The Program Dr. Tom Wants
12 comments so far
January 20, 2010 by
For a Christmas present this year, I received a copy of Tom Osborne's book Faith in the Game: Lessons on Football, Work, and Life. While it has now been over 11 years since the publishing of the book, the message about what type of football program he wanted to run at Nebraska still rings true. For the most part, head coach Bo Pelini seems to be running the football team in such a way that Dr. Osborne would like to keep him on for some time. Nobody can read minds, and I doubt he would publicly voice any displeasure, but the points in his book indicate to me that he would have to be really happy with Pelini as head coach of Nebraska football right now.
The book starts out with a quote by one of the best college basketball coaches ever, John Wooden: "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are; your reputation is merely what others think you are.” If I've ever seen a guy less concerned with his reputation than Bo Pelini, I would be shocked. It's clear from his handling of player issues, recruiting, and even media, that Pelini is less concerned about what others are saying about him than he is about making sure he does the right thing.
Now we all know that fiery, explosive guy that can sometimes stalk the sidelines, but I would not make the mistake of thinking his passion for the game detracts from his character. If you've ever heard the phrase "Love the sinner, hate the sin," that's my take on Pelini's feelings towards the mistakes he hates to see. Some people have said with the recent firings of Texas Tech's Mike Leach and Kansas' Mark Mangino, that passionate guys like Bo need to watch out. I say they're wrong. Where there is a major difference is that Pelini genuinely loves his players like they're a part of his family, but despises seeing mistakes on the field. We've seen the Pelini brothers "displeased" with each other on the sideline, but do you think the brothers love each other any less because they were yelling for a few minutes? He's a guy that will criticize the actions of a player, but not the player.
One of the other displays that I'm starting to see in this program is loyalty. How many of us thought that Shawn Watson or Carl Pelini would have bolted at some point over the last couple of years? I was certain we would have some staff turnover immediately following the Bowl Game. I was pleased to see a raise granted to Carl Pelini, but the staff (including Bo) is still making much less than a staff should who put together one of the most impressive defensive performances in memory. The loyalty of those in the program is clearly driving a need for the team to succeed, not for the coaches to make a bunch of money.
The 2009 season was a success considering where the program had been and it's clear from Bo Pelini's "we're back" comments, he considered it a success as well. Setting realistic goals was always a high priority for Dr. Osborne's programs, and it seems pretty clear it is with Coach Pelini as well. He has clearly set the bar high by wanting to compete every year for the Big 12 Title. Does anyone have any doubt that they will be in the running for the top team in the conference, say, over the next 3 years? Next year, while not a lock, looks like a pretty good chance to represent the North division again in the Big 12 Championship game.
With the coaching carousel seemingly what it is in this new era of football, I wonder if Bo Pelini can have a 25 year run at Nebraska like Tom Osborne. Truthfully, I'd be happy with 10 years out of Pelini, and a chance to continue even more. He appears to be running this football team by instilling a work ethic, promoting academics, and encouraging traits such as character, loyalty, unity, and teamwork. More than just winning, it's doing things the right way, the Nebraska way.
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Ty Hughes Jan 20 10
10 years would be WONDERFUL, but is probably unrealistic. Maybe Bo, but Carl will move on so he doesn't have to always live under his brother's shadow. There are still a couple of positions coaches I'm not sure about yet as well.
Dilbert Pelini Jan 20 10
Bo and Carl are both standup guys. Go Huskers!
tom Jan 20 10
I am aware that the likelihood of a 10 year staff with little turnover is not the greatest possibility, but look at Missouri. They had a program that was not the greatest, but they stuck with Gary Pinkel and the exact same staff for eight straight years. It culminated with their best couple of years in recent history. I think that Bo is at least as good as Gary Pinkel, and I would say he has the potential to be like Bob Stoops or Mack Brown. Why wouldn't he want to stay here for 10 years?
kalthalior Jan 20 10
I heard Coach Ekeler speak at a work function last week and he addressed the the question of some of the coaching staff moving on at some point. While not ruling it out if offered a ton of money, he noted money isn't everything. As he put it, Ron Brown was here under Coach Osbourne, Barney Cotton and Marvin Sanders both played here, he and John P. both received their shot at the big time under Bo (plus Mike himself is a native son), and Carl is Bo's brother, and most of all they have a good thing here. Notably he didn't say anything about Watson, Gilmore and Beck, although I'd note Beck is another Youngstown Cardinal Mooney guy if I recall. As a whole, Mike indicated the staff works well together, the players have bought in and they have the culture in place to do great things. He emphasized more than once that Bo wants to win them all and we as fans should not be satisfied with anything less than that, and he also repeatedly emphasized that four losses sucked as far as he and the staff was concerned and that the team will get the things that held us back some last year fixed.
Todd Schweiger Jan 20 10
Excellent writing. While I really think Bo will be head coach for a long time, not to sure if Carl will. I really would like to see Mr. Solich come back and also Mr. Frazier as QB coach. Probably dreaming but these 2 would be great coaches and great role models for the players and recruiting. Keep up the good work, I really enjoyed your post.
OU7times Jan 20 10
I totally get your point in this story. Who wouldn't?
For years I have been saying on BRN that Nebraska had been getting away from exactly what you say TO says in his book. Your "NEBRASKA WAY".
Of course, I'm talking about the Callahan years when he did so much crap that was 180 from TO's philosophy. But hey, we are still paying him for a few years more so lets just turn our heads
I want to ask you, Tom. Who yelled "the king has on no pants" then?
I remember no one wanted to step up and say that it was totally 'un-Husker' like behavior until the wins started to get fewer and farther between. Then the bitching about the loss of wins and not the coach's unacceptable behavior, was the hot topic.
People actually so mad about losing, allowed such horrible things to happen without so much as any mention of whether their coach and TEAM was out of control.
All for the win? Are you serious?
Consistency in philosophy , from board of regents and fans, would have been nice then and a bit more palatable, at this stage?
People have been in love with, and bragged about, the 'right' way Tom Osborne ran his shop.
So why was this 'overlooked' during Callahan's time.
Evidently, winning changes everything even if you have to fudge on character flaws when it comes to the coaching staff.
Don't believe it? Just ask Tennessee and USC fans.
Huskerdeck Jan 20 10
Great article, we live in such a spin world and what I like with Bo is you get no spin.
Bill Jan 21 10
Todd Schweiger
"also Mr. Frazier as QB coach."
Yeah... because Tommy Frazier has done SO WELL at coaching so far. He REALLY tore it up at Doane, didn't he.
Ha ha!
tom Jan 21 10
OU7,
I started writing blogs during the beginning of the end of the Callahan years, so my public opinion on Steve Peterson, the firing of Frank Solich, the hiring of Bill Callahan, etc. is not really out there and verifiable. But I can tell you that the direction of the program started heading south when Peterson saw fit to run the athletic department like the front office of an NFL club.
There were plenty of people who pulled their money from the program when Solich was fired, and even more when word about the attitudes of Callahan and Co. began to surface.
And trust me, it wasn't just coaches with Un-Husker like behavior. We as fans began to act like everyone else, booing our own team and leaving from games early when we weren't pleased.
The fact is fans split into the group that thought about the tradition and those that thought it was a relic. The most vocal got away from tradition, but broke down when the losing started getting embarrassing. I was embarrassed about the program quite a bit before the losing got bad. It will take another two years to eliminate that anxiety most of us feel from that era.
Todd Schweiger Jan 21 10
Hey Bill.....that was just an opinion! He (Frazier) was NOWHERE near ready for that job. Not sure if he will ever be. Probably not. But he knows how to play qb, he started as a freshman. And he has the skill and knowledge to keep our young qb's focused and on the right track off the field. I think he would be comparable to Turner Gill on the sidelines.
Greg Morrow Jan 23 10
I didn't see as many "exorcist" looks on his face, this year. Just the really, really pissed, animated expressions. Him jumping on Carl, after that last Buffy TD, was pretty funny. He points himself at you. You have no doubt what the problem is and where the conversation is headed.
The two have this passion. "Agony and the Ectasy" type passion. They're "artistes" and the team is their fresco.
Had Osborne coached in this era, with the exact same record, I think he would've gotten sniped, some point around the 7 game Bowl loss streak. THAT'S the era we live in.
Every culture has its soft underbelly. Ideally, rural Nebraska produces people who are individually independant and industrious. These same people are also as helpful as a best buddy could ever be. "Barn raising" and help in the fields and with the livestock have been a way of life. A "Nebraska way."
Since Osborne was raised in small town Nebraska, he was obviously influenced by it. A life's examples of strong character parents and Grandparents might've been the bigger influence. But, he's all Nebraska.
I've sometimes thought that if he'd been raised in Kansas, or Idaho say, they would've had relatively similiar success.
That would change his personal dynamics, though. Just like a turnover, injury and untimely penalties change game dynamics.
A different invironment, a different Tom Osborne.
All I know is, I'm drawn by the block N and the clean uni. But not as much as the legacy of Devaney and Osborne. They attatched the meaning to this program.
Osborne's getting older and older. Like the Pelini hire, his replacement as AD, you could say, is about as critical.
An AD too easily swayed by booster and commercial interests can seem to veer the cruiser way off course.
Can Osborne and the chancellery find another Tom Osborne?
OU7times Jan 23 10
Tom,
I find your personal explanation honest and refreshing.
I guess all or most programs have gone through similar instances.