Key Huskers: #11 Austin Cassidy

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Key Huskers: #11 Austin CassidySean Callahan HuskerOnline.com Publisher

Cassidy's strengths

It's been a steady climb for Cassidy ever since joining the NU program as a walk-on in 2007. Cassidy broke on as a special team's player in 2009 and took over the starting safety job for the final seven games of 2010. What Cassidy brings to the table is a solid knowledge of head coach Bo Pelini's defense and you very rarely see him in the wrong spot or make a costly mental error. His only major mistake in 2010 came when he got beat over the top by Landry Jones in the Big 12 Championship game against Oklahoma for a touchdown.

Most memorable play or moment

Clearly Cassidy's most memorable moment came in the overtime win at Iowa State when he returned an interception for a touchdown that helped NU escape Ames with a 31-30 victory.

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What a huge boon to the program to get Coach Cassidy's kid as a walk-on for his first three years. This is what the walk-on program is all about.

 
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I found that Eric Hagg's game saving INT was more memorable.

But if Cassidy can produce at the safety spot like O'Hanlon did, as a fellow walk on. I like his odds being a solid starter.

 
Fuzzy said:
I found that Eric Hagg's game saving INT was more memorable.

But if Cassidy can produce at the safety spot like O'Hanlon did, as a fellow walk on. I like his odds being a solid starter.
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Might be better than O'Hanlon, a guy who was a solid player for us. Cassidy has a couple of inches on O'Hanlon, and maybe a little faster too. Hope he plays as smart. O'Hanlon was quite a ball hawk.

 
If Cassidy can end up better than Matty O, I will be super stoked. Matt got burned that game against VT, but he turned it around and was one hell of a safety for us in the end.

 
Cassidy finished the season eighth on the team in tackles, with a TD on an INT vs. ISU. He had more tackles than Steinkuhler, Osborne, PJ Smith, or Dennard.

 
knapplc said:
Cassidy finished the season eighth on the team in tackles, with a TD on an INT vs. ISU. He had more tackles than Steinkuhler, Osborne, PJ Smith, or Dennard.
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Didn't say Cassidy needs to learn how to tackle. He needs to figure out how to lower the boom on a guy and prevent him from gaining an extra 3 yards on his "tackle".

 
I wasn't specifically responding to you, Lyons. Kind of a general response there. I'll take your word for Cassidy's tackling - I just don't remember any of his plays.

 
knapplc said:
I wasn't specifically responding to you, Lyons. Kind of a general response there. I'll take your word for Cassidy's tackling - I just don't remember any of his plays.
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Gotcha, Cassidy is a fine tackler, he makes the play, which is definitely something thenarse couldn't handle. I just noticed a few times where in the open field he looks a little hesitant or soft.

 
HuskerBill85 said:
I disagree he was a pretty average player and it showed vs OU.
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Considering he was still a pretty new starter and the competiton he was going against I think he did a respectable job. Phil Steele has OU at #1 in receivers and #3 at qb going into this season. Why single-out one game? You could single-out Prince's game against Okie Lite. It's not exactly fair.

As far as comparisons to O'Hanlon go folks underestimate how athletic the guy was. On that famous missed coverage against VT he ran the guy down from way behind, his pro-day scores showed speed and hops. At 5'10" Matt was short for a safety. Cassidy does have more size, and he grasps the D well, but I don't think he's quite as athletic.

 
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