Curt McKeever: Watson's move to field wasn't panacea for NU

Nebraska football fans begging for a change in leadership would have been salivating at this first-half sight in Memorial Stadium  on Saturday.

Head coach Bill Callahan, a man who loves nothing better about the game than to map out and run an offensive plan, was standing beside Shawn Watson as his offensive coordinator called the Huskers’ plays.

To say that’s a minor change, well, you’d be kidding yourself.

Ordinarily, Watson is up in the coaches’ booth in the press box  making suggestions to a boss who has an iron-fisted grip on what Nebraska does offensively.

On Saturday, for most of the first half and to start the second, he was the one pushing the buttons on the controller.

Strange, but it seemed like the fitting ending to what’s been one of the most mind-boggling weeks in the history of Nebraska football.

First, Steve Pederson gets booted as athletic director. Then, Tom Osborne answers a cry for help to help piece together a crumbling empire.

Now this — which couldn’t save the Huskers from a 36-14 defeat  that represented a third home loss in the same season for the first time since 1968.

Has the embattled Callahan begun to throw in the towel, realizing  his tumultuous reign is nearing an end?

Or was the move to hand Watson the keys to Big Red’s sputtering offense simply a gutsy attempt to   discover answers that have, thus far, been out of NU’s reach?

“Really, there was no difference (from) what transpires on a regular game day when he’s up in the box,” Callahan said.

No difference from a regular game day? Isn’t that contradictory?

I will say this for Callahan, who ultimately is responsible for the sad state of Nebraska’s program. His team looked a lot more ready for a fight Saturday than it did while getting smoked by Missouri and Oklahoma State the past two weeks.

How much of that came about because of the move involving Watson will likely be debated until Nebraska tries to end its three-game losing streak next week at Texas.

“We’re at a point right now where you’ve got to do something or not do anything at all and keep it going the way it is,” junior wide receiver Nate Swift said. “I don’t know if having (Watson) down there changes the play calling, or anything like that, but I think it helps the players.”

Especially with their morale. And there isn’t any question that needed a boost.

Ask any of the Huskers about Watson and you’re probably going to get a passionate, “I’d fight to the death for that guy” kind of response.

Watson has a youthfulness and outgoing demeanor that is infectious. And, sure enough, the Huskers responded Saturday.

An offense that had scored just six first-half points the past two games drove for two touchdowns in its first seven possessions against the Aggies.

Unlike against the Tigers and Cowboys, NU was still in the game at halftime, trailing just 16-14.

“Bill and I studied together this week. We had a really good mix going and felt comfortable with what we were doing in working our plan the first half,” Watson said. “The second half, when they put the score on the board . ...”

Callahan, who’d called the hurry-up plays in the final minute of the first half, took over for Watson and, as opposed to the game at Missouri, kept his headset on to the bitter end.

The final 30 minutes — during which Nebraska managed just 121 yards — were not flattering.

They made you think more of the same is in store for the final four games.

They made you wonder what ploy Callahan might try next to save a sinking ship.

“I felt coming into the year that we had a good team,” he said. ... “I’m not sagging. I’m just disappointed. I’m really, really disappointed.”

Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.