Jim Grobe was offered NU job in 2007....

[knapplc]

I understand this is a different job, different era really, but if it was a deal-breaker for Grobe to have to keep a couple/three of Frank's assistants, why is he keeping all of Art Briles' assistants at Baylor?

 

[84HuskerLaw]

I have a tough time buying this story as well. Perhaps Grobe was in the running and felt as though the job was his to lose. However, a guy with Grobe's credentials doesn't turn down a job at Nebraska over a couple coaches. That just doesn't happen.

Indeed. This seems quite likely. I would not be surprised if Osborne suggested that there were several assistants on the staff that were very good and would be 'keepers'. Doubtful he would have insisted though. He didn't for Bo. I believe Bo was his first choice because that's who the fans wanted and although Bo's obvious glaring issue was his temper (the Bill Snyder incident was enough for some to say Bo should not be hired but T.O. chose him and even had considerable discussion about control of his emotional outbursts, etc. Tom's biggest mistake, in my view, in all of his three decades at Nebraska was NOT sticking around the Athletic Department following his hiring/naming of Frank as his successor. Frank needed his support and continued presence to help his recruiting. In fact, Tom probably should have made Frank Head Coach and stayed on for about 4 years as the offensive coordinator to continue his help in recruiting. But, he left Frank to sink or swim on his own which, of course, we know he sank. I suspect Frank didn't want Tom looking over his shoulder either.

As for hiring other than Bo, I doubt there was more than discussion. Tom would have been wise to seek staff retention as this saves millions of dollars in buy outs and helps retain player loyalty and recruiting progress.

 

[Red Five]

I understand this is a different job, different era really, but if it was a deal-breaker for Grobe to have to keep a couple/three of Frank's assistants, why is he keeping all of Art Briles' assistants at Baylor?

Not sure you can compare the situations. He is currently out of a job and maybe wanted a paycheck? Or didn't have enough time/resources to assemble a staff in June? And all those assistants will probably be cleared out next winter anyways due to the scandal.

 

[Mavric]

I understand this is a different job, different era really, but if it was a deal-breaker for Grobe to have to keep a couple/three of Frank's assistants, why is he keeping all of Art Briles' assistants at Baylor?

Possibly because he had choices in 2007?

 

[C N Red]

Where's all the guys who have wanted Grobe here from after Cally and after Bo? Did you catch his sh#t show yesterday at media days. He is saying Baylor doesn't have a problem. Maybe he should do some research about problems Baylor has had in the past and currently. What the hell is he doing?? Trying to make things worse? How about admit things need to change and take responsibility for making sure the changes will happen.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Where's all the guys who have wanted Grobe here from after Cally and after Bo? Did you catch his sh#t show yesterday at media days. He is saying Baylor doesn't have a problem. Maybe he should do some research about problems Baylor has had in the past and currently. What the hell is he doing?? Trying to make things worse? How about admit things need to change and take responsibility for making sure the changes will happen.

Grobe was only given the Interim Coach tag, so he is probably going with the company line that he was told to do when he was offered the job.

 

[Saunders]

Or not...

Osborne, reached by phone Wednesday, said he was "puzzled" by why Grobe keeps telling reporters that.
"I interviewed Jim Grobe and I think he's a good coach, but I never offered him the job and there were no stipulations on assistants," Osborne said.
Why did Grobe think there were?
"I have no idea," Osborne said.

Osborne said he talked to all potential candidates — including the eventual hire, Bo Pelini, and former Kansas and current Liberty coach Turner Gill — about who they might hire for their staff, but that's standard for any athletic director to inquire of a coach.
"I certainly never said to anyone, 'These are the assistants you need to keep,'" Osborne said. "It's a moot point anyway because I never offered Jim the job."

 

[zoogs]

Well, that's that, ha!

I'm sure there's a "this is the official story I would like to set" element to this, as there is in anything anyone says, but TO wouldn't be able to say this if he had in fact offered Grobe the job.

Grobe's own insistence to the contrary is what's been most puzzling here.

 

[huskerswrkhavoc]

The whole thing started as a troll from RSS back when the search was going. "Journalists" then ran with it and wrote it as fact. It then grew national and it seems Grobe has lied to himself enough to convince himself he actually did have an offer. There is a negative percent chance he had an offer. I'm sure TO spoke with Grobe, but there was no offer. Ever.

 

[SuperBigFan69]

Well, that's that, ha!

I'm sure there's a "this is the official story I would like to set" element to this, as there is in anything anyone says, but TO wouldn't be able to say this if he had in fact offered Grobe the job.

Grobe's own insistence to the contrary is what's been most puzzling here.

Maybe TOM never offered him the job but said something like "Jim, would you be willing to hire 3 staff members that I think would be a great fit"

And Jim said, no thanks, and he felt that was the offer.

Who knows

 

[Sargon]

I've read webrumors that Bo was chosen by powers that be...not by Tom. Maybe that would have played out in a way that later Tom made the same choice on his own...or maybe Tom was steered some/a lot, in that direction. Anyone hear/believe such a rumor?

Grobe...he wasn't offered, imo. Serious talk...maybe, maybe not. Don't care.

Some first time HC trivia. Tom Osborne earned a PhD. Tom trained under a superstar. Tom Herman looks to be a first time HC big success. He's a Mensan. He trained under a superstar. Elite brains such as the Tom's have learn better than anybody else, and they learned from superstars.

Anybody know how smart Scott Frost is?

 

[Mavric]

Well, that's that, ha!

I'm sure there's a "this is the official story I would like to set" element to this, as there is in anything anyone says, but TO wouldn't be able to say this if he had in fact offered Grobe the job.

Grobe's own insistence to the contrary is what's been most puzzling here.

Maybe TOM never offered him the job but said something like "Jim, would you be willing to hire 3 staff members that I think would be a great fit"

And Jim said, no thanks, and he felt that was the offer.

Who knows

That's what I'm going with. I guess I tend to believe TO more than Grobe - and a lot of people for that matter.

Kind of the same semantics that were thrown around in our most recent coaching hire. You're in pretty serious discussions about whether someone wants the job or not so you do everything right up to the point of "We're offering you the job" so that you can always say you didn't *actually* offer them the job if it doesn't work out.

 

[NUance]

Where's BigWillie? I know he refuted this story several times -- including a claim that the rumor was invented as a joke on some forum playing into the plane-watching frenzy. Of course, maybe they inadvertently did get the actual plane ... which would be quite the twist!

I agree with knapp and Mav here. The Grobe story sounds self-serving; it's popped up in the media and is nice for Grobe to claim. It also paints him in a particularly noble light. It wouldn't stun me if it were true, but really now: Bo's hiring seemed inevitable from the moment Steve Pederson was fired.

It was a complete sham. Basically a guy on a board that i was also a member of created the Grobe rumor and it took off. It was pretty funny to watch it all unfold

Just because some guy created a rumor (correctly guessed) that Grobe was in the mix back whenever doesn't mean it was untrue.

Why would Grobe lie about it now, many years later? I think I'll give Grobe the benefit of the doubt and assume it's true.

 

[Mavric]

Where's BigWillie? I know he refuted this story several times -- including a claim that the rumor was invented as a joke on some forum playing into the plane-watching frenzy. Of course, maybe they inadvertently did get the actual plane ... which would be quite the twist!

I agree with knapp and Mav here. The Grobe story sounds self-serving; it's popped up in the media and is nice for Grobe to claim. It also paints him in a particularly noble light. It wouldn't stun me if it were true, but really now: Bo's hiring seemed inevitable from the moment Steve Pederson was fired.

It was a complete sham. Basically a guy on a board that i was also a member of created the Grobe rumor and it took off. It was pretty funny to watch it all unfold

Just because some guy created a rumor (correctly guessed) that Grobe was in the mix back whenever doesn't mean it was untrue.

Why would Grobe lie about it now, many years later? I think I'll give Grobe the benefit of the doubt and assume it's true.

And it's not like it was COMPLETELY fabricated. He did interview for the job. It's not that much of a stretch to hear of a guy that was being interviewed and say he was offered the job.

 

[zoogs]

Yeah, your theory makes sense, Mav.