This is the best they could do?

My Nebraska Cornhuskers have themselves a new football coach.

Or, I should say, excuse-for-a-football-coach.

Bill Callahan, late of the Oakland Raiders, was hired today as the Huskers' head coach. Same guy that, after taking the Raiders to the Super Bowl with former coach Jon Gruden's offense, went 4-12 this year amidst intense bickering between Callahan & his players.

Callahan was the fourth major candidate interviewed. NFL assistants Al Saunders (Kansas City) and Mike Zimmer (Cowboys), as well as U of Arkansas football coach Houston Nutt, turned Nebraska down. Nebraska assistants Bo Pelini (defensive coordinator) and Turner Gill (quarterbacks coach) were also rumored to be considered for the position.

After the job Callahan did with the Raiders, I tend to wonder about his coaching ability. Plus, this is Callahan's first college coaching gig. Meaning he's never had to recruit.

Memo to the Huskers: You might as well have kept Frank Solich. Callahan is not your answer. In fact, your head coach was right under your nose, and you thumbed it at him.

After seeing Bo Pelini's performance during the Alamo Bowl against Michigan State, and how the fire in his eyes on the sideline (he drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty in the fourth quarter) inspired the Huskers to one of the best performances of the season, I am convinced that this is the kind of coach who can propel Nebraska back to the top of the Big 12 conference, and back to center stage nationally.

Callahan is simply not capable of that. And I think that Nebraska's heyday is now firmly behind it.

Perfect Football Weekends may be hard to come by from this time forward.