Time will tell if Eichorst is the right hire to replace Osborne as AD

Tom Osborne’s replacement, Shawn Eichorst, was formally introduced to the state of Nebraska at his Tuesday press conference just five days after being named Osborne’s replacement.

It’ll be hard to imagine Nebraska athletics without Osborne. Did Eichorst “win the press conference?” To me, that phrase is somewhat laughable because how do you really quantify “winning a press conference?” He didn’t do anything to lose it and that is a good place to start. For now, I’ll call it a ground-rule double. However, introductory press conferences do not decide someone’s fate. Just like presidential election speeches do not decide the success of a president’s term.

Eichorst described Nebraska as a special place and state. He is set to take over the athletic director post on Jan. 1; Eichorst was full of compliments for Tom Osborne, who still holds the position.

“A thank you to Coach Osborne for his support and willingness to let me learn from a legend,” Eichorst said.

Husker football coach Bo Pelini, taking his usual turn on the Big Ten teleconference during Eichorst's introduction, said he looks forward to working with the new AD.

“I’ve heard nothing but great things from people he’s worked with and his reputation is impeccable,” Pelini said.

Eichorst said now was neither the time nor place to have an assessment of the football program, pointing out that Osborne is in charge right now.

But Eichorst expressed “great admiration” for Pelini when asked about him.

“A lot of folks that I trust and respect have good things to say about Bo Pelini,” Eichorst said. “And he's a winner. He's won everywhere he's been. I look forward to working with him.”

I must confess that I rarely take serious stock from what is said in an introductory press conference because anything and everything he said will be over scrutinized, it doesn’t matter how he said it, it will be spun the opposite way by some folks. The guy had no other path to go, but to be PC about everything. Chancellor Harvey Perlman did him no favors by bringing him in the way he did, but that’s not the fault of Eichorst. He was sought out to be AD, he didn’t apply. This was the kind of position, that did not accept applications, if you had to apply, and then you weren’t being seriously considered in the first place.

We need to give this guy the benefit of the doubt, based on his experience and recommendations, he seems more than qualified. I have read in a few places that he is very, very smart, and yet his humility more than keeps it all in check. For that we should be thankful, as that is the exact opposite of what happened 10 years ago. In his own words, "We don’t have to re-invent the wheel here.”

As much as we talk about welcoming other teams and fans, we need to show that same extended hand to our new AD. He didn’t have to take the position, he was already making a ton of money at Miami, and he wanted to be here. Let’s at least give the guy a chance.

So who exactly is Shawn Eichorst? He has labored in the vines. He was the director of athletics for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (1999-2003), University of South Carolina senior associate athletic director for administration (2004-2006), University of Wisconsin senior athletic director, executive associate athletic director and later deputy athletic director (2006-2011). He spent the last 18 months as the University of Miami athletic director.

So is Eichorst the right fit for Nebraska? Yes, he is an “outsider” but let’s remember, Steve Pederson was a Nebraska native. Bill Byrne was the dreaded outsider. We all know how that worked.

The biggest favor Eichorst could do is this – well, the opposite of Pederson. OK, that sounds like an oversimplification but let’s face it, Pederson is a jerk on every level. He could run for governor of Nebraska unopposed and still come in second.

I would never suggest for an incoming AD to make no changes at all. I’m all for bringing in new ideas, just don’t change the core of how things are done because it’s not about “you.” Plus, Osborne has done a lot of heavy lifting from establishing a solid culture, establishing goals, improving morale, and improving facilities. Football has improved since the Bill Callahan years and while frustrating to watch is trying to improve. You have a fresh start in basketball with head coach Tim Miles.

More on doing the opposite of Pederson, let your coaches do the coaching but make small talk with lesser known employees whether it’s the custodial attendant or the parking attendant. Those people will remember. 

Much has also been said about how Osborne allegedly did not have as much involvement in picking his successor as he’d like. I honestly would not read much into that because seriously, how much impact should anyone have in picking his successor in any job? I love and respect Dr. Tom as much as the next guy but a) he gave Pederson a strong endorsement, b) strongly discouraged Frank Solich from making any coaching staff changes and c) strongly encouraged Pelini to keep Shawn Watson as offensive coordinator. Let’s not forget how those moves panned out. However, it would behoove Eichorst to lean heavy on Osborne to make the transition.

Going forward after Osborne, however, is to give Paul Myers a significant role. Myers is the Huskers associate athletic director of fundraising who was fired by Pederson but rehired when Osborne replaced Pederson. Yes, Myers has become a sympathetic figure. Myers is believed to be one that would make an outstanding AD one day but could use more experience. In which case, give him more responsibility. Heck, even make him second in command.

Is Eichorst the right guy for Nebraska? Well, Perlman is 1 for 2 in hiring ADs. If Eichorst works out, 2 out of 3 ain’t bad. 

Let the speculation continue on Osborne successor

In the wake of Tom Osborne announcing his retirement as University of Nebraska athletic director, the speculation of who will be Osborne’s replacement has begun in earnest.

You might replace Osborne in body but his impact and legacy will never be replaced. As a head coach from 1973-1997, Osborne compiled a 255-49-3 overall record, piloting Nebraska to three National championships. As an athletic director from 2007-present, he restored trust and order to a fractured fan base, oversaw various facility upgrades and steered Nebraska’s move into a more stable conference, the Big Ten. While the conference has taken its hits because of the mediocrity on the field, it does have more stability and reverence for tradition than the Big 12.

University Chancellor Harvey Pearlman has said that he will go on a “national search” to find Osborne’s replacement. That statement is significant because there are three people within the athletic department, Jeff Jamrog (assistant athletic director for football), Paul Myers (associate athletic director of development), and Jamie Williams (associate athletic director of leadership and diversity initiatives) 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 Steve 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.

Williams is a former Husker tight end who also spent 11 seasons in the NFL, one of which he contributed to the San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl championship team in 1989.

The Omaha World Herald theorized various other potential possibilities. There’s Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione, who has always expressed a fondness for Nebraska and Osborne. Perhaps going to the Big Ten and washing his hands of Texas politics will be an appealing motivator.

There is also Iowa State AD Jamie Pollard, who even though he operates on a limited budget has made some good coaching hires. He also has Big Ten ties, having been deputy athletic director for three years at Wisconsin.

There is also Arkansas AD Jeff Long, who was also previously an associate D at Michigan. Long has had to calm some rocky seas at Arkansas, most notably the troubled behavior of former head coach Bobby Petrino.

There is also former Arizona AD Greg Byrne, who is the son of former Nebraska AD Bill Byrne. The younger Byrne is considered to have rising stock in the Pac 12 as well as nationally. However, the name carries baggage with Nebraska fans. While Bill Byrne’s legacy is more appreciate now after Husker fans endured Pederson, Byrne was also a polarizing figure in his own right.

There is also Louisville AD Tom Jurich, who has had a solid 15-year run with the Cardinals but maybe he is ready for a career move considering the murky future of the Big East.

There is also Florida State AD Randy Spetman, who is a native of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Spetman has become widely respected but considering the acrimonious departure of legendary coach Bobby Bowden, Spetman has made enemies in Tallahassee.

University of Nebraska-Omaha AD Trev Alberts might be a possibility. Though Huskers fans have fond memories of him as an All-American linebacker, he has drawn a lot of criticism for his role in UN dropping football and wrestling. Even though those decisions were made at a higher level that perception will be hard for Alberts to overcome.

Based on past experience, Osborne will push for the in-house candidate like he did in hand-picking Frank Solich to be his successor. 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, Meyers or Williams. 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.

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.

 

 

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.  

Pelini goes to Rome -- well, Jim Rome

I honestly do not care to listen to sports talk show host Jim Rome but I actually found a reason to make an exception on Thursday.

He had Nebraska football head coach Bo Pelini on as his guest on “Jim Rome is Burning” just two days before the Huskers open their season at home against Florida Atlantic. Rome he hosts The Jim Rome Show and hosts the TV show Jim Rome Is Burning (formerly Rome Is Burning) which airs on ESPN. I personally have never cared for Rome’s brash personality. He often sounds like someone that has yet to reach puberty but that’s another story.

Pelini has also twice been on Rome’s radio program while athletic director Tom Osborne has been Rome’s guest once.

Rome and Pelini hit on a variety of topics:

1) “NU is competing for a Big 12 Championship.”

Getting to the Big 12 title game will be much easier than winning it because the South will theoretically always have a leg up on the North with Oklahoma and Texas being two brand name programs that are among the elite of college football. In the North, Nebraska is still a brand name program despite its struggles this decade and while last year’s 9-4 season was a step in the right direction, the Huskers are not yet the elite program they were for so many years. Nebraska has not beaten Texas since 1999 and Oklahoma since 2001. The Huskers losses to Texas have been mostly of the hard-luck variety. Three of Nebraska’s four defeats to the Longhorns this decade have been by seven points or less and that includes Husker teams that went 7-7 in 2002 and 5-7 in 2007. Nebraska has gone 1-5 against the Sooners in the 2000s with just one of those defeats being by less than 14 points.

2) “Zac Lee is a talanted athlete and leader who has the tools; he’s just inexperienced. He just needs to manage the game and play within himself.”

The term “manage the game” can be viewed as a slight in that it could mean the quarterback is not good enough to win it, just don’t screw it up. The truth of the matter is that Lee’s only Div. I-A experience has come in garbage time. Lee has the athletic measureables such as arm strength and athleticism. The most important things for Lee to show are a) Gaining respect of teammates, b) Make the right decisions and c) Handle adversity with poise.

3) “Players understand what is expected of them and they know expectations have increased.”

Since this is only Pelini’s second year, he is still going to deal with some collateral damage from the prior coaching regime. Players might have gotten used to doing things a certain way. With Pelini, there are no shortcuts to success.

4) “To win championships, you need to be able to run the ball and stop the run.”

With the passing game becoming increasing more mainstream, that argument is less true now. It mostly depends on who your quarterback is. If you have a great quarterback, you can get away with not having a star running game. However, college is also much different than the NFL in that the quarterback is an extension of the game. That said, there’s nothing that breaks a team’s will more than running the ball down their throat.

5) “The Big 12 compares favorably to the SEC.”

In one respect, the SEC’s reputation as a conference deep with strong teams is a bit overdone but there’s no denying that it is a collectively strong conference. However, the whole “best conference” debate is a subjective one. Some years, it’s the SEC. Others, it might be the Big 12. Some years, it’s the Pac-10. Others, it’s the Big Ten.

6) “The defense improved quite a bit from 2007 but was nowhere near where I want it to be. The Blackshirts are not there yet but I’m excited about our defense.”

To say Nebraska improved defensively would be like saying Dolly Parton has large breasts. The Huskers improved from No. 112 to No. 55. Nebraska definitely played with effort, which would count as progress but too many mental errors and assignments plaqued the team. There will be some this year too, it’s just a matter of reducing them. With Big 12 offenses producing basketball-like point totals, Nebraska might be hard-pressed to produce a Top Ten defense but a Top 25 seems reasonable.

7) “Pelini credits Tom Osborne for helping him understand the culture, tradition and fan base at Nebraska and how important football is to the entire state. He then says that former head coach Bill Callahan didn’t have that, pointing out that former athletic director Steve Pederson failed him in that regard.”

Callahan made more than his share of mistakes in his time as Nebraska’s head coach – too many to list. I find it intersting but not surprising that Pelini gave the impression of defending Callahan. Since the coaching profession is like it’s own fraternity, most coaches will generally take the high road on blasting other coaches. Yes, Callahan did himself very few favors but it should also be pointed out that Pederson did him none. Again, I’m not surprised that Pelini semi-defended Callahan but Pederson is fair game.

At what point is Nebraska "back?"

“Back!” You hear the term in so many different contexts. Anatomically, it is the posterior part of our body – North of our ass and South of our neck.

In a sports context, you hear the phrase, “We’re back!” That expression is often times uttered when a perennially outstanding team hits a valley (be it for a year or a few years) and struggles before rebounding. Nebraska football is like that fallen champion trying to rebound. From 1962-2001, the Huskers epitomized consistency even beyond their five National Championships. It was not a matter of “Are we going to a bowl game?” It was a matter of “Which one?”

From 2002-2007, there was a lot of mediocrity in going 44-28 but even that record was inflated by a 10-3 campaign in 2003. After that season, then athletic director Steve Pederson (that phony, disingenuous and deceitful piece of crap) got on his podium after firing Frank Solich and justified a 58-19 tenure by saying, “I refuse to let this program gravitate toward mediocrity.” Pederson has since been replaced by Tom Osborne and returned to the University of Pitts-puke!

Only Pederson’s hire of Bill Callahan made mediocrity look inviting as Nebraska went 27-22 with two losing and bowl-less seasons under Callahan. The Huskers rebounded in 2008 with a 9-4 record but most importantly won six of their last seven games.

Current Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini enters his second season. While the Huskers took a step in the right direction, neither Pelini nor his players are convinced that the program is “back.” On the way back? Yes, there’s every reason to think so. But being “on the way back” and “being back” are two different things. After all, if you are driving Eastbound on I-80 and you’ve reached Des Moines, Iowa, you don’t say, “We’re in Chicago now,” you say, “We’re on our way to Chicago.”

“Our players don't feel Nebraska's back,” Pelini said at Big 12 Media Day in Dallas on Monday. “Our expectations in the program are very, very high. I think (the team) is starting to feel the momentum from last season.”

So what constitutes Nebraska being “back?” Well, being “back” means different things to different people.

Jason Page, who is a very good friend of mine, and I had this very conversation by phone on Tuesday. Page and I both used to live in Cather Hall as students back in the mid-1990s. Page lives in Lee’s Summitt, Mo. (Kansas City suburb) while yours truly lives in Napa, CA. We talk by phone about once a week on average. Page is employed by Sprint and by HyVee Grocery. Just don’t expect him to be Kurt Warner Part II. To my knowledge an Arena Football League team has not signed him unless he is keeping something from us.

Anyhow, Jason asked me a question that I found compelling. The speaker was as unlikely as the words. You see, Jason is an eternal optimist. Sometimes I wonder of he sips too much Kool-Aid. Sorry, Jason. Like me and most any other Husker fan, Jason is totally on board with the era of Pelini as head coach and Osborne as AD.

Anyhow, Mr. Page broached a question pertaining to the Pelini era saying to the effect of, “I hate to even imagine this but what if it doesn’t work out. Are we the Minnesota Golden Gophers?”

Well, for starters, I feel confident that will not happen. However, to answer that question fairly, it depends on what you mean by “not work out” or “Nebraska being back.”

If the team implodes like say 2004 or 2007 in going 5-6 and 5-7 respectively under Callahan, then – yes. All of the sudden those comparisons to Minnesota are warranted. Never in a million years should Nebraska have seasons like that.

If the team wins a BCS bowl game this year but falters back to being say a perpetual 7-5 or 8-4 team, then you can say Nebraska is a flash in the pan. Just like Arizona State in 1996. That won’t fly but again I feel confident that won’t happen.

If the team is a consistent 9-4 to 11-2 team but occasionally (say every 6-8 years) goes say 13-1 or better and vies for a National Title, then I think the Pelini era is working out just fine.

If the teams goes on a run like 1993-1997 where it goes 60-3 – now that’s a program that is “back.” However, runs like that come along once a generation. We might never see a run like that again from any team let alone ours.

The main thing is to be consistent. And if a coach manages a roster with the emphasis on building a “program” rather than “a team,” then the recipe for consistent success is there.

TO not about to give himself a TO as Nebraska AD

A Christmas present arrived on June 10, 2009, for Nebraska football fans. Well, Nebraska athletic fans. How is that possible might you ask?

Well, the Huskers didn’t win a National championship. Getting rid of Steve Pederson and his sorry Kool-Aid sipping ass on October, 15, 2007, sure felt like. Appointing legendary Husker football coach Tom Osborne as his replacement felt like an early Santa Claus arrival. In fact, it made me believe in Santa Claus again. The 72-year old Osborne signed a contract set to expire in October 2010. As of Wednesday, Osborne has agreed to stay “indefinitely” in his role.

Now, NU chancellor Harvey Perlman and Osborne will explore his status year-to-year.

"Tom originally agreed to come in temporarily and get the department moving in the right direction,” Perlman said. “He clearly accomplished that. I believe he now feels comfortable serving on an ongoing basis and I certainly feel comfortable having him do so.

“I am delighted that Tom has agreed to stay in harness for an indefinite period. The department faces some real challenges and opportunities as we move forward and Tom brings a breadth of experience that can serve the university well.”

Said Osborne: "I want to thank Chancellor Perlman for the opportunity to serve as athletic director for a period of time that we both feel comfortable with. I enjoy working with student-athletes, coaches, and other athletic department personnel and hope that together we can serve the people of Nebraska and the university well."

When Nebraska does choose a new athletic director, Perlman and Osborne agreed, it will be via search committee, and while Osborne would have significant input, he wouldn’t necessarily be hand-picking his successor.

Since former Nebraska linebacker Trev Alberts took the job at UNO, it has been speculated he’s the AD-in-waiting. Other Husker greats such as Dave Rimington and Ed Stewart have had their names mentioned as eventual replacements for Osborne. However, I think it would be foolish to dismiss Jeff Jamrog as a legit candidate. Jamrog is the Assistant Athletic Director for Football Operations. Don’t underestimate Jamrog. For one, he’s in house and acts like he genuinely wants to be there.

In a blog entry earlier this offseason, http://napavince.blogspot.com/2009/04/finding-osbornes-successor-as-ad.html, yours truly stated the importance of finding an eventual replacement for Osborne so as not to experience the Pederson debacle again. I still think picking the right guy is important. Going through the Pederson experiment was cruel and unusual punishment. Oh well, he’s your problem now, Pittsburgh.

Osborne does not have a specific time frame as far as how long he wishes to continue in his role. However, Osborne added he'd like to see the completion of the Student Life Center, which he expected to take a little more than a year to finish. He'd also like to see through any basketball facility upgrades, which he expected to probably, take a little bit more than two years.

So how much longer can we realistically expect Osborne to remain in the Captain’s Chair? I’d say at least five years. He is in good health so why not stay a few years longer than expected? Plus, he has given a lot to the University as an assistant coach and coach and to the state as a politician.

Osborne, however, represents Nebraska. And we’re not just talking a simple “N” on the side of the helmets. He represents common sense. Why buy a brand new Lexus every year when a 2005 Toyota Four-Runner or 2005 Chevy Impala will do just fine?

While Pederson was running the program afoul, yes he left it in good financial shape but the moral within the building and among the fan base was fractured.

What does it mean for Husker football?

It could mean a potential dynasty is now in place with Coach Osborne as A.D and Bo Pelini as head coach. As long as this combination remains, football will once again become a storied tradition at Nebraska. This is the best news we could ever receive. Infact, the whole athletic program will benefit from the indefinite retention of Coach Osborne.

I can not express how thrilled I am that Osborne will be the AD at NU for quite some time. What a breath of fresh air compared to the previous AD – make that SOB.

Finding Osborne's successor as AD an important matter

Much of the recent discussion of Nebraska football is centered on the present and future of the program under second-year head coach Bo Pelini. The reasons why most of us see the future as bright is because of Pelini and his staff developing the players they recruit the right way along with his relational skills with the players and the Husker fan base.

What is just as important, however, and I know this decision is off in the distance but very important nonetheless, is to find a suitable replacement for Tom Osborne – the legendary former Husker head coach and current athletic director. When Osborne replaced Steve Pederson in October 2007, he was labeled as the “interim athletic director.”

Osborne later had the interim tag lifted and signed his contract until July 2010. Osborne also once indicated that he would hold the position until he felt the program was on solid footing. The Huskers appear headed in that direction but in order to maintain that direction, it vitally important to make sure Osborne’s successor is the right guy so as to avoid a repeat of the Pederson fiasco. That means don’t just blindly give it to someone just because there are Nebraskans.

The names that have come up in the recent past are former Husker players Ed Stewart and Dave Rimington. Stewart, who starred as a linebacker in the early-to-mid 1990s, works for the Big 12 Conference as Assistant Commissioner for Football and Student Services. Rimington, who is widely considered the best center in college football history, is President of the Boomer Esiason Foundation, a non-profit foundation that focuses on research to cure cystic fibrosis so he is definitely experienced in fund raising.

There’s no doubt that either one would make a good choice on the surface but the question is would they be interested?Remember when Pederson was hired, he was viewed as the anti-Bill Byrne. Pederson was a native Nebraskan. He was going to make football priority No. 1 whereas Byrne tried to appeal to all sports. Which is fine to a point but football is the bell cow of every athletic program followed closely by men’s basketball.

Heck, I bought into Pederson being the right guy but when he fostered a culture of disconnect Husker Nation might as well have been Husker “alien-Nation.” I had the chance to meet Bryne several times when I was in college working as a reporter for the Daily Nebraskan and production assistant for KLIN (1400 AM) in Lincoln. I didn’t always agree with his decisions as AD but in talking to him I at least felt like he was a good person.

Again, I can’t think of any negatives to bringing in Stewart or Rimington as Osborne’s successor. Maybe even Turner Gill. The crux of the matter that is whoever Osborne’s successor is in the future, the decision needs to be the right one. Whoever that person is does not necessarily need to be from Nebraska but there are a few common denominators that person must have that are lockstep with Osborne. For one, that person has to be a unifier and someone people can trust.

With Pederson, you could not trust him further than you could throw him. Pederson will go down as the man who gutted Husker football of all the things that made the program unique.Pederson cut all links to the Bob Devaney-Tom Osborne era when he fired Frank Solich, who had played for Devaney and was Osborne's hand-picked successor in 1997. Perhaps, you could argue that Solich was not the ultimate answer to get the Huskers to the promised land but the program did not need the reconstructive surgery attempt the Bill Callahan era brought.

The Callahan era not only brought a level of mediocrity of a 27-22 record but two seasons without making it to a bowl game. We don’t need to go into how Pederson alienated the fan base and those who work for him because it has been discussed ad nausea. Pederson was notorious for just glossing over the problems of the program. Nebraskans are real people who want straight answers.

Again, I know that finding a successor to Osborne is off in the distance but whoever that person is needs to be the right one so the program can maintain the traction it has regained.

Husker fans unite -- root for Pitt to go down!

OK, I took the plunge for another year of the NCAA Tournament and filled out a bracket, joining some old University of Nebraska friends on the ESPN.com website.

With a wife, three kids that are two years old and under plus a full-time job, I have barely watched college basketball. So this year, I winged it more so than any other year. I picked Louisville to beat UConn for the title.

Like most years, there are a handful of teams that can claim a realistic chance of winning it all. Louisville, UConn, North Carolina, Duke, Michigan State and Pittsburgh just to name a few.

I generally root for the Big 12 but of the teams I mentioned, I don’t have a huge preference on who wins the title. Well, with one exception – and I know I speak for many Husker fans.

Pittsburgh.

I have nothing against Pitt players or coach Jamie Dixon. I really don’t even have anything against Pitt football coach Dave Wannstedt.

It’s just that damn athletic director Steve Pederson, who is Nebraska’s former athletic director. Thankfully, NU chancellor Harvey Perlman gave the arrogant, elitist Pederson the axe in mid-October 2007.

I was talking to a friend from my college years who lives in Lee’s Summit, MO, by phone the other day. This friend of mine has said a few times that Pederson, who is a North Platte, Neb. Native, is to Nebraskans what OJ Simpson is to most of America.

At first, I found the comparison somewhat odd to compare Pederson to a convicted felon but the more I think about it, the more I see it as a fair statement.

Not to rehash old skeletons but Pederson, Bill Callahan and Kevin Cosgrove were the biggest lightning rods for Husker fans. If any of those individuals even as much as passed through the state of Nebraska, none would be welcomed with open arms but I don’t think they would be tarred and feathered either. Pederson, however, would be extremely vilified. Maybe even tarred and feathered. Not only was he a bad AD. He will go down as the man who gutted Husker football of all the things that made the program unique.

Remember when Pederson was hired, he was viewed as the anti-Bill Byrne. He was a native Nebraskan. He was going to make football priority No. 1 whereas Byrne tried to appeal to all sports. Which is fine to a point but football is the bell cow of every athletic program followed closely by men’s basketball.

Heck, I bought into Pederson being the right guy but when he fostered a culture of disconnect Husker Nation might as well have been Husker “alien-Nation.” I had the chance to meet Bryne several times when I was in college working as a reporter for the Daily Nebraskan and production assistant for KLIN (1400 AM) in Lincoln. I didn’t always agree with his decisions as AD but in talking to him I at least felt like he was a good person.

I’ll admit I’ve criticized Callahan and Cosgrove my share of the time and rightfully so. However, I do not think either one are bad people. They just have their shortcomings as coaches. Well, Callahan is a good assistant coach, just a bad head coach. Cosgrove might have been a good defensive coordinator at one time, just not at Nebraska.

As for Pedeyshine, I think us Husker fans should thank our lucky stars that Tom Osborne lost the Nebraska gubernatorial election and wound up as Nebraska’s AD. Think about it, if Osborne won the election, we might still be stuck with Pederson today.

Husker fans unite when watching the NCAA tournament – your favorite team is who ever Pitt’s opponent is!