Redout Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 Sources expect hiring by Sunday BY ELIZABETH MERRILL AND LEE BARFKNECHT WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITERS RELATED STORIES -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- » NU staff on hiatus awaiting Pederson's call » Amid confusion, Spurrier resigns as Redskins coach » Huskers see bright future » NU football staff plays waiting game » Huskers home, await a coach » Spartans accuse NU's Incognito of spitting RELATED LINK -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- » W-H Online Edition: NU in Transition SAN ANTONIO - The mystery of Nebraska's coaching search will end by Sunday. Steve Pederson Nebraska Athletic Director Steve Pederson is closing in on naming a new coach and will have it wrapped up by the end of the weekend, said two people who have had conversations with Nebraska athletic officials. The two sources spoke Tuesday under the condition of anonymity. The hire will come five weeks after Frank Solich was fired and days after the Huskers wrapped up a 10-3 season. Pederson, who flew to San Antonio with the team last week, slipped out of town sometime after the Huskers wrapped up a 17-3 win over Michigan State on Monday night in the Alamo Bowl. For nearly five weeks, he's stayed mum on his search, saying he won't comment until a new coach is hired. But with signs that Pederson is looking to the NFL for his guy, at least two Nebraska assistants expressed pessimism Tuesday that they'll keep their jobs. Interim Head Coach Bo Pelini, who was asked to coach the team through the bowl game, said the staff is in "shut-down phase" until Pederson makes a decision. "They're all pretty much unemployed right now," Pelini said. When asked if that means he's looking for another job, Pelini said, "I've got to make sure my family is taken care of." Two NFL names surfaced again Tuesday in Nebraska's search - Kansas City Chiefs Offensive Coordinator Al Saunders and Washington Redskins Coach Steve Spurrier. Spurrier resigned Tuesday morning, and within minutes, Internet chat rooms were buzzing with speculation that the visored one could be coming to Lincoln. Spurrier quickly quashed that rumor, telling the Washington Post, "I think I'm out of coaching for a good year or so." The Saunders scenario, though, continue to pick up steam. At Dick Vermeil's press conference in Kansas City on Tuesday, the Chiefs coach was asked if Saunders would interview at Nebraska. "Possibly," Vermeil said. Saunders hasn't returned phone calls from reporters seeking his comment. Pelini said he planned to relax for a few days and wasn't consumed with the search. He said recent rumors that he was negotiating with Pederson were "inaccurate." Then he walked out of the downtown Hyatt and headed for the airport. Pederson met with the staff briefly Monday before the bowl game kickoff and shook Pelini's hand as they walked to the locker room amid the postgame celebration. When the team plane arrived back in Lincoln on Tuesday afternoon, Pelini was seen chatting with NU Executive Associate Athletic Director Marc Boehm, who repeatedly told the coach, "I'll see you again." Boehm then thanked Pelini, called him a class act, and asked where he was going. "I don't know," Pelini said. "Home." World-Herald correspondent Steve Beideck contributed to this report. Quote Link to comment
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