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Who's Next?
Who's Next for Huskers?
By Stewart Mandel
Ron Zook may have been a punchline at Florida, but he at least went to bowl games every year. John Cooper couldn’t beat Michigan, but he beat most everybody else. In four years’ time, Callahan managed to lead a team that hadn’t missed a bowl game in 43 years to two losing seasons. A team that used to regularly put up 76 points on the likes of Kansas this year allowed 76 to the Jayhawks -- and 65 to Colorado, and 45 to Oklahoma State, and 40 to Ball State.
The two most commonly rumored names are Turner Gill and Bo Pelini. Personally, I don’t think either is the best man for the job right now -- both could use more seasoning, with Gill only holding two years of head-coaching experience at low-level Buffalo and Pelini not yet a head coach. Of the two, Gill seems more plausible (mostly because of his direct ties to Osborne), but Nebraska, one of the most prestigious programs in the country, can and should do better than that.
A perfect candidate for the Huskers would be Wake Forest’s Jim Grobe. He’s not only orchestrated one of the most impressive turnarounds in the country, turning the long-struggling Demon Deacons into an 11-win team last season and a bowl team again this year, but his blue-collar approach and penchant for developing unheralded talent fit Nebraska well.
Another possibility is Navy’s Paul Johnson, a logical thought considering he’s both a great coach and the reigning master of the triple-option. I don’t necessarily think Nebraska needs to return to the days of the triple-option to be successful, but Johnson’s version is also a little more modern. My one concern with Johnson would be that he’s never recruited at the highest level.
A couple of weeks ago, I suggested Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly, a career-long winner whose spread offense would be a great fit for Nebraska’s current personnel. It’s believed, however, that Kelly could be a serious candidate at Michigan, the state where he spent most of his career. If Osborne wants to hire a coach quickly, Kelly might not be an option.
Who's Next for Huskers?
By Stewart Mandel
Ron Zook may have been a punchline at Florida, but he at least went to bowl games every year. John Cooper couldn’t beat Michigan, but he beat most everybody else. In four years’ time, Callahan managed to lead a team that hadn’t missed a bowl game in 43 years to two losing seasons. A team that used to regularly put up 76 points on the likes of Kansas this year allowed 76 to the Jayhawks -- and 65 to Colorado, and 45 to Oklahoma State, and 40 to Ball State.
The two most commonly rumored names are Turner Gill and Bo Pelini. Personally, I don’t think either is the best man for the job right now -- both could use more seasoning, with Gill only holding two years of head-coaching experience at low-level Buffalo and Pelini not yet a head coach. Of the two, Gill seems more plausible (mostly because of his direct ties to Osborne), but Nebraska, one of the most prestigious programs in the country, can and should do better than that.
A perfect candidate for the Huskers would be Wake Forest’s Jim Grobe. He’s not only orchestrated one of the most impressive turnarounds in the country, turning the long-struggling Demon Deacons into an 11-win team last season and a bowl team again this year, but his blue-collar approach and penchant for developing unheralded talent fit Nebraska well.
Another possibility is Navy’s Paul Johnson, a logical thought considering he’s both a great coach and the reigning master of the triple-option. I don’t necessarily think Nebraska needs to return to the days of the triple-option to be successful, but Johnson’s version is also a little more modern. My one concern with Johnson would be that he’s never recruited at the highest level.
A couple of weeks ago, I suggested Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly, a career-long winner whose spread offense would be a great fit for Nebraska’s current personnel. It’s believed, however, that Kelly could be a serious candidate at Michigan, the state where he spent most of his career. If Osborne wants to hire a coach quickly, Kelly might not be an option.
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