Grand Visions | Huskers 411

Here's a Story About Waiting While You Wait

July 31, 2010 No comments

10 comments so far July 7, 2010 by Brandon Vogel

It feels unending, doesn't it? The waiting. The magazines and the video games offer some July relief--and I've personally endorsed both at various times over the years--until what actually could be a fascinating Big 12 Media Days arrives at the end of the month. Then we're into fall camp and then we're into paying $40 to watch the season opener. Just sit back, sweat through the hottest days of the year and it'll be here before you know it.

Or better yet, sit back, sweat through the hottest days of the year and read an actual book. That's what I decided to do over the holiday weekend and I found the story of the wait for Bob Devaney to be just the antidote.

I'm a bit of a sports book nerd. Always have been. I have grand visions of a vast sports book library which means that when I see old sports books, I buy them. Doesn't really matter what they're about. Take Devaney: A Dynasty Remembered. This is a collection of columns and stories from the World-Herald, AP and UPI about Bob Devaney. I never intended to actually read it. In fact, I doubt anyone involved with the book thought it would be read cover to cover. It was designed to sell copies based on who was on the cover. I'm okay with that. "Reference," I told myself.

But that's the thing about the waiting. You'll do crazy things. Realizing that I knew the skeleton of Devaney's Michigan State-Wyoming-Nebraska journey but had never actually looked any deeper than that, I started with the first column in the book and read up until Devaney finally, mercifully, arrived at NU.

College football has changed a lot in 40 years. Nebraska's courtship of Devaney took over a month due to the fact that Wyoming, who had the coach on contract for 4 more years, held his fate entirely in their hands. If their trustees decided he needed to honor the contract--and why they didn't after he won four straight conference titles for the 'Pokes is still a mystery to me at this point--then he stayed in Laramie. Simple as that.

Some interesting parallels in the daily news cycle back then to what we've seen in recent years surrounding Nebraska, so allow me to offer a timeline of the wait that built modern day Nebraska football.

1.3.62 - Filing for the OWH from the Rose Bowl, Gregg McBride offers this gem from one of the press members in attendance: "The Cornhuskers have missed the boat since before World War II, and I suppose they are going to make their usual blunder." But the hot tip McBride uncovers from sources close to Wyoming is that Devaney is going to be announced as the new Husker coach in three days time.

1.4.62 - News of Devaney's reported desire to leave Wyoming for Nebraska spurs what the OWH calls a "showdown" in Laramie with the Cowboys AD Glenn Jacoby waiting for Devaney to return from the Sugar Bowl. "The thing to do is find out if there's to be any vacancy," said Jacoby. Seems like a good place to start.

1.5.62 - The World-Herald now reports that Devaney will accept the NU job pending release by Wyoming officials. The paper also reports that Tipper Dye, Nebraska's new AD and the man charged with wooing Devaney, will receive a salary of $17,000. Devaney's reported salary at Wyoming? $16,000.

1.6.62 - The New York Times reports that Devaney has officially asked for his release. Clifford P. Hansen, chairman of the Wyoming trustees, says that the board will be polled via telegraph with the results of the polling possibly coming tomorrow. Feeling familiar yet?

Meanwhile, the World-Herald, citing the coveted "well-informed" source, says the informal poll revealed that Devaney would get his release and come to NU. Asked if he was still interested in the position, Devaney said "Oh, yes, I'm still interested."

1.7.62 - This is the day according to the papers. "Devaney's Release to Accept Post Expected Today" read the headline in Omaha. Or not. Wyoming says a formal announcement might not come until February but an "unofficial understanding might be reached." Devaney's still interested, of course, because "Nebraska has greater potential." He's being strikingly honest for a guy who ultimately doesn't get to choose.

1.8.62 - Okay, today we're still waiting on that telegraph poll but it should be complete before the sun sets a spokesperson says. Wyoming's AD mentions that he's already searching for Devaney's successor. One potential candidate is said to be Italo Caccia. Believe it or not, he doesn't coach a Serie A team in Italy, he coaches the Idaho State Bengals.

1.9.62 - Devaney takes the train to Omaha then arrives in Lincoln via car. He still can't officially be the coach--damn telegraphs--but he thought it would be nice to meet with the players anyway.

1.10.62 - Coach Devaney arrives in Lincoln and quickly announces that the school that he cannot yet officially coach needs a bigger fieldhouse. Facilities questions aside, he describes the team he cannot yet coach as "enthusiastic, interested, polite and a fine group of boys." Back in Wyoming, some trustees are raising serious objections to the move, one of whom, who declined to be named, said he was sure Devaney would get his release after they "made him sweat a little bit."

From here, nothing but sweating occurs until February.

2.2.62 - The Nebraska Board of Regents announces a 5 p.m. meeting to officially name Devaney the new coach at Nebraska pending official word from the west. Wyoming, still with the sweating, waits until 10 p.m. to officially announce the release. They do so over the p.a. system at their fieldhouse that's better than Nebraska's following the conclusion of the Utah-Wyoming basketball game. Let's just say that they're less than thrilled with negotiations Dye and Devaney engaged in while the coach was still under contract at Wyoming. The Nebraska Board of Regents, of course, convened, twiddled their thumbs, and adjourned without hearing from UW.

2.4.62 - Wally Provost of the OWH officially ushers in the Coach Devaney era at Nebraska with a question from Dr. K.F. Wirt of York, Neb. Dr. York, while impressed with Devaney's 35-10-5 record at Wyoming, wants to know who he has beaten. This seems like an odd concern to me considering that Nebraska won less than 40 percent of their games over the previous ten years, ranking as one of the worst programs in college football. Welcome to Nebraska.

All told, it was 32 days from first mention of Devaney to eventual signing. Along the way, we had telegraph polls (sort of the Twitter of the day), team meetings, sources close to the situation, train trips, admonishment of tampering, rumors and the beginning of a new era for Nebraska football. It's amazing that it all happened without Chip Brown.

Postscript: Wyoming went on to hire Lloyd Eaton who coached the defensive backs under Devaney and knew the coach since their days at Alma College in Michigan. Italo Caccia went on to finish his career as a coach and administrator not at Fiorentina but at Idaho State. Here's how Devaney did:

Did you enjoy this article?

Get Husker news by email
Follow us on Twitter

10 comments so far nu-isu-fan Jul 07 10

I don’t know if that counts as an ‘actual book’, but I commend you for it. It’s better than what I’ve been doing to pass the time.

- I’ve watched the 2009 games I hadn’t deleted (KSU, CU, UT, Holiday Bowl). OK, I’ve actually watched those more than a couple times. I don’t know why I deleted the others. I think I was frustrated in our O at the time and figured I wouldn’t want to watch them again. Lesson learned.

- I’ve watched old Big Ten games on BTN and wondered if, when NU joins, they’ll televise our classic games of old. I doubt they will, but I hope they do.

- Then I resorted to watching 2009 games they have on CBS Sports. I watched UNLV and Oregon State last night. I thought that might scratch the itch. It didn’t.

Now I’m contemplating a walk on attempt. I still have eligibility. Though I question the chances I’d have at 5’9”, 155 pounds, a bum knee, age 43. Maybe I should follow your lead and read a book.

Brandon Jul 07 10

Did it have a cover, spine and retail for $24.95? Yes on all fronts, therefore book.

In all honesty, you're right, it barely qualifies.

A real college football book I can recommend? "Saturday's America" by Dan Jenkins. While nothing more than a collection of Jenkins work for SI it still as good as college football writing gets. It's out of print but well worth tracking down a copy online.

Finally, can BRN have an "exclusive" on your experience walking on? I'm thinking a multi-part, multimedia series, sort of a "Paper Lion" for the Internet age.

darren Jul 07 10

"The waiting...is the hardest part..."

NU-ISU - just like you I have resorted to watching ANY football on TV to try and get my fix. I watch any game the B10 Channel puts on. I watched Houston-Tulsa and Houston-UCF on CSTV.

My wife just rolls her eyes at me. And I just say, "Honey, it's football. Isn't that better than network re-runs?"

I need to start reading some books, too. Thanks for the recommendation, Brandon.

HuskerFaithful1 Jul 07 10

Hey..at least you get to watch some football right now. I have the hardest time pulling the remote from my wife's hands and am tortured with reruns of Dog the Bounty Hunter. I'd rather watch reruns of High School football from schools I never heard of before than that. I feel like a crack junky... Thank God for the internet at work. I catch some football there.

nu-isu-fan Jul 07 10

I'd love to give BRN the exclusive, though I reserve my rights for a TV deal down the road. Maybe they'll put it on the BTN.

Seriously, I'll bet "Devaney: A Dynasty Remembered" has a lot of goodies in it. I'd love some insight into the Devaney era - good years, bad years, turning points, etc. Any inspiration you get from those articles and share with the rest of us will help ease the pain of the off season.

Finally, please don't tell me how Houston-Tulsa ends up. I've recorded that one too.

Haley Jul 07 10

Another book I'd recommend is Sport's Illustrated's 'The College Football Book'. Or Forever Red. Both books are great.

Ryan Jul 07 10

All the talk of classic games made me check what's on ESPN Classic...the CU-Mizzou "fifth down" game from 1990. Only NC for the Boofs tainted by a horrible officiating error.

Greg Morrow Jul 07 10

I think the video was made by the same "DT," who posts comments on this brn. Great work!

I actually have the book, too, which I got for Christmas from my folks, some years back.
And, uh, I got about 10 pages into it. Gotta finish it. Time to grind it out. I never actually finished Osborne's "Faith in the game," either. Gotta get to that, too.
Did read "On solid ground," though. "More than winning" too, of course.

I KNEW Devaney left for the extra money! An extra "k" could've furnished half the house!
Gracious, in a grudging way, of Wyoming to give him up. More "genteel" times back then, in some ways.

bnahusker Jul 08 10

If you don't mind shedding a tear or two, read "One Final Pass". Brook Berringer's story.

NUBig10Fan Jul 08 10

Brandon - I love the Chip Brown reference. I laughed long and hard at that one.

bnahusker - I agree with you on "One Final Pass". It has been some time since I have read it, but will have to pick it out of the collection and read it again. He is still my favorite Husker and still wonder how things would have been if he hadn't been called to better things so early.

GBR, we are one day closer to kickoff!