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Nebraska Football: Five 2016 Seniors That Will Be Missed Most
Oct 15, 2016; Bloomington, IN, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Terrell Newby (34) jumps over Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Rashard Fant (16) during the first half of the game at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
When the Nebraska football team takes the field in Nashville, Tenn. to face the Tennessee Volunteers, Big Red backers will cheer the household names. However, while it’s easy to appreciate an experienced senior on the roster, you simply don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.
Players that still have connections to former head coach Bo Pelini will be playing their final minutes as members of the team. This is shortly going to become Mike Riley’s team more than ever before.
Five seniors will be missed most and not just because they got the loudest cheers.
With that in mind, here are five seniors that will be missed the most from the 2016 roster.
Terrell Newby
Newby was, in short, a surprise. It seemed like the starting spot was Devine Ozigbo’s to lose as No. 34 had spent his time dancing from east to west far too often in the backfield.
When he could gain five yards, he’d manage two or three. When he could get two or three, he’d be taken down at the line of scrimmage.
He shut all of the naysayers up this year.
Newby led all rushers with 864 yards gained on 181 attempts, good for a 4.8 yard-per-carry average. He was responsible for seven total rushing touchdowns and 72 yards per contest.
Also giving Tommy Armstrong, Jr. a target out of the backfield, he pulled in 16 catches for 138 yards and a touchdown.
In 2017, Ozigbo returns along with Mikale Wilbon, Adam Taylor and Tre Bryant.
Nebraska has yet to secure a running back commitment for the 2017 cycle as of this writing, but it’s hard to think that they won’t be in the mix to see some playing time as well.
This season, Ozigbo was good for 346 yards rushing on 90 attempts and five rushing touchdowns. Bryant showed fantastic flashes of elite speed as he contributed 172 yards on 43 carries and a score of his own.
Bryant looks to have an inside edge going into the spring as he began to get more snaps behind Newby while Ozigbo essentially vanished from the lineup. Though hobbled, he only had 14 carries for 28 yards over Nebraska’s last seven regular season games, scoring once versus Wisconsin.
Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Oh, where to begin? The mustache, the hands made of Stick’Em, the First Down Point. It’s been easy to fall in love with Jordan Westerkamp as he’s climbed the Nebraska receiving record charts over the years.
Coming into 2016, many hoped he would be the first Husker receiver to break the 1,000-yard barrier. Alas, when a quarterback has so many options to throw to, the love gets spread around quite a bit.
Despite battling injuries almost all season long, he tallied 38 receptions for 526 yards and five touchdowns.
As of the final regular season game of the year, Westerkamp caught at least one pass in 36 straight games. That put him one shy of the Nebraska all-time record set by Johnny Rodgers.
He also increased his career receptions to 167, moving him past Nate Swift into second place on the Nebraska career receptions list.
His career receiving yardage was bumped total to 2,474 yards in Iowa City putting him only two yards short of Nate Swift’s third place mark and five yards back of Johnny Rodgers.
Westerkamp’s legacy is more than just statistics, though.
He has always been a genuine ambassador of the University of Nebraska and, quite frankly, is a stand-up guy. He brought literally hundreds of family and friends to every game to root him on quite literally illustrating the idea that once you’re a member of the Huskers, you’re part of something bigger than yourself or anyone else.
For his hard work and sacrifice, he was invited to the East-West Shrine game, one of the top showcase events before the NFL Draft.
Wide receivers coach Keith Williams is also going to have to replace Brandon Reilly and Alonzo Moore in addition to Westerkamp. Fortunately, wide receiver is one area of talent Nebraska football isn’t lacking in.
Nov 14, 2015; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers tight end Cethan Carter (11) prior to the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at High Points Solutions Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim O
Carter wasn’t looked to very much on the football field in 2016, but he was a crucial part of Nebraska’s success. Arguably the best run blocker on the team, he wasn’t so much improperly utilized in the passing game as he was…well…unseen.
Armstrong had his favorite receivers like Westerkamp and loved to go deep (insert your favorite YOLOBomb joke here). This left a guy like Carter who was open underneath but could power his way upfield shrugging his shoulders and wondering what could be.
It’s not like precedent hadn’t been set for him to do damage.
He snagged 24 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns while also running the ball twice on for 48 yards and a touchdown in 2015.
It appeared that he was about ready to make a major impact in 2016’s offense when he went down versus Illinois resulting in an elbow injury that kept him out for three games. He was only able to total 55 yards receiving once he returned for a final four regular season games.
One of the biggest questions in 2017 should be about what Carter could’ve brought to the table. Tanner Lee is going to have a slew of young tight ends to work with, but a talent like No. 11’s could’ve proven to be something special in Riley’s intended offense.
Watch for Matt Snyder, Jack Stoll, Tyler Hoppes and David Engelhaupt to all scrap for playing time left by the departing Carter and Ben Cotton.
Looking into Carter’s future, if he can rehab properly and make every effort he can to get in front of NFL scouts, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be given an opportunity to show what he can do.
Oct 22, 2016; Lincoln, NE, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. (4) scores a touchdown against the Purdue Boilermakers in the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Has Tommy Armstrong, Jr. been the most conventional quarterback throughout his career at Nebraska? No. Is he the right kind of signal-caller for Mike Riley’s ideal offense? Negative.
Will he be remembered fondly for his grit, determination and ability to play through the pain for his brothers in pads? Absolutely.
Much like the long-tenured Taylor Martinez before him, there were damnable moments and there were magical ones. It was hard to tell when one or the other was coming sometimes, but that seems fitting for a team that can see all four seasons over a month-long span in Lincoln, Neb.
One of the big stories prior to the 2016 season was that Armstrong was not voted a captain by his peers. Regardless, No. 4 stated that he was going to be a leader.
“Captains are chosen, but leaders are born,” Armstrong said back in August. “I know from Day 1 I’ve been a leader here. I’m going to still continue to do what I’m doing, leading this team in the right way.”
Not only has he been that, he’s become a leader on the record lists, too. He’s shattered career yardage totals that stood in his way. He’s become a topic of conversation for when the best quarterbacks at Nebraska come up. Would Armstrong have thrived on a Tom Osborne-led team? Maybe, maybe not, but he’ll always be a part of the argument.
In the meantime, the chapter of the “true” dual-threat may close for now with Armstrong’s departure. In his place is the future with Lee and Patrick O’Brien leading the way.
Nov 5, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; A sign honoring former Nebraska Cornhuskers punter Sam Foltz (27) will greet players on their way to the field for the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
He’s been missed for a long time already, this is true. However, much like when Nebraska lost quarterback Brook Berringer, Foltz will be forever loved and remembered.
It’s been a numb feeling in Nebraska fans’ minds throughout the entire season. The hashtag #RIP27 has been a frequent one in tweets and throughout social media.
From the Missing Man formation against Fresno State to Oregon laying flowers at the Nebraska 27-yard-line to every personalized jersey from opposing teams to laying roses on a memorial banner at home on Senior Day, 2016 has been for Sam.
A coin commemorating the passing of No. 27 and former Michigan State punter Mike Sadler has been flipped for Nebraska games all season.
These young men have fought through something truly mind-shattering. To lose a friend so young, so close and so loving to all around him is unimaginable to those of us who only got to see Foltz but a few times per year.
His passing made so many Nebraska fans want to be part of the family, to grieve as one and to hold each other up.
I remember seeing Sam’s mother smiling and laughing during a game this year, completely immersed. It was honestly one of the best things I’ve ever seen.
Foltz’s absence has taught his former teammates a lot about themselves and given the state of Nebraska another name to rally around, to hold high.
Truly, Sam Foltz repping Smalltown, Neb. will be missed in 2017 and long after.
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