Okay, so who's the would-be “wow hire” to replace Frank Solich that got cold feet?

[Larry Hagman's Liver]

It wasn't Wannstedt, but apparently Stevie P had a "wow" hire lined up. Can anyone shed light on this?

From the interview with Harvey Perlman in the OMW:

And what would have happened after 2003 if the high-profile NFL head coach whom Pederson had lined up to coach the Huskers — a would-be “wow” hire Perlman won’t name — had not subsequently backed out?

Perlman also revealed that when Pederson made the move, he already had lined up an NFL head coach for the job, one who “led us to believe that he was available and willing to do it.”

Perlman would not name the coach, but says “everyone would have said ‘Wow.’ ”

He last week said it was not Dave Wannstedt, the Miami Dolphins coach who was one rumored target at the time, but Perlman declined to entertain other names. Other coaches on NFL sidelines at that time included Jon Gruden, Marty Schottenheimer, Butch Davis, Tony Dungy, Steve Spurrier, Herm Edwards and Bill Cowher.

In the end, the coach got cold feet, contract negotiations dragged on, and the coach decided to stay with his team.

“The error in judgment Steve made was he was so confident he’d get him, he didn’t have Plan B,” Perlman said.

http://www.omaha.com/huskers/outgoi...cle_1e710d39-c435-5f72-a994-9562f257b619.html

 

[litespeedhuskerfan]

You can rule out Spurrier, I remember him saying he wasn't at all interested back then. I know you said we can rule out Wanny, but my money is on him. That was the name people talked about a lot back then but then Miami extended him, or didn't fire him, or something, whatev's. I have my doubts the story is accurate anyway.

 

[anon_umk0ifu6vj6zi]

Mike Sherman

 

[TheLiberalHunter]

The only names I remember being thrown around were the guy from the Cowboys(Mike someone), Al Saunders from the Chiefs, and a Coach from the Eagles.

I thought it had been posted a number of times that Wannstedt had accepted and then backed out.

All the above are more WTF than WOW.

 

[Chidog31]

The Mike from the Cowboys was Mike Zimmer who is now the HC of the Vikings

 

[northeastNebraska]

I could have seen maybe Butch Davis/Mike Zimmer/Wannastedt

 

[shine003]

Spurrier is my bet. Followed by Sherman. Spurrier is the only "wow" guy really and lots of coaches have denied interest in jobs they ended up taking. Granted, back then spurrier was my top choice so it skews my view but that's who I think it was. He always had respect for the Nebraska program. He comes up for the CWS all the time and his first trip post retirement was to a game in Lincoln.

 

[litespeedhuskerfan]

Spurrier is my bet. Followed by Sherman. Spurrier is the only "wow" guy really and lots of coaches have denied interest in jobs they ended up taking. Granted, back then spurrier was my top choice so it skews my view but that's who I think it was. He always had respect for the Nebraska program. He comes up for the CWS all the time and his first trip post retirement was to a game in Lincoln.

Spurrier likes to golf to much. No freaking way he would have seriously considered this job, especially after having the SEC area to recruit from during his stint at Florida.

 

[shine003]

I guess I must have forgot how much of a golfing paradise Washington, D.C. is during the winter...

 

[sparky62]

My guess would be Cowher. Doesn't dislike cold weather, defensive minded.

 

[Truehuskerfan]

Spurrier was a hot rumor at that time, but he denied any interest and I heard from a lot of people who were 100% opposed to him. As bad as the Callahan hire divided the fanbase, I think Spurrier could have been worse.
By the way with Mike Zimmer-it's been largely forgotten, but he actually came to Lincoln and interviewed after the Houston Nutt deal fell through, but turned the job down-as I recall after Bill Parcells(who was then head coach of the Cowboys) personally lobbied for him to stay.

 

[NikkiSixx]

http://www.omaha.com/huskers/outgoi...cle_1e710d39-c435-5f72-a994-9562f257b619.html

That's a long, but very well written article. It's not written by the usual LJS suspects.

Thanks for your service Harvey.

 

[CC_Lemming]

Spurrier was a hot rumor at that time, but he denied any interest and I heard from a lot of people who were 100% opposed to him. As bad as the Callahan hire divided the fanbase, I think Spurrier could have been worse.
By the way with Mike Zimmer-it's been largely forgotten, but he actually came to Lincoln and interviewed after the Houston Nutt deal fell through, but turned the job down-as I recall after Bill Parcells(who was then head coach of the Cowboys) personally lobbied for him to stay.

Right, so I don't think it's Zimmer either - he was a Plan B. So it seems safe to rule out Zimmer, Wannstedt (explicitly denied by Perlman), and Spurrier.

I don't know about Cowher, Sparky. That's rather pie-in-the-sky.

 

[Cornicator]

Steve Pederson's biggest mistake, among many, was his desire to target an NFL mind from the outset. He completely overlooked the college coaching circles. There is no doubt in my mind that Urban Meyer would've taken the job if offered.

Even if he lands that "big time NFL MIND," it still would've been a failure. Bill Callahan is a terrific offensive mind. He was also a good recruiter and did a great job of selling the NFL resume to recruits. But the college game is vastly different. The game was progressing beyond the pay grade of his Defensive coordinator, and Callahan had a difficult time adapting to the lack of preparation time for players and coaches. In the NFL you can spend 10 hours per day going over the system and your opponents. The college game was limited to basically 24 hours per week with no interaction in the late spring, winter, or Summer.

Peterson was too ignorant about the game of football to make the right choice...

P.S... I guarantee Lovie Smith fails in similar fashion at Illinois.

 

[kaz36]

DITKA!!!!

 

[litespeedhuskerfan]

I guess I must have forgot how much of a golfing paradise Washington, D.C. is during the winter...

Washington was an NFL job and I think, as bad as he wanted to prove he could be successful in the NFL, he would have set his desire to golf aside, to prove his mettle in the NFL. Washington probably wasn't his first choice, IDK, but the timing was right and he wanted to do the NFL. I specifically remember reading about Spurrier, I also remember seeing him talk about the Nebraska job and while I could be wrong (t's happened before), I would bet a lot of money it wasn't Spurrier.

 

[litespeedhuskerfan]

Steve Pederson's biggest mistake, among many, was his desire to target an NFL mind from the outset. He completely overlooked the college coaching circles. There is no doubt in my mind that Urban Meyer would've taken the job if offered.

Even if he lands that "big time NFL MIND," it still would've been a failure. Bill Callahan is a terrific offensive mind. He was also a good recruiter and did a great job of selling the NFL resume to recruits. But the college game is vastly different. The game was progressing beyond the pay grade of his Defensive coordinator, and Callahan had a difficult time adapting to the lack of preparation time for players and coaches. In the NFL you can spend 10 hours per day going over the system and your opponents. The college game was limited to basically 24 hours per week with no interaction in the late spring, winter, or Summer.

Peterson was too ignorant about the game of football to make the right choice...

P.S... I guarantee Lovie Smith fails in similar fashion at Illinois.

Back then you have to remember Pete Carroll was the NFL coach that worked out, and everyone was looking for the next Pete Carroll. I honestly don't remember another NFL coach coming close to Pete's success either, maybe it happened and I don't remember it, but Pete sure made a lot of NFL coaches a lot of money in the college game. Lovie Smith may or may not be a good coach, I really don't know, but I have doubts anyone could win at Illinois. I think anyone outside of Saban would fail at Illinois.

 

[Laces_Out_Dan]

It was Zimmer was it not? That's been indicated at least. At that time, I wouldn't exactly call him a splash hire. Callahan on paper was more of a splash at the time. One year removed from the super bowl and an offensive guru. Had he not hired cosgrove, I think that it works out well for him.

 

[Husker.Wed.]

Steve Pederson's biggest mistake, among many, was his desire to target an NFL mind from the outset. He completely overlooked the college coaching circles. There is no doubt in my mind that Urban Meyer would've taken the job if offered.

Even if he lands that "big time NFL MIND," it still would've been a failure. Bill Callahan is a terrific offensive mind. He was also a good recruiter and did a great job of selling the NFL resume to recruits. But the college game is vastly different. The game was progressing beyond the pay grade of his Defensive coordinator, and Callahan had a difficult time adapting to the lack of preparation time for players and coaches. In the NFL you can spend 10 hours per day going over the system and your opponents. The college game was limited to basically 24 hours per week with no interaction in the late spring, winter, or Summer.

Peterson was too ignorant about the game of football to make the right choice...

P.S... I guarantee Lovie Smith fails in similar fashion at Illinois.

I thought Meyer was wooed and said he would never take a job at a university that fired a 9-win coach.

 

[anon_umk0ifu6vj6zi]

Cough. Look over here. Cough. Mike Sherman. Cough cough.

 

[litespeedhuskerfan]

It was Zimmer was it not? That's been indicated at least. At that time, I wouldn't exactly call him a splash hire. Callahan on paper was more of a splash at the time. One year removed from the super bowl and an offensive guru. Had he not hired cosgrove, I think that it works out well for him.

You know what I remember about Callahan? I remember that gas bag Mark May on ESPN Thursday night college football countdown telling Peady he should hire Callahan, then when Callahan got the ax I remember that gas bag saying it was a stupid hire to start with and we never should have gone that direction and that he didn't fit our culture.

 

[litespeedhuskerfan]

Cough. Look over here. Cough. Mike Sherman. Cough cough.

Sherman from the Pack? Seriously? If that is who you're talking about, why in the world would he have done that? Makes zero sense from his perspective. Was he a head coach at the time?

 

[Laces_Out_Dan]

You know what I remember about Callahan? I remember that gas bag Mark May on ESPN Thursday night college football countdown telling Peady he should hire Callahan, then when Callahan got the ax I remember that gas bag saying it was a stupid hire to start with and we never should have gone that direction and that he didn't fit our culture.

Yeah. Wasn't all that excited with the hire but I was so damn tired of frank and his short side options on 3rd and long that I was open to it. All accounts though we looked like a monkey f*****g a football with that process

 

[sparky62]

Just got word from a very reliable source that it was Spurrier. He took pics and has some more info. I don't have the pics though. You will have to take my word on this.

 

[CC_Lemming]

I thought Meyer was wooed and said he would never take a job at a university that fired a 9-win coach.

Pretty sure he was spurned and then said that .

 

[CC_Lemming]

Just got word from a very reliable source that it was Spurrier. He took pics and has some more info. I don't have the pics though. You will have to take my word on this.

Weird. How awkward would that have been? Talk about two cultures clashing...

 

[sparky62]

Weird. How awkward would that have been? Talk about two cultures clashing...

Would have been interesting to say the least.

 

[Laces_Out_Dan]

Just got word from a very reliable source that it was Spurrier. He took pics and has some more info. I don't have the pics though. You will have to take my word on this.

That would have been a splash. do you think spurrier could have righted the ship @sparky62 ?

 

[sparky62]

That would have been a splash. do you think spurrier could have righted the ship @sparky62 ?

Would have been better then what we got IMO. Recruiting and play would have been better. Also, think about this. We wouldn't have had Cosgrove.

 

[Laces_Out_Dan]

Would have been better then what we got IMO. Recruiting and play would have been better. Also, think about this. We wouldn't have had Cosgrove.

Cosgrove ... What the hell was Callahan thinking. I agree with you though. He could have made some noise. At least had us back in the conversation .

 

[Laces_Out_Dan]

Would have been better then what we got IMO. Recruiting and play would have been better. Also, think about this. We wouldn't have had Cosgrove.

Something tells me he was intrigued with option football after the ass kicking he got from us . He may have brought the spread option attack before the others caught on... I don't think he would have been pass happy. Do you? At least not as pass happy. I.e. Fun and gun.

 

[huskerbux]

Would have been better then what we got IMO. Recruiting and play would have been better. Also, think about this. We wouldn't have had Cosgrove.

Oh be still my heart!

Isn't easy to say we "had a wow hire lined up"? I mean what does that really do for us? Squat.

"I had this great job lined up that was going to pay me 30 million a year.................


But didn't."

 

[HuskersMan34]

I was told about two weeks before we hired Callahan that we were getting Steve Mariucci from someone who had a ton of friends in the Athletic Department

 

[sparky62]

Oh be still my heart!

Isn't easy to say we "had a wow hire lined up"? I mean what does that really do for us? Squat.

"I had this great job lined up that was going to pay me 30 million a year.................


But didn't."

I would have taken Spurrier in a heartbeat & he was in the AD office but backed out. This thread is all about "what if". The whole facet of HUSKER football would have been different during that time.

 

[sparky62]

I was told about two weeks before we hired Callahan that we were getting Steve Mariucci from someone who had a ton of friends in the Athletic Department

Just putting out what I was told from my source.

 

[litespeedhuskerfan]

OK so...

 

[HuskersMan34]

Just putting out what I was told from my source.

Me too not saying you're right and I'm wrong, I just heard about a "wow" hire too but it was different. This was when Mariucci was still considered a good coach,

 

[Larry Hagman's Liver]

Me too not saying you're right and I'm wrong, I just heard about a "wow" hire too but it was different. This was when Mariucci was still considered a good coach,

Mooch would have been a big hire (at the time). But hearing about that two weeks before Callahan would suggest that he wasn't the "wow" hire SP had lined up when he canned Solich.

 

[dinglefritz]

Just putting out what I was told from my source.

I've never heard Spurrier was a realistic choice from anybody I considered reliable. That doesn't mean it isn't true and if HP denies that Wannie was the "wow guy" Spurrier makes sense. I was one degree removed from SP during that time frame and Wannstedt on the other hand most definitely was in play and left Pederson scrambling. Wannie might have been 2nd to Spurrier but if he was SP didn't reveal that. That would be kind of odd simply because I knew Frank was canned weeks before he was from that same connection. SP thought he had his ducks in a row and had some pretty serious booster pressure to can Frank before he ever did it. Hindsight, I think Spurrier would have had the same kind of problems as Callahan. Bad fit culturally.

 

[Larry Hagman's Liver]

I've never heard Spurrier was a realistic choice from anybody I considered reliable. That doesn't mean it isn't true and if HP denies that Wannie was the "wow guy" Spurrier makes sense. I was one degree removed from SP during that time frame and Wannstedt on the other hand most definitely was in play and left Pederson scrambling. Wannie might have been 2nd to Spurrier but if he was SP didn't reveal that. That would be kind of odd simply because I knew Frank was canned weeks before he was from that same connection. SP thought he had his ducks in a row and had some pretty serious booster pressure to can Frank before he ever did it. Hindsight, I think Spurrier would have had the same kind of problems as Callahan. Bad fit culturally.

I agree that Spurrier would have been an odd culture fit, especially at that time only six years removed from Osborne, but at least he was a proven success at the college level. I also agree with Sparky that any DC he brought along would have been a huge upgrade over Cosgrove. If he had put a winning product on the field in relatively quick fashion (big IF depending on his offensive scheme), the culture fit issue would have had a way of working itself out.

For that matter, if Callahan had delivered more Ws, the fans and boosters would have embraced him too. Winning cures all.