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Dorrell's Has A New Scape Goat Offensive Coordinator

Here is the early report from Dohn (emphasis mine):

Jay Norvell, who spent the last three seasons as Nebraska's offensive coordinator, has agreed to become UCLA's new offensive coordinator, sources said Friday.

Norvell replaces Jim Svoboda, who was fired last week. Norvell, 43, did not call the plays at Nebraska, instead serving more as coach Bill Callahan's eyes and ears in sky, but is expected to do so with the Bruins.

The Cornhuskers struggled offensively in Norvell's first two seasons as the West Coast Offense was implemented, finishing 58 th in scoring (25 ppg) in 2004 and 67 th (24.7 ppg) in 2005.

However, last season the Cornhuskers were 17 th in scoring (30.6 ppg) and 14 th in total offense (414.6 ypg).

Norvell, who spent two season as the Oakland Raiders tight ends coach in 2006, interviewed for UCLA's offensive coordinator spot before taking the job with Nebraska.
It will be interesting to find out who will be calling plays? Who will take responsibility should something go wrong in the first few games? The way Norvell's arrangement was set up in Lincoln doesn't sound any different than the arrangement Dorrell had with Svoboda.

Also, another note, it took Norvell three years to come up with a productive (which is arguable given how we saw the Huskers perform against Southern Cal and their bowl opponent) season in Nebraska. He will have one season to win the Pac-10 under Dorrell. There is no margin of error. Hopefully it works out. But there is nothing in his resume that has a wow factor giving us a lot of confidence going into next season. His credentials sound just as average as his new head coach's, when he came to Westwood four mediocre years ago.

In any event, we wish Norvell luck and hopefully he will not turn out to be another scape-goat of Westwood.

GO BRUINS.