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Osborne expresses his admiration for Anderson


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Baseball: Osborne expresses his admiration for Anderson

BY MITCH SHERMAN

WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

LINCOLN — Tom Osborne stands firmly behind Nebraska baseball coach Mike Anderson during perhaps the most disappointing season in program history.

 

The second-year athletic director said Friday he supports Anderson's bid to rebuild. Anderson's job is not in danger, Osborne said.

 

"You don't ever go on the basis of one year," Osborne said. "I have a lot of confidence in him and hope that next year is better. I think he's proven to be a good coach."

 

NU defeated Baylor 10-4 Friday night at Haymarket Park, the Huskers' first Big 12 win at home since March 21. They have lost seven straight weekend series and will finish last in the conference.

 

Nebraska (23-28-1, 6-19) failed to qualify for the Big 12 tournament, its first absence since 1998. It's one of many lowlights that have marred this spring.

 

"What you need to do is look at overall performance over time," Osborne said. "Baseball is probably, of all the 23 sports we have here, as volatile as any because of the pro draft.

 

"So you're going to have one year to the next change radically."

 

Anderson said he appreciates Osborne's support.

 

"He's been a great mentor," the coach said. "He's not only a mentor to me but to our whole athletic department. If you can't rely on Tom Osborne, I'm not sure who you can rely on."

 

Osborne said he sympathized with Anderson's plight during the past two summers. NU lost to professional baseball 14 of 18 potential returnees and recruits who were selected in the 2007 and 2008 drafts.

 

The pitching staff was especially hammered, losing seven arms with remaining eligibility in the top 10 rounds of the draft.

 

Osborne specifically noted the loss of Aaron Pribanic, Dan Jennings and Zach Herr after last season — a trio who could have formed the Huskers' weekend rotation had they returned this year as seniors.

 

"It made a big impact on this team," Osborne said.

 

The Huskers' earned-run average of 6.40 ranks by nearly two points as its highest figure this decade. In Big 12 play, it's 7.80.

 

The win Friday allowed Nebraska to avoid matching its lowest conference victory total since 1977. The losing season is its first in 12 years and second in two decades.

 

Additionally, Nebraska went 50 consecutive innings without leading during a nine-game skid — another first since 1997.

 

But under Anderson, Osborne said, NU has "done some pretty phenomenal things."

 

The Huskers have qualified for the NCAA postseason in five of Anderson's seven seasons and won Big 12 titles in 2003 and 2005. The 43-year-old coach is 278-144-2 at Nebraska, a winning percentage of .658 that places him second in school history to his predecessor, Dave Van Horn.

 

Anderson coached the Huskers to their lone win at the College World Series in 2005.

 

"To take a northern team and in seven years win the Big 12 championship twice is pretty remarkable," Osborne said. "At one time, the thought was if anybody took a team to the CWS, they had a lifetime job here.

 

"He'd be a hero forever."

 

Osborne said he realizes things have changed.

 

"With success comes higher expectations," he said. "No one knows that better than I do."

 

Attendance is down 34.2 percent this season at Haymarket Park. The crowd Friday of 2,243 ranked as the second lowest of the year for a league game.

 

NU contributed more than $10 million to construction of the baseball-softball complex, into which the Huskers moved from a rundown campus facility in 2002. Five regionals and two super regionals at the stadium have helped the baseball program approach a break-even point in its best years.

 

Clearly, the ante has been upped.

 

"I watch those things, but I don't obsess over them," Osborne said. "It's only natural that this year you're going to have some dropoff, but we do have an amazing number of very loyal fans who are just enjoying college baseball."

 

 

Like said, Anderson's job isn't in jeopardy... at least TO can see and understand what happens when you lose THAT MANY PLAYERS to the draft... seems some people just don't get that part of baseball....

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Forgot to mention, all of the people calling for Anderson's head because we didn't make the big 12 tourney for the 1st time since 98 and how we were so terrible.. How about Oklahoma St? With 2 possibly 3 TOP draft picks in their WEEKEND rotation? They aren't in the big 12 (or 8) tourney for the 1st time since i believe 77? And what about Baylor? A one time top 10 team this season has fallen off the map. Baylor was supposed to be one for 3 big 12 teams to make it to the CWS this year. What happened there? Should Anderson or Smith be fired from OSU/Baylor? Oh, not to mention this is the 2nd straight season of the same BS from Baylor.....

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