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
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.
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