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[huskernumerouno]

Callahan has Nebraska in wrong direction

 

Winning tradition in Nebraska is taking a beating under Callahan

 

 

11:51 PM CDT on Sunday, October 14, 2007

By CHIP BROWN / The Dallas Morning News

chipbrown@dallasnews.com

 

 

 

• E-mail

 

Before the season started, Texas A&M's trip to Nebraska this week figured to affect the Big 12 title race. Now, just call it the Contract Buyout Bowl.

 

Dennis Franchione appeared to have the market cornered on negative headlines after hare-brained coaching in a loss at Miami and then making money off a secret e-mail newsletter without his boss's approval, possibly violating NCAA rules and federal laws.

 

His players tried to rally around Fran but were demolished in Lubbock by old friend Texas Tech. The Red Raiders won, 35-7, on Saturday as defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeil joined Tech quarterback Graham Harrell and receiver Michael Crabtree of Carter in rock-star status.

 

But if we were in New York City, it would be safe to say Nebraska's Bill Callahan could knock Franchione off the back page of the tabloids.

 

Callahan has turned the most respectful fans in college football into disinterested boo-birds, making it easy to forget the program was once set on autopilot for winning.

 

On Saturday, one week after getting drilled, 41-6, at Missouri, Nebraska allowed a school-record 38 first-half points at home. The Cornhuskers fell behind, 38-0, before losing, 45-14, to Oklahoma State.

 

"I'm not worried about my job," Callahan said after his Big 12 record fell to 14-13 in four seasons. "I'm just going to do the best I can, and whatever happens happens. I don't think you can coach in fear or coach like you're scared of something."

 

Nebraska athletic director Steve Pederson fired Frank Solich in 2003 at the end of a 10-3 season. Solich had a six-year record of 58-19 (.753) and played for a national title in 2001. When Pederson announced Solich's firing, he said Nebraska wasn't content with mediocrity and would no longer concede Big 12 titles to Oklahoma and Texas.

 

Now, Pederson and Callahan are probably serving their final days in Lincoln. Their contract extensions before this season mean Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman may also be in trouble if the university's board of regents decides new blood is needed.

 

Colleges

Tell Us: South champ?

Here's what Pederson and Nebraska fans have gotten in four seasons with Callahan:

 

•In 2004, his first year in Nebraska, the team nearly led the nation in turnovers and set a school record for points allowed in a 70-10 loss at Texas Tech.

 

•The 2004 team went 5-6 and ended two of the school's most prized accomplishments: 42 years without a losing season and 35 straight bowl appearances.

 

•In 2005, Nebraska lost to Kansas, 40-15, ending the Big Red's 36-year winning streak against the Jayhawks.

 

•Along the way, Callahan was quoted calling OU fans "(expletive) hillbillies" and was reprimanded by the Big 12 for making a throat-slash gesture. He even called Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman a primadonna when Freeman dropped his oral commitment to Nebraska. Can you imagine Tom Osborne calling a high school kid names in the press?

 

 

AP

Nebraska coach Bill Callahan saw his team allow 38 points in the first half to Oklahoma State. But Callahan appeared to turn the corner with Nebraska fans by beating Michigan in the 2005 Alamo Bowl. Then the Cornhuskers won the Big 12 North last season.

 

But in the Cotton Bowl against Auburn, Callahan brought back all the previous nightmares. Early in the first half, he called a fake punt that was botched inside his own 30-yard-line , leading to an easy Auburn touchdown. Then, on fourth-and-11 with two minutes left to play, he called for a pass instead of going for a 47-yard field goal that would have tied the score. The pass fell incomplete, and Nebraska lost, 17-14.

 

This year, Nebraska was humiliated at home by USC; barely defeated 23-point underdog Ball State, 41-40; and then was routed by Missouri and Oklahoma State.

 

Texas A&M athletic director Bill Byrne left the same job at Nebraska in December 2002, avoiding the firing-and-hiring mess that engulfs the Cornhuskers this season. But Byrne probably has his own mess to deal with in College Station.

 

The most heated competition between Texas A&M and Nebraska may not be on the field Saturday in Lincoln but in the back hallways, where the schools will decide who will lead these teams next year.

 

Texas A&M (5-2, 2-1) at Nebraska (4-3, 1-2), 1 p.m. Saturday (KFXR-AM 1190)

[walksalone]

Callahan has Nebraska in wrong direction

 

Winning tradition in Nebraska is taking a beating under Callahan

 

 

11:51 PM CDT on Sunday, October 14, 2007

By CHIP BROWN / The Dallas Morning News

chipbrown@dallasnews.com

 

 

 

• E-mail

 

Before the season started, Texas A&M's trip to Nebraska this week figured to affect the Big 12 title race. Now, just call it the Contract Buyout Bowl.

 

Dennis Franchione appeared to have the market cornered on negative headlines after hare-brained coaching in a loss at Miami and then making money off a secret e-mail newsletter without his boss's approval, possibly violating NCAA rules and federal laws.

 

His players tried to rally around Fran but were demolished in Lubbock by old friend Texas Tech. The Red Raiders won, 35-7, on Saturday as defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeil joined Tech quarterback Graham Harrell and receiver Michael Crabtree of Carter in rock-star status.

 

But if we were in New York City, it would be safe to say Nebraska's Bill Callahan could knock Franchione off the back page of the tabloids.

 

Callahan has turned the most respectful fans in college football into disinterested boo-birds, making it easy to forget the program was once set on autopilot for winning.

 

On Saturday, one week after getting drilled, 41-6, at Missouri, Nebraska allowed a school-record 38 first-half points at home. The Cornhuskers fell behind, 38-0, before losing, 45-14, to Oklahoma State.

 

"I'm not worried about my job," Callahan said after his Big 12 record fell to 14-13 in four seasons. "I'm just going to do the best I can, and whatever happens happens. I don't think you can coach in fear or coach like you're scared of something."

 

Nebraska athletic director Steve Pederson fired Frank Solich in 2003 at the end of a 10-3 season. Solich had a six-year record of 58-19 (.753) and played for a national title in 2001. When Pederson announced Solich's firing, he said Nebraska wasn't content with mediocrity and would no longer concede Big 12 titles to Oklahoma and Texas.

 

Now, Pederson and Callahan are probably serving their final days in Lincoln. Their contract extensions before this season mean Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman may also be in trouble if the university's board of regents decides new blood is needed.

 

Colleges

Tell Us: South champ?

Here's what Pederson and Nebraska fans have gotten in four seasons with Callahan:

 

•In 2004, his first year in Nebraska, the team nearly led the nation in turnovers and set a school record for points allowed in a 70-10 loss at Texas Tech.

 

•The 2004 team went 5-6 and ended two of the school's most prized accomplishments: 42 years without a losing season and 35 straight bowl appearances.

 

•In 2005, Nebraska lost to Kansas, 40-15, ending the Big Red's 36-year winning streak against the Jayhawks.

 

•Along the way, Callahan was quoted calling OU fans "(expletive) hillbillies" and was reprimanded by the Big 12 for making a throat-slash gesture. He even called Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman a primadonna when Freeman dropped his oral commitment to Nebraska. Can you imagine Tom Osborne calling a high school kid names in the press?

 

 

AP

Nebraska coach Bill Callahan saw his team allow 38 points in the first half to Oklahoma State. But Callahan appeared to turn the corner with Nebraska fans by beating Michigan in the 2005 Alamo Bowl. Then the Cornhuskers won the Big 12 North last season.

 

But in the Cotton Bowl against Auburn, Callahan brought back all the previous nightmares. Early in the first half, he called a fake punt that was botched inside his own 30-yard-line , leading to an easy Auburn touchdown. Then, on fourth-and-11 with two minutes left to play, he called for a pass instead of going for a 47-yard field goal that would have tied the score. The pass fell incomplete, and Nebraska lost, 17-14.

 

This year, Nebraska was humiliated at home by USC; barely defeated 23-point underdog Ball State, 41-40; and then was routed by Missouri and Oklahoma State.

 

Texas A&M athletic director Bill Byrne left the same job at Nebraska in December 2002, avoiding the firing-and-hiring mess that engulfs the Cornhuskers this season. But Byrne probably has his own mess to deal with in College Station.

 

The most heated competition between Texas A&M and Nebraska may not be on the field Saturday in Lincoln but in the back hallways, where the schools will decide who will lead these teams next year.

 

Texas A&M (5-2, 2-1) at Nebraska (4-3, 1-2), 1 p.m. Saturday (KFXR-AM 1190)

 

If they hang 40 or more on us, in a losing effort, is that what it's going to take for the moron to be fired?

 

I'd rather hope not, I want to win at least two more games so I have something to remind me what the holidays are for...

 

Husker Bowl games...

[foote_21]

You really want a bowl game? I guess yes I want the team to have success... but if we just squeeze by, I think too many problems will carry over to next year. I almost want it to hit rock bottom so the house gets a total cleaning.

[Husker_x]

You really want a bowl game? I guess yes I want the team to have success... but if we just squeeze by, I think too many problems will carry over to next year. I almost want it to hit rock bottom so the house gets a total cleaning.

 

I concur. The worst possible scenario at this point is a bowl game. That demon Pederson would only use it for his dark purposes. We'd hear a lot of coach speak about the effort it took to turn the season around, and somewhere in there they'd sneak in something about next season being brighter. No, what we need is 3-4 more losses as bad as the one on Saturday. I hope AtM beats us so bad, so hard, and so fast, that even Oklahoma State is in awe of what they accomplish.

 

Empty out that stadium. The sellout record is intact. But by heaven, this Saturday I hope this program hits a point so low that it makes this week seem like a good dream. This, of course, provided that Pederson/Callahan/Coz aren't shown the door prior. After that, let's get back to winning and winning big.

 

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