Huskers Illustrated Oct 24, 2020 40-4

T H E

O R I G I N A L

M A G A Z I N E

D E D I C A T E D

T O

N E B R A S K A

A T H L E T I C S

ILLUSTRATED Oct. 24, 2020 VOLUME 40 | NO. 4 | $ 4 . 9 5

BATTLING THE

BUCKEYES

NU to open at Ohio State in empty Ohio Stadium

me.

takes

occupation

my

wherever

or

Nebraska

in

stay

to

going

either

I’m

nowadays.

live

to

place

good

a

not

temptations,

more

it’s

but

experiences,

bad

not

It’s

more.

any

atmosphere

my

not

That’s

stone.

in

set

been

That’s

graduate.

I

after

home

back

moving

not

percent

100

am

I

“Oh,

Nebraska?AA:

at

done

you’re

after

home

back

going

or

here

around

staying

on

planning

you

percent.Are

100

title?AA:

national

a

win

to

goal,

your

that’s

say

you

would

me.So

takes

occupation

my

wherever

or

Nebraska

in

stay

to

going

either

I’m

nowadays.

live

to

place

good

a

not

temptations,

more

it’s

but

experiences,

bad

not

It’s

more.

any

atmosphere

my

not

That’s

stone.

in

set

been

That’s

graduate.

I

after

home

back

moving

not

percent

100

am

I

“Oh,

Nebraska?AA:

at

done

you’re

after

home

back

going

or

here

around

staying

on

planning

you

percent.Are

100

title?AA:

national

a

win

to

goal,

your

that’s

say

you

would

me.So

takes

occupation

my

wherever

or

Nebraska

in

stay

to

going

either

I’m

nowadays.

live

to

place

good

a

not

temptations,

more

it’s

but

experiences,

bad

not

It’s

more.

any

atmosphere

my

not

That’s

stone.

in

set

been

That’s

graduate.

I

after

home

back

moving

not

percent

100

am

I

“Oh,

Nebraska?AA:

at

done

you’re

after

home

back

going

or

here

around

staying

on

planning

you

percent.Are

100

title?AA:

national

a

win

to

goal,

your

that’s

say

you

would

me.So

takes

occupation

my

wherever

or

Nebraska

in

stay

to

going

either

I’m

nowadays.

live

to

place

good

a

not

temptations,

more

it’s

but

experiences,

bad

not

It’s

more.

any

atmosphere

my

not

That’s

stone.

in

set

been

That’s

graduate.

I

after

home

back

moving

not

percent

100

am

I

“Oh,

Nebraska?AA:

at

done

you’re

after

home

back

going

or

here

around

staying

on

planning

you

percent.Are

100

title?AA:

national

a

win

to

goal,

your

that’s

say

you

would

me.So

takes

occupation

my

wherever

or

Nebraska

in

stay

to

going

either

I’m

nowadays.

live

to

place

good

a

not

temptations,

more

it’s

but

experiences,

bad

not

It’s

more.

any

atmosphere

my

not

That’s

stone.

in

set

been

That’s

graduate.

I

after

home

back

moving

not

percent

100

am

I

“Oh,

Nebraska?AA:

at

done

you’re

after

home

back

going

or

here

around

staying

on

planning

you

percent.Are

100

title?AA:

national

a

win

to

goal,

your

that’s

say

you

would

me.So

takes

occupation

my

wherever

or

Nebraska

in

stay

to

going

either

I’m

nowadays.

live

to

place

good

a

not

temptations,

more

it’s

but

experiences,

bad

not

It’s

more.

any

atmosphere

my

not

That’s

stone.

in

set

been

That’s

graduate.

I

after

home

back

moving

not

percent

100

am

I

“Oh,

Nebraska?AA:

at

done

you’re

after

home

back

going

or

here

around

staying

on

planning

you

percent.Are

100

title?AA:

national

a

win

to

goal,

your

that’s

say

you

would

me.So

takes

occupation

my

wherever

or

Nebraska

in

stay

to

going

either

I’m

nowadays.

live

to

place

good

a

not

temptations,

more

it’s

but

experiences,

bad

not

It’s

more.

any

atmosphere

my

not

That’s

stone.

in

set

been

That’s

graduate.

I

after

home

back

moving

not

percent

100

am

I

“Oh,

Nebraska?AA:

at

done

you’re

after

home

back

going

or

here

around

staying

on

planning

you

percent.Are

100

title?AA:

national

a

win

to

goal,

your

that’s

say

you

would

me.So

takes

occupation

my

wherever

or

Nebraska

in

stay

to

going

either

I’m

nowadays.

live

to

place

good

a

not

temptations,

more

it’s

but

experiences,

bad

not

It’s

more.

any

atmosphere

my

not

That’s

stone.

in

set

been

That’s

graduate.

I

after

home

back

moving

not

percent

100

am

I

“Oh,

Nebraska?AA:

at

done

you’re

after

home

back

going

or

here

around

staying

on

planning

you

percent.Are

100

title?AA:

national

a

win

to

goal,

your

that’s

say

you

would

me.So

takes

occupation

my

wherever

or

Nebraska

in

stay

to

going

either

I’m

nowadays.

live

to

place

good

a

not

temptations,

more

it’s

but

experiences,

bad

not

It’s

more.

any

atmosphere

my

not

That’s

stone.

in

set

been

That’s

graduate.

I

after

home

back

moving

not

percent

100

am

I

“Oh,

Nebraska?AA:

at

done

you’re

after

home

back

going

or

here

around

staying

on

planning

you

percent.Are

100

title?AA:

national

a

win

to

goal,

your

that’s

say

you

would

me.So

takes

occupation

my

wherever

or

Nebraska

in

stay

to

going

either

I’m

nowadays.

live

to

place

good

a

not

temptations,

more

it’s

but

experiences,

bad

not

It’s

more.

any

atmosphere

my

not

That’s

stone.

in

set

been

That’s

graduate.

I

after

home

back

moving

not

percent

100

am

I

“Oh,

Nebraska?AA:

at

done

you’re

after

home

back

going

or

here

around

staying

on

planning

you

percent.Are

100

title?AA:

national

a

win

to

goal,

your

that’s

say

you

would

So

T H E

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me.

takes

occupation

my

wherever

or

Nebraska

in

stay

to

going

either

I’m

nowadays.

live

to

place

good

a

not

temptations,

more

it’s

but

experiences,

bad

not

It’s

more.

any

atmosphere

my

not

That’s

stone.

in

set

been

That’s

graduate.

I

after

home

back

moving

not

percent

100

am

I

“Oh,

Nebraska?AA:

at

done

you’re

after

home

back

going

or

here

around

staying

on

planning

you

percent.Are

100

title?AA:

national

a

win

to

goal,

your

that’s

say

you

would

me.So

takes

occupation

my

wherever

or

Nebraska

in

stay

to

going

either

I’m

nowadays.

live

to

place

good

a

not

temptations,

more

it’s

but

experiences,

bad

not

It’s

more.

any

atmosphere

my

not

That’s

stone.

in

set

been

That’s

graduate.

I

after

home

back

moving

not

percent

100

am

I

“Oh,

Nebraska?AA:

at

done

you’re

after

home

back

going

or

here

around

staying

on

planning

you

percent.Are

100

title?AA:

national

a

win

to

goal,

your

that’s

say

you

would

me.So

takes

occupation

my

wherever

or

Nebraska

in

stay

to

going

either

I’m

nowadays.

live

to

place

good

a

not

temptations,

more

it’s

but

experiences,

bad

not

It’s

more.

any

atmosphere

my

not

That’s

stone.

in

set

been

That’s

graduate.

I

after

home

back

moving

not

percent

100

am

I

“Oh,

Nebraska?AA:

at

done

you’re

after

home

back

going

or

here

around

staying

on

planning

you

percent.Are

100

title?AA:

national

a

win

to

goal,

your

that’s

say

you

would

me.So

takes

occupation

my

wherever

or

Nebraska

in

stay

to

going

either

I’m

nowadays.

live

to

place

good

a

not

temptations,

more

it’s

but

experiences,

bad

not

It’s

more.

any

atmosphere

my

not

That’s

stone.

in

set

been

That’s

graduate.

I

after

home

back

moving

not

percent

100

am

I

“Oh,

Nebraska?AA:

at

done

you’re

after

home

back

going

or

here

around

staying

on

planning

you

percent.Are

100

title?AA:

national

a

win

to

goal,

your

that’s

say

you

would

me.So

takes

occupation

my

wherever

or

Nebraska

in

stay

to

going

either

I’m

nowadays.

live

to

place

good

a

not

temptations,

more

it’s

but

experiences,

bad

not

It’s

more.

any

atmosphere

my

not

That’s

stone.

in

set

been

That’s

graduate.

I

after

home

back

moving

not

percent

100

am

I

“Oh,

Nebraska?AA:

at

done

you’re

after

home

back

going

or

here

around

staying

on

planning

you

percent.Are

100

title?AA:

national

a

win

to

goal,

your

that’s

say

you

would

me.So

takes

occupation

my

wherever

or

Nebraska

in

stay

to

going

either

I’m

nowadays.

live

to

place

good

a

not

temptations,

more

it’s

but

experiences,

bad

not

It’s

more.

any

atmosphere

my

not

That’s

stone.

in

set

been

That’s

graduate.

I

after

home

back

moving

not

percent

100

am

I

“Oh,

Nebraska?AA:

at

done

you’re

after

home

back

going

or

here

around

staying

on

planning

you

percent.Are

100

title?AA:

national

a

win

to

goal,

your

that’s

say

you

would

me.So

takes

occupation

my

wherever

or

Nebraska

in

stay

to

going

either

I’m

nowadays.

live

to

place

good

a

not

temptations,

more

it’s

but

experiences,

bad

not

It’s

more.

any

atmosphere

my

not

That’s

stone.

in

set

been

That’s

graduate.

I

after

home

back

moving

not

percent

100

am

I

“Oh,

Nebraska?AA:

at

done

you’re

after

home

back

going

or

here

around

staying

on

planning

you

percent.Are

100

title?AA:

national

a

win

to

goal,

your

that’s

say

you

would

me.So

takes

occupation

my

wherever

or

Nebraska

in

stay

to

going

either

I’m

nowadays.

live

to

place

good

a

not

temptations,

more

it’s

but

experiences,

bad

not

It’s

more.

any

atmosphere

my

not

That’s

stone.

in

set

been

That’s

graduate.

I

after

home

back

moving

not

percent

100

am

I

“Oh,

Nebraska?AA:

at

done

you’re

after

home

back

going

or

here

around

staying

on

planning

you

percent.Are

100

title?AA:

national

a

win

to

goal,

your

that’s

say

you

would

me.So

takes

occupation

my

wherever

or

Nebraska

in

stay

to

going

either

I’m

nowadays.

live

to

place

good

a

not

temptations,

more

it’s

but

experiences,

bad

not

It’s

more.

any

atmosphere

my

not

That’s

stone.

in

set

been

That’s

graduate.

I

after

home

back

moving

not

percent

100

am

I

“Oh,

Nebraska?AA:

at

done

you’re

after

home

back

going

or

here

around

staying

on

planning

you

percent.Are

100

title?AA:

national

a

win

to

goal,

your

that’s

say

you

would

me.So

takes

occupation

my

wherever

or

Nebraska

in

stay

to

going

either

I’m

nowadays.

live

to

place

good

a

not

temptations,

more

it’s

but

experiences,

bad

not

It’s

more.

any

atmosphere

my

not

That’s

stone.

in

set

been

That’s

graduate.

I

after

home

back

moving

not

percent

100

am

I

“Oh,

Nebraska?AA:

at

done

you’re

after

home

back

going

or

here

around

staying

on

planning

you

percent.Are

100

title?AA:

national

a

win

to

goal,

your

that’s

say

you

would

So

Huskers Illustrated is published by Landmark Community Newspapers, LLC, 601 Taylorsville Rd, Shelbyville KY 40065. Periodicals postage paid at Lincoln, NE and additional mailing offices.

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Join the thousands of other Husker fans that follow Huskers Illustrated online. Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/huskersillustratedfan or on twitter at twitter.com/hillustrated.

The next Huskers Illustrated edition previewing the Wisconsin game and recapping the Ohio State game will mail Oct. 26.

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BATTLING THE

BUCKEYES

NU to open at Ohio State in empty Ohio Stadium

ON THE COVER The last time Nebraska travelled to Columbus, Ohio to face the Buckeyes on Nov. 3, 2018, there were 104,245 fans jammed into Ohio Stadium to watch what turned out to be a close game to the end with the Buckeyes eventually winning 36-31. This year, however, there will not be any fans allowed inside the stadium per Big Ten rules so it will be a much different atmosphere.

AARON BECKMAN/HUSKERS ILLUSTRATED

From the Editor

BY DARREN IVY

twitter.com/DarrenIvy1

UNDERDOGS IN OHIO

EXPERIENCED HUSKERS CONFIDENT AS THEY TRAVEL FOR THE OPENER IT’S LESS THAN A WEEK AWAY FROM THE THIRD AND ACTUAL BIG TEN SEASON-OPENING GAME AND OPPONENT FOR THE CORNHUSKERS IN 2020.

The original schedule had called for a home game against Purdue on Sept. 5.

Then it had been switched to a road contest at Rutgers on Sept. 5 when the Big Ten announced its first conference-only schedule.

Finally after Nebraska and Ohio State among others fought with the Big Ten Conference to resume football still in 2020, league officials came out with a second Big Ten-only schedule that begins this week with Nebraska at No. 5 Ohio State at 11 a.m. on national television.

Almost all the pundits give Scott Frost and his Huskers no chance as they head to Columbus, Ohio for a battle with the Buckeyes in an empty Ohio Stadium. Nebraska is listed as a 25-point underdog by the latest sports lines in Las Vegas.

However, the last time NU visited The Horseshoe two years ago, Nebraska led 21-16 at halftime and had a chance late before losing 36-31.

“We had every chance in the world to win that game,” Frost said after that loss to the No. 8 Buckeyes that dropped NU to 2-7 in his first season.

Nebraska didn’t sneak up on Ohio State last season falling 48-7 in what has been the more common lopsided outcomes the last five meetings between the two Big Reds.

But junior quarterback Adrian Martinez, who started that game two years ago, is looking at the 2020 match up as a winnable challenge.

4 | H U S K E R S I L L U S T R AT E D | O C T. 2 4 , 2 0 2 0

“We love it,” Martinez recently told the Big Ten Network. “That’s part of the reason I came to Nebraska, it’s part of the reason why the rest of these guys did. Week in and week out you’re gonna play solid opponents. How lucky are we, we get to play Ohio State Week 1? I’m pumped and I know our guys are. And we’re gonna make the most of the opportunity at the end of the day.”

We as media haven’t had any opportunities to see the players in person this fall as the University has isolated the players and coaches and done all interviews through Zoom or on the Huskers Sports Network radio show.

A few videos from practice have been provided but what newcomers are making an impression or what veteran players have stepped up is only heard second hand from their peers and coaches.

This is by far the strangest and longest preseason there ever has been with many NU players having been on campus since voluntary workouts began in June.

So surprisingly, or maybe not so surprisingly, Husker fans don’t have a terrible feeling about opening with Ohio State heck it’s probably better to face the mighty Buckeyes in game one rather than game eight many feel.

Frost’s teams have gone 4-8 and 5-7 in his first two seasons but many closely involved with the program feel something special is starting to build behind closed doors.

“It’s definitely a process,” senior captain Dicaprio Bootle said in the interview on Husker Sports Network this offseason.

“A lot of times when great things hap-

pen, you kind of have to build it from the ground up. Maybe tear it down to build it back up, to be able to elevate. I kind of think that’s where we were at here ... The past two years there’s been a lot of good.

There’s been some bad too. But we’re definitely moving in the right direction. I feel it. Everybody in this building feels it.

We just need to continue to be humble and come ready to work every day. Everything else will take care of itself.”

Martinez was a true freshman in 2018 and has found himself in a fierce battle with another freshman - Luke McCaffrey - for the starting job during this extended fall practice schedule.

“First of all, we feel great about our quarterbacks,” offensive coordinator Matt Lubick told reporters last Thursday. “Luke and Adrian are playing at a very, very high level, and the brief time I’ve been here, I’ve seen huge improvements. It’s an ongoing evaluation. We evaluate every single day. They both can win for us and are both moving the ball.”

Martinez has started the majority of games the past two years, except when he’s been injured. McCaffrey, a redshirt freshman appeared in four games last season as he and Noah Vedral were backups.

McCaffrey showed great promise, and when Vedral transferred to Rutgers in the off-season, he separated himself from the other backups. An extra year in the NU system also has boosted his confidence.

“He’s a quarterback, I want to make that clear,” Frost said last Tuesday of the Colorado native. “Right now our offense moves exceptionally well when he’s playing quarterback. He finds a way to make

Adrian Martinez nearly led NU to an upset of Ohio State two years ago in Columbus, and will be looking to do the same on Saturday.

a lot of plays work. He’s throwing the ball really well and I don’t think anybody has any questions about his athletic ability or speed. If he’s one of the best players to have on the field, and he’s not playing quarterback, then we’ll certainly look for opportunities to make sure our best players are out there.”

Martinez has appreciated being pushed and not given the starting job like he basically was before his sophomore season.

“When I was recruited I was told it’s an open competition, and that’s true regardless of what year it is. The best quarterback is going to play. Period. Luke is pushing me and I love it ... It’s gotten some fire out of me, and I think it’s great for both of us,” Martinez said.

Wide receiver Kade Warner, who was recently named one of five captains for 2020, is comfortable with either and feels both have taken their games to new levels.

“So I think that leap forward has been great to see, especially as a guy catching those footballs. ... Adrian’s done a great job increasing his deep-ball accuracy as well as being able to play all three levels of the passing game,” Warner said. “I think

Luke’s done a great job of competing, pushing Adrian every single day, saying, ‘I’m coming, I’m coming, you better keep working.’ So Luke’s done a great job being a leader in that role.

“I think that 1-2 punch that they both have is a great dynamic for our football team and gives our defense a ton of good looks, which is awesome to see. I think they can both bring something to the table.”

A starter was expected to be named after press time, but before kickoff.

“There’s a lot of things,” Lubick said.

“The biggest thing is who gives us the best chance to win. They both can win. They both can play. It’s who gives us the best chance, and the fact that it’s a hard decision is a good situation because like I said, we’ve got two guys we feel really good about.”

Whoever starts and plays at Columbus, will have to play their best games with no turnovers or stupid mistakes for NU to have any chance of staying around.

Senior Dedrick Mills, who was NU’s top running back last season, will also have to run strong for NU to control the ball and keep Ohio State’s explosive offense off the field.

Mills should have a very large and experienced offensive line and tight ends to run behind this season.

“I expect a big senior year for him,” running backs coach Ryan Held said of Mills. “You know, he’s gonna have to carry a good amount of reps for us. He’s done really well up to this point. I know he’s excited to keep getting better and get ready for the first game.”

Behind Mills are some talented recruits who have been waiting their opportunities.

The Huskers will miss wide receiver JD Spielman, who consistently had big games against the Buckeyes before transferring to TCU for his senior year. A healthy Wan’Dale Robinson will be relied on more at receiver this year but who else will be counted on is still a bit of a mystery, which again could play to NU’s advantage in game one.

Defense is still a big question mark and the side of the ball NU must get better at consistently if it is to make a leap as a program and be able to pull off an upset it has so desperately been seeking. N Send me your comments and/or story ideas to darrenivy@huskersillustrated.com.

O C T. 2 4 , 2 0 2 0 | H U S K E R S I L L U S T R AT E D | 5

2020 HUSKER FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Opponent

Date

State * Sat, Oct 24 Ohio consin * Sat, Oct 31 Wis Sat, Nov 7

ois * Sat, Nov 21 Illin a* Fri, Nov 27 Iow Purdue *

nesota * Sat, Dec 12 Min Ten * Sat, Dec 19 Big *Conference Gam

at Columbus, Oh

io

-

m Memorial Stadiu

-

anston, Ill. v E t a * rn te s e w North

n State * Sat, Nov 14 Pen

Sat, Dec 5

Results

Location

m Memorial Stadiu

-

m Memorial Stadiu

-

a at Iowa City, Iow

-

at West Lafayett

-

m Memorial Stadiu

-

e, Ind.

TBA

-

es

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2020 NEBRASKA FOOTBALL ROSTER No 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 14 14 15 15 16 17 18 18 19 22 22 23 23 24 24 25 25 26 26 28 28 29 29 30 31 31 32 32 33 33 34 34 35 35 36 36 37 37 38 38 39 39 40 40 40 41 41 42 42 43 43 44 45 45

Name Pos Wan'Dale Robinson WR Adrian Martinez QB Caleb Tannor OLB Will Honas ILB Jamie Nance WR Alante Brown WR Keem Green DL Omar Manning WR Cam Taylor-Britt CB Marcus Fleming WR Quinton Newsome CB Dicaprio Bootle CB Luke McCaffrey QB Logan Smothers QB Deontai Williams S Marquel Dismuke S Jackson Hannah ILB Demariyon Houston WR Austin Allen TE Braxton Clark CB Tamon Lynum CB Will Nixon WR JoJo Domann OLB Rahmir Johnson RB Brayden Miller QB Zavier Betts WR Ronald Delancy III CB Nadab Joseph DB Ty Hahn WR Myles Farmer S Matt Masker QB Barron Miles Jr. WR Cooper Jewett RB Eteva Mauga-Clements ILB Isaacd Giffor S Jaquez Yant RB Blaise Gunnerson OLB Marvin Scott III RB Zach Schlager ILB Ronald Thompkins RB Dedrick Mills RB Noa Pola-Gates S Sevion Morrison RB Luke Reimer ILB Bennett Folkers WR Ashton Hausmann DB Sami Khawja P Collin Miller ILB Zach Weinmaster RB Niko Cooper OLB Ryan Novosel PK Connor Culp PK Javin Wright CB Simon Otte OLB Beau Psencik RB Jimari Butler OLB Trevin Luben RB Christian Banker WR Chase Contreraz PK Isaiah Harris RB Phalen Sanfor d CB Brody Belt RB Damian Jackson OLB Bradley Bunner CB Garrett Hustedt ILB Daniel Cerni P Darius Moore DB Brian Perez TE Elliott Brown WR Garrett Snodgrass ILB Broc Douglass WR Nick Henrich ILB Mason Nieman S Connor Ruth RB Garrett Nelson OLB David Alston OLB Ty Chaffin WR

Ht 5-10 6-2 6-2 6-1 6-0 5-11 6-5 6-4 6-0 5-10 6-2 5-10 6-2 6-2 6-1 6-2 6-3 6-0 6-8 6-4 6-2 5-11 6-1 5-10 6-1 6-2 5-11 6-2 6-2 6-3 6-1 6-0 5-10 6-2 6-1 6-2 6-6 5-9 6-0 5-11 5-11 5-11 6-0 6-1 6-2 6-0 5-11 6-3 5-11 6-5 6-0 5-10 6-3 6-1 6-0 6-5 6-0 6-0 6-1 5-9 6-0 5-8 6-2 6-0 6-2 6-4 6-1 6-3 6-1 6-3 6-0 6-4 6-3 5-11 6-3 6-4 6-5

Wt 190 225 220 225 170 190 315 225 215 170 180 195 200 190 205 215 225 180 250 210 170 185 235 180 210 200 160 190 180 205 225 170 190 220 195 205 250 200 210 195 220 175 200 220 205 190 165 245 190 220 160 190 205 205 190 220 170 190 180 170 190 185 275 195 230 220 185 265 175 225 160 220 175 215 260 235 215

Yr So. Jr. Jr. Sr. R-Fr. Fr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Fr. So. Sr. R-Fr. Fr. Sr. Sr. R-Fr. R-Fr. Jr. So. Fr. Fr. Sr. R-Fr. R-Fr. Fr. Fr. So. Fr. R-Fr. So. Fr. R-Fr. Jr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. So. R-Fr. Sr. R-Fr. Fr. So. So. Fr. Fr. Sr. R-Fr. So. Fr. Sr. R-Fr. So. Fr. Fr. Fr. Jr. So. Fr. So. So. Jr. Jr. R-Fr. Fr. Jr. Sr. Fr. R-Fr. Fr. R-Fr. Fr. So. So. So. Sr.

Hometown / Previous School Frankfort, Ky. / Western Hills Fresno, Calif. / Clovis West Stone Mountain, Ga. / Miller Grove Wichita, Kan. / Bishop Carroll HS/Butler CC Blanchard, Okla. / Blanchard Chicago, Ill. / Simeon HS/St. Thomas More (Conn.) Prep Sumter, S.C. / Sumter HS/Highlands CC Lancaster, Texas / Lancaster HS/TCU/Kilgore College Montgomery, Ala. / Park Crossing Miami, Fla. / Northwestern Suwanee, Ga. / North Gwinnett Miami, Fla. / Southridge Highlands Ranch, Colo. / Valor Christian Muscle Shoals, Ala. / Muscle Shoals Jacksonville, Fla. / Trinity Christian Academy/Jones County CC Compton, Calif. / Calabasas Nashville, Tenn. / Montgomery Bell Academy Oklahoma City, Okla. / Millwood Aurora, Neb. / Aurora Orlando, Fla. / Dr. Phillips Orlando, Fla. / Evans Waco, Texas / Midway Colorado Springs, Colo. / Pine Creek Oradell, N.J. / Bergen Catholic Kearney, Neb. / Kearney Bellevue, Neb. / Bellevue West Miami, Fla. / Northwestern Miami, Fla. / Noland HS/Independence CC Johnson, Neb. / Johnson-Brock Atlanta, Ga. / Westlake Kearney, Neb. / Kearney Catholic Chandler, Ariz. / Chandler Omaha, Neb. / Elkhorn South Pleasant Hill, Calif. / College Park HS/Diablo Valley CC Lincoln, Neb. / Southeast Tallahassee, Fla. / Amos P. Godby Carroll, Iowa / Kuemper Catholic Port Orange, Fla. / Spruce Creek McCook, Neb. / McCook HS/Colorado State Loganville, Ga. / Grayson Waycross, Ga. / Ware County HS/Georgia Tech/Garden City CC Gilbert, Ariz. / Williams Field Tulsa, Okla. / Edison Lincoln, Neb. / North Star Gothenburg, Neb. / Gothenburg Roca, Neb. / Norris Danville, Calif. / IMG Academy Fishers, Ind. / Hamilton Southeastern Loveland, Colo. / Loveland Memphis, Tenn. / Douglass HS/Hutchinson CC Winnetka, Ill. / New Trier Phoenix, Ariz. / Desert Vista HS/LSU Chandler, Ariz. / Hamilton York, Neb. / York Houston, Texas / Lutheran South Academy Mobile, Ala. / Murphy Wahoo, Neb. / Wahoo Omaha, Neb. / Skutt Catholic Missouri Valley, Iowa / Missouri Valley HS/Iowa Western CC Omaha, Neb. / Millard South Benkelman, Neb. / Dundy County-Stratton HS/Hastings College Omaha, Neb. / Millard West Las Vegas, Nev. / Shadow Ridge Clarkson, Neb. / Clarkson Public School Omaha, Neb. / Mount Michael Benedictine Canberra, Australia / Prokick Australia Tiffen, Iowa / Clear Creek Amana HS/Iowa Western CC Hartley, Iowa / Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn HS/Iowa Western CC Omaha, Neb. / Elkhorn South York, Neb. / York Grand Island , Neb. / Grand Island Omaha, Neb. / Burke Waverly, Neb. / Waverly Malcolm, Neb. / Seward Scottsbluff, Neb. / Scottsbluff Saint Paul, Minn. / Woodbury Burwell, Neb. / Burwell

8 | H U S K E R S I L L U S T R AT E D | O C T. 2 4 , 2 0 2 0

No 46 46 47 47 48 49 49 50 51 51 52 53 54 54 55 55 56 56 57 57 58 59 59 62 63 65 65 66 68 69 70 71 71 72 72 73 73 74 75 76 76 77 78 79 80 80 81 81 82 82 83 83 84 84 85 85 86 87 87 88 89 89 90 91 92 93 93 94 95 95 96 96 97 98 98 99 99

Name John Goodwin Corbin Ruth Tyson Guzman Austin Jablonski Lane McCallum Nate Boerkircher Pheldarius Payne Jake Archer Cameron Jurgens Braden Klover Mosai Newsom Riley Moses Bryce Benhart Ryan Schommer Brig Banks Chris Walker Grant Tagge Boe Wilson Drew Monin Ethan Piper Chris Cassidy Ian Boerkircher Caden McCormack Noah Stafursky Nouredin Nouili Bladen Bayless Christian Gaylord Ezra Miller Will Farniok Turner Corcoran Matt Sichterman Matt Farniok Keegan Menning Matthew Anderson Nash Hutmacher Broc Bando Baylor Brannen Brant Banks Trent Hixson Brenden Jaimes Eli Simonson Michael Lynn Jimmy Fritzsche Alex Conn Jared Bubak Jacob Herbek Nick Leader Kade Warner Colton Feist Kurt Rafdal Sam Shurtleff Travis Vokolek Matthias Algarin Eli Richter John Bullock Wyatt Liewer Jack Stoll Chris Hickman Jordon Riley Levi Falck Jamin Graham Oliver Martin Ben Lingenfelter Cameron Pieper Tate Wildeman Damion Daniels Gabe Heins Cade Mueller Grant Detlefsen Ben Stille Marquis Black Camden Witucki Deontre Thomas Tyler Crawfor d Casey Rogers William Przystup Ty Robinson

Pos TE RB S WR OLB TE DL ILB OL ILB DL OL OL OLB LS DL ILB OL ILB OL ILB OL ILB OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL DL OL DL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL TE DL OLB WR DL TE OLB TE WR OLB OLB WR TE WR DL WR OLB WR DL LS DL DL PK LS P DL DL LS DL PK DL P DL

Ht 6-2 6-0 6-3 6-2 6-2 6-4 6-3 6-0 6-3 6-1 6-4 6-2 6-9 6-4 6-3 6-6 6-2 6-3 6-1 6-4 6-1 6-6 6-0 6-3 6-4 6-3 6-6 6-6 6-3 6-6 6-4 6-6 6-4 6-6 6-5 6-5 6-4 6-7 6-4 6-6 6-5 6-6 6-7 6-6 6-5 6-5 6-1 6-1 6-2 6-7 6-3 6-6 6-0 6-4 6-1 6-3 6-4 6-6 6-6 6-2 6-4 6-1 6-4 6-3 6-5 6-3 6-0 6-0 6-3 6-5 6-4 6-3 6-3 5-10 6-4 6-4 6-6

Wt 255 220 210 215 220 215 275 215 285 220 285 305 295 250 215 300 185 300 220 300 225 260 230 330 285 260 310 310 295 285 315 335 310 255 300 310 260 300 310 300 260 290 275 280 240 220 205 210 280 245 220 250 170 240 220 195 260 215 290 205 240 200 290 250 290 340 185 230 210 295 290 220 295 175 300 250 315

Yr R-Fr. Jr. R-Fr. R-Fr. Jr. Fr. Jr. So. So. Fr. R-Fr. R-Fr. R-Fr. So. Jr. Jr. Fr. Sr. Fr. R-Fr. So. So. R-Fr. R-Fr. So. Fr. Sr. R-Fr. So. Fr. Jr. Sr. Fr. R-Fr. Fr. Jr. Fr. R-Fr. Jr. Sr. Fr. R-Fr. R-Fr. Fr. Sr. R-Fr. R-Fr. Jr. So. Jr. R-Fr. Jr. Fr. R-Fr. R-Fr. So. Sr. R-Fr. Jr. Sr. R-Fr. Jr. Jr. So. So. Jr. R-Fr. So. R-Fr. Sr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Fr. So. So. R-Fr.

Hometown / Previous School Lincoln, Neb. / Lincoln High Malcolm, Neb. / Seward HS/Northwest Missouri State Omaha, Neb. / Westside Lincoln, Neb. / Pius X Norfolk, Neb. / Norfolk HS/Air Force Aurora, Neb. / Aurora Suffolk, Va. / Nansemond River HS/Lackawanna CC Omaha, Neb. / Skutt Catholic Beatrice, Neb. / Beatrice Wymore, Neb. / Southern Waverly, Iowa / Waverly-Shell Rock Fairmont, Neb. / Fillmore Central Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville North Norfolk, Neb. / Norfolk Houston, Texas / St. Thomas HS/Henderson State Lincoln, Neb. / East Omaha, Neb. / Westside Lee's Summit, Mo. / Lee's Summit West Atlanta, Ga. / Old Farms Prep (Avon, Conn.)

Norfolk, Neb. / Norfolk Catholic Lincoln, Neb. / Pius X Aurora, Neb. / Aurora HS/Nebraska-Kearney Lincoln, Neb. / Southwest York, Neb. / York Frankfurt, Germany / Norris HS/Colorado State Beatrice, Neb. / Beatrice Baldwin City, Kan. / Baldwin City Holstein, Iowa / Ridge View HS/Iowa Sioux Falls, S.D. / Washington Lawrence, Kan. / Free State Cincinnati, Ohio / Kings Sioux Falls, S.D. / Washington Fremont, Neb. / Fremont Leesville, La. / Leesville Oacoma, S.D. / Chamberlain Lincoln, Neb. / IMG Academy Omaha, Neb. / Millard West Houston, Texas / Westbury Christian Omaha, Neb. / Skutt Catholic Austin, Texas / Lake Travis Fremont, Neb. / Archbishop Bergan Greenwood Village, Colo. / Cherry Hills Greenville, S.C. / Greenville Derby, Kan. / Derby Lincoln, Neb. / Lincoln Christian HS/Arizona State Grand Island, Neb. / Central Catholic Lincoln, Neb. / Southwest Scottsdale, Ariz. / Desert Mountain Yutan, Neb. / Yutan Carmel, Ind. / Carmel Watkinsville, Ga. / Oconee County Springfield, Mo. / Kickapoo HS/Rutgers Pierz, Minn. / Pierz Kearney, Neb. / Kearney Catholic Omaha, Neb. / Creighton Prep O'Neill, Neb. / O'Neill Lone Tree, Colo. / Regis Jesuit Omaha, Neb. / Burke New Bern, N.C. / Riverside HS/North Carolina/Garden City CC Circle Pines, Minn. / Centennial HS/South Dakota Attalla, Ala. / Etowah Coralville, Iowa / Iowa City West/Michigan/Iowa Cherokee, Iowa / Washington Lincoln, Neb. / Southwest Parker, Colo. / Legend Dallas, Texas / Bishop Dunne Kearney, Neb. / Kearney Gretna, Neb. / Gretna Lincoln, Neb. / Southeast Ashland, Neb. / Ashland-Greenwood McDonough, Ga. / Eagle's Landing Christian Academy Grand Blanc, Mich. / Grand Blanc Community Mustang, Okla. / Mustang Broken Arrow, Okla. / Broken Arrow Syracuse, N.Y. / Westhill HS/Old Farms Prep (Avon, Conn.)

Oviedo, Fla. / Oviedo HS/Michigan State Gilbert, Ariz. / Higley

OHIO STATE BUCKEYES 2020 FOOTBALL ROSTER No Name 1 Justin Fields 2 Chris Olave 2 Kourt Williams 3 Demario McCall 3 Teradja Mitchell 4 Julian Fleming 4 Lejond Cavazos 5 Baron Browning 5 Garrett Wilson 6 Taron Vincent 6 Jameson Williams 7 Kamryn Babb 7 Sevyn Banks 7 C.J. Stroud 8 Javontae Jean-Baptiste 8 Trey Sermon 9 Jack Miller III 9 Zach Harrison 10 Cameron Martinez 10 Mookie Cooper 11 Jaxon Smith-Njigba 11 Tyreke Smith 12 Gunnar Hoak 12 Lathan Ransom 13 Gee Scott Jr. 13 Tyreke Johnson 14 Ronnie Hickman 15 Jaylen Harris 16 Cade Stover 16 Ryan Watts 17 Danny Vanatsky 17 Bryson Shaw 18 J.P. Andrade 18 Jonathon Cooper 19 Dallas Gant 19 Jagger LaRoe 20 Pete Werner 21 Marcus Williamson 22 Steele Chambers 23 Marcus Hooker 24 Marcus Crowley 24 Shaun Wade 25 Xavier Johnson 25 Craig Young 26 Cameron Brown 28 Miyan Williams 28 Dominic DiMaccio 29 Zach Hoover 29 Darryl Sinclair 30 Kevin Dever 32 Tuf Borland 33 Master Teague III 34 Mitch Rossi 34 Alec Taylor 35 Tommy Eichenberg 36 K'Vaughan Pope 37 Mitchell Melton 38 Cameron Kittle 38 Marvin Davies 39 Cody Simon

Pos QB WR SAF RB LB WR CB LB WR DT WR WR CB QB DE RB QB DE DB WR WR DE QB SAF WR CB SAF WR TE CB QB SAF QB DE LB QB LB CB RB SAF RB CB RB LB CB RB K P CB SAF LB RB RB DB LB LB LB DB WR LB

Ht. Wt. 6-3 228 6-1 188 6-1 221 5-9 195 6-2 240 6-2 200 6-0 195 6-3 240 6-0 193 6-2 295 6-2 188 6-0 197 6-1 200 6-3 205 6-5 250 6-1 215 6-3 215 6-6 265 5-10188 5-10190 6-0 196 6-4 267 6-4 215 6-1 198 6-3 210 6-1 195 6-1 205 6-5 215 6-4 255 6-3 195 6-1 210 6-1 195 6-2 210 6-4 257 6-3 232 6-3 220 6-3 242 5-10186 6-1 220 5-11 200 6-1 205 6-1 195 6-2 215 6-3 228 6-0 192 5-8 227 5-8 192 6-2 200 5-9 180 6-0 195 6-1 234 5-11 225 6-0 245 6-1 195 6-2 238 6-1 231 6-3 243 6-0 185 5-11 200 6-1 225

Yr. Hometown / Last School Jr. Kennesaw, Ga. / Georgia / Harrison H.S. Jr. San Marcos, Calif. / Mission Hills Fr. Harbor City, Calif. / St. John Bosco Sr. North Ridgeville, Oh io / North Ridgeville H.S. Jr. Virginia Beach, Va. / Bishop Sullivan Fr. Catawissa, Pa. / Southern Columbia Fr. San Antonio, Texas / IMG Academy Sr. Fort Worth, Texas / Kennedale So. Austin, Texas / Lake Travis So. Baltimore, Md. / IMG Academy So. St. Louis, Mo. / Cardinal Ritter College Prep So. St. Louis, Mo. / Christian Brothers College Jr. Orlando, Fla. / Jones Fr. Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. / Rancho Cucamonga So. Spring Valley, N.J. / Bergen Catholic Grad Marietta, Ga. / Oklahoma Fr. Scottsdale, Ariz. / Chaparral So. Lewis Center, Ohio / Olentangy Orange Fr. Muskegon, Mich. / Muskegon Fr. St. Louis, Mo. / Trinity Catholic Fr. Rockwall, Texas / Rockwall Jr. Cleveland, Ohio / Cleveland Heights Grad Dublin, Ohio / UK / Coffman Fr. Tucson, Ariz. / Salpointe Catholic Fr. Seattle, Wash. / Eastside Catholic So. Jacksonville, Fla. / Trinity Christian Academy Rs.-Fr.Wayne, N.J. /DePaul Catholic Sr. Cleveland, Ohio / Cleveland Heights Rs.-Fr.Mansfield, Ohio / Lexington Fr. Little Elm, Texas / Little Elm Jr. Cincinnati, Ohio / Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy Rs.-Fr.Eldersburg, Md. / Bullis School So. La Verne, Calif. / Bonita Grad Gahanna, Ohio / Lincoln Jr. Toledo, Ohio / St. John's Jesuit So. Colleyville, Texas / Texas A&M / Colleyville Heritage Sr. Indianapolis, Ind. /Cathedral Sr. Westerville, Ohio / IMG Academy Rs.-Fr.Roswell, Ga. / Blessed Trinity Catholic So. New Castle, Pa. / New Castle So. Jacksonville, Fla. / Trinity Christian Academy Jr. Jacksonville, Fla. / Trinity Christian Academy Jr. Cincinnati, Ohio / Summit Country Day So. Fort Wayne, Ind. / Wayne H.S. Jr. St. Louis, Mo. / Christian Brothers College Fr. Cincinnati, Ohio / Winton Woods Jr. Powell, Ohio / DeSales Sr. Toledo, Ohio / Central Catholic Sr. Solon, Ohio / Solon Jr. Cleveland, Ohio / St. Edward's Grad Bolingbrook, Ill. / Bolingbrook So. Murfreesboro, Tenn. / Blackman Sr. Franklin, Tenn. / Franklin Jr. Steubenville, Ohio / Steubenville Rs.-Fr.Cleveland, Ohio / St. Ignatius Jr. Dinwiddie, Va. / Dinwiddie Fr. Silver Spring, Md. / Good Counsel Fr. Glouster, Ohio / Trimble Fr. Cleveland, Ohio / Orange Fr. Jersey City, N.J. / St. Peter’s Prep

No Name 41 Josh Proctor 42 Lloyd McFarquhar 42 Bradley Robinson 43 Robert Cope 43 Ryan Batsch 44 Ben Schmiesing 46 Cade Kacherski 47 Justin Hilliard 49 Patrick Gurd 50 Nathan Brock 51 Trayvon Wilburn 52 Antwuan Jackson 52 Wyatt Davis 53 Luke Wypler 54 Tyler Friday 55 Jerron Cage 55 Matthew Jones 56 Aaron Cox 57 Zaid Hamdan 58 Ty Hamilton 59 Zach Stevenson 59 Darrion Henry-Young 60 Ryan Smith 61 Gavin Cupp 62 Chris Kuhn 64 Jack Jamieson 66 Enokk Vimahi 67 Jakob James 68 Ryan Jacoby 69 Trey Leroux 70 Josh Fryar 71 Josh Myers 72 Tommy Togiai 73 Grant Toutant 74 Max Wray 75 Thayer Munford 76 Harry Miller 77 Paris Johnson Jr. 78 Nicholas Petit-Frere 79 Dawand Jones 80 Corey Rau 81 Jake Hausmann 82 Sam Wiglusz 83 Cormontae Hamilton 84 Joe Royer 85 Austin Kutscher 86 Chris Booker 87 Ellijah Gardiner 88 Jeremy Ruckert 89 Luke Farrell 90 Jaden McKenzie 91 Drue Chrisman 92 Haskell Garrett 93 Jacolbe Cowan 94 Roen McCullough 95 Blake Haubeil 96 Michael O'Shaughnessy 97 Noah Potter 98 Jake Seibert

Pos SAF CB LS RB SAF LB LB LB TE OL LB DT OL OL DE DT OL DL DT DL OL DL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OC DT OL OL OL OL OL OT OL TE TE WR DL TE WR WR WR TE TE DT P DT DL LS K P DE K

Ht. Wt. 6-2 202 5-9 170 6-1 230 5-9 198 6-2 200 6-1 225 6-2 225 6-1 231 6-4 230 6-4 290 5-11 222 6-2 295 6-4 315 6-3 295 6-3 265 6-2 299 6-4 310 6-3 255 5-11 265 6-3 278 6-1 295 6-4 275 6-1 285 6-4 308 6-5 305 6-1 285 6-4 305 6-5 295 6-5 310 6-7 335 6-6 308 6-5 312 6-2 300 6-6 307 6-7 308 6-6 315 6-4 315 6-6 305 6-5 310 6-8 360 6-4 260 6-4 255 5-11 185 6-2 265 6-5 240 6-0 200 6-2 190 6-3 200 6-5 253 6-6 258 6-2 290 6-3 222 6-2 299 6-4 275 6-1 230 6-3 230 6-3 200 6-6 271 6-1 200

Yr. Hometown / Last School Jr. Owasso, Okla. / Owasso Jr. Cleveland, Ohio / Brush Sr. Troy, Mich. / Athens Jr. Dublin, Ohio / Jerome Jr. Loveland, Ohio / Loveland Jr. Piqua, Ohio / Piqua Jr. Dublin, Ohio / Jerome Grad Cincinnati, Ohio / St. Xavier Fr. New Albany, Ohio / New Albany Sr. Powell, Ohio / Olentangy Liberty Jr. Cincinnati, Ohio / Mount Healthy Grad Ellenwood, Ga. / Cedar Grove / Blinn Jr. College Jr. Bellflower, Calif. / St. John Bosco Fr. Montvale, N.J. / St. Joseph Regional Jr. Ramsey, N.J. / Don Bosco Prep Jr. Cincinnati, Ohio / Winton Woods So. Brooklyn, N.Y. / Erasmus Hall Sr. Mantua, Ohio / Crestwood Jr. Mason, Ohio / Mason Fr. Pickerington, Ohio / Pickerington Central So. Lewis Center, Ohio / Olentangy Orange Fr. Cincinnati, Ohio / Princeton So. Valley City, Ohio / Buckeye H.S. Grad Leipsic, Ohio / Leipsic H.S. Jr. Sandusky, Ohio / St. Mary Central Catholic Jr. Lakewood, Ohio / St. Ignatius Rs.-Fr.Kahuku, Hawaii / Kahuku Fr. Cincinnati, Ohio / Elder Rs.-Fr.Mentor, Ohio / Mentor Fr. Norwalk, Ohio / Norwalk Fr. Beech Grove, Ind. / Beech Grove Jr. Miamisburg, Ohio / Miamisburg Jr. Pocatello, Idaho / Highland Fr. Warren, Mich. / De La Salle So. Franklin, Tenn. / Franklin Sr. Cincinnati, Ohio / Massillon Washington So. Buford, Ga. / Buford Fr. Cincinnati, Ohio / Princeton So. Tampa, Fla. / Berkeley Prep So. Indianapolis, Ind. / Ben Davis Sr. Katy, Texas / SMU Sr. Cincinnati, Ohio / Archbishop Moeller Jr. Brecksville, Ohio / Brecksville-Broadview Heights Rs.-Fr.Memphis, Tenn. / Whitehaven Fr. Cincinnati, Ohio / Elder Jr. Massillon, Ohio / Washington Sr. St. Louis / Dayton / John Burroughs Jr. Kemp, Texas / Kemp Jr. Lindenhurst, N.Y. / Lindenhurst Sr. Perry, Ohio / Perry H.S. Rs.-Fr.Wake Forest, N.C. / Wake Forest H.S. Grad Lawrenceburg, Ind. / Cincinnati LaSalle H.S. Sr. Las Vegas, Nev. / Bishop Gorman Fr. Charlotte, N.C. / Providence Day School Jr. Columbus, Ohio / Worthington Kilbourne Sr. Buffalo, N.Y. / Canisius So. New Albany, Ohio / New Albany Rs.-Fr.Mentor, Ohio / Mentor Fr. Cincinnati, Ohio / La Salle

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Quarterback Justin Fields

OHIO STATE Oct. 24 Columbus, Ohio 2020 SCHEDULE Oct. 24 Nebraska Oct. 31 @ Penn State Nov. 7 Rutgers Nov. 14 @ Maryland Nov. 21 Indiana Nov. 28 @ Illinois Dec. 5 @ Michigan State Dec. 12 Michigan 2019 RESULTS (13-1, 10-0) Florida Atlantic W 45-21 Cincinnati W 42-0 Indiana W 51-10 Miami, Ohio W 76-5 Nebraska W 48-7 Michigan State W 34-10 Northwestern W 52-3 Wisconsin W 38-7 Maryland W 73-14 Rutgers W 56-21 Penn State W 28-17 Michigan W 56-27 Wisconsin W 34-21** Clemson L 29-23* **Big Ten Championship *Fiesta Bowl

COACH RYAN DAY The 41-year old Day was the Buckeye’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach before taking over for Urban Meyer in December, 2018. Overall, Day has 13 years of collegiate coaching experience prior to Ohio State which included offensive coordinator positions at Temple and Boston College, as well as positions with Florida and at his alma mater, New Hampshire, where he played quarterback.

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Story by Shane G. Gilster • Photos courtesy of Ohio State Athletics

PRIMED FOR A NATIONAL TITLE RUN Of all the Big Ten teams, Ohio State had the most to lose in not playing in 2020. Besides the lost revenue, the OSU was a pre-season front-runner to make the College Football Playoffs. So, it was a huge relief when the Big Ten reversed course and announced a football season.

As of now, the Big Ten stadiums will not fans in attendance, so playing at home in the Horseshoe won’t give the Buckeyes a home field advantage.

“You have to bring your own energy,” said Buckeyes head coach Pat Day. “Being in an empty stadium is unique. We’re going to pump a little music in and maybe have some crowd noise [in practices] so they get a feel for how that really is going to be like.

“We know it’s not like playing in front of over 100,000 people every week.

So, we’re going to have to bring our own energy. When you run out of that tunnel, it’s going to be a different feel.”

Ohio State’s first game will be at home against Nebraska whom they have beaten in the last five meetings, with blowout wins in four of them.

Expect the Buckeyes to make it six-straight wins, but it won’t be a runaway.

Prediction: Ohio State 38, Nebraska 24 OFFENSIVE PREVIEW The 6-foot-3, 228-pound Fields had a Heisman-like year in 2019, passing for 3,273 yards, 41 TDs, with just three interceptions. He also had 500 yards rushing and 10 scores. In a shortened 2020 season, he won’t have those kinds of numbers but he’ll be more experienced and savvy in his second year for the Buckeyes.

“Last year, I was new to the playbook,” Fields said. “Coach Day and

www.blurparties.com

Defensive Back Shaun Wade

They will run behind an offensive line that returns three starters – Wyatt Davis, Josh Myers and Thayer Munford, who all are up for All-Conference recognition.

DEFENSIVE PREVIEW

Coach Mike Yurcich would give me the play and be like: ‘Yo, it’s either going to be this guy or this guy or this guy on the play.’ But now I can ask why we’re calling a certain play or what Coach Day’s goal is when it comes to calling a certain play. So, I’m just trying to pick Coach Day’s brain and get the reasoning as to why he’s calling a certain play at a certain time in the game.”

Fields will have team’s leading receiver returning in junior Chris Olave (6-foot-1, 188) but freshmen will be counted on to make the passing game as effective as it has been in the past. Julian Fleming, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Gee Scott Jr. and Mookie Cooper all should see time on the field this fall.

“The biggest thing with them was getting them in the playbook and getting them on the same page as me,” Fields said. “All of our freshmen receivers are great. they’re talented. I just can’t wait for this upcoming season. I think they’re going to be a big part of our season.”

Another big part of the OSU offense has been the running back. They lose 2,000-yard rusher J.K. Dobbins, so an equally effective replacement will be hard to find.

Oklahoma graduate transfer Trey Sermon seems the likely candidate with sophomore Master Teague III hopefully being able to return after suffering an Achilles injury in the spring.

Opposing quarterbacks will need to have their head on a swivel when facing the Buckeye pass rush.

Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson feels Jonathon Cooper, Tyler Friday, Zach Harrison, Javontae Jean-Baptiste and Tyreke Smith all could be starters during the season.

“You’ve got five guys, and they all could be starting anywhere in the country,” Johnson said. “So, I’m gonna treat them that way. They’re all five starters for me right now. So, we’re gonna do a good job of making sure each guy gets a chance to start as we go through the season.”

The middle of the defensive line will feature the strongest player on the team, Tommy Togiai (6-2, 300). Then there is Baron Browning (6-3, 240), who is one of the most athletic linebackers in the nation.

The Buckeyes are thrilled to have All-American candidate Shaun Wade back at cornerback. He originally opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID and with the Big Ten season in flux.

“They did cancel football, and now it’s back. Since it’s back, we have a chance to win a national championship, and that’s been my goal since Day 1,” Wade said.

SPECIAL TEAMS PREVIEW Special teams can make or break a team. For OSU, that part of the game is in good hands with seniors Blake Haubeil and Dru Chrisman. Both should be All-Conference in their respective positions. Haubeil was 13-of-15 in field goals last year and Chrisman averaged 44.3 yards per punt. Garrett Wilson and Demario McCall are exciting return men.

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2MinuteDrill

Matt Farniok, Adrian Martinez, Kade Warner, Dicaprio Bootle and Collin Miller have been named captains for the 2020 season.

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Captains Named

Linebacker Collin Miller makes a tackle against Indiana during the 2019 season.

Martinez, Farniok repeat, Miller represents linebackers

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Story by Darren Ivy • Photos by Jimmy Rash, Reggie Ryder and Courtesy of NU Media Relations

ebraska will once again have a linebacker as one its five captains for the fifth year in a row after the Huskers released who their 2020 captains will be last week.

Senior linebacker Collin Miller and senior defensive back Dicaprio Bootle will represent the defense while quarterback Adrian Martinez, wide receiver Kade Warner and offensive lineman Matt Farniok will represent the offense.

Martinez and Farniok were also voted by their teammates as captains in 2019 while the other three will be new. They are the 12th and 13th two-time captains in school history.

“In some ways, the challenge of this virus has brought our team together, and I feel like through adversity our team’s prob-

ably tighter than it’s been since I’ve been at Nebraska,” Nebraska head coach Scott Frost said this summer.

Miller is in his fifth year in the program and will be starting for the second year at linebacker. He was third on the team with 67 tackles in 2019, including seven tackles for loss, and four pass breakups. He tallied a career-high 10 tackles at Minnesota last year, while he was named the program’s linebacker of the year in 2019.

“He was still learning how to play the position in 2018, but in 2019 he got to play a lot of football, and I expect him to completely just build on what he did last year,” inside linebacker coach Barrett Ruud said.

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2MinuteDrill Warner, a part-time starer at wide receiver the last two years, is the first walkon captain since Luke McNitt and Chris Weber in 2017.

“He’s amazing. Very similar to Wan’Dale (in leadership). I’ve been doing this for 25 years. I don’t think I’ve been around a more mature person than Kade Warner,” offensive coordinator Matt Lubick said this offseason. “When I say that, it’s like talking to a coach. I think he’s more mature than me. Just talking to him and just how he has such a good feel about the group. He’s wise beyond his years. He’s a lot like Wan’Dale. I ask him for feedback. ‘How’d you guys do this last year?’ And he helps me coach guys.

“Not only is he a good football player, but the one thing about this offseason is there (were) limited things coaches can do based off NCAA rules as far as working with the players. So we’ve really got to rely on our leaders to really work with the players.”

Tight end Austin Allen is one player who knows Warner even beyond the football field.

“I live with him and he’s having guys over every Monday Night Football and Thursday Night Football ... and we’ll have a whiteboard in the living room,” Allen said. “And he’ll say, ‘Let me talk you through this offense. Let me talk you through this defense.’ So ... that’s helped all these receivers. These receivers that are new to the program as a whole get a lot better.”

With Martinez as one of the captains, it marks the fourth time in the last six seasons a quarterback has been a team captain.

“He cares as much as anybody on our team and wants to win as much as anybody on our team. He takes that hard just like I would or just like you would,” Frost said of Martinez and his resolve to turn the corner. “I can say he seems like he’s in a really good frame of mind right now.”

Martinez already holds 11 school records during his Husker career, while his 258.2 yards of total offense per game ranked third in the Big Ten in 2019.

Farniok begins his second season as captain after starting 28 games during his Husker career. He started every game at right tackle for the past two years, keying an offense which ranked third in rushing offense and fifth in total offense last 1 4 | H U S K E R S I L L U S T R AT E D | O C T. 2 4 , 2 0 2 0

Luke Reimer (28) makes a tackle against Ohio State last season. He recently was awarded a scholarship for the 2020 season.

season. With Farniok’s selection, it marks the eighth straight year that an offensive lineman has been a team captain.

Offensive line coach Greg Austin said this summer that Farniok is “one of the most competitive guys that I’ve come to know.”

Bootle earned the honor after starting all 24 games over the last two seasons. A two-time All-Big Ten selection, he totaled 31 tackles, six pass breakups and a forced fumble in 2019, anchoring a secondary which held opponents to its lowest passing total since 2012. He is the first Husker defensive back named captain since Nate Gerry in 2015-16. Bootle is the Huskers’ first captain from Florida since NFL star Lavonte David in 2011.

REIMER EARNS SCHOLARSHIP Sophomore Luke Reimer is the latest walk-on player to earn a scholarship for the Huskers.

It was announced last Thursday by NU inside linebacker coach Barrett Ruud that the former Lincoln North Star standount, who saw lots of action on special teams as a true freshman, had been evaluated to a scholarship player starting with the fall semester.

“He’s a guy that after going through

his first couple drills as a true freshman walk-on, I figured it wasn’t going to take very long (to earn a scholarship),” Ruud said last Tuesday. “He’s been nothing but great to be around and he’s improved every day he’s been around here.”

Reimer played in 10 games last season, mostly on special teams, and had 11 tackles, including one for loss. He saw a little bit of reserve time at linebacker, including late in a 54-7 win at Maryland.

“With him, it’s just continually learning the intricacies of the defense,” Ruud said of Reimer. “As far as athleticism, he’s about as athletic as any guy on our team. He’s got as good a motor as anybody we’ve got. He’s very similar to like a (redshirt freshman quarterback) Luke McCaffrey-type. Some guys are able to run 40 yards once really fast, and some guys are able to run 40 yards 50 straight times really fast, and that’s the kind of motor he’s got.”

WIDE RECEIVERS EMERGE It should come as no surprise that Wan’Dale Robinson and Kade Warner are the leaders of the relatively unknown wide receiver group this preseason.

“They’re the first out in every drill and they practice hard,” first-year receiver

Wyatt Liewer made a 55-yard touchdown catch during the 2019 spring game and is expected to be a contributor at wide receiver this season.

coach Matt Lubick said during the Zoom session last Thursday. “When a young guy like Zavier Betts sees Kade Warner go 100 mph or Wan’Dale, that’s contagious.”

Junior college transer Omar Manning, Zavier Betts, Chris Hickman, Wyatt Liewer, Levi Falck and Brody Belt were others who received high praise from Lubick and other coaches and players.

Falck started 14 games for the Coyotes and played some of his best ball against power-five competition. In 2018, he started that season by catching 11 passes for 140 yards against Kansas State.

“He came in and learned the offense,” Robinson said of Falck, a 6-2, 205-pound senior who arrived this season after playing 24 games for the University of South Dakota. “He knows what he’s supposed to do. He blocks on the perimeter, which is something Coach Lubick harps on a lot.

And then he’s just made plays whenever he can. He’s taken advantage of all his opportunities.”

Belt was listed as a running back last season, but now is at the slot position.

“He’s probably the next Wyatt Mazour on our team,” running back coach Ryan

Held said this past summer. “He gives us flexibility at receiver and running back.

He’s one of the faster kids on the football team, and he’s really, really smart.”

JURGENS NAMED TO RIMINGTON WATCH LIST Nebraska sophomore center Cameron Jurgens was among the players named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List, which was released Oct. 14. The award is given annually to the nation’s top center and is named for former Husker legend Dave Rimington.

Jurgens was one of eight players from the Big Ten named to the list.

Being up for the award is a far cry from early last season when he had snap issues after moving from tight end to center.

“It’s a big difference,” Jurgens told reporters last week. “Last year I was doing a lot of mental learning. I was injured before the season and now that I’ve been healthy for a long time, I’ve been able to get the physical movement going and learn by doing it, not just watching.”

Last season, Jurgens became the first freshman to start a game at center for the

Huskers since the NCAA restored freshman eligibility in 1972. Jurgens started every game last season for the Huskers.

Offensive line coach Greg Austin said he can notice a big difference in how comfortable Jurgens is when he is making calls at the line of scrimmage this fall.

“It’s been good to see from him being able to take some things we learned in the past, whether that’s in fall camp or the season last year and bring them forward,” Austin said. “We haven’t prepared for that call in months, but he knew when to call it and the situation that warranted that call.”

The Nebraska football program is looking for its first Rimington Trophy winner since Dominic Raiola won the inaugural award in 2000. Last season, Wisconsin center Tyler Biadasz took home the award.

The winner of the Rimington Trophy will be selected by determining the consensus All-American center pick from three existing All-America Teams.

The Rimington Trophy committee uses the Walter Camp Foundation, Sporting News and Football Writers Association of America All-America teams to determine a winner.

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People Person

David White is a model for today’s youth rn Tu

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Story by Shane G. Gilster

or former Husker linebacker David White, working with people is something he loves to do, and it all started back in his days as a student-athlete at the University of Nebraska.

“At Nebraska, I strengthened and developed my leadership skills. I considered myself a people person. I was always asked to host some of their top recruits. That is where I developed my passion for working with students, and now that is what I do today,” White said.

White is the Director of Multicultural Support Services at State University of New York (SUNY) at Fredonia, which is a comprehensive, public liberal arts college in western New York.

He has been at the school for 15 years and oversees student programs, academic support, diversity training, veteran affairs, national student services and volunteer community services.

SUNY Fredonia is a Division III school with an enrollment of just under 5,000.

Even though they don’t have football, it does field 19 men’s and women’s athletic programs.

“The most rewarding aspect of the job is seeing the maturation process of students and seeing them graduate, and then go on to do some amazing things,” White said. “To meet with them as freshmen and then at the end of four years seeing them have a degree in hand, is what it’s all about.”

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White played linebacker at Nebraska from 1988 through 1992.

But one thing that causes concern for White is the way kids seem to have an entitlement mentality, thinking its their right to go to college and have certain privileges.

“They want the maximum reward by giving the least amount of work or effort.

When it is time to put forth extra effort and time and energy, they want to go the other way but still want the benefits without working for it. That is really concerning,” White said.

“That is not only the case that I see in my program, but speaking to professors and those in higher education, that is a common problem. Kids have to understand that life is competitive and things are not going to be given to you, everyone is not going to be treated the same in certain situations. You need to set yourself apart

and be competitive.”

White also sees another problem among today’s youth, one that comes from parents.

As a 50-year old father of three (Jasmine 25, David II 15 and Madison 13), White and his wife Monica, feel it’s a duty for parents to let their children grow without doing everything for them.

“You have these helicopter parents that are hovering around and do everything for the kid. So, what is happening is that kids are becoming unabled. If they have a problem, call mom and dad and ‘they’ll do it for me.’ At some point you have to let the kid be independent and stand on his or her own two feet,” he said.

With all the challenges, White still loves doing what he does because it is something where he feels is making an impact for future generations.

“Personally, I like the opportunity to work with these students and be passionate about student development,” White explained.

“Most kids in our program come from dysfunctional homes, often first-generation college students. To be able to help these students achieve their academic career goals is something I am passionate for.”

Another passion for White is athletics. As a former player at Nebraska, who then played in the NFL and the Arena Football League, White has a keen perspective on the athletic side of things.

“My passion, for obvious reasons, is athletics, and I have aspirations in becoming an athletic director someday,” White said. “But I want to strengthen my skills as an administrator, and hopefully that will lead me to that athletic director position that I hope to someday get. But for that time being I am happy where I’m at currently.”

White’s athletic background started as an All-Metro tight end at St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, Louisiana.

“During my senior season in 1987, we were ranked No. 5 nationally, and the No.1 ranked team in the state. We got beat in the quarterfinals but had we won the state championship, we would have been one of the top teams ever in the state of Louisiana,” White said.

Two of White’s teammates were future Huskers Tyrone Hughes and Vincent Hawkins. He played against Mickey Joseph, who was a star quarterback and top recruit coming out of Archbishop Shaw High School in Marrero. He was the Gatorade Player of the Year and First-Team Parade All-American who later signed with Nebraska in 1987.

“We were a running team, so we gave the ball to Tyrone and I just blocked for him. I played linebacker as a freshman and sophomore but our team needed a tight end so I volunteered as a long as I still get to play linebacker. But my junior and senior years I just played tight end,” White said.

White had his choice of colleges, and narrowed them down to Nebraska, Oklahoma, Minnesota and Notre Dame. He spurned local favorite LSU, which wasn’t the football program it is today.

“Georgia, Florida and Tennessee were the top SEC teams at that time,” White said. “I grew up an LSU fan, and went to all of their home games in 1987, but I wanted to go out of state and see something different. We didn’t have the recruit rankings they do now, but I would venture to say I was a three to four-star player.”

White was recruited as a tight end and linebacker. Notre Dame and head coach Lou Holtz wanted him to play tight end but White’s passion was at linebacker. Oklahoma and Nebraska said he could play where he wanted and Minnesota liked him on defense.

“Coming from a Catholic high school, the priests demanded that I attend Notre Dame,” White laughed.

But Nebraska had a recruiting foothold in Louisiana thanks to Jack Pierce, who was Nebraska’s off-campus recruiter from 1978 to 1992. The year before White, the Huskers signed the offensive (Mickey Joseph) and defensive (Reggie Cooper) players of the year in the state.

“Jack was one of the primary reasons why I chose Nebraska,” White said. “He was head of recruiting at Nebraska, with New Orleans being one of his recruiting areas. My high school coach (Burton Burns) played at Nebraska and he and Jack played a part in me going there. Tyrone (Hughes) and I graduated together and we both thought Nebraska was a good fit. We got that familiarity and comfort-zone feel with Mickey and Reggie already in Lincoln, and

White was part of three Big Eight championship teams at Nebraska.

White is the Director of Multicultural Support Services at State University of New York (SUNY) at Fredonia.

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White played two seasons with the Buffalo Bills.

if they could adjust up there, we could do it too.”

After White arrived at Nebraska, he redshirted his first year (1988) at Nebraska. He injured his shoulder that year and had surgery on it in January of ‘89, then had a second shoulder operation the following year. But he didn’t miss any games, and lettered for four years after his redshirt season.

White faced stiff competition at outside linebacker his redshirt freshman and sophomore seasons, playing behind All-Conference performers Mike Croel and Jeff Mills, then playing with Travis Hill and Trev Alberts.

“I started my last two years - 1991 and 1992. Trev Alberts played behind me in ‘91, but we basically split time. But during my senior year, we shifted to a 4-3 look on defense because the Big Eight was transitioning more into a passing league, and I moved to inside linebacker and Trev and Travis were the starting defensive ends,” White said.

White, who was 6-foot-2, 250-pounds, was a durable and dependable player, playing in every game as a redshirt freshman in 1989 thru this senior season in 1992. He collected 42 total tackles 1 8 | H U S K E R S I L L U S T R AT E D | O C T. 2 4 , 2 0 2 0

as a junior, including five sacks (second-best on the team), then added 51 tackles with two sacks as a senior.

The 1990 season brings back some bad memories for White.

Nebraska was a top national title contender until the bottom fell out towards the end of the season. The Huskers were 8-0 and ranked No. 3. A win over ninth-ranked Colorado would put them in the driver’s seat for the Orange Bowl and move NU to No. 1 or No. 2 in the national polls. But the Buffaloes scored 27 unanswered fourth-quarter points to win 27-12. Then, two games later Oklahoma surprisingly beat Nebraska 45-10. The Sooners were not 35 points better than NU, one of the main factors for the blowout loss was starting quarterback Mickey Joseph got injured just six minutes into the game.

Joseph was hit out of bounds on the Oklahoma sidelines at the end of a play, slid into an aluminum bench, and suffered a severe laceration to his lower right leg. His calf muscles were cut to the bone, and he required a one-and-a-half-hour surgery that night in Lincoln to repair the damage. White felt terrible for his friend and teammate. After that injury, he said Joseph was never the same quarterback.

“Mickey was shoved out of bounds and slide under the bench.

The supports under the bench were likes knives and slit right through his leg, cutting nerves and everything. From an athletic standpoint, he lost a step after that injury,” White said.

But White said there were also good times at NU. He mentioned that he had three memorable performances from his playing days at Nebraska.

“One was form redshirt freshman year in 1989 against Northern Illinois. I got in the game, and on my first career play I rushed the passer and got a sack. But the play was called back because of an offensive penalty. That play made the newspaper and the headline read: ‘Call-Back Sack’. Another was from my junior year when we played at Arizona State. I had two sacks; one caused a fumble. My last memorable performance was from my last game against Florida State in the Orange Bowl. I had 11 tackles in that game, so I played pretty well.”

White’s career at Nebraska was solid and was one of the key contributors on the Husker defense. According to White, his strength as a linebacker was his work ethic, as he liked to think of himself as the hardest-working linebacker. He also studied the game and had good football smarts. From a physical perspective he could cover well and prided himself in stopping the run.

For all his on-field success, White’s teams never won a bowl game. From 1988 to 1992, the Huskers went 0-5.

‘I regret not winning a bowl game while at Nebraska,” White said.

“That is one of the things that some of the guys that I played with still talk about. In my five years, I got three Big Eight Conference championship rings but never won a bowl game. My last bowl game was against Florida State in the Orange Bowl. We competed, but they had a stronger team. But then a year after my last season, we should have beaten Florida State for the national championship.

“Prior to that we played Miami, Fla. twice, Florida State again and Georgia Tech. When we played Miami, Fla. they were just a superior team and beat us soundly. But during my last two years, we were in the transition phase and we were getting more speed.

We also had to play Miami, Fla. in a bowl game on their home field so that was a factor too.”

Even though he didn’t win a bowl game or national title, White finds solace in the fact that he and others helped build the NU program to finally get over that hump and beat teams like Miami.

“Tommie Frazier was a freshman my senior year,” White said.

“To see him and the other young guys mature and go on to win back-to-back national championships, gave me a sense of pride.

They were young puppies who we raised to become successful.

That is what I and my teammates hang our hat on.”

After Nebraska, White moved on to the NFL and had a successful career playing professionally.

“Cleveland was going to draft me in the third or fourth round, but I ended up as a free agent. My agent was negotiating with five or six teams and got the highest free agent contract which was equivalent to a third or fourth-round contract,” White said.

White played for the New England Patriots for one season (1993-1994), then was cut. As fate would have it, he signed with a team that had a familiar face.

“Nate Turner was my recruiting host at Nebraska and when I got off the plan in Buffalo, Nate was there to pick me up from the airport and that was a good feeling,” White said. “I played for the Buffalo Bills for three years,” he said. “I started six games in my NFL career for the Bills. I was playing behind Bryce Paup, but in 1996 he tore up his groin and was day-to-day, so I started five

games and played the majority of snaps that year. Ironically I tore my groin up really bad and that pretty much ended my NFL career.”

But that didn’t end his professional career playing football.

White went on to play Arena Football for eight years starting with the Buffalo Destroyers and ending with the Tampa Bay Storm.

“It is a faster game than the NFL and is predominantly a passing a game. I liked nonstop action and didn’t come off the field. Iron man football both ways, linebacker and fullback. We played football over the hockey rink. An arena football game is a party where a football game broke out, it is fan friendly and not as expensive as the NFL. The majority of the players played on both sides of the ball. I was a linebacker and fullback. The Destroyers were an extension team to the Bills organization. So, with my background with the Bills, the Destroyers wanted me to be their spokesperson assisting and promoting the team. It gave me the opportunity to extend my playing career, and the money was okay,” White explained.

During his time as a professional football player, White completed his bachelor’s degree and later added a master’s.

“I graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1996 with a bachelor’s in biological sciences,” White said. “After my final year at Nebraska, I dropped some of my classes and focused on the NFL draft and preparing for the combine. After my first season in the NFL I went back to college to finish two classes in 1994, and then went back in the spring of ‘96 and completed the final two.

I then got my master’s degree in science and student personnel administration from Buffalo State College.”

White represents what hard work and determination can accomplish. And now he is giving that life lesson to others.

Lincoln 6810 South 27th St. 402-975-2448 4770 O St. 402-465-0075

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TURN BACK THE CLOCK

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Jumping Joe

Orduna hurdled over his opponents rn Tu

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Story by Shane G. Gilster ebraska became synonymous with I-backs during the Bob Devaney and Tom Osborne years. In an offense that featured running the ball, the Huskers had no trouble attracting top runners from around the country.

But they didn’t have to look far as Omaha Central High School had a tradition of being running back central.

Perhaps the most famous was Gale Sayers, who starred collegiately at Kansas and then in the NFL with the Chicago Bears. Other notable running backs from Omaha Central were Keith Jones, Calvin Jones and Ahman Green.

All of whom where All-Conference players at Nebraska.

But there is one guy from Omaha Central most don’t remember in the same breath as the names mentioned above.

This running back started on the 1970 national championship team and was an All-Conference player for the Huskers.

Without him, the Huskers might not have won the national title.

Joe Orduna (pronounced or-DOONya, not or-DOON-uh) graduated from high school in 1966. He was a multisport athlete in football, wrestling and track. He was known more for his track exploits than football. He won gold medals in the long jump, low hurdles and 880-yard relay. His track team won the title in 1965 and 1966.

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THE 1970 CORNHUSKER YEARBOOK

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Orduna scores a touchdown against Oklahoma in 1970.

“The 1966 track team was the best one in the history of Nebraska,” Orduna said.

“But our football team only won two games in three years so that was why it was a mystery Bob Devaney showed up at my house to offer me a scholarship for football.”

No other school recruited Orduna but Devaney didn’t care about that or Omaha Central’s football record, he liked Orduna’s speed and wanted him to play running back at Nebraska.

“I was not a good student and wasn’t coming from a good football program,” Orduna said. “Many of the black athletes in Omaha did not want to go to Nebraska

because they felt black players didn’t get to play there, so they went to places like Kansas, Iowa State and Kansas State. I didn’t think that way because I watched black players like Harry Wilson, Ben Gregory and Charlie “Choo Choo” Winters, who played at Nebraska.”

When Orduna arrived on campus in 1966, he played on the freshman team because freshmen were not allowed to play on the varsity. Then in his sophomore year, he was part of a backfield that featured three backs – Orduna, Ben Gregory and Dick Davis.

“We ran a Wing-T offense, where two backs would block for one. I didn’t like

COURTESY OF LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR.

Orduna could leap over defenders as well as outrun them.

to block, but in our offense if we ran to the side I was on, I had to block the defensive end,” Orduna said.

In this type of offense, the running backs shared the carries.

The 6-foot-0, 195-pound Orduna was the second-leading rusher with 457 yards, while Davis was first with 717 and Gregory third at 412. Orduna also was NU’s primary kickoff returner, averaging almost 20 yards per return.

In 1968, the Huskers changed up their offense, switching to the true I-back formation. That meant Orduna was the I-back and Davis lined up at fullback. Orduna was the team’s leading rusher (677 yards) and scorer (10 TDs).

Right after the 1968 season, Orduna got involved in situation that he wished he wouldn’t have. The black athletes on the team got together and wanted to confront the coaches because they felt the black players were being stacked at certain positions and that a black quarterback wasn’t getting the opportunity to play. So, the coaches set up a meeting to find out what the issues were.

“None of the players spoke except one stupid young man which was me,” Orduna said. “I told the coaches that I was getting played to a point where I was getting tired and wanted to come out, but was made to keep playing. Coach Devaney said, ‘Geez Joe I thought you enjoyed playing.’ I thought to myself, Joseph you just screwed up because you do enjoy

playing.

“At the end of the meeting all the black players who didn’t have much to do with me before because they looked at me as less than really black, said I was a real brother and really stood up to those coaches. I said, ‘Get away from me and don’t talk to me because you are just a bunch of emotion and when it comes time to say what you believe, you don’t have the guts to do it.’ I learned you don’t do anything because a crowd does it. You either believe it personally or you leave it alone.”

That experience wasn’t a fond memory for Orduna, but he did have a great moment during the season against Iowa State.

One that he’ll always remember as something supernatural.

“We ran a play where we went to the right and I got the pitch. I ran all the way over to the sideline and there was a pile of humanity so I jumped. it was almost like I levitated over the pile, covering quite a distance. Then I came down, kept my balance, and ran in for the touchdown. I thought to myself, ‘I should have fallen’,” Orduna said.

In the meeting room when Orduna and his teammates reviewed the game film, NU running back coach Mike Corgan played that run over and over again because there was no way Orduna could have defied gravity like that.

“I don’t know how or why that happened but I believe O C T. 2 4 , 2 0 2 0 | H U S K E R S I L L U S T R AT E D | 2 1

COURTESY OF NU MEDIA RELATIONS

Orduna (No. 31) takes a handoff from quarterback Frank Patrick in 1967.

God intervenes for various reasons and He had a purpose in allowing me to have those types of experiences on the football field to do and say what He wanted me to.”

Being a track athlete, Orduna’s main move was to leap over defenders if the opportunity presented itself. He has a poster of himself hovering over a Missouri linebacker. It shows just how high he could jump and how graceful he was in midair.

“I did not lift weights in college, I was a 100 percent natural football player,” Orduna said. “I often wonder what would have happened if I did lift weights. But it wasn’t part of the program until my last year at Nebraska.”

Unfortunately, the injury bug derailed the entire 1969 season causing him to redshirt. In the last game against Oklahoma in 1968, Orduna took a helmet in the back.

“My friend worked in the UNL Health Center and he x-rayed my back and found out I had bones broken off seven different vertebrae. Then before the season in the fall of 2 2 | H U S K E R S I L L U S T R AT E D | O C T. 2 4 , 2 0 2 0

1969 I injured my left knee and hurt the other knee in spring football in 1970, so I had the summer to rehabilitate and came back to play the 1970 season,” Orduna said.

Looking back now the injuries were a blessing in disguise.

If Orduna wouldn’t have redshirted that 1969 season, he would have used up his eligibility and not been able to be a part of the 1970 national championship season.

“At the time, I was so oblivious to that. But looking back at it now, you bet it was a blessing. What happens to us is not random or by chance. God has His hand on your life and how it should go,” Orduna said.

Orduna teamed with Jeff Kinney during that 1970 season.

The duo made the Huskers into a potent rushing attack with their contrast of running styles.

“My skill set relied heavily on speed,” Orduna said. “I would get off the ball and hit the line hard. Sometimes I would hurdle over the line and break away. Jeff had balance,

ability to read the hole and was strong and broke tackles. I fumbled the ball more than he did because my style was fast and loose. Starting was not an issue, I was just happy to play because I had two knee injuries and broken bones in my back.

I thought I was as fast as ever as my knee injuries did not hinder me.”

Orduna carried the ball 200 times for 897 yards while Kinney got 159 carries for 694 yards. Orduna led the team with 15 touchdowns while Kinney had five.

“Joe was very elusive and I still remember the run he had against USC. USC head coach John McKay said in the papers the next day said that he had never seen a run like that since O.J. Simpson against UCLA in 1967. Both Joe and Jeff could have each had 1,000 yards rushing, but we blew out a lot of schools so a lot of times we took our starters out of the game,” said Bob Newton, who was the starting offensive tackle in 1970.

Being a 1,000-yard rusher at Nebraska solidifies you as one of the best in school history. Both Orduna and Kinney could have eclipsed that mark, making it an even more special season for both.

“I think about it now that I could have gotten over 1,000 yards and received more accolades. I could have been the leading rusher in school history,” Orduna said. “At the time I didn’t think about it, I was just happy to play and we were winning. I thought it was a strength to our team because we always had a fresh back in there. If the team needed a different skill set then Jeff and I offered that. It was a team sport and I am happy with the team results.”

Orduna was still named All-America honorable mention and All-Big Eight first team in 1970. In his three years he rushed for almost 2,000 yards and totaled 26 touchdowns.

Even though he didn’t have the big stats for a running back, his skill set was something the NFL liked. Orduna enhanced his draft stock by starring in the Coaches All-American Football Game. He gave the opening prayer on national TV, and ended the game as the leading rusher and ran for the winning touchdown. Orduna was then selected in the second round (49th overall) of the NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers.

“I found out that the 49ers’ head coach did not want to draft me and that the team’s management drafted me instead.

So, I didn’t get a fair chance to show what I could do at San Francisco,” Orduna said.

Orduna explained that the coach wanted to make some kind of point so he didn’t want to wave Orduna so another team could pick him up. Instead, he was placed on the “move list” where he don’t count on the roster limitation. Orduna was regulated to practices and not given a chance to play in games.

“My entire rookie year was hell because I had never been treated so badly. Even some of the players got upset with the coach that year,” Orduna said. “It was a trying time, but a profitable, character building one because that was when my walk with God became even more real than it had been.”

Fortunately, Orduna was able to get out of San Francisco.

The New York Giants acquired him on waivers just before the beginning of the 1972 season. He ended up playing 11 games for the Giants in 1972, starting four. Then in 1973, Orduna

played in all 14 games for the Giants, starting three games.

“When I went to the Giants, I had two wonderful years. I got to play, got to score, got to kick and call plays. I was also a backup kicker for the New York Giants,” Orduna said. “I think it was because of my hurdling ability because you swing and kick up your lead leg. Kicking footballs is like hurdling, you swing that leg. I could kick 50 to 60-yard field goals.”

In 1974, the Giants traded him along with a draft choice to the Baltimore Colts. He played in all 14 games that season.

But the Colts waived him before the 1975 season and he was not picked up by any other team.

“My professional playing career ended with the Colts,” Orduna said. “I feel it had more to do with racial discrimination. At the time I had an afro and goatee and once the Colts management looked at me, they said they didn’t want me on their team. I guess I looked like a black militant in their eyes. In reality I didn’t want to play anymore so they did me a favor.”

Orduna then moved to California, did sales/marketing and served as an employment recruiter. Then he went back to school and got his teaching credential and master’s degree. He would officiate football games, teach and coach wrestling in Orange County before retiring in 2012.

Orduna lives in Irvine, California with his wife Valerie who will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in January 2021.

Orduna is still active, biking and backpacking but his running and jumping days are over with.

“My knees could not take that,” Orduna laughed. “But sometimes I have dreams running and gliding in the air.”

O C T. 2 4 , 2 0 2 0 | H U S K E R S I L L U S T R AT E D | 2 3

Mick Stoltenberg

magazine.huskersillustrated.com

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