Bo Pelini was fired from the Nebraska football program almost exactly 10 years ago. Although it's been a decade since he was pacing the Huskers' sidelines, some rather vocal fans still routinely lament his firing.
However, after the most recent loss to UCLA, there are actually some fans who are calling for Pelini to be hired back. That despite him not having a coaching job at any level for more years than anyone wants to recognize.
It's never going to happen. Let's get that out of the way first. Nor should it ever happen again. But the talk about Nebraska football and Bo Pelini again shows just how panicky some fans are in the way of the second straight year where NU has spun its wheels after getting to five wins.
Panicky Nebraska football fans are actually calling for the return of Bo Pelini
Bo Pelini is probably sitting on the couch and drinking a beer laughing his ass off on how bad Husker Football has become. It took Tom Osborne almost 10 years to win his first outright conference title. It's just a reminder to all of you Bo Pelini haters out there in Husker Land. pic.twitter.com/fKYInaMP8x
— The Lone 🐺 Wolf Reaganite. (@ReaganLandslide) November 4, 2024
It's not just fans that have started bringing up Pelini again either. Media personalities have started bringing up the former Huskers head coach more and more in the wake of Matt Rhule's third straight loss this season.
Did you know: Bo Pelini is the 3rd winningest coach in Huskers history (67 wins) while Frank Solich is 4th (58 wins.)
— John M. Bishop (@JohnBishop71) November 4, 2024
They were both fired for not winning enough.
Since 2014, Nebraska has 48 wins over four head coaches. pic.twitter.com/Ftd5W6tKje
There's been lots of talk about Pelini's record and how bad things have been since he left.
Bo Pelini's record in November at Nebraska: 20-8
— Jake Sorensen (@937JakeSorensen) November 3, 2024
Every coach since him in November: 9-26#Huskers
Of course, there are fans who are fighting back. Pointing out that the coach didn't exactly excel since he was canned.
Bo Pelini is such a good coach that he's had one FBS job in ten years since being fired and it lasted 7 games! https://t.co/uv2SNO7yKI
— E (@Cub_E94) November 5, 2024
However, the bottom line is that because of the struggles of the coaches since Pelini was fired, Cornhuskers fans have romanticized his time here and pretended as if they don't have any idea why he was let go.
Keep in mind that despite his overrall record being sterling, there were warning signs about the house of cards falling. 11 of his 27 losses were to teams that were ranked lower than Nebraska.
There were also almost losses like the McNeese State game where Ameer Abdullah saved him with one of the best plays in the entirety of the Nebraska football program. There was also several other close wins over FCS squads like a 17-3 victory over South Dakota State in 2010.
That 2010 season also saw the No. 5 Nebraska football program get upset, at home, to unranked Texas. Bo Pelini put together a decent record but he didn't like to recruit, he was an abrasive personality and someone who eventually flamed out after getting fired. Every Husker fan should stop wishing him back and instead be glad he didn't entirely implode until after he left.