Lawrence Phillips found dead in prison at age 40

2 days after the college football national championship game.

Very difficult to even think about. The pain must have been unbearable.

Godspeed LP.

 
ColoradoHusk said:
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.
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Yeah, that K-State game I could only listen to on the radio. And I had to drive 15 miles to the top of ridge to catch the signal of the Big Red Network out of somewhere like Fresno.

Apparently everyone in the stadium knew the ball would be handed to Lawrence Phillips and there wasn't anything they could do about it.

 
Guy Chamberlin said:
ColoradoHusk said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that K-State game I could only listen to on the radio. And I had to drive 15 miles to the top of ridge to catch the signal of the Big Red Network out of somewhere like Fresno.

Apparently everyone in the stadium knew the ball would be handed to Lawrence Phillips and there wasn't anything they could do about it.
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The K-State game was one of the most satisfying Husker wins of my lifetime. The whole stadium knew NU was going to hand off to LP. It was such a great effort by the o-line, fullbacks, and LP. The defense also played great, as NU was able to win pretty convincingly 17-6.

 
Very sad to hear this news and I agree with what everyone here seems to be saying. I also have to add our prison system is very messed up with over-crowding, long sentences, little to no hope, lack of rehabilitation, and I think in the end this all added up to Lawrence taking his own life. I don't condone anything he's done but it's tough for me to sit here and judge him as I have never come close to anything he's experienced in his childhood or life. We too easily forget about those who "break the law" or are sent off to jail as they are out of sight and out of mind. I'm still floored to this day that a prisoner who serves say 30 years, is finally let out and given a bus ticket, $5 and a think a bible. Really?

 
Guy Chamberlin said:
Yeah, that K-State game I could only listen to on the radio. And I had to drive 15 miles to the top of ridge to catch the signal of the Big Red Network out of somewhere like Fresno.

Apparently everyone in the stadium knew the ball would be handed to Lawrence Phillips and there wasn't anything they could do about it.
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Love stories about fans listening to the games on radio.

I have many great memories of doing the same.

And I love remembering our unstoppable running backs.

 
Savage Husker said:
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
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Considering everything that went on back then, there's no way a 30 for 30 would be in any way shape or form good for the program.

 
Husker Psycho said:
Guy Chamberlin said:
Yeah, that K-State game I could only listen to on the radio. And I had to drive 15 miles to the top of ridge to catch the signal of the Big Red Network out of somewhere like Fresno.

Apparently everyone in the stadium knew the ball would be handed to Lawrence Phillips and there wasn't anything they could do about it.
Click to expand...
Love stories about fans listening to the games on radio.
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Here's one you might like.

1995. My new wife and I on our honeymoon in Kauai, driving our little rental car through the rainforest towards the remote park where they filmed Jurassic Park.

Nobody on the road. Most remote and primitive place on Earth. Fiddling with the car radio for something, anything to listen to.

And suddenly there it was, clear as a freaking bell. The live broadcast of the Nebraska vs. Iowa State game.

My new wife let me listen to the whole thing.

Nebraska won 73-14.

We're still married.

 
I doubt Nebraska will release a statement on LP, but will the radio,rv, or newspapers try to talk to Osborne, or other players?

No one knows what went on in LP's mind from his childhood until his last breath. He hurt a lot of people and all of those offense are unforgivable, had he been born later when we understood more about mental health there could of possibly been help for him and others who entered his world

 
Hopefully he can find the peace in the afterlife that he wasn't able to find during his time on Earth.

GOAT Nebraska RB, IMO.

RIP

 
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