alumni speak on current Huskers situation

[Eric the Red]

Ex-Huskers' feelings about football program vary

BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star

Saturday, Dec 10, 2005 - 11:59:35 pm CST

 

McCathorn Clayton hears from former Nebraska football teammates and other former Husker players almost weekly during the season.

 

“Especially after the losses,” said Clayton, president of the N-Club, the group for University of Nebraska letter winners.

 

That’s when Clayton, who played quarterback for the Huskers in the 1980s, puts on a smile and begins stressing the positives.

 

Stay the course. Be patient. We’re just a couple of catches away.

 

Of course, that’s part of Clayton’s job, given the N-Club is under the umbrella of the Nebraska athletic department.

 

“I love when other players call to challenge me and say, ‘Hey, is this going to work?’ ” Clayton said.

 

Clayton admits that not all former players share his optimism. Some are still hesitant about the future of the program, he says. Some are quite understanding.

 

Others, just like many fans, continue to ride the emotional roller coaster, uncertain of when to get off — after the 40-15 loss at Kansas, or after the 30-3 victory at Colorado?

 

“The last impression is really what people remember,” former Nebraska I-back Keith Jones said. “I think the Colorado game and how we dominated on both sides of the ball is something that’s going to propel us not only into the bowl game, but into next season.”

 

Jones, who played five seasons in the NFL and now works in Omaha, says he’s ‘on board’ with the future of Nebraska football. He said he knows of other former players who share his feelings, including some who’ve shown their support financially by giving to the $50 million Memorial Stadium expansion project.

 

Jones said he knew of two former Huskers currently playing in the NFL who’ve substantially donated to the project, but declined to name them, saying the donations were private. Those names, however, may eventually surface, Jones said, as a group of former players plans a possible collective contribution. He said Clayton, as N-club president, is trying to spearhead the effort.

 

When asked to comment, Clayton didn’t confirm any solid plans.

 

“A lot of it is not concrete,” Clayton said. “I know it’s something we’ve spoken on and we keep bringing that up.”

 

Clayton said he didn’t know of any former players who’ve made significant contributions to the stadium expansion project, but also said such donations could be kept private at the person’s request.

 

“There are quite a few who would, and will (give money),” Clayton said. “Again, it’s building a relationship back again with the former players.

 

“It’s a matter of communicating with these players. It’s not going to happen overnight.”

 

How much do former players’ emotions swing?

 

Clayton refers to conversations he had with former teammate Broderick Thomas both before and after Nebraska’s game against Colorado.

 

Clayton describes Thomas as “outspoken.” As if Husker fans need reminding.

 

“Broderick Thomas, he let me have it,” Clayton said, recounting a three-way call he had with Thomas and Neil Smith, another former teammate, after Nebraska’s loss to Kansas. “I said, ‘You’ve got to understand it. You know that it takes time with a transition like this, but if players have passion and desire, good things can happen.”

 

Clayton, who lives in Omaha, spoke with Thomas again after Nebraska’s victory at Colorado.

 

“Just a different tone,” Clayton said of Thomas’ response. “Of course, we were all excited we just beat Colorado.”

 

So, as Nebraska prepares for a Dec. 28 Alamo Bowl meeting with Michigan, are former players putting more stock into what happened in Lawrence, Kan., or Boulder, Colo.?

 

“You can’t put so much stock into one football game,” said former Nebraska lineman Matt Hoskinson, who lettered from 1995-97.

 

“When you get beaten up extremely bad (against Kansas), when you lose like that, people are going to put more emphasis on a loss like that than they would about a victory the other way.

 

“But having said that, I think you can start seeing progression (after the Colorado game).”

 

Hoskinson, who lives in Omaha, said he’s felt the ups and downs of the past season along with the rest of Husker Nation. He said he was “worried and disappointed” after Nebraska’s first three games and “pleasantly surprised” after a double-overtime victory against Iowa State.

 

As for Nebraska’s Alamo Bowl game against Michigan?

 

“I think we’ve got a great opportunity here,” Hoskinson said. “This game does mean something to us and our program.

 

“We were gone for a little bit, but we’re going to be back.”

 

Cory Schlesinger hopes so.

 

When asked about his thoughts on the NU program, the Duncan native and current Detroit Lions fullback chose his words carefully, saying “what’s done is done” and “I want Nebraska football to win.”

 

Schlesinger, who scored two touchdowns, including the winning one, in Nebraska’s Orange Bowl victory against Miami for the 1994 national title, admits to missing old-school Nebraska power football. He said he wants current Huskers to focus on their education, not the NFL.

 

“I hope it doesn’t turn into a football factory,” said Schlesinger, in his 11th season in the NFL.

 

Asked whether he’d financially contribute to the stadium expansion project, Schlesinger responded, “I’m not going to comment on anything about that. It’s a good project.”

 

Hoskinson joked that if he won $5 million in the lottery, he’d probably give $1 million to the project.

 

OK, so not every former player can make a difference-making donation tomorrow. That doesn’t mean former players can’t help in other ways.

 

In fact, Hoskinson said he was surprised members of the 1995 national championship team weren’t asked to meet and mingle with boosters when many of those players returned for a reunion the weekend of the Oklahoma game.

 

“I’m not offended by that,” Hoskinson said. “I’m just surprised no one has even asked us to do anything. It just shocks me they haven’t tried to have some of us help them.”

 

Not everyone, of course, may share the same positive vibes as Hoskinson or Jones.

 

Micah Heibel, who lettered from 1986-87 and lives in Lincoln, said he wouldn’t attend any more games after the firing of Frank Solich. So far, he hasn’t.

 

He said the program he knew “doesn’t necessarily exist anymore,” but that he wishes the current players and coaches well.

 

“If they are 12-0 for the next 10 years, that won’t change how I feel about what happened before,” Heibel said. “I’m not really on a soap box, I’m not trying to convince anyone else to feel the way I do.

 

“It’s not their job to keep that program connected to me. It’s not what their purpose is. I’m glad people are still excited about it. I’m glad the neighbor kids are excited about Nebraska football.”

 

Dan Steiner, an offensive lineman in the 1970s who played with former Husker assistant coach Barney Cotton, said he’s “kind of wavered” but has slowly gotten behind Bill Callahan and his staff.

 

As for those former teammates Steiner stays in contact with?

 

“I think it just depends on who you talk to,” said Steiner, an assistant football coach at Columbus High School. “Some of our guys are still buddies with Barney, and some are still bitter about him getting fired. I think a couple of them have come around. One or two are really still upset.

 

“I’ve kind of gone back and forth. I’m not upset. For a while I was upset. It’s just a tough thing to put up with, but you’ve got to give this group a chance. You’re crazy not to.”

[Red November]

Dan Steiner, an offensive lineman in the 1970s who played with former Husker assistant coach Barney Cotton, said he’s “kind of wavered” but has slowly gotten behind Bill Callahan and his staff.

 

 

 

That quote right there explains a lot of us and the former players.

[NamelessHusker]

Winning cures everything. Once we get all our chess pieces in place and the younger guys develop, this team will be back on track. Some of those players understand it, some don't. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and there opinion no less important just because they are not 100% behind the team. Losing can bring out the frustration sometimes but people need to remember that Nebraska had the longest winning tradition in college football history over a span of 40 years. A couple of bad seasons(2002, 2004) apparently is enough for people who have supported this program to jump ship and expose them as bandwagon fans. A true fan support their team thru the up and down years regardless. Do we like it that NU has struggled since the turn of the Millenium? Hell no, but we can be patient for now and see where these coaches take us. How many fans were calling for Devaney's head and look what he did? How many fans were calling for Tom Osborne's head? These same fans who were once calling for Devaney and TO's head are now calling for Bill Callahan's head..except the CU win has quieted them for now.

[husker rob]

Winning cures everything. Once we get all our chess pieces in place and the younger guys develop, this team will be back on track. Some of those players understand it, some don't. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and there opinion no less important just because they are not 100% behind the team. Losing can bring out the frustration sometimes but people need to remember that Nebraska had the longest winning tradition in college football history over a span of 40 years. A couple of bad seasons(2002, 2004) apparently is enough for people who have supported this program to jump ship and expose them as bandwagon fans. A true fan support their team thru the up and down years regardless. Do we like it that NU has struggled since the turn of the Millenium? Hell no, but we can be patient for now and see where these coaches take us. How many fans were calling for Devaney's head and look what he did? How many fans were calling for Tom Osborne's head? These same fans who were once calling for Devaney and TO's head are now calling for Bill Callahan's head..except the CU win has quieted them for now.

 

winning does change everything

 

winning brings out the bandwagon fans, losing brings out the boo birds and blame everything on the system people.

 

true NU fans support the team, thick and thin, with the believe that with the right people in place with the right system, NU will be back into championship form.

 

only time will tell and right now it looks like NU has started heading in the right direction again.

 

 

 

[HuskerFaithful]

Didn't this year's team have the highest GPA ever for a Husker football team? I thought I remembered hearing something about that. One former player mentioned that he hoped NU didn't turn into a football factory where kids come here to get to the next level without getting an education also. In reading stories about the commits that we have so far, most of them mention meeting with academic advisors and speak highly of the University's academics. I don't see a difference between players coming here now versus the mid-90's. You're stud players are obviously looking to get to that next level. It just seemed to be a nit-picky kind of thing to bring up. I think most of the players coming here want the education as well as a chance at the next level. Anyone else have any thoughts about this?

[DJR313]

Didn't this year's team have the highest GPA ever for a Husker football team? I thought I remembered hearing something about that. One former player mentioned that he hoped NU didn't turn into a football factory where kids come here to get to the next level without getting an education also. In reading stories about the commits that we have so far, most of them mention meeting with academic advisors and speak highly of the University's academics. I don't see a difference between players coming here now versus the mid-90's. You're stud players are obviously looking to get to that next level. It just seemed to be a nit-picky kind of thing to bring up. I think most of the players coming here want the education as well as a chance at the next level. Anyone else have any thoughts about this?

I agree with you here. It seems as if Callahan is empowering kids to be professional about their career as student-athlete and that it isn't all about the athlete part. The GPA for the football players in the last year is the highest it has ever been. I think you could say Nebraska was a football factory in the 90s just as easily as you could say they are one now or will be in the future. Getting good grades in college doesn't have much to do with being overly smart, just hard work and discipline. That seems thats the kind of work ethic this staff has instilled in these kids. I say keep up the good work fellas. The better you guys do now, the better you will be prepared for a career.

[formerfan]

Good read

[Washusker]

I'm a little surprised BC doesn't let the 95 team interact more with the program. I'd love to see some of those guys speak with the team, especially.

[HuskerFaithful]

Washusker, I know for a fact that the players have an open invitation to attend practice. So far, not many have gone. It's a little awkward going down there when you don't know anyone. Knowing that Milt Tenopir attends practice regularly should encourage some of the former players. I thought the 1995 championship team reunion was handled very poorly, but that doesn't have anything to do with Callahan.

[husker rob]

the way jason and christian peter used to motivate the defense, it would be nice to see them talk to the team.

 

could be good dline coaches also

[joshuavacek]

I was born a husker fan 28 yrs ago and I am tired of hearing about how sad it was when Solich was fired. Solich was not getting it done and had some behind the scene problems that most do not know about. The only thing they might have changed is waiting until after the bowl game to fire him, but you you have a fireball coach like Pelini waiting in the wings, and a team that needs some help before the bowl game, why not do it and start the next era of husker football as soon as possible.

I WAS TOTALLY FOR THE FIRING AND I THINK IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

Let's stop crying about the past and get on with the future that is quickly approaching.

 

Go Huskers!!!!!!

[NamelessHusker]

Washusker, I know for a fact that the players have an open invitation to attend practice. So far, not many have gone. It's a little awkward going down there when you don't know anyone. Knowing that Milt Tenopir attends practice regularly should encourage some of the former players. I thought the 1995 championship team reunion was handled very poorly, but that doesn't have anything to do with Callahan.

100% accurate on everything you said. Callahan is not to blame for this. The players have always had an open invitation to visit practices and mingle with the current youngsters.

[DJR313]

Washusker, I know for a fact that the players have an open invitation to attend practice.  So far, not many have gone.  It's a little awkward going down there when you don't know anyone.  Knowing that Milt Tenopir attends practice regularly should encourage some of the former players.  I thought the 1995 championship team reunion was handled very poorly, but that doesn't have anything to do with Callahan.

100% accurate on everything you said. Callahan is not to blame for this. The players have always had an open invitation to visit practices and mingle with the current youngsters.

It seems like it is a simple misunderstanding. As you guys just said, it is probably awkward for some players to come back not knowing anyone, so they really don't have much of a reason. I don't fault Bill Callahan for this. He doesn't exclude the former players and it is not his fault for not knowing every single former football player of the last 15-20 years. Maybe some of the players could coordinate with Tenopir and get in to visit and get acquainted with the new staff. It'd be great to have their support.

[formerfan]

Washusker, I know for a fact that the players have an open invitation to attend practice.  So far, not many have gone.  It's a little awkward going down there when you don't know anyone.  Knowing that Milt Tenopir attends practice regularly should encourage some of the former players.  I thought the 1995 championship team reunion was handled very poorly, but that doesn't have anything to do with Callahan.

100% accurate on everything you said. Callahan is not to blame for this. The players have always had an open invitation to visit practices and mingle with the current youngsters.

It seems like it is a simple misunderstanding. As you guys just said, it is probably awkward for some players to come back not knowing anyone, so they really don't have much of a reason. I don't fault Bill Callahan for this. He doesn't exclude the former players and it is not his fault for not knowing every single former football player of the last 15-20 years. Maybe some of the players could coordinate with Tenopir and get in to visit and get acquainted with the new staff. It'd be great to have their support.

While I agree that its not billy c's fault for not knowing all of the former players, from what I have heard, quite a few of the former players that never new billy c and his staff dont feel comfortable around these coaches, and they say that they dont recognize the program anymore. Some have tried to keep in contact with and keep active with the program, but were not treated particularly well, dont feel welcome, and have a bad taste in their mouth.

 

I understand that he has his own agenda and own responsibilities, but if he honestly understands and respects the traditions that are NU football, in the off season, he should make an honest and whole-hearted attempt to get some of the former players and coaches re-connected to the program. That would be the best for the future of the program

[StuckinChicago]

If they fired your coach, would you go back to your high school and chum it up with the new coaching staff.... no, I didnt think so. People dont like change, if you havent figured that out yet, and from what I hear alot of the players were very close to their coaches, who are no longer there. Of course that would leave a bitter taste in anyone's mouth, and there is little to nothing Callahan can do to solve that problem.