November 26, 2007
Nebraska interviews LSU's Pelini, Buffalo's Gill
The Nebraska Cornhuskers wasted no time in startingt the search for their next head coach following Saturday's firinig of Bill Callahan.
Unbeknownst to LSU AD Skip Bertman, a private plane left Lincoln carrying interim athletic director Tom Osborne and UNL chancellor Harvey Perlman arrived in Baton Rouge shortly after 3 p.m.on Sunday to interview LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini.
Told of the flight to Baton Rouge, LSU athletic director Skip Bertman said, "Are you kidding me?"Bertman said nobody from Nebraska contacted him regarding Pelini, but added, "It's probably not absolutely, positively mandatory for an assistant. I don’t suppose he felt he had to contact me, I guess."
The plane, owned by Norfolk Iron and Metal, left Baton Rouge after two-and-a-half hours bound for Atlanta, which is home to the search firm hired to assist the Huskers in locating a new coach.
Osborne was given permission by Buffalo AD Warde Manuel to interview former Huskers assistant Turner Gill, the Bulls’ second-year head coach.
Reached by phone Sunday afternoon, Manuel told the Journal Star: “I think it’s tremendous. Turner is absolutely ready to coach at Nebraska. He’s done a great job, an awesome turnaround. Although I would hate to lose him, he would be a great coach there.”Manuel believes an interview will take place “in the next day or so.”
Gill quarterbacked the Huskers in the early 1980s and was an assistant under Osborne and Frank Solich. He left in 2004, after Callahan's first season.
Pelini was the Huskers' defensive coordinator under Solich in 2003 after working eight years as an NFL assistant.
There are reports that several other names are on the Nebraska short list, including Wake Forest Head Coach Jim Grobe, but no published details on interviews at this point.
Tom Dienhart says that consensus candidates Brian Kelly (Cincinnati HC) and Paul Johnson (Navy) are not on the Nebraska list. Then again, it's Tom Dienhart... so that may or may not be accurate. I can certainly see how Johnson's triple-option - which many consider a more evolved version of Nebraska's old offense - would certainly fit the mold at NU.
Comments:
Spartacus
posted on November 26, 2007 11:13 AM — 72.25.84.228 — link — abuse?
said:
I would take Turner Gill in a heartbeat. They need to rebuild that offense in order to keep that defense off the field. Although the defense needs alot of work - ball control would help this team dramatically.
Tommie Trojan
sociolgst said:
posted on November 26, 2007 12:29 PM — 222.254.137.4 — link — abuse?
The fired one of their own after he won more than 75 percent of his games over six seasons. You think the candidates don't have that on their mind?
It's great to strive for perfection, but it's counter productive and not realistic for Neb. now; not sure when, if ever, the Nebraska fans will realise.
The talents of the North are on the rise, a difficult road awaits whomever the next Nebraska coach is.
It's one of the reasons why "Little" Bo Pepe will stay and take over LSU and Eric Crouch will buy a suit jacket.
However, if they do hire Gill and bring the option offense back they'll have a unique scheme as most of the North is pass happy.
posted on November 26, 2007 12:32 PM — link — abuse?Kevin Donahue
said:
There are several problems that need to be fixed at NU. One of them is recruiting - and that likely means SEVERAL years of mid-level bowls. I get the impression that the Husker fans realize that Callahan & Co put them in a hole. The good thing about Nebraska is they aren't afraid to do the hard work that it takes to get back to that plateau.
Brushpile Bill said:
posted on November 26, 2007 12:44 PM — 70.138.228.38 — link — abuse?
#3 Assuming Miles goes to Mich, do you really think LSU will elevate Pelini after the late season collapse of the D?
Kevin, since recruiting is one of the things that needs fixin, why are they looking to Pelini who isn't known as a good recruiter?
College Pigskin Fan said:
posted on November 26, 2007 1:43 PM — 4.245.18.14 — link — abuse?
Tell me they're not considering Gill, who in two years at Buffalo is 7-17. If they're considering someone with that type of record, then a lot of other coaches should be interviewed for this job.
I thought Nebraska wanted to raise the bar, not lower it. I can't believe with Bo's success in how he's coached a lot of great defenses he's not the front runner. He can bring in an assistant or two that can recruit.
TE
posted on November 26, 2007 2:04 PM — 204.68.245.11 — link — abuse? said:
He's at Buffalo, and their offense set records this year for points per game, total points scored in a season, and yardage...
Gill's the real deal, but supposedly, he ain't the front runner...
Like I said...Good luck to Bo...I hope he gets the job...
(Snicker)
College Pigskin Fan said:
posted on November 26, 2007 2:38 PM — 4.245.18.14 — link — abuse?
Yeah Gill's the real deal alright.
His record setting offense racked up...
42 points against Temple.
24 points against Penn St.
21 points against Baylor.
14 points against Ball St.
31 points against Ohio.
43 points against Toledo.
12 points against Syracuse.
26 points against Akron.
28 points against Miami-Ohio.
17 points against Bowling Green.
30 points against Kent St.
I'm sure it was a real challange to set records against those defenses.
(Snicker)
sociolgst said:
posted on November 26, 2007 2:52 PM — 222.254.137.4 — link — abuse?
Yes, for Neb. sake they'd better hire Bo.
I think LSU will throw equal money at him, though.
And the D may have collapsed, but how many close games have they played this year? They've been in the thick of things in a tough conference all year. A two loss regular season's pretty damn good.
By no means is the guy a genious, but if LSU lets him go they better have a NFL calliber coach comin' in.
And if he's not that good of a recruiter, like some are saying, Neb. doesn't need him, Gill either. Let him stay at LSU where the regional talent funnels in.
Spartacus
posted on November 26, 2007 3:02 PM — 72.25.84.228 — link — abuse? said:
Does anybody here really think that Nebraska wants Turner or Pellini? Get outside the "bun" people. This is Tom Osborne your talkin' about. I really doubt if Nebraska is playin' any games at all here. How bout this: Turner Gill as HC, Bo Pellini as DC and Tommie Frazier (Neb-Omaha) as an OC or QB's coach? Why not just go for the "whole burrito" on this one? Do you think that these people are really playing around? They're gonna fix both the offense and defense somehow. And they're gonna recruit. That's a fact.
Tommie Trojan
Spartacus
posted on November 26, 2007 3:26 PM — 72.25.84.228 — link — abuse? said:
OU Ron:
Could be that Pellini would require that - after what that moron AD Peterson put him through. But, what about Gill as the OC then and Frazier as the QB's coach? Do you think that they aren't trying to arrange somehow to bring in all of these guys?
Tommie Trojan
TE
posted on November 26, 2007 4:18 PM — 204.68.245.11 — link — abuse? said:
The plan was on the tarmac yesterday in Baton Rouge for two hours, folks...and then they flew to Atlanta to talk to the search committee...
Someone tell the goofball up there talking smack about Buffalo that I didn't snicker at him...I was snickering about what I know about the entire situation...
I'll say it again...and evidently, this hint isn't big enough for you all to understand...
Bo Pelini better get the Nebraska job...Or any head cocahing job, this offseason...
I'll leave it at that...
TE
posted on November 26, 2007 4:40 PM — 204.68.245.11 — link — abuse? said:
Has something to do with that...1,000 yards of offense against his defense the past two weeks...
How about against a team that ran the ball like they did, we played Dorsey with a bum knee and back, and a total of four other DL, the ENTIRE game...
Al Woods, whose started and played well this year? He got a DNP on Saturday...So did Tremaine Johnson & Rahim Alem...All three of those guys are huge parts of our defense, and they inexplicably didn't see the field Saturday...
Also, 4th and 10, and Casey Dick's got to make a play...and on blitz? C'mon...That's bush league...
Where was Bo's head at?
Some details are starting to emerge...
Like I said...Bo better get the Nebraska job...
posted on November 26, 2007 4:46 PM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse? said:
OU Ron: It's TE's world. He just lets us in on the parts that he sees fit.
I take this to mean that Les isn't taking Bo with him to Ann Arbor?
Is it just me, or is Pelini about the goofiest looking guy there is? Is he really the face you want on your program--literally?
OU-Ron
posted on November 26, 2007 4:55 PM — 216.201.209.146 — link — abuse? said:
TE, I always thought the HC could over rule any Coach on the field, if he was making bad decisions, why didn't Les take control...
War Eagle, yeah, I think Bo's head is not made for a Hat, unlike the HAT with a turtle neck...
posted on November 26, 2007 5:11 PM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse? said:
Perhaps you can recommend to him to use a little more discretion when it comes to boasting his teams' exploits during his game predictions. His constant quotes of "and I can back it up" just kill me. Like he was on the field or something.
Don't get me wrong--at least I know where to go when I need 48 paragraphs on LSU's defense or something else along those lines or if I need to know the details of Perriloux's latest arrest, but all the boastful predictions? Please. Didn't work out too well this year.
"Discretion is the better part of valor"
Henry IV
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Brushpile Bill said:
posted on November 26, 2007 11:06 AM — 70.138.228.38 — link — abuse?I would have thought NU could do better than a DC with no HC experience and an alum who has 2 years of small D1 school HC experience. It sounds like,similar to aTm, they are rushing to a decision without talking to very many potential candidates.