Osborne and Byrne knew exactly the ramifications of Texas’ demands when the Big 12 was formed. And make no mistake, Texas’ motivation was indeed to destroy Nebraska. From their point of view, Nebraska had an unfair advantage, due to our perfect use of the academically unqualified student athlete, and our walk-on program. Well, the 85 scholarship limit effectively killed our walk-on program (which is why Callahan is doing the right thing by reducing it’s size), and Texas effectively killed our awesome system of using the athlete that today is labeled “unqualified”.
Both Osborne and Byrne argued vehemently against this when it was discussed. But you know who actually got it voted in? No, it was not Texas’ threat to leave the Big 12 and join the Pac 10 (that actually was a very real possibility). It was ISU, Kansas, KSU et al who voted with Texas in favor of their demands. Texas convinced these schools – who suffered under the dominance of Nebraska for two decades – that it was in their best interest to diminish Nebraska and give them a level playing field. They saw an opportunity to kick the legs out from under Nebraska, hell ya they’ll take it. Those unwise schools failed to see how it would also hurt them in the long run. The vote was nearly unanimous against Nebraska.
We argued that rather than destroy our system of using academically unqualified student athletes, copy it. We had a great system. Not great for our football program, but great for the student athlete (and yes, at the same time, we got great athletes to come to Nebraska). Consider Junior Miller. He was functionally illiterate. Today, this man would not have played Division I college football, not have been all conference, would not have been a Kodak All American, would not have been drafted, would not have made the Pro Bowl, would not have made NFL MVP. Nor would he have recovered from alcoholism and start a hugely successful business in Lincoln after his recovery. What we did with Junior, and many others, is actually teach them. We gave him a simple basic education that the public school system he came from failed to do. We taught him to read, write and basic math skills. Then we made him apply it to a degree. And not a BS in Lawn Mower Engines. Sure, it wasn’t on par with the normal arts or science degree, but it was an education that gave him life skills – which he used to pull himself out from the gutter and become a contributing member, and a saved soul. I guarantee that Junior worked harder for his degree than I did for my cum laude degree. Nebraska’s system saved his life. Rather than emulate it, as we proposed, Texas was successful in destroying it. Now tell me, what was the real motivation of Texas, versus the real motivation of Nebraska?
So go slow to criticize any Nebraska recruiting class, past or present. Unfair as it is, there are haves and have nots in major college football, and with the power of schools like Texas, there always will be. Nebraska should be a have not. Devaney overcame the obstacles. Osborne overcame the obstacles. Even Solich tried, though would have eventually failed if not removed. And it appears to this observer that Callahan will also refuse to be defeated by the cards stacked against this school. f#*k ‘em. We’ll just outwork them all, because you know why? We’re Nebraska, and what we’ve always stood for, and still stand for, will overcome the power shakers at Texas, Miami, et al, who delude themselves into thinking they pull the strings.
