Nebraska to interview UB's Turner Gill
Is this the beginning of the end for Turner Gill at Buffalo? UB's athletic director has given Nebraska permission to talk to Gill about its head-coaching vacancy. "I'm happy for Turner and his family about getting the opportunity to talk to Nebraska," AD Warde Manuel said. "He's worked extremely hard and deserves this opportunity."
According to the Lincoln Journal-Star, Manuel said the interview will take place "in the next day or so." He added, "I think it's tremendous. Turner is absolutely ready to coach at Nebraska. He's done a great job, an awesome turnaround. Although I would hate to lose him, he would be a great coach there." Earlier, Manuel was quoted as saying, "I don't want him to leave our program. Obviously, I don't. But without a doubt, Turner Gill, if he can do what he’s done here in two years, there's nobody there in Nebraska that could tell me that he's not deserving of a serious, serious look at being the head coach of Nebraska."
It certainly doesn't sound like UB is jumping through hoops to try to keep him around. (Not like they could anyway, really. It's not like they can even pretend to try and match Nebraska dollar for dollar.) And in light of Gill mentor Tom Osborne's comments about the new Huskers coach needing to understand Nebraska's tradition, this is starting to sound like a slam dunk.
If Gill's tenure at Buffalo is over, he certainly went out in style. Buffalo won in overtime at Kent State on Saturday to finish 5-7 -- easily the best season in Buffalo's nine-year Division I-A history. More here and here.
No, Nebraska, you don't want Gill. You want Bo Polini. Listen to me! Stare into my eyes! Obey me!!
Posted by: Mike's brother Matt | Nov 25, 2007 9:14:00 PM
Didn't those guys just fire a coach that went 5-7 this year?
Posted by: Jay Johnson | Nov 25, 2007 10:23:32 PM
Poor Matt.
Posted by: Andrew | Nov 25, 2007 11:17:06 PM
Deer Turner,
You can't go home again.
Posted by: I R A Darth Aggie | Nov 26, 2007 8:55:57 AM