HUSKER EXTRA 2020 LOVE OF GAME

11 THE SELLOUT STREAK In all kinds of weather, Nebraska fans have shown up. Whether the opponent was Pacific or Oklahoma, Journal Star file photos Louisiana-Lafayette or Colo- rado, the Huskers have played in front of a full house for every 2 5 8 home game since Nov. 3, 1962, against Missouri. THE FIELD DESIGN THE NATIVE SON IS THE COACH BALLOONS OK, so sometimes it hasn’t Scott Frost came home, and Nebraska football fans love Simple. To the point. Straight- exactly been a full house. The forward. Much like so many the state rejoiced. His first their balloons. Well, most of leanest times of the past 20 of Nebraska’s teams over the news conference as a head them anyway. The decades- or so years have seen pockets coach was as much a celebra- long tradition of releasing red years, the design on Memorial tion as it was an introduction. balloons after NU’s first score Stadium’s turf has had a famil- of gray bleachers mixed in with Like his own head coach at NU in Memorial Stadium has stood iar, comforting look for years. the thousands of red-clad fans. (Hastings native Tom Osborne), the test of time, and in recent While there have been minor But every ticket for every Frost was a football standout years, stood the test of legal alterations here and there (dif- single one of the past 375 in central Nebraska. He was a challenges and helium short- ferent shades of green between home games has been sold, man who needed no introduc- ages. The balloons have been the yard lines, anyone?), the whether the buyer actually ing. The Wood River native found as far away as Illinois basic premise has remained showed up or not. carried a certain swagger that and even New York in the days mostly the same: A large red While it may elicit chuckles day. And while the results still after Husker home games. A “N” at midfield, “Huskers” in the from other corners of the col- haven’t come, most feel it’s nationwide brand, indeed. north end zone, “Nebraska” in lege football world, the streak only a matter of time. the south end zone. remains a point of pride among a large portion of the NU fan 6 7 base. 3 9 And while there can be BLACKSHIRTS THE PIPELINE some sleepy Saturdays from APPLAUDING THE FOES time to time, Memorial BEING THE FIRST In 1964, Bob Devaney needed The Huskers have the most The first organized weight train- some jerseys to differentiate Outland Trophy winners in the Win or lose, NU fans have Stadium can rock with the ing program. The first college- his defensive players from the country. The award for the top applauded the opponent when best of them with the right only stadium to install FieldTurf. offense, and sent assistant center in the nation is named they left the field. That was combination of circumstances. The first college program to coach Mike Corgan to a local for Dave Rimington. The pick- easier in the 1970s, ’80s, and The Miami and Oregon home put in video replay boards. NU sporting goods store to see ings have been slim in recent ’90s, when more often than not games of the past few seasons has a long history of being first what he could round up. And a years, but historically there the opponent left with a lower are proof of that. If NU is in a point total than the Huskers. whether on the field or off. tradition was born. The Black- probably isn’t a school more big game, at home, the old girl shirt name has become ubiqui- associated with the big boys will be rocking. tous with the Nebraska football up front than Nebraska. That’s Whenever it ends — if it ever brand, and in years when the to say nothing of the fullback ends — Nebraska’s streak will 4 defense is good, the name (R.I.P.), who got as many cheers 10 almost certainly stand un- carries extra weight. Black, for his bone-crushing blocks as touched for as long as college THE NICKNAME over the years, has become an he did for his big runs. FAMILY LEGACIES unofficial school color. Nebraska football is a family football is played. No other college In the country Only Notre Dame, which — big, small, or in between — affair. It starts with the head coach, whose family had saw its sellout streak end at goes by the Cornhuskers. In 273 games in November 2019, fact, no other sports team or season tickets in Memorial Sta- could even come within shout- school of any kind in the nation dium going back to the 1940s. uses the Cornhuskers monitor. Those tickets are passed down ing distance of the Huskers. A few now-defunct high schools from generation to generation, used to use the nickname, to people who watch players, as did an old minor league and those players’ sons. So TOP: Memorial Stadium expanded its baseball team based in Sioux often teams are referred to as capacity in 2013, and yet Husker fans City, Iowa, in the late 1890s families. Nebraska takes it to continue to pack it in. and 1900s. another level.