Quantcast HuskerMax

 

carriker_adamBW

Feb. 8, 2017
 

Ralph Brown interview

Welcome, Husker Nation, to the Carriker Chronicles and right off the bat you can tell a couple of things. Number one, I'm still rocking the sexy beard, and Number two, it looks like somebody punched me right in the eye (seriously, it looks bad). Boy, you should see what those other guys look like. In all seriousness, I have a little case of the pink eye but we gon' push through, just like football season. Can't stop me, can't put me on the DL, baby. So let's roll. Today is not about me. I have a Husker Legend and Great with me. And let me give this guy a proper introduction. He is the first true freshman to start at NU since World War Two, First Team All-American, First Team All-Big XII, won the National Championship in 1997, 10 year NFL vet, played in two Super Bowls, and owns the Husker record with 52 consecutive starts; Mr. Ralph Brown, how you doin?

RB: Doing well, thanks for having me on.

AC: Hey, man, thanks for joining me. So, let's get right into it. First things first. We just had the Super Bowl, so I'm going to talk to you about the two Super Bowls you played in, but I want to start with that 1997 National Championship season. Talk to me about that season and what that ride was like for you guys individually and as a team.

brown-ralph (28K)

RB: Well first of all, we had a chip on our shoulder because we lost the Big XII Championship against Texas which was a devastating loss. If we would have won that game, we would have played Florida State and we believe we would have won a National Championship, so that entire off season of '97, we were working toward winning a National Championship. We knew we had a lot of high caliper guys, guys who were playing with a chip on their shoulder, but once we got into that National Championship game, we had a chance to play against Peyton Manning and that offense, and we were just dominant. Everybody did their job; we were focused in, we honed in, we really didn't go out and party too much. We made sure there for the task at hand to try to win a National Championship and we did; we dominated in all phases.

AC: Talk to me about that National Title game, what was it like playing against Peyton Manning and what was it like playing in a big game like that, the National Championship?

RB: It was awesome, you know to have that kind of opportunity, that experience was great, we knew we were playing under Coach Osborne at the time one of the most decorated and celebrated coaches of the era and we knew we were gonna have a great game planned out by Coach Charlie McBride and that offense -- on the offensive side with Tom Osborne. Playing in that National Championship game, there were a lot of goose bumps, a lot of excitement, and we were just ready to play. Playing against Peyton Manning, we knew we had our hands full against him, going against that high powered Tennessee offense; but the defense that we had, the dogs that we had up front, getting after the quarterback, Grant Wistrom, the defensive line, and Mike Rucker -- those guys man, we were flying around. We made sure that we dominated that game and it was good to get that victory.

AC: I want to back track just a little bit earlier in the season to that Missouri game and the Matt Davison catch. Talk to me about what that was like as you were on the sidelines during that.

RB: Well it was a crazy game. It was just one of those games where we just couldn't catch our rhythm and really do anything right, and Missouri was doing everything right on their side of the ball. Defense getting stops, they were converting third downs, and making big plays throughout the course of that ball game. There was a point in that game where I really -- and a lot of guys did, a good portion of guys felt like we might lose this ball game. But, as we're watching that play unfold and that pass goes into the end zone and the ball gets tipped up and Shevin Wiggens sticks his foot up just a little bit, kind of tips it to keep the play alive, and we see Matt Davison just kind of dive in there with that effort and just basically get his paws underneath that football and make a great catch. It was an amazing experience, an amazing feeling. That play was what basically saved us and helped us win the National Championship game.

AC: Now, I gotta ask, and I think we know the answer. I think we're gonna be in agreement. Who wins, Michigan or Nebraska in 1997?

RB: Oh that's easily Nebraska (heheh). I don't believe that Michigan had the offense to match up against us. They probably had a pretty good defense, but I don't think 4 quarters, them against us, I think we would have pulled away in the second half just like we did against Tennessee.

AC: I completely agree with that -- I knew we'd be in agreement on that one. I want to know what it was like playing, and let's just call it what it is, Tom Osborne is the greatest college football coach of all time. Nick Saban, meh. What was it like playing for Tom Osborne?

RB: Well, just a gentleman. Somebody who doesn't really yell, who treats every player like his son, and he was very detailed and he taught everybody on the offensive and defensive side of the ball how to be detailed, how to be accountable -- and how to raise your standard and how to prepare. That's the one most important thing that a lot of us who played under Osborne learned how to do was to prepare for anything. To prepare for games, and prepare for life. That's what Coach Osborne embodies is preparation. It was basically impeccable, very detailed, he had fun at what he did, and it showed throughout the course of his years and all the wins that he accrued.

AC: All right, let's move to the NFL. So you played for 10 years in the NFL. Talk to me about what it was like for that long -- that's what most guys aspire to play for is about 10 years, if you ask any guy who's been playing in the NFL; that's kind of their goal. And what your favorite NFL memory is.

RB: First, playing 10 years, it's remarkable. You know, there's a percentage of luck in there, a percentage of hard work, and a percentage of coaches just liking you and wanting to have you be on their team once you're not on another team anymore, knowing what you bring to the table. And I just predicated myself on just doing my job and when opportunities came -- big opportunities to make those plays, that's what a lot of those coaches, GMs, coordinators across the NFL want from players. They just want somebody that's gonnna do their job and do it at a consistent level and that's what I predicated my game upon. And also, I made sure that I put a lot of my energy into football. I didn't do a lot of partying in the off-season, I made sure that I hung around with the right people, and I gave everything to the NFL. Basically, like it was a marriage, like the NFL was my wife for 10 years when I played there. But, what was the other question you asked me? Sorry about that.

AC: If you have a favorite NFL memory, what is it?

RB: (Pause) Oh wow, it's just -- that experience of winning the NFC Championship game and knowing that you're going to the Super Bowl, I think that feeling; it can't be replaced. I haven't had the experience of winning the Super Bowl, that's probably the better feeling, but when you just know for the first time that you're going to be playing in the Super Bowl, it makes joy that is so overwhelming; sometimes you cry tears of joy and you're hugging everybody, and you just know, "hey look, we worked our butt off in the off-season, and now we're gonna be playing in the Super Bowl." There's no taste like that, except for winning the Super Bowl, it's a great feeling.

AC: So talk to me about what it was like to play in those Super Bowls, maybe it's the pregame nerves or jitters -- I'll never forget when I was in St. Louis, Torry Holt talked about when they were playing in his first Super Bowl, he about broke his arm because he was going so hard in pregame warm ups. He was so jacked up. So what was that like for you?

RB: The one amazing thing about playing in the Super Bowl is that it's not even close to the playoffs; so you have to make sure that you prep yourself moving along for the big game that day, and it takes much longer to get ready for the big game because of the grandeur and the different things that they have in store for everybody, the entertainment that's gonna go on, and it takes forever for that game to arrive. But you have to make sure that you pace yourself, you don't out work yourself, get too excited screaming around the locker room too much, because it takes forever for that game to arrive. But once you run out on that field after warm ups, and the stands are packed with everybody cheering, it hits you. It hits you like a ton of bricks, it's like "Wow, I'm playing -- I'm actually playing in the Super Bowl and now it's time to try and go win this thing." And that was just a great experience. I have been on championship teams and experienced championships my whole life, so it's easier for me to prep for big games, partially with playing with Osborne and how he kind of trained us and prepped our mentality, I knew how to get ready for the big game. And plus, it was my second one as well, so I knew what to prep for, but it's an overwhelming experience and it's just amazing.

AC: Now I want to talk about the current Huskers and this 3-4 defense. You played in a 3-4 defense when you played in Arizona, so talk to me about your thoughts on the Husker's move to the 3-4 defense under Bob Diaco.

RB: Well, I think that Bob Diaco is a great defensive coordinator, it's a reputation that precedes him. I think we got a great deck with him and our defense, and I think our defense is going to take the next step up this next season, and we'll see it in the Spring Game. But, the 3-4, it's amazing. There are so many things you can do in the 3-4 but you need your defensive nose and defensive tackles to make sure that they control the interior. It's awesome to play in that system, because there are a lot of different schematic things that you can do, moving around; the number count kind of jacks up the offensive linemen knowing who's coming, knowing who's coming off the edge with the different blitzes. So the 3-4 is fine, you got a lot of people running around, if people play their responsibilities really well, you get a lot of stops, create a lot of turnovers, and it will be fun throughout the entire season.

AC: I completely agree with that, I'm excited to watch it, myself. Now, I want to hear your thoughts on Coach Riley, and how you feel about the current state and direction of the Husker Football Program.

RB: I like Coach Riley, and the one thing that I really like about him is that he did not keep people around that he knows may not be a part of the program that's gonna take them to the next level. So, with him getting rid of Banker, that speaks volumes of what he's trying to do and what he's trying to accomplish. He felt like Diaco could bring the defense up to a higher level, so he got rid of Banker, brought in a better, higher defensive coordinator into the system, and he's getting better each season; with the recruiting, with understanding the climate of Nebraska and the culture, and I think he's the guy right now. If he can get some recruiting, some good players around, I think Nebraska is trending upwards with how he treats people, speaks positively all the time, and it's looking good. I'm excited for next year.

AC: All right, what are you currently doing now, what are you up to these days, and where can people find you if they want to find out more about what Ralph Brown is up to nowadays?

RB: Currently during the football season, I broadcast High School football out here in the High School football circuit for Fox Sports West, and I do motivational speaking as well, so those are the things I mainly do. I go out and assist and spend my time at different football schools just to help the kids out and donate my time to basically mentor young kids around the city in Los Angeles. But if you want to find me, you can find me @RalphDBrown on Twitter and iamralphb on Instagram; those are the places you can find me. I'm just trying to give back, you know, God's been good to me, life's been good to me, I was blessed to play 10 years in the National Football League. So now since I've been retired, I retired in 2010, I've been trying to build and turn that next chapter and be remembered for this second chapter of my life.

AC: All right, Husker Nation, give the man a follow on Twitter, on Instagram, and I appreciate you joining me. A true Husker great, someone I enjoyed watching before my time at Nebraska, so thanks for joining me.

RB: No problem, thank you.

AC: All right, Husker Nation, be sure to tune in in two days on Fast Friday and until then, Go Big Red, and always remember ...

RB: to THROW THE BONES!

 

Ralph Brown photo courtesy of Huskers.com

Views:
2017 views: