Lawrence Phillips found dead in prison at age 40

Troubled man with an upbringing I don't wish upon anybody. Sad day, but I'm not exactly surprised by this, he had little chance. I hope whatever has tormented him, he has found peace.

I also suspect this will spark more dialogue about him and the rest of the mid 90s husker teams. Could be the final catalyst to push a Husker 30for30

 
Some of the recent articles have done a good job of showing that LP was a human being. It's too bad his life had to go the way it did.

I tell my kids he was the most talented RB I ever saw in a husker uniform.

 
Everyone I knew thought LP had the Heisman sewn up after the first 2 games in the '95 season. He torched Oklahoma State and Michigan State (coached by Nick Saban). It was the night of the Michigan State game that he made the first of his really big mistakes in life. Man, his life and career is such a "what if".

 
Very sad news. At least he doesn't have to struggle with his personal demons anymore.

No child...absolutely no child should have to grow up and be confronted with the amount of abuse the way Lawrence Phillips did, and sadly many still do.

I can say he is STILL the best running back I've ever seen. What a talent.

Once a Cornhusker...ALWAYS a Cornhusker.

May you be forgiven for your past transgressions Lawrence. May you rest in peace.

 
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I went to the UCLA game in Pasadena in 1993. That was the year Calvin Jones was supposed to be our Heisman candidate, and we had Damon Benning and Clinton Childs behind him.

I think Jones was already injured, and then Benning came out of the game. They put in Phillips, a true freshman, and my immediate reaction was that he looked like a man among boys.

That's how he played, at least.

Peace out, Lawrence.

 
ColoradoHusk said:
I don't condone any of his actions off the football field, but he was a very troubled person that had a very crappy childhood. He will always be my favorite NU RB with what he did ON THE FIELD.

Depression and mental illness can be very hard to overcome. RIP LP.
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Great comment CH.

 
He was the main reason NU came back and won the '94 game against Miami.

And he dang near spurred a win against FSU the year before. He probably should have started that game in retrospect. Which is crazy when you're talking about jones being the starter.

 
Guy Chamberlin said:
I went to the UCLA game in Pasadena in 1993. That was the year Calvin Jones was supposed to be our Heisman candidate, and we had Damon Benning and Clinton Childs behind him.

I think Jones was already injured, and then Benning came out of the game. They put in Phillips, a true freshman, and my immediate reaction was that he looked like a man among boys.

That's how he played, at least.

Peace out, Lawrence.
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That UCLA game was the coming out party for LP. Jones was injured, and Benning struggled with a fumble or two. Phillips came on in the 2nd half and carried the NU offense, which was struggling on the road.

I also remember the K-State game in '94. NU is down to starting Matt Turman at QB, and LP was playing with a broken thumb on his right hand. He has a sizable cast on his hand to protect his thumb. LP takes the ball repeatedly, going up against 9 and 10 man fronts.

 
cm husker said:
He was the main reason NU came back and won the '94 game against Miami.

And he dang near spurred a win against FSU the year before. He probably should have started that game in retrospect. Which is crazy when you're talking about jones being the starter.He He
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He played great against FSU in that Orange Bowl. He had a great 2nd half when Jones was pretty uneffective in the first half.

 
I must admit, I was one that had little use for him, but after the story hit about the murder/self defense/what ever. I read about him and learned things I did not know about.

He really did not belong in the prison system, taken away from the general public would have been better.

The prison system created this, by putting the gang banger in the same cell. As much as he wanted to be a good person, the system worked to do everything they could to make his life miserable. I changed my opinion of him and actually felt sorry for him. He has ended the nightmares, the ever threatening people around him.

Sad day, so much talent, so misunderstood. Rest in Peace LP

 
What a phenomenal waste of talent. If Osborne couldn't save him, perhaps nobody could.

Does anyone think it's a weird coincidence that this happens the day the Rams move back to LA?

 
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