According to KETV, Nebraska football coach Bill Callahan said the university’s decision to fire the athletic director is a “huge, huge distraction” for his team.

Callahan said there’s never been a guaranteed job at Nebraska for him, but he’ll keep moving forward and preparing his team for the rest of the season.

“We’ll just keep moving along here, that’s what our focus is. We’re just going to continue to move forward and do the best we can. These are difficult times. Our players are looking at us now to see what type of tone and attitude we bring. It’s important they see us in a positive light, as coaches doing everything we can to help them win this Saturday,” Callahan said. “The players are concerned because we’ve developed a lot of great relationships. We’re just trying to provide them with the best information we can. Nothing has been said about our situation as a staff. Nothing’s been said to me relative to dismissals or anything of that nature, so we’re just going to move on.”

Callahan said he supported UNL’s decision to fire his boss, but he said it was unfair in many ways.

“He’s done a lot of things for the program that are outstanding,” Callahan said of Pederson. “The university made the decision they thought they needed to make, but I’m real sorry for him and his family. He extended himself above and beyond anyone I’ve ever been around as a boss. He was tremendous to me and my family and coaches’ families. I think he leaves here with a lot of accomplishments under his belt. He’ll do well (in the future.)”

The coach said he’s concerned about how the decision to fire Pederson, and the performance of the team so far, will affect recruiting.