Bowl Preview: Pacific Life Holiday Bowl

Pacific Life Holiday Bowl
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego
Arizona vs. Nebraska
Date: Dec. 30
Time: 8 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Line: Nebraska -2.5

About Arizona (8-4): The Wildcats took another leap forward under Mike Stoops which certainly surprised the hell out of me. I thought he'd take the John Mackovic right turn into hell. Whatever happened to Mackovic anyway? So the 'Cats have a good defense and a decent offense with a decent QB in Nick Foles. That's about it.

Intangibles:
"Bear Down": -2
Tucson Nov-Feb.: +3
Tucson rest of year: -112 degrees

About Nebraska (9-4): Suh, Suh, Suh, is pretty much all you hear about with the 'Huskers. The reason for that is the rest of the team pretty much blows. Offense? Terrible. Special teams? Terrible? DBs? Terrible. Suh. FREAKING AWESOME. Bo Pelini? Curses a lot.

Intangibles:
Still not running triple option: -2
Tom Osborne pulse rate: +34 per minute.
Blackshirts are back: +2

Impact player: Okay. Other than Suh. How about Nic Grigsby, 'Zona's oft injured running back? Without Grigsby the 'Cats stop running the ball and call about 70 wide receiver screens a game.

Bowl slogan: "We love defense at the Holiday Bowl. Just can't get enough of it!"

Little known fact: Bo Pelini was a horrendous safety at Ohio State. When then coach John Cooper said he had "too many slow, white guys" he pretty much had a picture of Bo in his pocket.

Watchability (1-5): 4 (out of respect to history)

The pick: Arizona 14, Nebraska 13

Don't hire Trev Alberts

Trev Alberts as the Director of Athletics at the University of Nebraska-Omaha?

Not yet. The former Nebraska All-American is one of four finalists to become the new AD for the Mavericks. He's up against a high school AD, the commissioner from a small Division II conference and a football coach from another small school.

Alberts' credentials? An endorsement from Hall of Fame coach Tom Osborne and getting canned from ESPN for refusing to show up for work one day. So who do you think the school will hire? Alberts is probably a lock (see: Larry Coker hire at UT-San Antonio).

We're not questioning Alberts intelligence, especially his football smarts. But this guy's ego will cause a divide at UNO. Clearly Osborne is grooming Alberts to replace him in Lincoln with the much bigger Cornhuskers. If the Mavericks go with Alberts it has all the makings of when the Detroit Lions hired Matt Millen -- failure written all over it.

Nothing is official yet, but let's just say Nebraska-Omaha officials have been warned.

Looking over Bo's shoulder

Nebraska coach Bo Pelini is saying all of the right things. He's not stupid. He knows who's really in charge in Lincoln. But you know he just hates having Husker legend Tom Osborne looking over his shoulder.

According to an Associated Press story, Pelini says Osborne is welcome at any meeting, practice or team function. Tom may be calling plays from the press box by the end of the season. This is what Pelini said, "Let's face it, no matter how long you're around, you never have it all figured out. Everybody has a different perspective, another set of eyes. The more input you take, the more you can learn, the better you become."

Nice BS coach.

Does he respect Osborne? Of course. Does he want to be second guessed on every play or every decision he makes about his program? I doubt it.

If Osborne wanted to coach so much he should have just hired himself. If not, hire a coach who can handle the job. This relationship could wear thin real quick. We'll keep an eye on this one.