Who knew leading a team to a 9-3 season, ranked 21st in the BCS computer rankings, and a 58-19 career record just didnít cut it?Nebraska University athletic director Steve Pederson sure doesnít think a 9-3 season with a bowl appearance was good enough for his athletic department.
Glen Mason led the University of Minnesota to a 9-3 record so far this year and most people see that as a successful season.
Frank Solich was the Nebraska coach, that is until Pederson gave him the ax.
"I refuse to let the program gravitate into mediocrity," Pederson stated at the news conference to announce the firing. "We won't surrender the Big 12 to Oklahoma and Texas."
Hmm, sounds like someone is jealous that Big 12 rival Oklahoma is on its way to winning the national championship.
"The byproduct of excellence in every area of your program is winning, and I don't apologize for having high expectations," Pederson said.
Does Pederson realize he is running a college athletic program, and not a professional football organization team. The athletes have more to worry about than just football, there is something called school that is more important.
Solich understood this and actually had a graduation rate of 59 percent last season, slightly ahead of the national average. In a day where it has become normal for football players to leave college early to play in the NFL, it is impressive to see a coach, correction, former coach, who can keep the majority of his players in school until they graduate.
Sure, Solichís Nebraska team had a bad season last year going 7-7, but things didnít get worse. Solich righted his ship and returned the team to its familiar winning ways again this season.
If you ask me, I consider that a step in the right direction, not the ìgravitation to mediocrityî that Pederson felt the program was headed toward.
"I understand we aren't going to win the championship every year, but I believe we should be playing for or gaining on the championship on a consistent basis,î Pederson said. "I don't feel that currently we are playing for or gaining on the championship."
Sounds like Pederson is saying his team should win at all cost. If they donít bring home the national title, or at least compete for it, then the season is a failure.
My guess is that Pedersonís decision will come back to nip him in the back side because he will probably hire a coach who runs a passing game when the team that Solich has recruited, and will still be at Nebraska next year, is a running team.
At least one of Solichís players was upset with the firing, asking Pederson how he thinks the school will recruit new players when they donít know who the coach will be.
So we have a winning coach whose players appear to be loyal to him unemployed now because some athletic director doesnít like seeing the schoolís rival doing better than his school. Even if his schoolís football team is still one of the top 25 teams in the nation.
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