Husker Football05 Jan 2007 :: Posted by: Bugeater
Ohio Bobcats Go To First Bowl In 38 Years
Jackson Clarion-Ledger previews the GMAC Bowl, which will be played on Sunday. Here’s a snippet:
Ohio (9-4) has attracted attention because of its reliance on its running game - following the lead of its head coach, Frank Solich, who played and coached at what was once the epicenter of college football’s ground game, Nebraska.
“Was once.” That hurts, as the truth often does.
January 8th, 2007 at 7:31 am
At least one school in the country is committed to playing Husker football. Frank Solich has made tremendous strides in building a solid program at Ohio, in part because of his deep NU roots. He deserves a lot of credit. Pederson and Callahan represent the exact opposite of Husker football tradition and philosophy, which is why they’ve amassed the embarassing total of 15 losses in only 3 years. Solich’s teams and record at NU didn’t perform nearly that badly, and his clubs were true Husker teams that genuinely respected Lincoln and the fans. Frank Solich would never lower himself with a throat-slash or “f-ing hillbillies” comment: he is too respectful of Husker pride and tradition.
January 8th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
I admit that I was one of the Frankie naysayers, but I also freely admit that following Dr. Tom was an impossible task for whomever took over the program.
That said, I watched the game last and although it was a disappointing night for Bobcats, you’ve got to give him some credit for what he has done in JUST TWO YEARS at Ohio.
January 10th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
Here is a post of mine that I was going to post on another board. I think it fits here, so, please forgive my ‘cut and paste’.
Bill has out done Frank Solich again. One time in 6 years did Frank’s team finish outside the AP top 25.. Here we are with Bill Callahan, finishing outside the AP top 25 in 2 out of 3 years. Bill seems to be very consistent.
By the way, a mediocre team would be sitting somewhere in the bottom of the top 25. We are officailly NOT EVEN MEDIOCRE.
But then, you will get all the new age Nebraska fans who keep saying to us here on this board, “if you can’t see the progress, you don’t know anything about sports”.
Well, I know several things from being around all these years. I have watched the team very closely since the 70’s. The talent and the players we have at NU this year are just as good , or at least comparable to any other top 25 school. They are comparable to all other good Nebraska Teams of the past as far as talent is concerned.
Every single game this year that was lost, was due to coaching, or, just a plain bad day. It wasn’t that we didn’t have the talent.
The problem is we no longer have a program based on pride , tradition , and Nebraska roots. We have Steve’s new program that is based on winning and money and running the Husker program like a fortune 500 company. No longer does anyone look at NU as a Nebraska Institution that belongs to the folks of NE and their children. And to families of kids across the country who choose to get their education here.
This isn’t a fortune 500 company!! This is our college and it belongs to the people of Nebraska! You can’t BUY a winning program, or the best coach, or quality players.
A quality football program comes from a sense of community, a sense of ‘team’, and a tradition of what it was in the past, that got us to where we are today. It comes from coaches who care, and are vested in the system. Oh you will see talented coaches for ‘hire’ but they are not loyal and will be gone with the next sky high offer from somewhere else.
Steve Pederson threw all that was Nebraska away. And, Bill Callahan is concerned about HIS career , and HIS 2 million dollars a year.
If you would have only listened to what Dr. Tom was trying to teach you all over the years.
January 16th, 2007 at 10:40 am
Great posting, BigRedFred! You’re right on the money. If we only had (and could get) “the right guy” in place as Head Coach, all that WAS Nebraska can be again some day! Our current AD and Loserhan must go, and hopefully more fans and the community at large will let our voices be heard in droves.
February 4th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
u all do no that frankie isnt even playing “old-time” husker football at ohio. yes they still run the ball a lot, but theyve turned into a great passing team and run a form of the spread offense. i still dont believe we shouldve kept him even if hes doing wonders at ohio. i have faith in bill because im a real husker fan
February 7th, 2007 at 11:27 pm
Being a Husker fan has nothing to do with a mediocre coach doing a middle of the Big 12 job and having the support of an AD to extend the insanity until 2009.
Solich was given his walking papers with a superior 3-year record. Callahan was given a contract extension with over 15 losses in his first three seasons.
Why a modern day football program would retain mediocrity and denounce tradition, denounce being a dominating bone crushing Power-I offense, denounce hiring coaches with any UNL connections - I’d say SP has lost touch with reality and his pride is hanging out.
Bear with me as I explain - How do you disenfranchise a fan base - by turning NU football into blatant big business.
Bottomline - How many January 1 bowl dollars were left behind because NU was not a BCS contender? The big BCS bowl games after January 1 split $14-20 million. December bowl games earn substantially less. By not hitching NU’s goals to a big BCS bowl game SP and BC squandered NU’s capital gains.
I know at my work if I do not meet my goals I am not rewarded and go on probation. If I continue to not meet my goals for more than 3 years - I’m fired. SP rewarded BC by extending his contract to 2009 and gave him a lucrative raise to over $1.5 million plus incentives. BC admits he only hitched his goals to a Big 12 North Title in his pre-game interview to the Big 12 Championship on ABC - so much for a big BCS bowl game…this is not a commitment to excellence from Raider’s past.
As a College Football AD - SP needs to review the bottomline and realize NU stock has missed its projections 12 quarters in a row. BC is not the right man to coach NU football and will not raise NU stock no matter how hopeful he is for the upcoming season. Hard decisions start at the top - SP hand selected him - SP needs to cut his losses and release him. SP’s pride is on the line and he made a bad choice. Let’s not bring NU’s entire football program down over personal pride - lets re-build it with GO BIG RED pride.
Personally, Turner Gill was being groomed to succeed Frank Solich - I think he holds the future to returning NU Football to its glory years. It would be incredible to have one of the most prolific QB’s of NU history coach and recruit for his Alma Mater - UNL.
February 8th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
i wouldve liked to see turner gill too. but i dont think people should complain that we arent doing as well as ohio because frankie and the boys over there arent really doing the old time husker football. in soliches year off from coaching after he got fired, he went around to any coach that would take him under his wing for advice. Every coach he went to(including bob stoops) told him to run a type of the spread. so he did. i wouldnt have been surprised if turner gill tried to somrthing like that if he were hired as our coach