Friday, September 24, 2010

Bay Area Husker ENews 9/24/10

Hey Bay Area Husker Fans!

A couple of huge question marks about our offense and defense was answered during last week's game against the Huskies. THe Huskers proved they could score well (and often) against a stronger team on the road, and fluster a Heisman touted quarterback so bad he ended up with his worst game in his college career. Although this week's game against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits shouldn't be much of a test for the Huskers, the thing to watch for is whether the team lets its guard down when they shouldn't.

We had a number of our local clan at the Washington game and, although they all came back without voices, they did have big smiles and great stories to tell. They were very fortunate that the clouds parted before gametime and it stayed dry (a rare event in Seattle) until they started partying back at the various Husker hotels in town. A good time had by all!

The Volleyball and Soccer teams are still rolling along and the baseball team's recruiting list ranks #15 nationally so look forward to good things next spring. I added a plug for the Mission Chamber Orchestra (conducted by our own Emily Ray) for those looking for something other than football tomorrow night. And look for the Husker Humor joke of the week at the end of the email. Lots of other good reading below...enjoy!

Go Big Red (White and Blue),


Carl

Watch Parties:

This week's game against SoDak State will hopefully be the last PPV game of the season for the Huskers...and after the last PPV mess, we shouldn't have any problems with the subscription this time. Our three primary watch sites (Jack's in Fremont, Legends in Concord and Final-Final in San Francisco) will all be paying for the game, and we'll be passing the hat around to help defray the cost. If everyone chips in $10 we should more than adequately raise the necessary funds. Coverage starts at 4 p.m. Pacific Time, so if you want a good seat you should get there early and order up some great pub grub for dinner. Jack's has told me that they will have their famous Prime Ribs on the menu just for our hungry Husker beef eaters. See you there! For more info about our watch sites check out our website: www.BayAreaHuskers.org

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HUSKERS HOST 'JACKS ON HOMECOMING...

Nebraska vs. South Dakota St.
Saturday, Sept. 25 - 4 p.m. (PDT)

HuskersJackrabbits
Record: 3-0Record: 0-2
Rankings:Coaches-7; AP-6Rankings: not ranked
Last Game: def. Washington, 56-21   Last Game: lost to Illinois State, 24-14
Coach: Bo PeliniCoach: John Steigelmeier
Career/NU Record: 23-8/3rd yearCareer/SDSU Record: 83-62/14th season
vs. SDSU: first meetingvs. NU: first meeting

Game Information
Television: FSN-PPV
Radio: Husker Sports Network
Series Record: Nebraska leads, 1-0
Capacity: 81,091 (307th consecutive sellout)
Surface: Fieldturf
Special Events: Homecoming

The Matchup

Nebraska completes non-conference play on Saturday evening when the Huskers take on South Dakota State at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff time for Nebraska's Homecoming game is set for 4:08 p.m. (PDT), and the game will be televised on a pay-per-view basis by Fox Sports Net.

The Cornhuskers enter the contest on a high note, fresh off a 56-21 pounding of Washington in Seattle last Saturday afternoon. Nebraska rolled up 383 yards on the ground and produced its highest point total in a non-conference road game in 24 seasons. The victory allowed NU to move up to sixth in the Associated Press Poll and seventh in the USA Today Coaches poll this week. Against South Dakota State, Nebraska will be looking to finish non-conference play with an undefeated record for the first time since 2005, also the last time NU opened with victories in its first four games.

South Dakota State heads to Lincoln with an 0-2 record, following a 24-14 loss to Illinois State on Saturday night in Brookings. The Jackrabbits were ranked in the preseason top 10 in the Football Championship Subdivision, a year after reaching the FCS playoffs.

The Series

Saturday's game will mark the second meeting between the two schools. Nebraska defeated South Dakota State, 58-7 in 1963 in the only previous meeting between the schools. The game will mark Nebraska's first meeting with an FCS foe since taking on Nicholls State in 2006.

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NO. 8 HUSKERS SPRINT PAST HUSKIES...

Seattle - It wasn't quite perfect, but it was impressive. No. 8 Nebraska jumped to a 14-0 lead after just five offensive plays, then scored two more touchdowns on the Huskers' first five offensive plays of the second half on the way to a 56-21 victory at Washington on Saturday.

With the victory, Nebraska improved to 3-0 for the second time in three seasons under head coach Bo Pelini, while Washington slipped to 1-2 in front of a crowd of 72,876 and an ABC/ESPN2 national television audience.

"Coming into a hostile environment, I thought it was a good step for our football team," Pelini said. "I thought it'd be a nice test for us, going against a good football team on the road. It's a tough environment to play in and I thought our guys handled it well. I thought it was a pretty full effort by our football team. I liked their approach. Like I just told them, there's still a lot more out there for us, there's still a lot for us to clean up. We have a long way to go as a football team but this was a good step along the way."

Nebraska rolled up 533 yards of total offense, including 383 on the ground. The Husker trio of Taylor Martinez (137 yards, 3 TD, 19 carries), Roy Helu Jr. (110 yards, 2 TD, 10 carries) and Rex Burkhead (104 yards, TD, 13 carries) combined for Nebraska's fourth triple-100-yard game in school history, and the first since the Baylor game in 2001.

Martinez and Helu Jr. each went over the 100-yard mark for the second straight game. Martinez became just the second quarterback in NU history to record three straight 100-yard rushing performances, joining Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch. Martinez also moved ahead of Tommie Frazier into the No. 8 spot on NU's all-time freshman season rushing list with 421 yards through just three games. Martinez's eight rushing touchdowns already rank fourth all-time among all Husker freshmen.

The Huskers continued to show their quick-strike capabilities, covering 48 yards on just two plays on their opening drive, capped by a 24-yard touchdown pass from Taylor Martinez to Mike McNeill. For the day, Martinez completed 7-of-11 passes for 150 yards, including his first career TD pass to McNeill.

On NU's second drive, it took the Huskers just three plays to cover 73 yards, after a 55-yard pass play from Martinez to Brandon Kinnie carried Nebraska to the goal line. It was the first of five receptions for 105 yards on the day for Kinnie, who registered the first 100-yard receiving day of his career.

Martinez hit paydirt on a quarterback dive on the next play to make it 14-0 less than two minutes into the game.

For the rest of the article go to www.Huskers.com

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HAGG, MARTINEZ EARN WEEKLY HONORS...

Senior Eric Hagg earned Nebraska’s first Big 12 player-of-the-week award of the season on Monday, while quarterback Taylor Martinez was named the Rivals.com National Freshman of the Week.

Hagg was selected as the league’s defensive player of the week following Nebraska’s impressive 56-21 road win at Washington last Saturday. Hagg intercepted Jake Locker’s first pass of the day and returned it 11 yards to set up Nebraska’s first touchdown. He finished with one tackle and a pair of pass breakups as the Huskers held Washington to only 71 yards passing. Locker, regarded as a potential top-10 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, completed just 4-of-20 passes on the day.

While Hagg highlighted the Husker defense in the win at Washington, Martinez led the NU offense to its highest point total in a non-conference road game since 1986. He posted his third straight 100-yard rushing game, carrying the ball 19 times for 137 yards and three touchdowns. Martinez also completed 7-of-11 passes for 150 yards, while throwing his first career touchdown pass to open the scoring. Rivals.com not only selected Martinez as its Freshman of the Week, but also tabbed him as its Big 12 Player of the Week.

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HUSKERS AWARDED BLACKSHIRTS, FOCUS ON DETAILS FOR JACKRABBITS...

Lincoln- The Nebraska football team practiced for just less than two hours Thursday inside the Hawks Championship Center and on the Ed and Joyanne Gass Practice Fields as the Huskers finish up preparations for South Dakota State on Saturday. After practice, Head Coach Bo Pelini addressed the media and announced that 12 Blackshirts were awarded to Nebraska's first- string defenders.

"It is a tradition and it is one that I believe in," Pelini said. "You pick the time that you think is right."

Pelini commented that he has been pleased with the attention by the players and the tempo throughout this week of practice.

"It was good," Pelini said. "I thought the attention to detail was pretty good. We still have a few things to clean up, but I thought it was a good practice."

Pelini has seen good things out of senior safety Ricky Thenarse. After sitting out last year due to injury, Thenarse has played a key role in NU's secondary so far in 2010, and was among the defenders sporting black on Thursday.

"I think he has played well," Pelini said. "I think he still has to work on some consistency at times. He has to make sure he doesn't have any mental lapses. I think he has come a long way. Having sat out the whole year last year and came back, I think he has come back strong and I think he is playing some good football but I think the best is still ahead of him."

Pelini also noted the improved blocking by Nebraska's wide receiver corps, highlighted by the recent efforts of Brandon Kinnie.

"I think they're doing well," Pelini said. "Big plays in the run game don't happen if you're not blocking down the field. You look at Roy's touchdown the other day, BK (Brandon Kinnie) did a heck of a job on the corner and helped spring Roy. A lot of that is about effort. Obviously technique plays a part of it, but getting down, not being lazy and making sure you find people down the field. They've done a good job of it."

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JACOBSON, DUTTON, AND SCHLEUSENER: HUSKERS VERSION OF MOUNT RUSHMORE...

Randy York's N-Sider

With South Dakota State visiting Lincoln this weekend for the Huskers' Homecoming, it's time for a history lesson and a friendly reminder that the state of South Dakota is woven into the fabric of Nebraska's storied football program in two significant ways.

First, the University of South Dakota was Nebraska's first opponent when Bob Devaney became NU's head coach in 1962. The Huskers beat South Dakota, 53-0, and followed that with a 25-13 win over Michigan in Ann Arbor, setting the stage for perhaps the greatest run in college football over the last half century.

Secondly, Devaney and his hand-picked successor, Tom Osborne, recruited three South Dakota natives who rank among the Huskers' best linemen ever and therefore could be considered the Cornhuskers' version of Mount Rushmore.

The three Nebraska names that would be chiseled into that metaphorical South Dakota monument would be:

1) 1971 All-American, Academic All-American, Outland Trophy Winner and First-Round NFL Draft Choice Larry Jacobson, a 6-6, 250-pound defensive tackle from Sioux Falls; 2) 1973 Captain, All-American and First-Round NFL Draft Choice John Dutton, a 6-7, 248-pound defensive tackle from Rapid City; and 3) 1980 Captain, All-American and Academic All-American Randy Schleusener, a 6-7, 242-pound offensive guard from Rapid City.

Jacobson was back on Memorial Stadium's turf two weekends ago, waving to the crowd and being recognized as the first of seven Huskers to win eight Outland Trophies. He was also in the locker room and on the Husker sideline that day as one of Bo Pelini's "guest coaches" for the Idaho game.

If anyone had asked, Jacobson would have described one of Nebraska's most bizarre recruiting stories because he ended up right in the middle of it.

Two Signed Letters and One Final Choice

In the 1960s, recruits could sign more than one letter of intent, as long as they weren't in the same conference. So, Jacobson, an all-stater in both football and basketball, signed a Big Eight letter of intent with Nebraska as well as a Big Ten letter of intent with Iowa.

With three days remaining before the deadline for a final decision, Jacobson informed Iowa that he had decided to sign his national letter with Nebraska. A Hawkeye assistant was immediately dispatched to Sioux Falls to persuade him to change his mind, prompting Devaney to send then graduate assistant Monte Kiffin to protect NU's interests at the 11th hour.

"Basically, I spent the last two days with Coach Kiffin before signing," Jacobson said, laughing. "Coach Devaney told Coach Kiffin to make sure I signed with the right school, so Monte literally wouldn't let me out of his sight."

Things got a little wacky. The frustrated Iowa assistant parked in front of Jacobson's house for an hour before leaving, then returning.

"While I talked to the Iowa coach to let him know that I meant what I said, Coach Kiffin was in the back yard playing croquet with my sisters," Jacobson related. "The first thing Monte asked me when he came back inside was: 'You didn't change your mind, did you?'"

Today, Jacobson is a retired stockbroker and lives on a lake in South Bend, Neb.

Like Jacobson, Dutton was a combination star in South Dakota, leading Rapid City Central High School to the state basketball championship as a senior. Although he received more scholarship offers for basketball than football, he became a Husker and used the opportunity to become a Pro Bowler for three straight years among the five he spent with the Baltimore Colts.

A contract dispute forced the Colts to trade Dutton to the Dallas Cowboys in 1980. He played nine years for the Cowboys, helping them to three consecutive NFC championship games at one point. After 14 NFL seasons and 185 games, Dutton retired in 1987.

Game of the Century Reunion Was Nostalgic

Two years ago, Dutton traveled to Oklahoma to meet players who had gathered in Norman for the first combined 1971 Game of the Century reunion. "That was probably the most nostalgic get-together I've ever experienced," Dutton said. "I played a lot longer in the NFL, but nothing was more fun, or more meaningful, than the years I spent at Nebraska."

Schleusener carved his niche in Husker folklore with a litany of individual achievements and being part of one of Nebraska's most famous plays ever, even though it occurred in a 17-14 loss at Oklahoma after the Huskers went 10-0 to start the 1979 season.

In that game, Nebraska Quarterback Jeff Quinn placed the ball that was snapped to him on the ground, directly under center Kelly Saalfeld. Schleusener, a guard, scooped it up and ran 15 yards to score, pulling Nebraska within 17-14 with 4:43 remaining.

Despite the loss, Schleusener became a national celebrity of sorts because TV stations across the country kept replaying the trick play - called the "Fumbleroosky" - that night and most of the following week.

Schleusener was an NCAA Top Eight Award Winner - the highest academic honor a student-athlete can receive. A two-time CoSIDA first-team academic All-American, Schleusener also earned a National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame Postgraduate Award, an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and induction into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame.

Today, Schleusener is president of the Black Hills Orthopedic and Spine Center in his hometown of Rapid City.

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HUSKERS IN THE NFL - WEEK 2...

A total of 23 former Huskers saw action in Week 2 of the NFL season.

Running backs Brandon Jackson (Green Bay) and Correll Buckhalter (Denver) were the offensive highlights as each produced their first touchdowns of the 2010 season. Jackson started his first game of the year in the Packers 34-7 win over Buffalo, scoring Green Bay's first touchdown of the game on a 1-yard run in the first quarter. Buckhalter ran behind a Bronco offensive line that featured Russ Hochstein in Denver's 31-14 victory over Seattle, giving the Broncos an early 10-0 lead with his second quarter 1-yard touchdown run.

In addition to Hochstein, fellow offensive linemen Richie Incognito (Miami), Carl Nicks (New Orleans) and Matt Slauson (New York Jets) all earned starts in wins for their respective squads.

The Detroit Lions started three former Huskers, including center Dominic Raiola at center. Defensively, Kyle Vanden Bosch and Ndamukong Suh combined for 14 tackles and 2.5 sacks, although the Lions were edged at home by Stewart Bradley's Philadelphia Eagles, 35-32.

Cornerback Zackary Bowman (Chicago) had one of the biggest days among former Blackshirts, registering 10 tackles in the Bears' 27-20 win against Dallas, while Barrett Rudd's (Tampa Bay) nine-tackle performance helped the Bucs to a 20-7 victory over Carolina. Linebacker Chris Kelsay (Buffalo) had eight tackles against the Broncos in his 84th consecutive start.

Cornerback Fabian Washington (Baltimore) continued his return from an injury-plagued 2009 season to tally three pass break-ups for the Ravens, while teammate Sam Koch pinned 4-of-7 punts inside the 20-yard line in a three-point loss to Houston.

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VOLLEYBALL: HUSKERS LOOK TO CONTINUE WINNING STREAK AT BAYLOR...

Nebraska at Baylor
No. 4 Nebraska at Baylor • Saturday, Sept. 25 • Ferrell Center • 7 p.m.
TV: None
Radio: Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and KTWI 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on Huskers.com
Web Video: BaylorBears.com (Subscription Required)
Live Stats: BaylorBears.com & Huskers.com

The No. 4 Nebraska volleyball team (11-1, 3-0) will try to improve on its perfect 29-0 record over the Baylor Bears (7-6, 0-2) this weekend then the two teams meet in Waco, Texas, at the Ferrell Center. Set for 7 p.m. on Saturday night, the match will mark the first time this season that the Huskers have played a Big 12 South Division program.

The Huskers have posted 28 of their 29 wins over the Bears during the Big 12 era, with the two teams meeting one time out of conference on Sept. 22, 1995, when the Huskers won 3-0 (15-3, 15-6, 15-7).

Nebraska swept the first 12 contests in the series before Baylor took the first set on Nov. 17, 2001. Recently, the Huskers have swept the past two meetings.

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VOLLEYBALL: HUSKERS EXTEND STREAK OVER JAYHAWKS...

Lincoln - The No. 4 Nebraska volleyball team extended its all-time winning streak over the Kansas Jayhawks to 85 straight matches on Wednesday night at the NU Coliseum with a 3-1 win (21-25, 25-13, 25-18, 25-18).

After Kansas took the first set of the night, the Huskers responded by taking the lead in set two and never let the Jayhawks take the lead the rest of the night.

Hannah Werth led four Husker attackers in double figures, as the sophomore notched her fourth double-double of the season with 12 kills and 11 digs, while also adding a career-best five blocks, including four solo stuffs.

Middle blockers Brooke Delano and Allison McNeal produced an efficient night as they each hit .500 with a combined 21 kills and seven blocks.

Overall Nebraska out-hit the Jayhawks .252 to .138, while Nebraska more than doubled Kansas five blocks with 13.

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VOLLEYBALL: HUSKERS BURY BUFFS...

Lincoln - The No. 4 Nebraska volleyball team made quick work of the Colorado Buffaloes in three sets on Saturday night during the Huskers' Big 12 in front of 4,113 fans at the NU Coliseum (25-13, 25-7, 25-17). The Huskers are now 11-0 in Big 12 home openers under Head Coach John Cook and 10-1 overall in 2010

The Huskers caused the Buffs fits all night as Nebraska clocked in with a .363 hitting percentage, while the Nebraska defense held Colorado to .086 hitting. Lauren Cook and Sydney Anderson combined for 37 assists on the night, as Lindsey Licht and Brooke Delano tied for the match high in kills at 11 apiece. Hannah Werth was dangerous nearly every time she touched the ball, as the sophomore put away eight kills on just 11 swings to hit .727.

Kayla Banwarth posted more than 20 digs in a match for the sixth time in 2010 with a match-high 23 digs. As a team, the Huskers totaled 58 digs on the night with all 11 players charting at least one dig on the score sheet.

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SOCCER: HUSKERS HOST TEXAS, NO. 6 TEXAS A&M TO BEGIN BIG 12 PLAY...

Game 10: Texas (6-1-1) vs. Nebraska (7-2-0)
Date: Sept. 24, 2010
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Location: Nebraska Soccer Field, Lincoln, Neb.
Capacity: 3,500
Series History: UT leads, 10-9
Live Audio: 90.3 KRNU
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Promotion: UNL Student Night (free pizza)

Game 11: #6 Texas A&M (7-2-0) vs. Nebraska (7-2-0)
Date: Sept. 26, 2010
Time: 1 p.m.
Location: Nebraska Soccer Field, Lincoln, Neb.
Capacity: 3,500
Series History: NU leads, 14-11
Live Audio: 90.3 KRNU
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Promotion: Hometown Husker Day (Lincoln)

Following a strong start to the season with a 7-2-0 non-conference record, the Nebraska soccer team moves on to Big 12 play by hosting a pair of tough opponents this week as Texas (6-1-1) and No. 6 Texas A&M (7-2-0) come to Lincoln. The Huskers will meet the Longhorns on Friday afternoon at 4:30 p.m., before taking on the Aggies on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. Live radio broadcasts will be available for both matches by 90.3 KRNU (krnu.unl.edu) in addition to live stats on Huskers.com. Friday will be UNL Student Night, giving the first 200 students free pizza by showing their N-Card. Sunday will mark Lincoln Hometown Husker Day.

Nebraska's 7-2-0 record is its best nine-game start in nearly a decade, as the 2001 team began the season 8-1-0. The Huskers are ranked No. 10 in the NSCAA Central Region and receiving votes in the national top 25 after winning seven of their past eight matches, including wins over Indiana, Arizona and Iowa, while dropping only a road match at No. 25 Arizona State. The challenge will be high this week as the Longhorns are coming off a home upset of No. 10 BYU and are ranked No. 18 by Soccer Times and No. 21 by Soccer America. The Aggies advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 last year and returned 11 starters. Texas A&M's only two losses of the season have come to No. 1 North Carolina and No. 3 Portland. Last season's match-ups against the Big 12 South foes were two of Nebraska's tightest and most exciting games of the season. The Huskers lost a 2-1 nail-biter in Austin by giving up a Texas goal in the 83rd minute, but rebounded two days later to knock off No. 14 Texas A&M in Lincoln, 2-1.

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SOCCER: JACKSON GUIDES HUSKERS TO 3-1 WIN OVER IOWA...(and earns Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week Award)...

Lincoln - Sophomore Jordan Jackson scored two goals to guide Nebraska (7-2-0) to its seventh win in the past eight matches and finish the non-conference slate on a strong note with a 3-1 victory over Iowa (7-2-0) on Sunday afternoon at the Nebraska Soccer Field. The Huskers' 7-2-0 record marks the best nine-game start by NU in nearly a decade, as the 2001 squad began the year 8-1-0. The non-conference finale victory also stopped the Hawkeyes' seven-game winning streak and pushes Nebraska into Big 12 play, which begins this Friday against Texas.

Jackson scored her fourth and fifth goals of the season Sunday afternoon, accounting for the game-winner in the 65th minute off a corner kick from Blair Slapper. The junior sent a perfect ball over the Hawkeye defense to the far post and Jackson elevated to head in her second goal of the match. The aggressive header bounced in front of the goal line and was just out of the reach of Iowa goalkeeper Emily Moran as it went upward to catch the bottom of the cross bar.

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BASEBALL: COLLEGIATE BASEBALL RANKS NEBRASKA RECRUITING CLASS NO. 15...

Nebraska's incoming baseball recruiting class has been ranked No. 15 nationally by Collegiate Baseball in its annual rankings released Tuesday. The rating marks the second straight year the publication has tabbed the Husker recruiting class in the top 15.

The Husker recruiting class is highlighted with talent on the mound, including two pitchers who were drafted in the first 11 rounds of the 2010 MLB Draft.

In-state product Logan Ehlers of Nebraska City will begin his collegiate career this spring after claiming back-to-back state Gatorade Player of the Year honors. At 6-2 and 200 pounds, Ehlers was drafted in the eighth round by the Toronto Blue Jays. The left-hander finished his prep career with a 8-2 record with a 0.27 earned-run average in 2010 while striking out 186 batters. As a junior, Ehlers was a perfect 10-0 on the mound with a 0.20 earned-run average, as he fanned 161 hitters and allowed only nine hits.

Right-handed pitcher Jon Keller, an 11th-round pick by the Seattle Mariners, compiled a 6-2 record with a 1.75 earned-run average as a senior at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Keller struck out 93 hitters in 56 innings and was named the captain of Iowa's Class 4A all-state team. A threat at the plate as well, Keller was his team's cleanup batter and batted a team-best .473 with six home runs and 37 RBIs.

A native of Gunter, Texas, right-hander Brandon Pierce was one of the top pitchers in the Lone Star State at Gunter High School before the Pittsburgh Pirates selected the hurler in the 26th round. Pierce was 39-4 as a starter in his career and struck out 267 hitters with a 1.50 earned-run average over his final two seasons. A two-time first-team all-state selection, Pierce also hit .475 at the plate as a senior with 13 home runs.

Nebraska's 15th-ranked recruiting class trailed only Texas among the Big 12 schools, as the Longhorns were 13th.

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SOFTBALL: HUSKERS HOST WAYNE STATE FRIDAY...

The Nebraska softball team continues its fall exhibition season on Friday, when the Huskers welcome the Wayne State Wildcats to Bowlin Stadium for a doubleheader beginning at 6 p.m. Admission is free to both games.

Nebraska, which also held an informal two-game scrimmage with UNO last week, has high hopes for the upcoming 2011 season. The Huskers return nine starters and all but two letterwinners from last year's squad, which made the program's 15th trip to the NCAA Tournament in the past 16 seasons. The returning experience will be bolstered by some talented newcomers, including a pair of junior college All-Americans in right-hander pitcher Haley Workman and infielder Saige Wright and freshman catcher Taylor Edwards, a first-team high school All-American who was named the nation's top junior in 2009.

Fans unable to attend the free doubleheader can follow all of the action on Huskers.com via live stats. Following the Wayne State doubleheader, Nebraska hits the road for the only time this fall on Sunday, when the Huskers travel to Omaha for a doubleheader with Creighton.

Nebraska concludes its fall season on Saturday, Oct. 2 with an exciting day at Bowlin Stadium. The Huskers will play a pair of games against a collection of all-stars from the National ProFastpitch league, including an expected appearance by Olympian Cat Osterman. In between games, Nebraska will officially retire the No. 42 jersey worn by Peaches James during her All-American career.

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MISSION CHAMBER ORCHESTRA SEASON OPENER...

When times are hard, music is a treasure. We are pleased to bring you another season of great music to enrich your soul - and a bonus.

Our 15th anniversary season - which we've named Our Passion! - opens on Saturday, Sept. 25. Concert time is 7:30 p.m., at Le Petit Trianon, 72 N. Fifth St., San Jose. As usual, parking is plentiful and free across the street, and as usual, refreshments are free, courtesy of Eulipia Restaurant. After the concert, stick around for "Just Between Us," an up-close conversation with Emily Ray and the performers.

We've titled the program "Mozart's Passion," because it ends with Symphony No. 40 in G minor, a work in which refined Classical elegance gives way to emerging Romantic passion. For a loving salute to California communities, Nancy Bloomer Deussen has written Central Coast Concerto for piano and orchestra, and we'll perform its world premiere.

The concert opens with Britten's Simple Symphony, which evolved from the exuberance of youth - first as a piano work (Britten at nine) to an orchestral piece (around 12) to a revised symphonic work (around 23). Also on the program is Andante for Winds by Taneyev, who worked in the period of Russian romanticism and was a lifelong friend of Tchaikovsky. Henry Gorecki's Symphony No. 3 has sold more than a million copies, more than any other recording of a 20th century work since its release in 1992. We'll play his Concerto for Harpsichord (or Piano) and String Orchestra from around 1990.

PROGRAM:

Britten: Simple Symphony
Taneyev: Andante
Bloomer Deussen: Central Coast Concerto, world premiere
Gorecki: Concerto for Piano and Strings
Mozart: Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550

Emily Ray, conductor
Keith Kirchoff, pianist

Evergreen Valley High School Chamber Orchestra, guest performers

Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/emrayconducts.

When: Saturday, Sept. 25. at 7:30 p.m
Where: Le Petit Trianon
72 N. Fifth St., San Jose, CA

The Box Office opens at 6:30pm. We accept only cash and checks at the door

Online, http://www.missionchamber.org/cat_season.php

General Admission: $22, Students and Seniors: $18, Children under 12: $7

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HUSKER HUMOR (from an old Navy (Husker) Squadron mate, call sign Swannie)...


GO BIG RED!!

A first grade teacher in Austin, TX explains to her class that she is a Longhorn fan. She asks her students to raise their hands if they, too, are Longhorn fans. Everyone in the class raises their hand except one little girl...

The teacher looks at the girl with surprise and says, "Janie, why didn't you raise your hand?"

"Because I'm not a Longhorn fan," she replied.

The teacher, still shocked, asked, "Well, if you are not a Longhorn fan, then who are you a fan of?"

"I am a Husker fan," Janie replied.

The teacher could not believe her ears. "Janie, WHY are you a Husker fan?"

"Because my Mom is a Husker fan, my Dad is a Husker fan, so I am a Husker fan; and we all bleed Husker Red!"

"Well" said the teacher, in an obviously annoyed tone, "that is no reason for you to be a Husker fan. You don't have to be just like your parents all the time. What if your Mom was a snotty arrogant jackass and your Dad was a snotty arrogant jackass, what would you be then?"

"Then" Janie smiled,"we'd be Longhorn fans."

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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.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Bay Area Husker ENews 9/16/10

Hey Bay Area Husker Fans!

Thousands of Husker fans across the nation were very disappointed last Saturday when Fox, the cable providers and DirecTV were unable to unscramble their signal to hundreds of sports bars who had paid the $500 PPV fee to watch the game (including our three watch sites). The situation was fixed at most outlets by halftime but many (like Legends in Concord) never did get to watch the game. Enterprising fans and bar owners managed to at least broadcast the audio from the game via Huskers.com over their speaker systems so fans could listen to part of the first half. Unfortunately the first half was the most exciting for the Huskers and the second half was a little disappointing on both sides of the ball for the Big Red. But the offense and defense scored about the same number of points and the Huskers beat a much improved Idaho team 38-17. None of our three main sports bars charged us for the broadcast and it appears DirecTV is providing refunds to anyone that paid the fee. Thanks to all the fans at Jack's who put money in the pitcher for the PPV fund and then allowed us to turn their contribution into a donation to our chapter scholarship fund...you guys are the greatest and you donated just over $500 to the fund! Make sure you write off your contribution on your taxes next April 15th!

The Huskers first away-game of the season brings the team out to the west coast, and Husker fans from all over the country will join our contingent of Bay Area fans as they head north to Seattle to see if we can outnumber another home crowd with a "Red-Out". As the joke goes...look for them on TV, they will be the ones wearing red! I got a couple of good articles from fans about the Husker migration to Seattle and a USA Today article about the Washington quarterback that is a good read.

The Volleyball and Soccer teams are still doing well and are at home this weekend for a couple of matchups...check out their info below for more details.

I've also included some good stuff from the Alumni Association and a little Husker Humor near the end of the email. Enjoy and...

Go Big Red (White and Blue),
Carl

Watch Parties...
Looks like we get a reprieve from PPV for a week as the game this Saturday will be a normal TV broadcast on ABC starting at 12:30 p.m. Pacific Time. As you can see from the broadcast map below, the Washington game will be available in most of the western states (Husker fans in other zones can watch on ESPN2). All five of our watch sites will have the game on at their sports bars, so get there early, grab some lunch and watch the Huskers whoop up on the Huskies with fellow Big Red fans. Hope to see you there. The game against SoDak State on the 25th will be another evening PPV game. More info on that in the article below.
Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN2)


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HUSKERS HEAD TO PACIFIC NORTHWEST THIS WEEKEND...

Nebraska
Record: 2-0
Rankings: Coaches-8; AP-8
Last Game: def. Idaho, 38-17
Coach: Bo Pelini
Career/NU Record:
22-8/3rd year
vs. UW: first meeting
Game 3: Nebraska at Washington
Sept. 18, 2010 | Husky Stadium
Seattle, Wash. | 12:30 p.m. (PDT)

Game Information
Television: ABC
Radio:
Husker Sports Network
Series Record: Tied, 3-3-1
Capacity: 72,500
Surface: Fieldturf

Washington
Record: 1-1
Rankings: Not ranked
Last Game: def. Syracuse, 41-20
Coach: Steve Sarkisian
Career/UW Record:
6-8/2nd year
vs. NU: first meeting

The Matchup
Nebraska takes to the road for the first time in 2010, traveling to Seattle, Wash., to meet the Washington Huskies in a Big 12-Pac-10 showdown. Game time is set for 12:30 p.m. PDT (2:30 CT) at UW's Husky Stadium and the game will be carried to a regional audience on ABC-HD. Those markets not receiving the game on ABC will be able to see the contest on ESPN2.

The Cornhuskers will head to the Pacific Northwest with a 2-0 record after a 38-17 victory over Idaho last Saturday in Lincoln. The win gave NU a 2-0 record for a sixth straight season, but, Nebraska will be looking for just its third 3-0 start since 2004. Nebraska enters the Washington game ranked eighth in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls.

Washington enters Saturday's game with a 1-1 record after a 41-20 victory over Syracuse on Saturday evening in Seattle. The win allowed UW to even its record after a 23-17 road loss at BYU to open the 2010 season.

The Series
Saturday's game will mark the eighth meeting between Nebraska and Washington and the first since 1998. The all-time series is tied 3-3-1, with Nebraska winning each of the previous two meetings in 1997 and 1998. With Nebraska ranked eighth in this week's Associated Press Poll, this marks the fifth straight meeting between the two schools with at least one of the teams ranked in the top eight nationally. In fact, in all four meetings in the 1990s, both teams were ranked 12th or higher. Washington will return to Lincoln next year on Sept. 17.

The Coaches
Nebraska: Bo Pelini (Ohio State, '90) owns a 22-8 record in his third season. Pelini has guided NU to nine or more wins in each of his first two seasons as head coach, joining Bob Devaney, Tom Osborne and Frank Solich in accomplishing that feat. Pelini is the first coach in Big 12 history to guide his team to at least a share of division titles in each of his first two seasons.

Washington: Steve Sarkisian (BYU, '97) is in his second season as the Huskies' head coach and owns a 6-8 record at Washington. Sarkisian was an assistant at USC for seven seasons before taking over the Washington program.

Nebraska Football
Nebraska is 829-341-40 all-time, one of just eight schools with 800 all-time victories  Nebraska has won five national championships (1970, 1971, 1994, 1995, 1997).  The Cornhuskers have won 43 conference championships.  Nebraska's 46 all-time bowl appearances rank fifth nationally.  Since 1970, Nebraska has 395 wins, 26 more than any other school.  Nebraska's 98 football Academic All-Americans lead the nation.  The Huskers have had 107 All-Americans in school history.

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BIG RED ERUPTION...
Lincoln - No. 6 Nebraska showed its explosiveness on both sides of the ball in 38-17 victory over visiting Idaho on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

Playing in front of 85,732 fans in the NCAA-record 306th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium, and an FSN pay-per-view television audience, the Huskers scored 28 unanswered points in a span of just 8:15 in the second quarter to bolt to a 31-0 lead with four minutes left in the first half. Nebraska improved to 2-0 with the victory, while Idaho slipped to 1-1.

Nebraska's scoring explosion came from both sides of the ball, as quarterback Taylor Martinez (67) and I-back Roy Helu Jr. (58) scored on back-to-back runs of more than 55 yards.

After the offensive showed its firepower, the Blackshirt defensive backs got into the action with back-to-back interception returns from DeJon Gomes (40) and Rickey Thenarse (47) for touchdowns, each covering at least 40 yards.

Nebraska's four consecutive scoring plays of 40 or more yards marked the first time since a 73-21 win over Oklahoma in Norman on Nov. 2, 1996, that the Big Red scored on four plays of 40 or more yards in the same game - let alone the same quarter.

The 31-point cushion was more than enough for a Blackshirt defense that intercepted five passes and recovered a fumble on the afternoon.

The Blackshirts held a high-powered Idaho offense to just 279 total yards, while the NU offense rolled up 471 total yards, including 360 rushing yards on 41 carries. It was NU's highest rushing total since a season-opening win over Nevada in 2007.

Martinez, whose 67-yard touchdown run with 12:15 left in the second quarter started Nebraska's outburst, led the high-powered Husker ground game with 157 yards and two touchdowns on just 14 carries. It was the second straight 100-yard rushing effort by the redshirt freshman quarterback. The Corona, Calif., native opened his career a 127-yard effort on just seven carries in a season-opening win over Western Kentucky last week.

Martinez's 67-yard touchdown run was the longest run ever by a Husker freshman quarterback, surpassing a 59-yard run by former NU Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch against UAB in 1998.

Martinez was joined across the century mark by Helu, who rushed for 107 yards on just nine carries, including his 57-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Martinez and Helu became the first NU duo to rush for 100 yards in the same game since Cody Glenn and Brandon Jackson accomplished the feat against Iowa State on Oct. 7, 2006. It was the 66th double-100-yard game in Nebraska football history.

Sophomore I-back Rex Burkhead nearly gave the Huskers a third back in the 100-yard club, rushing for 77 yards on just nine carries.

Defensively, Gomes led the Huskers with 10 tackles and a pass breakup, while starting Nebraska's defensive onslaught with his 40-yard interception return for a score. Thenarse then took a 47-yard interception return of his own to paydirt on Idaho's next drive to cap the Huskers' second-quarter eruption.

For the day, Nebraska intercepted five passes and recovered one fumble, while registering seven sacks for 80 yards lost. Defensive tackle Jared Crick notched six total tackles, including 2.5 sacks for 30 yards lost among his four tackles for 32 yards lost. Fellow defensive tackle Baker Steinkuhler added 1.5 sacks for 14 yards lost, while Terrence Moore, Lavonte David and Pierre Allen each recorded sacks for the Huskers.

North Platte, Neb., native Nathan Enderle completed 16-of-31 passes for 141 yards as Idaho's starting quarterback. Enderle threw all five of Idaho's interceptions and was sacked five times. Daniel Hardy led the Vandal receivers with five catches for 75 yards, while Deonte' Jackson led Idaho's ground game with 11 carries for 67 yards.

Nebraska takes to the road for the first time next Saturday, when the Huskers travel to Seattle to battle Washington. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. (central) with an ABC telecast.

Scoring Summary
Final: Nebraska 38, Idaho 17

First Quarter (NU, 3-0)
NU - 7:40 - Alex Henery 24 FG - 14 plays, 60 yards, 5:30, NU 3-0

Second Quarter (NU, 31-0)
NU - 12:15 - Taylor Martinez 67 run (Henery kick) - 5 plays, 87 yards, 2:39, NU 10-0
NU - 8:22 - Roy Helu Jr. 58 run (Henery kick) - 1 play, 58 yards, 0:09, NU 17-0
NU - 6:07 - DeJon Gomes 40 INT return (Henery kick), NU 24-0
NU - 4:00 - Ricky Thenarse 47 INT return (Henery kick), NU 31-0
IDAHO - 0:00 - Trey Farquhar 34 FG, 12 plays, 60 yards, 3:55, NU 31-3

Third Quarter (NU, 38-10)
IDAHO - 5:23 - Michael LaGrone 2 pass from Nathan Enderle (Farquhar kick) - 3 plays, 12 yards, 1:08, NU 31-10
NU - 1:22 - Martinez 20 run (Henery kick) - 9 plays, 73, 3:55, NU 38-10

Fourth Quarter (NU 38-17)
IDAHO - 2:31 - Armauni Johnson 19 pass from Brian Reader (Farquhar kick) - 10 plays, 98 yards, 3:48, NU 38-17

Final: Nebraska 38, Idaho 10
Attendance: 85,732
Time of Game: 2:57

Game 2...Nebraska 38, Idaho 17

*-Nebraska improved to 2-0, marking the sixth straight year Nebraska has started 2-0. The Huskers improved to 22-1 all-time against WAC opponents, including 21 straight victories. The win was also NU's 500th all-time home victory.
*-Nebraska redshirt freshman quarterback Taylor Martinez rushed 14 times for 157 yards and two touchdowns. The 157 rushing yards tied for the fifth-most ever by a Nebraska freshman. It also tied for the 10th-most by a Nebraska quarterback. Martinez opened the year with 127 rushing yards against Western Kentucky.

*-Martinez's back-to-back 100-yard rushing games are the first for a Nebraska quarterback since Jammal Lord rushed for more than 100 yards against in back-to-back 2003 games against Missouri (111) and Texas A&M (109).

*-Martinez had a 67-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, marking the longest run by a Nebraska quarterback since Eric Crouch had a 70-yard run at Colorado in 2001. It was also the longest run by any Husker since Cory Ross had an 86-yard touchdown run against Missouri in 2004.

*-Senior I-back Roy Helu Jr. rushed for 107 yards on nine carries, including a 58-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Helu's 58-yard run was his longest since his career-long 63-yarder last season against Oklahoma. Helu's 107 yards pushed his career total to 2,295 yards, moving him to No. 18 on NU's career rushing list. Helu Jr. passed Bobby Reynolds, Doug DuBose and Jeff Kinney on the career chart. Helu Jr. posted his eighth career 100-yard rushing game.

*-Sophomore I-back Rex Burkhead rushed for 77 yards on nine carries. Burkhead has 134 yards on just 14 carries through two games. He also caught three passes for 41 yards to give him five receptions for 88 yards on the season.

*-Nebraska rushed for 360 yards, after opening the year with 289 rushing yards against Western Kentucky. It was NU's highest rushing total since amassing 413 yards in a 2007 season-opening win over Nevada. The back-to-back 250-plus yard rushing games marked the first time NU has topped 250 yards on the ground in consecutive games since opening 2006 with 252 rushing yards against Louisiana Tech and 261 against Nicholls State.

*-With both Martinez and Helu Jr. topping 100 yards rushing, it marked the first time since Oct. 7, 2006 at Iowa State that Nebraska had a pair of 100-yard rushers. Both Brandon Jackson and Cody Glenn topped 100 yards on the ground in that game. The Idaho contest marked the 66th time in school history NU has had two 100-yard rushers in a game.

*-Nebraska had four scoring plays of 40 yards or more, all coming in the second quarter. The last time Nebraska had four scoring plays of 40 yards or more came at Oklahoma on Nov. 2, 1996. Nebraska had scoring passes of 41 and 51 yards in that game, along with an 83-yard interception return and an 85-yard kickoff return.

*-Senior place-kicker Alex Henery had eight points in the game, making him the fifth Husker to top 300 career points. Henery now has 304 career points.

*-Nebraska intercepted two passes for a touchdown in the second quarter, tying the school record for interception returns in a game. The game marked the sixth time in school history NU had returned two interceptions for a touchdown in a game, and the first since a win over Wake Forest in 2005. It marked the first time in school history NU had two interception returns for a touchdown in a quarter or a half. In the Wake Forest win in 2005, Nebraska did score a pair of defensive touchdowns in the first quarter, scoring on an interception return and a fumble return.

*-Nebraska senior safety DeJon Gomes' 40-yard interception return for a touchdown was his first career INT return for a score. Gomes' 40-yard return tied his previous long of 40 yards at Missouri last season. Gomes has had a hand in nine turnovers in Nebraska's past 12 games, including a fumble caused in the opener against Western Kentucky.

*-Nebraska senior safety Rickey Thenarse had a 47-yard interception return for a touchdown, his third career interception and his first career interception for a touchdown.

*-Nebraska intercepted five passes, marking the fourth time in the past seven games Nebraska had at least three interceptions in a game. Nebraska also had five interceptions last season against Oklahoma.

*-Senior receiver Niles Paul caught four passes for 31 yards, moving him into 10th place on the Nebraska career receptions list at 73. Paul also moved within 19 yards of the top 10 on the Nebraska career receiving yardage list.

*-Nebraska recorded seven sacks for 80 yards lost, its most sacks since recording nine for 52 yards against Texas in the 2009 Big 12 Championship Game.

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NEBRASKA-SDSU GAME TO BE TELEVISED ON PAY-PER-VIEW...

The University of Nebraska and Fox Sports Midwest have announced that the Sept. 25 Nebraska contest with South Dakota State in Lincoln will be televised on a pay-per-view basis. The telecast will begin at 4 p.m. PDT.

The telecast will be available on participating cable systems in Nebraska as well as nationally on participating satellite and telco systems. Suggested retail price for the telecasts is $39.95 and full ordering details will be available in the next few days. The game is being televised on a pay-per-view basis because it was not selected for over-the-air broadcast or cable television coverage.

In addition to the South Dakota State game, game times and television information are known for three other upcoming Nebraska games. This week's game at Washington will be shown regionally on ABC with kickoff set for 12:30 p.m. PT. Those markets not seeing the game on their ABC affiliate will be able to watch the game on ESPN2. NU's Big 12 opener at Kansas State on Thursday, Oct. 7 will be a 4:30 p.m. (PDT) kickoff on ESPN, and the regular-season finale against Colorado will be televised nationally by ABC with a 12:30 p.m. PT kick.

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SECONDARY PREPARES FOR WASHINGTON OFFENSE...

Lincoln - The Nebraska football team crossed the midpoint of the week with a two-hour workout inside the Hawks Championship Center and on the Ed and Joyanne Gass Practice Fields on Wednesday afternoon.

The headline challenge for this week's road test at Washington is containing Huskie quarterback Jake Locker, a fourth-year starter who has thrown for over 5,300 yards during his career. Locker's talent will challenge a Nebraska secondary that had five interceptions in last week's win over Idaho.

"He (Locker) does a lot of things good," secondary coach Marvin Sanders said. "There's a reason people think he's the top rated quarterback in college football. He can do a lot of things with his arm, but he can also hurt you with his feet. With a quarterback as accurate as he is, they will try you deep, they'll try you short. They will do a whole bunch of things that pose challenges."

Four of Locker's five touchdown passes this season have gone to wide receiver Jermaine Kearse, including three scores in last weekend's victory over Syracuse. Sanders said they tough test of facing Locker and Kearse will not change the NU defense's goal to attack.

"That's our goal every week," Sanders said. "If we have an opportunity, we want to take advantage of those opportunities that are presented to us. Whether or not those opportunities come, we won't know until Saturday."

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VOLLEYBALL:  HUSKERS ESCAPE WITH WIN OVER NO. 11 IOWA STATE...

Ames, Iowa - Playing in front of a hostile crowd at Ames High School, the No. 4 Nebraska volleyball team stayed a perfect 11-0 under Head Coach John Cook in Big 12 openers with a 3-1 win over the No. 11 Iowa State Cyclones (25-22, 24-26, 25-23, 28-26). Previously scheduled to be played at Hilton Coliseum, the match was moved to Ames High School due to water damage from a flood in August.

Lindsey Licht carried the Huskers with 15 kills and seven blocks, while Brooke Delano had seven kills and seven blocks while Tara Mueller added her third double-double of the season with 10 kills and 11 digs.

Sydney Anderson and Lauren Cook continued to drive the Husker attack with 26 assists apiece, as three Huskers totaled double-digits kills.

The Huskers will now prepare for their Big 12 home opener against Colorado on Saturday at the NU Coliseum. Set for 7 p.m. (CT), the match will be carried across the state on NET and will be available everywhere else for free on Huskers.com. Fans also can listen to all of the action with John Baylor and Diane Mendenhall on the 25-station Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Twister 93.3 FM in Omaha. Fans outside the state will also be able to catch the live audio feed for free on Huskers.com.

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VOLLEYBALL:  BIG 12 HONORS DELANO AND BANWARTH...

Lincoln - The Nebraska volleyball team took two of the three weekly Big 12 honors on Monday, as junior Brooke Delano was name Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week and senior Kayla Banwarth was tabbed as the Defensive Player of the week.
The two Huskers were honored after Nebraska posted a perfect 3-0 record this weekend at the Ameritas Players Challenge, including wins over No. 20 Dayton and a thrilling five-set comeback win over No. 3 Illinois.

Delano shined for the Huskers all weekend, as she was named the tournament's MVP. The Bellevue, Neb., native led Nebraska's offensive attack in all three matches, hitting over .400 each match. For the tournament, she totaled 40 kills on 68 swings to hitting .529.

Delano's biggest match came against the Fighting Illini, when she put away a career best 15 kills on 32 swings and also totaled eight blocks.

Banwarth continued to pilot the Husker defense as she was named the all-tournament libero, after being honored as the MVP of the BYU Nike Invitational a week ago.

Banwarth was the match-leader in digs in all three of her matches, as she accumulated 65 digs in 12 sets. Along with 22 digs against Illinois, she added two assists and chipped in an ace

Nebraska has now earned three Big 12 Player of the Week honors in 2010 after Lindsey Licht was honored in week one with the league's offensive award.

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SOCCER:  NEBRASKA RETURNS HOME TO CONCLUDE NON-CONFERENCE PLAY...

Game 8: Cal State Fullerton (2-4-0) at Nebraska (5-2-0)
Date: Friday, Sept. 17, 2010
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: Nebraska Soccer Field, Lincoln, Neb.
Live Audio: 90.3 KRNU
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Promotion: UNL Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day

Game 9: Iowa (6-1-0) at Nebraska (5-2-0)
Date: Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010
Time: 1 p.m.
Location: Nebraska Soccer Field, Lincoln, Neb.
Live Audio: 90.3 KRNU
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Promotion: Hometown Husker Day (Omaha)

The Husker soccer team returns to the friendly confines of the Nebraska Soccer Field this week when it hosts Cal State Fullerton and Iowa to wrap up non-conference play. The Big Red has not lost at home in the past 15 matches and will look to keep that streak alive Friday at 5 p.m. against the Titans, before meeting the Hawkeyes on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. Live radio broadcasts will be available for both matches by 90.3 KRNU (krnu.unl.edu) in addition to live stats on Huskers.com.

Nebraska brings a 5-2-0 record into this week after splitting matches against Arizona and No. 25 Arizona State last week in Tempe. The Huskers had won five in a row before falling to the ranked Sun Devils and will aim to get back on the winning track in a four-game homestand over the next two weeks. Cal State Fullerton (2-4-0) will be the first California school NU has faced since 2008 and will be UNL Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day at the Nebraska Soccer Field, giving free admission, popcorn and a drink to UNL faculty and staff. Sunday will be a preview of future Big Ten opponents when Nebraska faces Iowa (6-1-0), who is currently riding a six-game winning streak. It will also be Omaha Hometown Husker Day, as NU will honor the city's eight players on the 2010 roster.

Sophmore Morgan Marlborough enters this week tied for the Big 12 Conference scoring lead with 13 points. Along with Texas A&M's Alyssa Mautz, Marlborough's total has come on five goals and three assists. Her most recent goal in last Friday's win over Arizona was the 26th of her career, putting the Lee's Summit, Mo., native into a tie for 10th place on Nebraska's all-time goal chart. Former Husker Christine Latham (1999-2002) holds the school record with 69 career goals. Marlborough could ascend quickly through the next three players on the list, as Nikki Baker (2002-04) is seventh with 30 career goals.

Nebraska remains at home following this weekend, as the Huskers begin Big 12 Conference action against Texas and No. 6 Texas A&M. The Huskers and Longhorns square off Friday, Sept. 24 at 4:30 p.m., while the defending Big 12 champion Aggies meet NU on Sunday, Sept. 26 at 1 p.m.

Huskers Carry Nation's Seventh-Longest Home Unbeaten Streak

Nebraska currently has the nation's seventh-longest home unbeaten streak, carrying a 13-0-2 record since its last loss at the Nebraska Soccer Field, a 2-1 setback to No. 15 Colorado on Oct. 17, 2008. During that span, NU compiled a 9-0-2 record in 2009 that was the best home record since the 2001 Huskers went 12-0-0 at the Abbott Sports Complex. Since moving on campus in 2005, Nebraska has won 74 percent (41-11-10) of its home matches. Last season's home success included a 2-1 upset of No. 14 Texas A&M, while the two ties came against Arizona State and Baylor. The Huskers scored at least two goals in 9-of-11 home matches and a combined 29 goals in the first four games.

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RED'S BIG - EVEN IN SEATTLE...

By David Hendee WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
Posted: 09/15/2010 3:32 PM

















SEATTLE - A Big Red tide is about to wash across car-congested, caffeine-crazed Seattle.

The first Nebraska football fans flooding into this Pacific Northwest seaport arrive Wednesday for the weekend game with Washington. The trickle will build to a surge by Saturday, when an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 red-clad Nebraska fans pour into Husky Stadium.

The reinforcements will be greeted warmly by several hundred Huskers - true believers who have kept the embers of the faith burning in this damp, cool region since NU's win at Washington during the 1997 national championship season.

These transplanted Nebraskans call themselves the Washington Cornhuskers. They are a group of alumni and friends of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and they have been working on plans to paint Seattle red since the game was scheduled 3 1/2 years ago.

"The response has been overwhelming,'' said Jason Grotelueschen of West Seattle, past president of the Washington Cornhuskers. "I've been fielding questions and requests for tickets since 2007.''

The Nebraska Alumni Association's 450 tickets and tour packages sold out in July, earlier than any previous migration game, said Diane Mendenhall, the group's executive director.

Interest has intensified because of Nebraska's strong finish last year, with a Holiday Bowl shutout over Arizona, and because Washington quarterback Jake Locker is a top-rated pro prospect.

"It's a big game,'' said Grotelueschen, a 1998 UNL graduate who grew up on a farm near Columbus, Neb. He is a website manager for Microsoft Corp.

Visiting fans will be wined and dined.

The Washington Cornhuskers arranged a "Nebraska Night'' at a Seattle Mariners baseball game, tee times at a public golf course with scenic views of the Space Needle and downtown skyline, a walking tour of historic Seattle, restaurant discounts and a variety of pre- and post-game events for visiting fans.

These Husker fans in a foreign land even licensed a Washington winery to sell a line of red and white table wines with a souvenir "Battle in Seattle'' label. The label features a Jeff Koterba cartoon of a big red N flag flying from the top of the Space Needle. Koterba is The World-Herald's editorial cartoonist.

The Seattle-based Husker organization - with about 225 households as members - is among the most active of the Nebraska Alumni Association's 63 chapters.

The group started in the 1970s, when a group of faithful NU alumni and fans gathered to watch the few nationally televised Husker football games each year. Now two football watch sites in the Seattle metropolitan area attract hundreds of Husker fans every game day for pay-for-view or network broadcasts. Thousands more listen to radio broadcasts.

"They fill us to the brim,'' said Mike Heelan, who operates O'Blarney's Irish Pub in Olympia, Wash.

"Washington is about the worst place to live if you own a sports bar,'' Heelan said. "The Mariners are miserable. The football team (Seattle Seahawks) is bottom-tier. The basketball team (Seattle SuperSonics) left town for Oklahoma. The Huskies were 4-5 last year in the Pac-10. Our biggest fan base is the Huskers.''

Heelan - whose parents, John and Eileen Heelan, are from Valentine, Neb. - said he quickly learned to admire Nebraska fans.

"They get here early. They watch every down,'' he said. "They don't leave when the team runs the score up or in the fourth quarter, whether it's close or not. I've never seen such loyalty to a football team.''

Nearly 300 Nebraska fans pushed the fire code occupancy limit at the area's other watch site - the Lucky 7 in Kirkland, Wash. - during a broadcast of the season-opening victory over Western Kentucky.

The sports bars tug at something deep in displaced Nebraskans.

"When I'm there, I'm around people from home,'' said Jim Burkhardt of Everett, Wash. Burkhardt, vice president of the Washington Cornhuskers, grew up in Grand Island and worked as a law enforcement officer in Minden and Fremont. He is a special agent for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and flies an N flag from a 20-foot pole in his front yard.

"When you live in Nebraska, you don't think much about the quality of people in Nebraska, but when you move away, you realize how true that is,'' Burkhardt said. "It's just like being back home.''

John Utecht, a medical helicopter pilot from Normandy Park, Wash., moved to the Seattle area in 1988. Utecht grew up in Lincoln and was a student manager for the Lincoln Southeast High School football team coached by Frank Solich, before Solich joined the NU staff.

A few years after arriving in Washington, Utecht noticed in the newspaper that a local radio station was broadcasting Nebraska games. He tuned in and heard a radio advertisement that a local sports bar featured televised Nebraska games. Utecht showed up the next week.

"I walked in and saw all this red,'' he said. "Oh, my gosh, I thought, this is where I need to be. ''

Now Utecht helps the Washington Cornhuskers raise money by raffling Husker football memorabilia at one of the sports bars during games.

During the season opener, all but one of the 20 televisions at the Lucky 7 were tuned to the Nebraska game. One screen above the bar featured the Washington loss at Brigham Young. Husker banners hang from the wall. Servers wear Husker shirts.

"We bring him a lot of business,'' Burkhardt said.

The sports bars flourish during Nebraska games, even though the Washington Cornhuskers have arranged Husker Sports Network radio broadcasts of all regular-season football matchups over a local station, KKNW (1150 AM).

The Washington Cornhuskers group pays about $18,000 a season to the radio station to broadcast the games, recouping the money by selling advertising to local and Nebraska-based businesses and individuals, most with Nebraska roots.

Among them are Jeff and Tricia Raikes and their Alderbrook Resort & Spa in Union, Wash. Raikes is from Ashland, Neb., and is a retired Microsoft executive. He now is chief executive of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Other sponsors include Dick (Schuyler, Neb.) and Helen (Curtis, Neb.) Asche, owners of Bremerton, Kitsap Airporter Shuttle, and Irene Bjorklund (Greeley, Neb.), an owner of T-Bar Construction Co.

Max and Jeannette McLean of McLean Beef near Benedict, Neb., have advertised their mail-order meat business during the broadcasts in Seattle.

For Saturday's game, the Washington Cornhuskers improvised to scrape together tickets. Some members had spouses or friends with seniority in the Washington alumni association, and the Huskies fans placed orders for more than 400 tickets on behalf of their Nebraska friends. The Washington Cornhuskers then sold the tickets to the group's members.

"They were gone in 48 hours,'' Burkhardt said.

The Washington Cornhuskers take their game off the football field, too.

The group participates in local food drives. It also sponsors golf tournaments, taste-of-Nebraska dinners - shipping in frozen, half-baked Valentino's pizzas and serving Dorothy Lynch salad dressing - and other activities to raise money for scholarships for Washington students attending UNL. The current recipient is Maddy Grahn of Kent, Wash., a junior majoring in nutritional science and dietetics.

Utecht, whose Ford Expedition carries "HUSKERS" license plates, said the Washington Cornhuskers organization gives far-away Husker fans a link to their roots.

"This is the time of year I want to wear red and be with like-minded people.''

Contact the writer:
444-1127, david.hendee@owh.com

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Dogged Husky: Washington's Locker has done it all but win

By Steve Wieberg, USA TODAY
SEATTLE — Whatever else Jake Locker has going for him — and the list is a lengthy one — he could stand some better timing.
Washington football was in all its mid-1990s, top-of-the-polls glory when he was growing up in small-town Ferndale, Wash., just shy of the Canadian border. A storied schoolboy quarterback, Locker could have gone and played almost anywhere but chose to stay home and be a part of a U-Dub program that, as it turned out, was free-falling. Two years after he arrived in 2006, the Huskies went winless.

Top 25: The latest USA TODAY Coaches Poll

They're no longer as bad but still far from a powerhouse, and Locker takes an unseemly 9-21 career record as a starter into Saturday's game against No. 8 Nebraska.

"Yeah, it's frustrating. It's hard," he says. "Nothing matters but winning football games."

It hasn't obscured the big right arm — or the mobility, the stunning overall athleticism and 100-yard-long competitive streak — that by some accounts make the fifth-year senior the potential top overall pick in next year's NFL draft. Washington coach Steve Sarkisian can tick off a succession of gifted quarterbacks who came through his watch while he was an offensive assistant and coordinator at Southern California. Carson Palmer. Matt Leinart. Mark Sanchez. And he says Locker is every bit their equal or better.

But a .300 winning percentage is … well, an imperfection the NFL talent evaluators may not be able to ignore. Not at his position on the field. Not when the stakes that far up in the draft are so high.

Twenty-eight quarterbacks have gone in the first round of the draft since 2000. Only five had losing records as college starters, and the names aren't particularly reassuring: Patrick Ramsey, Kyle Boller, J.P. Losman, Jay Cutler and Josh Freeman.

The eight QBs who were overall No. 1s in that time, from Michael Vick in 2001 to Sam Bradford this year, were a combined 189-58 in their college starts.

"It's a barometer," says former Dallas Cowboys personnel director Gil Brandt, now an analyst for NFL.com. "I don't think (in Locker's case) there's any question that'll be a consideration."

Brandt loves Locker's arm and 6-3, 228-pound build, he says, and puts his toughness and competitiveness on a par with Tim Tebow's. Like Tebow, Locker also can factor into the running game. But Brandt cautions that his pre-Sarkisian time at Washington did little to hone his passing mechanics.

Locker needs a little more touch on his throws. A 54% career passer, he could stand to show more accuracy — and has thus far this season, connecting on 60% of his attempts.

"If you're evaluating what you have seen, I don't think you can say he's the top guy right now," Brandt says. "If you're evaluating on potential, then I think you could say he's the top guy. But as you know, sometimes guys with potential never reach that potential

"This is going to have to be a very strongly studied player for you to take him No. 1 overall. You're going to have to have a lot of conviction."

Sarkisian, settling into his second season at Washington, sniffs at the doubts.

Press him, and he'll tell you that Palmer, now the cornerstone of the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals, was the most talented in USC's line of premier quarterbacks. Compared with Locker, "Carson might have been a little better pure, pure thrower," he says. "But Jake is a better pure, pure athlete. This guy has the ability to make some plays that a lot of guys can't."

The comparisons Locker has heard since high school are with John Elway. They embarrasses him — "I don't think I can gain anything from it," he says — but note this about the two-time Super Bowl winner and pro Hall of Famer: Elway barely had one winning season at Stanford, at 6-5 in 1980, and left with a four-year record of 20-23.

He made a decent pro.

Locker, coming off a 22-for-33, 289-yard, four-touchdown performance in a 41-20 win vs. Syracuse, "can beat you in a lot of different ways, hurt you in a lot of different ways," Nebraska coach Bo Pelini says. "Somebody who's as athletic as he is and still can throw the way he can, that's unusual these days. He presents a lot of problems."

It has long run in the family. Locker's grandfather, Hugh, starred in football in high school in Ballard, Wash., and his dad, Scott, was a running back and backup quarterback at Division II Western Washington. Three uncles played there, too.

Most everybody in the clan has stayed close to Ferndale, a city of about 11,000 that revolves around farming and two local oil refineries. Locker, who shares a house near Washington's campus with four roommates and his chocolate Labrador, Ten (Locker's jersey number), says he'll also make his way back someday.

"You went to the store and knew everybody there. You could walk to school, I could ride to my buddy's house on my bike, and my parents didn't have to worry about it. It's very safe, very comforting," he says. "That's where I want to live and raise my family."

It's where he retreated to mull his future earlier this year. The 2010 draft loomed. There was talk of Locker going first. He sought and got an NFL evaluation of his prospects, but says he still doesn't know how it reads. He hasn't opened it.

He made up his mind to return for his senior season with the Huskies after a country-roads drive and conversation with his dad.

"He said, 'Make a decision that, when you're my age (45), you're not going to regret. You want look back and go: What if I had done this? What might I have been able to do?' " Locker says.

"I really thought about that. I won't ever have the opportunity to come back and play college football again. It's an amazing sport. You still get some of that school atmosphere, having school pride and school spirit, but it's on an NFL scale. I think it's the best of both worlds. … And to be part of it for one more year, especially with a team like this, a coaching staff like this and the opportunities we have in front of us, I didn't want to miss out on that."

Locker has come back from a broken thumb and surgery on his throwing hand that prematurely ended his sophomore season — he had pins removed this spring — and now sits near the top of Washington's record book in all passing and total offense categories.

You still won't find him ranked among the nation's 30 most efficient passers or even among the top five in the Pacific 10 Conference (he's 28th overall and sixth in the Pac-10, due in part to a still-modest completion rate). But every additional day with Sarkisian, himself a former standout quarterback and Brigham Young, and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier is a valuable one. Locker is taking on polish and precision.

"For the first time now, we're seeing guys around him making plays," Sarkisian says. "That's what really great quarterbacks have the ability to do, get the ball to playmakers accurately and on time so they can make plays for you. … We're seeing (receivers) Jermaine Kearse and Devin Aguilar and (running back) Chris Polk make big plays, explosive plays, because they're getting the ball in space."

"Probably the greatest thing to ever happen to him," Brandt says, "was hiring Sarkisian. He's pretty good at teaching quarterbacks. I think we found that out."

Locker had options, and still does, beyond the NFL. He was both Washington's high school 3A football and baseball player of the year at Ferndale. A strong-armed center fielder, he was drafted by baseball's Los Angeles Angels out of high school and again in June 2009, finally signing with them with the full understanding that he was keeping both feet in football.

The Angels are willing to wait, paying their 10th-round pick a reported $250,000 signing bonus — "that's pretty accurate," Locker says — over the six years they hold his rights (through 2015). NCAA rules allow players who are pro in one sport to maintain college eligibility in another.

The Angels also are covering Locker's final-year scholarship costs at Washington, technically making him a celebrated walk-on.

It seems a long-odds gamble for the three-time defending American League West champions. Barring injury, Locker's immediate future in football seems secure. And that's where his heart remains.

"It's the ultimate team game," he says. "In baseball, you can have a pitcher who's 'on' and it's him against every hitter. Nobody in the field has to do anything on a particular play. That's not the case in football. You can't have a lineman miss a block and be successful all the time.

"You do have great athletes who can turn broken plays into good plays every once in awhile. But time in and time out, you have to be sound at every position to have success and be consistently good."

He's 9-21 at Washington. He speaks from experience

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BLEACHER REPORT: WILL THE HUSKERS BE ON UPSET ALERT AGAINST THE HUSKIES??

http://bleacherreport.com/nebraska-cornhuskers-football
And check out the other articles they have about the game this weekend!

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FOR OLDEST WALK-ON IN NEBRASKA HISTORY, FAHIE KNOWS WHY ITS NOT ABOUT ME...
Rany York's N-Sider (parts of the article were edited for space)

There truly is no place like Nebraska.
How else do you explain the decision to have the oldest walk-on in Husker history lead the football team out of its famous Tunnel Walk on the ninth anniversary of 9/11?


Meet Tyrone Fahie, a 6-3, 255-pound senior defensive end from Virginia Beach, Va. The son of Floyd and Dafney Fahie (pronounced Foy) was born in the nation's capital and will be 28 years old three days after Nebraska completes its non-conference schedule.

Hardly a household name, perhaps because he's only played in one game in four years, Fahey was nevertheless the team's choice to lead the 6th and 7th-ranked Huskers into battle against Idaho Saturday.

When Memorial Stadium's hallowed gates swung open, shortly after two WWII planes flew over, there was Fahie, flanked by two police officers and two firefighters, all five carrying American flags. It was quite a sight to see a Nebraska football uniform in the midst of this nation's real heroes in uniform (military, police officers and firefighters).

It was also an appropriate sight.because no one is prouder to wear a Big Red uniform than Fahie, who spent six years in the U.S. Navy and was deployed twice to the battlefields of Iraq.

One experience heavily influenced the other. Going from a battlefield that means life or death to another that means winning or losing makes Fahie one of the most unique walk-on stories in Nebraska history.

Know up front that he enlisted in the Navy at age 17 after getting his high school diploma, and understand that he didn't play a down of football during his last three years of high school.

Memorial Stadium All About Sacrifice, Freedom
"Every time we step inside Memorial Stadium, it reminds us of the freedoms we enjoy and the sacrifices others have made," Fahie said, adding that "We should never take for granted what police officers and firefighters do. They put their lives on the line every day, too. just like the military."

In other words, they all know why "It's not about me."

Now, hopefully, you know that, too.

For the full article go to Huskers.com

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NEW STUDENT LIFE COMPLEX DEDICATED, THEN PRAISED AS A RECRUITING ADVANTAGE...
Nebraska's new Student Life Complex was formally dedicated Friday night to commemorate 50,000 square feet of a renovated West Stadium that will more fully serve the academic needs of 600 Husker student-athletes in 23 varsity sports.
Six sets of scissors were needed to cut pieces from a long red ribbon that now houses the Lewis Training Table, the DJ Sokol Enrichment Center, the Scott Technology Center, the Papik Compliance Center, the Hewit Academic Center and the Abbott Life Skills Center.

Nebraska Athletic Donors David and Peggy Sokol attended the dedication ceremony to unveil the Enrichment Center that is named in their son's honor. Soon afterwards, they attended another banquet Friday night, where they were honored as recipients of the Clarence E. Swanson Meritorious Service Award at the 2010 Nebraska Football Hall of Fame Induction Dinner.

David Sokol saw enough of the $8.7 million Student Life Complex to declare it a recruiting advantage for Nebraska as the Huskers prepare to finish their last year in the Big 12 Conference.

"This is classic Nebraska," Sokol said. "I've been to other universities, and they don't have what we have here. This has been built like a large living room where student-athletes can enjoy their home away from home. The others I've seen are more cafeteria style and don't have the personality this place has."

The Secret to Nebraska's Success: Centralization

That's not all. Unlike Nebraska, which has centralized student-life needs in one major area, others have scattered their facilities, causing student-athletes to spend more time getting to and from the facilities.

"I've been to two Big Ten facilities," Sokol said. "One of them is a great facility, but it's not like this. A couple of athletes told me that the campus is so huge, they can spend two hours a day getting back and forth to the places they need to be.

"You only have a limited amount of time to study and work and practice," Sokol said. "Two hours are a long time. Most student-athletes struggle to get enough sleep."

That's not the case at Nebraska, where the expanded Student Life Complex gives student-athletes one central hub to eat, study, practice and connect quickly to their classes on campus.

Sokol praised the vision of Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne to transform existing space beneath the stadium for a state-of-the-art Student Life Complex.

"Actually, in a way, this is a bizarre place to use," Sokol said, "yet it's the perfect place to make that living room type of environment."

Four members of Nebraska's Board of Regents agreed with Sokol after attending the dedication ceremony.

New Complex Amazes Chairman of the Regents

"It's incredible, amazing even. I'm just in awe of what they've been able to do with this space to serve the student-athletes," said Bob Phares, chairman of the Regents. "It's beautiful, and these student-athletes appreciate it."

Regent Jim McClurg thought injured Nebraska linebacker Sean Fisher and Nebraska women's basketball guard Dominique Kelley "communicated articulately why this complex is so important. They have a fundamental understanding of what this is all about."

McClurg said that Nebraska student-athletes understand the discipline required and the sacrifices they have to make to excel both athletically and academically. "Student-athletes and prospective student athletes and their parents can't help but get excited when they see this," McClurg said. "I'll tell you, it has an effect on you because it just feels so good to be in here. I look up at the diploma that's wallpapered on the wall, and it's Ndamukong Suh's diploma. I really do think this place will enhance recruiting. It will help us get the kind of kids we want to compete here, study here and succeed here."

Bob Whitehouse, vice-chairman of the Regents, said he saw the "wow factor" the minute he walked into the complex. "It says 'This is Nebraska' and all I can say is how proud can we be, and how exciting can this be to young athletes who will study in this role model type of atmosphere? I can't see how anybody could walk through this and not say Nebraska is a gem academically because we're willing to help these young athletes in every possible way."

Osborne told donors and staff members attending the dedication that Nebraska's tradition of academic excellence had "something to do with our attractiveness to the Big Ten."

Nebraska's athletic director also said the Huskers have come a long way since Bob Devaney earmarked $500,000 from Nebraska's appearance in the Kickoff Classic against Penn State to build its first academic center a quarter century ago.

Doc Sadler: The Proof is in the Academic Stats

Doc Sadler, Nebraska men's head basketball coach, said "having everything you need right here in one place" is a huge recruiting advantage. "All people have to do is look at the success we've had," he said. "Numbers don't lie. We are the best in the country at producing Academic All-Americans. We are the best in the country in our graduation rates. I had a recruit in here yesterday. He spent four hours in this facility, and I can't even tell you what his parents thought. They were speechless."

Regent Tim Clare said the new facility underscores the commitment Nebraska makes to its student-athletes.

"We're interested in what young men and women do after they put the ball away or run their last race or whatever," Clare said. "At Nebraska, we focus on preparing everyone for life after sports. When student-athletes are recruited here, they know that if they do their part, go to class and put in the time, they're going to be successful. It's worked well through all these years and looking at this new facility, it's going to keep working well for many more."

Among others, Osborne praised Maggi Thorne, a former Nebraska track and field letterwinner who helped oversee the capital planning and construction of the Student Life Complex.

"Everyone who was here tonight and saw this for the first time saw a transformation," Thorne said. "I don't think anyone could have imagined an old weight room under the stadium being brought back to life like this.

"It makes you feel like you're stepping on a cloud when you see this facility with the lights, the stone and the granite,' Thorne said. "It has become a beautiful place and such a quiet place to study. It really is a facility that can transform someone's life when they decide to come to Nebraska."

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UNL MARCHING BAND TRIBUTE TO JOHNNY CARSON AT KENNEDY CENTER HONORS...


Many of you have probably seen this before (and some of us saw it live), but its always worth watching again...
Nebraska & Johnny Carson fans must watch this entire U-Tube

This was done in 1993 before Internet sharing. --- It's really neat to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K09Ac-dbrW8

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HUSKER HUMOR...
Billy Bob...
Cletus is passing by Billy Bob's hay barn one day when through a gap in the door he sees Billy Bob doing a slow and sensual striptease in front of an old green John Deere.

Buttocks clenched he performs a slow pirouette and gently slides off first the right strap of his overalls, followed by the left. He then hunches his shoulders forward and in a classic striptease move and lets his overalls fall down to his hips revealing a torn and frayed plaid shirt.

Grabbing both sides of his shirt he rips it apart to reveal his stained tee shirt underneath. With a final flourish he tears the tee shirt from his
body and hurls his baseball cap onto a pile of hay.

Having seen enough Cletus rushes in and says "what the heck are you doing Billy Bob."

"Jeez Cletus ,ya scared the snot out of me," says an obviously embarrassed Billy Bob, "but me and the Ole lady been having trouble lately in the
bedroom department, and the Therapist suggested I do something sexy to a tractor."

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ALUMNI NUz...
Homecoming Jester – A New Tradition!
The Wick Alumni Center is homecoming central on Friday, Sept. 24. In addition to Football Friday, the homecoming parade and a Husker pep rally, the alumni association is sponsoring the first annual homecoming jester competition. Cheer for your favorite student as jester candidates amuse the crowd with their antics and costumes. The winner will be introduced at the halftime of the football game.

ALUMNI NEWS

Awards Nominations Due Nov. 1
Do you know alumni, students and retired faculty who deserve to be recognized for their professional and/or civic accomplishments? Nominate a retired faculty member for the Doc Elliott Award, a student for the Shane Osborn or Howard and Judy Vann Student Leadership awards, or a fellow alum for one of our 2011 alumni awards: Alumni Achievement, Distinguished Service, Alumni Family Tree, Outstanding International Alumnus or Young Alumni. Read the details and submit a nomination. The deadline for all awards is Nov. 1.


Alumni Chapters Form in Indiana, Iowa, S. Carolina
The alumni association chartered its 61st, 62nd and 63rd chapters this summer. The Hoosiers for Huskers are headquartered in Indianapolis; the Siouxland Huskers call Sioux City, Iowa, home; and the South Carolina Huskers comprise alumni from across the Palmetto State. The new groups have elected officers and established watch sites. Learn more about starting an alumni chapter.


Give Big Red!
Take part in a UNL Homecoming tradition and save lives at the same time! While students are donating through the campus blood drive, alumni and friends can take part by donating at a blood bank in their town. Then, register the donation to make it count toward the "Give Big Red" total. Five lucky blood donors will receive prizes for participating. All donations registered between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15 will be counted.



Think Ahead to Spring Homecoming

A number of reunions are already set for the 2011 Big Red Weekend, April 15-16, including the Chemistry Department's 125th anniversary, Sigma Phi Epsilon’s centennial, the Honors Program's 25th anniversary, University Housing and Scarlet Guard. If you are interested in planning reunion activities or arranging gatherings for groups of any size for this third annual "spring homecoming," get started now by contacting Shelley Zaborowski.

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Research Funding Sets Record
Research funding at UNL increased nearly 14 percent this year to a record of more than $139 million, according to the Office of Research and Economic Development. Total research funding was $139.2 million in the fiscal year that ended June 30, up from $122.5 million the previous year. Read more.


Thompson Forums Sept. 30, Oct. 14

     







L's E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues launches its 2010-11 season Sept. 30 with E. Benjamin Skinner, author of "A Crime So Monstrous: Face to Face with Modern Day Slavery." On Oct. 14, Christine Todd Whitman, former Environmental Protection Agency administrator, will offer the Governor's Lecture in the Humanities, "Staying Ahead While Going Green." Lectures are presented at the Lied Center and are free and open to the public, but require a ticket to attend.

ASUN Joins Big Ten
At a conference comprised of student leaders from Big Ten universities, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln student government, ASUN, was accepted for membership into the Association of Big Ten Students – the official student voice for Big Ten schools. The UNL student leaders agreed to be the lead hosts for the inaugural Big Ten student advocacy effort in Washington, D.C. Learn more.





UNL Enrollment Up Again
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's fall 2010 estimated enrollment reached a 15-year high of 24,610, including an increase of 113 first-time freshmen over fall 2009. The figures show 19,383 undergraduates (an increase of 2.3 percent); 4,620 graduate students (an increase of 0.6 percent); and 510 students in professional programs (an increase of 2.1 percent). Read more.



ATHLETICS NEWS

Big Ten Schedule, Divisions Announced

The Big Ten Conference office has announced football division alignments beginning with the 2011 season. Nebraska will compete in an as-yet-to-be-titled division with Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern and Minnesota. Schedules for the 2011 and 2012 seasons were also released with Penn State tabbed as the Husker’s protected crossover rival. Read more.

Play Golf With Stai, Davison

The day before the Oct. 16 Nebraska-Texas football game, Jason Peter is reaching out to his fellow Huskers to support two causes that are important to him – Junior Achievement and the Nebraska Athletic Department. Peter has received commitments from a well-known cast of Husker Legends who will play in the Jason Peter all fore! Junior Achievement event at Lincoln's Hillcrest Country Club. The opportunity to play in foursomes with two of those legends – Brenden Stai and Matt Davison – is up for auction on Huskers.com. Learn more.

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