Bo Pelini talks exclusively with 21 Sports about leaving for LSU
While former YSU football coach Bo Pelini has a new job as defensive coordinator for LSU, he hasn't left the Mahoning Valley just yet.
Monday night, he was the Mooney-East basketball game and talked exclusively with 21 Sports about why he is leaving and his time in Youngstown.
"It was a real difficult decision, and I have ties there from my first stint at LSU, and it wasn’t an easy decision," said Pelini. "I love it here in Youngstown and enjoyed my time here and had a lot to think about. I have a daughter still in high school, but she was on board. My wife was on board and just felt like it was the right time to make a move like this."
But while calling it the right time, Pelini says the decision to leave wasn't easy. He enjoyed coaching at YSU. His family loved living here.
"That’s why we came back in the first place and enjoyed my time here, but this was really a life-changing opportunity in a lot of different ways," Pelini said. "I’ve had other offers, this one having the chance to go back to LSU and what I know the program is capable of, it was a different opportunity from some of the other ones I entertained."
Pelini leaves YSU with a record of 33-28 and a lot of fond memories.
"Obviously going to the championship game was special, but what I always remember is the great relationships with the players. It was hard talking to the team yesterday, and the staff and you know, I’m excited for what’s to come, but it’s never easy making change like this," he said.
For Pelini, this will be his second stint at LSU, and he's looking forward to working with Ed Orgeron and joining a program that just won the National Championship.
"We have both worked for Pete Carroll, and we have a lot of mutual friends, and so I think it is a good fit," said Pelini. "I think that he likes the style of defense that we’ll play down there and obviously they’ve done a good job recruiting down there, and there’s good players there, and obviously they’re coming off a national championship so it should be fun. It’s the next challenge, and I’m looking forward to it."
Meanwhile, at YSU, the focus now shifts to who will replace Pelini. He says the program will be in good shape.
"I think we have a lot of great kids coming back. We got some good kids coming into the program, and I think the future is great here at YSU no question in my mind, so I’ll be rooting for them every week," said Pelini.
In a perfect world, he would like to see his brother, Carl, get the head coaching job.
"Yeah, it would be great, and that is what I would hope, but they have to make the decisions that they feel are best for the future of the program, and I’m not sure where that is gonna go. I don’t know if they even know. This is all too new, and that will get worked out here over the next couple of weeks, and we'll see where this goes."
