Yes, one in the same. 'Husker fan here to answer why Frank Solich was let go after a 9-3 season--it was because there was no real tangible progress with the team, despite two more wins than the year before it. Nebraska beat up fine on the lesser folks, but Kansas State and Texas really gave us a beat down that year. Add to that the prior beatdowns from 2001 on, and Frank was more about maintaining the Status Quo instead of being progressive enough to get to the NC game again. Add to that the rampant (but still unproven) rumors of infidelity and alcoholism on the part of Frank Solich, and there was too much to ignore for a man that only changed his stripes at proverbial gunpoint. Bo should had been the new head coach, and Nebraska fans still miss some of that 2003 staff to this day (Barney Cotton, Marvin Sanders, and obviously Bo), but Pederson wanted to do things 'his way', tradition and the program be dammed. As for the firing of Pederson, it is a big deal that he was fired--since he and Callahan are joined at the hip, Callahan is gone at the end of the year. That's a given. But between what the other 'Husker poster mentioned about the mood at the office, boosters being shunned, and problems with donations, one thing that Steve did was that he turned his back on the past players/coaches. In fact the 1997 NC team was going to have a meeting with other past players this week to talk about forcing the AD office to meet with them and demand better access (something they had before and that our program is built on.) All in all, all Nebraska got out of Pederson was a facilities upgrade and a Basketball coach. But when Football is your cash cow, and your athletics department IS NOT SUPPORTED BY TAX MONEY, it makes it really hard to operate or think about the future. I hope that explains the what, whys, and hows. If you all want to know, come over to bighuskerfan.com and sign up/give us a shout. We'll be happy to talk football (and more) with you all.
Wait a minute.... You're telling me Nebraska fired Solich for that even though the Nebraska program has been willing to condone and turn a blind eye towards the criminal, thuggish behavior of its players?
Husker, rumors off our board is Osborne is gonna step in as interim AD, mostly to keep the big donors intact. Any word on that? We also have a rumor that Solich was "re-contacted" and apparently will have a comment... after he "gets his girlfriend on her high school bus, gets a cold shower, and let's his Goody's powder do it's thing". Whatever that means....
People are talking about Osborne for AD (at least on an interim basis) with Dave Rimington (the same man who has a trophy named after him) as an understudy with the understanding he'd take over in a couple of years. There's plenty of options out there, including Meyer (who was an interim AD before and is a major mover/shaker amongst the 'boosters of substance'.) And we're not contacting Solich to come back--putting stepstools in front of all the drinking fountains nearly bankrupted us last time.
turner gill will be the next husker coach. unless they get a smart ad that will get the best coach out there.
