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Since Bo arrived in 2008, Nebraska has lost 10 games by 20 points or more - seven times since joining the Big Ten in 2011 where they have allowed 45 points or more six times. Since Pelini has been in charge, Nebraska is 3-9 on the road against ranked opponents. The Huskers are 1-5 in six Big Ten road games against ranked teams, and lose by an average of 20 pts. Five of the Huskers' top 10 worst defensive performances, in terms of yardage, have come since 2012. Beginning in 2010, the Huskers are just 14-12 after the season hits November 1st.

Bo Pelini peaked in 2010 and has gradually gotten worse in the ensuing years. Pelini and Nebraska have been unable to take advantage of a Big Ten conference that has been down in recent years. Not only have they not been able to rise to the top of an average conference, they have settled even more into mediocrity as the seasons have gone on. Think about this for a second, this year Nebraska will go without a division title even though it has one of the program's all-time best players in running back Ameer Abdullah and one of college football's foremost talents in defensive end Randy Gregory. That is unacceptable, yet with Pelini it has become expected. This season was touted as one of Pelini's best teams and they are no better than the 5th best team in the conference. Like I concluded last September after UCLA reeled off 38-unanswered points to blowout the Huskers in Lincoln, the program is flatlining under Pelini.

A leopard doesn't change his spots, and Bo Pelini isn't going to suddenly figure things out in Lincoln. After 7 years, unfortunately, Bo Pelini is who he is. He has had enough time to instill his culture and perhaps that has been the problem. The "it's us against the world" mentality that Bo has fostered has not been healthy for the program. He has blasted fans and former players who have questioned his "process" and on-field struggles. Well, when you are just 9-17 against ranked opponents and 2-9 against teams ranked in the top ten, people are going to get antsy. Even if you don't have the answers Bo, people are going to want to know why.

Nebraska is one of the 15 most prestigious jobs in the country. With their resources, tradition, facilities and fan support, the Huskers have more potential than Pelini has been able to tap. Nobody likes to disrupt stability with a coaching change, but when that means sacrificing your potential as a program, it's something that needs to be done. Heck, look at the run of coaches that Alabama had from 2000 until they hired Nick Saban in 2007: Mike DuBose, Dennis Franchione, Mike Price and Mike Shula. How about Oklahoma? From 1994 until the hiring of Bob Stoops in 1999, they were coached by Gary Gibbs, Howard Schnellenberger and John Blake. Those schools didn't settle for less than their full potential as a Top 15 program, and neither should Nebraska.