Posted on 11/30/2014 8:47:34 AM PST by FlJoePa
The Bo Pelini chapter at Nebraska has come to its last page. The Husker head coach of seven years was fired on Sunday morning in a scenario reminding of 11 years ago, when Frank Solich was let go after a 9-3 season.
“Earlier this morning, I informed Coach Bo Pelini of our decision to move forward in a new direction," Husker athletic director Shawn Eichorst said in a statement. "Coach Pelini served our University admirably for seven years and led our football program’s transition to the Big Ten Conference. We wish Coach Pelini and his wonderful family all the best and thank him for his dedicated service to the University.”
A press conference is scheduled for 1 p.m.
A member of Pelini's staff said an associate athletic director called assistants around 9 and informed them of a meeting at 11 a.m.
"It went bang-bang," the staff member said.
Efforts to reach Pelini were not immediately successful.
Players were clearly in shock by the announcement.
"Unreal. Bo believed in me and I 100% believed in him. Can't believe this..." tweeted sophomore wide receiver Jordan Westerkamp.
"Bo was the best coach I have ever had the pleasure to play under. Highest character, loyal, I could make a freakin list....." tweeted senior offensive guard Mike Moudy.
"Speechless..." tweeted former Husker Rex Burkhead.
Per Pelini's last contract, NU is on the hook to pay him $7.65 million, owing him $150,000 monthly for the next 51 months, though that total would lessen if he takes another job. All assistants coaches, and football strength coach James Dobson, were on contract until January 2016. They would be owed a total of just over $3.1 million combined. Including Dobson's salary, NU will owe its coaches more than $11 million total.
Pelini will exit the program with a 67-27 record, having won at least nine games every year, and 10 games three years, but without claiming a conference championship so craved by a hungry fan base.
While Pelini’s number of losses stacks up favorably to most of his peers, detractors would point to the way those games were lost, with Nebraska losing seven games in the last four years by at least 20 points, including a 59-24 meltdown at Wisconsin in November.
Pelini was 9-16 against ranked teams, with this year’s Wisconsin game joining a 2013 loss to UCLA (41-21), a 2012 loss to Ohio State (63-38), and 2011 losses to Wisconsin (48-17) and Michigan (45-17) as recent losses to Top 25 teams in which the game got out of hand. The 2012 Big Ten Championship Game still registers as damning as any game, when the Huskers were routed 70-31 by a 7-5 Badger team, denying NU a trip to the Rose Bowl.
That game was one of three conference championship game opportunities Nebraska had under Pelini, but the Huskers also fell short in Big 12 title games against Texas in 2009 (last-second 13-12 loss) and Oklahoma in 2010 (23-20 loss after NU raced to a 17-0 lead).
“I fully support Shawn’s decision to make a change in the leadership of our football program, and wish Bo and his family all of the best," UNL chancellor Harvey Perlman said. "I am confident that Shawn will find the best coach, teacher and fit for this University and for our football program.”
Like I said - I realize he’s a jerk. I just don’t know what is out there. I guess Scott Frost will be the next coach, but I don’t see that move helping the defense any.
How? You tell them the money comes from boosters. The base salary is different then the comp package.
Uggh forgot about that game. I take it Nebraska lost? Well thats the way its been we beat them at home earlier this year. Nebraska has been down since joining the B1G, Cook has had a couple of great classes but PSU signed the best class in history 2 years ago according to pundits.
dream on. No skin off my back.
Heck yeah PSU’s D was STOUT.
But Hoke scores better than Pellini in intangibles: personality, media relations, high graduation rates of players, low off-the-field problems with players.
...you mean like Frank Clark, Brendan Gibbons, and Taylor Lewan...?
IU beat Mizzou @ Mizzou earlier in the year. One of those “head scratcher” games.
...less of a head scratcher than IU losing to Bowling Green...
Bet Pelini ends up at U of M - and pumels Nebraska for a decade or two - or Florida.
...hopefully you don’t spend too much time in the casinos...Pelini will not be HC at UM or Fla...
And U of I is retaining Beckman?
...beating Franklin saved his butt for another year...maybe...
I’ll bet the tOSU players say the PSU defense is the best they’ve played all year.
...they’d probably say the Va Tech defense holding them to 17 points on their home field (and actually winning the game) was tougher...
...Va Tech and PSU are mirror images of each other...
Why not tap into Warren Buffett’s pockets, Hire Nick Saban and Chip Kelly as Co head coaches for $50 million each, $50 million for recruits, $50 million to pay off the Refs, and have Buffett buy ESPN from the SEC as an exclusive channel for the renamed Nebraska Buffetts, Its mere pocket change for Buffett, and I’m guessing we created a dynasty that will last a decade. s/
Oh, I do go to the casinos. But I play (and win) at blackjack. Don’t touch sports. Suck at those bets.
That said, I’ll put a $100 donation to Free Republic on Pelini going to Michigan or Florida before the first game by either team next year.
Mr. Robinson, I hereby authorize you to make that charge if I lose this bet, but only if IrishBrigade agrees and likewise authorizes you to make that charge if he loses.
Is it a bet, IrishBrigade?
PS Offer void if illegal, but because we are not offering to pay each other, I think it is legal.
Please see my prior post — forgot to add you to the “To:” line...
Is it a bet, IrishBrigade?
...nope, never bet, on anything...but never fear, FR will get an independent donation from me...
...but a clever riposte on your part...my compliments...
...but a clever riposte on your part...my compliments...
...and BTW, were we to do the deal, you would lose...you can bet on it...
If I lose, I will still pay up. (Monthly donor, so it is just bonus to FR.)
Thank you very much, piytar!!
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