Osborne: 'Haven't offered it to anyone yet'
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By BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON and BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
The man with the million-dollar decision — or is it closer to $1.7 million? — emerged from the building bearing his name at 4:17 p.m. on Tuesday.
You don’t get a statue and your name on a building without being a closer.
Long before he gained the tag of interim athletic director, Tom Osborne spent many a day in strange living rooms, making doubters into believers.
Whatever words he said, he must’ve used the right ones often, because he convinced a lot of young men to follow him and win some football games.
He’s 70 now, 10 years out of coaching, but still apparently up for recruiting adventure.
Because there he was Tuesday, after a 15-minute meeting with Husker football players, telling a pack of reporters he was going... um, recruiting.
Yep, Thursday and Friday, he was going to do a little football recruiting for Nebraska, “just talk to recruits in general, probably most of those who have committed to us in the past.”
Of course, as Osborne joked, to do that, he’ll have to pass a recruiting test required by the NCAA.
“If I can’t pass the test I won’t be able to go out,” he said. “Hope I can remember enough to get it passed.”
Osborne announced his recruiting intentions in a two-minute conversation with reporters in a parking lot outside Memorial Stadium. He had just finished a 15-minute meeting with members of the football team. Some fans hoped the meeting would bring news of the hiring of a new football coach.
“Nope, haven’t offered it to anyone yet,” Osborne said of NU’s vacant head football coaching position. “We’ll see what happens.”
Osborne wouldn’t say how many coaches he’s spoken to in the pursuit to replace Bill Callahan, who was fired Saturday.
“I don’t want to get into any specifics,” he said. “When the time comes here, we’ll make sure everything is laid out for you. There won’t be any secrets.”
Most players were tight-lipped about the meeting, which started at 4.
One player, on the condition of anonymity, said Osborne did not go into great detail about the coaching search, offering only the tidbit that it “may be be over by this weekend.”
The player said that Osborne did not give out names of the coaches that were interviewed.
Some players who spoke with media outside Memorial Stadium declined comment but tried to have fun with the gaggle of reporters.
“I’m good. I just don’t want to say,” junior Zach Potter said, when asked about the meeting. “You can walk me to my car, though.”
Said senior wide receiver Maurice Purify, smiling: “Ask Tom Osborne. You know where he’s at. You know how to reach him.”
Did Osborne ask the players to not say anything?
“Nah,” Purify said.
Freshman kicker Adi Kunalic said he’d say something if he could.
“I can’t really say anything, man,” Kunalic said. “It’s a family thing.”
Earlier in the day, Randy York, associate athletic director for communications, told the Journal Star the interview process was not over.
Asked how long until he expects a coach to be announced, Osborne said, “I don’t know for sure, but hopefully sooner than later.”
Reach Brian Christopherson at 473-7439 or bchristopherson@journalstar.com. Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.
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