'Huskers Restore The Order With Pelini Hiring

<After dismissing Head Coach Frank Solich, who had been associated with Nebraska since his playing days in the mid 60's, at the conclusion of the regular season in 2003, AD Steve Pederson passed over an outstanding young defensive coordinator in Mark "Bo" Pelini to hire someone to keep Nebraska from falling to mediocrity.

The program was slipping a bit under Solich, but it did not seem prudent to fire him unless you had someone "special" in line. AD Steve Pederson did not have such a person, and spent several weeks on a rather embarrassing tour of regional airports throughout the Ozarks. He then settled on former Oakland Raider Coach Bill Callahan.

Callahan runs a sophisticated and successful version of the west coast offense and he brought that to Lincoln. He seems like a nice guy, although he appeared more interested in out play calling opponents rather than adopting what the Nebraska football philosophies and program mean to the state. He discounted the famous walk-on program, stiff armed 'Husker lore and former players and never made real attempts to engage the faithful. Under Callahan in 2007, several records which have stood my whole life fell by the side like shanked punts. This was most disturbing, and he is thankfully gone. He will no doubt be an outstanding NFL offensive coordinator.

Football is more mental than most folks realize, particularly old school Nebraska football. The 'Huskers played themselves more than their opponents over the years, focusing on striving for perfect execution which in turn led to victories. Hundreds and hundreds of them. It was about relationships and trust, then championships.

Legendary Coach Tom Osborne came back to become the new AD, and now we know why fate left him with a loss in his last election effort. We trusted him to make things right again, to help rebuild what he helped build. Again, he did not let us down.

One of the candidates to become head coach was former 'Husker great Turner Gill. An electric football player, outstanding baseball player and football coach, Gill is even a better person. Although he is tight with Dr. Tom, it was not his time, and he recently got a well deserved extension to his contract at Buffalo. Gill is a Cornhusker.

The Nebraska faithful knew where to find the person we were looking for, and were at the time Pederson went searching. That person is Bo Pelini. He is a players coach, understands the value of relationships and trust with the players and realizes the value in the heart of Nebraska faithful across the country.

Pelini did not take the Nebraska job for a pay increase. Although he is
a fierce competitor and no doubt wishes to progress to from a defensive
coordinator to a head coach, Pelini actually wanted to come to Nebraska.
We wanted him to come back to Nebraska. We wish he had never left.

Welcome back Bo! Good Luck and Go Big Red!!!!