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Bill Callahan walked into his weekly press conference Tuesday afternoon with some extra job security and a bigger salary.
Three days after Nebraska rolled to a convincing 52-10 win over Nevada in the season opener, NU Athletic Director Steve Pederson announced that the Cornhuskers' head coach had signed a five-year contract extension that runs through Jan. 31, 2012.
"We believe strongly that the stability of the program is one of the things that will continue to make us successful, and we have historically had stability at Nebraska," Pederson said. "Coach Callahan has worked very hard over the last three years to re-engineer this and get us in a position where we can have a lot of success."
The new contract increases Callahan's base salary from $1.5 million to $1.75 million, and it includes a possible $425,000 in incentive bonuses on an annual basis. Like the original six-year contract Callahan signed in 2004, Pederson said there is no buyout clause in the new deal.
In his fourth season at Nebraska, the 51-year-old coach has guided the Cornhuskers to a 23-15 record and bowl appearances the past two seasons.
The Huskers went 5-6 in Callahan's first season in 2004 and missed out on a bowl bid for the first time in 36 years, ending an NCAA-record streak. Nebraska improved to 8-4 in 2005 before going 9-5 last season and winning the Big 12 Conference North Division title for the first time since 1999.
"I always feel you can do better," Callahan said. "I've always felt that you can always improve yourself and always improve upon any situation you're in. That's my motivation on a daily basis."
Callahan has been coaching since 1978, but his most recent job before coming to Nebraska was a two-year stint as the head coach for the Oakland Raiders in the NFL. The Raiders qualified for the Super Bowl in 2002, but Callahan was fired after the Raiders went 4-12 the following season.
Pederson said the contract extension is a reward for Callahan, whom Pederson said has met or exceeded expectations since coming to Lincoln.
"We know we have the right person leading the program," Pederson said. "Our goal here was to let this person know we want him here for a long time."
Callahan said he hopes the contract extension sends a message that he intends to stay at Nebraska awhile.
"I know there's several times in the last few months where I had parents and recruits visit me firsthand in my office, and they wanted to know what my status was," Callahan said. "I told them I'm going to be here, but this is the proof in the pudding that I want to be at Nebraska. This is where I want to finish my career."
bengouldsmith@dailynebraskan.com
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