Saturday, September 24, 2011

Bay Area Huskers E-News 9/22/11

Hey Bay Area Husker Fans!

First of all let me apologize to anyone who has been added to our list in the last month. I’ve been struggling with a change to a new email server and have finally figured out how to transfer and send emails to the group’s email addresses on this new system. I had been sending previous emails from the old server which didn’t have any changes made since July. You will note that this email comes from carl@countyairports.com . Please don’t send it to your Spam account because of the change. I can also be reached at my old email addresses carl.honaker@rda.sccgov.org and carl@countyairports.org as they all get forwarded to the .com address. Let me know if you have problems receiving this and future emails. I will be sending a request for updates related to kickbacks and bad email addresses in the near future to refine our Bay Area Husker email roster. Thanks for your patience.

Although it wasn’t the prettiest game we’ve had in recent memory (especially in the first half), the Huskers pulled it together in the third quarter and toward the end of the 4th quarter to win the rubber match for a “W” against the UW Dawgs. Heard from folks who went to the game that the weather was akin to what the Huskies were used to in Seattle (misty and cold)…musta brought it with them.

The game against the Wyoming Cowboys in Laramie is our first road trip and should be a fun one to watch (see more below about watch parties). Tough tickets to come by if you wanted to attend in person since the stadium only holds around 30K. Last we saw, tickets were going for between $150-700, and hotels that normally have rates less than $80 per night are over $200 for the game weekend. Normal home game tickets are around $40 face value but a ticket for our game was $75 face value. Guess they figured they need to soak the Husker fans while they have the chance…must have a good marketing program in their Business College ;o)

The Husker Volleyball team won a big one last night be defeating their first Big 10 conference rival, and the #5 ranked team in the nation, the Nittany Lions who have won more national championships than all the other Big Ten schools combined.

Check out the articles below…especially the one at the end from the Seattle Times about Husker fans (thanks Gretchen!).

Go Big Red (White and Blue),
Carl
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Watch Parties:


The game against Wyoming will be broadcast on the Versus Channel with kickoff at 4:30 pm Pacific Time. As many of you know Versus isn’t universally available on many cable systems or satellite packages. So to avoid confusion, come on out to our 4 Bay Area Husker Watch Sites and join fellow Husker fans as the team takes on the Cowboys in Laramie. Check out watch site details at our website: www.BayAreaHuskers.org

Plan to get there early, grab a good seat and order up some great pub grub for dinner at halftime. See you there!

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HUSKERS HIT THE ROAD FOR FIRST TIME IN 2011…

Game 4: Nebraska vs. Wyoming
Sept. 24, 2011 |  War Memorial Stadium
Laramie, Wyo. |   4:30 p.m. PDT
Game Information
Television: Versus
Radio: Husker Sports Network (radio affiliates)
Capacity: 29,086
Surface: FieldTurf
Series Record: NU Leads, 5-0
In Laramie: First Meeting
Last Meeting: Nebraska 42-32 in Lincoln, 1994

Huskers
Record: 3-0
Rankings: Coaches-9; AP-9
Last Game: def. Washington, 51-38
Coach: Bo Pelini
Career/NU Record: 33-12/4th year
vs. Wyo: first meeting

Cowboys
Record: 3-0
Rankings: Not ranked
Last Game: def. Bowling Green, 28-27
Coach: Dave Christensen
Career/UW Record: 13-15/3rd year
vs. NU: first meeting

The Matchup

Nebraska heads on the road for the first time in 2011, when it travels to Laramie, Wyo., Saturday evening to take on the Wyoming Cowboys. The game will be televised nationally on Versus with kickoff at Wyoming’s War Memorial Stadium set for 5:30 p.m. local time (6:30 p.m. CT).

The Huskers enter the game with a 3-0 record following a 51-38 victory over Washington in Lincoln. The Nebraska offense topped 40 points for the third straight game and rolled up more than 300 yards on the ground to key the victory. The Huskers’ 3-0 start leaves them ranked ninth in both the AP and Coaches polls this week.

The Nebraska-Wyoming game is one of only seven matchups in the nation this week between a pair of unbeaten teams. This year’s meeting is the first in a three-game series that will bring the Cowboys to Lincoln in 2013 and 2016.

The Series

The matchup between Nebraska and Wyoming will be the sixth all-time between the schools, with the Huskers holding a 5-0 edge in the series. Saturday’s game will be the first-ever meeting between the teams in Laramie, with the five previous NU wins all in Lincoln. Most recently, Nebraska defeated Wyoming, 42-32, in 1994. The 10-point margin was the second-closest game in NU’s 13-0 national championship season.

Noting Game 3...Nebraska 51, Washington 38

*-Nebraska's scored 51 points, marking the third straight game to open the season with at least 40 points. The last time Nebraska had at least 40 points in the first three games was the 1995 season when NU topped 40 points against

Oklahoma State (64), Michigan State (50) and Arizona State (77). The first three games marks the first time Nebraska has scored 40 or more points in three straight games at any point in the season since games 10-12 of the 2008 season, when NU topped 40 points against Kansas, Kansas State and Colorado.

*-Nebraska scored 50 or more points in both games of the regular-season series with Washington in 2010 and 2011, joining the 56 points the Huskers scored in Seattle last season. It marked the first time NU had scored 50 or more against the same opponent in consecutive seasons since accomplishing the feat against Kansas in 2000 and 2001.

*-Nebraska scored a touchdown on its opening drive, marking the first time it scored a touchdown on the opening possession since last season against Missouri (nine games), when Roy Helu Jr. scored on a 66-yard touchdown run on Nebraska’s first play from scrimmage. Prior to Saturday, Nebraska had not scored a point on the first drive since kicking a field goal on its opening possession at Texas A&M last season.

*-Nebraska started three offensive linemen that originally joined the program as walk-ons–center Mike Caputo, and guards Spencer Long and Seung Hoon Choi. The game marked the first time since the first two games of 1988 Nebraska has started three walk-ons on the offensive line. In games against Texas A&M and Utah State to open 1988, NU started Jeff Anderson at center, John Nelson at guard and Bob Sledge at tackle.

*-Junior I-back Rex Burkhead produced his fifth career 100-yard rushing game with 120 yards and two touchdowns on a career-high 22 carries. Burkhead scored his touchdowns on back-to-back one-yard plunges just nine seconds apart early in the third quarter. Burkhead moved up five spots to 33rd on NU’s career rushing list with 1,547 career yards.

*-Sophomore quarterback Taylor Martinez completed 10-of-21 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns. The two touchdown passes marked just the second time in Martinez’s career he has thrown for more than one touchdown in a game. Martinez had five touchdown passes at Oklahoma State last season.

*-With his 155 passing yards, Martinez became the 18th Nebraska quarterback with more than 2,000 career passing yards. Martinez now has 2,119 career passing yards to rank 17th on the Husker career chart. Martinez also rushed for 83 yards on 17 carries with one touchdown, as he accounted for 238 total yards on 38 attempts.

*-Freshman running back Aaron Green caught a 25-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, on his first career reception. Green added 36 rushing yards on five carries, including a six-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.

*-Senior fullback Tyler Legate had a 36-yard run in the third quarter, the longest rush by a NU fullback since Steve Kriewald had a 48-yard run at Oklahoma in 2004. Legate also caught his third career touchdown pass.

*-Nebraska rushed for 309 yards, improving to 13-0 in the past two seasons when rushing for at least 200 yards. NU is 20-2 under Bo Pelini when rushing for at least 200 yards. Nebraska had 92 first-half rushing yards, before churning out 217 rushing yards in the second half. The Huskers’ 313 rushing yards were their most since rushing for 328 in a win over Missouri in 2010. Nebraska rushed for 383 yards at Washington last year.

*-Freshman running back/returner Ameer Abdullah had three kickoff returns for 129 yards, including a 66-yard return to set up a second-quarter touchdown. Abdullah is now averaging 42.5 yards on eight returns.

*-Nebraska had six plays from scrimmage of at least 38 yards in the game, including three runs by Martinez (57, 38, 46) and passes by Martinez of 43 yards to Turner, 42 yards to Bell and 53 yards to Reed.

*-Nebraska senior defensive tackle Jared Crick had a one-yard sack in the second quarter, giving him 20 career sacks. Crick is the ninth player in school history with 20 career sacks and he has moved within 9.5 sacks of Trev Alberts’ NU career record of 29.5. Crick finished the day with six tackles, including two solos.

*-Nebraska senior linebacker Lavonte David had a first-quarter interception, marking his first career interception. David also had eight tackles in the game. Daimion Stafford led the Blackshirts with nine tackles, including six solo stops.

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BIG SECOND HALF POWERS BIG RED WIN OVER HUSKIES…

Lincoln, Neb. - Nebraska's offense produced its best performance of the season and the Husker special teams made big plays again to power NU to a 51-38 win over Washington on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

With the victory, No. 11 Nebraska improved to 3-0 and produced 40 or more points for the third consecutive game to open the season. It marked the first time since 1995 that the Huskers have accomplished that feat to open a season.

Rex Burkhead scored on a pair of one-yard runs on back-to-back plays from scrimmage in a nine-second span in the third quarter and notched his fifth 100-yard rushing game of his career. The junior from Plano, Texas finished with 120 yards on a career-high 22 carries to lead an NU rushing attack that amassed a season-high 309 yards on the ground. The Huskers finished with 464 yards of total offense.

Sophomore quarterback Taylor Martinez, who added 83 yards and NU's final touchdown on 17 carries, also threw for 155 yards in the game. Martinez, who completed 10-of-21 passes for the game, needed only 10 passing yards to help the Huskers roll up 31 second-half points on their way to victory.

Special teams was huge again for the Huskers, just like its been through the first two games of the season. Arguably the biggest play of the game came on Mathew May's recovery of a muffed Washington kickoff early in third quarter. UW's Bishop Sankey dropped the ball in the end zone, then kicked it out of the end zone where it was recovered by a diving May at the UW 1. One play later, Burkhead plunged over the top for his second one-yard run in a nine-second span to turn a tie ball game with two seconds left in the first half, into a 17-point Nebraska lead less than five minutes later.

The Huskers built the lead to 37-17 on a Brett Maher field goal with 7:20 left in the third quarter. Maher was perfect on three field goals and six extra points on the afternoon, while booting four punts for a 40.3-yard average.

Nebraska pushed the lead to 44-17 early in the third quarter by capping its longest drive of the season on freshman Aaron Green's six-yard touchdown run with 12:18 left in the game. Green, who finished with five carries for 36 yards, and added a 25-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter, put an exclamation point on a nine-play, 86-yard drive that consumed 4:51.

Trailing by 27, the Huskies continued to fight. UW quarterback finished with 274 yards and four touchdowns on 21-of-37 passing. He also threw two interceptions, including Lavonte David's first career pick, and Austin Cassidy's interception on UW's final offensive play of the game.

Price hit James Johnson with a pair of fourth-quarter passes, including a 10-yarder to cut the Huskers' lead to 44-31 with 7:21 left. The duo also hooked up on a 52-yard strike following a five-play, 43-yard NU drive that was capped by Martinez's touchdown to put the Huskers back up 51-31 with 4:42 to play.

Johnson finished with six catches for 108 yards and two scores to lead the UW receivers, while Jermaine Kearse added five receptions and a pair of scores for the Huskies.

Washington finished with 420 yards of total offense, including 146 rushing yards. Chris Polk led the UW ground game with 22 carries for 130 yards and a score.

Freshman Kenny Bell led the Nebraska receivers with two catches for 59 yards, including a 50-yard catch on the opening play of the game. Bell's catch followed a 40-yard return by freshman Ameer Abdullah on the opening kickoff and set up Martinez's three-yard touchdown pass to fullback Tyler Legate to put NU up 7-0 just 34 seconds into the game.

Washington provided a quick response, racing 80 yards in just six plays capped by Kearse's 38-yard touchdown catch from Price to tie the score just over three minutes into the game.

Maher booted a 44-yard field goal to put the Huskers back on top 10-7 with 7:39 left in the quarter.

The two defenses gained control the rest of the quarter, before Washington took its first lead of the game on Price's six-yard scoring strike to Kearse with 13:40 left in the half to put UW up 14-10.

After an offsides penalty against the Huskies on the ensuring kickoff wiped out an apparent touchback, Abdullah raced 66 yards with a return to set Martinez and the Huskers up with a short field. At that point, Abdullah had already accounted for 141 all-purpose yards, including 129 kickoff return yards, but was injured at the end of the run and did not return.

Martinez and the Huskers capitalized four plays later, as he hit Green on a 25-yard touchdown pass to give Nebraska the lead back at 17-14 with 12:17 to play in the half.

Erik Folk tied the score at 17 with a 40-yard field goal three minutes later to cap an eight-play, 44-yard drive for the Huskies, before Maher's go-ahead, 35-yard field goal to end the half put the Huskers on top 20-17.

Nebraska hits the road for the first time next week, as the Huskers travel to Laramie to battle Wyoming on Saturday, Sept. 24. Kickoff against the Cowboys is set for 6:30 p.m. (central) with live television coverage provided by Versus-HD.

Scoring Summary
Final: #11 Nebraska 51, Washington 38
Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011
Memorial Stadium (Lincoln, Neb.)

First Quarter (NU, 10-7)
NU - 14:26 - Tyler Legate 3 pass from Taylor Martinez (Brett Maher kick) - 2 plays, 53 yards, 0:34, NU 7-0
UW - 11:54 - Jermaine Kearse 38 pass from Keith Price (Erik Folk kick) - 6 plays, 80, 2:32, 7-7
NU - 7:39 - Maher 44 FG, 7 plays, 42 yards, 1:47, NU 10-7

Second Quarter (NU, 20-17)
UW - 13:40 - Kearse 6 pass from Price (Folk kick) - 4 plays, 23 yards, 1:47, UW 14-10
NU - 12:17 - Aaron Green 25 pass from Martinez (Maher kick) - 4 plays, 34 yards, 1:13, NU 17-14
NU - 9:24 - Folk 40 FG - 8 plays, 44 yards, 2:45, 17-17
NU - 0:00 - Maher 35 FG - 10 plays, 42 yards, 1:49, 20-17

Third Quarter (NU, 37-17)
NU - 10:18 - Rex Burkhead 1 run (Maher kick) - 9 plays, 56 yards, 3:38, NU 27-17
NU - 10:09 - Burkhead 1 run (Maher kick) - 1 play, 1 yard, 0:04, NU 34-17
NU - 7:20 - Maher 29 FG - 6 plays, 31 yards, 1:24, NU 37-17

Fourth Quarter (NU, 51-38)
NU - 12:18 - Green 6 run (Maher kick) - 9 plays, 86 yards, 4:51, NU 44-17
UW - 10:15 - Chris Polk 2 run (Folk kick) - 5 plays, 32 yards, 1:50, NU 44-24
UW - 7:21 - James Johnson 10 pass from Price (Folk kick) - 3 plays, 53 yards, 0:56, NU 44-31
NU - 4:50 - Martinez 6 run (Maher kick) - 5 plays, 43 yards, 2:37, NU 51-31
UW - 4:27 - Johnson 52 pass from Price (Folk kick) - 1 play, 52 yards, 0:10, NU 51-38

Final: #11 Nebraska 51, Washington 38
Attendance: 85,110
Time of Game: 3:32
Game Start: 2:42 p.m. (central)

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RANDY YORK’S N-SIDER

PACK YOUR BLACK FOR WISCONSIN BUT BE SURE TO YELL GO BIG RED!...

Here's an unusual news flash for every Nebraska football fan planning to travel to Madison for Nebraska's first-ever Big Ten Conference football game against the Wisconsin Badgers in Camp Randall Stadium: Pack your black and warm up your lungs for a nationally televised game at a classic venue.

In this case, fan support is merely an extension of team support. "We want our players and coaches to be able to visualize the support of Husker fans up in Madison," said Michael Stephens, Nebraska's assistant athletic director for marketing and licensing. Before Big Red traditionalists think about objecting to the decision that's already in motion, Stephens offers one more important point. "I don't really see any other scenarios where we would ask our fans to wear black," he said. "But in this case, as a road game in a venue that traditionally wears the exact same red as we do, we think this is a good solution for an historic game, and we're looking forward to our fans having a big impact in our visit to Camp Randall."

Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne sent a note Thursday to fans who have purchased tickets from the Athletic Department for the Wisconsin game, encouraging them to support the team. "We love our tradition of a Husker Sea of Red wherever we go, but in order for us to stand out amongst the Badgers and be visible to our team, I ask that you join me in celebrating our Blackshirts' tradition by wearing black to the game," Osborne said. "Simply choose your favorite Husker blackshirt item from your closet or visit your local Husker store to purchase something new. You are also welcome to check out our Blackshirts selection on Huskers.com by visiting http://shop.huskers.com. I look forward to seeing you in black in Madison!"

Memories from Six Members of '71 National Champions

Two weekends ago, when 56 Huskers returned to Lincoln to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their 1971 national championship, several shared their favorite memories for the N-Sider. Read them, and you'll see two obvious themes - how close-knit this team was and how competitive the Huskers were. You don't have to read between the lines with these six guys:

Bill Kosch: "The defense didn't like the offense except on game day. If close-knit means being competitive, then we were all melted together in one pot. The mold was red steel and cast into a champion."

Carl Johnson: "We had Coach Devaney's spunk, Coach Osborne's dedication and commitment and Coach Kiffin's nastiness. Earning a role on this team was not easy. When I showed up for my first spring practice as a sophomore JC transfer, I was placed as the No. 3 right offensive tackle. My best friend, Keith Wortman, another JC transfer, was placed as the No. 3 right guard. I noticed that I was not the tallest or the biggest lineman here the way I was at Phoenix College. Everybody was as big as me! I looked around and noticed that each position on the line was 5 to 8-deep with players. That's when I knew I had hit the "big time". From the one-on-one fighting in the "stick drill" to the weight lifting to the scrimmages in spring ball, it was always "all out" Through all of that we developed a confidence and trust in each other that never was shaken."

Larry Jacobson: "Many of us learned about high expectations from the 1969 and 1970 seasons, and we developed a lot of poise by doing what we knew how to do through the whole 1971 season. We just wanted to prove we were the best team in the nation. In fact, I read an article recently that included a quote by Dan Jenkins, who had written the OU-NU preview article for Sports Illustrated, 'This Year's Game of the Decade'. I guess, when he visited Lincoln a few weeks before the game, he remembered the look in my eyes. He said, "You could almost look at his face and know 'If you're going to beat us, you're gonna have to kill us.'"

Joe Blahak: "Coach Osborne stepped in one time and ran a pattern against me. It was a 3-yard out pattern, and the offense completed it. The week before the Game of the Century, Johnny Pitts broke his finger, but he still played in the game."

Randy Borg: "A constant theme throughout the year came from a player who did not play one second. Rex Lowe was an end from Milwaukee who became ill the spring before and spent the season in the Mayo Clinic with his own battle. Jerry Tagge and Jim Anderson, our captains, mentioned Rex often and no one wanted to let Rex down. We were practicing in Miami when at the end of a session at Dade Junior College, an ambulance pulled up. Rex had made it to Miami. That was the first time I had seen him on the stretcher smiling. Rex also was one of the last people to speak in the locker room before we took the field to beat the Bear and Alabama. He thanked us for letting him be part of the team. I remember how I thought we should thank him for being such an inspiration to us."

Alan Austin: "It's difficult to put a moment or an event on that season. The feeling I had was that we were a team, and even though there were individuals that were standouts and leaders, we were all in it together. No one wanted to let down for a second."

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HUSKERS IN THE NFL – WEEK 2…

Rookie running back Roy Helu led a group of former Huskers in the NFL during week two of the season, amassing 74 yards on ten carries while also catching three passes for 38 yards helping the Washington Redskins defeat the Arizona Cardinals to improve to 2-0.

On the other side of the football, the Cardinal's Stewart Bradley recorded seven total tackles from his middle linebacker position. All-Pro defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh recorded three tackles and one sack for nine yards in Detroit's 48-3 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, while fellow former Husker Kyle Van Bosch also registered a sack to go along with his four tackles for Detroit.

Carl Nicks (Saints), Richie Incognito (Dolphins), Dominic Raiola (Lions) and Matt Slauson (Jets) all started for their respective teams on the offensive line. Nicks helped the Saints accumulate 382 total yards, while Raiola helped the Lions total 411 yards of total offense.

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CRICK NAMED TO GOOD WORKS TEAM…

Lincoln - University of Nebraska All-America defensive tackle Jared Crick was one of 22 players named to the 2011 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team on Tuesday.

Crick, a two-time first-team all-conference selection on the field, is being recognized for his many off-field endeavors, as the senior is a two-time member of the Brook Berringer Citizenship team. During his time as a Husker, Crick has made several hospital visits, read at elementary schools, visited with World War II veterans and spoke at churches.

Crick is the 11th Husker football player to receive the honor since its inception in 1992 and the first since Dane Todd in 2006. Other Huskers who have been selected for the Good Works team in previous years include Troy Branch (LB, 1992, 1993), Donta Jones (OLB, 1994), Aaron Graham (C, 1995), Jared Tomich (RE, 1996), Dan Alexander (IB, 1999), Patrick Kabongo (DT, 2001), Troy Hassebroek (WR, 2002), Mark LeFlore (WR, 2005) and Sandro DeAngelis (P/PK, 2003).

A program-record 132 players were nominated for the award this summer. From the nominations, a special voting panel, including former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® members and current college football broadcasters, selected 22 players from across the country to the team. Of the two 11-member teams, one comprises players competing in the NCAA® Football Bowl Subdivision and the other is a combined team representing the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III, and the NAIA.

Fans will be able to vote for an Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® Captain by visiting ESPN.com and searching "Good Works". By viewing the player profiles on the website, fans can learn more about this year's team members and their selfless acts of kindness. The Team Captain and his fellow award recipients will be invited to New Orleans to take part in a special volunteer project leading up to the 2012 Allstate® Sugar Bowl®.

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HUSKERS TOP NO. 5 PENN STATE IN FIVE SETS…

Lincoln, Neb.- The No. 10 Nebraska Volleyball team (8-1) opened the conference schedule with a bang on Wednesday night, taking down the fifth-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions in five sets (25-18, 25-16, 23-25, 19-25, 15-10) at the NU Coliseum. With 4,186 fans on their feet, Penn State could not overcome a dramatic effort by NU to win their inaugural Big Ten Conference match.

"Welcome to the Big Ten," Head Coach John Cook said. "That's what it's going to be like every night, I think. This was a great match for both teams. I know Penn State-we almost had them in three there, and they didn't quit. I thought we played, besides that missed serve, almost perfect in game five. We executed exactly like we'd been trying to do in games three and four. You never know what your team's got until you see them in that situation. Our fans and Husker Nation, our team's got to be really pleased with how they responded."

The Huskers saw Gina Mancuso lead all NU hitters with 22 kills. She tallied her fifth double-double of the season with 10 digs on the night. Morgan Broekhuis tallied the second double-double of her career with 12 kills and 11 digs. Lauren Cook notched 53 assists, while Hannah Werth led the Huskers defensively with 13 digs.

The Huskers held PSU to a .182 hitting percentage for the match, the second lowest hitting percentage for the Nittany Lions on the season. Nu also out-blocked Penn State 11 to nine and also out-dug PSU 66-60.

The last time the Huskers beat a top-five team was in 2010 when NU topped then-No. 3 Illinois in five sets at the Bob Devaney Sports Center

The Huskers and Nittany Lions came out ready to compete in the first set, with both teams tying each other eight different times, last at 10-10 on an ace by Penn State. Nebraska then began to pull away, eventually gaining a lead of 15-11 on a kill by Broekhuis. The Huskers stretched the lead to 20-15 on a service error by PSU and later to 22-16 on another error by the Nittany Lions. Nebraska eventually took the match 25-18 on a kill by Broekhuis.

"I told the team, whether we win or lose this, it's just the first match of 20 in the Big Ten," Cook said. "It feels good to see this team, when we got into the defining moment of game five, how well we executed. I mean, they just took it up a notch. Even Lauren (Cook) got a stuff block in game five, and they were working her pretty good. I think that just showed them they have an unbelievable amount of trust in what we've been training and what we're telling them and in each other. They got tested tonight, and they proved it. It feels really good, because you know how hard we work on that mindset. We've been doing this since January, trying to get them to believe that they can be a great team."

The Huskers will return to the NU Coliseum on Saturday, Sept. 24 to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes at 7 p.m. The match will air live on NET and can also be seen on BTN.com.

More at Huskers.com

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HUSKERS BURY IOWA STATE…

Lincoln, Neb.- The No. 10 Nebraska volleyball team made quick work of No. 12 Iowa State on Saturday night, sweeping the Cyclones 3-0 (25-23, 25-15, 25-18) in front of 10,380 fans at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

The Huskers and Cyclones faced off the first time as non-conference opponents. With the Huskers sweep on Saturday night, NU holds a 79-1 advantage in the all-time series that dates back to 1975.

Junior Gina Mancuso led the Huskers at the Devaney Center, totaling 14 kills on 35 attacks and a hitting percentage of .371. Mancuso also had 11 digs on the night, giving her the fourth double-double of her career. She also totaled three service aces for the Huskers. Sophomore Morgan Broekhuis notched 11 kills of her own, while junior Lauren Cook tallied 38 assists.

The Huskers held ISU to a .087 hitting percentage and 36 kills. The Cyclones committed 25 errors on the night, while Nebraska only committed 11. Iowa State and NU were nearly identical in digs, as the Cyclones had 56 and NU notched 55.
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HUSKER SOCCER TEAM HITS THE ROAD FOR BIG TEN PLAY…

Game 9 - Purdue (3-6-1, 0-1-0)
Series History - Nebraska Leads, 2-1-0
When - Friday, Sept. 23 (6 p.m.)
Where - Varsity Soccer Complex
Live Radio - PurdueSports.com
Live Stats - PurdueSports.com

Game 10 - Indiana (4-4-1, 0-1-0)
Series History - Nebraska Leads, 1-0-0
When - Sunday, Sept. 25 (Noon)
Where - Armstrong Stadium
Live Stream - BTN.com
Live Stats - IUHoosiers.cstv.com

Lincoln - After winning the first ever Big Ten Conference game for the University of Nebraska with a 3-1 victory of Northwestern at the Nebraska Soccer Field on Sunday, the Huskers take their 4-3-1 (1-0-0) record on the road for a pair of games with Purdue and Indiana.

The weekend starts on Friday night in West Lafayette, Ind., when the Boilermakers (3-6-1, 0-1-0) and Huskers meet at Varsity Soccer Complex for a 6 p.m. (CT) kickoff. The Huskers hold a 2-1-0 lead in the all-time series, with their lone loss, 2-1, coming in their only other visit to West Lafayette during the 2005 season. NU's pair of wins came at home in 2000 (4-1) and 2004 (3-0). PurdueSports.com will have both a live radio feed and live stats for the game.

The road swing will continue on Sunday when the Huskers head two hours south to Bloomington, Ind., for a Noon meeting with the Hoosiers at Armstrong Stadium. IU enters the week with a 4-4-1 (0-1-0) record on the year and will host Nebraska after a home game with Iowa on Friday. It will be a familiar trip for the Huskers as NU visited Bloomington last season and won the first-ever meeting between the two programs, 3-1. Sunday's game is scheduled to be shown live on BTN.com (subscription required) and live stats will be available at IUHoosiers.com.

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MARLBOROUGH EARNS SECOND BIG TEN WEEKLY HONOR…

Lincoln - Junior Morgan Marlborough earned a share of the Big Ten Offensive Player-of-the-Week award for the second time in 2011 on Monday after posting a hat trick in Nebraska's 3-1 conference-opening win over Northwestern on Sunday. Michigan State's Laura Heyboer was also picked for the honor after scoring five goals on the weekend in wins over Detroit (4-3, OT) and Purdue (2-1), including a hat trick against Detroit.

Sunday's game was the first-ever Big Ten Conference game for the University of Nebraska and the Huskers improved to 8-0-0 when opening conference play at home. Head Coach John Walker's squad also improved its all-time record against Big Ten teams to 17-5-2.

Marlborough made her conference debut in dramatic style with her second hat trick of the season and the fourth of her career. She also became just the fourth Husker in school history to score 50 or more goals in a career and now sits third on Nebraska's career list with 51 goals, trailing Christine Latham (69) and Kim Engesser (53). The junior tied a career high with a goal in six straight games, dating back to the Huskers loss at Denver. Marlborough also scored in six straight games as a freshman in 2009.

Marlborough earned her first conference honor on Monday, Sept. 5, after scoring five goals during a pair of wins over Arkansas and Northern Arizona. She notched her first hat trick of 2011 in the 8-1 win over Northern Arizona.

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STRENGTH COMPLEX NAMED FOR DAVID AND CAROL ALLOY…

The University of Nebraska Athletic Department is proud to announce the receipt of a major gift from David and Carol Alloy of Omaha, toward the building of a new strength facility in the Hawks Championship Center.

The Alloys have followed University of Nebraska athletics since 1962. David Alloy is a native of Omaha and a graduate of the University of Nebraska, earning his degree in 1973, while Carol Alloy hails from Grand Forks, North Dakota. The couple discovered a passion for volleyball after attending their first Husker game in 1988 at the Big Eight Volleyball Tournament in Omaha. Their love for Nebraska volleyball has grown over the years and they have made previous contributions to the Volleyball Husker Award Club, Match Club, and Nebraska athletic department.

The Alloys said, "We have been very fortunate in our lives and wanted to do something more substantial by giving back to the University and the volleyball program, in addition to supporting a wide range of other sports."

"When the baseball and softball batting cages were moved to Haymarket Park," Athletic Director Tom Osborne said, "that enabled us to build a beautiful new strength complex in the Hawks Championship Center. We are very appreciative of the gift from the Alloys. Because of their generosity, we are able to have a wonderful strength facility for our student-athletes. We are pleased to name this complex in their honor."

The new facility will be utilized by Husker volleyball, baseball, softball, rifle, soccer, and women's gymnastics student-athletes. The Alloys' generous contribution will provide all these sports with one of the finest strength and conditioning facilities in the nation. In honor of their donation, the renovated facility will be named the David and Carol Alloy Strength Complex.

"Our intent is that this facility will help our athletes build their strength and endurance to compete at the highest level, and with the inspiration and determination to go beyond what is expected," the Alloys said. "Our hope is that the young men and women training in this facility will also build teamwork, loyalty, friendships, and memories, and leave as successful people in their future endeavors."

Renovation on the center began this summer and was completed in time for this fall.

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FROM THE OMAHA WORLD HERALD…

Trying to reclaim what river stole

With floodwaters mostly receded, it's time for dozens of home and cabin owners along the Missouri in Nebraska, South Dakota and Iowa to determine whether structures can be saved and, if so, decide what needs to be done and how to pay for it.

Barfknecht: Legends champion needn't be legendary

Bo Pelini's chipper reaction to Nebraska's 51-38 victory over Washington — gushing about being 3-0, pumping up the positives — probably caught some fans by surprise. It shouldn't have, for two reasons. One, Pelini saw certifiable advancement from enough young players who look like they now are riding the growth curve, not reaching for it.

Plenty of Green ahead

You might have to go back and find some of Aaron Green's old high school video to see how the blue-chip back used to run the football. Or at least get the film from that Nebraska scrimmage last month when Green tried one of his old tricks. The Husker I-back slammed on the brakes as a play was going nowhere, then started heading a combination of sideways and backward in an attempt to find something better on the other side.

Sky falling on defense? No, says Bo

Just when it looked like Nebraska's defense had found its groove Saturday, the Huskers started providing reminders that the unit has lots of room to grow. Washington's Chris Polk powered over the goal-line for a 2-yard score. He later bounced off a few failed tackle attempts before getting pulled down from behind for a 25-yard run. Receiver James Johnson hauled in a long pass over the middle and capped his 52-yard touchdown by rumbling through a couple Huskers.

Notes: Corners seeking their swagger

The members of Nebraska's secondary played the game of their lives last September against Washington. Future first-rounder Jake Locker never stood a chance. He threw the ball 20 times. Four of them went to Husky receivers. Two of them went to Huskers.

Football only part of Choi's journey

Here's how kids — including college football players — can be: They'll find the one thing that seems different about you and pick at it. And so as Washington's defensive linemen crouched in their stances last Saturday, they saw 290-pound junior Nebraska left guard Seung Hoon Choi and had some fun with his size and ethnicity. Maybe the Huskies thought that Choi — a native of Seoul, South Korea — might get rattled. Some players would. But what Washington didn't know — what it couldn't know — is that Choi isn't rattled by much.
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NEWS FROM THE HOMELAND…

* Nebraska defeats Washington, looks to undefeated Wyoming

During the Big 12 days of yesteryear the Cowboys who challenged
Nebraska were the ones from Oklahoma State. Things have changed,
since the Cornhuskers switched their brand to the Big 10. No more
shootouts with the pokes. This week the 3-0 Huskers head for Wyoming
to take on that state's 3-0 Cowboys.
http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2011/09/19/4e774590cf5d7

* Nebraska Football: Big Red fans will take more than enthusiasm to Madison

The headline in the Chicago Sun-Times did succinct justice to
sportswriter Joe Cowley’s story about NU's first Big Ten Conference
football game. But Joe C. missed an important factor in that upcoming
game against Wisconsin.
http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2011/08/16/4e4a0222a7f9d

* Lopers picked to win title in final RMAC season

In its final year in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the
University of Nebraska-Kearney football team is picked to win the
league title.
http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2011/08/10/4e426fa14ca65

* Listeria cases reported in Nebraska

Four cases of listeriosis, a foodborne illness, have been confirmed
in Nebraska residents, and all appear to be associated with an
outbreak connected to Colorado-grown cantaloupe.
http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2011/09/20/4e78bcc93b172

* GOP demands Unicam loyalty on primary election change

State lawmakers are officially elected on a nonpartisan ballot.
Although it sounds like a contradiction in terms, Nebraska actually
has what can be called “a nonpartisan, Republican Legislature.”
And the Republican Party expects loyalty in 2012 when it seeks to
rewrite the law on awarding electoral votes.The
http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2011/09/19/4e773d541cd60

* Private donations fund increases for top NU system leaders

The president of the University of Nebraska has received a 12 percent
pay raise, and the four campus chancellors in the university system
are getting higher pay. None of the money comes from taxpayers.
http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2011/09/14/4e70bf027e780

* Domestic migration improvements widespread among Nebraska counties

A new analysis shows many Nebraska counties had a net in-migration of
people from other states, reversing a 10-year run of net departures
from the state.
http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2011/09/13/4e6f6cedea9f2

* NU makes U.S. News and World report rankings

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is listed at 101st, tied with
seven others schools, among the best American universities. But NU
also finished behind all the other schools in the Big Ten.
http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2011/09/13/4e6f5f3b74a3a

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ARTICLE FROM THE SEATTLE TIMES…(thanks Gretchen!)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/take2/2016209324_taketwo15.html?prmid=obinsite

Nebraska's Sea of Red awaits Huskies' fans Saturday
Posted by Tony Guadagnoli














ERIC FRANCIS / GETTY IMAGES

Nebraska fans make noise as their team kicks off Saturday against Fresno State.

Editor's note: Tony Guadagnoli of The Seattle Times will look at a unique or famous college football tradition each Thursday in Take 2.

Red. Everywhere you look. From flannel pajamas to onesies on babies to the T-shirts on men with fake corn foam heads. Red.

From the airport to Stadium Drive, it's a monochromatic nightmare for the opponent.

When the Washington Huskies and their fans walk into Nebraska's Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Saturday the red will engulf them, just like it engulfs the state. For the 314th consecutive time, 81,091-seat Memorial Stadium will be sold out, a streak dating to 1962. The next longest sellout streak is Notre Dame at 221.

The string of sellouts becomes even more remarkable when you consider Nebraska ranks 38th among states in population at 1.8 million. Memorial Stadium becomes the third-largest city in the state on home games. Even when you consider the success of Cornhuskers football, which has produced just two losing seasons since 1962, almost 50 consecutive seasons of sellouts is remarkable.

Nebraska has traditions that stand out. The Tunnel Walk and touching the lucky horseshoe before entering Memorial Stadium is the most famous. But it's the collective passion of the Nebraska fans that makes the place special.

Sure, every school has passionate fans, but Nebraska's really never appreciate what they have until they leave. And they do leave, traveling by the thousands to see their team on the road.

Former Nebraska running back Roger Craig once said of Cornhusker fans, "If someone ever decided to play a game on Mars, I know Nebraska fans would find a way to get up there and watch it."

The Sea of Red has had many opponents seeing red. Nebraska is 381-115-13 (.761) in Memorial Stadium and has had 42 straight winning home seasons.

In my few trips there it never ceases to amaze me just how much red the Cornhuskers pack into the stadium. An hour before kickoff it looks like there is not an empty seat. Yet another 10,000 red-clad fans are at the gates waiting to get in.

Every entrance at Memorial Stadium welcomes Huskers fans with the following phrase: "Through these gates pass the Greatest Fans in College Football."

Disproving that statement is kind of like trying to tie knots with wet spaghetti. It probably can be done but not very easily.

What is also striking is that Nebraska fans didn't start calling themselves the greatest fans, they earned the title through sportsmanship and respect.

Nebraska fans like to think they are the best on earth and the salt of the earth. They take their cues from athletic director Tom Osborne, the even-keeled native from Hastings who brought most of the glory to Nebraska as coach. Now 74, Osborne's last five Nebraska teams were 60-3 and won three national titles (1994, 1995, 1997).

"I think almost every opponent that comes into Memorial Stadium has a sense that the fans here are fairly knowledgeable and that they are respectful of opponents," said Osborne via email. "Nearly all opponents are treated very well here and their fans also are treated well. We hope that this is the experience of the Washington Huskies this week.

"Often times our fans will applaud the visiting team as they leave the stadium if they have played well, even if they happen to be victorious."

While Cornhusker fans have hardly suffered in the past 50 years, the 19th century was unkind to Nebraska in terms of nickname. The team was called Bugeaters (most prominently), Rattlesnake Boys, Tree Planters and Antelopes, among others. In 1900, sports writer Cy Sherman, who later helped originate The Associated Press football poll, starting using Cornhuskers, and the name stuck.

The simple "N" on the side of Nebraska helmets has been used since 1971 and the source of derision from opponents who claim it stands for "knowledge." Nebraskans like to say it stands for national champions -- five of them -- or point to the NCAA-leading 99 football Academic All-Americans.

"Nebraska lived up to everything I thought it was, but the older I get, the more I realize what made Nebraska more special than anyplace else -- it was the fans," Craig is quoted on the school's website.

No need to ask them to paint the town red, though. They have been doing that for decades.

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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.

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