2008 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season
. The team was coached by Bo Pelini
and played their home games at Memorial Stadium
in Lincoln, Nebraska
.
for Nebraska in 2003. At the conclusion of the 2003 season, Pelini was appointed as Interim Head Coach, following the firing of Frank Solich
, for Nebraska's appearance in the Alamo Bowl
against the Michigan State Spartans
, a contest in which Nebraska triumphed 17-3, leaving Nebraska with a final AP Poll
ranking of 19 and Coaches Poll
ranking of 18. Despite this performance and significant fan support, Pelini was passed over as Solich's permanent replacement in favor of Bill Callahan. During Pelini's absence from Nebraska, he served as Co-Defensive Coordinator for the Oklahoma Sooners
in 2004, and Defensive Coordinator for the LSU Tigers
for 2005-2007 prior to his return to Nebraska following the dismissal of Callahan.
. However, there was a buzz in the air as first year head coach Bo Pelini returned to Lincoln to improve a maligned defense and to re-energize the program. Nebraska played very well as the defense seemed much improved from 2007. LB Cody Glenn was the bright spot on defense and seemed to be in on almost every play. The offense continued to be as productive as usual with Joe Ganz at quarterback, en route to a 47-24 win.
Nebraska came into its second game of the year with a little more certainty. San Jose State quickly put a stop to that. The Spartans marched all over Nebraska's defense on the first drive with Kyle Reed scoring on a 12 yard run. Nebraska scored two touchdowns to recapture the lead going into the second quarter. The game turned mostly defensive with SJSU scoring field goals in the second and fourth quarters. After SJSU's field goal in the fourth, Niles Paul returned the kickoff 85 yards for a Nebraska touchdown. The return sparked the Huskers as they scored three more touchdowns sealing the game.
Nebraska defeated Clemson in a come-from-behind 26-21 finish at the 2009 Gator Bowl
on January 1, 2009. All 21 of Clemson's points came following Nebraska turnovers. The game remained in doubt until the very end, as Clemson marched from their own 23 to the Nebraska 10. With 1st and goal to go and about two minutes remaining on the clock, the Blackshirts made their stand, resulting in a 16 yard sack and three Clemson incompletions to seal the outcome of the game. The game was played only days after Head Coach Bo Pelini and Defensive Coordinator Carl Pelini returned from their father's funeral in Ohio.
class="wikitable" style="white-space:nowrap;">
Nebraska Opponent
Punts - Yards
48 - 1850
66 - 2544
Average Yards per Punt
39
39
Average Net Yards per Punt
32
32
Punts inside 20 Yard Line
14
18
Punts over 50 Yards
4
9
Punt Touchbacks
5
4
Punt Fair Catches
6
9
Kickoffs - Yards
88 - 5613
71 - 4435
Average Yards per Kickoff
64
62
Average Net Yards per Kickoff
42
42
Kickoff Touchbacks
29
10
Punt Returns - Yards - TDs
31 - 376 - 1
22 - 208 - 0
Average Net Punt Return Yards
12
9
Kickoff Returns - Yards - TDs
58 - 1245 - 1
58 - 1383 - 1
Average Net Kickoff Return Yards
21
24
Interceptions - Yards - TDs
12 - 202 - 2
11 - 249 - 3
Fumble Recoveries - Yards - TDs
2 - 14 - 0
5 - 150 - 2
Average Total Time of Possession
34:01
25:59
Average 1Q Time of Possession
08:49
06:11
Average 2Q Time of Possession
08:40
06:20
Average 3Q Time of Possession
08:35
06:25
Average 4Q Time of Possession
07:57
07:03
3rd Down Conversions - Attempts
84 - 178
57 - 169
4th Down Conversions - Attempts
5 - 13
10 - 21
Scored from Red Zone - Attempts
54 - 62
37 - 49
Sacks - Yards
35 - 272
21 - 128
Average Yards per Sack
8
6
PATs - Attempts
56 - 57
45 - 49
FGs - Attempts
18 - 21
10 - 17
Longest Rush
58
67
Longest Pass
69
68
Longest Punt
58
69
Longest Field Goal
57
48
, whose trademark black jerseys quietly disappeared during the disappointing 5-7 (2-6) 2007 season, was restored with emphasis during 2008 as the coveted black jerseys were once again distributed to defensive starters on November 11 following a key emotional win over the Kansas Jayhawks
.
The season concluded January 1, 2009 with a come-from-behind 26-21 Nebraska victory over the Clemson Tigers
in the 2009 Gator Bowl
. Nebraska finished as co-division Champions of the Big 12 North Division, with a final record of 9-4 (5-3). Head Coach Bo Pelini's overall career record improved to 10-4 (.714), 5-3 in conference, and 2-0 in bowl games. Pelini's 2008 regular season record of 9-4 was the highest among all 28 Division 1A teams with new head coaches and staffs that year.
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a public research university located in the city of Lincoln in the U.S. state of Nebraska...
in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season
2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 28, 2008, progressing through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Miami Gardens, Florida on January 8, 2009, where the #2...
. The team was coached by Bo Pelini
Bo Pelini
Mark "Bo" Pelini is the head football coach at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He had previously been defensive coordinator for the LSU Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, and the Nebraska Cornhuskers...
and played their home games at Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium, Lincoln
Memorial Stadium is located on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. It is the home of the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team....
in Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
.
Before the season
Pelini returned to Nebraska as Head Coach after a previous one-year stint as Defensive CoordinatorDefensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
for Nebraska in 2003. At the conclusion of the 2003 season, Pelini was appointed as Interim Head Coach, following the firing of Frank Solich
Frank Solich
Frank Solich is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at Ohio University, a position he has held since the 2005 season...
, for Nebraska's appearance in the Alamo Bowl
Alamo Bowl
The Alamo Bowl is a major American college football bowl game played annually since 1993 in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It matches the second choice team from the Pacific-12 Conference and the third choice team from the Big 12 Conference.Traditionally, the Alamo Bowl has been...
against the Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
, a contest in which Nebraska triumphed 17-3, leaving Nebraska with a final AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
ranking of 19 and Coaches Poll
Coaches Poll
The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams....
ranking of 18. Despite this performance and significant fan support, Pelini was passed over as Solich's permanent replacement in favor of Bill Callahan. During Pelini's absence from Nebraska, he served as Co-Defensive Coordinator for the Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
in 2004, and Defensive Coordinator for the LSU Tigers
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
for 2005-2007 prior to his return to Nebraska following the dismissal of Callahan.
Schedule
Roster and coaching staff
Western Michigan
Nebraska opened the season with expectations below average after finishing 5-7 in 20072007 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 2007 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Bill Callahan and played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska....
. However, there was a buzz in the air as first year head coach Bo Pelini returned to Lincoln to improve a maligned defense and to re-energize the program. Nebraska played very well as the defense seemed much improved from 2007. LB Cody Glenn was the bright spot on defense and seemed to be in on almost every play. The offense continued to be as productive as usual with Joe Ganz at quarterback, en route to a 47-24 win.
San José State
New Mexico State
Nebraska, entering the game 2-0, felt confident going against the Aggies who were playing their first game of the season. The Aggies, on the second drive, went down the field with relative ease only to have their field goal kick blocked by Zach Potter. Nebraska's offense finally looked like it came together scoring 35 points. The scoring included Marlon Lucky taking a toss and throwing it downfield to quarterback Joe Ganz and then Ganz running 33 yards on an option play.Virginia Tech
Nebraska, 3-0, headed into the Virginia Tech game looking for a signature win in the first year of Bo Pelini's first year. It would not be on this night, though. Virginia Tech got on the board first, blocking a Dan Titchner punt for a safety. The Hokies controlled the game for most of the night, until senior Nate Swift returned a punt 88 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. The Huskers needed a big defensive stop and seemed to have got it on a 3rd down run by Tyrod Taylor. Taylor was tackled out of bounds, but Nebraska defense tackle Ndamukong Suh appeared to have leaped on top of Taylor, prompting an official to throw a flag for a late hit. Bo Pelini, obviously upset, berated the official about the call until the official threw another flag for an unsportmanslike conduct on Coach Pelini. The penalties put Tech near the endzone and continued the Hokies drive, eventually having Taylor score and ice the game.Missouri
Missouri came into this game having not won in Lincoln since 1978. That streak was broken as the Tigers romped over Nebraska scoring in bunches to roll all over Nebraska. Penalties were the biggest killers of NU as the Huskers had 14 of them for 101 yards.Texas Tech
After being routed by Missouri, Nebraska was expecting more of the same against Texas Tech. Instead, they found themselves in the midst of a battle. Nebraska went punch for punch with the Red Raiders. Todd Peterson caught a touchdown pass with :29 left to tie the game at 31 forcing it into overtime. In overtime, the Red Raiders scored a touchdown but had their extra point blocked, opening the door for Nebraska to win. However, on 2nd down, Joe Ganz threw an interception to cornerback Jamar Wall, ending the game. This was Nebraska's first loss in overtime in school history.Iowa State
Playing Iowa State may have been the trick for Nebraska, having lost their last three games. Nebraska roared to a 21-0 lead at halftime. Iowa State stifled Nebraska offense for the third quarter and scored a touchdown of their own, but going into the fourth, Nebraska took back momentum scoring twice to finish off the Cyclones.Baylor
Nebraska might have been sleeping in the first half as they let Baylor jump on them 20-17 going into the half. Nebraska came back from a halftime deficit for the first time since 2003, scoring 15 points in the third and fourth quarters including a safety and a 9 yard touchdown catch by Nate Swift, a catch that broke Johnny Rodgers' record for career catches.Oklahoma
Nebraska ran into an offensive explosion in Norman and in a matter of minutes was down 35-0. Three first quarter turnovers doomed the Huskers as Oklahoma capitalized on all of them. Nebraska however did not lay down and fought through the circumstances to put up a respectable 28 as the Huskers looked to regroup.Kansas
Nebraska vowed the start of a new season heading into this game, one that consisted of three games. Needing only one win to become bowl eligible, Nebraska played exceptional on a frigid day in Lincoln. Nebraska and Kansas went blow for blow until the fourth quarter when a 52 yard touchdown run by Roy Helu Jr. and a 2 yard touchdown catch by Ndamukong Suh opened up the game for Nebraska.Kansas State
Nebraska felt confident heading into Manhattan as lame-duck coach Ron Prince had never beaten them, nor had former Nebraska commit, Josh Freeman. Also, Nebraska's defense got their blackshirts back for the first time this season. NU made a crucial mistake early allowing a 57 yard interception return for a touchdown. Barring that play and a long touchdown pass by Freeman, NU played sparkling defense in the first half. KSU scored only twice more one on a methodical drive by backup Carson Coffmann and a kickoff return by Brandon Banks.Colorado
Colorado came into this game fighting for bowl eligibility at 5-6. Nebraska had already secured a spot in a bowl game, but a win would help improve where they would be headed. Colorado would have none of it, taking an early 14-0 lead. Nebraska came back taking a 24-17 lead and was looking to add on going into the half. On a fake field goal play, holder Jake Wesch was to flip it over his head and kicker Alex Henery was supposed to catch it and throw it, a play that was made against Kansas. This time, Colorado's Jimmy Smith picked off the flip in mid-air and returned it 58 yards to tie the game. Late in the fourth quarter, Nebraska trailed 31-30. NU had the ball deep into Buff's territory when Patrick Mahnke sacked Joe Ganz for a 15 yard loss, setting up a 4th & 25. It looked like Nebraska was out of Alex Henery's field goal range with the kick being 57 yards. Bo Pelini sent his kicker out anyway after Henery told him he could do it. Henery came onto the field and with 1:55 left, kicked the 57 yarder, giving Nebraska the 33-31 lead. On Colorado's next drive, Cody Hawkins pass was deflected by Zach Potter and intercepted by Ndamukong Suh who rumbled 30 yards for a touchdown, icing the game at 40-31 and sending Colorado home with no bowl. Nebraska finished the regular season 8-4 and Big 12 North Co-Division Champions with Missouri.Clemson
2009 Gator Bowl
The 2009 Gator Bowl was played on January 1, 2009 as part of the 2008 College Football season. It featured the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who finished tied for first in the Big 12 Conference's North Division with Missouri, and the Clemson Tigers, who finished fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference's...
on January 1, 2009. All 21 of Clemson's points came following Nebraska turnovers. The game remained in doubt until the very end, as Clemson marched from their own 23 to the Nebraska 10. With 1st and goal to go and about two minutes remaining on the clock, the Blackshirts made their stand, resulting in a 16 yard sack and three Clemson incompletions to seal the outcome of the game. The game was played only days after Head Coach Bo Pelini and Defensive Coordinator Carl Pelini returned from their father's funeral in Ohio.
Rankings
| Poll | Pre | Wk 1 | Wk 2 | Wk 3 | Wk 4 | Wk 5 | Wk 6 | Wk 7 | Wk 8 | Wk 9 | Wk 10 | Wk 11 | Wk 12 | Wk 13 | Wk 14 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Coaches | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Harris | Not released | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | |||
| BCS | Not released | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | N/A | ||||||
Team
| class="wikitable" style="white-space:nowrap;"> | Nebraska | Opponent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Scoring | 460 | 365 | |
| Points per Game | 35 | 28 | |
| Total 1st Quarter Scoring | 98 | 113 | |
| Total 2nd Quarter Scoring | 126 | 107 | |
| Total 3rd Quarter Scoring | 81 | 93 | |
| Total 4th Quarter Scoring | 155 | 52 | |
| Total Overtime Scoring | 0 | 6 | |
| First Downs | 295 | 228 | |
| Rushing First Downs | 113 | 85 | |
| Passing First Downs | 171 | 115 | |
| Penalty First Downs | 11 | 28 | |
| Rushing Yards | 2210 | 1540 | |
| Rushing Attempts | 487 | 420 | |
| Yards per Rush | 5 | 4 | |
| Rushing Touchdowns | 27 | 24 | |
| Net Rushing Yards Gained | 2512 | 1921 | |
| Net Rushing Yards Lost | 302 | 381 | |
| Passing Yards | 3650 | 3008 | |
| Passing Completions | 294 | 220 | |
| Passing Attempts | 432 | 383 | |
| Interceptions | 11 | 12 | |
| Yards per Pass Attempt | 8 | 8 | |
| Yards per Pass Completion | 12 | 14 | |
| Passing Touchdowns | 27 | 19 | |
| Total Yards Offense | 5860 | 4548 | |
| Total Plays Offense | 919 | 803 | |
| Average Offensive Yards per Play | 6 | 6 | |
| Fumbles - Lost | 32 - 18 | 17 - 5 | |
| Penalties - Yards | 94 - 800 | 64 - 477 |
After the season
The reputation of the BlackshirtsBlackshirts (football)
The Blackshirts are the first-string defensive unit players for the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team.-History:The term originally dates back to the early 1960s and refers to the black practice jerseys that Nebraska's first-string defenders began to wear during practice...
, whose trademark black jerseys quietly disappeared during the disappointing 5-7 (2-6) 2007 season, was restored with emphasis during 2008 as the coveted black jerseys were once again distributed to defensive starters on November 11 following a key emotional win over the Kansas Jayhawks
2008 Kansas Jayhawks football team
The 2008 Kansas Jayhawks football team represented the University of Kansas for the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision intercollegiate football season of 2008-2009. It was the school's 119th year of intercollegiate football...
.
The season concluded January 1, 2009 with a come-from-behind 26-21 Nebraska victory over the Clemson Tigers
2008 Clemson Tigers football team
The 2008 Clemson football team represented Clemson University in the 2008 college football season. The Tigers were led by oft-maligned head coach Tommy Bowden, who resigned six games into his tenth season. The interim head coach was assistant coach Dabo Swinney...
in the 2009 Gator Bowl
2009 Gator Bowl
The 2009 Gator Bowl was played on January 1, 2009 as part of the 2008 College Football season. It featured the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who finished tied for first in the Big 12 Conference's North Division with Missouri, and the Clemson Tigers, who finished fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference's...
. Nebraska finished as co-division Champions of the Big 12 North Division, with a final record of 9-4 (5-3). Head Coach Bo Pelini's overall career record improved to 10-4 (.714), 5-3 in conference, and 2-0 in bowl games. Pelini's 2008 regular season record of 9-4 was the highest among all 28 Division 1A teams with new head coaches and staffs that year.
Awards
| Award | Name(s) |
|---|---|
| All-American honorable mention | Ndamukong Suh Ndamukong Suh Ndamukong Suh is an American football defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Lions 2nd overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska.... |
| All-Big 12 1st team | Ndamukong Suh, Matt Slauson Matt Slauson -2009:The New York Jets selected Slauson with their sixth round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. The Jets offensive line coach Bill Callahan previously coached Slauson at Nebraska who was considered versatile, athletic and durable. Slauson was signed to a four year deal by the team in May... , Nate Swift Nate Swift Nate Swift is an American football player who plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Nate was born in Hutchinson, Minnesota, on August 24, 1985. He played wide receiver for the University of Nebraska, where he set a school record for career receptions and finished second in season receiving yardage ,... |
| All-Big 12 2nd team | Alex Henery Alex Henery Alex Henery is an American football kicker for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, setting an NCAA record for field goal accuracy with a 89.5% success rate... |
| All-Big 12 honorable mention | Larry Asante Larry Asante Larry Asante is an American football safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska.... , Roy Helu Jr., Jacob Hickman, Lydon Murtha Lydon Murtha Lydon J. Murtha is an American football offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft... , Nate Swift Nate Swift Nate Swift is an American football player who plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Nate was born in Hutchinson, Minnesota, on August 24, 1985. He played wide receiver for the University of Nebraska, where he set a school record for career receptions and finished second in season receiving yardage ,... , Zach Potter Zach Potter Zach Potter is an American football tight end for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2009... , Ty Steinkuhler |
| All-Bowl team | Ndamukong Suh |
Draft picks, signees, or other future professional players
- Prince AmukamaraPrince Amukamara-College career:After arriving at Nebraska, Amukamara contemplated playing basketball on top of football, but dropped those plans after fall football practices began. As a freshman in 2007, Amukamara was described as being a newcomer "with a lot of personality" by senior linebacker Corey McKeon. He...
, 2011 1st–round pick of the New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... - Larry AsanteLarry AsanteLarry Asante is an American football safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska....
, 2010 4th–round pick of the Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Chris Brooks, 2010 free agent signee of Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay BuccaneersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
- Phillip DillardPhillip DillardPhillip Dillard is an American football linebacker for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He attended Jenks High School in Jenks, Oklahoma, where he was rated as one of the nation's top high school...
, 2010 4th–round pick of the New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... - Joe Ganz, 2009 free agent signee of Washington RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
- Cody GlennCody GlennCody Glenn is an American football linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska....
, 2009 5th–round pick of the Washington RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... - Eric HaggEric HaggEric Hagg is an American football safety for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Browns in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska, and high school football in Arizona at Ironwood High School.-External links:**...
, 2011 7th–round pick of the Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Roy Helu, 2011 4th–round pick of the Washington RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
- Alex HeneryAlex HeneryAlex Henery is an American football kicker for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, setting an NCAA record for field goal accuracy with a 89.5% success rate...
, 2011 4th–round pick of the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... - Ricky Henry, 2011 UFL 1st–round pick of the Hartford Colonials
- D.J. Jones, 2011 UFL 6th–round pick of the Omaha NighthawksOmaha NighthawksThe Omaha Nighthawks are a professional American football team based in Omaha, Nebraska, which plays in the United Football League, joining the league as an expansion team in 2010. For their first season, the Nighthawks played their home games at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium before moving to TD...
- Marlon LuckyMarlon LuckyMarlon Lucky is an American football running back for the Omaha Beef of the Indoor Football League. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Nebraska.-Early years:...
, 2009 free agent signee of Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati BengalsThe Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... - Lydon MurthaLydon MurthaLydon J. Murtha is an American football offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
, 2009 7th–round pick of the Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Matt O'Hanlon, 2010 free agent signee of Carolina PanthersCarolina PanthersThe Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
- Niles PaulNiles PaulNiles Paul is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Nebraska.-College career:...
, 2011 5th–round pick of the Washington RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... - Todd Peterson, 2009 free agent signee of Jacksonville JaguarsJacksonville JaguarsThe Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
- Zach PotterZach PotterZach Potter is an American football tight end for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
, 2009 free agent signee of New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Matt SlausonMatt Slauson-2009:The New York Jets selected Slauson with their sixth round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. The Jets offensive line coach Bill Callahan previously coached Slauson at Nebraska who was considered versatile, athletic and durable. Slauson was signed to a four year deal by the team in May...
, 2009 6th–round pick of the New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Mike Smith, 2011 UFL 5th–round pick of the Omaha NighthawksOmaha NighthawksThe Omaha Nighthawks are a professional American football team based in Omaha, Nebraska, which plays in the United Football League, joining the league as an expansion team in 2010. For their first season, the Nighthawks played their home games at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium before moving to TD...
- Ty Steinkuhler, 2009 free agent signee of New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
- Ndamukong SuhNdamukong SuhNdamukong Suh is an American football defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Lions 2nd overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska....
, 2010 1st–round pick of the Detroit LionsDetroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... - Nate SwiftNate SwiftNate Swift is an American football player who plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Nate was born in Hutchinson, Minnesota, on August 24, 1985. He played wide receiver for the University of Nebraska, where he set a school record for career receptions and finished second in season receiving yardage ,...
, 2009 free agent signee of Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Barry Turner, 2010 free agent signee of Detroit LionsDetroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
- Keith WilliamsKeith Williams (offensive lineman)Keith Williams is an American football offensive guard for the Buffalo Bills of the NFL. He was drafted by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska.-Early years:...
, 2011 6th–round pick of the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...