Callahan era part 1.

[herbie4pres]

We were playing Western Illinois on a bright sunny Saturday. Nebraska fans had a renewed hope for the football team and thinking this was the man that will win us our next NC, our offense is going to be great in the next few years. The first play of the game Joe Dailey dropped back to pass and threw the ball about 20 yards over the head of the intended receiver. The crowed went crazy acting like they have never seen a pass before Callahan was on the sideline fist pumping in the air cheering on the crowd. We ended up winning 56-17 and we all celebrated the new era of the west coast offense. Joe Dailey ended he day 15-30 passing for 218yards and 4td also had 2russhing td.

 

It was a very happy time, Callahan was a new born god and fans were thinking NC.

 

Then the next thing we knew we lost to Souther Mississippi the next week and Solich vs. Callahan side began. We lost that game 17-21 and Joe Dailey went 22-42 for 200yards passing and 2td.

 

But the Callahan haters quickly went away as we won our next two games @pitt(24-17) and vs. Kansas(14-8). The quote unquote Callahan haters were still somewhat lurking but couldnt say anything because he found a way to win those two games.

 

But the next game is when the Callahan hate began a 70-7 loss @ texas tech pissed people off and they were calling for his head. It was not pretty and i can not repeat the words going around lincoln.

 

The next week Callahan got his revenge as he beat the sh#t out of Baylor, but that was expected and Callahan haters did not care.

 

The following week Callahan lost big to K-state and the anti-Callahan regime was gaining strength.

 

But the regime lost some power the following week as we beat Missouri on homecoming week.

 

But Callahan sealed his own fate with husker nation as he lost the last three games by a combined score of 90-60.

[Glendower]

90 - 60 looks pretty good now I mean 30 - 20 is almost respectable.

 

I remember the first game of the BC era-- I was at one of the early ones before TT. The first play from scrimmage there was all of this dazzling motion and the crowd went WILD for it. It was hard not to laugh at how crazy people were going just because of the motion and the wide set and this is BEFORE the ball was even snapped.

 

I was hopeful, but things just weren't the same anymore. I didn't hold anything against BC (at the time), I just like the huskers for the tradition and the power running... things just weren't going to be the same as we became Everybody Else.

[Glendower]

Oh yeah, and it's your fault NU lost on Friday. I'm still blaming you

[joekun]

I've never been a fan of Callahan, it didn't matter whether he won or lost he was never a good fit. From the beginning my skepticism was met with "winning changes everything", but even when the team won games it didn't make me think that Callahan was the right guy. All the comments he made, all the stories about how he treated the players that first year, and the fact that they took the 11th ranked defense in the country and made it into the 99th ranked defense just reinforced my opinion of him.

 

I'm relieved that the Callahan tenure is over and finally excited and optimistic for the future. I have faith that even though Tom Osborne is partially responsible for this mess that he is also the right man to choose the coach that will start the healing process. And that process has less to do with wins and losses than it has to do with the identity of Nebraska football. So I guess I'm a "Callahan hater", but I can't help feeling sorry for the guy, even as he walks away with his $3 mil.