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Don't you think it's time to forgive Bill Callahan?


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Bill Callahan completely rejected the Nebraska culture and program traditions and tried to run things like we were in the NFL. He totally alienated former players, coaches, and staff. Not only that, but he ran the football program itself into the ground.

 

I'm never forgiving him, even though he was just coaching in the only way he knew how.

 

But I'm especially never forgiving Steve Pederson for being responsible for the whole mess.

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Bill Callahan completely rejected the Nebraska culture and program traditions and tried to run things like we were in the NFL. He totally alienated former players, coaches, and staff. Not only that, but he ran the football program itself into the ground.

And. . . and, he's kind of a goober.

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Husker fans will always hold a certain degree of angst towards Callahan and his ultimate failure of a tenure. It's hardly unexpected or unmerited.

 

There's nothing to forgive because, what does that do, exactly? On the other hand I do think it would be good to be level-headed about the man's successes and failings here. He did do well to restock a level of talent that was becoming severely depleted, and he showed the kind of results an expanded, all-out recruiting effort can have even at a place like Nebraska that is so cold and nobody wants to come here, etc, etc. I think there are some fans who consider him evil manifest and every single thing he did and every single way he had of doing things was pure, anti-Nebraska malevolence, never to be repeated here again, and that kind of narrative is more than a little unproductive.

 

We want a coach who excels here, and Bill Callahan is not so important or significant a figure that we want a coach who is literally the anti-Callahan.

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I really believe we have a very similar situation. This year could have easily turned out very bad. We have a coach that is very loyal, it seems those with the NFL in their background have this same manorism. We have a team this year that gave up worse yardage blowouts than BC era teams did. Loyalty, stubborness what ever, very close to the same, just a better win/loss record, but still the sound ass beatings we recieved in the past time frame.

 

But Bo is a new head coach, BC had a stay on that level, but nothing on the college side. As accountability said, we all thought we were on our way after the Michigan game, as most here felt after the Arizona game. Bo needs more time to see if he can figure it out, recent improvements in recruiting indicate he has made headway on that side. And as I have stated many times, I feel that is by far the most important part of the process.

 

It looks like there is light at the end of he tunnel. I certainly hope so.

 

People make errors, do not do as good of a job as needed. It does not make them evil or bad, just not qualified for the job. I also think BC was given a directive to change the course of the program by Pederson. I think he was just doing what his boss told him to do. Pederson put the locks on the doors, upped the security and required permission to enter. Those did not come from BC. And in fairness it was because of the incidents at VaTech. Bad timing for BC and staff. He gets blaimed for a lot of things he really had no control over.

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Do I forgive him? Not a second. He took this program and turned it inside out. Took away traditions and never cared. I don't care what he inherited, he did that all to himself. We lost to teams in his last year that we haven't lost to in years. Can't blame that one a team that he inherited either, that was all him.

 

Now do I give him a thought in present time? No, unless people like you keep bringing him up which brings up my hatred for him.

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I do not think Callahan totally ruined the program and I don't think he did anything on purpose. However, I'm not going to forgive him for how things went down. Didn't he call Dr. Tom a crotchety old f*ck or something like that? He probably catches more crap than what he should but, he didn't do himself any favors either.

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BC- doesnt really understand the college game from a leadership/HC perspective

He was arrogant in trying to "flip the culture", alientating players, taking down all the all-americans pictures, not honoring the past

Most of us HERE where HE coached, dont give a darn about the NFL< I dont watch it

In COLLEGE football every game counts and we DO CARE about how badly we get beaten, it's NOT the NFL

Dont talk down to people "That's too technical for you"

Run the dam ball- 3rd and 2 shouldnt always be an automatic passing down

He LOST a complete team- Raider players- SUPER BOWL, championship level players HATED the guy

He doesnt know how to bring or keep teams together

He failed to be a good manager, didnt choose or manage his staff well

Media savy when he wanted to be- could win the interview

Great recruiter

Good talent evaluator

Poor talent developer

Probably a great ASSISTANT coach- not college head coaching material at a place where football matters

 

I dont wish him poorly, but wouldnt have any welcome mat out for him either

This job meant little to him other than what it looked like on his resume- I think he felt the passion and commitment of the state and fans was silly. Glad he was sent packing.

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I do not think Callahan totally ruined the program and I don't think he did anything on purpose. However, I'm not going to forgive him for how things went down. Didn't he call Dr. Tom a crotchety old f*ck or something like that? He probably catches more crap than what he should but, he didn't do himself any favors either.

 

He didn't do it on purppose. Everything he did to destroy this progarm was completely driven by his own ego.

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The only thing I can criticize Callahan for is his inability to have the nads to get rid of his defensive coordinator. Look at the guys he recruited. We could score points. We simply could not stop the other team.

 

As Lou Holtz once said, "The hardest thing for a head coach to do is to fire his friends." He was, of course, referring to Callahan. It is the only time I have ever agreed with Holtz!

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I do not think Callahan totally ruined the program and I don't think he did anything on purpose. However, I'm not going to forgive him for how things went down. Didn't he call Dr. Tom a crotchety old f*ck or something like that? He probably catches more crap than what he should but, he didn't do himself any favors either.

 

He didn't do it on purppose. Everything he did to destroy this progarm was completely driven by his own ego.

 

Exactly, him and Pedersen were both all about themselves. Not a good fit for Nebraska.

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NO!

He screwed my Raiders. He did everything he could to destroy a Nebraska program steeped in tradition. I have to believe he is now doing the same in Dallas.

To ask me to forgive is out of the ralm of reality and shame on you SAH for asking me to do so.

T_O_B

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