Uh Okay: Nebraska Hires Mike Riley

Raise your hands if you saw this coaching hire coming.

Nebraska has a new football coach--and no, it's not who you thought it might be. The Cornhuskers announced Wednesday afternoon they've hired now former Oregon State coach Mike Riley to be their new head coach.

Riley replaces Bo Pelini who was let go just over a week ago. He was at Oregon State for the past 14 years compiling a 93-80 record. His teams were competitive, but he was never able to compete with the remote Corvallis, Oregon location and the big Nike bucks fueling arch rival Oregon.

Riley inherits a Cornhusker program that has been good but not great for the past few seasons under Pelini. The Cornhusker alumni still imagine themselves a national power, which is no longer true, but brings added pressure to the job.

Props to Nebraska AD Shawn Eichorst who conducted his search largely in the shadows. A rumor leaked earlier this week saying Eichorst had interest in Arkansas coach Bret Bielema, but that was quickly shot down.

The search was a direct contrast to the highly visible and shaky search conducted by Florida who finally announced their hire of Jim McElwain earlier in the morning.

Bielema Back To The Big Ten? Could Be Headed To Nebraska? (UPDATED)

UPDATE AT BOTTOM OF STORY

Football Scoop.com is citing sources that Nebraska athletic director Shawn Eihorst has Arkansas

head coach Bret Bielema in his cross hairs and wants the Boss Hog to move north to Lincoln, Nebraska to coach the Cornhuskers.

Getty Images

Bielema and Eihorst have a relationship dating back to their Wisconsin days.  Eihorst wore many hats in the Badger athletic department from 2006 - 2011 moving up the latter as Deputy A.D. under Barry Alvarez.

Of course Bielema was the head coach of the Badgers.

The current Razorback head coach was asked about his commitment to Arkansas during a teleconference with local reporters.

“I took this opportunity without anybody knowing about it or hearing about it. … I’m not one of those coaches that gets my name involved or anything like that. When I started talking to Arkansas, I told them, ‘If my name comes out in a way other than my own release, then I’m going to be out of this conversation.' It’s just how I’ve always operated. … I can't tell you how excited I am for next year. Obviously, my commitment to Arkansas is long-term."

Should the two parties reach an agreement then Nebraska would have to pony up $2.5 million to buy out Bielema's contract.

Would Bielema bolt Arkansas to return to the Big Ten Conference?  Nebraska would seem to be a great fit for his system.

You have to ask why would he make that move to leave an Arkansas program that has some momentum.  

The carousel keeps spinning

Chris Low of ESPN.com spoke to Bielema Wednesday afternoon.

Talked to Bret Bielema and he said he's not going to Nebraska and that he's all Hog.
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) December 3, 2014

Bielema has worked too hard to get the Hogs' program to a point where they can compete in the West to bolt now.
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) December 3, 2014

BREAKING: Nebraska fires Bo Pelini

You gotta win some big games, Coach... (photo courtesy AP)

LINCOLN--Apparently seven consecutive winning seasons and an overall 67-27 record are not enough to keep a job as head coach of the University of Nebraska football program.

Mark "Bo" Pelini was relieved of his coaching duties this morning, after dropping two of his last three regular season games this season. He ended his Nebraska tenure by losing to #20 Wisconsin, #25 Minnesota, and then defeating Iowa in a shootout yesterday.

This was Pelini's first head coaching gig, and he never really established the Cornhuskers as a national championship-contending team. Consistency is one thing - Pelini won at least nine games every season. However, people in power in Lincoln apparently did not believe Pelini's leadership could take Nebraska to the next level in the Big Ten, or the BCS for that matter. He never won a conference championship at Nebraska, and we all know that's the death knell for a high profile college coach.

"Earlier this morning, I informed coach Bo Pelini of our decision to move forward in a new direction. Coach Pelini served our University admirably for seven years and led our football program’s transition to the Big Ten Conference,” Shawn Eichorst, Nebraska's athletic director, said in a press release this morning. “We wish Coach Pelini and his wonderful family all the best and thank him for his dedicated service to the University."

UNL chancellor Harvey Perlman expressed his confidence in Eichorst.

“I fully support Shawn’s decision to make a change in the leadership of our football program, and wish Bo and his family all of the best," Perlman said in a press release. "I am confident that Shawn will find the best coach, teacher and fit for this University and for our football program."

According to the Lincoln, NE Journal-Star's HuskerExtra, per Pelini's last contract, NU is on the hook to pay him $7.65 million, owing him $150,000 monthly for the next 51 months. All assistants coaches, and football strength coach James Dobson, were on contract until January 2016. They would be owed a total of just over $3.1 million combined.

A press conference is scheduled for 1 p.m.

More coming...

Nebraska Lineman's Ass Blocks Punt

There are no words that can describe this blocked punt.  Let the pictures do the talking.


That's right.  Sam Foltz's fumbles the snap from Nebraska long snapper Josh Faulkenberry throwing off the timing.  Then when Foltz tries to boot it he does right into the backside of 6-5, 305 pound teammate Zach Hannon.

Iowa's Drew Ott scooped up the blocked punt and ran it in for a touchdown.

Another oddity in the Heartland rivalry of Nebraska and Iowa.

Ameer Abdullah Saves Nebraska

TED KIRK/Lincoln Journal Star

McNeese State, yes McNeese State almost pulled off an upset that the word stunning would not
apply.  Shocking wouldn't even be strong enough either.

The Cowboys from Lake Charles, Louisiana came to Lincoln and hung with the Cornhuskers.

In fact with the game tied at 24 with 20 seconds left until Nebraska finally got a big play.

Ameer Abdullah took a short pass from quarterback Tommy Armstrong, Jr. and had the run of the year so far breaking five tackles and taking it the distance 53 yards for the game winning touchdown.


Cornhusker Nation breathed a big sigh of relief as Nebraska escaped an embarrassing loss to Mc Neese State 31-24.

Final thought: I don't think it's hyperbole to say that @Ameerguapo single-handedly saved Nebraska football. #huskers
— Alex Lowe (@SteelSker) September 6, 2014

Today the Nebraska football team had to overcome their own coaching staff, as well as mcneese st's whole football team. Not right.
— Eric Bruening (@bruendawg) September 6, 2014

"Thank God for Ameer today"  Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini said.

"We were doing a lot of man-to-man on third-and-long, so I saw an opportunity to go isolation with the linebacker so I wanted to make the most of it."  Abdullah said.  "So I caught the ball, cut back and scored."

"You know you just have to take into consideration that he's a playmaker"  Nebraska quarterback Tommy Armstrong, Jr. said.." If he's going on with the mike, he just has to realize there's a possibility of getting a first down. That was the main focus, getting a first down. But it turned into four or five yard gain into a touchdown. I just have to applaud him for being the playmaker that he is."

"Got to give them credit, they found a way to win the game at the end."  McNeese head coach Matt Viator said.  "Great play by (Ameer) Abdullah."

Our First Behind-The-Back Catch Of The Year

((HT: SnappyTV/BTN))

Bo Pelini protested appropriately as Jordan Westerkamp added another ridiculous catch to his demo reel today against FAU

It's not the first silly catch he has made, but this was the last one we all gawked at...

Last year against Northwestern, he did this...

One Pelini To Another: Fine, You Can Keep Her...

((HT: BTN))

This is what happens during Spring Football games... stuff that's not normal...

For those of you that follow Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini on the Twitter Machine, he has a fake account from someone else @FauxPelini and the avatar for that account has him looking like this (pictured right, thanks Fake Bo Pelini)...

So, you knew that with Spring Football being Spring Football, the slightly half-bubble off plumb Cornhuskers head coach would do something... Just not something involving Faux Bo's feline...

But he did...


Next move is yours... Faux Bo...

S.Carolina, LSU and Nebraska With Early Bowl Wins

This is the part of the College Football Bowl season where you can start paying attention.

Though to look at a couple of these games, paying attention and attending appear to be two different teams.

We start in Jacksonville in front of a crowd of tens, where Nebraska wins the Gator Bowl title over the University of Georgia 24-19 in a truly uninspiring game that featured the Huskers scoring on a 99-yard passing TD from Tommy Armstrong Jr to a streaking Quincy Enunwa.

The Bulldogs continually sputtered in the Red Zone, dropping a couple of late 4th down passes that could have given them the opportunity to salvage a disappointing season.

Your highlights from ESPN:


We move down state to the dreary confines of Citrus Bowl stadium in Orlando, where South Carolina gets the win over Wisconsin 34-24.

The game was a back and forth affair featuring 4 turnovers by the Badgers and two by the Gamecocks. QB Jaybo Shaw of South Carolina was the hero, throwing for 3 TD's, 300+ yards and running for another score.

Perhaps the biggest highlights of the day came afterwards. South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier took the opportunity to praise his team congratulate them for winning their 3rd straight bowl game and the championship of South Carolina. (Dabo Swinny pun).

And then star Defensive End Jadaveon Clowney made it official, announcing he'd be taking his services to the NFL this upcoming season.

Here's one of Jaybo's TD runs, we are still searching for the Spurrier post-game comments: (thanks ESPN)



And then our minor bowl game tour of Florida ends in Tampa where LSU held off Iowa in the Outback Steakhouse Bowl in front of a crowd that got better access than the people covering the game.

The game featured LSU tailback Jeremy Hill running for 216 yards and 2 TD's and ended only after a bizarre sequence of laterals that the Hawkeye's eventually ended up fumbling. The Tigers could only manage 82 yards passing, while the Hawkeye's were only able to run for 76 total.

We are still awaiting the arrival of full game highlights....

Nebraska Fans Not Calling For Bo Pelini To Be Fired

Bo Pelini

{HT: Lincoln (Neb.) Journal-Star}

Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini dared his athletic director Shawn Eichorst to fire him during a bizarre post game tirade during his press conference following the Cornhuskers 38-17 loss to Iowa.

Perhaps Husker fans are more "Pro-Bo"

After the game the Lincoln Journal Star surveyed Nebraska fans as to whether Bo Pelini should stay or go.

Norm Phiffer from Lincoln, NE says Bo should stay.

Nebraska A.D. Shawn Eichorst

"No, absolutely not. You can’t make changes every six years, change guys every six years and expect to have a successful program. We need to stay with what we’ve got.”

Husker fans don't take to kindly though to offensive coordinator Tim Beck or defensive coordinator John Papuchis.

"I think Tim Beck and John Papuchis should, be (fired) though."  Dan McMullen from Council Bluffs, Iowa said.  "I think they’re taking him down. I think Bo is a hell of a coach, but his coordinators will drag him down.”

The only opinion that matter is Eichorst who says he will evaluate Pellini's performance at the end of the season.

You wonder if Pelini teed up Eichorst to pull the trigger and fire him during his post game melt down in front of the assembled media.

It's going to be an interesting few days in Lincoln.

Really, Bo Pelini...??? Really...???

((HT: BTN))

In B1G action today, it has been a rough week for the Pelini family...

We have chronicled the sheer stupidity that allegedly got brother Carl fired in Boca, and it almost hit critical mass in Lincoln...

Northwestern had a lead and could stop their four-game losing streak if they could just hold on...
Only thing was, everyone forgot to check with third-string QB Ron Kellogg III...


So, just how safe is Pelini's job anyway...???

So, Wait... Who's Bowl-Eligible...???

The short answer is Minnesota, Duke, Tulane, and Rice...

And, no, this is not some kind of pre-Halloween joke or something...

The HQ has always enjoyed Coach Cut's work at Duke... he gets it... and, thankfully, the Athletic Department has had the patience they're supposed to with a program that is a square peg-round hole when it comes to the sport and the kids you can bring in to the program on a yearly basis...

Everyone likes to talk about "signature wins" and all that stuff... a supposed win where your program moves forward past a point of success and a glass ceiling- on to bigger things...

If you believe in those things, then the win over Virginia Tech yesterday in Blacksburg may have been it. There were entirely too many interceptions thrown by Logan Thomas. The Hokies defense kept the football Devils in check (and downright ineffective) in the second half, but the visitors held on.
((HT: ACCDN))


In the B1G, Minnesota either showed everyone how they're progressing as a team- putting the concerns around head coach Jerry Kill aside for another few days- or they exposed Nebraska for the charade they are as a ranked team...

Probably, the latter if you as the HQ (and Tommie Frazier- who went on another Twitter "toldyaso" rant after the game)...
Here's the Tracy Claeys special...
((HT: BTN))


Tulane knocked off Tulsa 14-7 in C-USA play to improve to 6-2 and stay undefeated in division play. The Green Wave are now bowl eligible for the first time since 2002...

It led to song...as it should have...
((HT: Stephen Segari))


And Rice is also 6-2 after taking care of UTEP 45-7. Taylor McHargue threw 4 TD passes and the Miners are now 1-6 on their own. But the cool moment was when 4'9" walk-on Jayson Carter got his first in-game reps...
Evidence below...
((HT: Rice SID))

Coaches Gone Wild: Bo Pelini Pranks Nebraska

And it continues.

A week full of college head coaches doing wild, crazy and sometimes wacky things to fire up the troops as they wind down training camp.

In this episode, Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini goes to elaborate measures to put one over on his football team.

The players are waiting to be dismissed to attend "Movie Night" when the hilarity ensues...

((note--you have to watch all this video to get the joke))