Turner Gill on the HC job at Nebraska

[TLS2]

Read this on wowt.com this morning:

 

http://www.wowt.com/sports/headlines/10902511.html

 

*If the link doesn't work go to wowt.com to the sports section and you'll find the actual article.

[Chef K]

It's great that he seems to be turning around a bottom feeder program. But I think it's a bit too big of a leap right now for Gill to take over here at Nebraska.

[knapplc]

It's great that he seems to be turning around a bottom feeder program. But I think it's a bit too big of a leap right now for Gill to take over here at Nebraska.

 

I said it before in another thread, but I totally agree with this sentiment. If Coach Gill keeps improving I think he's destined to be the HC back home here at Nebraska. But he needs more time to develop before taking over the reins.

 

Time and "seasoning" are all that's keeping him from wearing the headphones here. That's my take.

[HuskerPharaoh]

It's great that he seems to be turning around a bottom feeder program. But I think it's a bit too big of a leap right now for Gill to take over here at Nebraska.

 

I said it before in another thread, but I totally agree with this sentiment. If Coach Gill keeps improving I think he's destined to be the HC back home here at Nebraska. But he needs more time to develop before taking over the reins.

 

Time and "seasoning" are all that's keeping him from wearing the headphones here. That's my take.

 

Gill would be considered an up and coming coach. He has as much experience as Meyer did when he took over Utah and more then Pelini has now. I do not understand all this sentiment to brush Gill aside.

 

I not endorsing the guy for the Head Coach job, but I would give him a hard look if I were an AD.

[Eric the Red]

Gill Focuses on Job at Hand Save Email Print

Posted: 6:22 PM Oct 30, 2007

Last Updated: 6:22 PM Oct 30, 2007

 

A | A | A

 

When Turner Gill responds to talk about him being a candidate to take over at Nebraska, the Buffalo coach sounds a lot like his players.

 

If it's not about the resurgent Bulls' big game at Miami, Ohio, this weekend, and an opportunity to potentially clinch their first Mid-American Conference East Division title, there's no point in discussing it.

 

"I know it's out there, and that's about it," Gill said Tuesday.

 

The former Cornhuskers star quarterback and assistant coach was referring to the speculation that has grown ever since his former coach and close friend Tom Osborne took over as Nebraska's interim athletic director two weeks ago.

 

"But I've got enough things going on in my mind to do my job here," Gill said. "My heart and soul are here to bring this program excellence."

 

He's well on his way to doing that, having accomplished something no one previously thought possible. In two seasons, Gill has turned around a Bulls program that had gone 10-69 before his arrival.

 

The Bulls (4-5, 4-1) have already set a season-high for wins and sit atop the East standings at 3-0, ahead of second-place Miami (2-1). With a win at Miami and a Bowling Green loss this weekend, the Bulls would clinch the division title and face the West winner in the conference championship game at Detroit on Dec. 1.

 

Gill's success in his first stint as head coach is not going unnoticed and is the reason he is being mentioned as a potential successor should Osborne dismiss coach Bill Callahan. The Cornhuskers (4-5, 1-4 Big 12) have lost two games since Osborne took over and led to Callahan openly discussing his uncertain future.

 

Though Gill wouldn't say when he last spoke with Osborne, he noted the two have always stayed in touch.

 

"That's always been there and still has been," Gill said.

 

Osborne has maintained he'll wait until the end of the season to make a decision on the coaching staff.

 

Gill is more than familiar with Nebraska, where he was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 1983, and then spent 13 years as an assistant coach. He took over at Buffalo last season after spending a year with the Green Bay Packers as the team's director of player development and offensive assistant.

 

Since arrive at Buffalo, Gill has pushed all the right buttons. In particular, he has the Bulls offense on a roll since taking over the play-calling duties this year.

 

The Bulls' 216 points scored are five short of the school record set last season. Quarterback Drew Willy leads the MAC with a 67.2 completion percentage and ranks third with a 134.8 efficiency rating. Running back James Starks is tied for second with 12 touchdowns.

 

Even Buffalo's defense is producing -- ranked third in the MAC in allowing 169.2 yards -- despite starting three freshmen defensive backs.

 

Five MAC wins in Gill's two seasons are two fewer than the Bulls had in their seven years, but he deflects the credit saying, "It's not just about me. It's about our staff."

 

And he goes out of his way to insist his job at Buffalo is not nearly complete.

 

"I understand how this thing goes. You can be that close and it doesn't happen," Gill said. "So, until you're finished it isn't finished. I need all the energy I can get and get this thing done for the University at Buffalo program."

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

It's great that he seems to be turning around a bottom feeder program. But I think it's a bit too big of a leap right now for Gill to take over here at Nebraska.

[Spiderman]

It's great that he seems to be turning around a bottom feeder program. But I think it's a bit too big of a leap right now for Gill to take over here at Nebraska.

 

I said it before in another thread, but I totally agree with this sentiment. If Coach Gill keeps improving I think he's destined to be the HC back home here at Nebraska. But he needs more time to develop before taking over the reins.

 

Time and "seasoning" are all that's keeping him from wearing the headphones here. That's my take.

 

Gill would be considered an up and coming coach. He has as much experience as Meyer did when he took over Utah and more then Pelini has now. I do not understand all this sentiment to brush Gill aside.

 

I not endorsing the guy for the Head Coach job, but I would give him a hard look if I were an AD.

 

 

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe Gill actually spent time as a a coordinator before making the jump to HC, did he? He was moved to receivers coach when callahan came in, then bounced around to a few places before landing the Buffalo gig.

 

I would think that Pellini's time as DC of a major program would certainly be equivalent to Gill's 1.5 years of HC experience at a perennial bottom 20 team.

[Dan_F_30]

Maybe the brush Gill aside sentiment is because the people that do so do not want to have all the "good ol' boys" of Nebraska's past running the program, just like what happened in Oklahoma in the 90's. I know that is one of my reservations about having Gill as coach. I would like NEW blood, someone who will embrace the tradition of Nebraska and use it to his advantage but not necessarily had to be a part of it. I think if you limit yourself to the Nebraska Good Ol' Boys you are severly limiting your chances of finding a good coach.

 

Now don't get me wrong, Gill has done a good job at Buffalo, but it is in a bad conference and the team was at the bottom of the NCAA, so there is only one way to go and that is up. He's was going to be successful if he won a couple games. But if you think him going .500 at Buffalo makes him qualified to coach Nebraska in the Big 12 then you're dreaming. And sure he has the same experience that Meyer had when he went to Utah, maybe Gill should take that same route. Meyer went to a WAC team then to the SEC, Not MAC to SEC. If he's like Meyer is a good up and coming coach, which I agree but he's not to the level of Meyer, then he should go somewhere else at a mid-major and WIN or COMPETE for conference titles before the Big 12.

[knapplc]

It's great that he seems to be turning around a bottom feeder program. But I think it's a bit too big of a leap right now for Gill to take over here at Nebraska.

 

I said it before in another thread, but I totally agree with this sentiment. If Coach Gill keeps improving I think he's destined to be the HC back home here at Nebraska. But he needs more time to develop before taking over the reins.

 

Time and "seasoning" are all that's keeping him from wearing the headphones here. That's my take.

 

Gill would be considered an up and coming coach. He has as much experience as Meyer did when he took over Utah and more then Pelini has now. I do not understand all this sentiment to brush Gill aside.

 

I not endorsing the guy for the Head Coach job, but I would give him a hard look if I were an AD.

 

Personally, I'm not brushing him aside. I'm urging caution in the optimism regarding him.

 

Taking over Utah and taking over Nebraska are vastly different things, as I'm sure you'll agree. While it worked out for Urban Meyer, that's one case in literally dozens, most of which have not worked out so well. Further, Gill has only been HC at Buffalo for two seasons, and not yet two full seasons at that.

 

I don't get all the Pelini love when he has never had any HC experience, either.

[HuskerPharaoh]

[

Personally, I'm not brushing him aside. I'm urging caution in the optimism regarding him.

 

Taking over Utah and taking over Nebraska are vastly different things, as I'm sure you'll agree. While it worked out for Urban Meyer, that's one case in literally dozens, most of which have not worked out so well. Further, Gill has only been HC at Buffalo for two seasons, and not yet two full seasons at that.

 

I don't get all the Pelini love when he has never had any HC experience, either.

 

Hey, DON'T KNOCK my UTES!!!

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

All head coaches have been Coordinators at some point in their career. Eventually someone, somewhere is going to give them a HC position. Pelini getting all the "next HC" talk seems more plausible than Gill. Pelini has been Coordinator longer than Gill has been HC. Does that make either one better than the other? Surely not. But in the realm of who has more experience, I'd say Pelini is the clear cut winner in the dept. Does that guarantee Pelini would make a great HC? Definitely not.

 

But I honestly don't think either one will be the next coach.

[RaisedHusker]

Ironically, he said that he didn't know the last time he talked to TO. HOWEVER, I was there working in a restaurant in Lincoln in late July when he appeared and sat down with TO. They spent over 2 1/2 hours talking and exchanging notes. This is not rumor, but FACT.

[DCHusker]

I'd like to hear an argument as to why the leap from HC at Buffalo to HC at Nebraska is more of a leap than DC at LSU to HC at Nebraska. On the one had, LSU is a higher profile program, but on the other hand a Buffalo HC has experience managing an entire team, which an LSU DC does not.

 

I don't feel strongly about Gill or Pelini, I just don't think either position is any more legitimate as a stepping stone to Nebraska HC. I do feel strongly that T.O. will make the right decision, whatever that may be.

[junior4949]

Ironically, he said that he didn't know the last time he talked to TO. HOWEVER, I was there working in a restaurant in Lincoln in late July when he appeared and sat down with TO. They spent over 2 1/2 hours talking and exchanging notes. This is not rumor, but FACT.

 

 

Wasn't Pud given his contract extension in July? I highly doubt TO knew or even thought at that time he'd be the AD right now. I can't remember what I did back in July. I wouldn't read anything into this other than maybe Gill picking TO's brain on some things he can do or try at Buffalo.

[BigRedfxtoy]

Ironically, he said that he didn't know the last time he talked to TO. HOWEVER, I was there working in a restaurant in Lincoln in late July when he appeared and sat down with TO. They spent over 2 1/2 hours talking and exchanging notes. This is not rumor, but FACT.

 

 

Wasn't Pud given his contract extension in July? I highly doubt TO knew or even thought at that time he'd be the AD right now. I can't remember what I did back in July. I wouldn't read anything into this other than maybe Gill picking TO's brain on some things he can do or try at Buffalo.

 

 

Agreed!