Bo Pelini Doesn't Get It

Today may be the most embarrassing loss I have ever suffered as a Nebraska football fan.  Even the Callahan beatdowns seemed to have an air of inevitability to them.  At least towards the end of his era, there was hope for a new coach and some real change. 

Now, two years later, there is a new coach, but there isn't a change.  Today, Nebraska looked like the same poorly coached team that it was under Callahan.  They showed no guts, no heart, and no pride.  Even the usually fiery Pelini refused to show any emotion.  For a guy so consistently fired up about bad officiating, he refused to show that same fire towards any of the players who coughed up the football today. 

What's more troubling, however, is Pelini's post game press conference.  Not only did he show little emotion (like Callahan), but he failed to express the gravity of the situation.  You would have thought, having listened to the press conference, that Nebraska had lost to USC or Texas, not Iowa State. 

Perhaps the most troubling statement for Husker fans was when Pelini said that Zac Lee was the least of Nebraska's problems (which is true only in that Nebraska has many other problems as well).  This might be true if this was any other game, but throwing three interceptions (all on terrible throws) is unacceptable.  It's unacceptable against Oklahoma, and it's certainly unacceptable against Iowa State. 

Simply said, this kid hasn't been able to play.  Pelini's excuse for playing him (and he hinted that Lee would start next week too), was that he was ahead of Green in practice.  Just like Callahan, Pelini is starting to use practice as an excuse.  I'm sorry, but I don't care if the guy is John Elway in practice, his record against BCS conference opponents this year is 1-3.  That isn't good enough.  Period. 

I'm not saying that it's time for Pelini to go.  He still has time to turn it around, and what he has done with the defense shows he can coach.  The bottom line, however, is that Pelini needs to return to the mindset he had last year and before this season; until Nebraska wins all the games, it's not good enough.  It's clear that Zac Lee will never do that, so he's not good enough.

Congrats to Iowa State.  You guys played your butts off and deserved that win.  Big win for your program (although beating Nebraska clearly isn't what it used to be) and you guys should feel great about the direction Paul Rhoads has your team going in.