Bill Callahan vacates two losses from 2006

The Big XII Media Day kicked off on Monday with the usual collection of nonsense, non sequiturs and non-stories we've come to expect, but Bill Callahan did say something of note regarding the program's progress. Call it a morsel of truth in a buffet of dodged questions:

"Going from 5-6 to 8-4 to 9-5 — and really 9-3 during the regular season (in 2006) — I think we've been right on schedule, we've been right on track. Now it's the challenge this year to maintain it and improve it. That's where we're at as a program."

9-3? I guess it was just the Big XII championship and the Cotton Bowl that resulted in losses four and five. At that point, as Big XII North champions, all of Nebraska's goals we're not just in tact, they'd been met so why keep counting?

Okay, okay, Bill did say "regular season" but if that's the case isn't that 8-4 season now 7-4? Callahan again referred to "the 9-3" season later in his comments--read the whole transcript here if you dare--which is really what interests me.

It's probably just semantics, but Callahan's stretching here seems to indicate to me just a hint of desperation. Or maybe not desperation, rather frustration or consternation now that we're officially beginning year four and Nebraska, while undeniably better, still looks like a long shot to make "the leap" this year. (And probably an even longer shot in '08.)

When it's all said and done, maybe that will be a good thing. Any hint of urgency at all would be a first for the Callahan era.

Of course, Cornhusker fans have been feeling it since day one.