Approaching Total Faith

1 comment so far December 28, 2006 by Steve Hanway

When the ax fell on Frank Solich in December 2003, I can’t say I had total confidence that the Huskers would be back in the Big XII Championship game any time soon. I liked what Steve Pederson had done at Pittsburgh, but I also didn’t want to see Nebraska repeat the mistake that Oklahoma had.

The Sooners ran off a winning coach in Gary Gibbs which resulted in a number of losing seasons. Perhaps the fact that firing Gibbs ultimately brought the program Bob Stoops is a silver lining, but you would have to say the Sooners were extremely lucky that things played out as they did. The program might have very easily muddled in the mediocrity that programs like Alabama have when they continually dismiss winning coaches.

With a 5-6 record to begin his coaching career at Nebraska, Bill Callahan didn’t exactly “have me at ‘Hello’”. But Coach Callahan followed that season with a top-rated recruiting class, an Alamo Bowl win and a near-miss of a division championship. This year delivered a Big XII North championship and the best Nebraska team since Eric Crouch’s senior year. It also appears likely to produce another outstanding class of recruits.

Earlier this season, I would concern myself with recruiting. I was thinking, “Nebraska needs a bunch of linebackers, but I don’t see many set up for visits”. Boom! – the Huskers land commitments from four-star players like Blake Lawrence, Travis Lewis, and Austin Stafford (with other possible options as well). I also got concerned that the Huskers needed immediate help on the defensive line with so many players graduating. Bam! – the Huskers get commitments from four-star JC transfer Joseph Townsend and 310-lbs. Shukree Barfield. At other points, I had concerns about quarterback and running back but the Huskers have addressed all of their needs in a big way. In other words, I was worried for nothing.

With each recruiting victory, I’ve gained more and more confidence in the coaches. These guys know what they need and do a very fine job of addressing those needs. There’s still a lot that has to go right between recruiting well and producing victories, but seeing these coaches succeed in selling themselves and the Nebraska program means they probably can also get the kids to buy into their schemes. I can’t say I’m totally there on defense, but I’m sold on the West Coast offense. What I’m approaching here is total faith in the Husker coaching staff, something I haven’t been able to say this decade.

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