Insider or outsider hires come with no guarantees

Though Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne has no immediate plans to step aside, it doesn’t stop speculation on who will succeed the 74-year old who was a legendary Husker football head coach from 1973-1997, during which time he compiled a 255-49-3 overall record, piloting Nebraska to three National championships.

University Chancellor Harvey Pearlman has admitted past mistakes, notably the Steve Pederson debacle (2002-2007). Osborne took over as interim athletic director in October 2007 after Pederson was fired. Osborne later had the tag lifted.

Pearlman recently said in an Omaha World Herald story that when Osborne decides to retire, he'll do a nation-wide search for the next Nebraska AD. That statement is significant because there are two people within the athletic department, Jeff Jamrog (assistant athletic director for football) and Paul Myers (associate athletic director of development), that are also believed to be potential successors to Osborne.

Jamrog is a former walk on (three year letter winner) that compiled 66 tackles, 13 for a loss and eight sacks as a senior. Myers has a sentimental favorite notion in him. It was Meyers’ brief departure from the department in October that added a significant subplot to the Pederson saga, and it was his return only four weeks later that was met with jubilance by some major donors. Now, some of those contributors are in tune that Meyers would be a fine choice to follow Osborne as Nebraska’s AD.

If Osborne has his druthers, based on past experience, he’ll push for the in-house candidate like he did in hand-picking Frank Solich to be his success. Osborne also gave a Pederson a strong recommendation as AD. When Osborne he replaced the deposed Pederson in 2007, he dismissed Bill Callahan at the end of the season as football head coach and hired then former Husker defensive coordinator Bo Pelini. When Osborne dismissed Mike Anderson as Husker baseball coach, he hired Nebraska legend Darin Erstad. The only head coaching hire Osborne made that did not involve Nebraska ties was Tim Miles as men’s basketball head coach to replace Doc Sadler.

Pearlman might be publically saying he will conduct a national search but you can bet Osborne will strongly recommend Jamrog or Meyers. I just don’t see Dr. Tom handing the keys to his Rolls Royce to somebody without spending a lot of time with the person first. He has his whole life vested in it.

However, national searches or in-house hires come with no guarantees and before anyone rants about “keeping it in the family,” just remember that after Bill Byrne left as Nebraska athletic director in 2002 for Texas A&M, many Nebraskans viewed Pederson as the ideal hire. Pederson had 2 ½ years of experience as Nebraska’s Associate Athletic Director as well as Director of Football Operations. Plus, he was a North Platte, Neb., native.

At the time, the hire made sense but would have known that five years later he would become the most loathed man in the state. If anything, he made Nebraskans long for the Byrne era.

It’s just so hard to tell what you’re getting, as everything seemed to point in the right direction for us, but just happened to be in the wrong direction. I’m no Pederson fan or apologist by any means, but he worked right under our own roof for so long, yet we didn’t really know the guy as well as we thought.

Most people will point to Pederson’s firing of Frank Solich and subsequent hiring of Callahan as the beginning of his demise which is true to a degree but it was not the ultimate reason why he got fired. Pederson’s management style as it pertained to those working under him as well as his arrogance with the Husker fan base was the reason he got fired. Pederson probably would have survived the Callahan hire if not for his poor management skills.  

Bubba has entered the building

Quarterback recruit and first-round baseball draft pick Bubba Starling has entered the building — as in Nebraska’s campus, confirmed an NU spokesperson, according to a Lincoln Journal Star blog entry on Sunday night.



According to a recent Kansas City Star story, Starling wasn't planning to enroll in classes but would workout with the team.


Now the Kansas City Royals, who selected the 6-foot-5, 195-pound multi-sport phenom from Gardner, Kansas, as the No. 5 overall pick in the draft, have until Aug. 15 to sign him.
Starling, whose agent is Scott Boras, could command a signing bonus that tops the $6 million dollar mark.


If recent history means anything, Starling might not be in Lincoln for long. Keep in mind, he is there for voluntary summer workouts but it’s not a given he will enroll in classes. Plus, Nebraska begins its preseason practice schedule Aug. 6.


In 2010, Zach Lee (not to be confused with former Husker quarterback Zac Lee) who signed to play football at LSU but then signed for $5.25 million after being drafted at No. 28 by the Los Angeles Dodgers.


In 2009, Donavan Tate was a North Carolina recruit but ,claimed a signing bonus of $6.25 million after being picked third by the San Diego Padres.


Regardless of whether Starling takes the college experience of being a student-athlete for one of the most storied college football programs in the nation or belting Major League fastballs, he will have to withstand high expectations from fans.


On the surface, there might be a glimmer of hope that Starling would choose the Huskers but if I were a betting man, I would lay odds on him signing with the Royals. Keep in mind, the Royals organization is less-than-thrilled with the idea of him being in Lincoln for summer workouts — so there is hope.


However, human nature is such where even the most humble person can get blinded by sudden wealth. The truth of the matter is, Starling has to make a decision on what he loves the most and what he most wants to do. The rational brain suggests to not think of the money until I was pretty sure what direction I was going to go. Then again, I don’t have anyone dangling $5 million dollars in front of me.


One school of thought, no pun intended, is to take the money because you can always go back to college. If Starling plans on banking some of that money into a 401K plan, I’d say by all means take the money and run.


However, if Starling wants to go the Darin Erstad route and play both football and baseball, he will become a Husker. Otherwise, he will become a Royal.


That said, put yourself in Starling’s shoes, you love baseball and someone wants to give you boatloads of coin to do it. How many of you would turn down $7 million to do something you love?


It’s called business. You can hardly blame the young man and if you look at it from another angle it might perfect sense to carry on with what your college plans are. Then, if that hefty signing bonus comes along, then you go with plan B.


Some might say that Starling is using Nebraska as leverage to get a better deal. Perhaps there is an element of truth to that idea because Starling is doing is part taking care of his business as far as becoming a Husker and part of it is letting the Royals know that he is serious about becoming a Husker should they choose to offer him a lowball deal.


The fact is, people use leverage every day and I don't think Starling should have to disregard the leverage he has and should be allowed to use it. I don't view it as NU being used as much as some might.


There might be a negotiating leverage element involved but its also about being as ready to play football as possible if the offer isn't enough to spur him to baseball.