University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Harvey Perlman appears to be staying out of this one.

Absent from this morning’s press conference, Perlman released this brief statement later in the day:

“I have full confidence in (interim athletic director) Tom (Osborne) to make the best decision for the future success of our football program.”

Perlman said he would not comment beyond that.

The chancellor had taken some heat from fans when he fired athletic director Steve Pederson last month after granting Pederson a contract extension in July. Perlman and Pederson also extended Callahan’s contract this summer.

This time around, it seems he’s looking to Osborne to make coaching decisions.

Members of the NU Board of Regents, too, deferred to Osborne.

Regents said Osborne didn’t consult them before firing Callahan and won’t consult them as he launches a search for a new head coach.

“Tom had a tough decision to make and he made it,” Regents chairman Charles Wilson of Lincoln said. “Now we just move forward.”

Wilson added: “I think it’s sad when these kinds of things happen. It’s sad for the coaches and their families.”

Regent Chuck Hassebrook of Lyons expressed similar sentiments.

“We’ve put this decision in Coach Osborne’s hands,” he said. “We hire people like Tom Osborne to make decisions like this.”

—Melissa Lee