AUSTIN, Texas — Zach Potter considered how he’d feel if Nebraska’s free-falling football team somehow popped the emergency chute in time to make a stunning,   feet-first landing on the Texas Memorial Stadium turf this afternoon.

“Probably get you guys off our backs a little bit,” the gregarious junior defensive end told the regular swarm of reporters desperate for something, anything, to freshen up a tiresome story.

Potter’s grin was a welcome sight amid the awkwardness of all the sideshows that have accompanied the Huskers’ current three-game losing streak — a skid that appears nowhere close to ending.

No wonder that in less than a second, before his response could even draw chuckles, Potter reconsidered.

“Probably not,” he said.

He’s probably right, too.

Not so much about the media (although there seems to be more carnival barkers than ever these days). But you can be certain that   the public’s disdain is so great for Bill Callahan and Nebraska’s out-of-the-blue collapse that only a small minority would get deep satisfaction from a Husker upset today.

Yes, it’s that sad.

The masses appear so convinced that Callahan is just playing out the string that the only possible front-page news that would surprise them is if the coach didn’t get fired following NU’s Nov. 23 game at Colorado.

That’s 27 days away — an eternity for those who think interim athletic director Tom Osborne should go ahead and cut the cord. Or better yet, that Callahan should do the honorable thing and quit.

On Tuesday, already 20 questions into his weekly news conference, Callahan was asked one more time whether he’d consider resigning. I kind of felt sorry for the man.

It’s like excessive piling on.

Sure, Callahan can have all the charm of a barking pit bull.

His NFL and Super Bowl references have long stopped impressing fans that, first of all, can’t relate to that, and secondly, now believe they’re being conned. Especially when they hear him talk of the excellent things he’s accomplished despite heading toward a second losing season in four years.

I do get it. It’s not working out. But can’t we let the guy finish up without trying to strip him of every ounce of his dignity?

My God, people are even bagging on him for his choice of clothing. I sure hope the fashion police show up with tips for the next coach once Nebraska pays Callahan his parting check.

Oh, and that multi-million dollar total will surely cause a major commotion, too. Well, guess what? The riches Nebraska lavishes on its football coach aren’t simply the product of a school president whose spending priorities have gotten out of whack. The lust of an entire state to win championship after championship after championship — and nothing less — helped create that monster.

If a coach can’t produce, then it’s on to the next one. And we’re supposed to expect a player to feel an allegiance to the Huskers in that setting?

“This is a business,” said senior wide receiver Maurice Purify, a Californian who came to Nebraska because of Callahan. “(Frank) Solich got fired from a 9-3 season, right? Everything’s not guaranteed.”

Less than a year ago, when his team played for the Big 12 title … heck, even last month, when he received a new contract, it seemed Callahan was guaranteed of being the man to lead the Huskers into the next decade.

Now, if Osborne hadn’t already said he’d wait until the end of the season to evaluate the coaching staff, Callahan wouldn’t have much reason to feel certain he’d be in charge beyond today.

The Longhorns will be trying to deliver Mack Brown his 100th victory as Texas coach — and the odds are extremely in their favor. They’re 30-3 at home under him in Big 12 games.

It’s got the kind of setup that makes you think another ugly afternoon awaits Callahan. And another one of those only brings he and Nebraska that much closer to divorce court.

Obviously, in that case, there’d be no question which side the public viewed to be at fault. Is it too much to ask that crowd to act as if there were children involved?

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