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Born: July 31, 1956, Chicago
Family: Wife, Valerie; Children,
    Brian, Daniel, Cathryn and Jaclyn
Experience: Listed here
Alma mater: Illinois Benedictine, 1978

 
B
ILL CALLAHAN

Head football coach, University of Nebraska

  • Following is biographical material from the Oakland Raiders.

Bill Callahan began his sixth season with the Raiders and second season as head coach in 2003. Callahan, 46, spent four seasons as offensive coordinator for the Silver and Black before being named the 13th head coach in Oakland Raiders history on March 12, 2002. In addition to serving as offensive coordinator, Callahan coached the Raiders offensive line for three seasons and doubled as tight ends coach in 1998.

Callahan led the Raiders to the 2002 AFC Championship and the AFC West title - the team's third straight - a No. 1 seed in the AFC and a berth in Super Bowl XXXVII in his first season as head coach of the Silver and Black.
HIRING COVERAGE
It's a new era for Husker football as Bill Callahan brings the West Coast offense inland in a quest to return NU to the top.
Reaction: Players (1, 2) | Assistants (1, 2) | Recruits (1, 2)
Charlie McBride gives the hire an emphatic thumbs up, Barry Alvarez praises his former assistant's recruiting prowess, and Rich Gannon calls Callahan a perfect fit for NU.
Steve Pederson says the process worked despite all the criticism. Fans express relief and optimism.
Tom Osborne and Chris Mortensen say the West Coast offense can succeed in Lincoln.
Press conference audio (1, 2, 3), photos (1, 2) and text.
Steve Pederson says he has no problem with Bo Pelini, but the coach's sideline antics probably didn't help his cause.
Colleagues describe Callahan as a man dedicated to both work and family.
More coverage of the coaching search and the formation of Callahand's staff is here.

Callahan is just the fourth rookie head coach to lead his team to the Super Bowl after guiding the Raiders to the Super Bowl in an NFL-record fourth different decade. In addition, Callahan is the third Raiders head coach to lead the Silver and Black to an AFC West title and into the conference championship game in his first full season (Art Shell, 1990 and John Madden, 1969).

callahan4 (8K)Under Callahan's guidance, the Raiders led the NFL in passing for the first time in team history and led the league in total offense for just the second time in team history. In 2002 with Callahan in his initial campaign as Raiders head coach, the Raiders broke team records for most total offensive yards (6,237), most first downs (366), most first downs passing (226), most passes attempted (619) and completed (418), most passing yards (4,689) and best passing percentage (67.5).

Aside from Callahan's Raiders in 2002, no other team has ever gone through the same season winning games after throwing at least 60 passes (65 on 9/15 at Pittsburgh, 30-17 W) and rushing at least 60 times (60 on 12/28 vs. Kansas City, 24-0 W). In 2002, the Raiders outscored their opponents by 146 points, the widest margin in the AFC and third-widest in the NFL.

Under Callahan in 2002, the Raiders were second in the NFL in scoring (28.1), second in the AFC in points allowed per game (19), third in the conference in rushing defense (90.8), sixth in the AFC in total defense. The Raiders also tied for second in the conference in give-away/takeaway ratio (plus-12) and ranked fifth in the AFC in kickoffs (28-yard average start).

In 2001 with Callahan as offensive coordinator, the Raiders captured their second straight AFC Western Division title, finishing second in the AFC (fourth in NFL) in passing at 231.7 yards per game and fourth in the conference in total offense (seventh in NFL) with 335.1 yards per game average.

ASSISTANT COACHES
BILL BUSCH KEVIN COSGROVE PHIL ELMASSIAN TED GILMORE RANDY JORDAN
JOE RUDOLPH DENNIS WAGNER SHWAN WATSON BUDDY WYATT
Under Callahan's tutelage in 2001, the Raiders allowed only 27 sacks, the least ever in team history in a 16-game regular season as the Silver and Black advanced to the Divisional round of the AFC Playoffs. With Callahan as offensive coordinator and coaching the offensive line, the Raiders led the NFL in rushing in 2000, averaging 154.4 yards per game as the Silver and Black advanced to the AFC Championship game.

In addition, the Silver and Black allowed only 28 sacks in 2000, a team record before the Raiders surpassed that mark in 2001. Prior to joining the Raiders, Callahan coached the offensive line for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1995-97. From 1990-94, Callahan was offensive line coach at the University of Wisconsin. Callahan served a two-year stint, 1987-88, as offensive line coach at Northern Arizona.

The Chicago native began his college coaching career in 1980 as a graduate assistant at Illinois before being promoted to full time assistant in 1981, coaching tight ends, offensive line, quarterbacks and special teams through 1986.

Callahan was a three-year starter at quarterback at Illinois Benedictine in Lisle, Illinois, where he was a NAIA honorable mention All-American in his final two seasons. The Callahan family includes wife Valerie and their four children — Brian, Daniel, Cathryn and Jaclyn.

Callahan's coaching chronology

School          Year   Position                   Record    Highlights
Raiders (NFL)   2003   Head coach                 4-12-0      
Raiders (NFL)   2002   Head coach                 13-6-0    AFC champions
                                                            NFL Coach of Year
                                                             (TD Club of Columbus)
                                                            NFL Rookie Coach of Year
                                                             (Football Digest)
Raiders (NFL)   2001   Off. coord./O-line coach   11-7-0    AFC West champions
Raiders (NFL)   2000   Off. coord./O-line coach   13-5-0    AFC West champions
Raiders (NFL)   1999   Off. coord./O-line coach    8-8-0
Raiders (NFL)   1998   Off. coord./TEs coach       8-8-0
Eagles (NFL)    1997   Offensive line coach        6-9-1
Eagles (NFL)    1996   Offensive line coach       10-7-0
Eagles (NFL)    1995   Offensive line coach       11-7-0
Wisconsin       1994   Offensive line coach        7-4-1
Wisconsin       1993   Offensive line coach       10-1-1    Rose Bowl champions
Wisconsin       1992   Offensive line coach        5-6-0
Wisconsin       1991   Offensive line coach        5-6-0
Wisconsin       1990   Offensive line coach       1-10-0
Southern Ill.   1989   Offensive coordinator       2-9-0
Northern Ariz.  1988   Offensive line coach        3-8-0
Northern Ariz.  1987   Offensive line coach        6-5-0
Illinois        1986   Assistant coach             4-7-0
Illinois        1985   Assistant coach             6-5-1
Illinois        1984   Assistant coach             7-4-0
Illinois        1983   Assistant coach            10-2-0    Big Ten champions
Illinois        1982   Assistant coach             7-5-0 
Illinois        1981   Assistant coach             7-4-0
Illinois        1980   Graduate assistant          3-7-1

(All won-lost records include postseason games)