Home > Blogs > Official Husker Locker Blog > ULL GAME: Shutout, Baby!
Official Husker Locker Blog
2009 Sep 26
ULL GAME: Shutout, Baby!
188 views
Throwback, indeed.
Nebraska’s football team celebrated the 300th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium with a record crowd and a 55-0 walkover win past Louisiana-Lafayette that recalled the dominating defenses of the 1990s, when victories were secured by halftime and the wave kicked in by the third quarter.
For the night, ULL gained 222 yards -just 70 in the second half. NU notched its first shutout of the Pelini era, and the first since 2006, when Nebraska beat another Sun Belt Conference opponent, Troy, 56-0.
"We're in the right galaxy now," head coach Bo Pelini said. "Where last year we were a few solar systems away."
In front of 86,304 thrilled fans Saturday night, NU's defense burned like a hot star, as senior safety Larry Asante returned an interception 74 yards for a touchdown to cap off a 21-point second quarter and give the Cornhuskers (3-1 overall) a 34-0 halftime lead. Pelini dialed up a heavy blitz, and ULL quarterback Chris Masson threw wildly of his target and right into Asante’s waiting hands, who cut to his right, found the sideline, and sprinted home.
"Great play by Larry," defensive coordinator Carl Pelini said. Asante actually bruised his leg as he broke for the ball, and ran for the touchdown on adrenaline, Pelini said. X-rays at halftime were negative.
Previous to that score, NU had forced and recovered a fumble at ULL’s 27-yard line to set up another touchdown drive. Redshirt freshman Sean Fisher recovered a third-quarter fumble and redshirt freshman Cameron Meredith notched a nine-yard sack, too.
"It's big for us after last week," Fisher said, referring to NU's 16-15 loss to Virginia Tech. "Obviously last week was pretty tough. So to come out here and get a shutout, kind of hold them like we did, gives us confidence."
On offense, junior quarterback Zac Lee reverted back to his efficient self from the first two games, finishing 15-18 for 238 yards and a touchdown. He hit a number of passes on third-and-long, including a 43-yarder to Curenski Gilleylen early in the third quarter that set up another Nebraska touchdown.
"I've come to know that that's Zac," said senior wide receiver Chris Brooks, who set career highs for catches (3) and yards (50). "You just count on him to do that."
Junior running back Roy Helu pitched in 83 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
NU started scoring with a 10-play, 71-yard drive that culminated in an Alex Henery field goal. On Nebraska’s next drive, Lee flipped a backwards swing pass to Helu, who hit the sideline sprinting and slashed his way 39 yards down to the ULL four-yard line. On the next play, Helu fumbled at the one-yard line, the ball bounded into the end zone and was recovered by tight end Ben Cotton for a touchdown. Henery booted a 47-yard field goal to close out scoring in the first quarter.
Rex Burkhead’s 33-yard punt return set up NU’s second touchdown, a four-yard pass from Lee to senior Chris Brooks. Junior nickel back Eric Hagg forced a fumble on ULL’s next drive, recovered by Matt O’Hanlon at the Ragin Cajuns’ 27-yard line. Helu scored three plays later on a two-yard touchdown plunge.
The Huskers tacked on two more touchdowns in the fourth-quarter, both from true freshmen. Rex Burkhead caught a shovel pass from Cody Green and zigzagged 22 yards for a score, stiff-arming a defender at the 5-yard line. Green finished scoring with a 24-yard gallop on a zone read play.
Field position was strongly in NU’s advantage all night, as Henery pooched two punts inside ULL’s two-yard line. Nebraska started four drives inside ULL territory.
"I was pretty confident how our team would respond," Pelini said. "I said they'd come out and play with passion and play with great effort and that's what happened."
Fans were also treated to a celebration of Husker tributes throughout the game. Turner Gill, Frank Solich, Barry Alvarez, Keith Jackson and Barry Switzer all taped messages for the 300th-consecutive sellout, with Alvarez relaying a message from Penn State coach Joe Paterno, who applauded NU's fans for their support and class. After the game, fireworks and a long video detailing the history of the program since Bob Devaney took over in 1962 kept fans in their seats and players standing on the field.
"I was just trying to soak it all in," Fisher said. "It's a really cool experience."
Nebraska’s football team celebrated the 300th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium with a record crowd and a 55-0 walkover win past Louisiana-Lafayette that recalled the dominating defenses of the 1990s, when victories were secured by halftime and the wave kicked in by the third quarter.
For the night, ULL gained 222 yards -just 70 in the second half. NU notched its first shutout of the Pelini era, and the first since 2006, when Nebraska beat another Sun Belt Conference opponent, Troy, 56-0.
"We're in the right galaxy now," head coach Bo Pelini said. "Where last year we were a few solar systems away."
In front of 86,304 thrilled fans Saturday night, NU's defense burned like a hot star, as senior safety Larry Asante returned an interception 74 yards for a touchdown to cap off a 21-point second quarter and give the Cornhuskers (3-1 overall) a 34-0 halftime lead. Pelini dialed up a heavy blitz, and ULL quarterback Chris Masson threw wildly of his target and right into Asante’s waiting hands, who cut to his right, found the sideline, and sprinted home.
"Great play by Larry," defensive coordinator Carl Pelini said. Asante actually bruised his leg as he broke for the ball, and ran for the touchdown on adrenaline, Pelini said. X-rays at halftime were negative.
Previous to that score, NU had forced and recovered a fumble at ULL’s 27-yard line to set up another touchdown drive. Redshirt freshman Sean Fisher recovered a third-quarter fumble and redshirt freshman Cameron Meredith notched a nine-yard sack, too.
"It's big for us after last week," Fisher said, referring to NU's 16-15 loss to Virginia Tech. "Obviously last week was pretty tough. So to come out here and get a shutout, kind of hold them like we did, gives us confidence."
On offense, junior quarterback Zac Lee reverted back to his efficient self from the first two games, finishing 15-18 for 238 yards and a touchdown. He hit a number of passes on third-and-long, including a 43-yarder to Curenski Gilleylen early in the third quarter that set up another Nebraska touchdown.
"I've come to know that that's Zac," said senior wide receiver Chris Brooks, who set career highs for catches (3) and yards (50). "You just count on him to do that."
Junior running back Roy Helu pitched in 83 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
NU started scoring with a 10-play, 71-yard drive that culminated in an Alex Henery field goal. On Nebraska’s next drive, Lee flipped a backwards swing pass to Helu, who hit the sideline sprinting and slashed his way 39 yards down to the ULL four-yard line. On the next play, Helu fumbled at the one-yard line, the ball bounded into the end zone and was recovered by tight end Ben Cotton for a touchdown. Henery booted a 47-yard field goal to close out scoring in the first quarter.
Rex Burkhead’s 33-yard punt return set up NU’s second touchdown, a four-yard pass from Lee to senior Chris Brooks. Junior nickel back Eric Hagg forced a fumble on ULL’s next drive, recovered by Matt O’Hanlon at the Ragin Cajuns’ 27-yard line. Helu scored three plays later on a two-yard touchdown plunge.
The Huskers tacked on two more touchdowns in the fourth-quarter, both from true freshmen. Rex Burkhead caught a shovel pass from Cody Green and zigzagged 22 yards for a score, stiff-arming a defender at the 5-yard line. Green finished scoring with a 24-yard gallop on a zone read play.
Field position was strongly in NU’s advantage all night, as Henery pooched two punts inside ULL’s two-yard line. Nebraska started four drives inside ULL territory.
"I was pretty confident how our team would respond," Pelini said. "I said they'd come out and play with passion and play with great effort and that's what happened."
Fans were also treated to a celebration of Husker tributes throughout the game. Turner Gill, Frank Solich, Barry Alvarez, Keith Jackson and Barry Switzer all taped messages for the 300th-consecutive sellout, with Alvarez relaying a message from Penn State coach Joe Paterno, who applauded NU's fans for their support and class. After the game, fireworks and a long video detailing the history of the program since Bob Devaney took over in 1962 kept fans in their seats and players standing on the field.
"I was just trying to soak it all in," Fisher said. "It's a really cool experience."
Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: ull week, 300th sellout, bo pelini, zac lee, sean fisher, larry asante
Home > Blogs > Official Husker Locker Blog > ULL GAME: Shutout, Baby!
The old school uniforms, and the physical dominance of NU replayed visions of heroic coaches and players that lent their passion and dedication for this coaching staff and team to embrace that greatness and cause, as they add their images burned into film for future generations.
– Sep 27, 2009