Callahan, Hesitant To Give Osborne Nod, Now Must Answer To Him

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) _ Bill Callahan has changed the culture of Nebraska football and, in doing so, has never publicly embraced Tom Osborne's legacy. <br/><br/>Now Callahan has to answer to Osborne for

Thursday, October 18th 2007, 8:14 am

By: News On 6

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) _ Bill Callahan has changed the culture of Nebraska football and, in doing so, has never publicly embraced Tom Osborne's legacy.

Now Callahan has to answer to Osborne for the football program's struggles.

Osborne has been an inescapable presence for Callahan. Osborne's name is on the building where the football program is housed. In front of that building is a bronze statue of Osborne.

When asked recently whether this season's struggles give him a greater appreciation for Osborne's run of dominance in the 1990s, Callahan would not utter Osborne's name.

Instead, he talked of his admiration for what Southern California has accomplished in recent years and added that he was impressed with all the coaches who put together dominant runs. Then he named Frank Leahy of Notre Dame in the 1940s and Bud Wilkinson of Oklahoma in the 1950s.