Callahan reportedly NU’s choice

Ex-Raiders coach expected to be named today

? Former Oakland Raiders coach Bill Callahan will reportedly be named Nebraska’s new head football coach today, according to published reports.

Citing anonymous sources close to the situation, the Omaha World-Herald and the Lincoln Journal Star reported that Callahan spent late Thursday night wrapping up negotiations with Nebraska athletic director Steve Pederson. ESPN also reported on its Web site that Callahan had accepted the position at Nebraska.

Gary O’Hagan, Callahan’s Minneapolis-based agent, did not immediately return a phone message left late Thursday by The Associated Press seeking comment.

Chris Anderson, a spokeswoman for Nebraska’s athletic department, said Thursday night she could not confirm any plans to name Callahan the coach and said she knew of no announcements scheduled for today.

Nebraska offensive coordinator Barney Cotton told the AP that he had not been notified of a decision to hire Callahan.

When asked Thursday afternoon if Callahan had been offered the job, O’Hagan told the AP, “Nothing’s going on.”

Thursday morning, O’Hagan had said Callahan liked Lincoln and was “very interested” in the Nebraska job but had not yet been offered the position.

Callahan, who led the Raiders to the Super Bowl two years ago, was fired by Oakland shortly after quarterback Rich Gannon criticized Callahan and offensive coordinator Marc Trestman for a bad offensive system.