Bo-liever or Bo-leaver?

The Common Fans bring you Episode 3 of The Reckoning series. This episode, featuring long time Nebraska reporters Sam McKewon and Brandon Vogel, focuses on the question: Bo-liever or Bo-leaver?
The crew looks at:
- The hiring of Bo "restored the House of Osborne," according to Sam McKewon.
- Pelini's fire was a welcome change from the more stoic Callahan, but it was evident from early on that his temper was fierce - and perhaps a detriment to the team.
- Pelini's early success - two conference championship game appearances in his first three years - contrasted with the volatile and, at times, dysfunctional way he ran the team.
- Two massive turning points in the middle of Bo's tenure: Nebraska's move to the Big 10, and the unexpected blowout loss against Wisconsin in the 2012 Big 10 championship game.
- The impact of Shawn Eichorst coming in as Athletic Director in 2012.
- The infamous tape after the 2013 UCLA game.
- The 2014 Wisconsin game that sealed his fate.
And much, much more.
Special thanks to Brandon Vogel of the Counter Read for joining the Common Fans for all of The Reckoning episodes. Make sure to check out www.counterread.com for Brandon's excellent coverage of Nebraska football, college football, and other Nebraska sports.
#gbr4life
And make sure to subscribe to our KZbin channel, / @commonfangbr .
GBR for LIFE!
#huskers #nebraskafootball #gbr #podcast #huskerfootball #nebraska #gbr4life #collegefootball #bopelini #tomosborne #bigtenfootball #mattrhule #dylanraiola #nebraskapodcast #collegefootballpodcast

[@commonfanGBR]

Let's hear from you, Common Fans! Where do you come down on the firing of Bo Pelini?

[@TJBirkelGBR]

Such a fascinating conversation. Such great stories and insight from Sam. Most divisive coaching decision ever for Nebraska?

[@johnhamilton7797]

I agreed with it. We were closer to losing games against McNeese State than they were beating Ohio State after 7 seasons.

[@cliffcastoral6402]

He maintained the standard seven yrs straight. First time head coach, highest grad rates, seven straight nine plus wins, seven straight bowl games. Nebraska has never recovered from his firing. He lost his OC, DC, LB coaches and still won.

[@cliffcastoral6402]

His players loved him. They still do. They credit him for their success in life.

[@cliffcastoral6402]

I think if Nebraska would have hired better after Bo, fans like me could have supported his firing better. They’ve gone backwards since.

[@TJBirkelGBR]

Phenomenal conversation with Sam. We could do 10 episodes on just the Bo era alone.

[@commonfanGBR]

No doubt!

[@TheBACoachsShow]

Haven’t started this one yet.. I know I am going to be biased on this one… I named a son of mine Bo! Been looking forward to this one! GBR

[@TJBirkelGBR]

Can't wait to hear your take, Coach!

[@GeoffinLincoln]

This episode was fun. Sam has so many quotes in this episode that are going continuously live rent free in my head.

[@mattyowenssr]

Some fun memories in the Pelini era of Nebraska football. Some bad memories too. GBR 4 Life!

[@patrickm7483]

Great discussion. One thing that I wasn't aware of was the thought/potential for Bo to leave Nebraska on his own. We tend to see this as the last stop and not a stepping stone. I am in the Bo-Leaver camp. His schtick grew exhausting and less fun as the years passed. I think it is telling that so far nobody in this series has held a prestigious college head coaching job after being fired.

[@genredpod]

I understood the firing at the time, mainly for a PR reason. However, the chances of him becoming successful had TO not been run out of the AD's chair were better than hiring Howdy Doody just to bring in Grandpa Mike.

[@commonfanGBR]

This is spot on. Not sure how it would have or could have played out differently. But Pelini and Eichorst could not have been more different, and that was a bad recipe.

[@chucklauterbach2081]

Loved this one guys

[@benjammin2929]

Ive been really enjoying this series. As a Husker fan living in Alabama, I think an interesting angle to take an episode after you finish up would be to give some advice to Alabama as it loses its HoF Coach. I feel like the fanbase expectations are similar to Nebraska in the 2000s and I wonder if they're headed for a similar fall off.

[@johnhamilton7797]

Nebraska in a lot of ways is going through what Alabama went through post Bryant.

[@commonfanGBR]

Interesting idea! It will definitely be interesting to watch what happens with Bama here. I think they're going to fall off, just not sure how far.

[@commonfanGBR]

@@johnhamilton7797 Hope the bounce back is as strong as Bama's!

[@johnhamilton7797]

@@commonfanGBR You are not lying!

[@ethanr4708]

I’ve had a lot of heated discussions about Bo’s tenure. My argument was that he always found a way to lose 4 games not that he’d get 8 or 9 wins every year. After they made the transition to the B1G his defense never got better and he was supposed to be a defensive coach. Love and respect for what he did for the program and keeping them relevant, but it was time for him to go.

[@commonfanGBR]

This is a pretty compelling analysis. Thanks for watching Ethan...GBR for LIFE!

[@ethanr4708]

@@commonfanGBR GBR 4 LIFE

[@cliffcastoral6402]

He was the 3rd highest win pct behind Saban and Kelly during that seven year span.

[@TheJohnsy34]

I need to know where Matty got his hat.

[@commonfanGBR]

@mattyowenssr ?

[@user-ek3qg7yb3h]

Tom gave a timeline as to ending his ad job. He and the powers in charge asked buddy barry Alvarez for recommendations. Barry knew eichorst from working at wu and his national championships in football as ad at wisconsin white water plus this era people didn't want ads to be sports/football ones. The national prespective was to have lawyers because of multi million dollar contracts with coaches and tv revenue, etc...

[@cliffcastoral6402]

He also changed conferences in year 5.

[@usmcsully7183]

I felt dirty listening to this podcast

[@cliffcastoral6402]

He also lost qb Patrick Witt, and threw Quentin Castille RB off the team. Would have been year two studs.

[@juanmanuelventura8203]

Bo Pelini was a moron ,Good. Defensive Coordinator but had to have some one Above him Rein him if gets out of line. Bo Pelini *Charismatic is the Narcissistic charm ,but the venom always comes later.He demonstrated that painfully.