Callahan to begin new Husker era
DEREK J. LIPPINCOTT/DN
NU Athletic Director Steve Pederson and Head Football Coach Bill Callahan talk during a press conference Friday following Pederson's 41-day search for a coach. Pederson fired Frank Solich on Nov. 29 after Sol
It all came to an end Friday.
The search for Nebraska's next football coach, which began after Frank Solich was fired Nov. 29, ended after 41 days as NU Athletic Director Steve Pederson announced the hiring of Bill Callahan -- Nebraska's 27th coach in the 114-year history of the program and fourth since 1962.
And with that, a new chapter in Nebraska's football legacy begins.
It's an era Pederson and Callahan don't plan on ending anytime soon, as Callahan agreed to a six-year contract worth $1.5 million annually.
"I'd love for this to be the last football coach I ever hire," said Pederson, who began his second year as NU's AD on Jan. 1.
Callahan, the former Oakland Raiders coach, also has that in his plans, saying he hopes to end his career with the Cornhuskers.
"To be able to lead this program is a tremendous task and one that I accept," the 47-year-old said. "The challenges ahead will be tough. I think I have a great chance to make an impact not only in the years to come, but in the decades to come."
It's a new era in which Callahan, who will call his own plays, promises to feature a West Coast offense, an unfamiliar sight to Husker fans used to seeing NU run the ball more than 75 percent of the time.
Callahan also brings with him high expectations -- something Pederson made clear was a requirement of the next coach when he fired Solich, who had just led the Huskers to a 9-3 regular season.
"The No. 1 goal and objective is to win the national championship," Callahan said. "I am fully committed to that responsibility. ... That goal will never change. That's our goal each and every year."
Pederson picked Callahan over two internal candidates -- Turner Gill, NU's quarterbacks coach and assistant head coach, and Bo Pelini, NU's defensive coordinator who was named the interim coach for the Dec. 29 Alamo Bowl.
Pederson disputed the claim that his interviews with Gill and Pelini on Wednesday -- the same day Callahan arrived in Lincoln and was interviewed -- were just "token interviews."
Joining Pederson at the Friday afternoon press conference with a crowd of nearly 200 -- mostly media members, boosters and fans -- to announce the hiring of Callahan was University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Harvey Perlman, who conveyed his support for NU's new coach.
"For this job, we wanted a coach who was a great coach and who was a great person," said Perlman, who also interviewed Callahan, Gill and Pelini. "I believe we have found such a person and I am delighted that he has agreed to join us."
Callahan rejoins the college ranks after spending the past nine years in the NFL, including the past two seasons as the head coach of the Raiders.
In 2002, Callahan coached Oakland to an 11-5 record on its way to the Super Bowl. The Raiders lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, coached by Jon Gruden, whom Callahan called one of his greatest mentors -- the other being Wisconsin Coach Barry Alvarez.
Callahan has spent much of his coaching career, which dates back to 1980, as an assistant under Gruden or Alvarez.
One year after playing in the Super Bowl, the Raiders struggled in 2003. With an injury-plagued team, Oakland finished the season 4-12 -- leading to the firing of Callahan 1ess than two weeks before he was hired by Nebraska.
It was a season that saw Callahan openly criticized by some of his players, most notably stars Charles Woodson and Tim Brown.
But other Raiders, including quarterback Rich Gannon and former Husker Adam Treu, came to their coach's defense.
"He's a perfect fit and I think Nebraskans ought to be flabbergasted to get him," Gannon said. "He's energetic, enthusiastic and has a real passion for the game."
Callahan said his NFL experience would help him be a better college coach, which he called "a lifelong dream."
"I've always had a great passion for college football," Callahan said. "Essentially, it comes down to the love of the game and the opportunity to impact a young man's future, his career and his life."
Pederson praised Callahan's recruiting ability, saying Callahan still can accomplish a lot before signing day Feb. 4.
"We've got ourselves a difference maker," Pederson said.
Callahan's coaching résumé and recruiting ability weren't the only things that impressed Pederson about his new hire.
In performing his search, Pederson said everybody he talked to about Callahan had similar things to say.
"They said this is the finest, most high character guy that you'll be around in sports," Pederson said. "This is a first-class, high-character, great person."
Up next for Callahan are planned meetings with NU's assistants today. Callahan said he would make a "quick and very swift" decision about the future coaching staff.
NU Defensive Backs Coach Marvin Sanders, who hopes to be back as an assistant under Callahan, said he was impressed by the new Husker coach.
"I think he's a good man," said Sanders, who attended Friday's press conference. "I've heard he has a great philosophy. It's a different era for Nebraska football, but it's something that will be very appealing to recruits."
With Callahan saying it was an "honor and privilege to be writing the next chapter in the history of Nebraska football," the search itself could be considered its own chapter.
The search included a players-only meeting in which one of the topics was a boycott of the bowl game, a reported offer of $2.5 million annually to Houston Nutt, Arkansas' coach and other reported offers and interviews.
Pederson, though, said he got the right guy when all was said and done.
"If you started out and said what are you looking for, you're looking for Bill Callahan," Pederson said. "Bill Callahan is a special guy."
http://www.dailynebraskan.com/calla...cle_fabccc70-198f-5541-a934-008edccf4912.html
- VINCE KUPPIG / DN Staff Writer
DEREK J. LIPPINCOTT/DN
NU Athletic Director Steve Pederson and Head Football Coach Bill Callahan talk during a press conference Friday following Pederson's 41-day search for a coach. Pederson fired Frank Solich on Nov. 29 after Sol
It all came to an end Friday.
The search for Nebraska's next football coach, which began after Frank Solich was fired Nov. 29, ended after 41 days as NU Athletic Director Steve Pederson announced the hiring of Bill Callahan -- Nebraska's 27th coach in the 114-year history of the program and fourth since 1962.
And with that, a new chapter in Nebraska's football legacy begins.
It's an era Pederson and Callahan don't plan on ending anytime soon, as Callahan agreed to a six-year contract worth $1.5 million annually.
"I'd love for this to be the last football coach I ever hire," said Pederson, who began his second year as NU's AD on Jan. 1.
Callahan, the former Oakland Raiders coach, also has that in his plans, saying he hopes to end his career with the Cornhuskers.
"To be able to lead this program is a tremendous task and one that I accept," the 47-year-old said. "The challenges ahead will be tough. I think I have a great chance to make an impact not only in the years to come, but in the decades to come."
It's a new era in which Callahan, who will call his own plays, promises to feature a West Coast offense, an unfamiliar sight to Husker fans used to seeing NU run the ball more than 75 percent of the time.
Callahan also brings with him high expectations -- something Pederson made clear was a requirement of the next coach when he fired Solich, who had just led the Huskers to a 9-3 regular season.
"The No. 1 goal and objective is to win the national championship," Callahan said. "I am fully committed to that responsibility. ... That goal will never change. That's our goal each and every year."
Pederson picked Callahan over two internal candidates -- Turner Gill, NU's quarterbacks coach and assistant head coach, and Bo Pelini, NU's defensive coordinator who was named the interim coach for the Dec. 29 Alamo Bowl.
Pederson disputed the claim that his interviews with Gill and Pelini on Wednesday -- the same day Callahan arrived in Lincoln and was interviewed -- were just "token interviews."
Joining Pederson at the Friday afternoon press conference with a crowd of nearly 200 -- mostly media members, boosters and fans -- to announce the hiring of Callahan was University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Harvey Perlman, who conveyed his support for NU's new coach.
"For this job, we wanted a coach who was a great coach and who was a great person," said Perlman, who also interviewed Callahan, Gill and Pelini. "I believe we have found such a person and I am delighted that he has agreed to join us."
Callahan rejoins the college ranks after spending the past nine years in the NFL, including the past two seasons as the head coach of the Raiders.
In 2002, Callahan coached Oakland to an 11-5 record on its way to the Super Bowl. The Raiders lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, coached by Jon Gruden, whom Callahan called one of his greatest mentors -- the other being Wisconsin Coach Barry Alvarez.
Callahan has spent much of his coaching career, which dates back to 1980, as an assistant under Gruden or Alvarez.
One year after playing in the Super Bowl, the Raiders struggled in 2003. With an injury-plagued team, Oakland finished the season 4-12 -- leading to the firing of Callahan 1ess than two weeks before he was hired by Nebraska.
It was a season that saw Callahan openly criticized by some of his players, most notably stars Charles Woodson and Tim Brown.
But other Raiders, including quarterback Rich Gannon and former Husker Adam Treu, came to their coach's defense.
"He's a perfect fit and I think Nebraskans ought to be flabbergasted to get him," Gannon said. "He's energetic, enthusiastic and has a real passion for the game."
Callahan said his NFL experience would help him be a better college coach, which he called "a lifelong dream."
"I've always had a great passion for college football," Callahan said. "Essentially, it comes down to the love of the game and the opportunity to impact a young man's future, his career and his life."
Pederson praised Callahan's recruiting ability, saying Callahan still can accomplish a lot before signing day Feb. 4.
"We've got ourselves a difference maker," Pederson said.
Callahan's coaching résumé and recruiting ability weren't the only things that impressed Pederson about his new hire.
In performing his search, Pederson said everybody he talked to about Callahan had similar things to say.
"They said this is the finest, most high character guy that you'll be around in sports," Pederson said. "This is a first-class, high-character, great person."
Up next for Callahan are planned meetings with NU's assistants today. Callahan said he would make a "quick and very swift" decision about the future coaching staff.
NU Defensive Backs Coach Marvin Sanders, who hopes to be back as an assistant under Callahan, said he was impressed by the new Husker coach.
"I think he's a good man," said Sanders, who attended Friday's press conference. "I've heard he has a great philosophy. It's a different era for Nebraska football, but it's something that will be very appealing to recruits."
With Callahan saying it was an "honor and privilege to be writing the next chapter in the history of Nebraska football," the search itself could be considered its own chapter.
The search included a players-only meeting in which one of the topics was a boycott of the bowl game, a reported offer of $2.5 million annually to Houston Nutt, Arkansas' coach and other reported offers and interviews.
Pederson, though, said he got the right guy when all was said and done.
"If you started out and said what are you looking for, you're looking for Bill Callahan," Pederson said. "Bill Callahan is a special guy."
http://www.dailynebraskan.com/calla...cle_fabccc70-198f-5541-a934-008edccf4912.html
