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.

 

 

Osborne's legacy crosses multiple generations

There are certain things in life that have a “you can’t mention one without the other,” feeling: Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, John Stockton and Karl Malone, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Paul “Bear” Bryant and Alabama. I could go on all night but I won’t.

 

While we’re at it, include Tom Osborne and Nebraska. When the calendar hits January 1, 2013, Osborne will no longer have an active role in Nebraska athletics.

 

Osborne put together one of the most successful coaching runs in college football history before serving in Congress and taking the reins as Nebraska’s athletic director five years ago, is retiring. The 75-year-old Osborne announced at a news conference Wednesday that he would step down Jan. 1, though he will stay for an additional six months to assist in the transition to a new athletic director.

“At some point, whether you’re able to function or not, just the perception that you're getting old can get in the way,” Osborne said. “I don’t want to be one of those guys everybody is walking around wringing their hands trying to figure out what are we going to do with him? That happens sometimes.”

Osborne, who had double-bypass heart surgery in 1985, said he has no health issues that led to his decision.

“I’m probably healthier today than when I was a member of Congress. That takes a big toll on you,” he said.

Osborne’s on the field legacy alone makes him great but even though his stoic sideline demeanor told otherwise, he was a true competitor. Osborne's tenure as Nebraska's football coach, and later as its athletic director, defines multiple entire generations of Husker fans.

 

As a head coach, his record speaks for itself. He was 255-49-3, an .853 winning percentage. He won conference titles and multiple national titles. He was the conference coach of the year, the national coach of the year, he was the coach of the decade (1990s), and he is in the Hall of Fame.

 

There are many defining moments in his career. The first came in the 1984 Orange Bowl against Miami. The Huskers, who were unbeaten entering the game against one-loss Miami, rallied from a 31-17 deficit to pull within 31-30. Osborne could have kicked the extra point, tied the game and been National Champions. Instead, Osborne went for the two-point conversion and the lead. However, quarterback Turner Gill’s pass was knocked away. Granted, that play happened in the pre-overtime era but most every coach today would kick the extra point and play for overtime with no guarantee of winning or losing. Whereas Osborne (though viewed as conservative) took the approach of “to be a competitor is to play for the win.

 

Fast forward a decade later when Nebraska was consistently winning nine games a year but also losing seven straight bowl games. The same Husker fans that think he can do no wrong now wanted him run out of town on a rail. Then, from 1993-1997, Nebraska went 60-3 record and three national titles from 1993-1997. Even more than winning it was “the process” that included academic support, offseason training, nutrition, accountability, sports psychology and nationwide recruiting.  

 

As a coach, Osborne went out on top, winning three national titles in his last four seasons before retiring in 1997. Osborne may have left coaching but he served his country in the House of Representatives only to later return to athletics. In 2007, the Husker football program was not only struggling on the field but there was an obvious lack of trust with then athletic director Steve Pederson. Chancellor Harvey Perlman then fired Pederson and hired Osborne, who was like the family patriarch that you could turn to in difficult times.

 

Osborne later fired Bill Callahan after a 5-7 season and hired Bo Pelini. While Husker fans are getting restless now that the team has yet to go from good to great under Pelini, simply being good appeared light years away. Osborne and Chancellor Perlman then steered the entire program in a bold new direction with the choice to join the Big Ten conference. Those are massive, legacy building, choices. Could anyone else have navigated Nebraska to those points? Who else had the credibility?

 

Unlike other legends such as Bowden and the late Joe Paterno, Osborne exited the stage before things began to languish. He didn't want people “wringing their hands” over what to do with him. Of all the aspects of leadership, knowing how and when to exit might be the hardest for people to do.

 

It’s easy to wonder what might have happened if Osborne had stayed in coaching just a bit longer. Could he have won at the same rate and therefore eclipsed the victory counts of his contemporaries like Bowden and Paterno? It’s impossible to know but considering how both exited with some amount of acrimony, it's easy to appreciate Osborne’s choice.

 

The same could be said of his decision as the athletic director. Though Osborne is still fully capable of doing the job, maybe it’s better that he steps away before his body or mind fails him. Who will succeed him? What will their legacy become?

That remains to be seen but no one can doubt Osborne’s legacy.

 

 

At what point is Nebraska "back?"

Moments after Nebraska destroyed Arizona 33-0 in the 2009 Holiday Bowl, Husker head coach Bo Pelini said over the loudspeaker, “Nebraska is back and is here to stay.”

That win culminated a 10-4 season in which Nebraska won six of seven games to close the season with the lone loss being a 13-12 defeat to Texas in the Big XII Title Game. The Huskers went 9-4 in Pelini’s first season in 2008 and despite the 2009 win-loss record not being what most fans would like, you at least got the feeling the program was trending up. Instead, the Huskers went 10-4 in 2010 and 9-4 in 2011, trending down at the end of both seasons. In 2010, Nebraska went 5-4 after a 5-0 start and in 2011, the Huskers were 6-1 and seemed poised for a trip to the Big Ten Title Game but closed the season with a 2-3 record.

Every time the Huskers have a moment that makes people take notice, whether it’s the aforementioned Holiday Bowl win, the 56-21 road win over Washington in 2010 or a 24-3 home win over Michigan State, you hear statements like, “Nebraska’s back.” The phrase, “We’re back!” is an expression 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!
Pederson’s hire of Bill Callahan made mediocrity look inviting as Nebraska went 27-22 with two losing and bowl-less seasons under Callahan.

Pelini enters his fourth season and while his era has been an improvement over the Callahan debacle, Nebraska is no closer to being “back” than it was at the end of the 2009 season. Can this team get to the point of being “back” with Pelini as its coach? Yes but there is a difference between being “on the way back” and “being back.” 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.”

So as the Huskers open their 2012 season Saturday at home against Southern Mississippi on Saturday, I ask, what constitutes Nebraska being “back?” Well, being “back” means different things to different people.

What if Nebraska goes say, 12-2, wins their first conference since 1999 but falters back to being say a perpetual 7-5 or 8-4 team? That would qualify as being a flash in the pan. Just like Arizona State in 1996.

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 you can say “Nebraska is back.”

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.  

Pelini not perfect but the right guy

With the start of the 2012 college football season upon us within the next four weeks, certain things tend to stand out. As I read various media outlets, message boards, etc., I can’t help but notice the semi-universal tone of some people asking, “Is Bo Pelini the guy for Nebraska?”

I could understand this question when the hiring process was going on in 2007. Let’s face it, Nebraska is not the kind of place where a coordinator (as Pelini had been for five years beforehand) cuts his teeth, and we’ve seen the results as Pelini (39-16 overall record) has taken some time to acclimate to the endless headaches head coaches endure.

There are a segment of Husker fans and former players from the mid-1990s (notably talk show host Jason Peter) who frequently go back to that time frame when Nebraska went 60-3 from 1993-1997 with three National Championships and four undefeated regular seasons. While I respect what Peter contributed as a player and he makes some good points, I am not one of these jock-sniffing Husker fans that says, “You tell ‘em, Jason!” every time he rants on the radio. You simply cannot compare the job Pelini currently has today to the mid-90s. Peter played under one of the greatest and most experienced football minds (Tom Osborne) in history with one of the most committed staffs beneath him.

Osborne’s system had been in place for multiple decades and they’d been in the same conference the entire time. The Huskers had a blend of experience, talent, and conditioning which enabled that run. Pelini, on the other hand, took over a program which had utterly collapsed. Not crumbled. Not slumped. Not leaned slightly to the left. Collapsed. He was given the job of rebuilding a program and taking it to a national championship, not just the second part. If not for a few hidden gems like Ndamukong Suh and Prince Amukamara the climb back up would have been that much steeper.   

Nine win seasons may not be as sexy as they used to be, but ask many powerhouse programs around who didn’t hit that mark in recent years. You want consistency? Well that’s a start. I’ll take that over seeing Nebraska become a coaching carousel, where even after you put in a few years with moderate success, you still have no job security. You think Nebraska football is not what it once was now, wait until you have to hire new talent in that atmosphere. See how far it gets you.

There is a segment of Nebraska fans take entitlement to levels that are absurd. So, it’s justifiable to be upset when the team melts in a bowl game, or gets their ears pinned back by programs like Michigan or Wisconsin. Hell, I was a little guilty of it after the 30-13 Capital One Bowl loss to South Carolina but in all seriousness, the starting quarterback for the 1997 team (Scott Frost) was booed at home. So nothing really surprises me about what certain people would say about this program considering this team could run the table and there would probably be people bitching about how they didn’t do it “correctly,” whatever that means.

My question would be, who better would you get to come here to be our head coach after firing a coach for winning nine or more games four straight years?

Everyone worth their salt knows it’s very hard to recruit to Nebraska. Urban Meyer has mentioned struggling at Ohio State (because he had it so good at Florida). Fan expectations are unreasonably high. Some of them, anyhow. The “but we are Nebraska” crap has got to stop, and a lot of people need to be more realistic. Nebraska will consistently win 9, 10, 11 games. It’s going to take a special season where both the offense and defense are at the top of the game in talent and experience. Look at the 2009 defense combined with a good offense (yet to be seen) and that will get us a National Championship run. In the mean time being consistently good is how it’s going to be. We can’t recruit well enough right now to just be able to reload, really Alabama, LSU and USC can do that right now.

We haven’t had both offense and defense in the same season yet. I think we are going to be really close this year, which will set us up for a run next year, but that will be dependent on how much quarterback Taylor Martinez improves this season.

The Nebraska entitlement thing is spot on in terms of recent success. We think of Osborne as this iconic figure who can do no wrong but how did he fare before 1993? He had Bill Callahan like back to back blowout losses to end 1990 (45-10 to Oklahoma and 45-21 to Georgia Tech). Before Nebraska became Top ten material, the Huskers lost seven straight bowl games from 1986-1993, most were not even competitive.

Pelini has had his work cut out for him, and the atmosphere of college football nowadays is remarkably different from what it was in the Osborne era. Pelini took over a decimated program, full of raw talent recruited by Callahan, who hired a terrible staff and tried to implement an NFL style offense into a team whose players were designed to run the option. Then athletic director Steve Pederson brought the program to a new low with his firing of Frank Solich (after a nine-win season), making Nebraska a less desireable place to coach. Why do you think Ohio State and Florida could land Urban Meyer and not Nebraska? Say what you will about Meyer’s arrogant personality but the man can coach. The “powerhouse” image had been destroyed at the end of the 2001 season in the Rose Bowl against Miami, and Nebraska officially entered its free-fall.

After the damage by Callahan, Kevin Cosgrove, and Pederson was done and they were ushered out of town, it was Osborne’s job as athletic director job to find the best replacement. Pelini was the best possible coach that could have come to Nebraska that year, and fans felt they wanted a familiar face after the program had been hijacked by Pederson and Co. Pelini is a good motivator, and with the talent pool left, he was able to produce an elite, championship caliber defense in year two. The only problem is our offense looked like a high school offense. The consistent defense continued into year three, only to let another conference championship slip through our fingers on account of bad game day coaching and a horrible offensive strategy against Oklahoma.

The 2011 defense was a shell of its former self, and was showed to be unprepared for the season, which is completely unacceptable. The embarrassment against Wisconsin on national TV was a game that could have been a close, competitive contest if the coaching and preparation had been able to keep the team in the game. Instead, Nebraska dug itself a hole it could not escape. Then after beating eventual Legends Divison champ Michigan State 24-3, the Huskers seemed destined for the Rose Bowl. They got a reality check the next week against Northwestern (28-25 loss), along with another shelling at Michigan (45-17 loss). The bowl performance was putrid, with every opportunity to put South Carolina away in that game slipping away in the first half, and the lack of effective halftime adjustments after South Carolina had taken the lead on an inexcusable Hail Mary.

Pelini now enters Year No. 5, which means these are all his players, his system has been in place for five years, and the offense is an experienced (even though inconsistent) unit entering year two of a system. There are no more excuses for the crucial mistakes, lackluster performances in big games, and the coaches not being able to get their team to perform consistently on a week to week basis. Without major improvements on both sides of the ball, we are not going to see a Big Ten championship. If Tim Beck can’t get Martinez to perform well as a passer, our offense will again struggle against top-tier defenses. If we can’t seem to get pressure with our front four, or have worsening linebacker play, and a leaky secondary, we’re going to struggle against explosive offenses and be put out of games. That will lead to another (hopefully) nine win season with a couple of embarrassments along the way.

I'll give him the next two years to win the conference title before I begin thinking Pelini is not the right guy for the job. He took a team that was simply atrocious and turned them into a 9-win-per-year team, which is not an easy task.

Pelini needs to follow his own advice with social media beehive

“There is no place like Nebraska,” or so say the fight song lyrics. On two occasions this past offseason and at various other times in his five-year tenure as Husker head coach, Bo Pelini has spoken of the challenge Nebraska football coaches face in keeping their players on an even keel amid constant fan rabidness.

Seems a good challenge to have.

“LSU is into it, Oklahoma was into it,” Pelini said in a Lincoln Journal Star blog entry. “But the constant seven days a week, 365 days a year, it’s different here than those places. It’s not as constant a barrage of it at some of the other places I’ve been. It’s kind of compartmentalized a little bit where the players aren’t slammed over the head with it every day of the year. That is a challenge here.

“But it just is the way it is. It’s not going away. And believe me, the fans’ passion for it, and the media, that’s a positive. But there are issues with that, too, that relate to our football team and how you keep them focused and heading in a certain direction.”

With some Husker fans, that statement goes over like a turd in a punchbowl. However, two things are equally true. Pelini came to Nebraska in 2008 looking to breathe life back into a program that became dormant under former head coach Bill Callahan, who went 27-22. The Huskers have gone 39-16 in Pelini’s four seasons but have yet to make the jump from good to great and for a program that has not won a conference title since 1999 that makes for an impatient fan base, which has very little in the first place.

In Pelini’s initial press conference he spoke with high expectations and after Nebraska demolished Arizona 33-0 in the 2009 Holiday Bowl, Pelini proclaimed that “Nebraska is back and we’re here to stay.” There is nothing wrong with having confidence but the pitfall is that if the team fails to live up to its advanced billing, criticism will follow.

As a broad generalization, however, while Nebraska fans are very knowledgeable, they do tend to overreact such as getting too high after wins but overly cynical after the team loses.  

Pelini, however, can’t control what media and fans think and how it impacts his team or certain players on the team. Part of his job is to manage the issue and with the advent of internet message boards, blogs and social media, the problem is much tougher to manage than it was 20 years ago.

By his own admission, Pelini is “old school” and longs for the days where leading a college program involved coaching young men and preparing them for the future.

I’m not necessarily saying that Pelini was right to say what he did but let’s face it; the same fans that are mad at him for sharing his opinions are also the same fans that thought Tom Osborne, Frank Solich and Callahan were milquetoast in their interviews. Just remember, you were the same ones that lauded Pelini for his brutal honesty. However, in every walk of life I have discovered that people who want you to “be honest” really don’t want the truth. They want the truth according to them.

The part of Pelini’s comment that truly resonates is where he mentions how LSU and Oklahoma fans are whereas with Nebraska, fans talk Husker football 365 days per year. What makes Nebraska different from most places is that there is no other Div. I-A college football program in the state, which means no competing loyalties to divert attention. Also, there are no professional sports. Husker football to Nebraskans is their NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA rolled into one. In Oklahoma, you not only have OU football but there is also Oklahoma State and on the professional sports side there is the Oklahoma City Thunder. Granted, OU football will always be ticket No. 1 in Oklahoma even with the rise of OSU and the Thunder, it means there are other teams to divert fans attention.

LSU football does not have any competing loyalties within the state when it comes to college football but you also have two professional sports teams (New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Hornets) to divert attention. The Saints have certainly attracted their share by winning the Super Bowl in 2009 and having the recent Bountygate scandal.

It appears to me in this article that Pelini is simply stating; the negativity the fans voice towards the players can be a bit overwhelming. Let’s also remember that while most Husker fans see Osborne as this iconic figure, those same fans wanted to run him out of town on various occasions.

While I enjoyed watch the team win three National Titles in the 1990s, the negative side is that fans expectations have become skewed. Though I agree that 2012 represents a crossroad for Pelini, the same fans that point out that he enters Year #5 are also the same fans that forget that Osborne took seven years to win a conference title and 21 years to win a National Title.

However, maybe Pelini needs to take the same advice he offered his players, and stop reading all of the social media. If you’re just reading Lincoln Journal Star and Omaha World Herald and seeing the same complaints from the same ten people all the time, it doesn't necessarily reflect the views of the entire state. If you’re making $3 million a year, you need to grow some thicker skin and stop paying attention to the criticisms of every single armchair quarterback in America.

NCAA firm but fair in Penn State punishment

The NCAA played the role of judge, jury and executioner Monday.

Penn State football, a longtime powerhouse that was once one of the cleanest, most admired programs in college sports, escaped the so-called death penalty from the NCAA but was dealt a heavy blow that will cripple it for years to come.

The university agreed to an unprecedented $60 million fine, a four-year ban from postseason play and a cut in the number of football scholarships it can award - the price it will pay for having looked the other way while Jerry Sandusky brought boys onto campus and molested them.

The NCAA also erased 14 years of victories from 1998-2011, wiping out 111 of head coach Joe Paterno’s wins and stripping him of his standing as the most successful coach in the history of big-time college football.

I’m stunned, yet I think it was the right thing to do. The stripping of wins was what really struck me. What that said was, the NCAA felt that Penn State and Paterno were protecting the legacy of the program and the coach. The NCAA obviously wanted to make certain it was torn down. The school did that as well by taking down the statue on Sunday. Curiously, I didn’t hear anyone from the NCAA say if tearing down the statue was part of the penalties.

The NCAA needed to send a message to its members that this type of behavior in order to protect a sports program is not acceptable. If you commit a crime but don’t break company rules, your boss can still punish you. This is the worst scandal in the history of college sports.

So what are the ramifications of the scholarship reductions? Penn State can only offer 15 new scholarships per year for four years. Schools can usually offer 25. Penn State can only have 65 scholarships for football players each year for four years. Schools can usually have 85. I have no idea how Penn State ever rebuilds from this.

Penn State is not USC or Texas. The Trojans and Longhorns can attract talent because they’re in Los Angeles and Texas, where there is so much talent that kids can be convinced to stay in the state. Pennsylvania has talent but not that kind of talent. Penn State will not be able to afford to miss on any player they recruit. Getting Pennsylvania kids to stay in-state is going to be extremely difficult for the next four years. After that they’re still going to have problems because the program will have been awful for four straight years.
The fourth year of punishment is what boggled my mind. I thought they’d get whacked and take a decade to get back to respectability like Oklahoma did.

As for removing Paterno’s statue, I don’t see how it can go up anywhere on campus. His inaction and obstruction have destroyed Penn State. The entire athletic department is going to be seriously harmed by this because of the money that the football program won’t be bringing in for many, many years. They’re going to be bad for a very long time and I would not be surprised to see fan apathy set in quickly and their attendance reflect that.

The next question is, what does the Big 10 Conference do? Does it perhaps remove Penn State from the conference? Keep in mind, the Big 10 champions itself on being “more than just football.” Plus, Penn State is competitive in other sports and the academic reputation of the university is still extremely good. This simply means that Penn State will be at the bottom or near the bottom of the conference in football for several years. Until relatively recently the conference had Northwestern in that role, now it’ll be Penn State.

The only time I’ve ever seen a school booted out of a conference is when the Big East did it to Temple. The only reason the Big East booted Temple out of the conference is that the school accepted being bad at football and despite abysmal attendance weren’t willing to spend the money necessary to change that. Penn State will try to be good for the next four years and after that. They’re just not likely to win a whole lot of games despite how hard they try and the resources they spend to win.

When I look at the totality of the punishment levied against Penn State, I’d say it was fair. The only part that I somewhat question is vacating 111 wins. Perhaps the fact that Paterno was chasing the all-time wins record contributed to him and the university powers-that-be turning a blind eye. However, why punish the players for their efforts on the field?

I wish Paterno was still alive to take his punishment along with his beloved Penn State. I feel bad for Paterno’s wife to have to live through all this. It has been hard on her and she has my thoughts and prayers. Joe Paterno was the rise and fall of Penn St he could’ve taken care of this the minute he found out. I hate being mean and talking badly about the nonliving, but his wife is the one that will suffer for her remaining years.

As a Nebraska fan and alum, I would die if anything like this came out on NU but I also know that if something like this happened Tom Osborne would’ve done the right thing along with Frank Solich or Bo Pelini or Bill Callahan. Yes, Callahan had his flaws as a head coach, too many to list. However, at least by principle, he stood for the right things. They know right from wrong and to fire an assistant coach would be a far less impact of trying to keep it secret for so many years. How did Penn State think they could do this? Did they not realize these kids would grow up and start talking? To me it just put printed STUPID on Paterno’s back along with the whole university.

How much will Beck evolve as a playcaller?

Perhaps the most scrutinized aspect of offensive football is play-calling.

For years, Nebraska fans clamored for a pass-oriented offense because, “it seems like all we do is run between the tackles.” You heard this argument through much of the Tom Osborne and Frank Solich eras. After Solich was fired, Nebraska did the unthinkable, hired Bill Callahan and adopted the West Coast Offense. Despite what some people think, the West Coast Offense is not exclusively “passing offense.” It is a philosophy and an approach to the game than it is a set of plays or formations. Traditional offensive thinking argues that a team must establish its running game first, which will draw the defense in and open up vertical passing lanes downfield. The West Coast Offense takes the opposite approach – pass to set up run.

Bill Walsh’s West Coast Offense differs from traditional offense by emphasizing a short, horizontal passing attack to help stretch out the defense, thus opening up options for longer running plays and longer passes that can achieve greater gains. The West Coast Offense as implemented under Walsh features precisely run pass patterns. With the defense stretched out, the offense is then free to focus the remaining plays on longer throws of more than 14 yards and mid to long yard rushes. Paul Brown, the head coach of the Massillon Tigers, the Cleveland Browns, and founder of the Cincinnati Bengals, was the originator of this playbook; however, he did not name it the West Coast Offense.

Anyhow, the Callahan era saw the Huskers go 27-22 and you heard fans say, “we need to get back to running the ball and being physical.” Current head coach Bo Pelini has constantly stated that he wants the offense to be “multiple.” Pelini kept Shawn Watson as offensive coordinator and as a result Nebraska tried to blend the West Coast Offense with option football and that philosophy led to not having a true offensive identity. With Tim Beck at the helm, Nebraska is still looking to be proficient at both the run and the pass but with more of an emphasis on the former.

While most fans remember the Osborne era for the wishbone option, people also forget that before 1980 he actually preferred a mixture of run and pass. He simply adopted the wishbone option because defenses were having trouble defending conference rival Oklahoma’s version. Osborne’s version of the option later was run out of the I-formation with a Power I look as well.

In 2011, with the possible exception of the Huskers 48-17 loss when running back Rex Burkhead had just six carries in the first half, Beck was very conservative in his play calling. The mentality of ramming it down their throat was certainly there and it seemed like this happened regardless of whether the Huskers were leading or trailing.

I watch certain strong offensive teams such as Oklahoma State and Boise State and they are always attacking on the offensive side. I’m certainly in favor of a strong running game but it just irks me when the defense knows what type of play the offense are bringing on a regular basis. I’m the first to admit the Nebraska offensive line might not be as dominant as it was in the 80’s and 90’s and the Huskers do not have the best passer in the world in quarterback Taylor Martinez. Based on that shouldn’t the Huskers at least try to catch teams off guard a little bit?

It seems like the Huskers have this habit of Burkhead/Martinez right followed by Burkhead/Martinez left and then a third and eight pass that the offense gets pressed into unfavorable down and distance scenarios. This seems to be especially true when the game is tight and the offense is in need of some big plays. Instead, there are often too many scenarios that involve three and out with two running plays and a pass. If you have a weak passing offense, why not use it when teams are not expecting it? Honestly, the idea of “run to set up pass” is an outmoded idea. The pass can set up the run equally well if not better because regularly completing passes on first down would eventually make a run up the middle on first down worth a few easy first downs.

Keep in mind though; Beck was in his first season as offensive coordinator in which case that presents a scenario with growing pains similar to a first-year quarterback. Oklahoma State and Boise State also had attacking style offenses because they had four-year starters at quarterback with 28-year old Brandon Weeden and Kellen Moore. Colt McCoy was also a four-year starter at Texas and in his fourth year especially, the Longhorn offense took a similar approach as Oklahoma State and Boise State.

I think you’ll see more aggression this year on offense from the Huskers but I think staying creative in the run game, getting two viable backs in the lineup at one time with the shotgun option game, and attacking through play action is the key for Nebraska.

Unlike Paterno, Osborne's legacy still intact

Sometimes the present in other places can make you think of the past within your circle.

Remember years ago when, as Nebraska fans, we would gnash or teeth at why various people around the nation defined him more by his defense of running back Lawrence Phillips than his sterling 255-49-3 record that included 13 conference titles and three national titles?

More on that scenario in a moment but since last Friday’s ESPN report on CNN, reports have shown that former Penn State head coach was a much bigger enabler in what has become the “Penn State scandal” that anyone wished to believe.

Various reports have surfaced and have indicated high-ranking university officials, including Paterno and Graham Spanier, the former Penn State president who served as Nebraska’s chancellor from 1991-95.

The report becomes a serious indictment of Paterno because they have strongly suggested he influenced a top university official to avoid notifying child welfare authorities of a 2001 incident in which then-graduate assistant Mike McQueery witnessed Jerry Sandusky, who was Penn State’s defensive coordinator, abusing a boy in a locker room shower.

CNN reported that Spanier, athletic director Tim Curley and vice president Gary Schultz discussed and later rejected plans to alert authorities about the shower incident. Citing emails from 2001, CNN reported that Curley wrote that he changed his mind after speaking with Paterno.

On June 23, Sandusky was found guilty of sexually abusing 10 boys and was convicted on 45 of 48 charges. Those offenses only scratch the surface in describing the lives he damaged along the way.  

The motivation, according to the findings of the investigation, was simple and unconscionable: “avoid the consequences of bad publicity.”

During his 61 years at Penn State, Paterno became a beloved figure well beyond his 409-136-3 record. He and his wife, Sue, donated more than $4 million to Penn State, and funded the school's library that bears their names. Paterno died of complications from lung cancer on January 22, 2012.

Turning to Osborne, his biggest negative and positive defining moment came in 1995. On the field, Nebraska field its best team in program history if not college football history. The Huskers went 13-0, smashed Florida 62-24 in the National Championship game and its closest win was by 14 points (35-21 to Washington State). Phillips became an early front-runner for the Heisman Trophy. During the Huskers’ win over Michigan State in their second game of the season, Phillips had 206 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 22 carries. After two games on the season, he was averaging more than 11 yards per carry and had scored six touchdowns. After the team had returned from East Lansing, Michigan, Phillips was arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Kate McEwen, a basketball player for the Nebraska women’s team. Phillips was subsequently suspended from the Husker football team by Osborne. The case became a source of great controversy and media attention, with perceptions arising that Osborne was coddling a star player by not kicking Phillips off the team permanently. Osborne defended the decision, saying that abandoning Phillips might do more harm than good. In Osborne’s view, the best way to help Phillips was within the structured environment of the football program. Osborne reinstated Phillips for the Iowa State game, although touted freshman Ahman Green continued to start. Phillips also contributed against Kansas and Oklahoma.

Osborne, despite pressure from the national media, named Phillips the starter for the Fiesta Bowl, which pitted No. 1 Nebraska against No. 2 Florida for the national championship. In the game, Phillips rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries and also scored a touchdown on a 16-yard reception in the Cornhuskers' 62-24 victory. The performance boosted Phillips’s draft stock. With Osborne’s encouragement, he decided to turn pro a year early.

At the time, Osborne’s critics suggested that he re-instated Phillips to “win the National Championship.” Nothing could be further from the truth because WITHOUT Phillips Nebraska smashed two Top 10 opponents (Colorado 44-21 on the road and Kansas State 49-24 at home). If Osborne was so “win at all costs” then why would he bring Phillips back in those games. I’ll concede that Osborne should have thumbed Phillips’ ass off the team but not because he was a “win at all costs coach.” Nebraska beats Florida in the National title game with or without Phillips because the Huskers were a more complete team.

My argument for kicking Phillips off the team was because he had various minor incidents; Osborne gave Phillips every chance he could to rehabilitate himself.

So why do I justify Osborne and not Paterno, you ask?

It’s very simple, while I do not condone any type of domestic abuse, an adult partner might be threatened and in some cases might be scared to go to the authorities but at least they know how to do it. Also, in the case of Phillips and his abuse, McEwen was no angle in this matter either. Osborne stated in his book titled “On Solid Ground” that he had warned both Phillips and McEwen to stay away from each other because their relationship had become toxic. Also, Osborne had taken plenty of chances on at-risk kids like Phillips and made a difference. Unfortunately, Osborne hurt himself in terms of how he was perceived but I don’t think he should be defined by it.

Do Paterno do more good in than his life than bad? Yes. I still believe that. After Paterno’s passing, I blogged on this very sight about how his legacy was complicated:

http://napavince.blogspot.com/2012/01/paternos-legacy-complicated-definition.html

So why is it not so complicated now? I can justify loyal friendship for just about anything. Let’s say Sandusky (for the sake of discussion) gets in a bar-room fight or gets frisky with a woman with unwanted advances or even embezzles money from the University. I can overlook those because no one is defenseless. Those boys he molested were in no position to be defended but Paterno had been made aware on multiple occasions and chose to do nothing.

Well, at least Osborne still has his legacy intact.

Only a disaster puts Pelini on the hot seat

As Nebraska football embarks on Year No. 5 of the Bo Pelini era forthcoming, one question pondered among media and fans alike has been, “Is this a make or break season for Pelini?” or “Is Pelini on the hot seat?”

Compared to most, Pelini is definitely safe. He’s definitely far from being in the same category as say, Derek Dooley of Tennessee (whose eat is very hot) but not in the same position as Nick Saban of Alabama or Mike Gundy of Oklahoma State. Those coaches are safe and sound.

The Pelini supporters would say that he has amassed a 39-16 record and has twice had the Huskers on the doorstep of the conference championship. The detractors would say, “Well, he’s been a success but only compared to his predecessor, Bill Callahan.” The Huskers went 27-22 in Callahan’s four seasons, which included two years without even being bowl eligible. The detractors would also point out that in Pelini’s first year, Nebraska went 9-4, which represented a marked improvement over Callahan’s 5-7 campaign in 2007 but have not done better than 10-4 since that time.

Pelini came to Lincoln with high expectations and has frankly failed to live up to them so far. Making it to the Holiday Bowl and the Capital One Bowl does not cut it at Nebraska. However, I would say it’s a make or break season only if 2012 is really bad, as in six or more losses. Pelini has built a solid foundation, both on the field and, perhaps more importantly, off as well. There is enough talent to win the conference and play in BCS, if they play well. I think it may be make or break for Taylor Martinez at quarterback, but Pelini’s job is safe, barring a total collapse.

The 2012 season represents factors that bode well for Pelini’s Huskers as well as ones that are potential stumbling blocks. Tim Beck being in his second season as offensive coordinator will be a big plus because Nebraska now has a much clearer idea of what scheme it is running. The Husker offense also figures to be more than just The Rex Burkhead Show. Well, at least the offense has the personnel to be such. Kenny Bell emerged as a big play threat at wide receiver but another key is Jamal Turner joining him. Turner started strong but faded last season and though sometimes he is a forgotten man, tight end Kyler Reed has the speed to be a matchup problem for opposing defenses.

There is much talk of how junior quarterback Taylor Martinez has spent the offseason with quarterback guru Steve Calhoun to address his mechanics. There’s every reason to think Martinez will have a  breakout season but he has also had a tendency to make costly mistakes at inopportune times.  

Defensively, Nebraska took a step backward last season and the pundits would point to the fact that the team is losing its three best players (Jared Crick, LaVonte David and Alfonso Dennard). While David had a remarkable season, let’s not forget that Crick only played four games after being shelved for the season with a torn pectoral muscle. Even when Crick played, he was just a shadow of his former self. Dennard missed the first four games because of a hamstring injury. If the 2012 Nebraska defensive starters can stay healthy, the defense might actually be more stable even with the loss of the aforementioned threesome.

The biggest bugaboo of the Pelini era in Nebraska has been consistency. Look no further than the Huskers’ dominating 24-3 home win over eventual Legends Division champion Michigan State. One week later, Nebraska lays an egg at home against a 6-6 Northwestern team, losing 28-25. The following week, the Huskers showed enormous resolve in beating Penn State 17-14 in Happy Valley on the heels of a scandal ridden week at Penn State. One week later, the Huskers visit Michigan and lose 45-17.

The key for the Huskers reaching the Big 10 Title Game is to eliminate the inexplicable home losses like Iowa State in 2009, Texas in 2010 and Northwestern last season.

The Huskers will need to be on point because while the Big 10 does not have a dominant team, there are very few two-inch putts. While the Huskers are definitely better than their four nonconference foes, Southern Mississippi and UCLA are dangerous enough to sneak up on them.

Most preview magazines have hit the stands and have Nebraska rated from 16 on the high end to 24 on the low end. Phil Steele is the lone prognosticator that has Nebraska even reaching the Big 10 Title Game.

So how warm is Pelini’s seat?

Pelini is safe as long as Tom Osborne is the athletic director. However, if Nebraska has another four-loss season, or fails to reach the Big 10 Title Game, Pelini’s seat will certainly get warm as it pertains to fans and media.

The 2013 campaign, however, will be very crucial because the schedule is favorable – no Wisconsin or Ohio State as crossover games. If Nebraska can’t get it done in 2013, then a long and hard look needs to be taken but you also got to remember how loyal Osborne is with his coaches. He gives them a long leash, because he remembers the 1980s when fans wanted his head on a silver platter. The man started to break up at the Doc Sadler firing and was torn up about that. How do you think he'll feel having to let go of HIS pick and hire in Bo Pelini?

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.