Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Bay Area Husker ENews 9-24-09

Hey Bay Area Husker Fans! Ouch!

That one really hurt. After a slow start in the first quarter the Huskers seemed to control the game for almost three quarters. We all thought they had it in the bag, and then it was shades of old Oklahoma games...the other team got a lucky break at the last minute to ruin what should have been a well earned win. Oh, well...lotsa woulda, coulda, shoulda arm chair quarterbacking. What's encouraging is to hear Coach Pelini say that this one point loss was potentially the catalyst that has brought the team together and sparked a determination to pick it up a notch and kick some butt the rest of the season. I feel sorry for Louisiana Lafayette, they may not recover from the shellacking they are probably gonna get on Saturday...especially since its homecoming, the 300th sellout etc. Can't wait to watch the festivities.
Lots of good reading below, including a good joke at the end...enjoy.

Go Big Red (White and Blue),Carl

Watch Sites Prepared for Pay-Per-View Broadcast:

Three of our four watch sites will be paying for the PPV broadcast of the game Saturday against Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns. The only one that won't is Knuckles in Monterey. Kickoff is at 4 p.m. Pacific Time so put on your Big Red Duds, grab a seat (if you can find one) and cheer on the Huskers. Because its a PPV game, we will be passing the pitcher again to defray the $400 cost to the watch site proprietors, so if everyone tosses in $5-10 bucks we should be able to pay the tab.

Jack's in Fremont will have their famous Prime Rib available for dinner during the game, so come hungry and get your order in early before they run out.

Steve Curry says that Final-Final in San Francisco has evolved from a sleepy little Husker bar 4-5 years ago with only a couple of fans, to a full fledged overflow crowd this year. With over 110 in attendance last weekend they actually had Husker fans waiting outside until other fans left to make room. If you are a Final-Final regular, and you aren't on Steve's email list for game updates, let me know and I'll point you in his direction.

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HUSKERS FALL TO HOKIES IN FINAL SECONDS...

Blacksburg, Va. - In a game featuring two of the best special teams units in college football, Nebraska's Alex Henery took center stage by booting a career-high five field goals, but Tyrod Taylor's 11-yard touchdown pass to Dyrell Roberts with 21 seconds left allowed the No. 13 Hokies to escape with a 16-15 win over the No. 19 Huskers at Lane Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Playing in front of 66,233 fans and an ABC television audience, the Huskers got off to a slow start in the first quarter but controlled the action until Virginia Tech's final drive.

Henery's five field goals appeared to be enough to give the Huskers their first road win over a top-20 team since 1997, while also giving NU its first win without scoring a touchdown since beating Kansas State, 3-0 in Manhattan, on Nov. 27, 1937.

But Taylor, who had been stymied by a relentless Blackshirt defense throughout the game, connected with Danny Coale on an 81-yard pass with 1:11 left to take the Hokies to the NU 3. Matt O'Hanlon made a game-saving tackle on the play, then registered an eight-yard sack of Taylor on Virginia Tech's next snap to take the Hokies back to 2nd-and-goal from the NU 11. The Blackshirts blitzed again and forced Taylor to throw the ball away to set up 3rd-and-goal. With the clock running and pressure coming, Taylor scrambled for several seconds before finding Roberts in the end zone for the winning score with 21 seconds left.

Virginia Tech improved to 2-1 with the victory, while Nebraska slipped to 2-1 on the young season.

"It's disappointing we lost the game. We just didn't make enough plays to win," Nebraska Coach Bo Pelini said. "I take my hat off to Virginia Tech. They made enough plays to win and we didn't. We didn't do what was necessary to win the football game. We had a lot of opportunities and we didn't capitalize on them. It's a shame."

Virginia Tech Coach Frank Beamer, who is the third-winningest active coach behind Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden, said Nebraska was impressive, especially on defense.

"I think you give Nebraska credit. People thought I was blowing smoke when I said they were back, but I think they are back. That is a tough way for those guys to lose, but I really believe they are back on course and are going to be a factor in the Big 12.”

Henery, a junior from Omaha, went 5-for-5 on field goal attempts on the day, covering 40, 27, 19, 38 and 38 yards, extending his streak of consecutive field goals made under 50 yards to 19. The Lou Groza Award candidate also unleashed the fourth-longest punt in Nebraska history with a 76-yard bomb in the first quarter. For the game, Henery punted six times for a 41.5-yard average, including two punts inside the 20 and two touchbacks.

"He did a great job. He has been automatic and he stepped up today," Pelini said of Henery after the game. "We shouldn't have to send him out there that many times."

While Henery's leg did all the scoring for the Huskers, the legs of Roy Helu Jr. and Niles Paul covered most of the ground to set up Nebraska's scores. Helu Jr., a Doak Walker Award candidate, rushed for a career-high 169 yards on 28 carries and added a team-high four receptions for 33 yards to account for 202 all-purpose yards.
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PELINI PRESS CONFERENCE: WE'RE MOVING ON...

Lincoln - Coach Bo Pelini said the No. 25 Nebraska football team is moving on after its last-minute loss at No. 13 Virginia Tech, and will be focused on playing with passion in the Huskers' regular-season non-conference finale at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 26.

Pelini and the Huskers will welcome Louisiana-Lafayette (2-1) to Memorial Stadium for a 4 p.m. kickoff. The game will be televised on a Fox Sports Pay-Per-View basis. Nebraska will be celebrating Homecoming in Lincoln and the NCAA-record 300th consecutive sellout of Memorial Stadium, but Pelini said the Big Red will keep their focus on the field.

"We're going to come out Saturday and I promise you, you are going to see a group of guys playing with passion. You're not going to see anybody crying about what happened last week," Pelini said. "Our guys are going to come out and play our tails off. That's what's going to happen. I vow that's what is going to happen on Saturday."

The Huskers will need to be on top of their games to knock off the Ragin' Cajuns, who come to Memorial Stadium with a 2-1 record that includes a 17-15 win over Kansas State and their lone loss at No. 9 LSU.

"I'm fairly familiar with the personnel and some of the people they have from my time down in Louisiana," Pelini said. "They're a pretty talented football team. They have a lot of athleticism. Obviously you saw what they did two weeks ago (against Kansas State)."

Pelini said the Huskers will hope to learn from the loss at Virginia Tech and continue improving on the field each week, starting with Saturday's game against the Ragin' Cajuns.

"Bottom line as a football team, we lost the football game. We need to get that fixed and we need to move on. If we address it the right way, as coaches, as players, and as a whole football team, it will make us better. I take the approach with our players, if you watch the film, you look at what needs to get fixed, you fix it, and you'll be better because of it. It means standing up and taking responsibility for what happened, each and every one of us, and moving on."
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300th STRAIGHT SELLOUT HONORS DEVANEY FAMILY, 1962 TEAM AND LOYAL HUSKER FANS...

Nebraska's NCAA record 300th consecutive sellout crowd Saturday night at Memorial Stadium for the Louisiana-Lafayette game will focus the spotlight on three important groups:

The family of the late Bob Devaney

The son and the daughter of the late Bob and Phyllis Devaney will attend this weekend's festivities and be introduced to the milestone crowd during the game. Mike Devaney (and his wife, Suzanne) now live in Arizona, and Pat Devaney lives in California. Their father won back-to-back national championships at Nebraska and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. He turned Nebraska's football fortunes around in his first year as head coach in 1962. The Huskers had not had a winning season since 1954, but went 9-2 in 1962 and won Nebraska's first ever bowl game (a 36-34 triumph over Miami in the Gotham Bowl).

The players, coaches and staff from the 1962 team

All will be honored at a banquet Friday night at the Wick Center and during pre-game ceremonies Saturday night. Twenty-one members of the 1962 team will return for the weekend festivities - Ernie Bonistall, Curtis Bryan, Dick Callahan, co-captain Dwain Carlson, Dennis Claridge, Larry Donovan, John Kirby, John Koinzan, Noel Martin, Joe McNulty, William Paschall, Tyrone Robertson, Jed Rood, Willie Ross, Lyle Sittler, Maynard Smidt, John Strohmyer, Larry Tomlinson, Douglas Tucker, John Vujevich and Gene Young. Four members of Devaney's first Husker coaching staff also will attend - John Melton (freshman coach), Jim Ross (ends and defensive backs), Carl Selmer (offensive line) and Tom Osborne, Nebraska's athletic director who was a graduate assistant coach at NU in 1962. Devaney died on May 9, 1997, and three other members of his first staff also are deceased - Mike Corgan (offensive backfield), George Kelly (defensive line) and Cletus Fischer (freshman line coach).

Husker fans who have produced sellouts for every game for the last 47 years


The first sellout in the record streak at Memorial Stadium came in Devaney's first year at Nebraska - Homecoming on Nov. 3 against Missouri. It was the Huskers' seventh game that season and fifth at home. Capacity then was only 31,080. In addition to thanking Devaney and the role he played in transforming Nebraska's football program, Osborne sees Saturday night as a tribute to Husker fans for their support over the last 47 years. The Huskers have won 260 of their 299 consecutive sellouts at home, and the total number of fans who have passed through the Memorial Stadium gates during those 299 games is 22,127,996.

The highlight of Saturday night's 300th celebration is the long-awaited throwback uniforms designed by adidas to match those worn by Nebraska in 1962. The Huskers will wear the uniforms as a tribute to the 1962 team, and 93 uniforms are being auctioned to the public as full sets, including pants, jerseys and helmets, on Huskers.com. The auction began in August and will end on Oct. 7. Each uniform available for auction has reached the minimum bid of $500. Replica jerseys and helmets also are on sale through Huskers Authentic.

Husker Fans Asked to Dress Retro but Red

With the football team wearing retro uniforms, Husker fans are also encouraged to join in the fun. They're being asked to dress retro but still wear red to the game. This will be a fun way for fans to join in on the festivities surrounding this landmark event, and add to the traditional spirit of the day. Make your plans now to wear red retro sweaters, jackets, suits, dresses and Husker carnations!

Other Celebration Activities Include:

  • 300th sellout logo placements on the field.


  • The state capitol will be beaming in red to celebrate the occasion.


  • Members of the 1962 team will be signing autographs at the pavilion and will take part in the Husker Sports Marketing pregame radio show from the Pavilion stage.


  • Homecoming will also be celebrated on Sept. 26 and the theme this year is "Game On" with many of the floats featuring a 300th theme and retro look.


  • Weather permitting, Husker fans have enjoyed flyovers for nearly every game in recent years. The flyover for the 300th sellout promises to be retro as well.


  • The Cornhusker Marching band will play songs from the early 60s.


  • Video salutes by HuskerVision for the 1962 team and the Devaney family; special video messages to Husker fans from Nebraska celebrities and a special postgame fan tribute video.


  • 100-percent biodegradable balloons with the 300th logo on them for Husker scores!


  • No celebration is complete without fireworks! Weather permitting, there will be a reason for fans to stay in their seats until the end of the game.


  • A commemorative logo, exclusive to adidas,will be usedin official 300th sellout apparel and will be available at the Huskers Authentic Team Store and other Husker retail shops.


  • Game tickets, programs and posters have been designed to look like those printed in the early 1960s.


  • A commemorative ticket poster print is available at the Huskers Authentic Team Store for $5 each. Each of the 300 ticket stubs were donated to the athletic department by Willis and Fran Regier of Bellevue. All season ticket holders (one per account) received a coupon in the mail for one free print.


  • The commission of a Mike Sullivan painting for display in the Osborne Athletic Complex lobby.The painting by the nationally known artist is part of a salute to Husker fans and will be unveiled to fans and media on Thursday, Sept. 24.


  • An on-site display featuring memorabilia from the 1960s is available in the West Stadium main entry.


  • At the Husker Nation Pavilion, every team picture from 1962 to current will be on display.
    Two 25-foot 300th sellout logos will be painted on the field.

Additional Sellout Streak Notes

  • Notre Dame is second in all-time consecutive sellouts with 206, 93 fewer than Nebraska.


  • The Huskers are 260-39 during the 299 sellouts to date.The mark includes a 39-24 record against ranked teams.


  • Nebraska is 5-0 in the five milestone sellouts during that period (50th, 100th, 150th, 200th and 250th sellouts), including a 24-7 win over No. 2 Colorado on Oct. 29, 1994 (No. 200) and a 44-13 victory over Utah State on Sept. 7, 2002 (No. 250).


  • Nebraska will have played 75 different opponents from 35 different states during the 300-game sellout streak.


Nebraska coaches lost just 39 games in 47 years at home during the streak. Bob Devaney (1962 to 1972, 11 years) posted a 50-9 record; Tom Osborne (1973-1997, 25 years) went 145-16; Frank Solich (1998-2003, 6 years) posted a 38-4 record; Bill Callahan was 19-8 (2004-2007, 4 years); and current head coach Bo Pelini is 6-2 (2009-present).


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HUSKERS GEAR UP FOR 300th SELLOUT...


















Two 25-foot 300th sellout logos will be painted on the field for Saturday's game.

The Nebraska football team hit the practice field on Wednesday for a two-hour workout on the Ed and Joyanne Gass practice fields located just northwest of Memorial Stadium. The Cornhuskers are in preparation for their upcoming matchup against Sun Belt foe Louisiana Lafayette on Saturday.

The Huskers practiced in half pads as they tune up for their last non-conference opponent of the season. Defensive coordinator Carl Pelini addressed the media after practiced and was pleased with the way the team has practiced this week.

"It was a good practice," Pelini said. "We had a good practice, had a good week so far."
Coach Pelini talked about the challenges his defense will face this week against the Ragin' Cajuns offense.

"Their offensive line is good. They're good run and pass," Pelini said. "They don't make a lot of mistakes. They don't hurt themselves. They are pretty balanced. They have a good passing game. They have a difficult running game to defend, they give you tons of different formations and they make you think. It's a good offense. They really thought it through and they create difficult situations for a defense."

One area of emphasis for the Husker coaches this week will be getting pressure on the quarterback. Through the first two games of the season, the Ragin' Cajuns' offense has yet to allow a single sack, a stat that caught the eye of coach Pelini.

"Great protection, but even when the protection breaks down the quarterback does a great job, gets rid of the ball on time," Pelini said. "He knows when to get ride of it, when to throw it away and when his feet will get him out of trouble. It's really a whole team thing. You can tell philosophically, even a year ago different quarterback and different quarterback, same type of thing. They don't give up a lot of sacks. Obviously, that's a big coaching point for them."

The Huskers will return the practice field on Thursday. This Saturday's game marks the 300th consecutive sellout for Memorial Stadium. Check Huskers.com for events scheduled to celebrate this weekend's memorable match up. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. PDT.
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The Mike Sullivan mural in the North Stadium lobby will be the largest tile mural in North America.

Nebraska to Unveil Mural Commemorating 300th Straight Sellout

The University of Nebraska will commemorate its 300th consecutive football sellout at Memorial Stadium with a 22x28 ft.-themed mural designed by renowned artist Mike Sullivan.

According to Paul Whitehill of Images In Tile, a leading tile mural manufacturer based in Joplin, Mo., the mural in the North Stadium lobby of the Tom and Nancy Osborne Athletic Complex will be "the single largest ceramic tile mural that has ever been created in North America".

The mural embodies the Cornhuskers' legendary football past and will be unveiled on Thursday, Sept. 24th, as part of a special set of installations at large colleges and universities across the country.

The mural has 616 12"x12" mosaic tiles and depicts a sold-out Memorial Stadium with football players celebrating while red balloons take flight to signal Nebraska's first touchdown of the game.

The concept for the mural was a collaborative effort among Osborne, Nebraska's former head coach and current athletic director, University officials and Sullivan. All had insight into the creation of the mural, which has been incorporated into the newly designed North Stadium lobby to attract fans and to appeal to recruits.

"We know how important first impressions are for recruits, and we believe the Mike Sullivan mural will be a focal point that emphasizes our tradition for recruits and their parents when they first walk in the door," Osborne said. "It's kind of a warm way to welcome everyone, and we think it complements all of our other new displays of Husker history and memorabilia."

Sullivan agrees. "Watching Nebraska football over the years has really shown me the passion and the power of the Huskers and their fans," he said. "Seeing the Tunnel Walk and the sea of red in the crowd is an amazing visual image and creates a statement of what Nebraska football is all about."

Sullivan said his goal was to create a mural that would capture that unique spirit of Husker football and give a person the sense of the history, pride and accomplishments of an elite program that has unequalled loyalty and fan support.
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From an early age, Sullivan has shown a penchant for drawing and painting. His artwork has raised money for many charities and foundations, including The Magic Johnson Foundation and The Pat Tillman Foundation.

Sullivan's work continues to grow as he focuses on the human figure in sports and play, as well as other subjects created in his unique "chiseled" style of painting. Collectors of his work include Karl Malone, Ben Roethlisberger, Leigh Steinberg, John Salley, Carson Palmer, Jake Plummer, Tim Brown, Stephen Jones and many other athletes, corporations and art collectors. Sullivan's art is displayed as part of a series of murals in such places as the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the University of Texas and Arizona State University.

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HENERY AWARDED WITH BIG 12 SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK...
Junior placekicker Alex Henery has earned Nebraska's first conference award of the season as he was named Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week following his five field-goal performance at Virginia Tech.

Henery connected on attempts from 40, 27, 19, 38 and 38 yards to mark the second-most field goals in a single game in school history and the fourth time the Omaha native has made at least four field goals in a game.

The junior is 6-of-7 this season and 32-of-36 in his career, while also serving as the starting punter, where he logged a 41.5-yard average on six punts against the Hokies, including the fourth-longest punt in school history with a 76-yard blast in the first quarter.

Henery gained additional accolades on Monday when he was voted one of three "Stars of the Week" from the Lou Groza Collegiate Place Kicker Award. The award recognizes three kickers from the FBS division each week until the season prize is presented as part of ESPN's Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 8 in Orlando, Fla.

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SUH, HENRY BENEFIT FROM PHYSICAL GRIND OF INTENSE PRACTICE...

Ndamukong Suh and Ricky Henry have to make sure that friendly fire doesn't overheat in practice.

So what's the big difference in Ndamukong Suh from last year to this year? Is he faster? Yes. Stronger? Yes. Meaner? Yes. Tougher? Yes.

Credit James Dobson for making the senior All-America defensive tackle faster and stronger. Nebraska's strength and conditioning coach found the right training mix to help Suh sculpt a leaner body at the same time he was developing more explosion in his feet and legs.

Credit offensive right guard Ricky Henry for making the nation's leading Outland Trophy candidate meaner and tougher.

What was true in Nebraska's national championship years in the mid-1990s seems to ring true this year for at least two players in the trenches ... sometimes, perhaps even most times, Saturdays are easier than weekdays.

And Suh knows why. His aggressive one-on-one battles with Nebraska's most physical offensive guard has created a love-hate relationship with the teammate who lines up across from him every day in practice.

He loves Ricky Henry for making him meaner and tougher. But there are also daily doses of hatred buried in the midst of their unrelenting, oftentimes dramatic battles.

Henry, you see, has the kind of nastiness that all offensive line coaches enjoy, and that includes Nebraska's Barney Cotton.

"Ricky and Big Suh go at each other hard. They don't stop until the whistle blows," Nebraska assistant strength coach Chad Wade said before correcting himself. "Actually, they don't stop until they hear the echo of that whistle. That's why it's never boring to watch those two battle each other. It's all-out war every play, every day."

That intense physicality has made Henry a highly effective first-year starter.
And it's made Big Suh an even bigger star than he was a year ago.
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HUSKERS IN THE NFL - WEEK 2...

Lincoln - A total of 19 former Huskers saw action during Week 2 of the 2009 NFL season. A total of 11 former Blackshirts combined to make 47 tackles, including Tampa Bay’s Barrett Rudd who totaled 14 stops.

Now in his fifth season with in the NFL, Sunday marked the 14th time in Ruud’s career that he has racked up double-digit tackles. The 14 stops also tied his career high, which he first set last season against Atlanta in Week 15. Even with Ruud’s dominating day, Tampa Bay fell to 0-2 with a 33-20 loss to Chris Kelsay’s Buffalo Bills.

Staying on the defensive side of the ball, Scott Shanle also hit the double-digit mark in tackles with 11 stops against Philadelphia in a 48-22 rout of the Eagles. Shanle’s 11 tackles (10 solo) were a career high, after previously recording 10 stops on four occasions. The seven-year veteran also intercepted a pass for the second straight week, one of three interceptions that the Saints had against Eagles’ quarterback Kevin Kolb.

The Broncos’ Correll Buckhalter got in the endzone for the first time in 2009 with a 45-yard scamper against Cleveland. Buckhalter ended the day with nine carries for 76 yards, producing an impressive 8.4 yards per carry. The versatile back also caught one pass out of the backfield, resulting in a 30-yard pick up. With a 27-6 win over the Browns, Denver is now 2-0.

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HUSKERS FALL TO TEXAS A&M...

College Station, Texas – Despite a match-high 21 kills from All-American Tara Mueller, the No. 6 Nebraska volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision to Texas A&M (28-26, 17-25, 25-19, 25-19) Wednesday night.

Mueller, who reached the 20-kill mark for the second time this season, led three Huskers (9-3, 2-1 Big 12) in double figures in kills, as the Aggies (9-1, 2-0 Big 12) picked up their first win over Nebraska in the last 20 matches in the series since 1999.

Lindsey Licht had 13 kills on .423 hitting, while Hannah Werth added 11 kills and 12 digs. Nebraska out-hit the Aggies, .253-.236, but the Huskers were hurt by 11 service errors and six Aggie aces, compared to only two for the Huskers. It was the first time NU out-hit an opponent but lost since falling at Colorado in 2006.
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LICHT LEADS HUSKERS PAST COLORADO...

Boulder, Colo. – Lindsey Licht pounded home a match-high 16 kills, leading eighth-ranked Nebraska to a 25-13, 25-22, 25-13 sweep of Colorado Saturday night at the Coors Events Center.

Licht, an Aurora, Colo., native, shined in NU’s sixth sweep of the year, as her 16 kills were a season best while she also hit a season-high .481 on 27 swings to help Nebraska improve to 9-2 overall and 2-0 in the Big 12.

All-American Tara Mueller also added 11 kills on .350 hitting and eight digs, as the Huskers held the Buffaloes (5-6, 0-2 Big 12) to .042 hitting on the night
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PETTIT TO RECEIVE DR. BARBARA HIBNER TRAILBLAZER AWARD...

The University of Nebraska Athletic Department is proud to announce that former NU head volleyball coach Terry Pettit is the recipient of the 2009 Dr. Barbara Hibner Trailblazer Award.

Pettit will be presented with the award at the Nebraska vs. Texas volleyball match this Saturday, Sept. 26 at 1 p.m., and will be acknowledged for this achievement at the football game against Louisiana-Lafayette that evening at 6 p.m.

The Trailblazer Award was first given in 2000 to honor outstanding support and generous contributions to women’s athletics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In 2007, it was renamed the Dr. Barbara Hibner Trailblazer Award in honor of Dr. Barbara Hibner, a longtime member of the Nebraska Athletic Department and inaugural recipient of the award, who passed away on March 7, 2007.

Past winners of the award, in addition to Hibner, include the Raimondi family in 2001, Ione Bowlin in 2002, the Betty Geis family in 2003, Carol Frost in 2004, Pinnacle Sports Productions in 2005, Dr. Joanne Owens Nauslar in 2006, current head softball coach Rhonda Revelle in 2007 and the Stephen Rohman family in 2008.

“The most important thing to me about the Trailblazer Award is that it has Dr. Barbara Hibner's name on it,” Pettit said. “She fought in the trenches for women at a time when there was not the public support that there is today. She had the courage to lobby, negotiate and at times annoy people in power so that women could become pole vaulters, basketball players and gymnasts. Those same battles led to other significant opportunities as physicians, entrepreneurs and leaders in our community.

“The best way for us to honor her spirit is to ask ourselves what biases, based on ignorance, we are clinging to today that will strike our great grandchildren as odd. I am pleased to receive this award because it allows me to stand with Dr. Hibner and many other courageous people at the University of Nebraska who have witnessed for equal opportunity and coached us toward a more enlightened culture.”

Pettit served as the head coach of the Nebraska volleyball program for 23 years before announcing his retirement following the 1999 season, creating a legacy of success and a foundation for the future of the sport. He was just the second volleyball coach in NU history, as the sport was not sponsored by the athletic department prior to 1975. Under Pettit’s direction, Nebraska won a conference championship in his first year, his first of 21 conference titles in his 23 seasons at Nebraska.

“Coach Pettit is the godfather of Nebraska volleyball,” current NU Head Volleyball Coach John Cook said. “He has always had the insight and wisdom to look ahead and to see what we can do to push the envelope. One thing I have taken from Coach Pettit is the ability to see the big picture and look beyond the box, as he calls it. Nebraska volleyball is what it is today because of Terry Pettit.”

A two-time AVCA National Coach of the Year, Pettit won 743 career matches (694 in Division I) and has an amazing .820 winning percentage. When he finished his coaching career, he ranked fifth nationally in winning percentage and sixth in total wins. In 1996, the United States Olympic Committee honored Pettit with its inaugural Elite Coach-of-the-Year award. He was also the 2004 recipient of the USA Volleyball All-Time Great Coach Award. Pettit will be inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame this December in Tampa, Fla.
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HUSKERS OPEN CONFERENCE SEASON WITH KEY BIG 12 ROAD GAMES...

Sophomore defender Blair Slapper and the Huskers hit the road for a pair of Big 12 road games at Colorado and Texas Tech.

Game 9: Nebraska (5-1-2, 0-0-0) at Colorado (4-5-0, 1-0-0)
Live Stats: Click Here
Live Video: Click Here (subscription required)
Date: Friday, Sept. 25
Time: 5 p.m. CST
Location: Prentup Field, Boulder, Colo.

Game 10: Nebraska (5-1-2, 0-0-0) at Texas Tech (5-4-0, 0-0-0)
Live Stats: Click Here
Date: Sunday, Sept. 27
Time: Noon CST
Location: John Walker Soccer Complex, Lubbock, Texas

After compiling a 4-0-1 mark in its five-game homestand, the Nebraska soccer team takes its show on the road when it opens Big 12 play this weekend with a pair of key conference games at Colorado and Texas Tech.

The Huskers and Buffaloes will kickoff at 5 p.m. this Friday, Sept. 25 from Prentup Field in Boulder, Colo., before Nebraska travels south for Sunday's Noon conference battle against the Red Raiders at the John Walker Soccer Complex.

Nebraska (5-1-2) is an incredible 13-0 in Big 12 Conference openers since the league was formed in 1996. Seven of those victories have come on the road, while three have been over ranked opponents, including last year's thrilling 2-1 double overtime win against No. 25 Kansas.

Fans will have an opportunity to watch Friday's game at Colorado on www.cubuffs.com with a paid monthly subscription ($5.99). Both Colorado and Texas Tech will offer live stats on the school's official websites, while Huskers.com will provide live updates on the NU Soccer Blog.

HUSKERS AND SUN DEVILS FIGHT TO A DRAW...

Lincoln - Freshman Morgan Marlborough found the back of the net with 16 seconds remaining in the first half, but Nebraska (5-1-2) was unable to hold off Arizona State (5-1-2) as the Huskers and Sun Devils fought to a 1-1 double overtime tie at the Nebraska Soccer Field on Sunday afternoon.

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HUSKER SOFTBALL OPENS FALL SEASON THIS WEEK...
After opening fall practice just one week ago, the Nebraska softball team hits the field this week for a pair of doubleheader scrimmages at Bowlin Stadium. The Huskers will host Nebraska-Kearney at 6 p.m. on Wednesday before welcoming Wayne State at 6 p.m. on Friday.

Admission is and Husker fans are invited to attend. This week marks the first competition of Nebraska’s fall schedule. The Huskers will also face Bellevue, Nebraska-Omaha and South Dakota this fall.

Following the four scrimmages this week, Nebraska will close out the fall season by hosting the Big Red Fall Classic on Oct. 3 and 4. Admission is again free and the Huskers will be wearing pink in support of a Strike Out Cancer promotion. More information on this event will be available next week.
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HUSKER HUMOR...
(From an old squadronmate of mine who is a true-blue Husker fan!)...

We Husker fans amuse ourselves by scaring every Colorado fan wesee strutting down the street, with that obnoxious Black & Gold"CU" on their shirt and/or hat. We swerve our vehicles as if tohit them, and swerve back just missing them.

One day, while driving along, I saw a priest. I thought Iwould do a good deed, so I pulled over and asked the priest, "Whereare you going, Father?" "I'm going to say Mass at Our Lady of the HillsChurch, about 2 miles down the road," replied the priest . "Climb in,Father. I'll give you a lift." The priest climbed into the rearpassenger seat, and we continued down the road.

Suddenly, I saw a Colorado fan walking down the road, with that "CU"shirt on, and I instinctively swerved as if to hit him. But, as usual,swerved back into the road just in time. Even though I was certain thatI had missed the guy, I still heard a loud thud.Not understanding where the noise came from, I glanced in my mirrors,but still didn't see anything.

I then remembered the priest. I turned to him and said," Sorry Father, I almost hit that Colorado fan." "That'sOK," replied the priest, "I got him with the door!" GO BIG RED!!!

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Bay Area Husker ENews 9-15-09

Hey Bay Area Husker Fans!

Mark up another Husker victory and another sellout crowd, but its apparent the coaches feel there is still a lot of progress needed before the game this weekend against the Hokies of Virginia Tech. Tough practices were held this week to try and counter the Hokie running game and prepare the offense for the strongest defense they have faced so far. It should be a great game. And take the time to read the feedback piece from a Hokie fan who attended last year's game (thanks Swanie)...I think you'll get a kick out of it. More proof that Husker Fans are the best fans in College Football...bar none!

Lots of other stuff to read below. A great piece about Boyd Epley, a couple of articles about some great former Huskers (Remington and Frazier), updates about the volleyball and soccer teams continued success this fall, the Alumni Association has a lifetime email offer for you below, and there's another Husker gear store that wants your business (at the end of the email).
Enjoy the reading and...

Go Big Red (White and Blue),
Carl

WATCH SITE INFO FOR SATURDAY'S GAME:
Note that although the game is being broadcast by ABC, it will be a regional broadcast that will NOT be seen by ABC affiliates on the west coast. The only way to watch the game will be to attend one of our four watch sites where they have paid for the ESPN GameDay package (or buy it at home). We think you'll have more fun cheering on the Huskers with fellow fans, so come on out to your favorite site and join the crowd. Kickoff is at 12:30 our time so get there early to get a good seat and have a little lunch and a cold one before the game. See you there!

Got this from Steve Curry (Final-Final Coordinator).
Husker fans,

The following site indicates that this weekend's Husker game with Va Tech will be included in the ESPN Gameplan package:

http://espn.go.com/college-football/schedule

Final Final sports pub subscribes to Gameplan so it would seem that we'll all be able to enjoy the game together. Broadcast time is set for 12:30 PDT. Get there in time to grab some good seats!

Go Big Red,
Steve

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LEE LEADS HUSKERS PAST RED WOLVES...
Lincoln - Quarterback Zac Lee engineered an efficient and balanced Nebraska offense, while the Nebraska defense continued to flex its muscles, as No. 22 Nebraska rolled to a 38-9 victory over visiting Arkansas State on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

Playing in front of the NCAA-record 299th consecutive sellout with 85,035 fans at Memorial Stadium and a Fox Sports pay-per-view audience, Lee helped the Huskers improve to 2-0 by completing 27-of-35 passes for 340 yards and four touchdowns in his second career start. The junior from San Francisco, Calif., connected with 11 Husker receivers, while powering Nebraska to more than 490 yards of total offense for the second straight game.

Wide receiver Niles Paul was Lee's favorite target on the day, hauling in a career-high six catches for 69 yards with his first career touchdown reception. The junior from Omaha added the first touchdown run of his career on a 30-yard reverse. Paul added 53 kickoff return yards and 17 punt return yards to close with 169 all-purpose yards on the afternoon. Overall, 14 different Husker receivers caught passes on the afternoon, as NU finished with 358 passing yards and 136 rushing yards.

Junior tight end Mike McNeill added a pair of touchdown catches on the day, while bringing down four receptions for 57 yards. Menelik Holt added a career-best five catches for 40 yards, while Roy Helu Jr. pulled down four receptions for 44 yards. Helu added 60 yards on 14 carries on the ground, as Nebraska managed 121 rushing yards on the afternoon.

Nebraska's Blackshirt defense slowed a potent Arkansas State offense, holding the Red Wolves to 272 total yards, including 141 on the ground and 131 through the air. Senior safety Larry Asante led the Blackshirts with eight tackles, including seven solos, while forcing the game's only turnover with a fumble-causing hit to stop an ASU drive inside the NU 20. Prince Amukamara added seven tackles, including a tackle-for-loss, while senior defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh notched five tackles, including three tackles for loss with 1.5 sacks (17 yards).

Lee led Nebraska to a quick 21-0 advantage just two minutes into the second quarter with a precision passing attack and a quick-tempo on offense. In the first half, Lee completed 15-of-19 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns. He guided the Huskers to 270 total yards in the opening half, while controlling the time of possession (17:44-12:16), on their way to a 24-6 halftime edge.

Lee got the Huskers off to a fast start, leading the Big Red on an eight-play, 80-yard march capped by a three-yard touchdown pass to redshirt freshman fullback Tyler Legate. Legate's first career score gave NU a 7-0 lead with 11:40 left in the opening quarter. Nebraska's opening drive was highlighted by a 43-yard strike to Curenski Gilleylen that set up the pass to Legate, along with Lee's 11-yard connection with McNeill to convert on third down early in the drive.

After the Blackshirts forced a punt on the Red Wolves' first drive, Lee engineered another impressive 80-yard drive for the Huskers. He went 5-for-5 for 54 yards through the air, including a 13-yard touchdown pass to McNeill to give NU a 14-0 lead with 1:15 left in the first quarter. Through the first two drives, Lee was 8-for-9 for 111 yards, while adding three carries for 22 yards on the ground, accounting for 133 of the 160 total offense yards on the drives.

Suh and fellow defensive lineman Jared Crick put an exclamation point on Nebraska's second defensive stand, forcing a 4th-and-18 from the ASU 5 to end the opening quarter after sacking quarterback Corey Leonard.

Lee and the Huskers opened the second stanza with their best field position of the day, starting their third drive at the ASU 46. Three plays later, Paul extended NU's lead to 21-0 with his first career rushing touchdown on a 30-yard reverse.

Arkansas State tried to fight its way back into the game, driving to the NU 25 on its first possession of the second quarter. But after a Leonard completion to Jahbari McLennan, Asante hit McLennan hard to force a fumble that was recovered by Barry Turner to stop the ASU threat. The Huskers appeared to capitalize when Lee connected with Paul on what would have been a 70-yard touchdown pass, but the play was wiped out by an NU holding penalty.

The Red Wolves stopped the Huskers for the first time and after a solid punt return and a 15-yard face mask penalty was tacked on, ASU took over at the Husker 32. Arkansas State capitalized on the excellent field position six plays later, when Reggie Arnold scored from one yard out to trim Nebraska's lead to 21-6 after Josh Arauco's PAT missed wide right with 5:30 left in the half. Arnold's score ended Nebraska's streak of 106 minutes of game action without surrendering a touchdown.

Nebraska answered the Red Wolves score with another successful drive, covering 58 yards in 11 plays capped by Alex Henery's first field goal of the season to give the Huskers a 24-6 halftime lead.

Lee kept Nebraska in control in the third quarter, coordinating a four-play 67-yard drive that culminated with a 32-yard scoring strike to McNeill that put the Huskers up 31-6 with 9:47 left in the third. The Blackshirts silenced the Red Wolves in the third quarter, but surrendered a 42-yard field goal by Arauco that just cleared the crossbar with 12:05 left in the game.

Lee closed the day by leading NU on a seven-play, 66-yard drive that ended with a two-yard scoring pass to Paul with 8:14 left to end the scoring.

Nebraska will hit the road for the first time in 2009, when the Huskers travel to Blacksburg, Va., to take on No. 14 Virginia Tech, Saturday, Sept. 19. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. (Central) with live television coverage on ABC.

Scoring Summary
First Quarter (14-0)
NU - 11:40 - Tyler Legate 3 pass from Zac Lee (Alex Henery kick) - 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:20, NU 7-0
NU - 1:15 - Mike McNeill 13 pass from Lee (Henery kick) - 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:20, NU 14-0

Second Quarter (24-6)
NU - 13:59 - Niles Paul 30 run (Henery kick) - 3 plays, 46 yards, 0:51, NU 21-0
ASU - 5:30 - Reggie Arnold 1 run (Josh Arauco kick failed) - 6 plays, 32 yards, 3:12, NU 21-6
NU - 0:09 - Henery 26 FG - l1 plays, 58 yards, 5:14, NU 24-6

Third Quarter (31-6)
NU - 9:47 - McNeill 32 pass from Lee (Henery kick) - 4 plays, 67 yards, 1:36, NU 31-6

Fourth Quarter (38-9)
ASU - 12:05 - Arauco 42 FG - 8 plays, 39 yards, 2:39, NU 31-9
NU - 8:14 - Paul 2 pass (Henery kick) - 7 plays, 66 yards, 3:44, NU 38-9

Final: Nebraska 38, Arkansas State 9
Attendance: 85,035
Time of Game: 2:47

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HUSKERS PREPARE FOR FIRST ROAD GAME...

Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media Relations

Zac Lee and Nebraska's offensive unit have only committed one turnover in the first two games.
The Nebraska football team headed to the Ed and Joyanne Gass Practice Fields northeast of Memorial Stadium for a 90-minute workout on Monday to begin preparations for its Sept. 19 matchup against Virginia Tech.

The Huskers have only committed one turnover offensively while forcing four defensive turnovers in the first two games. Nebraska Coach Bo Pelini discussed NU's plus-three turnover margin.

"It's huge," Pelini said. "It's something that we're emphasizing big time. It's worked in our favor up to this point and we need it to continue to be so. You can't give the ball away. You can't give up possessions and you have to gain some possessions on defense. It's something that we're stressing and hopefully we can continue down that road. We're not happy with one takeaway, but we are happy with the zero turnovers."

As NU approaches its first road game of the season, it will be using a crowd-noise simulator later in the week to get ready for Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium.

The Huskers will continue preparations for this weekend's game with another practice Tuesday afternoon. The Nebraska-Virginia Tech game is slated to begin at 12:30 p.m. (PDT) and will be aired on ABC (Regional Coverage).

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FEEDBACK FROM A VIRGINIA TECH FAN (who obviously traveled to Lincoln last year)...proof that the Huskers have the best fans in college football!!!)

From a fellow Virginian, treat 'em right. I've said it before, but Nebraska fans are nonpareil. They are among the most knowledgeble fans in the country. They travel better than everybody. They're probably the nicest, most respectful, and classy opposing fans with whom I've ever had the pleasure of interacting. I'm sure more than a few of you on this board know what I'm referring to.

If you go to a game in Lincoln, you'll be welcomed. Not just a "Hey, how ya doin?" They want to know everything about your school: fight songs, traditions, etc. They want to know how the trip west was. And they thank you for coming out. Then they invite you to come tailgate with them. And as long as you can stomach the red beer, you'll be fine! :) They aren't the biggest tailgaters, but they make up for it in quality. Great BBQ and ribs. You run out of beer or food? Don't worry about it. Your long lost friends in Lincoln have you covered. They do it right.

But they're in the stadium well before kickoff (unlike your instate rival)...and they're loud. To top off your experience for traveling so far, they'll even play your team's fight song before kickoff. Classy. Did I mention they're loud? They stay that way the ENTIRE game.

After the game - win or lose - your team gets an ovation. Then those Huskers'll intelligently talk to you about the game. Strengths, weaknesses of both teams and they'll always thank you for coming out. If you have the good sense to take a night out on the town, you'll be happy you did. People wearing fire-engine red will try to buy you beer all night. It's tough to turn those folks down, but one should try to do the same for them. It's a busy process to try to reciprocate all the drinks bought for you, though! I imagine you could do pretty well in Lincoln masquerading as a member of the opposition's fanbase. :)

Long post to say that they are the best fanbase I've ever had contact with. I just want you share my experience with you guys so all the folks who couldn't make the trip last year would know the kid of people you're going to be inundated by starting today. I hope that you treat those Huskers the same way that they treat all their visitors: as valued guests. Show that Hokie respect for the most deserving fanbase in the country! Good luck Saturday.

Note: all that hospitality is NOT extended to the Colorado Buffaloes. They're the a$$clowns (more accurately, the WVU) of the Big 12.

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HUSKER GAME DAY...
http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=204792751

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HUSKERS LOOK TO SLOW DOWN HOKIE RUNNING GAME...
The Nebraska football team wrapped up a 2 ½ hour practice inside Memorial Stadiums in near-perfect football conditions on Wednesday afternoon. The buzz around practice surrounded linebacker Phillip Dillard, who has been moved to the WILL linebacker position. Defensive Coordinator Carl Pelini explained his decision to move the senior linebacker over to the WILL position.

"(We're) creating competition wherever we can get it," Pelini said. "We have guys a little banged up. (Matthew) May has got the stinger, Blake's (Lawrence) got the ankle, and we're just trying to get guys on the field who are healthy and who are going to run to the football and execute, that's all."

Although Dillard hasn't seen game action in the first two games of the season, Pelini said that his attitude has been positive the whole time.

"He's been a good leader from the start," Pelini said. "One thing about Phil, he hasn't played in these first two games, but he's busted his tail in practice every day and he's earned the opportunity. His leadership has been evident to our defense from the start of camp. That has never been an issue. He's a great kid, a great leader, he's a positive influence on this football team."

Pelini and the Husker defense will look to slow down the Virginia Tech running game, which is ranked No. 13 in the nation with 508 yards through its first two games.

"They always seem to find the hole," Pelini said of the Hokie running backs. "They're very good decision makers, every one of them, and if you create a seam for them, they're going to find it. You see a lot of great athletes at running back every week, but the guys who have the knack for finding the seams, those are the guys that cause you the most problems."

The Huskers will practice again on Thursday before leaving Friday for Blacksburg. Kickoff for the Nebraska-Virginia Tech matchup is at 12:30 p.m. (PDT) and will be broadcast regionally on ABC.

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PELINI PRESS CONFERENCE: EXECUTION KEY TO VICTORY...
Nebraska Coach Bo Pelini said execution will be the key to winning this Saturday at No. 13 Virginia Tech. Pelini told the media at Nebraska's weekly press conference that execution - and not the challenges of going on the road for the first time this season - will be the key in Saturday's top-20 battle.

"It’s about performing," Pelini said when asked about the key to winning on the road. "It’s about executing your techniques and focusing in. We talk about it all the time, whether you’re at home or on the road you have to focus, you have to execute, you have to do what you are being coached to do play after play. I don’t even know how many people that stadium holds but they’re not playing. It’s 11 on 11 when you walk out on the field.”

Pelini went on to say that Nebraska is "absolutely" a better practice team that it was a year ago and that he expects the Huskers to execute better on Saturday than they did in last year's meeting with the Hokies.

"I think we’re better," Pelini said. "I’ve said this, I think we practice better. I think we practice more consistently with the right attitude and better focus and better tempo, all those things. Sometimes the level of execution isn’t as good as I want it, and I think sometimes that shows in the games. What we’re working toward is a consistent level of execution and with the right focus. That’s how you develop as a football team. It’s week two, we have to keep getting better and we’re going to need to play better in order to win this football game.”

Nebraska and Virginia Tech meet on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. in a regionally televised contest on ABC. Virginia Tech is 1-1 on the season after winning its home opener last weekend with a 52-10 victory over Marshall. The Hokies' lone loss of the season came in a 10-point setback to No. 5 Alabama in Atlanta.



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ZAC LEE SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON QUICK HITS...
Zac Lee is so busy responding to intense coaching every day that he doesn't have time to measure the impact of being the starting quarterback in the second year of a tradition-rich program that's trying to take another step in its extreme makeover.

A junior who once started at quarterback in a national junior college championship game at San Francisco City College, Lee gets his first start as a Husker Saturday night.

He understands, appreciates and expects pressure. In fact, he even welcomes it. Asked which player enjoys pressure the most on this team, Lee said, "Hopefully . . . me." He smiled when he said it.

Saturday's first major exam will show Nebraska Head Coach Bo Pelini, NU Offensive Coordinator Shawn Watson and everyone else if Lee's game performance matches the same standards he's set for himself in fall camp.

There are good reasons why Lee shows no signs of feeling extra pressure. First, he helps deflect the stress by viewing everything in the context of the team, and secondly, he has great confidence in his offensive line.

When the line meshes in front of him, Lee is a dangerous threat with both his arm and his legs. His coaches say that once the quarterback and his line find the same rhythm, the confidence meter will go up for everyone . . . the quarterback, the offensive line, the running backs, the receivers and an entire defense that expects to compete at the highest level in the Big 12 Conference.

Lee's confidence and how it will continue to develop may be the opening game's biggest storyline. He's the trigger for an offense that hopes to match the expectations of a seasoned defense. "We're really good on defense," Lee said. "They've helped make me a better player."

Lee couldn't decide between an offensive player and a defensive player being the most talented player on the Huskers. "There's talent everywhere on this team," he said.

Lee sees a redshirt freshman being the most surprising player on the Husker defense and a true freshman being the most surprising player on offense.

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NEW HARRIS POLL PANELIST, TOMMIE FRAZIER ON HUSKERS VS. HOKIES...
One of the new panelists on the 2009 Harris Interactive Poll, commissioned by the BCS (Bowl Championship Series), is also one of its most uniquely qualified voters.
He is, after all, former Nebraska All-America quarterback Tommie Frazier, who finished second to Eddie George in the 1995 Heisman Trophy voting.

Frazier is uniquely qualified because he led the Huskers to back-to-back national championships and was arguably the Most Valuable Player in three consecutive national championship games.

In his new role on a panel of former players, coaches, administrators and current and former media who are committed to ranking college football teams each week, Frazier is staying closer to the game than he ever has.

This week, he shared with Huskers.com his views about Saturday's regional telecast involving top 20 teams Virginia Tech and Nebraska in Blacksburg, Va.

Frazier talked about Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech's dual-threat junior quarterback, and what kind of problems he presents to Nebraska's Blackshirts.

He mixed the term Bo Ball into his discussion of Beamer Ball, which describes the style of Frank Beamer-coached Virginia Tech teams.

Frazier also described what he thinks are the keys to the Nebraska-Virginia Tech game.

All of that is included in a short highlight of our 7-minute interview with Frazier.

If you want to get Tommie's take on what he thinks Nebraska has to do to win the early-season non-conference showdown, you will need to join HuskersNside.

Get exclusive access to select full-game rebroadcasts of Nebraska's 2009 football games, full-game Classic Husker football games, the Bo Pelini Show and other special features and guest analysis with a monthly subscription or a heavily discounted annual pass to all things Nebraska.

Frazier will provide periodic updates on his college football views with HuskersNside throughout the season.


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Dave Rimington described Jacob Hickman as a "solid player who comes to play every day."
College Football Hall-of-Famer Rimington: Nebraska Still the Place to Be


Last Saturday, before Nebraska hosted Arkansas State, Bo Pelini asked one of his guest coaches to address his team.

Dave Rimington, the only player ever to win the Outland Trophy in consecutive years (1981 and 1982), was only happy to explain that oh, how the years go by, and that's why every player should work as hard as he can, so he can get better every day.

The Academic All-American, All-American, Lombardi Award winner and College Football Hall of Famer, who has the best center award in college football named in his honor, said he was impressed with the Husker coaching staff and enjoyed meeting and watching Nebraska center Jacob Hickman play.

"He's on our trophy watch list, so I kept my eye on him," said Rimington, who had flown from Israel to his home in New York only to turn right around and head to Lincoln to see his first Husker football game in five years.

"We have 3 ½-year-old triplets and had another baby last January, so my game-day activities have been curtailed," Rimington said.

The only lineman in Big Eight Conference history to win the league's Offensive Player of the Year Award, Rimington in 2004 became the first Nebraska student-athlete in history to be inducted into the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame.

Two other Husker student-athletes have since added that same honor - former Nebraska women's basketball player Karen Jennings and ex-Husker football player Pat Tyrance.

Rimington spent seven years in the NFL - five with the Cincinnati Bengals, who drafted him in the first round, and two years with the Philadelphia Eagles. He retired from pro football in 1989 and has spent the last 10 years as the president of the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which raises money for cystic fibrosis.

HuskersNside caught up with Rimington after the game, and his full interview is on our premium website.

It ends with the logic of his no-spin zone.

If he was a player just coming out of high school now, he would ask himself this question: "Why not come to Nebraska?" he said. "It's a great place to be and a great place to live. This is the place where you want to be if you're a college football player . . . right here."




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HUSKERS HONOR BOYD EPLEY...(I took weight lifting classes from Boyd while at UNL back in the early '70s...a great guy and one of the big reasons for Nebraska's dynasty days)...


Tom Osborne urged Bob Devaney to hire Boyd Epley as America's first collegiate strength coach.
Nebraska to Honor Strength Pioneer Epley Before ASU Game


Trailblazer, visionary, pioneer, even godfather of strength and conditioning . . . coaches, athletes and Nebraska's athletic director have used those terms to describe Boyd Epley, who will be honored Saturday about 30 minutes before the Huskers host Arkansas State at Memorial Stadium.

Tuesday, Sept. 15, will mark the 40th anniversary of Epley's hiring at Nebraska, making him the first paid strength and conditioning coach in collegiate athletic history.

A former Husker pole vaulter, Epley impressed then Nebraska Assistant Football Coach Tom Osborne with his ability to help athletes improve physically after injury and inspire others to get bigger, stronger and faster as competitors.

Osborne urged a somewhat skeptical Coach Bob Devaney to hire Epley and create the Husker strength and conditioning program in 1969. For the next 35 years that Epley headed Nebraska's football strength program, the Huskers averaged more than 10 wins per season.

Hit the play button (at Huskers.com websit) to hear more about that historic journey into a field that is now commonplace throughout Division I athletics and even beyond.

The founder of the National Strength and Conditioning Association and a member of its Hall of Fame, Epley is now the director of coaching performance for the National Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association in Colorado Springs.

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HUSKER VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS TEXAS TECH...
Lincoln – Hannah Werth and Brooke Delano combined for 21 kills, leading No. 8 Nebraska to a 3-0 sweep (25-16, 26-23, 25-11) of Texas Tech Wednesday evening at the NU Coliseum.

The Huskers, who improved to 8-2 and won their Big 12 opener for the 10th consecutive year, got strong efforts from Werth, a freshman who totaled a match-high 11 kills on .375 hitting and 10 digs for her second straight double-double and Delano, who finished with 10 kills on .474 hitting as NU collected its fifth sweep of the year.

Delano, who also topped NU with three blocks, has now been in double figures in kills in each of the last three matches as Nebraska bounced back from Sunday’s loss to UCLA. Nebraska held Texas Tech to .041 hitting, including -.061 in the opener and .000 in the finale.

Nebraska broke open a close set midway through in posting a 25-16 victory in the opener. Delano powered the Huskers with four kills on .429 hitting while adding a pair of blocks in the set. In all, the Huskers hit .300, as outside hitters Hannah Werth and Tara Mueller combined for six kills. Trailing 9-8, Delano sparked a 5-0 Husker spurt, as the sophomore started the run with a kill before running off four straight points from the service line, capped by her second kill of the run to make it 13-9 for NU. The Red Raiders stayed within 16-13 before kills from Werth and Delano and a pair of Red Raider miscues pushed the Husker lead to seven points, at 20-13, and put the set out of reach.

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HUSKERS FALL IN FRONT OF NCAA RECORD CROWD...

Lincoln – Eighth-ranked UCLA stunned an NCAA record crowd of 13,870, ending fifth-ranked Nebraska’s 90-match home win streak with a 18-25, 25-17, 25-22, 24-26, 15-7 victory Sunday afternoon at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

The Bruins, who improved to 8-1 on the season, became the first team to defeat the Huskers on their home court since Florida A&M accomplished the feat in 2004, as Dicey McGraw totaled a match-high 18 kills for in the victory.

Tara Mueller paced Nebraska (7-2) with a team-best 17 kills and added 13 digs, while freshman Hannah Werth and Brooke Delano added 14 and 10 kills, respectively. Werth set personal bests in both kills and digs (23) to collect her first double-double as a Husker. Sydney Anderson 44 assists and 12 digs and Delano, who added four blocks, were Nebraska’s representatives on the all-tournament team.

Lauren Cook dished out 48 assists and added five kills and 15 digs to earned Tournament MVP honors, while she was joined by fellow Bruins Kaitlin Sather (13 kills and 16 digs) and libero Lainey Gera (25 digs), as UCLA out-hit NU, .213-.179, including a match-best .391 in the fifth set.

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HUSKER BASEBALL RECRUITING TEAM RANKED 13TH BY COLLEGIATE BASEBALL...
Lincoln – Nebraska’s incoming baseball recruiting class was recognized nationally, as Collegiate Baseball rated the class No. 13 nationally in its rankings released Thursday. The rating is the highest ever for Nebraska in the publication’s 27-year history of ranking recruiting classes.

Nebraska’s recruiting class, which includes 16 freshmen and five junior college transfers, features four players who had been drafted previously before coming to Nebraska, pitchers Ryan Hughes (16th round in 2008), Tom Lemke (10th round in 2009), Kurt Giller (21st round in 2009) and Ryan Hander (38th round in 2009). Lemke was one of just 11 high school seniors selected in the top-10 rounds to not sign over the summer.

Of the 16 high school players in the class, 13 players garnered first-team state honors last year, including six players from Nebraska (Brian Donohoe, Kurt Farmer, Tyler Niederklein, Josh Scheffert, Dylan Vogt and Chris Williams).

Of the out-of-state recruits, Bryan Peters was the Gatorade Colorado Player of the Year in both football and baseball, becoming one of less than 10 athletes in Gatorade’s 25-year history of the award to ever earn two state honors in one year. Peters went 21-0 in his career on the diamond while hitting over .400 with 15 homers and 74 RBIs, leading Rocky Mountain High School to three consecutive Class 5A titles. Peters and right-hander Kurt Giller were named to Collegiate Baseball’s High School All-America team.

Tom Lemke was a three-time all-state performer at Northwest Christian in Scottsdale, Ariz., going a combined 25-9 with 2.01 ERA in his career, as he recorded 333 strikeouts in 193.2 career innings. Chad Christensen was a two-time all-state performer at Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Washington High School, where he finished his career holding nearly every record in program history, including the school’s all-time triple crown (.438-42-164).

The recruiting class was ranked second in the Big 12 by the publication, trailing only Texas, which was ranked 12th.

Fans will have their opportunity to see some of the newest Huskers during the annual Red/White Scrimmage, which takes place Oct. 8-10, at Hawks Field.

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HUSKER SOCCER TEAM LOOKS TO CONTINUE WINNING STREAK AGAINST SODAK AND AZ STATE...


Game 6: South Dakota (2-3-0) vs. Nebraska (4-1-1)
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Live Audio: KRNU
Date: Friday, Sept. 18
Time: 5 p.m. CST
Location: Nebraska Soccer Field; Lincoln, Neb.

Game 7: Arizona State (4-1-1) vs. Nebraska (4-1-1)
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Live Audio: KRNU
Date: Sunday, Sept. 20
Time: Noon CST
Location: Nebraska Soccer Field; Lincoln, Neb.

The Husker soccer team takes a three-game winning streak into this week as Nebraska prepares to battle first-time opponents South Dakota and Arizona State at the Nebraska Soccer Field. The Huskers will meet the Coyotes on Friday at 5 p.m., before playing the Pac-10 Sun Devils on Sunday at Noon.

The NU Marketing Department encourages kids to come out on Friday vs. South Dakota for "Youth Soccer Day" before giving out Husker bandanas to the first 100 fans on Sunday vs. Arizona State.

Nebraska has won its last three games behind an offensive explosion of 20 goals in that stretch. The Huskers' season total of 26 goals is tied for the third-most in the NCAA this season.

Freshman Morgan Marlborough is the reigning Big 12 Offensive Player and Newcomer of the Week, announced Tuesday by the league office. This weekend is the last chance to see Marlborough and the Huskers at home this month as NU opens Big 12 play on the road Sept. 25 and 27 (No. 20 Colorado, Texas Tech).

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MARLBOROUGH CLAIMS BIG XII OFFENSIVE PLAYER AND NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK HONORS...
Freshman forward Morgan Marlborough (Lee's Summit, Mo.) claimed a pair of conference honors on Tuesday, as she has been named Big 12 Offensive Player and Newcomer of the Week. She is the first Husker in school history and just the third player in the Big 12 era to win two league awards in the same week (2006-Nikki Marshall, Colorado; 2008-Kelly Dyer, Texas A&M).
Marlborough was a force in Nebraska's two games last weekend, totaling six goals and adding two assists to lead the Huskers to wins over North Dakota and Akron. The freshman tied Nebraska's single-game school record with four goals against Akron, just two days after a two-goal, two-assist performance versus North Dakota.

Marlborough leads the nation in goals (10), goals per game (1.667), points (24) and points per game (4.00). She has scored in five of six games and already ranks No. 6 all-time among Husker freshmen for goals and points in a season. The Lee's Summit, Mo., native has shown a complete offensive game by adding four assists, tying her for the second in the conference in that category.

It is the 36th and 37th time the Huskers have garnered a Big 12 Conference weekly award. Last season, Katie Goetzmann and Molly Thomas both earned Newcomer of the Week honors.

Marlborough and the Huskers (4-1-1) play two home games this week, hosting South Dakota on Friday, Sept. 18 at 5 p.m., before taking on Arizona State on Sunday, Sept. 20 at Noon. Both games take place at the Nebraska Soccer Field, located just northeast of Memorial Stadium.

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New Lifetime Email for UNL Alumni

Dear HuskerAlum.com Email Forwarding User,

We wanted you to be the first to have access to the new lifetime email solution offered by UNL and the Nebraska Alumni Association. This new system and the address, NAME@huskers.unl.edu, has been available to current students enrolled at UNL since the 2008 fall semester. Soon it will be made available to all UNL alumni as well as current members of the alumni association (who may not be UNL alumni).

Why Huskers Email is Better:

This new system is much better than the simple forwarding address you currently use. It is run by the Microsoft Exchange Labs and is therefore considerably more stable. Additionally, you can receive email right to that address that is accessible on any Web browser, anywhere in the world, rather than forwarding on to another account. You can, however, forward from this new account, if you choose. All your questions can hopefully be answered here: http://www.huskeralum.org/onlineservices/LifetimeEmail.

How to Create Your New Lifetime Email Account:

In order to create your new Huskers email account, you must first create your HuskerAlum.org user profile, if you have not done so already. After you have done this, it takes one business day to verify your alumni or membership status before you can access the lifetime email account creation. At that time, you can log back in here: https://community.huskeralum.org/LifetimeEmailLogin where the link “Click here to create your UNL Lifetime Email Account” will then be visible and you can proceed with your account creation. If you already have a HuskerAlum.org user profile, and are an alum or current association member, there will be no wait: the link should be visible to you immediately upon login.

The @huskeralum.com forwarding service will be discontinued on May 1, 2010. We kindly ask you to not delay in changing your address to the new system and informing your contacts of the change.

We want to keep you connected to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and we appreciate your patience and understanding during this transition.

Nebraska Alumni Association

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Greetings Huskers in San Francisco Bay:

Until December 1st, 2009, The Finest of Nebraska www.finestofnebraska.com is offering an exclusive University of Nebraska alumni chapter promotion. 10% of all stadium store purchases made by your local members will be returned to your chapter at the end of the promotion. If this year goes well, we will repeat the offer next year. Just remember to place the word "Bay Area Huskers" in the comment box when ordering. That is all there is to it. Then just sit back and watch Nebraska football and Go Big Red!

Linda Lee co-owner and buyer, Class of ‘68
1406 Pelton Avenue

Bellevue, Nebraska 68005

402-740-9725

Visit our Bay Area Huskers website for additional Husker information, Links, Upcoming Events, Past Events, Watch Sites, and the Schedule of Games. Also order Merchandise online, and get information on Husker Scholarships. Check out the History of the Huskers and meet our Directors.

Say hello today, email us, sign up for our newsletter, and become a member of the Bay Area Huskers Alumni Chapter.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Bay Area Husker ENews 9-10-09

Hey Bay Area Husker Fans!

Well the Huskers put their first notch in the belt of the 2009 season as they tromped the FAU team with a score that was more lopsided than the actual game stats. As Pelini said in the post game interviews he felt they did well but needed to fix a few areas that should make the team's performance better...things like causing turnovers, avoiding defensive set confusion and stopping third down conversions. Lets hope they continue the winning streak. Arkansas State had a big game last Saturday, so they aren't a pushover by any stretch. Should be a great game!

Lots of stuff to read below. A couple of big tourneys for the volleyball and soccer teams this weekend, an ad for the latest Osborne book, a pitch for the next Big XII mixer, and some news from the homeland round out the stuff to choose from. Enjoy!Go Big Red (White and Blue),
Carl

WATCH PARTIES FOR ARKANSAS STATE GAME:
The attendance at last Saturday's game was amazing! Over 85 folks were at Jack's in Fremont, and it sounds like Final-Final and Legends were packed as well. So lets do it all again this Saturday. Kickoff is at 11:10 Pacific Time for this one, so get there early for a good seat and order up some great pub grub during the game. We'll be passing the pitchers again this week to offset the cost of the Pay-Per-View broadcasts. See you there!

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HUSKERS SOAR PAST OWLS...
Lincoln - Roy Helu Jr. rushed for 152 yards in just over one half of football, and Nebraska's Blackshirts grounded Florida Atlantic's high-powered passing game, as the Cornhuskers rolled to a 49-3 victory over the Owls in front of the NCAA record 298th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

Player in front a season-opening crowd of 85,719 - the third-largest crowd in Memorial Stadium history - and an FSN pay-per-view audience, Nebraska notched its NCAA-leading 24th consecutive season-opening victory while stretching its active winning streak to five games dating back to last season. It was the Huskers' most-lopsided season-opening win since 1993, despite playing a 2008 bowl eligible team that was loaded with returning offensive starters.

After rushing 11 times for 57 yards and a score in the first half, Helu showed another gear in third quarter by carrying five times for 95 yards and two touchdowns in the first eight minutes of the second half. Helu finished his night with 16 carries for 152 yards for the third-highest rushing total of his career, while his three touchdowns were a career-best. In his last five regular-season games, the Doak Walker Award candidate has rushed for 662 yards and eight touchdowns on 86 carries with an average average of 7.7 yards per carry.

While Helu led NU's ground assault, Nebraska quarterback Zac Lee was solid through the air in his starting debut, completing 15-of-22 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns. He added two carries for 14 yards on the ground, while throwing one interception. The 6-2, 215-pound junior from San Francisco, Calif., helped the Huskers cruise to a 21-3 halftime lead before leading to three impressive third-quarter scoring drives.

Sophomore wide receiver Curenski Gilleylen and sophomore tight end Mike McNeill were Lee's favorite targets, as each hauled in four catches on the night. Gilleylen, who entered the game with only two career catches for 11 yards, finished with 92 yards receiving, including his first career touchdown grab. McNeill, who has caught at least three passes in five straight games, finished with 51 yards receiving.

The success of Helu and Lee allowed for the true freshman backfield of Cody Green and Rex Burkhead to get extensive playing time in their career debuts. Burkhead rushed nine times for 39 yards and a score and added one catch for nine more yards, after seeing his first action midway through the first half. Green carried two times for 50 yards and a touchdown, while completing 2-of-3 passes for 18 yards. Green erupted for 49 yards on his first career carry on NU's final scoring drive of the game.

Nebraska set the tone early and continued to improve their offensive tempo and defensive intensity throughout the game. Overall, Nebraska racked up 490 yards of total offense, including 259 rushing and 231 passing. Florida Atlantic managed 358 yards and matched the Huskers with 22 first downs, but the Owls committed three turnovers compared to just one miscue for the Huskers.

Lee completed his first three passes on NU's first two drives, including a 28-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Menelik Holt on the Huskers' second possession. Lee's first career touchdown pass gave Nebraska a 7-0 lead with 7:41 left in the first quarter. Holt finished the night with three catches for 45 yards.

Lee pushed Nebraska's edge to 14-0 early in the second quarter by hitting Gilleylen down the middle on a 51-yard scoring strike. It was Gilleylen's first career touchdown catch.

The Huskers appeared to build even more momentum when Matt O'Hanlon intercepted a Jeff VanCamp pass on the Owls' next possession, but a roughing the passer penalty gave FAU's drive new life. Five plays later, VanCamp hit Willie Ross on a 38-yard screen pass to give the Owls a 1st-and-Goal at the NU 3. The Blackshirts kept FAU out of the end zone, but Ross Gornall put the Owls on the board with a 21-yard field goal to trim NU's edge to 14-3 with just over eight minutes left in the half.

The Husker offense then asserted itself with an impressive blend of precision passing and some good old-fashioned smash-mouth Nebraska football. NU covered 75 yards on 15 plays over 7:16 capped by Helu's one-yard plunge on 4th-and-Goal with 51 seconds left in the half. Lee completed four passes for 58 yards on the march, including a 29-yard strike to McNeill. Helu added five carries for 25 yards on the drive, while Burkhead helped fuel NU's final first-half drive, carrying twice for eight yards, while adding a nine-yard reception in the first action of his Husker career.

Although Nebraska controlled the scoreboard, the first-half statistics were surprisingly even, with NU holding just a 217-176 edge in total offensive yards and just an eight second edge in time of possession.

The Huskers came out of the locker room noticeably quicker and crisper in the second half with the running game firing on all cylinders on the opening drive. Helu carried the load with three carries for 49 yards on the drive, including a 28-yard run to set up his seven-yard touchdown run. Lee added a 13-yard run on the drive, as NU covered all 62 yards of the drive on the ground to take a 28-3 lead less than three minutes into the second half.

On FAU's ensuing drive, the Blackshirts forced their first turnover of the season, as O'Hanlon got his hands on another errant Owl throw. The senior free safety from Bellevue, Neb., intercepted a Rusty Smith throw at the NU 14 and returned it 18 yards to set the Huskers up with solid field position on their second drive of the half.

Helu did the rest, sprinting 44 yards to his third touchdown just four plays later to push NU's lead to 35-3 with 7:26 left in the third quarter to end his night.

While Nebraska's rushing attack was rolling up yardage, the Blackshirts struck again when redshirt freshman defensive end Cameron Meredith recovered his first career fumble on FAU's next drive to give the Huskers the ball on Florida Atlantic's half of the field. The Owls stopped the Huskers for the first time in the second half three plays later, when Lee threw his first career interception. Tarvoris Hill leaped high into the air to bring down Lee's throw at the FAU 27.

Prince Amukamara returned the favor for the Blackshirts four play later, intercepting a Smith pass to end FAU's third consecutive drive with a turnover and give the ball back to Lee and the Huskers at their own 45. Burkhead then took over as Nebraska's I-back and picked up right where Helu left off. The true freshman from Plano, Texas, capped a two-minute scoring drive for the Huskers with his five-yard touchdown plunge for his first career score. Burkhead had two carries for 14 yards on the drive, while Lee continued NU's air assault with a 26-yard pass to Gilleylen to set up Burkhead's scoring run.

The Huskers substituted freely throughout the fourth quarter, with the true freshmen Green and Burkhead seeing most of the offensive touches. Green, a 6-4, 220-pounder from Dayton, Texas, led the Huskers to paydirt on his second drive, which included a 49-yard burst on the first career carry. Green capped the drive with his first career score on a one-yard plunge to push NU's edge to 49-3 with 6:03 left.

Nebraska returns to Memorial Stadium next Saturday when the Huskers face their second straight Sun Belt Conference opponent by taking on Arkansas State. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. with an FSN pay-per-view telecast.

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

NU - 7:41 - Menelik Holt 28 pass from Zac Lee (Alex Henery kick) - 5 plays, 44 yards, 2:32, NU 7-0

Second Quarter

NU - 13:43 - Curenski Gilleylan 51 pass from Lee (Henery kick) - 4 plays, 72 yards, 1:49, NU 14-0
AU - 8:13 - Ross Gornall 21 field goals - 11 plays, 71 yards, 5:20, NU 14-3
NU - 0:51 - Helu 1 run (Henery kick) - 15 plays, 82 yards, 7:16, NU 21-3

Third Quarter

NU - 12:36 - Helu 7 run (Henery kick) - 4 plays, 62 yards, 2:17, NU 28-3
NU - 7:26 - Helu 44 run (Henery kick) - 4 plays, 68 yards, 1:49, NU 35-3
NU - 0:00 - Rex Burkhead (Henery kick - 4 plays, 55 yards, 2:00, NU 42-3

Fourth Quarter
NU - 6:03 - Cody Green 1 run (Henery kick) - 7 plays, 80 yards, 3:14, NU 49-3

Final:Nebraska 49, Florida Atlantic 3

Attendance: 85,719

Time of Game: 3:02
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HUSKERS LOOK FOR SIXTH STRAIGHT WIN IN MATCHUP WITH ARKANSAS STATE...

The Matchup
Two teams that posted impressive victories to open the 2009 season will square off at Memorial Stadium this Saturday afternoon when Nebraska takes on Arkansas State. Game time is set for 11:10 p.m. (PDT) with Fox Sports Net providing a pay-per-view telecast.

Nebraska opened the year with a 49-3 victory over Florida Atlantic, showing an impressive balance on offense and big-play ability on defense. The win was Nebraska’s nation-leading 24th straight victory in a season opener.

Arkansas State won its opener with even greater ease with a 61-0 rout of Mississippi Valley State in Jonesboro, Ark.The Red Wolves limited MVSU to just 69 total yards in the victory, while amassing nearly 500 yards of total offense, including 358 rushing yards. Arkansas State entered the season as one of the favorites in the Sun Belt Conference after a 6-6 record in 2008. The Red Wolves’ 2008 campaign included a victory at Texas A&M last September.

The Series
The matchup will be the first meeting between Nebraska and Arkansas State, and the Huskers’ second of three games against Sun Belt Conference foes this season. The Red Wolves will be the first Nebraska opponent from the state of Arkansas since the Huskers lost to Arkansas in the 1965 Cotton Bowl.
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HUSKER DEFENSE PREPARING FOR RUSHING ATTACK...


Lincoln---The Nebraska football team hit the practice field again on Wednesday for a two-hour workout in preparation for its matchup with Arkansas State on Saturday. The Huskers practiced inside Memorial Stadium in only helmets and shoulder pads for the second time this week. Defensive coordinator Carl Pelini was pleased with what he saw after Wednesday's workout.

"Practice was good today, very sharp" Pelini said. "First day for some install, but we really had a good day, all around, on both sides of the ball"

After facing a pass-oriented team like Florida Atlantic in the first week, the Huskers will have to change gears a little bit as a heavy run-oriented team in Arkansas Sate will visit Lincoln on Saturday. The Red Wolves racked up 358 yards rushing in their 61-0 thrashing of Mississippi Valley State in their first game. Pelini said a key to this week's game will be the Huskers' ability to read personnel and know ASU's tendencies in certain situations throughout the game.
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HELU SAYS ITS NOT ABOUT HIM...ITS ABOUT IMPROVEMENT...

When Roy Helu walked off the field Saturday night, Nebraska's junior running back had 152 yards rushing and two touchdowns on only 16 carries.

With a 7-yard per carry average over his last five regular-season games, dating back to last year, Helu clearly has become a fan favorite. In a Fan Poll immediately after the game on Huskers.com, Helu collected more than 1,800 of the 3,071 votes cast for Nebraska's player of the game.

With Husker Head Coach Bo Pelini indicating that Helu might be as good as "any back out there", Huskers.com launched another poll, asking fans for more detailed opinions after the season opener.

Not surprisingly, 44 percent of 2,000 voters so far see Helu becoming an All-Big 12 running back. Fifteen percent envision him becoming an All-American, and 12 percent see Helu eventually becoming one of the best Nebraska backs of all-time.

Expectations are high for Helu, who moved up nine spots Saturday to become No. 45 on Nebraska's all-time rushing chart. Just don't expect Helu to be in the camp that buys into hype or keeps track of personal accomplishments.

Throughout a lengthy press conference Tuesday at Memorial Stadium, Helu was soft spoken and more than a little self-critical of his season-opening performance.

Once, he even felt compelled to say: "It's not about me. It's about this offensive unit."
He then said he may be the starter, but his top three backups are capable of "doing what I do" at running back.

Encouragement is a huge part of team unity, Helu said, and confidence is built on daily repetition.

According to Helu, if everyone had performed as expected, Zac Lee would have finished with only one incompletion in his debut as the Huskers' starting quarterback.

Nebraska's leading rusher also said that offensive guard Ricky Henry did an "awesome job" in leading the Huskers in pancake blocks.

Daily improvement is the Huskers' mantra, especially with an Arkansas State team visiting Saturday. The Red Wolves upset Texas A&M, 18-14, last year in their season-opener in College Station and bring a solid defensive team into Lincoln.

Helu was well prepared for the last question of Tuesday's press conference. When a reporter asked him if he'd set some personal goals for this season, Helu said, yes . . . "but none I'd like to share."
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HUSKERS' LAUNCH INTO A HIGH-DEF WORLD A RESOUNDING SUCCESS...(for those of us lucky enough to be there, the new video and ribbon screens, and high-def HuskerVision were an awesome addition to the game!)...

The scoreboards were brighter. The ribbon boards were more fun as well as more informational.

The Tunnel Walk was as good as ever, and a new era of HuskerVision came off without a hitch.

Yep, Nebraska's launch into a high-def world Saturday night in the Huskers' 49-3 win over Florida Atlantic was a resounding success -- from the band and the cheerleaders to the traditionalists who have been coming to Nebraska football games for decades.

Memorial Stadium was so much bigger, better and brighter that you could almost plug the energy, excitement and electricity into a video camera and make it a highlight reel.

So that's what we did. As one veteran football photographer put it Saturday night: "High-def is so good, it's almost better than live!"
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"Beyond The Final Score" Book
From the vast farmlands of Nebraska to the halls of Congress to the Green Zone in Iraq, Tom Osborne has become a legend by serving those around him. Perhaps no college football program in history has seen as much success as Nebraska did under his watch (2 55 wins in 25 seasons). But there is much more to Tom Osborne. Beyond the Final Score chronicles his years as a congressman, educator, family man, mentor and now athletic director. It reveals the character, values and faith that have grounded him througho ut his incredible journey. Like a good memoir, Beyond the Final Score goes right to the heart of a true American legend. It takes the reader on a walk trough surprising moments (such as the day he began training Iraqi women on how to change their nation), profound insights (there is more prayer in Washington than one might think) and many less-than-serious moments (such as the day he thought he was going to teach his wife how to fish). This is a rare book in which an American legend brings wisdom, sensibility, dignity and spirituality to culture, worldview, politics, leadership and what really matters in everyday life. 256 pages.
Buy Now
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OSBORNE: NEW STUDENT LIFE COMPLEX WILL INFLUENCE RECRUITS AND THEIR PARENTS...

Friday night was the official Nebraska Student-Life Complex Kickoff Celebration, and NU Athletic Director Tom Osborne, a Hall of Fame football coach, got to the point quickly in his keynote message.

"The No. 1 issue in recruiting is to get the parents here," Osborne said. "When they see this new facility, they'll understand why this is the most important thing we do - graduate our student-athletes and prepare them for life after athletics."

Nebraska's athletic accomplishments are complemented by a nation-leading 269 Academic All-Americans and a nation-leading 16 NCAA Top Eight Award winners.

Osborne said Nebraska's unique combination of athletic and academic success dramatically increases the value of the new $10.5 million facility, which is scheduled for completion in August, 2010. About $1.8 million, he added, will be spent on new historical displays in and near the facility.

Osborne estimated that the Student Life Complex will give Nebraska about an 80-percent chance to get the student-athletes they're recruiting to visit.

Osborne and Associate Athletic Director Paul Meyers weren't the only ones thanking donors Friday night for the $10.5 million they committed to the project within six months after plans to build it were announced.

Nebraska student-athletes and coaches representing a wide range of men's and women's sports showed up to thank the donors in person.

In celebrating the start of construction, Meyers shared a vision that will create a new:

Life Skills Center
Enrichment Center
Academic Center
Technology Center
Compliance Center and
Training Table

"This is probably going to be the best facility in the nation," Blake Lawrence told donors, athletic department leaders and other university officials, including Chancellor Harvey Perlman and Regents Tim Clare, Jim McClurg and Bob Phares.

A junior linebacker and co-president of the Nebraska Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Lawrence apologized for wearing his Husker sweat gear to the celebration, even though he had come straight from football practice to the ceremony.

"That's the greatest thing about this new complex - everything is in one place," Lawrence said. "It's a quick-stop shop for everything you need. Meetings, studying, life skills, even eating, are right next to where you practice."

Megan Wheatley, the 2009 Big 12 outdoor heptathlon and 2009 indoor pentathlon champion, is co-president of SAAC with Lawrence. She also extolled the recruiting benefits of the new facility.
"Nebraska recruits everywhere - from New York to Texas to LA," Wheatley said. "We have student-athletes from Croatia, South Africa, and I'm from Australia. A facility like this is the most important part of a student-athlete's life because it's like your second home. Building this facility is a sure-fire way to get that done, and I'm really grateful that I'll get one year to enjoy it."

Osborne said Nebraska used $500,000 from an appearance in the first-ever college football Kickoff Classic in East Rutherford, N.J., to build its first Hewit Academic Center. "We haven't done anything major to that facility in 25 years," he pointed out.

Meyers called Friday "a big day in the athletic department" because the official launch of the Student Life Complex construction "will help us recruit the best and the brightest student-athletes around the world," he said.

Dennis Leblanc, senior associate athletic director of Academics, said when the project is finished, "Nebraska will have a Student Life Complex that will match the performance of our student-athletes, and they all deserve that.

"Coach Osborne had the vision to make this happen," Leblanc added. "He was our first academic counselor in athletics (in the 1960s), and he's always put a premium on academic accomplishments."

A new academic center that includes everything needed to support it was Osborne's No. 1 priority when he took over as athletic director. "Coach Osborne helped make this happen as quickly as it could have been done," Meyers said, "but we couldn't have done any of it without the generosity of our donors. They stepped up to the plate just like they always have."
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AMERITAS VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS CHALLENGE AT UNL COLISEUM...

Complete tournament schedule and links for this weekend's Ameritas Players Challenge taking place in Lincoln. The first three days will take place at the Nebraska Coliseum with the final day moving to the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Less than 600 tickets remain for Sunday's match against UCLA and prices are set at $8 and $5 (UNL Students with ID).

Thursday, Sept. 10th
UCLA vs. BYU - 4:30 p.m. (Live Stats)
Nebraska vs. Virginia - 7 p.m. - (Live Stats Radio HuskersNside)

Friday, Sept. 11th
UCLA vs. Virginia - 4:30 p.m. (Live Stats)
Nebraska vs. BYU - 7 p.m. - (Live Stats Radio HuskersNside)

Saturday, Sept. 12th
Virginia vs. BYU - 4 p.m. (Live Stats)

Sunday, Sept. 13th
Nebraska vs. UCLA - 2 p.m. - (Live Stats Radio Huskers.com Video)

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HUSKER VOLLEYBALL TEAM SWEEP TULANE...

Baton Rouge, La. – Sixth-ranked Nebraska put together its most complete effort of the season, sweeping Tulane, 25-9, 25-18, 25-14, Saturday afternoon in the Tiger Classic.

The Huskers (5-1) hit a season-best .360, as Lindsey Licht drilled home a match-high 11 kills on .409 hitting and added five stuffs in NU’s third victory in a 26-hour span. Gina Mancuso added eight kills, while Tara Mueller and Brooke Delano added seven apiece in a balanced performance. Sydney Anderson dished out 32 assists and added eight digs, as NU hit .290 or better in all three sets.

Nebraska’s defense continued to shine, recording 11 blocks and holding the Green Wave (1-1) to -.036 hitting. Delano, who had nine stuffs in Friday’s win over LSU, led NU with six blocks, while Kayla Banwarth’s 14 digs keyed a Husker floor defense that out-dug Tulane, 45-37. It marked the first time NU held an opponent under .000 hitting since the first round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament.
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HUSKER BASEBALL OPENS FALL DRILLS...

Lincoln – The Nebraska baseball team hits the diamond for the first time to begin fall practice Thursday afternoon. Today’s workout begins a stretch of 29 practices over the next 35 days for the Huskers, who look to bounce back after missing the NCAA Tournament last year for the first time since 2004.

“We are excited to be on the field to begin practice,” Nebraska Coach Mike Anderson said. “It is important to use the fall to get everyone on the same page and get them acclimated to college baseball. We are going to have some freshmen contribute and we will use the fall to get them ready for the upcoming season.”

One thing Anderson has noticed is the competitiveness of this group, as it went through conditioning and skill instruction over the past two weeks.

“The fall is a big evaluation period for us, and it has been even more competitive than I anticipated, which I am thrilled by that,” Anderson said. “We have a lot of opportunities for people to play, whether it is on the mound or in the field, and are looking to see how it plays out throughout the fall.”

Anderson, who begins his eighth year at NU, welcomes back one of his most experienced teams, as 20 letterwinners are back, including eight position players who made at least 20 starts a year ago. The offensive returnees are led by All-Big 12 first baseman Tyler Farst, who hit .333 with three homers and 36 RBIs, and senior outfielder Adam Bailey, who batted .325 with 12 homers and 50 RBIs. Bailey, a 38th round draft pick of the New York Yankees, topped the Huskers in homers, RBIs and slugging percentage (.598) in 2008. Other returnees who made at least 20 starts include infielders Kyle Bubak and Cody Asche, catcher Cory Burleson and outfielders DJ Belfonte, Boomer Collins and Khiry Cooper, who will miss fall drills because of football.

On the mound, the Huskers welcome back 12 pitchers who combined for 84 percent of the innings and 88 percent of the team’s wins and strikeouts from a year ago. Junior right-hander Mike Nesseth returns after going 5-4 with two saves and striking out 73 over 64.2 innings of work. NU brings back five of its top six starting pitchers, including Casey Hauptman, Sean Yost, Michael Mariot and Jordan Roualdes. Yost earned all-star honors in the Northwoods League over the summer, while Mariott was ranked by Baseball America as one of the top prospects in the M.I.N.K. League this summer.

Another reason for optimism is a recruiting class that features several players who could make an early impact as Huskers. In fall conditioning, five of the top six performance scores were by newcomers and the class features four players – all pitchers – who have been previously drafted.
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HUSKER SOCCER HOSTS ADIDAS HUSKER CLASSIC THIS WEEKEND...z

Game 5: North Dakota (1-2-0) vs. Nebraska (2-1-1)
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Live Audio: KRNUDate: Friday, Sept. 11
Time: 5 p.m. CST
Location: Nebraska Soccer Field; Lincoln, Neb.

Game 6: Akron (2-0-1) vs. Nebraska (2-1-1)
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Live Audio: KRNUDate: Sunday, Sept. 13
Time: 12:30 p.m. CST
Location: Nebraska Soccer Field; Lincoln, Neb.

adidas Husker Classic Schedule

Friday, Sept. 11 Sunday, Sept. 13
Akron vs. Creighton, 3 p.m. Creighton vs. North Dakota, 10:30 a.m.
North Dakota vs. Nebraska, 5 p.m. Akron vs. Nebraska, 12:30 p.m.

After improving its record to 2-1-1 with a win over Lamar last week, Nebraska hosts a busy weekend with the adidas Husker Classic at the Nebraska Soccer Field this Friday and Sunday. The Huskers will welcome three teams to Lincoln, taking on North Dakota on Friday at 5 p.m., before facing Akron on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. Friday's schedule will also feature Creighton vs. Akron at 3 p.m., while Sunday's action starts with North Dakota vs. Creighton at 10:30 a.m.
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RANDY YORK'S N-SIDER...CAN FRAZIER INSPIRE MORE RECRUITS FROM FLORIDA??...

When you are arguably the best player on the field in three straight national championship games, and your team wins two of them in the mid-1990s, you might think one long highlight reel would represent your most precious memory.

But Tommie Frazier Jr., once a 17-year-old high school superstar from Bradenton, Fla. - who had the confidence to say no to Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden and yes to Tom Osborne and Nebraska - is bigger than that, even better than that.

Perhaps Nebraska's most legendary quarterback ever, Frazier found more at Nebraska than national championships and long touchdown runs.

He valued his football family in Lincoln so much that he started his own family in Nebraska, replanting his sun-and-beach roots in the middle of the country.

He has won the hearts of fans, learned perseverance from potentially life-threatening blood clots and tasted the disappointment of coaching a small college football team.

And now he is experiencing the joy of being a husband and a father and finding comfort and contentment as a motivational speaker and small business owner.

Frazier is, in a word, flourishing in his adopted state, and the sweet smell of success has nothing to do with fame, fortune or power.

It's All About the Journey

"For Coach Osborne, it's the journey," Frazier said. "Everything is a journey."

Osborne helped Frazier understand how football can be a metaphor for life. "Everybody's goal is to win a championship," Frazier said. "The games are the journey. The workouts, the conditioning ... they're all part of the journey. If everything falls into place and you do everything you're supposed to do, you're going to reach your destination. That's what Coach Osborne taught."

And that's what Frazier learned. Yes, he could have gone to almost any Division I school in the country. But he chose Nebraska because he saw it as the college with the best academic support and the school with the best father figure as a head coach.

Now, Frazier believes, Nebraska is an even stronger draw for the nation's best high school football recruits.

"Our Hall-of-Fame coach is now the athletic director, and he's hired the next great father figure in college football - Bo Pelini - as our head coach," Frazier said. "I think that's an unbeatable combination for any football player in the country - from Florida to California.

"It doesn't get any better than Tom Osborne and Bo Pelini focusing on the same goal, the same process, the same journey," Frazier said. "Everyone knows we lead the nation in (CoSIDA) Academic All-Americans. Everyone knows we're about to set another NCAA record with our 300th consecutive sellout. When I was in high school, Nebraska had the best fans in college football and the best game-day atmosphere. We still do."

Returning to Nebraska's Roots

Frazier relishes Nebraska returning to its traditional roots. He sees the Huskers going back to a more physically dominating style of offensive football at the same time they're resurrecting the mystique of the Blackshirts on defense.

"I don't know if there's ever been a better time to be recruited by Nebraska than now," Frazier said. "The fans are literally on the edge of their seats, waiting for the complete makeover ... the total transformation. That doesn't happen overnight. But when you recruit the best players in the country, give them the best coaching in the country and mix it all together with the strongest work ethic in the country, you have everything it takes to make the journey back to the top."

Frazier knows all about life at the top. A four-year starter, his best performances came in Nebraska's greatest games - an MVP performance in a 24-17 national championship win over Miami and an even more memorable MVP performance in the Huskers' 62-24 national championship thrashing of Florida. In the only national title game his team lost - 18-16 to Florida State in the Orange Bowl - even Bowden said Frazier was the best player on the field that night.

"I was fortunate to play in three national championship games against all three power teams from my home state," Frazier said. "If you dream about getting those kinds of chances, Nebraska is one of the best places in the country to be."

Tommie Frazier Profile

Name: Tommie James Frazier Jr.

Age: 35

Residence: Lincoln, Neb.

Family: Wife, Andrea. Son, Tommie III ("Trey"), 6, and daughter, Ava, 3.

Why I chose Nebraska: Two reasons: 1) the coaches, especially Tom Osborne and Kevin Steele; and 2) the family environment. All the players made me feel like, no matter what, they had my back. I just knew that I would be comfortable playing at Nebraska.

Why Nebraska was a good decision: When you come from a close-knit family, you want to go to a close-knit family. My parents wanted me to go somewhere where I would still feel like it was home. It felt that way when I got here, and it still feels that way now. There really is no place like Nebraska. People treat me like I was one of their native sons. They're a big reason why I feel like a Nebraskan at heart.

What I'm doing now: I'm a motivational speaker. I also own two companies. One's called Fore Iron - it's a golf course commercialized accessory company. The other is the Nebraska Sports Academy. We organize and promote youth football programs across the state of Nebraska and eventually want to expand the concept to include other sports.

Most memorable moment as a Husker: Helping Coach Osborne win his first national championship. It was so special to beat Miami in Miami. For an athlete, it doesn't get any better than going back home and winning a national title in the state where you're from.

Most memorable moment in life: Graduating. I was the first from my family to graduate from college, so my degree means everything to me. I was also the first from my mother's side of the family - and the first from my father's side of the family - to graduate from college.

Philosophy of Sports: Listen to your coaches. Respect your opponents. Give 100 percent no matter what.

Philosophy of Life: Live life to the fullest. Don't count the days. Make the days count.
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BIG XII/BIG TEN NETWORKING/HAPPY HOUR EVENT...
The last one was a big success...here's info for the next installment!

Here are the details surrounding the event. Please feel free to distribute it out to your membership

What & Why: Big XII/Big Ten Networking/Happy Hour Event
When: October 15, 2009 7 PM (Possibly 5:30 that is still in flux a bit)
Where: Pete's Tavern on King St (Across from AT&T Park), San Francisco
Who: All the local alumni clubs from both conferences will be there

This event will not have a cover charge. We are working on getting drink specials or something free from the bar for the attendees. We are asking a representative of each club to be there 30 minutes early to help with any sort of setup (Shouldn't be much.) If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.Best,Darrell JonesTAMU SF Club President(925) 956-9987

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MISSION CHAMBER ORCHESTRA SETS DATE FOR FIRST FALL PERFORMANCE...(our own Emily Ray is the MCO Music Director and conductor)

Their first event will be A Touch of Brazil on September 26th at 7:30 p.m. with Brazilian pianist Marcelo Cesena. View a clip of Marcelo playing Chopin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBVtB4uVwcc

See the following websites for more information and ticket availability:

Visit us online at http://missionchamber.org/

Concerts are sponsored in part by a Cultural Affairs grant from the city of San Jose, an Applied Materials Excellence in the Arts Grant, the Farrington Historical Foundation, Castellano Family Foundations, and Arts Council Silicon Valley, in partnership with the County of Santa Clara and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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NEWS FROM THE HOMELAND...

* USDA: Record Nebraska Corn Crop Could Be Coming

Nebraska farmers have the potential to harvest a record 1.52 billion bushel corn crop this year, topping the previous record of 1.47 billion set in 2007.

http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2009/08/13/4a844f00c7891

* Nebraska's Medicaid, Food Stamp Ranks Are Growing Sharply

The number of Nebraskans joining the ranks of those who receive food stamps and Medicaid services is growing sharply. The state's economy might be "catching up" with the national downturn.

http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2009/08/12/4a82fdcd4138f

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