For those who might think Nebraska is headed in the wrong direction under coach Bill Callahan, he is here to correct that notion. He’ll quickly tell you things are on their way up.
Seriously.
His top three reasons, as outlined on Monday’s Big 12 teleconference with the media:
Improved special teams.
An improved pass rush.
Progress in the passing game.
Unfortunately for Callahan, Husker Nation counts its improvement in victories. To that end, he has not done the job. He’s 10-10 in two seasons, with two games left this season.
He has watched a 5-1 record this season dissolve into 5-4 as Nebraska struggles to become bowl-eligible. He has overseen the end of marks such as a 35-year bowl streak, which was snapped last season, and a 36-game winning streak against Kansas, which the Jayhawks demolished in a 40-15 thumping of Big Red last weekend.
“The fans? They are going to look at it as a bottom line,” Callahan said Monday. “But internally, I look at it as us making progress in certain areas. There are other areas that we’ve got to shore up and be more consistent, but this is a process.
“I look at the process of college football teams across the country. I look at Penn State, I look at Alabama, I look at Southern Cal. All the great programs have gone through a period of their history where they’ve changed, and we’re in that process.”
I’m not sure if using a throat-slashing gesture for the referees is part of that process, for which Callahan was reprimanded by the Big 12 last week, but taking a step back to go forward seems to be part of it. Although Callahan insists it isn’t. He says he warned everyone that the 5-1 Huskers might not be the real Huskers.
“When we won our five games and were 5-1, I cautioned our fans and the media that we had some tough challenges ahead,” Callahan said. “It’s really a flipping of culture, in so many senses. I clearly knew it was going to be challenging.”
Henderson under radar
Texas Tech coach Mike Leach believes his senior running back senior Taurean Henderson is the most underappreciated backs in the Big 12.
And he’s right.
Henderson leads the Big 12 in all-purpose yards with 1,221 (135.7 average). He’s fourth in the conference in rushing (84.1 yards) but leads all conference running backs in touchdowns (16). He leads the conference in scoring with 21 touchdowns.
But because Texas Tech is to passing as blue is to sky, Henderson doesn’t get the credit he deserves.
“He’s the most versatile, dependable, reliable productive guy on our team, and I think in the conference,” Leach said. “I feel like he’s overlooked a little bit.”
Bowl-bound?
At the start of the season, I bet you didn’t think you’d see these names fighting to become bowl-eligible with two games left: Missouri, Texas A&M, Nebraska and Oklahoma. It is a crystal-clear look at why the conference has seen better years.
Of the four, the Aggies have the hardest task. Needing one more victory to become bowl-eligible, the Aggies play at Oklahoma on Saturday and are home against No. 2 Texas on Nov. 25.
“We don’t sit around and dwell on it,” Aggies coach Dennis Franchione said. “But every player on our team knows we’re trying to get win No. 6.”
Staff writer Chris Dempsey can be reached at 303-820-5455 or cdempsey@denverpost.com.
