The case for Bo Pelini as Maryland's next head football coach

Over the coming weeks and months, the Maryland football program will search for a new head coach to replace the departed Randy Edsall. We know who the candidates are, but who should Maryland pick? We'll state every coach's case, whether he wants the job or not, in 500 words or fewer.

Bo Pelini, Youngstown State head coach

Likelihood scale: 4/10.

The resume

After coaching in the NFL for nine years, Pelini went to Nebraska to become the Huskers' defensive coordinator in 2003. We'll start there.

In Pelini's first season at Nebraska, Frank Solich got fired. Pelini was named the interim head coach. After the season, Pelini left to become the co-defensive coordinator at Oklahoma. The Sooners made the BCS title game with Pelini on the staff.

After one season at OU, Pelini left to become the defensive coordinator at LSU. The Tigers went 34-6 in his three seasons there and won the 2007 BCS National Championship. He returned to Nebraska in 2008, this time as head coach.

Pelini never won a conference title but won at least nine games in each of his seven seasons at Nebraska. He constantly battled with the administration, media and the fans and was fired last season. He took the head coaching job at Youngstown State after that.

The benefits

If you like winning, Bo Pelini is your guy. Only six coaches in FBS history at Power Five schools have won nine or more games in each of their first seven seasons: Tom Osborne, Barry Switzer, Earle Bruce, Steve Spurrier, Mack Brown and Bo Pelini.

If you like graduating players, Bo Pelini is your guy. During his first six years at Nebraska, 122 out of 132 seniors earned their degrees. All 14 of his seniors in his final season earned their degrees.

Maryland president Wallace Loh said he wants a coach who will be competitive on the field and insists that players are students first and athletes second.

Pelini only made a little over $3 million during his final season at Nebraska. That would be a steal if he could get the Terps to average nine or 10 wins a season.

The drawbacks

The D.C. media market takes no prisoners, and if Randy Edsall had a tough time dealing with it, imagine how Bo Pelini will fare considering he did this after a 2011 game that Nebraska actually won.

Pelini took shots at many during his time at Nebraska. He and the administration didn't get along. He was furious at fans who left early. He cursed sometimes during press conferences.

Pelini didn't leave Lincoln quietly. He burned bridges.

In one sentence

Pelini comes with serious risks attached, but he's affordable, gets wins and graduates players.