Saturday, November 26, 2011

Bay Area Huskers E-News 11/23/11

Hey Bay Area Husker Fans!
Happy Thanksgiving!  Hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday, and you get a chance to enjoy leftovers during the “Corn Bowl” (its actually called the Heroes Trophy) on Friday.  And watch out for that tryptophan laden turkey sandwich…you don’t want to miss the second half because you are napping ;o)

I don’t even want to discuss last Saturday’s game…time to move on and think about the last conference game of the season, and to the bowl game selections.  For those who like to dwell on the painful, I added the game synopsis below.

The Husker Volleyball team clinched their first ever Big Ten Conference title with a win over Iowa Tuesday…Congrats!!!  More info about the game that put them over the edge, and their last regular season match this Saturday versus Northwestern.

Note the info below (at the end of the email) about the Night of Legends event in Sacramento on Saturday February 25th with a familiar guest speaker, Dr. Tom Osborne.

Have a great Turkey Day!
Go Big Red (White and Blue),
Carl

Thanksgiving Thoughts:
"Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." —Psalm 100:4-5

And if you are bored and looking for a little Thanksgiving history, check out this site: http://patriotpost.us/reference/the-first-thanksgiving

Watch Parties:
Check first before you head out to watch the game at your favorite watch site.  Because the “Corn Bowl” game against Iowa will once again be on early (9:00 a.m. Pacific) on the day after Thanksgiving, some of our watch sites won’t be open for business yet.  I talked with Jack’s and they probably won’t be open that morning due to historically low attendance on that date in the past.  If the game were in the afternoon it might be a different story.  I know Legends in Concord will be open because it’s a popular date for golfers. 

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HUSKERS HOST HAWKEYES FRIDAY ON ABC…

GAME 12: IOWA AT NEBRASKA
NOV. 25, 2011 | MEMORIAL STADIUM
LINCOLN, NEB. | 9 A.M. (PT)
HUSKERS
Record: 8-3, 4-3
Rankings: Coaches-22; AP-22
Last Game:  lost to Michigan, 45-17
Coach: Bo Pelini
Career/NU Record: 38-15/4th year
vs. Iowa: 0-0
HAWKEYES
Record: 7-4, 4-3
Rankings: Coaches-NR; AP-NR
Last Game:  def. Purdue, 31-21
Coach: Kirk Ferentz
Career | Iowa Record: 108-85/16th year | 96-64/13th year
vs. NU: 0-2
The Matchup

Nebraska closes out the regular season in its traditional day after Thanksgiving matchup on Friday at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. With the move to the Big Ten the opponent is different in 2011, as the Huskers will take on Iowa in the inaugural Heroes Game. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CST and the game will be televised nationally on ABC.

The matchup with Iowa will mark the 22nd consecutive season Nebraska has played on the day after Thanksgiving, including six years against Oklahoma from 1990 to 1995, and 15 meetings with Colorado during Nebraska’s run in the Big 12 Conference. Nebraska and Iowa are also scheduled to play on the day following Thanksgiving next year in Iowa City.

Nebraska enters the game with an 8-3 record, including a 4-3 record in the Big Ten Conference, following a 45-17 loss at Michigan on Saturday. The setback eliminated Nebraska from contention in the Legends Division, as Michigan State will be the division representative in the inaugural Big Ten title game on Dec. 3. The loss also dropped the Huskers to 22nd in both the AP and Coaches polls and 21st in the latest BCS rankings.

Iowa comes into the game with a 7-4 record, including a 4-3 Big Ten mark following a 31-21 victory at Purdue on Saturday. The Hawkeyes feature a high-octane offense, averaging nearly 390 yards per game, including 241.3 passing yards per contest.
The Series

Friday’s game is the first meeting between the schools as conference foes, but the 42nd all-time matchup. Nebraska holds a 26-12-3 advantage, including a 13-2-1 record against the Hawkeyes in Lincoln. This is the first meeting between the teams since Nebraska won both games in a home-and-home series with Iowa in 1999 and 2000.
The Coaches

Nebraska:
Bo Pelini (Ohio State, ‘90) owns a 38-15 record in his fourth season. Pelini has guided NU to nine or more wins in each of his first three seasons as head coach, joining Bob Devaney, Tom Osborne and Frank Solich in accomplishing that feat. Pelini has guided Nebraska to a conference championship game the past two seasons and to at least a share of the Big 12 divisional crown his first three seasons as head coach.
Iowa: Kirk Ferentz (Connecticut, ‘78) is in his 13th season as the head coach at Iowa and owns a 96-64 record. He is 108-85 overall in his 16th season as a head coach. Ferentz has guided Iowa to nine bowl games, and a pair of Big Ten titles (2002, 2004). For his work, Ferentz has been named Big Ten Coach of the Year three times.
Nebraska Football

*-Nebraska is 845-348-40 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 47 all-time bowl appearances rank fifth nationally.
*-Since 1970, Nebraska has 411 wins, 26 more than any other school.
*-Nebraska's 99 football Academic All-Americans leads the nation.
*-The Huskers have had 107 All-Americans in school history.
Scouting IowaIowa has won two of its last three games and enters Friday’s game with a 7-4 overall record and a 4-3 mark in Big Ten Conference play. The Hawkeyes have lost to three opponents Nebraska has defeated this season (Michigan State, Minnesota and Penn State), while beating two teams who defeated the Huskers (Michigan and Northwestern).

The Hawkeyes are led by a strong passing attack that ranks third in the Big Ten with 241.3 yards per game. Quarterback James Vandenberg is completing more than 60 percent of his passes and has thrown for 2,624 yards. He also boasts an impressive 23 touchdown passes to only five interceptions. On the ground, Marcus Coker is the Big Ten’s second-leading rusher with 1,297 yards this season, but the Hawkeyes’ next-leading rusher has only 79 yards on the year.

Defensively, Iowa is allowing 234.0 passing yards per game and 153.8 rushing yards. The Hawkeyes give up an average of 23.6 points per game.
Series HistoryThis week’s game marks the 42nd all-time meeting between Nebraska and Iowa, as the Huskers have played the Hawkeyes more than any other Big Ten team other than Minnesota.

The Huskers lead the all-time series with Iowa, 26-12-3. Nebraska owns a 13-2-1 series advantage in Lincoln, including a 10-1-0 edge inside Memorial Stadium. Iowa’s lone win at Memorial Stadium came in 1943.

Nebraska enters its game with Iowa ranked for the seventh straight meeting. In each of the previous six meetings from 1979 to 2000, the Huskers were ranked in the top 10. Overall, NU has been ranked nine times in the 42 all-time meetings including this year, while Iowa has never been ranked while facing the Huskers.

The Huskers have won three straight in the series dating back to 1982, scoring 42 points each time. In the most recent meeting, No. 1 Nebraska defeated Iowa, 42-13 in 2000. The previous year, the Huskers earned a 42-7 win in Iowa City in Kirk Ferentz’s first game as Iowa’s head coach. Before meeting six times from 1979 to 2000, the programs had not played each other since meeting seven straight seasons from 1940 to 1946.
Iowa Head Coach Kirk FerentzKirk Ferentz is in his 13th season at Iowa and his 16th season as a head coach overall. His tenure at Iowa is the second-longest in school history behind Hayden Fry. Ferentz is also the dean of active Big Ten coaches with his 13 seasons at Iowa, seven more than Ron Zook, who is in his seventh season at Illinois. Ferentz owns a 96-64 record at Iowa and a 108-85 career record.

A three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, Ferentz has guided the Hawkeyes to four 10-win seasons, nine bowl berths, six bowl wins, five top-25 finishes and two Big Ten championships in his first 12 seasons. The Hawkeyes posted three straight 10-win seasons from 2002 to 2004, finishing with a No. 8 final ranking each year. In 2009, Ferentz led Iowa to its best start ever (9-0) before capping the year with an 11-2 record, a No. 7 national ranking and a victory over Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl.

Ferentz’s other head coaching experience came at Maine from 1990 to 1992, when he compiled a 12-21 record. In between head coaching stints, Ferentz spent six seasons as an offensive line coach in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns from 1993 to 1998. His first full-time job in Division I came as Iowa’s offensive line coach from 1981 to 1989.

Ferentz is 0-2 in his head coaching career against Nebraska, suffering losses to the Huskers at home in 1999 and in Lincoln in 2000. The fifth-ranked Huskers’ 42-7 win over the Hawkeyes on Sept. 4, 1999, marked Ferentz’s first game as Iowa’s head coach.
Nebraska Head Coach Bo Pelini

Bo Pelini
is in his fourth season as Nebraska’s head coach and owns a 38-15 record with the Huskers. Pelini helped Nebraska to at least a share of the Big 12 North title in each of his first three seasons, becoming the first coach in the history of that league to win at least a share of a division title in each of his first three years.
Pelini took charge of the Huskers after a highly successful five-year run as a collegiate defensive coordinator, including orchestrating NU’s defensive efforts in 2003. Pelini picked up his first college head coaching victory as NU’s interim coach in the 2003 Alamo Bowl against Michigan State.
Following his one season at Nebraska, Pelini served as the co-defensive coordinator at Oklahoma in 2004, helping the Sooners to the Big 12 title and BCS title game. He then followed with three seasons as the defensive coordinator at LSU. With the Tigers, Pelini led three consecutive defenses to No. 3 national rankings in total defense. He culminated his time in Baton Rouge by helping the Tigers to the 2007 national championship.
In addition to his five seasons at the collegiate level, Pelini coached in the NFL for nine seasons, serving three years each with the San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers. Pelini was a team captain and four-year letterman as a safety at Ohio State from 1987 to 1990.
Pelini Stacks up Well with PeersIn guiding Nebraska to a 38-15 record, Pelini has put himself in some impressive company.
*-Pelini is the fourth Nebraska head coach to win nine games in each of his first three seasons with the Cornhuskers. The others to reach that win plateau were Bob Devaney, Tom Osborne and Frank Solich. Pelini has joined Solich as the only NU coaches with two 10-win seasons in their first three years.
*- Pelini, Solich and Texas' Mack Brown were the only coaches in Big 12 history (1996) to win nine or more games in each of their first three seasons.
*-Pelini's nine victories in 2008 tied for the most among 18 coaches in their first season at their respective schools. Among first-time head coaches, Pelini's victory total was the best in the nation. Pelini's 19 victories in his first two seasons were second among that group, and he has moved to the top of the 2008 hiring class with his 37 wins.
*-Pelini was just the eighth BCS conference (since 1998) first-time head coach to post nine or more victories in his first season. He was just the second first-year head coach in that span to win nine games after inheriting a team with a losing record the previous year. Only Pelini and Bill Stewart (former West Virginia coach) from the group won nine games each of the past three seasons.

Pelini Continues Defensive Accomplishments at Nebraska
At Nebraska, Pelini has continued his history of building championship defenses. Nebraska finished second in the Big 12 in total defense in 2008, a year after NU was 100th or worse in nearly every defensive category. In 2009, the Huskers led the nation in scoring defense and had the nation’s best scoring defensive improvement (18.1 ppg). Last season Nebraska again ranked among the nation’s best in several defensive categories.
With Pelini's previous track record, the success of his Nebraska defenses is no surprise.
*-Pelini led the 2003 Blackshirts to impressive numbers. NU had a school-record 47 takeaways, including a Big 12-record 32 interceptions, and finished second nationally in scoring defense, first in pass efficiency defense and 11th in total defense.
*-Pelini guided LSU defenses to No. 3 national finishes in total defense each of his three seasons in Baton Rouge.
*-In 119 games as a collegiate coach, Pelini's defenses have posted 10 shutouts, held the opposition to seven points or less 37 times and to 20 points or less 79 times.
*-Pelini-led defenses have 231 total takeaways, including two top-three national rankings.
Four Assistants in First Season on Husker StaffAfter having the same coaching staff for each of his first three seasons at Nebraska, Bo Pelini welcomed four new assistants in 2011. Rich Fisher (receivers), John Garrison (assistant offensive line/tight ends), Ross Els (linebackers) and Corey Raymond (secondary) are all in their first seasons as full-time members of the Husker coaching staff.
                      
In addition to the new faces, Pelini shuffled some duties among returning coaches. Tim Beck takes over the role of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, while Ron Brown shifts to tutoring the Nebraska running backs.
Nebraska in Inaugural Season in Big Ten ConferenceNebraska officially became the 12th member of the Big Ten Conference on July 1, 2011. The Huskers are 4-3 in their first season of Big Ten Conference action. 
Nebraska has won football championships in four conferences during its 121 years of intercollegiate football, and also competed as an independent for several years. Overall, Nebraska has won 43 conference championships.
The major conferences for the Nebraska football program since the first season of play in 1890 include:
1890-1891: Independent
1892-1897: Western Inter-State Foot Ball Association
1898-1906, 1918-1920: Independent
1907-1917, 1921-1927: Missouri Valley Conference (12 conference titles)
1928-1947: Big Six Conference (9 conference titles)
1948-1959: Big Seven Conference
1960-1995: Big Eight Conference (20 conference titles)
1996-2010: Big 12 Conference (2 conference titles)
2011-: Big Ten Conference
Nebraska holds a 35-8 record against Big Ten opponents since 1970. Before the loss to Northwestern, the Huskers had won nine straight game in Lincoln against conference foes dating back to a 1981 loss to Penn State.
*-Among Big Ten Conference opponents, Nebraska has faced Minnesota the most, taking on the Gophers 51 times. Minnesota holds a 29-21-2 edge in the all-time series, but Nebraska has won the past 15 meetings dating back to 1963, including this year’s 41-14 win in Minneapolis.
*-Nebraska and Iowa have met 41 times in football, with the Huskers owning a 26-12-3 advantage. The two teams have met just six times since 1946, with NU winning five of those six meetings. Nebraska and Iowa will complete the regular season against each other through at least 2014, and will battle on the Friday after Thanksgiving in 2011 and 2012. Nebraska has played on the day after Thanksgiving every year since 1990, facing either Oklahoma or Colorado.
*-Aside from Minnesota and Iowa, Nebraska had faced the remaining six Big Ten foes on the 2011 schedule a total of 35 times entering the season, led by 13 meetings with Penn State.
Legends and Leaders
The Big Ten Conference is divided into two divisions for football competition–Legends and Leaders. Winners of the respective divisions will meet on Dec. 3 in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship.
Nebraska is in the Legends Division along with Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Northwestern. Nebraska will face each member of the Legends Division on an annual basis. The Leaders Division consists of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin. The Huskers will face Penn State every year in a protected cross-over game, while the other five opponents will rotate onto Nebraska’s schedule.
In 2011 and 2012, Nebraska will face Ohio State and Wisconsin from the Leaders Division. Nebraska will take on Illinois and Purdue in the 2013 and 2014 seasons, and does not face Indiana in the regular season in its first four years of Big Ten schedules.
The 2011 Schedule
Nebraska is facing arguably one of the nation’s most difficult schedules in 2011 and one of the most demanding slates in school history. As of Nov. 20, Nebraska’s schedule was ranked as the nation’s third-most difficult slate and toughest in the Big Ten. The opposition’s winning percentage is .624.

The 2011 schedule featured nine games against teams that participated in a bowl game in 2010. Included in that group are BCS bowl teams Ohio State (Sugar) and Wisconsin (Rose). Other teams that appeared in a bowl game include Fresno State (Humanitarian), Washington (Holiday), Michigan State (Capital One), Northwestern (Ticket City), Penn State (Outback), Michigan (Gator) and Iowa (Insight).

Wisconsin, Ohio State and Michigan State shared the Big Ten title in 2010, and each of those three schools won 11 regular-season games. Nebraska’s home schedule was arguably the most attractive in school history. In addition to the new flavor of Big Ten foes, six of the seven opponents coming to Memorial Stadium competed in a bowl game last fall.

Huskers, Hawkeyes Set for Heroes Game
The HyVee Heroes Game is the annual trophy game between Nebraska, the newest member of the Big Ten Conference, and Iowa, one of the conference’s original members. While both teams will aim to win the trophy on the field, both Nebraska and Iowa wished to make their annual meeting about more than just winning a football game. With that in mind, the schools partnered together to not only create a trophy, but to use a national stage to honor a citizen hero from each state.

In addition to the trophy that will be claimed by the winner of Friday’s game, both an Iowa and Nebraska native will be honored at halftime for extraordinary acts.

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HUSKERS FALL AT NO. 20 MICHIGAN…
Ann Arbor, Mich. - A collection of special teams miscues by Nebraska allowed No. 20 Michigan to control the ball, the clock and the second half in the No. 17 Huskers' 45-17 loss to the Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
With the loss, Nebraska slipped to 8-3 overall and 4-3 in the Big Ten while dropping out of contention for the Legends Division title. Michigan improved to 9-2 overall and 5-2 in the Big Ten, while helping in-state rival Michigan State clinch the Legends Division crown with a victory at Indiana.
Although the Huskers surrendered 45 points on the scoreboard, the Blackshirts were handcuffed by special teams and offensive turnovers throughout the second half.
After Michigan jumped to a 10-0 first-quarter lead in front of 113,718 fans at the Big House, Nebraska responded. NU sophomore quarterback Taylor Martinez connected with senior wide receiver Brandon Kinnie on a 54-yard touchdown strike to cut the Wolverine margin to 10-7 at the end of the first quarter.
The Huskers tied the game at 10 early in the second quarter, thanks to the biggest defensive play of the game from senior defensive tackle Terrence Moore, who tipped a Denard Robinson pass into the air and then ran under it for an interception. Moore returned the ball to the Michigan 33. NU's offense was unable to move against a stingy Wolverine defense, but Brett Maher connected on a career-long 51-yard field goal to tie the game with 12:12 left in the half.
Michigan provided an answer of its own with a 12-play, 74-yard drive that consumed 6:07 on the clock and culminated with Robinson's 14-yard touchdown run with 6:05 left in the half.
The two teams went to the halftime locker room with the Wolverines up 17-10, but the Huskers were set to receive the second-half kickoff with a chance to even the score.
Nebraska's second-half special teams woes began immediately. Kenny Bell returned Matt Wile's kick 33 yards, but his fumble was recovered by Michigan's Courtney Avery. The Wolverines cashed in with a seven-play, 33-yard drive capped by Robinson's one-yard run to make it 24-10 with 11:31 left in the third quarter.
The Husker offense managed a first down on its first possession of the second half, but Michigan held on 3rd-and-6 to force a Maher punt. Maher mishandled a good snap, and had his first punt of the season blocked to set the Wolverines up with another short field at the 50.
Eight plays later, Fitzgerald Toussaint rumbled in from one yard out to give Michigan a 31-10 lead with 5:03 left in the third quarter.
The Wolverines forced another three-and-out, and Maher tried to make up for his mistake by booming a 69-yard punt to bury Michigan at its own 4. The Blackshirts forced a three-and-out of their own and Ameer Abdullah returned a short 33-yard Will Hagerup punt 11 yards to give Martinez and the NU offense the ball at the Michigan 31.
Seven plays later, Abdullah pulled the Huskers within two scores on his three-yard touchdown run to give Nebraska life at the end of the third quarter.
Trailing 31-17 entering the fourth quarter, the Blackshirts appeared to breathe more life into the Huskers by stopping the Wolverines' Robinson on 3rd-and-4 to set up a punt on 4th-and-7 at the Michigan 17.
NU's Wil Richards came free on a chance at a punt block attempt, but instead of blocking the punt was flagged for roughing the kicker. Instead of having the ball inside the Michigan 10 with a chance to pull within a score, Michigan had a fresh set of downs.
Robinson and the Wolverines took advantage by completing a 10-play, 86-yard march that covered 5:39. Robinson put the exclamation point on the Michigan victory by connecting with Martavious Odoms on a 38-yard touchdown pass at the back of the end zone against double coverage. The score put the Wolverines up 38-17 with 10:14 left.
Another miscue ensued, as Tim Marlowe returned the Wile kickoff 22 yards before fumbling. Michigan recovered at the NU 22.
The Blackshirts managed one more three-and-out to force a 42-yard field goal attempt that Brendan Gibbons missed wide right. But two plays later, Martinez fumbled  while being sacked to give Michigan the ball back at the Husker 31.
On the next play from scrimmage, Toussaint uncorked a highlight-reel 31-yard touchdown run to seal the 45-17 win.
Toussaint finished the game with 138 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries. His rushing total matched the Huskers' team rushing total, as Martinez managed 49 yards on 16 carries for the Huskers.
Rex Burkhead, Nebraska's leading rusher coming into the game, was held to just 36 yards and was held out of the end zone for the first time all season.
Robinson added 83 yards and two more rushing scores for the Wolverines on the ground, as Michigan amassed 238 rushing yards. He also threw for 180 yards and two more scores while completing 11-of-18 passes.
Nebraska's three fumbles and other miscues helped Michigan amass 80 total plays for the game, while producing 418 total offense yards and a time of possession advantage of 41:13-18:39. It was Nebraska's least time of possession since at least 1983.The Huskers managed just 260 yards of total offense, as Martinez was held to 122 yards through the air while completing 9-of-23 passes. Nebraska ran just 54 plays.
Nebraska returns home to Memorial Stadium to close the regular season in the Heroes Game with Iowa on Friday, Nov. 25. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. on Senior Day at Nebraska (central) on ABC.
Scoring Summary
Final: #20 Michigan 45, #17 Nebraska 17
Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011
Michigan Stadium (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
First Quarter (MICH, 10-7)MICH - 8:17 - Jeremy Gallon 6 pass from Denard Robinson (Brendan Gibbons kick), 8 plays, 79 yards, 4:01, MICH 7-0
MICH - 2:03 - Gibbons 42 FG - 9 plays, 30 yards, 4:20, MICH 10-0
NEB - 1:17 - Brandon Kinnie 54 pass from Taylor Martinez (Brett Maher kick), 3 plays, 65 yards, 0:46, MICH 10-7
Second Quarter (MICH, 17-10)
NEB - 12:12 - Maher 51 FG - 4 plays, 1 yard, 1:29, Tied, 10-10
MICH - 6:05 - Robinson 14 run (Gibbons kick) - 12 plays, 74 yards, 6:07, MICH 17-10
Third Quarter (MICH, 31-17)MICH - 11:23 - Robinson 1 run (Gibbons kick) - 7 plays, 33 yards, 3:29, MICH 24-10
MICH - 5:03 - Fitzgerald Toussaint 1 run (Gibbons kick) - 8 plays, 50 yards, 3:29, MICH 31-10
NEB - 0:53 - Ameer Abdullah 3 run (Maher kick) - 7 plays, 31 yards, 1:41, MICH 31-17
Fourth Quarter (MICH, 45-17)MICH - 10:14 - Martavious Odoms 38 pass from Robinson (Gibbons kick) - 10 plays, 86 yards, 5:46, MICH 38-17
MICH - 7:33 - Toussaint 31 run (Gibbons kick) - 1 play, 31 yards, 0:08, MICH 45-17

Final: #20 Michigan 45, #17 Nebraska 17
Attendance: 113,718
Time of Game: 3:30
Game Start: 11:00 a.m. (central)
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NEBRASKA AND IOWA ANNOUNCE THE HEROES GAME TROPHY…
It might not be as “schticky” as the “Corn Bowl”, “Axe” or the “Paul Bunyan”, but it’s a pretty neat trophy…very distinguished and meaningful.

IOWA CITY, Iowa and LINCOLN, Neb. - The Heroes Game trophy was designed for the University of Iowa and the University of Nebraska by Rickabuagh Graphics, the same company that UI and NU contracted for creation of the official logos for the Heroes Game. 
One of the prominent features of the logo - the laurel leaves - is also a prominent feature of the trophy.  The leaves are etched into the football that rests atop the trophy.  A variety of staff from each institution were also involved in the project.  In ancient Greece, a laurel leaf crown was awarded to the victors of the Olympic Games.  Those were the heroes of their time and the laurel leaf crown was considered the symbol of a hero.  In today's world,  laurel leaves have continued to be a symbol of high achievement and high ideals.
The badges that carry the score of each Heroes Game and the "Citizen Heroes" who will be honored annually at each Heroes Game are in the shape of a shield similar to the shape of the Heroes Game logo.  Since medieval days, shields have been a symbol of strength and heroism.  In fact, many heraldic crests including shields as emblems of endurance and stability.  This same shield symbolism continues today in the badges for many of our modern heroes, including fire fighters and police officers.
The trophy has four sides: 
  • the front prominently displays the Heroes Game logo in brushed aluminum
  • the back is labeled at its top "TRADITION" and includes brushed aluminum art that prominently displays images of Memorial Stadium and Kinnick Stadium, and some of the traditions of the two institutions and their football programs
  • the left side is labeled at its top "VALOR" and carries the badges that will be dated and carry the names of the two "Citizen Heroes"
  • the right side is labeled at its top "VICTORY" and carries the badges that will be dated and carry the final score of each Heroes Game
A dark gray acrylic etched with a corn stalk pattern adorns all four sides of the base of the trophy.  The trophy itself stands 30-inches tall when measured from the base to the highest point of the molded aluminum football that has been given a brushed stainless steel look and features the officially registered trademarks of the University of Iowa (the Tigerhawk) and the University of Nebraska (the block "N") in addition to the aforementioned laurel leaves.
The 2011 Heroes Game will be played Friday at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb. Kickoff is set for shortly after 11 a.m. CT, and the game will be televised live to a national audience by ABC.  The 2012 Heroes Game will be played Friday, Nov. 23, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
The Heroes Game is the 14th "Trophy Game" between Big Ten Conference teams in the history of the Big Ten.  It is the only trophy game played by Nebraska against another Big Ten school.  Iowa plays Big Ten opponents in two other trophy games:  Iowa and Minnesota compete for Floyd of Rosedale and Iowa and Wisconsin play for possession of the Heartland Trophy.

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CAPUTO NAMED SEMIFINALIST FOR WALK-ON HONOR…
Nebraska senior Mike Caputo was named one of the 10 semifinalists for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is given annually to the nation's top athlete who began his career as a walk-on. Caputo is the first Husker walk-on to be named a semifinalist for the award.

A two-year starter a center for the Huskers, Caputo has led an offensive line that ranked inside the top 15 nationally in rushing over the past two seasons. Caputo continued a tradition-rich walk-on program at Nebraska after choosing to walk on out of Millard North High School in Omaha, Neb. The senior was a key in the Huskers transition into a new offense for the 2011 season, helping NU rack up over 220 yards of rushing per game.

New to this year's award, fans are now able to vote for their favorite player via the AT&T Fan Vote beginning today (Nov. 22). To vote for Caputo, visit
http://BurlsworthTrophy.com. Fans may vote one time per day until Dec. 6. The field of 10 athletes will be cut to its final three on Nov. 29, while the winner will be announced on Dec. 9 at a banquet in Springdale, Ark.

The Trophy is named after Brandon Burlsworth, who walked on at Arkansas where he became a three-year starter and an All-American in 1998. Burlsworth was selected 63rd overall in the 1999 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts, but was tragically killed in a car accident four days later. The Burlsworth Foundation was created in his memory and supports the physical and spiritual needs of children, in particular those who have limited opportunities.

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DAVID NAMES BUTKUS AWARD FINALIST…
Lincoln -- Nebraska linebacker Lavonte David was named one of six finalists for the 27th annual Butkus Award on Tuesday morning.
David is the fourth Husker to be a finalist for this prestigious honor and looks to join 1993 winner Trev Alberts as Nebraska's second Butkus award winner. Nebraska's other finalists were Broderick Thomas (1988) and Ed Stewart (1994).
On the season, the 6-foot-1, 225-pounder leads the Huskers with 114 tackles, including 52 solo stops. The senior tops the Huskers with 10 tackles for loss and also leads the Blackshirts with a pair of interceptions. David had a season-high 17 tackles against Michigan on Saturday, one of five double-digit tackle performances in 2011. He is the fifth Husker in school history to record consecutive 100-tackle seasons.
David ranks seventh on Nebraska's career tackles list with 226 in just two seasons in the program and could move into the top five on the Huskers' career chart with eight tackles against Iowa. As a junior, he set a program record with 152 tackles to lead the Big 12.
The other five finalists were Dont'a Hightower (Alabama), Jarvis Jones (Georgia), Luke Kuechly (Boston College), Manti Te'o (Notre Dame) and Courtney Upshaw (Alabama). The winner will be announced on or before December 7.
Butkus Award Collegiate Finalists:
  • Lavonte David, Nebraska
  • Dont'a Hightower, Alabama
  • Jarvis Jones, Georgia
  • Luke Kuechly, Boston College
  • Manti Te'o, Notre Dame
Courtney Upshaw, Alabama

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACH SALARIES AND “COST PER WIN” ANALYSIS…(thanks Dick!)
A real eye opener!
You’ve probably seen this or something similar to this before (with picture of the coaches).   But if not, thought you’d be interested (note coach in 1st picture of the article):
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HUSKER VOLLEYBALL TEAM CLINCHES FIRST BIG TEN TITLE…(WooHoo!!!)…
Iowa City, Iowa- The No. 2 Nebraska volleyball team (24-3, 17-2) clinched the first Big Ten Conference title in school history Tuesday night with a 3-0 (25-14, 25-14, 25-19) sweep of the Iowa Hawkeyes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.  Nebraska has now captured 32 conference titles overall.
Before the Huskers made history on Tuesday night, Penn State had previously won the conference crown for eight-straight seasons. Minnesota claimed the title in 2002.
"This is not an easy conference to win," John Cook said. "We did it while dealing with a lot of things, but through the leadership of our captains, we found a way to come together and hang tough. We had to outlast all these other teams, a new coaching staff and had some big-time players to replace."
Gina Mancuso led the Huskers on the night with 14 kills, while Hannah Werth had 12 kills and nine digs. Lauren Cook notched her 15th double-double of the season with 32 assists and 10 digs. Jordan Wilberger had four block assists as Morgan Broekhuis had three.
The Huskers hit .386 for the match, while the Hawkeyes hit .114. Nebraska out-blocked Iowa 7-0 and out-dug them 45-34.
Nebraska came out in the first set, taking a 5-3 lead on a hitting error by the Hawkeyes. A kill from Jordan Wilberger put NU up 10-6, while the Huskers gained an 18-12 advantage after a block by Delano and Mancuso.

Nebraska went up 19-12 after the Hawkeyes committed another hitting error, forcing Iowa to use their second timeout.  A block by Wilberger and Broekhuis put NU ahead 23-14, and Nebraska went on to take the first set 25-14.
Wilberger led Nebraska in the first set with three kills on six attacks. Mancuso and Werth both had two kills, while Cook notched eight assists. Lara Dykstra tabbed five digs as Broekhuis and Werth both had four. The Huskers hit just .194 in the first set, but totaled three team blocks and 17 digs. Iowa hit .026 in the first set and had no team blocks.
Wilberger came out on fire in the second set, helping Nebraska to an early 4-0 lead. A service ace by Dykstra put NU ahead 8-4, while a block from Delano gave Nebraska a 12-6 advantage. Wilberger and Broekhuis combined for back-to-back kills as the Huskers took a 17-9 lead and forced Iowa to use a timeout. An ace from Dykstra put Nebraska up 19-10 and another ace by Paige Hubl gave NU a 22-11 lead. A block error by the Hawkeyes gave Nebraska the second set 25-14 as the Huskers headed into break up 2-0.
Mancuso and Werth both notched six kills in the second set as Cook had 15 assists. Dykstra had five digs in the set, en route to a team-total of 10 for the Huskers, and Wilberger put up two blocks. The Huskers hit .600 in the second set, while holding Iowa to .120 and no team blocks.
Broekhuis put NU ahead 4-2 in the third set, while a kill by Werth made it 6-3, Huskers. Wilberger notched a kill of her own as the Huskers took an 8-4 lead. NU used back-to-back three-point streaks to go up 15-8 on the Hawkeyes before Iowa scored three-straight points to make it 15-11, Huskers.  Nebraska used an error by the Hawkeyes to take an 18-11 lead, as a kill by Werth put NU up 21-13. Iowa would not go down as the Hawkeyes came within four at 23-18, but the Huskers went on to take the final set 25-19, securing the sweep over Iowa and their first Big Ten Championship.
Mancuso had six kills for the Huskers in the third set, while Werth notched four. Cook tallied nine assists and the Huskers hit .406 in the final set. NU had 18 digs and two team blocks, while Iowa had zero team blocks and only 13 digs. The Hawkeyes hit .195 in the third set.
The Huskers conclude the regular season at Northwestern on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. CT.

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HUSKERS HONOR SENIORS, TOP WISCONSIN 3-1…
Lincoln, Neb. - The No. 4 Nebraska volleyball team (23-3, 16-2) sent the 2011 seniors out in dominant fashion with a 3-1 (12-25, 25-17, 25-13, 25-22) victory over the Wisconsin Badgers Saturday night at the NU Coliseum.

In front of 4,188 fans, NU honored seniors Brooke Delano, Brigette Root and Jordan Wilberger in their final home match of the regular season.
With the victory, the 2011 seniors earned the 109th win of their careers and captured their third conference title as the Huskers earned at least a share of this season's Big Ten Conference crown with the win. Nebraska can win the Big Ten title outright on Tuesday with a win over Iowa.
Hannah Werth led Nebraska on the night with her ninth double-double of the season, as she totaled 14 kills and 13 digs. Jordan Wilberger produced a stellar senior night performance, with a career-high 12 kills, while also tying her career-high hitting percentage of .750. Morgan Broekhuis recorded 10 kills on the night, along with eight digs. Lauren Cook tabbed 38 assists and six digs for NU.
Lara Dykstra led Nebraska defensively with 14 digs. She now has a total of 355 digs on the year and ranks second in the all-time freshman digs record at Nebraska.
The Huskers hit .193 for the match, while Wisconsin hit just .116. Nebraska was out-dug 60-54, but out-blocked the Badgers 10-7.

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WERTH NAMED SPORTS IMPORTS/AVCA NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK…
Lincoln, Neb.- Nebraska junior Hannah Werth was honored Tuesday by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) as the Sports Imports/AVCA Division I National Player of the Week.
Werth received the honor after recording two double-doubles in four-set wins over then-No. 19 Minnesota and Wisconsin.  Against Minnesota, she notched 14 kills while hitting .379 and tabbed 17 digs. She continued to perform at a high level against Wisconsin, tallying another 14 kills and 13 digs. For the week, she averaged 3.5 kills and 3.8 digs per set and hit .323 to help the Huskers jump to No. 2 in the latest AVCA Coaches Top-25 Poll.
The honor marks the 12th time an athlete from Nebraska has received the Sports Imports/AVCA Division I National Player of the Week award, with the most recent coming on Nov. 10, 2009 when Sydney Anderson received the honor.

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OMAHA WORLD HERALD ARTICLES…
The Hawkeyes and Huskers will honor two extraordinary people at their game Friday.

Those who sit in the lower level of the Devaney Center for Nebraska men's basketball may be pondering a hearing checkup. Don't bother. The words that coach Doc Sadler yells when his team transitions from defense to offense really are: "Push it! Push it!" A faster offensive tempo has been evident in two of the first three games for Nebraska (3-0), which hopes to keep up that pace Wednesday at 8 p.m. against Oregon (2-1).

Nebraska may have fallen short of its goal to reach the Big Ten title game, but that doesn't mean it's lost a desire for competition. Not even close. In fact, coach Bo Pelini seemed offended at the notion Monday. He said his Huskers (8-3, 4-3 Big Ten) are plenty motivated to face Iowa on Friday — in what will be the first time since 2008 that NU is playing a regular-season game without being in contention for a conference championship.


A Chamber of Commerce survey foresees the city's growth continuing to outpace the nation's.


Just 20 minutes into Nebraska's 45-17 loss to Michigan Saturday, I scrawled two items into my notebook: "UM: Good plan" and "NU in big trouble." The Wolverines led 7-0. NU's defense would play its guts out for the rest of the half while the offense would hit a big pass play. The halftime score looked close. But the hook was already set.

Meltdown at Michigan. Bust at the Big House. And lights out on a Big Ten title and a Bowl Championship Series bid. Nebraska's football team committed gaffes galore in its 45-17 loss to Michigan on Saturday. "If you could write a script on how to lose a football game, that would be the perfect example," senior safety Austin Cassidy said. Four personal fouls. Three fumbles. Three sacks.

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NIGHT OF LEGENDS…Chance to see Tom Osborne in Sacramento!
Capital Christian School (CCS) will proudly host the First Annual "Night of Legends" at the CCS Performing Arts Center In Sacramento on Saturday, February 25, 2012. Night of Legends will feature a well-known College Hall of Fame Football Coach, Tom Osborne, who served our country in Congress. This event is for adults only (21 years and older). No childcare available.

Event Schedule:
7pm – Seated Dinner
7:45pm – Motivational Speech with Q&A
8:25pm – Closing Comments
Tickets are $50 per person or $320 for a table of 8.
For more info and to order tickets:

Contact: Scott Wasdin
Director of Development
Capital Christian School
(916) 856-5611 Ext. 1775

Visit our Bay Area Huskers website for additional Husker information, Links, Upcoming Events, Past Events, Watch Sites, and the Schedule of Games. Also order Merchandise online, and get information on Husker Scholarships. Check out the History of the Huskers and meet our Directors. Say hello today, email us, sign up for our newsletter, and become a member of the Bay Area Huskers Alumni Chapter.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Bay Area Huskers E-News 11/17/11

Hey Bay Area Husker Fans!
I’m busting at the seams with pride.  Pride in our team, pride in our fans and pride in the values we Nebraskans hold so dear.  Call it what you want…(an epiphany, soul searching, memorable, thought provoking etc), the pre-game prayer with both teams huddled and kneeling around Coach Brown was and exceptional moment in college football.  Although the Huskers came up with a hard fought win against the Nitanny Lions, the real winners were the cathartic healing process for Penn State and the demonstration of sportsmanship that several people in attendance called palpable and inspirational.  There are a number of articles below that you should read to get a feel for how others tried to describe the event. 

Now, on to the next game at Michigan.  Not sure what ESPN has against us, but they sure like putting us on early in the morning out here in California.  Once again we are on TV at 9 a.m.  The Huskers need to win their next two division games against Michigan and Iowa to vie for a chance at the Big Ten Championship game. 

Lots of good stuff below including some great pieces from the Alumni Association and the Foundation.  Enjoy!
Go Big Red (White and Blue),
Carl

Watch Parties:
Once again the game will be on early out here.  Kickoff will be at 9 a.m. Pacific time and ESPN will have the coverage.  All of our watch sites will be ready for us and Jack’s will have their great breakfast menu (with hot coffee this time ;o).  Hope to see you there!

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HUSKERS ENTER THE BIG HOUSE ON SATURDAY…
GAME 11: NEBRASKA at MICHIGAN
NOV. 19, 2011 | MICHIGAN STADIUM
ANN ARBOR, MICH. | 9 A.M. (PT)

HUSKERS
Record: 8-2, 4-2
Rankings: Coaches-16; AP-17
Last Game:  def. Penn State, 17-14
Coach: Bo Pelini
Career/NU Record: 38-14/4th year
vs. UM: 0-0

WOLVERINES
Record: 8-2, 4-2
Rankings: Coaches-18; AP-20
Last Game:  def. Illinois, 31-14
Coach: Brady Hoke
Career|UM Record: 55-53/9th year | 8-2/1st year
vs. NU: 0-1

The Matchup
Nebraska completes the road portion of its 2011 schedule on Saturday when it travels to Ann Arbor, Mich., to take on the Wolverines in a Big Ten Legends Division matchup. The matchup of two of the four winningest programs in college football history will be televised by ESPN and kickoff is set for Noon ET at Michigan Stadium.
The Huskers improved to 4-2 in the Big Ten and 8-2 overall with a hard-fought 17-14 victory at Penn State on Saturday. Nebraska jumped to a 17-0 lead midway through the third quarter and held off a late Nittany Lion rally to secure the victory. The win kept Nebraska one game behind Legends Divison leader Michigan State with two games to play in the regular season. The victory also allowed Nebraska to climb two spots to 17th in the AP poll, one place to No. 16 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and NU is No. 16 in the latest BCS rankings.
Michigan will also bring an 8-2 overall record and a 4-2 mark in Big Ten play into Saturday’s game, following a 31-14 victory at Illinois on Saturday. The Wolverines also need a victory on Saturday to keep their hopes of playing
in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game alive. Michigan is ranked 20th in this week’s Associated Press poll, 18th in the coaches poll and checks in at 18th in the BCS rankings.

Michigan is the winningest college football program of all-time with 892 victories, while Nebraska is in fourth at 845 wins. The game is also likely to feature the largest crowd ever to witness a Nebraska football game. The Huskers have played in front of just two crowds of more than 100,000 fans, with the crowd of 110,753 at Penn State in 2002 being the largest crowd for a Nebraska game in its 122-year history.
The Series
Saturday’s game will be the first regular-season meeting between the two schools since 1962, when NU won at Michigan 25-13 in Bob Devaney’s first season as head coach. The two most recent meetings have come in bowl games, with Michigan winning the 1986 Fiesta Bowl and NU capturing a 32-28 win in the 2005 Alamo Bowl.

The Coaches
Nebraska:
Bo Pelini (Ohio State, ‘90) owns a 37-14 record in his fourth season. Pelini has guided NU to nine or more wins in each of his first three seasons as head coach, joining Bob Devaney, Tom Osborne and Frank Solich in accomplishing that feat. Pelini has guided Nebraska to a conference championship game the past two seasons and to at least a share of the Big 12 divisional crown his first three seasons as head coach.
Michigan: Brady Hoke (Ball State, ‘82) holds an 8-2 record in his first season at Michigan, and a 55-53 record in his ninth season overall as a college head coach. Hoke previously served as head coach at Ball State (2003-08) and San Diego State (2009-10) before taking over in Ann Arbor in January.
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HUSKERS HOLD ON TO WIN OVER NO. 12 PENN STATE…
University Park, Pa. - Rex Burkhead pounded out his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the season on Saturday with 121 yards on 25 carries and one touchdown in a 17-14 win over the No. 12 Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium.
Taylor Martinez added 56 yards on the ground on 19 carries and was mistake free through the air with 143 yards on 13-26 passing. Kelly Bell led NU’s receivers with four catches for 42 yards, while Kyler Reed added three catches for 40 yards.
The  victory over Penn State marked the highest ranked team Nebraska has defeated away from home since a victory over sixth-ranked Tennessee in the 2000 Fiesta Bowl and the highest ranked team Nebraska has defeated on its home field since a 27-14 win at second-ranked Washington in 1997.
Playing in front of 107,903 fans, the second-largest crowd ever for a Nebraska football game, and an ESPN national television audience, the Blackshirts got stops on Penn State's final two offensive drives to secure the win.
After Penn State cut the Husker lead to 17-14, Nebraska went 3-and-out, giving the ball back to PSU on their own 11-yard line following a 61-yard punt from Brett Maher. The Nittany Lions were moving the ball well, until they were stopped for no gain on two straight plays at their own 37. After being stopped on 3rd-and-1, PSU took a timeout, but it did them no good as Lavonte David posted the biggest of his nine tackles on the day with a stuff of Silas Redd to deny PSU a first down.
Nebraska would get the ball back with 1:49 on the clock and a chance to end the game.
The Huskers would force Penn State to use the rest of its timeouts, but a fourth-down stop on a run by Burkhead on 4th-and-2 from the 29 gave Penn State the ball back with a chance to win the game.
Following an incomplete pass on first down, the Husker secondary was flagged for defensive holding, giving PSU 1st-and-10 at the their own 37. Matt McGloin would complete just one more pass for nine yards and would get no closer as an incomplete pass to Justin Brown ended the Nittany Lions comeback attempt on Senior Day.
The Huskers’ eventual game-winning score came off a 14-yard option run from Martinez to Burkhead in the third quarter following the first turnover of the game.
After the Huskers opened the second half with a punt, Penn State took over on its own 30 and had crossed into Nebraska territory with 1st-and-10 on the NU 41. The drive ended on the next play when Cameron Meredith forced a fumble on a seven-yard sack of McGloin that was recovered by Eric Martin.
The Husker offense would follow with eight straight running play on the legs of Martinez and Burkhead that would cover 52 yards, including 31 yards on the final two plays of the drive.
At the time it looked as if the Huskers have started to put the game away with a 17-0 lead, but Penn State would answer with 14 unanswered points.
Following the Burkhead touchdown, Penn State responded with a nine-play drive that covered 82 yards in 3:36. The biggest play of the drive came on a 40-yard pass from McGloion to Derek Moye to the NU 5. Stephfon Green would scamper into the endzone two plays later from five yards out.
After each team punted twice, Nebraska was just about to cross into Penn State territory when a botched handoff from Burkhead to Tyler Legate on 2nd-and-2 was recovered by Penn State’s Jordan Hill.
The Nittany Lions would march 51 yards in nine plays to cut the NU lead to 17-14, capped by a six-yard run from Green. During the drive, Penn State went deep into the play book with a reverse pass back to the quarterback. Curtis Drake completed a 16-yard pass to McGloin down to the NU six-yard line, which was followed on the next play with Green's score.
The Nittany Lions had the first scoring opportunity of the game on a 47-yard field goal attempt midway through the first quarter. The Huskers had kept PSU on its half to the field until quarterback McGloin got a lucky bounce on a 3rd-and-7 pass from his own 33-yard line.
McGloin's pass was nearly intercepted by Nebraska's Ciante Evans, but the tipped ball instead landed in hands of Drake for 31 yards to the Nebraska 36. Four plays later Anthony Fera would come on for the field goal attempt and miss wide right.
After just two first downs in the first quarter, the Huskers started to find a rhythm on their opening drive of the second quarter after forcing a PSU punt.
Starting on their own 27, Martinez and the Huskers picked up four first downs on the drive, including three of the four on three consecutive plays. The drive would stall following a three-yard rush from Martinez on 3rd-and-11 from the 23-yard line, but Maher would convert on a 41-yard field goal to give NU the early 3-0 lead.
The Huskers would extend their lead to 10-0 as the first half was winding down after coving 80 yards in 12 plays, capped by a two-yard touchdown run by Ameer Abdullah.
After forcing Penn State to punt for the fifth time in the first half, the Huskers took over on their own 20-yard line with 3:33 on the clock. NU would start with four straight rushing plays before Martinez hit Reed for 24 yards down the sideline to setup 1st-and-10 at the PSU 44. Martinez was 3-4 on the drive for 49 yards, with all three completions to different receivers.
Penn State had an opportunity to hold Nebraska to a field goal attempt with the Huskers facing 3rd-and-9 on the 14, but Nittany Lion safety Nick Sukay was flagged for pass interference on a throw from Martinez to Tim Marlowe. NU would score on the following play as Burkhead would go under center and toss the ball to Abdullah for the two-yard plunge.
Nebraska returns to road action next week when the Huskers travel to Ann Arbor to take on Michigan. Kickoff time between the Huskers and Wolverines is set for 9 a.m. (Pacific) on ESPN/ESPN2.
Scoring Summary
Final: #19 Nebraska 17, #12 Penn State 14
Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011
Beaver Stadium (University Park)
First Quarter (Tied, 0-0)
Second Quarter (NEB, 10-0)
NEB - 10:55 - Brett Maher 41 FG - 9 plays, 50 yards, 5:53, NEB 3-0
NEB - 0:44 - Ameer Abdullah 2 run (Maher kick) - 12 plays, 80 yards, 2:49 NEB 10-0
Third Quarter Quarter (NEB, 17-7)NEB - 8:51 - Rex Burkhead 14 run (Maher kick) - 8 plays, 52 yards, 2:54, NEB 17-0
PSU - 5:07 - Stephfon Green 5 run (Fera kick) - 9 plays, 82 yards, 3:36, NEB 17-7
Fourth Quarter (NEB, 17-14)PSU- 5:42 - Stephfon Green 6 run (Fera kick) - 9 plays, 51 yards, 3:53, NEB 17-14

Final:
 #19 Nebraska 17, #12 Penn State 14
Attendance: 107,903
Time of Game: 3:27
Game Start: 11:03 a.m. (central)

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GREAT QUOTE ABOUT FOCUS FROM COACH RON BROWN…
"There's always something going on in life," Brown said. "I gave my guys an example today of a snowflake. You can look at a snowstorm and just see the snow coming down, see it all, that's not much focus. Try to follow a flake all the way to the ground. That's focus. If your scope is small enough, you'll have great focus. This game, what we're going to do in those three hours at this football game is our focus right now. That should be an easy assignment. It's a matter of what becomes most important to them, and what's important to our football players right now is not what's going on at Penn State outside of that football game on Saturday."
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HUSKER O-LINE GEARS UP FOR MICHIGAN DEFENSE…
Lincoln-The Nebraska Cornhuskers continued preparations on Wednesday for this weekend's matchup with the Michigan Wolverines. The Huskers took to the Hawks Championship Center and the Ed and Joyanne Gass Practice Field for just over two hours in half pads.
After practice, Assistant Offensive Line Coach John Garrison spoke about how the team is overcoming injuries and mental fatigue.
"Everybody at this time of the year, at this juncture of the season is hurting," Garrison said. "You just have to press through it."
Garrison also discussed what Michigan defensive lineman Mike Martin brings to the table for the Wolverines.
"Very physical player," Garrison said. "Probably by far my favorite d-lineman that I've seen, just as far as his hands and how he plays the game. That entire group up front plays really well with their hands. They're going to get hands on you and be able to move and get separation."
With Nebraska facing yet another strong defensive front this week, Garrison commented on the physicality of the Big Ten defensive lines NU  has faced this season.
"There's some big guys out there," Garrison said. "I feel small compared to them. It's a week-in and week-out type of deal. We're always going to see a good front seven in the Big Ten, but we wouldn't want it any other way."
Walk-ons such as Spencer Long have made major contributions to the offensive line this season. Garrison praised the toughness and work ethic the sophomore brings to the left guard position.
"He's just a tough, hard-nosed guy," Garrison said. "From the time I had him on the scout defensive line, he came to work every day. He wanted to improve himself, he wanted to be a better scout player and that carried over to eventually becoming an offensive lineman for us. His attitude, his work ethic is second to none, and he's all about improving himself every day."

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MAHER EARNS THIRD BIG TEN AWARD OF 2011…
Lincoln - Nebraska place-kicker/punter Brett Maher picked up his third Big Ten weekly honor on Monday, as he was named Co-Special Teams Player of the Week along with Purdue's Kawann Short. Overall, it is the fourth time this season the Huskers have earned the special teams award. Freshman Ameer Abdullah was selected following NU’s 42-29 win over Fresno State after he totaled 231 all-purpose yards, including a 100-yard return for a touchdown.
Maher was a difference maker in the field position battle once again for the Huskers in their 17-14 win over No. 12 Penn State on Saturday at Beaver Stadium. The junior averaged 45.0 yards per punt on eight tries, while placing five punts inside the Nittany Lions' 20-yard line. Maher had two punts of 50 yards or more, including a 61-yard bomb that pinned PSU on its own 11-yard line in the final five minutes of the game. One of 20 semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, Maher now ranks seventh nationally in punting with an average of 45.37 yards per punt.
The Kearney, Neb., native also converted his only field goal attempt of the afternoon on Saturday with a 41-yard try. Maher is 16-19 on the year, which ties him for ninth nationally with a .842 field goal percentage, while all three of his misses have come on attempts of 50 yards or more. Maher and teammate Rex Burkhead each rank in the top 30 nationally in scoring with Burkhead tied for 13th (9.60 ppg.) and Maher ranking 26th (8.60 ppg.)
Maher's other two weekly award came after a pair of wins over Tennessee at Chattanooga (Sept. 5) and Ohio State (Oct. 10).

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BURKHEAD NAMED DOAK WALKER AWARD SEMIFINALIST…
Nebraska junior running back Rex Burkhead has been named one of 10 semifinalists for the 2011 Doak Walker Award, given annually to the nation's top running back. The announcement was made Friday morning by the SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors.
Burkhead is one of two Big Ten running backs on the list, joining Wisconsin junior Montee Ball. The other semifinalists include San Diego State sophomore Ronnie Hillman, Oregon junior LaMichael James, Missouri sophomore Henry Josey, SMU junior Zach Line, Washington junior Chris Polk, Oklahoma State sophomore Joseph Randle, Alabama junior Trent Richardson and Virginia Tech junior David Wilson.
Burkhead enters Saturday's game at Penn State with 951 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. He has posted five 100-yard rushing games in 2011, and is just 49 yards from posting the 31st, 1,000-yard rushing season in school history. Burkhead has moved into the top 20 on the Nebraska career rushing list heading into the home stretch of the season.
A Plano, Texas native, Burkhead is also accomplished in the classroom, carrying a 3.38 grade-point average in history. On Thursday, he was one of five Nebraska players named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District VII team, and is now on the national ballot for Academic All-America honors.
Burkhead is the first Nebraska player to be a Doak Walker Award semifinalist since Dan Alexander in 2000.
The three finalists for the Doak Walker Award will be announced on Monday, Nov. 21.

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NU LEADS NATION IN ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT HONOREES…
A nation-leading five Huskers were named to the academic all-district 7 football team, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced on Thursday. Each of the five honorees advance to the national ballot, where they will be eligible for Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America honors.
Senior Austin Cassidy, juniors Ben Cotton, Rex Burkhead and Sean Fisher and sophomore Spencer Long each earned a spot on the team. Huskers accounted for more than one quarter of the 24-player team, as no other school in the district had more than two honorees. The Huskers' five selections marked their highest total since nabbing six selections in 2004.
Nebraska not only led Division I with five honorees, but the Huskers were one of only five schools nationally with as many as four student-athletes named to an all-district team. Three of those five schools came from the Big Ten Conference, as Michigan State and Northwestern each produced four academic all-district selections.
Highlighting Nebraska's selections were Cassidy and Fisher. Cassidy made the squad for the second straight season, as last year he earned first-team academic All-America honors. Fisher was one of only three players to make the all-district 7 team with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average. Fisher, Cotton, Burkhead and Long were each academic all-district selections for the first time in their careers. Cotton was the lone tight end chosen in district 7, while Burkhead was one of two running backs honored. Fisher was among three linebackers, Cassidy was one of four defensive backs and Long was one of five offensive linemen.
With five players advancing to the national academic All-America ballot, including one repeat selection, Nebraska has an excellent chance to add to its nation-leading total. The Huskers have produced a total of 103 academic All-Americans all-time, including 99 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans. Nebraska's football program has produced more CoSIDA Academic All-Americans than any other program in the country, while Nebraska leads all institutions in the nation with 291 selections across all sports.

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BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME INFO…
The inaugural Big Ten Football Championship Game will begin at 5:17 p.m. PST on December 3, 2011, and will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The champion of the Legends Division will meet the champion of the Leaders Division, with the winner earning the Big Ten Championship and a chance to play in either the Rose Bowl Game or Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game. FOX Sports will serve as the official broadcast partner of the Big Ten Football Championship Games from 2011-16 and Lucas Oil Stadium will host the title games from 2011-15.
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TEN NEBRASKA STUDENT-ATHLETES HONORED WITH EXCELLENCE AWARDS…
The NCAA recently named inaugural recipients of the 1A FAR Academic Excellence Awards and 10 Nebraska graduates were among the more than 400 Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) student-athletes to receive the honor.

The award was established by the 1A Faculty Athletics Representatives to recognize student-athlete academic achievement. Nebraska's faculty athletic representative is Josephine Potuto, who has served Nebraska in that role since 1997, in addition to serving as the Richard H. Larson Professor of Constitutional Law.

Among 120 FBS schools, Nebraska was one of just seven programs with 10 or more recipients of the honor. Recipients must have graduated in the past academic year with at least a 3.80 cumulative grade-point average and have participated in at least two years of intercollegiate athletics at an FBS institution in a sport sponsored by an FBS conference.

Nebraska senior safety Austin Cassidy represented the football team on the honoree list. Cassidy earned his degree in psychology last May, completing his undergraduate studies with a 3.938 cumulative grade-point average. Cassidy was a first-team Academic All-American in 2010.

Nebraska was also represented by four members of the track and field program-Kayla Ubel and Cami Jiskra on the women's side and Aaron Brandt and Eric Lund from the men's team. The women's swimming and diving program had a pair of honorees in Kaitlin Arntz and Sarah Ziegelmann. Women's soccer (Jessica Mills), softball (Robin Macken) and wrestling (Tucker Lane) also had student-athletes honored.

The award was given to 432 student-athletes nationally: 136 men and 296 women. Twenty-eight percent of the recipients majored in mathematics, science or engineering; 22 percent in business-related fields; 18 percent in social sciences or humanities; 12 percent in health-related studies; 7 percent in education; 6 percent in communications; and the remaining 7 percent in other fields.

Nebraska's Honorees
Sport
Name (last, first)
GPA
Major
Women's Swimming and Diving
Arntz, Kaitlin
3.938
Advertising
Football
Cassidy, Austin
3.905
Psychology
Women's Soccer
Mills, Jessica
3.803
Biological Systems Engineering
Softball
Mackin, Robin
3.964
Psychology
Women's Swimming and Diving
Ziegelmann, Sarah
3.945
Management
Men's Track and Field
Brandt, Aaron
3.823
Nutrition and Health Sciences
Men's Track and Field
Lund, Eric
3.881
Horticulture
Women's Track and Field
Ubel, Kayla
3.847
Psychology
Wrestling
Lane, Tucker
3.941
Communication Studies
Women's Track and Field
Jiskra, Cami
3.863
Criminology and Criminal Justice

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ERSTAD ANNOUNCES FIRST RECRUITING CLASS…
Lincoln - Head Coach Darin Erstad announced on Tuesday morning that five junior college players and one high school senior have signed their National-Letters-of-Intent to play baseball at Nebraska. The class is Erstad's first as a head coach and includes three players with ties to the state of Nebraska, as well as one each from Montana, Texas and North Dakota.
"We are very excited about the class we have assembled," Erstad said. "Every student-athlete will excel not only on the field but in the classroom as well. Each of them bring a blue collar mentality which is the backbone of Nebraska Baseball. We expect every student-athlete to come in and contribute right away."
Justin Black (Billings, Mont. - Billings West HS)
Christian DeLeon (Richmond, Texas - North Central Texas College/Blinn CC)
Michael Hoppes (Scottsbluff, Neb. - Iowa Western CC)
Tanner Lubach (Lincoln, Neb. - Hutchinson CC)
Matt Strahm (West Fargo, N.D. - Neosho CC)
Corey Stringer (Omaha, Neb. - Fort Scott CC)
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HUSKER VOLLEYBALL TEAM FACES WISCONSIN ON SENIOR NIGHT…
The No. 4 Nebraska volleyball team will host the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday, Nov. 19 at the NU Coliseum at 7 p.m. Central. The match will air live on NET and BTN.com.
The Huskers (22-3, 15-2) topped No. 19 Minnesota 3-1  (17-25, 25-17, 25-15, 25-16) on Wednesday night.
Wisconsin and Nebraska have met 14 times, with NU holding a 12-1-1 record over the Badgers. The last time the two teams met was on Oct. 14 when Nebraska swept Wisconsin 3-0 (25-21, 25-15, 25-21).
Fans will be able to see the match live on NET with Larry Punteney calling the action and Kathi Wieskamp adding analysis. It can also be viewed on BTN.com with a subscription.
Fans 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.
In addition, the Nebraska volleyball program will join the annual U.S. Marines Toys for Tots Drive on Saturday.
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HUSKERS’ BALANCE OVERWHELMS MINNESOTA…
Lincoln, Neb.-The No. 4 Nebraska volleyball team used a balanced and gritty effort Wednesday night to overcome the No. 19 Minnesota Gophers 3-1 (17-25, 25-18, 25-15, 25-16) in front of 4,166 fans at the NU Coliseum. The Huskers saw three players tally double-digit kills on the night.
Gina Mancuso, Morgan Broekhuis and Hannah Werth all notched 14 kills against the Gophers, guiding NU to 60 total kills as a team. Mancuso and Werth had 16 and 17 digs, respectively, giving Mancuso her 11th double-double of the season and Werth her eighth. Lauren Cook had 47 assists and 12 digs on the night for her 14th double-double of the year.

Brooke Delano tallied nine kills on 23 attacks for a hitting percentage of .348, while adding eight blocks. Jordan Wilberger came off the bench for six kills on 12 attacks and also had five blocks on the night. Lara Dykstra helped NU defensively with 14 digs.
The Huskers notched a .275 hitting percentage for the match, while Minnesota hit .168. Nebraska out-blocked the Gophers 13-6 and out-dug Minnesota 71-62.
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HUSKERS DROP MATCH TO PURDUE…
West Lafayette, Ind. - The No. 2 Nebraska volleyball team (21-3, 14-2) fell 3-0 to the No. 10 Purdue Boilermakers (25-19, 25-19, 25-16) Saturday night in front of an electric standing room-only crowd at Holloway Gymnasium.
Hannah Werth led Nebraska on the night with 11 kills, while Gina Mancuso, Brooke Delano and Hayley Thramer all had seven kills. Lauren Cook notched 35 assists, but NU hit just .173 for the match. The Huskers had 43 digs behind Lara Dykstra's 13. Purdue hit .410 for the match and had 57 team digs. The Boilermakers also out-blocked Nebraska 9-1.
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HUSKERS TAKE DOWN HOOSIERS…
Bloomington, Ind.- The No. 2 Nebraska Volleyball team (21-2, 14-1) swept the Indiana Hoosiers (25-19, 25-19, 25-20) at University Gym Friday night.  
Morgan Broekhuis notched 12 kills on the night with a hitting percentage of .407. Gina Mancuso tallied 11 kills, while Hannah Werth had eight for the Huskers. Brooke Delano tabbed seven kills and zero errors for NU. Nebraska was guided offensively by Lauren Cook, who had 40 assists on the night. Lara Dykstra paced NU defensively with 13 digs.
Nebraska hit .321 for the match, while Indiana hit .217. The Huskers out-blocked IU 6-3.5.
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MANCUSO EARNS ACADEMIC HONOR…
Lincoln, Neb.- Nebraska outside hitter Gina Mancuso was honored as an academic Second-Team District Seven selection by the College Sports Information Directors of America on Thursday.
The junior from Omaha, Neb., is a business administration major at Nebraska and earned first-team Academic All-Big 12 honors in 2010.
Mancuso is also a leader on the court for NU, as she leads the team in kills and attacks in 2011.

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VOLLEYBALL ANNOUNCES THREE ADDITIONS FOR 2012…(two California girls!!)
Lincoln - Nebraska Head Volleyball Coach John Cook announced Thursday morning the addition of three high school standouts to the Huskers' 2012 roster.

The class includes outside hitter Kelsey Fien (Bakersfield, Calif.), setter/opposite side hitter Alexa Strange (San Clemente, Calif.) and setter Lauren Sieckmann (Omaha, Neb.). All three players rank in Prepvolleyball.com's top-100 Senior Aces.
Name
Position
Height
Hometown (School)
Kelsey Fien
OH/RS
6-3
Bakersfield, Calif. (Frontier)
Alexa Strange
S/RS
5-11
San Clemente, Calif. (San Clemente)
Lauren Sieckmann
S
5-11
Omaha, Neb. (Marian, Elkhorn South)

Kelsey Fien | 6-3, OH/RS (Bakersfield, Calif. - Frontier HS)Named the No. 19 player in the country by Prepvolleyball.com and among the top five volleyball recruits in California, Fien has led her high school and club team with her natural athletic ability. She was also nominated for the Under Armour All-America team and Gatorade Player of the Year in California.
Fien has led Frontier High School to a 25-11 record heading into the state championships at the end of the month. So far in 2011 she has totaled 414 kills on 948 attacks, while notching 397 digs. She is also the first player in her high school's history to record 1,000 kills.
As a junior, Fien was named to Prepvolleyball.com's Top-50 Junior list after producing 446 kills, 46 blocks and 289 digs.
Kelsey is the daughter of John and Lynn Fien and has a sister, Jennifer, and two brothers, Bradley and Garrett. She was recruited by top programs across the country, but chose Nebraska over UCLA, Hawaii, Oregon, Oregon State and California.
"Kelsey is a taller, more physical left side hitter that we believe will fit in great in the Big Ten Conference," Cook said. "She will provide us with much added depth at the left-side hitter position. One of the attractions to Nebraska for Kelsey is that she lives in a rural area in California and is very involved in 4-H and similar activities. We're hoping she will come in as a freshman and be able to contribute for us. Kelsey fits the mold of a Nebraska player, she is still developing and still growing into her body.  She comes from an agricultural background and almost feels like she is a transplanted Nebraskan in California."
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HUSKER SOFTBALL SIGNS SEVEN FOR 2012-13 SEASON…
Lincoln - Seven talented high school players signed National Letters of Intent to play softball at Nebraska next season, Head Coach Rhonda Revelle announced on Friday.
The incoming class of recruits fills a variety of needs for the Huskers, as the signees include one catcher, one outfielder, two pitchers and three infielders. Included in the talented class are two state players of the year (Nebraska and Oregon), one two-time high school All-American and one U.S. Junior National Team tryout invitee.
The class includes one in-state player, one Arizona native, one Kansas native, one Oregon native and three California natives. One recruit has already completed her high school softball career, while the other six will end their careers this spring.
The incoming players will have big shoes to fill, as Nebraska loses six seniors to graduation, including two of its three pitchers, three returning starters, three all-conference performers, two all-region selections and two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.
The class will be expected to contribute immediately and that's something the group is more than capable of doing, according to Revelle.
"The 2012 class is an offensively explosive group with power, speed and the ability hit for average. They all have storied histories of their offensive prowess. In addition to the offensive punch they have, they also handle the leather well behind the plate, on the dirt and in the grass. 
"Pitching also highlights this class, as the Huskers are bringing in two pitchers in the same class for the first time in the last several years. Both pitchers are battle-tested and have had success against many of the nation's elite club programs. 
"This is an outstanding group of student-athletes whom we are confident will wear the scarlet and cream with dignity, pride and class."
2011 Nebraska Softball Signing ClassAlicia Armstrong, INF/OF, Beatrice, Neb., Beatrice HS/Nebraska Gold
Danica Bishop, RHP, Irvine, Calif., Woodland HS/Firecrackers-Snyder
Hailey Decker,  INF, Keizer, Ore., McNary HS/Northwest Bullets
Emily Lockman, RHP, Corona, Calif., Norco HS/Corona Angels
Sammi Noland, C/INF, Tucson, Ariz., Canyon del Oro HS/AZ Desert Thunder
Kiki Stokes, OF, Olathe, Kan., Olathe East HS/DeMarini Zephyrs
Dawna Tyson, INF, Corona, Calif., Corona HS/Corona Angels
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A REASON FOR BEING, AND FOR PLAYING…(thanks Swannie)…
A good article by sportswriter Tom Shatel.... 

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LETTERS FROM PENN STATE…(thanks Shari)…

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RANDY YORK’S N-SIDER…
PENN STATE STAFF, FANS APPRECIATE NU SUPPORT…
Penn State football fans and followers aren't the only ones that appreciate the role Nebraska played last Saturday in leading the pregame prayer for both teams and embracing the mutual respect both programs showed each other, on and off the field. Athletic department staff members from Penn State also expressed their appreciation for Nebraska's overall support. "The Nebraska folks who were here were all first-class and handled our difficult circumstances well," Matt Stolberg wrote in an email to Nebraska's Compliance Department Monday. "Please let everyone know that your institution and team were complimented over and over again in our staff meeting this morning." Stolberg is Director of Compliance at Penn State. 
Richard Owen, who lives in Somers, N.Y., attended last Saturday's game in State College with his wife, a Penn State alum, and two sons. "We were fortunate to have seats three rows back from the Husker bench," Owen said. "We felt like we were on the field. My wife wore a neutral color and my sons and I wore red. I was a little nervous about the colors, having heard Tom Osborne's expression of concern, but we just couldn't see any other way to arrive at Beaver Stadium except in red. 
"From the moment we got on the bus, we felt comfortable. It was a joy to see so many Nebraska fans proudly proclaiming their affiliation. Equally important, our display seemed to invite Penn State folks to approach us. Every single encounter we had was welcoming, friendly, and courteous. By the end of the day, I found myself telling people that the highest compliment I can pay the fans of Penn State is that you remind me of Nebraska fans, and we consider Nebraska fans the best in the world.
"Being in Beaver Stadium on November 12, 2011, was an unforgettable experience, especially the gathering of both teams at the center of the field for prayer," Owen said. "The 108,000 fans, both in blue and in red, behaved in an honorable and respectful way. Both teams played hard and played fair. I told my sons that they will never forget this day, just as I have never forgotten being in Memorial Stadium on November 23, 1963, the day after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. I believe the 2011 NU-Penn State game deserves to be etched as deeply into our psyche as that sad day almost 50 years ago."
To find a link to the Coach Ron Brown’s post-game interview, and to see the comments and replies to Randy’s article go to:

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ALUMNI NUz FROM LINCOLN…
Description: Description: Tokyo Huskers
Members of the Tokyo Huskers cheered for the Nebraska football team against Ohio State from half a world away. The NAA’s chapter in Japan hosted 26 UNL alumni and friends at its first Husker watch party.
ALUMNI NEWS
Follow the Huskers to a Bowl Game
With new Big Ten Conference bowl affiliations, the Nebraska football team will likely travel to a bowl game Husker fans haven't seen in quite some time. The Nebraska Alumni Association is already hard at work finalizing official ticket and travel packages to every potential destination, from Pasadena to Tampa Bay. Trips typically include lodging at premier or team hotels, game tickets, pre-game events and pep rallies, exclusive souvenirs, former player hosts and more, and are available with or without charter air transportation.  Pre-registration for a variety of potential packages, without deposit, will be available Monday, Nov. 21, at 1 p.m. (Central) by calling 888-353-1874 (ask for Sarah Haskell). Check HuskerAlum.org for more details as they become available for the only Official Tours of the Nebraska Alumni Association and Nebraska Athletics.

Alumni Spotlight: Grow's Invention Illuminates Stars
Description: Description: GrowUNL alum Alan Grow recently hitchhiked halfway across the country for a reunion of Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management alumni. His travels were a way to decompress after hitting it big in Hollywood with the start-up company he co-founded, iLuminate, billed as the first wearable, wireless lighting system. The technology is creating buzz in the entertainment biz – stars like Christina Aguilera and the Black Eyed Peas have used iLuminate’s technology in their performances. A 2003 UNL graduate, Grow was a member of the Raikes School’s first entering class, when the curriculum was still coming together and the Kauffman Center, he says, was “just a hole in the ground.” To read more about Grow’s journey, as well as the evolution of the Raikes School, click here.

BTN Program Benefits Scholarships
Description: Description: BTN LogoAlumni and fans can access online coverage of Husker sports and the Big Ten while supporting the Nebraska Alumni Association. If you sign up for the Big Ten Digital Network, 20 percent of your purchase will go to the Nebraska Alumni Association scholarship fund.  Between today and February 2012, more than 20 Nebraska events will be streamed live at BTN.com, including men’s and women’s basketball and wrestling. In the spring, Husker baseball, softball and other Olympic sports will be featured. BTN.com also offers exclusive behind-the-scenes video, game highlights, press conferences and more. For a complete listing of live events, please visit the Big Ten Digital Network website and click on the LIVE EVENTS tab.  To purchase, click on SUBSCRIBE. Make sure to include the Nebraska Alumni Association code (NEBRALUM222) in the coupon text box.

ROTC Alumni Honored
Description: Description: ROTC 2011More than 80 UNL ROTC alumni returned to campus in November for their second annual reunion.  The UNL program is the only ROTC program in the country that has five active-duty United States Navy Rear Admirals, four of whom were honored at Memorial Stadium Nov. 5. To view photos from the reunion, click here. To view a message from Rear Admiral Mike Franken, from the Horn of Africa, click here.

Wanted: Centennial College Alumni
The Centennial (College) Education Program was a co-ed, interdisciplinary program from 1969–1981 that provided an alternative to departmentalized education. Program participants lived in a close, scholastic community housed in Love and Heppner halls. The students participated in seminar-style classes with an emphasis on self-directed study. If you were a member of Centennial College, you are invited to reconnect with your classmates. Please take this brief survey so we may gauge interest in activities for Centennial College alumni.

Alumni Quick Hits
  • The NAA is excited to welcome three new alumni groups: Central Illinois Huskers (Champaign, Ill.), Michigan Huskers and the Innocents Society Alumni affiliate group. To learn more about these groups, or to find a chapter near you, visit our website.
  • Planning a holiday party for your company or group? Consider the Wick Alumni Center or the Nebraska Champions Club. Contact Carrie Myers at 888-353-1874, or click here to read more about the venues.
  • Cather Circle, the NAA’s women’s mentoring and networking organization, has scheduled its spring meeting for March 8-9, 2012, at the Wick Alumni Center in Lincoln. Please direct any questions to Sarah Haskell. To learn more about Cather Circle, click here.
UNL No. 9 in Fitness Rankings
Description: Description: UNL Recreation CenterMen's Fitness magazine has ranked the University of Nebraska–Lincoln as No. 9 on its latest list of 25 Fittest Colleges in America. UNL is joined on the list by seven fellow Big Ten institutions. About UNL, Men's Fitness wrote: "The world knows the University of Nebraska as the home of the Huskers, one of the most storied programs in the history of college football. But life on the university's Lincoln campus doesn't just revolve around game day. The faculty and coaches preach a philosophy of total health and wellness, and at Nebraska, that means balance. To read more, click here.



Carson Foundation donates $1 million
Description: Description: Johnny CarsonThe John W. Carson Foundation announced a $1 million gift to the University of Nebraska Foundation to create the Johnny Carson Opportunity Scholarship Fund. The permanently endowed scholarship fund will annually benefit students in the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts who are graduates of high schools in Nebraska, with preference for students in the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film. With this recent gift, Carson’s support for the University of Nebraska totals more than $12 million. To read more about Carson’s support for UNL, click here.



Get a Teaching Certificate, Master's Degree in 14 Months
Description: Description: UNL NDo you love science, and want to share your knowledge with the next generation?  In just 14 months you can be certified to teach and earn a master’s degree through UNL’s Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education. Generous fellowships through the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program are available. A few reminders about due dates: the essay for the Noyce Teacher Scholarship is due on Feb. 1, 2012, with the application for the program. If you decide not to apply for the scholarship then the complete application is due on March 1, 2012. For application information, click here










Big Red Prepares for Big House
Description: Description: Bo PeliniNo. 17 Nebraska will play its second straight road game against a top-20 foe when the Huskers face No. 20 Michigan on Saturday. The Huskers (8-2, 4-2 Big Ten) meet the Wolverines (8-2, 4-2 Big Ten) in a key game in the Big Ten Legends Division. The two historic programs are just one game behind division leader Michigan State in the standings. Saturday's game in Ann Arbor will likely challenge the Huskers with the largest crowd to ever witness a Nebraska football game in person. To read what head coach Bo Pelini and Husker players had to say about the game, click here. A game preview is also available on Huskers.com.

Huskers Rank High in Academics
Description: Description: GraduationFive Nebraska teams ranked at the top of the Big Ten Conference in the Graduation Success Rate (GSR) report released by the NCAA. Five of Nebraska's 11 women's sports achieved GSR scores of 100 percent—basketball, golf, softball, tennis and volleyball. Those teams all led or tied for the lead in the Big Ten in GSR scores. On the men's side, six teams scored at a 67 percent or better GSR score, including football, basketball, golf, cross country/track, gymnastics and tennis. To read more about the GSR rankings, click here.

Maher Earns Third Big Ten Award
Nebraska place-kicker/punter Brett Maher was named the Big Ten’s Co-Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in the Huskers’ 17-14 win over Penn State Nov. 12. The junior averaged 45.0 yards per punt on eight tries, while placing five punts inside the Nittany Lions' 20-yard line. Maher had two punts of 50 yards or more, including a 61-yard bomb that pinned PSU on its own 11-yard line in the final five minutes of the game. Maher now ranks seventh nationally in punting with an average of 45.37 yards per punt. To read more about Maher, click here.

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FOUNDATION NUz…
Campaign for Nebraska. Unlimited Possibilities
The University of Nebraska Foundation is involved in a campaign to raise $1.2 billion to fund university priorities such as student scholarships, faculty recruitment, research and program support. The campaign will conclude in 2014. To learn more about the Campaign for Nebraska, or to contribute, go to campaignfornebraska.org.
NU’s favorite son comedian makes another serious gift
Description: Description: Johnny Carson Video
Heeeeere’s ... Johnny!
And yet another generous gift for his alma mater.
On Friday at UNL’s Temple Building, where legendary comedian Johnny Carson once honed his skills, the University of Nebraska Foundation announced a $1 million gift from the John W. Carson Foundation.
The money will create the Johnny Carson Opportunity Scholarship fund in honor of Carson, who died in 2005. The scholarships will help students in the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts who – like Carson – graduated from high schools in Nebraska.
Carson grew up in Norfolk, Neb. After World War II, he enrolled at the University of Nebraska, graduating in 1949 with a bachelor of arts degree in radio and speech with a minor in physics.
Players give back to honor coach who taught them more than just the game
Description: Description: UNK Coach Jerry Heuser
Former UNK men’s basketball coach Jerry Heuser taught the game.
But that was just part of what he gave his players.
“He taught us about life and what to expect after basketball and college,” former guard Gregg Grubaugh says. “He was not all just basketball.
“He was a good man.”

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OMAHA WORLD HERALD ARTICLES…
Kris Brown had no doubt. The former Nebraska and NFL kicker had known Brett Maher for more than a decade — since Brown was a student teacher at Maher's Waverly elementary school. He kicked many summers with Maher, tutored and talked with him. "It made my workout times that much more enjoyable," Brown said. So Brown knew that Maher had a "quiet confidence" to fill the shoes of departed Alex Henery, the most accurate kicker in NCAA history. He knew it even after the Huskers signed freshman Mauro Bondi to a scholarship to compete with walk-on Maher for the place-kicking job

Researchers will look for ways to help astronauts better adjust to gravity when they return from a mission.

Has a major-college football team ever won its first six games in a season and then lost the next six? Illinois has put itself in the crosshairs of researchers by following a 6-0 start — and a rise to No. 16 in the Associated Press poll — with a dismal four-game slide. A fifth straight loss is expected Saturday when the Illini host No. 15 Wisconsin. That leaves the regular-season finale at Minnesota as the best chance to stop the skid

You can call it Elimination Saturday for Nebraska and Michigan. A setback would hardly ruin the football season for either the Huskers or Wolverines, both 8-2 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten, but consider: Lose and all but forget about making the Big Ten championship game. Lose and forfeit any hopes of sneaking into the BCS bonanza as an at-large participant.

The injury list is long and the time between road games is short. But for Nebraska, linebacker Will Compton said Monday, it's more mental than physical as the Huskers go from visiting Penn State to preparing for a trip to Michigan. "This is where teams start to show themselves," Compton said. "Who comes out winning their games and the bowl games is the team that stays the process and keeps going after it every day, and we have to do that."

Ugly Big Ten football. On TV, maybe that's what Nebraska-Penn State looked like. From the floor of Beaver Stadium, pulsing with the spectrum of human emotion, it looked and felt just right. The hardened looks and weary smiles on the faces of NU players afterward confirmed it.

The Creighton men's soccer team got the best of Missouri State when it counted most as the Bluejays avenged its only regular-season conference, knocking off the Bears 1-0 to capture the Missouri Valley Conference tournament title in front of 2,243 at Morrison Stadium.

Visiting Husker fans help ease the pain of the hurting home team.

Bo Pelini wasn't sure this game should be played. The Nebraska coach talked to Athletic Director Tom Osborne early in the week about No. 12 Penn State canceling its Saturday contest with the No. 19 Huskers in the midst of the sex abuse scandal that led to coach Joe Paterno's firing. "Here I am telling my football team to ignore what's going on because we have a game to play — we have to focus on what we're doing — but my No. 1 job is to educate and to talk to them about it," he said after Nebraska's 17-14 win Saturday afternoon.

Papillion-La Vista South capped its season in the only possible way — with another dominating victory. The 37-0 Titans, ranked No. 1 nationally by two websites, secured their second straight Class A title with a 25-15, 25-11, 25-17 sweep of Omaha Burke at the Heartland Events Center. Papio South stretched its two-season winning streak to 78, denying the Bulldogs their first volleyball championship.

The 86-year-old Catholic priest survived Iwo Jima in WW2 and went on to serve 30 years as a chaplain at the VA Medical Center in Omaha.

Omahans celebrate the Marines' birthday at the Nifty Bar.

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