LINCOLN Perhaps the most intriguing question for new Nebraska defensive coordinator Carl Pelini is what is such an academically accomplished individual doing working as a football coach?
Owner of masters degrees in journalism and education, Pelini has taught classes at both the high school and college levels. The Youngstown, Ohio, native said he believes that his academic experience greatly benefits in his new position.
"I think the one thing that has helped me over the years is that I have learned the different learning styles and the way you have to approach different kids so differently for them to understand the different points you're trying to get across," said Pelini, who prides himself as being an excellent communicator. "I think I'm able to get my point across to where it's understandable to most people.
"If they're not getting it, I think I'm able to change my strategy and come at it in a different way and I work hard at that."
Seemingly on his way to a successful career as a high school coach and teacher, Pelini decided against taking a comfortable path. In 2003, he came to Nebraska as a graduate assistant, making a paltry sum of $12,000 a year in hopes of one day possibly winding up in a position like the one he occupies now.
To most, the risk might have seemed too great. But not to Pelini, who said he can't imagine enjoying a work environment without competition where he couldn't get his adrenaline pumping.
"I thrive on that," said Pelini, who was the defensive coordinator at NCAA Division II Minnesota State in 2004 before joining Frank Solich's defensive staff at Ohio from 2005-2007.
Pelini said coaching also brings him more satisfaction than any other job he can imagine.
"Coaching gives me an opportunity to be a teacher, it gives me an opportunity to be a father figure to the guys and, in the end, it gives me an opportunity to take a kid and through different motivational ways, get him to achieve his potential to have success in football and life," Pelini said. "There are just so many intrinsic rewards to this profession. It's easy to say that I love it and I wouldn't want to be doing anything else."
In the rare times when he's not occupied with football, Pelini said he's always reading a book of some sort. The subject matter he tends to gravitate to includes historical fiction and military history. Sometimes, he said he just likes to pick up a good detective novel.
A big-time history buff, Pelini said he's also spent a good deal of time studying not only the history of the Nebraska football program, but the history of the state itself and its people. He said his appreciation for the Cornhusker state started in his first coaching stop here in 2003 and has continued since his return.
Apparently, Pelini's research has only fueled his desire to excel at his newest challenge.
"For a guy who was born and raised in Ohio, I've worked hard to school myself to what Nebraska football is all about and what the state is all about as a whole," Pelini said. "From that, one thing I do understand is the tremendous amount of responsibility that I have here and how many people are relying on me and how important this is to so many people.
"As a competitor, I think about that every day when I'm coming to work. I use that as a motivator."
Another interesting aspect of Pelini's job is that he works for his younger brother. The 42-year-old Pelini is about 2 1/2 years older than first-year Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini.
However, the elder Pelini insists that his working relationship with Bo, who will call the defense this season for Nebraska, is very comfortable. The two share the same philosophies in terms of both schemes and the intense way they want the Huskers to play defensively.
"Definitely, there is a system that we play and certain concepts that we use X's and O's-wise, but ultimately, those things are meaningless if you don't get the players to, as Bo would say, buy into the culture of what we're trying to develop here," Carl Pelini said. "There's a way we want them to play, physically, and we want them to understand the game and start to think the game. If all those things don't happen, then your scheme means nothing."
Terry Douglass is sports editor for The Independent.
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