After losing his job as Nebraska's head football coach, Bo Pelini has apparently been link to the same job at Youngstown State.
Citing unnamed sources, Football Scoop reported Tuesday night that Pelini was going to accept the job at Youngstown State. Shortly after, ESPN's Brett McMurphy reported that Pelini was just considering the job.
Sources tell FootballScoop that Bo Pelini plans to accept the head coaching position at Youngstown State https://t.co/gkayvPt9KK
— FootballScoop Staff (@FootballScoop) December 10, 2014
At YSU we understand the formal offer is pending; but sources tell us he intends to accept. Announcement likely Thursday — FootballScoop Staff (@FootballScoop) December 10, 2014
Bo Pelini considering whether to take Youngstown State job, source told @ESPN
— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) December 10, 2014
Pelini was born in Youngstown, Ohio and went to Ohio State University, where he played free safety for the Buckeyes. From 1994 to 2002, Pelini spent time as a defensive backs and linebackers coach in the NFL before he took his first coaching job in college in 2003, the defensive coordinator at Nebraska.
Pelini was briefly the Cornhuskers interim head coach before becoming the co-defensive coordinator at Oklahoma and then sole possession of the same job at LSU under Les Miles. He has been at the helm of Nebraska's football team since 2008 and enjoyed a 67-27 record, but his 4-3 bowl game record was more indicative of why he was fired last week.
Thayer Evans reported for Sports Illustrated that Pelini may in fact not be interested in the Youngstown State coaching job. Pelini said he was not even offered the job, let alone considering whether or not to take it.
Just spoke w/ Bo Pelini. Denied reports of being offered or accepting Youngstown State job. "It's all a complete fabrication of the truth." — Thayer Evans (@ThayerEvansSI) December 10, 2014
"It's all a complete fabrication of the truth," Pelini told Evans.
Youngstown State University is an NCAA Division I program in the Mountain Valley Conference, but it is right in Ohio State's backyard. Jim Tressel, a former Ohio State head football coach, is the president at Youngstown State and he coached there from 1986 to 2000 before taking over the Ohio State team.
With Pelini's strong ties to Ohio, the Buckeyes football program and the Big Ten, the Youngstown State job could be a stepping-stone to one on Urban Meyer's staff. It would give Pelini the chance to lead a team right in plain view for Tressel and within a skip and a jump from Ohio State.
