Patience? Husker fans won't have to be told twice

You knew something was wrong when a Heisman Trophy winner and former Cornhusker quarterback doesn't feel welcome in Memorial stadium.

When the head coach loses 30-3 and calls even Oklahoma Sooner fans "f------ hillbillies," makes a throat-slashing gesture to an official and calls Tom Osborne -- TOM OSBORNE! -- a "crusty old f---," you knew something was wrong in the Big Red Nation.

Sports Illustrated caught the mood well in this week's edition, a feature by Phil Taylor headlined "Nebraska Lost, Nebraska Found," just in time for Saturday's spring football game.

Now Osborne is athletic director and Bo Pelini is coach, the old photographs of stars of old are back on the wall, former players have been invited back to the sidelines for home games, and the Huskers expect to have 30 walk-ons in the fall.

That's the same number who began as walk-ons under Osborne's tenure as head coach, who went on to play in the NFL.

Pelini cautions that he's not a miracle worker, and it may be a while before the Black Shirts of old make another appearance on Tom Osborne Field.

He asks for patience.

Somehow, after the Pederson-Callahan debacle, we think Cornhusker fans won't have to be told twice.