On February 15, 2007, Doak Ostergard was called into Bill Callahan’s office to deliver his first injury report in nearly a month. Such a stretch was unusual, but Ostergard credited the lapse to Callahan’s distanced management of the program and its personnel following the Cornhuskers’ bowl game loss to Auburn. The head coach had also been busy on the recruiting trail for much of that time. Ostergard had just finished giving the report when Callahan informed his trainer that the meeting would be their last.

"He turned his head to the side, keeping his attention on me, and said, ‘I don’t see this working out. I appreciate all your years of service, loyalty and dedication, but I think we need to make a change,’" Ostergard recalls. Callahan declined to give a reason for Ostergard’s dismissal. "I love you to death," he said. "This is not a big deal. It’s happened to me." Callahan explained to Ostergard that he could turn in a letter of resignation and receive a severance package. If not, he would be terminated.