1-800-Best-Bet Frank Solich: 100-1 Why even mention him? In fairness, you have to. In the eyes of some, he was wrongly fired in 2003. One of those who thought that way was the guy who is making the ultimate decision. With that said, Nebraska may end up going old school, but not that old school. Frank will be back in Memorial Stadium one day, but for an appreciation day, not as head coach. Will Muschamp (Auburn DC): 90-1 He's young, talented, fiery and will be a head coach someday. But not at Nebraska. If Tom Osborne is going to hire a defensive coordinator, he will look somewhere else in the SEC and probably find someone who is familiar with a Runza. Brian Kelly (Cincinnati): 75-1 Yes, he's a head coach, that helps. He runs a spread option. That helps, too. He has built a national champion at D-II Grand Valley State and led Central Michigan to the MAC title. He even was press secretary for the Gary Hart presidential campaign. What does all of that mean? Nice resume. Not Nebraska material. Jim Grobe (Wake Forest): 60-1 He's led Wake to the ACC title last season. His assistants are exceedingly loyal to him. But he's 55 years old and just signed a 10 year extension. That and his only connection to the Cornhusker state is that he has played their football team twice in the last three years. Jim Leavitt (South Florida): 50-1 A coach who has built a formidable program from scratch, but having access to players from the nation's second or third best recruiting ground sure makes it easier. Those Florida connections will be very attractive to any suitor wanting Leavitt's services. But if you are Leavitt, would you leave? The Bulls have a chance to be the next Florida, Florida State and Miami. All three of those programs rose from obscurity to become national powers. With all the players in Florida, there's no reason why South Florida can't join that group and why Leavitt would want to leave. Joe Glenn: 50-1 The historic irony is there. Go back to Wyoming to find the next savior of Husker football. But Glenn also is a Lincoln guy and even though he is not a Husker, he appreciates the hard work ethic that Osborne is looking for. Glenn's Nebraska's ties make him a candidate, but that's about the only thing that makes him a candidate. He has had success in Laramie, two bowl appearances, a top half finish in the Mountain West. But this isn't the time for Joe Glenn to return home. Gary Patterson (TCU): 50-1 Dennis Franchione put TCU on the modern day map. Patterson has kept it there. He's been in five bowls in the past six years and knows how to beat Big 12 teams (he's done it five of six times). This season, the Frogs are a disappointing 4-3, which might hurt the old stock. Oh, and there's another thing that hurts Patterson's chances to be Nebraska's next football coach. He doesn't have Husker blood. See a pattern developing here? Bill Callahan: 40-1 I only include the current head coach because as long as he is employed, he has a chance. But it's Callahan's insistence on doing things "an NFL way" and not a "Nebraska way" that will be his undoing. Lack of physical practices. Reduction in walkons. Lack of developing players. Callahan has tried it at the college level. He's just not wired for it in my opinion. He likes the pro game and he'll likely return to the pro game where he can deal with football and football only. No more worries about riding herd on college kids or players cutting class. If one guy doesn't cut it, you can always go to the practice squad or the waiver wire. Greg Schiano (Rutgers): 35-1 Probably the most attractive of the current major college head coaches that are being linked to this job. He did the impossible, made Rutgers football relevant. Though this season has been a disappointment, Schiano is still a rising star and just 41 years old. He knows how to generate interest in a program. He got New Jersey interested in the Scarlet Knights. Imagine what he could do if all he needed to do was coach and not market? But last year, Schiano turned down the Miami job. He likes the east coast and there is an aging coaching icon at another northeast school that is going to retire eventually. I like Schiano's odds of outliving Joe Paterno more than his odds of uprooting and moving west. Paul Johnson (Navy): 25-1 This is the obligatory "he's-had-success-at-a-place-that-it's-difficult-to-have-success- therefore-he-is-a-candidate" candidate. Johnson's record at Navy is impressive. He's won nearly 70% of his games at a school that was 1-20 in the previous two years and he does two things Tom Osborne likes. He runs the ball and he graduates players. Then again, don't you have to answer to a much higher power if you don't graduate men from the Naval Academy? The weaknesses here are two fold. Recruiting -- where you really aren't competing with the big dogs like you will at Nebraska. In many cases, you play with what you got. That one can be overcome. But the second reason Johnson is a long shot is…..he's not a Nebraska guy. Bo Pelini: 5-1 The people's choice. Of our first four days of entries into our KLIN.com contest, over 65% of the respondents want to bring back the popular defensive coordinator. No one else is even close. I think he would be an excellent choice. If there is one thing you will get from a Pelini coached team it's intensity. There will not be a shortage of effort and passion from the players. If you believe the message boards, Pelini has already been to Lincoln three times in the last two weeks interviewing and planning to move back here. There are those who feel Pelini's personality and Osborne's will not work together. I don't think that's the case. Osborne wants a tough team. He'll get that with Pelini. Also, do you want to have to face him if he's not yours? Eventually this guy is going to get his own team and you don't want it to be in the Big 12. But here is why I think Pelini is not the favorite. He's not….. Turner Gill: 1-1 I think one of the things that upset Osborne the most over the firing of Solich was that it ruined his line of succession. I firmly believe Gill was being groomed as the next head coach of the Huskers after Frank hung up the whistle. Gill has everything Osborne wants as a Nebraska head coach, an intimate knowledge, understanding and belief of the "Nebraska way." He's a former player under Osborne, a former coach under Osborne and he's a strong man of faith. Under Gill, you know he will bring in other former Huskers to help with the rebuilding process. I wouldn't be surprised if Marvin Sanders returns along with Ron Brown as well as other former Huskers who are starting their coaching careers. Guys like Scott Frost, Mike Minter, Tom Rathman. Though he is not Pelini, the hiring of Gill will be strongly supported in the Cornhusker state, even by strong Pelini supporters. Gill is one of us and a beloved figure in Nebraska football. What other assistant coach gets special report treatment when he leaves a school? Gill did. And don't underestimate the impact of hiring an African-American head coach and possibly three or four assistants of color. That will score huge points in recruiting and put Nebraska at the forefront of hiring minorities in major college coaching.
Well to be fair Turner Gill is Black, but they have no fat coach candidate so they are clearly predigous against people who are challenged by Donuts!! I wonder if they'll give Mangino a shot?
in case you were wondering <r><URL url="http://www.gobison.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=11843&SPID=695&DB_OEM_ID=2400&ATCLID=75916&Q_SEASON=2007"><s></s><LINK_TEXT text="http://www.gob...400&ATCLID=75916&Q_SEASON=2007</LINK_TEXT><e></e></URL><br/> <br/> <br/> <IMG src="http://www.nmnathletics.com.edgesuite.net/pics19/200/ED/EDLOISBIHUQYORO.20060814210633.jpg"><s></e></IMG></r>
true <t>but that still doesn't mean that he is not a good candidate who has head coaching experience... AND a member of the Dr Tom family.</t>
There's no other coach I would rather have coaching "my" team than Paul Johnson. He could get it done at Nebraska.
Re: true <r><QUOTE><s> </e></QUOTE> True for the 1st part, but I'm pretty sure he was a Uncle frankie pick after McBride retired. Not saying Tom's not familiar with him, BUT not a true Osborne offspring. I'll have to research, I could be wrong.<br/> <br/> But Corey, I want you to look at it this way. Turner makes the most sense for these reasons.<br/> <br/> (1) He has Tenure and experience at NU<br/> <br/> (2) Osborne said that before he retired, they were looking at doing more things that Urban Meyer was doing prior to him going to Florida. We (NU fans) saw a lot of those samplings in the 1997 season.<br/> <br/> (3) I have read that Turner has been running several different looks in Buffalo, to include a Semi-Spread Offense (That's the way it was referred to) they have been doing a lot of running out of, vice passing, and a "Power I" set (Sound Familiar?) that they have been passing out of. Those are some of the things that Dr. Tom started doing in 1997.<br/> <br/> (4) Turner will be accepted and have more patience shown towards him for the simple fact that he was/will always be a CORNHUSKER.<br/> <br/> (5) He's young, has head coaching experience, and is very religious. He was greatly involed in Tom's Christian athlete program.<br/> <br/> (6) He has Dr. Tom at his fingertips for advice and leverage.<br/> <br/> (7) He knows, appreciates and understands the importance of the WALK ON program destroyed/ignored by the current regiment.</r>
About Bohl <r><QUOTE><s> </e></QUOTE> While he isn't the Nebraska legend that Gill is, he played for Tom and I would think that would count for something to Husker fans. He's one of you, literally. He is the type of guy that Dr Tom used as the backbone of the program for so many years.<br/> <br/> I see what you are saying about Turner I just don't know if the 'favorite son' thing works out too often. I personally think your pic is the most likely, and I think there is a strong chance for success with it. <br/> <br/> As far as what Tailback said, I agree 100%. Johnson has shown an offensive mind that is equaled by few, if any, in college football. Most people just aren't familiar with his resume. His work at Hawaii as OC was awesome. People seem to forget that Navy was at its lowest point in its programs history when he took the job, and he turned them into a bowl team.</r>