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It May Not Be Nebraska's National Title, But Could It Help the Huskers?
Why Pelini coaching LSU one last time wouldn't be so bad
by Samuel McKewon
December 03, 2007
Good Tuesday morning from the center of the universe, where the sun has risen, but it's got a little black spot on it.
Bo Pelini takes the Nebraska job, and now he wants to go back to Louisiana State for a cup of coffee and the BCS National Championship game against Ohio State. That has Cornhusker fans feeling a little spurned; why wouldn't Pelini want to spend those few weeks before and after Christmas walking around town, making connections, and getting a feel for his team and staff?
Because he's a competitive guy and he wants to feel like he's earned that national title ring, should the Tigers beat his alma mater. That's why. And because he can do it without hurting the overall NU cause; if a recruiting dead period hits on Dec. 17, 2007, and it runs until Jan. 1, 2008, there simply won't be that much to do.
Know this: If LSU stuffs OSU in New Orleans on Jan. 7, and Pelini's the architect of a big victory, that's going to look very attractive to undecided recruits and those committed elsewhere.
Is a win in that game better than Pelini being on the road for a week after Jan. 1? That's the real question.
I'd argue that, yes, it is. Nothing sells like success.
You can really look at it two ways. Either Pelini is "officially" involved in that game, or he's "unofficially" involved. Which would you prefer?
If he says "thanks but no thanks" to LSU Coach Les Miles, do you honestly believe he'd be completely divorced from that situation? A competitive guy like Pelini? You don't think he'd field a phone call or two, or review some OSU film, or motivate one of his players in a text message? You don't think that, while he packs up his house in Baton Rouge, he doesn't stop by the football offices?
Come on.
Coaches do these things now even when they're preparing their own team for a bowl game. Coaches talk. Coaches share strategy. Coaches do other coaches small favors. That's why it's called a "coaching fraternity."
Casual football fans like to bring up the Mark Richt debacle. Richt himself likes to bring it up. He was Florida State's offensive coordinator in 2000, when the Seminoles fell through the back door into the 2001 BCS title game against Oklahoma. Richt had accepted the head coaching job at Georgia, but chose to help FSU against the Sooners. The results were diastrous; Florida State scored 2 points - and that was on a defensive safety - in 14-2 loss. Richt later said he had done both schools a disservice.
Florida State, maybe. Georgia seemed to survive, though. The Bulldogs finished 8-4 in 2002 and 13-1 in 2003. Who in Nebraska wouldn't accept those results?
Again - different problems demand different solutions. If NU was in a bowl game, it wouldn't work. If LSU was playing in the Outback Bowl, it wouldn't matter. But under these specific circumstances, it's a gamble that Nebraskans should accept.
It May Not Be Nebraska's National Title, But Could It Help the Huskers?
Why Pelini coaching LSU one last time wouldn't be so bad
by Samuel McKewon
December 03, 2007
Good Tuesday morning from the center of the universe, where the sun has risen, but it's got a little black spot on it.
Bo Pelini takes the Nebraska job, and now he wants to go back to Louisiana State for a cup of coffee and the BCS National Championship game against Ohio State. That has Cornhusker fans feeling a little spurned; why wouldn't Pelini want to spend those few weeks before and after Christmas walking around town, making connections, and getting a feel for his team and staff?
Because he's a competitive guy and he wants to feel like he's earned that national title ring, should the Tigers beat his alma mater. That's why. And because he can do it without hurting the overall NU cause; if a recruiting dead period hits on Dec. 17, 2007, and it runs until Jan. 1, 2008, there simply won't be that much to do.
Know this: If LSU stuffs OSU in New Orleans on Jan. 7, and Pelini's the architect of a big victory, that's going to look very attractive to undecided recruits and those committed elsewhere.
Is a win in that game better than Pelini being on the road for a week after Jan. 1? That's the real question.
I'd argue that, yes, it is. Nothing sells like success.
You can really look at it two ways. Either Pelini is "officially" involved in that game, or he's "unofficially" involved. Which would you prefer?
If he says "thanks but no thanks" to LSU Coach Les Miles, do you honestly believe he'd be completely divorced from that situation? A competitive guy like Pelini? You don't think he'd field a phone call or two, or review some OSU film, or motivate one of his players in a text message? You don't think that, while he packs up his house in Baton Rouge, he doesn't stop by the football offices?
Come on.
Coaches do these things now even when they're preparing their own team for a bowl game. Coaches talk. Coaches share strategy. Coaches do other coaches small favors. That's why it's called a "coaching fraternity."
Casual football fans like to bring up the Mark Richt debacle. Richt himself likes to bring it up. He was Florida State's offensive coordinator in 2000, when the Seminoles fell through the back door into the 2001 BCS title game against Oklahoma. Richt had accepted the head coaching job at Georgia, but chose to help FSU against the Sooners. The results were diastrous; Florida State scored 2 points - and that was on a defensive safety - in 14-2 loss. Richt later said he had done both schools a disservice.
Florida State, maybe. Georgia seemed to survive, though. The Bulldogs finished 8-4 in 2002 and 13-1 in 2003. Who in Nebraska wouldn't accept those results?
Again - different problems demand different solutions. If NU was in a bowl game, it wouldn't work. If LSU was playing in the Outback Bowl, it wouldn't matter. But under these specific circumstances, it's a gamble that Nebraskans should accept.
