Homegrown Huskers to play major roles this season

[n.e.husker]

I liked this...

http://huskerextra.com/sports/football/article_3649e844-290c-5a07-82f9-edadbc73bb5e.html
Take a good look at that depth chart. Scan how the position battles came out. Give the heights and weights a check.

Then see where they came from. See where the lifeblood of this program is from. It's still those Nebraska boys.

You'll see 18 in-state kids (counting Ben Cotton's Nebraska roots) on the two-deep chart heading into Saturday's opener. You'll see that 10 of those are starters.

Kids from Omaha, and kids from Lincoln, and kids from towns where the graduating classes have just 43 people.

"All these young running backs think it's funny," said senior Tyler Legate, starting fullback and pride of Neligh.

But you should see one of those young running backs when Legate tells him what it's like back home on gameday: how the shops shut down and the streets are empty. And how when you grow up like he did, you couldn't imagine playing anywhere else.

That running back listens. And don't think he doesn't notice the pride of the storyteller.

It's that same pride that has pushed unlikely players to key positions for the Huskers.

The depth chart offers proof.

 

[TJ Alum Husker]

just about brought a tear to my eye reading this. Those of us who grew up in NE always cheer a little louder for our home grown kids! GBR!

 

[okaive]

I am with ya TJ. Always brings a smile to my face when I hear the players giving props to the kids who never see the field and are the heart of our program. I feel for them to work that hard and not see one down.

 

[roundegotrip]

I shouldn't be surprised that a media member beat me to it, but I just saw the depth chart and came over specifically to post about this. Nebraska kids all over the depth chart, 4 starters on offense (5 if you count Ben Cotton), 4 on defense, and our kicker/punter. 5 out of the the 9 guys listed at LB are from Nebraska. All 6 of the players on the interior offensive line two-deep. The five starting interior linemen on offense and defense.

I love it!

 

[SnowBigRed]

This is one of the best articles ever posted on this site. The "not highly recruited" and walk-on kids from Nebraska played major parts in the dominance of the 70s, 80s, and 90s, and will play a major part in the dominance of the 2010s (hopefully). There are kids all over this state, from Chadron to Falls City, Ponca to Imperial, that would give their right nut to put on that red 'N' on Saturdays. Bo and this staff realizes this in the same way that Osborne did. There is good HS football in this state, and I hope the Huskers continue to show that.

On a related note, I'd really like for the Skers to find a way to get Shoff, Schany and Ott (Iowa commit) into Lincoln. We need to keep our best talent in state and not let them slip away, especially to the Squawks to the east. It breaks my heart to see talented kids not get an opportunity to play for the team they love.

Edit: And yes, I do realize that there is a limited amount of scholarships this year. I just hope we can get them to Lincoln somehow.

 

[NUance]

It's one advantage we have at Nebraska. That we lock down the local cream-of-the-crop scholarship talent (mostly). And also get a bunch of other talented prospects to walk-on. Every year we end up with a handful of starters who were originally walk-ons. This year is no different. GBR!