Joe Dailey Say's Callahan Threw Beau Davis under The Bus in 2004.

DiggerDog · 10-08-2008, 10:36 PM

Dailey: 60-point loss showed offense flaws

By ERIC OLSON

Published October 8, 2008 at 1:47 p.m.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) _ Joe Dailey didn't feel sorry for himself after that wretched night at Texas Tech four years ago. The Cornhuskers' starting quarterback in 2004 felt sorry for Beau Davis.

Davis' four interceptions and a fumble — on five straight second-half series — fueled the 70-10 rout that ranks as the Nebraska program's worst loss ever.

Those infamous interceptions, Dailey said, were symptomatic of what was wrong with former coach Bill Callahan's West Coast offense at the college level.

"It was too much to process, and too much to absorb for young players," Dailey said Wednesday in an interview with The Associated Press. "You saw it that game."

Dailey, now a graduate assistant at Buffalo under former Nebraska player and assistant Turner Gill, measured his words carefully when discussing the Oct. 9, 2004, game in Lubbock, Texas, and his one year as starting quarterback under Callahan.

"You can't badmouth people. Not in this business. Not a good idea," he said.

The Cornhuskers return to Lubbock on Saturday for the first time since the flogging with Bo Pelini as their head coach.

"They wanted someone who has been there, who's got energy, who's going to bring fire," Dailey said. "Bo Pelini is a great hire."

Dailey, who still follows Nebraska and the Big 12, said the three-touchdown favorite Red Raiders are beatable.

"Your offense has to hold onto the ball a long time and keep them from scoring that many points," he said. "That's what they have to do this weekend — get 15-, 16-, 17-play drives and eat up clock. You can't have seven- or eight-play drives. It'll be over."

Davis is the only remaining Nebraska player who participated in the 2004 game. Though known as a good team guy, Davis' role on the field since that game has been inconsequential.

The Huskers were 3-1 heading into the '04 Texas Tech game. They had been upset at home by Southern Mississippi but had bounced back with a road win against Pittsburgh and a victory at home over Kansas. Going into Texas Tech, the defense was ranked fifth in the nation.

Nebraska, down 21-3 at half, got back in the game early in the third quarter when Dailey threw a 74-yard touchdown pass to Mark LeFlore.

Dailey couldn't move the offense on its next two drives, though, and Callahan replaced him with Davis, a 160-pound true freshman who had never taken a snap in a college game.

Dailey said Callahan told him that the change was made because the staff believed Davis was better suited to throw downfield as the Huskers went into hurry-up mode.

"They threw Beau to the wolves by throwing him out there with a minimal amount of reps," Davis said. "He was thrown under the bus."

Dailey said Davis was set up to fail having to operate an offense that went into every week with about 400 plays available in the game plan, Dailey said.

"Those plays go on and on and are difficult to understand conceptually, let alone spitting them out," Dailey said. "There's a lot of information, and you only get 20 hours a week to digest that."

The Huskers, as Dailey said, "beat the bricks off Baylor" 59-27 the following week. But they finished the season 5-6 — their first losing campaign since 1961 — and Dailey threw 19 interceptions.

Dailey transferred to North Carolina, where he played quarterback and receiver. He was hired as a graduate assistant at Buffalo in March. He works with quarterbacks.

"Turner is a great guy to play for," Dailey said, "and even better to work for."

Dailey said he has no regrets about his playing career. His time at North Carolina whetted his appetite to go into coaching.

"I learned from three former NFL coordinators and learned a great amount of football — more than I did at Nebraska," Dailey said. "I really digested the things I didn't learn at Nebraska and learned the game from a whole 'nother perspective."

Dailey noted that Callahan was able to have success with junior-college transfer Zac Taylor as quarterback. The Huskers beat Michigan in the Alamo Bowl in 2005, and the following year they won the Big 12 North.

"He had older guys who could process and deliver," Dailey said.

Recruited to Nebraska by Frank Solich as a dual-threat quarterback, Dailey acknowledges that he was the proverbial "square peg in a round hole" under Callahan.

"Sometimes you're there under the wrong guys," he said. "I had two years before that there, and I enjoyed my stay. Only one year things didn't go well. It wasn't like my entire career there was awful. I still respect the place. I have no bitter feelings. It's over with."

fish_finder · 10-09-2008, 01:47 PM

I think good old Billy C threw the whole football program under the bus as Steve Pederson did the driving.................

LundLover · 10-09-2008, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fish_finder

I think good old Billy C threw the whole football program under the bus as Steve Pederson did the driving.................

Vikes forever · 10-09-2008, 07:33 PM

You got Pelini now.
As hard as that might be right now given what's on the field,that whole Callahan + Petersen thing just needs to be let go.

10-08-2008, 10:36 PM	#1 (permalink)
DiggerDog Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: At home, in the field, in a blind, in a boat, at our cabin, on a plane, or in a hotel room Posts: 454 Thanks: 14 Thanked 15 Times in 12 Posts	Joe Dailey Say's Callahan Threw Beau Davis under The Bus in 2004. Dailey: 60-point loss showed offense flaws By ERIC OLSON Published October 8, 2008 at 1:47 p.m. LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) _ Joe Dailey didn't feel sorry for himself after that wretched night at Texas Tech four years ago. The Cornhuskers' starting quarterback in 2004 felt sorry for Beau Davis. Davis' four interceptions and a fumble — on five straight second-half series — fueled the 70-10 rout that ranks as the Nebraska program's worst loss ever. Those infamous interceptions, Dailey said, were symptomatic of what was wrong with former coach Bill Callahan's West Coast offense at the college level. "It was too much to process, and too much to absorb for young players," Dailey said Wednesday in an interview with The Associated Press. "You saw it that game." Dailey, now a graduate assistant at Buffalo under former Nebraska player and assistant Turner Gill, measured his words carefully when discussing the Oct. 9, 2004, game in Lubbock, Texas, and his one year as starting quarterback under Callahan. "You can't badmouth people. Not in this business. Not a good idea," he said. The Cornhuskers return to Lubbock on Saturday for the first time since the flogging with Bo Pelini as their head coach. "They wanted someone who has been there, who's got energy, who's going to bring fire," Dailey said. "Bo Pelini is a great hire." Dailey, who still follows Nebraska and the Big 12, said the three-touchdown favorite Red Raiders are beatable. "Your offense has to hold onto the ball a long time and keep them from scoring that many points," he said. "That's what they have to do this weekend — get 15-, 16-, 17-play drives and eat up clock. You can't have seven- or eight-play drives. It'll be over." Davis is the only remaining Nebraska player who participated in the 2004 game. Though known as a good team guy, Davis' role on the field since that game has been inconsequential. The Huskers were 3-1 heading into the '04 Texas Tech game. They had been upset at home by Southern Mississippi but had bounced back with a road win against Pittsburgh and a victory at home over Kansas. Going into Texas Tech, the defense was ranked fifth in the nation. Nebraska, down 21-3 at half, got back in the game early in the third quarter when Dailey threw a 74-yard touchdown pass to Mark LeFlore. Dailey couldn't move the offense on its next two drives, though, and Callahan replaced him with Davis, a 160-pound true freshman who had never taken a snap in a college game. Dailey said Callahan told him that the change was made because the staff believed Davis was better suited to throw downfield as the Huskers went into hurry-up mode. "They threw Beau to the wolves by throwing him out there with a minimal amount of reps," Davis said. "He was thrown under the bus." Dailey said Davis was set up to fail having to operate an offense that went into every week with about 400 plays available in the game plan, Dailey said. "Those plays go on and on and are difficult to understand conceptually, let alone spitting them out," Dailey said. "There's a lot of information, and you only get 20 hours a week to digest that." The Huskers, as Dailey said, "beat the bricks off Baylor" 59-27 the following week. But they finished the season 5-6 — their first losing campaign since 1961 — and Dailey threw 19 interceptions. Dailey transferred to North Carolina, where he played quarterback and receiver. He was hired as a graduate assistant at Buffalo in March. He works with quarterbacks. "Turner is a great guy to play for," Dailey said, "and even better to work for." Dailey said he has no regrets about his playing career. His time at North Carolina whetted his appetite to go into coaching. "I learned from three former NFL coordinators and learned a great amount of football — more than I did at Nebraska," Dailey said. "I really digested the things I didn't learn at Nebraska and learned the game from a whole 'nother perspective." Dailey noted that Callahan was able to have success with junior-college transfer Zac Taylor as quarterback. The Huskers beat Michigan in the Alamo Bowl in 2005, and the following year they won the Big 12 North. "He had older guys who could process and deliver," Dailey said. Recruited to Nebraska by Frank Solich as a dual-threat quarterback, Dailey acknowledges that he was the proverbial "square peg in a round hole" under Callahan. "Sometimes you're there under the wrong guys," he said. "I had two years before that there, and I enjoyed my stay. Only one year things didn't go well. It wasn't like my entire career there was awful. I still respect the place. I have no bitter feelings. It's over with." __________________ "When you have shot one bird flying you have shot all birds flying. They are all different and they fly in different ways but the sensation is the same and the last one is as good as the first." - Ernest Hemingway

10-09-2008, 07:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
Vikes forever 2008 Catch and Continue Finalist Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: My house Posts: 429 Thanks: 24 Thanked 19 Times in 19 Posts	You got Pelini now. As hard as that might be right now given what's on the field,that whole Callahan + Petersen thing just needs to be let go. __________________ "What's the most you ever lost on a coin toss?"

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10-09-2008, 01:47 PM	#2 (permalink)
fish_finder Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Lincoln Posts: 647 Thanks: 10 Thanked 12 Times in 10 Posts	I think good old Billy C threw the whole football program under the bus as Steve Pederson did the driving.................