Tom Shatel's Q&A with Bo Pelini

[Nexus]

Lunch? I don’t know if the man eats. Well, that’s not entirely true. A friend of mine was honorary coach for the Colorado game last month and told me that the Nebraska head coach ate pasta for breakfast. More on that later.

 

I caught up with Pelini around noon last Tuesday to discuss an array of topics, including this season, Nebraska’s offense, the fallout from the Big 12 championship game and Turner Gill’s hiring at Kansas.

 

Days before Christmas and the Huskers’ departure for San Diego, Pelini was working in a quiet, deserted Nebraska football office. When I met him, I had to laugh. He was wearing a sweatshirt from Disney World, with one of the seven dwarfs on the front. I’ll let you guess which one.

 

Grumpy.

 

You think Pete Carroll or Bob Stoops wears a “Grumpy’’ sweatshirt to work? Who knows? But Pelini took a giant step toward catching up to his two mentors this season. We talked about that and more.

 

Q: All things considered, was your second season at Nebraska a good season?

 

A: “I thought it would have been a good year if we had won the Big 12 championship game. I think we’re making progress. I think we’re getting better. And I’m excited for the future. But I’m not going to be happy until we win them all.

 

“We’re close, in some areas. The thing I know is, we’re set up well for the future. In my mind, I like where we’re heading. I do know this, a year ago, if you had told me we could play with anyone in the country, I didn’t feel that way. Now, I know we can play with anyone in the country. We can beat anybody.’’

 

Q: How important is the Holiday Bowl?

 

A “It’s always important to go into the offseason the right way, but I don’t think it’s going to define our program in the future. Whether we win 10 or not won’t change that but it sure would do a lot for our momentum.’’

 

Q: Will the coaching staff return intact next season?

 

A: “Yeah, I think so. But you never know. Our guys have done a good job and have been recognized for it. I think our guys are happy. If it’s a step up, I’ll welcome it. I don’t think anybody’s going to leave for a lateral position. I hope they’re all back. I love my staff.’’

 

Q: Is your offensive staff on notice to produce next year?

 

A: “No. The way I look at it, it’s also the same group that carried us a year ago. There were some personnel issues on offense and things we needed to play through. I have a good vision of where this offense is going and I shared that vision with the other guys. The easy thing to do is point the finger and panic.

 

“I have the right guys on the offensive side of the ball. Did we execute and run the kind of offense I want to run and move forward? No. But it’s not just about coaching. If I don’t believe I have the right guys on the offensive side of the ball, it’s time to make a change. But I know I have the right guys.’’

 

Q: Were you as surprised as everyone else at the offense’s struggles?

 

A: “Yes and no. There were some things that surprised me, some that didn’t. I knew we had some issues going in. I really don’t want to say much more than that.

 

“If you try to push a square peg into a round hole too quick, it’s going to keep you from winning right now. And I want to win right now.’’

 

Q: Did Zac Lee’s troubles halfway through the year throw you a curve? Should you have tried to run the ball earlier in the year?

 

A: “I think everybody focuses on just the quarterback issue. I think the issues are more deeply rooted than that to what we want to accomplish.’’

 

Q: Such as the offensive line?

 

A: “Yes. We have to get better. We need to play better. We need to execute better. It just goes across the board. Almost at every position, we performed well at times and we did not perform well at other times.

 

“We didn’t have any consistency with execution. Next year I believe we’re going to be a lot deeper, on the line, in every area. Which is going to create competition. Which is going to make you a lot better.’’

 

Q: What is your vision for your offense?

 

A: “The first thing I want to do is run the football. To run the football, in my mind, you have to be able to knock people off the ball. You have to be a physical team. We aren’t as physical as I’d like us to be.

 

“And that’s going to change.’’

 

Q: Can you do that out of the spread? Do you have to have a fullback?

 

A: “I think you have to have both. In this day and age, people are good enough — you can’t just line up in the same thing all the time. You watch Coach (Tom) Osborne’s games way back when, which I have, he ran the ball out of the spread as much as anybody, with four wideouts and things like that. You have to have multiplicity in your offense, whether you’re running the ball or throwing it. But you have to have a physical nature about yourself, no matter what.’’

 

Q: Are you and Shawn (Watson) on the same page there? There’s a perception that he just wants to throw it and will be reluctant to commit to a physical run game.

 

A “No, I think people got it wrong there. Like I said, there are times when you got to do what you got to do to win football games. I think Shawn and I are on the same page. We share a vision. I have a lot of confidence in where we’re headed. I know I have the right guy. I have a great staff.”

 

Q: Are you more involved in the offense now?

 

A: “I wouldn’t say that. I have my role. I know my role. I need to get more involved as we move forward into the offseason. That’s when I will get more involved, in the offseason.’’

 

Q: Have you leaned on anyone this year in the profession on how to become a CEO — Pete Carroll or Bob Stoops or anyone?

 

A: “No, not really. I’ve watched Pete do it and I worked with Bob for a year. Everybody has to do it in their own way and figure out the way that works best for them. I really feel that these first two years have allowed me to figure out, ‘OK this is how it’s going to work for you.’ I really wasn’t that sure coming in, how am I going to get involved, what am I going to do? But now I have a real clear vision of what it all entails and what I’m going to do. I’m excited about it. I’m a lot more at ease with this job.”

 

Q: What do you expect out of the offense next year?

 

A: “I think we’re going to be a force to be reckoned with on the offensive side of the ball next year. I know people aren’t going to expect a lot out of us because of the way this season went. It will be much different.’’

 

Q: Why will it be different? A lot of your personnel will be the same.

 

A: “A lot of the personnel on defense was the same this year. And we were a lot better.’’

 

Q: One of the things about the West Coast offense here has been that it takes a veteran guy to “get it.’’ Do you want an offense that allows young guys to make an impact, too?

 

A: “Absolutely. If people still consider this the West Coast offense, I don’t know. There are still some elements to it. What you do is take a look at what you are — it’s the same thing I do defensively, evaluate what you are, what you’re doing, every aspect from top to bottom and you say how do you take these things and make them better? How do you make these players better? It’s not about the system, it’s not about us as coaches, it’s about what’s best for the players. And I can say this: That’s what is going to be done.’’

 

Q: There’s been some talk that you like the Alabama offense and might go in that direction. True?

 

A: “I don’t study them, but we’ve gone against it in the SEC. Alabama’s offense does some good things, they do some things they could do better. I know this: They run the football and they are physical running the ball. Even Oklahoma last year, for as many yards as they threw for, had a physical running game. You have to. That’s the element I want to have.’’

 

Q: What level of offense do you want? Do you just want a serviceable offense to go along with a great defense or an offense that can be its own force?

 

A: “I want to be able to score a lot of points. But ultimately I want to win. People were criticizing Alabama’s offense early in the year, but what did they do? They were able to score enough points to win games. I have a tremendous amount of confidence in our ability to play defense.

 

“There’s a certain recipe on offense that I want to go with. I want to be physical. I want to move the ball in different ways and score.’’

 

Q: What about your defense next year? Will it be a notch down? Better?

 

A: “I envision our defense being much better. We’re going to be another year in it, I think we’re going to be deeper. We’re going to have more options. Obviously, we’re losing a great guy, but we’re going to be deeper.

 

“(Ndamukong) Suh had a great year, but he was just one of 11 and I think he’d be the first one to tell you that. Everybody acts like Suh’s the only one out there making tackles and making plays, but we played good team defense this year. I believe we’re going to step up and play better defense next year. I have no question we will be better. I have no reservations about that.’’

 

Q: Have you had any conversations with the Big 12 office since the championship game about the last second, the ruling, the replay, etc.? Any further explanations from them?

 

A: “No. It’s not worth my time. It’s over, it’s done with. What are you going to do? Maybe there will be a time for that at some point. I have not talked to the Big 12. Coach Osborne, I believe, asked for an explanation and I don’t know if he got it or not. What’s done is done.

 

“You can’t turn back the clock. Well, they turned back the clock. But in my sense, it’s over. A lot of people might disagree with that.’’

 

Q: A lot of people do want a further explanation. They want to hear the Big 12 say they were wrong.

 

A: “They won’t ever say that.’’

 

Q: Any final thoughts about the postgame situation where you and Carl (Pelini) were heard protesting, shall we say, loudly?

 

A: “I thought there was privacy, walking off the field and into your locker room. I wasn’t even yelling at anyone in particular. I was actually yelling at someone who was in the locker room. I wasn’t yelling out at anyone on the field.

 

“I thought there was a sacred ground. I grew up around places where that was a sacred place. That’s why you have postgame press conferences and cooling off periods. Let me tell you: I have respect for Texas. I don’t want to ever make it sound like I was saying ... you can ask Mack Brown, I give credit to Texas. I don’t ever want to take away from them. I never have and I never will. We talked about it in New York. It’s not his fault. It’s not Texas’ fault. It’s not.’’

 

Q: What was your reaction to Turner Gill being hired at KU?

 

A: “Good for him. Good for his family.’’

 

Q: Will that be a competitive situation? A lot of people will compare you two because you were both candidates here.

 

A: “I don’t know. I don’t care about that.’’

 

Q: I have a source who said at breakfast the day of the Colorado game, you had spaghetti for breakfast and that you eat pasta every meal. True?

 

A: “Not every meal, but a lot of meals. I always eat the same pregame meal. Spaghetti’s part of it. I had oatmeal and spaghetti.’’

 

Q: Oatmeal and spaghetti?

 

A: “Usually when I walk into a game, I’m not going to eat again for a long time so I make sure I get a lot.’’

 

http://www.omaha.com/article/20091226/SPORTS/712269877

[HuskerRob]

Great read, I'm so proud to have him as our head coach.

 

I loved the part when Shatel questioned Bo for having such faith in the offense's improvement in 2010.

 

"A lot of the personnel on defense was the same this year. And we were a lot better.’’

 

With a win on Wednesday, it sure will be a fun ride through Spring and Summer until we kickoff the 2010 season.

 

An improved defense + "softer" schedule + Improved offense - Ndamukong Suh = Big 12 Champions

[Nexus]

Truth.com

 

 

Q: Can you do that out of the spread? Do you have to have a fullback?

 

A: “I think you have to have both. In this day and age, people are good enough — you can’t just line up in the same thing all the time. You watch Coach (Tom) Osborne’s games way back when, which I have, he ran the ball out of the spread as much as anybody, with four wideouts and things like that. You have to have multiplicity in your offense, whether you’re running the ball or throwing it. But you have to have a physical nature about yourself, no matter what.’’

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

Reading the part about the offense leads me to believe none of the coaches are going anywhere unless they choose so.

[The Snork]

I loved this part:

 

“You can’t turn back the clock. Well, they turned back the clock. But in my sense, it’s over. A lot of people might disagree with that.’’

 

Q: A lot of people do want a further explanation. They want to hear the Big 12 say they were wrong.

 

A: “They won’t ever say that.’’

 

That ... and oatmeal and spaghetti for breakfast.

 

[BIGREDIOWAN]

Great article and I've said it before, but I like where we're headed with Bo.

[zoogs]

Q: Will that be a competitive situation? A lot of people will compare you two because you were both candidates here.

 

A: “I don’t know. I don’t care about that.’’

 

Let the rivalry begin!

[HuskerRob]

Q: Will that be a competitive situation? A lot of people will compare you two because you were both candidates here.

 

A: “I don’t know. I don’t care about that.’’

 

Let the rivalry begin!

 

We are going to need a new coaching rivalry within the Big 12 now that "Big Game Bobby" will be heading south to Gainesville.

 

Turner is going to recruit very well for KU, and this will be bring more heat to the Big 12 North.

[Hunter94]

interesting comments about the O.........I do believe Bo knows defense.

[REDSTEEL]

Q: Are you more involved in the offense now?

 

A: “I wouldn’t say that. I have my role. I know my role. I need to get more involved as we move forward into the offseason. That’s when I will get more involved, in the offseason.’’

 

 

Wonder if things start to differ with Watson once he gets more involved in the offseason.

[Hunter94]

Q: Are you more involved in the offense now?

 

A: “I wouldn’t say that. I have my role. I know my role. I need to get more involved as we move forward into the offseason. That’s when I will get more involved, in the offseason.’’

 

 

Wonder if things start to differ with Watson once he gets more involved in the offseason.

 

 

like i said.........not my idea of a great answer.