Carl Pelini stung by revelation of coaching inquiry

Former Nebraska football assistant coach Carl Pelini said Thursday that the reaction to news he inquired about a high school job at Des Moines Lincoln is one of the reasons he may never return to the game.

Pelini confirmed he sent a resume and cover letter to the high school, but stopped short of filing a formal application.

The former defensive coordinator for the Cornhuskers coached Florida Atlantic for two seasons before being fired, ultimately, for failure to report the actions of a staff member. Initially, athletic director Pat Chun mentioned Pelini was leaving amid drug-use allegations.

That has made the road back to employment — in and out of athletics — a steep challenge.

Pelini estimated he has checked into an estimated 20 jobs, though he said 17 of those are unrelated to sports.

"The insinuation that I was casting a wide net, like I was applying for all these high school jobs (is wrong)," Pelini told The Des Moines Register during a 20-minute telephone interview, his first in nine months. "I am casting a wide net, employment-wise, but only a very minor part of that net is in coaching."

Pelini, 49, said he inquired about three high school coaching openings: Des Moines Lincoln, Bellevue East in suburban Omaha because of a personal relationship with the superintendent, and another position in his native state of Ohio.

Other than that, Pelini said he has attempted to maintain a low profile.

"I came back to Lincoln (Neb.), kept to myself. I don't even go to restaurants," he said. "I spend (almost) 100 percent of time with my children, I teach school at the community college here. For about 15 months, I just have lived liked a hermit."

Pelini explained why he contacted the Des Moines high school.

"I'm thinking, Des Moines, Iowa, is far enough away, (but) close enough that if anything would materialize there, I could still be part of my children's lives," he said.

The fact that Lincoln's athletic director confirmed Pelini's inquiry created frustration, he said.

"You can imagine my disappointment," Pelini said. "It's just another opportunity to be belittled, harassed on social media."

When asked if he felt he would coach again, Pelini didn't rule it out but said "probably not."

The Pelini name is one of the best known in college football. Carl's brother, Bo, was fired as head coach of Nebraska after last season and now coaches Youngstown State.

Carl Pelini, who still lives in the city of Lincoln, reminded: "It's hard to be a Pelini in Nebraska."

Read more from Pelini — including details on the difficulty building a new life away from the spotlight — in The Des Moines Sunday Register.