[Husker] Time's Up, Steve

[Steve Reichenbach]

> Cleaning House is easy to say, but lets hear the ideas how this is
> done, and who the 'new hires' are.  I agree things need to change, but
> taking the stance 'clean the house' is the easy way out.  Lets hear the
> ideas.  Back it up with strategy and 'your game plan' for the next five
> or six years.

Here's my plan.

I think the problem is serious enough that Perlman must be involved in
the decisions.  (And, it would involve Milliken, at least to the extent
that he is in the loop.)  So, the "plan" will have to be either:
A) Callahan's to sell to Pederson who in turn must sell it to Perlman.
B) Pederson's to sell to Perlman and direct Callahan.
C) Perlman's, who may have to run it by Milliken (President of the
University).
Perlman is at the top of this decision-making (assuming that Milliken
wisely doesn't want to get involved directly), then he should get
ahead of the game.  That doesn't mean that he makes decisions on
changes now nor that he rules out changes brought to him by Pederson
(either Pederson's own or Callahan's).

So, Perlman should convene in a very serious fashion the advice of
experts about the nature of the problems and how to move forward.
Perlman should bluntly tell Pederson that he is seeking other counsel.
Certainly, Osborne would be at the top of this list.  Find out what
they think the problems are and what are the best ways to fix them.
At the same time, Perlman should ask for Pederson's plans and ask the
experts to evaluate them.  Then, act on the advice of those experts.
This doesn't just leave the planning in Pederson's hands, but doesn't
require that Perlman himself know what to do to fix things.

Various scenarios could result, but this is one possible scenario.
Pederson is identified as a problem, either in fact or in perception or
both, and he must go.  Perlman would ask for Pederson's resignation,
indicating to him that otherwise he would be fired or removed as AD
(and a settlement reached).  A search would be opened for a new AD,
sometime next spring.  If the new AD is to be given the reins to the
Athletic Department, it would be better to leave Callahan as head coach
and ask him for a plan for changes, e.g., staff changes.  The
suggestions from the "experts" regarding coaching issues should be
communicated to Callahan with the expectation that he responds to those
suggestions.  Perlman should offer Osborne the AD's job.  Otherwise,
the interim AD (perhaps Osborne, if he isn't interested in the position
in the longer term) and the experts would be consulted as to Callahan's
plans, which might be modified and then approved.  Then, In this
scenario, Pederson would be replaced and likely some assistants would
be replaced.  A new AD would be hired and the new AD would evaluate the
progress of Callahan's new staff over the course of the next year(s).
If Callahan's new staff shows progress, the new AD sticks with him; if
not, the new AD would need to indicate to Perlman that a change is
required and recommend that a search committee be constituted.  That's
not a 5-6 year plan, but its a plan that puts in place someone as AD
who hopefully can develop and execute a 5-6 year successfully.

I suppose that both the AD and football coach could be replaced at the
same time, so the football coach would be hired without the input of
the new AD.  I'd imagine that's been done, but it seems rash to me.
Because I can't abide that Pederson continues to ru(i)n the Athletic
Department and replacing the football coach without a new AD in place
seems rash, I think accountability ahould begin with Pederson.  That
would be an action I think should have been executed when it became
obvious that Pederson was running the department on egotism rather
than sound judgement.