Kinda makes me want to play Pitt...

[Hercules]

LJS

 

Turner Gill fought a losing battle in early 2004.

 

When Bill Callahan and his coaching staff arrived at Nebraska, Gill, the only holdover from Frank Solich’s staff, asked Tom Osborne to address the new staff about aspects that helped make Husker football successful and unique.

 

“The staff listened politely, but I didn’t think much of anything I talked about gained much traction,” Osborne wrote in his book, “Beyond the Final Score.”

 

“I had the impression that previous NFL and college experience trumped anything I had to offer,” continued Osborne, a congressman at the time.

 

The Callahan years (2004-07) were an awkward period in program history, a period during which Nebraska football lost a sense of self. Uniqueness disintegrated. It often was difficult to watch. From the beginning, it hit many Husker fans like an anvil to the forehead, the pain escalating significantly after the 2004 season, when Gill abruptly left the program.

 

Perhaps you remember the photo in the Dec. 4, 2004, editions of our newspaper, one of the most poignant photos I’ve seen: Gill standing at a podium during his farewell press conference, staring downward, searching for strength, and wiping away tears.

 

On that unforgettable day, during that unforgettable period, Gill became the last of Osborne’s assistants to exit the program.

 

When Gill returns Saturday to Memorial Stadium, as first-year head coach of Kansas, many of us will experience a deluge of memories. Memories of Gill’s fluid athleticism as an extraordinarily gifted option quarterback. Of his graceful, peaceful and poised manner off the field. Of his steady, patient and upbeat manner as an assistant coach.

 

He coached wide receivers in his only season under Callahan. I cringe every time I recall Callahan, during a preseason practice, barking, “Day 19, Turner, and you still can’t get them lined up right!”

 

You can’t ignore awkward and painful history, lest you repeat it.

 

But better to focus on the good. That’s obviously easy in Gill’s case. I go back to Gill’s farewell presser in 2004, when he succumbed to emotion as he arrived at the part of a prepared speech that addressed the players he coached.

 

“Leaving the players ...”

 

Gill started the sentence, paused and turned from the podium. His eyes welled with tears. He twice cleared his throat. Nearly a minute passed before he returned to the podium.

“Leaving the players is definitely the hardest part,” Gill said then. “I would like for them and the rest of the team to know that I love them, and that I’ll always believe in them.”

 

Which brings us full circle to this season, in so many ways a dreadfully awful one for Kansas (3-6, 1-4 Big 12). Yet over and over, Gill tells his players he believes in them. He’ll always believe in his players. That’s Turner. It’s in his DNA. It’s as genuine as his speech in 2004.

 

Gill’s strong personal faith keeps pushing him forward, even when many in the Kansas fan base question whether he’s sufficient for the task. You just know the naysayers were squawking Saturday as lowly Colorado built a 35-10 halftime lead in Lawrence, Kan.

 

Game, set, match, right?

 

Right?

 

Kansas’ locker room was upbeat, and Gill actually uttered, “Get ready for the biggest comeback ever,” according to The Kansas City Star.

 

“He said that,” linebacker Steven Johnson told the Star. “I lie to you not.”

 

Sometimes faith is rewarded, Kansas’ remarkable 52-45 triumph supplying proof and providing KU a timely jolt of positive energy entering Saturday night’s game against ninth-ranked Nebraska.

 

So, ready or not, Husker fans, the time has come. Gill returns to our backyard, his old backyard, but wearing blue and believing in blue. Imagine the range of emotions thousands of Big Red fans will feel when Gill leads the Jayhawks into the stadium where he once dazzled, a 48-year-old head coach still looking fit enough to fake a pitch and bolt upfield.

 

“Competition is competition,” Osborne told me last winter as we discussed Gill’s return. “You just go out there and play. Maybe it’ll feel a little strange for Turner. But I’m sure he’ll handle it well.”

 

With class and grace, for sure.

[Sparker]

Man, I wish he was on staff at NU so bad....

[suh_fan93]

That was an awesome article.

[Chaddyboxer]

Callahan is a dick!!! Unsuccessful prick!

[Hingle McCringleberry]

Callahan is a dick!!! Unsuccessful prick!

 

It's more than that. Even if Cally was a success, his style would of been hard to swallow. His arrogance, lack of respect for or history, and tradition. A college coach is more than that, they are first and foremost molders of men. 95% of your guys will never go pro, never even think about it, as the coach you are there to help them become stronger in life, not just on the field. After Cally was fired, it really came out how cold he was towards the players.

 

I guess in the end I will always look to the interviews of players from our Nat Champ years under TO. You see some of the hardest men to ever play the game start to well up as they talk about what TO meant to them in there lives, and the respect they still have for him, no one will ever shed a tear for Callahan....

[BIGREDIOWAN]

I wish Turner all the luck in the world and I think he'll get that program moving back in the right direction. He's just not gonna do it this Saturday. Sorry Turner, you are the enemy come game time. After the final whistle blows then you are a friend again.

[knapplc]

I cannot wait for this game. I want this to be a blowout so it's decided early, and I want the crowd to chant "Tur-ner GILL!" as he leaves the field.

[RazzinGTO]

Besides the Texas game, this is definitely the game I wanted to go to. This past Friday the wife surprised me with tickets for my birthday. I can't wait to go. Yes I want the Huskers to throttle KU but in no way is there any angst against Turner.

 

He is a class act and when we were looking at coaches I would have had absolutely NO ISSUES if he had been chosen over Bo. For the record I did prefer Bo just because of his fire.

 

"Tur-ner GILL!"

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

Gill is a good man. Too bad we have to DESTROY his team.

[SaturnDrew]

Maybe for this game, Bo can get his players to stop putting dirty hits on the Kansas players out of respect for Turner Gill.

 

 

 

In all honesty, I am kind of glad it's the last time we will play them in regular season barring some coaching and conference changes in the future. I know he'll have a good team in Kansas soon. They are the Big 12 school I respect the most upon leaving.

[NUance]

We’ve never had an opposing coach who has been more well respected, and more welcome in Memorial Stadium, than Turner Gill will be on Saturday. I hope we only cause him mild embarrassment with a respectable 21 point Husker win. (But a 50 point NU blowout wouldn’t be a bad thing.)

[bshirt]

I want us to take a knee 20 times if it keeps us from blowing out Kansas. TG is family. That is all.

[Sparker]

I want us to take a knee 20 times if it keeps us from blowing out Kansas. TG is family. That is all.

 

Is he going to take a knee 20 times? I understand showing respect, but that's just not going to happen. Why not just play the first half then?

[JOEY]

I want to beat kansas 100-0 I dont care If turner gill is the head coach or not I want to get them back for that 76-39 win that they got against us in 07. I wont have a problem rooting for kansas once we are out of the B12 though.

[Husker_x]

There is no program aside from Nebraska I want to see succeed as much as Turner Gill's Kansas. I just don't want it to be at our expense is all. Next season it's on.