Pelini and Osborne after 36 games

[Paul in WI]

The difference between Pelini, Osborne, Solich, and Callahan is that Pelini inherited a total mess and the others didn't. Osborne and Solich basically inherited Nebraska teams that were at or very near the top of the nation. They were basically handed the keys to Dad's Ferrari. Callahan inherited a decent team but chose to make a mess of it.

Considering the circumstances, I'm amazed that Pelini can have a winning percentage in the same neighborhood as Osborne and Solich in such a short time span.

 

[sd'sker]

the way college football is anymore, if BO can produce 9-10 (more 10 than 9) win seasons with the occasionally mnc run (1-2 loss season), i will be pretty happy.

 

[Nexus]

The difference between Pelini, Osborne, Solich, and Callahan is that Pelini inherited a total mess and the others didn't. Osborne and Solich basically inherited Nebraska teams that were at or very near the top of the nation. They were basically handed the keys to Dad's Ferrari. Callahan inherited a decent team but chose to make a mess of it.

Considering the circumstances, I'm amazed that Pelini can have a winning percentage in the same neighborhood as Osborne and Solich in such a short time span.

Which is why the older generation relates Pelini's hire to Devaney's when he arrived at NU. Both inherited low morale teams and made do with what they were given in the beginning.

 

[huKSer]

Osborne, as well as Solich, walked into much better situations than what Pelini walked into.

I also think Solich would have inevitably been fired anyways. His recruiting was never that good, he relied far too much on the quarterback in his offense, and he recruited too many Nebraska kids. If you want to win, you HAVE to go outside of Nebraska. You just have to, and you have to do it often.

T-Mart?

 

[Paul in WI]

The difference between Pelini, Osborne, Solich, and Callahan is that Pelini inherited a total mess and the others didn't. Osborne and Solich basically inherited Nebraska teams that were at or very near the top of the nation. They were basically handed the keys to Dad's Ferrari. Callahan inherited a decent team but chose to make a mess of it.

Considering the circumstances, I'm amazed that Pelini can have a winning percentage in the same neighborhood as Osborne and Solich in such a short time span.

Which is why the older generation relates Pelini's hire to Devaney's when he arrived at NU. Both inherited low morale teams and made do with what they were given in the beginning.

Yep. I failed to mention Devaney. Bob Devaney is in a league of his own. What he did in his relatively short time at Nebraska is utterly remarkable.

 

[RedDenver]

the way college football is anymore, if BO can produce 9-10 (more 10 than 9) win seasons with the occasionally mnc run (1-2 loss season), i will be pretty happy.

That's a very high standard. I think only Osborne has ever managed it. I have come to expect the occasional 7 or 8 win season sprinkled in there. Too much parity in D-1A for always winning at least 9. Just look at Texas for what can happen to even the very elite with every advantage.

 

[Nexus]

The difference between Pelini, Osborne, Solich, and Callahan is that Pelini inherited a total mess and the others didn't. Osborne and Solich basically inherited Nebraska teams that were at or very near the top of the nation. They were basically handed the keys to Dad's Ferrari. Callahan inherited a decent team but chose to make a mess of it.

Considering the circumstances, I'm amazed that Pelini can have a winning percentage in the same neighborhood as Osborne and Solich in such a short time span.

Which is why the older generation relates Pelini's hire to Devaney's when he arrived at NU. Both inherited low morale teams and made do with what they were given in the beginning.

Yep. I failed to mention Devaney. Bob Devaney is in a league of his own. What he did in his relatively short time at Nebraska is utterly remarkable.

No argument there. Wholeheartedly agree.

 

[sd'sker]

the way college football is anymore, if BO can produce 9-10 (more 10 than 9) win seasons with the occasionally mnc run (1-2 loss season), i will be pretty happy.

That's a very high standard. I think only Osborne has ever managed it. I have come to expect the occasional 7 or 8 win season sprinkled in there. Too much parity in D-1A for always winning at least 9. Just look at Texas for what can happen to even the very elite with every advantage.

oh sure.

 

[husker98]

As some of you know, Bo Pelini passed Bill Callahan yesterday in coaching wins at Nebraska. It only took Pelini a little over 2 years to do what Callahan did in 4 years. Kudos for that!

Another interesting thing to note is that yesterday's game was Pelini's 36th game as head coach (*excluding his interim HC stint in the 2003 Alamo Bowl). In Tom Osborne's first 3 seasons as HC at NU, he coached 36 games. Let's see how Pelini compares to Osborne after 36 games:

Osborne

1973 = 9-2-1

1974 = 9-3

1975 = 10-2

Total = 28.5 wins - 7.5 losses (.791)

Pelini

*2003 = 1-0

2008 = 9-4

2009 = 10-4

2010 = 8-1

Total = *28 wins - 9 losses (.777) or 27 wins - 9 losses w/o figuring in his 2003 win (.750)

Furthermore, in Bob Devaney's first 3 seasons as HC at NU, he was 28-5 (.848).

What Bob did in those first couple years is more impressive than BP and TO's work.

He took over a predominantly bad team which was at best mediocre, and made them damn good.

He would have some just above .500 years after that, but we all know how hist coaching story ends at NU.

TO took over a great situation, built on the tradition, and coached some of the best teams ever.

Pelini took over a mess and righted the ship.

Bob took over a program with some history, and built it into a national power and laid the foundation for what we have now.

I rest my case.

 

[Enhance]

Osborne, as well as Solich, walked into much better situations than what Pelini walked into.

I also think Solich would have inevitably been fired anyways. His recruiting was never that good, he relied far too much on the quarterback in his offense, and he recruited too many Nebraska kids. If you want to win, you HAVE to go outside of Nebraska. You just have to, and you have to do it often.

T-Mart?

Scored 24 offensive points against ISU and scored 24 points against Missouri without the help of Martinez. This offense doesn't need Martinez, but is definitely a lot better with him in the game.

 

[bshirt]

The difference between Pelini, Osborne, Solich, and Callahan is that Pelini inherited a total mess and the others didn't. Osborne and Solich basically inherited Nebraska teams that were at or very near the top of the nation. They were basically handed the keys to Dad's Ferrari. Callahan inherited a decent team but chose to make a mess of it.

Considering the circumstances, I'm amazed that Pelini can have a winning percentage in the same neighborhood as Osborne and Solich in such a short time span.

Which is why the older generation relates Pelini's hire to Devaney's when he arrived at NU. Both inherited low morale teams and made do with what they were given in the beginning.

Well said!

Devaney & Bo performed real miracles by instantly winning with hopelessly beaten down programs. We're incredibly lucky to have had two magicians at HC.

 

[irafreak]

Well if we really want to compare TO and Bo then we have to remove last year's loss to texas since TO's first 3 years had no CCG game.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

I guarantee you the same guys around here who want to blame Shawn Watson for everything would have been calling for Tom Osborne's head after TO's third consective three-loss season in '78 (including back to back losses to Iowa State).

Lest ye spawns forget, the carping at Watson and Bo is probably less than what Osborne faced from the fanbase for the first twenty (yes 20) years of his career.

 

[ESPY]

Great thread! The future is bright indeed!

 

[knapplc]

I guarantee you the same guys around here who want to blame Shawn Watson for everything would have been calling for Tom Osborne's head after TO's third consective three-loss season in '78 (including back to back losses to Iowa State).

Lest ye spawns forget, the carping at Watson and Bo is probably less than what Osborne faced from the fanbase for the first twenty (yes 20) years of his career.

This is most certainly true.

Also, I don't think the heat Watson is catching now is anything compared to what Charlie McBride faced in the late 80s / early 90s. This state wanted McBride ran out of town on a rail after seven straight bowl losses where McBride's defenses gave up an average of 30 points per game and we lost by an average of more than two touchdowns.

If there had been an internet back then the hailstorm of criticism we'd have seen toward McBride would have made the dissatisfaction shown to Watson look like nothing.

McBride learned from his mistakes and ended up all right, I suppose - if you like crazy-good unstoppable dominating defenses.