Pelini’s tactics remind fans of Osborne, give hope

It's been hard for Nebraska fans to accept such news, mostly due to the instability at head coach since Osborne's departure.

Frank Solich was short-lived, lasting six years and doing better than Osborne feels he did in his first 20 years in Lincoln.

Then it was enter stage right Bill Callahan. For sake of time and energy, I won't dive into that.

Now it's Bo Pelini's turn, and so far so good. Pelini has revitalized the traditions that Callahan dismantled, and he's even done it with a little swagger that Osborne would never show.

With Pelini having a solid home in Lincoln, it's time to turn the page.

"There was a lot of instability for a while," Osborne said. "The fans have really rallied behind Bo, and it was something that was lacking."

Tommy Frazier will not be streaking down the sidelines this fall, even though I still haven't seen a Florida Gator tackle him. Cory Schlesinger will not be running over hopeful tacklers anymore either, and for the first time since Solich has left, I think that's finally OK with the Husker faithful.

Lyle Sittler, who played center for the 1962 Huskers and has kept up with the team since his playing days, admitted it's taken awhile for fans to move on.

"It's hard to forget about winning national championships," Sittler said.

Of course you never want to forget the glory days, and in Lincoln, it never will be forgotten, believe me. But at the same time, Husker fans spent a lot of their time living their fandom through those years, not in the present.

Nebraska has not only not been winning national championships (the only accepted standard), but they have barely stayed bowl eligible over the last five years. The closest thing to a big win since 2001 would be last season's game against Colorado (thanks, Alex Henery).

Pelini has high standards, and won't settle for Colorado being the biggest win in '09. He'll have his chances, too, with games against No. 7 Virginia Tech and No. 3 Oklahoma already set in stone this season. 

There is a sense of pride in the team for the first time since '01. Not to say there wasn't periodic pride in the previous teams, but this pride is the kind I haven't witnessed since Osborne.

What's even more impressive is Pelini has been able to do it in just over a year — something neither Solich or Callahan could claim.

Pelini has been the trailblazer for a new era because of his relationships with his players. Safety Rickey Thenarse said Pelini has been like a father to the team — sound familiar? Fellow safety Larry Asante compared playing under Callahan to going to work, not going to learn and grow.

Fact is, this era will be staying for a while. With Pelini winning nine games only a season ago, his leash has extended farther than any other coach post-Osborne.

With that in mind, welcome to a new era of Nebraska football.

Frazier might not be running down the sidelines, but it might be Zac Lee. Ahman Green might not be a daunting threat in the backfield, but say hello to Roy Helu, Jr. The walk-on program is back in full force and so is completely devoted support from the Husker faithful.

Welcome to the Pelini era. It's only a matter of time before he has NU back in the mix at the top of the A.P. Poll.

After all, he is Nebraska's savior, isn't he?

spencer schubert is a senior news-editorial and broadcasting major. reach him at spencerschubert@dailynebraskan.com