Paul Finebaum details the importance of Nebraska coaching search, calls for Urban Meyer
Nebraska has fired Scott Frost, and the Cornhuskers are now searching for an answer yet again. With a national search ongoing, many names have been mentioned as a possibility. But arguably none bigger than the name thrown out by ESPN and SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum on Monday morning.
Finebaum joined McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning, where he was asked about Nebraska’s coaching search. He said that finding an elite, program changing type of coach is pivotal.
“Greg, they can do it with an elite, game-changing coach, because that’s what I think it would take,” Finebaum said when asked if it’s possible for Nebraska to return to glory. “You need a complete culture – you need to forget Nebraska. There are no more people that played at Nebraska that can save this program. So the question is then asked, who is that person?”
When describing the criteria that Nebraska should be looking for in a new head coach, Finebaum couldn’t help but come to one familiar name across the college football ranks, and that would be Urban Meyer. Meyer began his college coaching career at Bowling Green State and then Utah, but made a name for himself at Florida and Ohio State. He won national championships in 2006, 2008 and 2014, won the Big Ten three times and won the SEC twice as a head coach.
“There’s really only one elite coach right now I think that’s capable of changing a program. I’ll try not to completely throw up my breakfast as I utter the two words Urban Meyer,” Finebaum said about Nebraska’s search. “I’m not even sure he can do it, but I think he’s certainly – and since he’ll be in Lincoln this weekend maybe we’ll get him to comment on it.”
Meyer had a short stint in the NFL last season, going 2-11 before being let go by the Jacksonville Jaguars. But even with a disappointing tenure in the professional ranks, his resume at the college level is undeniable and won’t be matched by many coaches that could seemingly be an option for Nebraska.
As Finebaum mentioned, Meyer will be in Lincoln this weekend as part of the FOX Big Noon Kickoff broadcast ahead of Nebraska’s Week 3 matchup against Oklahoma.
Finebaum thinks Meyer could be the superb coach Nebraska needs
Many names have been floated around for the now open Nebraska job. Matt Campbell and Matt Rhule have been mentioned as possibilities, but Finebaum thinks that the Huskers need to shoot for better. If Meyer is interested in the Nebraska job, he could be an impossible option to turn down.
In the end, Finebaum continues to harp on the fact that Nebraska needs to find a coach that can change the program for the better.
“I just don’t think you can go and say, ‘Let’s go grab Matt Campbell or Matt Rhule or Matt whoever and turn this around,” added Finebaum. “That’s already been tried and it’s failed. You have to have somebody that’s won at the highest level, and quite frankly there aren’t that many people that fit that. This is not going and getting Josh Heupel, who had really been untested but capable of great things.
“You need a program changer, not just a good coach. You need a superb coach and there are so few of those out there.”