Corn Husking

Good morning Rachael. So happy to see you. Easy on the rubber band.

That's Going To Leave A Mark

I can't begin to imagine how Texas TE Blaine Irby's right knee was feeling after it was dislocated by this hit in the Longhorn's 52-10 win over Rice last Saturday. Irby's absence hurts the Texas offense as the sophomore standout had 10 receptions, 95 yards, and 2 touchdowns so far this season and was getting better every week. The only good news, if there is any, for him and for Longhorn fans is that after extensive surgery and a year of rehabilitation, Irby could be back in 2009 with three years of eligibility after he is granted a medical redshirt for this season. Personally, I just hope the poor kid will be able to walk again.

Old School: 1979 Challenge Bowl

Today's trip down memory lane takes us to the long lost days of post-season challenge games between conferences. This 1979 edition is the Olympia Challenge Bowl which paired a group of Big 8 all-stars against their Pac-10 counterparts and was brought to you by Grecian Formula (I kid you not). The video is Husker-centric highilighting the exploits of a bevy of former Nebraska greats including QB Tom Sorley, linebackers Bruce Dunning and Lee Kunz, kicker Billy Todd, offensive lineman Kelvin Clark and even current O-line coach Barney Cotton.

Unfortunately I can't find a whole lot of information about this game even on the vast plains of the world wide web. About all I know is that this was apparently the second year of the game and it was played in the Seattle Kingdome. But if you're thirsty for more, the game in it's entirety appears to be available on the awesome site TV4U.com, which has tons of vintage college football match-ups and is now likely to kill an excessive amount of your free time.

NFL ‘N’sider: A Dancing Pork Chop

Check it out. This is Cory Ross. This is Jazzercise. This is unbelievable. A friend of a friend of mine shot this footage and posted it on YouTube (so don’t think I was googling Cory + Ross + Jazzercise). That's not my bag. But if I’m Cory, I’m really hoping Ray Lewis doesn’t see this.

NFL "N"-sider - Huskers in the NFL Videos - II

Ravens vs Giants (Cory Ross, Sam Koch)



Titans vs Patriots (Kyle Vanden Bosch)



Panthers vs Eagles (Mike Rucker, Correll Buckhalter, Stewart Bradley)



Rams vs Chargers (Adam Carriker, Richie Incognito, Ryon Bingham, Carlos Polk)

Old School Video: Johnny "The Jet"

A collection of Johnny Rodgers returns. Complete with Lyle Bremser madness.

Insert obligatory - "Man, Woman and Child."

NFL N'Sider - Huskers in the NFL Videos

Highlights of all of the major Husker-related plays:

Brandon Jackson at Green Bay



Adam Carriker and the Rams



Cory Ross and Sam Koch with the Ravens

Tommie Frazier Highlights

Just to refresh your memories. Eat your heart out, Pat White.

1998 Texas at Nebraska on YouTube

From a Longhorn POV, but still worth your time. The game features two Heisman winners in Williams and Crouch. Also remembered for Mike Brown's 21 tackle performance. This game was also the only home game Nebraska lost during my time as a student at UNL. Sometimes I still can't believe I live in Texas.

First Half:



Second Half:



UT Students Celebrate in Austin on the Drag

1983 Nebraska - Oklahoma Highlights

Part I



Part II



Another classic Nebraska YouTube find. What a great way to catch some highlights of our amazing football past. You'll really want to notice the diversity of Osborne's offense. Its complexity is almost always overlooked.

Blaine Gabbert Videos

In the first, he discusses his ability and some of the schools he was originally looking at.



In the second his committment to Nebraska is discussed along with some highlights. Major bonus is that Rivals.com hottie Ashley Russell introduces the video.

Where Are They Now - Eric Crouch Update

I was surprised to come across this recent article on Eric Crouch and his adventures in Canada. I almost forgot he was still alive and kicking north of the border after his injury last season. After several failed attempts at football, Crouch sounds weathered and more mature, which is certainly a good thing.

"I'm trying to win that starting spot," Crouch said Tuesday. "I'm not there to sit on the bench and hope we win. I would like to be the quarterback that helps win games and helps win a Grey Cup this year. It's a long time coming for me. To me, it's all about being the best and to be able to win a championship in the CFL."

Crouch has earned the label “quitter” among many Nebraska fans, and that is perhaps unfair. Most of us have or will be humbled at some point in our life. Luckily most of us experience this outside the public eye.

But the past is the past and his current spot seems like a good fit for his skills.

"His background isn't in dropping straight back and throwing," Buratto said. "When we're at our best, our quarterback isn't always dropping straight back and throwing. We want him to make defenses worry about him."

Crouch always made defenses worry in college. He is perhaps the most elusive player I’ve ever seen in person. I also thought he would have made an amazing professional tag player, if such a league existed. Just watch teams try to get their hands on him in these highlights.

Remembering Zac Taylor

Here's a great set of highlights from the career of Zac Taylor at Nebraska. And what a fine, albeit, brief career it was.


· 2006 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year (Associated Press, Coaches, Kansas City Star,Houston Chronicle, Austin American-Statesman,Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
· 2006 First-Team All-Big 12 (AP, Coaches, KC Star, Houston Chronicle, Austin American-Statesman, Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
· 2006 Nebraska Offensive MVP
· 2006 Guy Chamberlin Trophy Winner
· 2006 Davey O’Brien Award, Manning Award, Maxwell Award Watch Lists
· 2006 Second-Team Academic All-Big 12
· Nebraska Career Record Holder for Passing Yards (5,850), Touchdowns (45), Completions (470), and Attempts (821)
· Nebraska Season Record Holder for Passing Yards (3,197, 2006), Touchdowns (26, 2006), Completions (237, 2005), Attempts (430, 2005)and Total Offense (3,165, 2006)
· Nebraska Single-Game Record Holder for Passing Yards (431),Completions (36), Attempts (55) and Total Offense (433)
· 2006 Big 12 Commissioner’s Spring Academic Honor Roll
· 2006 Big 12 Commissioner’s Fall Academic Honor Roll
· 2006 Brook Berringer Citizenship Team

YouTube Husker History Lesson - 1986 Fiesta Bowl

Here is some classic bowl footage as Nebraska takes on Michigan in the 1986 Fiesta Bowl. It is from the Michigan perspective, which is fitting since they won the game, but it's worth seven minutes of your time all the same.

I was actually at that game with my family as we spent Christmas and my 9th birthday in Tempe. It was an amazing atmosphere as two storied programs met and their Midwestern fans made the trek to the sun-drenched valley.

I remember a lot of what shows up in the highlights. First, it was definitely the era of exposed midriffs and towels hanging from the players’ pants. McCathorn Clayton started the game at QB, but was replaced later by freshman Steve Taylor, who wore #11. Michigan RB Jamie Morris ran all over us as our linebackers lumbered aimlessly. And Jim Harbaugh was quarterbacking Michigan in the days before he was busy talking shit about Pete Carroll.

Nebraska went 9-3 in 1985 (just like every other year in the 80s it seemed). We started the season 0-1 after a loss at home to FSU. We then rattled off nine straight wins and were ranked second as we headed to Norman to take on #5 ranked Oklahoma. Oklahoma was led by Jamelle Holieway, who took over for Troy Aikman (broken ankle), four games into the season. Aikman had been injured in OU's only regular season loss, a 27–14 beating at Miami. The Sooners absolutely crushed us with Holieway at the helm, 27-7. They outgained us 423 yards to 161 and would have had the shut out, were it not for a Chris Spachman 76-yard interception return with 26 seconds remaining in the game.

After the OU loss, Nebraska dropped to #7 and would then meet fifth ranked Michigan in that Fiesta Bowl. Nebraska jumped out to a 14-3 halftime lead behind a 5-yard TD pass to Doug DuBose and a 3-yard TD run, also by DuBose. Everything fell apart for the Huskers, however, in the 3rd quarter. Sparked by two lost fumbles, a blocked punt and a short punt in the first 10 minutes of the third quarter Michigan'turned the 11-point deficit into a 27-14 lead. In the fourth quarter Nebraska scored on a 1-yard run by Taylor, but later his pass with under a minute remaining the game was intercepted.

Oklahoma would go on to win the National title in 1985. They met #1 Penn State in the Orange Bowl and came away with a convincing 25-10 win. Miami had gone to the Sugar Bowl ranked second hoping for a convincing win over SEC champ Tennessee to keep its title hopes alive should Penn State lose. Instead, the Hurricanes suffered their worst defeat of the year, 35–7.

Bo Jackson beat out Iowa QB Chuck Long for the 1985 Heisman.

Scoring Explosion Highlights

A recent YouTube find, and one that brings back pleasant early childhood memories. God, that offense was beautiful. Check out the option pitch to Irving Fryar who was lined up in the backfield at about the 2 minute mark. That's why I grew up wanting nothing more than to be a wingback for Dr. Tom.

Press Conference Tidbits

Coach Callahan spoke with the media yesterday, but failed to disclose anything new or particularly meaningful. I'll recap some portions just the same, however.

On the players’ work in the off-season:

“They’ve worked hard, not only in conditioning, but in video review. They’ve had an opportunity to go back and to review their video and their plays and their performance from last year. I thought that was extremely productive for them, as individuals as well as a team and as a unit. Just to get back into football, to refine their techniques, and to refine themselves.”

I like that the players are spending some time critiquing their play via game film. Research indicates that in almost all fields, people tend to improve by watching both their successes and their failures. While I’m sure this is nothing new, it felt good to read about it here.

A lot was discussed concerning the quarterback situation and Callahan did his best to reiterate that it was a wide-open race.

“I think that people naturally look at this as a two-horse race, and it certainly isn’t even that. I think that Beau Davis has a lot of great attributes that have really been kept in the dark the past two seasons. His performance in his rookie year was really an unfair performance because it was really too soon. He has talent, he has mobility, and a good arm, and has been in this system going on his fourth year, so I think that has some merit. If you look at the successful quarterbacks around the country that have performed at a high level, it usually takes awhile to get to that level. So I don’t want to discount any of the guys in the quarterback race.”

The spring is a perfect time to really evaluate the talent and depth that we have at the QB position. That is why I have no problem with dividing the snaps amongst 3-4 guys. I don’t really expect Beau Davis to do much more than carry a clipboard or signal in plays, but if he earns the spot, so be it. Besides, given our recent luck I half expect an ACME safe to fall on Sam Keller some time in the next few months anyway.

Two questions on Tuesday pertained directly to Mr. Keller concerning whether the job was his to lose and what he brings to the offense. Here is the question I would like to have seen answered:

Coach, I assume you traded your soul to the devil himself in return for Sam Keller. Any regrets? And a follow up – had Sam Keller not found his way to Lincoln, is it safe to say that your house would be on the market right now?

Callahan also addressed concerns about the defensive line:

“We graduated some outstanding players, and that’s not to say that the upcoming players will not be outstanding. I think (sophomore defensive lineman Ndamukong) Suh has a chance to be an all-league performer, I think (junior defensive lineman Ty) Steinkuhler is coming into his own. I look at our end position, and unfortunately (junior defensive end) Barry Turner will be out this spring, but he is a top end when compared with other guys around the country. I think (junior linebacker) Clayton Sievers moving positions should provide us some depth and intrigue in regards to what he can do with a full-time position. And of course (junior defensive end) Zach Potter is a guy that has been around for a couple of years and has only gotten bigger and stronger, so we’re changing him really from a base-five technique to a base-six technique, so that should really tie in to his strengths as a player.”

I guess I didn’t expect a miracle here, but part of me was hoping Callahan had some Jared Tomich clone that he was keeping under wraps until the spring. I think we may have some talent on the D-line, but Buddy Wyatt is certainly going to have to earn his paycheck in 2007.

So with that let's hit the field fellas. Wait, you want an inspirational pre-game speech. Hey, why not. Take it away Coach Coronary-Embolism

Roger Craig and Doug DuBose Rap

Obviously this is from their 49er days. I don't know how this never worked its way to the top of the charts. It is clear though that DuBose's rage-filled flow had a heavy influence on West Coast gangsta rap.

I'm not going to lie, these are tough times in the life of a college football blogger. Signing day isn't quite here and we are a few months from the beginning of spring practices. I have a lot of stuff in mind to fill the time, but the duties of a new semester are currently taking primacy.

He is I and I was Him

Once again letting YouTube do my dirty work, but this is too good not to post, especially for those that really know me. This kid and I are obviously basement-hoop slam-dunking soulmates. I am forever grateful that my family did not own a video camera. HT – Deadspin.

Nebraska ESPNU Commercial

I don't know if this is a regional commercial or what, but I've somehow never actually seen it on ESPN. So in case some other out-of-state readers have yet to come across it, here you go. I'll throw in a free T-shirt to the first person to rock a DXP-inspired vanity plate.

Brandon Jackson to the NFL?

Brandon Jackson is apparently considering entering the NFL Draft. My gut tells me he probably won’t be coming back. Next year’s class of running backs looks to be pretty stacked, making him a more appealing selection this year. Given Jackson’s injury history and his supposed family situation, this might be the best move for him. You can checkout his 2006 highlights below.



Obviously losing a back of his caliber will be a blow to the Nebraska rushing attack. Will Lucky, Glenn or Wilson be ready for primetime in 2007?