Associate AD thrilled about return home

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BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL

Some people may describe Tim Cassidy's move fromTexas A&M to Nebraska as sideways, rather than a promotion.

That is, unless they take a look at his birth certificate.

Place of birth:Omaha.

"Anybody born or raised in Nebraska that has football likings ... if they didn't want to be a part of this football program, there's something wrong," Cassidy said. "Growing up as a young man, I can honestly tell you I would've given anything to have been a part of the University of Nebraska football program."

Oh, Cassidy tried - well before he was hired Jan. 16 as Nebraska's associate athletic director for football operations.

In 1983, Cassidy, then an assistant coach at Morningside College, walked through the South Stadium doors to interview with a guy by the name of Steve Pederson, who was NU's recruiting coordinator.

"I begged him to hire me as a free - I don't know if you call it hire - as a graduate assistant," Cassidy said.

That didn't pan out, but in 1994, then-Nebraska athletic director Bill Byrne phoned Texas A&M, asking permission to interview Cassidy for the position Cassidy now holds. At the time, Cassidy held the title of assistant athletic director for recruiting at A&M.

"He told me, 'We're going to bring one other guy in,'" Cassidy said. "I asked who that is, and he said, 'Steve Pederson.' And I said, 'Well, you're going to hire Steve; he's a Nebraska guy.'"

Byrne did just that, bringing Pederson back from Tennessee.

But with Nebraska restructuring its coaching staff this off-season, and new coach BillCallahan looking for a director of football operations, Cassidy figured maybe the third time was the charm.

"Or it would've been third-time strikeout,"he said.

Pederson, though, now the NUathletic director, said he feels the Huskers hit it big.

"Administration of a top college football program takes an organized, thorough and intelligent person,"Pederson said the day Cassidy was hired. "Tim Cassidy brings all those attributes to the table."

Among Cassidy's main duties are coordinating on-campus recruiting visits and overseeing travel, budget and staffing for football.

In his few weeks on the job, he's wasted little time. Cassidy said he and Callahan have everything mapped out - through Jan. 1 of 2005.

And when Cassidy means everything, he means everything.

"When we're going to practice, when we're going to meet on recruiting, when we're going to go out recruiting, when our camps are going to be, when our clinics are going to be, what motels we're staying at," Cassidy said. "I love it. That's the kind of guy I am. I'm a very detailed guy. I'm wanting to be organized."

Good thing, considering Cassidy's boss possesses those same attributes.

"He's got tremendous energy," Cassidy said of Callahan. "I'll leave here at 10 o'clock at night, and Bill will still be on his laptop, laying out the groundwork for our football program.

"I'm excited about it, and I've worked for some really good people and two of the top programs in America (Florida and Texas A&M). And I know Nebraska has an awesome history and awesome traditions."

Cassidy said it's easy to pour his time and energy into football with his family still in College Station, Texas. While his 18-year-old son, Ryan, will stay enrolled at A&M, his 15-year-old son, Austin, will be moving to Lincoln next week. He also has a 14-year-old daughter, Danielle, who's participating on a select volleyball team and won't move here until April.

Cassidy's wife, Nancy, also a Nebraska native, teaches accounting at A&M and will complete the semester before moving.

"Ithink they'll probably miss her more at Texas A&M than they will me," Cassidy said.

Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@;journalstar.com.