A couple of things:
1. The fact that Bill Callahan still won't discuss his Nebraska's Coaching days suggests that man is still really upset about how everything went down. Its been 20 years Bill, let it go.
2. Bill's downfall wasn't really due to offense or even QB. His issue was Kevin Cosgrove and the era that Bill arrived in College Football. It coincided with the explosion of the Spread Offense. Cosgrove was a long time Big Ten Defensive Coordinator, and at that time, every team in the Big Ten was basically running the same offense they were running in 1980. Cosgrove had ZERO clue how to stop the Spread. As bad as Nebraska was at times under Riley and Frost, their defense was never as bad as it was when Cosgrove tried to stop Spread teams.
3. Bill Callahan was not receptive to outside advice. And he probably could've saved his job if he would've fired Cosgrove. But they were friends, and Bill despised any type of outside influence trying to make recommendations.
On a side note, let's play a crazier hypothetical. Let's pretend Callahan does fired Cosgrove prior to 2007 or during the season, and he is retained. The following would've happened:
- Callahan probably hires a young and elite Defensive Coordinator
- Blaine Gabbert remains committed to Nebraska
- RB Cyrus Gray signs with Nebraska
- LT Tyron Smith signs with Nebraska
- TE Kyle Rudolph probably chooses the Huskers
- DT Sheldon Richardson probably signs in 2009 class
-RB Montee Ball probably signs in the 2009 class
Long story short:
Nebraska probably easily wins the Big Twelve in 2009.
Nebraska likely comes very close to winning a National Title in 2010
Huskers would've been primed to excel in the Big Ten starting in 2011.