sea o' red

Hell looks like even Ralphie hates CU.

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2008/0...40996104302.txt With spring camp concluded and 15 practices in the books, first-year Husker head football coach Bo Pelini is starting to get an idea about what level of personnel he’s inherited. A 5-7 season in 2007 certainly has some people curious about Nebraska’s talent level. Pelini on Monday assured that the cupboard is not bare. “You know, it’s not like you can go out and make trades or you can go out and draft or anything like that,” Pelini said during a Big 12 Coaches Teleconference. “What we’re trying to do is take the gentlemen that are on campus and develop them and try to push them to reach their potential. ... “There’s talent here. They’re eager and they’re learning every day. And what I’ve seen is guys getting better. How that’s going to equate to wins and losses, that’s not something we’re real focused on right now.” The Huskers concluded their spring practices on Saturday, the annual Red-White game attended by 80,149 fans, the second-largest crowd to see a spring game in college football history. The coach knows there’s still plenty of work to do until the season opener Aug. 30, but Pelini said he was able to find some guys who could potentially emerge as leaders come fall. He cited the leadership exhibited this spring by quarterback Joe Ganz and offensive linemen Matt Slauson and Lydon Murtha. On defense, he has liked what he’s seen from defensive end Barry Turner, linebacker Phillip Dillard and safety Larry Asante. “A lot of guys showed leadership skills, but I think the key is having a culture that runs throughout your football team and finding the right guys to enforce the culture and promote it; and make sure (that) if there’s a crack built in the foundation, that they seal it real quick,” Pelini said. “I think that’s what’s happening. I think guys are buying in.” A Wednesday team meeting is anticipated in which players will choose representatives from each position group to serve as part of a Unity Council, which became a part of Tom Osborne-coached teams in 1991. The council met each week to examine issues within the team. Frank Solich continued to use the Unity Council when he came on as head coach in 1998, though the group’s effectiveness waned toward the end of Solich’s tenure. It went away during the Bill Callahan era. “We’re developing better relationships and trust that is going to help us be successful and stay together for a long time through good times and bad,” Pelini said. “Because no matter what, you’re going to have rocky times and you’re going to have good times, and you need to have leadership to offset the bad times.” Pelini said he was hopeful that all the crowd support at Saturday’s spring game might provide a lift to the the team as it goes through the summer. “That sends a bolt of energy through your team,” Pelini said. “And the more our players are exposed to that, they start feeling that’s a responsibility they have when they put that ‘N’ on the side of their helmets.”

Agreed. Painful as the lsat few years were, Pelini got valuable experience and learned what its like in the NC. Plus we broke into SEC recruiting ground.

The one you thinking about was when we were kicking to USC. That was the most important part of the game....thenarse forced the fumble, but USC recovered and ran it to our 40 yard line or so From a feeling of great joy...to utter disbelief...to turning off the t.v. so I could vent.

Crimson?...............did you say crimson? T O try scarlet. Crimson is Oklahoma's colors.

This thread makes my eyes bleed.

Pelini leads woth 41%. WOOT!

Western Michigan 100%W-take a nap through the game maybe? jk San Jose State 100%W-just watch the highlight real on ESPN, no worries New Mexico State 100%W-same Virginia Tech 75%W- no running game makes them pass alot which means Pelini will blitz, need I say more? Missouri 45%L-this one will just give NU competetive fuel for the TTU game at Texas Tech 60%W-Thenarse+Asante=Crabtree Concussion at Iowa State 100%W-Cy better watch out while holding that yard stick, ISU helmets will be flying Baylor 100%W-3rd string guys play the whole second half at Oklahoma 35%L-Oklahoma just too strong Kansas 60%W-the streak continues at Kansas State 100%-please, I could outcoach a 4th grade team to beat them, and Im 16 Colorado 80%-Pelini's blitzes knock both Cody and Dan Hawkins out These were my best possible situation guesses. 10-2 might be a stretch but I guess we wont know how good this team really is until we play VT or Mizzou.

Minus a couple of interceptions though.

Sounds like Brown threw the camera man in there for a couple of drills.

Id like them to lure QB Kevin Newsome in.

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1200...;u_sid=10307084 LINCOLN — Before dissecting his preference of offense over defense, first examine some old high school football statistics for Prince Amukamara. The Nebraska sophomore-to-be rushed for 3,389 yards his final two seasons at Apollo High in Glendale, Ariz., once going for 366 in a game. His end zone visits were so frequent that he scored nearly 50 touchdowns as a junior and senior. "My confidence level was really high," Amukamara said. "I don't know how good I can be on defense so I'm still a little unsure, so my confidence level is kind of low there. But it's building gradually." Amukamara settled in at cornerback when Nebraska started spring practice. It's different. A little more complicated. Maybe things don't come so naturally for him as on the other side. "I don't know, in the back of my head I still miss offense, but defense is real fun," Amukamara said. "But if you're asking me what do I think I'm better at, offense or defense, I'd say offense." It's all for conversation purposes, because the NU defensive staff is going forward with Amukamara. In fact, the 6-foot-1, 195-pounder is rotating in as the third cornerback with Armando Murillo and Anthony West this spring when the Huskers practice their nickel package. "It's a new position, but I'm getting used to it," Amukamara said. "Sometimes I'll be lined up as a linebacker and I'll shift out and guard like the slot receiver. I still feel like a cornerback but I still have to be aggressive and go in on the run plays." It's that versatility that makes Amukamara capable of playing offense, defense or special teams. When he signed in 2007, NU didn't list him with a position but rather as an "athlete" after Amukamara was named state player of the year by the Arizona Republic in 2006. There still might be chances to handle the football as a Husker, because Amukamara has volunteered to return both kickoffs and punts as NU starts to sift through potential candidates. But his focus is on handling this assignment to the defense. "It's a whole different mindset," Amukamara said. "Your motor always has to be running on defense. As one of the coaches said, you could do 99 things right on defense but then one thing wrong can mess up the whole game." Amukamara feels as if he got a jump on next season by playing as a true freshman. Sophomore linebacker Latravis Washington had said recently that he wished he would have redshirted and had four years remaining to play. As it was, Amukamara didn't play until the Huskers' fourth game and then was utilized mostly on kick coverage. "I've always just wanted to play," he said. "People back home and people here say I should have redshirted because it wasn't worth wasting my redshirt on special teams, but I didn't see it like that. I just felt like the team needed help so I just wanted to help, and if it was special teams it was special teams." Amukamara felt like he gained the trust of defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove by the end of last season. Cosgrove and the defensive staff then were replaced over the winter. Starting over didn't bother Amukamara. In addition to his role in nickel defenses, he also is practicing with the second and third units as a cornerback. "It's just like proving yourself again," he said, "and just showing the coaches what you can do again."

Id kick CU out for all the obvious reasons. Also i voted the Big 12. Sorry, I was 4 or 5 when the Big 12 was started so i dont remember much of anything of the Big 8.

Big 12 South Oklahoma 11-1 Texas 9-3 Texas Tech 8-4 Texas A&M 6-6 Ok State 5-7 Baylor 3-9 Big 12 North Missouri 10-2 Nebraska 9-3 Kansas 8-4 Iowa State 6-6 Colorado 5-7 K-State 3-9 Big 12 Champion Oklahoma National Champion Florida Big 12 with 7 bowl bids and ISU edges out A&M for the bowl.

¿? Texas struggled with us and lost to KSU is what he means.

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1200...;u_sid=10305359 LINCOLN — Two of the few Nebraska football players who did enough last season want to do more as they go from being freshmen to sophomores. That happens to mean that kickers Alex Henery and Adi Kunalic are after each other's jobs in spring practice. Henery was perfect on eight field goals and all 45 of his extra points in 2007. But he never tried a kick of 40 yards or longer and was aware that Kunalic might have gotten the call had there been more than one of those. Kunalic was a huge boon to special teams while recording 28 touchbacks in 66 kickoffs. But as a kicker, he naturally wants to handle some field goals and PATs as well. "Ultimately, we told them coming in that with the new staff we were going to kind of clean the slate, and everybody's going to have an opportunity," NU assistant coach John Papuchis said. "Right now, both Adi and Alex are splitting reps. I don't know if there's a front-runner as of yet, but they're both hitting the ball pretty good and I think we're converting a lot of our kicks." At least there shouldn't be any concern about either sitting on accomplishments from last season, when they were mostly exempt from blame and criticism that spread after a 5-7 finish. "We're good friends and we talk all the time," Kunalic said. "It's just once we get out there it's a competition, and we both know it. After he has a good kick, I'll tell him, 'Good kick,' and he does the same for me. It's not like I'd want him to miss anything. It's just whoever the better kicker is, that's who will be playing." Henery posted the first perfect season in 2007 by any NU kicker attempting at least five field goals. The walk-on from Omaha Burke, who redshirted in 2006, connected twice at both Wake Forest and Missouri. "I felt like I could do more, but I was happy with my first year doing that," Henery said. "I only had eight chances, so it's not like it was a huge amount. I wouldn't say I was perfect, but it wasn't bad. "I just have a little more confidence, and know what I can do now." Henery had Kunalic all fall to use as comparison on his length. It's something he continues to develop, but won't concede anything to the strong-legged scholarship kicker from Fort Worth, Texas. Kunalic's focus is more on accuracy and consistency. On his only field goal last season, he drilled a 46-yarder. "I do want to do everything," Kunalic said. "Alex and I have both been kicking really well lately. I don't know how it's going to turn out, but I'd say we've been doing about the same." Memorial Stadium fans showed appreciation for Kunalic's kickoffs as NU trailed only Big 12 leader Oklahoma in touchbacks. The Huskers had just 12 in 2006, even when kicks originated from the 35-yard line before the move to the 30. Kunalic at the time didn't quite understand the fuss nor the value of what he was doing. "During the season, I really didn't think about it at all," he said. "I don't really think I took it that serious, I just did everything like I did in practice and it went good for me." Both Kunalic and Henery said NU graduate assistant Curt Baldus has been a little less hands-on than Keith Heckendorf a year ago. If there is any other real change, at least this spring, they say they've been kicking a little less in practices. Both also said they're focused on taking the next step after good starts to their careers. "You always just keep getting better," Henery said. "You can hit it farther, hit it more consistently — stuff people don't really notice, but stuff as a kicker you notice yourself."

I remember that game. I believe we missed 2 field goals and had another one blocked. We easily could have won that game. Yet....we didnt

haha i love it

Pinkel should be ahead of Leach and Hawkins. Chizik should be higher. Pelini should be ahead of Sherman. Once Leach makes it to a Big 12 championship then hell deserve to be so high. Hawkins hasnt shown us anything making him worthy of such a high status. Lastly, Briles is a great coach but is unproven in a major conference but i liek his position for the time being.

http://journalstar.com/articles/2008/04/03...eb741919889.txt It started with two reporters around Roy Helu after Wednesday’s football practice. By the interview’s end, there were about a dozen. “Most questions I’ve ever got,” Helu said in a laid-back monotone. The secret’s out. Helu is someone Husker fans better put on their radar screens, or at least that’s the impression one obtains when listening to Nebraska coach Bo Pelini. “Roy’s a heckuva player,” Pelini said Wednesday. “He really does a lot of things well. He’s elusive. He catches the ball well. He can run inside or outside. I think he’s a tremendous football player. He’s having a heckuva spring so far.” One day before, Pelini had said Helu was one of the strongest parts of the offense so far in this young spring season. Put Pelini’s praise next to the news that the running back logjam lost a man Wednesday — with senior Cody Glenn moving to linebacker — and, indeed, there was very good reason for a large group of people to surround Helu. Senior running back Marlon Lucky returns after accounting for 1,762 total yards last season, but it seems like he’ll be pushed by two sophomores. Of those sophomores, Quentin Castille has so far seemed to garner more talk around the coffee pot than Helu. Part of it is that Castille put up more yards than Helu last season: 347 to 212. Another part is just the look of Castille: an 18-year-old with a freakish frame, 250-plus pounds and still fleet of foot. But make room now in your conversations for Helu, who was hardly shabby in his freshman campaign, averaging 4.6 yards a carry, sometimes looking the fastest of any of the backs. Time has only helped him learn the offense better. “Mentally, I’m a lot sharper,” Helu said. “It’s confidence, (that) is what I’m trying to say.” Helu is also 10 pounds heavier than he was last year. The Danville, Calif., native is 6-feet and 216 pounds — a weight he wouldn’t mind being at in the fall. You’ll get no brash depth chart predictions from Helu. It’s surely not lost on him that Lucky had the most rushing yards last season of any Big 12 running back returning this year. “We all just want to work hard,” Helu said. “We all know Marlon is a real great player. We just want to help out. “It’s funny. We all joke around. We’re not too serious with each other. We don’t get heated about who gets more reps or whatever.” There were more reps to go around Wednesday — with No. 34 absent from running back drills. Glenn wore an unfamiliar red defensive practice jersey with no number on it instead. After three years of playing running back, Glenn decided he was going to give it a try at linebacker. “We all laughed and joked around with him how he’s not going to be our buddy anymore,” Helu said. For his part, Glenn seemed excited about the switch — kind of like the first day of school, he admitted. “It all comes down to me just trying to help the team out, wanting to win,” Glenn said. “I can’t say we’ve won a lot of games since I’ve been here. So really, this is my senior year. Basically, I just want to win. Whatever it takes, that’s what I want to do.” Pelini obviously could do little judging of Glenn at linebacker after just one practice. “It doesn’t happen overnight,” Pelini said, “but that doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen.” Pelini said Glenn is working at the WILL position. “But God only knows where he could end up.” Asked if the move was permanent, Pelini responded: “Nothing’s ever permanent.” Later, Pelini said: “If he ever decides to go back, so be it.” Glenn said he’d like to make a final decision on which position he’ll play in the fall before spring ball ends. It was hardly an easy decision for Glenn. He told Pelini on Saturday he was interested in switching, despite the fact he had maybe his best practice of the spring at running back. “I was kind of like, ‘Man, do I really want to do it?’” Glenn said. “I’m like, ‘Well, I’m going to go ahead and do it and give it a try now even though I’m doing real good at running back.’” Even with Glenn on defense, Pelini seems quite satisfied with the depth at running back. “It’s deep, it’s good,” he said. “We feel real good about that position.” Helu is a big reason for that, though the California kid knows he still has plenty to prove. “I’ve done what I’ve wanted learning-curve-wise,” Helu said. “But we’ll see how that goes to the field.” And what does he think about the sudden spotlight, all these questions? Helu smiled. “No, this is fine.”

http://www.columbustelegram.com/articles/2...c0572655114.txt LINCOLN -- Cory Schlesinger, a graduate of Columbus High School, will be inducted into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame along with 10 other athletes, five coaches, two contributors and an official during ceremonies at the Lied Center on Sept. 28. Tickets to the ceremony are $25 for adults and $10 for high school and elementary students. Preschool children are admitted free. Doors open at noon with the program beginning at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are available by writing to the Nebraska Sports Council at P.O. Box 29366, Lincoln, NE 68529; or by calling (402) 471-2544 or, in Nebraska, 800-304-2637. This will be the 14th Hall of Fame induction ceremony. This year’s induction class brings the total number of inductees to 324. Also being inducted along with Schlesinger will be Jim Morrison, the long-time head coach at Howells. 2008 inductees Charles Bryant, athlete, Omaha South, 1950 -- an all-state selection in football and a letterman in wrestling, Bryant starred in college, where he was All-Big Seven in football and a Big Seven wrestling champion at Nebraska. Tom Haase, athlete, Aurora, 1987 -- The Lincoln Journal-Star Athlete of the Year in 1987, Haase was all-state in football, all-state in basketball and posted the third-best long jump in Nebraska history (24 feet, 61/2 inches). Kurt Lauer, athlete, Gibbon, 1964 -- Lauer had the best single basketball season in Nebraska high school history, scoring 956 points in 1963-64. He had 59 points in a single game, scored more than 50 points in five games that year and had six more games of 40 or more points. Dave Lebsack, athlete, Lincoln Northeast, 1962 -- The 1962 Lincoln Journal Star Athlete of the Year, Lebsack earned nine letters in football, basketball and baseball. He was an all-state quarterback in football and guard in basketball. The Rockets were undefeated and the mythical state champion in football in 1961, and won the state basketball championship in 1962. Paul Mohr, athlete, Scottsbluff, 1950 -- lettered in football, basketball and track and earned All-American honors playing baseball at the University of Texas. He led the Scottsbluff American Legion team to a runner-up finish, batting .444 in 1949, was all-state football in 1949 and the leading scorer at the state basketball tournament in 1950, where the Bearcats finished second. Joe Scarpello, athlete, Omaha Central, 1942 -- a three-time high school state wrestling champion, leading Omaha Central to the team championship from 1939-40. He was never taken down in his career. In college, he was a four-time Big 10 champion at Iowa, winning the 1950 NCAA championship. He wrestled professionally for 27 years. Cory Schlesinger, athlete, Columbus, 1990 -- a high school standout in football and wrestling. He was Super-State in football and won state wrestling championships in 1989 and 1990 with a combined record of 64-3. In college, he played football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, starting for two years and scoring two touchdowns in the Huskers’ 27-17 win over Miami that sealed the 1995 national championship. He played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions for 12 years. Russ Snyder, athlete, Nelson, 1952 -- a three-sport standout, he earned all-conference honors in football and basketball. In 1952, he qualified for the state track meet in five events, finishing second in the hurdles, third in the 100 and sixth in the “selective pentathlon.” He signed a professional basketball contract out of high school and played in the majors from 1959-1970, including the 1966 world championship Baltimore Orioles. Teri Steer-Cantwell, athlete, Crete, 1993 -- the 1993 Lincoln Journal Star Athlete of the Year, Steer earned 12 varsity letters. All-state second team in volleyball and all-conference in basketball, she was a four-time shot put and discus champion and placed in the long jump. At Southern Methodist University, she set the Western Athletic Conference record in the discus and was a two-time national champion in the shot put. She also was a bronze medalist at the 1999 World Championships. Nikki (Stricker) Best, athlete, Lincoln East, 1990 -- Lincoln’s second female to earn 12 letters, Stricker was the Journal Star Athlete of the Year in 1990. She earned all-state honors in volleyball and basketball and Mizuno All-America honors in volleyball. At Nebraska, she transitioned from middle blocker to setter, setting several school records. Larry Vlasin, athlete, Madrid, 1965 -- the first Class D athlete named the Journal Star’s Athlete of the Year, Vlasin earned all-state honors playing for Madrid’s undefeated eight-man teams of 1963 and ’64. He holds the national eight-man record, averaging 338.9 yards per game. He also earned all-state honors in basketball his junior and senior years, and qualified for the state track meet in four events. Harold “Mac” Maciejewski, coach, Wayne -- Maciejewski coached at Wayne for 31 years, compiling a 76-44-7 record in football and 245-81 in basketball. His teams won the state golf title in 1985, state basketball title in 1956. He also coached at Loup City and Manila, Ark. Jim Morrison, coach, Howells -- Morrison coached Howells’ boys basketball teams to five state championships and one runner-up. He compiled a 594-326 record, coaching at Howells for 41 years and Dodge for three. Gail Peterson, coach, Crofton -- the guidance behind Crofton’s cross country legacy, Peterson’s teams won 15 state championships -- nine girls titles and six boys championships. His teams also collected eight runner-up trophies. He coached for 40 years at Crofton and two years at Cortland. John Reta, coach, Lincoln Southeast -- Reta led the Knights to eight straight state swimming championships, ending in 1966, and the Knights won 59 consecutive meets. His swimmers won 11 individual titles and set 18 state records. Reta became the University of Nebraska swim coach in 1966 after 11 years at Southeast. Larry Ribble, coach, Millard South -- a coach from 1965-2004, settling at Millard South in 1977. His teams won seven state championships (one at Pawnee City, six at Millard South) and one runner-up finish. His career basketball coaching record is 509-280. He also coached track for 22 years and was an assistant coach on Millard South’s 1994 state championship team. Con Marshall, contributor, Chadron -- Marshall was the sports information director at Chadron State College from 1969 until his recent retirement. Marshall also helped compile football records for the high school teams in the 11-county Panhandle, and basketball and track records for the high schools in northwest Nebraska. Wally McNaught, contributor, Lincoln Southeast -- In a career spanning more than 45 years, McNaught coached football, basketball and track, and served as athletic director, most notably at Lincoln Southeast. He won several professional awards and honors, and has been a member of the Hall of Fame Board of Directors since 1997, serving as president from 2005 to 2007. Rudy Stoehr, official, Lincoln -- an outstanding basketball and baseball player at Lincoln Northeast and Nebraska Wesleyan, Stoehr played minor-league baseball before becoming perhaps Nebraska’s most-recognized basketball referee. He officiated Nebraska high school basketball from 1963-89, working more than 1,000 games. He officiated 16 state tournaments and worked in the Big Eight for six years. Honors Great Moment in High School Sports: Randal Carter’s 7-foot, 4-inch high jump at the 2007 state track meet; Alliance girls basketball team making 27 straight free throws in the title game at the 2007 state tournament. Ron Gustafson Inspiration Award: Former Omaha Northwest swimmer Staci Perrigo-Venneman. A 1991 graduate of Omaha Northwest, Venneman was born without a right arm below the elbow. A competitive swimmer from the age of 8, she set an amputee world record in the 50-meter freestyle and was the U.S. Amputee Athletic Association’s 1991 U.S. Female Athlete of the Year. She swam on a state-meet qualifying relay for Omaha Northwest, played on the soccer team and was a cheerleader. Golden Anniversary Teams: Lincoln High boys basketball 1958-59, McCook Red Willow football, basketball and track of 1958-59. Silver Anniversary Teams: Crofton boys and girls cross country, 1983-84; Henderson football and boys basketball, 1983-84; Omaha Central girls basketball, 1983-84. Fischer Family Award: Victor and Ann Borer family of Albion.

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2008/0...2b144868454.txt Between those lines, that always was the sanctuary. It’s just a game, but out there on that football field was also an escape, Rickey Thenarse’s chance to get away from it all — the gangs, the violence, the overwhelming feeling that destruction loomed around each corner. He could be something special within the boundaries of sports, and so his brothers drove him to practices and told him to chase those football dreams and a better life, the kind of life so difficult to find in that rough Los Angeles neighborhood known as Watts. That’s where the Husker junior safety grew up and that’s where he was a couple of weeks ago when he saw his half-brother shot and killed. Kejuan Bullard was just 23. Thenarse and his brother were standing outside of a skating rink. He said some guys pulled up and just started shooting into the crowd. Thenarse says he was lucky a bullet didn’t find him. It came just a couple months after another half-brother, 25-year-old Branden Bullard, died in a gang-related shooting. Those same brothers used to protect him, take him to the field, tell him to stick with the games. The streets could only bring hurt. “When you get a little bit older, it starts to get dangerous,” Thenarse says. “It ain’t all just about fighting. Guns and stuff go off. There’s really no way around it unless you do sports and try to stay positive. And that’s really rare.” Having spent the past two years in Nebraska, the life Thenarse left behind is hard for most anyone around here to understand. “Everybody who’s not from my area looks at it as crazy,” Thenarse says. “(But) it happens so often out there, it’s just life. You just got to try to accept it and move on, and look at it as a learning experience.” Thenarse returned to Los Angeles late last week to say goodbye to his brother. On Saturday, he was back in Lincoln, back between the lines, doing what he’s sure his brothers would want him doing. He says he’s done a lot of praying recently — to God and his brothers. “You could look at it negative, but I just look at it positive. They lived a pretty rough life. I just look at it as they just escaped it,” Thenarse says. “They’re just resting in peace now. I just want to carry on the dream, hope to make the NFL and finish out my career. That’s what they wanted me to do.”

I remember when I was little and we were winning NCs one thing that really set us apart was the special teams. Set aside thhe place kicking the past couple years and everything else such as the punt/ret, and kickoff/ret has been pretty solid for the most part. Not to mention he recruited Adi Kunalic. Edit:Also, had Callahan done a better job these past couple years, Steve Peterson would still be our AD and Osborne wouldnt. Once Osborne did come back a sense of pride and tradition was brought back to our program.

http://journalstar.com/articles/2008/03/31...91775903249.txt Barney Cotton has a vision of how offensive linemen should play football. It’s a vision of Dan Dierdorf, a six-time NFL Pro Bowler, with whom Cotton played during the early 1980s as members of the St. Louis Cardinals. “He was so gifted and so physical,” Cotton says. “I mean, you really couldn’t emulate him because he was a beast. That’s what every offensive lineman should aspire to become — a physical, dominating force. A guy who possesses the want-to to finish (a play) one step past the whistle. “You know, coaches always talk about wanting players to play until the whistle. You’d better finish one step after the whistle if you really want to be the best.” So, Barney’s back, and the gentle giant arrives with a clear vision of Nebraska offensive line greatness. Can he make the vision a reality? We’ll see. But here’s the news: Cotton has some talent to work with. Plenty of it. The Huskers arguably possess more overall talent and depth along the o-line than Big Red fans have seen around here since at least 2001, when NU played for all the marbles with Dave Volk, Toniu Fonoti, John Garrison, Jon Rutherford and Dan Vili Waldrop. Say what you want about Bill Callahan, his determination to recruit mammoth offensive linemen with ample athleticism could pay off handsomely for Nebraska this season and in the near future. No less an authority than Tom Osborne has said the line is the most important part of an offense. That’s because the line sets the tempo. It often becomes the very soul of a team. So give Cotton five Dan Dierdorfs, and hide the women and children. “If it ever gets to the point where it comes down to technique or playing hard, you’d better be playing hard and quit worrying about technique — that’s where I stand philosophically,” says Cotton, in his second stint coaching Nebraska’s offensive line. “We’re going to be as physical as we can. And we’re going to play as hard as we can. “I mean, you have to be mentally sound and all of those things. But the two most important things for offensive linemen is they have to have the desire to be the most physical guy on the field, and they have to have a desire to outwork opponents.” Early indications are Cotton and Shawn Watson should operate well together. A symbiotic element may be at work here. As Colorado’s offensive coordinator (2000-05), Watson skillfully adapted to the strengths of the personnel. In short, he was flexible. Yes, Watson favors a West Coast style of offense. And yes, the WCO sometimes involves linemen doing more dancing and playing patty-cake than inflicting pain. But like Cotton, Watson continually preaches the need to be physical. Is it lip service? Well, ask Craig Bohl if Watson is willing to break your will with a running attack. Chris Brown ring a bell? “We have a chance to be versatile,” Cotton says. “But the big thing is, we have a chance to be physical. That’s what we’re stressing.” If Nebraska’s season started today, the offensive line probably would be Lydon Murtha (6-foot-7, 315 pounds) and Jaivorio Burkes (6-5, 325) at the tackle spots, Mike Huff (6-4, 300) and Matt Slauson (6-5, 325) at guard, and Jacob Hickman (6-4, 290) at center. Huff, Murtha and Slauson are seniors. Those three, along with Hickman, each started at least six games last season as the Huskers finished ninth nationally in total offense. Sophomores Keith Williams (6-5, 310), D.J. Jones (6-5, 305) and Mike Smith (6-6, 285) should supply quality depth, especially Williams. Also keep an eye on redshirt freshman Marcel Jones (6-7, 310). Granted, it isn’t exactly 1994 at Nebraska with earth-movers Zatechka, Wilks, Graham, Stai and Wiegert. Or even 1995 with Dishman, Taylor, Graham, Ott and Anderson. The 1995 starting line was flagged for only three procedure penalties and one holding penalty in 12 games. In recent seasons at NU, three procedure penalties would have been an OK Saturday. But Nebraska’s offensive line appears capable of a resurgence, led by a plain-spoken former Husker standout left guard with an appealing combination of fire and patience. “I think he’s going to be a great leader for us,” Slauson said of Cotton. “He’s a lot different style-wise than (former Husker o-line coach) Dennis Wagner. Cotton’s a guy that can get us all to rally around him. And he’s not really a yeller. So he’ll motivate us in productive ways, and I’m excited about it.” Before Friday’s practice, Cotton had walked onto Memorial Stadium’s field only once since being hired in early December. Just didn’t have much time, Cotton says. “It felt normal. I mean, I didn’t feel out of place.” Normalcy at Nebraska once meant having a talented and deep offensive line. It was a program staple, a source of pride in a hard-working state. Cotton envisions those days returning soon.

The top 3 are mostly tackles and pancake blocks. The last one is on the 95 Huskers by pill34.