Bye Bye Pelini
Ellie Blake
Co-Editor-In-Chief
Nebraska head football coach Bo Pelini was fired on Nov. 1 after seven seasons with the Huskers.
Pelini ended his Husker coaching career with a 67-27 record. Nebraska currently owes the former coach $7.65 million. If Pelini finds another job, that amount will decrease. Pelini’s termination was effective immediately, so interim head coach Barney Cotton will lead the Huskers in their upcoming bowl game.
Nebraska football players were fired up about the decision and expressed their emotions through social media.
“Biggest mistake you ever made.... Bo was the best coach I've ever had and I'll always appreciate the things you taught me,” starting quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. tweeted.
“I don't see how this decision will help the program. If anything, it'll make it worst [sic] honestly,” defensive tackle V incent Valentine Jr. tweeted.
“The fans trollin’ talkin’ about Bo y'all better hope the next coach can do what Bo did that's all ima say b4 I snap I'm out,” cornerback Josh Mitchell tweeted.
WHS students have also weighed in on the decision, creating many discussions about whether the choice was right or wrong.
“I feel that the timing was bad, but it wasn’t a bad decision firing him. He was an alright coach, record shows that. Against ranked teams he was 9-14. Seeing that Nebraska is a very strong football state, we should fight for better,” junior Ben Warner said.
“I think it would have been better if we kept him and changed his staff,” sophomore Zac Verkamp said.
“A big part of me just believes that the Nebraska football program, from the players to the fans, deserve more than to accept mediocrity. We’re more than a program that scraps for nine wins in one of the weakest conferences in the nation,” sophomore Hunter Radenslaben said.
From a coach's point of view, the decision was controversial but not necessarily uncalled for.
“I think that his firing was one of the toughest decisions that the school had to make. To fire a coach who has been successful, as far as records are concerned, doesn't look good in the public eye. But facts are facts,” head football coach Tim Williams said. “You have to win conferences and championships to really be successful in the business that is the NCAA. Since Bo does not have any of those to his name in his seven years, I think that something had to be done. It will be interesting to see how Mike Riley will do in Bo's place.”
Mike Riley was announced to be taking over Bo’s head position at Nebraska. Riley was a former head coach at Oregon State.
This controversial move has many fans upset and other fans calling for support for Riley. Only time will tell the fate of the Husker nation.
