Cornhusker Gloom: Not "Their Year" at Nebraska

This was supposed to be "The Year" for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

The year the West Coast offense gelled into place.

The year Sam Keller established himself as a top NFL prospect.

The year Nebraska won the Big 12 title and clinched its first BCS bowl since 2001.

Heck, in fall camp, Nebraska players broke practice with the chant "National Champs!"

Well, that isn't looking too likely anymore.

It wouldn't surprise many people—at least, the people I've talked to—if Nebraska lost the rest of their games this season.

Yes, I actually just wrote that.

That gray, gloomy clouds that hung over Lincoln during Saturday's Nebraska-Oklahoma State game were still around on Monday. It might be fate—or maybe just a symbol of the bleak state of Husker Nation.

Someone obviously didn't get the memo—the one that told players to fly all over the field and make plays, and told coaches to put players in position to do that.

Adarius Bowman was open all day, and Zac Robinson carved the Blackshirts to pieces.

That passion, that emotion, was nowhere to be found on Tom Osborne Field.

Unless, of course, you were wearing a white and orange uniform with OSU on your helmet.

Now, the pink slips might be in the pipeline—which is never a good thing, especially two weeks into October.

Two boosters—Dan Cook and Dale Jensen—have discussed the possibility of both athletic director Steve Pederson and head football coach Bill Callahan leaving the program, according to the Monday edition of the Lincoln Journal Star.

"The general consensus from everybody I've talked to is that Callahan and Pederson have to go," Jensen said.

He also said, "I don't blame the kids at all," and added that any blame should fall directly on the "leadership"—the coaches.

According to the Lincoln Journal Star, Cook seemed to be more reserved. He said to give the duo one more year.

Ultimately, though, any decision regarding Pederson is up to university chancellor Harvey Perlman.

That might be a tough sell to him.

Many people in Husker Nation have been clamoring for former coach and U.S. Congressman Tom Osborne to take over Pederson's job, and for former defensive coordinator Bo Pelini to replace Callahan.

It's too early to talk replacements, but it's obvious to any normal human being that something—or someone—needs to change.

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