Following Dr. Tom just may be a very difficult thing to do. Bo is the third replacement for Dr. Tom. To make the situation even more difficult, the larger than life Dr. Tom is still living large around his old program. So, will Nebraska continue to fall into the trap of "hiring...and firing coaches who just can't quite get it done until they find their new "...Dr. Tom?" Maybe they have the resources...the will and the desire to buy 'em out...try 'em out and if the next one doesn't get it done to do it all again. But the times may have changed. They are no longer one of the "Big Two" in their conference they way they always were when it was Oklahoma and Nebraska. (Michigan probably longs for the days when they were one of the "Big Two" in the Big Ten. Michigan is on their second coach since their last NC. And, if their current coach doesn't start beating the Ohio State University pretty soon, he will be gone too.
It's hard to say what they will do in Lincoln. 7.5 million is a LOT to pay for the buy out of an 8-4 coach. And who would they replace Bo with? That is part of the problem with a "fire your way to prosperity" plan. Part of the equation is making the RIGHT hire. In fact, that is the MAIN part of executing the fire and hire your way to the top plan. I don't think Dr. Tom even seems to be able to oversee that phase of finding his replacement.
We have had a little experience with that "fire your way to prosperity" mind set here in Minnesota. We ran off Bernie who won so MANY NC's. Sometimes, they say, history repeats itself. Sometimes there is a really nice run and everything changes. Sometimes it's really hard to get too far beyond just being competitive. But is that really so bad? Or is that pretty much the way it really is for most programs?
But, I think there is some trouble in Lincoln right now. They may be damned IF they buy out Bo...and they may be damned if they do NOT buy out Bo. The natives are restless there. They have their expectations to think about, you know.
But, you know, the way it looks to me: you can beat Nebraska if you play physical football against them...because more than anything else I notice about them that is different than they way they used to be seems to be the fact that you can really push them around and they just don't seem to respond any more. And there sure as heck are a lot of players on that team who are injury prone this season.
It may take a while for them to get back to those days when in their conference it was just them and Oklahoma contending for the top spot almost every season? Those were some pretty fine times in Lincoln.
I wonder if Ann Arbor is kind of in the same type of situation that Lincoln may be experiencing. Time will tell. But B.H. really does need to beat the Ohio State University team one of these days. And Urban could have two undefeated seasons and NEVER get a chance at a NC in Columbus. Maybe Urban should get his agent to contact Lincoln. Or, maybe Brady and Bo should try just "changing places..." I can't believe that the fans in either Ann Arbor or Lincoln are very happy. And, I KNOW that Ann Arbor has always been wanting to bring in another BO! Of course he never did win a NC for them and it took a good, solid American made CARR to drive that last NC season back home for them in 1998 or when ever it was.
Beat State Gophers!