Bay Area Husker ENews 11/10/10

Hey Bay Area Husker Fans!

A number of fans told me after the ISU game, "Yikes...that was a nailbiter". Due to the Huskers departure from the conference next year, it appears most of our Big 12 rivals have an extra motivation to try and beat the Huskers this fall. Virtually every game we've been able to watch this fall (especially the away games) had a number of opposing fans wearing special "Beat Nebraska" shirts. And so it was at the Iowa State game last Saturday. If you watched the crowd shots on TV, there were a lot of ISU fans sporting various versions of that message on their T-Shirts...lotsa sour grapes if you ask me. Anyway it probably means that the rest of the games this fall won't be as easy as they might have been in previous years. Although we can expect a real tough battle against Texas A&M in a couple weeks, lets hope the KU game this Saturday and the CU game on the 26th are a little easier than the ISU and OSU games were.

Although the Soccer team lost to OSU in the Big 12 Tourney, they hope to get into the brackets for the NCAA Tourney. The Volleyball team is still undefeated at home and are playing the KU Wildcats tonight in the Coliseum.

There's a great Randy York article toward the end of the email and a fun offer to help the Mission Chamber Orchestra raise funds at the Stevens Creek Barnes and Noble this Sunday...check it out.

Enjoy the offerings below and...

Go Big Red (White and Blue),
Carl

Watch Parties...

The KU game is set for a 4 p.m. (Pacific Time) kickoff and will only be available on Pay Per View this Saturday. So come on out to our big three watch sites (Jacks in Fremont, Final-Final in San Francisco, and Legends in Concord) to watch the game with other Red-Clad Husker fans. We will be passing the hat at all three locations to help the proprieters cover the $450 PPV fee. As an added incentive, Jack's is going to throw a prime rib into the roaster for us, so if you want a mouth watering slice of beef for dinner at half time, order it when you get there to make sure you get some.

You can find directions and info about our watch sites at our fantastic website: www.BayAreaHuskers.org
Hope to see you there!
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HUSKERS HOST KANSAS IN 105TH STRAIGHT MEETING...

Nebraska returns to Memorial Stadium on Saturday evening to take on Kansas in the final installment of the nation's longest continuous series. The teams have met every season since 1906, a streak of 105 consecutive years. Game time is set for 4 p.m. PT at Memorial Stadium. The game will be televised on a pay-per-view basis by FSN.

Nebraska will head into the contest with an 8-1 overall record after surviving a 31-30 overtime scare at Iowa State last Saturday. The Huskers stopped an Iowa State fake extra point attempt in overtime to improve to 6-1 all-time in overtime contests. The victory put Nebraska in command of the Big 12 North Division with a 4-1 conference record. The Huskers need to win two of their final three contests to secure their second consecutive trip to the Big 12 Championship Game. The win at Iowa State helped Nebraska move to No. 8 in the coaches poll, remain ninth in the AP poll and check in at eighth in the BCS standings.

Kansas will come to Lincoln with momentum after a scintillating 52-45 win over Colorado in Lawrence. The Jayhawks scored 35 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to overcome a 28-point deficit and post the largest comeback victory in school history. The win was KU's first in five conference games and the Jayhawks improved to 3-6 overall.

The Series

Nebraska holds a dominant 90-23-3 edge in the all-time series between the two schools, including a 43-15-2 advantage in Lincoln. Nebraska has won each of the past 20 meetings at Memorial Stadium since a 23-13 loss in 1968.

The Coaches

Nebraska: Bo Pelini (Ohio State, '90) owns a 28-9 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.

Kansas: Turner Gill (North Texas, '90) is in his first season as the Jayhawks' head coach and his fifth season overall as a collegiate head coach. Gill is 3-6 with Kansas and 23-36 overall as a head coach. Gill was one of the top quarterbacks in Nebraska history from 1980 to 1983, and was a Husker assistant coach from 1992 to 2004.

Nebraska Football

Nebraska is 835-342-40 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 401 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.

For the rest of the article go to www.Huskers.com
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HUSKERS SURVIVE CYCLONE SCARE IN OT...

Ames, Iowa - A long-time theme park in Des Moines is called Adventureland. The No. 9 Nebraska football team and Iowa State might has well have played Saturday's Big 12 North showdown on one of the roller coasters at the park.

Instead, the Cornhuskers (8-1 overall, 4-1 Big 12) survived a scary overtime thrill ride against the Cyclones (5-5, 3-3) with a 31-30 victory in front of 51,149 fans at Jack Trice Stadium and an ABC television audience.

Saturday's thriller included injuries at quarterback on both sidelines, blustery winds worthy of the Cyclones' nickname, a Husker I-back regularly running out of the Wildcat formation for the first time all season, and a leaping interception by Eric Hagg to stop a two-point conversion attempt on a fake PAT by ISU after the Cyclones appeared ready to send the game to a second overtime on its home field.

Noting Game 9...Nebraska 31, Iowa State 30 (OT)

-Nebraska improved to 8-1 for the first time since 2001, when NU opened with an 11-0 record.

-The win was NU's eighth straight win in the month of November, dating back to a Nov. 1, 2008 loss at Oklahoma.

-Nebraska extended its road winning streak to eight games, its longest since winning 10 straight road games from 1996 to 1998. The win was NU's eighth straight Big 12 road victory, its longest streak since 1996 and 1997. Nebraska is 9-2 on the road in Big 12 play under Head Coach Bo Pelini.

-Nebraska owns a 6-1 all-time record in overtime. The Huskers won their first five overtime games - including a 27-20 double-overtime victory over No. 23 Iowa State in Lincoln in 2005 - but lost its only previous overtime game under Bo Pelini, 37-31 at No. 7 Texas Tech in 2008.

-The win was NU's first one-point victory since a 41-40 win over Ball State in 2007, and was Nebraska's first win under Pelini in games decided by three or fewer points.

-Nebraska trailed 10-7 at halftime, but rallied for a 31-30 overtime victory. The win improved the Huskers to 4-8 under Pelini when trailing at halftime. Nebraska last overcame a halftime deficit for a win at Missouri last season (NU trailed 9-0 at half in a 27-12 victory).

-Sophomore I-back Rex Burkhead had a career-high 20 carries for career-best 129 yards and two touchdowns, including a 19-yard TD run in overtime. His 129 yards bettered his career high of 104 yards at Washington earlier this season, and marked Burkhead's third career 100-yard game. Burkhead had a season-long 29-yard run in the first quarter on a direct snap from center.

-Nebraska senior I-back Roy Helu Jr. rushed 22 times for 99 yards and a six-yard first-quarter touchdown. Helu became the sixth player in Nebraska history to surpass 3,000 career rushing yards. Helu now has 3,065 yards, good for fifth on the Nebraska career rushing list.

-Junior safety Austin Cassidy had a 29-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter to give Nebraska a 17-10 lead. The pick was the first of Cassidy's career. It was Nebraska's fourth interception return for a TD this season, one off the school record. Nebraska had two INT returns for scores against Idaho (Gomes, Thenarse) and one at Washington (Dennard).

-Cassidy had a career-high 12 tackles, including eight before halftime. His previous career high was six tackles a week earlier against Missouri in his first career start.

-Senior safety Eric Hagg intercepted an ISU pass in the third quarter for his team-leading fourth interception of the 2010 season. Hagg also picked off a pass in overtime on a fake extra-point attempt (not an official interception).

-Nebraska converted three Iowa State turnovers into 21 points. Before the game, Nebraska had not converted an opponent turnover into points since the Washington game. Nebraska increased its interception total to 15, and has had at least one interception in eight of nine games.

-Senior cornerback Prince Amukamara finished with seven tackles to tie his season high. He had a nine-yard sack, his first of the season and fourth of his career.

-Freshman cornerback Ciante Evans made his first career start in place of the injured Alfonzo Dennard.

-The game marked just the third time in nine games Nebraska did not score on its opening possession (South Dakota State, Texas). It was also the third time Nebraska has not scored in the opening quarter.

-Senior Alex Henery boomed a season-long 69-yard punt in the first quarter.

-Sophomore tight end Kyler Reed caught a career-high three passes for 52 yards. Reed has had multiple catches in each of the past three games.

-Sophomore defensive end Cameron Meredith set a career high with 10 tackles, and tied his career best with two tackles for loss.

-Junior linebacker Lavonte David recorded 10 tackles for his fifth double-figure tackle game of the 2010 season.

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HUSKERS AIM FOR NINTH WIN SATURDAY...

Lincoln - Coach Bo Pelini and the Huskers met with the media at Memorial Stadium on Tuesday to discuss Saturday's Big 12 North battle with Kansas.

The No. 9 Huskers (8-1 overall, 4-1 Big 12) play host to the Jayhawks (3-6, 1-4 Big 12) at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. PT with live coverage provided by FSN pay-per-view.

Nebraska will try to move one step closer to securing the Big 12 North Division title, while also locking up its third straight nine-win season in Pelini's third season as the Husker head coach.

The Huskers will also try to end its 105-year continuous series with the Jayhawks on a winning note. Kansas Coach Turner Gill will also try to continue a streak of his own on Saturday. The former Husker quarterback and assistant coach is 18-0 lifetime in Nebraska's series with Kansas. Saturday's game marks the first time he will be on the Jayhawk sideline.
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NEBRASKA TO TAKE ON AGGIES IN PRIME TIME...

The Big 12 Conference announced on Monday that Nebraska's Nov. 20 game at Texas A&M will kick off at 5 p.m. PT. The game will be televised by either ABC or ESPN2, with the announcement on the network carrying the game set to be made next Sunday.

The Oklahoma at Baylor game will also be televised in the same time slot on the network that does not carry the NU at A&M game. If the game is selected for an ABC telecast it would give Nebraska seven appearances on the network in 12 regular-season games, including six Big 12 games. Nebraska also appeared on ESPN at Kansas State.

This week's Nebraska contest with Kansas will be televised on a pay-per-view basis through FSN. Kickoff time for the contest is 4 p.m. PT from Memorial Stadium. The Huskers' Nov. 26 regular-season finale with Colorado in Lincoln will be televised nationally by ABC with kickoff set for 12:30 p.m. PT.
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AMUKAMARA EARNS ANOTHER HONOR...

Senior cornerback Prince Amukamara picked up another national honor on Wednesday, when he was named one of eight semifinalists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy.

The Lott IMPACT Trophy is presented annually to the defensive player who has the biggest IMPACT on his team, on and off the field. IMPACT stands for integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community and tenacity. Amukamara was one of four defensive backs on the list and one of three players from the Big 12 Conference. Four finalists will be named around Thanksgiving, with the winner announced on Dec. 12 at a banquet at the Pacific Club in Newport Beach, Calif.

Earlier this week, Amukamara was also named one of 16 semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year. Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh won the Bednarik Award last season and was a finalist for the Lott Trophy. Amukamara was also named one of 10 semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award earlier this month. That award is presented to the nation’s best defensive back.

A native of Glendale, Ariz., Amukamara is among the nation’s leaders with 10 pass breakups this season. Opponents have been shy about testing the 6-1, 205-pound corner, allowing only 11 pass completions. He is a major reason why Nebraska ranks in the top five in pass efficiency defense for the second straight season. Amukamara has also added 36 tackles, including his first sack of the season last week at Iowa State.
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VOLLEYBALL:
HUSKERS LOOK TO CONTINUE HOME DOMINANCE...

No. 5 Nebraska (22-2, 14-1) vs. Kansas State (10-15, 4-10)
Wednesday, Nov. 10 • NU Coliseum • 7 p.m.

TV: NET Lincoln - (Time Warner: SD-12/HD-112 DirecTV: 29 DISH: 12)
Omaha - (Cox: SD-12/HD-712 DirecTV: 379  DISH: 26)
CBS College Sports Lincoln - (Time Warner: SD-305/HD-125 DirecTV: 613 DISH: 152) Omaha - (Cox: 234 DirecTV: 613 DISH: 152)
Metro Sports Lincoln - (Time Warner: 232)
Radio: Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and KTWI 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on Huskers.com

Web Video: Huskers.com (Free Video)
Live Stats: Huskers.com

The No. 5 Nebraska volleyball team (22-2, 14-1 Big 12) will host the Kansas State Wildcats (10-15, 4-10 Big 12) at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night at the NU Coliseum. Nebraska owns a 79-3 all-time record over Kansas State, including a 31-2 record in Lincoln.

Fans should have no problem finding TV coverage of the match as it will be shown on NET, Metro Sports and CBS College Sports. Huskers.com will also provide a free live video stream.

The Huskers enter the match as the Big 12's top team and are a perfect 10-0 at home this season, including 7-0 in league matches. Nebraska's wins at the Coliseum have come in dominant fashion as of late as the Huskers have swept their last four matches at home.
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SOCCER:
MARLBOROUGH, JACKSON NAMED TO ALL BIG 12 ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM...

Nebraska forwards Morgan Marlborough and Jordan Jackson each earned a spot on the 2010 Big 12 All-Tournament Team, while Marlborough was also named the Offensive Most Valuable Player, released Sunday by the league office following the 2010 Big 12 Championship in San Antonio.

Marlborough and Jackson led the Huskers to the semifinals and nearly gained a spot in the championship final when NU fell to 10th-ranked and eventual champion Oklahoma State in a 3-2 overtime battle Friday night. Nebraska advanced past the first round Wednesday afternoon with a 4-1 win over Missouri.

In the tournament, Marlborough had two goals, as she netted the game-winner against the Tigers and also converted a penalty kick versus the Cowgirls to give Nebraska a 1-0 halftime lead. Jackson, a 2010 All-Big 12 First Team selection, had a pair of goals as well, including possibly NU's biggest of the tournament in the semifinals, as her header with 8:39 remaining gave the Huskers a 2-1 lead over Oklahoma State. The Cowgirls, however, netted a penalty kick two minutes later and added the game-winner in overtime to escape with a 3-2 win.

Marlborough and Jackson's appearance on the Big 12 All-Tournament Team is the first time Nebraska has been represented on the squad since 2005, which was previously the last time the Huskers had advanced to the semifinals. Marlborough, the 2009 and 2010 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, is the first Nebraska player to earn a Big 12 Tournament MVP honor since 2002 when both Christine Latham (Offensive) and Christy Harms (Defensive) gained the award.

The scoring duo of Marlborough and Jackson have combined for 30 goals and 21 assists this year while leading the Huskers to a 13-7-1 season. Nebraska is currently awaiting to hear if it will be part of the 2010 NCAA Tournament, as the 64-team bracket is announced Monday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. on ESPNU.

HUSKERS FALL TO OSU IN OT...

San Antonio, Texas - Nebraska (13-7-1) held a 2-1 lead under 10 minutes remaining but No. 10 Oklahoma State (17-3-1) scored the game-tying goal on a penalty kick at 83:21 and then netted the game-winner third minutes into overtime to defeat the Huskers, 3-2, in the semifinals of the 2010 Big 12 Championship on Friday night in San Antonio.
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BASEBALL:
BASEBALL AMERICA TABS NU'S RECRUITING CLASS NO. 23...

Nebraska's incoming baseball recruiting class is among Baseball America's Top 25, checking in at No. 23 in the publication's 2010-11 rankings. The Huskers are one of three Big 12 teams in the top 25, joining No. 15 Oklahoma State and No. 21 Oklahoma.

Stanford is ranked No. 1, followed by LSU and UCLA. The Huskers host the Bruins in a three-game series March 4-6 at Hawks Field.

This year's incoming group includes a pair of pitchers who were drafted in the first 11 rounds of the 2010 MLB Draft in left-hander Logan Ehlers (Nebraska City, Neb.) and right-hander Jon Keller (Cedar Rapids, Iowa). The two faced off in Game 3 of Nebraska's Red-White Series last week at Hawks Field, as Ehlers struck out 10 batters in six innings while giving up only four hits and an unearned run. Keller struck out four hitters as he went five innings and allowed two runs on four hits.

At the plate, freshman Tanner Krietemeier (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) hit .250 with 2 RBIs, including a 2-for-4 day with one RBI in the finale.

Three weeks ago, the Husker recruiting class was ranked No. 15 by Collegiate Baseball. Nebraska opens the 2011 season Feb. 18 with four games at the Texas State Tournament in San Marcos, Texas. The home opener is March 2 against Nebraska-Kearney.
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OMAHA NIGHT HAWKS COME TO SACRAMENTO FOR UFL GAME AGAINST MOUNTAIN LIONS...

The Omaha Night Hawks will playing the Sacramento Mountain Lions on November 13th in Sacramento (UFL) at 8 p.m. at Cal-State University. If you would like to head up for the game, contact Cindy Chodera of the Sacramento Huskers group for more info at 916-759-9622 or 916-773-3096. See the flyer at the Bay Area Huskers Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=136906580726
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GILLS GOOD LUCK CHARM SUPPORTING NEBRASKA AS RECORD SERIES ENDS...
Rany York's N--Sider

Turner Gill's friend - one, in fact, that Gill calls his "good luck charm" - will be in Lincoln Saturday night to see the last game in the nation's longest continuous football series ... Nebraska vs. Kansas for an NCAA record 105 consecutive years.

Talk about an ironic farewell to the 117th and last time that these two programs will meet as conference rivals. Who would have envisioned one of Nebraska's most beloved players leading Kansas onto the field for that final chapter in the third most played game in NCAA history?

Jeff Smith, a Kansas native who made the decision to become a Husker shortly after Gill and Irving Fryar made the same choice in the early 1980s, figures this will be the only game in his life when he will not be pulling for his former teammate to win.

"I love Turner, but I'm not crazy. I'll be supporting Nebraska," Smith said, acknowledging that Gill gave him his "good-luck charm" nickname earlier this season when Smith drove from hometown Wichita to Lawrence for KU's 28-25 upset win over then ranked and defending ACC champion Georgia Tech.

That was Gill's first victory as a Big 12 Conference head coach. His only other two wins this season have been a 42-16 cruise past New Mexico State and last Saturday's 35-point fourth-quarter explosion that transformed a 45-17 deficit into a 52-45 triumph over Colorado - the biggest comeback in KU history.

Gill: Saturday's Game is About the Players

Gill downplays Saturday night's Pay-Per-View game against his alma mater. "The game is not about me. It is about the players, and that is the truth of it all," Gill said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. "I have tremendous respect for Nebraska and the people, coaches and everything about it. This is about Nebraska playing Kansas, and we are trying to do the best we can to go out and win a football game."

Nebraska, no doubt, will give Gill a warm and appreciative welcome, but the first-year Kansas head coach will be oblivious to the surroundings and focusing strictly on the task at hand.

Just like Tom Osborne would do. Osborne, after all, recruited Gill, coached him and still mentors him on life issues whenever asked. Osborne said he strongly considered Gill when Nebraska's head coaching job opened up before deciding the program needed a defensive-minded head coach.

Last year, when Kansas pursued Gill, Osborne was listed as a character reference on Gill's resume.

Monday, Osborne called Gill, left a message and then they talked later. Gill said the two talk periodically, but the only Nebraska coach he chats with on a regular basis is tight ends coach Ron Brown. "We talk about life. We talk about football. We talk about spiritual things," Gill said.

Some relationships are inextricably linked, and Gill's and Smith's friendship is no different. It goes back a quarter century when they came within inches of celebrating a national championship together.

You might remember Smith coming in for injured Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier and rushing for 99 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns to pull unbeaten and top-ranked Nebraska within 31-30 of once-beaten Miami in the 1984 Orange Bowl.

While Nebraska made scoreboards pop like pinball machines on steroids that season, Smith emerged from Rozier's long shadow to play a pivotal role in the stretch drive of the Huskers' biggest game. His fresh legs created 15 minutes of fame that wove Smith into the fabric of the Huskers' most debated football game ever.

Smith scored a short touchdown with 6:55 remaining in the game and then electrified the Orange Bowl crowd, taking a pitch from Gill and sprinting 24 yards for another touchdown.

A Frozen Clock, a Pre-Determined Decision

When Smith scored that second TD, only 48 seconds remained on a clock that will forever be frozen in history. Smith's run meant the only thing standing between Nebraska and Osborne's first national title was an extra point that would enable the highest scoring offense in NCAA history to finish as the nation's only unbeaten team.

Colleague Mike Babcock and I stood next to each other on the sidelines near the end zone, a few yards from the live action. The second Smith scored, we looked at each other and almost simultaneously said: "Coach Osborne will go for two instead of one". Not surprisingly, the team, to a man, felt the same way.

Nebraska, you see, doesn't believe in backing into anything.

Many of you know the rest of the story. Osborne went for two, and at the last second, Miami defender Ken Calhoun deflected Gill's pass intended for Smith and ended Nebraska's furious comeback.

"It was the same play we practiced all week - a play that worked well all week long," Smith said last week. "There's no way you can simulate game speed. Their DB got a finger on the ball, and it brushed my back shoulder pad."

Still, in perhaps the greatest game that Nebraska didn't win, Osborne and the Huskers earned mountains of respect for a courageous effort that fell seconds, and inches, short of succeeding in its final mission.

To this day, Gill remains one of Nebraska's all-time favorite players not only because he chose Osborne and Nebraska over Barry Switzer and Oklahoma, but because he became the quintessential leader that exudes the same class and represents the same values as the Hall-of-Fame coach who recruited him. Osborne served as a groomsman in Gill's wedding, and Gill - in his 1992-to-2004 stint as a fulltime Husker assistant coach - served as the quarterback coach for Osborne's three national championship teams.

Gill is 109-9 All-Time at Memorial Stadium

Counting his days as both a Nebraska player and Husker coach, Gill has been a part of 118 games at Memorial Stadium, which is, coincidentally, one more game than Nebraska and KU will have played against each other after the curtain goes down Saturday night.

As an All-Big Eight quarterback, Gill led Nebraska to three undefeated Big Eight Conference seasons. He was also a second-team All-American and finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting as a senior.

Gill was 3-0 against the Jayhawks as a player, 14-0 against KU as a part of Nebraska's coaching staff and 109-9 overall all-time at Memorial Stadium (28-2 as a player and 86-7 as a coach).

Now 48 and in his 18th straight year as a Kansas state probation officer, Smith relishes his friendship with Gill and said his trusted teammate "just needs more time to recruit what he needs, so he can build a team on the kind of character he's always believed in."

Smith knows what goes into the recruiting process because he was a highly recruited athlete himself. As a senior at Wichita Southeast High School, he weighed offers from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and UCLA against the one he valued most - Nebraska's.

"I ran the I-formation at Wichita Southeast and wanted to run the same formation at Nebraska with all of those big blockers in front of me," Smith said, acknowledging that he was able to add 40 pounds to his 5-foot-10 frame and get faster at the same time he got stronger in Lincoln.

He also learned how to be patient, backing up Rozier and eventual multiple Super Bowl champion Roger Craig as a sophomore and then playing behind Rozier again as a junior.

A Victim of the Sports Illustrated Cover Jinx?

Perhaps you remember how Smith's senior season started. In his first three weeks that season, he led the nation in rushing and on Oct. 1, 1984, he became the ninth Nebraska-related Sports Illustrated cover after the Huskers gashed UCLA, 42-3, in Pasadena.

The words promoting him were simple and straightforward: "Jeff Smith of No. 1 Nebraska" in the lower left corner to go with a familiar refrain in the upper right corner: "The Big Red Machine".

Unfortunately, Smith sprained his ankle and could not play the following weekend when the top-ranked Huskers traveled to the East Coast and were hijacked by Syracuse, 17-9, in the Carrier Dome.

Although Smith never fully recovered from that ankle injury, he became a consensus All-Big Eight choice and led the conference in all-purpose yardage.

Nebraska finished 10-2 in 1984 and beat LSU, 28-10, in the Sugar Bowl.

Smith then spent two years with the Kansas City Chiefs and two more with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before returning to Wichita.

"I came back to my roots," he said. "Wichita is home to me, but Lincoln is still my football home."

A member of the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame, Smith rushed for 1,992 yards on only 315 carries as a Husker. His 6.32-yard average per rushing attempt ranks fifth on the Huskers' all-time career yards per-carry chart, trailing only Rozier (7.16), Jarvis Redwine (7.11), Calvin Jones (6.84) and Ahman Green (6.76).

Homecoming with Daughter, Coach, Friend

Saturday is a homecoming of sorts for Smith. He will visit his daughter, Jade, 21, who works at a Lincoln hospital, He will say hi to Osborne, and he will find Gill to extend his best to someone he trusts implicitly.

The Smith-Gill handshake will not be awkward because a legendary quarterback understands why a former teammate would side with his alma mater. Words, though, can't describe how much a Husker cares about a certain Jayhawk and how much a relatively new Jayhawk cares about a certain Husker.

Next year - and every other year that Gill coaches at KU - will be better for Smith because he says he will never have to root against Turner's team again.

Smith catches himself, knowing that "never" is too strong a word. What if Nebraska and Kansas schedule a non-conference game with each other? What if the two schools end up meeting in a bowl game someday?

If and when either possibility becomes reality, Jeff Smith just might decide to vacation in Tahiti.

And really, who would blame him?
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MISSION CHAMBER ORCHESTRA HOLIDAY GIFT EVENT THIS SUNDAY AT BARNES AND NOBLE...

Music and Language give us power!


On Nov. 14, this number will unleash the power: 10330058

Music and language make us human, and together, they can inspire, energize and entertain us. Shakesperare, the world's greatest wordsmith, knew that when he wrote, "Music hath charm to soothe the savage breast." We'll join music and words this Sunday, Nov. 14, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the Barnes and Noble store on Stevens Creek Blvd. in Santa Clara. Small ensembles from the orchestra will perform as you browse through the store or enjoy refreshments at the cafe.

You can help Mission Chamber Orchestra of San Jose as you buy books, CDs, DVDs, or a "Nook" for yourself or for those on your holiday gift list. Mention the music or present one of the attached vouchers when you make your purchase and the orchestra will receive a percentage of the sale. If you can't make it to the book fair, order at www.barnesandnoble.com. Use the book fair ID number on the voucher for your purchase any time from Nov. 14 to 19, and the orchestra will receive a percentage of the sale. Treat your friends to this opportunity: Forward this email or the attached flyer/vouchers to friends or relatives; ask them to shop for themselves or for those on their holiday gift list.

Give us the power to bring great music to the Silicon Valley as you enjoy an afternoon at Barnes and Noble.

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Use the magic number: 10330058
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