Bo Pelini
Encyclopedia
Mark "Bo" Pelini is the head football
coach
at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
. He had previously been defensive coordinator
for the LSU Tigers
, Oklahoma Sooners
, and the Nebraska Cornhuskers
. On December 2, 2007, one day after coaching in the 2007 SEC Championship Game
, Pelini was named as head coach at Nebraska by athletic director
Tom Osborne.
, a former center of steel production with a strong athletic tradition. He was nicknamed "Bo" after former Cleveland Browns
running back Bo Scott
. After graduating from Youngstown Cardinal Mooney High School
(the same high school as Oklahoma Sooners
Head Coach Bob Stoops
), he went on to play free safety
for Ohio State University
Buckeyes
under Earle Bruce
and later John Cooper
from 1987 to 1990, as a starter in his last two years. Pelini served as a team co-captain in his senior year, along with Vinnie Clark
, Jeff Graham
and Greg Frey
. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business marketing
from Ohio State University in 1990 while playing for the Buckeyes.
as a graduate assistant for the Iowa Hawkeyes
under Hayden Fry
in 1991. During this period, he also completed his master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio University
in 1992. In 1993, he served for one year as quarterbacks coach
at Cardinal Mooney High School
in Youngstown. Following the season, Pelini was briefly employed as linebackers coach with the Arena Football League's Detroit Drive.
In 1994, Pelini got his first position in the National Football League
when he was hired by San Francisco 49ers
head coach George Seifert
as a scouting assistant. He was quickly promoted to assistant secondary coach, and by the spring of 1994 he had been promoted again to Defensive Backs Coach
. In 1995, in his new position, he coached in his first Super Bowl
as the 49ers
defeated the San Diego Chargers
49–26 in Super Bowl XXIX
.
In 1997, Pelini was hired by New England Patriots
head coach Pete Carroll
, again as defensive backs coach, helping the Patriots reach the playoffs twice during his three years there.
In 2000, Pelini became the Linebackers Coach
for the Green Bay Packers
under head coach Mike Sherman
. Green Bay posted a 33–15 record and reached the playoffs twice in Pelini's three years there as linebackers coach.
Pelini returned to the college ranks in 2003 when he was hired as Defensive Coordinator
for the Nebraska Cornhuskers
by Head Coach Frank Solich
. In 2002, the season prior to his hiring, Nebraska's
defense was ranked 55th nationally. In his first year it improved to 11th and led the country in turnover margin. At the conclusion of the regular season, despite posting a 9–3 record, Solich was fired by new Nebraska athletic director Steve Pederson
. Pelini was named the interim head coach and led the Cornhuskers
to a 17-3 win over the Michigan State Spartans
in the 2003 Alamo Bowl
. Pelini interviewed for the Nebraska head coach position, but Pederson instead decided after a 41-day search to hire Bill Callahan, who had just been fired by the Oakland Raiders
after a disappointing 4–12 season. The following year, Nebraska's defense fell to 56th nationally.
For 2004, Pelini joined the Oklahoma Sooners
as co-defensive coordinator under head coach Bob Stoops
, helping the Sooners to a 6th place national rushing defense and 11th place national scoring defense on their way towards winning the 2004 Big 12 Championship Game and a spot in the 2005 BCS National Championship Game, where they were defeated 55-19 by the University of Southern California
.
In 2005, Pelini was hired by Louisiana State University Tigers
Head Coach Les Miles
, again as defensive coordinator. His success continued, as LSU was ranked 3rd nationally in overall defense for each of his three years with the Tigers. At the conclusion of the 2007 regular season
, LSU
defeated Tennessee
21-14 in the 2007 SEC Championship Game
and went on to win 38-24 against Ohio State
, Pelini's alma mater, in the 2008 BCS National Championship Game
.
During the 2007 football season, Nebraska Chancellor
Harvey Perlman fired athletic director Steve Pederson
, and appointed former Cornhuskers head coach Tom Osborne as Interim Athletic Director. One day after the Cornhuskers' final game of the season, a 65–51 loss to Colorado
and finishing the season with 5 wins and 7 losses, Osborne fired Bill Callahan and announced an immediate search for a new football coach. Pelini was selected after a nine-day search as the next head coach. Two names revealed among five interviewed candidates included Buffalo head coach Turner Gill
and Wake Forest
head coach Jim Grobe
.
, San Jose State
, and New Mexico State
. Bo Pelini's arrival saw a renewed interest and optimism in Nebraska football, as evidenced by their record Pay-Per View buys.
Nebraska then proceeded to lose a close game to Virginia Tech
, while suffering the worst home loss in school history Missouri
52-17 the next week. The first road game of the season produced a loss to Texas Tech in overtime despite giving up 8.77 yards per play. Then the Huskers traveled to Ames, Iowa
and beat a 2-10 Iowa State University
. They came back home and won against the Baylor Bears
. Pelini's Huskers then lost on the road the following week to the Oklahoma Sooners
by a tune of 62-28, where Oklahoma scored 35 straight before Nebraska answered. By halftime, the score was 49-14. This game marked the first time Pelini went up against Bob Stoops who he formerly worked under as defensive coordinator at the University of Oklahoma in 2004. This game also marks the most points ever scored against Nebraska in a single quarter.
On November 8, Bo Pelini's Nebraska Cornhuskers won against Kansas
, making them bowl eligible. The 9–4 season was capped by a 26–21 victory over the Clemson Tigers
at the 2009 Gator Bowl
, played only days after Pelini returned from his father's funeral service in Ohio.
Pelini's 2008 regular season record of 9-4 was the highest among all 28 Division 1A teams with new head coaches and staffs that year. This performance was rewarded in March 2009 when his salary was increased from $1.1 to $1.8 million. Pelini is under contract until February 2014.
. The Cornhuskers were ranked in the preseason at #24 by the AP
, the first pre-season ranking since the 2007 season. Nebraska was expecting big seasons from running back Roy Helu and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh
. Before the season even started, Pelini had to kick his second leading rusher, Quentin Castille off the team. Castille's absence led to the emergence to true freshman running back Rex Burkhead during fall camp.
Pelini led his team to the 2009 Big 12 Championship Game
against the #3 Texas Longhorns. Texas, led by quarterback Colt McCoy
, was heavily favored over the Huskers, who were ranked number 21. Despite the loss in the game, the Big 12 Championship Game showcased the skill of Ndamukong Suh. The All-American had 4.5 sacks to go along with 11 tackles. With his performance Suh was invited to the 2009 Heisman Trophy
ceremony, where he finished 4th. Suh flourished under coach Pelini, finishing the 2009 season with 85 tackles, 12 sacks, 24 tackles for a loss, 10 passes broken up, 3 blocked kicks, one interception, and a forced fumble. Suh won almost every major post season award available to a defense player, including the Lombardi Award
, Outland Trophy
, Chuck Bednarik Award
, Bronko Nagurski Trophy
, and The Bill Willis Trophy
. Suh is the second Outland and Lombardi winner of Pelini's, following Glenn Dorsey
.
Nebraska finished the season with a 33-0 win over the Arizona Wildcats
in the 2009 Holiday Bowl
where Pelini proclaimed to the Nebraska fans in the Holiday Bowl stands "Nebraska is back and we're here to stay!". The victory was the first bowl shutout of Nebraska's 45 bowl history, as well as the first shutout in Holiday Bowl history. Nebraska's final rank in the coaches and AP
media poll was 14th, the highest final ranking since 2001. Under Pelini Nebraska finished #1 in NCAA scoring and pass efficiency defense, the first time since 1984 and 2003 that Nebraska has led the country in those categories respectively.
in 2011. Following disappointing losses to both the University of Texas and to Texas A&M, the Cornhuskers dropped to #15 in the AP poll going into the final week of the regular season therefore eliminating any realistic hopes of a National Championship in 2010. Nebraska proceeded to beat Colorado in the final regular game of the season, clinching the Big 12 North title and securing a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game. In the Big 12 Title Game, Nebraska committed four turnovers on the way to a 23-20 defeat to Big 12 South Co-Champion Oklahoma. In the final BCS ratings for the season, Nebraska finished 18th and in fifth place amongst Big 12 teams behind Oklahoma, Missouri, Oklahoma State, and Texas A&M. Nebraska lost the Holiday Bowl to the Washington Huskies on December 30, 2010.
. A prayer was held before the game for both teams by Ron Brown. Nebraska would win the game 17–14.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a public research university located in the city of Lincoln in the U.S. state of Nebraska...
. He had previously been defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
for the LSU Tigers
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
, Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
, and the Nebraska Cornhuskers
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
. On December 2, 2007, one day after coaching in the 2007 SEC Championship Game
2007 SEC Championship Game
The 2007 SEC Championship Game was played on December 1, 2007 in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The game determined the 2007 football champion of the Southeastern Conference. The LSU Tigers, winners of the Western division of the SEC, defeated the Tennessee Volunteers, who won the Eastern...
, Pelini was named as head coach at Nebraska by athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
Tom Osborne.
Playing career
Pelini was raised in Youngstown, OhioYoungstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, a former center of steel production with a strong athletic tradition. He was nicknamed "Bo" after former Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
running back Bo Scott
Bo Scott
Bo Scott is a former running back for the Cleveland Browns American football team in the National Football League. He also played for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League, where he was named a CFL all-star and helped the team to the 1968 Grey Cup championship...
. After graduating from Youngstown Cardinal Mooney High School
Cardinal Mooney High School
Cardinal Mooney High School is a coeducational Catholic high school in Youngstown, Ohio.-History:Cardinal Mooney was founded in 1956 and is run by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Youngstown. In the early 1950s, the Diocese of Youngstown recognized the need to expand Ursuline High School and to build...
(the same high school as Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners
The University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
Head Coach Bob Stoops
Bob Stoops
Robert Anthony "Bob" Stoops is the head coach of the University of Oklahoma football team. During the 2000 season, Stoops led the Sooners to an Orange Bowl victory and a national championship....
), he went on to play free safety
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
for Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of The Ohio State University, named after the state tree, the Buckeye. The Buckeyes participate in the NCAA's Division I in all sports and the Big Ten Conference in most sports...
under Earle Bruce
Earle Bruce
Earle Bruce is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Tampa , Iowa State University , Ohio State University , the University of Northern Iowa , and Colorado State University , compiling a career college football record of 154–90–2...
and later John Cooper
John Cooper (coach)
John Cooper is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Tulsa , Arizona State University , and Ohio State University , compiling a career record of 192–84–6...
from 1987 to 1990, as a starter in his last two years. Pelini served as a team co-captain in his senior year, along with Vinnie Clark
Vinnie Clark
Vincent Eugene Clark is a former American football cornerback in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, and the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played college football at Ohio State University.In 2005, Clark was named an assistant coach for the Arena Football League team...
, Jeff Graham
Jeff Graham
Jeffery Todd Graham is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft. A 6'2", 206-lb...
and Greg Frey
Greg Frey
Greg Frey is a former college football player. He is currently a football announcer and high school football assistant coach....
. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business marketing
Business marketing
Business Marketing is the practice of individuals, or organizations, including commercial businesses, governments and institutions, facilitating the sale of their products or services to other companies or organizations that in turn resell them, use them as components in products or services they...
from Ohio State University in 1990 while playing for the Buckeyes.
Coaching career
Following his playing career, Pelini began his coaching career at the University of IowaUniversity of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
as a graduate assistant for the Iowa Hawkeyes
Iowa Hawkeyes football
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
under Hayden Fry
Hayden Fry
John Hayden Fry is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Southern Methodist University , North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas , and the University of Iowa , compiling a career college football record of 232–178–10...
in 1991. During this period, he also completed his master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
in 1992. In 1993, he served for one year as quarterbacks coach
Quarterbacks coach
A quarterbacks coach is a coach in charge of the quarterbacks in gridiron football. The quarterbacks coach typically operates under the offensive coordinator on a team's coaching staff....
at Cardinal Mooney High School
Cardinal Mooney High School
Cardinal Mooney High School is a coeducational Catholic high school in Youngstown, Ohio.-History:Cardinal Mooney was founded in 1956 and is run by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Youngstown. In the early 1950s, the Diocese of Youngstown recognized the need to expand Ursuline High School and to build...
in Youngstown. Following the season, Pelini was briefly employed as linebackers coach with the Arena Football League's Detroit Drive.
In 1994, Pelini got his first position in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
when he was hired by San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
head coach George Seifert
George Seifert
George Seifert is a former NFL head coach of the San Francisco 49ers and the Carolina Panthers. Seifert joined the 49ers' coaching staff under Bill Walsh in 1980 as defensive backs coach and served as the team's defensive coordinator from 1983–1988.As a 49er assistant, his defenses finished...
as a scouting assistant. He was quickly promoted to assistant secondary coach, and by the spring of 1994 he had been promoted again to Defensive Backs Coach
Defensive backs coach
A defensive backs coach or secondary coach is a coach in charge of the safeties and cornerbacks in gridiron football. This position is very common in the CFL, NFL and college football programs. Some common titles are: safeties coach, cornerbacks coach, secondary coach, secondary/safeties coach,...
. In 1995, in his new position, he coached in his first Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
as the 49ers
1994 San Francisco 49ers season
The San Francisco 49ers 1994 season was the team's 49th season in the National Football League, and was highlighted by a victory in Super Bowl XXIX. The championship made San Francisco the first team to win five Super Bowls. After losing to the Dallas Cowboys in the previous two conference...
defeated the San Diego Chargers
1994 San Diego Chargers season
-Schedule:-Playoffs:-References:...
49–26 in Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX was an American football game played on January 29, 1995 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1994 regular season...
.
In 1997, Pelini was hired by New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
head coach Pete Carroll
Pete Carroll
Peter Clay Carroll is the head coach and executive Vice-President of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He is a former head coach of the New York Jets, New England Patriots and the University of Southern California Trojans football team.-Early life:Carroll attended Redwood High...
, again as defensive backs coach, helping the Patriots reach the playoffs twice during his three years there.
In 2000, Pelini became the Linebackers Coach
Linebackers coach
A linebackers coach is a position coach in charge of the linebackers in gridiron football. This role is common in the CFL, NFL, and college football programs. The linebackers coach serves the defense, which is led by the defensive coordinator and works with the players of the three linebacker...
for the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
under head coach Mike Sherman
Mike Sherman
Michael Francis "Mike" Sherman is the head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies football team. Prior to coaching the Aggies, he served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from the 2000–05 seasons. Sherman led the Packers to five consecutive winning seasons from 2000–04 and three divisional titles...
. Green Bay posted a 33–15 record and reached the playoffs twice in Pelini's three years there as linebackers coach.
Pelini returned to the college ranks in 2003 when he was hired as Defensive Coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
for the Nebraska Cornhuskers
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
by Head Coach Frank Solich
Frank Solich
Frank Solich is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at Ohio University, a position he has held since the 2005 season...
. In 2002, the season prior to his hiring, Nebraska's
2002 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 2002 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Frank Solich and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.-Schedule:...
defense was ranked 55th nationally. In his first year it improved to 11th and led the country in turnover margin. At the conclusion of the regular season, despite posting a 9–3 record, Solich was fired by new Nebraska athletic director Steve Pederson
Steve Pederson
Steve Pederson is the athletic director at the University of Pittsburgh. He held the same post there from 1996 to 2002 and at the University of Nebraska from 2002 to 2007.-First Pittsburgh tenure:...
. Pelini was named the interim head coach and led the Cornhuskers
2003 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 2003 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Frank Solich and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.-Schedule:...
to a 17-3 win over the Michigan State Spartans
2003 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 2003 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 2003-2004 college football season.The Spartans play their home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan. This was the first year for head coach John L...
in the 2003 Alamo Bowl
2003 Alamo Bowl
The 2003 Alamo Bowl was an American football bowl game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Nebraska Cornhuskers played December 29, 2003 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas....
. Pelini interviewed for the Nebraska head coach position, but Pederson instead decided after a 41-day search to hire Bill Callahan, who had just been fired by the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
after a disappointing 4–12 season. The following year, Nebraska's defense fell to 56th nationally.
For 2004, Pelini joined the Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
as co-defensive coordinator under head coach Bob Stoops
Bob Stoops
Robert Anthony "Bob" Stoops is the head coach of the University of Oklahoma football team. During the 2000 season, Stoops led the Sooners to an Orange Bowl victory and a national championship....
, helping the Sooners to a 6th place national rushing defense and 11th place national scoring defense on their way towards winning the 2004 Big 12 Championship Game and a spot in the 2005 BCS National Championship Game, where they were defeated 55-19 by the University of Southern California
2004 USC Trojans football team
The 2004 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2004-2005 NCAA Division I-A college football season. Although now vacated for breaking NCAA rules, the team won the 2004 BCS National Championship by winning the 2005 Orange Bowl, that year's BCS National...
.
In 2005, Pelini was hired by Louisiana State University Tigers
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
Head Coach Les Miles
Les Miles
Leslie Edwin "Les" Miles, nicknamed "The Mad Hatter", is an American college football coach and the current head coach of the Louisiana State University football team. Prior to holding that position, he was head coach at Oklahoma State...
, again as defensive coordinator. His success continued, as LSU was ranked 3rd nationally in overall defense for each of his three years with the Tigers. At the conclusion of the 2007 regular season
2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 30, 2007, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 7, 2008, where the top...
, LSU
2007 LSU Tigers football team
The 2007 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University during the college football season of 2007–2008, winning the Southeastern Conference championship and the national championship. The team's Head Coach was Les Miles who entered his third year at the helm of LSU Football...
defeated Tennessee
2007 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 2007 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the college football season of 2007–2008. They won the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference before falling to the eventual national champion LSU Tigers in the SEC Championship Game...
21-14 in the 2007 SEC Championship Game
2007 SEC Championship Game
The 2007 SEC Championship Game was played on December 1, 2007 in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The game determined the 2007 football champion of the Southeastern Conference. The LSU Tigers, winners of the Western division of the SEC, defeated the Tennessee Volunteers, who won the Eastern...
and went on to win 38-24 against Ohio State
2007 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2007 Ohio State Buckeyes football team competed in football on behalf of the Ohio State University during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Buckeyes were coached by Jim Tressel and played their home games in Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio...
, Pelini's alma mater, in the 2008 BCS National Championship Game
2008 BCS National Championship Game
The 2008 Allstate BCS National Championship Game was played at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Monday, January 7, 2008, and featured the #1 and #2 college football teams in the United States as determined by the BCS Poll to decide the BCS National Championship for the 2007...
.
During the 2007 football season, Nebraska Chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
Harvey Perlman fired athletic director Steve Pederson
Steve Pederson
Steve Pederson is the athletic director at the University of Pittsburgh. He held the same post there from 1996 to 2002 and at the University of Nebraska from 2002 to 2007.-First Pittsburgh tenure:...
, and appointed former Cornhuskers head coach Tom Osborne as Interim Athletic Director. One day after the Cornhuskers' final game of the season, a 65–51 loss to Colorado
Colorado Buffaloes football
The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,...
and finishing the season with 5 wins and 7 losses, Osborne fired Bill Callahan and announced an immediate search for a new football coach. Pelini was selected after a nine-day search as the next head coach. Two names revealed among five interviewed candidates included Buffalo head coach Turner Gill
Turner Gill
Turner Hillery Gill is an American football coach who most recently served as the head coach at Kansas from 2010-2011, and was one of 11 African-American head coaches in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision at the time of his hiring.-College:Gill graduated from Arlington Heights High...
and Wake Forest
Wake Forest Demon Deacons football
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represents Wake Forest University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Wake Forest plays its home football games at BB&T Field....
head coach Jim Grobe
Jim Grobe
Jim Grobe is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at Wake Forest University, a position he has held since the 2001 season. From 1995 to 2000, Grobe served as the head coach at Ohio University...
.
2008 season
Nebraska opened up with 3 straight wins against Western Michigan2008 Western Michigan Broncos football team
The 2008 Western Michigan Broncos football team represents Western Michigan University in the 2008 NCAA football season. The WMU football team is coached by Bill Cubit and play their homes game in Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan....
, San Jose State
2008 San Jose State Spartans football team
The 2008 San José State Football Team represented San José State University in the 2008 college football season. This season was the Spartans' fourth season with Dick Tomey as head coach. Many changes have been made in the starting line-ups, and had impacted the games the Spartans' have played...
, and New Mexico State
New Mexico State Aggies football
The New Mexico State Aggies football team represents New Mexico State University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Western Athletic Conference ....
. Bo Pelini's arrival saw a renewed interest and optimism in Nebraska football, as evidenced by their record Pay-Per View buys.
Nebraska then proceeded to lose a close game to Virginia Tech
2008 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2008 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represents Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach is Frank Beamer. Prior to the season, the Hokies were expected to be in a rebuilding mode, recovering after the...
, while suffering the worst home loss in school history Missouri
2008 Missouri Tigers football team
The 2008 Missouri Tigers football team represented the University of Missouri in college football's 2008 season. The team was coached by Gary Pinkel, who returned in his eighth season with Mizzou, and played their home games at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium.Quarterback Chase Daniel returned for...
52-17 the next week. The first road game of the season produced a loss to Texas Tech in overtime despite giving up 8.77 yards per play. Then the Huskers traveled to Ames, Iowa
Ames, Iowa
Ames is a city located in the central part of the U.S. state of Iowa in Story County, and approximately north of Des Moines. The U.S. Census Bureau designates that Ames, Iowa metropolitan statistical area as encompassing all of Story County, and which, when combined with the Boone, Iowa...
and beat a 2-10 Iowa State University
2008 Iowa State Cyclones football team
The 2008 Iowa State Cyclones football team represented Iowa State University in the 2008-2009 college football season. The team was led by head coach Gene Chizik, who had coached the Cyclones since 2007...
. They came back home and won against the Baylor Bears
2008 Baylor Bears football team
The 2008 Baylor Bears football team represented Baylor University in the college football season of 2007-2008. The team was led by head coach Art Briles in his first year in the position. They played their home games at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas....
. Pelini's Huskers then lost on the road the following week to the Oklahoma Sooners
2008 Oklahoma Sooners football team
The 2008 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 2008-2009. It was the 114th year of season play for the Sooners. The team was led by head coach Bob Stoops, a two-time Walter Camp Coach of the Year award winner, who has a contract...
by a tune of 62-28, where Oklahoma scored 35 straight before Nebraska answered. By halftime, the score was 49-14. This game marked the first time Pelini went up against Bob Stoops who he formerly worked under as defensive coordinator at the University of Oklahoma in 2004. This game also marks the most points ever scored against Nebraska in a single quarter.
On November 8, Bo Pelini's Nebraska Cornhuskers won against Kansas
2008 Kansas Jayhawks football team
The 2008 Kansas Jayhawks football team represented the University of Kansas for the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision intercollegiate football season of 2008-2009. It was the school's 119th year of intercollegiate football...
, making them bowl eligible. The 9–4 season was capped by a 26–21 victory over the Clemson Tigers
2008 Clemson Tigers football team
The 2008 Clemson football team represented Clemson University in the 2008 college football season. The Tigers were led by oft-maligned head coach Tommy Bowden, who resigned six games into his tenth season. The interim head coach was assistant coach Dabo Swinney...
at the 2009 Gator Bowl
2009 Gator Bowl
The 2009 Gator Bowl was played on January 1, 2009 as part of the 2008 College Football season. It featured the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who finished tied for first in the Big 12 Conference's North Division with Missouri, and the Clemson Tigers, who finished fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference's...
, played only days after Pelini returned from his father's funeral service in Ohio.
Pelini's 2008 regular season record of 9-4 was the highest among all 28 Division 1A teams with new head coaches and staffs that year. This performance was rewarded in March 2009 when his salary was increased from $1.1 to $1.8 million. Pelini is under contract until February 2014.
2009 season
Expectations were high heading into the 2009 season for the Cornhuskers. Despite having to replace record setting quarterback Joe Ganz, and the entire receiving corps, Nebraska was expected to contend in the wide open Big 12 NorthBig 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
. The Cornhuskers were ranked in the preseason at #24 by the AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, the first pre-season ranking since the 2007 season. Nebraska was expecting big seasons from running back Roy Helu and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh
Ndamukong Suh
Ndamukong Suh is an American football defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Lions 2nd overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska....
. Before the season even started, Pelini had to kick his second leading rusher, Quentin Castille off the team. Castille's absence led to the emergence to true freshman running back Rex Burkhead during fall camp.
Pelini led his team to the 2009 Big 12 Championship Game
2009 Big 12 Championship Game
The 2009 Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship Game was held on December 5, 2009 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The divisional winners from the Big 12 Conference squared off in the 14th edition of the game. The Texas Longhorns represented the South Division and the Nebraska Cornhuskers...
against the #3 Texas Longhorns. Texas, led by quarterback Colt McCoy
Colt McCoy
Daniel "Colt" McCoy is an American football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Browns in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
, was heavily favored over the Huskers, who were ranked number 21. Despite the loss in the game, the Big 12 Championship Game showcased the skill of Ndamukong Suh. The All-American had 4.5 sacks to go along with 11 tackles. With his performance Suh was invited to the 2009 Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
ceremony, where he finished 4th. Suh flourished under coach Pelini, finishing the 2009 season with 85 tackles, 12 sacks, 24 tackles for a loss, 10 passes broken up, 3 blocked kicks, one interception, and a forced fumble. Suh won almost every major post season award available to a defense player, including the Lombardi Award
Lombardi Award
The Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
, Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
, Chuck Bednarik Award
Chuck Bednarik Award
The Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the defensive collegiate football player adjudged by the Maxwell Football Club to be the best in the United States...
, Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been awarded annually since 1993 to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the membership of the Football Writers Association of America to be the best defensively in the National Collegiate Athletic Association; the award is presented by the Charlotte...
, and The Bill Willis Trophy
Touchdown Club of Columbus
The Touchdown Club of Columbus was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1956 by Sam B. Nicola at the request of State Auditor James A. Rhodes, who later became governor of the state. Nicola served as the club's president until his death in 1993. More than a decade later, his son Sam Nicola, Jr...
. Suh is the second Outland and Lombardi winner of Pelini's, following Glenn Dorsey
Glenn Dorsey
-Kansas City Chiefs:Dorsey was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs fifth overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. On July 26, 2008, he signed a five-year, $51 million contract with $23 million guaranteed....
.
Nebraska finished the season with a 33-0 win over the Arizona Wildcats
Arizona Wildcats
-Athletic program:The University of Arizona participates in the NCAA's Division I-A in the Pacific-12 Conference Arizona participates in the conference's South Division, along with Arizona State, Colorado, UCLA, USC, and Utah...
in the 2009 Holiday Bowl
2009 Holiday Bowl
The 2009 Holiday Bowl was the thirty-second edition of the college football bowl game and was played at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The game started at 5:00 PM US PST on Wednesday, December 30, 2009. The game was telecast on ESPN. The Nebraska Cornhuskers defeated the Arizona...
where Pelini proclaimed to the Nebraska fans in the Holiday Bowl stands "Nebraska is back and we're here to stay!". The victory was the first bowl shutout of Nebraska's 45 bowl history, as well as the first shutout in Holiday Bowl history. Nebraska's final rank in the coaches and AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
media poll was 14th, the highest final ranking since 2001. Under Pelini Nebraska finished #1 in NCAA scoring and pass efficiency defense, the first time since 1984 and 2003 that Nebraska has led the country in those categories respectively.
2010 Season
Following a mixed 2009 finish (notably the Big 12 Championship game loss and the Holiday Bowl victory), Bo's Cornhuskers began the season ranked #8 in the pre-season AP poll. Nebraska was expected by several sports analysts to compete for the Big 12 title before departing to the Big Ten ConferenceBig Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
in 2011. Following disappointing losses to both the University of Texas and to Texas A&M, the Cornhuskers dropped to #15 in the AP poll going into the final week of the regular season therefore eliminating any realistic hopes of a National Championship in 2010. Nebraska proceeded to beat Colorado in the final regular game of the season, clinching the Big 12 North title and securing a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game. In the Big 12 Title Game, Nebraska committed four turnovers on the way to a 23-20 defeat to Big 12 South Co-Champion Oklahoma. In the final BCS ratings for the season, Nebraska finished 18th and in fifth place amongst Big 12 teams behind Oklahoma, Missouri, Oklahoma State, and Texas A&M. Nebraska lost the Holiday Bowl to the Washington Huskies on December 30, 2010.
2011 Season
After a disappointing end to the 2010 season, Nebraska began 2011 with wins in its first four games against Chattanooga, Fresno State, Washington, and Wyoming. Then was the first Big 10 game ever played against Wisconsin. They came out strong tying it up at 14–14 with four minutes to go in the 2nd quarter, but Wisconsin's offense dominated Nebraska in the 2nd half and ending up winning the game with a score of 48–17. Nebraska rebounded by winning three games in a row, including a 24–3 win versus #9 Michigan State. After that winning streak they were upset by unranked Northwestern where they suffered two fumbles inside the Northwestern 30 yard line. Following the loss came the game against Penn State. The week leading up to the game had much of the national focus revolving the firing of coach Joe Paterno and the sexual assault charges in the Penn State sex abuse scandalPenn State sex abuse scandal
The Penn State sex abuse scandal refers to allegations that former Pennsylvania State University football assistant coach Jerry Sandusky sexually assaulted or had inappropriate contact with at least eight underage boys on or near university property...
. A prayer was held before the game for both teams by Ron Brown. Nebraska would win the game 17–14.