Tiger defenders say he's leaning toward taking the Husker job.
STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Saturday, December 1, 2007 6:00 pm
ATLANTA — He laughed as two players dumped a cooler of water on him. He literally jumped into the arms of 6-foot-5 senior linebacker Luke Sanders.
And then Bo Pelini did a curious thing.
As Louisiana State football players celebrated their Southeastern Conference championship in one end zone, Pelini jogged off toward the opposite end of the Georgia Dome alone and through a tunnel leading to the locker room, perhaps leaving a field for the final time as the Tigers’ defensive coordinator.
Before Saturday’s game — a 21-14 triumph against Tennessee — Pelini told his defenders he’s leaning toward taking over as Nebraska’s head coach, said senior defensive end Kirston Pittman.
Pelini didn’t say he was leaving LSU for sure, Pittman said.
“He didn’t say it in those exact words,” Pittman said. “But he did tell us that (Nebraska) was his dream job and the opportunity of a lifetime. We respect him as a coach for coming out and telling us that he was leaning toward it.”
Pittman said Pelini told his players he would inform them of his situation either after the game or today. Turns out, Pelini didn’t discuss the matter with players right after the game, according to several of them, and the coach was tight-lipped with reporters in the post mortem. He declined to say if he’s taken the NU job.
Louisiana State improved to 11-2 despite a wild few days of coaching speculation surrounding its program. Saturday afternoon, nearly two hours before kickoff, Tigers head coach Les Miles held a brief news conference to announce he was staying at LSU. ESPN had reported Saturday morning that Miles was ready to take the Michigan job.
Friday night, multiple sources told the Journal Star that a news conference could occur as early as today formally announcing Pelini’s hiring as Nebraska head coach. The 39-year-old Pelini has spent the last three seasons as Louisiana State’s defensive coordinator. He had the same job at NU in 2003.
He said after Saturday’s game he was “totally consumed” this past week with beating Tennessee (9-4).
“We’ll see what happens over the next couple of days,” Pelini said of the Nebraska job. “I’m just enjoying this championship. We worked long and hard and went through a lot together. There are a lot of teams that would’ve folded after that Arkansas loss (last week). There were a lot of disappointed young men. They showed their heart. They showed their character and what it takes to be champions.”
After allowing Arkansas to gain 513 yards — including 385 on the ground — in last week’s 50-48 triple-overtime loss in Baton Rouge, La., Louisiana State held Tennessee to 343 yards, and the Tigers came up with two critical interceptions, including one that produced the winning touchdown.
“A lot of teams were doubting whether we could come back,” Pelini said. “I heard it all week long. But there was no question in our mind.”
Said Pittman: “We wanted to come out and win it for (Pelini). … We wanted to send him out with a bang if he wants to leave.”
Louisiana State cornerback Chevis Jackson said he was surprised before the game when Pelini told his players he was leaning toward leaving for Nebraska.
Said Tigers linebacker Derry Beckwith, whose late interception helped preserve the victory: “Coach Pelini’s meant a lot to us. He’s a players’ coach, and he’s always there for you when you need a helping hand.”
Nebraska’s defense — which ranks 112th nationally in yards allowed and points allowed — obviously could use a boost.
“I’ll tell you what, he would deserve a head coaching job,” Louisiana State athletic director Skip Bertman said of Pelini. “He’s an excellent, excellent coach. And he’s the kind of guy who’s been in this business long enough to know enough people to fill a coaching staff.”
Good programs should expect their assistant coaches to be hired by other teams as head coaches, Bertman said.
“Now, I’m not saying that’s happened in this case,” the AD said.
At any rate, signs point toward Pelini succeeding Bill Callahan, who had a record of 27-22 in four seasons at Nebraska.
“It’s a hard business,” Pelini said. “Winning championships doesn’t come around every year. We put a lot work in. We went through a lot together. We wanted to finish this season off the right way and win the SEC. That’s really all I was concerned with. Speculation, that was for other people to concern themselves with.
“I’m just looking to go relax and get some sleep on that (team) plane. We’ll see what happens over the next couple of days.”
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.