Mr. Eichorst,
I would like to start this letter by acknowledging my appreciation for what you have accomplished for “Husker Nation” throughout your short tenure as Athletic Director at the University of Nebraska. Student-athletes have continued to experience unprecedented levels of success both on the field, as evidenced by numerous conference championship winning programs, as well as off the field with sustained impressive graduation statistics. In addition, the upgrades to Husker athletic facilities are unparalleled and players and fans alike are guaranteed an incredible experience at any University athletic event.
As much as these successes are to be celebrated, I am primarily writing to you with a heavy heart over the state of the University’s most beloved athletic program: the Husker football team. Like millions across the state and the further expanses of the fan base’s reaches, I have experienced moments of joy and of pride that the vast majority of college football fans will only ever dream about.
Conference championships, major bowl game victories, and national championships have all but been taken for granted in many instances and I continue to feel spoiled expecting such monumental achievements on a regular basis. More importantly, though, I have been spoiled by expecting a head coach who possesses the kind of class and composure that is the envy of fans across the country.
In the modern age of college football, I know that it is foolish to expect to see someone with Dr. Tom Osborne‘s stoic presence roaming the sidelines. I also know that stellar teams should be celebrated as opposed to selfishly expected. However, the football teams that the University has fielded over the last few seasons have been neither competitive in games that have mattered most, nor have they been led by a coach possessing any of Dr. Osborne’s aspirational yet attainable virtues. These teams have lacked discipline, have consistently been embarrassed in the national spotlight, and have shown a general lack of willingness to overcome adversity. These tenants are a direct reflection of the coaching staff’s, most notably the head coach’s lack of composure, lack of tact, unwillingness to adapt to rapidly changing conditions, and general pompous and unwavering loyalty to “his” people and “his” way of doing things.
As a result of the current coaching staff’s unwillingness to compromise on these traits, the program appears to be stuck in a stasis where it is able to easily overwhelm lesser opponents, while being just as easily overwhelmed by comparable or superior opponents. As such, the bar has been set at a “good, but not great” 9-4 record. While 9-4 is generally considered to be a commendable achievement, it must be closely scrutinized in the context of two important factors:
1. The University has experienced much greater successes throughout the modern history of its football program.
2. The head coach’s personal conduct has embarrassed the program on numerous occasions
Terminating a coach with the superficial credentials of the current head coach is difficult and would be closely scrutinized by both the college football community as well as by the greater American sports community. However, it would be in the best interest for the program to consider both the direct as well as the tertiary effects of retaining such an individual in such an important University position. I appreciate your attention to the matter and hope that you take these thoughts into careful consideration. Go Big Red!
