Lincoln, Neb. ? Bo Pelini is the new coach at Nebraska, leaving the defensive coordinator post at LSU for a job many Cornhusker fans thought he should have been given four years ago.

Interim athletic director and former coach Tom Osborne announced Pelini’s hiring Sunday, after introducing him to the players.

It’s the first head coaching job for the 39-year-old Pelini, who spent three years at LSU orchestrating one of the nation’s top defenses. He replaces Bill Callahan, fired Nov. 24 after the Huskers’ second losing season in four years.