Bo Big Red: Pelini named Nebraska coach
December 2, 2007
By Jim D. Berryman

Nebraska interim athletic director Tom Osborne named Bo Pelini head football coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Sunday.

It was the worst-kept secret in all of football.

Pelini, who yesterday was LSU's defensive coordinator, had little time to celebrate LSU's win over Tennessee in the SEC championship game.

He had little time to realize that after No. 1 Missouri and No. 2 West Virginia lost on Saturday, his LSU Tigers would be in the national championship game against Ohio State.

Bo Pelini had other things on his mind... like packing a suitcase for his trip to Lincoln the very next day.

Soon, Pelini will be packing more than a suitcase, he'll be making the move to Lincoln.

Even though the weather is much warmer in Baton Rouge than Lincoln on this first weekend in December, Pelini was ready to shed his LSU purple for the one and only Husker red.

He's a football guy. He knows a legendary football program when he sees it, and he didn't see it as an assistant coach at LSU.

So it is with great fanfare that we say: Welcome back to Nebraska Bo!

At the press conference, Pelini, who comes off as a regular guy, spoke of getting to work right away.

Recruiting is part of what makes a college football team successful, and Pelini indicated he would hit the road for Big Red immediately.

Pelini introduced his wife and children at the press conference. His son wore a Husker hat and his two daughters were both in red.

Pelini said that there is a lot of work to be done. He spoke of how Nebraska and the University of Nebraska are special.

He also indicated he likes the city of Lincoln and understands what Husker football means to the state.

That's something former head coach Bill Callahan never managed to  project to Husker Nation.

There was no mention of Callahan during the press conference, nor University of Buffalo head coach and former Husker Turner Gill, who had been considered for the NU coaching job as well.

There was laughter during the press conference, generated from both Tom Osborne and Pelini.

Osborne joked about his lack of charisma. And Pelini got laughs when a reporter asked about his demeanor.

We remember Pelini getting in the face of Kansas State coach Bill Snyder during an NU-KSU game while he was Husker defensive coordinator under Frank Solich.

Pelini's over-the-top, in-your-face confrontation with snobby Snyder may have been over the top, but he tapped into what every Husker fan was feeling at the time, after Snyder ran up the score on Nebraska in a game that was long since decided.

So after a season Husker fans would rather forget, and a season where Nebraska will be at home during bowl time, a new coach has caused the entire state to have a new outlook on the future on Nebraska football.

Thank you Bo. Thank you Tom.

The Huskers may be in Lincoln this bowl season, but let's have some fun and call it the "Bo Bowl".

We all saw Missouri get ripped by Oklahoma Saturday night, so now fans in the Show-Me state realize that a Big 12 Championship and National Championship are things that don't just fall into your lap...they are earned.

As Husker fans, we know this better than anyone.

And thank goodness, the new man at the helm of Husker football knows it too.
 
Comments welcome:
jimdberryman@missingnebraska.com
 

     
Nebraska Football:
Welcome Bo!
STORIES - LINKS - VIDEO

> STORIES

12-02-07: Pelini returns to NU as head coach  -Lincoln Journal-Star
12-02-07: Pelini named head coach -Omaha World-Herald
12-02-07:The Pelini File -Omaha World-Herald
12-02-07: 'Dream job' awaits, Pelini says -Omaha World-Herald
11-20-07: LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini hired at Nebraska  -Yahoo! Sports/AP
12-02-07: Bo Knows Huskers: Pelini new coach at Nebraska -ESPN.com
12-02-07: Pelini introduced as Nebraska coach -Baton Rouge Advocate
12-02-07: Nebraska Names Bo Pelini Head Football Coach-(Huskers.com


> VIDEO

12-02-07: Osborne: Pelini is a fit -KETV-7 Omaha
11-20-07: Pelini Named Nebraska Head Coach -WOWT-6 Omaha
Ongoing Updates: Bo Pelini Named Husker Football Head Coach -KOLN-KGIN TV 10/11 Lincoln-GI




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