If you don't believe Bo Pelini and his staff were on shaky ground this season, then you haven't been paying attention, or live in denial. Perhaps the fact only two assistants received raises -- totaling a mere $25,000 -- finally will convince you.

The Nebraska head football coach has a very difficult job under the best of circumstances. As it stands, Pelini and company are operating under far less-than-ideal in-house circumstances. Indeed, it's essentially become common knowledge that Bo isn't exactly the apple of chancellor Harvey Perlman's eye -- far from it. That particular dynamic wasn't nearly as important when Tom Osborne was A.D., because of Osborne's massive clout.

According to a school spokeswoman, Pelini's annual evaluation (administered by A.D. Eichorst), and any subsequent contract changes, will be completed before the end of February. He currently earns a base salary of $3,075,000, with a contract set until Feb. 28, 2018. Stay tuned on this.

Meanwhile, Pelini on Wednesday praised the administration's support of the coaching staff in helping put together the 2014 recruiting class.

"You know, what they did for us as far as helping with private planes ..." Pelini said. "And really, all the people behind the scenes who help make this happen. It is a team effort to put together a signing class."