Cornhusker Fans in here! - Page 40 - The Orange Mane

BMF Bronco · 04-07-2006, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBroncos4life

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2146287

Without him I don't know what NU would have done. If ever there was a guy not made for a system but he still made it work it was him. Rest in peace Brook.

Definitely a diamond in the rough!

DBroncos4life · 04-07-2006, 11:07 PM

http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.d...&ATCLID=266234
article about Jon Gruden at our camp. He and Cally are still pretty close.

DBroncos4life · 04-07-2006, 11:07 PM

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/...6186433884.txt

Tyrell Spain has the look of a big-time receiver. He’s 6-foot-3, 190 pounds. His hands seem sure. He has ample experience of running a West Coast-type offense in junior college. So what’s keeping Spain, a newcomer on the Nebraska football team, from making a serious run for No. 1 on the depth chart?

Nebraska’s other receivers, he said. “They’re farther ahead than I am,” Spain said, “and I need to catch up.”

In other words, despite the exciting things you may have read and heard about Spain over the past year, remember the transition he’s encountering.

“I still have a long way to go,” Spain said. “Every day is a competition. You’re going to come out, and you’re going to showcase what you can do every day. I’m just working now to get better, perfect the offense, perfect my technique.”

DBroncos4life · 04-07-2006, 11:16 PM

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2146904

DBroncos4life · 04-07-2006, 11:23 PM

Tampa Bay coach 'impressed' with Taylor

BY RICH KAIPUST

WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

LINCOLN - Nebraska quarterback Zac Taylor added a pretty high-profile football mind to his list of believers Friday.

Jon Gruden

Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden praised Taylor after watching the Huskers' two-hour practice. He said Taylor should be setting himself up for a solid senior season.

"I've seen guys take major jumps in year two as a starter in this system,'' Gruden said. "I think his intelligence, his background, is really going to help him this year. I'm impressed.''

Observing practice was part of the Nebraska spring football coaches clinic, which includes more than 700 participants. Gruden and former NU defensive coordinator Charlie McBride spoke to the group Friday night, and former Kansas City Chiefs head coach Frank Gansz is scheduled for today.

Gruden liked how Taylor ran the show in what he called a crisp and efficient practice inside the Hawks Championship Center.

"I saw him making all kinds of throws today - moving to his right, moving to his left, from the shotgun, three-step drops,'' Gruden said. "I'm impressed with his toughness. He takes hits, he gets up, he keeps playing.

"He throws a friendly ball. I think the receivers have a lot of confidence in him. He's got a great command of this offense.''

It's an offense that's familiar to Gruden.

Nebraska head coach Bill Callahan was offensive coordinator at Oakland from 1998 through 2001 when Gruden was the Radiers' head coach. Callahan then was head coach at Oakland in 2002 when the Raiders lost to Gruden and Tampa Bay in Super Bowl XXXVII.

Their relationship led to Gruden, 42, doing something this weekend he normally wouldn't consider.

"This is the first clinic ever, really, that I've had a chance to speak at,'' Gruden said. "If my wife knew I was here doing this, she'd be awfully mad at me.''

Callahan took the Nebraska job in January of 2004, just as Gruden was trying to bring him to Tampa Bay. But he understands why Callahan answered the Huskers' call.

"I'm proud of what he's doing here,'' said Gruden, who also worked with Callahan on Philadelphia's staff from 1995 through 1997. "I know what he's up against. I know the challenges he has. I'm just excited to see what he's doing with this program and where they're going, and to witness it with my own two eyes was something that was important to me.''

Some other Gruden comments Friday:

• On being impressed with Husker I-back Marlon Lucky: "He looks like a fine player. I just see a guy who's got great energy and quickness and pass-receiving ability.''

• About the NU and Tampa Bay offenses: "There are some similarities, some concepts, that Nebraska probably runs better than we are right now, after watching this practice. So I've got to get home and get back to work.''

• On former NU linebacker Barrett Ruud's rookie season at Tampa Bay: "He's a guy we think eventually will take the torch and become our middle linebacker, but he's going to have to earn that opportunity. He's backing up a guy right now (Shelton Quarles) who's a tremendous player. But he's got a lot of skill.''

Gruden tried to bring Ruud with him, he said, "But he had tickets to see the Grateful Dead in New Jersey. So I'm a little down on Barrett right now.''

• On Monte Kiffin, 66, heading into his 11th season as the Bucs' defensive coordinator: "Monte's going to be around forever, I think.''

Kiffin was NU defensive coordinator from 1973 to 1976.

"Believe me, he's very proud of his roots,'' Gruden said. "I know he talks about this place all the time.''

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=...&u_sid=2147571

Thats nice to hear.

12th man · 04-08-2006, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBroncos4life

Tampa Bay coach 'impressed' with Taylor

BY RICH KAIPUST

WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

LINCOLN - Nebraska quarterback Zac Taylor added a pretty high-profile football mind to his list of believers Friday.

Jon Gruden

Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden praised Taylor after watching the Huskers' two-hour practice. He said Taylor should be setting himself up for a solid senior season.

"I've seen guys take major jumps in year two as a starter in this system,'' Gruden said. "I think his intelligence, his background, is really going to help him this year. I'm impressed.''

Observing practice was part of the Nebraska spring football coaches clinic, which includes more than 700 participants. Gruden and former NU defensive coordinator Charlie McBride spoke to the group Friday night, and former Kansas City Chiefs head coach Frank Gansz is scheduled for today.

Gruden liked how Taylor ran the show in what he called a crisp and efficient practice inside the Hawks Championship Center.

"I saw him making all kinds of throws today - moving to his right, moving to his left, from the shotgun, three-step drops,'' Gruden said. "I'm impressed with his toughness. He takes hits, he gets up, he keeps playing.

"He throws a friendly ball. I think the receivers have a lot of confidence in him. He's got a great command of this offense.''

It's an offense that's familiar to Gruden.

Nebraska head coach Bill Callahan was offensive coordinator at Oakland from 1998 through 2001 when Gruden was the Radiers' head coach. Callahan then was head coach at Oakland in 2002 when the Raiders lost to Gruden and Tampa Bay in Super Bowl XXXVII.

Their relationship led to Gruden, 42, doing something this weekend he normally wouldn't consider.

"This is the first clinic ever, really, that I've had a chance to speak at,'' Gruden said. "If my wife knew I was here doing this, she'd be awfully mad at me.''

Callahan took the Nebraska job in January of 2004, just as Gruden was trying to bring him to Tampa Bay. But he understands why Callahan answered the Huskers' call.

"I'm proud of what he's doing here,'' said Gruden, who also worked with Callahan on Philadelphia's staff from 1995 through 1997. "I know what he's up against. I know the challenges he has. I'm just excited to see what he's doing with this program and where they're going, and to witness it with my own two eyes was something that was important to me.''

Some other Gruden comments Friday:

• On being impressed with Husker I-back Marlon Lucky: "He looks like a fine player. I just see a guy who's got great energy and quickness and pass-receiving ability.''

• About the NU and Tampa Bay offenses: "There are some similarities, some concepts, that Nebraska probably runs better than we are right now, after watching this practice. So I've got to get home and get back to work.''

• On former NU linebacker Barrett Ruud's rookie season at Tampa Bay: "He's a guy we think eventually will take the torch and become our middle linebacker, but he's going to have to earn that opportunity. He's backing up a guy right now (Shelton Quarles) who's a tremendous player. But he's got a lot of skill.''

Gruden tried to bring Ruud with him, he said, "But he had tickets to see the Grateful Dead in New Jersey. So I'm a little down on Barrett right now.''

• On Monte Kiffin, 66, heading into his 11th season as the Bucs' defensive coordinator: "Monte's going to be around forever, I think.''

Kiffin was NU defensive coordinator from 1973 to 1976.

"Believe me, he's very proud of his roots,'' Gruden said. "I know he talks about this place all the time.''

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=...&u_sid=2147571

Thats nice to hear.

sweet! I wonder if this will have any ifnfluence if the bucs draft him next year. just in case simms dosn't work out, or simms wants to go somewhere else. zach would be a great back up there too.

alanm · 04-09-2006, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Master___Pain

We'll just let fNU start believing they are back......then bring the whole house of cards down again with another thrashing of the pink shirts

Like Colorado was ever there to begin with, in anything.

DBroncos4life · 04-09-2006, 05:49 PM

Herian still hopes to return in the fall

BY RICH KAIPUST

WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

RELATED STORY

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2148040

I hope he can go this year!!!

»
NU football schedule

LINCOLN - All those old, tired clichés now make sense to Matt Herian.

Matt Herian

You know, how injured football players say sitting out makes them appreciate the game more. How they talk about having good days and bad days. How they say they can't let themselves get down.

The Nebraska tight end has been spitting those out for almost 18 months.

"I can't imagine what he's going through, but from everything I've seen he's real positive and he's real excited to get back," Huskers quarterback Zac Taylor said. "He's stayed motivated, and that's hard to do when you've been injured for so long."

Herian spoke Saturday as if the worst of it was over in his return from a broken leg eight games into the 2004 season. So bad was the fracture of both his tibia and fibula that it required two surgical procedures and hasn't allowed him to play a game since.

Asked if he could ever be 100 percent again, Herian said yes without hesitation. Asked what he would be doing in spring practice if not for a March hamstring injury, Herian said he would be full go.

"I'm on schedule to play this season," Herian said. "That's all I ask."

That prognosis has been in question since last spring, when it became clear that his left leg wasn't coming along quite right.

"It started healing then kind of slowed down, like it wasn't set right," Herian said. "They realized they needed to do something before too long, so we made that move. It probably took longer than it should have."

Herian never looked close to playing last season, settling for a redshirt and trotting the sidelines all fall. Questions have persisted as the senior still hasn't flashed his old form this spring, but Herian traces that to the hamstring he hurt about two weeks before practice opened.

"Through winter conditioning I was doing fine, until I tweaked the hamstring," Herian said. "Everything was looking just as good as it was before, so I was happy with my progress up until that point."

The Huskers have put Herian in full pads in recent practices but not yet thrown him into "live" drills. Playing in the spring game next Saturday would seem a long shot, and NU coach Bill Callahan said it would be unnecessary if Herian isn't fully ready.

"I haven't really talked to the coaches about it yet," Herian said. "Every practice I'm just doing more and more, getting comfortable with it, and we'll see next week."

Next season is way more important than next week, obviously. Nebraska no doubt could use the former All-Big 12 tight end who owns 53 career receptions for more than 1,000 yards.

"As I get to know him, he's really a special guy," said Shawn Watson, NU's first-year tight ends coach. "He's got a lot of want-to there. I'd never bet against Matt. In our plans, Matt'll be there."

DBroncos4life · 04-09-2006, 05:50 PM

Steven M. Sipple: Herian says he'll be at full speed
BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star
Sunday, Apr 09, 2006 - 12:07:00 am CDT

Ah, spring football.

Sweat and optimism permeate campus practice facilities across the country.

You see, nobody loses in spring football, at least in the conventional sense. There are setbacks, but mostly there are victories. They’re often little victories, sometimes undetectable, but victories all the same. It might be a young I-back suddenly understanding a blocking concept. Or a player bonding with his position coach. Whatever. It’s small stuff that can mean a lot.

Nebraska picked up one of those victories Saturday.

Advertisement

Tight end Matt Herian, in his first extensive interview since fracturing two bones in his left leg in October of 2004, said he expects to be fully recovered for the 2006 season.

And there it is, a sentence that will set Husker fans’ imaginations swirling and bobbing like a kite in a 30-mph wind. Matt Herian at 100 percent? Back to his old self? With his trademark speed? In Bill Callahan’s pass-happy offense?

Too good to be true? We’ll see.

Hey, it’s spring. Go ahead and imagine the possibilities.

Imagine the 6-foot-5, 245-pound Herian matched against a safety. Herian wins the jump ball.

Imagine Herian, assuming all of his speed returns, matched against a linebacker. Herian wins that foot race.

In short, Herian presents a matchup quagmire for defenses.

“There are not a lot of tight ends who can get vertical (down field),” said Husker backup quarterback Joe Ganz. “Safeties tend to sit on the tight ends because they don’t respect them vertically. If a tight end can get deep, that can really open up the passing game.

“You hit him down the seam on a vertical route, now the safety’s scared to death that he’s going to go deep again. So now the tight end can run the basic crosses across the middle or curls in the middle.”

Asked if he can regain all of his speed, Herian said, “I think I can. I know I can. The doctors said there’s no reason I shouldn’t.”

Herian said his broken leg is no longer the issue; it’s the hamstring in the same leg.

“During winter conditioning I was doing fine, until I tweaked the hamstring a little bit,” he said. “Everything was looking just as good as it was before.”

As a freshman in 2002, Herian wowed Nebraska coaches when he sprinted 40 yards in an electronic time of 4.67 seconds, second-fastest among Husker freshmen behind current NFL cornerback Fabian Washington (4.61). For perspective, I-back David Horne ran a 4.78 that day.

Herian put his speed to use. He caught seven passes for 301 yards and four touchdowns in 2002; 22 for 484 and three scores in 2003; and 24 for 308 and three TDs in eight games in 2004. All told, that’s 20.6 yards per reception.

In the eighth game of 2004, Herian was blocking on a run play when a Missouri linebacker unintentionally landed on his leg. Herian was carted off the field. Memorial Stadium fell silent.

Herian had fractured his tibia and fibia. Doctors told him the tibia doesn’t always heal quickly, he said.

“It’s such an important bone,” the tight end said.

He underwent an initial surgery in November of 2004, missed spring practice, then underwent another surgery in April of 2005.

“It started healing, then kind of slowed down,” Herian said. “The healing stopped (after the first surgery), and the doctors realized they needed to do something before too long. … It probably took longer than it should.

“They said it’s not uncommon for that stuff to happen.”

Regarding the rehabilitation process, Herian said, “There have been good days and bad days.”

He said he refused to get down on himself and never doubted his return to full strength.

He said he learned the value of patience and no longer takes football for granted.

He said he now feels “a little rusty.” After all, he has been unable to participate in live scrimmaging, let alone a game, since incurring the injury. Consequently, he’s unsure whether he’ll play in Saturday’s annual Red-White Game.

“Every practice I’m doing more and more, until I get comfortable with it,” Herian said. “We’ll see next week.”

Said Callahan: “We want him for the fall. Beating the White team or the Red team ain’t the big thing right now. It’s more important to get him ready for the fall.”

Nebraska has quality players at tight end, but nobody who approaches Herian’s prowess when he’s healthy.

Please flash back to November of 2002. Nebraska vs. Texas. A counter-boot-throwback play. Herian runs a post pattern, sprinting past cornerback Nathan Vasher with those impossibly long and easy strides.

“A wide receiver running that fast would be exceptional,” former NU assistant Ron Brown said then. “For a tight end, that’s phenomenal.”

Herian now looks you dead in the eye and insists he can be that player again.

Imagine that.
http://journalstar.com/articles/2006...a169392797.txt

DBroncos4life · 04-09-2006, 05:52 PM

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/...c862016177.txt

Sounds like the Oline is picking up its game. Thats good news.

SoCalBronco · 04-10-2006, 11:25 PM

DBroncos4life · 04-10-2006, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoCalBronco

thats pretty pimp.

Master___Pain · 04-11-2006, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanm

Like Colorado was ever there to begin with, in anything.

That's a knee slapper there Cleetus.

DBroncos4life · 04-11-2006, 10:53 PM

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/...c749662275.txt

DBroncos4life · 04-12-2006, 04:09 PM

http://nebraska.scout.com/2/519469.html
good read

12th man · 04-13-2006, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBroncos4life

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/...c749662275.txt

Im realy excited about Octavian. he's turned some heads and he's going to be a beast.

DBroncos4life · 04-16-2006, 10:16 AM

http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.d...&ATCLID=268235

DBroncos4life · 04-16-2006, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12th man

Im realy excited about Octavian. he's turned some heads and he's going to be a beast.

he looked good in the spring, 1 pick.

12th man · 04-16-2006, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBroncos4life

he looked good in the spring, 1 pick.

Codey Glenn really impressed me.
http://ww2.wowt.com/global/video/pop...o&rnd=47125569

our running game is still going to be great this year!
RED: C.Glenn 16-98; M.Lucky 15-84, L.Jackson 9-48, Z.Taylor 7-minus-11

DBroncos4life · 04-16-2006, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12th man

Codey Glenn really impressed me.
http://ww2.wowt.com/global/video/pop...o&rnd=47125569

our running game is still going to be great this year!
RED: C.Glenn 16-98; M.Lucky 15-84, L.Jackson 9-48, Z.Taylor 7-minus-11

Lucky had two tds as well. It could end up like Usc with White and Bush.

Florida_Bronco · 04-16-2006, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMF Bronco

Definitely a diamond in the rough!

Had he not died prior to the draft, there is a very real chance he could have been a Bronco. When he was young, he went to a football camp that Gary Kubiak held, which is where he was put on the track to being a quarterback. If I recall correctly, Brook and Kubiak remained good friends up until Brook's death, and Kubiak has mentioned that he was very interested in drafting Brook that year.

However despite all that he was on the football field, we shouldn't forget the type of person that Brook was. This is a man who, when he came upon some free time, would go the local children's hospital and spend time with the patients. This is the same man who on his first day of practice at NU, witnessed several of the upperclassmen players making racial jokes in the locker room, to which Brook politely asked them to stop and almost immediately won the respect of everyone on the team.

RIP Brook

DBroncos4life · 04-16-2006, 12:39 PM

High Octain might just find himself in the first two rounds next year. The say he is better then Demorrio and he is 10 pounds bigger.

Kid A · 04-16-2006, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBroncos4life

Lucky had two tds as well. It could end up like Usc with White and Bush.

I'm glad to see Cally is putting some emphasis on the running game. Our lack of one last year hurt us (though it had nothing to do with Ross). It's fortunate we found one in the second half of the Alamo bowl.

DBroncos4life · 04-23-2006, 08:02 PM

Skers' took two of three from Texas this weekend to move atop the b12 in baseball.

Invesco · 04-23-2006, 09:08 PM

I'm a husker...

04-07-2006, 11:23 PM	#980
DBroncos4life Hey pic Mod!?!?! FU Why yes, that is Bacon Bacon. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: The wrong side of right. Posts: 26,524	More with Gruden Tampa Bay coach 'impressed' with Taylor BY RICH KAIPUST WORLD-HERALD BUREAU LINCOLN - Nebraska quarterback Zac Taylor added a pretty high-profile football mind to his list of believers Friday. Jon Gruden Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden praised Taylor after watching the Huskers' two-hour practice. He said Taylor should be setting himself up for a solid senior season. "I've seen guys take major jumps in year two as a starter in this system,'' Gruden said. "I think his intelligence, his background, is really going to help him this year. I'm impressed.'' Observing practice was part of the Nebraska spring football coaches clinic, which includes more than 700 participants. Gruden and former NU defensive coordinator Charlie McBride spoke to the group Friday night, and former Kansas City Chiefs head coach Frank Gansz is scheduled for today. Gruden liked how Taylor ran the show in what he called a crisp and efficient practice inside the Hawks Championship Center. "I saw him making all kinds of throws today - moving to his right, moving to his left, from the shotgun, three-step drops,'' Gruden said. "I'm impressed with his toughness. He takes hits, he gets up, he keeps playing. "He throws a friendly ball. I think the receivers have a lot of confidence in him. He's got a great command of this offense.'' It's an offense that's familiar to Gruden. Nebraska head coach Bill Callahan was offensive coordinator at Oakland from 1998 through 2001 when Gruden was the Radiers' head coach. Callahan then was head coach at Oakland in 2002 when the Raiders lost to Gruden and Tampa Bay in Super Bowl XXXVII. Their relationship led to Gruden, 42, doing something this weekend he normally wouldn't consider. "This is the first clinic ever, really, that I've had a chance to speak at,'' Gruden said. "If my wife knew I was here doing this, she'd be awfully mad at me.'' Callahan took the Nebraska job in January of 2004, just as Gruden was trying to bring him to Tampa Bay. But he understands why Callahan answered the Huskers' call. "I'm proud of what he's doing here,'' said Gruden, who also worked with Callahan on Philadelphia's staff from 1995 through 1997. "I know what he's up against. I know the challenges he has. I'm just excited to see what he's doing with this program and where they're going, and to witness it with my own two eyes was something that was important to me.'' Some other Gruden comments Friday: • On being impressed with Husker I-back Marlon Lucky: "He looks like a fine player. I just see a guy who's got great energy and quickness and pass-receiving ability.'' • About the NU and Tampa Bay offenses: "There are some similarities, some concepts, that Nebraska probably runs better than we are right now, after watching this practice. So I've got to get home and get back to work.'' • On former NU linebacker Barrett Ruud's rookie season at Tampa Bay: "He's a guy we think eventually will take the torch and become our middle linebacker, but he's going to have to earn that opportunity. He's backing up a guy right now (Shelton Quarles) who's a tremendous player. But he's got a lot of skill.'' Gruden tried to bring Ruud with him, he said, "But he had tickets to see the Grateful Dead in New Jersey. So I'm a little down on Barrett right now.'' • On Monte Kiffin, 66, heading into his 11th season as the Bucs' defensive coordinator: "Monte's going to be around forever, I think.'' Kiffin was NU defensive coordinator from 1973 to 1976. "Believe me, he's very proud of his roots,'' Gruden said. "I know he talks about this place all the time.'' http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=...&u_sid=2147571 Thats nice to hear.

04-10-2006, 11:25 PM	#986
SoCalBronco Nixonite Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Arcadia, CA Posts: 33,288 Adopt-a-Bronco: D.J. Williams	__________________ ITS A PLAYOFF HOCKEY NIGHT IN PITTSBURGH!

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04-07-2006, 11:07 PM	#977
DBroncos4life Hey pic Mod!?!?! FU Why yes, that is Bacon Bacon. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: The wrong side of right. Posts: 26,524	http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.d...&ATCLID=266234 article about Jon Gruden at our camp. He and Cally are still pretty close.

04-07-2006, 11:07 PM	#978
DBroncos4life Hey pic Mod!?!?! FU Why yes, that is Bacon Bacon. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: The wrong side of right. Posts: 26,524	http://www.journalstar.com/articles/...6186433884.txt Tyrell Spain has the look of a big-time receiver. He’s 6-foot-3, 190 pounds. His hands seem sure. He has ample experience of running a West Coast-type offense in junior college. So what’s keeping Spain, a newcomer on the Nebraska football team, from making a serious run for No. 1 on the depth chart? Nebraska’s other receivers, he said. “They’re farther ahead than I am,” Spain said, “and I need to catch up.” In other words, despite the exciting things you may have read and heard about Spain over the past year, remember the transition he’s encountering. “I still have a long way to go,” Spain said. “Every day is a competition. You’re going to come out, and you’re going to showcase what you can do every day. I’m just working now to get better, perfect the offense, perfect my technique.”

04-07-2006, 11:16 PM	#979
DBroncos4life Hey pic Mod!?!?! FU Why yes, that is Bacon Bacon. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: The wrong side of right. Posts: 26,524	http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2146904

04-09-2006, 05:49 PM	#983
DBroncos4life Hey pic Mod!?!?! FU Why yes, that is Bacon Bacon. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: The wrong side of right. Posts: 26,524	Herian still hopes to return in the fall BY RICH KAIPUST WORLD-HERALD BUREAU RELATED STORY -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2148040 I hope he can go this year!!! » NU football schedule LINCOLN - All those old, tired clichés now make sense to Matt Herian. Matt Herian You know, how injured football players say sitting out makes them appreciate the game more. How they talk about having good days and bad days. How they say they can't let themselves get down. The Nebraska tight end has been spitting those out for almost 18 months. "I can't imagine what he's going through, but from everything I've seen he's real positive and he's real excited to get back," Huskers quarterback Zac Taylor said. "He's stayed motivated, and that's hard to do when you've been injured for so long." Herian spoke Saturday as if the worst of it was over in his return from a broken leg eight games into the 2004 season. So bad was the fracture of both his tibia and fibula that it required two surgical procedures and hasn't allowed him to play a game since. Asked if he could ever be 100 percent again, Herian said yes without hesitation. Asked what he would be doing in spring practice if not for a March hamstring injury, Herian said he would be full go. "I'm on schedule to play this season," Herian said. "That's all I ask." That prognosis has been in question since last spring, when it became clear that his left leg wasn't coming along quite right. "It started healing then kind of slowed down, like it wasn't set right," Herian said. "They realized they needed to do something before too long, so we made that move. It probably took longer than it should have." Herian never looked close to playing last season, settling for a redshirt and trotting the sidelines all fall. Questions have persisted as the senior still hasn't flashed his old form this spring, but Herian traces that to the hamstring he hurt about two weeks before practice opened. "Through winter conditioning I was doing fine, until I tweaked the hamstring," Herian said. "Everything was looking just as good as it was before, so I was happy with my progress up until that point." The Huskers have put Herian in full pads in recent practices but not yet thrown him into "live" drills. Playing in the spring game next Saturday would seem a long shot, and NU coach Bill Callahan said it would be unnecessary if Herian isn't fully ready. "I haven't really talked to the coaches about it yet," Herian said. "Every practice I'm just doing more and more, getting comfortable with it, and we'll see next week." Next season is way more important than next week, obviously. Nebraska no doubt could use the former All-Big 12 tight end who owns 53 career receptions for more than 1,000 yards. "As I get to know him, he's really a special guy," said Shawn Watson, NU's first-year tight ends coach. "He's got a lot of want-to there. I'd never bet against Matt. In our plans, Matt'll be there."

04-09-2006, 05:50 PM	#984
DBroncos4life Hey pic Mod!?!?! FU Why yes, that is Bacon Bacon. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: The wrong side of right. Posts: 26,524	Steven M. Sipple: Herian says he'll be at full speed BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star Sunday, Apr 09, 2006 - 12:07:00 am CDT Ah, spring football. Sweat and optimism permeate campus practice facilities across the country. You see, nobody loses in spring football, at least in the conventional sense. There are setbacks, but mostly there are victories. They’re often little victories, sometimes undetectable, but victories all the same. It might be a young I-back suddenly understanding a blocking concept. Or a player bonding with his position coach. Whatever. It’s small stuff that can mean a lot. Nebraska picked up one of those victories Saturday. Advertisement Tight end Matt Herian, in his first extensive interview since fracturing two bones in his left leg in October of 2004, said he expects to be fully recovered for the 2006 season. And there it is, a sentence that will set Husker fans’ imaginations swirling and bobbing like a kite in a 30-mph wind. Matt Herian at 100 percent? Back to his old self? With his trademark speed? In Bill Callahan’s pass-happy offense? Too good to be true? We’ll see. Hey, it’s spring. Go ahead and imagine the possibilities. Imagine the 6-foot-5, 245-pound Herian matched against a safety. Herian wins the jump ball. Imagine Herian, assuming all of his speed returns, matched against a linebacker. Herian wins that foot race. In short, Herian presents a matchup quagmire for defenses. “There are not a lot of tight ends who can get vertical (down field),” said Husker backup quarterback Joe Ganz. “Safeties tend to sit on the tight ends because they don’t respect them vertically. If a tight end can get deep, that can really open up the passing game. “You hit him down the seam on a vertical route, now the safety’s scared to death that he’s going to go deep again. So now the tight end can run the basic crosses across the middle or curls in the middle.” Asked if he can regain all of his speed, Herian said, “I think I can. I know I can. The doctors said there’s no reason I shouldn’t.” Herian said his broken leg is no longer the issue; it’s the hamstring in the same leg. “During winter conditioning I was doing fine, until I tweaked the hamstring a little bit,” he said. “Everything was looking just as good as it was before.” As a freshman in 2002, Herian wowed Nebraska coaches when he sprinted 40 yards in an electronic time of 4.67 seconds, second-fastest among Husker freshmen behind current NFL cornerback Fabian Washington (4.61). For perspective, I-back David Horne ran a 4.78 that day. Herian put his speed to use. He caught seven passes for 301 yards and four touchdowns in 2002; 22 for 484 and three scores in 2003; and 24 for 308 and three TDs in eight games in 2004. All told, that’s 20.6 yards per reception. In the eighth game of 2004, Herian was blocking on a run play when a Missouri linebacker unintentionally landed on his leg. Herian was carted off the field. Memorial Stadium fell silent. Herian had fractured his tibia and fibia. Doctors told him the tibia doesn’t always heal quickly, he said. “It’s such an important bone,” the tight end said. He underwent an initial surgery in November of 2004, missed spring practice, then underwent another surgery in April of 2005. “It started healing, then kind of slowed down,” Herian said. “The healing stopped (after the first surgery), and the doctors realized they needed to do something before too long. … It probably took longer than it should. “They said it’s not uncommon for that stuff to happen.” Regarding the rehabilitation process, Herian said, “There have been good days and bad days.” He said he refused to get down on himself and never doubted his return to full strength. He said he learned the value of patience and no longer takes football for granted. He said he now feels “a little rusty.” After all, he has been unable to participate in live scrimmaging, let alone a game, since incurring the injury. Consequently, he’s unsure whether he’ll play in Saturday’s annual Red-White Game. “Every practice I’m doing more and more, until I get comfortable with it,” Herian said. “We’ll see next week.” Said Callahan: “We want him for the fall. Beating the White team or the Red team ain’t the big thing right now. It’s more important to get him ready for the fall.” Nebraska has quality players at tight end, but nobody who approaches Herian’s prowess when he’s healthy. Please flash back to November of 2002. Nebraska vs. Texas. A counter-boot-throwback play. Herian runs a post pattern, sprinting past cornerback Nathan Vasher with those impossibly long and easy strides. “A wide receiver running that fast would be exceptional,” former NU assistant Ron Brown said then. “For a tight end, that’s phenomenal.” Herian now looks you dead in the eye and insists he can be that player again. Imagine that. http://journalstar.com/articles/2006...a169392797.txt

04-09-2006, 05:52 PM	#985
DBroncos4life Hey pic Mod!?!?! FU Why yes, that is Bacon Bacon. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: The wrong side of right. Posts: 26,524	http://www.journalstar.com/articles/...c862016177.txt Sounds like the Oline is picking up its game. Thats good news.

04-11-2006, 10:53 PM	#989
DBroncos4life Hey pic Mod!?!?! FU Why yes, that is Bacon Bacon. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: The wrong side of right. Posts: 26,524	http://www.journalstar.com/articles/...c749662275.txt

04-12-2006, 04:09 PM	#990
DBroncos4life Hey pic Mod!?!?! FU Why yes, that is Bacon Bacon. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: The wrong side of right. Posts: 26,524	http://nebraska.scout.com/2/519469.html good read

04-16-2006, 10:16 AM	#992
DBroncos4life Hey pic Mod!?!?! FU Why yes, that is Bacon Bacon. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: The wrong side of right. Posts: 26,524	http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.d...&ATCLID=268235

04-16-2006, 12:39 PM	#997
DBroncos4life Hey pic Mod!?!?! FU Why yes, that is Bacon Bacon. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: The wrong side of right. Posts: 26,524	High Octain might just find himself in the first two rounds next year. The say he is better then Demorrio and he is 10 pounds bigger.

04-23-2006, 08:02 PM	#999
DBroncos4life Hey pic Mod!?!?! FU Why yes, that is Bacon Bacon. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: The wrong side of right. Posts: 26,524	Skers' took two of three from Texas this weekend to move atop the b12 in baseball.

04-23-2006, 09:08 PM	#1000
Invesco Just Drafted Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Frozen Tundra of Antarctica Posts: 25	I'm a husker...