By Brandon Cavanaugh
We reached out to Pete Roussel of CoachingSearch.com to get his take on who Nebraska should tab to replace the departed Carl Pelini, his thoughts on current Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini and the staff as a whole.
BC: How do you see Carl Pelini’s departure from Nebraska in terms of positives/negatives from both Nebraska and Florida Atlantic’s perspectives?
PR: It’s about players. As long as Bo Pelini is coaching Nebraska, they will maximize the talent on defense. Don’t expect a big change in philosophy or scheme. A new coordinator will come in, however, and tweak some drills, techniques, and terminology.
BC: With Carl Pelini’s departure, who are some candidates that you feel would fit the defensive coordinator role for the Huskers well?
PR: There won’t be a shortage of quality candidates because coaches know that Bo Pelini is always going to pour resources into the Huskers’ defense. There is a commitment to being great on defense in Lincoln and that’s what coaches want. I’d be surprised if Mike Stoops doesn’t land the job. Coaches are always comfortable with people they know. Illinois interim head coach Vic Koenning could be another option.
BC: Do you think there’s a possibility that Bo Pelini may hire from within, perhaps moving current defensive line coach/recruiting coordinator John Papuchis to defensive coordinator?
PR: I expect Bo to go outside the staff on this hire.
BC: How good of a fit do you feel Bo Pelini is for Nebraska?
PR: Bo Pelini fits Nebraska. You can tell in media interviews when coaches don’t take ownership in their university or state. I get sense that at all from Pelini.
BC: With Urban Meyer taking over at Ohio State, do you see him staying at Nebraska until Meyer departs?
PR: Urban Meyer will be at Ohio State for a long time. I think it’s safe to say Ohio State will be his last job.
BC: Do you feel that Nebraska has the coaching staff necessary to win a national championship?
PR: Expectations are always high at Nebraska. Any team that wins eleven or twelve games has the ball bounce their way a little bit. Yes, they do create those opportunities, but it’s nothing to be ashamed of to win nine games. Think about how many games come down to the last two to three minutes in college football.
Keep winning nine, ten, nine, ten (games) and then you’ll have your special season. I think Nebraska has a better chance to play for a national championship in the Big Ten than when they were in the Big 12. Stay the course. Get two or three more game changers in there and you may earn your way into a BCS game.
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