“We need to make this a fuel to make this a better football team, rather than a distraction that can make us divide. We won’t let it happen. We know how address that. That’s the challenge that lies ahead. I love those challenges. Our football team loves those challenges. We’re going rise up. It’s only way I know. It’s the only way this football team knows. It’s what that ‘N’ on the side of the football helmet represents.”

-- Bo Pelini

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Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini made a fashionably late arrival to Monday’s Big 12 Coaches Teleconference. And only he answered questions for five minutes. But he made his final words count.

When asked what he’d do special to help mentally prepare NU’s redshirt freshmen – like linebackers Will Compton and Sean Fisher – for Saturday’s road test at Virginia Tech, Pelini’s answer was, well, distinctly his own.

“Nothing,” he said flatly. “We’ll be ready to play.”

Earlier in the call, Pelini said Nebraska was a “little bit better” since its 35-30 loss to the Hokies in 2008.

“We’ll find out this week,” Pelini said. “We’re going in there for a heckuva test against a very talented, tremendously coached football. We’ll see how we stack up.”

VT coach Frank Beamer certainly thinks so. After watching film of NU’s first two victories over Florida Atlantic and Arkansas State, he declared the Huskers’ offense just as good, and the defense “big, tough and rugged.”

“They’ve been in the system awhile,” Beamer said. “And they understand what’s expected. And they’re better…I was impressed with them last year, and I think they’re better this year.”

Both coaches praised the other’s quarterback. Beamer compared NU junior Zac Lee to former Husker quarterback Joe Ganz, who initially struggled against the Hokies but caught fire in the fourth quarter in a failed comeback bid.

“He’s very similar,” Beamer said of Lee. “Heady guy, good pocket presence, very accurate. He’s got some impressive stats, I can say that.”

Pelini has a healthy respect for Virginia Tech junior Tyrod Taylor, who repeatedly burned the Huskers with his arm and feet, throwing for 171 yards and rushing for 87.

“He’s a capable thrower,” Pelini said. “Good football player.”

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Nebraska's not where he wants to be, maybe he's referring to stuff like this.

That's a listing of all major college football programs over the last five years. In that time, 2004-2008, NU was surpassed in record five Big 12 teams: Texas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Missouri and Kansas.

But most sobering is that record against AP top 25 teams during that span: 1-16. Or maybe it's the 39% winning percentage on the road. Or maybe it's the 13-24 record against teams that also have winning records.

Translation: Throughout the Callahan era and in the beginning of the Pelini era, Nebraska nearly struck out against the top quarter of college football and struggled mightily on the road.

Why did it happen? We've hashed and rehashed all of that. What's important now is doing something about it. Recruiting, winning big games on the road, and showing up vs. OU this fall...all of them will matter.

Other conclusions drawn from the stats list:

*We've said this before, but Texas has surpassed Oklahoma as the Big 12's premier program. In fundraising. In recruiting. And on the field. UT getting jobbed out of the national championship game in 2008 doesn't change that. The Longhorns are 13-4 against AP Top 25 in the last five years. OU is 12-11. The Horns win 86% of their road games. OU only wins 76%. UT is 32-7 against teams with winning records. Oklahoma is 29-12.

When does the media catch up to this reality? When does ESPN? Texas is the better program. About this there can be little debate.

*Mike Leach has built remarkably consistent program at Texas Tech in every area but one: Road wins.

*Virginia Tech is one of the nation's best programs, and has been since 1999. The Hokies come in fifth on the total list here, with numbers quite comparable to Oklahoma. Again, some Nebraska fans don't want to hear that - they hold up OU as some supernatural force when, in fact, the Huskers should have taken the Sooners in 2005 and arguably 2006 - but it's not hard to argue that Nebraska's best opponent in 2009 will be in Blackburg, not Norman.

*Oklahoma State may arrive this year, but, overall, not just yet. The Pokes lag behind Nebraska in overall wins and are just 3-16 vs. the top 25.

*Baylor just may surpass Iowa State in 2009, making the Cyclones the consistently worst program in the Big 12 over the last five years.

*Tyrone Willingham may have been unjustly fired from Notre Dame, but he turned Washington into one of the worst programs in America.

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(Above: Myles Frohling, one of the the many soldiers helped by Big Red Betty's kindness)

When Betty Walker passed away after fighting cancer in February, she left behind a sea of red memories.

To say that Walker, more commonly known as “Big Red Betty from Lincoln, Calif.,” was a Cornhusker fan doesn’t do her justice. Her fanhood stretched from her deathbed in California to Baghdad, Iraq.

Walker was the first person to donate money to Husker Dan’s Army, which helped the founders of the program catapult their simple idea of delivering Husker shirts to troops fighting abroad to the program it is today. Hundreds of troops have received Big Red care packages. And there are more Iraqi and Afghan children who have a Big Red shirts stuffed in their closets than you could possibly imagine thanks to the program.

“If it weren’t for her it would have never started,” said Gary McGirr, the president of Northeast Kansans for Nebraska and one of the founders of Husker Dan’s Army.

Walker’s first donation to the program was $100. And overall she only donated $300, said Dan McGlynn, also known as “Husker Dan.” But her donations were worth more than just the money.

Walker knew she didn’t have a time have a lot of time left, but she gave anyway. And that inspired others to follow suit, McGlynn said.

Today, Husker Dan’s Army is business partners with the athletic department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the RedZone in Omaha. In September, an event called Husker Salute will raise more money for the troops overseas and remember Big Red Betty. The event will be held during the Virginia Tech game at the Cornhusker Marriot in Lincoln.

In 2006, Walker was diagnosed with terminal cancer and was told she had six months to live. But she survived the abysmal 5-7 season in 2007 – and had enough energy to be critical when criticism was deserved – and made it all the way into the Bo Pelini era and even saw the Husker’s victory over Clemson in the Gator Bowl.


“You kind of dreaded calling her because you were afraid she wasn’t going to be there anymore,” said McGlynn, who called Walker every two weeks or so during the last year of her life. “A lot of people are fans, but she could really talk it. She could talk defense, about the coaches, about the recruits.”

Walker also took phone calls from Heisman trophy winner Eric Crouch and former coach Tom Osborne.

“I visited with Betty twice during the last few weeks of her life,” Osborne said in a statement. “I was impressed by her devotion to the Huskers. It’s fans like Betty who have enabled us to have the tremendous support we have enjoyed for so many year. We regret her passing, but honor her memory and thank her for her support.”

Betty was born Nov. 1, 1933 and grew up on a farm in Wolbach. She knew details from Husker games starting in the 1950s, but she had an even deeper passion for things more important than Nebraska football, which is why she gave some of her last dollars to Husker Dan’s Army.

“She understood what those kids (troops) were going through,” McGlynn said. “I think she’s a great American. And that’s larger than her love for the Huskers.”

Got a Husker Hero in your life? We want to hear about them! Email us at sam@ne.statepaper or send us a private message right here. No story is too small! We want those little moments that count in your life!

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We’ve got a great installment today of our 50 Husker Fans, 50 States feature. It comes from Harry Culpen, graduate of UNL’s College of Architecture in 1965. As his story will tell, he’s a Missouri boy who became a Husker fan, relocated to New York City, and eventually settled just on the other side of the border in Old Greenwich, Conn.

He is the co-founder of Culpen &Woods Architects out of Stamford, Conn and a long-time supporter of UNL’s College of Architecture, one of most rigorous and interesting majors in Lincoln.

We think you’ll really like his story. And, remember – if you want to be part of this series, just send us a private message or email us at sam@ne.statepaper.com

If you want to check out the archives, just click on the tag below.



Q: Tell a little bit about your history as a Husker fan. How did you become one? Family? Friends? How long have you been a Husker fan? Did you live in Nebraska, and, if so, where? And how did you come to live in Old Greenwich, Connecticut?

A: I grew up in northern Missouri and started college at the University of Missouri intending to become a civil engineer, went on to accept a commission in the Navy, after which I decided to study to become an architect. I choose NU because there was an exchange program whereby a Nebraska resident could attend the MU veterinarian college in exchange for a Missouri resident at the NU architecture school. At the time, all of the Big Eight universities had similar programs.

I choose NU because I could get a part-time job as a draftsman in a Lincoln office to help pay my $165 per semester in state tuition. I didn’t go to any football games in the first year or so, but got interested when NU played the Gotham Bowl, which I listened to on a radio next to my drawing table at the office where I worked in Lincoln. Those were the Devaney years and that’s when I became a fan.

After graduating in 1965, I returned to Missouri and worked at the St. Louis office of HOK. Times were good, HOK was expanding and I was relocated to their office in Dallas as part of the new Dallas/Fort Worth Airport project. Our team was to go on to do the new LA airport in Palmdale next. However, as you may know, there is no airport in Palmdale, CA. So, we were stuck in Dallas.

That’s where I met this very attractive young lady named McKeown who was on her way back to New York to work for the ad agency J. Walter Thompson. When HOK decided to open an office in NYC, I was the first to volunteer to for the NYC and off I went. Arriving in NYC, the first thing I did was to look up that McKeown lady. We were married a year later. We bought a rundown five-story brownstone on the Upper West Side full of aged rent controlled people and settled down to enjoy the city. I completely renovated the brownstone and after most of our older tenants exited feet first, I converted the building to a co-op, sold the apartments, kissed HOK good bye and with our three year old daughter, we moved to Old Greenwich, CT. With my newfound fortune from NY real estate, I opened an architectural office in nearby Stamford.


You graduated from UNL's College of Architecture right around the time the Devaney era was hitting its first pocket of success. First, describe your time in the architecture college. Today, it is considered one of the most, if not the most, rigorous major at UNL. Was that the case back then, as well? Students were famous for sleeping at the college to finish projects.

I thought the architecture program was extremely good. Yes, we put in a few all nighters. I did find that as I started working at HOK with Harvard, Yale, etc. graduates that my skills and knowledge were as good or better than most. So, I feel the architectural education Nebraska gave me a very good background which I greatly appreciate.


What was the campus mood around Devaney at the time you were in school? Did folks sense he was about to become the legendary coach he eventually became? Did anybody know the name Tom Osborne? How much of a fan favorite was "Fearless" Frank Solich?

At HOK in St. Louis there was one other NU alum, an engineer. We kibitzed about Nebraska football often, which by this time was flying high. When Devaney retied we were very despondent. This would be the end. Who was this Osborne guy anyway ? I don’t recall any mention of Frank Solich at that time.


How easy (or difficult) is it to find Husker games on TV in Connecticut? We presume it's Big East/Big Ten country. Is there a bar or restaurant you like to attend to watch the games? What are some other ways you're able to follow the program outside of watching them on TV? Is it easy to find fellow Husker fans in the area?

It is difficult to follow the Huskers from back here. There are the TV broadcasts but we only get a few games. When I lived in NYC I could go to a bar that carried all of the games. The nearest bar aroundhere is in New Haven, but that is too far away. So, I pick up the game on ESPN on my computer, but those are updated only at 30-second intervals and the info is limited. Maybe, those of you in the media could figure out how to broadcast via Facebook or something on the Internet that provides direct and timely coverage.


Greenwich hugs the border of New York City, near White Plains, Scarsdale, etc. Does the area follow college sports much, or is it all New York professional teams? Is UConn basketball - both men's and women's - similar to that of Nebraska football? How are the fan bases the same or different? What about the professional sports franchises? Do you consider yourself a Jets guy or a Giants guy? How are those fan bases similar or different?

Even though we don’t get a lot of Husker sports coverage, we don’t have a shortage of sports around here. I like both the Giants and Jets, Giants more as they do better. I sort of like UCONN basketball, both men and women. I don’t think any of the fan base for the teams around here is as loyal and as enthusiastic as the fans at Nebraska. These fans go mostly for the winners like the Yankees and will boo their team if it is playing badly.


How often are you able to get back for games at NU? When you do, what's your favorite part of the experience, and how does it compare to when you were in school? Are you able to take in many road games? If so, where?

This question is relevant for me. The NU Foundation is very active and I have had a lot of contact with some of the Foundation reps. As a result a few years ago I started a scholarship for architecture students. It’s not a big deal but I wanted to do something to show my appreciation for the education a received and the work the foundation does. My goal is to fund the scholarship sufficiently to provide a semester tuition for one student annually. I’m not quite there but will be in a few years. The current recession isn’t helping. So, I do get to a few games. My favorite was the 2007 Kansas game where my wife and I sat in Harvey Pearlman’s sky box. We even got to meet that crazy Cableman guy.


What's your favorite Husker memory? List as many as you like?

My favorite memory is the Miami game where Osborne went for the two point conversion.


What's something unique about the Greenwich/Stamford area? We know the golf up there is pretty terrific, and we know the views are as well, it being located on the Long Island Sound. We also know it's something of a spot for elite prep boarding schools. Were there any recent Leonardo DiCaprio/Kate Winslet sightings during filming of Revolutionary Road? How does life there compare to life in Nebraska? Or how does it not compare?

This area is pretty nice. We have four almost equal seasons beaches in the summer, skiing in the winter, boating, golf, 45 min. train ride to NYC. I think I would rather live here than Nebraska. However,when we get back for games, my wife and I agree that Lincoln and the university setting are pretty nice.


Feel free to add anything you wish.

One more thing to add. One of my shipmates in the Navy went on to become a professor at Virginia Tech. Many years ago we started a $5 bet on which school has the better team each year. Until recently, we had to rely on the pools to determine the winner. And for years I won all of the bets. Recently however, I am loosing my winnings back to my shipmate.

Now that we have the head to head contest we don’t need the pools. So, last year with our wives in tow, we went to Lincoln for the game. The Foundation got us four seats together and we all had a great time – except for the final score which the VT folks liked more than I did. This year we will all go the game at VT and I hope to even up the bet.

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The ACC announced its early season TV schedule for its college football teams Thursday, and Nebraska's Sept. 19 game at Virginia Tech is set for a 2:30 p.m. start on ABC or ESPN2.

Depending on the coverage area, the game may be shown on either network. ABC will regionally telecast the game. ESPN2 will broadcast it to other places in the nation.

It is the third known game the Huskers will have TV next year. Games vs. Florida Atlantic and Arkansas State were not picked up for TV.

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