2005 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

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2005 Nebraska Cornhuskers football
Logo of the Nebraska athletic teams 2004-
Alamo Bowl champion
Alamo Bowl, W 32–28 vs. Michigan
ConferenceBig 12 Conference
DivisionNorth Division
Ranking
CoachesNo. 24
APNo. 24
Record8–4 (4–4 Big 12)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJay Norvell (2nd season)
Offensive schemeWest Coast
Defensive coordinatorKevin Cosgrove (2nd season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 2004
2006 →
2005 Big 12 Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
North Division
Colorado x   5 3     7 6  
No. 24 Nebraska   4 4     8 4  
Missouri   4 4     7 5  
Iowa State   4 4     7 5  
Kansas   3 5     7 5  
Kansas State   2 6     5 6  
South Division
No. 1 Texas x$#   8 0     13 0  
No. 20 Texas Tech   6 2     9 3  
No. 22 Oklahoma   6 2     8 4  
Texas A&M   3 5     5 6  
Baylor   2 6     5 6  
Oklahoma State   1 7     4 7  
Championship: Texas 70, Colorado 3
  • # – BCS National Champion
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2005 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Bill Callahan and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Before the season[edit]

Nebraska experienced many changes to their team's roster; not only did key wide receiver Ross Pilkington leave the team after he gave up football, but after the spring game, new junior college transfer Zac Taylor replaced the 2004 starter Joe Dailey at the key position of quarterback. Shortly thereafter Joe Dailey transferred to North Carolina.

Schedule[edit]

[1]

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 36:10 pmMaine*FSN PPVW 25–777,469
September 106:10 pmWake Forest*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, NE
TBSW 31–377,380
September 172:30 pmPittsburgh*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, NE
ABCW 7–677,336
October 12:30 pmNo. 23 Iowa State
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, NE
ABCW 27–20 OT77,433
October 83:00 pmNo. 15 Texas Techdagger
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, NE
TBSL 31–3477,580
October 156:05 pmat BaylorFSN PPVW 23–1440,857
October 2211:30 amat MissouriFSNL 24–4160,641
October 2911:00 amOklahoma
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, NE (rivalry)
ABCL 24–3177,438
November 512:00 pmat KansasL 15–4051,750
November 121:05 pmKansas State
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, NE (rivalry)
W 27–2577,761
November 252:30 pmat ColoradoABCW 30–354,831
December 287:00 pmvs. No. 20 Michigan*ESPNW 32–2862,016
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

Roster and coaching staff[edit]

2005 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB 7 Jordan Adams So
OL 65 Greg Austin Jr
WR 23 Chris Brooks Fr
OL 59 Brett Byford So
WR 82 Wes Cammack Fr
OL 62 Andy Christensen RFr
QB 15 Beau Davis So
WR 26 Dan Erickson So
OL 77 Seppo Evwaraye Sr
FB 47 Paul Farino Fr
WR 28 Isaiah Fluellen Jr
OL 57 Conan Fredinburg Fr
OL 79 Cornealius Fuamatu-Thomas Sr
QB 8 Joe Ganz RFr
OL 69 Adam Gibson Jr
IB 34 Cody Glenn Fr
WR 7 Frantz Hardy So
TE 35 David Harvey Fr
OL 73 Jared Helming Sr
TE 11 Matt Herian Sr
TE 86 Sean Hill So
OL 61 Mike Huff RFr
IB 32 Brandon Jackson So
OL 75 Brandon Koch Sr
FB 36 Thomas Lawson RFr
WR 9 Mark LeFlore Sr
OL 74 Newton Lingenfelter Jr
IB 20 Marlon Lucky Fr
OL 50 Kurt Mann Jr
WR 5 Shamus McKoy Sr
FB 33 Grant Miller Jr
TE 81 Josh Mueller So
WR 84 Grant Mulkey Jr
OL 76 Lydon Murtha RFr
WR 83 Terrence Nunn So
FB 45 Will Otto Jr
OL 78 Brock Pasteur Jr
OL 54 Chris Patrick So
WR 17 Todd Peterson RFr
TE 85 J.B. Phillips So
OL 68 Jordan Picou Jr
OL 72 Rodney Picou Fr
OL 56 Gary Pike Sr
OL 63 Craig Roark Fr
IB 4 Cory Ross (C) Sr
TE 48 Andy Sand So
WR 14 Matt Schroeder Sr
TE 88 Clayton Sievers RFr
OL 70 Matt Slauson Fr
WR 87 Nate Swift RFr
QB 13 Zac Taylor Jr
TE 89 Hunter Teafatiller Fr
FB 41 Dane Todd Jr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DL 96 Titus Adams Sr
DE 48 Adam Blankenship RFr
CB 1 Zackary Bowman Jr
LB 34 Stewart Bradley Jr
LB 40 Lance Brandenburgh So
SS 21 Titus Brothers So
SS 26 Mycheal Brown Jr
DL 65 Chris Bryant Jr
SS 14 Daniel Bullocks (C) Sr
DE 90 Adam Carriker Jr
LB 45 Nick Covey Fr
DL 94 Barry Cryer Jr
DL 54 Ola Dagunduro Jr
CB 6 Donald DeFrand Sr
LB 38 Phillip Dillard Fr
SS 46 Ben Eisenhart So
FS 4 Tyler Fisher Sr
CB 18 Travis Gingery So
CB 30 Tierre Green So
CB 2 Cortney Grixby So
LB 49 Adam Ickes Sr
CB 35 Chris LeFlore So
DE 89 Kevin Luhrs So
LB 13 Corey McKeon So
LB 58 Dontrell Moore Jr
DE 44 Jay Moore Jr
DE 55 Wali Muhammad Sr
SS 33 Matt O'Hanlon Fr
LB 52 Mark O'Shea Fr
DL 95 Matt O'Shea Sr
LB 15 Steve Octavien Jr
DE 98 Zach Potter Fr
DE 86 Andy Poulosky So
DE 85 Thomas Rice So
SS 24 Brandon Rigoni Jr
CB 19 Joey Robison Sr
LB 51 Bo Ruud So
FS 8 Andrew Shanle Jr
DL 66 Le Kevin Smith Sr
SS 39 Jeff Souder Fr
DE 43 Ty Steinkuhler RFr
FS 16 Mike Stuntz Sr
DL 77 Ndamukong Suh Fr
FS 25 Blake Tiedtke Sr
DL 99 Barry Turner Fr
LB 59 Brian Voges Jr
CB 28 Bryan Wilson So
LB 53 Tyler Wortman RFr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
PK 93 Jordan Alegria Fr
LS 52 Bryan Benzel Fr
PK 29 Jordan Congdon Fr
PK 27 David Dyches Jr
P 19 Tyler Kester So
P 37 Sam Koch Sr
PK 91 Eric Lueshen So
LS 55 Nathan McBride Fr
LS 82 T.J. O'Leary Fr
LS 9 Jake Peetz Sr
P 97 Dan Titchener RFr
PK 98 Jake Wesch RFr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Jay Norvell
       2nd season as OC/QB coach
       2nd year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: Iowa
  • Kevin Cosgrove
       2nd season as DC/LB coach
       2nd year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: UW-Oshkosh
  • John Blake
       2nd season as DL coach
       2nd year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: Oklahoma
  • Bill Busch
       2nd season as ST/S coach
       6th year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: Nebraska Wesleyan
  • Scott Downing
       3rd season as TE/ST coach
       6th year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: Sterling
  • Phil Elmassian
       1st season as CB coach
       2nd year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: William & Mary
  • Ted Gilmore
       1st season as WR coach
       1st year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: Wyoming
  • Randy Jordan
       2nd season as RB coach
       2nd year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: North Carolina
  • Dennis Wagner
       2nd season as OL coach
       2nd year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: Utah
  • Dave Kennedy
       2nd season as S&C coach
       9th year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: Nebraska
  • Aaron Stamn
       2nd season as GA coach
       2nd year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: Minnesota Mankato
  • Angus McClure
       1st season as GA coach
       1st year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: Sacramento State

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Roster
Last update: January 16, 2011

Depth chart[edit]

Game summaries[edit]

Maine[edit]

Maine at Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
Maine 0 007 7
Nebraska 0 9610 25

Speculation that the 2005 season could perhaps be worse than the 2004 season began when Nebraska struggled to defeat the severe underdog Maine team 25–7.

Wake Forest[edit]

Wake Forest at Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
Wake Forest 0 300 3
Nebraska 14 0107 31

The team went on to crush the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (Zac Taylor's former four year college) 31–3. The win was unusual in that Nebraska's defense scored more points than either team's offense (Nebraska's defense scored 18 points, their offense 6, their special teams 7).

Pittsburgh[edit]

Pittsburgh at Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
Pittsburgh 0 060 6
Nebraska 0 700 7

Their next game is arguably one of the most climactic in the history of all of football. The score was Nebraska 7 and the Pittsburgh Panthers 6. With 7 seconds remaining, the Panthers were going to attempt a game-winning field goal from 36 yards. The ball was snapped with the holder unprepared for the play. The ball rebounded off the holder's helmet. Pittsburgh's kicker recovered the ball and threw it incomplete to preserve time. One second remained on the clock as Pittsburgh prepared for the final play. Pittsburgh attempted the kick again, the holder prepared this time. Pittsburgh's kicker looked as though he would have made the field goal had it not been blocked by Nebraska's Adam Ickes.

Iowa State[edit]

Iowa State at Nebraska [box score]
1 234OTTotal
Iowa State 0 31007 20
Nebraska 3 07314 27

Nebraska's next game was equally exciting as unranked and undefeated Nebraska took on the #23 Iowa State Cyclones. They won in a hard fought match that went into 2 overtimes by a score of 27–20. The game marked the first time that overtime had occurred in Memorial Stadium. Regardless of the quality win, Nebraska remained unranked.

Texas Tech[edit]

Texas Tech at Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
Texas Tech 7 1467 34
Nebraska 0 14710 31

Nebraska was the only team that was unranked and had no losses going into their next game against the 15th ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders. After trailing 21–0 in the first half, Nebraska fought back and eventually gained a 31–27 foothold over Texas Tech. In the final minutes of the game, Nebraska seemingly sealed their victory and a top 25 ranking when lineman LeKevin Smith intercepted a Texas Tech pass only to fumble it seconds later to return possession to Texas Tech. The Red Raiders were given a second-chance and with time winding down threw the game-winning touchdown pass to defeat Nebraska.

Baylor[edit]

Nebraska at Baylor [box score]
1 234Total
Nebraska 3 1073 23
Baylor 7 070 14

Missouri[edit]

Nebraska at Missouri [box score]
1 234Total
Nebraska 10 1400 24
Missouri 21 3710 41

Oklahoma[edit]

Oklahoma at Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
Oklahoma 7 1437 31
Nebraska 0 3714 24

Kansas[edit]

Nebraska at Kansas [box score]
1 234Total
Nebraska 2 760 15
Kansas 14 3716 40

The Huskers lost 3 of their next 4 games, including losses to their rival Missouri Tigers, who defeated them 41–24, a crushing 40-15 defeat to the Kansas Jayhawks (which snapped a 36-year winning streak over Kansas), and rival Oklahoma Sooners, the latter being lost in the final minutes of the game. (This victory was vacated by an NCAA disciplinary panel in July 2007 and then conversely overruled in February 2008.) The only win in this slump was a victory over a sub-par Baylor team.

Kansas State[edit]

Kansas State at Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
Kansas State 6 6103 25
Nebraska 7 1073 27

In a particularly windy game against Kansas State, Nebraska trailed 25–24 with 4:18 remaining in the game. Zac Taylor was on the receiving end of a hard hit that landed him with a mild concussion, removing him from the game. Zac remained on the ground for a couple of minutes with Callahan and KSU's Bill Snyder towering over him. The sold out crowd began to chant his name, as Taylor tried to recompose himself. Backup quarterback, freshman Harrison Beck, burned his redshirt in order to record his first action in a college football game. After throwing an interception in his first drive, he threw a key reception in Nebraska's final drive. Freshman kicker Jordan Congdon came in to make the go-ahead field goal. This was a risky move as the wind was swirling and was so strong that it ripped the stadium's mammoth U.S. flag off a crane that was suspending it, seemingly as a testament to its power. Regardless, Congdon made the 40-yard field goal to give Nebraska the win.

Colorado[edit]

Nebraska at Colorado [box score]
1 234Total
Nebraska 3 1773 30
Colorado 3 000 3

Nebraska's final regular season game of 2005 was at Colorado. Colorado, who was leading the Big 12 North division in the race to the Big 12 championship game, was the heavy favorite, as Nebraska was cold after 3 straight losses followed by a near miss against a struggling Kansas State team. Tension built up between the rivals as a verbal skirmish involving every player erupted in the center of the field between the two teams when Nebraska mistook Colorado players walking toward their half of the field as an insult. Colorado was stunned, however, when Nebraska dominated Colorado in every aspect of the game. Wearing motivational T-shirts reading "RESTORE THE ORDER" underneath their jerseys, Nebraska beat Colorado 30–3 with breakout performances from nearly every player, particularly Zac Taylor and Colorado native Cory Ross.

Alamo Bowl vs Michigan[edit]

Nebraska vs Michigan [box score]
1 234Total
Michigan 7 777 28
Nebraska 7 7315 32

The team finished with 7 wins and 4 losses in the regular season. Nebraska would play their bowl game against the Michigan Wolverines in the 2005 Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas. With 2 seconds left in the game the Wolverines trailed the Cornhuskers 32-28 and set up the hook & lateral play for a miracle touchdown. In one of the wildest finishes ever, Michigan lateraled the football 9 times, fumbling once on their way to a 59-yard gain. In the midst of all this the entire Nebraska sideline stormed the field in celebration thinking the game was over when Michigan fumbled the ball (from their point of view they could not see that the ball was loose and assumed the Michigan player to be down). Many players thinking the play was over stopped playing entirely. This allowed the Michigan ball carrier to run by them, In all the confusion some Michigan players did not block for their carrier. Before the play was over the Cornhuskers, several Michigan players and coaches, and several other individuals along with the awards podium were on the field, and the game officials had left to submit their votes for the award winners. The Michigan ball carrier had been pushed out of bounds inside of the red zone. No penalties were awarded to either team because the officials had already left. When all was said and done, Nebraska came off with a victory and ended their season with an 8–4 record.

Rankings[edit]

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
AP24
Coaches24
HarrisNot released2524Not released
BCSNot released23Not released

After the season[edit]

After the acrimonious firing of Frank Solich in 2003 for what Nebraska Athletic Director Steve Pederson perceived as a failure to recruit top players, Nebraska hired Callahan, who promptly introduced the West Coast offense, a marked shift from Nebraska's traditional I-formation option attack. The offense took time to register with the players as the Huskers struggled to adapt, posting a 5–6 season in 2004, Nebraska's first losing season in over 40 years. However, in 2005 the Huskers started fast, going 4–0 to start the season before being defeated at home by Texas Tech 34–31. After a rebound win over a weak Baylor squad, the next few games were some that Huskers fans would want to forget: a 41–24 loss away to Missouri, a home loss to Oklahoma, and a crushing road defeat at Kansas, which had not defeated Nebraska since 1968. However, the season ended on a higher note, as the Huskers dominated the Colorado 30–3 in Boulder.

Awards[edit]

[2]

Award Name(s)
Freshman All American 1st team Jordan Congdon, Barry Turner
All-Big 12 1st team Adam Carriker, Sam Koch, Terrence Nunn
All-Big 12 2nd team Daniel Bullocks, Jordan Congdon, Kurt Mann, Corey McKeon, Cory Ross
All-Big 12 honorable mention Titus Adams, Seppo Evwaraye, Cortney Grixby, Brandon Koch, Jay Moore, Bo Ruud, Nate Swift
Freshman All-Big 12 1st team Jordan Congdon, Nate Swift, Barry Turner

NFL and pro players[edit]

The following Nebraska players who participated in the 2005 season later moved on to the next level and joined a professional or semi-pro team as draftees or free agents.[3]

Name Team
Titus Adams New York Jets
Stewart Bradley Philadelphia Eagles
Daniel Bullocks Detroit Lions
Adam Carriker St. Louis Rams
Seppo Evwaraye Carolina Panthers
Joe Ganz Washington Redskins
Cortney Grixby Carolina Panthers
Brandon Jackson Green Bay Packers
Sam Koch Baltimore Ravens
Jay Moore San Francisco 49ers
Lydon Murtha Detroit Lions
Terrence Nunn New England Patriots
Chris Patrick New York Giants
Todd Peterson Jacksonville Jaguars
Andy Poulosky Sioux City Bandits
Cory Ross Baltimore Ravens
Bo Ruud New England Patriots
Andrew Shanle Chicago Bears
Le Kevin Smith New England Patriots
Ty Steinkuhler New York Jets
Nate Swift Denver Broncos
Zac Taylor Tampa Bay Buccaneers

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Football - 2005 Schedule/Results". University of Nebraska-Lincoln Athletics Department. Retrieved May 13, 2009.
  2. ^ 2005 Husker Honors
  3. ^ "All Time NFL Huskers". nflhuskers.com. Archived from the original on August 15, 2009. Retrieved May 13, 2009.