Nebraska Fires Coach Bo Pelini After Seven Seasons

Nebraska fired coach Bo Pelini on Sunday morning after seven years.

With Pelini coaching, the Nebraska Cornhuskers never finished a season with fewer than nine wins. However, the team never entered the discussion for a national championship.

Since Pelini’s first season in 2008, the team has lost 10 games by 20 points or more. The Cornhuskers have also allowed 45 points or more in six games since joining the Big Ten in 2011.

Nebraska was 8-1 this season with a chance to win the western division of the Big Ten. Then on Nov. 15 the team lost an away game to Wisconsin 59-24. The next week Nebraska lost a home game to Minnesota 28-24.

After beating Iowa on Friday, the Huskers record is 9-3. The team lagged by 17 points toward the end of the third quarter. The players then scored three touchdowns in less than five minutes to take the lead. They fell behind in the final two minutes and then tied it on a field goal with eight seconds left.

Pelini’s total record is 67-27.

Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst has dismissed Head Football Coach Bo Pelini effective immediately. Press conference 1pm.

— Nebraska Huskers (@Huskers) November 30, 2014

Coach Pelini served our University admirably for seven years and led our football program’s transition to the Big Ten Conference. -Eichorst

— Nebraska Huskers (@Huskers) November 30, 2014

We wish Coach Pelini and his wonderful family all the best and thank him for his dedicated service to the University. – Eichorst

— Nebraska Huskers (@Huskers) November 30, 2014

Even though Nebraska fired Bo Pelini, the coach is owed $7.65 million from his contract, which was extended after last season through Feb. 28, 2019.

According to his contract, “within a reasonably brief period following termination” he is required to try to find “substantially comparable employment.”

While athletic director Shawn Eichorst wants to move in a new direction, no coach before Pelini in a Power 5 program has been fired for on-field performance after winning as many games in seven years. Alabama and Oregon are the only other schools who have won nine games each season since 2008.

Current quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. and rookie offensive lineman for the Washington Redskins and former Husker Spencer Long expressed their dismay over the decision on Twitter.

Biggest mistake you ever made…. Bo was the best coach I've ever had and I'll always appreciate the things you taught me.

— Tommy Armstrong Jr. (@Tommy_Gun4) November 30, 2014

Gonna be really hard to find another coach who did as much as @BoPelini did for the program and his players. Thanks for everything Bo.

— Spencer Long (@slong_61) November 30, 2014

With Nebraska’s decision to fire coach Pelini, the school will be searching for its fourth coach since the retirement of Tom Osborne in 1997.

Nebraska Fires Coach Bo Pelini After Seven Seasons