Bugeaters

Pelini has a plan, but not ready to announce D-coordinator

By BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON / Lincoln Journal Star |  Posted: Friday, December 16, 2011

There’s no news and we’re going to tell you there’s no news.

Many wondered if Bo Pelini might announce a new defensive coordinator after Friday’s practice.

It did not happen.

But Nebraska’s head football coach apparently knows what he wants to do to fill the opening created when Carl Pelini became Florida Atlantic’s head coach 12 days ago.

“To be honest with you, I have a pretty good idea,” Bo Pelini said in his first meeting with the media since his brother left. “I had a pretty good idea if we’d lose a coach, and I’ll just have to implement the plan when we’re ready to do it.

“I’ve been getting pulled a lot of different directions and doing a lot of different things and I’ll handle it in time, and I’ll announce it when the time’s right.”

As for hints about when the time might be right?

“Nope,” he said.

As that train sits in the station, many will no doubt continue to assume defensive line coach John Papuchis is a leading candidate for the job.

Certainly Papuchis has already shown great value to the program in his four years at Nebraska. The 33-year-old currently holds the titles of defensive line coach, recruiting coordinator and special-teams coordinator.

“He does it all,” offensive coordinator Tim Beck said when asked Wednesday about Papuchis. “He’s a tireless worker, a great motivator with the players. Hard-working, real sharp guy.”

If Papuchis were promoted to coordinator, it could allow Pelini to move one of his current grad assistants or interns to a full-time assistant’s role, something he’s shown a willingness to do.

Papuchis, Mike Ekeler and John Garrison are among those Pelini has made first-time, full-time assistant coaches at the FBS level.

Since the job came open, Pelini has indeed been busy hitting the recruiting trail, missing some of the early bowl practices so he could be in the living rooms of recruits.

Being momentarily down a full-time assistant shouldn’t affect Nebraska numberswise when it comes to recruiting. According to NCAA rules, a program can send only seven coaches on the road at a time anyway.

It’s believed Nebraska has commitments from eight players, which is about half as many as the Huskers will hope to sign in what will be a smaller recruiting class.

As the Feb. 1 national signing day looms, Pelini said he feels good about where this recruiting class is headed.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do yet,” Pelini said. “It’s part of the deal. I think it’s going well. Just got to keep pushing. It’s a fight to the end.”

On another topic, Pelini was not ready to say anything definitive when it came to the bowl game status of senior center Mike Caputo.

Caputo was cited on suspicion of DUI last Sunday, though he’s not yet been charged.

Pelini did suspend Rickey Thenarse and Baker Steinkuhler last bowl season for citations that were similar in nature, though the coach said Friday that every situation is different.

In Caputo’s case, one factor in his favor may be his clean record prior to the recent incident.

“I make the decision that first of all is in the best interest of our program, and that second of all is in the best interest of each kid,” Pelini said. “I handle each situation separately … and look at the facts and make the decision that’s right.

“And I think I’ve shown in the last four years that I’m fair. We run a disciplined program, a program that’s based on accountability. But to sit there and lump everything into one situation, you can’t do that. You look at every situation and go with that. I would think that people trust me to do that. I know the administration trusts me to do that and make the right decisions, and I guess that’s that.”

In the meantime, don’t expect to see Husker players on Twitter these days.

Pelini has placed a “temporary” ban on players tweeting.

His explanation as to why he made that decision was fittingly tidy, less than 140 characters.

“Why?” Pelini said. “Because I’m sick and tired of reading things that shouldn’t be out there on Twitter.”

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