Callahan struggles

LINCOLN, Neb. – Bill Callahan claims the uncertainty about his future at Nebraska is undercutting his ability to recruit.

The Cornhuskers’ coach said Tuesday at his weekly news conference that his program has become hamstrung in the wake of constant speculation about whether he’ll be back at Nebraska next year.

A number of recruits who orally committed to the Huskers have reneged or are wavering, and Callahan said he has had difficulty offering assurances to prospects.

“I can’t make any promises,” he said. “I can’t, because I’m not getting any promises.”

The Huskers are 4-4 after losing three straight games by a combined score of 122-34. Nebraska’s ability to become bowl eligible is in doubt with three of its final four regular-season games on the road.

The Huskers visit No. 17 Texas on Saturday.

“If you look at the landscape of college football, the powers are all going to go through a little bit of this and that. We’ve had more of this and that,” Callahan said.

Callahan said he’s confident that, given time, he can win big at Nebraska. For the second consecutive week, he said he’s doing an “excellent” job managing the program.

He said it should not go unnoticed the Huskers reached the Big 12 championship game two years after he dumped the triple option in favor of the West Coast offense.

“Again, all I would tell you is I have done an excellent job in every area,” he said. “It’s hard for the media to know. But what we’ve done off the field and what we did on the field, it’s well-documented. We did some positive things. We haven’t sustained it this year.”

Callahan said he and his assistants, as well as interim athletic director Tom Osborne, have talked to visiting prospects about “hanging in there” with Nebraska.

Callahan said he didn’t know the exact number, but several of the 23 recruits who have pledged to sign with Nebraska in February have backed away.

Nebraska took a major hit on the recruiting front this week when star running back Jonas Gray of Southfield, Mich., announced he was de-committing and taking another look at Michigan and LSU. He told the Omaha World-Herald that he feared even if Callahan were retained he’d be on a “short leash.”