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Cosgrove to the Vikings?

By Jon Johnston
The only man awake, Brad Johnson prays daily for a way out of Minnesota. Would Cos go there for the Childress-inspired power napping? (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The Kevin Cosgrove to the Minnesota Vikings speculation has begun. Husker Extra has this to say:
Cosgrove, 51, is a good friend of Vikings head coach Brad Childress. They worked together as assistants on staffs at Illinois in the early 1980s and Wisconsin throughout the 1990s, with Childress coaching offense and Cosgrove defense.

Cosgrove, as Nebraska's defensive coordinator, has an annual salary of $225,000 (he's signed through Jan. 31, 2008). Last year at this time, Childress offered Cosgrove the job as Vikings' linebackers coach. That offer was in the $300,000 to $400,000 range.

A defensive coordinator position with the Vikes would be worth in excess of $500,000 annually.

I can understand Cosgrove wanting to coach with his good buddy Brad Childress and at the same time doubling his salary, but there's more to the decision making process. At Nebraska, Cosgrove's lifepsan is determined largely by his success - let's just say that he controls his own destiny. As long as Nebraska produces, Cosgrove has a very high probability of keeping his job.

In Minnesota, Cosgrove's lifespan is determined by the success of Brad Childress. He'll be following up Mike Tomlin who did a fairly decent job as a defensive coordinator, so any letdown on the Viking defense, and all the fingers will be pointing at Cosgrove. Childress' first season as a head coach wasn't exactly awe inspiring unless you like taking naps on Sunday afternoons. The Vikings offense sucked at best. Childress is completely lacking of anything that resembles charisma, so there is a good chance he'll be gone after next season if he can't do better with the offense.

So, Cosgrove gets to choose - he can stay at Nebraska where he's doing okay. Injuries were a big factor in our lack of defense in 2006, so you certainly can't say that he's doing great, and I know that there are Husker fans who would like to see him leave.

Or he can go to Minnesota where Brad Childress can put anyone to sleep by talking to them for more than two minutes. Choices, choices. Work hard at Nebraska, succeed and be loved, or double your salary, sleep a lot and ultimately be fired in Minnesota?

The choice is tougher than it seems.

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