Eric the Red
Team HuskerBoard
A change for the better
Husker safety Andrew Shanle has been shaped by life's ups and downs.
BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star
He wants someday to become a coach, and not an interior decorator, which is probably a good thing.
A white grease board is displayed prominently in Nebraska free safety Andrew Shanle’s living room. Yes, a white grease board, the kind you might see in a corporate meeting room or football locker room.
Nebraska's Andrew Shanle (8) blocks a punt by Missouri's Matt Hoenes (10) during their game at Memorial Stadium in 2004. (William Lauer).
In quiet moments, Shanle scribbles defensive alignments on the board as wife Sarah does school work.
“The stuff we learned in spring practice — my wife will tell you — I’m coming home and drawing the same stuff out,” Shanle says with a smile.
Shanle, a fifth-year senior from St. Edward, operates with a sense of urgency in his own quiet manner. He thinks ahead to crucial battles in his first season as a Husker starter. He even memorizes measurements of wide receivers he’ll face.
Dwayne Jarrett of Southern Cal?
“6-5, 210,” Shanle says readily.
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Shanle has to be prepared. After all, those glossy preseason magazines label him a question mark, a potential trouble spot on a defense that’s stacked at several positions.
Nebraska safeties coach Bill Busch, however, expresses confidence in Shanle for two central reasons: (1) His emotional maturity and overall stability, achieved in large part through his share of personal and family setbacks; (2) and his keen mental preparedness.
Shanle, 23, doesn’t merely memorize the Husker defense and its principles; he understands the defense conceptually.
“He’s a very grounded person,” Busch says. “He’s always prepared. He’s not the kind of guy who gets up in the morning and scrambles, thinking ‘How’s this day ever going to work out?’ He doesn’t just hope things work out; he has a plan to make sure things work out.”
Hence the grease board. If only all of life’s problems could be solved on a grease board.
***
Andrew and 21-year-old brother Aaron often discuss life in a spirited manner. They don’t always agree on things, Andrew says.
Regardless, they remain close, speaking by phone once a week — Aaron from a federal facility in Springfield, Mo.
During a three-week span in the summer of 2003, Aaron and his 20-year-old uncle robbed banks in Creston and Platte Center. The news rattled St. Edward (pop. 800), where Andrew and older brother Scott achieved stardom as dominant eight-man football players before becoming Huskers.
For 2½ months following the robbery spree, Aaron went on the run, traveling to Arizona, Mexico and London, leaving family to wonder if he was OK.
Meanwhile, Scott was trying to make the St. Louis Rams after being selected in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft (he’s now an inside linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys).
“I struggled with it,” Scott says. “You have to put family before football. At the same time, I was trying to get something done.”
Aaron turned himself in to authorities on Sept. 3, 2003, during Andrew’s redshirt freshman season at Nebraska.
At times that season, Andrew was a wreck. He says he felt he had to keep “everything together” in the family. He often blamed himself for Aaron’s situation. Maybe he failed to teach Aaron well enough, he thought. Maybe he was a poor example for his brother.
Andrew went to class and showed up for every practice, but struggled to maintain focus.
“That was a time when football was ... (he pauses) ... I could’ve just walked away from it,” he says.
Listen and watch closely, and you’ll begin to see a pattern emerge with Andrew. He turns negatives into positives — he’s long been that way, says his mother, Pam Shanle, a quiet woman who works at a bank in St. Edward. For instance, Aaron’s troubles with the law made Andrew become stronger spiritually. He began to turn to the Bible for answers, he says.
“That situation kind of led to me searching for something,” he says. “It led me to search for my faith.”
Andrew visited Springfield, Mo., last month for Aaron’s birthday. Aaron is due to be released in October of 2009.
“I’ve told Aaron before, and he obviously doesn’t agree with me, but I think it all happened for a reason,” Andrew says. “Things are getting straightened out for him now, and I think things will be great in the long run. I mean, he’s a bright kid. He has a lot going for him. It’s encouraging to hear that he’s in good spirits and has a more positive outlook on things.”
***
A sculpted 6-2 and 235 pounds, Scott Shanle certainly looks the part of an NFL player. Andrew regards Scott as a “superhero,” almost larger than life.
Scott started seven games for Dallas last season after veteran Dat Nguyen went down with a neck injury. When training camp begins later this month, Scott likely faces a battle to retain his starting job with Akin Ayodele, an offseason acquisition from Jacksonville.
“Scott’s always been there to pave the way for me,” Andrew says. “I was sitting back one day thinking that I don’t know how he’s done it all. He’s the oldest brother, so it was never laid out for him. He came down to the university, walked on, earned a scholarship, graduated, went to the NFL. ... That’s why I’m so proud of him.”
Andrew chuckles at the recollection of Scott playing football alone in the backyard. Who plays football alone?
“He’s kind of like my guide to what life can be,” Andrew says.
Yes, Andrew wants to play in the NFL. In fact, he wants to play football for as long as he possibly can. Then he hopes to coach. He wants to be the guy drawing plays on a grease board. He reads a lot about successful coaches, and he was heartened recently to find one who espouses the “three Fs” — faith, family and football, in that order.
That’s how Andrew Shanle lives, in that order. That’s what keeps him grounded.
“Without faith and family, you’re basically out there playing for nothing,” he says.
Andrew is one of Nebraska’s top five fastest players. Husker head coach Bill Callahan describes him as a “collision” player. But Andrew’s foremost attributes may be his maturity and focus.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in May and now is working toward his master’s. A relatively light course load this fall will allow him to put more focus on football, he says.
“I’m anticipating a phenomenal year from him,” Busch says.
***
Shanle understands why preseason magazines raise doubts about Nebraska’s safety positions. Indeed, both he and strong safety Tierre Green essentially are unproven as starters.
“I could sit back and be bitter about it,” Shanle says of the articles. “But I know I don’t have the experience I should have by now.”
Shanle was the front-runner last offseason to start at free safety, but was overtaken by senior Blake Tiedtke.
Nebraska entered the 2005 season with a three-safety rotation — Daniel Bullocks, Tiedtke and Shanle. Then, in the first game, Shanle banged up both shoulders and became relegated to mostly special teams.
His shoulders ached constantly. He felt stabbing pain as he sprinted down the field on special teams, but kept quiet about it.
“Before every game, I’d have a shot in each shoulder (to numb the pain),” he says. “Then I’d go in at halftime and have two more shots. That got you through.”
This past spring, Shanle again was bit by the injury bug, this time his hamstring.
“I told (the coaches), ‘I’m not going through drills full-speed, but it’s almost helping me because I’m learning my reads a little bit better,’” Shanle says. “It helps you get the timing figured out a little better.”
Once again, he turned a negative into a positive.
Many people seem to learn that trick over time, after living and learning. After enduring.
“Andrew’s been at Nebraska five years, and he’s telling me now that guys are looking up to him,” Scott says. “He really likes that. I think he’s going to be a good leader.”
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.
Husker safety Andrew Shanle has been shaped by life's ups and downs.
BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star
He wants someday to become a coach, and not an interior decorator, which is probably a good thing.
A white grease board is displayed prominently in Nebraska free safety Andrew Shanle’s living room. Yes, a white grease board, the kind you might see in a corporate meeting room or football locker room.
Nebraska's Andrew Shanle (8) blocks a punt by Missouri's Matt Hoenes (10) during their game at Memorial Stadium in 2004. (William Lauer).
In quiet moments, Shanle scribbles defensive alignments on the board as wife Sarah does school work.
“The stuff we learned in spring practice — my wife will tell you — I’m coming home and drawing the same stuff out,” Shanle says with a smile.
Shanle, a fifth-year senior from St. Edward, operates with a sense of urgency in his own quiet manner. He thinks ahead to crucial battles in his first season as a Husker starter. He even memorizes measurements of wide receivers he’ll face.
Dwayne Jarrett of Southern Cal?
“6-5, 210,” Shanle says readily.
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Shanle has to be prepared. After all, those glossy preseason magazines label him a question mark, a potential trouble spot on a defense that’s stacked at several positions.
Nebraska safeties coach Bill Busch, however, expresses confidence in Shanle for two central reasons: (1) His emotional maturity and overall stability, achieved in large part through his share of personal and family setbacks; (2) and his keen mental preparedness.
Shanle, 23, doesn’t merely memorize the Husker defense and its principles; he understands the defense conceptually.
“He’s a very grounded person,” Busch says. “He’s always prepared. He’s not the kind of guy who gets up in the morning and scrambles, thinking ‘How’s this day ever going to work out?’ He doesn’t just hope things work out; he has a plan to make sure things work out.”
Hence the grease board. If only all of life’s problems could be solved on a grease board.
***
Andrew and 21-year-old brother Aaron often discuss life in a spirited manner. They don’t always agree on things, Andrew says.
Regardless, they remain close, speaking by phone once a week — Aaron from a federal facility in Springfield, Mo.
During a three-week span in the summer of 2003, Aaron and his 20-year-old uncle robbed banks in Creston and Platte Center. The news rattled St. Edward (pop. 800), where Andrew and older brother Scott achieved stardom as dominant eight-man football players before becoming Huskers.
For 2½ months following the robbery spree, Aaron went on the run, traveling to Arizona, Mexico and London, leaving family to wonder if he was OK.
Meanwhile, Scott was trying to make the St. Louis Rams after being selected in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft (he’s now an inside linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys).
“I struggled with it,” Scott says. “You have to put family before football. At the same time, I was trying to get something done.”
Aaron turned himself in to authorities on Sept. 3, 2003, during Andrew’s redshirt freshman season at Nebraska.
At times that season, Andrew was a wreck. He says he felt he had to keep “everything together” in the family. He often blamed himself for Aaron’s situation. Maybe he failed to teach Aaron well enough, he thought. Maybe he was a poor example for his brother.
Andrew went to class and showed up for every practice, but struggled to maintain focus.
“That was a time when football was ... (he pauses) ... I could’ve just walked away from it,” he says.
Listen and watch closely, and you’ll begin to see a pattern emerge with Andrew. He turns negatives into positives — he’s long been that way, says his mother, Pam Shanle, a quiet woman who works at a bank in St. Edward. For instance, Aaron’s troubles with the law made Andrew become stronger spiritually. He began to turn to the Bible for answers, he says.
“That situation kind of led to me searching for something,” he says. “It led me to search for my faith.”
Andrew visited Springfield, Mo., last month for Aaron’s birthday. Aaron is due to be released in October of 2009.
“I’ve told Aaron before, and he obviously doesn’t agree with me, but I think it all happened for a reason,” Andrew says. “Things are getting straightened out for him now, and I think things will be great in the long run. I mean, he’s a bright kid. He has a lot going for him. It’s encouraging to hear that he’s in good spirits and has a more positive outlook on things.”
***
A sculpted 6-2 and 235 pounds, Scott Shanle certainly looks the part of an NFL player. Andrew regards Scott as a “superhero,” almost larger than life.
Scott started seven games for Dallas last season after veteran Dat Nguyen went down with a neck injury. When training camp begins later this month, Scott likely faces a battle to retain his starting job with Akin Ayodele, an offseason acquisition from Jacksonville.
“Scott’s always been there to pave the way for me,” Andrew says. “I was sitting back one day thinking that I don’t know how he’s done it all. He’s the oldest brother, so it was never laid out for him. He came down to the university, walked on, earned a scholarship, graduated, went to the NFL. ... That’s why I’m so proud of him.”
Andrew chuckles at the recollection of Scott playing football alone in the backyard. Who plays football alone?
“He’s kind of like my guide to what life can be,” Andrew says.
Yes, Andrew wants to play in the NFL. In fact, he wants to play football for as long as he possibly can. Then he hopes to coach. He wants to be the guy drawing plays on a grease board. He reads a lot about successful coaches, and he was heartened recently to find one who espouses the “three Fs” — faith, family and football, in that order.
That’s how Andrew Shanle lives, in that order. That’s what keeps him grounded.
“Without faith and family, you’re basically out there playing for nothing,” he says.
Andrew is one of Nebraska’s top five fastest players. Husker head coach Bill Callahan describes him as a “collision” player. But Andrew’s foremost attributes may be his maturity and focus.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in May and now is working toward his master’s. A relatively light course load this fall will allow him to put more focus on football, he says.
“I’m anticipating a phenomenal year from him,” Busch says.
***
Shanle understands why preseason magazines raise doubts about Nebraska’s safety positions. Indeed, both he and strong safety Tierre Green essentially are unproven as starters.
“I could sit back and be bitter about it,” Shanle says of the articles. “But I know I don’t have the experience I should have by now.”
Shanle was the front-runner last offseason to start at free safety, but was overtaken by senior Blake Tiedtke.
Nebraska entered the 2005 season with a three-safety rotation — Daniel Bullocks, Tiedtke and Shanle. Then, in the first game, Shanle banged up both shoulders and became relegated to mostly special teams.
His shoulders ached constantly. He felt stabbing pain as he sprinted down the field on special teams, but kept quiet about it.
“Before every game, I’d have a shot in each shoulder (to numb the pain),” he says. “Then I’d go in at halftime and have two more shots. That got you through.”
This past spring, Shanle again was bit by the injury bug, this time his hamstring.
“I told (the coaches), ‘I’m not going through drills full-speed, but it’s almost helping me because I’m learning my reads a little bit better,’” Shanle says. “It helps you get the timing figured out a little better.”
Once again, he turned a negative into a positive.
Many people seem to learn that trick over time, after living and learning. After enduring.
“Andrew’s been at Nebraska five years, and he’s telling me now that guys are looking up to him,” Scott says. “He really likes that. I think he’s going to be a good leader.”
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.
