Things in Lincoln, Nebraska might appear a lot worse than they really are. But looking bad makes the Husker program appear like it can’t make a decision. From the outside, the employment practices inside the Tom and Nancy Osborne Complex looks more like a Human Resources nightmare.
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| Shawn Watson |
Let’s start with Shawn Watson (Offensive Coordinator) and Ted Gilmore (Recruiting Coordinator), are they fired or aren’t they fired? Head Coach Bo Pelini has not announced any changes to the staff but all indications point towards the inevitable for the two holdovers from the Bill Callahan era.
Watson and Gilmore have been silent and out of sight, skipping (or not invited) the annual recruiting dinners in Omaha and Lincoln.
To make things more interesting, a job posting for an offensive coach on the UNL website. I didn’t know there was a job available. At least nothing has been announced and both Watson and Gilmore are still listed on the coaches section of Huskers.com
Maybe it’s in the details of the contract buyout and severance package for both coaches. Maybe it’s the fact that Bo Pelini doesn’t want to make a move until he has a firm plan in place. Whatever it is I commend both Watson and Gilmore.
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| Ted Gilmore |
Say what you want about their coaching abilities. Both men have represented the University, the Athletic Department and the Football Team in a first class manner. To have the (assumed) departure played out in public and for such a long period of time is note fare to both men. Coaches get fired all the time; some would say it’s a rite of passage. Most departures are quick and painless; this one seems to be cruel and unusual. Watson and Gilmore are fuming internally, but externally they are handling the situation like the professionals they have always been.
Flashback to 2003 when Bo Pelini took over the Head Coaching position on an interim basis when Frank Solich got fired, Bo wanted the interim tag removed. However Bo watched Steve Pederson botch a coaching search in the public arena. Bo didn’t appreciate the lack of communication from Pederson, he didn’t like how it was played out in public and he found it disrespectful considering he led the Huskers to an Alamo Bowl win over Michigan State.
Flash forward to 2011 and Bo appears to be making the same mistakes (at least on the surface) there’s no communication and this fiasco is being played out in public. Both the Omaha World Herald and the Lincoln Journal Star have reported on possible assistant coaches being interviewed. Internet chatters is at record levels for being the off season.
If you follow college football on daily basis, you see a lot of teams making staff changes right after LOI day. Those other teams make them swiftly and without a lot of hoopla. Changes are coming at Nebraska, let’s just hope then next time Bo wants to fire and hire he has a better game plan. If he’s been calling the plays on this one he should call it the help of UNL Human Resources, they’re the experts.
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