Its not those easy 9-10-10 wins against terrible opponents that make him a horrible coach, its the losses against terrible opponents. You seem to base coaching on win percentages only, I look at the losses, quality of recruiting, game management, strength training and respectability of the program. 9-10 wins with our schedules is a no brainer, we have had that many gimmes each of Pelinis years. You don't see anything remotely close to Callahan in Pelini and thats fair, I don't either. Callahan played the likes of a cheating USC coming off multiple National Championships, KUs going to BCS bowls, a booger eater Missou, lets just say the "5 win" Big XII North was 10,000 galaxies ahead of last years Big XII north where we struggled into OT with Iowa State. The Texas debacle of last year mixed with the Barely Bowl eligible Washington, this years -.500 Northwestern, the Iowa States and struggling with Div II patsies looks exactly like Callahan Teams. I would even say the putrid Cosgrove Defenses would match up well with this years Pelini stocked defense. If Bo got a used Pinto than Callahan received a brand new Gremlin. Callahan was left Joe Dailey and Pelini got Joe Ganz, N'Suh and the rest. Im not saying the Callahan years were good at all with the Cosgrove defense, but I don't see anything remotely promising these days either. Next years defense? Yikes
That's a lot of derp for one post. Let's review:
Callahan's SOS averaged #36.5 per year. Midway through Bo's fourth year, his SOS averages #41.25 - with games against Michigan and Iowa remaining, and whatever bowl opponent we get. At the end of this year, they'll be nearly identical.
Callahan won 27 games in four years and lost 22. Callahan ended our three-plus decade bowl streak.
Bo has won 37 games in less than four years against 14 losses. He has gone to a bowl every year he's coached.
Callahan inherited this team (from 2003)
Rushing Offense - #7
Passing Offense - #114
Scoring Offense - #83
Total Offense - #74
Rushing Defense - #24
Passing Defense - #1
Scoring Defense - #11
Total Defense - #2
He inherited those defensive numbers from Bo Pelini, Defensive Coordinator. By the time Callahan was shown the door, he had flipped those numbers to:
Rushing Offense - #66
Passing Offense - #7
Scoring Offense - #9
Total Offense - #28
Rushing Defense - #116
Passing Defense - #75
Scoring Defense - #112
Total Defense - #114
He took an offense that was mediocre at best and made it respectable. He took a defense that was a world-beater and ran it into the ground. And this is the guy you're pining for? :laughpound
So, with the above data as Bo's starting point, coming off a 5-7 season and a second missed bowl game in three years (thanks, Callahan!), he promptly turned that team into a bowl contender with these stats:
Rushing Offense - #37
Passing Offense - #15
Scoring Offense - #12
Total Offense - #17
Rushing Defense - #21
Passing Defense - #52
Scoring Defense - #85
Total Defense - #80
Bo took that team to the Gator Bowl and won. Not a remarkably different team than Callahan had the previous year, yet the turnaround was startling, especially on defense. Today we sit at:
Rushing Offense - #13
Passing Offense - #101
Scoring Offense - #50
Total Offense - #36
Rushing Defense - #66
Passing Defense - #29
Scoring Defense - #38
Total Defense - #36
So you can go on about your boy Bill Callahan, and cry yourself to sleep curled around your Kevin Cosgrove doll, but the rest of us are going to be just fine with a coach like Pelini. Sure, he has flaws. Every coach has flaws. But between Pelini and Callahan, I'll take Pelini every day of the week and twice on Saturdays.