Bob Devaney or Tew going zip lining while wearing a back for tat? I'm going to leave that for y'all.

John McOrdo says DP, it cannot or ever will be like that again. Go big red. I'll give quick synapses to this, just so we understand, right? Texas says this, 0778, D.P., I appreciate the opportunity to say what I think, but in a sense, that is the problem. Everybody wants to return to glory of the 90s, but Osborne never had to deal with the Monday morning QBs.

It used to be, you shared your opinion at the cafe over coffee, but when you were sitting in the barber's chair, people questioned him, but it wasn't where people could say all kinds of crap and then hide behind the anonymity of their keyboard. Osborne had 120 scholarships, the ability to bring in Prop 48 students and throw all kinds of academic sports at them, and a walk-on program full of hungry athletes

fighting for just a play to get in the game. Those days aren't coming back. Rule has to navigate NIL and kids whose motivation is the mighty dollar and a roster that is significantly limited. I have 30 years of coaching experience and with the way fans are, you couldn't pay me enough to take a D1 coaching job, especially here.

There's a lot of, there's a whole lot in there. But to, to, to, I will put a pin there because John according to says it can't be and that text just says you can't go back. But here's the thing. And go with me here. To tell me a thing can't happen means it's not happened. It's never happened and it's not happening right now. There are programs, a bunch of programs.

There are people who have said the university name more in the last 18 months than they have in the previous 50 years. Football fans haven't been talking about James Madison University. I know James Madison because it's a hometown for me. That's a program that I spent time with, actually trained with them, because on the same roster, there was Charles Haley and Gary Thurton. collect. I think there's 11, 10 Super Bowls amongst them, nine maybe, right, who used to terrorize Virginia and Virginia Tech. But okay, tell me that you can't get it done when Tulane got it done. They got in the playoffs. No matter what the rules are, they figured out the rules and they got it

done. Within the rules, the boundaries and play. Ole Miss, since when? Since when is that a blue blood program? It's that Ole Miss figured it out. A matter of fact they figured it out, changed coaches, and still figured it out. Indiana, Kurtzignetti figured it out in two different places. You can tell me that it can't be done, but it's actually being done under the very same rules that Nebraska works under and the same guideline. The same guidelines. And if you tell me that Tulane, Indiana, James Madison, Ole Miss are spending more money

and have better resources than Nebraska, I will tell you to leave the chat. because it's just simply not true. There's a way. The problems that people are making excuses. People are making excuses. You can make excuses and make a way. And let me say this since we're there. Hey, Big Haas.

Let me explain this to you. Once again, so you understand. First of all, he, texters, he says, when is AC back? This is ruining my noon hour. Carrick will be back Monday, right? Him and his family are enjoying their vacation. And he asked me to fill in for him. Are those not all statements of truth?

That's correct. Though I think you might be back Tuesday. Tuesday. Okay. So, here's the part. we're having a conversation and you had an opportunity to add to the conversation direct the conversation or contribute you chose not to

and quite frankly the Texan's it's a privilege it's courtesy too we like that I ain't gonna be mad at you you don't have to like me I'm cool with that

I'm not blaming Texas says it's blaming the thing for substantive play. I'm not blame the fans for play. But did I blame the fans for play? I don't think so. No. No. I've said at infinitum that everything starts at the top. The results of games played and coaches will tell you that coaches have to have players. And that's true. But the coaches dictate how this thing goes. Everything that happens in a game is either coached or allowed. Everything. And we found out in fullest form, right? All of this is coach rules. Coach rule will tell you this is all coach rules. But there's a way for programs to turn

themselves around because programs are actually turning themselves around. To say that it can't be done says that it doesn't exist, we're watching it in full, full live action. John Southeast Lincoln says this, what's up, D.P. and Bach, I think you can compare what Indiana has done to what the Oakland A's did with Moneyball. They scouted well, they identified underpaid players who could help them. Is that? a fair comparison. Bach, is that a fair comparison? That's one way to look at it.

I mean, that certainly factors in, yeah. Yeah. Texas says this, this day and age, do you have to plug and play or do you have time to build? We're heading in the year four. You have time, but I don't know that it is necessary. It is an option, but not necessary.

No, I read earlier. They said that I said earlier, boys and men. No, I've read somebody's text that said, boys against me. It wasn't me. Railway, Matt says, the more I see other programs getting it done, and we are still sitting in the basement looking up, the more I'm realizing a roommate may not be the guy. And I don't, again, it doesn't matter necessarily what I think.

I think, yeah, right, Bill. I think with this, I think we're here, and this is why I'm asking your opinions on these things. Because as a coach, and as the Texas said, he had 30 years experience as a coach, as do I. And I speak from, ready for this, Bach? I speak from things and situations that I've actually experienced. I haven't had the courtesy of moving into coaching situations

where they were ready made already at the top of the pyramid. I've walked into good situations that they wanted to become great. I walked into bad situations that they wanted to get to good and then to great. And so you learn to figure out, my goodness, I have one year. every contract I've ever had as a coach was a year to year. Bach, if I didn't do my job, if I didn't do the job that year and the results didn't show up, guess what? I didn't get renewed.

I certainly didn't get a raise or an extension. So you figure out how to win. And there is an urgency that's required because the fans deserve. the best version of Nebraska football that can be made. Whatever that is. And we started the show by trying to figure out what that best version is. Like what's acceptable? Like what's going to make you satisfied?

What's going to make you happy? And some would say that nine wins would make them happy, although we know that nine wins in this program got a coach fired. A few of them. A few of them. So I don't know. I think the big, and in case folks missed it, I think the problem is,

one of the problems is we don't know what standard is. What's acceptable and what's not acceptable? Bach, kind sir, I will let you start the conversation. You will start the bidding at the number of wins that are acceptable for next season or not, right? Because if you don't lead it, so that there is a standard set, an expectation, then what are you working for?

What's in the GPS? How many wins, bot? How many wins? What's acceptable? Well, I think part of it, you have to go back to kind of what does it look like. I can go back to that 2016 example I was talking about earlier. Nine wins is great, but if you lose four or your last six games

and three of them by blowout fashion, specifically the last two, is that a great season, you know? So, I mean, I think that there's progress. Certainly Nebraska next year, you look at your seven wins. Once again, you know, obviously, I mean, you can do the numbers, you can eight to nine. I could hear your brain. I could hear your brain starting to grind. Say it.

Well, it depends on what it looks like. And Nebraska needs to play competitive football. That's what's frustrating about these three blowout losses is, I mean, if, and be careful what you tell people, right? If your program's chasing three, that's all you are away from it in year one, going into year two and then, you know, going into year four, you're chasing 30 points. What? Where did the program?

What happened? You know? What? What are you saying? What are you saying? Fuck. Kind of cert. Text line.

Have at it. Thomas Lincoln says seven wins, no blocks. Now, here's the thing about seven wins, no block. And again, be careful what you ask for it because you might get it. If you say seven wins, no blowout, it doesn't matter when the seven wins, seven wins come. And it doesn't matter, right? It doesn't matter who it's against, right? Because seven wins. Does that include bowl game or is that, right? Or how about how about this? Go do something that's unexpected of you. How about instead of losing 30 straight top 25 games, you win one. You get past

that. I mean, it's, it's, other than Rutgers, that's the worst stretch in college football. Everybody else finds a way to do it, even with bad coaches, bad staff, people they've moved on, I mean, so it's, it's just tough. What is Nebraska, what does Nebraska fans want? Again, I think it's competitive football, win an occasional game or two that means something, win in November, have an identity. You know, there's just a, there's a lot that doesn't take a whole lot.

I mean, every, I mean, college football now is so based, based on the playoffs, that you're going to have to want to be knocking on the door of the playoffs, or at least in the conversation. But again, I go back, look at Minnesota, at Iowa, look at Illinois, they've got identities, they've got Midwestern football. It might not be great, but you put him at Johnson on one of those teams and what those teams look like this year. So, you know, I don't even know if it's, I mean, seven wins does, I get it's a tougher

schedule, but if it's the seven easy, you know, seven easiest games on the, on the line and you get blown out against the big teams, then is that progress? I don't know, fuck, I'm asking you. I don't know. I don't know. I don't have the answers. I simply strive to get the, the Texer said a thing,

and this is what would get to me. So he says, only ranked Tulane team, Tulane played in the regular season, was Ole Miss, and they lost by 35. Okay. Let me just say this.

They played North Texas, and North Texas was a top 20 rank. So the moment you say a thing just like that, it tells me, no. No, I can't pay attention to the rest of it. I can't. I mean, I don't know.

Army's legit. Memphis was top 25 when they beat them. Right? I'm not wrong. They didn't they? Wasn't they? Wasn't Memphis ranked in top 25? Yeah.

Yeah, North Texas they beat was ranked. And let's say this. You know, Nebraska played a tougher schedule. How did they do when they played the tougher schedule? Bach, would you say that Michigan's tough game? Is that a tough game? I'd say that's tough enough, sure. Right?

Right. Minnesota, tough game? It was, yeah. Tough game. Yeah. USC. Yeah. Penn State?

Yeah. Iowa. Yeah, Utah. Yeah. How'd that go? None of it went well. None of it. Not a one.

Not a one. I mean, I get it. Right? If you tell me that you know the rules and standards you have to, if I'm fighting a heavyweight, I know I got to work as though I've got to prepare like I'm fighting a heavyweight. If I'm fighting a welterweight, I got to train like I'm fighting a welterweight. Big Ten football. You want to be one of the big boys.

Why would you want to play down? And why would you care? Tulane knows the rules. The Alliance made the rules and said, hey, listen, if Tulane does or anybody else, and that's this conference, does this thing, we will consider them. They did.

They did. They did. Part of the deal. Just part of the deal. Bill and Bennett. The Bach Warrior, mentality is rearing its head. I had a boy, Bach.

That a boy. You know, I think there's, there's, there's, Thomas Sillikin asked this question, would you trade a loss to one of the lower level schools to beat Ohio State? What lower level school? Cincinnati? I trade, I trade beating Cincinnati for a win over Ohio State. I'm not sure that any.

of the other wins are on par. I'd like for it, you know what I'd like, Thomas? Is that they beat Ohio State. No matter what else happens, I'd like for them to, I'd like for the idea that they beat Ohio State, not to be an outlier, not to be a reach, not to be a fantasy or a dream. Right.

Downtown Scott says there are only three teams on the schedule next year that should be written off as losses, in my opinion, the rest of winnable games. Here's the thing. We don't know what those teams are going to be next year. So when we look at schedules, you're looking at the brand, right? You're looking at the brand that is Oregon.

You're looking at the brand that is USC. That's what you're looking. We don't know. If you looked at the brand that was Penn State in August, sitting at number one, is different than the version that Nebraska faced in Happy Valley later in the year,

which is different than the version of the brand that is Penn State at season's end. So I don't know that I'm going to give anybody credit for next year. This is entirely about Nebraska and the roster. If Nebraska's doing everything it's supposed to do, it doesn't matter who you play. Can you block? Can you tackle?

Do you not make stupid mistakes? Fans will say, you know what? Be physical. Let's not be pushed around. I think that hurt Nebraska fans, especially Nebraska fans I was around in Vegas, that the big thing was watching Nebraska big guys get pushed around. And the little guys that are the playmakers

play according to how the big guys are moving or being moved. are moving or being moved. There's a freedom. Bacca's running back. There's a freedom. You get to get long in your stride when you know your big guy is going to get a win or you think your big guy's going to get a win.

You know the worst thing you can do when you're big guy, you assume your big guy's going to get a win and you get long in your stride. You know what happens? Yeah, you start looking out through your earhole. So winning up front is vital, having playmakers that actually make plays.

and by that I mean sometimes the guys outside just have to be better than whoever's defending them sometimes the running back has to beat the guy in front of them why is that so hard to imagine

why is that too much to ask for asking for kickers to make kicks for tacklers to make tackles for blockers to make blocks for defenders to defend To know what's required. Like, there's a way.

Don't tell me that you need big mass of, listen to me. Indiana didn't need four years. Tulane's hovering. There are other programs that stood up and moved up. Listen, Illinois is in the conversation, people. Illinois football. they're in the fuck what are we doing

make a good hire you know and I think you know Cubsby says the seven wins isn't happening unless we get a Sorsby or 11 out of the portal I don't know that that's real how much are you going to pay Soresby or Lovett to come here and what makes you think they would

why would Sorsby want to come here Why would he want to come here? Levitt's apparently entertaining Kentucky, so he might be high as bitter wins. Why would you? But generally, I get your point. The Texas says, why are you focusing on a dismal,

barely mid-level football program when your basketball team is 13 and a rank, 13th and playing a ninth-ranked M-SER team? That's why we have two hours. and why we're alive 18 hours a day because tonight we'll be talking about Nebraska basketball this evening we'll be talking about Nebraska basketball and then after the game we'll be talking about Nebraska basketball

for a full hour the one thing none of you can say is that we don't focus on every sport given an opportunity we cover everything that's why we we go 18 hours a day i'll wait tell me what other stations gives you a place if you come talk Nebraska basketball post game and has been doing it for the last five years bach anyone dula yeah bach and bach and the black shirt will talk about husker basketball but we just got off a trip to Vegas and a bowl game the second bowl

game in how many years, Bob? Well, since 2016. Right? Pretty important, pretty vital. And the state of the union is Nebraska football. The athletic department is only as shiny as the football program allows it to be. Is that

not a fair statement? It's certainly, yeah, certainly what moves the epidemic. It's the straw that stirs the drink. Yeah. Right? It pays for all the other programs, right? Oh, yeah. It is the thing that it unites the entire state, the football program, not basketball, not baseball. We know that, right?

Is that fair? That's fair. That is fair. All right. This is what we're going to do. I'm going to follow what the text line suggests we talk about next. 402, 464-5-6-85. If you want to talk Husker football, just type football.

If you want to talk Husker hoops, just type hoops. If you want us to talk about WWE, type WWE. You want us to talk about Runzas? Type in Runza. Whatever you want us to talk about, text it in, and I'll give you the results when we come back. Download our app by searching 93.7, the ticket in your app store. You're listening to one-on-one with DP on 937 the Ticket in the Ticketfm.com.