Let the Games Begin

So where do we go from here? Below are a list of candidates that will be considered or will just turn out to be rumors on the cutting room floor when the smoke clears and a new coach is hired.

I have my vote for who I would like to see coach the Huskers, and it may or may not come as a shock, because I’ve changed my mind several times. I’m going to profile, in detail, the two I like (and most people like too) most. That being said, I like a lot of names in the hat. I like guys that are on the rise as opposed to coaches that have been fired or are tired retreads, for example, Bill Callahan.

One final thing about Bill before I let him ride off into the sunset. Callahan just didn’t get it. He didn’t understand how a rabid fanbase can be so behind a team that success and the standard measuring that success was so high, especially in Lincoln. This surprised me, coming from coaching the Oakland Raiders, who have some of the craziest, out on parole-type fans in the NFL that the love for the Cornhuskers by their fans was somehow missed. It’s a shame, because I think Callahan is a great offensive mind. He’ll be a great coordinator somewhere, and the next team that picks him up as such will benefit greatly.

So here we go…the shortish list of coaches that are either confirmed as being talked to, or just rumors to this point.

Turner Gill

Most people outside of Husker Nation and Buffalo, New York are probably not very familiar with this name and what he means to Nebraska football. Gill was a Heisman runner up 1983 and led the Huskers to a 28-2 record as a starting quarterback. His coaching career started with Nebraska back in 1989 as a graduate assistant after a few years in the CFL (Canadian Football League). After a season at North Texas and Southern Methodist University (SMU) he returned to coach the quarterbacks at Nebraska. The quarterbacks during his tenure flourished with such names in Husker lore as Tommie Frazier, Brook Berringer, Scott Frost and Heisman winner Eric Crouch. Gill was present for Tom Osborne’s most successful run while at the helm of the Nebraska program, so that winning attitude, drive and expectation Osborne spoke of in his press conference on Saturday morning, Gill is well aware.

Gill has spent his last two years turning around one of the worst college football programs in the last decade. In only his second season his Bulls are tied for first in the Eastern Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). I think he’s ready to come back. He’ll be embraced, the fans will be more patient with one of their own, and I believe he’ll be able to restore what has been lacking the past few seasons at Nebraska.

Positives: Knows the state of Nebraska and will be able to reopen doors to high school coaches in the area to reinvigorate the walk-on program.

Coached under Osborne for six seasons and Osborne’s successor Frank Solich for another six seasons.

Would have been a logical successor to Solich, moved up to a coordinator position or a head coaching job at a more viable school had Solich not been fired for his "mediocre" 10-3 season in 2003.

Negatives: Has never coached at a high level program beyond being a position coach.

Not a proven recruiter.

Overall: Gill seems on the surface like a perfect fit. The time is always right to hire a black coach to a program with national implications also. He’s turned around a historically bad program, but will he be able to do the same at Nebraska with an unbelievable amount of pressure not seen while in his tenure at Buffalo?

Bo Pelini (Yes, he's wearing an OU polo)

Not unlike Gill, Bo Pelini is no stranger to Nebraska football. He served as the Husker’s defensive coordinator in Frank Solich’s final season in 2003. He brought back a little respectability to the Blackshirts after they had declined a bit after former defensive coordinator Charlie McBride retired in 1999. He was also Nebraska’s interim coach in the 2003 Alamo Bowl against Michigan State, even earning a victory, but was dismissed after Callahan was hired.

Pelini made a name for himself as co-defensive coordinator at Oklahoma under Bob Stoops and more recently at Louisiana State University under Les Miles. Pelini is a hot name for a head coaching job in college football, and there will be a lot of takers in the offseason. Pelini comes from Youngstown, Ohio and the area has bred a ton of young coaching talent. Ohio State's Jim Tressel (not exactly young I guess), Florida's Urban Meyer and Oklahoma's Bob Stoops come to mind. He’s also a former Buckeye (a program I respect greatly) player, and I hate Michigan (a program I can’t stand), so that’s cool with me.

Pelini has earned a bit of a reputation as a hothead though. He’s never been a head coach on the collegiate level and it’s unknown how his short fuse will affect his perception in Lincoln or how it could affect the team or program itself.

Osborne and Nebraska Chancellor Harvey Perlman don’t seem too concerned, as they interviewed Pelini today. LSU would like to keep him as their ace up their sleeve depending on what current head coach Les Miles decides in regards to the recently vacated Michigan head coaching job. Last Saturday’s loss to unranked Arkansas may have expedited this process and LSU may try to hang on to Pelini. Nebraska still has an advantage with him as an assistant and not a head coach, Pelini doesn’t need permission from anyone to speak to another university.

Positives: Nebraska fans seem to have this guy as the number one choice, so hiring him would make a lot of people very happy. Fans chanted “We want Bo” as the closing minutes ticked off the scoreboard in San Antonio during the ’03 Alamo Bowl.

He has coached two talented and highly regarded defenses at OU and LSU. Pelini could bring back physicality to Husker football and the Blackshirt defense that hasn’t really been seen since Pelini last coached them.

Pelini will have access to coaches in Oklahoma and Louisiana from recent previous coaching positions.

Negatives: In short, his temper and lack of judgement on the football field because of it. Also, his defensive scheming is heavily dependent on over powering and over matching opposing offenses, something he won’t be able to have until after at least two to three years of recruiting.

Not a proven recruiter, but has done well with other coaches talent.

Overall: Pelini comes from good stock and has a great background as an assistant at many high profile programs. He also has several years of NFL defensive coaching experience. He seems like he would understand what is at stake in Lincoln after spending time in Norman and Baton Rouge. And he would bring a fire and intensity that was severely lacking under Callahan.

Ok, so those are my two frontrunners and I would be happy with either one. Here is the list of other possible and rumored candidates.

- Chris Peterson, Boise State University

- Jim Leavitt, South Florida University

- Greg Schiano, Rutgers University

- Brian Kelly, Cincinnati University

- Paul Johnson, Navy

Here are two more that are very interesting...

- Huston Nutt, formerly of Arkansas

-Jim Grobe, Wake Forest University

With the hire at Texas A&M coming today of former Green Bay Packer coach Mike Sherman, the standard is set and Nebraska should be able to hire someone that will fit with what Osborne and company feel comfortable with. Should they follow A&M’s lead and hire a former assistant that is familiar with success at their program? Did you think I was just referring to Pelini? If you’re smart, I think you can catch my drift on who I would personally like to see installed as the next coach.

Coaching at the University Nebraska is a scary prospect and anyone who is being considered will have to have nerves of steel, so to speak, to not only coach here, but be successful. The bar has also been set by Osborne. You're either successful, or you're not. You're either winning on the field, or losing. You're either employed, or you're not.