4/3/18 | Paul Koch
Excerpted from Chapter 6, No Place Like Nebraska: Anatomy of an Era, Vol. 1 Butch Coolidge: (beating up Marsellus Wallace) You feel that sting, big boy, huh? That’s pride #%@in’ with you! You gotta fight through that shit!” -Quentin Tarantino, Pulp Fiction Do you remember those old Jiffy-brand peanut butter ads? To loosely paraphrase, “Choosy mothers choose Biff!” Jokes…
What does a Husker fan do when there are no games to be played? (No, I'm not including the pitching meltdown that happened in Columbus, Ohio this weekend.) We talk recruiting and who might be fired and when. And oh did we do that on this week's episode of the Big Red Cobcast. It was Junior Day weekend in Lincoln,…
Adam Carriker gives his way-too-early predictions for Scott Frost's first Husker season and breaks down each game on the 2018 schedule.
Boyd Epley Part 4 The Godfather of Collegiate Strength & Conditioning/Husker Power Continued from previous… Q: Who first came up with the 1:16 (on the stadium’s scoreboard during summer conditioning)? BE: It was my deal, we discussed it in the staff meeting and Randy Gobel had to go figure out how to do it. And Randy had to do it…
Boyd Epley Part 3 The Godfather of Collegiate Strength & Conditioning/Husker Power Continued from previous… Boyd Epley: (Reminiscing about Tom Osborne’s motivational powers) His greatest speech I ever heard was before a game versus Illinois. Nobody writes those things down. You’re in the locker room and he’s just talking, and years later I asked him about that speech, and he…
Adam Carriker gives his early takeaways from the start of spring practice, the adjustments to a new offense and how the Huskers are setting the tone for 2018.
Excerpted from Chapter 5, No Place Like Nebraska: Anatomy of an Era, Vol. 1 Boyd Epley Part 2 The Godfather of Collegiate Strength & Conditioning/Husker Power Continued from previous… Boyd Epley: (Speaking about the pivotal 1991 Winter Conditioning program) It’s incredible the progress they made. Coach Osborne called me in when we lost the two players. He explained, he said,…
Excerpted from Chapter 5, No Place Like Nebraska: Anatomy of an Era, Vol. 1 “Towering genius disdains a beaten path. It seeks regions hitherto unexplored. It thirsts and burns for distinction; and if possible, it will have it…” -Abraham Lincoln It’s a common misconception that Omaha’s airport was named after Boyd Epley, godfather of collegiate strength training. That honor…
Nebraska football fans look back with fondness at the careers of Rex Burkhead and Ameer Abdullah, as well they should. Burkhead’s combination of toughness and versatility have been hard to recapture since he left at the end of the 2012 season. Abdullah’s ability to compensate for a subpar offensive line and make defenders dizzy with devastating jump cuts have been…
Excerpted from Chapter 4, No Place Like Nebraska: Anatomy of an Era, Vol. 1 "Courage; Generosity; Fairness; Honor; In these are the true awards of manly sport." -Inscription on the Northwest Corner of Memorial Stadium, Hartley Burr Alexander, former UNL professor of philosophy Mama Husker Power: that’s Linda Ybarra. Though surrounded by alpha males in the confines…
I was hoping we wouldn't have to be having one of these types of conversations again this soon. But here we are. A couple weeks removed from Nebrasketball season (and just a few months from a football hiring process), the humming noise surrounding Tim Miles' job status seems to be getting louder. So we addressed that this week, on both…
Adam Carriker looks at the Huskers' personnel on offense heading into spring practice and where Nebraska can improve in Scott Frost's first season. JD Spielman returns a punt against Penn State. (Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports)
Excerpted from Chapter 3, No Place Like Nebraska: Anatomy of an Era, Vol. 1 Bryan Pruitt Part 3 Walk-on, Offensive Guard, Midlothian, Illinois (St. Laurence) Continued… Author: Bryan, anybody behind the scenes play a large role in your development? BP: From an academic standpoint, I’ll be the first one to say Dennis Leblanc in Academics. That guy…
Excerpted from Chapter 3, No Place Like Nebraska: Anatomy of an Era, Vol. 1 Bryan Pruitt Part 2 Walk-on, Offensive Guard, Midlothian, Illinois (St. Laurence) Continued….. Author: Bryan, let’s continue talking about Coach Osborne... Bryan Pruitt: Sometimes you’d try to make a name for yourself in practice and you’d get into a fight with Jason or Christian…
Excerpted from Chapter 3, No Place Like Nebraska: Anatomy of an Era, Vol. 1 Chicago Police Officer Jim Malone: You wanna know how to get Capone? They pull a knife? You pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital? You send one of his to the morgue. That's the “Chicago Way”! And that's how you get…
Adam Carriker reacts to the news that the Huskers gained 436 pounds of muscle, lost 389 pounds of fat and lost an average of 2.8 percent body fat during winter conditioning.
Excerpted from Chapter 2, No Place Like Nebraska: Anatomy of an Era, Vol. 1 Matt Turman Part 3 Walk-on, Quarterback, Wahoo, Neb. (Neumann) Continued… Q: Where were you for the ‘94 Orange Bowl versus Florida State? In the stands or on the sideline? MT: I was standing on the sideline. My redshirt freshman year. My redshirt year we…
Excerpted from Chapter 2, No Place Like Nebraska: Anatomy of an Era, Vol. 1 Matt Turman Part 2 Walk-on, Quarterback, Wahoo, Neb. (Neumann) Continued… Q: Matt, is there anything you look back on today that makes you chuckle about that era? Matt Turman: Well, there was, I don’t know if you were familiar with the big meeting room…
Excerpted from Chapter 2, No Place Like Nebraska: Anatomy of an Era, Vol. 1 “We were that close to going out forever. But there was one man who taught us to fight, to storm the wire of the camps, to smash those metal mother%*ers into junk. He turned it around. He brought us back from the brink.” - The…
There are a few things happening in Big Red Cobcast-land this week. First, we're doing something a little different on this week's podcast. For those who have been donating to our Patreon (as well as those who start donating to our Patreon), there will be bonus episodes each month. What will those bonus episodes be like? They'll be like this…
Excerpted from Chapter 1, No Place Like Nebraska: Anatomy of an Era, Vol. 1 David Seizys Part 2 Walk-on, Wingback, Seward, Neb. (Ft. Calhoun) Continued from previous… Author: David, is there anything you wish you could do over again? David Seizys: It would have to be that field goal (to end the ’94 Orange Bowl). Q: Let me…
Excerpted from Chapter 1, No Place Like Nebraska: Anatomy of an Era, Vol. 1 To kick these interviews off in proper fashion I sent former athletic trainer and NU player-liaison Doak Ostergard an e-mail requesting contact info for a number of people. He was kind enough to mass-mail it out to the players from that era to get me started,…
Preface & Intro excerpted from No Place Like Nebraska: Anatomy of an Era, Vol. 1 by Paul Koch Prelude to a Miss or A Providential and Fortuitous Confluence of Events Place-kickers aren’t normally prone to run this fast. “Yeee-haaw! Shit-fire, you sonsabitches! Shit-fire!!” Adrenaline coursing, tongue cursing and legs furiously back-pedaling across the grass, Byron Bennett crosses the…
There are two things you should know about the Big Red Cobcast this week. 1.) It (and our Facebook Live that you can see down below) was recorded on Saturday. 2.) I was out of town. So if you're expecting livid rants about Nebrasketball getting royally jobbed, this will not be the place. You'll have to go to our Twitter…
During the last 20 years, Nebraska has explored just about every avenue when hiring a football coach. Legendary coach Tom Osborne won his third National Championship in a four-year span, following the Huskers' 42-17 dismantling of Peyton Manning-led Tennessee in the 1998 Orange Bowl. Osborne rode off into the sunset and Nebraska football for all intents and purposes has never…
In this week's podcast we talk about what we think might be the outcome for Nebrasketball this year and wether or not we think Tim Miles will be coming back. So, listen to the episode for that. BUT I want to dedicate this week's article to a really special friend of The Big Red Cobcast, The Killigans. They are a…
It was a weekend of mourning for Nebrasketball. But there's no time for crying. So instead, we argued about a bunch of things related to Husker Hoops. Among the questions we asked: How much is the Big Ten to blame for Nebraska's unlikelihood to make the NCAA Tournament? Does an NIT berth have any bearing on Tim Miles' job status?…
Boyd Epley tells Adam Carriker the behind-the-scenes story about starting Nebraska football's strength and conditioning program. | Part 1
Adam Carriker talks to longtime Nebraska strength and conditioning coach Boyd Epley about Zach Duval bringing back Husker Power, the return of Scott Frost and more. | Part 2
Guys, things got testy at Big Red Cobcast headquarters this week. Both on our Facebook Live (which you can watch just a few paragraphs down from here) and on the podcast (which you can hear tomorrow on HuskerMax or right now by checking us out on iTunes). We're all shells of ourselves right now. Tweedy hurt his back. I'm sick.…
Last week was anything but quiet for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. First off, Scott Frost finalized his first recruiting class for Nebraska and, boy howdy, was it a doozy. Top 25 finish, 4th in the Big Ten, barely being edged out by Michigan AND the best in the west. The best by a long shot, actually. I hope our friends Minnesota,…
Nebrasketball, racism (or rather criticism against it), fawning over Scott Frost's first Husker recruiting class, jokes in poor taste, more stalker-y phone calls directed toward me. It's all on the table this week. We're the Big Red Cobcast. You can't keep us caged up in a tiny little box. We're basically like the Scott Frost of podcasts. Everyone thought he…
Scott Frost is back in Orlando with his family this week, taking a long-deferred rest as his assistants also grab some well-earned time off. While Nebraskans shovel persistent February snow, Frost is digging out from all the “Coach of the Year” awards and accolades he earned at UCF. There was no time for that until now — certainly not while…
Top 40 Recruiting Classes 1. Georgia 2. Ohio State 3. USC 4. Texas 5. Penn State 6. Clemson 7. Miami 8. Oklahoma 9. Alabama 10. Florida State 11. Washington 12. Notre Dame 13. Auburn 14. LSU 15. Oregon 16. Florida 17. Texas A&M 18. Tennessee 19. South Carolina 20. UCLA 21. Nebraska 22. Michigan 23. Virginia Tech 24. North Carolina…
As Husker fans we have insane expectations. Some might even argue that they are unrealistic expectations. As a self-aware homer my tendency is to disagree, but I think it's important to keep this year's recruiting class in perspective. My heart says, "We get everyone left on our board, rank inside the top 20 and win 2 national championships next year".…
There are some people who like the Big Red Cobcast. More than that, though, there are people who LOVE the Big Red Cobcast. But believe it or not, there are also people who don't dig us. Why? They probably fell off their bikes and landed on their heads when they were kids. And because everyone wants to go to a…
Hey guys, Tweedy here. You probably don't know who I am. I'm one of the co hosts of The Big Red Cobcast. I love our podcast. I love making it, I love being a part of it, and I love getting to interview many of childhood heros like Charlie McBride, Milt Tenopir, Grant Wistrom, Christian Peter and and Chad Kelsay…
Well, this was a cheery week. All sorts of fun topics like Michigan State and how we as Husker fans should view that whole nasty situation. Also, we talk Husker football winter conditioning. Is Zach Duval going to murder a Husker with his workload, and can he possibly do the same to Tweedy? PLEEEEAASE? Seriously, we're trying to get everyone…
Adam Carriker gives his early take on the Huskers' 2018 football schedule and what Scott Frost and Nebraska need to do for a successful first season.
Hope Springs Eternal! When it came to recruiting, Bo Pelini got to drink hose water from Flint, Michigan. Mike Riley's staff got hot chocolate or maybe an energy drink. Scott Frost and crew however are gonna get The Freshest coffee, hottest coffee. The expensive kind where they have to dig through the poop of those Peruvian monkeys just to…
Guys, things are getting chippy in Cobcast land. We're tired of no football. We're tired of each other's coffee breath. It's time for April to get here. But that doesn't mean there isn't plenty to talk about this week. And talk about it we do! On this list of this week's topics are CTE (and the possible salvation of football),…
There’s an old saying in sports that goes something like this: “It’s players, not plays, who win championships.” Scott Frost’s success at UCF — at least on the offensive side of the ball — challenges that wisdom. It’s certainly not the way it played out in Orlando last fall. UCF put together a 13-0 season while leading the nation in…
Former Husker Adam Carriker talks with former Nebraska defensive coordinator Charlie McBride about coaching the Blackshirts, how Nebraska can improve on defense in 2018 and more.
Happy New Year! Here's to a New Year full of hope! I know it's a little late but that's how we roll here at the Big Red Cobcast. It doesn't mean we mean it any less. Actually, maybe Pat already said it last week. Whatever, I'm my own person. Now For The Important Stuff! We're getting in to that time…
Another Big Red Cobcast is in the books, and that means you get all the glory of Tweedy and myself getting angry and/or excited about something? What is it this week? Is it Mike Riley taking a comically low salary at Oregon State? Is it all the high-flying future Huskers on campus? Is it something completely off the board? You…
It would be hard to imagine a better start to Scott Frost's first year as the Husker head football coach. Before he left for Nebraska, Frost took a program at Central Florida that was in shambles and turned them in to winners in just two seasons. Let's look at what Frost accomplished in his two years as the Knights' head…
I honestly can't tell what the prevailing sentiment is. Are Nebraska fans howling for UCF to be co-national champions because anything tied to Scott Frost feels like it partially belongs to the Huskers? Or are they up in arms because they understand fairness and recognize when it's not being employed properly? Maybe I can't tell because it's a little bit…
Happy New Year everybody! As I'm writing this, I'm watching Scott Frost vs. what feels like the entire ESPN network and I'm hoping that Samson can get this thing going against the Goliath that is Auburn. The more I think about it, that's what I wish for all of you, my friends, my family, and myself going into 2018. I…
I had almost forgotten how it feels to watch a Nebraska football coach cover himself and his team with honor during a big New Year’s Day bowl game. How about you? I sure could get used to this again. Wait, you mean that wasn’t a Nebraska game? Looking at UCF’s tremendously exciting 34-27 Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl win over Southeastern Confrerence…
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Our family wishes you and yours a great end to the year and beginning of the next. This week on the Big Red Cobcast we are doing something a little different. Since I'm back home in Lincoln for the holidays I had three of my best friends on to talk about the Early Enrollees,…
Decades from now, when sports historians sort through the early 21st century, they will view the end of 2017 and the 2018 football season as the turning point that ultimately pulled Nebraska football back from the brink. Two important hirings started healing the Huskers from The Slide — a low-grade fever that turned virulent, threatening to send the program…
Nebraska quarterback commit Adrian Martinez talks with Adam Carriker about the open competition at QB, why he’s so excited to play for Coach Frost and signing with Nebraska on Wednesday. Former Husker Carriker talks with Nebraska quarterback commit Adrian Martinez on why he picked the Huskers, Scott Frost and more.
As 2017 comes to an end, Rob Zatechka and Travis Justice give their final thoughts on what has been a remarkable year. Dr. Rob and Travis got into their now weekly Brook Berringer argument. And yes they spend a lot of time talking about Scott Frost, recruiting, and the upcoming bowl game that Frost will coach for UCF. Listen to…
Chad Kelsay Interview I remember where I was on November 8th, 1997. I was 17 years old, and a senior at Lincoln High. That particular day was a Saturday however so I was in my parents basement with a girl, we'll call her - Esmerelda. There's no particular reason to pick that name other than if you're gonna pick a…
Alright guys, it's time! The newest episode of the Big Red Cobcast is now live on iTunes. In this week's episode we interview legendary Blackshirt and Nebraska football Hall of Famer Chad Kelsay. He talks about being a Nebraska boy and getting that opportunity to play for the Huskers, as well as the importance of in-state athletes. He also talks…
The first year of the Scott Frost Era at Nebraska will be challenging, no doubt, with games at Wisconsin and at Ohio State, but the schedule might not be as daunting as some might think. I understand there is much we don't know about next year's Husker football team, but I'm going to go out on a limb and make…
Four-star dual-threat quarterback Adrian Martinez discusses his commitment to Nebraska and how it came about in interviews on Omaha's 1620 The Zone.
