Bo Pelini critical of Husker leadership
— -- Bo Pelini is back in his hometown and ready for a new challenge at Youngstown State, but not without firing a shot at his former employer.
Pelini, hired Tuesday as Youngstown State's coach after being fired from the same post at Nebraska on Nov. 30, said Wednesday at his introduction that he doesn't see Youngstown State as a stepping-stone job and praised the leadership of Jim Tressel, the school's president and the former football coach both at Youngstown State and Ohio State.
"I believe that I have a great situation here," the 47-year-old Pelini said, "have a tremendous athletic director, have a president who understands football, who's going to support me, something that I don't know if I've ever had."
Pelini spent the past seven seasons working under Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman, who has led the school since 2001. Perlman said he fully sported athletic director Shawn Eichorst's decision to fire Pelini (67-27 overall) despite nine- or 10-win seasons in each of Pelini's years on the job.
Eichorst said Pelini's record in the "games that mattered" contributed to his dismissal but also that some off-field expectations were not met.
Pelini praised former Nebraska coach and athletic director Tom Osborne during his Youngstown State introduction. He said Wednesday he would lean heavily on Tressel for advice as he transitions to the new job.
"I have a great administration and a community I believe in wholeheartedly," Pelini said. "It sets up to be a great environment for me to work in, a great environment for my family to live in and a great place to call home. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come back here.
"If I was looking for the next job, I'd be someplace else."
At the time of his firing by Nebraska, Pelini was due a $7.9 million buyout. There is no non-disparagement clause in that contract that would affect his severance.
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