Ostergard returns to athletic department

[Husker_Power]

per ljs

 

The new guy in the Nebraska athletic department didn't need much in the way of introduction.

 

Everyone already knew the name. Doak Ostergard is back.

 

"It's a little bit more comfortable than when I was here last year," he said Thursday.

 

The 48-year-old returned to the department a couple weeks ago, carrying the new title of outreach director.

 

Among Ostergard's duties is to be a contact person for the N Club, made up of Husker letterwinners. He's also to be a consultant for athletic medicine, strength and conditioning and nutrition.

 

"It's a position that's going to be evolving for a while," Ostergard said.

 

Ostergard was a full-time trainer at Nebraska since 1990 and the football team's head trainer for nine years before he was asked to resign by former Husker coach Bill Callahan in February of last year.

 

That whole episode soured some former Huskers, who even held a golf tournament partially in his honor last spring.

 

After the event, Ostergard provided key details and wrote the forward for the book "The Nebraska Way."

 

The book chronicled the relationship between Nebraskans and the football program, but also contained some accounts from Ostergard about some dealings with Callahan that put a less-than-flattering light on the coach.

 

Besides his work with the book, Ostergard started a small company that sells durable medical equipment (things like athletic braces) online at doaktraining.com.

 

Shortly after the new football staff was in place, Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne called Ostergard in to talk about the possibility of him returning to the department.

 

Ostergard had maintained a close relationship with Osborne. Accepting a job offer from him wasn't exactly difficult.

 

"I missed being around the athletes, all the relationships," Ostergard said. "I went from interacting with about 100 people a day to a handful."

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

Welcome back Doak!!

[HuskerTrucker]

I would still like to have the COMPLETE story of what really went on with him when they fired him from Osborne's office. Unfortunately for Doak, there will always kind of be a cloud hanging over him.

 

Welcome back, Doak.

[hoyamannn]

I would still like to have the COMPLETE story of what really went on with him when they fired him from Osborne's office. Unfortunately for Doak, there will always kind of be a cloud hanging over him.

 

Welcome back, Doak.

 

I can tell you this: Doak still doesn't know entirely why he was let go. He never got along the greatest with Callahan, and Pedersen was also upset that Doak patented several pieces of rehab equipment and was getting royalties that weren't going to the athletic department. SP and BC both had a hand in letting him go.

[huskernumerouno]

I would still like to have the COMPLETE story of what really went on with him when they fired him from Osborne's office. Unfortunately for Doak, there will always kind of be a cloud hanging over him.

Welcome back, Doak.

Not in my eyes,

Welcome back

[hack]

outreach director?

 

what, he's gonna be in-charge of giving alumni and boosters hugs or something?

[BigWillie]

I would still like to have the COMPLETE story of what really went on with him when they fired him from Osborne's office. Unfortunately for Doak, there will always kind of be a cloud hanging over him.

 

Welcome back, Doak.

 

I can tell you this: Doak still doesn't know entirely why he was let go. He never got along the greatest with Callahan, and Pedersen was also upset that Doak patented several pieces of rehab equipment and was getting royalties that weren't going to the athletic department. SP and BC both had a hand in letting him go.

 

Lets not get it twisted -- Doak got Doak fired. It wasn't some conspiracy or underhanded tactics by SP or BC.

[hoyamannn]

Lets not get it twisted -- Doak got Doak fired. It wasn't some conspiracy or underhanded tactics by SP or BC.

 

As director of athletic medicine, Dr. Albers was Doak's boss at the time. Lonnie supported Doak 100% at all times. Pedersen was BC's boss and Dr. Albers's boss, so Lonnie didn't answer to BC. It was Callahan that decided he wanted Doak gone, not Dr. Albers.

 

Really the only thing twisted is people thinking they know what happened when they don't. Truly, the only FACT I know is that Doak's boss didn't fire him, so take that however you'd like.

[BigWillie]

Lets not get it twisted -- Doak got Doak fired. It wasn't some conspiracy or underhanded tactics by SP or BC.

 

As director of athletic medicine, Dr. Albers was Doak's boss at the time. Lonnie supported Doak 100% at all times. Pedersen was BC's boss and Dr. Albers's boss, so Lonnie didn't answer to BC. It was Callahan that decided he wanted Doak gone, not Dr. Albers.

 

Really the only thing twisted is people thinking they know what happened when they don't. Truly, the only FACT I know is that Doak's boss didn't fire him, so take that however you'd like.

 

The only reason Doak had ANY support in the program is because he was everyones friend. As far as actually knowing how to do his job, he didn't have a clue anymore. Notice the position he was brought back to recently.

 

There was more to it than just that, but Doak had pi**ed off quite a few more people than just SP and BP, that I can absolutely promise you. Many, many people had complained about Doak. The only difference is they chose not to run to the media, whining like a little girl to get everyone on their side.

[halfchancetom]

Big Willie, what are your sources? Because I doubt you've heard this from anyone who knew anything. This is the problem with people - they like to know things, and they're willing to fabricate facts so that they can be in the know. Or, they make the truth what they want it to be.

[HuskersNow]

If you were an employer and could hire Doak, would you? Or would you think twice about hiring him since you know that if you do and you fire him later on that he is going to smear your name any way that he can.

[BigWillie]

Big Willie, what are your sources? Because I doubt you've heard this from anyone who knew anything. This is the problem with people - they like to know things, and they're willing to fabricate facts so that they can be in the know. Or, they make the truth what they want it to be.

 

Dude, I've been around this board long enough and shown over time I don't blow smoke. You can look at prior posts, mostly recruiting ones that show this. If you want to believe me, fine. If you don't, that's fine too. Either way, it's cool with me.

[DaveH]

BigWillie has a good point that has yet to be refuted. Why wasn't Doak brought back in the same position? If it is OMG TEH AWESOME! like a lot of BC and SP haters think, you'd think he'd be a shoe in.

 

Sounds an awful lot like a buddy-buddy hire. Although I guess that's OK because it's DR. TOM OMG!!1

[hastingshusker]

Just to play devils advocate. if his position was filled (I dont know if it was or not) would they just fire someone to hire Doak back? I guess I wouldn't if i were in charge. Plus he would be a good liason to a bunch of former players...that was shown by the support from him.

[BigWillie]

You don't have to fire someone just to get him a position within the training staff. Look at the job he currently has. It was essentially a job title made up (no, I'm not kidding) just for him. They could have done the same thing within the training staff as well, but they did not.

 

I hope no one gets it twisted that I am a defender of SP and BC, because I am certainly not. But in this case, they had every right to show Doak the door.