It might not be the most ringing endorsement in history, but The Sporting News gave the Nebraska football program props for last winter's hiring of Bo Pelini as head coach.
In ranking the 16 coaching hires in Div. I football over the winter, Nebraska's hiring of Pelini came in at No. 7. Pelini, who served as Nebraska's defensive coordinator under former coach Frank Solich in 2003, came back to Nebraska after one year at Oklahoma and three at LSU, where he helped the Tigers win last year's national championship.
"No head-coaching experience and a little quick tempered," the magazine said of Pelini. "But Dr. Tom Osborne loves him. We'll take his word for it."
Pelini's hiring was the publication's second best in the Big 12, finishing just behind Baylor's choice of Art Briles. The top five were all high-profile hirings, led by Georgia Tech's Paul Johnson. The other top five hires were Rich Rodriguez by Michigan, Rick Neuheisel by UCLA, Houston Nutt by Ole Miss and Bobby Petrino by Arkansas.
Five coaches the publication said are on "the hot seat" for 2008 are Tyrone Willingham of Washington, Mike Stoops of Arizona, Kirk Ferentz of Iowa, Greg Robinson of Syracuse and Ron Prince of Kansas State.
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