Would Bill Callahan Have Worked with More Time?

The Common Fans bring you Episode 2 of The Reckoning series. This episode, featuring long time Nebraska reporters Mitch Sherman and Brandon Vogel, focuses on the question: Would Bill Callahan Have Worked with More Time?
The crew looks at:
- The prolonged, messy coaching search that ultimately led to Callahan - Nebraska's fifth choice in the process - being hired.
- Upending tradition - installing the West Coast offense, moving away from the walk-on program, ignoring former players, and more.
- Callahan took the Huskers to the Big 12 title game in 2006, before it all fell apart just one season later. Was he one good defensive coordinator away from putting it all together at Nebraska?
Callahan went 5-6 in year 1; Matt Rhule went 5-7 in his first year. If Rhule goes 8-4 in year 2 and wins a bowl game, and then goes 9-3 and plays for the conference championship in year 3 (identical to Callahan), would he survive a 5-7 season in year 4?
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.
And make sure to subscribe to our KZbin channel, / @commonfangbr .
GBR for LIFE!
#huskerfootball #huskers #gbr #gbr4life #podcast #collegefootball #nebraska #BillCallahan #MitchSherman #bigtenfootball #TheReckoning #CommonFanPodcast #TomOsborne #FrankSolich #BoPelini #MikeRiley #ScottFrost #MattRhule #counterread #LNK #OMA #TheGoodLife #nebraskafootball #podcastseries

[@commonfanGBR]

Was Bill Callahan one good Defensive Coordinator away from putting it all together at Nebraska? Tell us what you think, Common Fans.

[@TJBirkelGBR]

Short answer: no. Just one man's opinion.

[@TheOtherDave148]

He was a great recruiter. His personality wasn’t a fit though

[@johnfahrer5038]

But Bo’s and Frost’s were?

[@sorney98]

@@johnfahrer5038 Bo sure lot better, least his teams didn't quit so easily

[@TJBirkelGBR]

Such an interesting and engaging conversation with Mitch and Brandon. A very unique time for Nebraska football to say the least.

[@commonfanGBR]

Absolutely fascinating conversation. The Common Fans are going to love it!

[@GeoffinLincoln]

Kick ass conversation with Mitch. Privilege to chat with him. Really fun.

[@Guevon_Pajaro]

This is an awesome series, good retrospective of that era. I'm like TJ, all I remember is hating Callahan. Our voldemort.

[@TheEricfarley1]

Another amazing episode. Thanks!! Wasn’t Dave Wannstedt one of the candidates that Pederson was trying to attract to NU? Great insight about Andy. Not sure it would be PG enough but would love to hear Andy’s inside perspective of that staff. By the way - I don’t think Sherman would have worked here either. He’s a really good NFL coach but his time at A&M wasn’t great either.

[@stevennichols6915]

You have to wonder how the start of Bill Callahan’s tenure would’ve been if the transfer portal of today would’ve been available then? Obviously, he could’ve worked on skill players quarterback, receivers for the West Coast offense instead of waiting to get Zach Taylor.

[@johnhamilton7797]

I think he would have gutted the roster. Dailey would have said adios.

[@misterK247]

Callahan made one major mistake. That was deciding not keep Bo Pelini on the staff as DC. The offense under Callahan was scoring 30 pts+ per game. That's huge when you have a great defense.

[@SGTUSMCVET269]

It’s just a sad tale. Frank was the heir to the TO/Bobfather dynasty. When he was removed and replaced it turned ugly. Bo was a good man for the job, but it was too much bs, from the media and the alumni. It only got back on track with Scott and TO advising. Frosty was too frosty for Trev. I’m glad we have Coach Rhule. What we had with Tom may never be repeated. A good Christian coach and players like the legacy kid have a chance to be great. We’re gonna see in a few days. I am praying for Dylan and the boys. May you all be favored by God Almighty ❤🙏🇺🇸

[@roljamas]

With what Steve Pederson was looking for in 2003-04, *no available NFL hire* would have worked. They all would have gotten smoked my the rise and peak of the spread by smaller schools in 2007.

[@SeaHusker54]

The last 5 minutes were gold lol “I hate Bill Callahan” 😅

[@commonfanGBR]

😂

[@sleepyg2011]

You husker zealots can't leave the past in the past unbelievable.

[@GeoffinLincoln]

Alternate timelines are all the rage in the movies now. Gotta entertain the “What if?…”

[@commonfanGBR]

I've got great news for you Boris. You can choose not to watch.

[@John-qk3qi]

Those who do not understand the past are doomed to repeat it.​@@commonfanGBR

[@johnhamilton7797]

@@John-qk3qi See the hiring habits post Biff Jones after WW2.

[@TheBACoachsShow]

Sorry I’m a few days late fellas, but listening as I work now. Fantastic episode today guys!

[@commonfanGBR]

Thanks Coach! Really appreciate it!

[@viruschill6736]

Bill Callahan? who cares I think one of the biggest mistakes in cornhusker history is not giving Frank Solich enough time.

[@commonfanGBR]

Thanks for watching! We talk all about the Solich era in the first episode of this series. You should check it out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pomQdneYrpxpiKM

[@johnhamilton7797]

Tom Osborne over promoted Frank Solich if you ask me.

[@johnfahrer5038]

lol the guy turned a Porsche of a program into a Pinto in less than a half decade. The 16-12 in his last 28 games is what Frank really was. Couldn’t even win the MAC once despite 17 tries. Never should’ve had the job to begin with. Notice how Bama didn’t do something as stupid (promoting a 55 year old RB coach to the big job) when replacing Saban?

[@igorlobkovenko9480]

Why was it inevitable before the USC game in 2007? That game was early in the season. Learned very little about the subject matter.

[@MB-vw3jc]

I don’t think Callahan had a great connection with the players. He didn’t with the fan base.

[@patrickm7483]

The wheels certainly seemed to fall off in 2007, but I think one thing that gets lost is that it was a challenging schedule in hindsight. I think it was our highest Strength-of-schedule rating until 2017, 10 of the 12 teams we faced went to a bowl game, and 4 of the teams that beat us finished in the top 10. So you figure that maybe you are losing 4 already (Texas was the only close score and we were 20th in the preseason where 9-4 is a fairly expected outcome) and that leaves the Oklahoma State (which they all pointed to), the Texas A&M, and Colorado games as the key ones for possibly making us a bowl eligible/.500+ type team. I think each of those games we gave up 3 turnovers and had zero takeaways. The optics were bad and while I dont know that we become national title contenders under Callahan, I do think another season may have been warranted and maybe he would have been humbled enough to make some changes he had refused to do up to that point.. I dont think it is out of the realm of possibility that a 2008 Callahan led team would have seen us have a similar type record that Pelini achieved. That said, it could have made him harder to remove and maybe still doesnt get us headed in the right direction as a program.

[@sorney98]

With way things were going, I don't think Callahan would if made it. He could recruit no doubt about it but his offense was so far behind against quality teams and it showed. There was more problems and honestly i think Bill knew his days as a head coach were numbered as well. Plus other thing that has pit Nebraska behind was leadership not only to AD, but also the Chancellor-President Harvey Pearlman, along with the board. It was said had Pearlman not agreed to not only fire Pederson but bring in Tom Osborne as well he be gone as well. There was so many problems, and it was showing

[@Se7enmax9]

He didn’t need more time, he needed competent defensive coordinator. Cosgrove was garbage.🤬🤬🤬

[@commonfanGBR]

Haha spot on! He may have needed more than that...

[@Se7enmax9]

@@commonfanGBR remember, bill brought in ndamakoung Suh

[@sorney98]

​@Se7enmax9 had Callahan not been fired, it was said Suh would of transferred

[@johnfahrer5038]

Yet many of the people who say that about Cosgrove also think Bo was a defensive genius despite knocking Cosgrove out of the record books. Save for 2007, when the team quit after USC, Cosgrove’s defenses weren’t all that bad. Not elite by any means. But far from giving up 70 to five loss teams or rushing records in three quarters…

[@sorney98]

😂​@@johnfahrer5038

[@dang2055]

Callahan had no interest in playing defense. Would have never worked. I left a game where we were getting rolled by Missouri and Missouri scored two more times before I made it to my car. Bill Callahan should stay in his lane and coach the line and don’t even move his head left to right to look at anything else.

[@rosshalford7932]

Pederson's mindset with the hire was upgrading the talent on the roster. He had been gone since the national title in 95 and after seeing 1 practice he was stunned at how far the talent on the roster had dropped

[@mattyowenssr]

Awesome to have Mitch Sherman join us again! In my opinion, he’s the ultimate authority on the botched coaching search that ultimately led to Callahan, and his article in The Athletic with Max Olson from 2021 proves it. GBR 4 Life!

[@TJBirkelGBR]

Completely agree MattyO! Fantastic conversation with Mitch!

[@commonfanGBR]

No doubt!

[@theohiopodcast]

Great job guys! This was an absolute fascinating pod. I am learning so much about Nebraska football that I did not know or I was ignorant to during my college/early 20's while watching college football. I can't wait to watch the next one. Side note, I had no idea that Urban Meyer almost ended up in Lincoln. Imagine how the landscape of college football could have changed if that would have happened!?

[@commonfanGBR]

Thanks so much guys! Really appreciate it. I'm not sure how close to "almost" the Urban thing was, but that would have been something!

[@TD-ce5ru]

No he would not have. The starters won their positions and he never gave others a chance once the season started. He coached like he was in the NFL. I do however say with NIL his coaching philosophy might work better than it did.

[@commonfanGBR]

We agree. Thanks for watching!

[@jdp0359]

Hiring his buddy Cosgrove, who had terrible defenses and Wisconsin, is enough to tell anybody he was never Head Coaching Material

[@commonfanGBR]

Definitely wonder what might have happened with a different DC.

[@jdp0359]

@@commonfanGBR If one is in such a position of such authority you aren't paid to neglect your authority.

[@jdp0359]

Callahan was a good recruiter and offensive line coach. He wasn't close to being a good head coach.

[@commonfanGBR]

@@jdp0359 Spot on.

[@Herbcatt1988]

Would Callahan have succeeded is kind of an irrelevant question. I think a lot of my fellow Husker fans were either unrealistic in their expectations or just full on lying to themselves about how much damage was done to the program post 1999. I’m not going to sit here and say all he needed was a d coordinator and everything would of been fine cause that’s honestly just as foolish as saying otherwise. The only thing i will say is with the momentum in the recruiting game and the successes on offense he has done enough for a shot to course correct.

[@commonfanGBR]

Thanks so much for watching! Hope you're enjoying the series. Make sure to subscribe on KZbin if you haven't already. GBR for LIFE!