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Bo happy to be back for another season
By Glenn Guilbeau
Louisiana Gannett News
[email protected]
BATON ROUGE -- Bo and Mary Pat Pelini might actually get all those boxes unpacked this year.
Bo, LSU's defensive coordinator, will be open a football season on the same staff for the first time since 2002, when he was the linebackers coach for the Green Bay Packers.
"Yeah, we might get everything out of boxes this year," Pelini said. "I mean, I'm getting there. But it's been difficult. I've moved a number of times over the last couple of years. That obviously gets old."
Pelini, 38, moved from Green Bay to his first full-time college job at Nebraska as defensive coordinator in 2003.He became interim coach for the Alamo Bowl when Frank Solich was fired and directed a 17-3 victory over Michigan State, but he did not get the head coaching job.
It was then off to Oklahoma, where he was co-defensive coordinator for one season, before coming to LSU as Les Miles' defensive coordinator in 2005.
There have been other one-year stints -- at Iowa as a graduate assistant in 1991 and at his alma mater Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown, Ohio, in 1993 as quarterbacks coach.
His longest tenures were three years each with the San Francisco 49ers (1994-96). New England Patriots (1997-99) and the Packers (2000-2002).
"I wasn't looking forward to another move," Pelini said. "I'm glad I'm here for another year."
Another move may be imminent as, like offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, Pelini is one of the hottest college assistant coaches in the country.
His 2005 LSU defense finished No. 3 in the nation in fewest points allowed (14.2), fewest yards allowed (266.8) and in pass defense efficiency. The Tigers were also No. 6 nationally against the run (91.5 yards).
And this was all after a horrendous start in which LSU allowed 711 yards passing in its first two games last season.
"I've never come back to the same college as defensive coordinator for the second year," Pelini said. "It's a relief a little bit. I just feel more comfortable. Hopefully, it will pay dividends because I think it will give an advantage I haven't enjoyed.
"For the most part, I'm coaching the same players. We feel we're obviously a little bit ahead of where we were at this time last year, it being our second year together."
Three starting defensive linemen and two starting linebackers are gone, but Pelini returns virtually his entire secondary. The starting safeties are seniors LaRon Landry and Jessie Daniels, and there is backup junior safety Craig Steltz and junior cornerback Chevis Jackson, who started last season.
Jackson sees a more comfortable Pelini this season.
"He's more laid back. He plays around with us," Jackson said. "When it's time to get serious, he gets serious."
Pelini's approach has already been compared by several observers to former LSU head coach Nick Saban, who primarily worked with defense.
"He's not much different than Saban," Jackson said. "He gets intense. He's just as intense as Saban. He's very detail oriented like Saban."
Saban, by the way, moved five times in seven years early in his career as an assistant and has never had a stay of more than five years.
"They move you, but it's still an inconvenience issue for your family," Pelini said. "The kids have to get settled and get used to new schools. I never look forward to it. It was just something that we felt we had to do at the time, and hopefully that won't have to happen for awhile."
Bo happy to be back for another season
By Glenn Guilbeau
Louisiana Gannett News
[email protected]
BATON ROUGE -- Bo and Mary Pat Pelini might actually get all those boxes unpacked this year.
Bo, LSU's defensive coordinator, will be open a football season on the same staff for the first time since 2002, when he was the linebackers coach for the Green Bay Packers.
"Yeah, we might get everything out of boxes this year," Pelini said. "I mean, I'm getting there. But it's been difficult. I've moved a number of times over the last couple of years. That obviously gets old."
Pelini, 38, moved from Green Bay to his first full-time college job at Nebraska as defensive coordinator in 2003.He became interim coach for the Alamo Bowl when Frank Solich was fired and directed a 17-3 victory over Michigan State, but he did not get the head coaching job.
It was then off to Oklahoma, where he was co-defensive coordinator for one season, before coming to LSU as Les Miles' defensive coordinator in 2005.
There have been other one-year stints -- at Iowa as a graduate assistant in 1991 and at his alma mater Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown, Ohio, in 1993 as quarterbacks coach.
His longest tenures were three years each with the San Francisco 49ers (1994-96). New England Patriots (1997-99) and the Packers (2000-2002).
"I wasn't looking forward to another move," Pelini said. "I'm glad I'm here for another year."
Another move may be imminent as, like offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, Pelini is one of the hottest college assistant coaches in the country.
His 2005 LSU defense finished No. 3 in the nation in fewest points allowed (14.2), fewest yards allowed (266.8) and in pass defense efficiency. The Tigers were also No. 6 nationally against the run (91.5 yards).
And this was all after a horrendous start in which LSU allowed 711 yards passing in its first two games last season.
"I've never come back to the same college as defensive coordinator for the second year," Pelini said. "It's a relief a little bit. I just feel more comfortable. Hopefully, it will pay dividends because I think it will give an advantage I haven't enjoyed.
"For the most part, I'm coaching the same players. We feel we're obviously a little bit ahead of where we were at this time last year, it being our second year together."
Three starting defensive linemen and two starting linebackers are gone, but Pelini returns virtually his entire secondary. The starting safeties are seniors LaRon Landry and Jessie Daniels, and there is backup junior safety Craig Steltz and junior cornerback Chevis Jackson, who started last season.
Jackson sees a more comfortable Pelini this season.
"He's more laid back. He plays around with us," Jackson said. "When it's time to get serious, he gets serious."
Pelini's approach has already been compared by several observers to former LSU head coach Nick Saban, who primarily worked with defense.
"He's not much different than Saban," Jackson said. "He gets intense. He's just as intense as Saban. He's very detail oriented like Saban."
Saban, by the way, moved five times in seven years early in his career as an assistant and has never had a stay of more than five years.
"They move you, but it's still an inconvenience issue for your family," Pelini said. "The kids have to get settled and get used to new schools. I never look forward to it. It was just something that we felt we had to do at the time, and hopefully that won't have to happen for awhile."
