Eric the Red
Team HuskerBoard
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.”
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.”
