Nebraska quarterback Joe Ganz took home many of the biggest awards at NU's season-ending banquet Saturday night, as he was named one of four captains and Team MVP. Ganz also won the Tom Novak Trophy.

Ganz was joined senior defensive linemen Zach Potter and Ty Steinkuhler, and senior receiver Nate Swift as NU's four named captains for the 2008 season. Instead of voting before the season, new head coach Bo Pelini had the voting occur after the games had been played.

Not surprisingly, junior defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was named Defensive MVP. He also won, along with offensive guard Matt Slauson, lifter of the year. Swift received the Offensive MVP trophy and the Guy Chamberlain Trophy. Kicker Alex Henery won Special Teams MVP honors and and Walk-On MVP honors.

One of the most interesting awards - and maybe a peek at some of the Huskers who may contribute in 2009, were the scout team awards. Defensive back Courtney Osborne and linebacker Alonzo Whaley were named Defensive Scout MVPs. On offense, it was KSU transfer Derek Meyer at offensive tackle and speedy receiver Tim Marlowe.

Senior receiver Todd Peterson was given the Native Son Award, presented to a player from the Cornhusker State.

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As part of our season in review, we're recapping the best offensive, defensive and special teams plays of the year. Now up: Best passing plays.



It's hard narrowing down the best pass plays for Nebraska in 2008. Joe Ganz and his stockade of backs and receivers provided more memories than, well, any group in NU history. Still, we tried to pick what we thought were the most representative of the year - Nate Swift as a big-play artist, Todd Peterson in the clutch and Mike McNeill as an emerging threat - and tossed in one trick play for good measure. Enjoy!



Joe Ganz-to-Nate Swift, 53-yard touchdown, vs. Baylor. The sluggo route called at just the right time by offensive coordinator Shawn Watson. With a 24-20 lead, Swift ran a short slant, Ganz pump faked, BU’s cornerback bit, and Swift bolted past the Bear. Ganz hit the wide open receiver, who scored easily.



Lucky-to-Ganz, 20-yard touchdown, vs. New Mexico State. A wonderfully executed throwback play in which Lucky took the toss, drifted to his right, and flipped the ball back to a wide-open Ganz, who waltzed into the end zone.



Ganz-to-Mike McNeill, 35-yard touchdown, vs. New Mexico State. Off of a playaction fake, Ganz tosses a short pass to McNeill, who weaves his way through several Aggies – thanks to some terrific downfield blocking - and, while leaping into the end zone, got flipped upside down. An awesome play in a season of many.



Ganz-to-Swift, 61-yard touchdown, vs. Western Michigan. The first of many great Ganz plays, as he caught WMU in a blitz, rolled hard to his right and floated a perfect pass to Swift, who caught the ball, stumbled, regained his balance, and outran the defender to the end zone.



Ganz-to-Todd Peterson, 17-yard touchdown, vs. Texas Tech. The best catch of Peterson’s career will always be that grab he made on fourth-and-a-prayer against in that 28-27 win over Texas A&M in 2006. But Peterson’s best overall drive was NU’s final one in regulation against Tech, when he caught three passes, the final of which was the game-tying touchdown. Peterson caught the ball, inside the five, fell into the end zone, got up and pointed at the crowd. A cool moment before the tough loss.


Best opponent pass: There were…so many…but the winner is actually easy: Kansas’ Todd Reesing’s second-quarter 28-yard touchdown pass to Kerry Meier. Reesing was hammered by NU defensive back Eric Hagg, but he regained his balance and tossed the ball to a wide-open Meier. Just another play in the Reesing highlight reel. Maybe his best.



See also: The 11 Best Defensive Plays

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Nebraska’s football team continued a tradition of strong academic performances, as 19 Huskers were named to the Academic All Big 12 team, which included 13 first-teamers.


NU senior receiver Todd Peterson became the eighth player to be named to the first team four times in a row, while Tyler Wortman and Thomas Grove both achieved perfect 4.0 GPAs.


First-team members had a 3.20 grade point average or better, while second-team members had a 3.0-3.19 GPA.


Here’s the full list:


Wes Cammack, Jr., Agricultural Engineering, DeWitt, Neb.

Joe Ganz, Sr., Business Administration, Palos Heights, Ill.

Thomas Grove, So., Pre-Medicine, Arlington, Neb.

Ryan Hill, RFr., Business Administration, Arvada, Colo.

Marcel Jones, RFr., Undeclared, Phoenix, Ariz.

Adi Kunalic, So., Communication Studies, Fort Worth, Texas

Blake Lawrence, So., Marketing, Shawnee Mission, Kan.

Todd Peterson, Sr., Nutritional Science and Dietetics, Grand Island, Neb.

Clayton Sievers, Sr., Communication Studies, Elkhorn, Neb.

Nate Swift, Sr., Construction Management, Hutchinson, Minn.

Lance Thorell, RFr., Undeclared, Loomis, Neb.

Dan Titchener, Sr., Accounting, Cheyenne, Wyo.

Tyler Wortman, Sr., Mechanical Engineering, Grand Island, Neb.

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Marlon. Roy. Quentin.



During fall camp and the initial month of Nebraska’s football season, the first names of NU's three running backs set up camp on the tongues of reporters and NU's offensive coaching staff, as the Cornhuskers' ground game resembled the Exxon Valdez.



Should senior Marlon Lucky still be the starter, or should sophomore Roy Helu, Jr. supplant him? What about sophomore Quentin Castille, the gifted-but-fumble-prone big back? Running backs coach Tim Beck would offer up patient smiles and the occasional "jeez oh man" to the same questions posed a different way.



While that drama continues to unfold, Nebraska's top three receivers - Nate Swift, Todd Peterson and Menelik Holt - have quietly, but effectively, gone about their business, combining for 74 catches for 944 yards and seven touchdowns. More than 20 percent of their production (20 catches, 202 yards) came in NU's 37-31 loss to Texas Tech.



Among his five grabs, Holt caught two on third down plays. Peterson caught three on Nebraska's game-tying drive - two "tiptoe jobs" nesr the sideline and the touchdown itself. Swift ignited the Huskers' second-to-last touchdown drive with an over-the-shoulder 43-yard play on a first down.



“On a consistent basis, those guys along with Joe (Ganz) have been the MVP’s,” head coach Bo Pelini said. “They’re playing very well. Not only running routes and catching balls, but blocking on the perimeter. They’re playing at a high level, I really like it.”



Swift and Peterson, both seniors, and Holt, a junior, have experience in offensive coordinator Shawn Watson's attack, and a solid rapport with senior quarterback Joe Ganz. Peterson, in particular, seems more in sync with Ganz than he ever was with Sam Keller.



For Ganz, the crucial development has been in Holt, the San Diego native who plays opposite Peterson in Mo Purify's old outside position, allowing Swift to return to slot receiver, where he spent most of his time in 2006.



"Nate's at his best in the slot," Ganz said. "His ability to get open, his ability to shake people in the slot has really been big for our offense. To have Meno come in and develop and play outside, play big, play physical. It’s not a real surprise but it's been a nice thing for us to have."



At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Holt was billed as the heir apparent for the now-graduated Purify, who could dazzle with his acrobatic catches and big play ability. Through six games, Holt hasn't been that guy, partly because NU's opponents are shutting down the routes on which Purify did most of his damage. Since the Western Michigan game, defenses have mostly kept their safeties conservatively deep, and Nebraska's so-so running game hasn't been able to consistently draw those safeties into run support.



So the deep post and 'go' routes that Holt's body is suited for just haven't been there for the taking.



"We save those routes," Holt said. "Those are big shots, and we practice those a lot. They're shots we know we can take, but it's all about timing.



"The defenses we've been playing, these "Cover 2" and "Tampa 2" teams, the middle of the field is pretty much closed and the outside lines are taken care of, so it's kinda hard to take those shots deep. You've got to pick and choose."

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