cb1954
Five-Star Recruit
I know there was a post about this a few days ago, but I'm getting old and slow. The interest in Michigan State from that post was reported at the time. (Also check out the link below) I went through some books that T.O. wrote etc.
Here are some coaching possibilities that would have effected Nebraska football a great deal.
First of all starting with Bob Devaney - from the book Devaney by Bob Devaney and Friends
He says that he was contacted several times for coaching jobs (while at Nebraska) with other colleges but the only one he considered was Miami in 1965 - think about that a second He visited there while NU was preparing for the Orange Bowl vs. Alabama. I would imagine he would have taken all his staff with him including T.O. One of the quotes that was supposedly from him when he turned it down, was that his wife just bought some new snow tires for her car.
Devaney also mentions several pro head coaching offers. The one he says he was tempted the most with was the Los Angles Rams, again in 1965 He didn't think he could go to LA and check it out at the time because NU was in Miami preparing for the Orange Bowl and they didn't wait until after it, and hired someone else. He also mentions a couple offers from the Broncos, and talking to the Steelers. Bob says he came close to taking the New England Patriot job right after he retired from Nebraska (1972) Osborne was already going to be the Huskers head coach so it would not of involved him.
There was also a petition started after the 1968 season to have Devaney fired, which would have almost certainly meant T.O. and the rest of the staff.
As for Osborne.- from the book More Than Winning
(Not from this book but Osborne would have been fired had the Huskers not beat Texas Tech in the bowl game after 1976 season.)
Interviewed for U South Dakota head coaching job 1968, they hired Joe Salem instead.
Offered Augustana College HC, almost took it but turned it down around 1969
Applied for Texas Tech HC job after 1969 season, they hired Jim Carlin
After the 1978 season went to Colorado thinking he was "reasonably sure" he would be taking the job, but changed his mind.
He says there were other contacts over the years (book was published in 1985) one coming from a "southern school" with a fine football program. He says he was contacted by a very wealthy oil man who was an alumnus of the school, but was not interested even though the money would have been double that at NU
Tom says the only pro job he was offered that interested in was the Seattle Seahawks, doesn't name the year.
Now this next one you will have to trust me on. About 10 years or so ago I exchanged emails with a sports reporter who said there was contact between Minnesota and T.O. before 1992 season. (don't remember which newspaper) You have to remember this is when Bill Byrne came to Nebraska and there was at least some speculation that he might make a head coaching change. Hard to believe now but at the time Tom had taken over a program that had won NC's in 2 of the previous 3 years before he became head coach, and he had not won one in his 19 season at NU, and the Huskers had slipped a bit in 90-91. Minnesota hired Jim Wacker starting with the 92 season so that checks out.
Finally there was a rumor that Tom was checking out Houston job after leaving Nebraska but the link below says he was just there as a consultant.
CLICK HERE
Oh and in Devaneys book he talks about how he Mike Cogran and 2 players ended up over night in jail in Denver, after a game there while he was HC had Wyoming. Imagine that happening today.
Here are some coaching possibilities that would have effected Nebraska football a great deal.
First of all starting with Bob Devaney - from the book Devaney by Bob Devaney and Friends
He says that he was contacted several times for coaching jobs (while at Nebraska) with other colleges but the only one he considered was Miami in 1965 - think about that a second He visited there while NU was preparing for the Orange Bowl vs. Alabama. I would imagine he would have taken all his staff with him including T.O. One of the quotes that was supposedly from him when he turned it down, was that his wife just bought some new snow tires for her car.
Devaney also mentions several pro head coaching offers. The one he says he was tempted the most with was the Los Angles Rams, again in 1965 He didn't think he could go to LA and check it out at the time because NU was in Miami preparing for the Orange Bowl and they didn't wait until after it, and hired someone else. He also mentions a couple offers from the Broncos, and talking to the Steelers. Bob says he came close to taking the New England Patriot job right after he retired from Nebraska (1972) Osborne was already going to be the Huskers head coach so it would not of involved him.
There was also a petition started after the 1968 season to have Devaney fired, which would have almost certainly meant T.O. and the rest of the staff.
As for Osborne.- from the book More Than Winning
(Not from this book but Osborne would have been fired had the Huskers not beat Texas Tech in the bowl game after 1976 season.)
Interviewed for U South Dakota head coaching job 1968, they hired Joe Salem instead.
Offered Augustana College HC, almost took it but turned it down around 1969
Applied for Texas Tech HC job after 1969 season, they hired Jim Carlin
After the 1978 season went to Colorado thinking he was "reasonably sure" he would be taking the job, but changed his mind.
He says there were other contacts over the years (book was published in 1985) one coming from a "southern school" with a fine football program. He says he was contacted by a very wealthy oil man who was an alumnus of the school, but was not interested even though the money would have been double that at NU
Tom says the only pro job he was offered that interested in was the Seattle Seahawks, doesn't name the year.
Now this next one you will have to trust me on. About 10 years or so ago I exchanged emails with a sports reporter who said there was contact between Minnesota and T.O. before 1992 season. (don't remember which newspaper) You have to remember this is when Bill Byrne came to Nebraska and there was at least some speculation that he might make a head coaching change. Hard to believe now but at the time Tom had taken over a program that had won NC's in 2 of the previous 3 years before he became head coach, and he had not won one in his 19 season at NU, and the Huskers had slipped a bit in 90-91. Minnesota hired Jim Wacker starting with the 92 season so that checks out.
Finally there was a rumor that Tom was checking out Houston job after leaving Nebraska but the link below says he was just there as a consultant.
CLICK HERE
Oh and in Devaneys book he talks about how he Mike Cogran and 2 players ended up over night in jail in Denver, after a game there while he was HC had Wyoming. Imagine that happening today.
