FootballScoop: Nebraska Focused on Bielema
Roussel, who most people give a pass in terms of being relatively legit, has Nebraska focusing all attention on 1 and only 1 candidate - Big Bert himself.
If you can't beat Wiscy...join em. Fascinating stuff if valid. Would up the stakes in what is turning into a cool Big 10 West rivalry. Makes sense from the AD relationship angle and ability to get to the Rose Bowl.
Bert has a $2.5M buyout that drops to $2M by Jan 1.
Since last night I have spoken with a number of connections and the feeling in the profession is that Nebraska athletic director Shawn Eichorst seems to have a very short list – perhaps with only one name on it. Sources have told me he isn’t taking calls from coaches trying to get themselves involved. He doesn’t appear to be building a list. He sounds like he is locked in.
Update - Per sources, Nebraska is targeting Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema and is in serious talks with him. Eichorst and Bielema has an extensive relationship from their time at Wisconsin (Eichorst served as Wisconsin’s second-in-command from 2006-11) and from what we hear this got serious quick. More to come…
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:23 PM ^
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:23 PM ^
but shouldn't the coaching search at another school be OT?
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:26 PM ^
Just my opinion, but no, considering that who is hired at other schools could theoretically alter the list of available candidates for us (not that Bielema is a candidate here, just saying in general).
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:30 PM ^
I'm just reaching my saturation point with regards to our own coaching search and the related posts that the coaching search for another school just pushed me over the edge. But I see that news about other B1G schools is indeed on topic, so I withdraw my protest.
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:40 PM ^
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:46 PM ^
Nebraksa is fine due to the fact that we share a conference with them. But I don't want to see a Florida coaching search thread. At least not until they hire someone.
December 3rd, 2014 at 4:17 PM ^
A Florida CC piece may be relevant if Jim Harbuagh says no to Michigan, because Florida may be looking at the same coaches Michigan is.
December 3rd, 2014 at 4:23 PM ^
All this "Is it OT or is it not OT" debating - does it really matter? The vast majority of the time, it's obvious if the topic is about Michigan or not.
I mean, was anyone seriously going to read the headline "FootballScoop: Nebraska Focused on Bielema" and ponder if the topic was going to be about us?
December 3rd, 2014 at 5:48 PM ^
Thank You.
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:24 PM ^
LOL. This should really help dispel the Nebraska players' fears that their AD is trying to hire all his Wisconsin buddies.
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:25 PM ^
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:25 PM ^
Guy seems to like red teams
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:27 PM ^
with Michigan info, I'm dubious at best.
As with Harbaugh to Michigan rumors, I'll believe it when I see it.
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:27 PM ^
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:29 PM ^
Bert has his team trending in the right direction. He got a big fat raise for himself and his assistants. I think it would be kind of scummy to leave for Lincoln so soon.
Then again, I'm talking about Bielema.
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:46 PM ^
Caveats aside - D1 head coaches do not think like this, he previously left the B1G once, etc., etc.
But, even Bert has to realize the chances of his team reaching the conference championship and other post-season opportunities is much more dififcult in that SEC West division. Nebraska seems to be in a stable position with regards to incoming talent (relatively), and they are perennially known for solid OL and RB play (not necessarily in the same manner that Bielema prefers, it would appear).
Add in a decent raise and assurances for facilities and/or assistants? Maybe.
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:33 PM ^
But I don't hate Nebraska. If Bert ends up there, I will have no choice in the matter.
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:37 PM ^
head coach.
Trading Pellini for Mr. and Mrs. Karma? Wow. Hard to judge the wisdom of that one except in hindsight.
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:38 PM ^
I think it's a good match.
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:38 PM ^
All Arkansas needs to do really is get these reprinted with their own state represented.
December 3rd, 2014 at 4:37 PM ^
that even the most deranged, drunken, brain-dead Wisconsin fan would buy or wear one of those shirts. My guess is that the bulk of the unsold ones are now being worn in some impoverished third-world country where English is rarely spoken.
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:47 PM ^
I would take Bielema here. I think he's one of the more underrated coaches in the country.
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:51 PM ^
Is Jim Harbaugh.
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:49 PM ^
Bert has a hawkeye tattoo on his calf. Him going to Nebraska would be like Harbaugh going to ohio state. This'll happen when hell freezes over.
December 3rd, 2014 at 3:58 PM ^
I'm pretty sure Iowa's main rival is Wisconsin.
They didn't play Nebraska very often until they joined the Big Ten.
December 3rd, 2014 at 7:21 PM ^
Nebraska and Iowa hate each other like we hate Ohio State, that's why the game is at the end of the year. Iowa and Wisconsin's rivalry is one of those "meh" trophy games.
source: grew up in iowa
December 3rd, 2014 at 4:08 PM ^
It seems like Bielema would be a bad cultural fit with Nebraska.
December 3rd, 2014 at 4:18 PM ^
If Bielma were to go to Nebraska, at least I could feel some disdain for the program. Bielma singlehandidly made me strongly dislike Wisconsin, even when they had Russel Wilson. A Razorback and a pig farmer for a coach is a relationship made in heaven.
December 3rd, 2014 at 4:27 PM ^
Footballscoop just struck out again.
December 3rd, 2014 at 4:28 PM ^
I would welcome him back to the B10
December 3rd, 2014 at 4:30 PM ^
I really hope this isn't true. The only place in the Big Ten that I would want Bielema coaching is at Michigan. If Harbaugh doesn't bite, he's a great Plan B guy and an excellent fit for the current roster.
December 3rd, 2014 at 5:17 PM ^
looks like football scoop is still wrong...
RT @ClowESPN Talked to Bret Bielema and he said he's not going to Nebraska and that he's all Hog.
— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) December 3, 2014
December 3rd, 2014 at 5:44 PM ^
Football Scoop is about as qualified as a new flavor at Baskin Robbins of the same name.
December 3rd, 2014 at 6:39 PM ^
Let's wait until Nebraska has a HC before we say anyone is wrong or right. I think Saban denied every job he went to 10-15x before accepting. If negotiations fall through do you think Big Bert wants "I am going to Nebraska" out there as a quote? Every coach denies everything until it "it is happening". Not saying FO is correct, just saying let's wait until there is a coach there to determine..
December 3rd, 2014 at 6:20 PM ^
Which one are they focused on, the one on the left or the right?
December 3rd, 2014 at 6:22 PM ^
Probably better to focus on Mrs. Bielema....
December 3rd, 2014 at 6:24 PM ^
Tom Herman (Ohio St. OC) is the logical choice for the HC of Huskers. Or Scott Frost (Oregon OC). A very strong third choice, though older, has to be Craig Bohl (Wyoming).
Bielema is a bad choice. Bielema just went 3-9 and 6-6 at Arkansas. Good Christ, if you're zeroing in on Bielema then you might as well bring back Frank Solich (Ohio HC).
December 3rd, 2014 at 6:40 PM ^
I actually was surprised Bohl was not a top 2 choice for them. Apparently he was a DC there who left on bad teams so it would maybe be like Mattison being brought back to be HC but he was fired while Mattison left us. So I guess there is not a straight equivalent. But dude won FCS 3 year in a row and has a ton of Husker blood in him. Surprised a bit there.
December 3rd, 2014 at 7:02 PM ^
Bohl seems like the obvious choice for Nebraska. Can't imagine why he isn't at the top of their list.
December 3rd, 2014 at 6:51 PM ^
if we're going to post stuff from them... otherwise I'd just as soon send them the way of Bleacher Report.
December 3rd, 2014 at 8:29 PM ^
Why would Nebraska go after Bielema? His scheme does not in any way seem conducive to what Nebraska has been built for. It's like the inverse of Lloyd to RR (I guess that's like RR to Hoke's supposed Manball). Philosophically the two couldn't be much further apart. One is a fairly up tempo spread game with a slew of semi-mobile to mobile qbs. The other asks for 310+ lb lineman and a stable of big running backs to pound the rock.
Is Nebraska trying to assimilate the old B1G style? Is the spread phasing out? Obviously I'm just kidding around but if they are serious about Bielema I am not really sure why.
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December 3rd, 2014 at 8:54 PM ^