Pelini will coach LSU defense in title game

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By the Lincoln Journal Star

Go Big ..... Purple?

Husker fans now have strong reason to be captivated by Jan. 7’s national title game.

Their new head football coach will be going for a championship ring — wearing LSU colors.

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Husker head football coach Bo Pelini walks into Sunday's press conference with daughter Kate (left) and son Patrick. (Michael McNamara)

Husker head football coach Bo Pelini walks into Sunday's press conference with daughter Kate (left) and son Patrick. (Michael McNamara)

Nebraska interim athletic director Tom Osborne announced on Tuesday that Bo Pelini has his “full support” to coach LSU against Ohio State in the Bowl Championship Series championship game.

“Bo has been at LSU for three years, and its players and coaches have worked very hard for a chance to win the national championship,” Osborne said in a released statement. 

“I am confident that Bo is handling his responsibilities in his new job here as effectively as possible. The two-week dead period in recruiting (beginning in mid-December) gives him a chance to take care of some unfinished business at LSU without really putting us in any kind of bind.”

Pelini was hired as the Husker coach on Sunday, a day after serving as LSU’s defensive coordinator in an SEC championship win over Tennessee. A chaotic Saturday helped the Tigers jump five spots into the No. 2 position in the BCS rankings, giving them a shot at a national title.

Pelini said Sunday he would only coach in game in New Orleans with the “blessing” of Osborne.

Osborne acknowledged in his statement that the game is “particularly meaningful” to Pelini since LSU is playing Ohio State.

Pelini was a free safety for the Buckeyes from 1987-90. As a senior, he received the “Bo Rein Award,” given annually to Ohio State’s most inspirational player.

“For the last two days, I have been totally focused on getting our coaching staff in place and our recruiting efforts as streamlined as possible,” Pelini said in the statement. “(LSU head coach) Les Miles has asked me to coordinate his defense in the national championship game. But before saying yes, I wanted to make sure it would not interfere with what we’re trying to get done at Nebraska and also make sure that it had Coach Osborne’s approval.”