[Husker] Leadership = Success

[scottbuff at earthlink.net]

As a long-time Husker fan and lurker (mostly) on this list, I have 
followed with great interest the rise and fall of our beloved 
football program. This program has lost its roots, its vision and at 
the risk of sounding overly dramatic, its soul.

I'm a native Georgian - not a Nebraskan. In fact, I've only been in 
the state twice. But my draw to this team dates to the mid-70s and 
the very essence that Tom Osborne  epitomized. His tenure embodied 
values that I hold myself as priorities: pride, workman-like 
perseverance, humility, and yes, faith. Nebraska has always had a lot 
of good players and a few great players but the team has always been 
fueled by efforts above and beyond what natural talent we had. We may 
not have always had the best players but we always got the most out 
of good, solid players. Nobody outworked Nebraska. It's that almost 
blue-collar attitude toward finishing the job that won titles and 
respect.

This attitude was reflected by the leadership of Osborne. By most 
accounts, he was the driving force behind the quarter-century of 
success. But he's gone. Yeah, I know he's back as AD but ultimately 
it's the long-term leadership skills of the head coach that's going 
to bring back success on any regular basis. At this point in Husker 
history, TO can only taxi the plane. What we need is a good pilot.

Solich tried to carry on the tradition by staying the course but 
Osborne's shoes were apparently too big to fill. So the university 
brought in Callahan, who wanted to bring wide open, 
gotta-pass-the-ball-more football to Nebraska. To do that, we were 
told we had to recruit different style players. That hasn't worked 
out so well either. Probably not so much due to the style of offense 
he brought in so much as the style of coaching and recruiting he 
brought.

Several years ago, I heard former Husker asst. coach Dave Gillespie 
speak and he said then that Nebraska had to recruit a special kind of 
player. He said the glitz programs offered great football, along with 
spotlight, fame, beaches and glamor. But, he said, the kind of kids 
Nebraska were looking for were kids that were a bit more grounded. He 
said they looked for kids who liked to play football and..... believe 
it or not.... study. We are an academic institution first, he said. 
Plus, "there's not many beaches in Nebraska." I don't know anything 
about recruiting but I'm betting that's a tall order to fill and 
requires matching a special recruiter with a special kid.

And that's what Nebraska is going to have to find to get back to 
greatness - a coach that understands Nebraska football, has the 
skills to recruit for Nebraska football and the leadership to gain 
the respect of Nebraska fans and players. Callahan leaving Big Red 
country in short order is a given. But getting that "doable" coach is 
also a tall order. Osborne may be the only person who can do that. 
Time will tell.

And time is what's going to have to be given once that coach is 
found. I'd really hate to see us follow the same route as schools 
like Alabama, who has gone through a bunch of guys trying to regain 
prominence, or Oklahoma who went through a decade of 
less-than-mediocre and three coaches after Switzer left. Bama's 
latest employing of hired gun Saban looks like a move of desperation 
to me. He's a great coach but I group him in the same area as other 
evil geniuses like Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer. I just don't see 
this type coach working out at Nebraska. Too slick.

Guys like Pete Carroll and Jim Tressel definitely are able and 
inspire their players but they remind me too much of the Neuheisal 
guy that was at Colorado for a while.... that glitz and glamor thing 
again....  too much Hollywood. (Whatever happened to Skippy? Haven't 
heard of him in a while.)

Nor do I think a Phillip Fulmer, a Charlie Weis or a Ron Zook would 
work out in Huskerland. Really, now.... can you see the Nebraska 
embracing a head coach whose persona is like these guys? Wrong 
personalities, wrong styles. Plus, Weis is in worse shape than 
Callahan at this point.

And any perceived win-at-any-cost coaches, like a Jim Leavitt or Pat 
Hill wouldn't fit either. Nebraska wants to win but these guys strike 
me more as brawlers than boxers. 

Guys like Bob Stoops or Mack Brown are closer to what we need. So is 
a Frank Beamer or a Jeff Bower or Mark Richt. Maybe even a Bo Pelini 
or Turner Gill. They seem to have the personality mix, the 
enthusiasm, the maturity, the ability to connect with players, the 
recruiting prowess along with the pigskin grey matter needed to fit 
the bill.

Still, regardless of who is brought in, it's gonna take time. We've 
got to find that bowl of porridge that's just right and eat it for a 
while before we're back in top-25 form.

Just my opinion.

Scott
Jefferson, Georgia