I'm not arguing for or against Pederson, however, is it really fair to say he divided the fans? Weren't the fans already divided on Solich? There was already frustration and rumbling in Husker land, so much so that Solich replaced a lot of staff before his final year. I hope I'm not reopening Pandora's box here and facilitating an unresolvable debate about Solich, but I think there was a lot more to Solich's problems than Pederson. You can bet your bottom dollar that the powers on high were disgruntled and P had their support in making a regime change. He was the face on it, but only the tip of the iceberg.
Yeah, there were disgruntled fans after the 7-7 season. Solich replaced some of the older coaches with new ones like Pellini. Even the most disgruntled of fans after the 2002 season were shocked as hell when Solich was fired before season's end of the 2003 season.
Yeah, there's always been the rumor Solich was having an affair with a female employee of the University. My sources say this is correct. However if true, Pud could have handled things entirely different. I'm not saying he should have aired out "dirty" laundry in public, but he should have forced Solich into resigning/retiring early. Solich could have claimed personal reasons, and it could have been left at that. Instead, Pud decides to grab the torch in his hands and light the fire himself firing Solich.
Pud did have the support of the Board of Regents. However if you think we as fans are wishy washy with our expectations, you should see the Board of Regents. I'll bet money they're already applying the heat right now on what is happening. If anything with any coaches changes in the off season, it will be a direct result of the Board of Regents than Pud. Pud may give the command, but the orders will come from above him.
So back to the original question, "Did Pud divide the fans"? Yes! Even the fans that disliked Solich the most were shocked when he was fired after turning things around and ending ranked 17th in the country. The next division came when we got shelled by Texas Tech. The next division came when we lost to KU. The next division came when we made no bowl game. Pud set the entire thing in motion. Like I said above, if he had the dirt on Solich's personal life he should have forced him into early retirement stating personal reasons, health reasons, etc. Pud should have never made his dumbass statements he did either about not surrendering the Big 12 to OU and Texas, and we will not accept mediocrity. Well, OU and Texass do own the Big 12. We are mediocre. Hell, our D doesn't even make mediocre. Pud's mouth wrote some checks that he just can't cash. He needs to accept all this backlash because this is his dog and pony show. Pud alone put unreal expectations on this coaching staff and this group of players.