Brian Rosenthal: Ex-SJSU coach Ralston tried for NU job
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John Ralston, standing in the press box, looked over the growing Memorial Stadium crowd before Saturday’s game.
You wondered if he was thinking about what might’ve been.
Ralston, 81, a former San Jose State football coach, was among three finalists when Nebraska was once looking for a coach.
He lost out to a guy named Devaney.
“You look back on things like that,” said Ralston, who was coaching at Utah State at the time he interviewed.
Ralston, now a fundraiser for the San Jose State athletic department, sounded like a coach during Nebraska’s 35-12 victory. He sat a row behind the Journal Star crew, and I thought he might grab a headset during SJSU’s drive that closed the first half.
“HURRY UP! The clock’s running!”
Otherwise, Ralston seemed pleased to be in Lincoln. And for the record, he couldn’t blame NU athletic directory Tippy Dye for choosing the coach from Wyoming.
“He did a heck of a job,” Ralston said of Devaney, whose squads had faced Ralston’s Utah State teams. “We were good friends for a long time. I always admired him. He was a good guy.”
Ralston left Utah State for Stanford in 1963 and led the Cardinal to Rose Bowl victories in 1970 and 1971. At Stanford, he coached Heisman Trophy winner Jim Plunkett.
He also continued to recruit against Devaney.
“He’d try to steal a player or two from California,” Ralston said.
Ralston’s biggest mistake, he said, was leaving college for professional football. He coached the Denver Broncos from 1972-76. He returned to college and led SJSU from 1993-96.
Ralston began to reminisce about his favorite players — Merlin Olsen came to mind — when a tall man in a red blazer walked off the elevator.
Ralston beamed.
“Oh, there’s Tom …”
Interview over.
Switching gears
Host Joel Goldberg wrapped up another Kansas City Royals’ loss Friday night on the “Royals Live” postgame show on Fox Sports Midwest.
He then hopped in his car and drove to Lincoln.
“Got my directions from Alex Gordon,” Goldberg said, “and I was good to go.”
Goldberg arrived at 2:30 a.m., caught five hours of sleep and then assumed his duties as sideline reporter for Saturday’s game, televised by Fox Sports Net pay-per-view.
A tiring trip, for sure, but anything for a break from the Royals, right?
“Everybody says that,” Goldberg said. “I’m not tired of it. What I do every day, I love it. I love being around baseball every day, but to throw a football game in there, especially when you’ve got 80,000-plus and the atmosphere, anybody will take that.”
Goldberg gets a deserved day off Sunday.
Going deep
* Nebraska linebacker Latravis Washington got his first hit of the year — on Bo Pelini. Washington nearly knocked over his head coach when they ran onto the field after the Tunnel Walk. Push-ups?
* Heard lots of first-half grumbles about the defense … which allowed nine points and scored a touchdown. Did everybody already forget how bad it used to be?
* You hate to see injuries, but when’s the last time a Nebraska defense gave the quarterback a concussion?
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.
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