Coulda-Woulda-Shoulda Husker

ESPY

ESPY

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(Pull out the memory bank for this one.) Every year there's a Husker you really want to see take his position by the reigns and become "the man." But, something keeps him from reaching that status & taking NU to the next level - injury, position change, off-field incident, etc. Who is that coulda-woulda-shoulda Husker you most wanted to see succeed?

My vote - Bobby Newcombe the QB. He had the physical tools & intangibles - speed, quickness, accuracy, intelligence, leadership - to become the best Husker QB ever. But, 2 things killed his chances. 1) Injuries (his 1st came as a soph just as he was hitting his stride as "the man" and 2) Eric Crouch (timing is everything).

 
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Marlon Lucky, by far and away, is my choice. Had all the physical tools you could want, yet he never seemed to get to that "next level" of athleticism that could really separate him.

He wasn't really a "bust", in the actual definition. He was actually a pretty solid player. I just believe he could have been much, much, much, much, better.

 
Doug DuBose

First Cornhusker RB to rush for 1,000+ yds. two consecutive years before his Senior season.

Sophomore - 1,040 yds.

Junior - 1,161 yds.

A season ending knee injury (before the season even began) prevented DuBose from seeing the field his Senior year. I remember the build up of expectations heading into the '86 season for him. They were dubbing him the next Rozier and a preseason Heisman candidate.

A real shame it had to end that way for him.

 
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Matt Herian - Even though his career at Nebraska was a good one, he just wasn't the same after coming back from his broken leg.

I believe he could have been one of the best TE's in the NFL.

 
sarge87 said:
Matt Herian - Even though his career at Nebraska was a good one, he just wasn't the same after coming back from his broken leg.

I believe he could have been one of the best TE's in the NFL.
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That broken leg definitely altered the course of Herian's career. Pre-injury he was probably the best receiving TE we ever had, one that was set to break most TE receiving records. Post-injury he never got back to that level because just couldn't move like he used to. He always had great hands, but lost a step in two departments that set him apart - speed & route-running.

 
I don't personally remember him, but I always hear that Deangelo Evans would have been the "standard" for all future NU backs to compare to had he not been injured.

Recently, Blake Lawrence and Jaivorio are good examples. Especially Blake, nice kid, did everything right, just one of those things no one can control.

Herian is my all-timer that I remember though, he was great before he got hurt. Came back OK, but never hit that level again.

 
Schoeny said:
I don't personally remember him, but I always hear that Deangelo Evans would have been the "standard" for all future NU backs to compare to had he not been injured.

Recently, Blake Lawrence and Jaivorio are good examples. Especially Blake, nice kid, did everything right, just one of those things no one can control.

Herian is my all-timer that I remember though, he was great before he got hurt. Came back OK, but never hit that level again.
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herian played scared, you could see it on his cuts. i'm not faulting him, i remember i was in northland kc missery when he broke his leg.

 
Schoeny said:
I don't personally remember him, but I always hear that Deangelo Evans would have been the "standard" for all future NU backs to compare to had he not been injured.

Recently, Blake Lawrence and Jaivorio are good examples. Especially Blake, nice kid, did everything right, just one of those things no one can control.

Herian is my all-timer that I remember though, he was great before he got hurt. Came back OK, but never hit that level again.
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Good call on Evans. I remember watching him a couple times thinking he was something to behold, a legit IB who could carry the load after Ahman went pro. Alas, I think it was mostly his ego that got in the way & kept him from jumping past Buckhalter & Alexander on the depth chart, probably led to him leaving us high & dry. Too bad.

 
ESPY said:
(Pull out the memory bank for this one.) Every year there's a Husker you really want to see take his position by the reigns and become "the man." But, something keeps him from reaching that status & taking NU to the next level - injury, position change, off-field incident, etc. Who is that coulda-woulda-shoulda Husker you most wanted to see succeed?

My vote - Bobby Newcombe the QB. He had the physical tools & intangibles - speed, quickness, accuracy, intelligence, leadership - to become the best Husker QB ever. But, 2 things killed his chances. 1) Injuries (his 1st came as a soph just as he was hitting his stride as "the man" and 2) Eric Crouch (timing is everything).
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Pretty much every player recruited coached (fixed it!) by Bill Callahan fits that mold with a few exceptions, but very good question! I like the Marlon Lucky pick, but since he is taken, I'll go with Sam Keller. ASU really gave him the shaft in that whole deal, and since I have a strong disdain for the university anyway, I was really hoping it would be a "look what he did with him" kinda thing.

 
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#1 Randy Stella. The guy was an absolute beast in terms of a physical specimen. Unfortunately, when God said brains he thought he said trains and said no thank you I'll take the bus. He had the ability to be one of it not the best ever LB here at Nebraska. #2 Richie Incognito. Pretty much the same reason as above. #3 Terry Rogers. I'm not sure how he would have panned out, but he did show glimmers of greatness before injury ended his football career. #4 Kenny Wilson. Pretty much the same reason as #3.

 
I was really expecting Sam Keller to turn out to be a much better QB than he was.. I was pleasantly shocked and amazed to find out how much better of a QB Joe Ganz was than oringinally advertised.

 
I was never sure why, but I always felt bad for Frankie London. He just seemed to be a genuinely good person that just kept falling on hard luck.

Hopefully he's being over compensated by the good luck fairy post-NU for the horrendous luck he had while here...

 
Curt Freaking Dukes. That kid might have been one of the first ultra-hyped recruits when recruiting was just getting big. He lived in the weight room, benched 400 pounds, straight A student, crazy QB stats and built to run the Husker offense.

That was around, what, 2001? I think he even came in early to NU.

 
junior4949 said:
#1 Randy Stella. The guy was an absolute beast in terms of a physical specimen. Unfortunately, when God said brains he thought he said trains and said no thank you I'll take the bus. He had the ability to be one of it not the best ever LB here at Nebraska.
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Thunder Collins is from that mold as well. Tons of talent, not much upstairs.

 
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