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Callahan Says He Won't Resign

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 7, 2007

LINCOLN, Neb. - If Nebraska interim athletic director Tom Osborne wants Bill Callahan out as football coach, he will probably have to fire him.

Callahan said Tuesday he would not resign before the season ends, even if he were offered a buyout worth more than he is entitled to by his contract.

"That term 'resignation' is not in our vocabulary," Callahan said.

The Cornhuskers (4-6, 1-5 Big 12) go into Saturday's final home game against Kansas State on their first five-game losing streak since 1958. They have been outscored 226-98 in those five games.

Last week's 76-39 loss at Kansas marked the most points allowed by a Nebraska team and ratcheted up the fans' outcry against Callahan.

Osborne has not asked for a resignation and doesn't plan to, athletic department communications chief Randy York said Tuesday. Osborne has said he will evaluate Callahan at the end of the season.

Callahan's new contract, signed in September, calls for him to be paid $3.125 million if he's fired this month. He said he wouldn't be tempted to step down if he were promised more money to resign now.

"You need to understand, this isn't about money. I didn't get into coaching for money, for buyouts, or anything like that," Callahan said.

The fallout of the season hasn't changed his feelings for Nebraska, he said. Callahan has often said he wants to finish his career at Nebraska.

"I sincerely want to be here," he said. "I think I indicated that when I signed a contract extension. If I didn't want to be here, I wouldn't have signed the extension."

Franchione Ducks Questions About Future

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Dennis Franchione dodged questions about his future as Texas A&M coach and said reports that he was negotiating a contract buyout were untrue.

"I am not going to get into the rumor game with you guys," Franchione said during his weekly news conference. "There are no facts to that, and I'm not into it. I'm sorry that you guys have to deal with it."

Several media outlets reported Monday that the school was to get rid of Franchione after five years as coach.

Franchione's contract pays him $2 million per year and runs through 2012.

The Aggies play at Missouri on Saturday. Franchione would only talk about that game.

"I know you have your work to do and your questions to ask, but I'm a non-participant in this," Franchione said.

Franchione bristled when he was asked if he expected to be A&M's coach next season.

"You want to talk about Missouri, you want to talk about the games, I'm willing to sit here with you," he said. "You guys go ahead and speculate on all the other things. That is not my concern at this point in time."

DUKE: Fullback Tielor Robinson has received an extra season from the NCAA.

Robinson, a fifth-year senior, will be eligible to play in 2008 after the NCAA approved Duke's request for a medical hardship waiver. He broke his lower leg in the Blue Devils' victory against Northwestern two months ago.

SYRACUSE: Quarterback Andrew Robinson, who has started every game this season, is day-to-day after an MRI revealed he has a slight crack in a rib on his upper left side.

He started in Saturday's 20-17 loss at Pitt but was replaced by Cameron Dantley in the second half.

"It's really a matter of him just working and seeing where we are," Coach Greg Robinson said. "We don't know when he got the injury. He was hurt last week and didn't practice Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. At one time, he thought it was a muscle. When you have a little injury like that, your muscles really work to shield the area."

Greg Robinson said he would have to wait to see what Andrew Robinson feels comfortable with as the week progresses before deciding if he'll start Saturday at home against Big East foe South Florida (6-3, 1-3).

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